Patent Application
20160001967
The present invention relates to an individual portion package containing butter, soft cheese or similar foodstuff that is intended to be spread out on another foodstuff such as a slice of bread or the like. The content of the package thus is a foodstuff that is liquid, semi-liquid, soft or semi-soft. The most frequent use of such packages is butter for a slice of bread. The invention will in the following be described in relation to this specific usage, but it is to be understood that the invention encloses also other similar foodstuff as indicated above.
Butter is often provided in individual portion packages for spreading on a slice of bread or a few slices. This kind of packages is mostly used in restaurants and the like. On applying the butter on the bread a knife or similar device, it is required to spread the butter. The knife is often the same tool as thereafter being used to eat a meal. Remaining butter on the knife might be unpleasant. Another drawback is that both hands are needed to spread the butter, one holding the container and one holding the knife.
In order to eliminate these inconveniences it is known to package the butter in a container having an integrated spreading device such as a knife. Examples of such containers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,506, U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,932, U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,661, U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,8188, GB 2317553 and SE 527 849. Similar devices but for other purposes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,264, U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,309, U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,792, U.S. Pat. No. 3,116,152 and JP 54067143.
Although the known devices in one way or another solves the problem of eliminating a separate tool for spreading the foodstuff in the container they have various drawbacks regarding manufacturing and/or handling aspects.
The object of the present invention is to attain a portion package of the kind in question with integrated container and spreading device and which does not suffer from the drawbacks entailing known attempts with such devices.
A similar object is at hand for the invention in the not yet published PCT/SE2012/050898. The invention of that application overcomes most of the drawbacks related to prior art. However it has been found that also the device of that invention can be improved.
The object of the present invention is achieved in that an individual portion package for butter or the like intended to be spread on a piece of bread or the like includes the features specified in claim 1. The package thus includes a closed container and spreading device, which spreading device is integrated with the container and projecting out from the container, which container is formed by a first wall and a second wall connected to each other, which first wall has an extension forming the spreading device, and which second wall has a gripping device at the end of the container adjacent the spreading device, which gripping device is arranged for opening the container at this end for providing a dispensing opening allowing the content of the container to be squeezed out onto a supply side of the spreading device which supply side is on the same side of the first wall as the container , whereby the gripping device forms a second extension from the container in direction of the spreading device which second extension completely covers the supply side of the spreading device.
Thanks to the arrangement that the supply side is arranged on the same side of the first wall as the container, the content of the container is very easily squeezed out on the spreading device. A very important feature is that the second extension completely covers the supply side of the spreading device. Thereby the surface of the supply side is effectively protected from contamination before the package is used. The invented package therefore is very hygienic. When the second extension formed by the gripping device is removed from the supply side of the spreading device and opens the opening of the container, the butter will be pressed out onto a completely clean surface.
The two extensions are preferably joined by an adhesive that is relatively weak so that the separation of the second extension from the first extension is simple.
According to a preferred embodiment, the second extension is larger than the first extension such that the second extension projects beyond at least one edge of the spreading device.
Since the second extension is the gripping device the projection will serve as a gripping portion thereof and facilitate the removal of the second extension from the first extension and then open the package.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the at least one edge is an end edge of the spreading device.
Thereby the gripping of the gripping device will occur at the end of the spreading device such that the separation and opening is done in the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the package, which will be particularly easy and convenient.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the spreading device has a kerf line and being sufficient weak to be broken along the kerf line by hand force.
This is an alternative solution to the embodiments presented next above and will also provide a simple separation of the extensions from each other and the opening of the containers. When this is to be done the spreading device is bent along the kerf line, whereby the spreading device is broken. The small part of the spreading device that is broken away will still be attached to the outer end of the second extension and thereby forms the gripping portion of the gripping device.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the first wall and the second wall are connected to each other along a connection line, which connection line completely is located in one planar plane.
Connecting the two walls along a connection line that is located in a planar plane makes the manufacturing of the package less complicated than when the connection partly takes place in the plane of a first wall and partly in the plane of a second wall.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the first wall completely is in one planar plane.
This further contributes to facilitate the manufacturing of the package. This feature also provides a base for achieving good stiffness when using the spreading device for spreading the butter, since the spreading device is an extension of the first wall.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the spreading device extends from the first wall in the direction of the plane of the first wall.
When the spreading device extends in the same direction as the first wall, the handling of the device when spreading the butter becomes very convenient.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the spreading device is planar.
This is in most case the optimal shape for effectively spreading the butter on the slice of bread.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the first wall and the spreading device are co-planar.
Having these two parts in a common plane further contributes to a convenient handling of the device. This configuration is also advantageous when manufacturing.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the first wall and the spreading device are made in one single piece and of the same material.
This further contributes to a rational manufacturing.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the first wall includes a layer of paper board.
Since paper board is a cheap material and simple to cut, this contributes to economic efficiency at manufacturing. It is understood that the paper board should be relatively stiff. In particular this relates when the spreading device is made in one piece with the first wall in order to achieve a sufficient stiffness for the spreading. The first wall may be solely made of paper board or may be coated or laminated with some other material for avoiding that the butter impregnates the wall.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the second wall is deformable by a squeezing force applied by a user's finger thereon.
It is optimal to relate the necessary squeezing possibility to this wall, since the first wall is designed for another purpose, namely the integration with the spreading device. The specified criterion for the amount of force required makes the dispensing of the butter easy, i.e. avoiding the need for a tool or an inconvenient high muscle force for the squeezing.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the second wall is of another material than the first wall
Thereby the material for each of the walls can be optimized with regards to the purpose of the respective wall.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the second wall is a laminate.
Thereby the material properties of this wall can be optimally adapted for the various aspects related to its function, such as to contact the butter on one side, contact the surrounding air on the other side and provide sufficient deformability and sufficient strength.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the gripping device is an extension of the second wall.
The handling of the package as well as the manufacturing thereof thereby is facilitated, in particular in comparison with making the gripping device as a separate unit.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the gripping device is arranged to allow disconnection of the connection between the first wall and the second wall in the region most close to the spreading device.
Thereby the dispensing of the butter onto the spreading device is achieved in the most convenient way.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the gripping device is arranged to be maintained attached to the second wall after the container has been opened.
The package thereby is maintained as one single piece after use which minimizes the number of trash pieces to take care of and thus reduces disturbing appearance of trash pieces on the eating table.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the container has width that is 2 to 10 times the height of the container, preferably 3 to 5 times, whereby the height is the maximum distance between the first wall and the second wall .
According to a further preferred embodiment, the container has a length that is 2 to 10 times the width of the container, preferably 3 to 5 times.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the container has a length that is 1 to 4 times the length of the spreading device, preferably 1.5 to 2.5 times.
The specified relative dimensions in these embodiments represent an optimal adaption for a convenient handling of the package.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the end of the spreading device that is most remote from the container has an end edge that at least partly extends inclined in relation to the length direction of the package.
The inclined end edge facilitates the spreading of the butter on the slice of bread. The end edge may be inclined along its entire extension or only along a part thereof. It might follow a straight and/or curved line.
The above described preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims. It is to be understood that further preferred embodiments of course can be constituted by any possible combination of the preferred embodiments above and by any possible combination of these and features mentioned in the description of examples below.
The invention will be further explained through the following detailed description of examples thereof and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The package is illustrated in
The first wall 6 at the bottom is integrated with the spreading device 2 and is made of one single piece with the spreading device. The first wall 6 together with the spreading device 2 is made of paper board. The board should be relatively stiff such that the spreading device can be used in the same manner as a knife, spatula or the like.
The second wall 3 is made of a material that is flexible, such as plastic, so that it can be easily deformed by a slight pressure. It is preferably a laminate. The second wall has a flap-like extension at the end of the container 1 adjacent the spreading device. The flap-like extension, which forms a gripping device 4, extends from the provisional connection line 9, along the spreading device 2 and a bit further than that. The gripping device 4 thus covers the complete upper surface 2a of the spreading device 2, and thereby protects it from coming into contact with the surrounding. That surface is the supply side 2a of the spreading device 2. The gripping device 4 is attached to the upper surface 2a of the spreading device by an adhesive that is easily releasable. Since the gripping device 4 extends longer than the spreading device 2 there is left an outer part 4a of the gripping device 4 that is not in contact with the spreading device 2. This outer part forms a gripping part 4a of the gripping device 4.
When the package is to be used the user grips the gripping part 4a of the gripping device 4 and pulls it upwards as indicated by the arrow. Thereby the gripping device 4 is removed from the upper surface 2a of the spreading device 2 and the connection between the walls at the provisional connection line 9 is disengaged and a dispensing opening 5 is opened at this end of the container 1 as illustrated in
Thereafter the user presses a finger against the second wall 3 so that it will be deformed. The butter 10 thereby will be squeezed out through the dispensing opening 5 and be positioned on the upper surface 2a of the spreading device 2 as illustrated in
The outer end edge 8 of the spreading device is inclined relative to the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the package.
The package according to the example illustrated in
The gripping device 4 also in this example completely covers the upper side 2a of the spreading device 2, but does not reach any further than that. In stead the spreading device 2 has a kerf line 11 along which the spreading device can easily be broken by hand force. Outside the kerf line 11 there is a gripping part 2b.
When the package is to be used the user first bends the spreading device in the region of the kerf line 11 such that it is broken along this line. Thereafter the user grips the gripping part 2b together with the outer part of the gripping device 4 that is maintained attached to the gripping device 4. Then the gripping device 4 is pulled upwards and thereby releases the gripping device 4 from the rest of the spreading device 2 and opens the dispensing opening 5. Thereafter the use is the same as described above in relation to the first example.
A third example is disclosed in
In this example the first wall 106 is a laminate including a plastic layer and the second wall may be of stiffer plastic or paper board. When squeezing out the butter in this example the pressure is applied onto the first wall 106.
In this example the gripping device 104 completely covers the spreading device 102 without an extension and there is no kerf line on the spreading device 102. It is, however, to be understood that also in this example the arrangement according to the first or second example for facilitating the removal of the gripping device 102 from the spreading device may be applied.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/SE2013/050130 | 2/15/2013 | WO | 00 |
