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EP-4739588-A1 - PACKAGING CONTAINER FOR FOOD AND METHOD TO PRODUCE A PACKAGING CONTAINER

EP4739588A1EP 4739588 A1EP4739588 A1EP 4739588A1EP-4739588-A1

Abstract

The present invention pertains to packaging container (2) for food comprising an outer part (4) and an inner part (6), wherein the outer part (4) comprises paper and/or cardboard, wherein the inner part (6) comprises a plastic, wherein the inner part (6) is thermoformed, wherein the inner part (6) comprises a bottom (8), a flange (10) and a wall (12), wherein the wall (12) connects the flange (10) and the bottom (8), wherein the outer part (4) is at least partially enclosing the inner part (6), wherein in particular the outer part (4) is enclosing the wall (12) of the inner part (6), wherein the inner part (6) comprises a circumferential shoulder (14) at the bottom (8), wherein the outer part (4) is arranged on the shoulder (14) and the shoulder (14) supports the outer part (4), wherein the shoulder (14) comprises at least one recess (16).

Inventors

  • LLOYD, SIMON

Assignees

  • Faerch Deutschland GmbH

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240705

Claims (15)

  1. 1 . Packaging container (2) for food comprising an outer part (4) and an inner part (6), wherein the outer part (4) comprises paper and/or cardboard, wherein the inner part (6) comprises a plastic, wherein the inner part (6) is thermoformed, wherein the inner part (6) comprises a bottom (8), a flange (10) and a wall (12), wherein the wall (12) connects the flange (10) and the bottom (8), wherein the outer part (4) is at least partially enclosing the inner part (6), wherein in particular the outer part (4) is enclosing the wall (12) of the inner part (6), wherein the inner part (6) comprises a circumferential shoulder (14) at the bottom (8), wherein the outer part (4) is arranged on the shoulder (14) and the shoulder (14) supports the outer part (4), characterized in that the shoulder (14) comprises at least one recess (16).
  2. 2. Packaging container according to claim 1 , characterized in that the shoulder (14) comprises a holding range (18), wherein the holding range (18) extends in the radial direction (R) of the shoulder (14), wherein the holding range (18) is between the outer edge (20) of the shoulder (14) and the intersection (I) of the surface of the shoulder (14) and the connecting line from the flange (10) to the bottom (8) along the wall (12), wherein the holding range (18) is at least 0.3 mm, preferably at least 0.8 mm and most preferably at least 1 .5 mm.
  3. 3. Packaging container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the at least one recess (16) is offset towards the centre of the inner part (6) compared to the outer edge (20) of the shoulder (14), wherein the at least one recess (16) is connected with the outer edge (20) of the shoulder (14) by at least one ramp (22), wherein in particular the at least one ramp (22) has an angle of 10°-80°, preferably 30°-60°, most preferably 40°-50°.
  4. 4. Packaging container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the at least one recess (16) tapers in the circumferential direction (C) along the direction (D) from the flange (10) to the bottom (8), in particular with a maximum angle of 15°, or wherein the at least one recess (16) has a continuous width (W1) in the circumferential direction (C) along the direction (D) from the flange (10) to the bottom (8).
  5. 5. Packaging container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the at least one recess (16) is 5-80%, preferably 10-60% and most preferably 15- 40% of the shoulder (14).
  6. 6. Packaging container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the shoulder (14) comprises at least two recesses (16), and wherein the at least two recesses (16) are spaced apart in the circumferential direction (C).
  7. 7. Packaging container according to claim 6, characterized in that the at least two recesses (16) are equidistantly arranged in the circumferential direction (C).
  8. 8. Packaging container according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the inner part (6) comprises a stacking edge (24), wherein the stacking edge (24) is arranged on the inside of the inner part (6), and wherein the stacking edge (24) is circumferential.
  9. 9. Packaging container according to claim 8, characterized in that the stacking edge (24) comprises at least one interruption (26), and wherein in particular the at least one interruption (26) tapers in the circumferential direction (C) along the direction (D) from the flange (10) to the bottom (8), in particular with a maximum angle of 15°, or wherein in particular the at least one interruption (26) has a continuous width (W2) in the circumferential direction (C) along the direction (D) from the flange (10) to the bottom (8).
  10. 10. Packaging container according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the at least one interruption (26) is 5-90%, preferably 20-75% and most preferably 35-60% of the stacking edge (24).
  11. 11 . Packaging container according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the at least one recess (16) is spaced apart in the circumferential direction (C) from the at least one interruption (26).
  12. 12. Packaging container according to any one of claims 8 to 11 , characterized in that the at least one interruption (26) extends further in a circumferential direction (C) than the at least one recess (16).
  13. 13. Packaging container according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the outer part (4) comprises at least one separation region (37).
  14. 14. Packaging container according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the inner part (6) comprises polyethylene terephthalate, in particular recycled polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, in particular recycled polystyrene, and/or polypropene, in particular recycled polypropene, or wherein the inner part (6) consists of polyethylene terephthalate, in particular recycled polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, in particular recycled polystyrene, and/or polypropene, in particular recycled polypropene.
  15. 15. Method to produce a packaging container (2), in particular a packaging container (2) according to any of the proceeding claims, comprising the steps: Providing a plastic blank, Thermoforming the plastic blank into an inner part (6), wherein the inner part (6) comprises a circumferential shoulder (14) at the bottom (8), wherein the shoulder (14) comprises at least one recess (16), - Arranging an outer part (4) on the outside of the inner part (6), such that the outer part (4) is arranged on the shoulder (14) and the shoulder (14) supports the outer part (4).

Description

.Packaging container for food and method to produce a packaging container" FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains to a packaging container for food and a method to produce a packaging container. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The packaging container for food is used to store different types of food for example yoghurt, drinks or coffee. The packaging container for food comprises an outer part and an inner part. The outer part usually comprises paper and/or cardboard. The inner part comprises a plastic, wherein the inner part is thermoformed. The inner part comprises a bottom, a flange, and a wall, wherein the wall connects the flange and the bottom. Usually, the outer part is at least partially enclosing the inner part, wherein in particular the outer part is enclosing the wall of the inner part. Therefore, the inner part comprises a circumferential shoulder at the bottom and wherein the outer part is arranged on the shoulder and the shoulder supports the outer part. The combination of the inner part comprising a plastic and the outer part comprising paper and/or cardboard enables the adjustment of the mechanical properties of the packaging container. Thus, a packaging container with beneficial mechanical properties for storing, transportation and filling can be achieved by the combination of the materials. Moreover, because of the outer part, which comprises paper and/or cardboard, the inner part can be thin. Hence, less plastic is used for a packaging container, so that the production of the packaging container is environmentally friendly. Further, the inner part and the outer part can be separated so that the different materials of the packaging container can be recycled separately. In doing so, the recycling and consequently the environmental friendliness of the packaging container is improved. However, the attachment of the outer part to the inner part is difficult. The outer part is arranged on the shoulder and supported by the shoulder. Hence, the outer part and the inner part are mainly connected by the shoulder. Though, the shoulder is usually rounded and small, because the shoulder is an undercut during the thermoforming of the inner part. Thus, the shoulder hinders the removal of the inner part as force must be applied to remove the shoulder from the thermoforming machine. Consequently, only small shoulders can be produced to enable a removal of the inner part from the thermoforming machine. Big shoulders would be destroyed during the removal. A small shoulder badly supports the outer part. Hence, a detachment of the outer part from the inner part regularly happens. After the detachment of the outer part from the inner part the packaging container is disposed, or the outer part is manually attached to the inner part. In addition, during the filling of the packaging container there is high humidity. Thus, the outer part comprising paper and/or cardboard expands and falls off. To prevent the separation of the inner part and the outer part usually the outer part is fixed to the inner part by an adhesive bond. However, this complicates the recycling of the packaging container. On the one hand, the adhesive bond is another material that is used to manufacture the packaging container. Hence, for recycling besides the inner part and the outer part, the adhesive bond must be separated and recycled separately. Hence, another separation step and recycling step is necessary for the adhesive bond. On the other hand, the adhesive bond complicates the separation or even self-separation of the outer part and the inner part. Usually, the region of the packaging container, where the outer part is adhesively bonded to the inner part cannot be separated mechanically. Thus, there is a region of the packaging container that cannot be mechanically separated since the adhesive bond joins the inner part and the outer part. Consequently, this region cannot be recycled. For example, from EP 2 377 766 A1 a packaging container is known with an inner part and an outer part. The inner part comprises two, three or more radially outwardly projecting support projections arranged one behind the other in the circumferential direction. However, to fix the outer part firmly to the inner part EP 2 377 766 A1 also recommends gluing the outer part on the inner part. This complicates the recycling of the packaging container. Based on this prior art it is the object of the invention to provide an environmentally friendly and durable packaging container, which is also cost-effective and efficient. It is another object of the invention to provide a method to produce a packaging container. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the invention the object is solved by a packaging container for food comprising an outer part and an inner part, wherein the outer part comprises paper and/or cardboard, wherein the inner part comprises a plastic, wherein the inner part is thermoformed, wherein the inner part comprise