Modular packing containing trays for food

Abstract: The packing (11) comprises a multiplicity of rigid layers (1) stably but movably stacked one above the other, each of which layers (1) has at least one through-hole (2) , destined to support peripherically by geometrical interference, at least one corresponding tray (3), the through-hole (2) being of a depth at least equal to the smallest height of the trays (3) to be used, so that one or more through-holes (2), vertically aligned, are able to contain trays (3) of arbitrary height.

Description: The invention relates to a modular packing containing trays for food products, contained in said trays. The prior art teaches packings for the transport of food products which have the form of large cardboard boxes or wooden crates, inside which the products are housed in stacked smaller containers. These containers, usually used also for the sale to the public of the said product, can be wooden crates, wicker baskets or polystyrene trays: a common characteristic is that inside there is a product stocked in several layers one above the other. This fact occasions notable drawbacks, especially when the product is fruit or similar, wherein eventual rotting or imperfections propagate, usually by contact. It appears evident that the accumulation of the product on more than one layer inside the same container first subjects the lowest layers to considerable pressure, favouring in this way the occurrence of damage or rotting, thus the propagation of the said damage is also favoured, given the large number of single fruits in reciprocal contact. Further, the walls of the said containers are almost always opaque, preventing thus any visual form of control to a potential buyer. It frequently happens that the quantity of product stocked in a single container excedes the normal requirements of a buyer, causing the handling of the fruit and the frequent moving of the same from one container to another. In the catering and canteen service field, well known is the solution presented by English patent No. 1 079 953 describing a packing comprising a plurality of stacked rings with holes for accommodating trays containing pre-cooked dishes. To guarantee desired insulation, the rings fit into one another by means of a labyrinth-type slot-in system and are completely hollow for containing a heat-insulating material. With regard to the transport of particularly delicate food products such as high-value fruits or berries, delicate fish, fresh meat, the resolving of the problem of the maintenance of the refrigeration chain becomes crucial, an absence of a few hours from correct refrigeration being enough to compromise irreversibly the quality of the product. Up to now, this problem has not been satisfactorily resolved: highly-valued fruit produce, for example, before arriving at the factories, when it is conserved in refrigerators, before being selected and wrapped for transport, spends several hours after being picked and collected at considerably high temperatures, and thus is qualitatively penalised. Also, during their journey and distribution, the conservation of this produce, whose packing is generally the same, not having been handled or worked in the intermediate stage, depends on the punctuality of the transport and the good organisation of the market of destination, with easily imaginable risks being incurred. The aim of the present invention is thus that of eliminating the above-mentioned drawbacks. The invention, as it is characterised in the claims which follow, resolves the problem of providing a modular and practical packing, so as to satisfy the needs of the producers, distributors and consumers. In other words, as will be better illustrated hereinafter, it is utilizable by growers during picking and by distributors without risk of interrupting the cold chain, While consumers have the opportunity to see what they are buying in the knowledge that the product has not been handled. One of the advantages obtained through the present invention consists essentially in the fact that the same trays are used for containing the produce from its picking to its sale to the public, limiting in this way the need for handling it. Another advantage is derived from te fact that the trays contain one single layer of produce, reducing thus damage from crushing and subsequent spreading of the damage through contact. The invention is also flexible to the needs of packing both for delicate fruits, which require a particular care in the maintaining of the refrigeration chain, and for normal produce, which requires special aeration conditions: in both cases, excellent distribution of space is achieved for optimal results in terms of transport volume. The invention will be discussed in more detail in the description which follows, with the help of the accompanying diagrams which represent a non-limiting preferred embodiment of the invention, and in which: Figure 1 shows a modular element of the invention in frontal perspective view; Figure 2 shows the invention in longitudinal section, according to the embodiment of figure 1; Figure 3 shows an enlarged particular of the invention, accrording to an embodiment derived from the preceding figure; Figure 4 shows the invention in longitudinal section, in a second embodiment. As can be observed in figure 2, the invention consists in a modular packing for food produce. The modular packing 11 described is particularly suitable for food produce which is contained in trays 3; it comprises a multiplicity of rigid layers 1 stably packed one above the other but movable thanks to profiles 5 and counterprofiles 6, realised on the inferior and superior faces of each layer 1 in such a way as to enable a reciprocal movable and sealed coupling between adjacent layers 1. Each layer 1 has at least one through-hole 2, destined to support peripherically by geometrical interference, at least one corresponding tray 3, the through-hole 2 being of a depth at least equal to the smallest height of the trays 3 to be used. In this way, as can be observed in figure 3, one or more through-holes 2, vertically aligned, are able to contain trays 3 of arbitrary height, without the weight of the upper trays 3 bearing upon the contents of the lower trays 3. The layers 1 are decomposable, to reduce the volume in the case of transport of empty packing. The modular wrapping 11, in its totality, has thus the appearance of a sandwich of standardised sizes, starting from a basic module, represented in figure 1. In this embodiment, each layer 1 has six through-holes 2 corresponding to six trays 3, which may or may not have peripheral edges 10: if there are in fact the said edges 10, the flat horizontal surface which delimits the through-holes 2 supports the said edges 10 directly; if there are no edges 10, the walls of the through-holes 2 peripherally bear the walls of the trays 3. In the second case described above, as can be seen from the broken line in figure 3, the walls of the through-holes 2 are inclined at the same angle as the walls of the trays 3. As has already been mentioned, the modular wrapping 11 is particularly flexible in order to satisfy the need for transport both of particularly delicate produce, for which the maintenance of the refrigeration chain is all-important, and of normal fruit or vegetable produce. In cases in which the produce to be transported is not easily destructible, each layer 1 has apertures 4 for aeration, which permit a correct ventilation inside the said modular wrapping 11. In particular, for the transport of particularly prized and easily perishable goods, the rigid layers (1) must first of all be made of insulating material, normally polystyrene, and the packing (11) must have a cover (7) and a bottom (8), both of which are also insulating, with at least one non-holed surface 14, the said layers 14 not necessarily being intended for the containing of food products. In this case, the above-mentioned profiles 5 and counterprofiles 6 realise a labyrinth joint. An external container 9 is also envisaged, made out of cardboard or other suitable material, to guarantee unity and stability to the totality of stacked rigid layers 1. Of fundamental importance is the original way in which the problem of maintenance of the refrigeration chain has been solved: as can be seen in figure 2, some trays 3a contain ice instead of food produce: they are distributed internally to each sandwich, with regard to which food produce has to be conserved and the length of the journey to be undertaken, and can be replenished in the case of unforeseen delays in the transport. It should also be mentioned that the trays 3 and 3a are made of transparent material and are superiorly sealed; the trays 3 contain one only layer of produce, in order to permit of visual checking of the entire contents; further, in order to limit the handing of the food produce, the trays 3 are the same as those used during the initial packing after harvest. However, this solution has proved rather penalising with respect to the optimalising of the rapport between the volume of the produce transported and that of the entire packing. It is evident that the trays 3a containing ice could be, from the above point of view, more usefully employed if they were to contain further food produce rather than ice. Also the obtaining of thermal insulation imposes the choice of certain materials, and consequently of corresponding thicknesses of the wall of the single layers 1: for the same reason it is advantageous that the said thicknesses are as small as possible. As can be seen in figure 4, an alternative solution to maintain the refrigeration chain envisages the use of holed rigid layers 1 which exhibit an internal cavity 15, aimed at realising at least one hollow space 12. The said hollow space 12 can be advantageously used substantially in two ways: it can be filled with water, which would solidify to become ice, so as to refrigerate the food produce contained in the trays 3a, but it can also be made into a vacuum, so as to insulate thermally the food produce contained in the same trays 3a. These possiblities, already independently advantageous, can be used together: in this case, internally to the holed rigid layers 1 two hollow spaces 12 and 13 are realised. A first internal hollow space 12 contains ice and in a second, external hollow space 13 a vacuum is created, so as to place in sequence refrigeration and thermal insulation of the food produce contained in the trays 3. This last solution solves so satisfactorily the problem of refrigeration that in many cases trays 3 with more than one layer of produce can be used, improving further the rapport between volume of produce and volume of packing. The trays 3 can be of larger dimensions and the layers 1 can be of differing shapes, as can be seen in figure 4, in which the external container 7 and the bottom 8 exhibit only the non-holed external surface 14, to confer a regular shape to the entire packing 11; the said non-holed external surface 14 does not have to cooperate in the housing of the trays 3. The range of materials usable for the said layers 1 is very wide: it ranges from plastic materials, such as anti-shock polystyrene, to polyethylene, to aluminium, which, for its reflective characteristics, contributes to improving thermal insulation.

Claims: Modular packing containing trays for food, comprising a plurality of rigid layers (1), in heat-insulating material, stackable in a stable and movable way, each of said rigid layers (1) presenting at least one through-hole (2) for accommodating at least one of said trays (3), said packing (11) being characterised by the fact that it includes trays (3a) containing coolant, alternated with said trays (3) containing food products, said trays (3a) containing coolant being proportionally greater in number as the heat-insulating capacity of said rigid layers (1) decreases, so as to guarantee preservation of the products inside the packing (11). Modular packing according to claim 1, distinguished by the fact that said rigid layers (1) include at least one first inner interspace (12), said first interspace (12) containing coolant. Modular packing according to claim 2, distinguished by the fact that inside said rigid layers (1) is also a second interspace (13) outside the first interspace (12), in which vacuum conditions have been created to simultaneously allow the refrigeration and the heat insulation of the products on the trays (3).

Inventors: FAEDI FABRIZIO, GARDINI LORIS, SUZZI FABRIZIO, VALENTINI DANIELE, FAEDI, FABRIZIO, GARDINI, LORIS, SUZZI, FABRIZIO, VALENTINI, DANIELE
Applicants: FRIGORIFERI IND, FRIGORIFERI INDUSTRIALI SOC.COOP. A.R.L.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B65D21
IPC codes: B65D85, B65D21