Background Art It is known that, presently, products such as spices and similar are packaged in containers that allow a dosed distribution of them.

According to a known solution, the cited containers are constituted by bottles made of glass, plastic or other materials, closed at their top by a cap of plastic material provided with holes that allow the dosed distribution of the products. A non-movable lid is applied on the cap and is suited to prevent the dispersal of the product.

These known containers turn out to be expensive, with respect to the cost of the packaged product, and do not often satisfy fully the peculiar requirements of foodstuffs. In particular, plastic materials evidently appear not very suitable for the correct preservation of foodstuffs.

This drawback turns out to be even more considerable for the packaging of biological products which, together with the safety of production, obviously require a greater security in the preservation of fragrance and taste.

Moreover the cited containers are not biodegradable, in particular as far as the components of plastic material are concerned. This fact, as well as representing a value itself, is in conflict with the respect for the

environment, for which the consumers of biological products are generally sensitive.

Besides it has been proposed to use containers realized starting from a cardboard sheet, suitably sheared, by means of a plurality of folding and sticking operations. These packages do not assure the correct preservation of the product, which is evidently subject to go bad with time.

In particular, these containers, when opened, are not able to preserve the integrity of the original fragrance of the packaged spices a long time.

Disclosure of Invention The aim of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks by devising a box for the containment and the dosed distribution of spices and similar, which allows to preserve the original fragrance of the packaged products a long time.

Within this aim, a further scope of the present invention is to provide a box for the containment and the dosed distribution of spices and similar, which is completely biodegradable.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a box for the containment and the dosed distribution of spices and similar, which is of simple conception, reliable operation and versatile use, as well as relatively cheap.

The above-mentioned objectives can be achieved by this present invention by means of the box for the containment and the dosed distribution of spices and similar, realized starting from a cardboard sheet, in which a set of folding and cutting lines are apt to define a set of side walls for forming a tubular wrapping of a substantially prismatic shape, characterized in that said side walls have, at one end, respective brims,

folded and sticked one on the other, so as to form the covering of the box, and cooperating to define at least one hole for the distribution of the product, said hole being closed, in the packaged configuration, by a portion that can be pulled open, realized by means of lines, of preferential break, on the outer brim of the said covering and shaping a foldable tongue suited to be inserted in said hole, close to an edge of the same hole, for closing the box again, after the said portion has been pulled open.

Brief Description of Drawings Description details of the invention shall be further evident in the illustrations of a preferred type of box for the containment and the dosed distribution of spices and similar, illustrated in the guideline drawings attached and wherein: fg. 1 íllustraíes a perspective view of a sheared element aimed at the realization of the box in suit for the containment and the dosed distribution of spices and similar ; fig. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the upper part of the box in process of forming; fig. 3 illustrates the same perspective view of the upper part of the box, in use configuration; fig. 4 illustrates a sectional view, by a vertical plane, of this upper part of the box; fig. 5 and 6 respectivefy illustrate the said perspective view of the upper part of the box, in use configuration, according to various embodiments.

Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

With reference to such figures, 1 refers to the box for the containment and the dosed distribution of spices and similar. This box is realised starting from a sheet of cardboard-type material, suitably sheared, in which a set of folding and cutting lines define four side walls 10 of rectangular shape, adjacent one another along the longitudinal sides and suited to be folded orthogonally one another. At the edge of a first of these walls 10, positioned at an external side of the sheared sheet, a longitudinal border 15, fbtdabte, is shaped, suited to be joined by sticking afong the edge of the wall 10 which is opposite, so as to define a tubular wrapping having the shape of a parallelepiped.

At an end of a couple of walls 10 suited to appear opposing in the packaged configuration, respective brims 16 extend and are meant to cooperate with a couple of flaps 17 which extend from the corresponding end of the adjacent walls 10 so as to define the bottom of the box. In particular, the flaps 17 are first folded orthogonally with regards to the walls 10, then the brims 16 are overlapped to them in an orderly way and sticked.

At the opposite end, respective brims 11, 12, 13, 14 extend from the walls 10 and are fit to be folded and sticked one on the other so as to realize the covering of the box in the packaged configuration. These brims cooperate to define at least one hole 20 for distributing the product which, in the packaged configuration, is closed by a portion 40 which can be pulled open, realized by means of lines 41 of preferential break on the outer brim 14 of the covering.

More precisely, in an orderly way are provided a first brim 11 extending

from a respective side wall 10, having a width considerably smaller than the cross-section of the box and shaping a wide median hollow 21; a second brim 12 extending from the wall 10 opposite to the previous one and suited to be overlapped and sticked, by the edge, to the said first brim 11; a third brim 13 extending from a wall 10 adjacent to the previous ones and suited to be overlapped and sticked, by the edge, to the said second brim 12; a fourth brim 14 extending from the wall 10 opposite to the previous one and suited to be overlapped and sticked, by the edge, to the said third brim 13, so that it appears external to the other brims in the packaged configuration of the box.

The third brim 13 centrally shapes a hole 20 fit to match, in the cited packaged configuration, a respective hole 22 made on the second brim 12 for the distribution of the product. The hole 20 has obviously shape and size fitted to the type of product which is packaged.

In the case illustrated in fig. 1-3, by way of exemple, this hole 20 has a substancially square shape and relatively wide size, particularly suitable for the distribution of products having proportionally wide size.

In fig. 5 is illustrated the covering of a box having a hole 20 of triangular shape, particularly suitable for the distribution of leaf-type spices, such as oregano and similar.

In fig. 6 is illustrated the covering of a box having a small hole 20, preferably of triangular shape, particularly suitable for the distribution of incoherent products of very small size or in powder form, of ground pepper-type.

The outer brim 14 has a central portion 40 which can be pulled open and

is defined between a couple of lines 41, parallel and of preferential break, realized by means of pre-defined carvings. The break lines 41 extend till the ends of a folding line 42 which is transversal to them. The area of application of the glue joining the outer brim 14 to the underlying brim 13 obviously does not affect this portion 40 which can be opened, but only the neighbouring portion.

It is to point out the fact that the central portion 40 which can be pulled open, suitably has a longitudinal extension greater than the areas of the same brim, which are external to it, so as to define, in the packaged configuration, a fin 43 protruding frontail (y for the seizing of the same portion 40 which can be opened (see fig. 4 in particular).

The portion 40, which can be opened, of the outer brim 14 centrally shapes a tongue 44 realized by carving and foldable perpendicularly to the same portion which can be opened along a respective folding line 45. This tongue 44 is suited to be inserted in the hole 20 for the distribution of the product, in the said position of perpendicularity, so that it lies close to an edge of the same hole 20, for closing the box again after the pull of the portion 40 which can be opened. The tongue 44 realizes a light elastic interference with the said edge of the hole 20, so that it brings about a sufficient seal by friction.

The functioning of the box results easily intelligible from the previous description.

In the packaged configuration, the box is closed in hermetic way so as to assure the integrity of the product which is packaged. To open the box it is necessary to raise the central portion 40 of the covering, by pulling along

the lines 41 of preferential break, and to fold the same portion 40 by the transversal folding line 42 (see in particular fig. 3).

After the use, the box can be easily closed again by taking the central portion 40 to the lowered position for covering the hole 20, by inserting the tongue 44, orthogonally folded, in the hole 20, close to the frontal edge of the same hole, as illustrated in fig. 4, in which the opening position of the portion 40 is indicated with the discontinuous line 40a. The tongue 44 engages elastically this edge of the hole 20, preventing the spontaneous opening of the portion 40 which can be opened.

According to a scope of the present invention, the box in suit is realized of pure cellulose and is coated, at least by the side turned to the interior, with a protective film of vegetable material which is suitable to come into contact with food.

So the box in object for the containment and the dosed distribution of products such as spices and similar reaches the aim to preserve the original fragrance of the preserved products a long time.

This is especially reached thanks to the peculiar solution adopted for opening and closing the box and to the coating of the same box with a protective film of vegetable material. Obviously the box does not expose the products to the light and so does not affect their qualities.

Moreover the box is completely biodegradable, because it is entirely realized of cellulose-type material and because it does not comprise any component of plastic material and similar.

Materials adopted for the actual realization of the invention, as well as their shapes and sizes, can be various, depending on the requirements.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each eiement identified by way of example by such reference signs.