ARTICLES, FOR EXAMPLE FOR CHOCOLATE EGGS

The present invention relates to containers for products such as surprises and

similar articles, for example for chocolate eggs, according to the preamble of Claim

1.

Containers of this type are widely known in the art such as, for exaπple, frcm Italian industrial utility- models Nos. __T J-163 28, IT-U-167969, IT-U-210696 as

well as from PCT patent .applications πι_mbers PCT EP92/012E35 and PCT/EP92/01407.

Such containers must satisfy different constructional, functional and use

requirements which are at least to some extent conflicting with one another.

In the first place the container (within which a so-called surprise is located, usually constituted by a small toy, a necklace or similar play object, possibly to be

assembled) must be both easy to fill and to assemble (that is to say to close).

In the second place, once assembled and sent on to the transfer and manipulation

operations which lead to its introduction into the product with which the container

is to be associated (for example a chocolate egg) the container must be capable of

being conveyed easily in an automatic manner; above all it must not accidentally

come open releasing its contents.

Finally, once extracted from the product, the container must be openable easily to

allow access to its contents.

The object of the present invention is to provide a container of the above-specified

type which satisfies all the above-indicated requirements in an excellent manner.

According to the present invention "this object is achieved by a container having the

characteristics set out specifically in Claim 1. Advantageous developments of the

invention form the subject of Claims 2 to 15.

The invention will now be described, purely by way of non-limitative example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Figures 1 to 3 are three perspective general views which illustrate a container according to the invention, respectively in the condition prior to assembly, in the

assembled condition and during the opening operation; and

Figure 4 is an axial section, on an enlarged scale, of a container according to

the invention.

In the attached drawings the reference numeral 1 generally indicates a container for

surprises and similar articles which can be utilised, for example, for introduction to the interior of a chocolate egg and similar food products.

For a general illustration of the structure and the criteria of use of such containers

reference can usefully be made to the preceding patent documents cited in the introduction to the present specification.

In one arrangement known per se the container 1 is constituted by two half-shells 2,

3 both having a generally cup-shape configuration, both being constituted,

respectively, by a cap part 2a, 3a and a collar or skirt part 2b, 3b.

The said skirt parts 2b, 3b constitute formations which can be coupled together in

engagement ∞ndifcLons in a generally male and female configuration.

In the illustrated embodiment the skirt part 3 b of the half-shell 3 which is in a lower position in the drawing has diametral dimensions slightly less than those of the skirt part 2b of the other half-shell. More specifically, making reference to the exemplary embodiment illustrated here, in which it is arranged that the skirt parts 2b,

3b have a cylindrical shape (they could also have a polygonal or mixtilinear shape) it is arranged that the outer diameter of the skirt part 3b corresponds in practice to the inner diameter of the skirt part 2b.

This means that, in fact, the skirt part 3 b of the half-shell 3 can be inserted or engaged

within the skirt part 2b of the half-shell 2 with an interference fit sufficient to prevent an easy relative separation of the two half-shells.

The interference coupling between the two half-shells 2, 3 can be made more secure

by the presence of complementary formations schematically indicated here in the form

of annular ribs 4 extending in a circumferential direction around the outer surface of

the skirt part 3 b and intended to cooperate forcibly against the inner surface of the

skirt part 2b of the half-shell 2. All this also possibly providing the

inner surface of the skirt part 2b with annular grooves intended to be snap engaged by the ribs 4.

An important characteristic of the arrangement according to the invention is given by

the extent of the cooperating skirt parts 2b and 3 b, which are relatively long in the

axial direction with respect to the container 1, that is to say in the coupling direction

of the two skirt parts 2b, 3b.

Preferably, the said extent, over the region in which the two skirt parts 2b, 3 b are

engaged over one another, is equal to about 1/3 or more (certainly not less than about

1/3) of the overall axial extent of the container 1. In the currently preferred

embodiment this corresponds to each skirt part 2b, 3b having an axial dimension ,

in the region intended to be engaged with the corresDonding portion of the other

half-shell, at least slightly greater than the corresponding dimensions of -the respective cap parts 2a, 3a.

The above is true in terms of relative dimensions. In absolute terms tests conducted

by the Applicant demonstrate that the choice of axial extent of the mutually

cooperating skirt parts 2b, 3b of the order of about 1.5 - 2.5 cm is particularly

advantageous.

This compares with a diameter of the container 1 of the order of about 3 - 3.5 cm.

The choice of these dimensional characteristics, whilst not being essential, has been

shown to be particularly advantageous in combination with the choice of different plastics materials for the production of the two half-shells. For example, a particularly useful choice has been found to be that of polypropylene for the production of the

half-shell 3 (defining the male part of the coupling between the two half-shells) and

polyethylene for the production of the half-shell 2 (defining the female part of the

coupling).

In these conditions the Applicant has been able to determine that, once the surprise S has been introduced (the shape of which is schematically indicated with broken outline

only in Figure 4), the container 1 can be easily closed by aligning the two half-shells

with their respective open ends facing one another and then exerting a rapid thrust in the direction which causes penetration of the skirt part 3 b into the interior of the skirt part 2b.

In comparison with this ease of coupling the mutual retention action which becomes established between the two half-shells 2, 3 and which resists any action of axial separation of the two is sufficiently firm as to make uncoupling of the two half-shells by manual traction difficult, which in fact makes accidental opening of the container

impossible.

Whilst not wishing to be tied down to any specific theory in this regard the Applicant

has reason to think that the relative ease of coupling and the significant difficulty of

uncoupling derives in the first instance from the fact that, to perform the coupling

action upon engagement an action is provided (and made possible) based on

a relatively rapid displacement, which is not in general possible in an attempt at opening performed by applying a manual pull.

It is therefore possible to affirm that, once coupled together the two half-shells 2 form

a closed casing which can no longer be opened unless acting with significant

mechanical forces or with a cutting action on the body of the container.

Access to the surprise S which is located in the container is made possible by the fact

that one of the cap parts (in the illustrated embodiment the cap 2a of the "female"

half-shell 2) is provided with an easy tear line 5. The line 5 extends in a helically

spiral path practically over the whole of the said cap part 2a and leads to a terminal

projection 6 disposed at the top or apex of the cap 2a.

By gripping the projection 6, which preferably has the shape of a projecting tongue,

as schematically illustrated in Figure 3, and exerting on it a pull in an axial direction

with respect to the container 1, in the direction away from it, it is possible to produce

the gradual tearing of the cap 2a along the easy tear line 5. This makes the surprise

S accessible from the outside.

The easy tear line 5 has been schematically illustrated in the attached drawing in the

form of a groove or impression defining a zone of smaller thickness, formed in the cap part 2a preferably on the inner face thereof.

Naturally, the same result can be obtained with a functionally equivalent arrangement.

It has been found to be particularly advantageous, for example, to provide an easy tear

line 5 constituted by a series of perforations in the cap 2a aligned along a helically

spiral path entirely like that illustrated here with reference to the tear line 5.

Preferably the cap 2a is made with a thickness such that on the one hand the tearing action is achieved in a certain and easy manner in correspondence with the easy tear

line 5 and, on the other hand, once the tear is completed the tongue which is at the end

of the torn part of the cap 2a along the line 5 is not easily breakable or separable from the half-shell 2 and in any event from the container 1 as a whole.

The arrangement described makes it possible to ensure that the coupling force between the two half-shells 2, 3 is always substantially greater than the traction force which it is necessary to apply to the gripping formation 6 to obtain tearing of the cap 2a along

the line 5, and that a possible further traction force subsequently applied will not

produce the uncoupling of the two half-shells 2, 3.

Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the details of the

construction and the embodiments can be widely varied with respect to what has been

described and illustrated, without by this departing from the ambit of the present

invention.