"ENVELOPE OR BAG"

[0001] The present invention relates to an envelope or bag for food use.

[0002] It is known that fresh dairy, delicatessen or deli products are usually cut into slices from a larger block (for example from a ham leg or from a sausage salami) through a slicing machine, and that these slices are then placed on a grease-resistant support sheet.

[0003] At a later stage, such suitably folded support sheet is placed in an envelope or bag, which is then sealed.

[0004] One of the main drawbacks of this solution is that this envelope must in turn be inserted into a further bag, in order to be transported easily.

[0005] The multiplication of packaging and bags is therefore evident which, in addition to entailing a cost to the seller, implies a waste of raw materials that is not insignificant.

[0006] The present invention falls within the above context by aiming to provide a food envelope or bag, especially designed to be provided with a resistant, solid and convenient transport handle, so as to make the use of a further transport bag for food superfluous.

[0007] Such an ob ect is achieved by an envelope or bag according to claim 1. The dependent claims describe preferred embodiments.

[0008] The object of the present invention will now be described in detail, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

- figure 1 shows a perspective view of an envelope object of the present invention, according to a possible variant ;

- figure 2 shows a top view of the envelope in figure 1, on the opposite side with respect to the latter, wherein the handle is folded around the envelope;

- figure 3 shows a step of closing the envelope in figure 1, according to a possible embodiment;

- figure 4 shows a plan view of a handle, according to a possible embodiment, in an extended position.

[0009] With reference to the above figures, reference numeral 1 globally denotes an envelope or bag for food use according to the present invention.

[0010] It is specified that in the following description, the terms "envelope" or "bag" will be used in a substantially interchangeable manner. For this reason, the features described must be considered common to the envelope or bag, unless otherwise specified.

[0011] Such an envelope or bag 1 comprises an envelope wall 2 extending around a prevailing extension axis X to delimit an inner compartment 4; such a compartment 4 is delimited on one axial end 2' by an envelope bottom 8 and is accessible on the opposite end 2" by means of an access opening 6.

[0012] The food can then be introduced into the inner space (or extracted from it) through the access opening 6, while the bottom of the envelope 8 prevents it from coming out through the axial end 2 ' .

[0013] According to an embodiment, the envelope bottom 8 is rectangular or square.

[0014] According to an embodiment, the envelope bottom 8 is formed by a double transverse folding of the envelope wall 2 (previously collapsed) on itself.

[0015] According to an embodiment, the envelope wall 2 comprises, mutually coupled, at least a first layer of biodegradable paper material and at least a second layer, of transparent polymeric material.

[0016] According to an embodiment, the polymeric material consists of poly-lactic acid which is compostable according to the UNI EN 13432 standard.

[0017] According to an embodiment, the paper material could be resistant to fatty substances, or it could be an anti- grease paper.

[0018] According to an embodiment, the polymeric material consists of, or comprises, compostable poly-lactic acid (CAS No. 9051-89-2) . [0019] For example, the polymeric material may be or comprise the polymer known under the trade name Nativia(TM) NTSS produced by Taghleef Industries S.p.A.

[0020] According to an embodiment, the second layer could develop across an inspection window delimited through the first layer.

[0021] According to an embodiment, the inspection window is made by punching through the first layer.

[0022] According to an embodiment, the second layer could have an average thickness of 15-50 micrometers.

[0023] According to an embodiment, the second layer has a weight of about 10-60 g/m2.

[0024] The envelope or bag 1 further comprises a lifting handle 10 of said envelope 1, having at least a pair of foot portions 12, 14 divided by a first scoring or creasing line 16 so that the handle 10 can be folded, in particular on itself.

[0025] More precisely, the lifting handle 10 is switchable between an extended position (for example visible in figure 1 or in figure 4), in which the foot portions 12, 14 lie at their maximum distance, and a folded portion (figure 2), in which such portions 12, 14 partially enclose the envelope wall 2.

[0026] According to an embodiment, in the extended position the foot portions 12, 14 are substantially coplanar. [0027] According to an embodiment, in the folded position the foot portions 12, 14 lie at their minimum distance.

[0028] According to an embodiment, the lifting handle 10 is at least partly made of a paper material such as carton or cardboard.

[0029] According to an embodiment, the lifting handle 10 is at least partly made of a polymeric material.

[0030] A first foot portion 12 is applied to a first outer surface 18 of the envelope wall 2.

[0031] According to an embodiment, the first foot portion 12 is glued to the first outer surface 18, for example by means of a hot-melt adhesive.

[0032] A second foot portion 14 is free, rotatable about the first foot portion 12 and fixable to an opposite, second outer surface 20 of such wall 2 through a shape and/or force coupling with the latter.

[0033] It follows that, innovatively, the present envelope or bag comprises a handle sufficiently strong for lifting the envelope, so that the latter is transportable on its own (that is to say, without having to be inserted in a further envelope) .

[0034] According to an embodiment, the second foot portion 14 can be fixed to the second outer surface 20 by mechanical coupling means.

[0035] According to an embodiment, the second foot portion 14 can be fixed to the second outer surface 20 by an adhesive connection.

[0036] According to an embodiment, the second foot portion 14 is rotatable about the first foot portion 12 between a compact position in which the above handle 10 completely overlaps the first outer surface 18, and a working position in which at least part of the lifting handle 10 lies outside the envelope wall 2.

[0037] According to an embodiment, in the working position the second foot portion 14 faces the second outer surface 20.

[0038] According to an embodiment, the second foot portion 14 comprises at least one adhesive zone 22 designed to adhere to the second outer surface 20.

[0039] According to an embodiment, the adhesive zone 22 is covered by a removable protective film (for example peelable) , at least partially adhesively deadened.

[0040] According to an embodiment, a portion 32 of the envelope wall 2 is foldable on itself from the access opening 6 so as to close at least partially (for example: completely) the inner compartment 4.

[0041] According to an embodiment, the second foot portion 14 is configured so that the adhesive zone 22 fixes said folded portion 32 to the second outer surface 20.

[0042] According to an embodiment, when the foot portions 12, 14 are adjacent to each other and the second foot portion 14 is fixed to the second outer surface 20, the lifting handle 10 delimits a gripping through-space 24a, 24b through its own double thickness.

[0043] According to an embodiment, the gripping through- space 24a, 24b develops outside the space occupied by the envelope wall 2.

[0044] According to an embodiment, the gripping through- space 24a, 24b is delimited on one side by an arched edge 34a, 34b.

[0045] According to an embodiment, the first foot portion 12 comprises at least a second scoring or creasing line 26 which makes the rotation axis of the second foot portion 14 about the first foot portion 12.

[0046] According to an embodiment, the second creasing line 26 is substantially parallel to the first creasing line 16.

[0047] According to an embodiment, the distance between the first 12 and the second 14 foot portions is such as to allow the second foot portion 14 to pass beyond the opposite end 2 " (specifically: through the first creasing line 16) to be fixed to a second outer surface 20) diametrically opposite to the first outer surface 18.

[0048] According to an embodiment, the envelope wall 2 comprises a pair of opposed substantially planar walls, separated by a pair of fold lines or bellow-shaped portions 28, 30.

[0049] According to an embodiment, a different foot portion 12, 14 is fixed to each substantially planar wall.

[0050] Innovatively, the invention described is able to overcome the above drawbacks of the prior art.

[0051] Advantageously, the envelope object of the present invention is designed to be extremely resistant in use, even if it is made with thicknesses that do not exceed the traditional solutions.

[0052] Advantageously, the envelope object of the present invention has a double handle able to homogeneously distribute the applied loads.

[0053] Advantageously, the envelope object of the present invention is resistant in use to moisture, water and food fats, but is nonetheless relatively quickly compostable.

[0054] Advantageously, the described layers ensure a high mutual adhesion, a feature which has a positive effect on the envelope de-lamination resistance.

[0055] Advantageously, the envelope object of the present invention is extremely compact in transport, and functional in use.

[0056] Advantageously, in the envelope object of the present invention the handle also acts as a seal for closing the inner compartment. [0057] A man skilled in the art may make several changes or replacements of elements with other functionally equivalent ones to the embodiments of the above envelope or bag and method in order to meet specific needs.

[0058] Also such variants are included within the scope of protection as defined by the following claims.

[0059] Moreover, each variant described as belonging to a possible embodiment may be implemented independently of the other variants described.