A LID AND METHOD OF PROTECTING STORED FOOD PRODUCTS

Technical Field

A lid for use with a container for protecting stored food products is disclosed. A method of protecting stored food is also disclosed. Whilst the lid will be discussed primarily in relation to its use with containers for the storage of meat products, the lid can have broader application, for example with containers for the storage of other foodstuffs.

Background Fresh and chilled meat food products are distributed from an abattoir and meat and further processing plants to many retail outlets where the product is sold to consumers. Special consideration needs to be given to protect the food products during shipping and storage to prevent the products from being contaminated from external sources. Depending on the volume of sales, the product may need to reside at a retail outlet or a storage facility for a brief or extended period.

One suitable type of storage and transportation container for fresh and chilled meat products is a cardboard box or carton. These boxes may be specially constructed for a particular application, depending on the size and type of meat to be contained. Sometimes only some of the supplied meat products may be removed from the carton for display to customers, due to limitations of display space. In some instances the quantity of meat products that are supplied in the carton to the retailer will not be immediately sold and will need to be stored at the retailer's store.

Unfortunately, once opened, most cardboard boxes or cartons have limited capacity to provide protection for the remaining stock of meat product. Once the box or carton has been opened to remove some meat, the remainder is exposed. This problem is compounded by the need for the retailer to store many different types of meat and also by the need to regularly clean the store. Such activities can increase the possibility of external environmental contamination of the remaining stored meat products.

Summary of the Disclosure In a first aspect there is provided a lid comprising a panel and one or more side walls depending from the panel, the lid being adapted to be overlaid on and bonded to a container and the panel having at least one flap formed therein; wherein, when the lid is bonded to the container, the flap is moveable between an open position which allows

access to products located within the container, and a closed position in which said access is restricted.

Such a lid, when used with a container for products, can be used to safely retain some products within the container after the container has been opened. In the prior art, once the conventional lid was detached from a container, the entire product contents of the container is exposed to the external environment. Any unsold product which remains at the end of the day may need to be discarded simply because the container without a lid is useless for storage. The flap enables retailers to remove from the container only the quantity of the products they can display, and allow storage of the remaining products.

In one embodiment of the lid, the flap can be defined by a severance line formed in the panel such that repeated moveability can occur after the panel has been severed along the severance line. Alternatively, in another embodiment the flap can be defined by a closure such that repeated moveability can occur after the closure has been opened. One suitable closure type can be a zipper closure.

In one embodiment the flap can be repeatedly moveable about a hinge formed in the lid. hi one form of this, the hinge may be a fold line which forms in or is formed to extend between end points of the severance line or of the closure.

The lid may be formed from a resilient material that facilitates repeatedly moveability of the flap between the open and closed position, hi use the flap can be moveable into the open position by pulling the flap to pivot upwardly and away from the container. Suitable resilient materials may be fibreboard, cardboard, or corrugated board, or box board or paper board which can enable the one or more side walls of the lid to be integral with the panel. Furthermore, the one or more side walls may each be moved with respect to the panel along a respective crease line defined at the join of each wall with the panel.

In one embodiment a remainder of the panel and/or the flap can have a face edge arranged at the severance line and against which the respective other of the flap and/or the panel remainder engages when in the closed position. In an embodiment the lid can comprise a window arranged in a portion thereof to enable viewing of an interior of the container when the lid is bonded thereto. A transparent sheet may be aligned at least with the flap and joined to the underside of the lid, to enable viewing of an interior of the container when the lid is bonded thereto and

when the flap is in the open position. The lid may be bonded to an exterior wall of the container at a bonding a face of each of the one or more side walls.

In one embodiment the container and lid can each form part of an export meat carton and the products are fresh and/or processed meat products. In a second aspect there is provided a fibreboard blank for forming a lid as defined in the first aspect, the blank comprising the panel and the one or more side walls.

In a third aspect there is provided a meat box lid comprising a fibreboard blank incorporating a panel and one or more side walls appended to the panel, the lid being adapted to be overlaid on and bonded to a container, wherein the panel has an openable flap formed therein. In one form of this aspect, the lid may be as previously defined in the prior aspects.

In a fourth aspect there is provided an apparatus for making a lid as defined in any of the prior aspects, the apparatus comprising a device for defining a flap in the panel which, when the lid is bonded to a container, is movable between an open and a closed position.

In a fifth aspect there is provided a box comprising: (a) a container having a base and one or more side walls; and (b) a lid arranged to be overlaid on and bonded to the container; wherein the lid has an openable flap formed therein which is moveable between an open and a closed position, hi one form of this aspect, the lid may be as previously defined in the prior aspects. hi a sixth aspect there is provided a method of protecting stored food products or other perishable foodstuffs, the method employing a container which has a lid with a flap formed therein, the method comprising the steps of: a) opening the flap to an open position to allow access to and removal of at least some of the stored products; and b) moving the flap into a closed position so as to enclose any remaining stored food products. If required, the step of opening the flap can be accomplished by severing a severance line formed between the flap and a remainder of the lid and then moving the flap relative to the lid remainder. Alternatively the step of opening the flap can be accomplished by unlocking a closure formed between the flap and a remainder of the lid and then moving the flap relative to the lid remainder.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within it scope, embodiments of the lid and method of protecting stored food products will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a top, perspective view of a lid in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention in a closed position;

Fig. 2 is a top, perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1, showing a flap in an open position;

Fig. 3 is a top, perspective view of a Hd in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a top, perspective view of a lid in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a top, perspective view of a lid in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 6 is a top, perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1, showing the lid bonded to a container and the flap in an open position.

Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments

Referring to the drawings and in particular Figs. 1 and 6, a lid blank 10 is shown having a generally rectangular shaped central panel 12 and two side and two end panels 14, 16 extending from respective side and end edges 18, 20 of the central panel 12. The lid blank 10 is a one-piece construction, with the side and end panels 14, 16 being hingedly pivotable at the respective side and end edges 18, 20 of the central panel 12, along a respective crease line 22, 23.

The central panel 12 is of a size designed to overlay an open top of a four sided, rectangular box 24, shown in Fig. 6. The resultant carton 26 (box and lid combination) is sealed by bonding the side and end panels 14, 16 of the lid 10 to an uppermost in use portion of a respective exterior wall 28 of the box 24. The bonding can be accomplished by gluing, stapling or other forms of heat-sealing and the like.

An opening located in the central panel 12 enables the contents of the box 24 to be accessed when required. As shown in Figs 1 and 2, the opening comprises a rectangular flap 32 formed as part of the central panel 12. This flap 32 can either be lifted upwardly or pushed downwardly so as to pivot about the remainder 34 of the central panel 12.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the lid blank 10 is shown in its preassembled state, i.e. as a blank sheet prior to being folded or attached to a box. The lid blank 10 is formed from a material that is foldable and thus may be made from fibreboard, cardboard, corrugated board, box board or paper board. The central panel 12 has a generally U-shaped severance line 36 when the lid 10 is shown in plan, the severance line 36 formed by a series of perforations inset from and extending partially along the length of the two side edges 18 and the end edge 20 of the central panel 12. By breaking these perforations, a separated portion of the central panel 12 can be moved out of the plane of the central panel 12, forming a flap 32. The flap 32 can move in relation to the central panel 12 but is joined thereto along a fold line or crease line 38 that extends transverse to the elongate axis of the central panel 12, generally midway along the length of the central panel 12.

In use, once the central panel 12 is overlaid on and bonded to an open top of a four sided, rectangular box 24 (as shown in Fig. 6), the flap 32 can be pulled upwardly and pivoted out of the carton 26 to allow access to products located inside the carton 26 (as shown in Fig 2). To close the carton 26, the flap 32 can be pushed back towards the carton 26, where an edge face 40 of the flap 32 can come into frictional engagement with an edge face 40 of that portion of the central panel 12 that surrounds the flap 32. Being made of cardboard or the like, the respective opposing edges faces 40, 41 of the flap 32 and the portion of the central panel 12 that surrounds the flap 32 can have some degree of surface roughness to facilitate the frictional engagement in the 'flap closed' position. In addition, by their nature, materials such as cardboard, fibreboard and so on have a natural degree of resilience, which means that the flap 32 has a tendency to return to the closed position. The flap 32 can be repeatedly moved between the open and closed positions while ever the carton 12 is in use.

In an alternative mode of use, the flap 32 can also be pushed inwardly towards an interior of the carton 26 in order to access the products located inside the carton 26. In still further embodiments, there can be more than one flap formed in a lid.

Further embodiments of the lid will now be described wherein, for convenience, like parts to those shown in the foregoing embodiment have been numbered with like numerals.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the lid 10 is shown with the flap 32 in the open position with a window 42 arranged to be aligned with the flap 32 in the lid 10. The window 42

may be formed using any type of transparent sheeting, such as a thin film of clear plastic. The window 42 enables a user view the products located inside the carton 26 once the flap 32 has been opened. The contents of the carton 26 can therefore remain unaccessed until such time as the window 42 is broken open. The window 42 enables the carton 26 itself to be used for product display purposes, in addition to transportation and storage, without compromise to the hygiene of the contents of the carton (for example, foodstuffs). The window 42 also allows a seller of the products to view the contents and make a determination about the nature and type of product in the carton 26 without exposing the contents to air and thereby reducing effective shelf-life. In still further embodiments, the window need not be aligned with the flap, but can be located in another part of the lid as an inspection port.

In still further embodiments, the lid need not be of a one-piece construction, and the side and end panels that are hingedly pivotable at the side and end edges of the central panel, may be joined thereto by gluing or fastening. The flap may assume any number of shapes and may not need to be formed by breaking of a series of perforations aligned in a single line as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. For example, in the lid 100 shown in Fig. 4 the central panel 12 is provided with a closure formed by an elongate zip 44 which extends along a U-shaped cut 46 in the central panel 12, the cut being inset from the side edge 18 and the end edges 20, 23. By the undoing or unlocking of the zip 44, a separated portion of the central panel (the flap 47) can be pivoted out of the plane of the remainder 48 of the central panel 12 along a fold line that is created along one side 14 of the central panel 12.

Like the arrangement shown in Figs. 2, once released by undoing the zip 44, the flap can be pulled and pivoted upwardly away from the carton 26 to allow the products located inside the carton 26 to be accessed. To close the carton 26, the flap 46 can be pushed back downward towards the carton 26, where the respective edge faces of the flap 46 and that portion of the central panel 48 that surrounds the flap 46 can be realigned and the zip 44 can then be closed to reseal the carton 26.

The lid 200 shown in Fig. 5 makes use of a number of perforations 50 to form two flaps 52. The central panel 12 has a central spinal severance line 54 (defined by a line of perforations) which terminates some distance from each end edge 20 of the central panel 12, each end of the spinal severance line 54 then being joined to two respectively angularly disposed severance lines 56 which extend to respective corners

of the central panel 12. By breaking of the perforations 50 and pivoting the separated portions of the central panel 12 out of the plane of the central panel 12, two moveable flaps 52 are formed which rotate about respective fold lines 58 along the sides of the central panel 12. In Fig. 6 the assembled carton 26 is shown, with the single flap arrangement as previously described for and shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The side and end panels 14, 16 of the lid 10 are folded orthogonally to the central panel 10 and the interior faces of the side and end panels 14, 16 are bonded to the exterior wall 28 of the box 24 so as to form a sealed carton 26. The carton in Fig. 6 is shown with a flap 32 opened. Such a carton 26, when closed can be used for the transportation, storage and display of food products, particularly perishable foodstuffs such as meat products. If the carton is constructed to the particular industry specifications that may apply, the carton can also be used in additional specialist applications, such as the export of meat products. hi terms of materials of construction, it is possible to construct the lid and the box from a number of materials, one of which can be corrugated fibreboard. Other suitable board grades range from small flutes such as N&E that are approximately 1- 2mm in profile through to B flute (3mm), C flute (4mm) and A flute (4mm). In addition, twin flute combinations and tri- walled board grades may be used. All of these board grades can have different paper grades. Box board or paper board are also suitable for use.

In terms of making a lid from a lid blank, such as the blank 10 illustrated in Figure 1, this may be achieved manually or automatically using a packaging machine. Using either method, the lid blank may be made available in a flat configuration, onto or into which one or more crease lines, one or more severance lines or a zipper closure can be provided. The apparatus for providing these features in the lid blank (not shown) may be part of an assembly line and have a receptacle in the form of a magazine for holding a number of preformed lid blanks. Consecutive individual pre- forms may then be fed to a number of sequential work stations within in the assembly line, such as a folding machine, a perforating machine, and a closure attachment machine as required, so as to form the pre-forms into a flat, pre-assembled condition.

In use it is envisaged that the sealed carton, packed with products in accordance with a customer's order, can be despatched to the customer's site, where the carton will be received and stored until the product are required for sale. If the customer is a retail

butcher, the sealed and unopened carton may sit on racking in a cool storage room. When the products are required for sale, the flap can be formed in the lid and the meat products removed via the opening and displayed. The flap can then be closed, or locked in the case of a zipper closure, and the carton can be returned to storage. Because the opened carton has the same shape as the opened cartons, a number of cartons can be stored together in the usual manner (for example, by stacking).

An advantage of lid is that it enables the receiver of the products to take only those products that they need from the cartons and leave the remaining product within the carton. As the carton remains intact after opening, with the lid sealed to the box, the carton can be conveniently stored until needed. Thus the lid and the method provide a convenient way of providing access to the product located within the carton and protecting the products from external contamination. A further advantage that follows from the use of the carton having this particular lid construction detail is that can minimises handling of product, i.e. transportation, display and storage may be achieved within a single carton. This feature can also assist the receiver to reduce waste by reducing the quantity of display product inventory needed.

A reference herein to a prior art document is not an admission that the document forms part of the common general knowledge in the art in Australia. hi the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention. hi addition, variations and modifications may be made to the parts previously described without departing from the spirit and ambit of the lid and method as may now be defined in the appending claims. For example, as will be understood, while the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to the lid blank in the form of a rectangular, it may be simply adapted to form other shapes of lids, such as round, square, triangular, domed etc. hi addition the lid may be constructed from materials having configurations other than a one-piece construction, which may have interlocking configurations for connecting any side and end panels to the central panel, such as a tab and slot configuration, staples glued etc.