Packaging for butter or similar products

Abstract

In a packaging for butter or a similar product, including a flat bottom part with a low circumferential bottom side wall provided with a lower rim and cover part with a circumferential downwardly extending side wall which is substantially higher than the bottom side wall and includes at its lower end an upper rim for disposition on the bottom rim, the rims are provided with cooperating element for form-locking engagement when the cover part is placed onto the bottom part and a seal ring extends around the rims for sealingly joining the bottom part and the cover part.

Description

[0001] This is a Continuation-In-Part Application of pending International Patent Application PCT / EP2005 / 00912.8 filed Sep. 1, 2005 and claiming the priority of German Patent Application 10 2004 042 645.7 filed Sep. 3, 2004.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention resides in a packaging for butter or a similar product, comprising a flat plate with a bottom and an upwardly projecting sidewall with a circumferential outwardly projecting bottom rim and a cover with a top wall and a downwardly extending side wall, which is substantially higher than the upwardly projecting side wall and includes an outwardly projecting top rim joining the bottom rim. [0003] Currently packaging used for butter comprises, on one hand, paper or aluminum foil wrapped around brick-shaped butter pieces or plastic cups of circular, oval or rounded rectangular shape which are closed by foils welded to the rims thereof or by flat, snap-on lids. [0004] The folded wrapping of brick-like butter pieces has th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] With the packaging according to the invention, the butter (which may have the usual time-tried shape of a brick or any other shape for example that of a circular or oval block) is disposed for the transport, storage and sale in an essentially form-stable tightly closed container. For the removal of butter from the butter block disposed in the container, that is, for consumption, the packaging can be opened and subsequently again be closed in a clean and, with an appropriate design, sealing manner. The butter can be removed by cutting off a piece as needed and the cover can subsequently be replaced. The imprint on the sales packaging or the label with the name of the manufacturer or the make remains visible with high advertising effectiveness. There is furthermore no need to use a butter plate or butter cup since the butter can be removed from the packaging according to the invention in the same way as it can be taken from a butter plate.

Problems solved by technology

The folded wrapping of brick-like butter pieces has the disadvantage that it is easily subject to mechanical damage particularly ripping or piercing which may happen already during storage on a sales shelf but particularly during multiple opening and closing of the wrapping during use.

During the unpacking however, the butter brick is generally held by a hand which results in greasy fingers.

Another disadvantage of such wrap packaging resides in the fact that it is only folded around the butter brick in a non-airtight manner so that, particularly in the corner sections, unappetizing yellow areas develop by exposure to air already during storage on a store shelf.

Furthermore, such wrappings are resilient so that during transport or handling, for example, when being placed onto a shelf by a store clerk or handled by a customer, for example by the placement thereof into a shopping cart, the corners may be damaged, that is, compressed.

This may easily happen when the butter has become soft by insufficient cooling whereby the butter package becomes unsightly and often is left on the shelf by the customer.

Another disadvantage is that the consumer will remove the butter at home from the packing and discard the wrapping so that the manufacturers name is no longer displayed when the butter is placed on a table.

Plastic cups on the other hand have the disadvantage that the butter cannot be removed therefrom in a convenient and appetizing manner since the butter adheres to the sidewalls and cannot be removed as a block.

Rather, the butter is removed from the cup by scraping it from the top surface which soon will assume an unappetizing, scratched appearance.

In addition, a consumer does not really want to scrape the butter off, but much rather wants to cut it off which is not possible, if the butter is contained in such a cup.

Furthermore, if the plastic cup is closed by a welded-on foil without lid, the foil has to be removed and discarded so that also in this case, the advertising effect of the print on the foil is lost after opening of the cup.

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