The present invention relates to a conical packaging, in particular to a pointedly conical packaging, preferably for food, such as ice cream in cones and the like, comprising a packaging wall which tapers conically starting from an axial removal end along a packaging axis, the packaging wall having a tear aid with a first material weakening of the packaging wall material and with a second material weakening running at a distance from the first material weakening such that the first and second material weakenings define between them a tear strip.

A generic packaging is known from EP 0 226 958 A. In the known bag-like, pointedly conical packaging, a tear strip is formed which is defined by two substantially parallel perforations, as the material weakenings, encircling the packaging axis in the peripheral direction and which can be completely torn off from the conically tapering packaging wall in an axial centre region of the packaging, so that after the tear strip has been completely torn off, there remains an upper packaging part in the form of a truncated cone and a conical lower packaging part which is arranged around the width of the tear strip at a distance from said tear strip.

A disadvantage of the known packaging is that the upper packaging part which usually has to be removed in this type of packaging to reach the packaged product remains on the packaged contents even after the tear strip has been torn off. Since this upper packaging part is itself shaped as a truncated cone and tapers along the packaging axis starting from the greatest cross section of the packaging, the upper packaging part cannot be readily pulled off along the packaging axis from the packaged product which is usually also conical and, in turn, has to be removed in a laborious manner by further opening actions.

EP 1 484 251 A discloses a pointedly conical packaging in which an intersecting line is provided which encircles the packaging axis in the peripheral direction, along which intersecting line an upper packaging part which thus includes the region of relatively large packaging cross sections, can be unwound in the peripheral direction and, in so doing, can be torn off from a lower conical packaging part.

A similar pointedly conical packaging is known from DE 100 56 811 A. In this packaging, a desired tear line is made in the packaging wall around the packaging axis in the peripheral direction by laser machining so that, here again, by means of a tear tab on the peripheral edge of the conical packaging wall formed by winding, an upper portion, thus associated with larger packaging cross sections, of the packaging wall can be separated from a lower packaging part by unwinding around the packaging axis.

Reference is also made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,142 A which shows a conical packaging, in which, similarly to the previously mentioned generic EP 0 226 958 A, a tear strip is provided which is defined by two substantially parallel material weakenings and which runs around the packaging axis in the peripheral direction, and after the tear strip has been removed, two partial packaging walls provided at a distance from one another remain on the packaged product.

Starting from the prior art described above, the object of the present invention is to provide a conical packaging of the type mentioned at the outset which can be opened more easily than the prior art packagings.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that in a packaging of the type mentioned at the outset, the tear strip runs with a tear component in the direction of the packaging axis starting from the removal end of the packaging and ends in an axial centre region of the packaging.

Starting from the axial removal end, by removing the tear strip along the two material weakenings defining said tear strip, the conical packaging according to the invention makes it possible to provide a gap which starts from the removal end located outside the axial centre region, i.e. from the end of the largest cross section of the conical packaging and which also extends into the axial centre region in the direction of the packaging axis.

Due to the fact that the tear strip ends approximately in the axial centre region of the packaging, i.e. in a region of approximately 15-85% of the packaging height, preferably 30-70% of the packaging height, more preferably 40-60% of the packaging height, which region excludes the axial packaging ends including the removal end and extends symmetrically around the axial centre of the packaging, it is initially possible for a material connection of the conical packaging to remain during opening, i.e. the tear strip is actuated without the packaging disintegrating into several pieces.

Starting from the gap formed by the tear strip, the axial opening region of the packaging, i.e. the axial region along which the tear strip extends or did extend, can then be folded over along an imaginary peripheral line which joins the ends, remote from the removal end, of the tear strip or of the gap produced by the tear strip, so that the hand of a person who is holding the conical packaging by its gap-free axial portion can grip the gap-free axial region, which is still intact, of the conical packaging, while the hand is surrounded radially on the outside by the folded-over packaging material in the manner of a cuff so that, for example in the case of packaged ice cream in cones, the hand is protected from being soiled by melting ice cream by the folded-over packaging part.

In the present application, the term â€œremoval endâ€ describes the longitudinal end of the conical packaging with the larger packaging cross section. In principle, it is conceivable for the packaged product to be removed from this end through an opening in the conical packaging, even if it is generally the case, as described above, that the material connection of the packaging is destroyed at least in portions and the content of the packaging is exposed by deforming or even by removing some of the packaging wall.

If it is desired to fully remove the tear strip from the packaging according to the invention, to facilitate this removal, provision can be made for the packaging to have in the axial centre region a third material weakening which extends around the packaging axis substantially in the peripheral direction or at least with a component extending in the peripheral direction. In this respect, the third material weakening can preferably define a longitudinal end of the tear strip, which end is remote from the removal end of the packaging.

To facilitate the folding-over procedure of the opening region which is modified by the tearing of the tear strip and by gap formation, of the packaging, provision can be made for the dimension of the third material weakening to be greater in the peripheral direction than the width of the tear strip in the peripheral direction.

To further facilitate the folding-over procedure of the packaging opening region, modified by gap formation by the tear strip, provision can be made for the third material weakening to run around the packaging, preferably in a closed manner. In this respect, the third material weakening, as known, for example from EP 1 484 251 A, can also assist the consumer not only in folding the packaging opening region, which has a gap, over the third material weakening to form a cuff, but also in tearing it off from the axially adjacent, intact, gap-free packaging portion.

In other words, the complete tear-off ability of the tear strip from the packaging can also be ensured in that the tear strip is located at least in portions, preferably with its longitudinal end region remote from the removal end, more preferably completely in the peripheral extension region of the third material weakening. The third material weakening can then form a desired tear point of the tear strip which extends in the width direction of the tear strip.

Whereas tear strips known from the prior art usually extend from one peripheral edge to another of the piece of material forming the packaging, the tear strip of the packaging of the present invention starts at the axial removal end, i.e. at an axial edge of the packaging, and preferably does not end at a peripheral edge or at another axial edge of the packaging, but instead preferably ends â€œin the materialâ€ . The complete removal of the tear strip can again be ensured in that it ends with its longitudinal end, remote from the removal end, at the third material weakening. Consequently, the tear strip can initially be torn along the first and second material weakenings and then along the third material weakening.

A particularly advantageous opening behaviour of the packaging according to the invention can be achieved in that the first and second material weakenings are of a different length. Consequently, it is possible for the tear strip to be initially torn along its extension direction, thus producing a gap which also extends in the axial direction, on the axial portion which has greater packaging cross sections and, due to the shorter configuration of one of the two material weakenings, the tear strip remains in material connection with the opening region, having a gap, of the packaging.

When a material weakening consisting of the first and second material weakenings extends as far as the third material weakening and preferably ends there, and when the respective other material weakening is shorter than the one material weakening and ends at a distance from the third material weakening, the tear strip which was initially separated from the rest of the packaging along its extension direction, can be further used, in material connection with the packaging opening region which then has a gap, to introduce a tear in the packaging along the third material weakening and to thus separate the packaging opening region which has a gap from the axially adjacent, intact, gap-free packaging portion, so that the packaging can be conveniently opened substantially by a single continuous movement, preferably with an initially mainly axial movement component and then with a mainly peripheral movement component, and an intact packaging portion remains in the consumer's hand, while a cohesive piece is obtained as the packaging waste material which can be disposed of in a simple manner.

Furthermore, it is possible for the tear strip to not only extend in the axial direction along the packaging axis, but for a further tear strip portion which extends substantially in the peripheral direction to adjoin, preferably integrally, a tear strip portion which also extends at least in the axial direction.

For this, it can be provided that the conical packaging of the present invention comprises a fourth material weakening which extends, preferably circulates, substantially in the peripheral direction starting from the longitudinal end of the respective other shorter material weakening consisting of the first and second material weakenings, preferably parallel to the third material weakening.

To make it easier to grip the tear strip, the conical packaging can be developed such that provided on the longitudinal end, closer to the removal end, of the tear strip, is a grip tab which projects above an edge of the packaging, preferably above the axial edge of the packaging on the removal end.

Tearing with a tear force which is as constant as possible can advantageously be achieved in that the first and second material weakenings run in parallel, at least in portions, and preferably completely.

The basic objective of the present invention is to provide, with the tear strip, an opening region in the packaging in the region of relatively large cross sections of the packaging, in which opening region the packaging wall has a gap which also extends at least in the axial direction and to maintain an intact packaging portion which is adjacent axially, i.e. in the direction of the packaging axis, in the region of relatively small packaging cross sections, into which packaging portion the gap formed by the tear strip does not extend.

For this purpose, it can be provided that the first and second material weakenings extend in a weakening path direction which has a component in the direction of the packaging axis. In the simplest case, both the first and the second material weakenings are located in a common plane with the packaging axis. The result of this is a substantially straight and thus, as far as possible, a short tear strip which tapers away from the removal end along the packaging axis and which has no other running component than an axial component on the conical packaging wall.

However, it is also possible, in order to increase the gap surface area formed by the tear strip, to make the tear strip run in an approximately spiral shape. For this purpose, or also for other courses of the tear strip, it can be provided that the first and second material weakenings run in a direction which has a component in the direction of the packaging axis as well as a component in the peripheral direction.

Furthermore, it is possible for the tear strip to run in a meander shape at least in portions, and preferably over its entire length.

In principle, it is possible for the packaging wall material to have such a great packaging excess in the region of the removal end of the packaging that the opening cross section of the conical packaging can be closed in the manner of a lid by the excess packaging.

However, for filling and opening the packaging, it has proved to be more advantageous if the conical packaging has a lid which is configured separately from the conical packaging wall and is retained on the packaging wall. The lid is preferably retained positively on the packaging wall, for example by folding the packaging wall over at the removal end of the packaging radially inwards, i.e. towards the packaging axis, as a result of which the resulting fold comes to rest on the lid and thus prevents the lid from lifting off.

For the production of a cost-effective packaging, the packaging wall material can comprise a layer of paper. Paper layers have the advantage of low restoring forces after the deformation thereof.

This paper layer can have the material weakenings mentioned above.

To more effectively protect the packaging content against external influences, provision can be made for the packaging wall material to comprise a laminate consisting of at least two layers. In this respect, it can be possible for only some of the layers of the laminate to have the above-mentioned material weakenings so that at least one laminate layer is substantially intact and unweakened.

In order to be able to preserve the food more effectively which is preferably packaged in the conical packagings described here, the laminate can comprise a barrier layer, for example. Included here as barrier layers of this type are metal layers, in particular metallised layers, such as an aluminium layer, metal oxide layers, such as an aluminium oxide layer or a silicon oxide layer, or also an ethylvinyl alcohol layer. The barrier layer is preferably free from material weakenings so that its barrier function is not impaired. The barrier layer is preferably evaporated onto a carrier layer.

To impart stability to the conical packaging and/or to improve its hygienic characteristics, the laminate can have a plastics material layer, in which case at least one plastics material layer of the laminate preferably has material weakenings. Plastics material layers can be provided particularly easily with material weakenings, for example by laser machining. Included as a material for the at least one plastics material layer are polypropylene and/or polyethylene and/or PLA (polylactic acid) and/or polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

If, as in a preferred embodiment, the laminate has a paper layer, a plastics material layer and a metal layer applied onto the plastics material layer, only the plastics material layer needs to have material weakenings for a correct tear guidance of the tear strip and, if appropriate, for introducing further desired tears. In addition, the paper layer can also have material weakenings.

A thin place in the material, for example, as can be produced by stamping is considered as a material weakening.

Particularly, but not only, when the packaging wall material is a laminate, the material weakening can also be an interruption in the material, such as a perforation. In this respect, it generally suffices when one of several layers is perforated, or it is advantageous when at least one layer, more preferably the above-mentioned barrier layer, is free from material weakenings.

It is also possible, for tear guidance, to use plastics material layers with plastics materials drawn out in one direction.

On the removal end, the packaging preferably comprises tear aids, for example in the form of notches which are provided to facilitate the tearing initiation on the longitudinal edges, on the removal end side, of the first and second material weakenings.

In the following, the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a packaging wall of a first embodiment of a pointedly conical packaging according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows the planar raw material to form the packaging wall of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a packaging wall of a second embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 4 shows the planar raw material to form the packaging wall of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows a conical packaging wall of a third embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 6 shows a conical packaging wall of a fourth embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a laminate, from which the packaging walls of FIG. 1 to 6 can be formed.

In FIG. 1, a packaging wall of a pointedly conical packaging according to the invention is generally designated by reference numeral 10. The pointedly conical packaging wall 10 extends along a packaging axis V and tapers from its axial removal end 10a, based on the packaging axis V, having a large packaging cross section to a point 10b at the longitudinal end, axially opposed to the removal end 10a, of the packaging wall 10.

The packaging which is constructed from the packaging wall 10 and can be formed by folding over the axial edge 10c after a lid (not shown in FIG. 1) has been previously introduced into the removal opening 12 formed at the removal end 10a (see also FIG. 3), extends along the packaging axis V over the height h. Extending symmetrically around the axial centre of the packaging 10 at h/2 is an axial centre region A which, in the example shown in FIG. 1, occupies approximately 70% of the total height h.

Starting from the removal end 10a, located outside the axial centre region A, of the packaging wall 10 and also from the packaging formed therefrom, a tear strip 14 runs into the axial centre region A of the packaging on the conical packaging wall 10 exclusively in the axial direction, and ends there. The tear strip 14 is defined on one side by a first material weakening 16 and on the other side by a second material weakening 18 in the peripheral direction U around the packaging axis V.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the first and second material weakenings 16 and 18, respectively, extend substantially parallel to one another, so that the tear strip 14 has substantially the same width over its longitudinal extent. However, this does not have to be the case.

To make it easier to grip the tear strip 14, a grip tab 20 which extends axially over the removal end 10a of the packaging wall 10 is preferably formed on the longitudinal end, closer to the removal end 10a, of the tear strip 14.

At its opposite longitudinal end, i.e. remote from the removal end 10a of the packaging wall 10, the tear strip 14 can simply end in the material, in other words it ends where the material weakenings 16 and 18 end, which define it in the peripheral direction U.

To allow the tear strip 14 to be torn off completely from the rest of the packaging wall 10, a third material weakening 22 can be provided which extends in the peripheral direction U and at which the tear strip 14 preferably ends. This means that the first and second material weakenings 16 and 18, respectively, extend as far as the third material weakening 22 in the illustrated embodiment. The third material weakening 22 advantageously extends at least over the width of the tear strip 14, so that the tearing of the tear strip 14 can be ensured along the third material weakening 22.

The axial extension of the tear strip 14 defines on the packaging wall 10 and thus on the packaging itself, formed therefrom, an opening region 24 which extends in the axial direction starting from the removal end 10a as far as the axial longitudinal end of the tear strip 14.

Adjoining this opening region 24 in the axial direction is a tear strip-free and thus gap-free packaging portion 26 which, on opening the packaging, remains substantially intact.

After the tear strip 14 has been torn off, the packaging wall material of the opening region 24 can be folded over the third material weakening 22, which advantageously runs in a closed manner in the peripheral direction U, according to the arrows M to form a cuff so that the consumer's hand can grip the intact packaging portion 26 and is covered radially on the outside by the opening region 24 of the packaging which is folded over in the manner of a cuff.

In this way, the consumer's hand can advantageously be protected against melting ice cream which is dripping or running down and is preferably packaged in the conical or pointedly conical packagings discussed here.

FIG. 2 shows the packaging wall 10 in a developed view as a so-called planar blank.

A folding flap 30 is shown which is configured on a peripheral edge 28 and is made to overlap the other opposite peripheral edge 32 to form a so-called â€œlap sealâ€ join and is then joined permanently to the folding flap 28.

The lap seal join can be seen in FIG. 1 in the inner region of the packaging wall 10 immediately on the right of the packaging axis V.

The first to third material weakenings 16, 18 and 22, respectively, are preferably formed by perforations, as is explained further below in connection with FIG. 7.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of a conical packaging according to the invention.

FIG. 3, in which the same and functionally identical components and portions of components are provided with the same reference signs as in FIGS. 1 and 2 except they are increased by 100, will only be described insofar as it differs from the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. Otherwise, reference will be made explicitly to the descriptions of FIGS. 1 and 2 for the description of FIG. 3.

A complete embodiment of a packaging 132 according to the invention with a radially inwardly folded-over fold on the removal end 110a of the packaging wall 110 can be seen on the right-hand side of FIG. 3. The folded-over folding edge advantageously engages over a lid 134 which covers the removal opening 112 of the packaging 132 or of the packaging wall 110. As a result, the lid 134 is retained positively on the packaging wall 110.

This type of lid attachment can be realised on all embodiments illustrated in the present application.

Furthermore, the third material weakening 122 can have a stepped shape in the region of the peripheral extension of the tear strip 114, so that when the remaining third material weakening 122 is in the same position as in the first embodiment, the tear strip 114 has a relatively great axial length. Consequently, the opening region 124 of the packaging 132 is enlarged in the axial direction to the disadvantage of the packaging portion 126 which is without a tear strip and a gap.

In addition, the second material weakening 118 can be of a shorter dimension in the axial direction starting from the removal end 110a of the packaging than the first material weakening 116, so that it ends with an axial distance a upstream of the third material weakening 122.

Consequently, although tearing the tear strip 114 produces an axial gap in the opening region 124 of the packaging 132 as in the first embodiment of FIG. 1, the tear strip 114 then remains connected to the remaining material of the packaging wall of the opening region 124, so that after the packaging 132 has been used, there are fewer individual parts to dispose of.

Furthermore, in an advantageous development of the present invention, a fourth material weakening 136 can be provided parallel to the third material weakening 122, which fourth material weakening 136 preferably extends in the peripheral direction starting from the longitudinal end, remote from the removal end 110a of the packaging 132, of the second material weakening 118 and which also extends in the peripheral direction approximately in the same axial position starting from the first material weakening 116, but without passing through the tear strip 114. Thus, the tear strip 114 can have an axial portion 114a which extends mainly in the axial direction starting from the removal end 110a and a peripheral portion 114b which adjoins the axial portion in the region of its longitudinal edge remote from the removal end 110a and which mainly extends in the peripheral direction.

The third and fourth material weakenings 122 and 136, respectively, advantageously run around the packaging axis at least from the first material weakening as far as the second material weakening, as in the embodiment of FIG. 1. The third material weakening 122 preferably runs in a completely closed manner around the packaging axis.

FIG. 4 shows a modification of the planar raw material which produces the second embodiment of FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 4, the fourth material weakening 136 can also be omitted. Furthermore, it is possible for the third material weakening 122 to extend only over part of the periphery of the packaging wall 110.

It should be added that the third material weakening 22 of the first embodiment can also extend over only part of the periphery of the packaging wall 10.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a third and fourth embodiment of a wall of a packaging according to the invention.

In the third embodiment of FIG. 5 and in the fourth embodiment of FIG. 6, the same or functionally identical components as in the first embodiment of FIG. 1 have been provided with the same reference signs, but increased by 200 and 300, respectively.

In the following, the third and fourth embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 will only be described insofar as they differ from the embodiment of FIG. 1; otherwise reference will be made exclusively to the description of FIG. 1.

The packaging wall 210 of FIG. 5 substantially corresponds to the embodiment of FIG. 1, except that the tear strip 214 and, associated therewith, the first and second material weakenings 216 and 218, respectively, can extend in a meander shape along the packaging axis V. Consequently, the gap surface area in the opening region 224 of the packaging, formed from the packaging wall 210, can be enlarged compared to the first embodiment of FIG. 1.

According to the fourth embodiment of the packaging wall 310 in FIG. 6, the tear strip 314 can extend in a spiral shape from the removal end 310a of the packaging or of the packaging wall 310 as far as the third material weakening 322 which circulates in a complete and closed manner.

The third material weakening 222 of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 5 also runs around the packaging axis V in a complete and closed manner.

Furthermore, it is possible to combine the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 such that a tear strip extends, for example, in a meander shape along a spiral line from the removal end of the packaging or of the packaging wall in the axial centre region of the packaging.

FIG. 7 shows by way of example a laminate which can form the packaging walls of the embodiments of FIG. 1 to 6. This laminate 40 comprises, for example, a paper layer 42, onto one side of which a layer of aluminium 44 can be laminated as a barrier layer. This aluminium barrier layer 44 keeps gases such as oxygen and water vapour, away from the inner region of the conical packaging, so that food located in the inner region of the conical packaging can be kept for longer than would be the case without a barrier layer.

A film of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) 46 can be laminated onto the side of the aluminium layer 44 directed away from the paper layer 42.

A perforation 48 which forms, for example, the first material weakening 16 is preferably made in the PET layer 46 by laser machining.

In this respect, it is advantageous for the material weakening 16 in the laminate 40 to be provided only in the plastics material layer, more precisely in the PET layer 46, while the barrier layer 44 is primarily intact and can thus fulfil its barrier function.

In addition or alternatively, the paper layer 42 can also be provided with a material weakening.

However, in the case of a combination of paper, aluminium and PET shown in FIG. 7, due to the stability of PET, it suffices to provide only the PET layer 46 with perforations 48. The perforations 48 introduced thus act on the entire laminate in a tear guiding manner, so that a tear which is made in a suitable manner in the laminate 40 is guided along the material weakenings 16, 18 and 22, respectively, and it propagates accordingly under the effect of force.