AU631520B2 - - Google Patents

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patent Act PETTY PATENT SPE

(ORIGINAL)

CI F I CAT ION Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Petty Patent Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: I j ii Names(s) of Applicant(s): DRYPAC PTY. LTD.

Name(s) of Inventor(s): Ralph Henry Laby Wayne Phillip Portelli Our Address for service is: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street MELBOURNE, Australia 3000 Petty Patent Specification for the invention entitled: MEAT PRODUCT PACKAGING COMPONENT The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): 113n 1513n MEAT PRODUCT PACKAGING COMPONENT This invention relates to an improved packaging component for use in packaging meat products which exude aqueous effluent. The term "meat" as used herein includes poultry and fish products, including whole poultry and fish.

Many meat products are packaged for sale by being sealed in a plastics sleeve, bag or plastics wrap to contain aqueous effluent exuded by such product. The product may be placed on a base member, such as a tray or the base of a container, typically of foamed plastics material. The product and base member then may be inserted into a sleeve or bag and the latter then is sealed, such as by forming a heat seal across each end of 15 the sleeve or the open end of the bag. Alternatively, the product and base member may be tightly wrapped in plastics film, and retained therein by the film being bound or sealed. In each case, air may be extracted from the package. Usually water absorbent in powder or granular form, such as "Sanwet" (available from Sanyo Corp.), is placed in the package to absorb aqueous effluent exuded by the product.

Where powdered or granular absorbent is used, it is desirable that it be isolated from the meat product. For 25 this, the absorbent usually is contained in sachets of water permeable paper or fabric, similar to tea-bag sachets.

Particularly with meat products which are frozen, it is necessary that the package is able to retain its integrity when subjected to an industry accepted drop test. In satisfying that test, it is required not only that the sleeve or bag remains sealed, but also that the absorbent remains isolated from the meat product.

However, it is found that the sachets frequently burst under impulse shock generated in the test, and the risk of such failure is substantial with heavy meat products, such as whole poultry and, in particular, frozen whole poultry. Also, the sachets can accidently rupture or burst under less severe conditions. Thus, even though the 2sleeve or bag may retain its integrity, undesirable contact can occur between the meat product and either the absorbent as initially provided or, more likely, the gelled or exudate-swollen absorbent. Where the sachets are positioned between the meat product and the base member, the latter can absorb the impulse shock to a degree but, even so, the sachets still can burst.

The present invention provides an improved packaging component for use in packaging meat products which exude aqueous effluent.

According to the invention, there is provided a packaging component, for use in packaging meat products, having a base for supporting a meat product surrounded by a shallow peripheral wall, such that with the meat product 15 supported on the base, the meat product and the packaging component are together able to be received in a sleeve or bag and be sealed within the latter, said packaging component comprising: a water impermeable base member; a water permeable cover member joined to the base member such that the cover member and the base member together form a unitary structure, wherein the meat product to be packaged is supportable on the cover member; water absorbent material, for absorbing aqueous 25 effluent exuded by the meat product, provided between the cover member and the base member, said absorbent material being retained by the cover member such that, in use, there is substantially no contact between the meat product and the absorbent material; a first plurality of mutually spaced, transverse elongate reinforcing members provided on the base member; !and a second plurality of mutually spaced, transverse elongate reinforcing members provided on the cover member, wherein the second plurality of reinforcing members are at an angle to the first plurality of reinforcing members; said first and second plurality of reinforcing members together acting to strengthen the base and at least a major portion of the shallow peripheral wall; 3 wherein, the lower surface of the cover member and the upper surface of the base member are in contact through said first plurality and said second plurality of the transverse reinforcing members and the water absorbent material is located away from the areas of contact between the first plurality and second plurality of the transverse reinforcing members, such that a shock loading transmitted between the base member and the meat product is transmitted substantially via said reinforcing members with substantially no shock loading transmitted by the absorbent material.

Accordingly, the under side of the cover member and the upper side of the base member are in contact at the cross over points of the reinforcing members. During 15 assembly of the packaging component, any absorbent material present at these cross over points will be substantially forced away so that there is substantially direct contact between respective reinforcing members of the cover and the base. Should a small amount of dry absorbent material remain at the cross over points, it will be extruded away once it absorbs effluent from the meat product and swells in volume.

The cover member preferably is permeable by provision of a plurality of apertures provided therein, with the material of which it is made being otherwise impermeable. The apertures preferably have a width of from 0.5 to 3mm, most preferably of from 0.5 to 2mm. The apertures enable exudate to drain into a space defined between the base member and the cover member, so as to be taken up by the absorbent materials. Most preferably the V apertures are of a size and form such that they minimise risk of exudate passing back through the apertures.

The apertures in the cover member preferably are formed from the surface of the cover member on which the meat product is to be supported, such that each aperature has a slight depending rim. For this purpose, the apertures may be formed by a punching or similar operation. Such rim acts as a physical barrier acting to prevent exudate from passing back through the apertures.

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However, the cover member preferably is of a material, most preferably plastics material, for which the exudate has a contact angle greater than zero, such that the exudate does not spread spontaneously across the surface of that member but rather tends to sit as discrete drops.

Such drops typically will run to the apertures, where they contact and are absorbed by the absorbent material or fibres of sachets or the like. Droplets tending to return through an aperture are constrained from doing so by the surface tension and the aperture size and also, where provided, by the aperture rim.

The base member and the cover member each, most preferably, is formed of moulded plastics material. In each case, the member preferably is vacuum formed from plastics sheet, such as rigid PVC, styrene, SAN or the like. Particularly where vacuum formed, the respective set of reinforcing members comprise ribs, between successive pairs of which an elongate channel is defined, with the underside being of reversed complementary form.

In one arrangement, the second plurality of reinforcing members includes mutually spaced support members for supporting the meat product. The support members may be defined by ribs formed on the upper surface of the cover member. In this arrangement, depressions between the support members preferably are provided with apertures having a width in the range 0.5 to 3mm. More preferably, the apertures have a width between 0.5 and 2mm.

The absorbent material may be of powdered or granular form, or it may be in sheet or other solid form such as in blocks. Where the absorbent material is used as a powder or granules, it preferably is retained by permeable paper or fabric such as used for tea-bags.

Where the absorbent material comprises powder or granules if preferably is present in permeable sachets. When present as a sheet or other solid form, the absorbent material is preferably covered with a sheet of permeable material so as to minimise the possibility of the absorbent material extruding out of the apertures of the cover member and contacting the meat product.

5 mi I Alternatively, the absorbent material of sheet or other solid form may be present in sachets. The absorbent material may be further retained between the cover member and the base member by adhesive bonding means. The adhesive bonding may be provided by any suitable adhesive.

The quantity of absorbent material preferably occupies a relatively small volume of the space between the lower side of the cover member and the upper side of the base member. This is to ensure that the material is able to increase in volume by absorption of exuded effluent to an extent which does not occupy the full volume of the space. A quantity having a volume of from about 10 to 15% of the space volume generally is appropriate. Obviously, it is desirable that the volume 15 of the space and, hence, the quantity of the absorbent material, needs to be chosen to allow for the anticipated volume of effluent likely to be exuded by a given meat product.

The following description refers to a preferred embodiment of the packaging component of the present K invention. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating the packaging component S" and in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of the 25 preferred embodiment of the packaging component of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view from below; .Figure 3 is a plan view; Figure 4 is a side view; Figure 5 is an inverted plan view; Figure 6 is an end view; and Figure 7 is a partly cut-away view showing the internal structure of the preferred embodiment.

Referring now generally to Figures 1 to 7, there is shown packaging component 10 according to the invention.

Component 10 has the form of a base 20, for supporting a meat product (not shown), surrounded by a shallow peripheral wall 30. Peripheral wall 30 has four side portions indicated by reference numerals 32, 34, 36 and 38 6respectively. The shape of packaging component 10 may be rectangular, or of any other form suitable for a given meat product to be packaged. The overall form is such that, with a meat product supported on the base 20, the meat product and packaging component 10 can together be received in a sleeve, bag or wrapping film and sealed within the latter. Usually, the sleeve, bag or wrapping provides shrink wrap, due to air being evacuated.

The packaging component 10 includes a water impermeable base member 40 (shown in Figures 2 to 7) and a water permeable cover member 50 (shown in Figures 1, 3 and 7) joined together to form a unitary structure. Such joining may be effected by a number of possible ways, for example, adhesive bonding or heat sealing, such as between 15 overlapping flanges of members 40, 50 which defined the "outwardly turned lip of wall 30. The base member 40 may :be made from any water impermeable material, for example a molded thermoplastics material such as vacuum formed plastics sheet. Cover member 50 can also be made from a molded thermoplastics material; however it must be made permeable to water, for instance by providing apertures in it to allow water and other effluent to pass through.

Between base member 40 and cover member 50 there is provided water absorbent material 60 (see Figure 7) for 25 absorbing aqueous effluent exuded by the meat and passed i -through apertures 55 in the cover member 50. The water absorbent material 60 is present in a powdered form and is S.contained in sachets 70 made from water permeable material such as the material used for tea bags. Each sachet 70 is defined by top and bottom layers 80 of water permeable material joined around the periphery of each sachet 70 at an interconnecting web 90. Each sachet 70 contains a 2 quantity of water absorbent material 60, preferably in powdered or granular form. However, it is to be understood that the water absorbent material may be present in other forms, for instance in sheet or block form.

The water absorbent material 60 is retained by cover member 50 such that contact between the meat product and 7

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water absorbent material 60 is substantially avoided when the packaging component is in use. To prevent the dry or gelled absorbent material 60 from inadvertently passing through apertures 55, the apertures 55 preferably have a width in the range of 0.5 to 3mm, more preferably 1 to 2mm.

The cover member 50 is provided with a first plurality of mutually spaced, transverse elongate reinforcing members 100 comprising raised primary reinforcing ribs 110 and adjacent elongate channels 115.

Each reinforcing rib 110 extends continuously from approximately the top of side 34 of the peripheral wall across the width of cover member 50, and up to approximately the top of opposing side 38 of peripheral wall 30. Reinforcing ribs 110 assist in strengthening and reinforcing sides 34 and 38 and base 20 of the packaging component 10. Further strengthening and reinforcing is provided by optional secondary reinforcing ribs 120 located on sides 32 and 36 of peripheral wall Secondary reinforcing ribs 120 are shorter than primary reinforcing ribs 110 and extend from approximately the top of sides 32 and 36, respectively, across a minor portion of the length of the base The base member 40 is provided with a second plurality of mutually spaced, transverse elongate reinforcing members 130 which also comprise raised primary reinforcing ribs 140. Each reinforcing rib 140 extends continuously from approximately the top of side 32 of the peripheral wall 30, along the length of base member 40 and up to approximately the top of opposing side 36 of peripheral wall 30. In a like manner to reinforcing ribs 110, reinforcing ribs 140 strengthen and reinforce the sides 32 and 36 and base 20 of packaging component Further strengthening and reinforcing is provided by optional secondary reinforcing ribs 150 located on sides 34 and 38 of peripheral wall 30. Secondary reinforcing ribs 150 are shorter than primary reinforcing ribs 140 and extend from approximately the top of sides 34 and 38, respectively, across a minor portion of the width of the base 8ii .4 r Ii

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1: "~i i L When the cover member 50 and the base member 40 are joined together to form a unitary structure, reinforcing members 130 are at an angle to reinforcing members 100 of approximately 900. Accordingly, the reinforcing effect of the primary reinforcing ribs 110 and 140 combine to give the packaging component 10 increased strength both lengthwise and widthwise. The optional secondary reinforcing ribs 120 and 150, when present, further enhance the strength of the packaging component particularly around the region of the peripheral wall It is to be noted that reinforcing members 100 and 130 are molded into the cover member 50 and base member respectively. Accordingly, elongate channels 115 form raised surfaces 160 (see Figure 7) on the underside of the 15 cover member During assembly of packaging component 10, absorbent material 60 in sachets 70 is provided cn base member Cover member 50 is then placed on top and joined to the base member 40. Once joined together, the lower surface of the cover member and the upper surface of the base member are in contact via the raised surfaces 160 of the underside of the cover member 50 and the reinforcing ribs 150 of the base member 40. The areas of contact between raised surfaces 160 and reinforcing ribs 150 are approximately square and alternate with apertures 55 such that no aperture 55 is located above an area of contact.

The cover member 50 and base member 40 are held together with sufficient force that the absorbent material 60 is forced or extruded away from the areas of contact into adjacent recesses. With substantially no absorbent material 60 present at the areas of contact, there can be no transfer of any shock loading via the absorbent material 60 if the packaging component 10 is dropped.

Instead, the shock loading is transferred from the meat product to the base member through the areas of contact between the raised surfaces 160 and reinforcing ribs 150.

Accordingly, the risk of rupturing the sachets 70 of absorbent material 60 is reduced.

In use of the component 10, a meat product is 9o-e-.

o rgo ooe r lo :i: :i i 7 positioned thereon and the component and meat product then are sealed in a plastics bag, sleeve or wrapping, preferably with evacuation of air. Typically, the meat product is such that it projects substantially above wall 5 30, and is securely retained by the bag, sleeve or wrapping. In the course of such packaging, component is subjected to substantial forces which, with prior art products, can cause severe distortion around the meat product, and cracking or splitting. However the component 10 is able to withstand such forces, due to the respective sets of ribs 110, 130; the joining of members 40, 50; and the cavity structure between members 40, 50. Also, component 10 achieves this despite members 40, 50 which are of a thickness substantially less than that of prior art products, while lower grades and, hence, more cost effective plastics materials can be used. Additionally, the component 10 is readily able to withstand the standard drop test, without failure and without the absorbent material coming into contact with the meat product, due to forces between the meat product and member 50 being transmitted via intersecting ribs 110, 130, with substantially no force transmission via the absorbent material.

Finally, it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the constructions and arrangements of parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.

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Claims (2)

1. 2. A packaging component of claim 1, wherein said second plurality of reinforcing members includes support members for supporting said meat product.
2. 3. The packaging component of claim 2, wherein depressions between said support members are provided with apertures having a width of between 0.5 to 3mm. rr r DATED: 27 August 1992 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK 15 Attorneys for: RALPH HENRY LABY kDukB -^Ua~$fc; i r I' i i I L1I 3725Z 12 U~IXI1*P:; ;ii ABSTRACT A packaging component, for use in packaging meat products, has a base for supporting a meat product surrounded by a shallow peripheral wall, such that with the meat product supported on the base, the meat product and the packaging component are together able to be received in a sleeve or bag and be sealed within the latter. The packaging component comprises a water impermeable base member; a water permeable cover member joined to the base member such that the cover member and the base member together form a unitary structure, wherein the meat product to be packaged is supportable on the cover member; and water absorbent material, for absorbing aqueous effluent exuded by the meat product, provided 15 between the cover member and the base member, said absorbent material being retained by the cover member such o o that, in use, there is substantially no contact between the meat product and the absorbent material. The packaging component further comprises a first plurality of mutually spaced, transverse elongate reinforcing members provided on the base member and a second plurality of mutually spaced, transverse elongate reinforcing members provided on the cover member, wherein the second plurality of reinforcing members are at an angle to the first 25 plurality of reinforcing members. The first and second plurality of reinforcing members together act to strengthen the base and at least a major portion of the shallow peripheral wall. The lower surface of the cover member and the upper surface of the base member are in contact through said first plurality and said second plurality of the transverse reinforcing members and the water absorbent material is located away from the areas of contact between the first plurality and second plurality of the transverse reinforcing members, such that a shock loading transmitted between the base member and the meat product is transmitted substantially via said reinforcing members with substantially no shock loading transmitted by the absorbent material. 13