Plastic Flanged Containers and Food Product Pack Comprising Such Containers

Abstract

Disclosed is a flanged container for a food, in particular a dairy product composition. The container is provided with a hollow body and an annular flange that comprises an inner edge defining a circular upper opening of the container and outer straight side edges. The flange has at least two first flange portions, each defining one of said side edges, two of the side edges having a length I shorter than half of an inner diameter D int of the opening. Two of the first flange portions are adjacent. At least two second flange portions are provided to each define a corner of the flange, the second flange portions each comprising an outer convex edge extending between two adjacent of said outer straight side edges. A pack comprising the containers is also disclosed.

1 . A container for a food composition, comprising:
 a thermoplastic hollow body comprising a bottom and a side wall extending along a longitudinal axis from said bottom as far as a top, and   a planar annular flange integral with the body and connected to the top of the body, the flange comprising a lower face, an upper face, an inner edge defining a circular upper opening of the container and outer straight side edges, the outer straight side edges comprising two parallel outer straight side edges and at least one outer straight side edge perpendicular to the two parallel outer straight side edges,   
       characterized in that the flange comprises:
 at least two first flange portions, each having a continuous cut out line defining one of said outer straight side edges, at least two of the outer straight side edges having a length l shorter than half of an inner diameter D int  of said circular upper opening, two of the first flange portions being adjacent first flange portions, and 
 at least two second flange portions that each defines a corner of the flange, at least one of said second flange portions comprising an outer convex edge that extends between two adjacent of said outer straight side edges. 
 
     
     
         2 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first flange portions comprise at least three first flange portions, each having a continuous cut out line defining one of said outer straight side edges, each of the outer straight side edges having a length l shorter than half of an inner diameter D int  of said upper circular opening, and   each of said second flange portions comprises an outer convex edge that extends between two adjacent of said outer straight side edges.   
     
     
         3 . The container according to  claim 2 , wherein the circular opening has an inner diameter D int , and wherein any one of said outer straight side edges has a length I satisfying the relation:
     I/D   int <0.45.   
     
     
         4 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein when four of said first flange portions are provided on the flange, four corresponding outer straight side edges are provided and define a virtual square. 
     
     
         5 . The container according to claim  34 , wherein each of the outer straight side edges has the same length l. 
     
     
         6 . The container according to  claim 5 , wherein each of said outer straight side edges has a length equal to about one third of the length of one side of said virtual square. 
     
     
         7 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the flange has a geometrical shape, wherein said longitudinal axis forms an intersection between:
 a first median plane dividing the flange into two halves; and   a second median plane dividing the flange into a first C-shaped portion and a second C-shaped portion, the second C-shaped portion being of lighter weight than the first C-shaped portion.   
     
     
         8 . The container according to  claim 7 , wherein the second median plane is perpendicular to the first median plane and the second C-shaped portion is inscribed in a virtual isosceles right triangle having its long side contained in the second median plane. 
     
     
         9 . The container according to  claim 8 , wherein the first C-shaped portion has a first maximal radial extension and the second C-shaped portion has a second the maximal radial extension, and wherein the ratio between the first maximal radial extension and the inner diameter D int  of said opening is comprised between 0.18 and 0.22, the ratio between the second maximal radial extension and the inner diameter D int  of said opening being comprised between 0.15 and 0.18. 
     
     
         10 . The container according to  claim 7 , wherein the first C-shaped portion is inscribed in a first virtual isosceles right triangle having its long side contained in the second median plane and the second C-shaped portion is inscribed in a second virtual isosceles right triangle having its long side contained in the second median plane, wherein the following relation is satisfied:
   ⅔ *D   int   ≦b≦c≦ ¾ *D   int ,
   
       where b is the length of the small side of the second virtual isosceles right triangle, c is the length of the small side of the first virtual isosceles right triangle and D int  the inner diameter of said opening. 
     
     
         11 . The container according to  claim 4 , wherein two of the second flange portions define each an external perimeter portion corresponding to at least 1/7 of the external perimeter defined by the flange. 
     
     
         12 . The container according to  claim 4 , wherein two of the second flange portions have rounded outer side edges that form circular segments arranged coaxially with the circular opening. 
     
     
         13 . The container according to  claim 4 , wherein the body has a circular section in cross-section and extends symmetrically around said longitudinal axis, the bottom having a periphery of circular shape. 
     
     
         14 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a side wall having a generally cylindrical upper portion and a lower portion tapering from the upper portion toward the bottom. 
     
     
         15 . The container according to  claim 4 , comprising a membrane seal that is fixed only to the upper face of the flange, the membrane seal sealing the opening and covering entirely said upper face of the flange. 
     
     
         16 . A food pack comprising a plurality of containers such as defined in of  claim 1 , wherein said containers are arranged in at least one row. 
     
     
         17 . The pack according to  claim 16 , comprising at least four containers arranged in two rows, said flanges of each of said containers of the pack being integrally formed and separably joined to each other at a junction of two first flange portions of two distinct containers of the pack. 
     
     
         18 . The pack according to  claim 16 , wherein two of the second flange portions are rounded and define external portions of the pack. 
     
     
         19 . The pack according to  claim 16 , comprising a group of four containers provided with a star-cut pattern between the individual containers, said star-cut pattern having a length L 1 , such that the following relation is satisfied:
   0. 75 ≦L 1 /D   int ≦0.95.
   
     
     
         20 . The pack according to  claim 16 , wherein the flanges have a determined constant thickness, said junction having the determined thickness. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A packaged food product comprising 50 g to 500 g of a yoghurt composition within a container of  claim 1 .