Sealed package for pourable food products and packaging material for producing sealed packages for pourable food products

Abstract

A sealed package for pourable food products, comprising a quadrangular bottom panel with opposite first front edge and a second rear edge; a quadrangular top panel opposite to bottom panel and comprises a third front edge and a fourth rear edge; a front panel between first and third edges; and a rear panel between second and fourth edges; the distance between first and third edges is smaller than the distance between second and fourth edges; top panel angled with respect to a first plane defined by first and second edges; first and third edge define a theoretical reference plane; front panel comprises opposite fifth and sixth edges between first and second edges; at least one of fifth and sixth front edge extends at least partially on opposite side of theoretical plane with respect to rear panel; front panel comprises at least a first region on opposite side of theoretical plane.

1 . A sheet packaging material for producing a sealed package of a pourable food product, comprising:
 at least one first crease line and one second crease line;   said first crease line comprising a first portion which is adapted to define a top front edge of a top panel of said sealed package;   said second crease line comprising a second portion which is adapted to define a bottom front edge of a bottom panel of said sealed package;   a third crease line which extends between respective third portions of said first and second crease lines;   a fourth crease line which extends between respective fourth portions of said first and second crease lines;   said first crease line further comprising a fifth portion interposed between said first and respective third portions, and a sixth portion interposed between respective said first and fourth portions;   said second crease line further comprising a seventh portion interposed between said second and said respective third portions, and an eighth portion interposed between said second and said respective fourth portions;   said third and fourth crease lines, and said third and fourth portions being adapted to bound a rear panel of said package, once said packaging material has been folded along said third and fourth crease lines, and along said third and fourth portions;   said third and fourth portions of said first crease line being adapted to define a top rear edge of said sealed package;   said third and fourth portions of said second crease line being adapted to define a bottom rear edge of said sealed package; said second, third, and fourth portions of said second crease line defining a first theoretical reference plane once said packaging material has been folded along said second, third, and fourth portions;   the distance between said third and fourth portions being greater than the distance between said first and second portions, so that the distance between said top rear edge and said bottom rear edge is greater than the distance between said top front edge and said bottom front edge of said sealed package;   a fifth and a sixth crease lines extending, at least partially, within a first area which is bounded by a first reference theoretical segment and a second reference theoretical segment, and by said first and second portions;   said first reference theoretical segment extending between a first end of said second portion and a second end of said first portion;   said second reference theoretical segment extending between a third end, opposite to said first end, of said second portion and a fourth end, opposite to said second end, of said first portion;   said fifth and sixth crease lines and said second and first portions being adapted to bound a front panel of said package, once said packaging material has been folded along said fifth and sixth crease lines and said second and first portions, said first and second portions defining a second theoretical reference plane once said packaging material has been folded along said first and second portions;   said fifth and seventh portions, said fifth crease line, and at least one part of said third crease line being adapted to define a first lateral concave panel extending from said front panel to said rear panel of said package, once said packaging material has been folded along said fifth crease line, said fifth and seventh portions and said at least one part of said third crease line;   said sixth and eighth portions, said sixth crease line and at least one part of said fourth crease line being adapted to define a second lateral panel extending from said front panel to said rear panel of said package, once said packaging material has been folded along said sixth crease line, said sixth and eighth portions and said at least one part of said fourth crease line; and   said fifth and sixth crease lines and said second and first portions being configured so that the front panel bounded by said fifth and sixth crease lines and said second and first portions, once the packaging material has been folded along the fifth and sixth crease lines and said second and first portions, is a convex panel curved outwardly of the second theoretical reference plane.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet packaging material as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said fifth crease line is the only one crease line originating from one of said first and second end and extending towards the other one of said first and second end;
 said sixth crease line being the only one crease line originating from one of said third and fourth end and extending towards the other one of said third and fourth end.   
     
     
         3 . The sheet packaging material as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said third and fourth portions are each located on an opposite side of an axis, which joins a middle-point of said first portion and a middle-point of said second portion. 
     
     
         4 . The sheet packaging material as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said fifth and sixth crease lines wholly extend within said first area. 
     
     
         5 . The sheet packaging material as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said fifth and sixth crease lines at first converge towards one another and then diverge from one another, proceeding from said first portion towards said second portion. 
     
     
         6 . The sheet packaging material as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said fifth and sixth crease lines are symmetrical with respect to an axis, which joins a middle-point of said first portion and a middle-point of said second portion. 
     
     
         7 . The sheet packaging material as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein:
 said third crease line extends, at least partially, within a second area which is bounded by a third reference theoretical segment, by said third portions and by a first edge of said sheet packaging material;   said fourth crease line extends, at least partially, within a third area which is bounded by a fourth reference theoretical segment, by said fourth portions and by a second edge, opposite to said first edge, of said sheet packaging material;   said third reference theoretical segment extending between a fifth end of said third portion of said first crease line and a sixth end of said third portion of said second crease line;   said fourth reference theoretical segment extending between a seventh end of said fourth portion of said first crease line and an eighth end of said fourth portion of said second crease line.   
     
     
         8 . The sheet packaging material as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said third crease line is the only one crease line which originates from one of said sixth and fifth ends and extends towards the other one of said sixth and fifth ends;
 said fourth crease line being the only one crease line which originates from one of said seventh and eighth ends and extend towards the other one of said seventh and eighth ends.   
     
     
         9 . A sealed package for pourable food products, comprising:
 a quadrangular bottom panel possessing a bottom front edge and a bottom rear edge opposite to one another;   a quadrangular top panel positioned opposite to the bottom panel and possessing a top front edge and a top rear edge;   a front panel extending between the bottom front edge and the top front edge;   a rear panel extending between the bottom rear edge and the top rear edge;   two lateral panels positioned opposite to each other and adjacent the front and rear panel, the two lateral panels each extending from the front panel to the rear panel;   the distance between the bottom front edge and the top front edge being smaller than the distance between the bottom rear edge and the top rear edge;   the top panel being angled with respect to a first theoretical reference plane, the bottom front edge and the bottom rear edge lying in the first theoretical reference plane;   the front panel possessing a first front lateral edge and a second front lateral edge which are opposite to one another and which each extend between the bottom front edge and the top front edge;   at least one of the lateral panels being concave; and   the rear panel being flat.   
     
     
         10 . The sealed package as claimed in  claim 9 , the bottom front edge and the top front edge lying in a second theoretical reference plane, the front panel possessing a first region positioned on one side of the second theoretical reference plane such that the second theoretical reference plane is positioned between the rear panel and the first region of the front panel, the front panel being curved outwardly of the second theoretical reference plane. 
     
     
         11 . The sealed package as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein an entirety of the front panel extends on the one side of the second theoretical reference plane. 
     
     
         12 . The sealed package as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the first front lateral edge and the second front lateral edge each comprise respective first portions which extend at increasing distances from the second theoretical reference plane, proceeding from the top front edge towards the bottom front edge. 
     
     
         13 . The sealed package as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the first front lateral edge and the second front lateral edge each further comprise respective second portions which are joined to corresponding first portions and originate, on the opposite side to the corresponding first portions, from the bottom front edge;
 the second portions extending at increasing distances from the second theoretical reference plane, proceeding from the bottom front edge towards the first portions.   
     
     
         14 . The sealed package as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the first and second portions join at a first and a second point; the first and second points being arranged at the same distance from the bottom front edge and the top front edge and being connected by a segment;
 the first portions converging towards one another from the top front edge towards the segment;   the second portions converging towards one another from the bottom front edge towards the segment.   
     
     
         15 . The sealed package as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the front panel extends symmetrically about an axis; the axis joining a middle point of the bottom front edge, a middle point of the segment, and a middle point of the top front edge. 
     
     
         16 . The sealed package as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the first front lateral edge and the second front lateral edge are the only edges extending between the bottom front edge and the top front edge;
 the first front lateral edge and the second front lateral edge being separate and distinct from each other.   
     
     
         17 . The sealed package as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein all sections of the package measured parallel to the bottom panel and between the bottom front edge and the top front edge have a constant perimeter. 
     
     
         18 . The sealed package as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the angle between the first theoretical reference plane and the top panel ranges between 15 and 20 degrees. 
     
     
         19 . A sheet packaging material for producing a sealed package of a pourable food product, comprising:
 at least one first crease line and one second crease line;   the first crease line comprising a first portion which is configured to define a top front edge of a top panel of the sealed package;   the second crease line comprising a second portion which is configured to define a bottom front edge of a bottom panel of the sealed package;   a third crease line which extends between respective third portions of the first and second crease lines;   a fourth crease line which extends between respective fourth portions of the first and second crease lines;   the first crease line further comprising a fifth portion interposed between the first and respective third portions, and a sixth portion interposed between respective the first and fourth portions;   the second crease line further comprising a seventh portion interposed between the second and the respective third portions, and an eighth portion interposed between the second and the respective fourth portions;   the third and fourth crease lines, and the third and fourth portions being configured to bound a rear panel of the package, once the packaging material has been folded along the third and fourth crease lines, and along the third and fourth portions;   the third and fourth portions of the first crease line being configured to define a top rear edge of the sealed package;   the third and fourth portions of the second crease line being configured to define a bottom rear edge of the sealed package;   the distance between the third and between the fourth portions being greater than the distance between the first and second portions, so that the distance between the top rear edge and the bottom rear edge is greater than the distance between the top front edge and the bottom front edge of the sealed package;   a fifth crease line and a sixth crease line extending, at least partially, within a first area which is bounded by a first reference theoretical segment and a second reference theoretical segment, and by the first and second portions;   the first reference theoretical segment extending between a first end of the second portion and a second end of the first portion;   the second reference theoretical segment extending between a third end, opposite to the first end, of the second portion and a fourth end, opposite to the second end, of the first portion;   the fifth and sixth crease lines and the second and first portions being configured to bound a front panel of the package, once the packaging material has been folded along the fifth and sixth crease lines and the second and first portions;   the fifth and seventh portions, the fifth crease line, and at least one part of the third crease line being configured to define a concave first lateral panel extending from the front panel to the rear panel of the package, once the packaging material has been folded along the fifth crease line, the fifth and seventh portions and the at least one part of the third crease line;   the sixth and eighth portions, the sixth crease line and at least one part of the fourth crease line being configured to define a second lateral panel extending from the front panel to the rear panel of the package, once the packaging material has been folded along the sixth crease line, the sixth and eighth portions and the at least one part of the fourth crease line; and   the third and fourth crease lines and the third and fourth portions being configured so that the rear panel bounded by the third and fourth crease lines and the third and fourth portions, once the packaging material has been folded along the third and fourth crease lines and the third and fourth portions, is a flat panel.