Food packaging, particularly for dairy or cheese products, and associated manufacturing method

Abstract

The invention relates to a food packaging (10), particularly for milk or cheese products (20), comprising two hollow shells (12, 14), each of the two shells (12, 14) having a plane of symmetry (S) and extending to a predetermined depth (p12, p14) and having predetermined thickness (e), the joining plane (16) being substantially orthogonal to the plane of symmetry (S), said packaging being characterized by the fact that at least one of the two shells (12, 14) has a depth (p12, p14), measured in said plane of symmetry (S), that is greater than or equal to its thickness (e) measured in the joining plane (16). The invention also relates to a method of producing a food packaging (10), in particular for milk or cheese products (20).

1 . A food packaging, comprising two hollow shells, each of the two shells presenting a plane of symmetry and extending on a predefined depth and thickness, the packaging being configured to occupy a rest position, in which the two shells are sealed to each other along a joining plane so as to form a single inner space, intended to receive a portion of a cheese product occupying substantially all of said inner space, said joining plane being substantially orthogonal to the plane of symmetry, and a use position,
 wherein the two shells are separated so as to permit access to said portion of cheese product,   wherein at least one of said two shells has a depth (p 12 , p 14 ), measured in said plane of symmetry, that is greater than or equal to its thickness measured in said joining plane.   
     
     
         2 . The food packaging according to  claim 1 , wherein said two shells each have a depth measured in said plane of symmetry which is greater than or equal to its own thickness measured in said joining plane. 
     
     
         3 . The food packaging of  claim 1 , wherein said two shells are in plastic material. 
     
     
         4 . The food packaging  claim 1 , wherein the two shells are two identical half-shells, such that said inner space has a volume evenly distributed between the two shells. 
     
     
         5 . The food packaging  claim 1 , wherein in the rest position, the two shells form a sphere. 
     
     
         6 . The food packaging  claim 1 , wherein each of the two shells has two substantially flat faces, said two faces being situated on either side of the plane of symmetry, said two faces extending according to a direction substantially parallel to said plane of symmetry. 
     
     
         7 . The food packaging  claim 6 , wherein in the rest position, the two shells have an assembly having a circular shape in the plane of symmetry. 
     
     
         8 . The food packaging according to  claim 6 , wherein in the rest position, the two shells present an assembly having an almond shape in the plane of symmetry. 
     
     
         9 . A method for manufacturing a food packaging, comprising:
 a) thermoforming of at least one plastic film reel so as to obtain two hollow shells, each of two shells presenting a plane of symmetry and extending on a predefined depth and thickness, the depth of one of said two shells, measured in said plane of symmetry (S), being greater than or equal to its thickness measured in a plane orthogonal to said plane of symmetry,   b) sealing of the two shells along a joining plane so as to form a single inner space, adapted to receive a portion of cheese product substantially occupying all of said inner space, with creation of a dosing neck, and   c) dosing, via said dosing neck, the cheese product so as to fill all the space formed between the two shells.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the dosing is performed at a temperature greater than 70° C. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 d) sealing and closing the neck,   e) cutting the shells so as to form a sealing strip protruding from said shells, at the level of the joining plane, outside of said inner space, and furthermore so as to form the tabs configured to actuate the passing of the packaging from a rest position, in which the two shells are sealed to each other, to a use position, in which the two shells are separated.   
     
     
         12 . The food packaging according to  claim 6 , wherein in the rest position, the two shells present an assembly having a substantially triangular shape in the plane of symmetry. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the dosing is performed at a temperature between 72° C. and 95° C.