“Concave products, semimanufactures thereof and processes for preparing them”

DESCRIPTION

Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to the food-packaging field, particularly to concave products or con tainers meant to contain foodstuff, such as trays/dishes/platters/crates having different shapes, siz es and capacity, perfectly compatible with foodstuff, with improved containing properties and high predisposition to complete recycling or composting.

State of the art

In the field of packaging for agriculture and food, several containers are available on the market, such as: plastic trays and dishes, obtained through press thermoforming of a flat sheet of ther- moformable polymer, or else trays and dishes of shaped cellulose pulp, obtained from cellulose fi bre through a pulping process, or else paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard trays and dishes, obtained by gluing or thermoforming a paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard die-cut sheet.

All these products are characterized by considerable limits and drawbacks, such as: total lack of environmental bio-compatibility, lack of recyclability or compostability for containers based on thermoformable polymer sheets, poor containing properties for each individual product and poor production throughput in terms of number of product units per time unit per equipment used, as well as the cumbersomeness of the processes used in the case of containers derived from cellu lose pulp or in the case of containers obtained by gluing or thermoforming a paper, card or paper board/corrugated paperboard die-cut sheet.

Accordingly, in the food packaging field the need to implement new products meant to contain foodstuff, such as trays/dishes/platters/crates having different shapes, sizes and capacity, perfectly compatible with foodstuff, with improved containing properties, complete environmental bio compatibility with excellent recyclability and/or compostability, as well as obtainable through pro cesses which are simplified but highly effective and efficient from the standpoint of the number of product units per time unit per individual equipment used, was strongly felt.

Summary of the invention

Continuing their research in the instant technical field, the Applicants surprisingly and unexpectedly implemented:

- a concave product or container (II) or (IG) comprising at least two layers (a) and (b) of cellulose- based material, one of said layers (a) is continuous and the other layer (b) is discontinuous, said layers being reciprocally coupled and partially overlapped and glued, between them at least in the partial overlapped zone (s) there is interposed:

• a pressure or temperature activated glue/adhesive layer (c’), preferably a pressure or temperature activated glue/adhesive layer (c’) of a biodegradable thermoplastic material, or

• a thermally or pressure activated thermoplastic material layer (t), preferably a thermally or pressure activated thermoplastic material layer (t), wherein said material is biode gradable;

- the relevant process of press forming of the concave product or container (II) or (IG) according to the present invention, said press forming process comprising:

(i) loading/supplying a semimanufacture (I) or (G), according to the present invention, into a forming press, either a single, a parallel or a flat matrix press (single, parallel or flat matrix press referring to the distribution of the punch/die couple(s) of the press),

(ii) press forming the concave product or container (II) or (IG) by reciprocally sliding, without tears, the reciprocally paired and perfectly overlapped portions/areas (A1) and (B1) of the layers (A) and (B) of the semimanufacture (I) or (G), said portions/areas (A1) and (B1) reciprocally gluing by the presence of the thermal or pressure activation glue/adhesive layer (C) or thermoplastic material layer (T) interposed between them, in order to respectively provide the continuous layer (a) and the discontinuous layer (b), said reciprocally coupled and partially overlapped glued layers, between which there is interposed, at least in the partial overlap zone (s), the pressure or temperature acti vated glue/adhesive layer (c’) or thermoplastic material layer (t) of the concave product or container (II) or (II’),

(iii) blanking (with or without an edge) and extracting from the press or viceversa, extracting from the press and blanking (with or without an edge), the concave product or container (II) or (IG), ac cording to the present invention;

- a semimanufacture (I) or (G) comprising at least one layer (A) and one layer (B), wherein said layers (A) and (B) are made of a cellulose-based material, and are suitably engraved/cut in order to form at least two portions/areas of said layers, one for each of said layers: a portion/area (A1) delimited by a cutting closed perimeter on said layer (A), and a portion/area (B1) on the layer (B), delimited by a cutting closed perimeter or characterized by a partial cutting or engraving and giv ing one or more flaps having a side continuous with the remaining part of said second layer (B), said portion/area (B1) of an extension less than the extension of the portion/area (A1), said two portions/areas paired with each other along the contact surfaces between the layers (A) and (B), said portion/area (B1) being comprised in the portion/area (A1), said layers (A) and (B) being coupled with each other and between the contact surfaces thereof there is interposed:

• a pressure or temperature activatable glue/adhesive layer (C) at the portions/areas (A1) and (B1), but beforehand pressure or temperature activated on one or more of the re maining portions or areas of the contact surfaces of the layers (A) and (B), or

• a pressure or temperature activatable thermoplastic material layer (T) at the por tions/areas (A1) and (B1), but beforehand pressure or temperature activated on one or more of the remaining portions or areas of the contact surfaces of the layers (A) and (B);

- the relevant process of preparing a semimanufacture (I) or (G) according to the present invention, in particular the process of preparing the semimanufacture (I), said process comprising:

(1) providing two layers (A) and (B) of a cellulose-based material, preferably each in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape supplied by the associ ated supplying roll (A’) and (B’), respectively;

(2) cutting/engraving the two layers (A) and (B), in order to form at least two portions/areas of said layers, one for each of said layers: a portion/area (A1) delimited by a cutting closed perimeter on said layer (A), and a portion/area (B1) on the layer (B), delimited by a cutting closed perimeter or characterized by a partial cutting or engraving and giving one or more flaps having a side continu ous with the remaining part of said second layer (B), said portion/area (B1) of an extension less than the extension of the portion/area (A1), said cutting/engraving being preferably synchronously performed on both the layers (A) and (B), or on each of these at different times;

(3) interposing a pressure or temperature activatable glue/adhesive layer (C) between the two lay ers (A) and (B), by applying said glue on at least one of the surfaces contacting one of the two lay ers (A) and (B), before coupling them;

(4) coupling the suitably cut/engraved layers (A) and (B) after applying the glue/adhesive layer (C), so that the portions/areas (A1) and (B1) are reciprocally paired, perfectly overlapped, registered along the surfaces contacting the two layers (A) and (B), said portion/area (B1) being comprised in the portion/area (A1);

(5) obtaining a semimanufacture (I), according to the present invention, wherein the glue/adhesive layer (C) is pressure or temperature activated on one or more of the remaining portions or areas of the surfaces contacting the layers (A) and (B), so that the reciprocally paired, perfectly overlapped, registered portions/areas (A1) and (B1), reciprocally remain in a perfectly registered position,

- or the process of preparing the semimanufacture (G), said process comprising:

(1 ’) providing two layers (A) and (B) of a cellulose-based material, preferably each in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape provided by the associ ated supplying roll (A’) and (B’), respectively;

(2’) cutting/engraving the two layers (A) and (B), in order to form at least two portions/areas of said layers, one for each of said layers: a portion/area (A1) delimited by a cutting closed perimeter on said layer (A), and a portion/area (B1) on the layer (B), delimited by a cutting closed perimeter or characterized by a partial cutting or engraving and giving one or more flaps having a side continu ous with the remaining part of said second layer (B), said portion/area (B1) of an extension less than the extension of the portion/area (A1), said cutting/engraving is preferably synchronously per formed on both the layers (A) and (B), or on each of these at different times;

(3’) interposing a layer of pressure or temperature activatable thermoplastic material (T), preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape, still more preferably a thermoplastic material layer (T) provided by the associated supply roll (T’), be tween the two layers (A) and (B), before coupling them;

(4’) coupling the suitably cut/engraved layers (A) and (B) after interposing a pressure or tempera ture activatable thermoplastic material layer (T), so that the portions/areas (A1) and (B1) are recip rocally paired, perfectly overlapped, registered, along the surfaces contacting the layers (A) and (B), said portion/area (B1) being comprised in the portion/area (A1);

(5’) obtaining a semimanufacture (G), according to the present invention, wherein the thermoplastic material layer (T) is pressure or temperature activated on one or more of the remaining portions or areas of the surfaces contacting the layers (A) and (B), so that the reciprocally paired, perfectly overlapped, registered portions/areas (A1) and (B1) reciprocally remain in a perfectly registered position.

Description of the figures

Figure 1 reproduces one of the forms of embodiment of the process of preparing the semimanufac ture (I) according to the present invention.

Figure 2 reproduces one of the forms of embodiment of the process of preparing the semimanufac ture (G) according to the present invention. Figure 3 reproduces one of the forms of embodiment of the process of press forming the concave product or container (II), outlining the step (i) of loading/supplying the semimanufacture (I) into a forming press, the step (ii) of press forming the concave product or container (II), and the step (iii) wherein only extracting from the press which forms the concave product or container (II) is shown, the latter being still integral with the semimanufacture (I) in the right part of the figure.

Figure 4 reproduces a schematic sectional view of a form of embodiment of the process of press forming the concave product or container (II), outlining the step (i) of loading/supplying the semi manufacture (I) into a forming press, the step (ii) of press forming the concave product or container (II), and the step (iii) wherein the concave product or container (II) is shown after its extraction from the forming press and its blanking with an edge.

Figure 5 reproduces a schematic sectional view of a further form of embodiment of the process of press forming the concave product or container (II), outlining the step (i) of loading/supplying the semimanufacture (I) into a forming press, the step (ii) of press forming the concave product or con tainer (II), and the step (iii) wherein the concave product or container (II) is shown after its extrac tion from the forming press and its blanking with an edge.

Figure 6 reproduces a schematic sectional view of a form of embodiment of the process of press forming the concave product or container (IG), outlining the step (i) of loading/supplying the semi manufacture (G) into a forming press, the step (ii) of press forming the concave product or container (IG), and the step (iii) wherein the concave product or container (IG) is shown after its extraction from the forming press and its blanking with an edge.

Figure 7 reproduces a further schematic sectional view of a form of embodiment of the process of press forming the concave product or container (IG), outlining the step (i) of loading/supplying the semimanufacture (G) into a forming press, the step (ii) of press forming the concave product or con tainer (IG), and the step (iii) wherein the concave product or container (IG) is shown after its extrac tion from the forming press and its blanking with an edge.

Detailed description of the invention and its Forms of Embodiment

An object of the present invention is therefore a concave product or container (II), in particular a concave product or container meant to contain foodstuff, such as a tray/dish/platter/crate of differ ent shapes, sizes and capacity, obtained from a semimanufacture (I) subjected to press forming according to a press forming process, said semimanufacture (I) and press forming process being as described herein and being a further object of the present invention, said concave product or container (II) comprising at least two layers (a) and (b) of cellulose-based material, preferably of a paper-like material: paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard, more preferably paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard adapted to the food packaging, wherein one of said layers (a) is continuous and the other layer (b) is discontinuous, said layers being coupled with each other and partially overlapped and glued, between them at least in the partial overlap zone (s) there is in terposed a pressure or temperature activated glue/adhesive layer (c’), preferably a pressure or temperature activated glue/adhesive layer (c’) of biodegradable thermoplastic material.

A further object of the present invention is a concave product or container (IG), in particular a con cave product or container meant to contain foodstuff, such as a tray/dish/platter/crate of different shapes, sizes and capacity, obtained from a semimanufacture (G) subjected to press forming ac cording to a press forming process, said semimanufacture (G) and press forming process being as described herein and being a further object of the present invention, said concave product or con tainer (I G) comprising at least two layers (a) and (b) of cellulose-based material, preferably of a pa per-like material: paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard, more preferably paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard adapted to the food packaging, wherein one of said layers (a) is continuous and the other layer (b) is discontinuous, said layers being coupled with each other and partially overlapped and glued, between them at least in the partial overlap zone (s) there is in terposed a pressure or thermally activated thermoplastic material layer (t), preferably a pressure or thermally activated thermoplastic material layer (t) wherein said material is biodegradable.

A further object of the present invention is a semimanufacture (I), suitable to be subjected to a press forming process in order to obtain a concave product or container (II), said press forming process and concave product or container (II) being as described herein and being a further object of the present invention, said semimanufacture (I) comprising at least one layer (A) and one layer (B), both preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continu ous web shape, said semimanufacture preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape wound in a roll (X), wherein said layers (A) and (B) are made of a cellulose-based material, preferably of a paper-like material: paper, card or paper board/corrugated paperboard, more preferably paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard adapted to the food packaging, and are suitably engraved/cut in order to form at least two por tions/areas of said layers, one for each of said layers: a portion/area (A1) delimited by a cutting closed perimeter on said layer (A), and a portion/area (B1) on the layer (B), delimited by a cutting closed perimeter or characterized by a partial cutting or engraving and giving one or more flaps having a side continuous with the remaining part of said second layer (B), said portion/area (B1) of an extension less than the extension of the portion/area (A1), said two portions/areas paired with each other, perfectly overlapped, registered along the surfaces contacting the layers (A) and (B), said portion/area (B1) being comprised in the portion/area (A1), ready to be subjected to the press forming action (to the press forming process), said layers (A) and (B) being coupled with each other and between their contact surfaces there being interposed a pressure or temperature activatable glue/adhesive layer (C), preferably a pressure or temperature activatable glue/adhesive layer (C) of biodegradable thermoplastic material, in correspondence with the portions/areas (A1) and (B1), but beforehand pressure or temperature activated on one or more of the remaining portions or areas of the contact surfaces of the layers (A) and (B).

A further object of the present invention is a semimanufacture (G), suitable to be subjected to the press forming process in order to obtain a concave product or container (IG), comprising at least one layer (A) and one layer (B), both preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape, said semimanufacture (G) preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape wound in a roll (X), wherein said layers (A) and (B) are made of a cellulose-based material, preferably of a paper-like material: paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard, more preferably paper, card or paper board/corrugated paperboard adapted to the food packaging, and are suitably engraved/cut in or der to form at least two portions/areas of said layers, one for each of said layers: a portion/area (A1) delimited by a cutting closed perimeter on said layer (A), and a portion/area (B1) on the layer (B), delimited by a cutting closed perimeter or characterized by a partial cutting or engraving and giving one or more flaps having a side continuous with the remaining part of said second layer (B), said portion/area (B1) of an extension less than the extension of the portion/area (A1), said two portions/areas paired with each other, perfectly overlapped, registered, said portion/area (B1) being comprised in the portion/area (A1), ready to be subjected to the press forming action (to the press forming process), said layers (A) and (B) being coupled with each other and between their contact surfaces there being interposed a pressure or temperature activatable thermoplastic material layer (T), preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape, preferably a pressure or temperature activatable thermoplastic material layer (T) wherein said material is biodegradable, in correspondence with the portions/areas (A1) and (B1), but be forehand pressure or temperature activated on one or more of the remaining portions or areas of the contact surfaces of the layers (A) and (B).

Optionally the pressure or temperature activatable thermoplastic material layer (T), preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, is suitably engraved/cut so as to form at least one por tion/area (T1) delimited by a cutting closed perimeter on said layer (T), the portion/area (T1) corre sponding to the portion/area (A1) on the layer (A).

The concave product or container (II) or (IG) according to the present invention is preferably an open concave product or container such as a tray/dish/platter/crate of different shapes, sizes and capacity.

The inner capacitive surface (S’) of the concave product or container (II) or (IG) according to the present invention is continuous or discontinuous.

The layers (A) and (B) or (a) and (b) of a cellulose-based material, preferably of a paper-like mate rial: paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard, preferably paper, card or paper board/corrugated paperboard adapted to the food packaging, have a thickness depending on the nature of the paper-like material forming said layers: paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paper- board, preferably paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard adapted to the food packaging. Glue/adhesive in the pressure or temperature activated (c’) or activatable (C) glue/adhesive layer according to the present invention is intended as a glue/adhesive suitable to perform the sealing action as a result of its pressure or temperature activation between the two layers (A) and (B) or (a) and (b) of a cellulose-based material, preferably of a paper-like material: paper, card or paper board/corrugated paperboard, preferably paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard adapted to the food packaging, without causing any disaggregation or corrosion process in said layers.

The thickness of the pressure or temperature activated (c’) or activatable (C) glue/adhesive layer according to the present invention is such as to allow adherence between the two layers (A) and (B) or (a) and (b), depending on the thickness and hence the nature of the paper-like material form ing said layers.

Thermoplastic material in the pressure or temperature activated (t) or activatable (T) thermoplastic material layer according to the present invention is intended as a glue/adhesive suitable to perform the sealing action as a result of its pressure or temperature activation between the two layers (A) and (B) or (a) and (b) of a cellulose-based material, preferably of a paper-like material: paper, card or paper-board/corrugated paperboard, preferably paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paper- board adapted to the food packaging, without causing any disaggregation or corrosion process in said layers.

The thickness of the pressure or temperature activated (t) or activatable (T) thermoplastic material layer according to the present invention is such as to allow adherence between the two layers (A) and (B) or (a) and (b), depending on the thickness and hence the nature of the paper-like material forming said layers.

Preferably the layers (A) and (B) of cellulose-based material, preferably of paper-like material: pa per, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard, preferably paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard adapted to the food packaging, preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, have the same width and/or length. More preferably the layers (A) and (B) of cellulose- based material, preferably of paper-like material: paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paper- board, preferably paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard adapted to the food packaging, preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, and the pressure or temperature acti vatable thermoplastic material layer (T), preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, or the pressure or temperature activatable glue/adhesive layer (C) have the same width and/or length.

Preferably the pressure or temperature activatable thermoplastic material layer (T) is a pressure or temperature activatable biodegradable thermoplastic polymer film.

Processes of Preparing a Semimanufacture (I) or (P

A further object of the present invention is the process of preparing the semimanufacture (I) com prising at least one layer (A) and one layer (B), both preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape, said semimanufacture being preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape wound in a roll (X), wherein said layers (A) and (B) are made of a cellulose-based material, preferably of a paper-like material: paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard, more preferably paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard adapted to the food packaging, and are suitably en graved/cut in order to form at least two portions/areas of said layers, one for each of said layers: a portion/area (A1) delimited by a cutting closed perimeter on said layer (A), and a portion/area (B1) on the layer (B), delimited by a cutting closed perimeter or characterized by a partial cutting or en graving and giving one or more flaps having a side continuous with the remaining part of said sec ond layer (B), said portion/area (B1) of an extension less than the extension of the portion/area (A1), said two portions/areas paired with each other, perfectly overlapped, registered along the sur faces contacting the layers (A) and (B), said portion/area (B1) being comprised in the portion/area (A1), ready to be subjected to the press forming action (to the press forming process), said layers

(A) and (B) being coupled with each other and between their contact surfaces there being inter posed a pressure or temperature activatable glue/adhesive layer (C), preferably a pressure or tem perature activatable glue/adhesive layer (C) of biodegradable thermoplastic material, in corre spondence with the portions/areas (A1) and (B1), but beforehand pressure or temperature activat ed on one or more of the remaining portions or areas of the contact surfaces of the layers (A) and

(B), said process comprising:

(1) providing two layers (A) and (B) of a cellulose-based material, preferably of a paper-like materi al: paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard, preferably paper, card or paper board/corrugated paperboard adapted to the food packaging, preferably each in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape supplied by the associated supplying roll (A’) and (B’), respectively;

(2) cutting/engraving the two layers (A) and (B), in order to form at least two portions/areas of said layers, one for each of said layers: a portion/area (A1) delimited by a cutting closed perimeter on said layer (A), and a portion/area (B1) on the layer (B), delimited by a cutting closed perimeter or characterized by a partial cutting or engraving and giving one or more flaps having a side continu ous with the remaining part of said second layer (B), said portion/area (B1) of an extension less than the extension of the portion/area (A1), ready to be subjected to the press forming process ac cording to the present invention, said cutting/engraving being preferably synchronously performed on both the layers (A) and (B), or on each of these at different times;

(3) interposing a pressure or temperature activatable glue/adhesive layer (C) between the two lay ers (A) and (B), by applying said glue on at least one of the surfaces contacting one of the two lay ers (A) and (B), before coupling them;

(4) coupling the suitably cut/engraved layers (A) and (B) after applying the glue/adhesive layer (C), so that the portions/areas (A1) and (B1) are reciprocally paired, perfectly overlapped, registered along the surfaces contacting the two layers (A) and (B), said portion/area (B1) being comprised in the portion/area (A1), ready to be subjected to the press forming process according to the present invention;

(5) obtaining a semimanufacture (I), according to the present invention, wherein the glue/adhesive layer (C) is pressure or temperature activated on one or more of the remaining portions or areas of the surfaces contacting the layers (A) and (B), so that the reciprocally paired, perfectly overlapped, registered portions/areas (A1) and (B1), reciprocally remain in a perfectly registered position. Optionally in the process of preparing the semimanufacture (I) according to the present invention and as described above, as a further form of embodiment thereof, the step (2) of cutting/engraving the two layers (A) and (B) is preceded by the step (3) of interposing a pressure or temperature acti vatable glue/adhesive layer (C) between the two layers (A) and (B), by applying said glue on at least one of the surfaces contacting one of the two layers (A) and (B), and is followed by the step (4) of coupling the suitably cut/engraved layers (A) and (B), between which the glue/adhesive layer (C) is interposed.

The semimanufacture (I) according to the present invention and obtained according to the process as described above is preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape wound in a roll (X). A further object of the present invention is the process of preparing the semimanufacture (G) com prising at least one layer (A) and one layer (B), both preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape, said semimanufacture being preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape wound in a roll (X), wherein said layers (A) and (B) are made of a cellulose-based material, preferably of a paper-like material: paper, card or paperboard/corrugated cardboard, more preferably paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard adapted to the food packaging, and are suitably en graved/cut in order to form at least two portions/areas of said layers, one for each of said layers: a portion/area (A1) delimited by a cutting closed perimeter on said layer (A), and a portion/area (B1) on the layer (B), delimited by a cutting closed perimeter or characterized by a partial cutting or en graving and giving one or more flaps having a side continuous with the remaining part of said sec- ond layer (B), said portion/area (B1) of an extension less than the extension of the portion/area (A1), said two portions/areas paired with each other, perfectly overlapped, registered along the sur faces contacting the layers (A) and (B), said portion/area (B1) being comprised in the portion/area (A1), ready to be subjected to the press forming action (to the press forming process), said layers

(A) and (B) being coupled with each other and between their contact surfaces there being inter posed a pressure or temperature activatable thermoplastic material layer (T), preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape, still more prefer ably a pressure or temperature activatable thermoplastic material layer (T) wherein said material is biodegradable, in correspondence with the portions/areas (A1) and (B1), but beforehand pressure or temperature activated on one or more of the remaining portions or areas of the contact surfaces of the layers (A) and (B), said process comprising:

(1 ’) providing two layers (A) and (B) of a cellulose-based material, preferably of a paper-like mate rial: paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard, preferably paper, card or paper board/corrugated paperboard adapted to the food packaging, preferably each being in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape provided by the associated supplying roll (A’) and (B’), respectively;

(2’) cutting/engraving the two layers (A) and (B), in order to form at least the two portions/areas of said layers, one for each of said layers: a portion/area (A1) delimited by a cutting closed perimeter on said layer (A), and a portion/area (B1) on the layer (B), delimited by a cutting closed perimeter or characterized by a partial cutting or engraving and giving one or more flaps having a side con tinuous with the remaining part of said second layer (B), said portion/area (B1) of an extension less than the extension of the portion/area (A1), ready to be subjected to the press forming action ac cording to the present invention, said cutting/engraving being preferably synchronously performed on both the layers (A) and (B), or on each of these at different times;

(3’) interposing a pressure or temperature activatable thermoplastic material layer (T), wherein said thermoplastic material is a biodegradable material, said thermoplastic material layer (T) preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape, still more preferably a thermoplastic material layer (T) provided by the associated supply roll (T’), be tween the two layers (A) and (B), before coupling them;

(4’) coupling the suitably cut/engraved layers (A) and (B) after interposing a pressure or tempera ture activatable thermoplastic material layer (T), so that the portions/areas (A1) and (B1) are recip rocally paired, perfectly overlapped, registered, along the surfaces contacting the layers (A) and

(B), said portion/area (B1) being comprised in the portion/area (A1), ready to be subjected to the press forming action according to the present invention;

(5’) obtaining a semimanufacture (I’), according to the present invention, wherein the thermoplastic material layer (T) is pressure or temperature activated on one or more of the remaining portions or areas of the surfaces contacting the layers (A) and (B), so that the reciprocally paired, perfectly overlapped, registered portions/areas (A1) and (B1), reciprocally remain in a perfectly registered position.

The semimanufacture (I’) according to the present invention and obtained according to the process as described above is preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape wound in a roll (X). The semimanufacture (I) or (G) according to the present invention can have one or more couples of the portions/areas (A1) and (B1), paired to each other and perfectly overlapped, according to the present invention, and described herein, and in this option of said several couples of the por tions/areas (A1) and (B1), such as for example also the further couples of the portions/areas: (A1)’ and (B1)’, (A1)” and (B1 )”, (A1)’” and (B1)’”, etc., for each of said portions/areas coupled to each other, paired and perfectly overlapped, having the same features as the portions/areas (A1) and (B1), preferably the same pitch (P) and the same height (F) between the various portions/areas (A1 ), (A1 )’, (A1 )”, (A1 )”’, etc. and the various portions/areas (B1 ), (B1 )’, (B1 )”, (B1 )”’, etc. are kept. A further object of the present invention is the process of press forming a concave product or con tainer (II) or (IG) according to the present invention: a concave product or container (II), comprising at least two layers (a) and (b) of cellulose-based material, wherein one of said layers (a) is continuous and the other layer (b) is discontinuous, said layers being reciprocally coupled and partially overlapped and glued, between them at least in the partial overlap zone (s) there is interposed a pressure or temperature activated glue/adhesive lay er^’), preferably a pressure or temperature activated glue/adhesive layer (c’) of biodegradable thermoplastic material, or a concave product or container (IG), comprising at least two layers (a) and (b) of cellulose-based material, wherein one of said layers (a) is continuous and the other layer (b) is discontinuous, said layers being reciprocally coupled and partially overlapped and glued, between them at least in the partial overlap zone (s) there is interposed a pressure or temperature activated thermoplastic mate rial layer (t), preferably a pressure or temperature activated thermoplastic material layer (t) wherein said material is biodegradable, in particular a concave product or container meant to contain foodstuff, such as a tray/dish/platter/crate of different shapes, sizes and capacity, said press forming process compris ing:

(i) loading/supplying a semimanufacture (I) or (G), according to the present invention: a semimanufacture (I) comprising at least one layer (A) and one layer (B), wherein said layers (A) and (B) are made of a cellulose-based material and are suitably engraved/cut in order to form at least two portions/areas of said layers, one for each of said layers: a portion/area (A1) delimited by a cutting closed perimeter on said layer (A), and a portion/area (B1) on the layer (B), delimited by a cutting closed perimeter or characterized by a partial cutting or engraving and giving one or more flaps having a side continuous with the remaining part of said second layer (B), said portion/area (B1) of an extension less than the extension of the portion/area (A1), said two portions/areas paired with each other along the contact surfaces between the layers (A) and (B), said portion/area (B1) being comprised in the portion/area (A1), said layers (A) and (B) being coupled with each other and between the contact surfaces thereof there is interposed a pressure or temperature activatable glue/adhesive layer (C) at the portions/areas (A1) and (B1), but beforehand pressure or tempera ture activated on one or more of the remaining portions or areas of the contact surfaces of the lay ers (A) and (B), or a semimanufacture (G) comprising at least one layer (A) and one layer (B), wherein said layers (A) and (B) are made of a cellulose-based material and are suitably engraved/cut in order to form at least two portions/areas of said layers, one for each of said layers: a portion/area (A1) delimited by a cutting closed perimeter on said layer (A), and a portion/area (B1) on the layer (B), delimited by a cutting closed perimeter or characterized by a partial cutting or engraving and giving one or more flaps having a side continuous with the remaining part of said second layer (B), said portion/area (B1) of an extension less than the extension of the portion/area (A1), said two portions/areas paired with each other along the contact surfaces between the layers (A) and (B), said portion/area (B1) being comprised in the portion/area (A1), said layers (A) and (B) being coupled with each other and between the contact surfaces thereof there is interposed a pressure or temperature activatable thermoplastic material layer (T) at the portions/areas (A1) and (B1), but beforehand pressure or temperature activated on one or more of the remaining portions or areas of the contact surfaces of the layers (A) and (B), into a forming press, either a single, a parallel or a flat matrix press (single, parallel or flat matrix press referring to the distribution of the punch/die couple(s) of the press),

(ii) press forming the concave product or container (II) or (IG) by reciprocally sliding, without tears, the reciprocally paired and perfectly overlapped portions/areas (A1) and (B1), of the layers (A) and (B) of the semimanufacture (I) or (G), said portions/areas (A1) and (B1) reciprocally gluing by the presence of the thermal or pressure activation glue/adhesive layer (C) or thermoplastic material layer (T) interposed between them, in order to respectively provide the continuous layer (a) and the discontinuous layer (b), said reciprocally coupled and partially overlapped glued layers, be tween which there is interposed, at least in the partial overlap zone (s), the pressure or temperature activated glue/adhesive layer (c’) or thermoplastic material layer (t) of the concave product or con tainer (II) or (IG),

(iii) blanking (with or without an edge) and extracting from the press or viceversa, extracting from the press and blanking (with or without an edge), the concave product or container (II) or (IG), ac cording to the present invention.

In the step (i) of loading/supplying into the forming press, the reciprocally paired and perfectly over lapped portions/areas (A1) and (B1), and (A1)’ and (B1)’, (A1)” and (B1 )”, (A1)’” and (B1)’”, etc., when present, of the semimanufacture (I) or (G) according to the present invention are “registered” in correspondence with the punch/die couple or couples of the press itself.

In the step (ii) of press forming, the semimanufacture (I) or (G) according to the present invention enables implementing, respectively, concave products or containers (II) or (IG) by reciprocally slid ing, without tears, the reciprocally paired and perfectly overlapped portions/areas (A1) and (B1) of the layers (A) and (B) of the semimanufacture (I) or (G), said portions/areas (A1) and (B1) gluing to each other by the presence of the thermal or pressure activation glue/adhesive layer (C) or ther moplastic material layer (T) interposed between them, in order to respectively obtain the continu ous layer (a) and the discontinuous layer (b), said reciprocally coupled and partially overlapped glued layers, between which at least in the partial overlap zone (s), there is interposed the pressure or temperature activated glue/adhesive layer (c’) or thermoplastic material layer (t) of the concave product or container (II) or (IG).

The semimanufacture (I) or (G) according to the present invention is (i) loaded/supplied into a sin gle, parallel or flat matrix forming press (single, parallel or flat matrix referring to the distribution of the press punch/die couple(s)) and is therefore subjected to the step (ii) of press forming enabling the series, continuous or parallel manufacture of one or more concave products or containers (II) or (IG) according to the present invention, the semimanufacture (I) giving the corresponding concave product or container (II) and the semimanufacture (G) giving the corresponding concave product or container (IG), in particular concave products or containers meant to contain foodstuff, such as trays/dishes/platters/crates having different shapes, sizes and capacity.

The sizes and shapes of the reciprocally paired and perfectly overlapped portions/areas (A1) and (B1), and (A1)’ and (B1)’, (A1)” and (B1 )”, (A1)’” and (B1)’”, etc., when present, ready for press forming, of the semimanufacture (I) or (G) according to the present invention depend on the sizes and shapes of the intended end concave product or container (II) or (IG), preferably on the depth/containing capacity of the intended concave product or container (which according to the in vention covered by the present application is up to 10 times the depth/containing capacity of the commercially available concave products or containers based on paper), also in relation with the sizes and shapes of the punch/die couple(s) of the forming press in use.

In the step (ii) of press forming, the semimanufacture (I) or (G) according to the present invention enables implementing, respectively, concave products or containers (II) or (IG) by reciprocally slid ing, without tears, the reciprocally paired and perfectly overlapped portions/areas (A1) and (B1) of the layers (A) and (B) of the semimanufacture (I) or (G), said portions/areas (A1) and (B1) gluing to each other by the presence of the thermal or pressure activation glue/adhesive layer (C) or ther moplastic material layer (T) interposed between them, in order to respectively obtain the continu ous layer (a) and the discontinuous layer (b), said reciprocally coupled and partially overlapped glued layers, between which at least in the partial overlap zone (s), there is interposed the pressure or temperature activated glue/adhesive layer (c’) or thermoplastic material layer (t) of the concave product or container (II) or (IG).

A further object of the present invention is the process of preparing the concave product or con tainer (II) according to the present invention, said process comprising preparing the semimanufac ture (I) according to the present invention, which is then subjected to the press forming process ac cording to the present invention, to obtain the concave product or container (II).

A further object of the present invention is accordingly a process of preparing the concave product or container (II), said process comprising: preparing a semimanufacture (I), wherein there are the steps of:

(1) providing two layers (A) and (B) of a cellulose-based material, preferably of a paper-like mate rial: paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard, preferably paper, card or paper board/corrugated paperboard adapted to the food packaging, preferably each in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape supplied by the associated supplying roll (A’) and (B’), respectively;

(2) cutting/engraving the two layers (A) and (B), in order to form at least two portions/areas of said layers, one for each of said layers: a portion/area (A1) delimited by a cutting closed perimeter on said layer (A), and a portion/area (B1) on the layer (B), delimited by a cutting closed perimeter or characterized by a partial cutting or engraving and giving one or more flaps having a side continu ous with the remaining part of said second layer (B), said portion/area (B1) of an extension less than the extension of the portion/area (A1), said cutting/engraving being preferably synchronously performed on both the layers (A) and (B), or on each of these at different times;

(3) interposing a pressure or temperature activatable glue/adhesive layer (C) between the two lay- ers (A) and (B), by applying said glue on at least one of the surfaces contacting one of the two lay ers (A) and (B), before coupling them;

(4) coupling the suitably cut/engraved layers (A) and (B) after applying the glue/adhesive layer (C), so that the portions/areas (A1) and (B1) are reciprocally paired, perfectly overlapped, registered along the surfaces contacting the two layers (A) and (B), said portion/area (B1) being comprised in the portion/area (A1);

(5) obtaining a semimanufacture (I), according to the present invention, wherein the glue/adhesive layer (C) is pressure or temperature activated on one or more of the remaining portions or areas of the surfaces contacting the layers (A) and (B), so that the reciprocally paired, perfectly overlapped, registered portions/areas (A1) and (B1), reciprocally remain in a perfectly registered position, the obtained semimanufacture (I) is subjected to the press forming process, wherein there are the steps of:

(i) loading/supplying the semimanufacture (I) into a forming press, either a single, a parallel or a flat matrix press (single, parallel or flat matrix press referring to the distribution of the punch/die cou- ple(s) of the press),

(ii) press forming the concave product or container (II) by reciprocally sliding, without tears, the re ciprocally paired and perfectly overlapped portions/areas (A1) and (B1) of the layers (A) and (B) of the semimanufacture (I), said portions/areas (A1) and (B1) reciprocally gluing by the presence of the thermal or pressure activation glue/adhesive layer (C) interposed between them, in order to re spectively obtain the continuous layer (a) and the discontinuous layer (b), said reciprocally coupled and partially overlapped glued layers, between which at least in the partial overlap zone (s), there is interposed the pressure or temperature activated glue/adhesive layer (c’) of the concave product or container (II),

(iii) blanking (with or without an edge) and extracting from the press or viceversa, extracting from the press and blanking (with or without an edge), the concave product or container (II).

A further object of the present invention is the process of preparing the concave product or con tainer (II’) according to the present invention, said process comprising preparing the semimanufac ture (G) according to the present invention, which is then subjected to the press forming process according to the present invention, to obtain the concave product or container (IG).

A further object of the present invention is accordingly a process of preparing the concave product or container (IG), said process comprising: preparing a semimanufacture (G), wherein there are the steps of:

(1 ’) providing two layers (A) and (B) of a cellulose-based material, preferably of a paper-like mate rial: paper, card or paperboard/corrugated paperboard, preferably paper, card or paper board/corrugated paperboard adapted to the food packaging, preferably each in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape supplied by the associated supplying roll (A’) and (B’), respectively;

(2’) cutting/engraving the two layers (A) and (B), in order to form at least two portions/areas of said layers, one for each of said layers: a portion/area (A1) delimited by a cutting closed perimeter on said layer (A), and a portion/area (B1) on the layer (B), delimited by a cutting closed perimeter or characterized by a partial cutting or engraving and giving one or more flaps having a side continu ous with the remaining part of said second layer (B), said portion/area (B1) of an extension less than the extension of the portion/area (A1), said cutting/engraving being preferably synchronously performed on both the layers (A) and (B), or on each of these at different times;

(3’) interposing a layer of pressure or temperature activatable thermoplastic material (T), preferably in a sheet shape or in a continuous web shape, more preferably in a continuous web shape, still more preferably a thermoplastic material layer (T) provided by the associated supply roll (T’), be tween the two layers (A) and (B), before coupling them;

(4’) coupling the suitably cut/engraved layers (A) and (B) after interposing a pressure or tempera ture activatable thermoplastic material layer (T), so that the portions/areas (A1) and (B1) are recip rocally paired, perfectly overlapped, registered, along the surfaces contacting the layers (A) and (B), said portion/area (B1) being comprised in the portion/area (A1);

(5’) obtaining a semimanufacture (G), according to the present invention, wherein the thermoplastic material layer (T) is pressure or temperature activated on one or more of the remaining portions or areas of the surfaces contacting the layers (A) and (B), so that the reciprocally paired, perfectly overlapped, registered portions/areas (A1) and (B1) reciprocally remain in a perfectly registered position, the obtained semimanufacture (G) is subjected to the press forming process, wherein there are the steps of:

(i) loading/supplying the semimanufacture (G) into a forming press, either a single, a parallel or a flat matrix press (single, parallel or flat matrix press referring to the distribution of the punch/die couple(s) of the press),

(ii) press forming the concave product or container (II) by reciprocally sliding, without tears, the re ciprocally paired and perfectly overlapped portions/areas (A1) and (B1) of the layers (A) and (B) of the semimanufacture (G), said portions/areas (A1) and (B1) reciprocally gluing by the presence of the thermal or pressure activation thermoplastic material layer (T) interposed between them, in or der to respectively obtain the continuous layer (a) and the discontinuous layer (b), said reciprocally coupled and partially overlapped glued layers, between which at least in the partial overlap zone (s), there is interposed the pressure or temperature activated thermoplastic material layer (t) of the concave product or container (IG),

(iii) blanking (with or without an edge) and extracting from the press or viceversa, extracting from the press and blanking (with or without an edge), the concave product or container (IG).

The main advantages achieved with the present invention, from the standpoint of the product, as concave product or container (II) and (IG) according to the present invention, from the standpoint of the corresponding semimanufactures (I) and (G) according to the present invention as well as from the standpoint of the processes used for implementing them, are: from the standpoint of products:

• products meant to contain foodstuff, such as trays/dishes/platters/crates having different shapes, sizes and capacity, perfectly compatible with food products,

• products with improved containing properties, even tenfold improved compared with the containing capacity of the food containers based on paper already available on the mar ket;

• products for food packaging having complete environmental bio-compatibility, character ized by excellent recyclability and/or compostability; • products for food packaging, said products having a very high cellulose content and be ing suitable to be the print media for digital printing with water-based ink and if needed for other, more traditional printing techniques, in order to provide the information concerning the contained food, both the product details prescribed by the law and commercial data, avoiding the additional step of using far from eco-compatible labelling; from the standpoint of product manufacturing:

• the processes are extremely simplified, but highly effective and efficient from the stand point of the number of product units per time unit per individual equipment used;

• already existing press forming equipment can be used: the machines already used for manufacturing commercially available food containers based on paper, which are how ever currently used with a very low production throughput, as well as the machines which are currently in use for thermoforming plates of polymer material to obtain non- biodegradable plastic containers.

USP 4,555,381 describes the preparation of individual pairs of overlapped cardboard layers, a con tinuous upper layer and a discontinuous lower layer, the latter having a larger area or extension than the upper layer (as shown in figures 17, 18, 19 and 20), both being characterized by extremely complex and elaborate folds, engravings, edges, flanges, rims and branches, said individual pairs being loaded into a press with hollow die, in order to form a concave container. The process is complex, elaborate and cumbersome on account of the way the layers have to be die-cut, and it is also discontinuous and scarcely efficient and effective from the standpoint of the number of con tainer units manufactured per time unit per single equipment used.

WO 2019/020863 describes a packaging device, in particular a concave container 1 (as shown in figures 5a and 5b), obtained through a system of at least three layers: an upper layer 30, an inter mediate layer 20 and a lower layer 10 (as shown in figure 4), made of cardboard, suitably die-cut into a single sheet, and folded together so as to be overlapped (as shown in figures 11 and 12). Once stacked, said three layers are loaded into a press with hollow die, in order to form a concave container (as shown in figures 8a and 8b). The upper layer 30 and the lower layer 10 are die-cut, engraved, shaped so as to form the side walls of the the container 1 , having flanges, rims or branches overlapping the bottom of the container 20.2, said bottom being a single continuous layer of the container 1 , formed from the intermediate layer 20, suitably die-cut and engraved to this end (as shown in figures 5a and 5b). Basically, the upper layer 30 and the lower layer 10 form the walls of the container 1 , the intermediate layer 20 forms the bottom of the container 1 , the area or exten sion of said bottom being smaller than the area or extension of the portions of the layers 30 and 10 intended to form the side walls of the container 1 . Also in this case, the process is complex, elabo rate and cumbersome on account of the way the layers have to be die-cut: all are characterized by extremely complex and elaborate folds, engravings, edges, flanges, rims and branches,, as well as by a process which is discontinuous and scarcely efficient and effective from the standpoint of the number of container units manufactured per time unit per single equipment used.

The state-of-the-art techniques, as described in USP 4,555,381 and WO 2019/020863, relate to semimanufactures designed with a single yield, which means they are loaded into the press indi vidually, on a one-by-one basis, and always in the press the various layers composing said semi manufactures are coupled or stacked only at the time of forming the end manufactured item, so preventing high-productivity manufacturing. The semimanufactures described in USP 4,555,381 and WO 2019/020863 are not designed so that the layers composing them are already pre-coupled or pre-stacked before they are loaded into the press and subjected to the forming of the manufac tured item: in actual fact, in the semimanufactures described in USP 4,555,381 and WO 2019/020863, the adhesive layers available between the various layers to be coupled or stacked are activated exclusively during press forming, precisely on account of the way the semimanufac tures described therein are designed.

Unlike the above-mentioned prior art, the present invention relates to a new and effective process of preparing cardboard-based packaging containers wherein the use of only two cardboard layers is required, said process being focused on the use of a new and innovative semimanufacture. Said semimanufacture comprises two coupled layers of cellulose-based material: (A) e (B), wherein one layer has a portion or area (A1) delimited by a cutting closed perimeter, hence continuous, which is paired to a different portion or area (B1) on the second layer, comprised in the portion or area (A1), so that said continuous portion or area (A1) is both the bottom and the walls or part of the side walls of the manufactured contained, said layers (A) and (B) being already coupled or stacked be fore being loaded into the press, the layer of the glue/adhesive/thermoplastic material being al ready active between the remaining portions, other than the areas or portions (A1) and (B1), of said layers (A) and (B) paired to each other.

In this way, once prepared, the semimanufacture according to the present invention can be stored in the warehouse in the shape of a wound roll, a further advantage compared to the techniques and semimanufactures described in prior art.

Since the semimanufacture according to the present invention, as characterized, allows several pairs of areas or portions (A1) and (B1) to be created, as shown in figures 1 and 2, said semimanu facture is loaded/fed into a forming press, either a single, a parallel or a flat matrix press (single, parallel or flat matrix press referring to the distribution of the punch/die couple(s) of the press), and is subjected to the press forming step, thus enabling one or more cardboard-based packaging con tainers to be prepared by series, continuous or parallel manufacturing. The semimanufacture and the process according to the present invention therefore achieve the preparation of packaging con tainers through working methods which are particularly efficient and effective from the standpoint of the number of container units manufactured per time unit per single equipment used, overcoming the complexity and cumbersomeness of die-cutting the layers forming the various parts of the con tainer as described in the above-mentioned prior art.

In conclusion, the complexity of the state-of-the-art solutions does not allow the same to envisage a high-productivity roll machining, unlike the achievement of the semimanufacture according to the present invention.