A container for foodstuffs includes a containment body having a polygonal bottom wall and perimeter side walls connected to each other and to the polygonal bottom wall so as to define a food containment volume open at the top at an upper opening. At least two side flaps and one upper flap extend from each perimeter side wall. Each side flap is connected to the respective side wall through a respective side folding line and abuts against and is bonded to a respective adjacent side flap, defining a supporting element outside the containment volume. Each upper flap is connected to the respective side wall through a respective first upper folding line along which it is folded away from the containment volume so as to define an edge portion of the container suitable to receive a closure element.

The present invention provides a shaping tool for shaping a package formed of a foldable blank, the tool comprising: —an overhead conveyor comprising a plurality of downwardly protruding spaced apart counter-means; —a first conveyor extending between a receiving end towards an output end, and adapted to receive the foldable blank from an incoming conveying line at the receiving end and to position the foldable blank below one of the downwardly protruding counter-means; —a shaping station extending away from the receiving end, the shaping station comprising: a pair of parallel shaping tracks, each positioned on one side of the first conveyor, the pair of generally parallel shaping tracks comprising a plurality of pairs of independently movable shaping lugs, each pair of shaping lugs having a predetermined shape and adapted to receive one of the foldable blanks there-between; the pair of lugs movable towards each other to form a package having a desired shape.

A carton. The carton may include a floor panel; a plurality of side panels extending about a periphery of the floor panel, a front tab formed at an upper edge of a front side panel, upper side flaps extending from upper edges of a first end side panel and a second end side panel, and wherein each flap includes a side receiving slot; foldable corner gussets extending between adjacent side panels, wherein the floor panel, side panels, and foldable corner gussets are configurable to form a compartment region; a hingeable lid, including: a lid panel, a front edge flap, a side tab formed on each opposing side edge of the lid panel, and a front receiving slot formed in the front edge flap, wherein the lid panel is configured to cover the compartment region when in a closed position; and wherein the front tab of the front side panel is configured such that when the hingeable lid is in the closed position, the front tab aligns with the front receiving slot and is receivable therein and each side tab aligns with its respective side receiving slot and are receivable therein.

A plant for automated packaging of items in cardboard boxes includes a forming station of open sheet boxes starting from a cardboard web, an item introduction system, a box closing station, and a feeding system. A cutting and creasing system at the forming station produces a longitudinal elongate element defining the bottom and top walls and a first pair of side walls of the box, and transverse panels providing the second pair of side walls. A first gluing system bonds the transverse panels to the elongate element by applying hot-melt strips on the side edges of the elongate element, and a pair of suction-cup manipulators applies the transverse panels on the elongate element at the glue strips to obtain a cross-shaped blank. The closing station includes a folding and automatic gluing system that folds and bonds the side walls and the top wall of the box to produce finished packages.

An automated case erector for erecting a one-piece insulating container and a method of automated case erecting are provided. The automated erector includes a case blank feeder for sequentially feeding a series of flat case blanks onto a conveyor, an insulation securing station for securing insulating members to the case blank, and a case erecting assembly for forming the combination of case blanks and insulating members secured thereto into a fully erected, three-dimensional container by simultaneously folding the combination of case blanks and insulating members.

A method for automatically closing an open packaging box with a cardboard lid, said box comprising a polygonal bottom panel defined by three or more bottom panel edges and sidewalls joined over respective crease lines to said bottom panel edges, each sidewall forming a substantially right angle with the bottom panel, said lid comprising a polygonal top panel defined by three or more top panel edges and corresponding to the bottom panel of the box to be closed and flaps joined over respective crease lines to said top panel edges and adapted for being folded onto a corresponding one of said sidewalls, the method comprising a step of folding each flap along the respective crease line partially towards a position, in which the flap forms a substantially right angle with said top panel and placing the lid above said box such that the top panel and the bottom panel are substantially aligned and such that, seen onto each sidewall, each flap overlaps one of the sidewalls, a step of releasing the lid allowing it to be guided by the partially folded flaps into a position on the box, in which the top panel and the bottom panel are aligned, and a step of folding each flap onto the respective sidewall fully into said position, in which the flap forms a substantially right angle with the top panel.

A container is formed from a blank that has a first side and a second side. The first side can have one or more graphics. The container can include a base portion forming an enclosure and first and second overlap panels that collectively form a cover panel that can enclose the enclosure. Methods of constructing the container include forming the cover panel by securing the first and second overlap panels together.

A method and apparatus for producing trays that are or are not coated with a plastic film and that retain modified atmospheres and the trays obtained. The apparatus allows for obtaining trays with different structures, which include the forming of the trays from previously elaborated preforms, which may or may not have a separator inside the trays and optionally coated with a plastic film inside. It also consists of the method for obtaining the trays and the trays obtained. The trays coated with a plastic film have the capacity to contain atmospheres with a composition of gases different from that of the air inside them, to extend the time of storage and conservation of food products. This is achieved by means of a closed top seal of the tray. The trays also have a simple closure or capping, without modifying their atmosphere.

Prefolded cardboard blank for folding closed packaging boxes of varying height and length, said blank comprising a bottom panel, two side panels, each joined to opposite edges of said bottom panel and a first end panel joined with a first edge to said bottom panel, with a second edge to one of said side panels and with a third edge to the other one of said side panels such that the first end panel and the side panels when erected from the bottom panel form together with the bottom panel a box having an open top and an open side, the first end panel having an end portion intended to form a first top panel, each side panel having an end portion intended to form at least one second top panel and a corner panel, the bottom panel having an end portion intended to form a second end panel and a third top panel, and each side panel having a crease line running at an angle of 45 upwards from a corner, where the edges of the respective side panel, the first end panel and the bottom panel meet.

The invention relates to a method for providing a packaging for modified atmosphere packaging, which method includes the steps of: providing an unfolded sheet for folding a box; folding the unfolded sheet to a box having at least an access opening and flange parts bordering the access opening, which flange parts compose an endless circumferential flange; providing a plastic foil; heating the plastic foil; pressing the heated plastic foil against the inner wall of the box and covering the circumferential flange, such that the plastic foil is laminated to the box. The invention further relates to a packaging.