CN105849003A - Packaging container with opening device and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A packaging container for a pourable food product comprising a first side having a laminated structure of material, first and second transverse seals, and extending from the first transverse seal to the second transverse seal Longitudinal seals for parts. The opening means on the first side of the package comprises a tab portion on the outer surface bonded to the opening strip portion via a bridge penetrating the laminated structure of material to rupture the material of the packaging container to form the opening . The opening strip portion is attached to the inner surface and extends along a substantial portion of the transverse dimension of the first side.

Description

Packaging container with opening device and manufacturing method thereof

technical field

The invention relates to a packaging container having an opening device.

Background technique

Consumable liquid or pasteurized food products are often sold in packages made of sterile packaging materials. Typical examples of such packages include Tetra in the shape of masonry or Tetra Aseptic, or Tetra which is more like a pillow or sachet .

Packaging materials used for these packages include multilayer structures. One or more layers of plastic or aluminum foil (depending on the type of packaging) are laminated on both sides of the hardboard of the cardboard layer, the latter having different stiffness, strength and thickness depending on the type of packaging.

Such packages are usually prepared on fully automatic packaging machines on which continuous tubes are formed from coil-fed packaging material; Sterilize. The material is then folded and sealed longitudinally in a sterile environment to form the standpipe.

The tubes are filled with sterilized or sterilized food products, sealed transversally and then cut along equally spaced sections to form pillow-shaped packages and sometimes further processed into generally parallelepiped-shaped packages, as described above.

To unpack the above-mentioned packages, various solutions have been offered. In patent application WO2009000927, an alternative opening device is proposed by the patent applicant. In this patent application, the spout and the corresponding film are injection molded directly onto the packaging material sheet in the same molding step. Pillow packs (such as Tetra Aseptic packaging) may contain a straw hole or simply be a notch indicator made from the rather thin and thus tearable packaging material used.

Although various openings are used for different packages, additional variations are still required, especially for high infusion rates, but also with reduced material consumption and preparation time.

Contents of the invention

For the purposes of the present invention, the terms container, package and packaging container refer to the same structure. Furthermore, the terms material, material laminate or packaging material refer to packaging material laminates used in packaging containers.

The present invention proposes a packaging container for pourable food products having a width, a height and a depth. The packaging container is sealed by a first transverse seal in the upper part of the packaging container, a second transverse seal in the lower part of the package and a longitudinal seal. In this regard, the term transverse seal refers to a seal that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal seal. The longitudinal seal typically extends substantially the entire length or height of the package. In other words, the transverse seal spans the width or depth of the packaging container.

The opening means on the first side of the packaging container includes at least one tab portion and an opening strip portion. Said tab portion is arranged on the outer surface of the first side and is bonded to the opening strip portion via a material bridge penetrating the material of the first side such that its opening means ruptures the material during opening of the packaging container. In addition, the opening portion is attached to the inner surface of the material of the first side, extending along a substantial portion of the first side, and in particular a substantial portion of the width of the first side.

In the case of the present invention, opening means are arranged on the package which enable the package to be torn substantially across the entire width of the package. Thus, a relatively large opening is formed so that the food product can be poured quickly and efficiently. The opening strip portion provides a predetermined rupture line at which the packaging container tears, thus preventing inadvertent opening (often a problem in packages that do not have such predetermined lines).

In an embodiment of the invention, the opening strip portion may be arranged close to the top transverse seal, in particular above the level of the pourable food product filled into the packaging material. This allows quick opening reducing the risk of spoiling liquid food. In one aspect of the invention, the transverse seal closer to the opening means may be folded away from the opening means. In such arrangements, it has been found that the sides of the package extend outwardly to enlarge the opening.

Another aspect of the invention relates to the width or length of the opening means. In another embodiment, the distal end of the opening strip portion is disposed approximately at the edge (ie, the longitudinal edge of the packaging container). The opening strip portion may then extend substantially parallel to the seal towards the other seal of the packaging container.

Alternatively and/or in addition, the bridge of material and the proximal end of the opening strip portion may be arranged close to or substantially at the edge (ie, the longitudinal edge of the packaging container).

In this regard, the term distal end refers to the end of the tab portion furthest from the tab portion or bridge of material. Thus, the proximal end of the open strip portion refers to the end closest to the bridge of material.

In one embodiment, the opening strip portion extends along more than 40%, in particular more than 60% or even more than 80% of the width of the package. In some embodiments, the opening strip portion may extend substantially along the entire width of the packaging container minus the dimension of the tab portion.

Another aspect of the invention relates to the arrangement of the opening means on the packaging container. In one embodiment, the lateral edge of the portion of the opening strip adjacent the first side is disposed substantially parallel to the first lateral seal. "Lateral edges" are the edges of the package along its width. Since in this case the edge divides the packaging container into an upper part and a main side part, the opening means and in particular the opening strip part of the opening means can be arranged on the upper part. Alternatively, the opening strip portion can be arranged directly on the edge.

In another embodiment, the packaged material may comprise a laminated structure having multiple layers and weakened areas, wherein bridges pass through the laminated structure of material. In the weakened zone, the thickness of the material laminate is reduced. For example, one or more layers of the material laminate are missing in the weakened zone. The bridge and opening means can be manufactured by injection molding or similar techniques. The material of the bridge is injected into the material and penetrates the weakened zone. If the material structure laminate itself is sufficiently thin, the material bridges and opening means can be arranged directly onto the material without specific weakened areas.

In general, the material and thickness of the paperboard base layer that is part of the material layer is critical in determining whether a weakened zone is required.

Another aspect also relates to predetermined rupture lines. In one embodiment, the opening device includes a support portion to facilitate opening of the package along a predetermined rupture line provided by the opening strip portion. The supporting portion may be disposed on the outer surface adjacent to a region opposite to the opening belt portion. In one embodiment, the support portion is arranged closer to the bottom of the packaging container, or the second transverse seal, and may comprise a strip similar to the opening strip portion but disposed on the outside of the package. In another embodiment, the support portion may surround the open band portion on both sides on the outer surface. Such an arrangement of support portions provides an even better opening and predetermined breaking line. It also stabilizes the material during opening, reducing the risk of spoiling any liquids.

In one embodiment, the distance (in the longitudinal direction) between the opening strip portion and the support portion is in the range of 0.1 to 2 times the thickness of the material laminate. In other words, the support portion is arranged very close to the opening belt portion. The opening means including all support parts and opening belt parts may be made of plastic material.

Another aspect relates to the shaping of the opening to facilitate formation. In one embodiment of the invention, the packaging container, and more particularly the side on which the opening is disposed, may comprise one or more compression lines or crease lines extending from the opening strip portion, in order to facilitate the application of the opening to the packaging container. The opening is formed under pressure with a component parallel to the transverse direction.

Different shapes and configurations of such crease lines are possible. In one embodiment, the sides of the packaging container may include two compression lines proximate to or extending from respective edges of the opening strip portion to a common intersection on said sides or the lower edge of the first side. In some embodiments, the sides further include a third line of compression extending longitudinally from approximately the center of the opening strip or near the center of the opening strip towards the second seal.

In an alternative embodiment, the side may include at least two lines of compression running from approximately the center of the opening band or close to the center of the opening band towards the lower edge of the side or the side side edge extension.

Another aspect relates to a method for manufacturing a packaging container. The method includes the step of providing a packaging material blank or web having a weakened zone and a crease line for folding the container. An opening device is attached to the packaging material blank, the opening device having a tab portion, an opening strip portion extending generally parallel along a crease line separating the main panel side and the top sealing panel side. The tab portion is connected to the opening strip portion via a bridge through the material laminate structure of the packaging material blank.

In one embodiment, the packaging material blank includes a weakened region that lacks one or more layers of the material laminate. A bridge connecting the tab portion to the open strip portion passes through the weakened area.

The blank with the open tab is folded at the bottom, filled and finally sealed. Alternatively, the blank is part of a web, in which case the web is folded into a tube and then sealed longitudinally, and the tube is then filled with liquid. The tubes were sealed to form bottom and top seals and then separated.

Description of drawings

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show various aspects and embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of an opening according to the invention on a pillow pack;

Figure 2 shows the embodiment of Figure 1 in the state after it has been opened by the consumer;

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention using brick-like packaging;

Figure 4 shows a second embodiment in the "on state";

Figure 5 shows a third embodiment of the invention using brick-like packaging;

Figure 5A shows a corresponding cross-sectional view along the axis x-x of the embodiment of Figure 5;

Figure 6 shows another embodiment according to the present invention;

Figure 7 shows a fifth embodiment according to the invention;

Identical features in the figures have the same reference numerals. It should be noted that the characteristic structures in different embodiments can of course be combined by those skilled in the art to form another alternative without departing from the concept of the present invention.

detailed description

Figures 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the pouch package of the invention. The packaging container 1 has a width extending in the transverse direction T and a length extending in the longitudinal direction L. As shown in FIG. The packaging container contains a liquid pourable food product and comprises a structural laminate of packaging material made of a plurality of different layers. These layers include a cardboard based layer for stability and one or more layers of plastic material acting as a decorative layer to protect the print on the outside or as a gas barrier layer on the inside. In some cases, a light blocking layer (eg, aluminum) may be included in the case of sterilization packaging with long shelf life.

The bag-like packaging container 1 is sealed on the top and bottom by transverse seals 11 and 10 respectively, and is folded so as to form a front side 18 and a rear side 19 . On the rear side, longitudinal seals (not shown) are arranged from the top transverse seal 11 to the bottom seal 10 .

The pouch packaging container also includes opening means in the upper portion 12 of the container. The opening device comprises a drop-shaped tab part 14 and support parts 16 and 13 on the front side 18 with some corrugations for improved grip. The support portion 16 surrounds the area around the tab portion, whereas the support portion 13 extends in the transverse direction T almost entirely along the width of the package. It surrounds a small elongated region 17 of material.

The tab part 14 is connected in the region 15 of the material laminate to an opening strip part 17 a arranged on the inner surface of the front side 18 . Said open strip portion 17a shown in FIG. 2 extends up to the distal end of the support portion 13 in the form of an elongated strip. It is connected to the tab portion by a bridge of material penetrating the material laminate and predetermines a rupture line.

When opening the packaging container, as shown in Figure 2, the user pulls the tab portion towards the distal end of the support portion. The tabs and bridges break the material laminate opening from the bridge in region 15 . The support portion 13 facilitates and supports the rupture. Said opening is arranged close to the top seal 11 in the upper part 12 so damage is reduced or even prevented.

In this embodiment, the opening formed extends along about 60% of the package width. By applying a small pressure on the longitudinal edges of the packaging container 1, the opening can be reshaped to form a circular or oval opening for improved perfusion. The support portion 13 made of plastic enhances the stability of such reshaping.

3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the invention using a brick-shaped packaging container 2 . The container 2 comprises a front wall 20 , two side walls 21 and a rear wall 29 . After the upper part 23 of the packaging container has been transversely sealed, the side flaps 22 are arranged on the side walls by folding them over. The transverse seal 24 is folded so that it faces the front wall 20 . Similarly, side flaps are placed on the bottom of the package (not shown). A longitudinal seal 22a is provided on the bottom side of the packaging container.

The container 2 also comprises opening means 200 arranged on the edge separating the front wall 20 from the upper part 23 . Said opening means extend in transverse direction T along substantially the entire width from the upper outside corner 27 of the packaging container to a weakened zone 209 close to the other upper corner and edge 28 . Two support strips extend along the width of the package, a first support strip 203 on the upper part of the packaging container right next to said edge and a second support strip 203 on the front wall adjacent said edge. The two strips thus enclose the edge of the packaging container separating the front wall 20 from the top 23 . Said opening means comprise a tab 201 in the shape of a zipper-like tab, arranged flat on the upper part 23 . The tab 201 is connected via a bridge of material to an opening strip portion (not shown) which is arranged on the inside of the package along the edge to the corner 27 .

The packaging container also comprises two crease lines 25 extending from upper corners 27 and 27a to a common central point 26 on the lower edge of the package. The middle crease line 29a extends downwardly from a center point 210 on the upper edge to a common center point 26 .

The opening configuration of the package is shown in FIG. 4 . The opening strip portion 202 disposed on the inner surface of the wall 20 breaks up the material and forms small elongated openings. By applying pressure to the side walls, the crease lines 25 and 29a are folded to provide a V-shaped opening to facilitate perfusion. The support strap 203 stabilizes the opening and includes a small weakening in area 210 for better bending or folding. The upper part remains flat in this embodiment, but it can bend up or down depending on the folding of the transverse seal 24 .

Figure 5 shows another embodiment of the invention. The packaging container 3 has a brick-like shape in which its top seal 34 is not folded towards the front side. The longitudinal seals 32 a are arranged on the upper side, the lower side and the rear side of the container 3 . The container 3 comprises different opening means on its front side 30 . A tab 301 arranged on the front side 30 is connected in a circular weakened zone 309 to an open strip portion 302 arranged on the inner surface of the front side. The opening strip portion extends generally parallel to the upper edge 38a from near one edge 38 to near the other edge 38 of the packaging container. Between the opening strip portion and the corresponding edge 38 is a small distance D.

On the outer surface of the front side 30, two support portions 305 and 306 are arranged. Said support portion comprises a weakened zone 309 and surrounds said zone, as well as the entire portion of the open band on the inner surface belonging to zone 306 . The support portion 305 comprises an elongated strip extending in parallel between the upper edge 38a and the open strip portion. The second support portion 306 comprises a centrally arranged first portion having an increased thickness (meaning the dimension into the longitudinal direction), and two adjacent small portions having approximately the same thickness as the support portion 305 . The bridge part connects the two support parts 304 and 305 . The transition between the thick central region and the thinner adjacent region is S-shaped, but other shapes could be used. The central thick zone improves the pouring functionality of the packaging container after opening. It can thus act as a perfusion support. The lower support portion 304 includes a centrally disposed small recess 310 that acts as a flex point. Said recess is aligned with two crease lines 25 which extend in a curvilinear manner from said recess to two longitudinal edges 38 . When pressure is applied to open the package, the front side 30 bends forward, as the upper part does due to the folding of the top transverse seal, forming a large opening.

In the embodiment of Figure 5, the strip of opening in region 306 on the inner surface extends in part for about 90% of the width of the packaging container. Because it is slightly spaced from the upper edge 38a, it is possible to have the opening strip extend partially around the longitudinal edge 38 and onto one or more side walls of the container. Thus, the weakened zone is arranged on the side wall of the package close to the longitudinal edge, wherein the opening band partially surrounds the edge, extending along the main panel to the other side wall.

FIG. 5A shows a cross-sectional view through the axis x-x of FIG. 5 . Starting from the upper edge 38a, a support portion 306 is arranged as a thin strip on the outer surface of the first wall 30 . The opening strip portion 302 is arranged on the inner surface at a longitudinal distance d from the support portion 305 . The distance d may be smaller than the thickness M of the material laminate on the front side. For example, it may be as small as 0.1 to 0.5 times the thickness M of the material. A small longitudinal distance between the support portions 304, 305 on the outer surface and the opening band portion on the inner surface improves the opening process as it helps to predetermine the rupture line. The height h of the support portion is higher than the height of the open strip line 302 .

Figure 6 shows another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the top transverse seal 44 is folded away from the longitudinal seal 42a to bend the upper portion 43 upwardly. The opening means in this embodiment comprises a tab portion 401 connected to the opening strip portion via a bridge in a weakened area 409 through the material laminate. The opening strip portion extends parallel to the upper edge 402 for about 80% of the package. The opening strip portion is positioned very close to the upper edge so that the opening formed when the package is opened is directly adjacent to the upper edge 402 . Below the portion of the opening strip towards the bottom of the package, the opening device comprises a support portion 404 having a centrally disposed protrusion and an adjacently disposed smaller end portion. The protrusion of the support portion 404 includes a small recess in the center that acts as a weakening to improve bending along the crease line 45 . Said crease line 45 extends in an s-shaped manner from a central point adjacent to the opening strip portion in the area covered by the support portion 404 to the lower corner of the packaging container. When the package is opened and pressure is applied to the side walls of the packaging container, the front side bulges forward forming a flared opening to improve pouring. Such flared or funneled openings may be achieved by various crease lines extending from the area near the opening to the edge or corner of the package.

Figure 7 shows an alternative embodiment. The package comprises a transverse seal 54, folded side flaps 52, a longitudinal seal 52a on the rear side 59 of the package and opening means on the front side of the package. The opening means on the front side comprise an opening strip portion 502 centrally arranged on the inner surface of the front side at a distance D from each longitudinal edge 58 of the package and at some smaller distance from the upper edge. The latter distance is chosen such that when the package is opened, the liquid level is below the predetermined breaking line defined by the opening strip 502 . The transverse dimension (dimension in transverse direction T) is about 50% of the package width.

The opening device also comprises a tab portion arranged flat on the package wall and connected to the opening strip portion via a material bridge passing through the weakened area 509 . The opening band portion 502 and the predetermined rupture line are surrounded from all sides by the support portions 500 and 500a. More specifically, the support portion encloses the weakened area 509 and the open strip portion. The lower part 503 of the support portion also acts as a perfusion support after opening the package. The front side also comprises two crease lines 55 extending from the outer edge of the support part towards a centrally arranged point 56 turning upwards from the distance Ld from the bottom of the package. A centrally disposed crease line extends generally parallel to the edge from the center of the support portion toward the center point 56 .

When the packaging container is opened and pressure is applied to the side walls, the triangular and support portions of the front side enclosed by the crease line 55 will bend forward and form a funnel-shaped outlet. The support section helps to prime properly without spilling.

All structural features shown herein in various embodiments can be combined in different ways without departing from the inventive concept. Depending on the shape and size of the opening or upper part on the front side, different crease lines or support parts can be used in the opening means. It should also be noted that the shape of the support portion, opening tab and/or crease line may vary and may involve aesthetic aspects and not purely technical functionality.

List of reference signs

1,2,3 Packaging container

10 Bottom transverse seal

11 Top transverse seal

12 upper

13,16 Support part

14 insert part

17 regions

17a Opening belt part

18 front, first side

20,30,40,50 front, first side

22 flank

22a,32a,42a Longitudinal seals

22,32,42 flank

23,33 upper

24,34,44 Top transverse seal

26 center point

27,27a corner

38a upper edge

200 opening device

201 insert

203 support strap

304,305 Supporting parts

Claims (19)

1., for the packing container of pourable food products, it has height and width, and described packing container comprises:

First side (18,20,30,40,50), described first side has material laminate structures, and described material laminate structures has There is outer surface and be applicable to the inner surface towards described pourable food products；

The first transverse seal (11,24,34,44) in the top of described packaging；

The second transverse seal (10) in the bottom of described packaging；

The transverse seals (22a, 32a, 42a) of described second transverse seal is extended to from described first transverse seal；

On the first side of described packing container, or the opening dress on the second side being approximately perpendicular to described first side Putting, described shedding motion includes:

Tab portion (14,201,301) on described outer surface, it is bound to via the bridge penetrating described material laminate structures Opening band part (18,202,306) so that the material breaks of described packing container thus form opening, wherein said opening band Partly (18,202,306) be attached on described inner surface and along described first side width major part extension.

Packing container the most according to claim 1, wherein said opening band part along more than 40%, particularly greater than 80% Described first side width extend.

3., according to packing container in any one of the preceding claims wherein, wherein said opening band part is from being roughly parallel to The transverse edge (38,48) of described first side stating the first transverse seal (11,24,34,44) extends.

4. according to packing container in any one of the preceding claims wherein, described shedding motion near described packaging by described First side is divided into master part (20,30) and the transverse edge of upper portion (23,33) or arranges on this transverse edge.

Packing container the most according to claim 4, the described tab portion of wherein said shedding motion is arranged on described In the part of side.

6. according to packing container in any one of the preceding claims wherein, wherein said material laminate structures include multiple layer and Weakening region, wherein said bridge penetrates described material laminate structures.

Packing container the most according to claim 6, wherein said weakening region lacks at least one in the plurality of layer.

8., according to packing container in any one of the preceding claims wherein, wherein said opening band part is in described top Horizontally disposed higher than the pourable food products that is filled in described container of the first transverse seal.

9., according to packing container in any one of the preceding claims wherein, wherein said first transverse seal (34) is away from vertical Fold to sealing member.

10., according to packing container in any one of the preceding claims wherein, wherein said shedding motion includes support section (13,203,304) to contribute to opening described packaging along described opening band part, described support section neighbouring with described opening The region on outer surface that band portion is relative is arranged on described outer surface.

11. packing containers according to claim 10, wherein said support section (13,203,304) is than described opening band Partly (18,202) are closer to described second seal arrangement.

12. according to the packing container according to any one of claim 10 to 11, and wherein said support section is horizontal and the most flat Row extends in described opening band part, and described support section has the length of the length at least equal to described opening band part.

13. according to the packing container according to any one of claim 10 to 12, wherein said support section include the first band and Second band, both of which be parallel to described opening band part arrange so that these two band between distance equal to or more than described in open The longitudinal size of mouth band portion.

14. according to the packing container according to any one of claim 10 to 13, wherein between described opening band part and described The distance on longitudinal direction between support section is in the range of 0.1 to 2 times of the thickness of material laminate structures.

15. also include from described opening band according to packing container in any one of the preceding claims wherein, described first side One or more compressed lines that part extends, in order at the pressure that the applying of described container is had the component being parallel to horizontal direction Time form the opening of described first side.

16. include two compressed lines according to packing container in any one of the preceding claims wherein, wherein said first side, Described compressed lines is neighbouring or extends to the common intersection point described first side or described the from the respective edges of described opening band The lower limb of one side.

17. also include the 3rd compressed lines according to the packing container described in claim 15 or 16, wherein said first side, its from The approximate centre of described opening band or neighbouring described extend towards described second sealing member centrally along described longitudinal direction.

18. include at least two pressure according to the packing container according to any one of claim 1 to 15, wherein said first side Diminishing line, described compressed lines from the approximate centre of described opening band or the lower limb of neighbouring described centrally directed described first side or The lateral edges of described first side extends.

19. methods being prepared packing container by packaging material blank or coiled material, said method comprising the steps of:

Thering is provided packaging material blank or coiled material, described blank or coiled material have multiple crease line to fold along these multiple crease lines Described blank or coiled material, thus form described packing container；

Thering is provided shedding motion on described packaging material blank or coiled material, described opening includes tab portion, elongated opening band Partly and through described packaging material blank or coiled material, described tab portion is connected to the bridge of described opening band part, wherein Described elongated opening band part is along by the upper closure plate almost parallel extension of separate crease line of mainboard Yu packaging material blank；

Described packaging material blank is folded the bottom to form container and fills described container with liquid, or

Described packaging material web is folded into pipe, manages described in longitudinal sealing, seal the downside of described pipe and liquid is filled into In described pipe；

And seal the top of the pipe of described packaging material blank or described packaging material web.