EP0559881B1 - Method for angularly positioning an adjustable sealing device relative to a flexible dispensing tube comprising indicia - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for angularly positioning an axially asymmetrical sealing device (2) relative to a flexible tube (1) for dispensing a substance with a liquid to pasty consistency, wherein the neck (5) of said tube (1) supports said sealing device (2) and delivers the substance through a dispensing channel, and the tube carries indicia (9) relative to which said sealing device (2) is to be adjusted. Said tube (1) is filled through its open bottom with the sealing device (2) in place, then sealed by flattening and heat sealing the end opposite the neck (5). At least one reference marking (11) is formed on the tube (1) and the sealing device (2) is mounted and adjusted relative to said reference marking (11), this marking (11) being printed on the tube concurrently with the indicia (9). The reference marking (11) is used when squeezing and heat sealing the end (10) of the filled tube (1).

Description

The present invention relates to the packaging of elongated packages, made of a flexible malleable material and closed by a closure device, to contain a substance of liquid to pasty consistency, which is removed by finger pressure. Traditionally, such tubes were made of a malleable metal, such as aluminum. At present, these tubes are often replaced by flexible tubes made of thermoplastic material. By way of examples, mention may be made of tubes of toothpaste, tubes of creams, gels, pastes in the cosmetic and dermopharmaceutical fields, tubes of food products, such as sauces or concentrated milks, or tubes of paints.

These tubes terminate, at their dispensing end, by a neck delimiting a dispensing channel and provided with an external thread to receive a removable plug which can be assembled by screwing onto the tube. However, these plugs, generally small, are liable to be lost by users and, to avoid this inconvenience, it is proposed to replace the plug with a plugging device comprising a part intended to be fixed on the neck of the tube. , to which a movable part is articulated comprising the means for closing the distribution channel.

The establishment of such a closure device having no axial symmetry poses the problem of the orientation of said closure device relative to the body of the tube; in fact, in practice, the tube body always carries a marking, that is to say that at least one inscription or drawing has been affixed thereto (trademark, number, address, mark, or the like ), in at least one area of said tube body. The closure device must therefore be oriented relative to the marking (s) of the tube body.

For packaging, the tubes are in the form of cylindrical sleeves, terminated at one end by the neck and open at their opposite end. The tight sealing devices are put in place on the neck and the tubes are then turned over to present their open bottom for filling. Once the filling has been completed, the bottoms are sealed off by pinching the free ends of the tubes and then heat sealing. Also in this operation, you must take care of the orientation of the line along which the pinching is carried out. Indeed, once the packaging is completed, the flattening of the tubes at their free ends causes them to pass from their cylindrical shape to a shape comprising substantially an axial plane of symmetry; the tube body then has two substantially symmetrical areas with respect to said axial plane of symmetry. Generally, on one of these ranges, appear the brand of the product, the accompanying drawing or graphics, as well as the designation of the product, and, on the other range, include the composition of the product and the additional indications. The pinch line is therefore also oriented relative to the marking (s) of the tube body.

By European patent EP-B-7274, a device for capping a bottle is known, composed, on the one hand, of an internal closure cap fixed by screwing on the neck of the bottle, and on the other hand, an outer overcap, integral with the capsule both in translation, by cooperation of an outer peripheral ring of the capsule with an inner annular groove of the cover, and in rotation, by interweaving of axial grooves of the outer wall of the capsule in axial grooves of the inner wall of the cover, or vice versa. Means are provided for ensuring the angular positioning of the overcap relative to the bottle. Indeed, this closure device is intended to be used on a bottle of particular configuration, for which it is desired that the outer sides of the cover are aligned with the outer sides of the bottle, to form an aesthetic unit. To this end, an additional thickness forming a stop is placed on the shoulder of the bottle between the neck and the body thereof, and stop means are arranged at the bottom of the cover, inside the cover. , the stop and the stop means comprising faces which are in contact with each other when the closure device hermetically seals the bottle.

Also known, from French patent application FR-A-2,541,654, is a container having, at its upper end, a threaded neck to receive a closure device constituted by a closure cap with internal thread to cooperate, by screwing, with the neck, and by an external overcap carrying an inner skirt integral in rotation and in translation with the lateral skirt of the capsule, the container comprising a stop against which abuts a stop member carried by the closure device, so as to orient the latter in the closed position relative to the container.

Thus, the angular positioning of the closure device is carried out, in the two aforementioned cases, by the cooperation of at least one element carried by the bottle, at the level of the neck or in the vicinity of the neck with at least one element carried by the closure device.

To solve the problems posed above of the angular positioning of the stopper device with respect to a flexible tube carrying a marking, cooperation of the neck of the tube with said stopper device comes first to the idea, on the basis of the prior art recalled above. The Applicant Company has, however, discovered, in accordance with the present invention, a different solution, which does not require modifications to the tubes and plugging devices which are mass-produced elements, to incorporate stops and stop devices therein. ; this solution offers the additional advantage of also making it possible to ensure the correct orientation of the base of the tube, when it is closed by pinching and heat sealing, with respect to the marking appearing on said tube.

According to the invention, provision is made for the tube to include a marking mark, formed by printing at the same time as the marking of the tube, allowing the filling device to be put in place according to the desired orientation before filling said tube. depending on the layout of the marking, said mark also serving, after filling the tube, to position the latter before the nip of its free end and its heat sealing.

The present invention therefore relates to a method for ensuring the angular positioning of a closure device having an asymmetry with respect to its axis, with respect to a flexible tube for the distribution of a substance of liquid consistency to pasty, said tube carrying said closure device on its neck and delivering the substance through a distribution channel and carrying a marking with respect to which said closure device must be oriented, said tube being intended to be filled by its open bottom, while said closure device is in place, then to be closed by flattening and heat-sealing its end opposite the neck, characterized in that a tube is used on which at least one mark has been formed and that said said is put in place closure device by orienting it with respect to said reference mark (s), this reference mark (s) being formed by printing at the same time as the marking of the tube, and that the using the marker (s) to pinch and heat seal the end of the tube after filling, according to the desired orientation, taking into account the location (s) of marking of said tube.

Furthermore, preferably, the mark (s) are formed near the free edge of the tube, opposite its neck. It generally suffices to form only one mark on the tube. Thus, to constitute a reference mark, it is possible to form a rectilinear line arranged parallel to the axis of said tube, over a short length relative to the length of the tube.

In the case where a tube is used, the neck of which is threaded, it is possible, before the establishment of the closure device, to have on the neck, by screwing, a ring having an internal thread intended to cooperate with the external thread. of the neck and having externally means intended to cooperate with complementary means carried by the closure device, to make the latter integral in rotation and in translation with said ring in the assembly position of said closure device. As means intended to make the ring and said closure device integral in rotation, it is possible to use ridges carried externally by the ring and intended to cooperate with complementary ridges carried by an inner cylindrical skirt of the closure device; as means intended to make the ring and said closure device integral in translation, it is possible to use an internal annular bead of latching disposed along the lower free edge of the skirt.

The closure device may include a fixed part intended to be locked on the neck of the tube, and a mobile part, articulated on said fixed part and comprising means cooperating with said fixed part to close the distribution channel in the closed position of said tube. More specifically, a plugging device can be used, the fixed part of which is constituted by an overcap comprising a side wall connected to a bottom having an orifice delimiting the outlet of the distribution channel, and the movable part of which is constituted by a folding plug articulated to the fixed part by a film hinge and comprising a sealing skirt penetrating into said substance outlet office, in the closed position of said closure device.

To better understand the process of the present invention, an embodiment will be described below, by way of purely illustrative and nonlimiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawing.

• la figure 1 est une vue partielle d'un tube souple de distribution d'une substance pâteuse, le corps dudit tube étant représenté, de façon partielle, en élévation, avant remplissage, c'est-à-dire avec son fond ouvert, et le goulot dudit tube étant représenté en coupe avec le dispositif de bouchage en place et en position ouverte, le plan de coupe étant un plan axial perpendiculaire à la charnière-film du dispositif de bouchage ;
• la figure 2 est une vue partielle de dessus selon II-II de la figure 1 ; et
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective de la base du tube après fermeture par thermosoudage.

On this drawing :

• FIG. 1 is a partial view of a flexible tube for dispensing a pasty substance, the body of said tube being shown, partially, in elevation, before filling, that is to say with its bottom open, and the neck of said tube being shown in section with the closure device in place and in the open position, the cutting plane being an axial plane perpendicular to the film hinge of the closure device;
• Figure 2 is a partial top view along II-II of Figure 1; and
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of the base of the tube after closing by heat sealing.

Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that a tube made of flexible thermoplastic material is designated by 1, which is intended to contain a pasty substance, such as a toothpaste, and on which a device is adapted. closure 2, with the interposition of a ring 3.

The tube 1 consists of a cylindrical sleeve, on one end of which a frustoconical shoulder 4 is formed, extending by a cylindrical neck 5. This carries a thread 6, and, in the junction zone between the shoulder 4 and neck 5, is disposed an external reinforcement bead 7. Furthermore, along its free edge, the neck 5 is folded square to the inside to form an annular part 8, delimiting a circular opening 8 a .

The tube 1 has, on its body, a marking zone symbolized at 9, and along its free edge 10 opposite the neck 5, a mark 11 constituted by a rectilinear line arranged parallel to the mean axis of the sleeve on a small length.

The ring 3 is produced by molding a relatively rigid plastic material; it has an internal thread 12, intended to cooperate with the thread 6 of the neck 5; it externally carries axial striations 13, the role of which is defined below. The ring 3 is folded square at its upper end, if we consider the position of FIG. 1, to form an annular part 14, intended to come to bear on the annular part 8 when the ring 3 is screwed on the neck 5; the annular part 14 delimits an opening 14 a of smaller diameter than the opening 8 a . In addition, the part 14 is folded towards the outside of the neck to form a chimney 15, the role of which is defined below.

The plugging device 2, made in one piece by molding a relatively rigid plastic material, consists of a fixed part 16 and a movable part 17, connected to the fixed part 16 by a film hinge 18 .

The fixed part 16 consists of an overcap comprising an outer side skirt of covering 19 connected to a bottom 20; the bottom 20 has a central orifice 21 of smaller diameter than the opening 14 a ; the orifice 21 is bordered internally by a sealing skirt 22, intended to penetrate into the chimney 15, and externally by a lip 23 with a frustoconical entry 23 a , flaring outwards. At the bottom 20, is connected a cylindrical inner skirt 24, internally carrying axial grooves 25, intended to be placed between the grooves 13 of the ring 3, to form with them a system of grooves / grooves anti-rotation, when the device plugging 2 comes, by depressing, to cap the ring 3 as shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, the inner skirt 24 carries, along its lower free edge, an internal bead 26 allowing the latching of said skirt 24 under the lower edge of the ring 3, in the assembly position shown in FIG. 1.

The side covering skirt 19 is of cylindrical overall shape, but it comprises, opposite the film hinge 18, an inclined part 27, used for the manipulation of the movable part 17, which constitutes a plug. shutter. This comprises a side wall 28 connected to a bottom 29, having a concavity facing outwards, in the closed position of the tube 1. The bottom 29 has internally a cylindrical skirt 30 intended to penetrate into the substance distribution channel , delimited by the lip 23 and the skirt 22.

The packaging of the substance in tube 1 is carried out as follows:
Using a decorated tube 1 as shown in Figure 1; the ring 3 is fixed therein by screwing until the annular part 14 is supported on the annular part 8. Next, there is presented above the neck 5 thus provided with the ring 3, a closure device 2, the part of which mobile 17 is folded down; this presentation is made in a relative position determined with respect to the locating line 11 which is optically detected; the device 2 is then pushed onto the ring 3 until the annular ratchet bead 26 comes to be fixed under the free edge of the ring 3: the cooperation of the ridges 13 and 25 maintains the correct positioning of the capping device 2 on the tube. The locating line 11 therefore makes it possible to position the closure device 2 relative to the marking 9 of the tube 1.

Then, the tube 1 is turned over to fill it with its open bottom; a linear pinching of the open end of the filled tube is carried out along an axial plane perpendicular to the plane defined by the axis of the tube 1 and the locating line 11; is closed by heat sealing, to obtain a tube base as shown in Figure 3. The marking mark 11 was therefore also used for positioning the tube 1 before heat sealing.

It is understood that the embodiment described above is in no way limiting and may give rise to any desirable modifications, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (9)

1. A method for ensuring the angular positioning of a closing device (2) being asymmetrical with respect to its axis relative to a flexible tube (1) for the dispensing of a substance with a liquid to pasty consistency, the said tube (1) carrying the said closing device (2) on its neck (5) and delivering the substance through a dispensing duct and carrying a marking (9) relative to which the said closing device (2) must be orientated, the said tube (1) being intended to be filled through its open bottom when the said closing device (2) has been placed into position, then to be closed by the end on the opposite side to the neck (5) being flattened and heat-sealed, characterized in that a tube (1) is used whereon at least one reference mark (11) has been formed, and that the said closing device (2) is placed in position by orientating it relative to the said reference mark(s) (11), this or these reference mark(s) (11) being formed by printing at the same time as the marking (9) of the tube (1), and that the reference mark(s) (11) are used for a squeezing action and the heat-sealing of the end (10) of the tube (1) after it has been filled, along the desired orientation, taking into account the location or locations of the marking (9) of the said tube (1) .
2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the reference marks (11) are formed in the periphery of the free edge (10) of the tube (1) on the opposite side to its neck (5).
3. A method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that a single reference mark (11) is formed on the tube (1).
4. A method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that for constituting a reference mark (11), a straight line disposed parallel to the axis of the said tube is formed over a length that is short relative to the length of the tube.
5. A method according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a tube (1) is used whose neck (5) is threaded, characterized in that before the closing device (2) is placed in position, a ring (3) is positioned by being screwed onto the said neck (5), which ring has an internal thread (12) intended to cooperate with the external thread (6) of the neck (5), and having on its outside means intended to cooperate with complementary means carried by the closing device (2) to render the latter rigidly locked in rotation and in translation with the said ring (3) in the assembled position of the said closing device (2).
6. A method according to claim 5, characterized in that a ring (3) is used which carries ribs (13) on its outside intended to cooperate with complementary ribs (25) carried by an inner cylindrical skirt (24) of the closing device (2).
7. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that the inner skirt (24) carries an internal annular catch engagement bead (26) along its free lower edge, the said bead being intended to cooperate with the lower edge of the ring (3).
8. A method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a closing device (2) is used which has a fixed part (16) intended to be locked on the neck of the tube (1) and a movable part (17) articulated on the said fixed part and comprising means (30) cooperating with the said fixed part for obturating the dispensing duct when the tube is in its closed position.
9. A method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a closing device (2) is used whose fixed part (16) is constituted by a cover cap comprising an opening (21) that delimits the outlet of the dispensing duct, and whose movable part (17) is constituted by a folding stopper articulated on the fixed part (16) by a film hinge (18) and having a sealing skirt (30) penetrating into the said outlet opening for the substance, in the closed position of the said closing device (2).

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