FR3010069A1 - HYGIENIC OPENING SYSTEM OF A TUBULAR FLEXIBLE ENVELOPE CLOSED BY STAPLES FOR PRECISE ASSEMBLY OF THE CONTENT OF THE ENVELOPE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for opening a substantially tubular flexible envelope having at least one closed end by closure means such as a clip or a clip. According to the invention, such a system comprises: - means for sampling said closure means for opening said envelope comprising: - a link intended to be secured to said closure means; a lever device having a first arm comprising means for at least partial cutting of said envelope and a second arm comprising means for retaining at least a portion of said link; and a support intended to be secured to said first end of said envelope and configured so as to be able to at least partially contain the volume of material escaping from the envelope during the opening of said envelope.

Description

Hygienic opening system of a tubular flexible envelope closed by staples allowing a precise dosage of the contents of the envelope 1. Field of the invention The field of the invention is that of the packaging. More specifically, the invention relates to a system for opening the contents of a substantially tubular flexible envelope closed at its ends by closure means, such as staples, clips or clips.

The invention is particularly intended to be implemented in the field of restoration, and in particular for the application and dosage of spreadable food preparations, such as sauces or pastry fillings, for example during the preparation of 'a sandwich. The invention can also be used for the application of sealant or silicone. 2. State of the art Catering and institutional catering brands are currently favoring the packaging of soft-spread foodstuffs.

The flexible cases have indeed the advantage, compared to rigid bottles, to be compacted after use and are generally lighter, which can significantly reduce the volume and weight of waste. Moreover, most of the contents of a soft case can be extracted from it, while it is found that at least 15% of the contents of a rigid bottle remains unused because it can not be extracted easily and is thrown away. with the bottle, which is a significant loss. Soft cases are also less expensive to manufacture. However, the use of foodstuffs in a flexible case has several disadvantages.

In particular, the product contained in the case tends to sink when opening the case, which requires handling the case carefully, generates losses and is messy. This disadvantage is accentuated by the fact that it is difficult to hold a soft case by hand without crushing it. Therefore, when manipulating an open soft case, it is often inevitable that part of the contents of the case escapes involuntarily from the latter. To remedy this drawback, it has been proposed, for example in document DE-U1-9103038, to place the flexible case in a rigid cartridge equipped, inside, with a tip or a blade which pierces the envelope of the case and allows the food preparation contained in the case to flow. This technique has the disadvantage of being unhygienic: it may occur bacterial contamination of the food preparation in contact with the outer casing of the case, which is satisfactory on a sanitary level. Another disadvantage of this technique is that it is necessary to frequently clean the interior of the cartridge. OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is therefore in particular to overcome the disadvantages of the state of the art cited above. More specifically, the invention aims to provide a technique for opening an end of a flexible envelope closed easily and hygienically.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a technique that is simple to implement, and a reduced cost. An object of the invention is also to provide such a technique that allows the user to save time. Yet another object of the invention is, in a particular embodiment of the invention, to provide a technique that allows each application to extract a precise and constant dose of a product contained in a flexible envelope. 4. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION These and other objects which will appear later are achieved by means of a system for opening a substantially tubular flexible envelope having a first end closed by means of closure such as a clip or clip. In the context of the invention, the flexible envelope may be a tubular casing in the form of a coil, for example made of polyethylene or of polyamide, closed at one or both of its ends by staples or clips. It may contain viscous sauces, a pasty and / or granular food material, such as spread or purée, possibly enriched with pieces of meat, fish, vegetables, fresh or dried fruits or chips of chocolates, or a pasty substance used to form seals, such as putty or silicone. According to the invention, such a system for opening the contents of a flexible envelope comprises: - means of sampling said closure means for opening said envelope comprising: - a link intended to be secured to said closure means ; a lever device having a first arm comprising means for at least partial cutting of said envelope and a second arm comprising means for retaining at least a portion of said link; and a support to be secured to said first end of said envelope and configured so as to at least partially contain the volume of material escaping from the envelope upon opening of said envelope. Thus, in an unprecedented manner, the invention proposes a particularly simple and effective system, making it possible to open the end of the flexible envelope while concurrently withdrawing the closure means of the envelope, which are likely to contaminate the product contained therein. of the flexible envelope. In particular, the implementation of a link and a lever device simultaneously allows to partially cut the first end of the flexible envelope and stretch it through the place, resulting in a tear of the envelope around the means of closure, which are then driven by the link to which they are connected. Thus, the closure means or the fingers of the one who manipulates the lever device or the link do not come into contact with the material contained in the flexible envelope. In addition, the support prevents material sagging along the envelope at the opening, which reduces losses and makes the system more convenient to use. Preferably, such an opening system comprises at least one pouring nozzle adapted to be mounted on said support. The spill of the contents of the flexible envelope becomes easy. Advantageously, said support is able to be glued or welded to said envelope. The support can thus be fixed in a simple manner on the envelope.

Preferably, said support is bonded with an adhesive for food contact. According to a particular aspect of the invention, said lever device is mounted movably and removably with respect to said support. In a particular embodiment of the invention, said sampling means comprise a base on which said lever device is pivotally mounted, and said base is configured so as to be screwable on said support. The lever device and its base can thus be easily placed on the support or dissociated therefrom.

Moreover, the base allowing to bear on the rigid support, it prevents an offset of the lever when manipulated. Advantageously, said retaining means comprise means for attaching a portion of said link to said second arm of the lever device. The link can in particular form a loop that can be hooked to the second arm of the lever device for example, using a hook or by pinching the loop. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, said lever device has a slot configured to allow said lever device to be mounted around a pinched portion of the first end of said envelope and under said closure means. Such a lever device is particularly simple to implement.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, said cutting means comprise at least one tip. The point or points make it possible to pierce and thus easily cut the flexible envelope. Advantageously, said system comprises gun-forming metering means comprising a substantially cylindrical tube in which said casing is housed, secured to one end of said support, and a piston slidably mounted in said tube, exerting a thrust on a second end of said tube. envelope opposite said first end. This gun allows to extract simply and completely the contents of the envelope. Furthermore the use of a tube for housing the envelope prevents the open envelope is involuntarily crushed and empty of its contents when manipulated. According to an advantageous aspect of the invention, said metering means comprise means for actuating said piston displacing said piston in translation by a predetermined distance at each pressure on the trigger of said pistol. Each dose extracted by pressing the gun trigger is thus equal to the previous one.

In another embodiment of the invention, it may be envisaged to automatically actuate the piston using a stepper motor. Preferably, said support has a projection cooperating with a rectilinear groove formed in said tube, so as to prevent said support from rotating about the axis of said tube.

Advantageously, said support has a substantially complementary shape portion of an end portion of said envelope. The support thus adapts appropriately to the end of the envelope. 5. List of Figures Other features and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of an embodiment of the invention, given as a simple illustrative and non-limiting example, and drawings. appended among which: Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a system for opening a flexible envelope according to the invention, in a sectional view; Figure 2 is a view of a sauce wrap closed at its ends by staples; FIG. 3 is a block diagram of successive operations for opening the envelope using the opening system presented with reference to FIG. 1; FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrammatic views respectively in section and from above of another exemplary embodiment of an opening system according to the invention; FIG. 5A illustrates an alternative embodiment of a system for opening a flexible envelope; FIG. 5B is a block diagram of successive operations for opening the envelope using the opening system presented with reference to FIG. 5A; Figure 6 is a schematic view of another alternative embodiment of a system for opening a flexible envelope. 6. Detailed Description of the Invention 6.1 Example of Embodiment of the Invention FIG. 1 illustrates, in a sectional view, an exemplary embodiment of an opening system 10 according to the invention mounted on a flexible envelope of polyamide 11 containing sauce (shown in dashed lines in Figure 1). This system is used for the preparation of hamburgers and allows to spread a layer of sauce on a slice of meat of the hamburger. As can be seen in Figure 2 which represents the envelope alone, it is substantially tubular in shape and is closed at its first and second ends 11A and 11B by staples 21. A strand of a loop of a link 22 is passed through the clip 21 holding the first end 11A closed. The system 10 comprises a support 12, glued with a food contact adhesive at a first end 11A of the envelope 11 and a sampling element 13 which is screwed on the support 11. The support 12 and the sampling element 13 are plastic parts of revolution, obtained by injection. The system 10 also comprises a pouring nozzle 14 of stainless steel which is mounted on the support 12, by screwing, once the sampling element 13 removed.

The hollow support 12 has a foot 15 in the form of a substantially semispherical shell, in order to fit the surface of the first end 11A and facilitate its bonding, which is extended by a cylindrical neck 16 surrounding the clip 21, whose height 35 millimeters is sufficient to contain the amount of sauce escaping from the casing at its opening. The sampling element 13 comprises a lever device 17 pivotally mounted about an axis 171 on a base 18 screwed onto the support 12. The lever device 17 has a first branch 172 which extends downwards and is shifted a few millimeters to the right. Its lower end forms a cutting tip 173. A pusher 174 extends upwardly from the first leg 172 of the lever device 17. The second leg 175 of the lever device 17 extends to the left in one direction substantially horizontal. On its surface is formed a notch 176 for attaching an upper portion of the link 22. This notch is spaced about 12 millimeters from the axis 171 is shown in Figure 3 in the form of a block diagram , the successive operations to open the envelope using the system 10. In a preparatory step 31, the support 12 is glued to the envelope 11. The support 12 can be glued in the factory to the envelope or be delivered separately to the user of the sauce, so that it itself sticks the support 12 on the envelope 11.

In a step 32, one hooks a portion of the link 22 on the second arm 175 of the lever device, at the notch 176 formed on its surface. The base of the sampling element 13 is then screwed onto the support 12 in a step 33.

It is then sufficient to press in a step 34 on the pusher 174 provided for this purpose on the lever device to tilt the lever device 17 in the counterclockwise direction and thus lower the tip 173 by 3 millimeters down, which drives it into the envelope 11 and pierces the latter. During the tilting of the lever device 17, its second arm rises simultaneously, in proportion to the lever arm, by 20 millimeters at the position of the notch 176 to which the link 22 is hung. The raising of the second arm 175 causes a tear of the envelope around the clip 21, weakened by cutting made by the tip, because of the traction exerted by the link 22. The clip 21, separated from the envelope 11, then remains suspended at link 22, and can be removed by unscrewing the base 18 of the sampling element 13 of the support 12, in a step 35. The system 10 thus allows to open the envelope in a hygienic manner, without touching the end upper envelope 11 and without risk of contaminating the sauce by contact with the staple. We can then screw the nozzle 14 on the support 12 to pour the sauce. In this particular embodiment of the invention, the system 10 also comprises a cylindrical tube 111 inside which the casing 11 is housed and a metering gun 112 equipped with a trigger 113 and a mounted piston 114 sliding in the tube 111 on which is fixed a toothed actuating rod 115. When actuating the trigger 113, it shifts the toothed rod 115 a notch inside the tube 111, which slides the piston 114 in the tube 111 and compresses the second end 11B of the envelope 11. A dose of sauce corresponding to the volume swept by the piston 114 is then expelled from the envelope 11 and flows through the nozzle 14. In this mode of In particular embodiment of the invention, the notches 116 being evenly spaced on the rod 115, thus pouring a constant dose of sauce with each pressure on the trigger 113.

It should be noted that in order to prevent the support 12 from rotating about the axis of the cylindrical tube 111, the support 11 has on its outer surface a projecting pin 117 penetrating into a rectilinear groove 118 formed in the tube and oriented in one direction. parallel to the axis of the tube 111. The groove 118 also opens at the end of the tube to facilitate the insertion of the protruding pin 117 into the groove 118 and thus the introduction of the casing 11 in the tube 111 Another exemplary embodiment of the invention FIGS. 4A and 4B show another exemplary embodiment of a system for opening a flexible envelope according to the invention. As can be seen in FIG. 4A, the opening system 40 of the flexible envelope 41 comprises a support 42 glued to the upper end 41A of the envelope 41. This support 42 is substantially identical to the support 12.

The system 40 further comprises a sampling assembly 43 consisting of a link 44 attached to the envelope 41 under the closure clip 45 of the upper end of the envelope 41A and a lever 46 formed in a piece of pressed sheet metal. The lever 46 is disposed under the closure clip 45 around the pinched portion thereof. It could be inserted into this position through a slot 47 formed over part of its length, as can be seen in Figure 4B. The lever 46 has on its right a first branch 461 short having 3 pins 48, or points, at its end and on its left a second leg 462, longer, having at its end a notch 49 for retaining the link 44 against the lever 46. It is then sufficient to pull on the link 44 to take the closing clip 45. Indeed, by pulling on the link, the second leg of the lever is raised which rotates the first branch 461 down. The pins 48 then pierce the envelope 41 and, under the effect of the traction exerted by the link 44, the envelope will gradually tear around the closure clip 45. The envelope is then opened and the staple 45, detached from the envelope 41, is driven with the link 44. 6.3 Examples of alternative embodiments of a flexible envelope opening system FIGS. 5A and 6 illustrate two examples of an alternative embodiment of of a system for opening a flexible envelope having a first end closed by a closure clip. The opening system 50 of a flexible envelope 51, presented with reference to FIG. 5A, comprises a support 52, glued with the aid of a glue for food contact at a first end 51A of the envelope 51 and a picking member 53 having the general appearance of a plug, which is screwed on the support 52. In Figure 5A, the support 52 and the picking member 53 are shown disengaged from one another. A series of threads 57 is formed on the inner wall of the hollow support 52 to a height of about 16 millimeters corresponding to about a quarter of a screw pitch. A thread 58 with the same thread is formed on the lateral flanks of the sampling element 53. This thread 58 makes it possible to aim the sampling element on the support 52 by rotating it by a quarter of a turn. As can be seen in FIG. 5A, the opening system 50 also comprises a sampling nozzle 54 made of stainless steel which is mounted on the support 52, by screwing, once the sampling element 53 has been removed and a dosing gun similar to that described with reference to Figure 1. A hook 59 for hooking the loop of the link 522 to the sampling cap 53 is formed in the bottom 531 of the cap 53. The sampling cap 53 also has on its bottom a blade cutting edge 510 35 millimeters in height, oriented perpendicularly to a radius of the sampling plug 53 and offset from the axis of the plug by about 1 centimeter. This blade 510 makes it possible to pierce and partially cut the envelope around the upper staple 521 when the sampling element 53 is screwed onto the support. FIG. 5B shows, in the form of a block diagram, the successive operations making it possible to open the envelope using the system 50. In a step 51B, a portion of the link 522 is hooked to the hook 59 of the sampling element 53. Then is screwed on a quarter turn, in a step 52B, the sampling element 53 on the support. Progressively during this step 52B, the cutting blade pierces and partially cuts the first end 51A of the casing 51 around the clip 521.

In a step 53B, unscrewing the sampling element 53 which completely tear the envelope around the clip 521, due to the traction exerted by the link. The sampling element 13 can then be removed from the support. It drives the staple 521 with it, hooked by the link 522. In another variant presented with reference to FIG. 6, a system for opening a flexible envelope 60 of a sampling element 61 has been provided. in the general form of a plug, intended to be screwed on the support 64. The sampling element is provided with a drive lug 62 in "U", slipping under the staple 63. Trap 62 allows the staple 63 to be pulled and pulled with it when the pick-up element 61 is removed from the holder 64. 6.4 Other optional features and advantages of the invention In variant embodiments Embodiments of the invention detailed above, it can also be provided: - to weld the support to the flexible envelope; a support and / or a base of the polygonal contour sampling means; - Providing the means for taking a magnet to facilitate the removal of metal closure means; - To dose the sauce using a pneumatic gun or an electrical device equipped with a stepper motor to move the piston exerting a push on the second end of envelope.

Claims (12)

REVENDICATIONS1. Opening system of a substantially tubular flexible envelope having a first end closed by closure means such as a clip or a clip, characterized in that it comprises: - means of sampling said closure means allowing the opening of said envelope comprising: - a link intended to be secured to said closure means; a lever device having a first arm comprising means for at least partial cutting of said envelope and a second arm comprising means for retaining at least a portion of said link; and a support intended to be secured to said first end of said envelope and configured so as to be able to at least partially contain the volume of material escaping from the envelope during the opening of said envelope. 2. System for opening a flexible envelope according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one pouring nozzle adapted to be mounted on said support. 3. System for opening a flexible envelope according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said support is adapted to be glued or welded to said envelope. 4. System for opening a flexible envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said lever device is movably mounted and removable relative to said support. A flexible envelope opening system according to claim 4, characterized in that said pickup means comprises a base on which said lever device is pivotally mounted, and that said base is configured so as to be screw on said support. 6. System for opening a flexible envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said retaining meanscompres means for hooking a portion of said link to said second arm of the lever device. The flexible envelope opening system according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said lever device has a slot configured to allow said lever device to be mounted around a pinched portion. of the first end of said envelope and under said closing means. 8. System for opening a flexible envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said cutting means comprise at least one tip. 9. System for opening a flexible envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises gun-forming metering means comprising a substantially cylindrical tube in which is housed said envelope, secured to a end of said support, and a piston slidably mounted in said tube, exerting a thrust on a second end of said casing opposite said first end. 10. System for opening a flexible envelope according to claim 9, characterized in that said metering means comprise means for actuating said piston moving said piston in translation by a predetermined distance at each pressure on the trigger of said pistol. . 11. A system for opening and pouring the contents of a flexible envelope according to any one of claims 9 and 10, characterized in that said support has a projection cooperating with a rectilinear groove formed in said tube, so as to prevent said support to rotate about the axis of said tube. 12. System for opening and pouring the contents of a flexible envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that said support has a portion of substantially complementary shape of an end portion of said envelope. .30