SE519704C2 - Packaging and method of preparation thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A container, comprising a hollow body (2) extended along a longitudinal axis (5), a sealing means (4) and an opening means (3). The hollow body (2) defines, together with the sealing means (4), a compartment (11) which can be made to communicate with the surroundings by opening of said opening means (3). The container is characterised in that the hollow body (2) is essentially cylindrical or in the form of a truncated cone and has a closed first end (6) and an opposite open second end (7). The opening means (3) is arranged in or in connection with the first end (6) of the hollow body (2), and the sealing means (4) covers the second end (7) of the hollow body (2) and thus forms a bottom (12) of the container. The present invention also relates to a method for producing such a container filled with contents.

Description

25 30 b.) UI 519 704 2 cumbersome to provide with an external decorative print.

Finally, it can not be used for carbonated foods.

Thus, there is a need for an improved package of the type described above.

Summary of the invention In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved package of the type described above and an improved method of making the same.

Preferably, the package should be able to be manufactured at a reduced cost.

Preferably, the package should be easily provided with an external print.

Preferably, the package should be able to contain a carbonated content.

To achieve these goals, a package and a method according to claim 1 and claim 18, respectively, are provided.

Preferred embodiments of the package appear from claims 2-17 and preferred embodiments of the method appear from claims 19-20.

More particularly, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a package comprising a hollow body extending along a longitudinal axis, a closure means and an opening means, which hollow body together with the closure means defines a chamber which can be connected to the environment by opening said opening means, which package is characterized in that the hollow body has a substantially cylindrical or frustoconical shape and has a closed first end and an opposite open second end, said opening means being arranged in or adjacent to the first end of the hollow body and wherein said closing means covers the other end of the hollow body and thereby forms a bottom of the package.

As a result, a dimensionally stable and user-friendly package is achieved which can be manufactured at an extremely low cost. The rounded shape of the hollow body means that its wall thickness can be reduced while the risk of deformation of the package filled with a content is significantly reduced.

According to a preferred embodiment, the hollow body of the package has a substantially circular cross-section perpendicular to said longitudinal axis. In this way a rotationally symmetrical hollow body is provided which can easily be provided with a decorative print.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the hollow body of the package has a substantially elliptical cross-section perpendicular to said longitudinal axis. In this way an extremely grip-friendly packaging can be achieved.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the hollow body of the package essentially has the shape of a truncated cone, its narrower end forming the first end of the hollow body. This makes each hollow body easy to manufacture by a thermoforming process while the finished hollow bodies can be stacked together. The first end advantageously has substantially the shape of a hemisphere.

Said hollow body is preferably thermoformed from a sheet or web-shaped hollow body material.

The hollow body is advantageously made from a material with at least one backing layer comprising a filler of mineral material and a binder of polyolefin material.

Said closing means preferably form a wafer which is formed from a wafer material.

The closure member is advantageously made from a material comprising a filler of mineral material and a binder of polyolefin material.

Said wafer, according to a preferred embodiment, has a central elevation directed towards said chamber for providing a champagne bottle type bottom.

According to a further preferred embodiment, a flange encloses the other end of the hollow body, to which the flange closing member is connected. In this case, the closing member can have a peripheral flange complementary to the hollow body flange and connected thereto.

According to a further preferred embodiment, said hollow body has an inner edge portion and said closing means has a closing flange complementary to said edge portion and connected thereto, which perpendicularly connects to the radially inner part of the closing member. The closing member here advantageously consists of a wafer, but a central elevation to form a champagne bottle-type bottom, the angled flange ensuring a reliable connection of the closing member to the slippery body.

Said opening means is advantageously resealable.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the opening means of the package has a tearable flap, which is preferably completely or partially delimited by a tear instruction, along which the material contained therein has been heat-treated to achieve a material embrittlement.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the opening means of the package comprises a screw cap arrangement.

Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of making a package filled with a content, which method is characterized by the steps of forming from a sheet or web-shaped hollow body material having at least one backsheet comprising a filler of mineral material and a binder of polyolefin material thermoformed. hollow body extending along a longitudinal axis having a substantially cylindrical or elliptical shape and having a closed first end and an opposite open second end, to provide an opening member of the hollow body in or adjacent to its first end applying a contents of the hollow body via the other end thereof and applying a wafer over the other end of the hollow body to enclose the contents of a chamber of said hollow body and wafer, said wafer forming a bottom of the package.

According to a preferred embodiment of the method, the step of arranging said opening means is integrated with the step of thermoforming said hollow body.

Preferably, said hollow body is thermoformed in a mold which in a wall portion supports a screw cap with an internal thread, whereby an externally threaded and with the internal thread of the screw cap engaging projections of said screw cap arrangement is thermoformed in said screw cap in connection with said step.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings Fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a package according to the invention.

Figs. 2a-2c schematically show the method for producing a hollow body for the package shown in Fig. 1.

Figures 3a-3b show perspective views illustrating the method of filling the hollow body shown in Figures 2a-2c.

Figures 4a-4c show perspective views illustrating the method of applying a closure member to a filled hollow body to be formed by a preferred second embodiment of a package according to the invention.

Figures 5a-5b schematically show the method of making a hollow body for the method shown in Figure 4c. Figures 6a-6c show perspective views illustrating the method of applying a closure member to a b. 704 6 filled hollow body to form a preferred third embodiment of a package according to the invention.

Fig. 7 schematically shows the method for producing a heel body for the package shown in Fig. 6c.

Fig. 8 shows a schematic, partially sectioned side view of a package in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Description of exemplary embodiments In the following description, similar or corresponding components and details have generally been given the same reference numerals for the various embodiments.

In Fig. 1, to which reference is made, a first embodiment of a package 1 according to the invention is illustrated.

The package comprises a heel body 2, an opening member 3 and a closing member 4.

The heel body 2 has an approximately circular longitudinal axis 5 of the same rotationally symmetrical shape and for this purpose has a substantially circular cross-section perpendicular to said longitudinal axis 5.

It is understood that the heel body does not necessarily have to have a rotationally symmetrical shape and thus can also be given, for example, a substantially elliptical cross-section, which in some cases may be desirable for producing a more grip-friendly package.

The heel body 2 further has substantially the shape of a truncated cone. It will be appreciated, however, that the heel body may also be given a substantially cylindrical shape.

The narrower end of the hollow body 2 forms a closed first end 6 and the wider end of the heel body 2 forms an open second end 7 opposite to the first end 6. In accordance with the embodiment shown, the first end 6 has a g-shape, but it will be appreciated that a substantially nalvsfris ä k said first end 6 can also be given other designs. 10 15 20 25 30 U) Uï 519 704 7 The hollow body 2 carries a flange 8, which encloses the other end 7.

In the embodiment shown, the closing member 4 is formed in the form of a wafer 9, which is applied over the open second end 7 of the hollow body 2. periphery and which is brought into abutment against the flange 8 of the hollow body 2 and connected thereto, for example by a sealing operation in which said flanges 8, 10 are made to adhere tightly to each other by heat treatment. Said heel body 2 hereby delimits together with said wafer 9 a chamber 11, the wafer 9 forming a bottom 12 of the package according to the invention 1. The opening member 3 is in accordance with the present invention arranged in or in connection with the first end 6 of the heel body 2. In the embodiment, the opening member 3 is arranged in said first end 6 of the hollow body 2 and formed in one piece therewith. More specifically, the opening member 3 constitutes a projection 13 extending from said first end 6 of the hollow body 2, in which a channel 14 is received which communicates with the chamber 11. The end of the projection 13 facing away from the chamber 11 is closed in the package 1 unopened condition. In its opened state, the opening means 3 forms a connection between the chamber 11 and the surroundings.

Both the hollow body 2 and the closing member 4 are preferably made of a laminate material with a backing layer comprising a filler of mineral material and a binder of polyolefin material. Particularly preferred mineral materials are chalk, talc and mica.

In Figs. 2a-2c, to which reference is now made, the process for producing a heel body 2 for the package 1 shown in Fig. 1 is illustrated.

Fig. 2a shows an extruder unit 15, by means of which a web-shaped hollow body material 16 is produced.

It will be appreciated that said web or sheet-shaped hollow body material 16 may also be provided in other ways, such as in roll form. backbone layer comprising a filler of mineral material in the form of chalk, talc and / or mica and a binder of polyolefin material.

The web-shaped hollow body material 16 is led to a forming station 17. In case the hollow body material 16 is provided in roll form, an intermediate heat treatment station (not shown) is required to heat the hollow body material 16 to a temperature at which it is moldable. Optionally, such a heat treatment station may also be required in connection with extrusion of the web-shaped hollow body material 16 to ensure that it is maintained at a temperature sufficient for subsequent molding.

The forming station 17 comprises a forming means 18 and a stamping means 19. The forming means 18 comprises a cavity 20, into which a stamp 21 of the stamping means 19 is insertable. It will be appreciated that the mold member 18 may comprise a plurality of such cavities, the stamp member 19 may comprise a corresponding number of stamps.

The web-shaped hollow body material 16 is led to the forming station 17 so that a part thereof is applied over the cavity 20 of the forming member 18.

Fig. 2b illustrates how the piston 21 of the stamp member 19 is lowered into the cavity 20, whereby a hollow body 2 is formed in the hollow body material 16 by thermoforming.

The piston 21 carries a cutting member 22, which engages with the hollow body material 16 and thereby detaches the hollow body 2 from the path-shaped residual material formed thereby. A hollow body 2 thus loosened is illustrated in Fig. 2c. The cutting member 22 can in this case be designed such that the hollow body 2 remains connected to said residual material at a limited number of points to allow subsequent detachment of the hollow body 2 from the residual material by a lighter force effect on the hollow body 2. bd LD 519 704 9 It is understood that said hollow body 2 can also be thermoformed in other ways. For example, it is possible to apply an overpressure to the side 23 of said web-shaped hollow body material 16 facing away from said cavity 20, whereby this is pressed down into the cavity 20 for thermoforming said heel body 2. Correspondingly, it is also possible to apply a negative pressure in the cavity 20, whereby the hollow body material 16 is sucked into the cavity 20. Finally, it is also possible to combine these methods in a suitable manner.

Due to the fact that the hollow body 2 has a frustoconical shape where the narrower end 6 is turned downwards in the cavity 20 of the mold member 19, easy removal of the thermoformed hollow body 2 is permitted. The hollow bodies 2 thus produced are further stackable. into each other, whereby such a stack of hollow bodies 2 can form a space-saving magazine, from which a filling machine (not shown) retrieves hollow bodies 2 for the production of filled packages 1 in accordance with the present invention. It is also understood that hollow bodies stacked in this way can be transported from manufacturers to users in a very space-saving manner.

The opening member 3 arranged in or in connection with the first end 6 of the hollow body 2 can be formed in connection with the thermoforming of the hollow body 2 or in a subsequent operation.

In Figs. 3a-3b, to which reference is now made, the method of filling the hollow body 2 described with reference to Fig. 1 is illustrated.

The hollow body 2 is hereby oriented so that its open second end 7 is turned upwards, after which filling is permitted by means of a filling member 24 via said open second end 7.

The hollow body 2 is preferably filled with a liquid food content. In the case of liquid foodstuffs, liquid products such as milk which are viscous are also referred to as H wafer 9 over the open second end 7 of the hollow body 2 to form the package 1 shown in Fig. 1.

Hereinafter, a second and a third embodiment of the present invention will be described, which embodiments are particularly preferred.

In Figs. 4a-4c, to which reference will now be made, the method of applying a closing member 4 over the open second end 7 of a hollow body 2 filled with a content is formed to form a preferred second embodiment of a package 1 according to the invention. 4 is formed in accordance with the embodiment shown by a circular wafer 9 having a peripheral flange 10, which is complementary formed to a flange 8 enclosing the open other end 7 of the hollow body 2. In Fig. 4b the wafer 9 has been applied over said open the other end 7 so that the flange 10 of the wafer 9 is brought into abutment against and then adheres to the flange 10 of the hollow body 2.

Fig. 4c illustrates the finished package 1.

In its upright condition, the one that appears is so oriented that the first end 6 of the hollow body 2 is turned upwards. The wafer 9 applied over the other end 7 of the hollow body 2 thus forms a bottom 12 of the package 1.

It can also be seen from Fig. 4c that this embodiment of the package 1 comprises an opening member 3 arranged in connection with the first end 6 of the hollow body 2 in the form of a tearable flap 25.

The flap 25 is partially delimited by a tear guide 26 and comprises a gripper 27. To open the package 1, a user grips the gripper 27 and tears open the flap 25 along said tear guide 26.

In Figs. 5a-b, to which reference is now also made, a method which can be provided is illustrated, has a recess 28 accommodated in a wall portion. from the cavity 20 facing the side 23 of the hollow body material 16, which is indicated by arrows P1, whereby said gripper 27 is formed on the outer surface of the hollow body 2.

In a subsequent operation, a tear guide member 29 is inserted into the heel body 2 present in the cavity 20. of the heel body 2, which portion comprises said gripper 27 and thus forms the tearable tab 25. The tear guide means 29 supports for this purpose a heating device 30 with a shape corresponding to the extent of the tear guide 26. The heater 30 of the tear guide means 29 is brought into abutment against the heel body 2, the heater 30 causing a material embrittlement in the distance along which it makes contact with the heel body 2. This distance thus corresponds to the tear instruction 26 mentioned. The material embrittlement in combination with the gripper 27 of the flap 25 allows easy opening of the package 1.

Figs. 6a-c further illustrate a preferred third embodiment of the package 1 according to the invention. More specifically, the method for applying a closing member 4 over the open second end 7 of a hollow body 2 filled with a contents to According to the embodiment shown, the closing means 4 consists of a wafer 9 with a peripheral flange 10, which is complementary to a flange 8 which encloses the open other end 7 of the hollow body 2. In Fig. 4b the wafer 9 has been applied over said open second end 7 so that the flange 10 of the wafer 9 is brought into abutment against and thereafter adhesion to the flange 8 of the heel body 2.

The wafer 9 has been given such a shape that it forms a bottom 12 of the champagne bottle type in the finished package 1. More specifically, the wafer 9 has a central elevation 31 which extends towards the chamber 11 of the package 1. This makes it possible to accommodate a carbonated content, such as beer, soft drinks or carbonated water, in the package 1 without that it is deformed as a result of the overpressure prevailing inside the package 1. Of course, the rotationally symmetrical shape of the heel body 2 also contributes to counteracting deformation of the filled package 1.

Fig. 6c illustrates the finished package 1, and as can be seen therefrom, the package 1 comprises an opening member 3 arranged in the first end 6 of the heel body 2, including a screw cap arrangement 32. Thereby a resealable package 1 is provided which can accommodate a carbonated content. It is of course also possible to provide the package 1 described with reference to Figs. 4a-4c with a corresponding screw cap arrangement.

In Fig. 7, the said screw cap arrangement 32 can be arranged on the packaging to which reference is now also made, how the ring 1 is illustrated.

The cavity 20 of the mold member 18 has a heel 33 received in a wall portion. More specifically, the heel 33 is located at a position corresponding to the center of the heel body 2 at said first end 6. An internally threaded screw cap 34 is arranged in the hole 33. In connection with the thermoforming of the hollow body 2, an overpressure is applied to the side 23 of the web-shaped hollow body material 16 facing away from the cavity 20, externally threaded projection 35 is thermoformed in the heel body 2 which is indicated by arrows P2, acting as a form.

The screw cap 34 may in this case comprise cutting devices (not shown), which act to open the end of said projection 35 facing the screw cap 34 in connection with unscrewing of the cap 34. Alternatively, said end of the projection 35 can be opened in a thermoforming of the heel body 2 following Operation. It is also possible to arrange a mandrel-like member on the outside of the screw cap facing away from the package. To open the projection 35, the screw cap is then unscrewed, after which it is turned for mounting of said mandrel-like member against the closed end of the projection 35. Said mandrel-like member can in this case be enclosed by an internally threaded sleeve. , the projection being opened by screwing on said sleeve.

In Fig. 8, fourth embodiment of a package according to the invention to which reference is now made, a 1. The package 1, like that described with reference to Figs. 6a-c, is intended for a carbonated content, so that the closing member 4 in the form of a wafer 9 has a central elevation 31 extending towards the chamber 11 of the package 1 to form a bottom 12 of the champagne bottle type. In accordance with this embodiment, the wafer 9 has an upwardly angled peripheral flange 37, which is complementary to an inner edge portion 38 of the hollow body 2. The flange 37 abuts and is adhered, for example by a heat sealing method, to said edge portion 38. As a result, an extremely strong connection is obtained between the wafer 9 and the heel body 2 which can advantageously withstand an overpressure prevailing in the chamber 11 of the package 1.

The wafer 9 which forms a bottom 12 of the champagne bottle type can be designed so that it initially has an elevation directed from the chamber 11 of the package 1. In connection with the application of said wafer 9 to the hollow body 2, said elevation is pressed in so that it is made to extend in the opposite direction, whereby a clamping action is obtained which fixes the wafer 9 and facilitates the subsequent sealing operation.

The closing member 4 described with reference to the various embodiments in the form of a wafer 9 is produced in a suitable manner. In this case, it is of course especially possible to produce the wafer 9 described with reference to said third embodiment of the package 1 by a thermoforming method.

Said wafer 9 can of course also be produced by an injection molding method or by a punching operation.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention, a package 1 and a method of making the same are provided. The package 1 according to the invention comprises a hollow body 2 with a rotationally symmetrical shape about a longitudinal axis 5, an opening member 3 and a closing member 4. The hollow body 2 delimits together with the closing member 4 a chamber 11 for a liquid content. The opening member 3 is arranged at a closed first end 6 of the hollow body 2 and in its opened state forms a connection between the chamber 11 and the surroundings. The closing member 4 is applied over an open second end 7 opposite to the first end 6 and forms, in its condition applied to the hollow body 2, a bottom 12 of the package 1 according to the invention.

Due to the advantageously rotationally symmetrical design of the package 1, the mantle surface of the hollow body 2 is easy to provide with a decorative print, which is indicated at 36 in Figs. 4c and 6c.

Furthermore, the rounded shape of the package 1 means that the material consumption required for delimiting a certain volume can be reduced.

The rounded shape further ensures that the wall thickness of the hollow body 2 can be minimized without risk of deformation of the package 1 filled with a content.

In this case, the fact that the hollow body is formed by thermoforming means that extremely thin wall thicknesses can be achieved. The wall thickness is preferably in the range of 50-300 μm.

The package 1 according to the invention is thus easy to provide with a print 36 and can at the same time be produced with a minimized material consumption. This summary means that an aesthetically pleasing package 1 can be produced at an extremely low cost. 10 l5 519 704 l5 Furthermore, filling of the package 1 with a carbonated content is also permitted. In this case, however, it is required that the hollow body 2 is sealed by means of a specially designed wafer 9 to form a champagne bottle type bottom.

Finally, an environmentally friendly package is obtained which is suitable for recycling in case both the hollow body 2 and the closing member are made from a material comprising a filler of mineral material, preferably chalk, and a binder of polyolefin material.

The raw material price for such a mineral-filled polyolefin material is also relatively low, which further promotes the production of a cheap package.

It will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments. Several modifications and variations are possible, which is why the present invention is defined exclusively by the appended claims.

Claims (20)

lO 15 20 25 30 35 519 704 l6 PATENT REQUIREMENTS Packaging, comprising a thermoformed hollow body (2) extending along a longitudinal axis (5) and from a sheet or web-shaped hollow body material (16), a closing member (4) (3), (2) together with the closing member (4) and an opening means which hollow body defines a chamber (11) which can be connected to the environment by opening said opening means (3), the hollow body (2) having a substantially cylindrical or frustoconical shape and having a closed first end (6). ) and an opposite open second end (7), characterized in that said opening means (3) is arranged in or adjacent to the first end (6) of the hollow body (2) and that said closing means (4) covers the hollow body (2) second end (7) and thereby forms a bottom (12) of the package. A package according to claim 1, wherein said hollow body (2) has a substantially circular cross-section perpendicular to said longitudinal axis (5). A package according to claim 1, in which said hollow body (2) has a substantially elliptical cross-section perpendicular to said longitudinal axis (5). A package according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said hollow body (2) substantially has the shape of a truncated cone, its narrower end forming the first end (6) of the hollow body (2). A package according to claim 4, wherein said first end (6) has a substantially hemispherical shape. A package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said hollow body (2) is made from a material with at least one backing layer comprising a filler of mineral material and a binder of polyolefin material. A package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said closure means (4) forms a wafer (9) formed from a sheet or web-shaped wafer material. A package according to claim 7, wherein said wafer (9) has a central elevation (31) directed towards said chamber (11) to provide a champagne bottle type bottom (12). A package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said closure means (4) is made from a material with at least one backing layer comprising a filler of mineral material and a binder of polyolefin material. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, in which a flange (8) encloses the other end (7) of the hollow body (2), to which flange (8) the closing member (4) is connected. A package according to claim 10, wherein said closing means (4) has a flange (10) peripheral to the flange (8) of the hollow body (2). complementary and related A package according to any one of claims 1-9, in which said hollow body (2) has an inner edge portion (38) and in which said closing means (4) has an edge portion (38) complementary to said edge portion (38) and connected thereto peripheral flange (37). at which said (11) directed center A package according to claim 12, a wafer (9) having a trale elevation (31) facing said chamber to provide a champagne bottle type bottom (12). Packaging according to any one of the preceding claims, in which said opening means (3) is resealable. A package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said opening means (3) comprises a tear-off flap (25). A package according to claim 15, wherein said flap (25) is completely or partially delimited by a tear instruction (26), along which the material contained therein has been heat treated to provide a material advance. - ning. A package according to any one of claims 1-14, wherein the opening means (3) comprises a screw cap arc (32). Method for producing a package (1) filled with a content arrangement, comprising forming from a sheet or web-shaped hollow body material (16) with at least one backing layer comprising a filler of mineral material and a binder of polyolefin material thermoformed along a longitudinal axis (5). elongate hollow body (2) having a substantially cylindrical or elliptical shape and having a closed first end (6) and an opposite open second end (7), characterized by the steps of arranging an opening member (3) of the hollow body (2) in or adjacent to its first end (6), to apply a content to the heel body (2) via the second end (7) thereof and to apply a wafer (9) over the second end (7) of the heel body (2) to enclose the contents of a chamber (11) delimited by (2) and wafer (9), a bottom (12) forms said hollow body, said wafer (9) of the package (1). A method according to claim 18, wherein the step of arranging said opening means (3) is performed integrally with the step of thermoforming said hollow body (2). A method according to claim 19, wherein said hollow body (2) is thermoformed in a mold member (18) which in a wall portion carries a screw cap (34) with an internal thread, whereby an externally threaded and engaging projection with the internal thread of the screw cap (34) (35) of said screw cap arrangement (32) is thermoformed in said screw cap (34) in connection with the step of thermoforming said hollow body (2).