AU3159095A

AU3159095A - Tube with a folded end closure

Info

Publication number: AU3159095A
Application number: AU31590/95A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Miroslav Rojnik
Original assignee: Candyplast SA
Current assignee: Candyplast SA
Priority date: 1995-07-27
Filing date: 1995-07-27
Publication date: 1997-02-26
Also published as: ES2112079T3; KR19990028996A; WO1997005032A1; EP0743258A2; IL118954A0; GR3026311T3; EP0743258B1; JP2000501680A; DE69600116T2; EP0743258A3; ATE160991T1; ZA966341B; DE69600116D1; CA2227962A1; DK0743258T3

Abstract

The semi-rigid transparent or translucent plastics packaging tube (1) has one previously flattened end (11) sealed by two consecutive folds (13,14). The other tube end (10) is sealed by a base (5) in the shape of a disc glued or crimped onto the tube. The flattened end which is sealed by two folds has a band or label stuck on its two surfaces. The flattened end also has a cut out forming a slot allowing the tube to be suspended. The label is provided with perforations facilitating its tearing.

Description

1 * Office Van Malderen - 24 December 1997 (OVM) P.CAND.01/WO(eng) PACKAGING TUBE 5 Traduction publication PCT TUBE WITH A FOLDED END CLOSURE Subject matter of the invention 10 This invention relates to tubes, preferably transparent or translucent, intended particularly for packaging bulk products. As examples of bulk products, confectionery products like sweets, spices, hardware products like nails and screws, may be listed. 15 This invention extends to an installation and a process for shaping such tubes in a widely automated way, and possibly for line packaging of bulk products in order to obtain packaged products ready for sale. 20 Technological background at the basis of the invention Packaging with a view to the sale of different products means some specific requirements especially resulting from modern sales techniques meaning the use of "display" type stands. 25 In addition to the need to use fast and widely automated packaging techniques, neat packaging presentation must be achieved, preferably so that the product which it contains may be seen by transparency. To meet the requirements of distributors, the packaged product should 30 also be able to be easily arranged at retail outlets and be easily accessible to purchasers. For safety, hygiene and preservation reasons, it is also recommended that the 2 packaging be airtight and sealed, for example with a security strip which can be torn open, and that it be of adequate strength. Other conventional constraints such as production 5 price, compliance with packaging regulations, particularly packaging of foodstuffs and specifically packaging of products intended for children etc., are added to the requirements which there is need to meet. 10 Prior art at the basis of the invention Clearly numerous types of packaging have already been proposed, particularly those made of rigid or semi-rigid plastic. Transparent semi-rigid PET or PVC tubes, which are 15 sealed at both ends by caps generally coming in the form of cups, are known already. Such machines which are used to produce and seal tubes automatically and for the packaging of the products, if need be, are intricate. Moreover, tubes produced in this way are in 20 particular not suitable for sales displays suspended in "display" type stands. Ob-jects of the invention The invention is mainly directed at complying with 25 the requirements described in the technological background mentioned above and avoiding the drawbacks of the aforementioned state of the art solutions. It is particularly directed at providing packaging which is easy to shape, to fill with the product to be 30 packaged and to be sealed, which product presents itself in a form easy to be suspended. It is also aimed at realising an installation and a process enabling this type of packaging 3 to be easily formed and making it possible to incorporate in the installation the filling of the product to be packaged. Characteristic elements of the invention 5 The packaging tube in accordance with the invention is preferably transparent or translucent and made of rigid or semi-rigid plastic material. This tube is characterized in that at least one end of the tube is sealed by at least two permanent consecutive 10 folds in opposite directions, applied to this previously flattened end. The tube is preferably sealed in the conventional way at the other end by a lid, which is preferably in the form of a cup which is glued, crimped or fixed in another way 15 in or on the tube. It is also possible, if the two ends are each required to be sealed in the way characterized by the invention, to foresee two consecutive permanent folds in opposite directions, applied to the two ends also previously 20 flattened. To seal hermetically the end(s) closed with at least two permanent folds, at least one label is usefully fixed at this (these) end(s), preferably on the two faces of the end, after the folds have been flattened and compressed. 25 One of the flattened ends is preferably provided with a cut making an opening enabling the tube to be suspended, for example in a sales display unit. This cut is preferably made after the sealing label has been fixed. In order to make it easier for the purchaser to 30 open the tube, the label can be perforated making it easier to tear it at the height of the underlying folds of the flattened end of the tube.

4 Other characteristic parts and advantages of the invention, both relating to the actual packaging tube and relating to the installation and process for forming it, shall appear by reading the description which follows, the 5 drawings attached to this application and particularly in the claims. Brief description of the drawings Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a tube, one end of 10 which is sealed in the conventional way with a lid glued or crimped and for which the other end is made in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a front view corresponding to Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a sectional view of the tube according to 15 Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 shows an enlarged view of the end of the tube before it is folded ; Figure 5 shows the same end of the tube as Figure 4 in the flattened state after folding, the tube provided 20 with a sealing label affixed after flattening the said folds; Figure 6 is the diagram of the installation, illustrating the process of the invention, which is appropriate for forming tubes in accordance with the 25 invention, the packaging of bulk products to be packaged and the final forming operations including labelling and cutting the opening. Identical reference marks are used in the different figures for identical or similar parts. 30 The invention shall be described in more detail by reference to the drawings attached by way of illustration, without being limiting, of a preferred form of execution of 5 the invention for a tube, and of an installation for forming of a tube and packaging of a product. Description of a preferred embodiment of the invention 5 The transparent packaging tube 1 consists of a body of generally cylindrical shape 3, sealed at its bottom end by a circular lid 5 which can for example be glued and/or crimped in or on the circular body 3. The tube 1 is filled up to a suitable level with 10 a bulk product such as sweets (not shown), by leaving however a free space on top, allowing to seal the end opposite that provided with the lid 5, as will be described below. This sealing is carried out as follows : The end of the tube 1 is flattened by crushing. The 15 end 11 which is flattened in this way, as shown in Figure 2 is in the front view of a width greater than the diameter of the rest of the body 3 because of the deformation undergone. On this flattened end 11, two consecutive permanent folds in opposite directions 13 and 14 are made, i.e. zigzag. 20 This folding is a heat folding, i.e. the application of pressure combined with the application of heat, so that each fold is permanent, i.e. that a fold is formed which, without making the opposite faces of the flattened end of the tube stick together, is such that the 25 user can open the packaging by pressing with his fingers for example the end opposite the bottom end in the direction of the arrows 4 (Figure 2), to restore to this end its original tubular shape. When however the pressure is slackened, because of 30 the rigid or semi-rigid character of the type of plastic material used, the folds take up their zigzag position and allow the packaging to be closed.

6 The plastic material, i.e. a synthetic resin is rigid or semi-rigid but also thermoplastic and can be deformed under heat and under pressure retaining, after cooling in the absence of the aforesaid opening pressure, the 5 form in which it was heat formed. PET and PVC are base materials suitable for making tubes in accordance with the present invention. These materials are used in a suitable form with the usual additives and admixtures (plasticizers, stabilizers, etc.) and are formed into tube shape in 10 accordance with well known conventional techniques with appropriate dimensions and wall thicknesses. The term rigid or semi-rigid is to be understood as meaning that the material takes up the form in which it has been heat formed and does not therefore apply to a supple or plastified sheet 15 which does not have this property. It is advisable to note that it is also possible to carry out filling after heat forming, by opening the flattened end provided with at least two folds, but that this technique is better suited to filling prepared tubes by hand 20 than for integration in a continuous line packaging installation. This type of tube is already sufficient to ensure good airtight properties and tests were conducted which show that it remains airtight up to pressures of 3.2 bars. 25 In accordance with a preferred form of execution of the invention however, an adhesive label 19 is applied to the flattened end 11 provided with folds 13 and 14, by covering preferably the two faces of the flattened end of the tube with a continuous strip and keeping the folds flattened. 30 A hole 20 can be provided to allow the tube 1 to be suspended in a display stand. To facilitate opening the tube by pulling the strip 7 covering the said end usefully provided with perforations 23 on the front face (shown as a broken line) and 24 on the rear face (shown as a dotted line), preferably to the height of the folds 13 and 14 which this strip covers so as to allow 5 easy tearing of it. A suitable packaging installation and the process carried out will be described by referring to Figure 6. At the first station 51, tubes, provided with a lid on their base and open at the top part, are filled with the 10 products to be packaged by leaving enough space at the top for the following operations. At station 53, forming is done (the tube being shown on the diagram in front view and in section) by flattening first the upper end of the tube and then making 15 two zigzag folds. To make this deformation permanent, hot flattening is done at station 55. At station 57, labelling of the "overlap" obtained by the two permanent folds is done by affixing a label which is preferably perforated in coincidence with, i.e. by 20 covering the perforated areas with the permanent folds. This label usefully bears a bar code. Stage 59 consists of visual checking of the legibility of the bar code with disposal, if need be, of nonconforming products. 25 At station 61, an opening is cut through the upper part of the tube and through the label, in order to allow the packaged product to be suspended on a rod in a display stand. Station 63 enables the possible presence of metal to be checked, and in the event of a positive response, leads 30 to removal of the product from the line. Station 65 enables the different products to be collected together, and exterior packaging or packing in 8 trays or in cartons to be effected. It should be clearly understood that this makes up an implementation diagram in accordance with the invention, and that other embodiments are possible, and in particular 5 the insertion in the line of other stations enabling for example other technical operations like appending of an additional label bearing the trademark and a description of the contents to be carried out. Stations 53, 55 and 57 can in particular be 10 changed, in order to obtain for example pre-folding by means of a folding tool which already hot presses the product to give it a stepped form, this station being followed by a transfer to the next station in the course of which folding becomes more refined by means of polished stainless steel 15 guides until at the next station an almost final double zigzag fold is obtained, after which, through final flattening of these folds, a flat product ready to be labelled is obtained. With reference to the labelling operation, 20 different operating techniques can be considered. Placing the label can especially be done as follows : the label is taken by vacuum at the printer outlet. It is then taken between two brushes, then placed in contact with the folded tube. Thereafter, the two brushes move back to form a "U" with the 25 label, then they pull it back to the rear of the product. The label is again pressed to round off its design. With reference to the cutting of the opening provided at station 61, it is possible to resort to a double stamping tool, enabling an elliptical cut to be made at the 30 top end of the tube as well as that one of the "Euro - hole" 20 for shelf fixing. Various techniques can be considered for removing 9 the finished product; blowing can be especially provided through the bottom of the product so as to eject it directly into a shipping carton. At this level it is also possible to provide additional stations, such as a belt conveyor at the 5 machine outlet, to receive removed products. Product sorting stations for bad "code bar" printing are also conceivable at levels different from the one shown. Detection of metal particles by means of a highly 10 sensitive tunnel type metal sensor fitted on a belt conveyor is generally adopted. It is also possible to foresee the presence of an operator at the product acceptance station, who accepts the products at the end of the conveyor, puts them on trays, in 15 cartons or directly on the display stand. It is understood that conventional indexing techniques can be resorted to in order to provide from station to station automated production and integration in the line of tube forming and filling. 20 Production rates of the order of 720 packaged products per hour can easily be achieved. For example the arrangement can be considered for PVC tubes varying from 34 to 70 mm diameter by changing the outfit, these sets of tools being adapted to receive open 25 tubes from 210 to 410 mm long, which corresponds to approximately 180 to 380 mm long in closed condition. All products not likely to damage the tube used can be prepared in this way. The technique however can be particularly recommended for foodstuffs (sweets, spices etc.) 30 due to the airtight properties of the sealing of the invention. Although preferred forms of execution of the 10 invention have been described, it should be well understood that numerous operating embodiments both at tube production and forming installation level, of the packaging described, can be produced within the context of the invention. As was 5 mentioned previously, the two ends of the tube can be provided with sealing in accordance with the technique of the invention (permanent zigzag folds). In particular the invention is not limited to special dimensions or specific forms of execution of the 10 installation described.

Claims

1. Rigid or semi-rigid packaging tube, preferably transparent or translucent, made of a plastic material, 5 characterized in that at least one end (11) of the said tube (1) is sealed by at least two consecutive permanent folds (13, 14) in the opposite direction, applied to this end (11) which has been previously flattened.

2. Packaging tube in accordance with claim 1, 10 characterized in that the other end (10) of the said tube (1) is sealed by a lid (5) which is preferably in the form of a cup and which is glued, crimped or fixed in another way in or on the tube.

3. Packaging tube in accordance with claim 1, 15 characterized in that the two ends (10, 11) of the said tube (1) are each sealed by at least two consecutive permanent folds (13, 14) in the opposite direction, applied to the end (10, 11) which has been previously flattened.

4. Packaging tube in accordance with any of the 20 previous claims, characterized in that the flattened end (11) sealed by at least two permanent folds is provided with at least one label (2) applied on this end (11), preferably on the two faces of the end (11), after having compressed the two folds (13, 14). 25

5. Packaging tube in accordance with any of the previous claims, characterized in that the flattened end (11) is provided with a cut (20) making a hole enabling the tube to be suspended.

6. Packaging tube in accordance with claim 4 or 5, 30 characterized in that the label is provided with perforations (23, 24) making it easy to tear it at the folds (13, 14) 12 underlying the flattened end (11) of the tube (1).

7. Installation for integrated forming of packaging tubes in accordance with any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises a forming station (53) 5 where one end of the tube (1) is flattened by making at least two zigzag folds (13, 14) and a station (55) where this deformation is made permanent by hot flattening.

8. Installation in accordance with claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a station (57) in which 10 labelling is carried out by affixing at least one label (2) which is preferably perforated, in coincidence with, i.e. by covering perforated areas (23, 24) with the permanent folds (13, 14).

9. Installation in accordance with claim 7 or 8, 15 characterized in that it comprises a station (61) in which a hole is cut through the flattened part of the tube and possibly the label, to enable the packaged product to be suspended on a display stand rod.

10. Installation in accordance with any of claims 20 7 to 9, characterized in that it comprises a station (51) for filling the tube before it is formed.

11. Installation in accordance with any of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that it comprises one or more control stations (59, 63). 25

12. Integrated process for forming packaging tubes in accordance with any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that one end of the tube (1) is flattened by making at least two zigzag folds (13, 14) and that this deformation is made permanent by hot flattening. 30

13. Process in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that after the said hot flattening, filling 13 of the product to be packaged is carried out and labelling by affixing at least one label (19), which is preferably perforated, in coincidence with, i.e. by covering the perforated areas (23, 24) with the permanent folds (13, 14). 5

14. Process in accordance with claim 12 or 13, characterized in that a hole (20) is cut through the flattened part of the tube and possibly the label, to enable the packaged product to be suspended on a display stand rod. 10