CA2072683A1

CA2072683A1 - Squeeze pack with internal support

Info

Publication number: CA2072683A1
Application number: CA 2072683
Authority: CA
Inventors: Joachim Boll; Axel Wagner; Donald Workum
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Kautex Werk Reinold Hagen; Albea UK Ltd
Priority date: 1991-06-27
Filing date: 1992-06-29
Publication date: 1992-12-28
Also published as: DE4121179A1; EP0520491A1

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A squeeze pack comprising an elastically deformable external container and an internal container disposed therein for accommodating the filling material. The internal container is internally supported in its region towards the delivery opening thereof by the support limbs of a support means which is elastically deformable in such a way that it can be introduced with the internal container in a compressed condition into the external container through the neck opening of the external container, although the cross-sectional dimensions of the neck opening of the external container are smaller than the cross-sectional dimensions of the support means in the rest condition of the latter.

Description

2072~83 ~ACKGR0UND OF qlE INVENTION
In one form of squeeze pack for containing material to be discharged therefrom by squeeæing the pack, with a delivery opening for discharge of the material, a plastically deformable internal container for receiving the filling material is disposed within an external elastically deformable container. The pack also includes a closure arrangement with a delivery valve for discharge o the filling material, that valve being operable at least substantially to prevent the equalisation of pressure between the internal container and the external atmosphere by virtue of the ingress of air into the internal container, after discharge of filling material, while the internal container is adapted to be defonmable under the effect of the pressure difference between atmospheric pressure and the pressure in the space defined between the internal and external containers. The pac~ further includes a venting valve operatively disposed between the space between the external and internal containers, and the external atmosphere, for communicating that space with the atmosphere.
In a pack of that kind, which is to be found for example in EP-Bl-0 190 169, which is generally used for viscous filling materials such as toothpaste, difficulties are frequently encountered in completely emptying the internal container of the material accommcdated therein.
Such difficulties are to be attributed to the fact that the air which is compressed in the intermediate space between the external and internal containers, when the external container is manually compressed by a squeeze force applied thereto, may under some circumstances compress the internal flexible bag-like container in euch a way that regions thereof which still contain filling material are cut off from the delivery opening, by virtue of the internal container being tightly constricted between the delivery opening and areas of the internal container which still contain material to be discharged therefrom. A major reason for that phencmenon is that it is not always possible to ensure that the internal container is unifonmly compressed under the effect of the air which is compressed in the intenmediate space between the internal and external containers, especially as the way in which the ~hape of the internal container changes under the effect of the increased pressure applied to the S outside thereof may also depend on the position which the pack assumes during discharge of material therefrom, by virtue of the external container being squeezed. That also applies moreover when, as will generally be the case when the internal container is still completely or almost completely full, the manually applied pressure on the external container acts directly on the internal container.
In an endeavour to counteract that problem, the teaching of EP-A-0 305 003 provide~ that the internal container is fixed to the external container approximately in the mildle region of the axial extent of the internal container and at its upper end, around its periphery. l~ne result of that design configuration is that the portion of th~
internal container which is towards the delivery opening experiences no deformation, or only an i~material degree of deformation, under the effect of the increased pressure which occurs in the intenmediate space between the external and internal containers when the fonmer is squeezed. In contrast the increased pressure in the above-mentioned intenmediate space results in deformation of the portion of the internal container which is remote frcm the delivery opening, in the sense of producing a reduction in the volume enclosed by that portion of the internal container. As a result, firstly the filling material in that portion of the internal container is urged towards the delivery opening and a corresponding amount of material flows outwardly from the pack through the delivery opening thereof. Further discharge of material by suitable squeezing of the external container finally results in more or less total emptying of the easily defonmable portion of the internal container, which is remote fron the delivery opening, so that at that point the pack reaches an interim stage at which essentially only the portion of the internal container which is towards the delivery opening is still filled with the filling material of the pack. On the above-indicated assumption that the internal contaLner is joined substantially in the central region of its axial extent to the external container, at that stage in the process of emptying the pack the pack is still about half full.
Emptying of the portion of the internal container which is towards the delivery opening is effected by the portion of the internal container which is remote from the delivery opening being pressed into the other portion which is thus towards the delivery opening, being turned inside out as it does so, under the effect of the increased pressure pr~duced by squeezing of the pack, in the intermediate space between the internal and external containers. When that happens, the material contained in the portion of the internal container which is towards the delivery opening and which is fixed to the external container is displaced towards the delivery opening. In that way, it is possible to avoid deformation of the internal container which would be such as to result in parts of the filling material therein being cut off from acces~ to the delivery opening by virtue of the formation of pockets of material within the internal container, at any event when the free, easily deformable portion of the internal container is not of an excessi~e axial dimension.
H~wever, manufacture of the squeeze pack disclosed in EP-A-0 305 003 is to a certain extent complicated and thus expen ive by virtue of the internal container being fixed to the external container.
Furthermore, due to the fact that the internal container is also nounted to the external container at the end of the internal container which is towards the delivery opening, it is necessary for the valve by way of which the intenmediate space between the internal and external containers can be communicated with the external atmosphere to be disposed in the region of the pack which is remote from the delivery opening. That restricts the design options for a pack of that kind. All in all, handling of the internal container which 20726~3 predominantly consists of very thin foil material involves a certain degree of difficulty when attaching the internal container to the external container, especially as the external container cannot be made in one piece. That also applies in regard to the embodiment disclosed in EP-A-0 305 003 in which the bag-like internal container extends only approximately over half the axial length of the pack and, at its open end which is towards the delivery opening, is sealingly secured to the external container over its entire periphery in the middle region of the axial extent of the external container.
Furthermore, that pack is not very suitable for containing material which is such that the wall of the container for accommodating it must be imQerViOUs to given gaseous substances, for exa~ple oxygen. Squeeze packs of the kind which are being discussed herein generally comprise thermoplastic materials. The materials which are predominantly used for that purpose, for example polyolefins, do however ~uffer from the disadvantage that they are permeable in relation to certain substances. For that reason, the usual practice, if necessary, is for the walls of plastic containers to be of a multi-layer or laminate construction, at least one of the layers thereof perfonming the function of a barrier layer which is impermeable to the respective substances involved, that is to say possibly oxygen as already indicated above. Hollow bodies of thermoplastic material with a multi-layer or laminate wall of that kind are hDwever comparatively expensive. In the case of a squeeze pack which has an internal container therefore, the internal container will be provided with a barrier layer as air and thus oxygen also pass into the intermediate space between the external container and the internal container, for the purposes of emptying material frcm the internal container.
Furthermore the wall of the internal container is in any case nonmally markedly thinner than that of the external container.

2:072:~83 SUMMARY OF THE NNENT ON
An cbject of the present invention is to prDvide a squeeze pack which generally does not suffer from the above-indicated disadvantages of previous packs.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a squeeze pack which can be readily at least virtually totally emptied, irrespective of the position which it assumes during the discharge of material therefrom, while however avoiding complications in terms of manufacture and handling of the pack.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a squeeze pack which affords a wide range of design configuration options in regard to use properties thereof.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to prDvide a squeeze pack having an internal container and an external container, such that the external container can be made in one piece, even if the internal container in the full condition is of a cross-section which is larger than the opening of the external container.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a squeeze pack which is so designed as to permit the use of a~ ready existing, tried-and-tested container shapes for the production of squeeze packs, whereby it i5 possible for an internal eontainer to be disposed in packs of that type which thus perfonm the function of an external container for the internal container now inserted ~hereinto.
me foregoing and other objects are achieved by a squeeze pack in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
As will be seen hereinafter, in accordance with the present invention, the fact that the internal container, independently of t~e external container, in the region of its axial extent which is towards the delivery opening, is prevented from experiencing substantial deformation under the effect of the increased pressure which takec effect due to squeezing of the pack, in the intenmediate ~pace between 20726~3 the internal and external container , means that the pack af fords a greater degree of flexibility in terms of manufacture, handling, packaging and filling. The support means which is of an appr~xlmately cage-like or basket-like configuration substantially radially supports the portion of the internal container which is towards the delivery opening so that under ~le effect of a pressure difference between atmospheric pressure and the gas pressure in the intermediate space between the external and internal containers, that portion of the internal container is not subjected to any substantial defonmation which could result in a marked change in volume and in particular a reduction in the volume of that portion. A~mittedly, as the limb-like support elements of the support means are disposed at spacings from each other in the peripheral direction, the wall of the part of the internal container which is supported by the support means i~ not directly radially supported in the regions of the support means which lie between each two adjacent limb-like support elements thereof. That hcwever is largely immaterial as the only important consideration in this context is to prevent compression of that part of the internal container, which would otherwise result in a noticeable reduction in the ~olume thereof. Furthermore, the squeeze pack in accordance with the invention can be filled in the usual manner as the support means does not constitute any i~pediment in that respect. It is further also possible for the pack to be refilled after it has been emptied, so that the pack is readily re-usable.
In general, the support means will be suitably adapted to the contour of the external container in order in that way to ensure that the available volume therewithin is utilised to the best possible extent. In other words, for example when the pack is in the fonm of a bottle provided with a shoulder configuration adjoining its neck, the limb-like support elements may be of a shape which at least substantially corresponds to the configuration of the wall of the external container. That does not represent any particular problem as the support mea~s can also be made in one piece from thenmoplastic material, for example by an injection molding procedure. That also applies when the support means includes a holding means for supporting the limb-like support elements, at the end of the support means which is towards the delivery opening for discharge of the material from the pack, the holding means generally being of a collar-like or annular configuration so that the bag-like internal container can be sealingly connected to the holding means, for example by welding or adhesive, at the end of the internal container which is towards the delivery opening. In general therefore the holding means has an opening through which the material in the internal container can be discharged therefrom.
In a preferred feature of the invention the annular holding means for the limb-like support elements is fitted into the external container in the region of the open mg thereof. To provide a positive connection between ~he external container and the holding means, the holding means may preferably be provided at its free end with a peripherally extending flange whose outside diameter is somewhat greater than the inside diameter of the opening of the external container so that the flange bears against the end face of the edge defining the opening of the external container. The holding means or more specifically the peripherally extending flange thereof can the~
be held in the desired position on the pack by a closure member such as a cap arrangement which is usually fitted to such a pack.
The venting valve for venting the intenmediate space between the internal and external containers may be disposed on the external container itself, for example at the bottom thereof. It is also possible however for the venting valve to be arranged in the closure arrangement, in a similar manner for example to the structure 30 disclosed in EP-Bl-0 190 169, as that means that manufacture of the external container is simplified. When the venting valve is disposed in that way in the closure arrangement, air passages may b~ pr~vided between the above-mention~d annular holding means and the external container, more especially a neck portion thereof, to provide a communication between the intenmediate space between the internal and external containers, and the venting valve disposed in the closure arrangement. Passages of that~ kind for providing a venting communication may generally be formed or molded in the course of manufacture of the external container and/or the support means or the hold mg means thereof, without a special separate working operation being required for that purpose.
In accordance with a further preferred feature of the invention, at least two of the limb-like support elements may be connected at their respective end which is remote from the holding means carrying same to a commnn support ring of elastically deformable material, the ring extending substantially nonmal to the longitudinal axis of the squeeze pack. The support ring which preferably also comprises plastic material is arranged approximately in the middle of the axlal extent of the internal oontainer, that is to say at the transition between the one part thereof which is ~upported by the above-mentioned support means, and the other part which is therefore not supported and which is easily plastically deformable under the effect of an inrreased pressure in the intermediate space between the internal and ~xternal containers, which thus causes displacement of the fillin~ material contained in the internal container. In general, in regar~ to functioning of the support means, it will be necessary for th2 support means to comprise at least first, second and third support ele~ents of a limb-like configuration. In that case, it i5 possible for the one or more limb-like support elenents greater than 2 not to be fixedly connected to the support ring in order thus to facilitate deformability thereof when the parts are assembled. In order however on the other hand to be able to fix the position of the individual 2~72683 parts of the support means at least within narrow limits, it will generally be desirable for the longitudinally extending limb like support elements which are not connected to the support rmg to be adapted to the support ring at their end portions which are theretcwards, in such a way that, when the internal container is disposed within the external oontainer, the support ring and the limb-like support elements which are not joined thereto are in positive or form-locking interengagement with each other, thereby to provide positional locating of the parts with respect to each other.
Furthenmore, it is advantageous ~or the internal container, at the side of it6 wall which cames into contact with the support ring, to be prw ided with at least one projection which is arranged on the side of the support ring which is remote from the delivery opening, the projection on the internal container engaging behind the support ring.
That configuration gives the advantage that it provides a certain degree of fonm-locking or positive interengagement between the actual internal container and the support means, thereby fixing the po~ition of the internal container relative to the support means. It is also possible for the internal container additionally or alternatively to be secured by welding or adhesive to one or more of the limb-like support elements or to the support ring. That also contributes to fixing the position of the internal container relative to the support means and thus also relative to the external container.
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a pack in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section through the pack but without a closure arrangement, Figure 3 is a perspective view of a support means, Figure 4 is a plan view of the support means shown in Figure 3, Figure S is a view in longitudinal section of an internal container which still contains the major part of the filling naterial therein, Figure 6 is a view in longitudinal section of the internal container illustrated in Figure 6, in the emptied condition, Figure 7 is a perspective view of an external container of the pack accordin~ to the invention, in an interim stage in insertion of the internal container with support means disposed therein, through the neck opening of the external container, into the latter, Figure 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the holding means for the internal container, Figure 9 is a side view of an internal container which comprises first and second foil blank portions, Figure 10 is a view in section taken along line X-X in Figure 9, Figure 11 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the support means, and Figure 12 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an internal container of a pack according to the invention.
DESCRIPTIoN OF PREFERRED EMsoDIMENTs __ _ Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, shown therein is a pack in the fonm of a squeeze bottle, comprising an internal container 10, an external container 12 and a closure arrangement 14 which can be screwed or fitted on to the neck 16 of the external container 12. m e external container 12 is made in one piece. me neck 16 thereof and the opening 18 defined by the neck are each of a respective diameter which is markedly smaller than the diameter of the actual body portion as indicated at 2G of the external container 12. The external container 12 and the internal container 10 and possibly also the closure arrangement 14 are advantageously made from suitable plastic material. The external container 12 is substantially dimensionally stable, that is to say, it is self-supporting, but it is eLa~tically deformable under the effect of manually applied forces acting thereon.
It may advantageously be made from a polyolefin, for example polyethylene, by a blow molding process, but other suitable materials can also be used for making it.
me internal container 10 pr~dominantly comprises a thin filn or foil so that it i8 of a flexible bag-like configuration, that is to say, it is not self-supporting, and is easily permanently deformable.
The internal conta mer 10 is also provided with a neck portion as indicated at 22, the outside diameter of which is adapted to that of the neck 16 of the external container 12.
So tnat, wnen the internal container 10 which accommcdates the filling material of the pack is being emptied, the internal container 10 can undergo a change in its shape such that parts thereof with filling mlterial contained therein are not cut off from access to the delivery opening for discharge of the filling material from the pack, which could be caused for example by collapse of the internal container 10 in a region adjacent its neck portion 22, the pack according to the invention further includes a support means or device as indicated at 24, which is di~posed within the internal container 10. In the embodiment illustrated for example in Figure 2, the support device 24 essentially comprises four limb-like support elem~nts 25, 26, 27 and 28, which can also be clearly seen from Figure 1, a subgtantially ring-like holding means or holding portion 30 and a support ring 32 disposed at the ends of the limb-like support elements 25 through 28, which are rete from the annular holding portion 30.
In this embodiment the internal container 10 is fixedly and sealingly connected, for example by adhesive or welding, by means of its neck region 22 to an extension portion 54 of the annular holding portion 30, as can be particularly clearly seen from Figure 2, so that the annular holding portion 30 in this embodiment represents part or an exten~ion portion of the internal container 10. m e annular holding portion 30 which thus defines a discharge opening 39 for discharge of the material from the internal container 10 is of such a dimension and configuration that it can be suitably fitted into the neck region 16 of the external container 12. For the purposes of producing a form-S locking or positive connection between the holding portion 30 and theremainder of the pack, the holding portion 30 is provided at its free end, which is the upper end m Figure 2, with a peripherally extending, radially outwardly directed flange 34 which, in the assembled condition of the parts, extends over and bears against the end face 36 of the neck region 16 of the external container 12. The limb-like support elements 25 through 28, in regard to their configuration between the holding portion 30 to which they are integrally connected and the support ring 32, are adapted at least substantially to the contour of the inside of the external container 12. The dimensions and shape of the support ring 32 approximately correspond to those of the internal container 10 and possibly approxlmately those of the internal contour of the external container 12. Since, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the limb-like support elements 25 through 28 and the support ring 32 at the end~ thereof must be defonmable, that i~ to say compressible, m such a way that their total cross-section is no greater than the cross-sectional area of the opening 18 defined by the neck region 16 of the external oontainer 12, in the illustrated embodiment only two of the total of four limb-like support elements, namely the support elements indicated at 25 and 26, are fixedly connected to the support ring 32. In contrast, the other two support ele~ents 27 and 28 are not connected to the support ring 32 so that, when the support elements 25 thrDugh 28 are radially inwardly compressed for the purposes of inserting the support device 24 into the external container 12, the support ring 32 can more easily experience defonmation towards a collapsed condition.

It will be noted at this stage that the two support elements 27 and 28 which may be subjected to an outwardly directed prestressing force are adapted adjacent their free ends, ~hich are the downward ends for exd,~le in Figure 2, to the annular support ring 32, so that in the assembled condition of the arrangement the support ring 32 and the limb-like support ele~ents 27 and 28 which are not fixedly connected thereto are in a condition of positive interengagement with each other, to provide for positional locating of the components relative to each other. Figures 3~and 4 show for example the limb-like support element 27 bearing aga mst the support ring 32, being the position which the support element 27 is caused to adopt by the internal container 10 or the external container 12 in the assembled condition. On the other hand the support element 28 is shown in an outwardly spread position, being the position which it will adopt in a non-loaded 6tate, for example after manufacture of the support device, before it is fitted into an internal oontainer of a pack according to the invention. The support element 28 is ur~ed towards the illustrated spread position by the above-mentioned prestressing for~e. In particular Figure 3 also shows the projections 37 and 38 which are disposed on the inwardly facing surfaces of the lower end portions of the limb-like support elements 27 and 28, which in the assembled condition engage somewhat over the support ring 32 in the manner shown for example in Figure 2.
The support device 24 is elastically defonmable and is also advantageously m~de in one piece from thermoplastic material, for example by an injection molding process. The wall thickness or gauge of the limb-like support elements 25 through 28 and the thickness of the sup~ort ring 32 are so selected that those components are fairly readily elastically deformable, for example under the effect of manual forces applied to the external container 12, but their elasticity, in the non-loaded condition thereof, is such as to cause them to return to the startin~ position which is the position shcwn for example in Figures 1 and 2.

The extent of the support device 24, as measured in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the internal container 10, is such that the support riny 32 which forms the end of the support device 24 remote from the annular holding portion 30 divides the internal container 10 into approximately two equal portions or regions as indicated at 40 and 42. The portion 40 of the internal container 10 is supported by the support device 24 in such a way that, apart fram when the pack is subjected to a manual squeezing force, the portion 40 of the internal container 10 retains its illustrated cross-sectional shape, whereas the portion 42 is permanently defonmed under the effect of external forces thereon.
Disposed at the bottom 44 of the external container 12 is a one-way valve 46 which only penmits air to flow from the outside into the intenmedlate sFace 48 defined between the external container 12 and the internal container 10. The closure arran~ement indicated at 14 in Figure 1 is provided with a delivery opening (not referenced) which is closable by means of a delivery valve S0. The valve 50 opens under the effect of an increased pressure which obtains in the internal container 10 and/or in the space 48. The valve 50 closes autom2tically as soon as a condition of pressure equilibrium obtains. A suitable valve design for constituting the valve 50 is disclosed in EP-Bl-0 190 169 to which reference is therefore hereby expressly directed for incorporation of the content thereof.
For the purposes of emptying the pack, the pack is manually squeezed together to a greater or lesser degree in the manner which is conventional in relation to squeeze bottles. In a first phase in the emptying procedure, that is to say when the internal container 10 is still completely or almost campletely full, under same circumstances the forces which are manually applied by squeezing of the external container 12 will also act directly on the internal container 10 so that the internal container 10 is also manually directly subjected to the squeezing force. Whether that occurs, and if so to what extent, 2072~8~

will also depend on the ratio of the volume of the external container 12, as considered in the non-loaded condition, relative to the volume of the filled internal conta mer 10, and thus the volume of the intermediate space 48 between the internal container 10 and the S external container 12. At any event, when the external container 12 is squeezed, due to the reduction in volume which occurs in the external container in that situation, the air in the intenmediate space 48 experiences an increase in pressure as the intermediate space 48 is air-tightly closed off relative to the external atmosphere and the valve 46 only opens when there is a reduced pressure in the intermediate space 4B, that is to say, the valve 46 only opens for a direction of flow from the external atmosphere into the intermediate space 48. The increase in pressure in the intenmediate space 48 acts on the internal container 10, so that the portion 42 thereof also experiences deformation such as to result in a reduction in the volume thereof.
As the external container 12 is elastically deformable, after the squeezing force ceases to be applied thereto, it returns to its original shape as ~hown in Figures 1, 2 and 7, which results in an increase in the ~olume thereof and thus the intermediate space 48, in comparison with the preceding condition of the pack in which the pack was compressed. That increase in the volume of the external oontainer 12 causes a drop Ln the pressure in the intermediate space 48, that pressure falling below atmospheric pressure if, during the preced mg operation of applying a squee~ing force to the pack, filling material had been discharged from the pack. The result of that reduced pressure in the intermediate space 48 is that the valve 46 opens and thus air flows into the space 48 until a condition of pressure equilibrium obtains between atmospheric pressure and the pressure m the intermediate space 48.
The forces resulting from the pressure difference between the internal container 10 on the one hand and the intermediate space 48 on :: .

~, .

2~72683 the other hand are relatively low, with the result that they only cause deformation of the portion 42, which is not supported on its inside, of the easily plastically deformable internal container 10, whereas the portion 40 e~periences no deformation or only a quite S immaterial degree of deformation, in the regions between the limb-like support elements 25 through 28, by virtue of the support effect afforded by the support device 24. Admittedly, depending on where the forces which cause the pack to be compressed are applied, it is possible for the support device 24 also to suffer from deformation during the application of the squeezing forces. As however the support device 24 is elastically deformable, when the squeezing forces are no longer applied, the support device 24 returns to its original shape, similarly to the way in which the external container 12 returns to its original shape when no longer squeezed, so that the support device 24 also returns the cross-section of the internal container 10 in the portion 40 thereof to the original dimensions, that is to say the dimensions of the non-deformed condition thereof.
The way in which the internal container 10 is progressively defonm~d during emptying of filling material from the pack according to the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6 which only show an internal container 10 with its support device 24.
Referring to Figure 5, shown therein is a condition of the internal container 10 in which a small amount of the filling material contained therein has already been discharged therefrom and consequently the portion 42 of the internal container 10, the contour of which in the fully filled condition is shown in dash-dotted lin~s, has already experienced a certain reduction in volume which thus resulted in filling material in the internal container being displaced into the portion 40 thereof and from there through the holding means 30 to the delivery valve 50. Figure 5 diagrammatically shows that, in that interim oondition, the portion 42 which is easily deformable because it is not supported on its inside is somewhat compressed 2072~83 ~`

axially and radially. Figure 5 also shows that, if in particular the axial extent of the easily defonmable portion 42 is of an appropriate dimension in relation to the cross-sectional dimension in the region of the support ring 32, there is no fear of the portion 42 of the internal container suffering from deformation in such a way that parts thereof are cut off and constricted so that some of the filling material is enclosed thereby in such a fashion that it can no longer be displaced towards the delivery opening of the pack. Another aspect which provides as~istance in that respect is that the support ring 32, after being deformed by the pack being manually squeezed, always springs back into its starting position and in so doing restores the cross-section of the internal container 10 to its normal dimension. At any event the reduction in volume of the portion 42 takes place in such a way that the filling material disposed therein is m~re or less completely displaced towards the portion 40.
After emptying of the portion 42 which is r~mote from the annular holding means 30 and which constitutes approximately half the volume of the internal container 10, when further filling material is discharged from the pack by applying a squeeze force to the pack, the portion 42 of the internal container 10 passes into the portion 40 thereof, which is towards the annular holding means 30, until, at the end of the emptying procedure, the components of the pack approximately assume the position shown in Figure 6. In other words, during emptying of the portion 40 of the internal container 10, which is supported by the support device 24 against noticeable deformation thereof only due to the air pressure in the intermediate space 48, the portion 42 of the internal container 10 passes into the region 40, acting as a kind of displacement member, thereby displacing the filling material in the portion 40 towards the delivery opening of the pack. In particular Figure 6 shows that the support ring 32 limits the extent to which the portion 42, by turning inside out, m~ves into the " 2~72~83 portion 40 and into the sup~ort device 24 disposed therein. In actual fact the support rlng 32 serves at any event in the last phase of the emptying procedure as a kind of support about which the wall of the portion 42 of the internal container 10 is folded into or swings into S the portion 40. Accordingly, the change in shape which the internal container 10 experiences in the course of the emptying procedure thus takes place in a controlled manner in such a way that the internal container cannot fonm any folds in which pockets of filling material could be cut off and enclosed. Figure 6 further shows that it i8 possible to achieve very substantial emptying of the pack. Any filling material which may possibly remain in the neck region of the pack is of the order of magnitude of the amounts which also inevitably remain in such a situation, in other packs. This factor also depends on the shape of the co-operating component~.
It will further be seen from the foregoing description of the emptying procedure that the support ring 32 generally divides the internal container 10 at approximately half way along the longitudinal extent thereof, disregarding the neck region, so that the support ring 32 is arranged at approximately the mid-height position of the internal container 10. The presence of the support ring 32 also affords the advantage that, after a squeezing operation, the return movement of the external container 12 back into its nonmal form due to the resilience thereof is assisted by the resilient return movement of the support ring 32 which thus takes place at the same time, at any event if the support ring 32 had also suffered defonmation in the preceding phase of operation in which the pack had been squeezed. That a8pect al~o contributes to the fitability of the external container so that the external container 12 can possibly be nade with a thinner wall than would otherwise be possible without the presence of the support ring. The way in which the parts are specifically arranged and assembled will depend on the respective factors involved.

2072S~3 The ab~ve-described pack according to the invention is desirably assembled in fiuch a way that firstly the support device 24 and the internal container 10 are fitted together. If the mternal container 10 comprises first and second foil blank portions as indicated at lOa and lOb in Figures 9 and 10 which are welded together by way of a welded seam as indicated at 70, the internal conta mer can be fitted to the support device 24 by the first and second foil portions lOa and lOb being laid around the annular holding neans 30, with their regions which form the neck portion 22, and welded to the annular holding means 30. At the same time, the welded seam 70 can be fonmed, to join the two ~oil portions lOa and lOb together to fonm the internal container 10. That then results in the unit consisting of internal container and support device shown in Figure 2 or Figures 5 and 6.
m e unit which is made in that way from tWD prefabricated camponents is then introduced into the external container 12 which has been produced for example in one piece by a blow molding procedure, through the opening 18 in the neck region 16 of the external oontainer 12. Fbr that purpose, as sh~wn in Figure 7, the unit consisting of the support device 24 and the internal container 10 is substantially radially compressed to such a degree that the limb-like support elements 25 through 28 and the support ring 32, by elastic deformation thereof, generally occupy a cross-sectonal area which is no greater than the cro~s-sectional area of the opening 18 in the neck portion 16 of the external container 12. That also inevitably results in corresponding compression of the internal container 10; if necessary, the interior of the internal container 10 may also be oommunicated with a reduced pressure source which by a suction effect additionally contracts the internal container and thus reduces its cross-section.
The reduced pressure may be applied to the interior of the internal container 10 for example by way of a tool which is fitted through the 2072~83 --opening 39 of the annular holding means 30 into the support device 24 and thus into the internal container 10. That tool can al~o be used at the same time to push the unit consisting of the support device 24 a~d the internal container 10 axially into the external container 12. A
tool may also be applied to the support device 24 from the exterior thereof, in the region of its limb-like support elements 25 through 28, in order suitably to compress the support device 24. Figure 7 illustrates an intenmediate stage in the operation of introducing into the external oontainer 12 the unit consisting of the support device 24 and the internal container 10. No problems are caused by compressing the limb-like support elements 25 through 28 into a cross-sectional area which is no greater than the opening 18 in the neck 16 of the external container 12, especially as the support ring 32 is fixedly connected only to tw~ out of the total of four limb-like support elements, namely the support elements 25 and 26, so that the support ring 32 which also comprises elastically deformable plastic material can be put without difficulty into the shape required for it to be introduced into the external container 12 through the narrower neck 16 thereof.
If the internal container for example in the e~bodiment shown in Figure 12 is firstly produced as such, for example in one piece, and thereafter assembled to the support device 24, the operation of intn3ducing the support device into the internal container may also be effected by a procedure wherein the support device 24 is firstly compressed and then inserted into the internal container 10, in the compressed condition, by passing it through the opening of the internal oontainer 10. mat therefore approximately involves a procedure which is similar to that involved with the construction shown in Figure 7.
Referring now to Figure 9, upon production of the internal container 10 consisting of the first and second foil portions shown at lOa and lOb in Figure 10, when the welded seam 70 extending 2072~83 thereanound is produced, the procedure is such that the wall of the internal container, in a region which in the assembled condition of the components is disposed at a small spacing from the end of the support device 24, which is remote from the annular holding means 30 thereof, is S provided with tw~ mutually oppositely disposed inwardly displaced portions 72 which accordingly fonm inwardly directed projections and which engage behind the support ring 32 in the manner clearly shown in Figures 2, 5 and 6. The projections 72 are intended to form a certain degree of positive interlocking between the internal container 10 and the support device 24 or ~ore specifically the support ring 32 thereof, thus to prevent the internal container from being displaced towards the annular holding means 30.
Referring now to Figure 12, in the embodiment illustrated therein in which components which are the same as in the other e~bodlments are identified by the same reference numerals but increased in each case by 100, the internal container 110 is provided on its inside with a bead or ridge 152 which extends peripherally therearound and which is mounted to the wall of the internal container 110 at first and second regions 174, for example by adheqive means. The f~ct that the ring configuration is fixed only at the two regions 174 is intended to facilitate defonmation thereof, which in this case also is required when the internal container is inserted into the external containar. The position of the ring configuration is so selected that it is disposed beneath the support device (not shown in Figure 12) when the pack is in an assembled condition. The ring configuration defLned by the bead or ridge 152 can perfonm the function of ensuring that, after the parts have been fitted together, the internal container 110 or the portion 142 thereof, which is rem~te from the annular holding means of the sup~ort device, cannot slide towards the annular holding means over the region in which the support davice tenminates. Nonmally, when filling the pack, if the internal container should assume an irregular shape when it is inserted into the external container, the internal container is put into the position and 2072683 ~

shape shown for example in Figure 12 by virtue of the filling material therein. However the ring 152 can serve as an additional means for ensuring that the external container and the internal container are also in t`ne desired relative positions from the outset, in the middle region of the pack. The ring 152 also contributes to holding the cross-section of the internal container open as the ring 152 will normally be elastically deformable. Dependin~ on the position of the ring 152 relative to the support device, it may also happen that the ring 152 serves as a support about which the lower portion 142 of the internal container 112 is swung into the upper portion 140, turning inside out as it does so, thereby maving into a configuration similar to that shown in Figure 6.
When the pack according to the invention includes the ring 152 indicated in Figure 12, the support ring 32 is then no longer necessary so that it is possible to use a support device 124 as illustrated in Figure 11 in which components which are the same as those in the other embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals but increased in each case by 100. In addition the support device 124 has only three limb-like support elements 125, 126, 127 which in the non-loaded condition are also spread somewhat outwardly and which are only pivoted slightly inwardly by the pressure of the wall of the internal contairler thereagainst, so that, in the assembled condition of the parts, the support elements bear with a certain degree of outwardly directed prestressing against the wall of the internal container and thus hold it taut. If, as m the embodiment shown in Figure 12, the internal container 110 were to be provided with a support ring 152, it would engage behind the free ends of the limb-like support elements 125 through 127 and would thus also provide a certain degree of positive interlocking between the internal container 110 and the support device 124.
The support device 124 shown in Figure 11, without a support ring, may however also be used when the internal container doe s not have any 20726~3 peripherally extending ring or other projections therein. In that case it would only be necessary for the internal container to be jo med to at least one of the limb-like support elements 125 through 127 thereof adjacent to the free end thereof as by adhesive means or welding. Th~t could be done in nznufacture for example of the bag-like container shown in Figures 9 and 10, simultaneously with the operation of fitting the first and second foil portionslOa and lOb around the support device 124 and when sealingly securing same to the annular extension portion 154 on the holding means 130.
It will be appreciated that it is also possible in the other embcdiments for the internal container to be attached to at least one of the limb-like support elements; in the case of the embodiment shown m Figures 1 through 6, that is advantageously effected by the internal container 10 being attached as by adhesive means or welding to at least one of the two limb-like support elements 25, 26 which are fiXPdly connected to the support ring 32. It is also possible however to choose the other two limb-like support elements 27 and 28 for that purpose, as indicated at 74 in Figures 5 and 6. In that respect it is sufficient for the one or more connections between the internal container and the respective support elem~nts to be of a small area. The connection or connections should hDwever be disposed adjacent the end of the limb-like support elements, which is remote from the holding means 30. If however the internal container has the inwardly disposed portions 72, there will be no need to provide an adhesive or welded connection between the internal container and at least. one of the support elements of the support device~
When the pack has a support device as indicated at 124 in Figure 11, deformation of the internal container in the course of emptying thereof takes place approximately in the same manner aq that already described above with reference to Figure 5. The only difference, if there is no ring as in the construction shown in Figure 12, is that the plane about which the portion 42 of the internal container iB swung into the interior of the portion 40 thereof is not so cl ly defined as when the pack includes a support ring 32 or a ring as indicated at 152 in Figure 12.
ffle ele~ents fonming the support device 24 or 124 may be of a relatively thin-wall configuration as they are only to be non-defonmable under the action of the small pressure difference in the intenmediate space 48 between the external container and the internal container, but in other respects, if they are defonr~ed for example by the effect of a manual force applied thereto, they must produce a resilient return force of sufficient magnitude. By virtue of being of a thin-wall construction, the support device 24 or 124 also dces not occupy a large volume within the pack so that the presence thereof does not result in a noticeable increase in the size of the squeeze pack. Furthenmore, as already mentioned, it is readily possible for the support device and in part$cular the limb-like support elements thereof to be suitably adapted to the contour of the pack without any need for additional expenditure or special steps for that purpose.
It will have been seen from the foregoing that a major advantage of a squeeze pack as described hereinbefore is that the support means or device, by virtue of its configuration as described above, can be radially compressed to such a degree that the transverse dimensions of the support ring and all limb-like support elements associated therewith, including the internal container, are overall no greater than the crQss-sectional area of the opening in the external container in the region of the smallest dlameter or cross-section thereof. In that ccmpressed condition the support means with the internal container carried thereby can be inserted into the external container through the opening thereof in that operation, the limb-like support elements and the support ring, by virtue of their elastic deformability, spring back into their nonmal position after passing through the opening in the external container, wi~h or without mechanical assistance, and in so 2072~83 doing simultaneously expand the internal container within the external container.
It will be appreciated that the invention is not restricted to the emkodiments described above and illustrated in the drawing. For example the support device may have more than four limb-like support elenents as indicated at 25 through 28. The only provision in that respect is that it i5 possible for the suppor~ device generally to be resiliently compressed to such a size that it can be inserted through tihe opening in the neck 16 of the pack, if the support device, in a condition of not being acted upon by forces, iS of larger cross-section than that opening.
Furthermore, for example, in a departure from the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the venting valve for the space 48 between the internal and external containers 10 and 12 may also be disposed in the closure arrangement indicated at 14 in Figure 1. In that respect Figure 8 shows a construction which p,rovides the necessary communication between the space 48 and the venting valve in the closure arran~ement 14. In Figure 8, components which are identical to the embcdiment shown in Figures 1 through 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals but increased in each case by 100. Thus, the annular holding mean~ 130 is adapted in respect of its external dimensions to the dimensions of that part of the external container which accommodates the holding means 130.
~owever, the holding means 130 is provided with groove-like recesses or channels 160 which extend in the longit~dinal direction thereof and which are communicated with groove-like recesses or channels 162 at the side of a flange portion 134, which faces towards the end face of the neck portion oP the external container. At their outer ends, the recesses 162 open into the region of the intenmediate space between the internal and external containers, which is defined on the in~ide by the extension portion 154 of the annular holding means 130, thereby prowiding~-the necessary communication with that space. The recesses 160 and 162 thus co-operate with the neck of the external conta mer to define ducts by way of which the space 48 defined hetween the external container and the internal container of the pack can be comTunicated with the atmosphere outside the pack. For that purpose it will be appreciated that the closure arrangement must be suitably provided with a venting valve. In regard to the configuration of the closure arrangement which is required for that purpose, attention is directed to above-mentioned EP-~l-O 190 169, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein for this purpose.
It will be appreciated that various modifications and alterations may be made in the above-described embcdiments which have been set forth solely by way of example and illustration of the principles of the present invention, without thereby departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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Claims

1. In a squeeze pack comprising an elastically deformable external container; an internal container for receiving the filling material, disposed within the external container and defining therewith an intermediate space which is closed off from the external atmosphere and adapted to be readily deformable under the action of a pressure difference between atmospheric pressure and the pressure in the intermediate space between the internal and external containers, a closure means including a delivery opening with delivery valve for discharge of the filling material, the delivery valve being operable at least substantially to prevent equalisation of pressure between the internal container and the external atmosphere by the ingress of air into the internal container after the discharge of filling material therefrom, and a venting valve for communicating said intermediate space with the external atmosphere, the improvement that: the internal container comprises first and second regions which are arranged in succession along its longitudinal extent, and the first region of the internal container which is the region towards said delivery opening is provided with a support means which substantially radially supports the internal container in said first region and at least the second region of the internal container which is the region remote from said delivery opening is of a flexible bag-like configuration and is readily plastically under the effect of a pressure difference between atmospheric pressure and said pressure in said intermediate space, thereby displacing filling material contained in the internal container towards said delivery opening; the support means is elastically deformable such that when a squeeze force applied to the pack ceases it returns to its original shape but does not experience noticeable deformation under the effect of said pressure difference between atmospheric pressure and said pressure in said intermediate space; and the support means comprises a substantially annular holding means disposed in the region of the opening of the external container and at least first, second and third limb-like support elements which extend from the common substantially annular holding means towards the end of the squeeze pack which is remote from the opening of the external container approximately as far as the end, which is towards said opening of said external container, of said second region of the internal container, wherein in an operative position of the support means said support elements define at their ends remote from the holding means in a plane transversely to the longitudinal axis of the squeeze pack an area which is larger than the cross-sectional dimension of said opening of the external container and the sum of the cross-sectional areas of said support elements is not greater than the cross-sectional area of said opening of the external container.

2. A squeeze pack as set forth in claim 1 wherein the support means is adapted to the contour of the external container which accommodates the support means.

3. A pack as set forth in clai 1 wherein the support means is disposed within the internal container.

4. A pack as set forth in claim 3 wherein at least one of said support elements has an outward prestressing.

5. A pack as set forth in claim 1 wherein at its end towards said delivery opening the internal container is sealingly connected to said holding means.

6. A pack as set forth in claim 1 wherein at a location remote from said support elements said holding means includes a peripherally extending flange whose external diameter is larger than the internal diameter of said opening of the external container, said flange bearing against the face of the edge defining said opening of the external container.

7. A pack as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support means includes a support ring of elastically deformable material which in an operative position extends substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the pack and which is connected to at least one of said support elements at its end remote from the holding means, the support elements with the support ring at their ends remote from the holding means defining, in an operative position and in a plane transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the squeeze pack, an area which is greater than the cross sectional dimension of said opening of the external container, and the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the support elements and the total cross-sectional area of the support ring, when the support elements are pressed radially inwardly together, is not greater than the cross-sectional area of said opening of the external container.

8. A pack as set forth in claim 7 wherein first and second ones of the support elements are connected to the support ring and said first and second support elements are arranged displaced substantially at 180 relative to each other.

9. A pack as set forth in claim 7 wherein the support ring is of a shape adapted to the internal cross-sectional shape of the external container.

10. A pack as set forth in claim 8 wherein the internal container is of a non-round cross-sectional shape and the first and second support elements are arranged substantially in a plane which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the internal container and in which the shorter axis of the non-round cross-sectional shape extends.

11. A pack as set forth in claim 7 wherein said support means has at least one said support element which is not fixedly connected to the support ring.

12. A pack as set forth in claim 11 wherein the end region, which is towards the support ring, of said at least one support element which is not fixedly connected to the support ring is so adapted to said support ring that there is a positive connection between the support ring and said support element.

13. A pack as set forth in claim 11 wherein said at least one support element which is not fixedly connected to the support ring, in a non-loaded condition, projects outwardly from the support ring but in an operative position of the support means is pressed towards the support ring by at least one of the internal container and the external container until said support element bears against the support ring.

14. A pack as set forth in claim 11 wherein said support ring is arranged at the end, which is towards said delivery opening, of said second region of the internal container.

15. A pack as set forth in claim 1 and including a support ring of elastically deformable material disposed within the internal container and arranged substantially normal to the longitudinal direction of the pack at the end, which is towards said delivery opening, of said second region of the internal container.

16. A pack as set forth in claim 1 wherein the internal container which is connected to the holding means is in one piece.

17. A pack as set forth in claim 1 wherein the internal container includes on its inside at least one projection.

18. A pack as set forth in claim 17 wherein said projection is adjacent to the end of the support means which is remote from the delivery opening.

19. A pack as set forth m claim 17 wherein said support means includes a support ring connected to the end remote from said holding means of at least one said support element and said at least one projection engages behind said support ring.

20. A pack as set forth in claim 17 wherein the internal container comprises at least first and second foil portions which are welded together.

21. A pack as set forth in claim 20 wherein said at least one projection is formed by the configuration of at least one welded seam.

22. A pack as set forth in claim 1 wherein the internal container is provided with a ring extending therearound.

23. A pack as set forth in claim 22 wherein said ring is connected to the internal container at first and second locations.

24. A pack as set forth in claim 1 wherein the internal container is connected to at least one of said support elements at least at the end thereof which is remote from said delivery opening.

25. A pack as set forth in claim 24 wherein said connection is made by welding.

26. A pack as set forth in claim 24 wherein said connection is made by adhesive means.

27. A pack as set forth in claim 7 wherein the internal container is connected to said support ring.

28. A pack as set forth in claim 27 wherein said connection is made by welding.

29. A pack as set forth in claim 27 wherein said connection is made by adhesive means.

30. A pack as et forth in claim 1 wherein the venting valve by way of which said intermediate space can be communicated with the atmosphere is disposed at said closure means.

31. A pack as set forth in claim 30 including at least one through passage between the hold m g means of the support means and the wall of the external container in the region of the opening thereof, said through passage communicating said intermediate space with the venting valve disposed on the closure means.

32. A pack as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wall of the internal container is composed of at least first and second layers of different material.

33. A squeeze pack comprising: an elastically deformable external container having an opening for discharge of filling material from the pack: an internal container for receiving the filling material, disposed within the external container and defining therewith an intermediate space which is closed off from the external atmosphere, the internal container being adapted to be readily deformable under the effect of a pressure difference between atmospheric pressure and the pressure in said intermediate space, the internal container comprising a first region which is towards said external container opening in relation to the longitudinal extent of the internal container and a second region which adjoins said first region at the end thereof remote from said external container opening, said second region being of a flexible bag-like configuration and being readily plastically deformable under the effect of a pressure difference between atmospheric pressure and said pressure in said intermediate space, thereby displacing filling material contained in the internal container towards said delivery opening; a support means which substantially radially supports the internal container in said first region, the support means being elastically deformable such that when a squeeze force applied to the pack ceases it returns to its original shape but does not experience noticeable deformation under the effect of said pressure difference between atmospheric pressure and said pressure in said intermediate space, the support means comprising a substantially annular holding means disposed in the region of the opening of the external container and at least first, second and third limb-like support elements which extend from the common substantially annular holding means towards the end of the squeeze pack which is remote from the opening of the external container approximately as far as the end, which is towards said opening of said external container, of said second region of the internal container, wherein in an operative position of the support means said support elements define at their ends remote from the holding means, in a plane transversely to the longitudinal axis of the squeeze pack, an area which is larger than the cross-sectional dimension of said opening of the external container and the sum of the cross-sectional areas of said support elements is not greater than the cross-sectional area of said opening of the external container; a closure means having a delivery opening with delivery valve for discharge of said filling material, communicating with the interior of said internal container, the delivery valve being operable at least substantially to prevent equalisation of pressure between the internal container and the atmosphere by the ingress of air-into the internal container after the discharge of filling material therefrom; and a venting valve for communicating said intermediate space with the external atmosphere.