CN1701031A

CN1701031A - Implosion resistant container

Info

Publication number: CN1701031A
Application number: CNA028213629A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 爱德华·安东尼·贝则克
Original assignee: Frito Lay North America Inc
Current assignee: Frito Lay North America Inc
Priority date: 2001-10-29
Filing date: 2002-10-25
Publication date: 2005-11-23
Also published as: BR0213923A; CA2667770A1; CA2463876A1; CA2667770C; CA2667762A1; MXPA04004087A; CA2667762C; WO2003037724A3; WO2003037724A2; CA2667769C; EP1458615A2; US20030080135A1; CA2667769A1; WO2003037724B1; CA2463876C; JP2006503758A

Abstract

The present invention overcomes many of the shortcomings inherent in previous containers for packaging potato chips, corn based chips, cookies and the like. The improved implosion-resistant container of the present invention utilizes a collection of stress dissipating mechanisms that counteract the forces causing thermoplastic container deformation, implosion and loss of seal integrity. This collection of stress dissipating mechanisms, employed collectively or separately, allows a container for storing fragile food products to be fashioned as a relatively lightweight, thinwalled blow molded thermo-plastic container that is capable of adapting to changing environmental conditions while maintaining its visual aesthetic appearance.

Description

The cracking resistance container

Background of invention

1. technical field

The present invention relates to be used to store the container of friable food product, especially a kind ofly be used to store potato chips, cornflakes, biscuit etc., the variation of the condition that can conform and keep the blow-molded container of aesthetic appearance.

2. background technology

Existing a large amount of container that is used to store friable food product (as fast food crisp fritter sheet, biscuit etc.) that oneself knows.The interior requirement that in the design of every kind of container, all has pair changes in environmental conditions to make compensation or adapt to.The variation of environmental conditions (that is, temperature, pressure and humidity) is the natural result in the production process.For example, dried foods is produced usually at elevated temperatures, and is sealed then to prevent the damage of product.In case sealed, a certain amount of gas is enclosed in the container.Temperature around seal-packed content is cooled to will produce vacuum, and therefore causes breaking of container, distortion or destruction sealing.

The variation of bar pressure also can influence the volume that is enclosed in the gas in the container.This is not a problem to dried foods usually, because they are generally packaged in (as sack and soft transparent film packaging) in the flexible packaging, can adjust their shape with the variation of environmental conditions.But flexible packaging provides seldom protection to physical external force to the friable food product that holds, if any.Like this, use the demand of harder container to strengthen day by day.

The hard container that is made of paper and paper tinsel is well-known, and their application table in the packing friable food product reveal many intrinsic defectives.The productive costs of this rigid container is high relatively.And, for being provided, enough intensity resists the power that environmental change produces, and the weight of this container is high relatively.In addition, the variation meeting of humidity has a negative impact to the integraty of the structure of this container.

The container that is made of thermoplastic plastic is applied to pack friable food product just more prevalently.But, use current thermoplastic containers technology packing dried foods to also have many problems.Previous effort is devoted to solve the problem of using the thermoplastic containers backaging liquid materials, and these effort are not devoted to and the relevant intrinsic problem of packing dried foods.Dried foods (as fast food, baked food and cereal preparation) within it bilge construction and the packing in all contain the gas more much more than liquid product.The variation of environment acts on a large amount of gases in these packings, greatly has influence on the packing requirements of dried foods.At present, the thermoplastic plastic technology provides two kinds of basic optional modes, to produce changes in environmental conditions is made the plastic container that adapt to or compensate.

At first, have the thermoplastic containers of sufficient intensity by increasing the thickness of container side wall, can being made into the external force of opposing changes in environmental conditions generation.But this container is generally not fully up to expectations, because it produces comparatively costliness based on material cause, and its weight is heavier relatively.

Another kind of mode, the thickness of container side wall can be reduced, thereby makes a kind of thermoplastic containers, can adjust shape with the variation of environmental conditions as flexible packaging, has enough hardness that some protections at physical external force can be provided simultaneously.But this container has tangible commercial disadvantage.It can be made into relative thin-wall thermoplastic containers at present, can keep out the swelling force that causes during greater than ambient pressure when the pressure in the container; But this thin-wall thermoplastic containers has in unpredictable mode to buckle the trend of being out of shape or breaking at internal pressure during less than ambient pressure (production process cause vacuum) as discussed earlier.This distortion or break has the trend of the commercial image of this container of infringement, and purchased customer thinks to have and damages or the product of defective usually.

In the past the thermoplastic containers that changes around conforming intrinsic problem many suggestions were proposed.For example, the U.S. Patent number 6,074,677 of croft (Croft) discloses a kind of compound food containers, comprises soft bag 60 and one hard plastic tube-shape outer layer container 20 of a vacuum-packed internal layer.Article in the hard plastic outer layer container 20 protection containers, the difference between degree of vacuum in the soft bag 60 of vacuum internal layer and the degree of vacuum of the vacuum area R between inner bag and the outer layer container remains unchanged substantially, thereby prevents that the food in the inner bag 60 from damaging.But this container is not only complexity but also relatively costly aborning.

To be that Ge Luen Bark people's such as (Gmenbacher) U.S. Patent number 5,921,429 is disclosed a kind ofly be rectangular plastic container by what an individual layer blowing body constituted to another prior art substantially, is used to hold the frangible food that multiple parallel stacks.The design key of people's such as Ge Luen Bark ' No. 429 patent is to comprise an inner compartment 16, inner compartment 16 has two walls 26 and 28 that are provided with at interval, vacuum that occurs in their adapt to cut off and pressure and be out of shape, like this, the peripheral dimension of container remains unchanged substantially, and it is good that the packing around the label keeps.Except requiring the production process of a relative complex, the design of people's such as Ge Luen Bark ' No. 429 patent is unwell to the frangible food that Packing List is piled up.

Therefore, need a kind of improved blowing thermoplastic containers, its production is simple relatively and have enough intensity to resist exterior compressive force, the variation of the condition that can also conform the and commercial image of container not being exerted an adverse impact.

Summary of the invention

The present invention has overcome many previous potato chips that are used to pack, cornflakes, the container of biscuit etc. intrinsic defective.Improved cracking resistance container of the present invention has used the set of pressure decentralized institution, offsets and causes thermoplastic containers distortion, breaks and loses the external force of sealing integrity.The set of this pressure decentralized institution, by whole or use respectively, it is light relatively to make the container that stores friable food product can be designed to weight, and the blowing thermoplastic containers that wall is thin can be in the variation of the simultaneous adaptation environmental conditions that keeps appearance looks elegant.

In one embodiment, the structure reinforcing mechanisms comprises the rib that is molded as and " C " ellbeam, is corrugated pattern and traverses the longitudinal axis of container, is used to the structural integrity of Reinforced container.Another kind of optional mode is also to use the 3D shape of the random interval in the sidewall that is formed in thermoplastic containers to be used as the structure reinforcing mechanisms.

In another embodiment, used floating panel mechanism, made the volume of internal gas to be received and do not damage the commercial image of container.Floating panel mechanism comprises a fixed panel zone of being defined out by the corrugated suspended ring of flexibility, and the corrugated suspended ring of this flexibility is formed in the zone that flat surfaces defined on the bend of vessel sidewall.Flexible corrugated suspended ring allows whole fixed panel regional integration to move around this fixed panel zone, and not random disruptions or crooked container.

In another embodiment, used the solid mechanism of distortion, by the annular bellows device on the tubular body that is formed on container, change that the internal capacity that makes container can repeatedly increase or reduce it is offset environmental conditions.

In another embodiment, used the solid mechanism of floating, the geometric configuration that makes container can change it is smoothly offset the change of environmental conditions, thereby avoids having now the crooked and distortion of ccasual of the infringement container commercial image that exists in the packing technique.

Like this, the present invention includes the embodiment of the blow-molded container of many thermoplastic plastics, can be in the environmental conditions of the simultaneous adaptation variation that keeps aesthetic appearance.

Description of drawings

Novel features of the present invention will propose in the appended claims.However, invention itself, and preferred occupation mode, its further purpose and advantage will also obtain best understanding in conjunction with the accompanying drawings by the detailed description of carrying out with reference to the following embodiment to example of reading, wherein:

Fig. 1 a, 1b, 2a and 2b are depicted as the transparent view that uses corrugated sidewall to reach the container optional embodiment of the present invention of structural rigidity;

Figure 3 shows that the transparent view that uses molded 3D shape to reach the container of the present invention of structural rigidity;

Fig. 4 a is depicted as the transparent view of the container of the present invention that uses floating panel mechanism;

Fig. 4 b is depicted as the cutaway view of the container of the present invention that uses floating panel mechanism;

Fig. 5 a and 5b are depicted as the transparent view of the container of the present invention of the solid mechanism that uses distortion;

Fig. 6 a is depicted as the transparent view of the container of the present invention that uses the solid mechanism of floating;

Fig. 6 b is depicted as the transparent view of the container incision of the present invention of using the solid mechanism of floating;

Fig. 6 c and 6d are depicted as the cutaway view of the container of the present invention of the solid mechanism that uses distortion.

The same or analogous parts of identical digitized representation that use in the different graphic in the accompanying drawings.In addition, the word of Shi Yonging " top " here, " bottom ", " first ", " second ", " top ", " bottom ", " highly ", " width ", " length ", " end ", " sidepiece ", " level ", " vertically " and similar word are appreciated that these words only with reference to the structure in the accompanying drawing, and only are used for the convenient the present invention of description.

The specific embodiment

Container of the present invention has used the set of pressure decentralized institution to offset and has caused container deformation, breaks and loses the power of sealing integrity.It is light relatively that the set of this pressure decentralized institution can make the container that stores friable food product be designed to weight, the blowing thermoplastic containers that wall is thin, it can conform condition change and keep the aesthetic feeling of outward appearance.The set of employed pressure decentralized institution is adapted to general well-known Vessel Design.Therefore, the various embodiment of container of the present invention have a tubular body roughly, comprise that a sealing at one end constitutes the sidewall of container bottom, reaches a sealable lid or cap.Whole and/or when using respectively, according to the situation of specific products and its packing requirements, the set of employed pressure decentralized institution can get the best understanding by each pressure decentralized institution of independent review in the container of the present invention.

The structure reinforcing mechanisms

With reference to Fig. 1 a, 1b, 2a, 2b and 4a can use molded rib and " C " ellbeam to form corrugated pattern and the longitudinal axis that traverses container is strengthened the intensity of entire container.Compressive force and swelling force are distributed on the bigger area, thereby cause the harder container of structure.Moulded ribs and corrugated " C " ellbeam can be the annular or other than ring type.Therefore, in one embodiment, shown in Fig. 1 a and 1b, corrugated " C " ellbeam 10 is a general toroidal and perpendicular to the y direction of container.In another embodiment, shown in Fig. 2 a and 2b, corrugated " C " ellbeam 20 is ring-type roughly, runs through the longitudinal axis of container with the waveform sinusoidal form.Selectable, in another embodiment, shown in Fig. 4 a, non-annularity rib 40 is formed in selected zone on the container.

In the occasion that is suitable for, container also can comprise the smooth surface zone between corrugated part.Therefore, among the embodiment of the container shown in Fig. 1 b, the smooth region 14 that is suitable for decals subsides 16 between upper corrugation shape part 12a and the lower corrugation shape part 12b is separated.Similarly, in another embodiment of the container shown in Fig. 2 b, a smooth 24 that is suitable for decals subsides 26 is separated upper corrugation shape part 22a and lower corrugation shape part 22b.

Referring now to Fig. 3, in another embodiment of the present invention, be formed in the 3D shape 30a-j of the random separation on the sidewall of thermoplastic containers, can be used to strengthen the intensity of entire container.The 3D shape 30a-j of random separation compresses and swelling force by dispersion on large tracts of land, thereby causes the harder container of structure.Should be appreciated that the geometric three-dimensional 30a-i among Fig. 3 just is used for illustrating notion, and is not limited thereto.Like this, the 3D shape design on any sidewall that is formed in thermoplastic containers can be suitable in appropriate circumstances.In addition, also can be for purpose attractive in appearance the 3D shape rectangular distribution.

Floating panel mechanism

With reference to Fig. 4 a and 4b, one embodiment of the present of invention of using floating panel mechanism have been shown.Floating panel mechanism comprises a fixed panel zone 42, and this zone is defined out by the interior flexible corrugated suspended ring 44 in zone that the flat surfaces 46 that is formed on the bend of vessel sidewall 48 defines.Flexible corrugated suspended ring 44 is around fixed panel zone 42, allows that whole fixed panel zone 42 is whole moves (that is, bullet advances and ejects), and not random disruptions or crooked container.Other parts of container can fully reinforce (as, use corrugated rib 40), like this expansion of entire container and the compression all finish by floating panel mechanism.Eject or indentation in the direction perpendicular to flat surfaces 46 in fixed panel zone 42.Like this, the change of internal gas volume can be received, and does not destroy the commercial image of container.

The deformation geometry body mechanism

With reference to Fig. 5 a and 5b, one embodiment of the present of invention of using the solid mechanism of distortion have been shown.The solid mechanism of distortion comprises the annular bellows device 54 on the tubular body 50 that is formed on container.Annular bellows device 54 expands (shown in Fig. 5 a) or compression (shown in Fig. 5 b) along the y direction of container, allows container can repeatedly increase or reduce the change that its in-to-in volume is offset environmental conditions.Embodiment shown in Fig. 5 a and the 5b is placed on position near container tubular body top to annular bellows device 54, is to be understood that under suitable environment annular bellows device 54 can be placed in any position on the whole tubular body longitudinal length of container.

Unsteady solid mechanism

With reference to Fig. 6 a and 6b, one embodiment of the present of invention of using the solid mechanism of floating have been shown.The solid mechanism of floating makes its geometric configuration of change that container can be level and smooth offset the change of environmental change, thereby avoids having now the crooked and distortion of ccasual of the infringement container commercial image that exists in the packing technique.In preferred embodiment, the solid mechanism of floating comprises the horizontal soft hinge area (as 62 and 64) on one or several sidewall that is formed in container 60, defines the panel zone 68 of a weakness between them.Horizontal

soft hinge area

62 and 64 is controlled the container deformation that causes with environmental change effectively by making container with level and smooth and single-piece mode shrink, the expand zone 68 of weakness.The geometric figure of container or shape can smoothly be adjusted along with the variation of environmental conditions, and distortion is brought under control, thereby the commercial image of container is not compromised.

With reference to Fig. 6 b-6d, in an embodiment who uses the solid mechanism of floating, container is designed between the product of encapsulation is piled up the weak panel zone 68 of 66 periphery and container 60 a circlet shape space is arranged, like this can produce and packaging process in play help.The size of container is designed to when container shrinks, and the inwall of weak panel zone 68 and the product of encapsulation are piled up 66 periphery and contacted, thus the deflection that restriction is controlled.When the pressure of internal tank during less than ambient atmosphere pressure, in fact the product of encapsulation is piled up 66 periphery provides some transversaries to support to the sidewall of container.

To those skilled in the art clearly, the invention describes a kind of container of improved storage friable food product, particularly a kind of improved be used to store potato chips, cornflakes, the blow-molded container of biscuit etc., it can keep the aesthetic feeling of outward appearance when the condition that conforms changes.Though the present invention is described in this mode with preferred embodiment, clearly adopt other change and revise not break away from the spirit and scope of the present invention.For example, multiple pressure decentralized institution can be applied to same container.In addition, the container of the present invention that shows in the accompanying drawing has the square section of the circle of being roughly, and is to be understood that the set of pressure decentralized institution used in the present invention can be applied to any cross section container with the annular of being roughly.Like this, container is except having circular square section, and its square section of container optional embodiment of the present invention also can be oval-shaped.Here used word and statement just are used for describing, rather than restriction; And, do not repel the intention of equivalent, but opposite, intention cover any all do not break away from the equivalent of the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

(according to the modification of the 19th of treaty)

1. a thermoplastic containers that is used for vacuum-packed single pile of breakables comprises that one has the tubular body of vertical central axis, and described tubular body has a sidewall that is formed with corrugated pattern on it, a closed end and a sealable opening end; It is characterized in that described corrugated pattern makes described sidewall hardening, make it can resist the vacuum power that produces by production process and by the deformation force that variation produced of at least a environmental conditions.

2. container according to claim 1 is characterized in that, this corrugated pattern is annular.

3. container according to claim 2 is characterized in that, this corrugated pattern comprises and a plurality ofly perpendicular to described longitudinal axis " C " ellbeam is set.

4. container according to claim 3 is characterized in that, each " C " ellbeam is about the central, transverse axis symmetry of its longitudinal cross-section.

5. container according to claim 1 is characterized in that, this corrugated pattern traverses this vertical central axis with vertical angle.

6. container according to claim 1 is characterized in that corrugated pattern traverses this vertical central axis with sinusoidal form.

7. container according to claim 1 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises a smooth that is shaped on it.

8. one kind is used for the thermoplastic containers that Packing List is piled up breakables, comprises that one has the tubular body of vertical central axis, and described tubular body has a sidewall, a closed end and an open end; It is characterized in that described sidewall comprises the 3D shape of a plurality of shapings on it.

9. container according to claim 8 is characterized in that, these a plurality of 3D shapes comprise a corrugated pattern.

10. one kind is used for the thermoplastic containers that Packing List is piled up breakables, comprises that one has the tubular body of vertical central axis, and described tubular body has a sidewall, a closed end and an open end; It is characterized in that described sidewall comprises a floating panel mechanism that is shaped on it.

11. container according to claim 10, it is characterized in that, this floating panel mechanism comprise one by a flexible corrugated suspended ring around the fixed panel zone, the corrugated suspended ring of this flexibility is formed in the zone that flat surfaces defined that is formed on the sidewall.

12. container according to claim 10 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises a corrugated pattern that is shaped on it.

13. container according to claim 10 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises the 3D shape of a plurality of shapings on it.

14. container according to claim 12 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises the 3D shape of a plurality of shapings on it.

15. one kind is used for the thermoplastic containers that Packing List is piled up breakables, comprises that one has the tubular body of vertical central axis, described tubular body has a sidewall, a closed end and an open end; It is characterized in that described sidewall comprises a deformation geometry body mechanism that is shaped on it.

16. container according to claim 15 is characterized in that, this deformation geometry body mechanism comprises an annular bellows device.

17. container according to claim 15 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises a corrugated pattern that is shaped on it.

18. container according to claim 17 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises the 3D shape of a plurality of shapings on it.

19. container according to claim 17 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises a floating panel mechanism that is shaped on it.

20. container according to claim 19 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises the 3D shape of a plurality of shapings on it.

21. container according to claim 15 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises the 3D shape of a plurality of shapings on it.

22. container according to claim 21 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises a floating panel mechanism that is shaped on it.

23. container according to claim 15 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises a floating panel mechanism that is shaped on it.

24. one kind is used for the thermoplastic containers that Packing List is piled up breakables, comprises that one has the tubular body of vertical central axis, described tubular body has a sidewall, a closed end and an open end; It is characterized in that described sidewall comprises a unsteady solid mechanism that is shaped on it.

25. container according to claim 24 is characterized in that, this unsteady solid mechanism comprises that at least one defines the horizontal soft hinge area of a weak panel zone.

26. container according to claim 24 is characterized in that, this unsteady solid mechanism comprises at least two unsteady solid mechanisms, is evenly distributed in around the annular of container body.

27. container according to claim 24 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises a corrugated pattern that is shaped on it.

28. container according to claim 27 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises the 3D shape of a plurality of shapings on it.

29. container according to claim 27 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises a floating panel mechanism that is shaped on it.

30. container according to claim 27 is characterized in that, described tubular body comprises a deformation geometry body mechanism that is shaped on it.

31. container according to claim 24 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises the 3D shape of a plurality of shapings on it.

32. container according to claim 31 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises a floating panel mechanism that is shaped on it.

33. container according to claim 32 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises a corrugated pattern that is shaped on it.

34. container according to claim 31 is characterized in that, described tubular body comprises a deformation geometry body mechanism that is shaped on it.

35. container according to claim 34 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises a corrugated pattern that is shaped on it.

36. container according to claim 24 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises a floating panel mechanism that is shaped on it.

37. container according to claim 36 is characterized in that, described tubular body comprises a deformation geometry body mechanism that is shaped on it.

38., it is characterized in that this sidewall also comprises the 3D shape of a plurality of shapings on it according to the described container of claim 37.

39., it is characterized in that this sidewall also comprises a corrugated pattern that is shaped on it according to the described container of claim 38.

40. container according to claim 24 is characterized in that, described tubular body comprises a deformation geometry body mechanism that is shaped on it.

41. container according to claim 1 is characterized in that, described deformation force is the power of described external container.

42., it is characterized in that described deformation force is a compressive force according to the described container of claim 41.

43. container according to claim 1 is characterized in that, described deformation force is the power of internal tank.

44., it is characterized in that described deformation force is a swelling force according to the described container of claim 43.

45. container according to claim 1 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises the 3D shape of a plurality of shapings on it, and wherein, described shape makes described sidewall hardening make it can resist described deformation force.

46., it is characterized in that these a plurality of 3D shapes are random scatterings according to the described container of claim 45.

47. container according to claim 1 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises a floating panel mechanism that is shaped on it, and wherein, described floating panel mechanism expands according to described deformation force or shrinks.

48. according to the described container of claim 47, it is characterized in that, this floating panel mechanism comprise one by a flexible corrugated suspended ring around the fixed panel zone, the corrugated suspended ring of this flexibility is formed in the zone that flat surfaces defined that is formed on the sidewall.

49. container according to claim 1 is characterized in that, described container body also comprises a deformation geometry body mechanism that is shaped on it, can expand or shrinks according to described deformation force.

50., it is characterized in that described deformation geometry body mechanism comprises an annular bellows device according to the described container of claim 49.

51. container according to claim 1 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises the unsteady solid mechanism of a plurality of shapings on it, can expand or shrinks according to described deformation force.

52., it is characterized in that each comprises that at least one defines the horizontal soft hinge area of a weak panel zone described unsteady solid mechanism according to the described container of claim 51.

53., it is characterized in that described unsteady solid mechanism is evenly distributed in around the annular of container body according to the described container of claim 51.

Claims

1. one kind is used for the thermoplastic containers that Packing List is piled up breakables, comprises that one has the tubular body of vertical central axis, and described tubular body has a sidewall, a closed end and an open end; It is characterized in that described sidewall comprises a corrugated pattern that is shaped on it.

3. container according to claim 1 is characterized in that, this pattern is an other than ring type.

4. container according to claim 1 is characterized in that, this corrugated pattern traverses this vertical central axis.

9. container according to claim 8 is characterized in that, this sidewall also comprises a corrugated pattern that is shaped on it.

26. container according to claim 24 is characterized in that, these how much mechanisms of floating comprise at least two unsteady solid mechanisms, are evenly distributed in around the annular of container body.