DE2723762A1 - SALES PACK FOR CONTAINER - Google Patents

Description

HAAtBURO-MUNICH? 7? Q 7 C?

ZUSTElHJNOSiNSCUBIiT: 2OOO HAMBURG 3β · NEUEHWALL 41 FLEASR WK PI, V TOj

TILEPHONE (O4O) S «7US VItV JO Il 10 TKtEOB. KEOBDiPiTINT BAMSURO Owens-Illinois, Inc. sooo Munich. mozartstr. sw

TELEPHONE (OSS) β 38 OO ββ P.O. BOX 1035 TELEOR. NEOEDAPATENT MUNICH

Toledo, Ohio 43666

Hamburg. May 20, 1977

United States

Sales pack for containers

The invention relates to a packaging for two or more containers such as cans, bottles, jars, Canisters made of glass, metal, or rigid plastic or paper. In a particular embodiment, it directs the invention relates to an improved sales package for a number of such containers in which the primary focus the usability, economy and good appearance of the packaging are important.

The sale of bottled or canned beverages or other products is appropriately demanded these days packaged groups of such containers, perhaps the best known of which is the so-called "six-pack" package. These The packaging must hold the container securely and firmly, it must be designed so that it can be easily carried away by the end user individually, as well as stackable for storage and shipping in bulk; It must also be reliable and be suitable for economical mass production. The A-

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leadership of the shrinkable plastic coverings has to drastic changes compared to the otherwise used cardboard packaging, and US Patents 3,532,214, 3 198 327, 3 552 559, 3 834 525, Re 28 535, 3 650 394, 3 650 395, 3 817 373, 3 416 288, 3 747 749, 3 331 503, 3 302 3 477 564, 3 756 397 and 3 217 874 show packaging with Plastic wrappings. Most of these patents concern the Use of different transparent, non-foaming shrink wrap packaging, as well as the use of different ones Handling devices, "finger hole" and additional support structures.

Multi-container packaging using these transparent thermoplastic films is suitable for many Types of application, although they are for the packaging of glass containers with products such as beer that are photosensitive, have noticeable disadvantages. Furthermore, such thermoplastic films do not offer great spring protection during handling. It is also quite difficult to decorate such transparent thermoplastic films, and must be done with such packaging often additional labels for identification and decoration are attached.

U.S. Patent 3,400,810 discloses the use of expanded polystyrene for shrink wrapping of multiple container packages. However, the polystyrene disclosed in this patent is biaxially oriented and shrinks in both directions. Such a shrunk envelope has the same strength properties in both directions, which makes the removal of the

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Container designed a bit difficult. It is also difficult to place an To form a seal, due to the axial as well as the circumferential shrinkage of the envelope. It will care pointed out that the packages shown in this patent represent only a small fraction of the final containers within the Record group. In addition, the patentee must use a fairly thick film of about 40 mils to produce the required To achieve strength.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide an improved multi-container sales package which is strong, but can be opened easily, is opaque and with information before application or decoration can be printed and does not require any external structure for handling purposes.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, one feature of the invention is a multi-container sales package a group of similarly shaped containers held together side by side by a plastic wrapper, which consists of an opaque, uniaxially oriented, laminated composite shell that is uniaxially in the circumferential direction is oriented and contains a closed cell thermoplastic polyolefin layer (i.e. foam) with which is coated with a non-cellular thermoplastic polyolefin film, this envelope surrounding the containers and the tops of the containers in a shrink fit in close contact recorded.

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A significant feature of the invention consists in the composition of the heat-shrinkable polymeric shell, which is a Vertund construction, namely a closed-cell olefin polymer (ie foam) which is adhered to a layer of non-cellular olefin polymer risatfilm, the cellular layer itself is on the inside of the envelope and engages at least the tops of the containers, and the film is on the outside of the envelope and has a smooth, glossy decorated surface.

Further features and advantages of the invention emerge from the following description and the drawings. Show it:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a "six pack" from glass bottles packed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the in FIG. 1 pack shown from below

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a "six-pack" of sockets packed according to the invention;

FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a pack of twelve made of glass bottles for beer made according to FIG Invention are packaged, and

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FIG. 5 shows a section through the composite layering which is used as a cover in FIGS. 1 to 4.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2. At 10, a group pack of six is generally conventional upright disposable beer bottles 15 with similar cylindrical Bodies. The containers are arranged side by side in two adjacent rows of three containers each.

As can be seen from Fig. 1, the upper sides 12 of the bottles 15 are gripped tightly by a sleeve 11, and the bottles are held in all directions in order to prevent relative movement of the individual containers within the pack. Fig. 2 shows how the bottoms 16 of the bottles 15 are also grasped in close contact by the envelope. The heat-shrunk opaque cover shell according to the invention is indicated by the reference numeral 11 and is applied so that the direction of uniaxial orientation is in the circumferential or radial direction of the shell. The wrapper 11 is shown with a decoration generally indicated by the letter ¹¹ X ". Such a decoration is applied as a wrap around the package prior to application of the wrapper.

The weld seam of the sleeve is designated 11a and appears to be located on the underside of the package. D _e r

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The seam is formed either by using adhesives or by heat welding the edges of the envelope together. The hem expediently lies on the side of the pack and could also be on the bottom or on the top of the pack.

The open end of the sheath 11 delimits an opening 13 which is formed when the overlapping ends of the sheath are shrunk and welded together. The other end of the pack (not shown) is similar in shape and appearance. When the opening 13 is formed in the envelope given some shrinkage (e.g. less than 10%) in the axial direction, which aids in the formation of the tight packing If there were too much shrinkage in the axial direction, the opening would become too large and the envelope would become the Not holding bottles effectively. In this regard, it is important that the sheath extend enough to accommodate the Covers the point of greatest expansion of the container from the package to prevent container-to-container collision, when several such packages are transferred end to end onto a conveyor. This point becomes roughly indicated by the guide line for reference number 13 in FIG.

The upper edge 13a of the opening 13 is quite efficient and serves as a convenient gripping surface for transporting the pack. As a result the uniaxial property of the rim 13a is quite strong against the lifting load at this point and easily supports the weight of the containers and their contents.

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ZtOB only needs to open the pack with your finger or another instrument at the point between the Tops 12, where the sleeve is pulled tight, a hole to be poked 1 through the top of the pack. A such point is indicated generally by reference numeral 14. Once the shell in these areas is pierced, it tears easily in the circumferential direction, and the bottles can easily be removed individually or in pairs will. The envelope is quite resistant to tearing in the axial direction, so that the pack with Regarding the remaining containers within the group remains intact.

Fig. 3 shows generally a pack 20 similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except that that the containers are not in the form of bottles but in the form of cylindrical metal sleeves 21. The case is otherwise as described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 and welded together at the seam 23.

Fig. 3 also shows how the finger opening may be used the pack according to the invention can be used, although in the present preferred embodiment the finger hole is not used. The reference number 25 shows a finger slot, which is cut in the circumferential direction of the sheath 23. The slot ends in semicircular cuts 25a, which serve to delay tearing in the circumferential direction when worn. It goes without saying that when wearing the Use the finger slots to pack a certain amount of care must be practiced. Numeral 24 represents another type

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of the circumferential finger slot formed by sliding a hot wire loop through the sheath . The slot 24 is sealed by bead edges 24a which are formed by contact with the hot wire . In practice it is likely that all the slots on a package will be of the same type.

FIG. 4 generally depicts a twelve-pack 30 of disposable beer bottles arranged in three rows of four bottles each and are held by the sheath 30 in a box 32. The package shape is generally the same as that shown in Figures 1 and 2 except that the bottoms of the containers 31 sit in the box 32 made of corrugated fibreboard material. The outer lens of the box 32 is generally visible under the envelope 30 and includes a flat bottom plate which is provided with short upstanding side walls on all sides. The box 32 \ 7 is used to provide additional rigidity to the packaging when packing more than two rows of containers in order to prevent relative displacement of the packed containers with respect to one another. As a result of the use of the case 32, only the tops 34 of the bottles are held in close engagement by the envelope 30 and the bottoms of the containers are held in firm engagement against the case .

The sheath 30 is applied so that the direction of the uniaxial orientation runs in the circumferential direction or radial direction of the sheath, and there are two sealing seams 33

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which lie on the lower part of the package which overlies the side wall portion of the box 32. In this embodiment, the envelope is applied and sealed in the form of two separate plates. That part of the shell which covers the bottom of the box need not be foamed and can consist of any compatible thermoplastic film. In some embodiments, it may be preferred to use less expensive, unadorned thermoplastic film material to cover the bottom of the box. Furthermore, transparent films can be used to cover the bottom of the box if it is desired or necessary to read the specifications or other information printed on the bottom of the box. As a further embodiment, the envelope can be formed by sealing the composite to the box at the point where the sealing seams 33 are located. In this embodiment the bottom of the box serves as part of the envelope. It can thus be seen that it is not necessary to produce the entire casing from the composite as long as the composite surrounds the container and grasps the upper sides of the container in a fixed position in a shrinkage period. In this regard, the term "shell" as used in this specification refers to this relationship.

As already described above with reference to FIG. 1, the edge 35 of the opening 36 at the end of the casing 30 forms a comfortable handle for carrying. Most twelve packs would likely be too heavy to use for finger holes to allow. The end of the package, * which 'is not

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is identical in shape to that shown End.

5 shows a cross-section through the casing shown in FIGS. 1 to A, the reference numeral 40 denoting the foam or cell layer and 41 denoting the non-cellular film applied in layers thereon. The overall thickness of the laminate is generally in the range of about 3 mils to about 20 mils, preferably in the range of about 5 to about 15 mils, in order to form an effective yet economical laminate. The cell layer 40 is generally about 2 to about 5 mB.l, preferably about 3 times as thick as the non-cellular film 41, and the non-cellular layer 41 is generally on the outside of the envelope.

The polymeric materials which are each considered independently of one another for the cellular layer 40 and the non-cellular layer 41 are olefin polymers, ie each of these polymeric layers contains a polymer of an olefin, preferably an olefin with 2 to 4, as the predominant polymeric fraction Carbon atoms or mixtures thereof, for example the predominant proportion is a polymer of Athens, propene, butene, such as, for example, butene-1, or mixtures thereof, which are generally referred to as polymers of ethylene, propylene or butylene. These also include homopolymers, copolymers of these olefins with other copolymerizable monoethylenically unsaturated monomers in which the olefin in the copolymerization is such that its proportion in the final copolymer, ie the

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Ethylene, propylene or butylene content is at least about 60 wt . The smaller amounts, ie less than 40 % of the other material fraction used, are such that they complement and complete the basic properties of the olefin polymer; this is true when other proportions are introduced by way of a polymeric mixture, an admixture or by way of a copolymerized monomer. These other proportions, whether by mixing another polymer with a homopolymerized olefin, e.g. homopolymerized Athens (ethylene homopolymer) or added by copolymerization with this, should be such that they enhance the foaming, heat-sealing, heat-shrinking and extrusion properties of the basic olefin polymer do not interfere appreciably and should be compatible with it , ie be mixable with it.

Exemplary olefin homopolymers are ethylene, propylene and butylene homopolymers, the former being particularly preferred as well as mixtures of these homopolymers. The names Include e-ethylene, polypropylene, and polybutylene when used in this description, those materials are included that are recognized and traded under these names even if these materials are taken strictly technically

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occasionally as a mixture or a copolymer may be considered because these materials are small amounts, typically less than about 556 » for example 0.5 to 3 wt. # of another polymeric portion may contain. For example, polyethylene is used traded under this designation and recognized if it is actually through copolymerization with 1 to 2% by weight of hexene or butadiene is, or in an analysis a few percent, e.g. 3 - 5 # a vinyl acetate component may appear; however, for practical purposes these materials exist made of polyethylene. In this regard, the composition of the casing used in accordance with the present invention is, of the same composition as the coating described in the co-pending application, Serial-No. 504 111 by the same applicant of 9.9.74 under the title "Container with improved cellular heat shrink wrap " became. .

The foregoing is generally the composition of the polymeric portion of the cell layer 40 and the non-cellular portion Films 41, provided that the layers are not of the same polymeric composition need to be. It is of course obvious that suitable auxiliaries may be present in these layers could be. For example, in addition to the polymeric material, the layers can each contain pigments and stabilizers and the like included. Generally excellent results are achieved by choosing a poly-

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Meren composition for the cell layer 40 with a melt index or melt flow of less than 5, for example between 0.1 and 5, preferably about 0.2 to 1, and for the polymeric material of the non-cellular layer 41 with a melt index or melt flow of less than about 10. The preferred material for both the cellular layer and the non-cellular layer is polyethylene, which includes a low density polyethylene, for example a polyethylene having a density of less than 0.925 g / cc, generally in the range of about 0.910 to about 0.925, and a high density polyethylene, for example with a density of more than 0.941, typically about 0.941 to about 0.965, and a medium density polyethylene and mixtures thereof. For the cell layer, the specified density refers to the density before foaming. The density of the foamed cell layer is about 25-30 and the density of the composite layer is about 35-40 $ ^

As already indicated, the present invention is directed to an improvement of the packaging described here above, wherein in the production of this packaging a heat-shrinkable, uniaxially oriented, layered sheet material is first prepared, which is suitably cut, slit and deformed into straight sheets, which are then in turn are deformed into a heat shrinkable sleeve which is applied to the container group to produce the final package. While a sheet of the starting material of the composite structure for use

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produced in this process by various techniques

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Extrusion technology is generally preferred apply. This extrusion technology can take one of two conventional forms, one of which is one is coating by extrusion while the other is the use of co-extrusion technology acts. However, the latter technique is particularly preferred because of the obvious possibility of To form composite structures of lower density. In the co-extrusion technique, while a slot shape is used the use of an extrusion or extrusion die preferred, which has an annular opening, and the composite structure is initially as a tubular shape is formed by a process known in the art as the "blown bubble process". These types of co-extrusion dies are widely available and commercially available. An exemplary form is given in the SPE Journal, November 1969, Vol. 25, page 20, explained under the title "Co-Extrusion of Blown Film Laminates" and forms no part of the present invention as such.

In this known co-extrusion technique, the circular opening is fed from two independent extrusion presses, and in this particular example the extrusion press, which supplies the shapeable material to form the cell layer AO, feeds the mold jaw in such a way that this material feeds the inner part of the tubular extrusion forms; the extruder, which feeds the material for forming the non-cellular layer A1, preferably feeds this material to the mold in such a way that it forms the outer part of the tubular shape. The tubular one emerging from the St ^ PSBrfi $ ß £

The body or the tubular shape is blown into a bubble by the conventional bubble forming techniques, the outside being cooled by air , and then drawn through the gap between two rolls arranged next to one another in which the tubular body is pressed to form a post Hose is compressed .

Suitable foaming agents or blowing agents are used to induce foaming, and the cell structure is created immediately when the extrudate emerges from the mold jaw. This flattened tube then comes into contact with cutting blades which slit the flattened tube body along its longitudinal edges (machine direction) to form a sheet or film of substantially uniform width. This sheet or film, which at this point is actually a sheet of two stacked composite structures, is separated into two independent sheets for use in this process and wound onto dependent reels which provide the starting material for the heat-shrinkable composite structure for use in this process . Since the sheet of the composite structure must have heat shrink properties, the appropriate heat shrinkage in the machine direction of extrusion, which is preferably a substantial amount greater than the heat shrinkage in the transverse direction, is mainly provided by the force of the speed of pulling the flattened tube through the nip when using Cooling air to the outside of the bladder, and the cross-direction shrinkage less than the machine-direction shrinkage,

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is mainly provided by the internal air used in forming the bladder and the external cooling air. This is of course known for the production of heat shrinkable films.

The term "heat-shrinkable" refers to when they are used herein to the property of the layer composite, by which it contracts when influenced by sufficient heat in the length and / or width. The shrinkage is generally attributable to a reorientation of the molecules previously oriented by stretching the sheet, either uniaxially in the longitudinal direction (machine direction) or horizontally (in the transverse direction) or biaxially ( in both directions). In the practice of the present invention, the layered composite shell should be uniaxially oriented in the circumferential direction. This means that the casing is able to shrink in the circumferential direction by at least 2.5 times and preferably at least 5 times the shrinkage in the axial direction. The casings according to the invention are capable of shrinking by at least 5090 and preferably at least 6> Ω% in the circumferential direction and less than 2096 and preferably less than 0% in the axial direction. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the casing is able to shrink by 70% in the circumferential direction and about 6 to Q% in the axial direction. This shrinkage value is a theoretical value rather than a value experienced in the manufacture of a pack. Theoretical values are determined by placing a sample of the composite in a hot bath of heat transfer fluid at 350 ° F for a period of 10 seconds and determining the resultant

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Shrinkage. In actual practice, the shrinkage is generally much less than theoretical due to the amount of composite used to wrap the containers. For example, a sheet of the foam polyethylene and film polyethylene composite having a foam thickness of about 4.5 mils, a film thickness of about 1.5 mils and a length of 21.5 inches and a width of about 11.5 inches forms the envelope around a six-pack Disposable beer bottles, when heated at 400 ° F for a period of 20 seconds. In such a pack there is an actual shrinkage of about 50% when the opening is formed at the end of the pack, of about 15% between the bottles and of only about ?.% Above the bottle tops.

The term "heat shrunk" describes the condition of a heat-shrinkable material after applying a sufficient Be careful to induce relaxation and shrinkage (e.g. heating in an oven at 450 ° F for a period of about 5 seconds). This heat treatment heats the shell to almost the melting point of the Composite.

The envelope can be applied by a known method in which a number of containers are placed on a pre-drawn Along a path represented by a pair of moving conveyors or other transport devices can, on which the containers are guided to a facility zone, for example to a signpost where the Containers arranged in the desired side-by-side positions

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will. In a typical case, this grouping consists of three rows of two containers next to one another. The containers so arranged become a wrapping station along a path from the setup station guided where the heat-shrinkable layer composite is placed from a supply roll around the assembled container. The envelope is parallel to the Longitudinal axis of the assembled container group or provided so that the ends of the outer container are inside of the volume limited by the height after shrinkage.

The wrapped containers are then passed through a heating zone, such as a shrink tunnel, where enough heat is applied to shrink the film. The assembled containers, which are in the longitudinal direction and laterally held together by the heat-shrunk sleeve are then fed to a distribution area.

For the purpose of disclosure, all patent documents and publications cited herein are incorporated by reference included in this application.

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Claims (11)

1. Multi-container sales pack with eijfier group ■ - '' of similarly shaped containers, which are supported by a Plastic wrap held together side by side are, characterized in that this envelope is oriented in an opaque, uniaxial manner There is a layered composite shell which is uniaxially oriented in the circumferential direction and is closed-cell contains thermoplastic polyolefin layer deposited on a non-cellular thermoplastic polyolefin film is applied in layers, and that this shell surrounds the container and the tops of the container captured in close contact in the shrink fit. 2. Pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the polyolefin layer consists of polyethylene. 3. Pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the polyolefin film consists of polyethylene. 4. The package of claim 1, characterized in that the envelope has a thickness in the range of about 3 mils to about Has 20 mil. 5. The package of claim 4 characterized in that the envelope has a thickness of about 5 to about 15 mils. 7098 B1 / 0777 ORIGINAL INSPECTED 6. Pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of the closed-cell layer is about 2 to about 5 times the thickness of the film. 7. Pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of the closed-cell layer is approximately 3 times the thickness of the film. 8. Pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the film is on the outside of the envelope. 9. Pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the casing has a decoration. 10. Pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the uniaxially oriented shell is formed from layered composite material which is able to shrink in the circumferential direction by at least about 5 times the shrinkage in the axial direction. 11. Pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the casing has finger openings. 709851/0777