EP0332800B1 - Parallelepipede-shaped flat gable carton and method of producing it - Google Patents

Abstract

The cuboid flat gable carton has a plastic pouring element. <??>In order especially to be able to meet the highest demands on sterility and hygiene without impairing the basic tightness, a one-part flat reclosable pouring element is proposed which consists of a tab 3 and a pouring spout 4, rising from said tab, a connection strap 12, hinged to the tab 3, and a closure flap lid 13 which is likewise hinged to said tab. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a rectangular flat gable pack, in particular an ear pack with a central seam, with a surface which can be pierced or cut along a closed dividing line and which forms a pouring hole after being punctured or severed, with a plastic pouring body, the flange surrounding the dividing line or the pouring hole is firmly connected to the outer surface of the packing gable and in its pouring spout a corresponding tube with a plurality of triangular teeth, possibly in the circumference of the closed dividing line shape, can be inserted axially on the end face facing the pouring hole, and with a closure cap that can be repeatedly closed, the packing inner surface is coated with a thermally adhesive plastic film. The invention further relates to a method for producing said rectangular flat gable package.

The conventional rectangular packaging known from the prior art, e.g. combibloc, Tetra Brik, which are primarily used in the field of liquid packaging with normal cold, cold sterile, hot and aseptic filling, cannot be closed again after opening once.

It has therefore already been proposed for flat gable packs to insert a pre-punched pouring and ventilation hole in the gable, which is sealed on both sides with foils, whereby a special intermediate layer enables reclosure via a self-adhesive tear-open tab (pull tab) (EP-A -0214791).

However, this reclosure is neither hygienic nor leak-proof due to the filling residues remaining on the intermediate layer after pouring out, and does not exist in the case of higher-viscosity products.

Furthermore, from "Die Molkerei-Zeitung WELT DER MILCH", 40 years, 1986/23, page 696, a flat gable package is known, on the top of the gable a stopper-like closure is articulated, the side walls of which are conically tapered towards the front. The stopper can be pushed in and out of the pouring opening on the top of the gable of the package and has an annular tab on the top of the closure for this purpose.

However, this closure does not ensure adequate tightness, since the stopper does not come into contact with the relatively soft composite film at the edge of the pouring hole. Furthermore, even a slight application of pressure on the side of the ring tab can lead to unintentional opening. In addition, the pouring area of the package is not covered hygienically after opening once, and after the pouring process has ended, a return, especially of higher-viscosity products, is guaranteed, so that these liquids settle on the gable surface or drip uncontrollably.

The same disadvantages also have the closure system described in US-A-3924777, which furthermore also does not enable a continuous inner coating covering the opening area, as is e.g. is absolutely necessary for the gas and aroma-tight packs.

In particular, it has so far been accepted that pouring grease-free and drop-free pouring is not possible with flat gable tops.

In EP-A-0167095, an integrated plastic spout consisting of a spout and snap-on lid has been proposed for a steep gable pack, which is inserted from the inside into a punched hole on the steep gable and sealed from the inside with a counterhold from the outside. However, due to the risk of pockets forming if the seal is not completely sealed, there is only moderate sterile security.

From DE-A-3039299 a steep gable container is also known, on the gable surface of which a three-part pouring body is attached from the outside. This consists of one sealed on the gable surface Flange with a cylindrical section perpendicular to the flange, in the inner wall of which a pouring tube which is divided on the inside by an L-shaped wall is arranged axially displaceably, and a cap which can be placed on the upper end of the vertical section. To open the container, after removing the cap, the inner pouring tube is pressed down until its triangular teeth arranged at the front end pierce the side of the packing gable. This piercing movement is limited by a locking edge provided on the pouring spout. Unfortunately, this embodiment is very complex.

However, because of the stackability required for flat gable packaging, the solutions for steep gable packaging cannot be transferred to flat gable packaging. Furthermore, a transfer of this solution principle is opposed by the different requirements with regard to the desired beam guidance and direction in flat gable packs.

The spout according to EP-A-0167095 is also unsatisfactory because of the relatively small pouring opening, which is not suitable for higher-viscosity liquids.

Against the reclosable spout known from DE-A-3039299 speaks that it - because it is open towards the interior of the package - can only be sterilized with great effort and with great risk together with the package and also no continuous inner coating covering the pouring opening area before opening the original closure can be applied is.

It is therefore an object of the invention to develop a flat gable package with an integrated spout in such a way that the aforementioned disadvantages are avoided. In particular, the flat gable package should be suitable for an aseptic packaging system, for example in the case of packages with an aluminum multilayer composite with a plastic film (polyethylene layer) covering the inside of the package. The pack should continue meet the highest sterility and hygiene requirements without affecting the basic tightness when preparing the pouring hole by punching out in the composite. The reclosable pourer should finally be tightly and firmly connected to the package and allow pouring without glucose and drops.

The object is achieved in the flat gable pack mentioned at the outset in that the closure flap cover, which is firmly connected to the tube, is articulated, preferably by means of a connecting band, to the tab of the pouring spout designed as a pouring spout. In contrast to the solution for a container known from DE-A-3039299, which can also be carried out as a flat roof pack and which comes closest to the subject of the application in terms of sterility and hygiene requirements, the flat gable pack according to the invention has several decisive advantages:
On the one hand, the entire reclosable pouring application is constructed in one piece and can be carried out in flat form by connecting the flange-shaped tab on the outer surface of the packing gable in a flat design, so that the stackability of the pack is not or only insignificantly impaired. In the case of multi-layer stacking of packs combined in shrink containers or trays, the height differences which may still be disruptive can be compensated for or intercepted by intermediate webs.
Furthermore, the inner coating of the package is not interrupted by the pourer, rather an inner or double-sided overcoating of the punched-out for the pouring opening is possible, preferably on the extruder, but also with a composite corresponding to the coating on a film sealer. Alternatively, the opening can be punched into the finished composite from the outside inwards in a so-called half-cut. Overall, the basic tightness of the package, which is crucial for its gas and aroma density, remains untouched, since the spout is sealed or glued onto the finished package assembly from the outside. In particular, in the case of the packs according to the invention, there is no danger of pockets forming due to the continuous interior coating in the case of foils that are possibly not fully sealed to one another, which ensures safe sterilization and compliance with the remaining amounts of sterilizing agents when using these packs in the aseptic area.

According to a development of the invention, the collar of the pouring spout is connected to a releasable locking ring in such a way that the locking ring keeps the tube end face with the triangular teeth at a distance from the dividing line of the packing gable. Preferably, the locking ring fully encompasses the collar of the pouring spout. Both measures ensure perfect hygiene in the opening area of the unopened package, since the entire pouring opening area is covered by the sleeve body which is tightly encapsulated in itself by the locking ring. The retaining ring advantageously also serves to prevent the pouring opening from being opened unintentionally when pressure is exerted on the hinged lid in the form of a spacer.

The opening of the original closure is made easier by a tear-open tab that is attached to the locking ring. This tear-open tab is preferably arranged in the connection area of the flap cover with the connecting band, where there is also a predetermined breaking notch. If one breaks this predetermined breaking notch and tears off the securing ring along the predetermined breaking line, the tube can be moved in the direction of the prepared ring opening by external pressure on the closure flap, the toothed end face cutting open the overcoated pouring hole opening. Through the pouring spout, a safe guiding of the tube up to the cutting or bringing out of all openings to be cut out is guaranteed.

According to a further development of the invention, the pouring spout and the pouring hole have a slightly oval, teardrop-shaped cross section, which ensures both the ventilation of the interior of the package and the liquid jet guidance, even for highly viscous products.

The beam guidance and beam direction is further improved in that the pouring spout arranged in a corner of the packing gable surface has a lip which is sharply drawn across the edge of the packing narrow side and is formed at its free end as a tear-off edge. This prevents dripping at the end of the pouring process, since the liquid still in the spout area flows back into the pack via the spout slope.

Even after the package has been reclosed, perfect hygiene is ensured in the region of the pouring opening in that, when closed, the closure flap protrudes on all sides or completely covers the collar including the tear-off edge of the pouring spout. This cover effectively prevents contamination of the relevant edge areas from the outset.

The connecting band is preferably designed as a three-part hinge band, which enables the flap cover to be pivoted through 180 °.

In order to prevent the flap cover from falling into the pouring stream, two solutions are available according to further developments of the invention:
On the one hand, the hinge band can be designed like a toggle lever with two dead centers in the closed and in the open (opened) position of the closure flap cover. On the other hand, the surface of the closure flap cover facing away from the pouring hole and the outer surface of the gable, which come into contact when the closure flap cover is in the fully open or folded position, can have supports which serve as an adhesive closure.

The further preferably slightly conical shape of the tube and the pouring channel of the spout ensure shake-tight reclosure, since the spout walls can be prevented from collapsing.

In order to prevent the piece punched out to form a pouring hole from falling into the interior of the package, the inside of the closure flap cover has a wedge or a needle which is arranged in the center of the tube and which projects beyond the end face of the tube with the triangular teeth. This embodiment is particularly suitable with the linear punching (half-cut opening) provided in the center of the later pouring hole, as described in claim 22, from the outside inwards.

According to an inexpensive and technically easy to process development of the invention, the entire pouring application is made of plastic, preferably injection molded soft plastic. The one-piece flat spout produced in this way can be functionally shaped and formed in the factory by deflecting the hinge strap by 180 ° and flanging it around or fixing the tear-open tab on the spout. The flat pourer is applied to the flat gable of the pack either in the filler or on the application machines downstream of the fillers.

Developments of the invention are described in the subclaims 15 to 22, which advantageously ensure overall that the usual shaping, filling and closing process of the packs is just as little impaired as the closed film facing the inside of the pack.

To produce the flat gable package described above, a drop-shaped punching or punching is overcoated in the extruder during the blank production or a teardrop-shaped half cut is introduced from the outside into the coated composite by means of a punch, and the tab of the pouring body is glued to the shaped pack in register with the punched-out or half-cut or sealed after the flap cover and the collar of the pouring spout have been welded with an interposed circlip. This means that pack production can be carried out economically and cost-effectively without significantly changing the previous manufacturing and filling process.

• Figur 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Behälters;
• Figuren 2a bis 2d Ausgießapplikationen in verschiedenen Ansichten und Stellungen;
• Figuren 3a bis 3d entsprechende Ausgießapplikationen, die zusätzlich einen Keil oder eine Nadel inmitten des Tubus aufweisen;
• und Figuren 4a, b bis Figur 7a, b jeweils Querschnitts- und Draufsichtansichten der vorbereiteten Gießöffnungen.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, on the basis of which the invention is explained below. Show it:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container according to the invention;
• Figures 2a to 2d pouring applications in different views and positions;
• Figures 3a to 3d corresponding pouring applications, which additionally have a wedge or a needle in the middle of the tube;
• and FIGS. 4a, b to 7a, b each show cross-sectional and top views of the prepared pouring openings.

The cuboid flat gable pack shown in FIG. 1 is designed as an ear pack with a central seam and is therefore part of the prior art. According to the invention, this package has a closable pouring application 2 on the package gable surface 1 in the corner position as possible, which is shown in more detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. The pouring application 2 is made in one piece and consists of a tab (flange) 3, which (or which) is sealed onto the surface of the packing gable. The essentially rectangular flap 3 has a slightly oval, teardrop-shaped opening 3a and is delimited by a pouring spout 4 which projects essentially vertically and ends in a collar 4a. A tube 5 serving as a plug, the free end face of which has triangular teeth 6, is firmly connected to a closure flap cover 13. The flap cover 13 has a low height, is flat and articulated to the tab 3 via a connecting band 12 with three hinges 12a. Between the collar 4a of the spout 4 and the flap cover 13, a retaining ring 7 is arranged substantially all around in the function of a spacer between the flap cover and the prepared pouring opening. On this retaining ring 7, a tear-open tab 8 is fastened, the actuation of which first breaks a predetermined breaking notch and then the retaining ring 7 can be torn off and removed along a predetermined breaking line. The pouring spout 4 arranged in a corner of the packing gable surface 1 is towards the packing narrow side 16 over its packing edge 10 sharp-edged as a lip, which is formed at its free end as a tear-off edge 11.
When it is closed again, the flap cover (13) with the circumferential collar (4a) comes to rest.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 3a to 3d differs from this only in that in the middle of the tube there is a wedge or a needle 19 fastened on the inside of the closure flap cover, which protrudes beyond the triangular teeth 6 on the front side and that when the closure flap cover (13) is closed again remaining annular extension (7a) of the locking ring (7) surrounds the circumferential collar (4a).

The closure is operated as follows: by tearing the tear-open tab 8 and detonating the predetermined breaking notch 9a and severing the securing ring 7 along the predetermined breaking line 9 and then pressing on the surface 17 of the closure flap cover, the closure flap cover 13 together with the tube 5 is brought down, the teeth 6 being the pierce the prepared opening for the pouring hole 15, possibly along the dividing line 14 (FIG. 7). The relevant positions before and after piercing are shown in Figures 2c and 2d or 3c and 3d. The closable pouring application according to FIGS. 3a to 3d with the wedge 19 arranged in the center of the tube 5 can be used in particular in connection with the packing shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b. In addition to the dividing line 14, which, according to FIG. 7a, is designed as a half-cut opening 29 from the outside inwards, a further half-cut punching is provided in the center of the longitudinal sides of the drop oval created by the dividing line 14. If one now presses down the flap cover 13, the wedge or the needle 19 comes into contact with the half-cut opening 30, cuts through the other layers as it moves and finally serves as a barb for holding the area punched out by the teeth 6 along the dividing line 14. After pressing down, the flap cover either rests on the collar 4a of the pouring body (spout 4) as shown in (2d) or additionally encompasses the collar (4a) of the pouring body with the annular extension (7a) as shown in (3d).

A further embodiment variant can still be seen from FIG. 3b. Then a surface 18 is applied to the surface 17 of the flap cover 13, which is part of an adhesive fastener (Velcro fastener). The corresponding counterpart is located on the pack gable in the corner, in which the surface 17 comes to rest when the flap cover 13 is completely folded down.

Figures 4a, b to 7a, b provide information about the structure of the packs and the preparation of the pouring hole 15. Except for the prepared opening, the aseptic pack consists of an aluminum multilayer composite with a structure that comprises the following layers from the inside out: polyethylene 21, cardboard 22, polyethylene 23, aluminum 24, adhesion promoter 25 and polyethylene 26 (plastic inner coating). According to FIG. 4a, the cardboard layer 22 has been left out in the area of the later pouring hole 15 and the composite layers have subsequently been applied "in-line" to the extruder.
According to FIG. 5a, the pouring opening made in the finished composite on the film sealer is covered again with a composite that essentially corresponds to the coating of the remaining pack, consisting of films 31 and 32.
FIG. 6a represents a modification of FIG. 4a, in which the cardboard layer 22 is interrupted in a ring except for a few bridges 28 (FIG. 6b).

According to FIGS. 7a and 7b, through a so-called half-cut openings 29, 30 from the outside by punching the finished coated composite from the outside, for example hole preparation in a red punch.

The packaging according to the invention is characterized in particular by a large so-called pilfer and tamper proof security, without having to accept the loss of basic tightness and safe reclosability.

Claims (24)

1. A parallelipipedic flat top pack, more particularly a lug-type pack, having: a central seam; a prepared surface in the pack top which can be penetrated or parted along a closed parting line and which after penetration or parting forms a pouring hole (15); a plastics pouring member whose flange (3), enclosing the parting line (14) and the pouring hole, is rigidly connected to the outer surface of the pack top and into whose pouring spout (4) a tube (5), possibly corresponding in periphery to the closed shape of the parting line and having a plurality of triangular teeth on the end face adjacent the pouring hole can be axially introduced; and a closure cap which can repeatedly close the pouring spout, the inner surface (20) of the packing being coated with a thermally adhesive plastics film, characterized in that the closure flap cover (13) connected to the tube (5) is articulated, preferably via a connecting band (12), to the strap (3) of the pouring member taking the form of a casting spout (4).
2. A flat top pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure flap cover (13) is so connected to a releasable securing ring (7) that the securing ring (7) maintains the tube end face with the triangular teeth (6) at a distance from the parting line (14) and the casting hole (15) in the pack top (1).
3. A flat top pack according to claim 2, characterized in that the securing ring (7) circumferentially completely engages around the collar (4a) of the pouring spout (4).
4. A flat top pack according to claims 2 or 3, characterized in that attached to the securing ring (7) is a pull tab (8) by whose pulling-off the securing ring (7) can be removed along a breaking line (9).
5. A flat top pack according to claim 4, characterized in that in the connecting zone of the closure flap cover (13) the pull tab (8) is attached by the connecting band (12) to the securing ring (7) and preferably a breaking notch (9a) is provided therebeside.
6. A flat top pack according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the casting channel (3a) in the casting spout (4) and the casting hole (5) have a slightly oval droplet-shaped cross-section.
7. A flat top pack according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the pouring spout (4) disposed in one corner of the flat surface (1) of the pack top has a sharp-edged drawn-out lip which extends beyond the edge (10) of the narrow side (16) of the pack and which is constructed at its free end as a tear-off edge (11).
8. A flat top pack according to claim 7, characterized in that in the closure state the closure flap cover (13) extends beyond and completely covers the collar (4a) including the tear-off edge (11) on all sides.
9. A flat top pack according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the connecting band (12) takes the form of a preferably three-part hinge strap.
10. A flat top pack according to claim 9, characterized in that the hinge strap (12) is constructed toggle-lever-like with two dead centres in the closed and the opened (hinged-open) position of the closure flap cover (13).
11. A flat top pack according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the surface (17) of the closure flap cover (13) remote from the pouring hole (15) and the outer surface (1) of the top, which abut in the completely hinged-open or hinged-over position of the closure flap cover (13), preferably have strip-shaped overlays acting as an adhesion closure.
12. A flat top pack according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the tube (5) and the pouring channel (3a) of the spout (4) are shaped slightly conically.
13. A flat top pack according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the inside (13) of the closure flap cover has a wedge (19) disposed centrally of the tube (5) or a needle which extends beyond the end face of the tube (5) and the cutting edges (6).
14. A flat top pack according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the closure flap cover (13) with tube (5), the pouring member (2) comprising the spout (4) and strap (3) and/or the connecting band (12) are made unitarily from preferably injection moulded soft plastics.
15. A flat top pack according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the strap (3) is glued or sealed to the outside (1) of the pack top.
16. A flat top pack according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that in the original closure the preferably polyethylene-coated inside surface (20) of the pack also extends beyond the prepared pouring hole (15) and the parting line (14).
17. A flat top pack according to claim 16, characterized in that the pack comprises an aluminium multi-layer composite, preferably with an inward sequence of layers: polyethylene, cardboard, polyethylene, aluminium, coupling agent and polyethylene (21-26).
18. A flat top pack according to claims 16 or 17, characterized in that in the original closure the pouring hole (15) has both externally and internally continuously extruded-on polyethylene layers (21, 26) but no cardboard (22).
19. A flat top pack according to claims 16 or 17, characterized in that in the original closure the pouring hole (15) is closed inwardly and outwardly by sealed-on foils (31, 32).
20. A flat top pack according to claims 16 or 17, characterized in that in the original closure the pouring hole (15) is prepared by a circularly punched-out cardboard layer (27) overlayered in the extruder and preferably interrupted by a few bridges (28).
21. A flat top pack according to claims 16 or 17, characterized by an annular punched-on portion (29) (half-cut opening) made inwardly in the finished composite as a preparation for the casting hole.
22. A flat top pack according to claim 21, more particularly in conjunction with claim 13, characterized in that a linear inward punching (30) (half-cut opening) is also provided centrally for the subsequent pouring hole.
23. A method of making a flat top pack according to claims 1 to 22, characterized in that during the preparation of the blank either a droplet-shaped punched-out or punched-in portion (27) is introduced into the uncoated cardboard and then coated on the extruder, or a droplet-shaped punched-in portion (29) (half-cut) is introduced into the coated laminate, and the strap of the pouring element is glued or sealed on the fully formed pack in registration over the punched-out or punched-in portion or half-cut.
24. A method according to claim 23, characterized in that after the gluing-on or sealing-on of the strap, the closure flap cover and the collar of the pouring spout can be welded to an interposed securing ring.

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