EP0577989A1

EP0577989A1 - An opening arrangement for a packaging container

Info

Publication number: EP0577989A1
Application number: EP93109188A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kenth Jacobsson
Original assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA
Current assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA
Priority date: 1992-06-11
Filing date: 1993-06-08
Publication date: 1994-01-12
Also published as: JPH06156484A; SE9201789D0; SE9201789L; BR9302277A

Abstract

The invention relates to an opening arrangement for packaging containers (2, 3) of the type which is manufactured from laminated board or paper from a material web or a material sheet. The packaging container has sealing fins (4) which display a perforation line (1). By employing one and the same perforation line (1) and by varying that region (5) on the sealing fin (4) which is sealed so that parts of the sealing region (5) lie outside the perforation line (1) and oriented towards the packaging container, and parts of the sealing region (5) lie outside the perforation line (1) and oriented towards the outer edge (7) of the sealing fin (4), there will be obtained various opening arrangements.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an opening arrangement for packaging containers of the type which are manufactured from material which is transformed into a tube with sealing fins disposed transversely of the longitudinal direction of the tube, the opening arrangement comprising a perforation substantially parallel with the above-mentioned sealing fins.

BACKGROUND ART

Packages of the type which are manufactured from a continuous material web of paper or board laminated with thermoplastic and possibly with aluminium foil are cross- sealed, transversely over the material web formed into a tube and are cut off in the transverse sealing seams to form individual packages. By orienting the transverse seal seams in different ways, it is possible to obtain packaging containers of different types. By orienting every second transverse sealing seam at a 90° angle to the preceding transverse seam, packages of tetrahedral configuration will be obtained. By allowing all transverse sealing seams to be oriented in the same direction, cushion-shaped packaging blanks will be obtained which, by a subsequent final forming process, can be brought into parallelepipedic shape. These packages may also be manufactured from corresponding cardboard laminate in sheet form - so-called blanks, which are formed in a similar manner.
Irrespective of what packaging type is manufactured, the packaging container is provided with an opening arrangement. In such instance, it is desirable to adapt the opening arrangement to suit the contents of the package, so that it is possible, with a simple grip, to achieve controlled opening of the package and gain access to the contents of the package in an appropriate manner. There are numerous opening arrangements in the art today in which use is made of a tear-off perforation. The perforation lines are applied to the packaging material at an early stage of manufacture of the packaging material.
In order then to be able to obtain different opening arrangements adapted to different products packed in the packages, use must be made of different perforation lines. This implies that the perforating tool must be changed for each new type of perforation opening.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to simplify manufacture of the packaging material in that one and the same perforation line may be employed and nevertheless be modified or varied in that sealing of the transverse seam fins is carried out differently for different types of opening arrangements.
A further object of the present invention is, by varying the seal of the transverse seam fins employing one and the same perforation line, to make it possible to realise a suitable opening of the packaging container adapted for a specific product.

SOLUTION

These and other objects have been attained according to the present invention in that the opening arrangement of the type described by way of introduction has been given the characterizing features that one of the sealing fins displays a continuous sealing region which is designed so that it partly lies outside the perforation line and oriented towards the outer defining line of the sealing fin, and partly inside the perforation line and oriented towards the packaging container.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention have further been given the characterizing features as set forth in the appended subclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater detail hereinbelow, with particular reference to the accompanying Drawings. In the accompanying Drawings:

Figs. 1 A and B show one preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 A shows the package in the unopened state and Fig. 1 B in the opened state;
Figs. 2 A and B show another embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 2 A shows the package in the unopened state and Fig. 2 B in the opened state;
Figs. 3 A and B show a third embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 3 A shows the package in the unopened state and Fig. 3 B in the opened state; and
Figs. 4 A and B show another type of packaging container, in which Fig. 4 A shows the packaging container with downwardly sealed gable pieces and Fig. 4 B shows these gable pieces in the raised position.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In order to obtain an opening arrangement according to the present invention, the unlaminated packaging material, of paper or cardboard, is provided with perforation lines 1. These perforation lines 1 can be transverse and extend across the entire width of the material web. Preferably, the perforation lines 1 are oriented so that they extend at a 90° angle to the longitudinal direction of the material web. The perforation lines 1 may also be of different extent over the material and they may also extend only over a portion of the material web or material sheet. When the packaging material is reformed into tube form and transversely sealed into individual packages 2 and 3, it is necessary that the perforation lines 1 are kept in register so that they always coincide with a transverse sealing fin 4. In the transverse sealing fin, the material tube is brought together so that the perforation lines 1 also coincide and form a tear indication. All preferred and described embodiments of the present invention take these transverse perforation lines 1 as their point of departure. Naturally, other types of perforation line 1 may also constitute the basis of varying opening arrangements according to the present invention. However, only one perforation tool is employed for a multiplicity of different opening arrangements and a simplified manufacture of the packaging material will thereby be obtained.
The packaging material is thereafter laminated with different thermoplastic layers and possibly with aluminium foil. The packaging material is now ready for use in filling machines of different types. the packaging material is reformed in the filling machine to a tube and is filled with that product which is to be packed. The tube is thereafter transversely sealed and cut off in the transverse seal seams to form individual packages.
By orienting the transverse seal seams in different ways, it is possible to obtain different types of packages 2, 3. Figs. 1 to 3 show a tetrahedral package 2, in which each transverse seal seam has been rotated at an angle of 90° in relation to the preceding transverse seal seam. Fig. 4 shows a type of package 3 in which the different transverse seal seams are oriented in the same direction, in such instance, there being obtained a cushion-shaped packaging blank which, in a later operation, is finally formed into a parallelepipedic package 3.
By using different shapes of the sealing region 5 which seals the sealing fin 4, different opening arrangements can be created. The sealing region 5 is shown in the Figures by broken lines. The transverse seal of the packages 2 and 3 can be made either by induction heat, if the packaging material includes a metal foil, e.g. aluminium foil, or by heated sealing devices. By designing the sealing devices or inductors so that they extend varying lengths on both sides of the perforation line 1, it is possible to obtain different opening arrangements according to the present invention. When an increased proportion of products of different viscosities is packed in the packaging containers 2 and 3, it is possible, in this instance, to design the sealing devices so that there will be obtained an opening arrangement which is adapted to suit the product enclosed in the package.
Fig. 1 shows one preferred embodiment of the invention in which the transverse sealing device and, thereby, the sealing region 5 is so designed that, on tearing-off in the perforation line 1, that portion 5 of the sealing region 5 which lies inside the perforation line 1 and oriented towards the packaging container 2, 3 will still remain place after the opening operation. By designing the sealing region 5 as shown in Fig. 1 A, there will be obtained, after the tearing-off operation (as shown in Fig. 1 B), a smaller opening 6 centrally on the one sealing fin 4. This type of opening arrangement can be suitable for thick products which are pressed out in a more controlled manner than would be the case if the entire sealing fin 4 had been opened. Different products intended for direct consumption can also be imbibed more easily if only a part of the sealing fin 4 is opened.
A further embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. 2. In this instance, the sealing region 5 is designed such that, at sequential stretches, it lies outside the perforation line 1 and oriented towards the outer edge of the sealing fin 4, and at sequential stretches, lies inside the perforation line 1 and oriented towards the packaging container 2, 3. After tearing-off in the perforation line 1, several small holes 6 are opened along the sealing fin 4. Products of average viscosity such as caviar, cream cheese and the like can be squirted out with the aid of this opening arrangement to form an almost totally blanketing surface.
Fig. 3 shows yet a further embodiment of the present invention. In this instance, the sealing region 5 is designed so that it, for the greater part, lies inside the perforation line 1, but at the one edge 10 of the sealing fin 4, a part of the sealing region 5 lies outside the perforation line 1 and oriented towards the outer edge 7 of the sealing fin 4. In such instance, there will be formed a pouring spout 6 for low-viscosity products such as, for example, juice and the like. By varying the extent of the sealing region, a smaller opening 6 can be obtained and the opening arrangement can suitably be employed for squirting out more highly viscous products such as chocolate sauce or blancmanges.
Fig. 4 shows a different type of packaging container 3 in which the two gable pieces 8 must be lifted up in order for the package 3 to be opened. Fig. 4 B shows the gable pieces 8 in the raised position, and, in such instance, a sealing fin 4 is formed corresponding to the sealing fins 4 which are shown in Figs. 1 - 3. Fig. 4 B shows only one of the embodiments indicated in Figs. 1 - 3, but of course all embodiments can be also be applied to this packaging type 3.
By further varying the form of the sealing region 5, other opening arrangements can also be devised. In such instance, it is possible - with one and the same perforation line on the packaging material - to obtain different types of opening arrangements.
As will have been apparent from the above description, the present invention will realise a flexible opening arrangement by employing one and the same perforation line combined with a change of transverse sealing devices or inductors in the filling machine. In this instance, a varied opening arrangement will be devised which, to a substantial degree, can be adapted to suit the product which is to be packed.
The present invention affords simplified manufacture of the packaging material in that the perforation lines are never varied but one and the same perforation tool can be employed for different opening arrangements.

Claims

An opening arrangement for packaging containers (2, 3) of the type which are manufactured from material which is transformed into a tube with sealing fins (4) disposed transversely of the longitudinal direction of the tube, the opening arrangement comprising a perforation (1) substantially parallel with said sealing fins (4), characterized in that one of the sealing fins (4) displays a continuous sealing region (5) which is designed so that it partly lies outside the perforation line (1) and oriented towards the outer defining line (7) of the sealing fin (4), and partly inside the perforation line (1) and oriented towards the packaging container (2, 3).
The opening arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the sealing region (5) from each lateral definition of the sealing fin (4) lies inside the perforation line (1) towards the centre of the sealing fin (4), where the sealing region (5) lies outside the perforation line (1).
The opening arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the sealing region (5), at sequential stretches of the sealing fin (4), lies inside the perforation line (1) and, at sequential stretches, lies outside the perforation line (1).
The opening arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the sealing region (5) lies inside the perforation line (1) from the one lateral definition (9) of the sealing fin (4) towards the other lateral definition (10), where the sealing region (5) transforms into lying outside the perforation line (1).