EP1491452A1 - Package for pourable food products - Google Patents
Package for pourable food products Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP1491452A1 EP1491452A1 EP20030425425 EP03425425A EP1491452A1 EP 1491452 A1 EP1491452 A1 EP 1491452A1 EP 20030425425 EP20030425425 EP 20030425425 EP 03425425 A EP03425425 A EP 03425425A EP 1491452 A1 EP1491452 A1 EP 1491452A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- package
- thermoplastic material
- pigment
- opening device
- cover portion
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
- B65D5/42—Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
- B65D5/72—Contents-dispensing means
- B65D5/74—Spouts
- B65D5/746—Spouts formed separately from the container
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a package for pourable food products.
- pourable food products such as fruit juice, UHT (ultra-high-temperature processed) milk, wine, tomato sauce and others, are sold in packages made of sterilized packaging material.
- Tetra Brik Aseptic registered trademark
- Tetra Brik Aseptic registered trademark
- a typical example of this type of package is the parallelepiped-shaped package for liquid or pourable food products known as Tetra Brik Aseptic (registered trademark), which is produced by folding and sealing a web of laminated packaging material having a multilayer structure comprising a layer of fibrous material, e.g. paper, covered on both sides with layers of heat-seal plastic material, e.g. polyethylene.
- the package is preferably used for aseptic packaging of long-storage products, such as UHT milk.
- the packages are normally produced on fully automatic packaging machines, on which a continuous tube is formed from the web-fed packaging material; the web of packaging material is sterilized on the packaging machine, e.g. by applying a chemical sterilizing agent, such as a hydrogen peroxide solution, which, after sterilization, is removed, e.g. vapourized by heating, from the surfaces of the packaging material; and the web of packaging material so sterilized is kept in a closed, sterile environment and folded and sealed longitudinally to form a vertical tube.
- a chemical sterilizing agent such as a hydrogen peroxide solution
- the tube is filled with the sterilized or sterile-processed food product, and is sealed and cut at equally spaced cross sections to form pillow packs, which are then folded mechanically to form the finished, e.g. substantially parallelepiped-shaped, packages.
- the packaging material may be cut into blanks, which are formed on forming spindles into packages, which are then filled with the food product and sealed.
- packages which are then filled with the food product and sealed.
- this type of package are the so-called "gable-top” package known by the trade name Tetra Rex (registered trademark), and the package with a top wall made entirely of thermoplastic material and known by the trade name Tetra Top®.
- closable opening devices which substantially comprise a frame defining an opening and applied over a hole or a pierceable or removable portion on a wall of the package, and a cap hinged to the frame.
- the cap is normally molded integrally with the frame, and is initially sealed to the frame, along a peripheral edge surrounding the opening, by a thin breakable annular connecting portion. Once unsealed, the cap is movable between a closed position, in which it cooperates hermetically with the frame, and an open position.
- threaded caps are also used, which are separate from and initially screwed to the frame.
- opening devices of the type described are made of low-break-strength plastic material.
- Opening devices are preferably white, which the consumer associates with product freshness, and which is believed to be particularly favoured in the case of products such as milk.
- the opening device may be made entirely of one thermoplastic polymer material, preferably polyethylene, and more preferably low-density polyethylene or LDPE, and, to obtain a white opening device, a white pigment, preferably titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), is added to the thermoplastic polymer material.
- a white pigment preferably titanium dioxide (TiO 2 )
- the opening device may be made of coloured material; in which case, a pigment of the desired colour, as opposed to the white pigment, is added to the thermoplastic polymer material.
- the average thickness of the opening device has been increased from 0.75 mm to 1 mm, but this only results in a 25% reduction in transmittance, i.e. the ratio between transmitted and incident light intensity (I T/ I I ) in a 300 to 800 nm wavelength range.
- Increasing the percentage by weight of the white pigment has also been tried, but results in a similar, i.e. insufficient, reduction in transmittance.
- attempts have also been made using a second coloured, in particular blue, pigment in addition to the white, but, in this case too, the results are poor in terms of reducing transmittance.
- the resulting opening devices are of a grey/black colour, which, being associated by the consumer with dirt, is to be avoided at all costs in the packaging of food products.
- coloured opening devices in which case, the addition of carbon black blackens and darkens the colour, resulting in an unpleasant shade which the consumer associates with deterioration of the cap and of the food product in the package.
- a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown by way of example in Figure 1, in which number 1 indicates as a whole a package for pourable food products.
- Container 1 is defined by a parallelepiped-shaped container 2.
- Container 2 is defined by a number of walls 5, and is made from a multilayer laminated sheet material comprising a layer of chartaceous-base material, e.g. paper, to provide the necessary strength and light barrier and which is covered on both sides with layers of a first thermoplastic material, e.g. polyethylene, and preferably low-density polyethylene (so-called LDPE).
- a first thermoplastic material e.g. polyethylene, and preferably low-density polyethylene (so-called LDPE).
- Package 1 has a top wall 3, to which a closable opening device 4 defining a cover portion 6 is applied either by conventional fastening systems, e.g. adhesive substances, or by microflame or laser heat-seal techniques.
- a closable opening device 4 defining a cover portion 6 may also be injection-molded directly onto top wall 3 (as described, for example, in the Applicant's European Patent n. 0949992).
- Opening device 4 is made entirely of a second thermoplastic material, preferably polyethylene, and even more preferably low-density polyethylene (LDPE); and the second and first thermoplastic material are preferably the same, and preferably polyethylene, to achieve optimum heat sealing of opening device 4 to container 2, and so ensure an aseptic package 1.
- LDPE low-density polyethylene
- the second thermoplastic material comprises from 1% to 3% by weight of a pigment defining the colour of opening device 4.
- the pigment is preferably a white pigment, and even more preferably titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), of preferably 2% to 3% by weight.
- a smaller quantity of added pigment does not produce opening devices of uniform white colour, whereas a larger quantity makes opening device 4 fragile.
- the second thermoplastic material also comprises from 0.001% to 0.005% by weight of carbon black.
- thermoplastic material and therefore opening device 4, with extremely low transmittance values and so constituting an excellent light barrier, and at the same time produces an opening device 4 of pleasing colour, e.g. ice-white.
- the package 11 comprises a parallelepiped-shaped container 12 defined by a number of walls 15; and a top wall 13 defining the whole of the cover portion 16 and including the opening device 14.
- Cover portion 16 is made entirely of the second thermoplastic material, which, in this case too, is made as described previously.
- coloured pigments as opposed to a white pigment, may be used to produce coloured opening devices 4, 14.
- adding extremely small percentages of carbon black to the thermoplastic material prevents dulling or darkening of the colour of opening device 4, which is distasteful to consumers, but at the same time provides for achieving the necessary light barrier.
- Tests were conducted on white opening devices for packages of milk.
- the opening devices or caps tested are known by the trade name Flexicap®, are normally made of 97.5% by weight LDPE, and comprise 2.5% by weight titanium dioxide.
- Varying percentages of carbon black were added to the above opening devices to determine the transmittance, and hence light barrier, and colour obtainable.
- the carbon black was added by premixing it with the LDPE and TiO 2 , and the resulting mixture fed directly to a single injection unit to form the opening device. Premixing advantageously provides for a homogenous mixture and therefore uniform opening devices.
- a masterbatch of LDPE, TiO 2 and carbon black (Printex F alpha®) can be used and added to the polymer.
- Table 1 Polymer Coloured pigment Carbon black 1 LDPE 98 % TiO 2 2 % None 2 LDPE 98 % TiO 2 2 % 0,001 % 3 LDPE 98 % TiO 2 2 % 0,002 % 4 LDPE 98 % TiO 2 2 % 0,003 % 5 LDPE 98 % TiO 2 2 % 0,005 % 6 LDPE 97 % TiO 2 3 % 0,002 %
- Tetra Brik® packages were then produced using the above opening devices.
- Table 1 The devices in Table 1 were transmittance tested using a CINTRA 20 UV-visible spectrometer, and over a wavelength range of 300 to 800 nm. The results are shown in Figure 3, in which each line corresponds to the testing of one specimen in Table 1. As can be seen, whereas the reference specimen 1 containing no carbon black gives a transmittance of 8% to 16% in the visible and close to UV wavelengths, specimens 2-6 containing a percentage of carbon black in accordance with the present invention have a very low transmittance, and at any rate much lower than reference specimen 1.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Laminated Bodies (AREA)
- Compositions Of Macromolecular Compounds (AREA)
- Packages (AREA)
- Wrappers (AREA)
Priority Applications (5)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP20030425425 EP1491452A1 (en) | 2003-06-27 | 2003-06-27 | Package for pourable food products |
BRPI0409651-7A BRPI0409651A (pt) | 2003-06-27 | 2004-06-25 | embalagem para produtos alimentìcios vertìveis |
MXPA05010767A MXPA05010767A (es) | 2003-06-27 | 2004-06-25 | Empaques para productos alimenticios que pueden fluir. |
PCT/EP2004/051258 WO2005000690A2 (en) | 2003-06-27 | 2004-06-25 | Package for pourable food products |
CO05121511A CO5630001A2 (es) | 2003-06-27 | 2005-11-30 | Empaque para productos alimenticios vertibles |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP20030425425 EP1491452A1 (en) | 2003-06-27 | 2003-06-27 | Package for pourable food products |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1491452A1 true EP1491452A1 (en) | 2004-12-29 |
Family
ID=33396140
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP20030425425 Withdrawn EP1491452A1 (en) | 2003-06-27 | 2003-06-27 | Package for pourable food products |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1491452A1 (pt) |
BR (1) | BRPI0409651A (pt) |
CO (1) | CO5630001A2 (pt) |
MX (1) | MXPA05010767A (pt) |
WO (1) | WO2005000690A2 (pt) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
NL2004478A (nl) * | 2010-03-30 | 2010-06-16 | Basisschool St Johannes | Vloeistofhouder. |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3946897A (en) * | 1974-03-25 | 1976-03-30 | Uniroyal, Inc. | Drum cover made from thermoplastic rubber |
JPS5562937A (en) * | 1978-11-07 | 1980-05-12 | Denki Kagaku Kogyo Kk | Molding for wrapping food |
JPH04272826A (ja) * | 1991-02-27 | 1992-09-29 | Dainippon Printing Co Ltd | 耐熱遮光バリヤー性ボトル |
US5720389A (en) * | 1995-04-07 | 1998-02-24 | Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. | Plastic case for photographic film cassette |
EP1081054A1 (en) * | 1999-08-27 | 2001-03-07 | Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SA | Method of fitting closable opening devices to respective sealed packages for pourable food products, and packages featuring such devices |
-
2003
- 2003-06-27 EP EP20030425425 patent/EP1491452A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2004
- 2004-06-25 WO PCT/EP2004/051258 patent/WO2005000690A2/en active Application Filing
- 2004-06-25 BR BRPI0409651-7A patent/BRPI0409651A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2004-06-25 MX MXPA05010767A patent/MXPA05010767A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
-
2005
- 2005-11-30 CO CO05121511A patent/CO5630001A2/es not_active Application Discontinuation
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3946897A (en) * | 1974-03-25 | 1976-03-30 | Uniroyal, Inc. | Drum cover made from thermoplastic rubber |
JPS5562937A (en) * | 1978-11-07 | 1980-05-12 | Denki Kagaku Kogyo Kk | Molding for wrapping food |
JPH04272826A (ja) * | 1991-02-27 | 1992-09-29 | Dainippon Printing Co Ltd | 耐熱遮光バリヤー性ボトル |
US5720389A (en) * | 1995-04-07 | 1998-02-24 | Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. | Plastic case for photographic film cassette |
EP1081054A1 (en) * | 1999-08-27 | 2001-03-07 | Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SA | Method of fitting closable opening devices to respective sealed packages for pourable food products, and packages featuring such devices |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 017, no. 068 (M - 1365) 10 February 1993 (1993-02-10) * |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
NL2004478A (nl) * | 2010-03-30 | 2010-06-16 | Basisschool St Johannes | Vloeistofhouder. |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
BRPI0409651A (pt) | 2006-04-25 |
WO2005000690A3 (en) | 2005-03-03 |
CO5630001A2 (es) | 2006-04-28 |
WO2005000690A2 (en) | 2005-01-06 |
MXPA05010767A (es) | 2005-12-12 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
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PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
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17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 20050624 |
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AKX | Designation fees paid |
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STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN |
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18D | Application deemed to be withdrawn |
Effective date: 20060320 |