EP1685032A1

EP1685032A1 - Container for flowing products and method for producing the containers

Info

Publication number: EP1685032A1
Application number: EP03775781A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alessandro Bianchini; Roberto Tagliaferri
Original assignee: Elopak Systems AG
Current assignee: Elopak Systems AG
Priority date: 2003-10-21
Filing date: 2003-10-21
Publication date: 2006-08-02
Also published as: WO2005037675A8; WO2005037675A1; AU2003283800A1; WO2005037675A9

Abstract

A container (5’) comprises wall means (7) defining outlet means (a; 8b) of contents, opening indicating means (16; 17) arranged in said outlet means (8a; 8b) and defining cross sections of said outlet means (8a; 8b) arranged so as to allow a consumer (D) to rest its own anatomical parts preferably on regions of said wall means (7) different from the border (H). A method comprises providing precursor means (21) of said opening indicating means (16; 17) on sheet material (3, 4), expanding said sheet material (3, 4) by introducing into it fluid forming means in order to form said containers (5’), said opening indicating means (16; 17) being arranged so that, during said expanding, said opening indicating means (16; 17) is brought from said sheet material (3, 4) in a position (O’) such to allow a consumer (D) that opens said containers (5’) along said opening indicating means (16, 17) to rest its own anatomical parts preferably on regions (I) of said containers (5’) different from the border (H) of said opening (A; B).

Description

COTAINER FOR FLOWING PRODUCTS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE CONTAINERS

The invention relates to the manufacturing of containers for flowing products .

The prior art comprises containers produced, for example, by thermowelding and subsequent thermoforming a pair of strips of sheet plastic material . The so obtained containers comprise two half-shell profiled elements, at least one of which concave, mutually welded at their edges. Each of the so obtained containers can be opened by tearing a portion of container at a region useful as outlet duct for a flowing product hold inside. A pair of cutting lines is provided defining a predetermined fracture line that enables the final user to open the container in substantially easy and fast way, by removing the above described limited portion of the container.

However, since the plane containing the predetermined fracture line is arranged transversally with respect to the plane containing the weld that surrounds the container, when the above mentioned portion is removed, sharp, potentially abrasive edges are formed. That may be discovered, for example, in the container disclosed in the international patent application WO 99/55596. Such sharp edges, arranged at the intersection of the cutting line with the adjacent portions of the peripheral weld of the container, result dangerous when they come in contact with the skin of the consumer, as frequently happens if said containers are designed for food and/or pharmaceutical use.

Furthermore, the cutting lines are obtained through a pair of blades each arranged so as to interact on a side of the sheet material before the welding station.

Since the cutting edge of the blades wear out because of operation, the incisions made by the above mentioned blades gradually decrease in depth. Consequently, that makes progressively less effective the opening of the containers, since the material that should separate from the outlet duct results more difficult to be removed.

In the international patent application WO 97/48619 the sharp edges are prevented to be formed by acting on the shape of the cutting line. In WO 97/48619 a predetermined fracture line is disclosed having a rounded convex shape, delimiting a concavity oriented towards the inside of the container, and having a profile substantially continuous with the profile of the casing. By acting along this cutting line a portion of casing is removed and an opening is obtained whose edges result substantially not abrasive for the user's skin, since sharp edges are not produced and thus the container is suitable for food and/or pharmaceutical uses . The predetermined convex fracture line provided in WO 97/48619 is defined by two fins, which form an enlarged part of the peripheral weld of the container in the region ending with the outlet opening. Although such fins have a smooth outline, they result from the overlapping of two sheets of sheet plastic material and, if they are made of a material that shows certain rigidity, they can result potentially sharp.

Therefore, container as disclosed in WO 99/55596 and in WO 97/48619 can not completely remove the risk that, for example, the skin and/or the rima oris of the user (i.e. the orifice delimited by the lips having a variable outline) suffer possible injuries, caused by abrasive or sharp areas, produced when the container is opened or caused by the physical properties of the elements contributing to form the container.

An object of the present invention is to improve the manufacturing systems for container provided with cutting, pre-cutting lines or with opening indicating means in general . Another object is to provide a container opening system enabling the user to give access to the contents by avoiding the direct contact of the mouth with the border of the outlet opening for the contents.

A further object is to provide containers provided with opening indicating means having portions subject to the contact with the user that are substantially free from abrasive and/or sharp regions .

A still further object is to improve the known apparatuses for producing cutting lines on sheet material, in particular thermoformable plastic material .

In a first aspect of the invention, a container is provided, comprising wall means defining outlet means for contents, suitable for being opened by removing an end portion of said outlet means, opening indicating means arranged in said outlet means in order to define an outlet opening for the contents, characterized in that, said opening indicating means defines a cross section of said outlet means arranged so as to allow a consumer to rest its own anatomical parts preferably on regions of said wall means different from the border of said opening.

In a second aspect of the invention, a method is provided for arranging opening indicating means near predetermined regions of containers, comprising providing precursor means of said opening indicating means on said sheet material, expanding sheet material by introducing fluid forming means in order to form said containers, characterized in that, said opening indicating means is arranged in such a way that, during said expanding, said opening indicating means is brought from said sheet material in a position as to allow a consumer that opens said container along said opening indicating means to rest its own anatomical parts preferably on regions of said containers different from the border of said opening. In this way, if the user ingests the contents from such container opened in advance by resting its rima oris on the outline of the open end of the container neck, no direct contact will result with the border of the opening defined in said transversal section. That enables to substantially reduce the dangers connected with the presence of possible unevennesses along said border.

Preferably, the extension of said transversal section is remarkably smaller than the extension of the remaining region of said outlet means on said container. That makes even less probable the contact of anatomical parts of the user with the border of the opening .

Advantageously, the opening indicating means delimiting the outlet opening is arranged in an end region of a duct leading to the free end of the neck of the container, and having a cross section smaller than said neck. The section of said duct can be constant along its whole length or only along a part of it .

Still more advantageously, said opening indicating means can be provided on thermoformed containers having weld regions not protruding with respect to the outline of the container, like those suitable for being obtained according to the system disclosed in the European Patent application EP 0719630, wherein the weld regions lie inside recesses of the container. A container like the above mentioned one has an outline substantially free from abrasive and/or sharp regions .

In a third aspect of the invention, an apparatus is provided, comprising cutting means arranged for cutting sheet material, characterized in that, said cutting means comprises laser cutting means.

Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to make incisions in the sheet material intended for the production of thermoformed and thermowelded containers having a substantially constant depth. Incisions with constant depth are possible since a contact sliding condition is prevented between the cutting means and the sheet material . Furthermore, an increase of productivity is obtained, since there is no more need of substituting the worn out cutting means .

The invention may be better understood and carried out with reference to the attached drawings, that illustrate some exemplifying and not restrictive embodiment forms thereof, wherein: Figure 1 is a front view of a length of strip deriving from the juxtaposition of a pair of strips of sheet plastic material, welded along the outline, before the thermoforming step; Figure 2 is a schematic partial section on a longitudinal plane of a thermoformed container and of the two complementary halves of the respective mould, shown open; Figure 3 is a view like Figure 1, after the thermoforming step; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the strip shown in Figure 3, as resulting after thermoforming and before sealing and mechanically separating; Figures 5A and 5B are longitudinal sections of outlet regions of the two containers, taken along the plane containing the welds of the containers and showing two alternative embodiments of outlet means for contents; Figure 6A and 6B show a schematic top view of the outlet region of the alternative embodiment shown respectively in Figures 5A and 5B; Figure 7 is a partial view of a transversal section taken along a plane passing at the bottom level of one of the containers shown in Figure ; Figure 8 shows schematically a user while assuming contents directly from a container of the type described in this invention, with an enlarged detail highlighting the preferential contact condition of the user's mouth with the container; Figure 9 is a schematic side view of a length of strip interested by dashed incisions useful as precursors of predetermined fracture lines; Figure 10 is a top view of Figure 9; Figure 11 is a cross section taken along the plane XI-XI of Figure 9 ; Figure 12 is a top, schematic, sectional view of a length of sheet material in which some containers have been formed and showing a pair of laser sources arranged for producing cuts at predetermined regions of the formed containers .

With reference to Figure 1, a length 20 of a strip 20' comprises a first strip 3 and a second strip 4 of sheet plastic material defining containers 5 by a peripheral welding region 4 ' , for example as provided by the system disclosed in the above mentioned EP 0719630. A pair of continuous cutting lines 21 (one for each strip of sheet) , running along the length 20 according to a longitudinal advancing direction P, are impressed on the first strip 3 and on the second strip 4 of sheet plastic material, near the border region O between outlet means 8 and a duct 19.

Figure 2 shows the container 5 after the thermoforming process, arranged between two complementary halves 23 and 24 of an open mould (the half 24 is drawn with dashed line) . A fluid under pressure injected into each container 5 during thermoforming through a respective injection duct 19a lying on the extension of duct 19 produces a thermoformed container 5', comprising two complementary half-shell shaped elements L and L' , connected one another along the peripheral welding region 4' and defining the outlet means 8 comprising the end duct 19. As a result of thermoforming, the pair of cutting lines 21 migrate from the position corresponding to the border region O, at the border between the outlet means 8 and the end duct 19, to a further region 0' , near the end of the duct 19 beside the injection duct 19a. The migration of the pair of cutting lines 21 is further highlighted in Figure 3, which shows that only the cutting lines 21 near the containers 5' move from their position O, whereas the cutting lines 21 between a container 5' and the adjacent container (s) remain at their respective starting position 0.

Figure 4 shows the thermoformed containers 5', as they go out from a thermoforming station and before undergoing to a mechanical separation from the length 20 of the strip 20'. Each containers 5' comprises the two complementary half-shell shaped elements L, L' connected one another along the peripheral welding region 4 ' . Each one of the two complementary half-shell shaped elements L, L' comprises a bottom element 6 that is part of side walls 7 defining the outlet means 8. The side walls 7 include circular grooves 10 and/or external cylindrical threaded relieves 9 in order to engage a possible screw cap on the outlet means 8, said grooves and/or relieves being produced by corresponding shapes in the forming mould 23, 24.

The embodiment shown in Figure 5A provides a truncated cylinder shaped duct 19 protruding from a free end 12a of a neck 8a of the container 5', and having a diameter B smaller than the diameter B' of the neck 8a. A closing element 11a closes the duct 19 at an end opposite to the free end 12a. The closing element 11a includes a pair of incisions 16, drawn in dashed line, arising from the cutting lines 21 described according to Figures 1-3. Such pair of incisions 16 locally weaken the material forming the container 5'. The closing element 11a extends into an appendix 14 that may be grabbed by the consumer and may be torn so as to open the container 5', the appendix 14 comprising a pair of strips mutually welded along a common border 14' . The strips of the appendix 14 result from the juxtaposition of the first strip 3 and the second strip 4 of sheet plastic material described in advance . The embodiment shown in Figure 5B comprises a further duct 19', protruding from a further free end of a further neck 8b comprised in a container 5'. Such further duct 19' comprises a first truncated cylinder shaped part 13a, connected with the further neck 8b and having a transversal size C smaller than the diameter C of the neck 8b. The first truncated cylinder shaped part 13a houses the base of a second truncated conical portion 13b, having a transversal size C ' substantially equal to the diameter C of the further neck 8b. A further closing element 13c (Figure 6B) is housed at the free end of the second truncated conical part 13b.

Near the further closing element 13c, the second truncated conical part 13b has a transversal diameter substantially smaller than the diameter C of the further neck 8b.

As described in advance in the embodiment referred to Figure 5A, the further closing element 13c comprises a further pair of incisions 17, drawn in dashed line, arising from the cutting lines 21 described with reference to the Figures 1-3.

The further pair of incisions 17 is placed near a further appendix 15, comprising a pair of further strips, welded along a further common border 15' . Also this further pair of incisions 17 locally weaken the container 5'.

As shown in Figure 6A, the incisions 16 are convex shaped and they define with their adjacent concave sides an opening A having a remarkably smaller extension than the surface of the closing element 11a.

As shown in Figure 6B, the further incisions 17 are convex shaped, and they define with their concave adjacent sides a further opening B having extension smaller than the surface of the further closing element 13c.

With reference to Figure 7, a cross section of the bottom element 6 of said container 5' shows a recess M. Such recess M is obtained during container thermoforming step, performed according to the above mentioned system of EP 0719630, in which the side wall 7 and the bottom element 6 introflex near the peripheral welding region 4', resulting so housed in the bottom of the recess M. The peripheral welding region 4' results, in this way, substantially not protruding over the container 5' whose profile N is drawn in dashed line.

Therefore, the walls of the container 5' are substantially free from protruding, potentially sharp regions, as the welding regions of the elements delimiting the casing could be, since they are formed by thin and rigid plastic material. In this manner the container results substantially free from protruding parts.

With reference to Figure 8, it is possible to note that the position of the pairs of incisions 16 and further incisions 17 in the container 5' allow the user to bring the container 5' directly near the mouth by tendentially preventing the direct contact with the border of the potentially cutting, opening A.

A consumer D, whose profile is drawn in dashed line, brings a container 5 ' , already opened and provided for example with a neck 8a, near its mouth, receiving in its rima oris E the open end of the container. As shown in the detail F of Figure 4, the direct contact between lips G, G' and a border H of the opening A do not occur, as the lips rest on a region I of the neck 8a provided with rounded surfaces and in any way free from cutting lines.

In this way, a consumer can ingests liquids by direct contact between its mouth and a container suitable for being opened by pre-cutting lines, being substantially free from dangers connected with accidental injuries.

As highlighted in Figure 9, in a length 20 it is possible to recognize a welding region 30, a forming region 32 downstream to said welding region 30 and a cutting region 34 upstream to the welding region 30.

A pair of laser sources 36 are arranged in the cutting region 34 so as to generate on the strips 3, 4 a set of broken cuts

38 in the regions 0 of the strips 3, 4 intended for forming the outlet ducts 19 and the outlet means 8. For this purpose, a laser source 36 lies on the side oriented toward the strip

4 so that its beam 40 cuts the strip 4, whereas the other source lies oriented toward the opposite strip 3 so that a further laser beam 42 can operate thereon.

As shown in Figure 11, only one laser source 36' may be provided, having its own laser beams 40'. The laser beam 40' partially acts directly on the strip 4 and partially is redirected by a first mirror 46 towards a second mirror 48 arranged above an end border region of the strips 3 , 4 , so that a third mirror 50 can collect the reflected beam and redirect it towards a fourth mirror 52 that directs it against the other strip 3.

As shown in Figure 12, in the case the cutting lines 21 are carried out on regions of the neck 8 of the already formed containers 5', the pair of laser sources 36, or the single laser source 36', with respective mirror means 46, 48, 50, 52, for deflecting the beam, are supposed to be coupled with respective not shown supporting means, enabling the angular swing according to the directions indicated by the arrows W, Z so as the regions of the outlet means 8 are cut where the cutting lines 21 must be executed.

Claims

1. Container (5'), comprising wall means (7) defining outlet means (8a; 8b) of contents, suitable for being opened by removing end portions (14; 15) of said outlet means (8a; 8b), opening indicating means (16; 17) arranged in said outlet means (8a; 8b) in order to define an opening (A; B) for contents, characterized in that, said opening indicating means (16; 17) defines cross sections of said outlet means (8a; 8b) arranged so as to allow a user (D) to rest its own anatomical parts preferably on regions of said wall means (7) different from the border (H) of said opening (A; B) .

2. Container (5') according to claim 1, wherein said opening indicating means (16; 17) defines cross sections of said outlet means (8a; 8b) having size remarkably smaller than the cross sections of said outlet means (8a; 8b) in which said opening indicating means (16; 17) is held.

3. Container (5') according to claim 1, or 2 , wherein said wall means (7) is mutually connected by peripheral welding region means (4') lying inside recess means (M) defined by said wall means (7) .

4. Container (5') according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said outlet means comprises neck means (8a; 8b) .

5. Container (5') according to claim 4, wherein said neck means (8a) receives duct means (19) .

6. Container (5') according to claim 5, wherein said duct means (19) has a substantially cylindrical shape.

7. Container according to claim 6, or 5, wherein said duct means comprises a truncated conical part (13b) .

8. Container (5') according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said outlet means (8) ends with closing element means (11a, 14; 13c, 15) .

9. Container (5') according to claim 8, wherein said closing element means (11a, 14; 13c, 15) comprises mutually welded portions of sheet material.

10. Container (5') according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said opening indicating means comprises incision means (16; 17) .

11. Container (5') according to claim 10, wherein said incision means (16; 17) is included in said closing element means (11a; 13c) .

12. Container (5') according to any of claims 9 to 11, wherein said portions define an appendix suitable for being torn (14; 15) .

13. Container (5') according to claims 10 to 12 as appended to claim 9, wherein said incision means (16; 17) adjoins to said portions (14; 15) .

14. Method for positioning opening indicating means (16; 17) near predetermined regions (0) of containers (5'), comprising providing precursor means (21) of said closing indicating means (16; 17) on sheet material (3, 4), expanding said sheet material (3, 4) by introducing fluid forming means in order to form said containers (5'), characterized in that, said opening indicating means (16; 17) is arranged so that, during said expanding, said indicating means (16; 17) is brought by said sheet material (3, 4) in a position (0') such to allow a consumer (D) , that opens said containers (5') along said opening indicating means (16, 17) to rest its own anatomical parts preferably on regions (I) of said containers (5') different from the border (H) of said opening (A; B) .

15. Method according to claim 14, wherein said providing comprises executing a continuous incision (21) on said sheet material (3, 4) .

16. Method according to claim 14, wherein said providing comprises executing a set of broken incisions (38) on said sheet material (3, 4).

17. Method according to any of claims 14 to 16, wherein said providing comprises cutting said predetermined regions (0) using a laser beam (40, 42; 40') .

18. Method according to claim 17, wherein said providing comprises positioning at least one laser source (36; 36') in a cutting station (34) upstream to a welding station (30) .

19. Method according to claim 17, or 18, wherein said providing comprises positioning at least one laser source (36, 36') downstream to said forming station (32).

20. Method according to claim 19, wherein said positioning comprises supporting said at least one laser source (36, 36') in a manner angularly swinging in an angular sector (W, Z) having predetermined size.

21. Method according to claim 18, or 19, or 20, wherein said positioning comprises providing optical deflecting means (46, 48, 50, 52) in order to deflect a laser beam (40') oriented towards a strip (3) of said sheet material (3, 4) so that said laser beam (40') hits an opposite strip (4) of said sheet material (3, 4).

22. Method according to claim 21, wherein said deflecting comprises causing said laser beam (40') to pass beyond a border region of said sheet material (3, 4) .

23. Method according to claim 20, or 21, wherein said deflecting comprises causing said laser beam to reflect on optical mirror deflecting means (46, 48, 50, 52) .

24. Method according to claim 23, wherein said causing to reflect comprises using a plurality of deflecting mirrors

(46, 48, 50, 52) .

25. Method according to claim 24, wherein said plurality of deflecting mirrors comprises a first mirror (46) , a second deflecting mirror (48) , a third deflecting mirror (50) , a fourth deflecting mirror (52) .