EP1919795B1

EP1919795B1 - Box-shaped package having an inner and outer package

Info

Publication number: EP1919795B1
Application number: EP05756152.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jochen Mank
Original assignee: Amcor Flexibles Transpac BVBA
Current assignee: Amcor Flexibles Transpac BVBA
Priority date: 2005-07-01
Filing date: 2005-07-01
Publication date: 2017-09-27
Anticipated expiration: 2025-07-01
Also published as: EP1919795A1; WO2007003182A1; ES2647074T3

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a box-shaped package assembly having a longitudinal direction and comprising:

an inner package in which a product, in particular a granular product such as ground coffee, is hermetically vacuum-packed such that the inner package and the vacuum-packed product contained therein form a hard, box-shaped inner package unit, said inner package unit having the same longitudinal direction as the package assembly, a top, a bottom, and a circumferential lateral wall extending between the top and the bottom, and said inner package being formed from a first flexible packaging material, especially a film material with barrier properties, and
an outer package made from a second flexible packaging material, in particular a paper material, and being arranged enclosingly adjacent the inner package unit, said second packaging material being wrapped around the inner package to form an overlap area extending in the longitudinal direction and in which opposed side edges of the packaging material overlap each other and are interconnected, said outer package having the same longitudinal direction as the package unit and provided with a top and bottom and a circumferential lateral wall.

Background Art

Packages of the above type are today widely used for packing ground coffee. The inner package, which has barrier properties, serves to retain the aroma of the coffee for long period of time until the package is opened. The inner vacuum package unit has, however, a slightly uneven surface structure caused especially by creasing in the inner package during vacuum packaging. This uneven surface structure is considered unappealing by many consumers.
An essential object of the outer package is thus to hide this uneven surface structure and to provide the package assembly with an appearance which is appealing to the consumers. An additional object of the outer package is that it can contain printed information about the packed product.
Access to the packed product or coffee is gained by opening both the outer package and the inner package. It is known to form the top of the outer package by means of folded-in end portions of the packaging material to enable opening of the outer package without using utensils, said folded-in portions are kept in place by means of a attached label. By removing the label, the folded-in portions are exposed and access to the inner package is obtained. This opening principle does, however, not always work satisfactorily in that it is not always possible to remove the adhered label in its entirety, whereby the top of the outer package remains at least partially closed. Further, DE 87 00 122 U1 discloses a box-shaped vacuum package as stated in the preamble to claim 1 comprising an inner hard box-shaped package and an outer loose package. The vacuum package is formed of two partially mutually connected film layers, the film layers being mutually sealed in sealing seam portions of the package.
Additionally, US 2 679 349 A discloses a box-shaped package comprising an inner package and an outer package. A circumferential wall of the outer package is provided with a tear strip defined by circumferential parallel weakening lines.
Document EP-A-761532 discloses a method as defined by the preamble of claim 9.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is thus to provide a package assembly of the above type, wherein a simple and reliable opening of the outer package is ensured. In satisfaction of the above object the package assembly according to the invention is characterised in that the circumferential lateral wall of the outer package is provided with at least one circumferential weakening line and that the weakening line(s) reduce(s) the tear strength of the material by 50-90%, preferably by 60-90%. The weakening line provides such a weakening of the outer package that it is easily torn manually along said line. A sure and reliable opening of the outer package is thus obtained. The weakening line may be provided by perforating the material or by cutting partially through the material by means of a laser beam or a knife. when the weakening line is a perforation line including alternating perforations, ie. throughcuts, and connecting portions arranged with the same mutual spacing, the perforations constitute between 50 and 90% of the length of the perforation line(s). The perforation may constitute between 60 and 90%, and in practice excellent results have been obtained with a range between 70 and 80% when the outer package is made of a paper material.
According to the invention the at least one weakening line may extend rectilinearly in its entirety.
The at least one weakening line may at least in some areas, however, also be provided with a non-rectilinear extent. By providing the weakening line with a non-rectilinear extent at least in some areas, it is possible to divert the weakening line away from prints, such as eg. logos or other prints, on the outer package, thereby providing a high degree of freedom as to the graphic design of the outer package.
Furthermore, according to the invention the outer package may be provided with two mutually spaced apart, circumferential weakening lines. The two weakening lines may be mutually parallel.
The lines may, however, also extend non-mutually parallel at least in some areas.
Moreover, according to the invention the two weakening lines may have a rectilinear extent in their entirety.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention a gripping flap may be provided in an area defined by the two weakening lines. By gripping the gripping flap and pulling this in a circumferential direction, a strip of the outer package's circumferential wall is torn, said strip being defined by the two weakening lines. Easy access to the top of the inner package is thus obtained by removing the top of the outer package and the associated upper portion of the outer package's circumferential wall.
The gripping flap is advantageously provided in the longitudinal overlap area of the outer package, ie. in the outermost side edge of the packaging material.
Furthermore, according to the invention the longitudinal overlap area of the outer package may advantageously be provided adjacent a longitudinal corner of the package, thereby facilitating gripping of the gripping flap.
The weakening line(s) may advantageously be arranged adjacent the top of the outer package.
When - as it is preferred - a paper material is used for the outer package, the grammage thereof is less than 150 g/m², preferably 50-100 g/m². A grammage of between 65 and 95 g/m² is considered particularly advantageous, and in practice excellent results have been obtained with a grammage of 80 g/m².
The invention further relates to a method of producing a box-shaped package according to the invention and wherein:

a first web-shaped, flexible packaging material is supplied in its longitudinal direction to a packaging manufacturing machine in which a sheet of the first web material is separated from the web and transversely of the web direction is wrapped around a mandrel with a rectangular cross-section, and opposed, overlapping side edges of the packaging sheet are mutually sealed along a longitudinal sealing seam to form a hose, which is closed by means of a transverse seal in an area of the hose extending beyond the free end of the mandrel, whereby a box-shaped inner package with a closed bottom and an open top is formed,
a second web-shaped, flexible packaging material, preferably a paper material, is supplied in its longitudinal direction to the packaging manufacturing machine, in which a sheet of the second web material is separated and transversely of the web direction is wrapped around the mandrel on which the inner package is arranged, opposed overlapping side edges of the second packaging sheet are mutually sealed, eg. by gluing, by means of a longitudinal sealing seam to form a hose, an area of the hose extending beyond the bottom of the inner package and the free end of the mandrel is folded inwards onto the bottom of the inner package and sealed, eg. by gluing, to form the bottom of the outer package;
the formed outer and inner packages are removed from the mandrel and the desired product, especially a granular product such as ground coffee, is filled into the open inner package;
the interior of the inner package with the product is subjected to vacuum in a vacuum chamber, and the inner package is closed by means of a transverse seal while being in the vacuum chamber, whereby a closed top is formed on the inner package,
areas of the outer package extending beyond the closed top of the inner package are folded inward onto the top of the inner package and sealed, eg. by gluing, to form the top of the outer package.

Such a method of manufacturing of a box-shaped package assembly is for instance known from the company of Robert Bosch GmbH's leaflet called "PKD 3121 BV, PKD 3122 BV - Vacuum Package Makers for ground coffee".
The method according to the invention is characterised in that the second web-shaped packaging material supplied to the packaging manufacturing machine is provided with at least one weakening line extending transversely of the longitudinal direction of the second packaging material.
When manufacturing a package according to the invention by means of the above method according to the invention, the said at least one weakening line extending transversely of the longitudinal direction of the second packaging material provides the least one circumferential weakening line in the outer package's circumferential lateral wall.
The at least one transverse weakening line may extend rectilinearly in the width of the entire web. It may, however, also at least in some areas have a non-rectilinear course across the web.
Furthermore, the supplied second web-shaped packaging material may be provided with two mutually spaced apart weakening lines jointly defining a transverse strip-shaped area of the web. This strip-shaped area is intended to define a strip-shaped area on the circumferential wall of the outer package, said area being torn off for opening of the outer package as explained above.
In the said area defined by the weakening lines an end portion may be provided which serves to form a gripping flap.
The gripping flap is advantageously provided at one of the side edges of the second web-shaped packaging material.

Brief Description of the Drawing(s)

The invention is explained in detail below with reference to the drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of a package assembly according to the invention,
Fig. 2 is a small-scale, isometric, exploded view of the package assembly according to the invention shown in Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 is a front view in the direction of the arrow III in Fig. 1 of a second embodiment of a package assembly according to the invention, and
Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a method according to the invention for manufacturing the embodiment of a package assembly according to the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Best Mode(s) for Carrying out the Invention

The embodiment of a box-shaped package assembly 1 according to the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a hard, box-shaped inner package unit 2 and an outer package 3.
The inner package unit 2 is formed from a bag-shaped inner package 4 in which a preferably granular product such as ground coffee is hermetically vacuum-packed such that the inner package and the vacuum-packed product therein form the box-shaped, hard inner package unit 2 in a known manner. The inner package 4 is made from a flexible film material with barrier properties and as seen in Fig. 2 the package is provided with a longitudinal seal 5 extending in the longitudinal direction L, and by means of which opposed side edges of the packaging material are mutually sealed. At the top 6 of the inner package the inner packaging material is sealed inner face to inner face by means of a not-shown transverse seal. Top flaps 7, 8 formed in the inner packaging material due to the transverse seal are folded inward.
At its bottom 9 the inner package 4 is closed by means of a transverse seal 10. Bottom flaps 11, 12 formed due to the transverse seal 10 are folded inwards. A typical film material for the formation of the inner package 4 is a laminate comprising OPET-A1-PE, wherein OPET is oriented polyethylene terephthalate, A1 is aluminium, which may be an aluminium film or a metallisation, and PE is polyethylene. Numerous other laminates or film can, however, also be used depending on the packed product, as well-known to persons skilled in the art.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the outer package 3 is made from a second flexible packaging material, which in the present embodiment is a paper material, but which in principle also may be a flexible plastic film. The outer package 3 is arranged enclosingly adjacent the inner package unit 2. To this end the second packaging material, ie. the paper material, is wrapped around the inner package unit 2 while an overlap area 13 is formed extending in the longitudinal direction L, confer Fig. 1. Opposed side edges of the packaging material are joined by gluing in the overlap area 13. In the shown embodiment the overlap area 13 is arranged adjacent a longitudinal corner 14 of the outer package 3 in such a manner that the edge 15 of the outermost side edge in the overlap area 13 is immediately adjacent the corner 14.
The outer package 3 has a circumferential wall 16 arranged adjacent a circumferential wall 17 of the inner package unit 2. Extension areas of the outer package's 3 circumferential wall 16 which initial extend beyond the bottom 9 of the inner package 4 are folded inwards and sealed together in a known manner, as shown by means of the bottom flaps 18, 19 so as to form a closed bottom 20 on the outer package. The bottom 20 is arranged closely adjacent the bottom 9 of the inner package. The bottom flap 19 is the outermost flap.
Correspondingly, extension areas of the outer package's 3 circumferential wall 16 are folded inwards against the top 6 of the inner package unit 2, as shown by means of the top flaps 21, 22. The top flaps 21, 22 are retained by means of a top label 23 to form the top 24 of the outer package. In this connection it should be noted that the top 24 of the outer package may also be closed by using the same closing principle as used for the bottom 20 of the outer package 3, ie. by means of interconnected flaps 18, 19. Similarly, the bottom 20 of the outer package may also be closed by means of the closing principle used for the top, ie. by means of an adhered top label 23.
Near the top 24 the circumferential wall 16 of the outer package 3 is provided with two circumferential, mutually parallel weakening lines 25, 26, which are illustrated in the drawings as perforation lines. The weakening lines 25, 26 jointly define a strip 27 having a gripping flap 28 in the overlap area 13. The gripping flap 28 is defined by a portion 29 of the free edge 15 of the overlap area and by two incisions 30, 31 being aligned with their respective weakening line 25, 26. By gripping and pulling the gripping flap 28 in the direction of the arrow P, the strip 27 is torn along the weakening lines 25, 26. A lower area of the outer package is thus separated from the upper area of the outer package, said upper area arranged above the uppermost weakening line 25. Removal of the said upper area provides access to the top 6 of the inner package unit 2. It is thus possible to open the inner package.
Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of a package assembly according to the invention, in which the circumferential wall 116 of the outer package 103 is provided with two circumferential and mutually parallel weakening lines 125, 126 having a non-rectilinear extent over a portion 132 of the length. The weakening lines 125, 126 are illustrated as perforation lines. This portion with a non-rectilinear extent is guided around a print 133, eg. a logo or the like, on the outer package, said print otherwise being perforated at a rectilinear extent of the weakening lines 125, 126. The weakening lines 125, 126 define a strip 127. In an area being outside the overlap area 113 of the outer package 103, the strip 127 is provided with a gripping flap 128. The gripping flap 128 is defined by a transverse cut 134 through the strip 127 and two incisions 130, 131 extending from the transverse cut 134, said incisions 130, 131 being aligned with their respective weakening line 125, 126. In a manner corresponding to the manner described above with reference to the first embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the outer package 103 shown in Fig. 3 is opened by gripping and pulling the gripping flap 128 in the direction of the arrow P, whereby the strip 127 is torn off the circumferential wall 116 of the outer package. At the same time the printed area 133 is left untouched, the tearing of the strip 127 being effected outside the printed area 133.
As regards the course of the weakening lines 25, 26 and 125, 126, respectively, it should be noted that the weakening lines do not necessarily have a mutually parallel course as shown in Figs. 1-2 and 3, but have any desired course provided a strip is formed therebetween, said strip being tearable by pulling the gripping flap.
It should also be noted that the present invention further covers a situation where only one circumferential weakening line is provided, eg. the upper weakening line 25 in Figs. 1 and 2, or the upper weakening line 125 in Fig. 3. The outer package 3; 103 is thus opened by applying an upwardly directed force to the area of the outer package's circumferential wall 16; 116 arranged above the weakening line 25; 125, whereby the weakening line is torn and the upper portion of the outer package can be removed.
Reference is now made to Fig. 4, which is diagrammatic view of an embodiment of a method according to the invention for manufacturing the embodiment of a package assembly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
A first web 40 of a first flexible packaging material for forming the inner package 4 is wound into a first reel 41. The first web 40 is supplied to the diagrammatic shown packaging manufacturing machine 42. In this machine a first sheet 43 is separated from the first web and wound transversely of web direction (shown by means of the arrow B1) around a mandrel 44 of a rectangular cross-section. The mandrel 44 is one of a number mandrels arranged in a rotatable mandrel wheel 45. The opposed side edges of the first packaging material sheet 43 are brought into engagement with each other and joint sealed along a longitudinal sealing seam 5 in a first sealing station 46. As a result a hose is formed of the first packaging material sheet 43. In a subsequent second sealing station 47 the hose is closed by means of a transverse seal 10 in an area of the hose extending beyond the free end of the mandrel 44. As a result a box-shaped inner package having a closed bottom and an open top is formed.
A second web 48 of a flexible packaging material for forming the outer package 3 is wound into a second reel 49. The second web 48 is supplied to the packaging manufacturing machine 42 in the longitudinal direction of the second web, said direction shown by means of the arrow B2.
The second web is provided with two mutually parallel weakening lines 25, 26 extending across the longitudinal direction B2 of the second web and with a gripping flap 28 at one side edge of the web. A sheet 50 of the second web material 48 is separated from the second web in the packaging manufacturing machine 42. In the station 51, the separated sheet 50 is wound transversely of the web direction B2 around the mandrel on which the partially formed inner package is arranged. In the subsequent station 52 opposed, overlapping side edges of the second package sheet 50 are sealed by means of a longitudinal seal 13. The side edge containing the gripping flap 28 is arranged outermost in the overlap area, ie. in the sealing area. A hose is formed of second sheet 50 by means of the longitudinal seal. In stations 53-56 a portion of hose extending beyond the bottom of the inner package and the free end of the mandrel is folded inwards onto the bottom of the inner package and sealed to form the bottom of the outer package.
The partially formed package assembly is then removed from the mandrel and passed to a filling section 57, the assembly being made to stand on the bottom of the outer package at the same time. In the filling station 61 of the filling section 57 the desired product is filled into the open inner package. A check weighing is carried out and any topping up, if necessary. Further, non-acceptably filled package assemblies are discarded. After filling and the said check, the package assembly is passed to a vacuum section 58 in which the interior of the inner package containing the product is subjected to vacuum in a vacuum chamber. A closing of the inner package 4 also takes place in the vacuum chamber by means of transverse seal, whereby a closed top is provided on the inner package. This action takes place in a transverse sealing station 59.
The partially formed package assembly is then conveyed to a top sealing section 60 in which the areas of the outer package 3 extending beyond the closed top of the inner package is folded inwards onto the inner package. A top label 23 is placed on the folded-in portions of the outer package so as to retain these and for forming the top of the outer package.
The package assembly is thus completed and is led out of the packaging manufacturing machine 42.
It should be noted that in the just described embodiment, the second web material has been provided with the transverse weakening lines 25, 26 and the gripping flap 28 by the material supplier. It is, however, also envisaged that these may be provided in or at the packaging manufacturing machine, if desired.
List of reference numerals

1: package assembly
2: inner package unit
3: outer package
4: inner package
L: longitudinal direction
5: longitudinal seal
6: top
7, 8: top flap
9: bottom
10: transverse seal
11, 12: bottom flap
13: overlap area
14: longitudinal corner
15: edge
16: circumferential wall of the outer package
17: circumferential wall of the inner package
18, 19: bottom flap
20: bottom
21, 22: top flap
23: top label
24: top of the outer package
25, 26: weakening line
27: strip
28: gripping flap
29: portion of the edge 15
30, 31: incision
40: first web
41: first reel
42: packaging manufacturing machine

43: sheet of first web
B1: longitudinal direction of the first web
44: mandrel
45: mandrel wheel
46: first sealing station
47: second sealing station
48: second web
49: second reel
B2: longitudinal direction of the second web
50: sheet of second web
51: station
52: subsequent station
53, 54: station
55, 56: station
57: filling section
58: vacuum section
59: transverse sealing station
60: top sealing station
61: filling station
P: direction
103: outer package
113: overlap area
116: circumferential wall
125, 126: weakening line
127: strip
128: gripping flap
130, 131: incision
132: portion of the length of the weakening lines
133: print
134: transverse cut

Claims

Box-shaped package assembly (1) having a longitudinal direction (L) and comprising:
- an inner package (4) in which a product, in particular a granular product such as ground coffee, is hermetically vacuum-packed such that the inner package (4) and the vacuum-packed product contained therein form a hard, box-shaped inner package unit (2), said inner package unit (2) having the same longitudinal direction as the package assembly, a top (8), a bottom (9), and a circumferential lateral wall (17) extending between the top and the bottom, said inner package (4) being made from a first flexible packaging material, especially a film material with barrier properties, and

- an outer package (3) made from a second flexible packaging material, in particular a paper material, and being arranged enclosingly adjacent the inner package unit (2), said second packaging material being wrapped around the inner package (4) to form an overlap area (13) extending in the longitudinal direction and in which opposed side edges of the packaging material overlap each other and are interconnected, said outer package (3) having the same longitudinal direction as the package unit and provided with a top (24), a bottom (20) and a circumferential lateral wall (16),
characterised in that the circumferential wall (16) of the outer package (3) is provided with at least one circumferential weakening line (25, 26; 125, 126) and that the weakening line(s) reduce(s) the tear strength by 50-90%, preferably by 60-90%.
Package assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one weakening line (25, 26) extend rectilinearly over its entirety.
Package assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the outer package (3) is provided with two mutually spaced apart, circumferential weakening lines (25, 26; 125, 126).
Package assembly according to claim 3, characterised in that the two weakening lines (25, 26; 125, 126) are mutually parallel.
Package assembly according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the two weakening lines (25, 26) have a rectilinear extent in their entirety.
Package assembly according to one or more of the claims 3 - 5, characterised in that a gripping flap (28; 128) is formed in an area defined by the two weakening lines (25, 26; 125, 126).
Package assembly according to claim 6, characterised in that the gripping flap (28) is provided in the longitudinal overlap area (13) of the outer package (3).
Package assembly according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the packaging material of the outer package (3) is a paper material with a grammage of less than 150 g/m², preferably 50-100 g/m² and most preferably 65-95 g/m².
Method of producing a box-shaped package assembly (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein a first web-shaped, flexible packaging material (40) in its longitudinal direction is supplied to a packaging manufacturing machine (42), in which a first sheet (43) of the first web material is separated from the web and transversely of the web direction (B1) is wound around a mandrel (44) of a rectangular cross-section, opposed overlapping side edges of the packaging sheet of the first web material being mutually sealed along a longitudinal sealing seam to form a hose, which is closed by means of a transverse seal (10) in a portion of the hose extending beyond a free end of the mandrel (44), whereby a box-shaped inner package having a closed bottom and an open top is formed,
characterised in that
- a second web-shaped, flexible packaging material (48), preferably a paper material, is supplied in its longitudinal direction (B2) to the packaging manufacturing machine (42), in which a sheet (50) of the second web material is separated and transversely of the web direction (B2) is wound around the mandrel (44) on which the inner package is arranged, opposed overlapping side edges of the second packaging sheet (50) are mutually sealed, eg. by gluing, by means of a longitudinal sealing to form a hose, an area of the hose extending beyond the bottom of the inner package and the free end of the mandrel is folded inward onto the bottom of the inner package and sealed, eg. by gluing, to form the bottom of the outer package,

- the formed outer and inner packages are removed from the mandrel (44) and the desired product, especially a granular product such as ground coffee, is filled into the open inner package,

- the interior of the inner package containing the product is subjected to vacuum in a vacuum chamber, and the inner package is closed by means of a transverse seal while being in the vacuum chamber, whereby a closed top is formed on the inner package, and

- the areas of the outer package extending beyond the closed top of the inner package are folded inward onto the top of the inner package and sealed, eg. by gluing, to form the top of the outer package,

- the second web material (48) supplied to the packaging manufacturing machine (42) is provided with at least one weakening line (25, 26) extending transversely of the longitudinal direction (B2) of the second web material.