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
  • B65D23/00—Details of bottles or jars not otherwise provided for
  • B65D23/08—Coverings or external coatings
  • B65D23/0842—Sheets or tubes applied around the bottle with or without subsequent folding operations
  • B65D23/0878—Shrunk on the bottle
• • 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
  • B65D25/00—Details of other kinds or types of rigid or semi-rigid containers
  • B65D25/34—Coverings or external coatings
  • B65D25/36—Coverings or external coatings formed by applying sheet material
• • 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
  • B65D2401/00—Tamper-indicating means

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a film seal in the form of a shrink film. Furthermore, it relates to a method for sealing containers with such a film seal.
• Shrink wrap sleeves - also called shrink sleeves - are used in a variety of applications. For example, they serve to decorate containers such as glass or plastic vials or to combine several containers into one unit, for example in the case of beverage bottles.
• a third possible function of shrink-wrapped films is that of the sealing of containers. A foil seal is then spoken of when a so-called first-hole detection is performed, which discloses when the container has been opened. Shrinkable film seals therefore cover the point at which a container is usually opened, for example the transition between the container and its cap.
• Shrinkage is the process of expansion reduction of a film to understand, with the aim of applying a shrink tube tight and usually under tension fitting to a container.
• This may on the one hand is a process in which a film is first stretched by an appropriate tool and pulled over the corresponding container and then resets the elastic strain and the film adapts to the outline of the container.
• a film can be used which contracts strongly under the action of higher temperatures. By heating a loose applied over a container shrink film, this also hugs according to the outline of the container.
• shrinkage induced by chemical action are possible, for example shrinkage induced by chemical action.
• shrinkage also depends on the shape of the shrink-wrapped film casing in which it is supplied: For the cold shrink method, tubular shrink-wrapped film casings are inevitably used; at the
• the film in a flat, non-tubular form: the film is then partially glued to the container by means of pressure-sensitive adhesives or activatable adhesives and wound around it, usually in such a way that the second end of the film again comes to rest on the film surface in the region of the first end of the film and is fixed there again with the help of adhesives. The shrinkage then takes place in the aftermath of the dispensing of the film.
• shrink film seal in the following both described forms of film seals, so both tubular and flat, understood.
• the shrink-film seal must be placed on the container so that an opening of the container without destruction of the film seal is not possible. This is usually ensured by the fact that the film seal is shrunk so much on both sides over the edges or over the taper of the container that, for example, a container cap can not be pulled out without damage.
• the first-hole detection must be irreversible in order to prevent an unrecognized re-closure.
• the prior art offers three technical solutions: In a first simple variant, films are selected for shrink-film seals in such a way that they break when an opening of the container takes place. In the second variant, a defined tearing is achieved by weakening at a predetermined breaking point, usually by a perforation. The third and most special variant is the equipment of the film with a tear thread.
• tear-open threads are cost-intensive and, on the other hand, arouses associations with the consumer goods industry, which is not desired by the user, especially in security-relevant or pharmaceutical application areas. Similar, above all aesthetic, reservations also prevail in the first variant of a self-tearing film. Perforations, on the other hand, are simple and effective to manufacture, but have the distinct disadvantage that opening to the naked eye can often be recognized too late: straight ripping along a line is usually hard for the inexperienced user to identify.
• Another object is to provide a corresponding container.
• the object is achieved according to the present invention by means of a shrink-film seal according to claim 1, in which fen by shrinking on a designated container in the region of the punches a window area is created. Furthermore, the object is achieved by a method according to claim 14, which envisages shrinking a shrink-film seal on a container so that form windows in the region of the punches of the film seal.
• the provision of a corresponding container is achieved by a container according to claim 25.
• Preferred embodiments of the invention are claimed in subclaims 2-13, 15-24 and 26-29.
• FIGS 1-9 wherein all drawings are to be understood schematically and especially the layer thicknesses for the sake of clarity are shown greatly enlarged. They show:
• Fig. 2 shows an inventive shrink-film seal in applied
• FIG. 3 shows an inventive torn shrink-film seal in the applied state on a cylindrical container.
• Fig. 4 shows a particularly preferred embodiment of the slit of a shrink-foil seal according to the invention
• FIG. 7a and b show a further particularly preferred punching form before and after shrinking
• FIG. 8 shows a prior art shrink-film seal in top view
• Fig. 9 is a shrink-film seal according to the prior art in applied
• FIG. 8 shows a shrink-film seal 801 according to the prior art, formed from a tubular film and provided with an opening Perforation 802.
• the shrink-wrapped foil seal 901-similarly numbered- is shrunk onto a container 903.
• the opening perforation 902 comes to rest. It can be seen that the upper cap portion is also partially covered by the shrink-film seal 901 - a result of the shrinkage process.
• the shrink-foil seal 901 ruptures along the opening perforation 902.
• this opening detection is barely visible to the naked eye, so that uninitiated can easily assume that the container is still unopened.
• shrink-film seal 101 shown in Figure 1 on a special punching 102, here in the form of an inverted T. Meet at least two punched lines and there are at least two corners, preferably at an angle between 60 and 120 degrees.
• FIG. 2 A shrink-on film seal 201 of the same type as shown in FIG. 1 is shrunk onto a container 203 with a container cap 204 analogously to FIG. Due to the shrinkage process, especially due to the heat shrinkage, windows 205 are now produced in the area of the punched holes. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that the foil in the area of the punching is not under tension like the remaining area of the shrinkable foil seal and therefore inward in direction shrinks the container away. For the user, this type of opening area is clearly visible from the outset. This effect is exacerbated when the film seal has a whole or partial area of a color that matches the Container 203 contrasts.
• the effect is particularly effective when there is a free zone, for example a recess in the container 203 or in the transition region between the container 203 and the container cap 204 below the punching.
• a free zone for example a recess in the container 203 or in the transition region between the container 203 and the container cap 204 below the punching.
• the film where it is freely movable in the region of the punching without tension, both shrink in itself and can fold backwards into the open zone.
• Particular preference is therefore given to films having a high shrinkage tendency, the reduction in length during shrinkage being more than 40%, preferably more than 60%.
• Suitable materials for hot shrink films are primarily polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) oriented polystyrene (OPS) and polypropylene (PP); Polyethylene films are especially suitable for cold shrink processes).
• PET polyethylene terephthalate
• PVC polyvinyl chloride
• OPS polystyrene
• PP
• FIG. 3 shows a corresponding container 303 with an open shrink-film seal 301.
• cracks 306 can now be seen, which inevitably arise during the opening process.
• An unrecognized accurate joining of the edges of these cracks is not possible:
• the torn-off webs between the windows formed from the special punches are due to the stresses that occur and are also tactile felt immediately. In addition, they are irregular in shape (indicated here by formation of serrations), since in the course of the shrinkage, the tensions occur due to the stresses occurring.
• FIG. 4 A particularly preferred embodiment of the special punches can be found in Figure 4: Here the punches are offset in height, which is an even more obvious tear proof is given.
• FIGS. 5a-d Further possible embodiments of specific inventive tongues for shrinkable film seals can be seen in FIGS. 5a-d, while in FIGS. 5e-g different arrangements of punched geometries are given by way of example.
• Common to all embodiments and arrangements is the formation of at least two corners by punching lines. A corner is created when two lines meet and are at an angle that is not 180 degrees. In the case of a T-punching, for example, two corners already result from this, that one line continues beyond the meeting point of the two lines.
• FIGS. 5a-d the number of corners has been numbered with Roman numerals. Basically, the corners do not have to be sharp, but the definition also includes rounded shapes that open into a straight line on both sides.
• FIG. 6a shows two punched holes 602 lying next to each other in T-shape, a particularly preferred embodiment of the punching.
• FIG. 6b shows the situation after shrinking the shrink-foil label onto a container: Two adjacent windows (recognizable by the horizontal hatching) in the form of isosceles triangles were formed. Between them is a web 608, which should tear when you open the container.
• FIGS. 7a and b Analogously numbered and hatched, a further particularly preferred punching geometry, here in the form of an inverted H, is shown in FIGS. 7a and b.
• a multiplicity of different window shapes can be formed by shrinking.
• additional functions such as those used in the security film sector and in the label industry: In the first place not only coloring but also printing with lettering, symbols and similar decoration elements can take place .
• additional security elements such as (visible and invisible) security printing methods, holograms, color effects, metal strips or the like can be used.
• Non-shrinkable film parts on or under the seal label can be used for stabilization, as well as additional pharmaceutical-grade label components, such as self-adhesive removable adhesive labels, information booklets, or infusion steel hangers.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)
• Wrappers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=37964953

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (7)

Family Cites Families (12)

• 2006
  • 2006-03-10 DE DE102006011272A patent/DE102006011272A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2007
  • 2007-02-19 AT AT07704639T patent/ATE530457T1/de active
  • 2007-02-19 WO PCT/EP2007/051559 patent/WO2007104627A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2007-02-19 JP JP2008558754A patent/JP2009529468A/ja active Pending
  • 2007-02-19 CA CA002644761A patent/CA2644761A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 2007-02-19 US US12/224,926 patent/US8181815B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-02-19 EP EP07704639A patent/EP1993922B1/fr active Active

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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