EP2825481B1 - Container, in particular a wide-mouthed jar, for containing a liquid or pasty material and combined with a system for collecting and dispensing without taking in air - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a container for containing a liquid or pasty product, associated with a collection and distribution system without air intake, called "Airless", which container is rigid and comprises a flexible bag containing the product to be dispensed, and which is associated with the sampling system.

State of the art

A first known technique for producing such containers is to obtain, by molding, a rigid bottle and a flexible bag, in a single operation or in several operations.

But these bottles, commonly called "pocket bottle" type, are of a height greater than their diameter, and the collapse of the pocket is carried out laterally, because it is the sides of the bottle that have the largest surface area. and who collapse.

This technique is not suitable for pots, for example cosmetics, which are wider than high and have a large diameter opening, close to or identical to that of the pot itself.

This is how it is demonstrated that the technology of "pocket vials" is not transferable to a pot that we would like "Airless" because the bottles are in principle blown, with a neck smaller in diameter that the body of the bottle, which is not the case of the pots where the opening diameter is wide, and it is not known how to make "airless" pocket for pots of 15 ml and 30 ml and for pots of 200 ml, blowing ratio outside the norms.

The solutions proposed and described in the documents EP0546898 and GB2184491 are pockets containing the product, the outlet neck is of a diameter smaller than the diameter of the body of the pocket, which is necessarily obtained by blowing. These solutions therefore do not concern large diameter pockets and large opening.

The document WO 2006/107403 shows a container for a product contained in a bag, the bag being pressurized by compression of the container. The container is closed at the top by an upper rigid block which has a rigid skirt extending inside the pocket. During the distribution of the product, the bag is able to turn inside the skirt.

A second well-known technique consists in producing "airless" flasks with piston. But these are not compact, by the thickness necessary for the operation of the piston and require developing a new range of pot. Piston "Airless" can not be made for large diameter 200 ml pots, molding tolerances make it difficult to fit and seal over large diameters.

The problem remains full to make containers, including pots of large diameter and large opening, to be associated with a bottle "Airless" piston.

Description of the invention

According to a first phase of the inventive step, this consisted in seeking a compromise between the "Airfree" technique and the "Piston" technique, that is to say a container comprising both a flexible bag and a piston associated, for obtaining an "Airless" system, adapted to a large diameter container, according to the desired purpose.

• réservoir « Airless » compact permettant d'être incorporé dans des réservoirs existants,
• possibilité de fonctionnement avec un organe de prélèvement à faible dépression (10 mbar à 50 mbar) et avec une faible énergie à apporter par l'utilisateur,
• bon taux de restitution du produit (>95%) et bonne compatibilité avec les crèmes très visqueuses des pots. Le fond se déplace pour pousser le produit vers l'organe de prélèvement, ce qui permet un fonctionnement avec des produits très visqueux.
• diamètre d'ouverture large identique à celui du pot, ce qui facilite le remplissage.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a container according to claim 1. The advantages of such a container are as follows:

• compact "Airless" tank for incorporation into existing tanks,
• possibility of operation with a low vacuum sampling device (10 mbar to 50 mbar) and with low energy to be provided by the user,
• good rate of restitution of the product (> 95%) and good compatibility with the highly viscous creams of the pots. The bottom moves to push the product towards the sampling member, which allows operation with very viscous products.
• wide opening diameter identical to that of the pot, which facilitates filling.

The present invention also relates to the features which will emerge during the following description, which should be considered in isolation or in all their possible technical combinations.

This description given by way of nonlimiting example, will better understand how the invention can be made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Brief description of the figures

• The figure 1 is a perspective view in section of an "airless" container and a sampling and dispensing system, according to the invention, full pocket.
• The figure 2 represents a perspective view in section of an "airless" container, according to the invention, empty bag.
• The figure 3 represents an exploded perspective view of the container according to the figure 1 .
• The figure 4 represents an axial sectional view of a pocket according to the invention.
• The Figures 5 and 6 represent, on a reduced scale, schematically, and compared to Figures 1 and 2 , a pocket according to the figure 4 , respectively full and emptied of his product.

detailed description

The container 1 generally designated in the figures is intended to contain a liquid or pasty product 2. It is associated with a sampling and dispensing system 3 without air intake, which container 1 is rigid and comprises a flexible bag 4 containing the product to be dispensed 2, which is associated with the sampling system 3.

The sampling and dispensing system 3 is constituted by a metering chamber 5, in communication on the one hand with a reservoir 6 formed by the pocket 4, via a non-return valve 7, and on the other hand part with an external channel 8, made of elastically deformable material, or any other means of distribution of the product 2.

• une paroi latérale supérieure rigide 9 dont le bord d'extrémité périphérique supérieur libre 10 est destiné à coopérer, de manière étanche, avec une collerette correspondante 14 d'un couvercle 15 du système de distribution associé 3, et dont un bord d'extrémité périphérique inférieur de ladite zone 9 constitue un cordon rigide 16 assurant la liaison avec
• une paroi latérale inférieure 17 souple et déformable, de diamètre intérieur identique à celui de la paroi latérale supérieure rigide et dont la concentricité est assurée par le cordon rigide 16, pour s'étendre axialement à partir de celui-ci vers
• un congé ou un chanfrein 19 constituant une zone de raccordement et d'articulation entre la paroi latérale inférieure 17 souple et déformable et
• un fond rigide 18 de diamètre « d » inférieur au diamètre « D » du réservoir 6 ainsi constitué, ledit fond lorsqu'il est soumis à une commande en dépression « F » par le système de prélèvement 3, est appelé vers le haut, à la manière d'un piston, entrainant la zone de raccordement et d'articulation 19 ainsi que la paroi souple 17 en retournement sur elle-même.

According to the invention, the pocket 4 is obtained by injection of a plastic material independently of the rigid container 1 and constitutes a generally cylindrical reservoir 6, presenting at its upper part an opening wide of a diameter equal to that of its internal diameter, said pocket decomposing into four zones formed by:

• a rigid upper side wall 9 whose free upper peripheral end edge 10 is intended to cooperate sealingly with a corresponding flange 14 of a lid 15 of the associated dispensing system 3 and having a peripheral end edge lower part of said zone 9 constitutes a rigid bead 16 ensuring the connection with
• a flexible and deformable lower side wall 17, of identical inner diameter to that of the rigid upper side wall and whose concentricity is provided by the rigid bead 16, to extend axially from it to the
• a fillet or chamfer 19 constituting a connection and articulation zone between the flexible and deformable lower side wall 17 and
• a rigid bottom 18 of diameter "d" less than the diameter "D" of the reservoir 6 thus constituted, said bottom when it is subjected to a vacuum control "F" by the sampling system 3, is called upwards, to the manner of a piston, causing the connection area and articulation 19 and the flexible wall 17 in turn on itself.

The tests have shown that good results were obtained when, on the one hand, the rigid upper lateral wall 9 of the cylindrical reservoir 6 substantially covers the half "h1" of the height "H" thereof, and that its thickness, as well as 18), and when on the other hand, the flexible lower side wall 17 of the cylindrical reservoir 6 substantially covers the half "h 2" of the height "H" thereof and is extended by the fillet or chamfer 19 and a horizontal plane concentric 20 rigid bottom 18, and that its thickness is from 0.05 to 0.35 mm.

A pouch 4 thus formed can, adequately sized of course, adapt to any container, pot or tube, with a capacity of 10 ml to 2000 ml to make them "Airless" in association with a sampling system and Distribution 3 "Airless" which closes the top of the container, type pot or tube.

The operation of such an assembly is as follows: under the action of the sampling and distribution system 3 "Airless" (without air intake), a dose of product 2 is evacuated outside the container 1, causing a depression inside the tank 6 because the dose to be discharged outside the system 3 is not replaced by air. The tank 6 is in depression and compensates for the depression by a flexible deformation of its geometry.

During this depression action, which can be small (from 10 mbar to 50 mbar), the rigid bottom 18 is sucked upwards in the manner of a piston, consequently causing the flexible side wall 17 to deform upwards, by reversal and unwinding on itself, inside the tank 6. The vertical displacement of the rigid bottom 18, associated with the deformation of the flexible side wall 17, causes a decrease in the volume of the tank 6, thus allowing the evacuation product 2 without air intake.

Moreover, the flexible peripheral articulation zone 19 forming a corner fillet, connected to the rigid bottom 18 on the one hand and to the flexible lower side wall 17 on the other hand, allows the wall to turn on itself. lower flexible side 17, during the upward movement piston, as mentioned above. This hinge zone 19 makes it possible to initiate and facilitate the reversal of the flexible side wall 17 on itself and then to cause this reversal during the displacement of the rigid bottom 18 forming a piston upwards, until the moment when the fold formed by this reversal reaches the rigid upper side wall 9, thus blocking the displacement of this upturn and the rigid bottom 18.

At the end of emptying, the flexible lower side wall 17 is completely turned over and is raised upwards so as to cover the same height h1 as the rigid side wall 9. The rigid bottom or piston 18 is then all at the top of the tank.

The leave may be straight or rounded.

The pouch 4 mid-rigid, half-flexible is obtained, in one piece, during a single molding operation, by injection of a plastic material.

Practically, in order to be able to inject fine thicknesses of 0.2 mm, materials of very high fluidity and injection machines with high injection pressure, high injection speed and a mold closing force which can during the injection cycle.

By way of example, the materials used for producing the bag may be of the LDPE "low density polyethylene" or EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) or TPE (Thermo Plastic Elastomer) or PU (Polyurethane) type type, having stiffness moduli very low (<300 MPa) associated with a very high fluidity (MFI fluidity> 50 gr / 10 min of material passing through a die calibrated under 2.16 kg of load and 190 ° C of temperature).

The injection will be under high speed and high pressure, with closed mold with very high or variable closing force.

Claims (4)

1. A container (1) intended to hold a liquid or pasty material (2), associated with a collecting and dispensing system (3) without intake of air, said container (1) being rigid and including a bag (4) containing the material to be dispensed (2), and which is associated with the collecting system (3), characterized in that the bag (4) is half-rigid, half-flexible and in one piece, obtained during one and the same molding operation by plastic injection independently of the rigid container (1) and constitutes a generally cylindrical reservoir (6) having at its upper top a large opening with a diameter equal to its inner diameter, said bag consisting of four areas constituted by:

   - a rigid upper sidewall (9), the upper end peripheral free edge (10) whereof cooperates in an airtight manner with the neck (11) of the container (1) or the edge (12) of an optional rigid bowl (13), and a corresponding flange (14) of a cover (15) of the associated dispensing system (3), and of which one lower end peripheral edge of said area (9) constitutes a rigid band (16) providing a connection with

   - a flexible and deformable lower sidewall (17), with an inner diameter identical to that of the rigid upper sidewall and the concentricity whereof is ensured by the rigid band (16), to extend axially from it toward

   - a fillet or a chamfer constituting a connection and articulation area (19) between the flexible and deformable lower sidewall and

   - a rigid bottom (18) with a diameter (d) less than the diameter (D) of the reservoir (6) thus constituted, said bottom (18), when subjected to a vacuum driving (F) by the collecting system (3), being drawn upward in the manner of a piston, driving the connection and articulation area (19) as well as the flexible wall (17) in folding back over itself.
2. The container according to Claim 1, characterized in that the rigid upper sidewall (9) of the cylindrical reservoir (6) covers substantially half (h1) of the height (H) thereof.
3. The container according to Claim 1, characterized in that the flexible lower sidewall (17) of the cylindrical reservoir (6) covers substantially half (h2) of the height (H) thereof and extends into the fillet or chamfer (19) and into a horizontal plane (20) concentric with the rigid bottom (18).
4. The container according to Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the materials used to mold said flexible bag (4) by injection are materials with very high fluidity and very low elastic modulus of the LDPE, EVA or TPE types.

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