EP3074197A1

EP3074197A1 - Method for producing a rigid container, in particular a rigid bi-layer container produced using said method, and device for carrying out said method

Info

Publication number: EP3074197A1
Application number: EP14802457.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jérôme Liard; Emmanuel REVAULT; Stéphane TOURDOT; Guy PLIQUET
Original assignee: Albea Services SAS
Current assignee: Albea Services SAS
Priority date: 2013-11-28
Filing date: 2014-11-25
Publication date: 2016-10-05
Also published as: FR3013623A1; WO2015078852A1; CN105793004A; FR3013623B1; US20160375620A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a rigid container (10), in particular a small vial, particularly a small vial for a cosmetic product, said container including a bi-layer structure comprising a first layer, referred to as the body of the container (20), defining a neck (22) of said container (10) and a second layer, referred to as the casing of the container (30), enclosing said body (20). The method according to the invention includes a step of shaping a preform inside a part forming said casing (30), so as to form said body (20). The invention also relates to a rigid container (10) produced using said method and a device for carrying out said method.

Description

Process for the manufacture of a rigid receptacle, in particular bilayers, rigid receptacle obtained according to said method and device for implementing said method

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a rigid receptacle, in particular a bottle, in particular a bottle for a cosmetic product, more particularly a bottle for mascara, a rigid receptacle obtained according to said method and a device for the implementation of said process.

Bottles for a cosmetic product are currently obtained from plastics material. The bottles intended to receive mascara, in particular, must be waterproof, even after being damaged; for example, after being in contact with extreme temperatures or after having been in humid or very dry environments.

There are vials for mascara whose body is injected, then the neck welded to the body. Subsequent welding of the neck to the body of the bottle has the main disadvantage of the risk of loss of sealing and mechanical strength over time. This type of bottle has another disadvantage, that of limiting the extent of the possible choice among the possible materials, firstly for the body of said bottle and secondly, for the neck. Indeed, for this type of bottle the selected materials must be welded together.

The bottles for mascara must also have a significant aesthetic appeal. Thus, a single-piece vial, obtained from a monolayer preform first injected and then blown, will be judged by professionals in the field as unsightly.

The object of the invention is to provide a bottle for a cosmetic product, in particular for mascara, which eliminates the disadvantages presented above.

Thus, the invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a receptacle, in particular a bottle, in particular a bottle for a product. cosmetic, said receptacle comprising a bilayer structure comprising a first layer, said body of the receptacle, defining a neck of said receptacle and a second layer, said envelope of the receptacle, surrounding said body. According to the invention, said method comprises a step of shaping a preform inside a part forming said envelope, so as to form said body.

The invention thus proposes a process whose implementation is simple and makes it possible to obtain a receptacle which, thanks to its body, guarantees a better seal and a better mechanical resistance with respect to receptacles presenting a welded neck. The invention also has the advantage of providing a receptacle that gives professionals in the field a wide choice of materials for the part in contact with the cosmetic product - the body of the bottle - while maintaining a wide possibility of decorations, thanks to the envelope of injected material.

According to various embodiments of the invention, which may be taken together or separately:

said shaping step comprises a step of blowing the preform,

said casing is placed in position for forming said preform while the temperature of said casing is lower than that of its melting temperature, so that said casing is rigid or non-soft during said step of setting shape of said preform,

said shaping step allows the plating of said preform against the inner wall of said envelope,

a step of injecting said preform precedes said shaping step,

said preform is injected in a single operation into a single layer of material, directly at its final thickness,

a step of injecting said envelope precedes said shaping step,

said envelope is injected in a single operation, into a single layer of material, directly at its final thickness, the steps of injecting said preform and injecting said envelope are simultaneous,

a step of ejecting the rigid receptacle obtained by shaping said preform inside said envelope succeeds said forming step.

Advantageously, the invention also relates to a rigid receptacle obtained by the method as described above. According to various embodiments of the invention, which may be taken together or separately:

said envelope forms and / or carries a decoration,

said body, and / or said envelope, comprise retaining means able to hold said body inside said envelope,

the retaining means are capable of holding said body inside said envelope, in particular in a direction of longitudinal extension of said receptacle and / or in a direction transverse to said direction of longitudinal extension,

said retaining means are counterforms present on said body and / or inside said envelope,

said holding means are made of material with said body and / or with said envelope,

said body is held inside said envelope by said retaining means as well as by a phenomenon of bonds existing between the material of said body and the material of said envelope,

said neck comprises a neck,

the part of the receptacle presenting the neck is made in a single layer of material,

the part forming the bottom of said receptacle is made of a single layer of material,

said body forms said bottom and / or the neck of the receptacle,

said body is made of plastic material,

said body is made of polypropylene (PP),

said envelope is monolayer, said envelope is non-transparent,

said envelope is made of plastic material,

said envelope is made of a plastic material belonging to the family of Copolyesters,

said body and said envelope are made of the same type of material.

Advantageously, the invention also relates to a device for implementing the method as described above, comprising at least:

A forming station for shaping said preform inside said envelope.

said device further comprises at least:

A first injection station for injecting at least one said envelope,

A second injection station for injecting at least one said preform, and / or

An ejection station for ejecting the rigid receptacle,

said device further comprises at least:

A first part, called a fixed part, and

A second part, said moving part relative to the fixed part,

said moving part is configured to be displaced in translation in a direction known as the opening / closing direction of the device, and in rotation about an axis coinciding with said opening / closing direction,

said first injection station is integral with said movable part,

said device further comprises a central part situated between said fixed and mobile parts of the device,

said central part is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to said opening / closing direction, in particular when said movable part is separated from said fixed part by a translation movement in said opening / closing direction, said second injection station comprises a portion of said central portion, allowing the formation of an end portion of said preform and then driving of said end portion;

said moving part is able to be moved in rotation by an angle of 180 ° after having undergone said translational movement with respect to said fixed part, said translation being intended to move said two fixed and movable parts apart,

said central portion has four faces, each face comprising a core for injecting said preforms and / or an air inlet for supplying air to said blowing station,

said injection, blowing and ejection stations are arranged around said central part at 90 ° to one another.

The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, features and advantages thereof will become more clearly apparent in the following detailed explanatory description of at least one embodiment of the invention given to As a purely illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.

On these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a rigid receptacle according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of the device for implementing the method for the manufacture of rigid receptacles such as that represented in FIG. 1, during a first phase of manufacture,

- Figures 3 to 7 are schematic views illustrating the device of Figure 2 during successive phases of the method of the invention.

The invention relates to a rigid receptacle 10, in particular a bottle, in particular a bottle for a cosmetic product such as mascara. We mean by "rigid" that can not be deformed, at least without breaking, the opposite of a relatively flexible tube in the field of cosmetics.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the receptacle 10 comprises a first layer, called the body of the receptacle 20 and a second layer, called the envelope of the receptacle 30. The body 20 has the particularity of defining the neck 22 of said receptacle 10. It comes from the shaping of a preform. It thus presents in itself a certain rigidity. The envelope 30 is, in turn, obtained in injected material; it surrounds the body 20. It also has a certain rigidity. It is therefore not a flexible film or a label.

The envelope 30 is advantageously intended to form or to carry a decoration on its outer wall 32; the inner wall 31 of said casing being in contact with the body of the receptacle 20, more precisely with the outer wall 21 of the latter. This decoration is intended to personalize said receptacle 10. The envelope 30 is preferably non-transparent.

The inner wall 23 of said body 20 defines, for its part, a container for the cosmetic product.

The neck 22 of said body 20 here comprises a neck 24 having technical forms enabling it to cooperate with, for example, the gripping portion of a mascara brush (not shown). Said neck 24 is made in a single layer of material, just like the part 25 forming the bottom of said receptacle 10. This means that the envelope 30 does not cover said neck 24 or said bottom 25 which are mono-materials and which belong audit body 20.

The body 20 has no weld zone, unlike a relatively flexible tube belonging to the field of cosmetics, which has, in known manner, at least one longitudinal weld along its main longitudinal extension direction to form said tube before filling and / or a transverse weld in a direction orthogonal to said direction of longitudinal extension to form a bottom of the tube after filling.

Said body 20 will be made, in particular, of plastic material, preferably polypropylene (PP). The envelope 30 will also be made of plastic material, preferably a material belonging to the family of Copolyesters. However, the body 20 and the envelope 30 may be made from the same material.

The body 20 advantageously has particular shapes 26, 27 to ensure its retention inside the envelope 30. These forms 26, 27 abut against complementary shapes 36, 37 belonging to said envelope 30. A first form 26 is located in the vicinity of the neck 22 while a second form 27 is located in the vicinity of the bottom 25. The abutments prevent any relative movement of the casing 30 with respect to the body 20 in a direction parallel to the direction of longitudinal extension of said receptacle 10.

In the case of a cylindrical receptacle 10, of circular section or not, said forms 26, 27 and abutments 36, 37 may be provided all around said outer face or walls 21 and outer 31.

Other forms may be provided on the outer wall 21 of the body 20 to prevent movement thereof relative to the casing 30 in a direction transverse to said longitudinal extension direction. These shapes provided on the outer wall 21 of the body 20 will abut on complementary shapes made on the inner wall 31 of said casing 30. These complementary forms may be counter-forms of the niche type or undercuts type tails. dovetail (not shown). They may be derived from material with said body 20, on the one hand, and with said casing 30, on the other hand.

We will see in the following that another type of connection may exist between the material of said body 20 and the material of said envelope 30 in order to maintain said body 20 in said envelope 30.

As illustrated in the following figures, the invention also relates to a method for the manufacture of said receptacle 10 and a device for said manufacture.

Figure 2 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the device for the manufacture of rigid containers such as that described above, in a first phase of manufacture.

This phase will be called the "injection phase".

The device of the invention comprises two injection stations 40, 50. The first station 40 injects the envelope 30 while the second station 50 injects a preform 52. In addition, said device comprises a fixed part 70, serving as a reference , and a movable portion 60 relative to the fixed portion 70. The movable portion 60 is configured to be moved in translation in a direction called the opening / closing direction of the device; said direction is referenced X in Figures 2 to 7 and corresponds to the vertical in these drawings. On the other hand, the movable portion is provided with a rotating base 62. Said rotating base 62 is capable of performing rotational movements of 180 ° around said opening / closing direction X.

Said "injection phase" comprises the following steps of the process according to the invention: injection of the preform 52 and injection of the envelope 30. It should be noted that the preform 52 and the envelope 30 are advantageously injected in a single operation, in a single layer of material, directly to their final thickness. These injection steps are preferably performed simultaneously.

During the present "injection phase", the device of the invention is in said closed position.

The injection of material inside said first injection station 40 is done here via a first nozzle 41, around a first core 42, between two shells 43, 44 of a first mold, said first mold being closed at the time of injection. These two shells 43, 44 are integral with the rotating base 62. The rotating base 62 comprises another pair of shells 43 ', 44' forming a second mold. This other pair of shells 43 ', 44', also integral with said rotary base 62, is situated diametrically opposite to the first pair of shells 43, 44, and with respect to the hinge axis X.

The injection of material inside the second injection station 50 is via a second nozzle 57, around a second core 56, between two mold parts 51, 53 and two retaining portions 54, 55, said mold being closed during said injection.

The injection of material at the first injection station 40 is in a direction parallel to said opening / closing direction X while the injection of material at the second injection station 50 is according to a direction perpendicular to said direction X.

Figure 3 illustrates a second phase of manufacture. This phase will be called the "opening phase of the device" during which said movable portion 60 is spaced from said fixed portion 70 in said opening / closing direction X.

The shells 43, 43 ', 44, 44' being integral with said movable part 60, they move with it when it is translated relative to the fixed part 70. Thus, the opening - or translation - of the movable portion 60 of the device of the invention causes the release of the casing 30 of the core 42 around which it was injected during the previous phase.

The preform 52 remains around the core 56 of the second injection station 50 which gave it its shape. Indeed, although the two mold parts 51, 53 of said second injection station 50 open simultaneously to the device of the invention, the two retaining portions 54, 55 come to maintain the preform 52 around the core 56. These retaining portions 54, 55 are located at the opposite end of the one where the injection nozzle 57 of the second injection station 50 is situated. As will be developed below, the said retaining portions 54, 55 are linked to each other. to a so-called central part, 80 of said device. They surround one end of said second core 56.

The opening direction is indicated by an arrow in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 illustrates a third phase of manufacture. This phase will be called the "rotation phase".

As mentioned, said rotary base 62 is able to be moved in rotation by an angle of 180 ° around the direction X, when said device is in its open configuration illustrated in FIG.

The arrow Y indicates this rotation in FIG. 4.

The two injection stations 40, 50 of the device of the invention being distant from each other, said rotation of 180 ° makes it possible to bring the first pair of shells 43, 44 which contains the envelope 30 which comes to be injected in the vicinity of the second injection station 50.

More particularly, said injection station 50 cooperates with the central portion 80 already mentioned. Said central portion 80 is located between said fixed and mobile parts 60 of the device. It is in the vicinity of this central portion 80 that the shells 43, 44 are brought after rotation about the X direction.

Said central portion 80 has four faces, each face comprising a said second core 56 for the injection of preforms such as the preform 52 in the mold 50. In addition, said cores comprise an air inlet for their air supply in order to blowing the preform 52 after it has been injected in the manner previously described. Said central portion 80 is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to said opening / closing direction X. Said perpendicular axis is referenced Z in FIG. 4.

During the opening - or translation - of the device as described in the "opening phase of the device", said central portion is rotated 90 ° about said Z axis here in the counterclockwise direction. Thus the second core 56 of the second injection station 50 and the preform 52 which is held there by the retaining portions 54, 55 undergo the same rotation of 90 °. The preform 52 which has been injected in a direction perpendicular to the opening / closing direction X is therefore parallel to this same direction X.

The rotation of the central portion 80 by an angle of 90 °, taken together with the rotation of 180 ° of the rotating base 62, allows the displacement of the injected envelope 30 and its positioning in the axis of the preform 52.

The retaining portions 54, 55 of the preform 52 remain closed during this movement, as do the shells 43, 44 which form the mold in which the envelope 30 is located.

Figure 5 illustrates a fourth phase of manufacture. This phase will be called a "device closure" phase.

The movable portion 60 is translated in the X direction to bring the device of the invention in the closed position. The preform 52 is thus housed inside the envelope 30.

The device is also in position again for a new injection cycle of a new envelope and a new preform (see "injection phase").

Figure 6 illustrates a fifth phase of manufacture. This phase will be called the "preform shaping phase".

Once the preform 52 is housed inside the envelope 30, it undergoes a blow and deforms within said envelope 30 to take the form. Said preform 52 then becomes the body 20 of the rigid receptacle 10. In fact, said blowing step allows the plating of said preform 52 against the inner wall 31 of said envelope 30. It should be noted that the envelope 30 is placed in position for the shaping of said preform 52 while the temperature of said envelope is lower than that of its melting temperature, so that said envelope, at that time , is rigid.

In order to improve the productivity of the entire device of the invention, a new envelope 30 'and a new preform 52' are advantageously injected (see "injection phase") in parallel with the shaping step of the first preform 52.

The retention of the body 20 blown inside the casing 30 is obtained by the retaining means mentioned above whose formation will be provided by the profile given to the molding cavity. As a reminder, said retaining means are, among others, the technical forms 26, 27 belonging to the body 20 which cooperate with the abutments 36, 37 of the envelope 30.

In the case where the body 20 and the casing 30 are made of the same material or in materials selected for this purpose, a bonding phenomenon by chemical bonding may occur between the outer wall 21 of the body 20 and the inner wall 31 of the envelope 30. This phenomenon may be added to the retaining means previously mentioned to ensure the maintenance of the body 20 inside the envelope 30. It can also be substituted.

It is also possible to choose to manufacture the body 20 and the envelope 30 in two different materials. If the removal of the material chosen for the injection of the body 20 - for example 2% - and greater than that of the material chosen for the injection of the envelope - for example 0.5%, then the retaining means previously mentioned will be necessary to ensure the maintenance of the body 20 inside the casing 30. Indeed, the body 20 would be made to shrink relatively to the casing 30 and this would cause the separation of said two parts.

Figure 7 illustrates the last phase of manufacture. This phase will be called the "receptacle ejection phase".

The receptacle 10 is a finished product that must be ejected from the device of the invention. Thus, the retaining portions 53, 54 move apart to release the area of the preform they previously held and the receptacle 10 can be ejected. The zone of the preform hitherto retained by the parts 53, 54 is advantageously the neck 22 of the receptacle 10. They may in particular allow the realization of a net or snap-fastening forms of a plug.

The ejection movement of the finished part can be done while another preform undergoes the previous phase called "shaping phase of the preform", the device being in the closed position. Previously, the central portion 80 will undergo a new rotation of 90 °; the device of the invention is then in the open position, the receptacle 10 of the invention then being brought to the face opposite to the first injection station, with respect to the Z axis.

Claims

claims

1) Process for the manufacture of a rigid receptacle (10), in particular a bottle, in particular a bottle for a cosmetic product, said receptacle comprising a bilayer structure comprising a first layer, called the receptacle body (20), defining a neck ( 22) of said receptacle (10) and a second layer, said envelope of the receptacle (30), surrounding said body (20), characterized in that it comprises a step of shaping a preform (52) to interior of a part forming said envelope (30), so as to form said body (20).

2) Manufacturing method according to the preceding claim, wherein a step of injecting said preform (52) precedes said forming step of the preform (52).

3) The manufacturing method according to the preceding claim, wherein said preform (52) is injected in a single operation, in a single layer of material, directly to its final thickness.

4) A manufacturing method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a step of injecting said envelope (30) precedes said shaping step.

5) The manufacturing method according to the preceding claim, wherein said envelope (30) is injected in a single operation, in a single layer of material, directly to its final thickness.

6) The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 4 or 5, wherein the steps of injecting said preform (52) and injection of said envelope (30) are simultaneous.

7) A manufacturing method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a step of ejecting the product obtained by placing in the form of said preform (52) inside said envelope (30) succeeds said forming step of the preform (52).

8) Rigid receptacle (10) obtained by the method according to any one of the preceding claims.

9) Receptacle according to claim 8, wherein said body (20), and / or said casing (30), comprise retaining means (26, 27, 36, 37) able to maintain said body inside said envelope (30).

10) receptacle (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein said retaining means (26, 27, 36, 37) are counterforms material from said body (20) and / or with said casing (30).

1 1) Receptacle (10) according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein said receptacle (10) comprises a bottom (25) made of a single layer of material, said body (20) forming said bottom (25) .

12) Device for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising at least:

A shaping station for shaping said preform (52) inside said envelope (30).

13) Device according to the preceding claim, further comprising at least:

A first injection station (40) for injecting at least one said envelope (30),

A second injection station (50) for injecting at least one said preform (52),

An ejection station allowing the ejection of the rigid receptacle,

A first part, called a fixed part (70),

A second part, said moving part (60) with respect to the fixed part (70), said movable part (60) being configured to be displaced in translation in a direction said opening / closing direction of the device (X), and in rotation about an axis coincident with said opening / closing direction (X), said first injection station (40) being integral with said movable part (60), and

A central portion (80) located between said fixed (70) and mobile (60) parts of the device, said central portion (80) being able to serve at least said second injection station (50) and / or said station formatting and / or said ejection station.

14) Device according to the preceding claim, wherein said central portion (80) is rotatable about an axis (Z) perpendicular to said opening / closing direction (X).

15) Device according to any one of claims 13 or 14, wherein said second injection station (50) comprises a portion of said central portion (80), allowing the formation of an end portion of said preform ( 52) and then driving said end portion.