EP3233418A1

EP3233418A1 - Wide-necked container having an attached threaded sleeve

Info

Publication number: EP3233418A1
Application number: EP15816824.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mikaël DERRIEN
Original assignee: Sidel Participations SAS
Current assignee: Sidel Participations SAS
Priority date: 2014-12-17
Filing date: 2015-12-10
Publication date: 2017-10-25
Also published as: FR3030341B1; CN107000296A; FR3030341A1; WO2016097543A1; US20170305591A1; MX2017007507A; JP2018501130A

Abstract

A method for producing a container (6) having a threaded wide neck (9), that involves the operations consisting of: heating a preform (1) having a polyester body (2), on which there is mounted a polyolefin sleeve (23) positioned next to an area (24) of the body (2) corresponding to the wide neck (9) of the container; introducing the heated preform (1), with the sleeve (23), into a mould (8) having the footprint of the container (6), including a threaded area (21) having the footprint of the wide neck (9); injecting a pressurised fluid into the preform (1) in order to form a blank (10) of the container (6) comprising a lower portion including the wide neck (9) with a thread (25) formed in the sleeve (23) and an upper portion (11) above the wide neck (9); separating the upper portion (11) from the lower portion that thus forms the container (6).

Description

Wide-necked container with a threaded socket

The invention relates to the manufacture of plastic containers and more specifically containers with wide threaded neck (is called wide neck whose diameter is greater than or equal to half the outer diameter of the container).

Large-necked containers, commonly referred to as "pots", are generally intended for particular applications, particularly to contents filled in the form of dough (such as ketchup, mustard, puree, compote) whose viscosity is such that these contents can not be delivered at both high flow and low flow section. But jars can still accommodate liquids, typically soft drinks (fruit juices, fruit drinks, tea, energy drinks), or solids (such as powders).

The forming of such a pot by blowing is usually carried out by blowing or stretching blow from a plastic preform provided with a cylindrical body and introduced hot into a mold provided with a wall to the impression of the container. The wall includes a threaded area corresponding to the neck, which will be formed at the body of the preform. A fluid (usually air) under pressure is injected into the preform to press the material (softened by preheating) against the wall so as to form a blank of the container, comprising a lower part having a body and the neck , and an upper part surmounting the neck. After the exit of the mold blank, the upper part is separated from the lower part. The lower part is preserved (it forms the final container), while the upper part is discarded, for example to be recycled as raw material for the manufacture of new preforms. US Patent 6841,117 (Graham Packaging) illustrates this technique.

To produce a pot having good transparency properties, the material used is generally a polyester, especially PET (polyethylene terephthalate). PET has the advantage of giving the final container good mechanical properties, but it has the disadvantage of requiring, for a good impression of the threads of the neck, a high blowing pressure (greater than or equal to About 35 bars). The blowing pressure is all the higher as the material is thick at the neck. Increasing the thickness of material to try to improve the impression therefore only increases proportionally the blowing pressure, without obtaining a satisfactory impression. On the other hand, reducing the material thickness at the neck causes a reduction in the mechanical strength, to the detriment of the ease of closure and the final sealing of the container. In addition, despite a reduced thickness, the impression taken at the level of the nets remains mediocre.

A first object is to provide a technique for making a large neck container that can be formed at reduced blow pressures.

A second objective is to propose a technique for facilitating fingerprinting of the threads at the neck, so as to ensure the easy and tight screwing of a cap, and the unscrewing without difficulty thereof.

For this purpose, it is proposed, in the first place, a method of manufacturing a plastic container with a large threaded neck, which comprises the operations of:

heating a preform having a body formed in a polyester, on which is mounted a sleeve formed in a polyolefin, this sleeve being positioned in line with an area of the body of the preform corresponding to the wide neck of the container;

introducing the preform thus heated, with the sleeve, into a mold provided with a wall defining an impression of the container and including a threaded zone at the footprint of the wide neck;

injecting into the preform a fluid under pressure to form a blank of the container by taking an impression against the wall of the mold, this blank comprising a lower part including the wide neck with a thread formed in the sleeve and an upper part overlying the wide neck ;

separate the upper part of the blank from its lower part which thus forms the container.

The polyolefin sleeve has the advantage of better impression taking than polyester. The nets are better trained, for the benefit of the ease - and the quality - of the capping. Various additional features may be provided, alone or in combination:

the separation operation is performed by cutting;

the cut is made along a line adjacent to the sleeve; the body of the preform is made of PET;

the sleeve is made of HDPE;

the sleeve has, in section, a thickness of between 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm, and for example less than or equal to 1.5 mm;

the fluid is injected into the preform at a pressure of less than 10 bar;

the fluid is air.

Secondly, there is provided a plastic container comprising a side wall formed in a polyester (such as PET), and a wide neck with a thread, the thread of the neck being made in a sleeve formed in a polyolefin (such as HDPE) covering an upper end portion of the wall. According to a particular embodiment, the upper end portion of the side wall may have an attenuated fingerprint of the thread, so as to ensure a better holding of the sleeve on the side wall during the plugging and unclogging of the container.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the light of the description of an embodiment, given hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a preform and an attached sleeve to be threaded onto the preform;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the preform and the sleeve after mounting; the detail medallion shows on an enlarged scale the positioning of the sleeve;

Figure 3 is a view similar to the detail medallion of Figure 2, illustrating an alternative embodiment;

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing the preform of Figure 2 mounted in a mold for forming a container blank whose mold defines the footprint;

Figure 5 is a section illustrating the forming of the blank in the mold from the preform (shown in dashed lines); Figure 6 is a section showing the container blank formed and out of the mold; the detail medallion shows on an enlarged scale the structure of the threaded neck formed on the body of the blank; Figure 7 is a view similar to the detail medallion of Figure 6, illustrating an alternative embodiment;

Figure 8 is a front view of the container, formed from the blank of Figure 7, which was cut the upper part; Figure 9 is a section illustrating the filling of the container; Figure 10 is a front view in partial section illustrating the closure of the container.

In Figure 1 is illustrated a preform 1 made of a polyester. According to a preferred embodiment, the polyester is PET (polyethylene terephthalate). It will be noted that the denomination "polyethylene terephthalate" is unsuitable since PET, obtained by polycondensation of ethylene glycol with terephthalic acid, is not a polyethylene.

PET is a semicrystalline polymer with good blow-molding or stretch-blow molding properties, which gives it good mechanical strength due to its double molecular orientation (both axial and radial) and its relatively high crystallinity. (usually above 20%).

However, the execution of certain forms, which do not pose any difficulty for other materials (especially polypropylene, frequently used for the manufacture of containers housing household products - detergents, detergents, caustics), are difficult when blowing the products. polyesters and in particular PET. This is the case of the nets to be formed on an area intended to form a wide neck on which a cap will be screwed.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the preform 1, injection blank, has a body 2, of generally cylindrical shape, a neck 3 (formed during the injection), which extends from one end upper body 2, and a bottom hemispherical 4 which extends to a lower end of the body 2 and closes the preform 1. The neck 3 is separated from the body 2 by a flange 5 whose function is to facilitate the gripping of the preform 1 during the various steps of manufacturing a container 6 from it. That the neck 3 comprises a thread 7 illustrates the fact that this preform 1 may be a standard preform commonly used to form an ordinary container (such as a bottle) whose neck, used for filling, capping and emptying, is that (unchanged during the manufacture of such an ordinary container) of the preform.

In the present case, if the flange 5 is used as usual to grip the preform 1 and in particular to suspend the preform 1 in a mold 8, as will be explained below, the neck 3 is , on the other hand, not intended to remain on the final container 6.

Indeed, the final container 6, illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, comprises a wide threaded neck 9, formed at the body 2 of the preform and separate from the neck 3 thereof. The container 6 is not obtained directly by forming the preform 1 in the mold 8. In fact, this forming results in a blank 10, illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

This blank 10 comprises a lower part, corresponding to the final container 6 and including the wide neck 9, and an upper portion 11 surmounting the wide neck 9. This upper portion 11, which includes the initial neck 3 from the preform 1, is intended to be separated from the lower part (that is to say the final container 6) by a cutting operation, as will be described below. The lower part (that is to say the final container 6) comprises a body 12 of generally cylindrical shape, defined by a side wall 13 of polyester (from the body 2 of the preform 1) and closed opposite the wide neck 9 by a bottom 14.

The mold 8 for forming the blank 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. This mold 8 comprises a lateral wall 15 defining, starting from an open upper end whose periphery forms a bearing zone 16 for the flange 5, an imprint of the blank 10 (and thus, alternatively, the container 6 to form).

According to a particular embodiment, the mold 8 is of the wallet type and comprises two half-molds 17, 18, movable with respect to each other (typically in rotation), and a bottom 19 of mold, one side 20 upper defines a footprint for the bottom 14 of the container 6.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the mold 8 includes, in its wall 15, a threaded zone 21 at the footprint of the wide neck 9 of the container 7. In the illustrated example, the threaded zone 21 is formed in an insert 22, which facilitates the change of reference - that is to say, of the container model to be manufactured, when the shape and / or the diameter of the offshore col 9 are different.

The formation of the wide neck 9 in the polyester body 2 of the preform 1 does not allow a good impression of the threaded zone 21, a sleeve 23 formed in a polyolefin is mounted on the body 2 of the preform 1 to the right a zone 24 of the body 2 corresponding to the wide neck 9 of the container 6 to be formed. The polyolefin may be a polyethylene, especially a HDPE (high density polyethylene), advantageous for its shaping capabilities, its food compatibility and ease of recycling.

According to a first embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the sleeve 23 is manufactured separately from the preform 1, and then attached to it by being threaded on the body 2 (by the bottom 4, as suggested by the arrow on Figure 1) at a predetermined height. The sleeve 23 thus forms on the body 2 of the preform 1 an extra thickness.

The internal diameter of the sleeve 23 is substantially equal (possibly being slightly smaller) to the external diameter of the body 2, so that the mounting of the sleeve 23 is relatively tight, so as to prevent its displacement or its unexpected separation of the preform 1.

According to a second embodiment, the preform 1 and the sleeve 23 are manufactured jointly by co-molding (that is to say by co-injection). In this case, illustrated in Figure 3, the sleeve 23 may be integrated in the body 2 of the preform 1 so as not to form extra thickness thereon.

The thickness (measured radially and denoted E in FIG. 2) of the sleeve 23 in section is preferably between approximately 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm. According to a preferred embodiment, the thickness E of the sleeve 23 is about 1.5 mm.

The precise determination of the axial position (that is to say, parallel to the general direction of extension of the preform 1) of the sleeve 23 on the body 2 of the preform 1 can be achieved by successive forming tests up to that the sleeve 23 is correctly positioned on the final container 6. As a variant, this position can be calculated using the models (generally empirical) of material distribution as a function of the orientation rates of the latter during forming, as well as the draw rates used.

The tests have shown that, unlike the preform 1, the sleeve 23 does not undergo (or little) axial elongation during the stretching of the preform 1, during the forming of the blank 10. therefore that the sleeve 23 must have from the beginning a height greater than or equal to that of the threaded zone 21. The axial stretching of the body 2 of the preform 1 is relatively uniform, even at the sleeve 23, because of the low adhesion thereof to the body 2. This low adhesion is related to the paraffinic nature of the polyolefin, thanks to which the sleeve 23 has, at the interface with the body 2 of the preform 1, a low coefficient of friction which allows sliding of the preform 1, during its axial drawing, relative to the sleeve 23. The sleeve 23 On the other hand, it is subjected to radial stretching as the preform 1 is blown.

As suggested by the arrow in the detail locket of FIG. 5, the stretching of the part of the preform 1 situated between the sleeve 23 and the flange 5 axially displaces the sleeve 23 in the mold 8, during forming, for bring it to the right of the threaded zone 21 of the mold 8.

Continuing forming causes the sleeve 23 to become inlaid in the threaded zone 21, which thus gives it a thread 25. The polyolefin, whose hardness is less than that of the polyester, makes it possible to take a good impression of the thread 25 in the sleeve. 23.

To manufacture the container 7 from the preform 1 and the sleeve 23, the procedure is as follows.

First, the assembly comprising the preform 1 and the sleeve is formed. According to a first embodiment, the preform 1 and the sleeve 23 are manufactured separately, and the sleeve 23 is then mounted on the preform 1, as indicated above. The mounting of the sleeve 23 can be automated. It can be produced directly at the outlet of the injection molding machine of the preform 1, or later, for example immediately before the operations intended to form the container 6. According to a second embodiment, the preform 1 and the sleeve 23 are jointly formed, for example by co-molding. In this case, the sleeve can be formed in a recessed reserve complementary, formed in the body 2 of the preform 1 so that the sleeve 23 is flush with the body 2, which facilitates the handling of the preform 1 provided with the sleeve 23 and prevents a possible inadvertent sliding of the sleeve 23 before introduction into the mold 8.

Secondly, the assembly comprising the preform 1 and the sleeve 23 is heated (eg by passing) in a heating unit. Note that, in the case where the preform 1 and the sleeve 23 are manufactured separately, they can be assembled immediately before being heated. This allows them to be stored separately. As the preforms are stored in bulk upstream of the heating unit, it is better, indeed, that they are devoid of sleeve because, because of their lower hardness, the polyolefins are more sensitive to scratches and marks than polyesters (and in particular PET). In addition, the presence of the sleeve 23 forming an extra thickness on the preform 1 is likely to complicate the feeding of the preforms upstream of the heating unit.

Thirdly, the preform 1 thus heated, with the sleeve 23, is introduced into the mold 8, as illustrated in FIG. 2. It is advantageous to heat the region of the sleeve 23 at a temperature higher than the average heating temperature of the preform 1, so as to further promote the impression of the thread 25.

Fourthly, a pressurized fluid (such as air) is injected into the preform 1 to form the blank 10 by taking an impression against the wall 15 of the mold 8. At the same time, the drawing may be stretched. preform 1 by means of a rod which pushes the bottom 4 of the preform 1 until reaching the bottom 19 of the mold. The preform 1 is stretched both axially and radially. During the deformation of the preform 1, the sleeve 23, which is not (or little) stretched axially due to its low adhesion to the body 2 of the preform 1, is brought substantially to the right of the threaded zone 21 of the mold 8 to be applied and thus take the footprint of the wide neck 9 of the container 6.

Given the ease of forming the sleeve 23, the injection pressure is not necessarily high. Thus, it is possible without difficulty to form the container 6 illustrated in the figures with an injection pressure of less than 15 bars, and for example of about 10 bars (the injection fluid being air). We see that this pressure is relatively low, compared to the usual pressures (of the order of 30 bars). This results in substantial energy savings.

Once the impression has been taken of the blank 10, it is ejected from the mold 8 and the cycle is repeated with a new preform 1 (also provided with a sleeve 23).

The blank 10 thus formed comprises the lower part (that is to say the container 6) and the upper part 11, secured by a junction zone 26 overlying the wide neck 9 formed in the sleeve 23. The sleeve 23 surrounds the side wall 13 in an upper end portion 27 thereof, adjacent the junction area 26.

As seen in Figure 6, the upper end portion 27 of the side wall 13 may be smooth internally. This occurs when the sleeve 23 is thick enough that the fingerprint of the thread 25 does not pass through it. For this, the thickness of the sleeve 23 as it is before forming should preferably be greater than 2 mm (and for example about 2.5 mm). This results in a good impression of the thread 25. In this case, to ensure a good hold of the sleeve 23 on the side wall 13 and, in particular, to avoid the rotation of the sleeve 23 on the side wall 13 during capping and of the uncorking, it is possible to provide lugs (or pins) projecting inwardly (or outwardly) of the container 6 and which, in the manner of rivets, provide solidarity in rotation of the sleeve 23 and the side wall 13.

If the sleeve 23 is relatively thin, the impression of the thread 25 can pass through it and the upper end portion 27 of the lateral wall 13 may have an attenuated impression of the thread 25, as illustrated in FIG. 7. As a result, during closure, a reduction in the risk of sliding of the sleeve 23 relative to the upper end portion 27 of the wall 13. For this, the thickness of the sleeve 23 as it is before forming is preferably lower or equal to 1.5 mm.

Fifthly, the upper part 11 is separated from the lower part which thus forms the container 6. This separation can be achieved by tearing off, which supposes a preliminary operation (which can be provided in the mold 8, by means of mobile inserts) pre-cut. But, more simply, this separation is advantageously performed by cutting. More specifically, the blank 10 is cut in the zone 26 of junction - along a cutting line 28 adjacent to the wide neck 9, thus to the sleeve 23 - to separate its upper portion 11 from its lower portion, which thus forms the container 6 As illustrated in FIG. 8, this cutting can be carried out by means of a blade 29 slidably mounted in line with the junction zone 26 and which cuts the material while the preform 1 is rotated. Alternatively, the cutting can be performed by laser or water jet.

The upper portion 11 of the blank 10 thus cut can be discarded for recycling. The container 6 is for its part intended to be filled, as illustrated in FIG. 9 (it may be a liquid, a paste or even a solid product such as a powder), and then capped. as illustrated in Figure 10, by means of a plug 30 provided with a thread 31 which helically engages with the thread 25 formed on the sleeve 23 forming the wide neck 9 of the container.

The screwing of the cap 30 is easy because the thread 25 is correctly formed in the sleeve 23. The same is true of the subsequent unscrewing, when the container 6 is used.

Claims

A method of manufacturing a plastic container (6) with a wide neck (9) threaded, characterized in that it comprises the operations of:

heating a preform (1) having a body (2) formed in a polyester, on which is threaded a sleeve (23) formed in a polyolefin, the sleeve (23) being positioned in line with a zone (24) of the body ( 2) of the preform (1) corresponding to the wide neck (9) of the container (6);

introducing the preform (1) thus heated, with the sleeve (23), into a mold (8) provided with a wall (15) defining an impression of the container (6) and including a zone (21) threaded with the impression wide neck (9);

injecting into the preform (1) a fluid under pressure to form a blank (10) of the container (6) by taking an impression against the wall (15) of the mold (8), this blank (10) comprising a lower part including the wide neck (9) with a thread (25) formed in the sleeve (23) and an upper portion (11) overlying the wide neck (9);

separating the upper portion (11) of the blank (10) from its lower portion thereby forming the container (6).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the separation operation is performed by cutting.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the cutting is performed along a line (28) adjacent to the sleeve (23).

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (2) of the preform (1) is made of PET.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sleeve (23) is made of HDPE.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sleeve (23) has, in section, a thickness (E) of between 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm.

7. The method of claim 6, characterized in that the sleeve (23) has, in section, a thickness (E) less than or equal to 1, 5 mm.

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the fluid is injected into the preform (1) at a pressure less than 15 bar.

The method of claim 8, wherein the fluid is air.

Plastic container (6) comprising a lateral wall (13) formed in a polyester, and a wide neck (9) having a thread (25), said container (6) being characterized in that the thread ( 25) of the neck is formed in a sleeve (23) formed in a polyolefin, covering an upper end portion (27) of the side wall (13), the upper end portion (27) of the wall (13). lateral having an attenuated impression of the thread (25).

11. Container according to claim 10, characterized in that the wall (13) side is made of PET.

12. Container according to one of claims 10 to 11, characterized in that the sleeve (23) is made of HDPE.