ES2376011B1 - PROCEDURE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PACKAGING AND PACKAGING OBTAINED THROUGH THE SAME. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a container of the type that is manufactured with plastic materials or polymers that can be processed by fusion comprising at least three stages, the first being the manufacture of an insert (1) which has means suitable for the grafting of a valve, the second one the manufacture of a preform (10) composed of the insert (1) and the body of the preform (9) and a third comprising the widening of the parts of the insert that expand together with the walls of the preform expanding, preferably during the blowing phase.

Description

specific geration that does not allow them to be used for

Procedure for the manufacture of containers and packaging obtained through it.

The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing packages made of plastics or polymers that can be processed by fusion.

The container obtained by the aforementioned procedure is especially useful in the case of having to withstand a propellant in its interior since it allows it to be provided with a labial neck where the valve that regulates the gas outlet can be fixed by means of grafting.

The field of the technique to which the present invention refers is that of the packages. Background

At present, the use of aerosols is very common, with its most common uses being cosmetics, personal hygiene, cleaning, air fresheners, DIY, hospitality, mechanics or painting, among others.

The operation of all of them, with some other variant, is based on the introduction into a pressurized container of a propellant together with the substance to be dispersed in such a way that this propellant drives the exit of said substance when a valve is operated which communicates the inside of the container with the outside, usually through an actuator head.

The above-mentioned valve is fixed on a metal support that is attached to the body of the container by means of grafting, for which it is required, if the container is made of a non-flexible material, that its neck has a profiled profile that allows said operation.

Therefore, despite the usual use of aerosols, however most of them are made of metallic material because these materials have sufficient strength to withstand internal pressure and, at the same time, sufficient malleability to allow proper bonding. by engrafting between the container and the valve support.

Aerosols in glass containers are also common, since it is easy to generate a labial neck where the metal support of the valve is attached by grafting.

However, the possibility of using plastic materials for aerosol packaging is not adequately resolved, although this would solve the environmental problem of the use of metal containers and the fragility of glass containers.

The manufacturing process of some plastic containers, such as PET which, due to its transparency, resistance and recycling possibilities, would make it ideal for the use it is interested in, since it would well withstand the internal pressure of an aerosol, consists essentially of two steps clearly differentiated.

First, the preform is manufactured by injection with the help of a mold.

Secondly, the preform is blown to obtain the container in its final form.

Given the characteristics of PET, of low flexibility, it is not possible to make, with a conventional mold, the labial neck that is required to enable etching as it is impossible to unmold a piece of such characteristics.

There are certain types of molds that have the ability to narrow to facilitate the demolishing of the preforms that are interested.

Among the reviewed patent literature, some have been found that seek to solve this problem in order to incorporate a valve into a plastic container.

WO2007 / 051229 presents a plastic aerosol container which is fitted with a collar that mounts on the neck of the PET container covering its profile and generating a sufficient lip to allow the grafting of the valve support.

This collar may come attached to the PET bottle either because the neck of the latter has a thread shape coinciding with the inverse shape that said collar may have, or because the PET container has recesses coinciding with some protrusions of the collar in such a way. that both fit under pressure.

WO2006 / 032113 presents a plastic aerosol container and the method of manufacturing it, where the collar is fixed to the container by pressure and on this collar the aerosol valve support is fixed.

WO2005 / 108047 proposes a method of making a container by supplying a container with a neck and a ring that circles said neck, causing the contraction of the ring and the radial expansion of at least a part of the neck to ensure junction between the neck of the container and the ring.

US4211344 provides for the use of a collar on the container, in this case flexible, to be able to install a valve.

All of them present ways of joining a collar to an already manufactured container, from which some disadvantages arise:

First of all, in the case of PET bottles, one of the advantages of carrying out the two phases described above lies in the small volume of the preforms that can be transported cheaply to the packer, it being usual for the packer to carry out the blowing operation to obtain the final container.

However, the necessary inclusion of the collar at a later stage, once the container has been blown, transfers to the packer the need to carry out said operation.

Alternatively, the blowing and assembly of the collar could occur prior to transfer to the packer, however this would increase transport costs by multiplying the space necessary for transport, since the preforms are very compact unlike factory-finished bottles.

On the other hand, the union of two pieces in the last phase of manufacturing always includes a defective union risk, a risk that should be discarded or minimized in the case of aerosols that, due to the use of propellants, will have to withstand a strong Pressure.

On the other hand, it is common in the case of filling transparent plastic containers with aerosols that generate an unfilled canister appearance due to the space that the gas occupies, which is very unattractive for the consumer. Description of the invention

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to provide a method of obtaining packages from preforms comprising the appropriate means to allow the pre-etching to the blowing phase.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for obtaining containers of plastic materials that withstand the internal pressure of aerosols, thus benefiting the environmental problem posed by the use of metallic materials.

It is also proposed, as another objective of the present invention, a method of obtaining containers of plastic materials that allows partial coloring of the container thus allowing to see the contents of the container in the part that is transparent and at the same time avoiding that boat sensation. not filled due to the gas contained in the propellants, presenting the container a colored part without having to resort to subsequent printing or labeling.

The term "preform body" is used herein to describe the article that is depicted in Figure 2 and that does not incorporate the appropriate means for grafting.

The term preform is used to describe the article depicted in Figure 3 which contains the appropriate means for grafting and consists of at least one insert and a preform body.

In order to achieve a plastic container, such as PET, with a lip collar that allows the valve to be etched where that lip neck is already present in the preform and is solidly attached to it, the following invention is proposed which comprises both the procedure and the container obtained by it.

The preparation of the package consists of at least three different phases.

In the first place, for example, by molding, an insert is obtained, one of whose ends has the shape of the lip so that a valve can be fixed, for example, by means of engraving.

At the opposite end, said insert extends as a skirt suitable for insertion into the body of the preform.

While it is not ruled out that the insert can be attached at a time after the fabrication of the body of the preform, the strength of the joint between the insert and the body of the preform is benefited if the insert is inserted into the mold where it is going to inject the body of the preform in such a way that the union between both occurs during the injection, taking advantage of the conditions of viscosity, temperature and pressure favoring the union.

The body of the preform and the insert can be of the same or different material.

Optionally or additionally, other forms of bonding such as solvents or adhesives, among others, can be used.

The skirt said can be of decreasing thickness.

Carrying out the described operation, that is to say, the union between the insert and the body of the preform, subtracts only the blowing of the preform to obtain the final container.

In this phase of blowing, the preform swells inside a mold in such a way that it adopts the shape thereof.

In this phase of blowing in which the preform swells, the skirt of the insert indicated above opens, expands along with the body of the preform, becoming flared resulting in its lower opening being greater than the upper opening that remains unchanged during blowing process

Thus, in case the container is used to, for example, contain a pressurized substance such as an aerosol, the higher the outward pressure that the insert must withstand, the greater the union between the Insert and container body.

On the other hand, the insert has, in its outermost part, a thickening in such a way that in the unlikely event of degrading the union between the insert and the body of the preform, the sliding of the insert into the container is impossible.

Although it is not necessary, it is also possible that the insert has anchors in shape with the rest of the body of the preform.

This same procedure can be used in packages whose body of the preform has several layers and the insert can be inserted in an internal position or between the layers.

Optionally, each part of the package (body of the preform and insert), of different colors, can be made.

On the other hand the decreasing thickness of the skirt of the insert, allows to obtain effects of degradation of color without having to resort to impressions or subsequent labeling. Brief description of the fi gures

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the insert where the upper part of the insert (2), the central part (3), the lower part (4), a thickening (5) and a shape anchor (6) can be seen ).

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the body of the preform (9) without the insert.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the insert of Figure 1 inserted into the body of the preform of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the finalized container in which the container part (8), the neck (7) and the insert (1) can be seen. Detailed description of the invention

A way of carrying out the invention, which is not the only one, is described below, and therefore those possible executions that adopt the essential technical elements that characterize the present invention will also be protected.

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of plastic bottles and the article obtained by said process.

The procedure comprises three clearly differentiated phases.

In the first phase, the insert (1) shown in Figure 1 is obtained, which will, in turn, configure the upper part or mouth of the preform (9).

This insert (1) has in its upper part (2), a labial shape or otherwise, suitable for allowing the attachment by means of, for example, a valve commonly used to regulate the output of aerosols, a part central (3) that extends along the inside of the neck (7) of the container part (8) and a lower part (4) extends towards the container part (8) in the form of a funnel decreasing in thickness.

In the upper part it presents a thickening

(5) in all its contour and in the central part it has an anchor (6).

This piece is obtained by a mold that can be conventional.

In the second phase, the described insert is inserted into the mold where the material is to be injected to produce the body of the preform (9) shown in Figure 2.

Once the mold thus prepared with the insert, the material for manufacturing the body of the preform (9) to which the insert will be attached is injected.

When unmolding, the body of the preform (9) and the insert (1) are firmly joined forming the preform (10).

Bonding can occur by temperature welding but other methods can also be used to ensure bonding.

Once the preform (10) is obtained, it only subtracts its blowing, which can be done by conventional methods and carried out in the facilities of the packer.

During the blowing procedure, in which the preform swells until it reaches its final bottle or container shape, the skirt of the insert will expand along with the preform, creating an inverted funnel shape where said insert will be wider in the part inside the bottle on your neck as can be seen in Figure 4.

In a bottle configured in this way, it will turn out that if used to contain pressurized substances, such as an aerosol, the greater the outward pressure that the insert must withstand, the greater the union between it and the main body of the bottle.

Optionally, each of the parts of the preform (insert and main body) that will make up the package, of different colors, can be made.

For example, the body of the preform can be made in transparent material and the insert in a color material which may be commercially convenient for the case of aerosols since it allows the part of the container that occupies the propellant to be concealed and that generates an aspect of Half empty canister unattractive to the consumer.

On the other hand the decreasing thickness of the skirt of the insert, allows to obtain effects of degradation of color without having to resort to impressions or subsequent labeling.

Claims (12)

1. Procedure for the manufacture of a container of the type that is manufactured in plastics or polymers that can be processed by fusion characterized in that it comprises at least the following phases:

•

Manufacture of an insert (1).

•

Manufacture of a preform (10) composed of insert (1) and body of the preform (9) in a mold, preferably during injection of the body of the preform.

•

Widening of the part and / or parts of the insert, preferably during the blowing phase, as the walls of the preform expand.

2.

Method for the manufacture of a container according to claim 1 characterized in that the insert comprises an upper part (2) which has at its outermost part at least one thickening or labial shape that allows etching, a central part (3) and a lower part (4) extending to the container part (8) where the dimensions of the lower part are, at an initial stage, equal and / or less than the dimensions of the upper part.

3.

Method for manufacturing a package according to previous claims characterized in that the central part and / or the lower part of the insert have a decreasing thickness.

Four.

Method for manufacturing a container according to claims 1, 2 and 3 characterized in that the central and / or lower part of the insert has at least one shape anchor.

5.

Preform (10) composed of the body of the preform (9) and an insert (1) obtained according to claim 1 characterized in that its upper part (2)

It includes suitable means for grafting.

6.

Method for manufacturing a package according to claim 1 characterized in that the lower part of the insert widens at a time after the union between the insert and the body of the preform.

7.

Method for manufacturing a package according to claim 6 characterized in that the lower part of the insert widens during the blowing phase.

8.

Method for manufacturing a package according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the body of the preform (9) and the insert (1) are firmly joined forming the preform (10).

9.

Method for manufacturing a container according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the insert (1) and the body of the preform (9) have different coloration.

10.

Package of the type that is manufactured in plastic materials or polymers that can be processed by fusion characterized by comprising

•

A container part (8).

•

A neck (7).

•

An insert (1) comprising an upper part or nozzle (2), a central part (3) that extends along the inside of the neck (7) and a lower part (4) that extends towards the container .

eleven.

Package of the type that is manufactured in plastic materials or polymers that can be processed by fusion according to previous claims characterized in that it comprises means for dosing a fluid.

SPANISH OFFICE OF THE PATENTS AND BRAND Application no .: 201000023 SPAIN Date of submission of the application: 28.12.2009 Priority Date: REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE 51 Int. Cl.: See Additional Sheet RELEVANT DOCUMENTS

Category

56 Documents cited Claims Affected

X

GB 2078194 A (YOSHINO KOGYOSHO CO LTD) 06.01.1982, page 1, line 123 - page 3, line 28; Figures 8-11. 1-11

X

US 4715504 A (CHANG LONG F et al.) 29.12.1987, column 2, line 43 - column 4, line 2; Figures 8.9. 1.6-9

TO

5.10

X

JP 59192536 A (YOSHINO KOGYOSHO CO LTD) 31.10.1984, figures 1,2,5 & Summary of the WPI database. Recovered from EPOQUE; Access number: 1984-309091. 1.6-9

TO

5.10

TO

WO 2008125126 A1 (SOLIMSN ATEF GABR) 23.10.2008, the whole document. 1,5,10

Category of the documents cited X: of particular relevance Y: of particular relevance combined with other / s of the same category A: reflects the state of the art O: refers to unwritten disclosure P: published between the priority date and the date of priority submission of the application E: previous document, but published after the date of submission of the application

This report has been prepared • for all claims • for claims no:

Date of completion of the report 21.02.2012

Examiner D. Hermida Cibeira Page 1/4

REPORT OF THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE Application number: 201000023 CLASSIFICATION OBJECT OF THE APPLICATION  B65D83 / 38 (2006.01) B29C45 / 14 (2006.01) B29C45 / 16 (2006.01) B29C49 / 00 (2006.01) Minimum documentation sought (classification system followed by classification symbols) B65D, B29C Electronic databases consulted during the search (name of the database and, if possible, search terms used) INVENTIONS, EPODOC, WPI State of the Art Report Page 2/4  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 201000023 Date of Written Opinion: 21.02.2012 Statement

Novelty (Art. 6.1 LP 11/1986)

Claims Claims 9.11 1-8.10 IF NOT

Inventive activity (Art. 8.1 LP11 / 1986)

Claims Claims 1-11 IF NOT

The application is considered to comply with the industrial application requirement. This requirement was evaluated during the formal and technical examination phase of the application (Article 31.2 Law 11/1986).  Opinion Base.- This opinion has been made on the basis of the patent application as published. State of the Art Report Page 3/4  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 201000023 1. Documents considered.- The documents belonging to the state of the art taken into consideration for the realization of this opinion are listed below.

Document

Publication or Identification Number publication date

D01

GB 2078194 A (YOSHINO KOGYOSHO CO LTD) 06.01.1982

2. Statement motivated according to articles 29.6 and 29.7 of the Regulations for the execution of Law 11/1986, of March 20, on Patents on novelty and inventive activity; quotes and explanations in support of this statement The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of packages and containers obtained therewith. Document D01 is considered to be the closest in the state of the art to the subject of claims 1-4, 6-9. In said document, to which the following alphanumeric references belong, a polyester bottle and its manufacturing process by injection-blow molding are disclosed (page 2, line 83-page 3, lines 28-11). Said process comprises: the manufacture of an insert (11) (page 2, lines 115-122; figure 8), the manufacture of a preform (P) composed of insert (11) and body of the preform (P) in a mold (C, K) (page 2, line 123 - page 3, line 2; figures 9, 10) and the widening of the lower part (16) of the insert (11) during the preform blow phase (P) ( page 3, lines 3-10; figure 11). In addition, the insert (11) comprises: an upper part (15) which has in its outermost part a thickening suitable for grafting (figure 8), a central part (14) and a lower part (16) extending towards the container part (P ') of the preform (P), where the dimensions of the lower part (16) are equal to the dimensions of the upper part (15) (figures 10, 11). On the other hand, the lower part (16) of the insert (11) has a decreasing thickness at its end (figures 9, 10) and the central part (14) of the insert (11) constitutes a shape anchor (page 2, lines 83-95). In addition, the lower part (16) of the insert (11) widens at a time after the joint between the insert (11) and the body of the preform (P), more specifically, during the blowing phase (page 3, lines 3-10; figure 11), said union being between the insert (11) and the body of the preform ( P) a firm union (page 2, line 123 - page 3, line 2). In accordance with the foregoing, the claims 1-4, 6-8 are considered to be novel (Art. 6, LP 11/1986) and inventive activity (Art. 8, LP 11/1986), while the Claim 9 is new (Art. 6, LP 11/1986), but it lacks inventive activity (Art. 8, LP 11/1986) as it is evident to a person skilled in the art who started from document D01 to arrange a different coloring between the insert (11) and the body of the preform (P). On the other hand, document D01 is also considered to be the closest in the state of the art to the object of claim 5. In said document, to which the following alphanumeric references belong, is disclosed (page 2, line 123 -page 3, line 2; figure 10) a preform (P) composed of a preform body (P) and an insert (11) obtained according to the same procedure as set forth in claim 1. In addition, the insert (11) in its upper part (15) presents suitable means for grafting (figure 8). According to what has just been stated, claim 5 is considered to be novel (Art. 6, LP 11/1986) and inventive activity (Art. 8, LP 11/1986). Finally, it is considered that document D01 is also the closest in the state of the art to the object of claims 10 and 11. In said document, to which the following alphanumeric references belong, is disclosed (page 2, line 83 - page 3, line 28; figures 8-11) a polyester bottle manufactured by blow molding comprising: a container part (P '), a neck (P2) and an insert (11). Said insert (11) in turn comprises: an upper part or nozzle (15), a central part (14) that extends along the inside of the neck (P2) and a lower part (16) that extends towards the container part (P '). According to what has just been stated, claim 10 is considered to be novelty (Art. 6, LP 11/1986) and inventive activity (Art. 8, LP 11/1986), while claim 11 is new ( Art. 6, LP 11/1986), but it lacks inventive activity (Art. 8, LP 11/1986) because it is evident to a person skilled in the art that starts from document D01 to incorporate means to dose a fluid (page 3, lines 22-28). State of the Art Report Page 4/4