ES2646747T3 - Flexible film container - Google Patents

Abstract

A flexible film container comprising: a container upper part (110); a container base (130); a container body (120) that connects the upper part (110) of the container to the base (130) of the container, the body (120) of the container having at least three different side walls (121) and formed with a continuous section of flexible film, the upper part (110) of the container and the base (130) of the container being attached to the body (120) of the container so that the flexible film container becomes self-supporting, where the upper part (110) of the container , the base (130) of the container and the body (120) of the container are different elements formed, each, with a flexible film, wherein the upper part (110) of the container includes an upper flange (114) located vertically and which extends away from the container (100), the upper edge (124) of the body (120) of the container being assembled to the upper flange (114) by means of a gasket, wherein the base (130) of the container comprises a flange (132) of base that extends into around the periphery of the base and within a space defined by the container, the flange (132) of the base forming a joint with the body (120) of the container and an increased thickness of the joint that helps to return the self-supporting container and wherein the base (130) of the container is formed to provide a flat bottom to the container.

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Flexible film container

This request is addressed to containers and more particularly to containers built with a flexible film.

Background

Candies and other small products or that are eaten in a single bite, such as nuts and peppermints, are typically sold in multi-unit containers. In many cases, the package is designed for bulk sale of the product to the consumer rather than with a single serving size, although in some cases, the individual product has been wrapped separately before being placed in the package.

Historically, the packaging of multiple units, particularly for candies, was mainly done through the use of paper bags or metal cans. More recently, plastic bags and, more particularly, the plastic bag, often referred to as a small bag or storage bag, have become the industry standard. While the bags are advantageous because they are relatively easy and cheap to manufacture, they have numerous drawbacks for both the retailer and the consumer.

Among the disadvantages that the retailer faces is the difficulty of stacking them so that they do not fall easily, in a retail environment in which consumers take things from the shelves and put them back. As a result, it may be difficult for the retailer to present the product in a way that does not appear messy and / or does not require the constant attention of the retailer's personnel.

In addition, the part of the bag that consumers see most easily is its narrow sides; The larger surfaces of the package that provide the largest area for graphics are oriented towards the top of the shelf. The reduced space for advertising messages and the brand can mean the loss of an opportunity to achieve a sale for brand recognition or a promotion advertised on the packaging. Likewise, the consumer must look more carefully to find the brand of his choice on the shelf of the store and could resign if he does not quickly find the product.

US 2010/0140129 discloses a flexible and stackable container comprising a central containment body made of a flexible film and having accessories to close the upper sides and the base of the container. The end fittings are rigid elements manufactured by injection molding of a hard plastic material.

Document DE 1454953 discloses a bag-type container comprising a tube made of a plastic or paper film. The bottom of the container is made of an aluminum film or plastic coated cardboard. The bottom is introduced into the tube and joins it to form a flange that projects from the bottom.

US 1,955,851 discloses a food container comprising caps on the ends of thick paper or cardboard that are fixed to each other in a relationship spaced by the contents of the package and are fixed together by a tube of a very light sheet of material flexible. The flanges of the end caps extend into the container.

Among the disadvantages that consumers face with the current sachets, is the fact that the consumer faces many of the same problems related to stacking and storing the product on a shelf in his pantry that the retailer encounters with the Store shelf. Other disadvantages that the consumer faces with the sachets currently used to pack candy include the difficulty of opening the container and additional storage problems once the container has been opened.

These and other drawbacks are found in current product packaging.

Summary of the invention

In accordance with the present invention, a flexible film container is provided, as defined in claim 1. The flexible film containers are self-supporting despite being formed with a flexible film. That is, they do not require a rigid support placed inside the container or in the conformation of the side walls of the container to retain its shape.

The flexible film container comprises an upper part of the container, a base of the container and a body of the container that connects the upper part of the container to the base of the container. The container body has at least three distinct side walls and is formed with a continuous band of flexible film. In some embodiments, the container body includes one or more folds in the side walls of the container to provide struts that help support the container. The container is a construction of

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three pieces.

A process for manufacturing a flexible film container for illustrative purposes is described, but is not part of the invention. The process comprises providing a flexible film strip, sealing a first end of the flexible film to an opposite end of the flexible film to create a continuous body of the container, forming at least three distinct side walls in the continuous body of the container, joining a top of the container to the body of the container, joining a base of the container to the body of the container and filling the body of the container with the contents of the container.

An advantage is that the flexible film container has a semi-rigid structure that is self-supporting and does not depend on or requires the use of a tray, cardboard or other support, located inside the container, nor does it need to be used in combination with a cardboard or other rigid support structure to form the sides of the container.

Another advantage is that the size and compact shape provide better shelf performance, both when stored in a retail store and in a particular pantry.

Another advantage is that the upright configuration of the container improves shelf attractiveness and the ability of consumers to find the product easily by increasing the space for graphics.

Another additional advantage of certain embodiments that use a resealable lid is that it can be better prevented from spilling the container, preserving the freshness of the product and providing an easy-to-transport container that can also serve as an informal serving plate.

Other advantages of the present invention will be better appreciated from the following more detailed description of the embodiments, taken together with the accompanying drawings that illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a flexible film container in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

Figure 2a is a schematic cross-sectional view of the flexible film container of Figure 1, while Fig. 2a-2 is an exploded view. Figures 2a-1 and 2a-3 are views of alternative configurations, which are not part of the invention.

Figure 2b is an exploded view of the flexible film container of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a schematic graph and a textual illustration of a manufacturing process of the flexible film container of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a flexible film container in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

Figure 5a is a view of a configuration of a container, which is not part of the invention.

Figure 5b is an exploded view of the flexible film container of Figure 4, which includes an enlarged view of a fold formed in the container body.

Figure 6 is a schematic graph and a textual illustration of a manufacturing process of the flexible film container of Figure 4.

Figure 7a is a schematic illustration of a manufacturing process of a flexible film container using a vertical arrangement.

Figure 7b is a schematic illustration of another manufacturing process of a flexible film container. Detailed description of realization examples

A flexible film container and a method for manufacturing such a container is provided. The container has the capacity to be self-supporting and does not suffer from the inconveniences that the designs of known packages often experience.

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a flexible film container 100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. As best seen in the schematic cross-sectional illustration of Figure 2a and the exploded view of Figure 2b, the flexible film container 100 includes an upper part 110, a base 130 and a

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body 120 that is in between and connects the upper part 110 to the base 130. The upper part 110 and the base 130 are formed as separate, separate elements that are subsequently assembled to the body 120 to form the container 100.

Even with reference to Figures 1, 2a and 2b, the body 120 of the container 100 has multiple sides, so that the container 100 has at least three different side walls 121. In a typical embodiment, the body 120 has four different side walls 121, so that the container 100 is a rectangular solid. The body 120 is constructed from a continuous band of film material connected at opposite ends, using, for example, a thermal seal or an overlapping weld joint.

The flexible film used for the container body 120 is any thin film suitable for use in a container. In accordance with the embodiments, thin films can be used to form the body 120 of the container and / or other elements of the container 100, while still providing a container that is semi-rigid and self-supporting. The film may have a thickness in a range of between about 25 micrometers and about 250 micrometers, more typically between about 75 micrometers and about 150 micrometers.

The film can have a single layer of film material. In some embodiments, instead, the film can be a composite or a multilayer laminated film. One or more such layers can be provided as a barrier layer to preserve the freshness of the contents of the container. Suitable materials for use in the film, either as a single layer or as a component of a multilayer film include, for example, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, polyethylene terephthalate, polyalkene ( polyolefin), polylactic acid (PLA), cellophane and film based on bioplastics. It should be appreciated that, in some cases, the selection of particular film materials and / or the order in which these materials are arranged in a laminated film may depend on the particular content to be stored in the container 100. For example, it could it is desirable to obtain a permeability for a container used to store chocolate that is different if the content were dried fruit or dried fruit.

Base 130 provides a bottom for container 100 (see, for example, Figure 2b). The base 130 is formed as an element separate from the body 120 of the container and is also formed from a flexible film. The characteristics of the types of flexible films that can be used to form the base 130 are those described above with respect to the body 120 of the container.

The base 130 includes a flange 132 that extends around the periphery of the base 130 and provides a surface with the same extension as the lower edge of the body 120. The flange 132 of the base can thus help manufacture the container 100 by providing an overlapping surface through which the base 130 can be assembled to the body 120 forming a joint. The increasing thickness of the joint formed subsequently where the flange 132 of the base meets the body 120 helps to make the container 100 self-supporting.

The base 130 may be attached to the body 120 by a thermal joint, an overlapped welding joint or some other method for thermally sealing the flange 132 of the base to the body 120. As best seen in Figure 2a, the base is sized so that the flange 132 of the base is located on the inner surface of the body 120.

As also seen in Figure 2a, the flange 132 of the base is shown extending towards the space defined by the container 100. This provides a flat bottom for the container 100, which results in better stacking and greater free space. higher.

The container 100 also includes an upper part 110. Like the base 130, the upper part is formed as an element separate from the body 120 of the container and typically also formed with a flexible film.

The upper part 110 includes an opening for consumers to access the contents of the container 100. The opening can be formed in the upper part 110 during manufacturing. Alternatively, the opening to access the contents of the container can be made by the consumer by removing a perforated part 112 formed in the upper part 110. The use of a perforated part 112 can be used to provide evidence of manipulation or other access to the contents of the container. container prior to the purchase of the product by the consumer.

In some embodiments, the upper part 110 may include a lid 115, also typically formed with a flexible film. The lid 115 may include a flange 117 and can be attached to the upper part 110 by an adhesive so that it can be peeled or otherwise removed from the upper part 110 to expose the opening formed in the upper part 110 (or to expose the part perforated 112 to be removed to form the opening) of the container 100 to access the contents of the container. The lid 115 may be attached and configured so that it is permanently removed from the container 100. Alternatively, the lid 115 may be resealable. The use of a removable lid can keep the contents of the cooler container and prevent it from spilling. In embodiments where a resealable lid 115 is used, one or more edges or corners of the lid 115 are attached

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permanently to the upper part 110, while one or more of the other edges or corners of the lid 115 are removably attached to the upper part 110 by means of an adhesive or other element that allows the lid 115 to open and reseal repeatedly to the upper part 110. In addition, it should be appreciated that, in some embodiments, the lid 115 may be integrally formed with the upper portion 110 to obtain permanent attachment of the lid 115 to the upper portion 110 (see Figure 4) .

As further shown in Figure 2b, the upper part 110 includes an upper flange 114 to provide a surface with the same extension as the upper edge of the body 120 of the container for assembling the upper part 110 to the body 120 of the container by thermal sealing or forming an overlapping weld joint or other suitable method for assembling the two elements 110, 120 of the container 100. As seen in Figure 2a, the upper flange 114 is positioned vertically and extends away from the container 100, with the upper edge 124 of the body 120 of the folded container above the upper flange 114, so that the thickness of the joint is the thickness of the film used for the upper part 110 plus double the thickness of the film used for the body 120. They can be introduced additional bends in the upper flange 114, the flange 132 of the base or the body 120 of the container to increase the thickness of the joints. As shown in the alternative construction illustrated in Figure 2a-2, the upper edge 124 of the body 120 of the container is assembled to the upper flange 114 by a gasket, without bending over the upper edge 124 of the body 120.

The adjacent surfaces of the elements 110, 120, 130 of the container that form the upper and lower joints 117, 137 of the container, are shown in the schematic view of Figures 2a-2 and 2a-3 with spaces between them in order to exaggerate the illustration of the individual character of the elements. However, it should be appreciated that sealing these adjacent surfaces results in intimate contact and an integration of the elements at the sealing point to form the joint. The gasket typically extends around the entire container perfometer to ensure complete sealing. The joints provide an additional structure to the container 100 so that the upper part of the container 110 and the bottom 130 collaborate when they are attached to the body 120 of the container to return the self-supporting container despite being constructed with a flexible film.

Returning to Figures 4, 5a and 5b, the flexible film container 100 illustrated in this figure illustrates folds 125, which are overlapping folds formed in the body 120 of the container. The folds 125 are arranged as struts, located substantially vertically and which add resistance to the container 100. The folds 125 thus help to make the container 100 self-supporting, particularly in embodiments where the container 100 has an approximate height or exceeds the dimension of the length or width of the container 100. As shown, the folds 125 are formed in the side walls 121 of the body 120, located adjacent and on each side of the corners 126 of the body 120. However, the Folds 125 may be formed directly at the corners 126 or near the middle of the side wall 121, away from the corners 126. In some cases, it may be desirable to introduce some combination of folds 125 at various locations of the body 120.

The embodiment illustrated in Figures 4, 5a and 5b is also a rectangular solid, in this embodiment being substantially cubic, which has a slight tapering from the top to the bottom, so that the area of the base 130 is less than the area from the top 110. However, the container can also tape from the bottom to the top. The use of a taper can further enhance the self-supporting characteristics of the container and its ability to stack. Depending on the tapering angle, the flexible film used to form the body 120 of the container can be adjusted by cutting, folding, or other manipulation to justify less material being needed at the end of the container that has the smallest area.

As an alternative, in some embodiments the container is not tapered in any direction, having side walls 121 that are oriented completely vertically, so that the body 120 is perpendicular to each of the upper part 110 and the base 130. While the embodiment shown in Figures 4-5b illustrates both folds and a tapered body, it will be appreciated that it is not necessary to use a combination of these attributes.

In addition to the rectangular solid-shaped geometries illustrated, the container 100 may have a multi-sided geometry and in one embodiment it is a prism. That is, the upper part 110 and the base 130 can be polygons that form two parallel or substantially parallel congruent bases that are assembled by the body 120 of the container. The multiple sides of the body 120 can be formed, for example, by folding the film when the body 120 of the container is manufactured and / or when the joints that join the body 120 to the upper part 110 and the base 130 are formed, which also serves to maintain the body 120 with the particular geometric configuration desired.

The embodiments, therefore, result in a flexible film container 100 which, despite being formed with a flexible film, is retained in an orientation by interconnecting the elements 110, 130 of the top and bottom with body 120 which makes it semi-rigid and self-supporting. The container 100 constructed in this way is stackable and retains its shape, even when empty. As a result, the containers 100, in accordance with the embodiments, do not require the use of trays, cartons or other

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rigid supports, either inside the container or in the conformation of the body 120 of the container. Such containers 100 are stackable and provide a better presence on the shelf, including more space for graphics and other brand elements. The shape and construction of the container 100 also allows it to be conveniently used as an informal dish to serve from which its contents can be consumed directly.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the container 100 may carry graphics or other printed data thereon to identify and promote the product being sold. In one embodiment, at least a part of the container 100 is transparent to allow a consumer to see the contents inside the container 100. In certain embodiments, the body 120 of the container and / or the top 110 and / or the base 130 may be constructed entirely with a transparent flexible film, so that the entire contents of the container 100 can be seen except for parts obscured by graphics or labeling information. Alternatively, part or all of the container 100 may be formed with a translucent or opaque film.

Containers in accordance with the exemplary embodiments can be made in any suitable manner to effect the cutting, folding and joints that form the steps described herein. Returning to Figures 3 and 6, the examples of the processes for manufacturing the containers of Figures 1 and 4, respectively, which can be carried out automatically and / or continuously, are illustrated schematically. A section of film is cut from a roll, which is used to form the body 120 of the container, as a step s301 / s601. The film generally first conforms to a circular shape by winding a first end of the film until it meets the second opposite end, followed by a conformation of the circular film body in a multi-sided body with the desired number of side walls 121. As is shown in Figure 6, in embodiments in which the body 120 contains folds 125, the folds 125 are formed in step s603. The formation of folds involves several stages of folding and overlapping of the film as the film body 120 is formed with the desired shape. In any case (with or without folds), the body 120 is sealed to keep it in its closed formation in step s305 / s605, which can be performed after having performed the desired shape of the body 120, in particular, in the embodiments in which that the folds 125 are formed on the side walls 121 of the body 120.

The upper part 110 or the base 130 is subsequently joined to the body 120 of the container, which can be produced by thermal sealing of the upper part 110 or the base 130 to the body 120 of the container in step s307 / s607 to form the joint, as It has been previously described. This creates a container 100 that has an unopened side to fill the container with its contents in step s309 / s609. The content can be filled by heterogeneous packaging from a hopper; alternatively, the content can be filled by placing the content in a specific, predetermined arrangement. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to fill the container to approximately 95% of its volume for better stacking of full containers.

In the process illustrated in Figures 3 and 6, the upper part 110, cut and formed from an independent film roll, is first sealed to the body 120 of the container (s307 / s607), followed by a filling of the container 100 with its contents through the still open bottom of the container (s309 / s609). The base 130, cut and formed from another roll of independent film, is then placed and sealed to create the finished product (s311 / s611), which is ready for packaging, distribution and sale.

Before joining the base 130 and sealing the contents inside the container 100 (until the consumer subsequently opens it), it may be desirable to introduce a gas into the container 100. In some cases, the gas can be used to pressurize the container 100 to give it more rigidity and protect the content during shipping and handling. It may be desirable to introduce a gas into container 100, such as nitrogen, that does not contain oxygen. This reduces or eliminates the amount of oxygen inside the container 100 and maintains the freshness of its content.

Figures 7a and 7b illustrate alternative continuous processes for manufacturing containers 100 of flexible film, using a vertical fill. The processes are not part of the present invention. With reference to Figure 7a, the flexible film forming the body 120 of the container is formed around and stretched along a square mandrel 710, the film fixing itself by means of a thermal seal or other method of forming joints. On the base of the mandrel 715, which also serves as the filling outlet for the contents of the container, the base 130 (or alternatively, the upper part 110) is applied, followed by the filling of the container 100 with its contents. The upper part 110 (or as an alternative, the base 130) is then joined to complete the construction of the container. In some embodiments, the mandrel can be heated, which can also help impart the shape of the body 120 of the container and can also provide a better seal when the joints are formed to fix the ends of the body 120 of the container and to fix the body 120 from the container to the top 110 and the base 130.

Figure 7b illustrates a process similar to that shown and described in Figure 7a, but using a two-piece construction. In this document, the base 130 is illustrated as being formed and sealed using a bellows arrangement so that the flexible film used to form the base 130 is adjacent to the flexible film used to form the body 120 of the container, which is still forming stretching the film along the square mandrel 710. After having formed the base 130, the container 100 is filled and the upper part 110 is applied.

Claims (13)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 Four. Five fifty 55 60 65 1. A flexible film container comprising: a top part (110) of container; a container base (130); a container body (120) that connects the upper part (110) of the container to the base (130) of the container, the body (120) of the container having at least three different side walls (121) and formed with a continuous section of flexible film, the upper part (110) of the container and the base (130) of the container being attached to the body (120) of the container so that the flexible film container becomes self-supporting, wherein the upper part (110) of the container, the base (130) of the container and the body (120) of the container are different elements formed, each with a flexible film, where the upper part (110) of the container includes an upper flange (114) located vertically and extending away from the container (100), the upper edge (124) of the body (120) of the container being assembled to the upper flange (114) being by a gasket, wherein the base (130) of the container comprises a base flange (132) that extends around the periphery of the base and within a space defined by the container, the base flange (132) forming a joint with the body (120) of the container and an increased thickness of the gasket that helps to return the self-supporting container and where the base (130) of the container is formed to provide a flat bottom to the container. 2. The flexible film container according to claim 1, wherein the upper part (110) of the container includes a resealable lid (115) attached thereto. 3. The flexible film container according to claim 1, wherein the body (120) of the container includes a fold (125) formed in a side wall, preferably, in a side wall adjacent to a corner (126) of the body (120 ) of the container. 4. The flexible film container according to claim 1, wherein the body (120) of the container includes a fold (125) formed in a corner (126) of the body (120) of the container. 5. The flexible film container according to claim 1, wherein the body (120) of the container is tapered from the top (110) of the container to the base (130) of the container or from the base (130) of the container to the upper part (110) of the container. 6. The flexible film container according to claim 1, wherein the body (120) of the container has four different side walls (121). 7. The flexible film container according to claim 6, wherein the flexible film container is a rectangular solid, preferably cubic. 8. The flexible film container according to claim 1, wherein the flexible film container is a prism. 9. The flexible film container according to claim 1, wherein the upper part (110) of the container has a resealable lid (115) and the body (120) of the container has four different side walls (121) and connects the upper part (110) from the container to the base (130) of the container, being an upper part of the body (120) of the sealed container to the upper flange (114) of the container and a lower part of the body (120) of the sealed container being to the flange (132) of the base of the container. 10. The flexible film container according to claim 1, wherein the flexible film is between 25 and 250 micrometers thick. 11. The flexible film container according to claim 10, wherein the flexible film is between 75 and 150 micrometers thick. 12. The flexible film container according to claim 1, wherein the upper edge (124) of the body (120) of the container is folded above the upper flange (114), so that the thickness of the joint is the thickness of the film used for the upper part (110) of the container plus twice the thickness of the film used for the body (120). 13. The flexible film container according to claim 1, wherein the upper flange (114) provides a surface with the same extension as an upper edge of the container body.