GB1398833A - Sealing of containers - Google Patents

Abstract

1398833 Closing, and sealing, containers LOVIDA AG 17 May 1973 [18 May 1972] 23695/73 Headings B8C and B8T A container with a closure lid, for cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, has its mouth inside the lid sealed by means of a foil 6, the lid having in its interior a foil-smoothing portion which, when the lid is completely fitted on to the container, projects slightly into the interior of the latter so as to smooth the foil by pressing it down. As shown, the container is sealed by the foil 6, made, e.g. of aluminium and coated with plastics, and a screw-cap closure 22, having a sealing-and-smoothing insert 13, subsequent tampering of the product being easily detected by placing the foil, which is wrinkled as shown, over the product in the container and securing it to the container upper rim 4, by heat-sealing adhesive, bonding or, by deformation; placing the smoothing-and-sealing insert 13 into the screw-cap 22 and screwing the latter down on to the threads 2 of the container. In this manner the cap 22 clamps an outer rim 16 of the insert 13 and the outer edge of the foil 6 between itself and the rim 4 so that a pressing ring 19 in the insert 13 forms a corresponding depression in the foil 6 to stretch the latter flat, and completely smooth, over the container contents. When a consumer removes the cap 22 from the container, if the latter is sealed by a smoothly stretched foil 6 it can be assumed that the contents have not been touched. The container can be sealed by means of a foil which has been pre-smoothed, e.g by radial pleats, or other profiles, or reliefs. In a manually-operated apparatus for centering a container with respect to a vertically-reciprocable centering sealing tool, not shown, for sealing a foil on to a container, a container is adapted to be clamped between a rear abutment member 35 adjustably secured, by a slot-and-wing nut arrangement 39, 40 in a housing 26 and a sliding member 42 which has a base 43 for supporting the container and which is manually movable, in the housing, toward and away from, the rear abutment 35. In use, the rear abutment 35 is secured in position on the housing 26 according to the size of the containers to be sealed and each filled container is placed upon the base 43 of the sliding member 42 which is then pushed forward so that a forward, spring-loaded, member 45, carried by the member 42, engages, and centres, the container. When the container is fully clamped between the members 35, 45 an abutment 38, on the underside of the base 43 operates a switch 37 carried by the frame 26, to initiate the lowering of the sealing tool. A centering mark (53), Fig. 6, not shown, is provided. The smoothing insert 13 is provided with embossed symbols which are impressed in the foil. A smoothing projection may be provided at the centre of the smoothing insert. Thicker crease-free foils may be employed.