GB2210015A

GB2210015A - Suspendible tubular containers

Info

Publication number: GB2210015A
Application number: GB8820576A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Lawrenc Bennett-Baggs
Original assignee: C B BAGGS Ltd
Current assignee: C B BAGGS Ltd
Priority date: 1987-09-22
Filing date: 1988-08-31
Publication date: 1989-06-01
Also published as: GB8820576D0; GB8722316D0

Abstract

A filled squeezable tubular container 1 is provided at one end with openable closure means 2 for dispensing the filling and at the opposite end is closed by a flange 3 formed by bringing the walls of the container together and heating them to seal and close the end. The flange 3 is provided with means, e.g. in the form of an aperture 4, for engaging a support for suspending the container 1. The aperture 4 may be formed in the flange during or after formation and heat-sealing of the flange or may be provided by openings preformed in the walls of the container blank. The container is preferably internally lined with plastics material or a heat activatable adhesive. The walls of the entire flange may be heat sealed together. The aperture may open into the free edge of the flange. <IMAGE>

Description

Suspendible Tubular Containers This invention relates to tubular containers, for example made of or internally lined with plastics material, and particularly those containers which are intended to be squeezably deformed to expel their contents through openable closure means provided at one end.

Generally such containers are displayed on shelves for sale in shops. The container may be either provided at the one end with a planar end cap, on which the container is supported in an upright position, or packaged in a rectangular box which is stacked horizontally. Some containers, generally the smaller ones, may be packaged in so-called blister packs which can be suspended on a suspension display system. With the increased use of suspension display systems, there is a need for a simple and cheap method of enabling such containers to be suspended.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing a filled container from a tubular container blank which is closed at a first end and open at a second opposite end comprising the steps of filling the container through the open second end, bringing together the walls of the container at the second end to form a flange, and heating at least a part of the flange to seal together the walls of the said part at least of the flange so as to close the second end of the container, the flange being provided with means for engaging a support for suspending the filled container.

As the walls of the open second end are brought together to close the opening, means previously provided in the walls of the container at the second end may cooperate to form the support engaging means. Alternatively, the support engaging means may be formed during or after formation and heat-sealing of the walls of the flange, material being removed from the flange to form the support engaging means.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a filled tubular container, comprising a first end provided with openable closure means for dispensing the filling, a second opposite end provided with a flange formed by bringing together the walls of the container at the second end, the walls of part at least of the flange being heat-sealed together to close the second end, the flange being provided with means for engaging a support for suspending the container.

The support engaging means may comprise an aperture or apertures provided in the flange, preferably in the heat-sealed portion of the flange. The aperture or apertures may be contained within the periphery of the flange, or extend to and open into a free edge of the flange.

Preferably, the whole flange is heat-sealed.

The walls of the container are advantageously made from, or lined with, plastics material. Alternatively, the inner surface of the walls of the container at the second end may be provided with heat activated adhesive.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided an unfilled tubular container blank comprising a closed first end and an open second end, the walls of the container at the second end being formed with means which, when the walls are brought together to provide a flange at the second end, cooperate to provide means for engaging a support for suspending a filled container made therefrom.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which the single figure shows a perspective view of an embodiment of tubular container in accordance with the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, a filled squeezable tubular container 1 is provided at a first end with openable closure means 2 for dispensing the filling contained in the container. In the illustrated embodiment the closure means is re-closeable and is in the form of an externally threaded nozzle (not shown) and a screwon cap. It will however be appreciated that other conventionally used means for providing an openable closure means 2, which may be re-closeable, may be provided. The second or other end of the container 1 is closed and has a flange 3 formed by bringing together and heat-sealing together end portions of the walls of the container 1. This flange 3 is provided with support engaging means 4 for engaging a support from which the filled container may be suspended.

For example, as shown, the support engaging means 4 may be in the form of an aperture comprising a slot, for example a so-called Euro-Slot which is elongate in the direction of width of the flange and has an enlarged central section which may, as shown, comprise a single arcuate cut-out in the top edge thereof or (not shown) in both the top and bottom edges thereof. The container may thus be suspended from a generally elongate flat support or two parallel bars or from a single bar. It will however be appreciated that alternative forms of engagement means 4 may be provided in the flange 3, such as one or more circular apertures contained within the periphery of the flange or a slot extending to and opening into a free edge of the periphery of the flange, to form for example a hook to engage a correspondingly shaped support.

To provide the filled container shown in the drawing, a blank container preferably made of or lined with thermoplastic plastics material is used, the blank container being closed at the one end by the closure means 2 and open at its other end. The external surface of the walls of the blank container, except for those portions which will later form the flange 3, are already printed and lacquered if required.

The blank container is filled through its open end. When filled, the portions of the walls of the blank at the open end are brought together to close the opening and to form the flange 3, the flange 3 being heated to heat-seal the walls of the flange together to seal and close the second end of the container. Preferably the walls of the flange are heated and sealed together over the entire extent of the flange. Alternatively, part only of the flange is heated to seal the walls together adjacent the filled body of the container to close the container, the walls in the free end portion of the flange being unheated and unsealed.

The aperture or apertures 4 are made using an appropriately shaped punch or other cutting tool during or after formation and heat-sealing of the flange 3.

This may advantageously be combined with the heat-sealing operation. It will be appreciated that a sufficient depth of flange must be left between any aperture 4 and the filled interior of the container to ensure an adequate seal at the end of the container. Similarly, sufficient depth of flange must be provided between the aperture 4 and the free end edge of the flange to support the weight of the filled container when suspended. For example, a 1 cm depth of flange may be provided to either side of the aperture 4. When part only of the flange 3 is heated, the aperture 4 is then situated in the unheated part of the flange.

In a modification, the unfilled container blank may be provided with means which, when the flange 3 is formed, co-operate to provide the support engaging means 4. For example in the context of the embodiment illustrated the portions of the blank wall adjacent the open end may be provided with two holes, of the shape of aperture 4, which, when the walls of the container are brought together and flange 3 is formed, are brought into register and co-operate to produce the aperture 4 through the flange. These holes may then advantageously be used to ensure correct orientation of the blank container in the heat-sealing means forming the flange. In such a case, a cutting operation following filling is avoided.

In the above described embodiment, the material of the container itself or its lining is heat-sealable.

When the contents of the container are inert to or unaffected by heat actuated adhesive, the inner surface of the walls of the flange, or the part thereof to be heated, may instead be provided with heat activated adhesive.

While the container shown in the drawing has a generally circular section at its openable end 2, this end of the container may have any desired section, e.g.

oval or polygonal.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of producing a filled container from a tubular container blank which is closed at a first end and open at a second opposite end comprising the steps of filling the container through the open second end, bringing together the walls of the container at the second end to form a flange, and heating at least a part of the flange to seal together the walls of the said part at least of the flange so as to close the second end of the container, the flange being provided with means for engaging a support for suspending the filled container.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein as the walls of the open second end are brought together to form the flange, means previously provided in the walls of the container at the second end co-operate to form the support engaging means.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the support engaging means are formed in the flange during or after heat-sealing of the walls of the flange.

4. A method as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the support engaging means are formed by removing material from the flange to form an aperture therein.

5. A method as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the blank is made of or internally lined with plastics material.

6. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the inner surface of the walls forming the part at least of the flange which is heated are provided with heat activated adhesive.

7. A method as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the whole of the flange is heated.

8. A method of producing a filled container from a tubular container blank substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

9. A filled container, comprising a first end provided with openable closure means for dispensing the filling, a second opposite end provided with a flange formed by bringing together the walls of the container at the second end, the walls of part at least of the flange being heat-sealed together to close the second end, the flange being provided with means for engaging a support for suspending the container.

10. A container as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the support engaging means comprises an aperture provided in the flange.

11. A container as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the aperture is contained within the periphery of the flange.

12. A container as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the aperture extends to and opens into a free edge of the flange.

13. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 10 to 12, wherein the aperture is provided in the heat-sealed part of the flange.

14. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 13, wherein the support engaging means comprises a plurality of apertures.

15. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 14, wherein the walls of the container are made of or internally lined with plastics material.

16. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 14, wherein the second end is closed using heat activated adhesive.

17. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 16, wherein the walls of the entire flange are heatsealed together.

18. A filled tubular container substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

19. A filled tubular container made using the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8.

20. An unfilled tubular container blank comprising a closed first end and an open second end, the walls of the container at the second end being provided with means which, when the walls are brought together to provide a flange at the second end, co-operate to provide means for engaging a support for suspending a filled container made therefrom.