GB2418905A

GB2418905A - Collapsible container for chemicals

Info

Publication number: GB2418905A
Application number: GB0422152A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Steel
Original assignee: SAFAPAC
Current assignee: SAFAPAC
Priority date: 2004-10-06
Filing date: 2004-10-06
Publication date: 2006-04-12
Also published as: WO2006038042A1; GB0422152D0

Abstract

A collapsible container for agrichemicals is made from a multi-layer sheet material, resistant to penetration of the chemicals. The sheet material is welded along lines 8, 14 and 16 so as to form a container whose interior has either no corners or corners defining only obtuse angles. This allows the container to be easily cleaned after use. The container is also formed with a gusset (12) at the bottom that allows it to stand upright when filled. The sheet material has a barrier layer which is resistant to penetration of chemicals or solvent. That layer may be of metal foil (2, Figure 2) and may be between layers of polyethylene (1,3). The container once filled may be sealed by welding at 5,6 and have a tamper-evident seal beneath a recloseable screw cap 10B.

Description

24 1 8905

CONTAINERS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF CHEMICALS

This invention relates to the distribution of chemicals to end users. It was developed for use with agrichemicals and in particular "pesticides," the latter being defined for the purpose of this specification as chemicals for eradicating weeds, insects, or fungal infections.

Most pesticides are supplied as a liquid solution in rigid moulded drums or bottles of synthetic plastics material. Strict regulations apply to the use of pesticides and to the disposal of the containers. Instructions have, in the past, been printed on labels fixed to the container or, where there is a large quantity of such information, in a booklet attached to the container.

Recycling of these containers is entirely uneconomic in most situations. A problem is that the supplier needs to be absolutely sure that a used container is free from contamination. The cost of cleaning is likely to be in excess of the cost of a new container and therefore recycling cannot be justified on economic grounds. Disposal of used containers is therefore the only practicable option in most situations.

The disposal of used agrichemical containers, however, presents its own acute problems. Regulations require thorough cleaning before disposal, and the cleaned containers need to be collected by licensed handlers of contaminated - 2 waste and ultimately disposed of under strict regulation. Burning or burying of the used containers used to be an option but there are now regulations which forbid these practices.

The invention provides a collapsible container made from multi-layer sheet plastics material having a barrier layer which is resistant to penetration of chemicals or solvent, the container having a gusset forming a base which allows the container to stand upright when filled and being formed so that at least the bottom of its interior cavity has no corners, or corners of only an obtuse angle to facilitate cleaning after use.

The invention thus allows a container having all the required properties of conventional drums or bottles used for the distribution of agrichemicals: namely resistance to leakage of solvent, ability to be stored in an upright position, and ease of cleaning; and can be provided with a re-sealable tamperproof pouring spout if so required. However it also has the very significant further advantage of being collapsible into a tiny space after use so that the problem of disposal is easily managed.

A suitable container can easily be made from readily available sheet plastics which has a base layer of polyethylene on one side, a central barrier layer of PET or fluorinated HDPE or a metal film, and an outer layer serving to protect the barrier from darnage. The outer layer can be printed on its outer or inner surface with all the necessary information.

Sharp corners in the interior surface of the container can easily be avoided by appropriate welding of the sheet material to define join-lines which merge reasonably smoothly into each other, for example where the gusset connects to side walls of the container.

It is believed that the method of distributing liquid chemicals in a container of this type is novel and innovative and therefore, according to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a method for the distribution of liquid chemical materials in which the liquid is charged into a collapsible container made from multi-layer sheet plastics material having a barrier layer resistant to penetration of the chemical or its solvent, and in which the container is then sealed.

One way in which the invention can be performed will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1 is a perspective view of a container constructed in accordance with the invention, before filling and sealing; and Fig 2 is a schematic crosssection (not to scale) through multilayer sheet material used in the construction of the container of Fig 1. - 4

The illustrated collapsible container for pesticide is made from sheet plastics material having a base layer 1 (Fig 2) of polyethylene, coated with a barrier layer 2 of metal foil which is resistant to chemicals. This is protected by a thin outer layer 3 of polyethylene printed on its inner surface with instructions for use of the pesticide and for cleaning and disposal of the empty container after use. This layer of printed material is indicated schematically at 4 on Fig 2.

Fig 1 shows two side panels 5 and 6 welded together in the regions, shown textured in Fig 1, and bounded by vertical edges 7 of the container and lines 8 spaced from those edges. At one top corner there is an enlarged area of welding and a cut-out 9 to form a handle. The other top corner is chamfered and receives, between sheets 5 and 6, a pouring spout 10. The pouring spout has a base lOA, to which the sheets 5 and 6 are welded, and a screw cap 1 OB. It also has a seal, hidden beneath the cap and therefore not visible on the drawing. This seal can be broken away by the user but is designed so that it cannot be replaced; thereby providing evidence of tampering.

At a bottom region 11 of the container the panels 5 and 6 are not welded directly to each other. Instead, they are welded to a gusset formed from a sheet 12 which is folded at 13. The areas of welding extend from the bottom edge of each panel 5, 6 to a curved line 14 which slopes towards the lines 8; and merges - 5 into them at an obtuse angle. This avoids any tight corners which would hamper cleaning.

The two side panels 5 and 5 and the folded gusset 12 form two double thicknesses of plastics at the bottom of the container. These are tied together by spot welds 15, allowing the bottom edges of the panels 5 and 6 to be opened out, as shown in the drawing, to form a base allowing the container to stand upright on a horizontal surface.

The top edges of the panels 5 and 6 are left un-welded during manufacture of the container. After filling, they are sealed together by welding up to the line shown at 16, this line merging with lines 8 smoothly to avoid corners.

After the filled container has been delivered to the end user, usually a farmer, it can be stored and used in exactly the same way as conventional rigid containers.

When the contents has all been used, the container is rinsed three times with water, the smooth interior ensuring that all remnants of chemical are removed in this process. The container can then be collapsed and stored in an exceptionally small space together with many similar containers until convenient arrangements for disposal can be made.

It will be appreciated that the illustrated embodiment is just one of many possible variations of design within the scope of the accompanying Claims. In - 6 one alternative variation, for use in situations where resealability is not required, it would be possible to design the container without a pouring spout so that it could be opened simply by cutting off one top corner of the container.

Claims

1. A collapsible container made from multi-layer sheet plastics material having a barrier layer which is resistant to penetration of chemicals or solvent, the container having a gusset forming a base which allows the container to stand upright when filled and being formed so that at least the bottom of its interior cavity has no corners, or corners of only an obtuse angle to facilitate cleaning after use.

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2. A container according to Claim I provided with a re-sealable closure.

3. A container according to Claim 2 in which the re-sealable closure is tamperproof or tamper-evident.

4. A container according to any preceding Claim constructed from sheets which are welded together around their edges.

5. A container according to Claim 4 in which the sheets are welded to the gusset to form a curved join line 6. A container according to any preceding Claim in which the sheet material is printed with instructions. - 8

7. A chemical product stored in a container constructed in accordance with any preceding Claim.

8. A method for the distribution of liquid chemical materials in which the S liquid is charged into a collapsible container made from multi- layer sheet plastics material having a bander layer resistant to penetration of the chemical or its solvent, and in which the container is then sealed.

9. A method according to Claim 8 in which the container is sealed by welding the sheets together.

10. A method according to Claim 8 or 9 in which the container is designed so that its interior surface has no corners or corners of only an obtuse angle 11. A method according to Claim 8, 9 or 10 in which the container has a gusset which forms a base.

12. A method according to Claim 11 in which the container is formed by two sheets of plastics welded together at opposite sides, and in which the gusset is welded to the sides of the container along lines which slope relative to those sides so as to eliminate sharp corners which may be difficult to clean.

13. A method according to Claim 12 in which the said weld lines are curved. - 9 -

14. A method according to any one of Claims 8 to 13 in which the container is formed by two sheets of plastics welded together at opposite sides and in which the area of welding is enlarged at the top of the container and shaped to form a handle.

15. A method according to any one of Claims 9 to 14 in which the container is made from two panels of the sheet material welded together along adjoining edges; and in which the chemical is introduced into the container through an edge region which is left un-welded until after the chemical has been introduced.

16. A method according to Claim 15 in which the container is fitted with a tamper-evident re-sealable closure device. 1D

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A collapsible container made from multi-layer sheet plastics material having a barrier layer which is resistant to penetration of chemicals or solvent, S the container having a gusset forming a base which allows the container to stand upright when filled and being formed so that its interior cavity has no corners, or corners of only an obtuse angle to facilitate cleaning after use.

2. A container according to Claim 1 provided with a re-sealable closure. .

( I. 10 . 3. A container according to Claim 2 in which the re-sealable closure is

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. . tamperproof or tamper-evident. <

" ' . 4. A container according to any preceding Claim constructed from sheets which are welded together around their edges.

5. A container according to Claim 4 in which the sheets are welded to the gusset to form a curved join line

6. A container according to any preceding Claim in which the sheet material is printed with instructions.

8. A method for the distribution of liquid chemical materials in which the liquid is charged into a collapsible container made from welded multilayer sheet plastics material having a barrier layer resistant to penetration of the chemical or its solvent, characterized in that the container is then sealed.

9. A method according to Claim 8 in which the container is sealed by . " ' ' . 10 welding the sheets together. i

10. A method according to Claim 8 or 9 in which the container is designed so that its interior surface has no corners or corners of only an obtuse angle .

11. A method according to Claim 8, 9 or 10 in which the container has a gusset which forms a base.

13. A method according to Claim 12 in which the said weld lines are curved. )a

15. A method according to any one of Claims 9 to 14 in which the container is made from two panels of the sheet material welded together along adjoining edges; and in which the chemical is introduced into the container through an ; . '''. 10 edge region which is left un-welded until after the chemical has been (<''r introduced.

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16. A method according to Claim 15 in which the container is fitted with a ( . < tamper-evident re-sealable closure device.

17. A container according to any one of Claims l to 7 filled with a pesticide.