HUT58255A - Compressible liquid tank - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a collapsible fluid container having a flexible sealed upper edge and side edges, wherein a liquid outlet channel is formed at the upper edge.

In many cases, the modern consumer market favors flexible plastic liquid containers over traditional rigid containers, mostly made of glass or metal. There are several reasons for this, such as the fragility of glasses, the often cumbersome opening of metal containers, and the potential danger of both being accidental. In addition, metal containers can also have the disadvantage of having sharp, often burr-like litigation after opening.

For certain viscous liquids, such as ketchup, salad dressings, etc. flexible collapsible plastic containers allow easier pouring than glass or metal bottles assuming the same container shape. In many cases, the collapsible liquid container is also supported by the fact that the liquid residues at the bottom of the pouch can be extruded much more perfectly from the collapsible plastic container than from the rigid containers. Under certain storage conditions, flexible containers can have the additional benefit of allowing more accurate filling of gaps and corners, thereby providing better space utilization. Finally, the compression flexible containers are also, after emptying, a much smaller volume of disposable or reusable containers.

As a result of the above beneficial effects, many variations of the compressible plastic containers have been developed. U.S. Patent R 24,251, which is re-authorized, discloses a fluid container having two interconnected flexible plastic walls defining a desired volume of fluid receiving space. These liquid containers are provided with a tear-off rim at the top, which allows the container to be opened. The container is emptied by applying pressure to the flexible walls. A similar solution is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,717,046.

U.S. Patent No. 2,517,027 discloses a tubular fluid container, which, unlike the above, is made by sealing the peripheral edges of two flexible plastic films. This folding tube is specifically designed to hold certain viscous liquids, pastes.

A further variant of liquid containers having a tear-off closure is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,278,085, which relates to a resealable bag or sachet. The pouch is easy to deform and also holds highly viscous liquids.

U.S. Patent No. 3,473,532 discloses a flexible plastic container with a one-way, self-closing drain valve. The plastic fluid reservoirs that have been opened once have automatic fluid storage features such as 3,815,794, 3,878,977, 3,904,107,

U.S. Patent Nos. -44,163,509, 4,312,689 and 4,252,257. U.S. Patent Nos. 3,913,789 and 4,537,308 disclose collapsible fluid containers in which the initially sealed fluid outlet can be opened by applying a specified amount of pressure to the side walls of the liquid container. Other ways of opening sealed-end outlet ducts are known, inter alia, from U.S. Patent Nos. 3,917,116 and 4,491,245.

Simple construction is an essential requirement for reducing the production costs of plastic liquid containers. Therefore, although it is possible to form liquid containers with fluid outlet portions of the neck, as illustrated, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,815,794, 3,878,977 and 4,163,509, a rectangular shape is generally desirable for compressible plastic liquid containers. The rectangular shape also has a beneficial effect on material consumption and production costs. For example, the compressible liquid containers described in U.S. Patent Nos. R 24,251 and 4,491,245 are rectangular in shape. However, these solutions have the disadvantage that unwanted deformations of the liquid storage space make it difficult to dispense the liquid properly and to empty the liquid container evenly. Known collapsible fluid tanks having side and top side interconnected flexible walls with a side and top closure, and formed in the top closure

They have a fluid outlet conduit, the pressure exerted on the flexible walls may cause deformation of the upper closure rim including the liquid outlet conduit, which may result in distortion of the liquid outlet conduit, thereby limiting the liquid outlet. The distortion of the fluid outlet channel due to deformation due to compression may be such that it would endanger the proper use of the fluid container.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible fluid reservoir which practically does not deform the upper closure rim and the fluid outlet channel formed therein when compressing the flexible walls, i.e., filling the liquid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, the object of the present invention is to provide a compression fluid container having flexible walls, two-sided and top-connected lateral or upper closure aids and a fluid channel formed in the upper closure at a predetermined distance from the upper closure. . Due to the deformation element, when pressed against the flexible walls of the compressible fluid reservoir, the closing edges are significantly deformed in the vicinity of the deformation element, so that the deformation has little effect on the surrounding fluid channel formed in the upper sealing rim.

-6 cross-section - not limited.

The compressible fluid reservoir of the present invention thus has flexible walls which form an interior space for receiving liquid, which is closed at the bottom by the bottom, the flexible walls being interconnected on both sides and top by side and top closure edges, respectively. and, in accordance with the invention, the compressible fluid container has a deformation element which is spaced apart at least one of the lateral closure edges at a defined distance from the upper closure edge.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flexible walls of the compressible liquid container are formed of flexible plastic film and the bottom part is formed as a free-standing base.

According to the invention, the deformation element is preferably formed as a projection of the lateral sealing edges or at least one of the lateral sealing edges extending into the fluid receiving interior space. The peripheral projection, optionally the peripheral projections, divides the interior space of the compressible fluid reservoir into two compartments which are in direct hydraulic communication with each other, but only the upper compartment is directly connected to the fluid passage in the upper closure. The cross-sectional area of the upper space portion of the fluid receiving interior relative to the fluid passage is substantially larger than the cross-sectional area of the interior space around the deformation member.

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The positioning of the deformation modifier according to the invention at a defined distance below the upper closure rim ensures that the fluid flow connection between the upper volume compartment of the fluid receiving space and the fluid channel is unbroken even when exerting external pressure on the flexible walls of the compressible liquid container. they deform in the vicinity of the deformation element.

According to the invention, the side projections of the lateral closing edges implementing the deformation element are preferably semicircular, rectangular or triangular.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the compressible fluid container of the present invention, the outer peripheral edge of the lateral sealing edges, in the vicinity of the edges implementing the deformation element, also follow the edges of the edges.

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing. In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a compressible liquid container according to the invention in a fluid filled state;

Figure 2 shows the compressible fluid container of Figure 1 with slightly compressed side walls, also in perspective view;

Figures 3a and 3b show in detail a further longitudinal sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a compressible fluid container according to the invention;

4a-4f, FIGS. 3 to 9 are examples. details of one embodiment are shown during the various stages of forming the compressible liquid container;

5-8. 1 to 8, the invention is further exemplified. the embodiment shown in front view;

9-12. Figures 3 to 5 are longitudinal sectional views of a further embodiment of a compressible fluid container according to the invention;

Figure 13 is a top plan view of a plastic film for forming a compressible liquid container of Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a side view 14-14 of the compressible liquid container of Figure 10.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the compressible fluid container 20a of the present invention has interlocking flexible walls 26a which are connected to each other by side closures 28a and 29a on both sides and top closures 30a at the top. The collapsible fluid container 20a has a bottom portion 24a formed as a freestanding base. The compressible fluid container 20a has a mirror symmetrical design with an X-X vertical axis of symmetry. The deformable element of the compressible fluid container 20a is formed by the projections 38a and 39a extending from the side closure edge 28a and the side closure edge 29a towards the interior of the fluid container 20a. A liquid end 32a having a sealed end 64a is formed in the upper closure rim 30a. The fluid passage 32a has a plurality of bends as shown.

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The embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 9 is a compressible fluid container 20b having a bottom portion 24b sealed along the bottom seam 25. The compressible liquid container 20b in the form of an envelope has flexible walls similar to those of the compressible liquid container 20a defining an internal space 34 for receiving liquid F. The collapsible liquid container 20b has an upper closure rim 30b which is integrally formed with the lateral closure margins. The upper closure 30b has a fluid passageway 32b that opens from the interior 34.

The deformable element of the compressible fluid reservoir 20b is formed by the flanges 38a and 39a extending from the side closures to the interior space 34, which divides the interior space 34 into an interconnected upper fluid chamber 40 and lower 42. The fluid passage 32b extends directly from the upper fluid chamber 40. The cross-sectional surface of the upper fluid chamber 40, perpendicular to the vertical axis of symmetry x-x, is greater than the cross-sectional area of the interior space 34 at the height of the projections 38a and 39a.

The edge projections 38a and 39a are located at the height of the interior space 34 such that the deformation of the compression force exerted on the flexible walls 26a is centered around the peripheral projections 38a and 39a in the lateral closure edges 38a and 39a, respectively. while fluid F is being squeezed, it is in fluid flow connection. (Figure 2)

Figures 3a and 3b illustrate the compressible main features of the invention.

10 illustrate embodiments of a liquid container having only one of the edge projections 38a and 39a respectively. The projection 38a of FIG. 3a is formed at the lateral closure edge of the compressible fluid reservoir further away from the fluid passage 32a, while FIG. 3b shows that the projection 39a of the deformation element may also be formed in the lateral closure rim.

The edge projections 38a and 39a implementing the deformation element were semicircular in the embodiments of Figures 1-2, 3a, 3b and 9 discussed above. Also, the collapsible projections 38a 'and 39a' have a collapsible fluid container as shown in Fig. 5, where the projections 38a 'and 39a' are at different heights at a distance from the upper closure rim 30a. The edge projections 38b and 39b of Fig. 6 are rectangular, while the edges 38e and 39e of Fig. 7 are triangular. The edge projections implementing the deformation element may also have a different shape.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 8, the outer periphery of the side sealing edges 28c and 29c of the compressible fluid container according to the invention follows the line of semicircular projections 38c and 39c implementing the deformation element.

The freestanding configuration of the bottom portion 24a of the compressible fluid reservoir 20a is mainly illustrated in FIGS. figures.

Figures 4a-4f illustrate the steps of forming the compressible fluid container 20a of the present invention by folding • r · ·· ♦ ·

-11szemléltetik. As shown in Figure 4a, the compressible fluid container 20a is formed from a flexible rectangular plastic mold 44. 4b is folded along the web 46 and fold edges 48b, and then corner seals 50 and 51 are formed between the web 46 and the fold edges 48 by wind gluing, welding, or other known means. Thus, the bottom of the collapsible liquid container is substantially completed, but the freestanding configuration of bottom 24a still requires the corner closures 50 and 51 to be joined along the fold edges 48 (Figures 4e-4f) to result in the corner portions 52 shown in Figure 1. The side sealing edges (for example, the side sealing edges 28a and 29a in Figure 1) are then sealed, the liquid container is filled with liquid, and the upper sealing rim is closed as shown in Figure 4f while simultaneously forming the outlet fluid passage. The upper part of the compressible fluid containers thus formed is wider than the lower parts near the bottom, as shown in Figs. 5-8. Figs.

In some applications, it may be advantageous for the compressible fluid containers to have a rectangular front view, for example for better storage and transport space utilization, as shown in the example of Figure 12.

It may be advantageous if, in contrast to the rectangular shape of Fig. 4a, the formation of the compressible fluid container of the present invention starts from a slightly widening shape towards the ridge 46. Such a figure is shown as an example · *

-12pen in Figure 13. It is apparent from the figure that the width of the plastic piece is slightly reduced from the area around the web 46 and the drive edges 48 to the ends of the plastic piece.

9-10. Figures 6 to 9 show liquid containers according to the invention having a simple bottom closure associated with the side closures. The bottom is designed as a bottom closure for extremely flat, easily pocketable collapsible fluid containers. 10, the two flexible walls 56 are joined to one another by lower closing edges 58, lateral closing edges 28d and 29d and upper closing edges 30d. The deformation element is formed by the edge projections 38d and 39d extending from the side sealing edges 28d and 29d into the interior of the fluid container. A liquid channel 32d is formed in the upper closure rim 30d. The flexible walls 56 define a fluid receiving interior space 34, the upper portion of which extends beyond the edges 38d and 39d into the fluid passage 32d. The detail 34 of the interior wall bounded by the flexible walls 56 and the arrows indicating the direction of the fluid outlet are shown in FIG.

The shape and diameter of the fluid outlet fluid channel is a matter of sizing. According to the invention, it is advantageous to provide the fluid channel with multiple curved bends. Fig. 9 shows, for example, liquid passageways 32b and 32d having a narrow cross-section and Figures 10 and 11 having a medium width and an even wider cross-section. The location of the fluid inlet inlet can also be variable and may fall

-13, for example, according to Fig. 9, in or out of the vertical symmetry axis of the liquid container (Fig. 9) (Figs. 1, 10 and 11).

The upper sealing edges 30a, 30b and 30d are configured such that the fluid channels 32a, 32b and 32d have a sealed end 64a (FIG. 1) and 64b (FIG. 9). The sealed end 64a is preferably configured to open as a result of a pressure increase due to the compression of the flexible walls of the fluid container. Such "automatically opening" closed endings are known in the art (see, for example, U.S. Patent No. 4,537,308). In the embodiments of the invention shown in Figures 10 and 11, the opening of the fluid passage 32d is performed by tearing off the upper corner of the upper closing edge 30d along the dashed line 66. The tear line 66 intersects the fluid passage 32d before its closed end.

9, the liquid passage 32b is opened by removing the upper label 68 of the upper closure rim 30b along the cut line 70. FIG. The sealed end 64b of the fluid passage 32b is exactly within the cut line 70.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that there are numerous variants of the compressible fluid container of the present invention which have the distinctive features of the invention and fulfill the object of the invention. It will also be appreciated that, according to the invention, relatively simple means can be used to produce compressible liquid containers for a variety of applications.

Claims (7)

1.) A collapsible fluid container having flexible walls which form an interior space for receiving liquid, which is closed at the bottom by the bottom, the flexible walls being interconnected on both sides and top by side and top closure edges, respectively. characterized in that it has a deformation element formed at a distance from the upper closure edge (30a, 30b, 30d) in relation to at least one of the lateral closing edges (28a, 28c, 28d; 29a, 29c, 29d). Compressible liquid container according to claim 1, characterized in that its flexible walls (26a) are made of plastic film and the bottom part (24a, 24b) is formed as a freestanding base. Compressible fluid container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the deformation element is provided as a projection (38a, 38b, 38c) of the lateral closing edges (28a, 28c, 28d; 29a, 29c, 29d) extending into the interior space (34). , 38d, 38e; 39a, 39b, 39c, 39d, 39e). • ··· ··· • 9 9 · • 9 The collapsible liquid container according to claim 3, characterized in that both side closure edges (28a, 29a) are provided with an edge projection (38a ', 39a') extending into the interior space (34) and a distance of one of the edge projections (38a '). less than the distance from the upper closure edge (30a) to the other closure projection (39a ') from the upper closure rim (30a). Compressible liquid container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the deformation element is formed as an edge projection (38a, 39a) extending from one of the lateral closing edges (28a, 29a). 6.) A 3-5. A collapsible fluid container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the rim is rabbit (s) (38a, 38b, 38c, 38d, 38e; 39a, 39b, 39c, 39d, 39e; 38a ', 39a'). triangular / k /. 7.) Referring to FIGS. A collapsible fluid container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that in the region of the peripheral projection (s) (38c, 39c) the outer peripheral line of the lateral seal (s) (28c, 29c) follows the line of the peripheral projection (s) (38c, 39c).