ITPD20090083A1 - OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR PACKAGING MADE OF PLASTIC FLEXIBLE FILMS - Google Patents

Description

TITLE

OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR PACKAGING

MADE OF PLASTIC FLEXIBLE FILMS

DESCRIPTION

This patent relates to packaging opening / closing devices and systems and in particular it concerns a new opening and closing device for packaging made of flexible plastic films, applicable to said film even before the film is wound in reel.

Packaging made with films or sheets in plastic or composite materials, for example in cardboard, plasticized paper, multilayer film in plastic and / or aluminum and / or paper, etc. are known.

Said packages comprise a film or sheet of packaging material, folded and sealed, for example by gluing or heat sealing, to form a closed envelope, intended to contain any type of product.

Usually, said packaging films or sheets are in continuous format and wound on reels suitable for being loaded into packaging machines of various types.

Resealable packagings or packages are known, comprising systems or devices for their reclosure, after the first opening, in order to prevent unwanted leakage of the contained product and / or to ensure the correct conservation of the product itself.

For example, "envelope" packages or packages are known, made of film or plasticized paper or other, suitable for being opened for example by cutting or tearing a flap or corner of the envelope.

To close the package, simply fold the open flap of the envelope several times and apply a closure means, such as an adhesive label, such as attach and detach, which maintains the fold and therefore the closure of the package.

Obviously, this type of closure is not hermetic and moreover, with use, the label loses part of the glue and therefore reduces its tightness.

Closing devices of the "zip" or hinge type are also known, where two opposing profiles generally made of plastic or rubber are applied along the edges, preferably pre-cut, of which a male profile and a female profile, where said male profile has a linear projection able to be inserted with engagement in a corresponding linear seat present on the female profile.

This hinge or "zip" keeps the edges of the opening closed and can theoretically be reopened and re-closed an indefinite number of times.

The closure obtained with hinges of this type, however, is safe and hermetic only if care is taken to perfectly join said male and female profiles along their entire length, otherwise the hinge tends to reopen at the slightest stress and the tightness of the closure does not is more guaranteed. In addition, said male and female profiles, if the hinge is repeatedly closed incorrectly, are deformed, irreparably compromising the efficiency of the closure. The zip-type hinge also allows the film to be opened only in a linear way while the new proposed solution can provide almost any size and shape.

Said hinges or zips are applied to the packaging film during the packaging phases, greatly complicating the mechanics and operation of the packaging machine.

Furthermore, said hinges have a certain bulk in thickness which is much greater than the thickness of the film and therefore it is not convenient to apply them on the film before it is wound onto the reel, to be loaded later in the packaging machine.

Openings are known made by an incision or pre-incision of the sheet or film forming the package, called incision identifying a sort of tongue that can be lifted to open the package.

Said tongue can be relocated to close the opening and constrained in the closed position by means of an adhesive label, which can for example affect the entire perimeter of the tongue, so that the packaging is completely closed.

However, the effectiveness of this type of closure is only temporary because the glue applied to the label gradually comes off with time and use, compromising the sealing capacity.

Furthermore, this system is absolutely unsuitable if the contents of the package are wholly or partially powdery, as in the case of detergent packages, packages of grated food products, such as cheese or bread, packages of flour, powders, spices, etc.

In fact, during the normal operations of extracting the contents from the package, it is inevitable that these powders adhere to the adhesive of the adhesive label, accumulating and progressively limiting the seal of the label itself, until it is no longer possible to close the package.

To overcome all the aforementioned drawbacks, a new type of opening and closing device for packaging made of flexible plastic films has been studied and implemented, applicable to said film even before the film is wound onto the reel.

The main aim of the present invention is that it can be applied on reel packaging film, to be used directly on known packaging machines, or applied on the film or sheet during packaging, that is, in the packaging machine.

The new device has in fact a thickness and a reduced weight which reduces the overall dimensions to a minimum.

Another object of the present invention is to allow the opening of the packaging, in order to access the contents, and its closure an indefinite number of times, where said closure is guaranteed also and above all in the presence of dust contained in the packaging itself, as in the if the packaging also contains pulverized or grated material, flours, etc.

Another purpose of the present invention is to ensure the absolute tightness of the package prior to its first opening, with the possibility of then safely closing the package an indefinite number of times. Another advantage of the present invention is that it can be placed in any position in the packaging.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it can be made in any shape and size, depending on the type of packaging, the type of material contained in the packaging and the type of intended use.

For example, it is possible to provide that said opening system has a shape and dimensions suitable to allow the simple dosage of the contained material, for example in the case of packages of powders, flour or food spices, cheeses or breadcrumbs, etc., or identifying shape and dimensions a wide access, to allow for example the introduction in the package of a dispenser for the collection of the contained material. This can be particularly useful in the case of detergent packages, pet food, and in general of rather large and heavy packages. In this way, the user can always open and close the package and never have to lift or move the package to pour its contents. Another advantage is that it can be made of recycled material and / or completely compatible with the material used for packaging and / or with the content, for example in material suitable for prolonged contact with food and / or in material resistant to chemical agents. or aggressive in general. Another object of the present invention is that of being able to be made of material resistant to particular thermal processes commonly used during the stages of packaging food or other products, such as pasteurization or sterilization.

Another purpose of the present invention is to also act as a barrier to gas and water vapor, since it can be made of gas-impermeable material. Another advantage of the present invention is that it can be decorated in any way, even in transparent material. In fact, it is also possible to use the so-called "In Mold Labeling (IML)" technology which basically consists of introducing labels with informative and / or advertising content into the device directly during injection into molds or in general during forming. of the device itself.

These and other direct and complementary purposes are achieved by the new opening and closing device for packaging made of flexible plastic films, applicable to said film even before the film is wound onto the reel.

The new opening and closing device comprises at least a lower support part and at least an upper closing part, where said lower support part is adapted to be glued or welded or otherwise made integral with the film or sheet for packaging, and comprises at least one perimeter part defining at least one opening, while said upper closing part constitutes the closing cap of said opening of said lower part, and comprises an edge shaped to be removably constrained along all or part of said perimeter part of said lower part, by means of closing means as described and claimed below. It is envisaged that said lower support part and said upper closing part are preferably joined together, forming a single body, and hinged, so that said upper part is movable with respect to said lower support part from a closed position, in which is placed to close said opening and constrained along its perimeter edge to said lower part itself, to an opening position, in which it is raised with respect to said lower part, leaving said opening free.

It is envisaged that said upper part comprises at least one tongue or gripping part to facilitate its lifting.

Said device is preferably made in whole or in part of plastic material, and where said perimeter edge of said upper part is initially preferably welded to said lower support part with a layer of plastic sealing film which guarantees the hermetic sealing of the device. prior to its first opening.

Said plastic sealing film can be peeled off, that is to say easily tearable, for example thanks to partial pre-incisions, for the first opening of the device. According to a further possible embodiment, said perimeter edge of said upper part is welded to said lower support part in the injection or molding phase and where weakening along said perimeter edge, always made in said injection or molding phase, allow the first tear opening of said upper part.

This guarantees that, prior to the first opening, said device is completely waterproof acting as a hermetic barrier to liquids, humidity, gases.

Said upper part can be removably constrained to said lower part by means of one or more male protrusions distributed along the lower coupling surface of said perimeter edge, said protrusions able to be inserted with engagement or with a slight forcing, into seats obtained in corresponding positions on the perimeter of said lower part.

In particular, according to a first preferred solution, said upper part comprises a plurality of "nail" or "pin" protrusions, ie substantially cylindrical or prismatic protrusions with an enlarged head able to be inserted by forcing into relative seats or holes, for example circular or of corresponding shape, having dimensions slightly smaller than said enlarged heads.

Said projections and the relative seats are distributed at a constant or modular pitch along said perimeter edge and along said perimeter part of said upper and lower parts of the device.

Alternatively, it is possible to provide that said upper part comprises a linear protrusion arranged along all or part of said perimeter edge, able to be inserted by forcing into a corresponding linear seat made on the perimeter part of said lower part.

Said linear projection has a body with a section, for example substantially rectangular or square, with a widened side which must be inserted by forcing into said corresponding linear seat, having a width smaller than that of said widened side.

Alternatively, it is provided that said upper part comprises one or more protrusions along all or part of said perimeter edge, suitable for being inserted by forcing into corresponding undercuts made on the edge of said opening of the lower part.

When closed, said device has a reduced thickness, comparable to the thickness of the film, and can therefore be applied directly to the packaging films or sheets before they are wound in reels.

In this way, the film or sheet in reel can be directly loaded into the known packaging machines, for the production of packages or packages, which will already be equipped with said opening / closing devices.

It can be envisaged that on said packaging films or sheets, an opening or pre-incisions identifying an opening in correspondence with said opening of the lower part of each of said devices are made, before or after the application of said opening / closing devices. .

The characteristics of the new invention will be better clarified by the following description with reference to the drawing tables, attached by way of non-limiting example.

Figure 1 shows a possible application of new opening / closing devices (D) for packaging, applied for example in succession, at constant or modular distances, on a packaging film (F) wound on a reel (R), called a reel (R) being adapted to be used in packaging machines of the known type.

Figures 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b schematically show two possible embodiments of the new device (D).

Figure 4 shows an example of use of the new device (D) on a package (C) of the envelope type.

Figures 5A-A, 6, 7B-B, 8 schematically show the construction details and operation of the new device according to the example of construction in figures 2a and 2b.

Figure 9 schematically represents the closing means (S7, I4) of the new device (D) according to an alternative embodiment. The new opening / closing device (D) can be applied directly to the packaging films or sheets (F) before they are wound onto the reel (R).

This reel (R) can thus be directly loaded into the known packaging machines, for the production of packages or packages, such as for example the envelope package (C) shown in Figure 4.

Said device (D) comprises a lower support part (I), able to be glued or welded or otherwise made integral with the film or sheet for packaging (F) and comprising a perimeter part (I2) defining at least one opening ( Ia).

It can be envisaged that on said packaging film or sheets (F), an opening (F1) or pre-incisions identifying an opening in correspondence with said opening (Ia) is made, before or after the application of said device (D). of the lower part (I) of said device, as schematized in figure 7B-B.

The new device (D) also comprises an upper part (S) for closing said opening (Ia) of said lower part (I), said upper part (S) in turn comprising an edge (S2) able to be constrained in removable way to said lower part (I), by means of closing means (S3, S5, I1, I3) distributed along said edge (S2) of said upper part and along said perimeter part (I2) of said lower part (I). It is envisaged that said lower support part (I) and said upper closing part (S) are joined together and hinged along at least a portion (S4) of their perimeter edge (S2) or perimeter part (I1).

For example, it is possible to provide that said upper part (S) and said lower part (I) are welded or heat-sealed along said section (S4) or that they are made in a single body, where said section (S4) has a thinning to allow the rotation of said upper part (S) with respect to said lower part (I), as shown in Figure 8 in detail.

It is envisaged that said upper part (S) comprises at least one tongue or gripping part (S1) to facilitate its lifting.

In the preferred solution, it is also envisaged that said perimeter edge (S2) of said upper part (S) is initially welded to said lower support part (I) in the injection or molding phase and where some weakening (S8) along said perimeter edge (S2) itself, always made in said injection or molding step, allow the first tear-off opening of said upper part (S).

As shown in figures 2a, 2b, 5A-A, 6, 7B-B, said upper part (S) can be connected to said lower part (I) by means of a plurality of male projections (S3) distributed along the lower coupling surface (S21 ) of said perimeter edge (S2) of said upper part (S), said protrusions (S3) able to be inserted by forcing into seats or holes (I1) obtained in corresponding positions on the perimeter part (I2) of said lower part (I ).

Said protrusions (S3) are preferably of the "nail" or "pin" type, having a substantially cylindrical or prismatic body with an enlarged head (S31) able to be inserted by forcing said seats or holes (I1), for example circular or corresponding shape, having slightly smaller dimensions than said enlarged heads (S31).

According to an alternative solution, as shown in figures 3a and 3b, said upper part (S) instead comprises a linear protrusion (S5) arranged on the lower coupling surface (S21) of said perimeter edge (S2), involving all or part of said edge perimeter (B2) itself.

Said linear projection (S5) has a body with a section, for example substantially rectangular or square, with a widened side able to be inserted by forcing into a corresponding linear seat (I3), made on the perimeter part (I2) of said lower part (I) and having a width smaller than that of said enlarged side.

According to a further alternative solution, as shown in figure 9, said upper part (S) instead comprises one or more protrusions (S7), linear continuous or discontinuous, distributed along said perimeter edge (S2), suitable for forcing into the undercut ( I4) distributed on the edge (Ia1) of said opening (Ia) of the lower part (I).

To close said opening (Ia) it is therefore sufficient to rotate said upper part (S) so as to cover said opening (Ia) and insert said protrusions (S3, S5) in the relative seats (I1, I3).

Said device (D) is preferably made in whole or in part of plastic material, for example by injection or molding, and where said perimeter edge (S2) of said upper part (S) is initially preferably welded to said lower part (I) support with a layer of sealing plastic film which guarantees the tightness of the closure of the device (D) before its first opening.

It is envisaged that said upper part (S) can be made with the known IML “In Mold Labeling” technology, ie comprising an upper film (S6) suitable for being decorated in any case.

In particular, one or more openings or windows (Sa) closed by said upper film (S6) can be provided on said upper part (S), where said upper film (S6) can be totally or partially transparent or semitransparent to allow you to see inside the final package obtained.

These are the schematic modalities sufficient for the skilled person to realize the invention, consequently, in concrete application there may be variations without prejudice to the substance of the innovative concept.

Therefore, with reference to the above description and the attached tables, the following claims are expressed.

Claims (11)

CLAIMS 1. Opening / closing device (D) for packaging in flexible film (F) or for flexible packaging film (F) for the production of packages in general, said film (F) being equipped with at least one opening (F1) o pre-engravings or spaces in correspondence of which to make one or more openings (F1) for accessing the inside of the package or package obtained, characterized in that it comprises: <•> at least one lower support part (I), able to be made integral with said flexible film (F) and comprising at least a perimeter part (I2) identifying at least one opening (Ia), able to be placed in correspondence with said opening (F1) of the film (F), made before or after the application of said device (D); <•> at least one upper part (S) removably fastenable to said lower part (I) to close said opening (Ia) of said lower part (I) itself; and where said upper part (S) includes one or more protrusions (S3, S5, S7) suitable to be inserted by forcing into seats or holes or undercuts (I1, I3, I4) distributed along all or part of said perimeter part (I2 ) of said lower part (I), around said opening (Ia). 2. Opening / closing device (D), as per claim 1, characterized by the fact that said upper part (S) is joined to said lower part (I) along its entire perimeter edge (S2), to create a hermetic closure acting as a barrier to liquids and gases, and where one or more weakening lines (S8) are made along said perimeter edge (S2) of said upper part (S), for the first tear opening. 3. Opening / closing device (D), as per claim 1, characterized in that said upper part (S) is welded to said lower part (I) along its entire perimeter edge (S2) by means of at least one plastic film of sealing, to achieve a hermetic closure with the function of a barrier to liquids and gases, said plastic film being easily peelable or tearable for the first opening. 4. Opening / closing device (D), as per claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said upper part (S) is hinged to said lower part (I) along at least a portion (S4) of their edge ( S2) or perimeter part (I2), said upper part (S) being movable with respect to said lower part (I) from a closed position, in which it closes said opening (Ia) of said lower part (I), to a position opening, in which it is raised with respect to said lower part (I). 5. Opening / closing device (D), as per claim 4, characterized in that said upper part (S) and said lower part (I) are joined along said section (S4) to form a single body, and where said section (S4) has a thinning or weakening line which allows said motion of said upper part (S) with respect to said lower part (I). 6. Opening / closing device (D), as per claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, characterized in that said protrusions (S3) of said upper part (S) are of the pin or nail type, with body substantially cylindrical or prismatic and enlarged head (S31) able to be inserted by forcing into said seats or holes (I1) of said lower part (I), said seats or holes (I1) having a corresponding shape and dimensions smaller than said enlarged head ( S31). 7. Opening / closing device (D), as per claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, characterized by the fact that said projection (S5) of said upper part (S) is substantially linear and suitable for being inserted in said seat (I3) of said lower part (I), said seat (I3) having a corresponding linear shape and width smaller than said linear projection (S5). 8. Opening / closing device (D), as per claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, characterized in that said projection (S7) of said upper part (S) is substantially linear, continuous or discontinuous, suitable for be inserted in corresponding sub-squares (I4) made on the edge (Ia1) of said opening of said lower part (I). 9. Opening / closing device (D), as per the preceding claims, characterized in that said upper part (S) comprises one or more windows or openings (Sa) covered by an upper covering film (S6) able to be in any case decorated, fully or partially transparent or semi-transparent or opaque. 10. Opening / closing device (D), as per claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 characterized by being applicable on film or packaging material (F) for packaging machines, before winding the film (F) onto the reel (R), for subsequent loading into the packaging machine, and / or during the packaging phase in the packaging machine itself. 11. Opening / closing device (D), as per the preceding claims, characterized in that it is made in whole or in part by injection or molding of plastic material.