MXPA97004228A - Nozzle for segregating materials while filling a tube, and a pipe filled through the mi - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a nozzle suitable for filling a flowable viscous material in a container, comprising a tubular body defined by an outer body wall, within the body there is a plurality of longitudinal channels for the longitudinal flow of the viscous flowable materials to lengthwise and inside the nozzle, the longitudinal channels comprise: a central channel, joined by a central channel wall, one or more of first lateral channels, located between the central channel wall and the outer body wall, the first channels laterals have a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body which tapers in the direction from the outer body wall towards the central channel, and one or more second lateral channels, located between the wall of the central channel and the wall of the body outside, the second lateral channels have a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body bular which does not taper in the direction from the outer body wall towards the central channel, all of the longitudinal channels are open at the outlet end of the boquil

Description

NOZZLE FOR SEGREGATING MATERIALS WHILE FILLING A PIPE, AND A PIPE FILLED THROUGH THE SAME FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a novel nozzle for use in filling containers with flowable, viscous materials, in particular to nozzles for filling toothpaste containers, with the toothpaste in adjacent segments of the material of the toothpaste of different color, to produce a toothpaste with a striped appearance during distribution. The invention also relates to an apparatus for filling a container with toothpaste using such a mouthpiece, and to a toothpaste container when it is filled using such a mouthpiece.

ANTECEDENTS OF THE TECHNIQUE The apparatus for filling toothpaste in containers such as squeeze tubes and pumps is already known. A particular known form of such an apparatus is proposed for filling a toothpaste which comprises a plurality of materials of the Rβ * .024911 tooth formed in a different way, especially toothpaste materials colored differently, in a container in such a way that the materials constituted in different form are placed inside the container in adjacent segments. When the toothpaste is dispensed from such a container, the toothpaste has a scratched appearance. Such toothpaste materials colored differently are already known, for example those which are used to make three-color striped toothpastes such as those marketed under the name "Aquafresh" (Registered Trade Mark), which have a material white base and red, blue or green stripes comprising red, blue and green toothpaste materials respectively. In general, such apparatus includes a nozzle through which the toothpaste is introduced into the container, which generally comprises a usually cylindrical, tubular body, within which there is a central longitudinal channel, which usually has a cylindrical orifice. , and a plurality of lateral channels that surround the central channel. The lateral channels normally have a cross section, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body, which tapers toward the center of the body. For example, the side channels can be formed between the walls extending radially from the central channel, defining generally wedge-shaped cross-sectional elements. According to this invention, there is provided a suitable nozzle for filling a viscous material that can flow, in a container, comprising a tubular body defined by an external body wall, within the body there are a plurality of longitudinal channels for the longitudinal flow of the materials that can flow, viscous, along and inside the nozzle, the longitudinal channels comprise: a central channel, joined by a central channel wall, one or more first lateral channels, located between the wall of the central channel and the wall of the external body, and joined between the walls of the side channels, the first side channels have a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body which narrows in the direction of the wall of the external body towards the central channel, and , one or more second lateral channels, located between the wall of the central channel and the wall of the external body, and joined between the walls In the lateral channels, the second lateral channels have a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body which does not taper in the direction from the wall of the external body towards the central channel, all the longitudinal channels are open at one outlet end of the mouthpiece. The nozzle of the invention is suitable for filling the toothpaste materials in a toothpaste container., such as by means of a conventional tube or pump, the materials of the toothpaste constituted differently are passed downwards with respect to a respective central channel or first or second side channels, so that the materials of the toothpaste are deposited. teeth in the container in adjacent segments, such that during the distribution of the toothpaste from the container, for example by depressing or sinking the tube or operating the pump in a conventional manner to force out the toothpaste in the form of a thread or thread through the nozzle, the toothpaste is distributed with the segments still adjacent. Suitably, the materials constituted differently may be differently colored materials, such that the yarn or strand of the distributed toothpaste has a striped appearance. The tubular body is suitably a cylindrical tubular body, of appropriate diameter to the container which is to be filled with the material, and suitable dimensions will be well known to those skilled in the art of filling such containers. The tubular body may taper or otherwise be appropriately profiled at the outlet end as in conventional nozzles of this type. The central channel can suitably comprise a central cylindrical channel, concentric and coaxial with a cylindrical tubular body, and suitably joined by a wall of the channel which has a cylindrical orifice, concentric and coaxial with the tubular body. The number of first lateral channels will be determined inter alia by the number of segments which one wishes to form in the container, which in turn can be determined by the number of materials constituted differently in use. Suitably there may be four first lateral channels, placed symmetrically within the tubular body. The first side channels can be suitably joined on their outer side by the wall of the external body, and on their inner side by the external surface of the wall of the central channel. The narrowing of the shape of the section of the first lateral channels can also be achieved by their joining to the walls of the lateral channel which converge towards the center of the tubular body, for example in a cylindrical tubular body by two walls of the lateral channel, converging, which are generally parallel to the diameters of the body. The number of second side channels will also be determined inter alia by the number of segments which are desired to be formed in the container, which in turn can be determined by the number of materials constituted differently, in use. Suitably, there may be four second lateral channels, placed symmetrically within the tubular body. The second side channels can be suitably joined on their outer side by the outer body wall, and on their inner side by the outer surface of the wall of the central channel. The non-narrowing section shape of the first side channels can also be achieved by their joining to the side channel walls which do not converge towards the center of the tubular body, for example in a cylindrical tubular body by two side channel walls which are generally parallel to the diameters of the body. In a preferred embodiment, these non-convergent walls are generally parallel to each other, so that the second side channels are all of a generally rectangular cross section, although possibly with internal and / or external walls which respectively follow the curvature of a wall of the wall. internal cylindrical channel and / or the external body wall. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the nozzle of this invention, the central channel and one or more of the first side channels are in communication with each other at the outer end of the nozzle by means of an opening in the wall of the central channel in the region where the wall of the central channel separates the central channel and the first (s) lateral channel (s). Preferably all of the first side channels are in communication with the center channel in this manner. The opening (s) may be in the form of an open slot at the exit end of the nozzle and extending longitudinally away from the exit end of the nozzle and which may be of a substantially rectangular shape, with the long sides of the rectangle aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle. Optionally, such a cut may be rounded at the far end of the exit end.

The invention also provides a process for the use of a nozzle as described herein, to fill a toothpaste in a container, suitably a toothpaste material comprising two or more materials of the toothpaste, constituted in a different way , for example, colored differently. In such use the toothpaste materials colored differently, respectively, may be caused to flow respectively along the central channels or the first or second lateral channels. Suitably, a first material of the toothpaste can be caused to flow along both the central channels and the first side channels, and one or more material seconds of the toothpaste can be caused to flow along the toothpaste. second respective lateral channels. Suitably, a first white toothpaste material can be caused to flow along the central channels and the first side channels, and one or more of the second materials of the colored toothpaste can be caused to flow into it. length respectively of one or more of the second lateral channels, to deposit the toothpaste in the container in the form of colored segments of the second material of the paste, separated by segments of the first material of the white toothpaste with a central core of the first white toothpaste material. The nozzle of the invention may comprise part of an apparatus for filling the toothpaste in a container, and the invention therefore also provides an apparatus for filling the toothpaste in a container, which incorporates such a nozzle. The apparatus for filling toothpaste in the containers is already known, such as the filling machines produced by IWK Pac aging Machinery Inc. Fairfield NJ, USA., And Norden Packaging Company. The part of the nozzle remote from the exit end of the nozzle can be constructed in a manner well known to those skilled in the art to match or match with such a known filling machine. Known apparatuses for filling a toothpaste comprising two or more materials of the toothpaste colored differently in a container in such a way that the materials are placed in adjacent segments within the container, as described above, normally produce segments which tapers toward the center of the container. This means that when viewed from the outer side of a translucent or transparent container, such as the toothpaste pumps commonly in use, the edges of the segments are thinner than the center of the segments, and therefore their color does not it is uniform, being darker in the center than at the edges. Using the nozzle of the invention, when the materials of the colored toothpaste are caused to flow along the second side channels, the formed segments do not taper towards the center, and their appearance when viewed from the outer side of the tooth. A transparent or translucent container is advantageously substantially more uniform. Therefore in a further aspect of this invention, a tubular toothpaste container such as an oppressible pump or tube is provided, containing a plurality of different toothpaste materials formed in a different form, eg, colored in the form different, in which a first material of the toothpaste is placed inside the container in the form of a central core of the material of the toothpaste, and one or more second materials of the toothpaste are placed in the container in the shape of segments arranged or placed around the central core, with an outer surface of the segments of the second material of the toothpaste in contact with the wall of the container, with an inner surface of the segments of the second material of the toothpaste adjacent to the nucleus, and where the cross section of the segments does not converge towards the center of the container. Segments of the first material of the toothpaste may exist between the segments of the second materials of the toothpaste, which may be integral with the core. Suitably, there may be four segments of the second material of the toothpaste. Suitably, the first material of the toothpaste can be a material of the white toothpaste, and one or more of the segments of the second material of the toothpaste can be red, and one or more of the segments of the second material can be red. of the toothpaste can be blue or green. Suitably, the segments of the second material of the toothpaste can have substantially parallel non-convergent surfaces extending inward from the outer surface of the segments, preferably the segments of the second material of the toothpaste are substantially rectangular in cross section . An additional advantage of the preferred embodiment in which the central channel and one or more of the first lateral channels are in communication with each other at the exit end of the nozzle by means of an opening in the wall of the central channel in the region in where the wall of the central channel separates the central channel and the first (s) side channel (s) as described above, is that the segments formed in the container are found to be particularly clean in their edges. This feature is not presently found in known nozzles for filling toothpaste in containers, and therefore in a further aspect the present invention provides a mouthpiece through which a toothpaste can be introduced into a container. , which comprises a tubular body, for example cylindrical, within which there is a central longitudinal channel, having for example a cylindrical orifice, and a plurality of longitudinal side channels, defined between the walls of the lateral channels, which surround the central channel, all of the longitudinal channels end open at one outlet end of the nozzle, the central channel and one or more of the side channels are in communication with each other at the exit end of the nozzle by means of an opening in the wall of the central channel in the region where the wall of the central channel separates the central channel and the lateral channel (s).

The shape of the opening can be substantially as described above. The nozzle of the present invention can be suitably made of metals such as those conventionally used to make the nozzles for filling toothpaste containers, for example, stainless steel. The dimensions of the nozzle can be in general the same as those of conventional nozzles of this type. The invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the drawings appended. Figure 1 shows a cross-section through a known nozzle for filling the toothpaste in a toothpaste container. Figure 2 shows a cross-section through the toothpaste in a toothpaste container when it is produced by filling the container using the mouthpiece of Figure 1. Figure 3 shows a perspective view, in partial section, of a nozzle of this invention. Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view through the nozzle of Figure 3 taken immediately upstream of the outlet end.

Figure 5 shows a cross-section through the toothpaste in a toothpaste container when it is produced by filling the container using the nozzle of Figures 3 and 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to Figure 1, a known nozzle (1) generally comprises a wall (2) of the external cylindrical tubular body. Inside the mouthpiece (1) is an axial central channel (3) joined by a wall (4) of the central channel. Placed around the central channel (3) are a number of first lateral channels (5) and second side channels (6) joined by walls (7) of the side channel, which converge towards the central axis of the nozzle (1). The entire side channels (5,6) have a cross section taken perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle (1) which narrows towards the center of the nozzle (1), which is the axis of the cylinder, i.e. in general it has the shape of a wedge when observed in its cross section. To fill a toothpaste container (not shown) the outlet end of the nozzle (1) is inserted into a cylindrical vacuum toothpaste container, with an internal diameter slightly larger than that of the wall (2) of the body, and the toothpaste is caused to flow using the known apparatus along the nozzle through the channels (3,5,6) and out of the outlet end towards the container. A first material of the toothpaste (8) is caused to flow along the central channel (3) and the second lateral channels (5), and a second material of the toothpaste (9) which is colored in different form of the first material of the toothpaste (8) is caused to flow along the second lateral channels (5). The appearance of the cross section of the toothpaste formed within the container is as shown in Figure 2, the segments of the toothpaste material (8,9) taper in a wedge shape towards the central axis. Referring to Figures 3 and 4, a nozzle (10) of the invention is shown, comprising a wall (11) cylindrical tubular body, external, the nozzle ends at the outlet end (12). The part (13) of the nozzle (10) remote from the outlet end (12) is conventionally adapted to match or correspond with a conventional machine for filling the toothpaste containers.

Internally, the nozzle (10) has a central channel (14) joined by a central channel wall (15). The nozzle also has four first lateral channels (16), placed symmetrically around the central channel (14), the first lateral channels (16) are located between the wall of the external body (11) and the wall of the central channel (15). The first lateral channels are joined by the walls (17) of the lateral channels, which in relation to the first lateral channels (16) converge towards the center of the nozzle (10) in such a way that the cross-sectional shape of the first lateral channels widens towards the central axis of the nozzle (10), which is essentially wedge-shaped in its cross-section. The nozzle also has four second side channels (18), placed symmetrically around the central channel (14), the second side channels (18) are also located between the wall (11) of the external body and the wall (15) of the central channel . The second channels (18) are joined by walls (17) of the side channel which in relation to the second side channels (18) are of substantially parallel sides, such that the cross-sectional shape of the second side channels (18) ) is essentially rectangular in its cross section.

The central channel (14) and all of the first side channels (16) are in communication with each other at the outlet end (12) of the nozzle (10) by means of an opening (19) in the wall of the central channel (15) in the region where the wall (15) of the central channel separates the central channel (14) and the first lateral channels (16). This opening (19) is in the form of a substantially rectangular slot, open at the exit end (12) of the nozzle (10) and extending longitudinally upstream from the exit end (12). The nozzle of Figures 3 and 4 can be used to fill a toothpaste container (not shown) with the toothpaste in a manner analogous to that used with the known nozzle of Figure 1 described above. A first material of the toothpaste (20) can be caused to flow along the central channel (14) and the first side channels (16), and one or more second materials of the toothpaste (21) is it may cause them to flow along the second side channels (18). When used in this manner, the cross-sectional appearance of the segments of the first and second materials of the toothpaste (20, 21) formed in the container when it is filled, is shown in Figure 5. The first The toothpaste material (20) is placed inside the container in the shape of a central core (20A) and surrounding the segments (20B), with the segments of the second material of the toothpaste (21), which are a substantially rectangular section, and alternating with segments of the first material of the toothpaste (20B). Two opposite segments (21A) of the second material of the toothpaste (21) can be of a material of the red toothpaste, and the remaining two segments (21B) can be of a blue or green toothpaste material, so that the material of the toothpaste (20,21) is distributed from a container such as a squeeze tube or pump, in the form of a thin stream, the distributed toothpaste has a longitudinally scratched appearance. It will be apparent from Figure 5 that if the container has transparent or translucent walls, when viewed from the outer side of the thickness of the segments (21) it will be substantially uniform across the width of the segment, while in the illustrated toothpaste in Figure 2, the thickness of the segments (9) will be smaller at the edges than at the center. The observed color density of the segments (21) will therefore be substantially more uniform.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it relates.

Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following

Claims (15)

1. A nozzle suitable for filling a viscous material that can flow in a container, characterized in that it comprises a tubular body defined by an external body wall, within the body there are a plurality of longitudinal channels for the longitudinal flow of materials that can flow, viscous , along and inside the nozzle, the longitudinal channels comprise: a central channel, joined by a wall of the central channel, one or more first lateral channels, located between the wall of the central channel and the wall of the external body, and joined between the walls of the side channels, the first side channels have a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body which narrows in the direction of the wall of the external body towards the central channel, and, one or more second side channels, located between the wall of the central channel and the wall of the external body, and joined between the walls of the lateral channels, the Eight lateral channels have a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body which does not taper in the direction from the wall of the external body towards the central channel, all of the longitudinal channels are open at one outlet end of the nozzle.

2. A nozzle according to claim 1, characterized in that the tubular body is a cylindrical tubular body, of appropriate diameter to the container which is to be filled with the material.

3. A nozzle according to claim 2, characterized in that the central channel comprises a central cylindrical channel, concentric and coaxial with a cylindrical tubular body, and joined by a wall of the channel which has a cylindrical orifice, concentric and coaxial with the wall of the external body

4. A nozzle according to claim 3, characterized in that it has four first lateral channels, placed symmetrically inside the tubular body, joined on its external side by the wall of the external body, and on its internal side by the external surface of the wall of the channel central.

5. A nozzle according to claim 4, characterized in that it has four second lateral channels, placed symmetrically inside the tubular body, joined on its external sides by the wall of the external body, and on its internal side by the external surface of the wall of the channel central.

6. A nozzle according to claim 5, characterized in that the shape of the non-narrowing section of the first side channels is achieved because they are attached to the walls of the side channels that do not converge towards the center of the tubular body.

7. A nozzle according to claim 6, characterized in that it has a cylindrical tubular body, and in which the second side channels are joined by two walls of the side channels that are generally parallel to the diameters of the body.

8. A nozzle according to claim 7, characterized in that the second side channels are all of a generally rectangular cross section, optionally with internal and / or external walls which respectively follow the curve of a wall of the inner cylindrical channel and / or a wall of the external body.

9. A nozzle according to claim 8, characterized in that the central channel and one or more of the first side channels are in communication with each other at the exit end of the nozzle by means of an opening in the wall of the central channel in the region wherein the wall of the central channel separates the central channel and the first (s) side channel (s).

10. A nozzle according to claim 9, characterized in that all of the first side channels are in communication with the central channel.

11. A nozzle according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the opening (s) are in the form of an open slot at the exit end of the nozzle and extending longitudinally away from the exit end of the nozzle .

12. A nozzle according to claim 11, characterized in that the groove is substantially rectangular in shape, with the long sides of the rectangle aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle.

13. A tubular toothpaste container, characterized in that it contains a plurality of materials of the toothpaste, constituted differently, in which a first material of the toothpaste is placed inside the container in the form of a central core of the toothpaste material, and one or more of the second materials of the toothpaste are placed in the container - in the form of segments arranged or distributed around the central core, with an outer surface of the segments of the second material of the toothpaste in contact with the wall of the container, with an inner surface of the segments of the second material of the toothpaste adjacent to the core, and wherein the cross section of the segments does not converge towards the center of the container.

14. A container according to claim 13, characterized in that placed between the segments of the second materials of the toothpaste, there are segments of the first material of the toothpaste, which can be integral with the core.

15. A nozzle through which a toothpaste can be introduced into a container, characterized in that it comprises a tubular body, within which there is a central longitudinal channel, and a plurality of longitudinal side channels, defined between the walls of the side channels , surrounding the central channel, all of the longitudinal channels end open at one outlet end of the nozzle, the central channel and one or more of the side channels are in communication with each other at the exit end of the nozzle by means of an opening in the wall of the central channel in the region where the wall of the central channel separates the central channel and the lateral channel (s).