US20130233912A1

US20130233912A1 - Packaging system

Info

Publication number: US20130233912A1
Application number: US13/583,483
Authority: US
Inventors: Christian Piotrowski
Original assignee: VITA PAK UG
Current assignee: VITA PAK GmbH; VITA PAK UG
Priority date: 2010-03-09
Filing date: 2011-03-09
Publication date: 2013-09-12
Also published as: DE102010011208A1; WO2011110334A1; EP2544959A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaging container for pourable liquids, powders and granules, in particular pourable food products, wherein the packaging container comprises an inner flexible bag having an outlet opening, and further comprises an outlet part and an outer cover adhesively bonded to the inner bag in a punctiform manner that be disposed of separately therefrom. A carrying handle makes it possible for a variety of packaging containers to be transported easily. The outer cover of the packaging container may comprise two swing-open hard shells. A further packaging container according to the invention comprises a foldable outer cover and, when the latter is folded, the inner flexible bag can be fastened to the cover by means of the outlet part and, when the cover is unfolded, the inner flexible bag can be separated therefrom and the two can be introduced into different recycling systems.

Description

The invention relates to a packaging system for pourable liquids, powders, and granules, particularly pourable food products.
Containers are known from the state of the art that are generally made from a plurality of different materials, or that have such complex designs that commercial application is not possible for cost reasons. A packaging container produced from polyethylene and aluminum and having a laminated tube-shaped multilayer packaging material is described in DE 69910428 T2.
Because it is very difficult to separate a packaging container made from different materials into the base materials thereof for recycling purposes, there is a great demand for providing packaging containers produced from only a few materials and components, in order to thus enable rapid, resource-conserving reintroduction into the recycling stream. It is important to note here that an alternative must fit into the market and must not be more expensive than previous systems.
A further problem for packaging containers from the state of the art can be seen in that when the packaging is opened, air flows into the packaging, and the contents of the packaging container come into contact with the surrounding air, setting various chemical processes in motion, particularly for liquid food products, which can lead to a reduction in shelf life and thus more rapid spoilage of the liquid contents.
Packaging does indeed exist that folds together when emptied, thus preventing the entry of air, but said packaging is difficult to stack, requires an unnecessarily large amount of space for transport, and is insufficiently resistant to external compressive forces. A form of sack-like packaging containers is disclosed in EP 0 746 507 B1, made of only the flexible bag and comprising no outer cover, difficult to stack and insufficiently resistant to compressive forces, because the containers are loose in the carton and therefore cannot support any load, but that largely prevent the entry of air into the containers.
The object of the present invention is thus to provide a packaging system for pourable liquids, powders, and granulates, particularly pourable food products, that allows simple return to the recovered substance cycle after use and potentially lower-cost production. In addition, the shelf life of the contents of the packaging container should be increased for some embodiments. In this manner, the known problems with packaging containers according to the state of the art are to be overcome.
Said object is achieved by the technical teaching of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims, the description, the figures, and the examples.
The packaging container according to the invention preferably comprises an outer cover partially or completely enclosing the inner bag, preferably a carton or a hard shell but also possibly made from fabric or other natural materials or plastics, an inner bag having an outlet opening, and an outlet part connected thereto. The inner flexible bag can be separated from the outer cover either by pulling on the outlet part connected thereto, or can be separated out of or removed from the hard shell by opening the same or by means of special tear open or separating mechanisms. The outlet part is preferably integrally connected to the flexible bag, particularly welded. An advantage thereby relative to the state of the art is that while the bag can be cut open, it no longer must necessarily be cut open. Furthermore, a clear mechanism is provided for a self-opening variant of the packaging container, so that the cutting open process can be controlled when performed. This is not possible in the state of the art. The outlet part therefore also advantageously comprises no further sealing devices such as sealing ribs or sealing rings that generally can only cause leaks. The preferred integral embodiment of the flexible bag having the outlet part makes such planned tearing sites and further sealing devices unnecessary.
The outlet part can preferably be inserted in at least one track disposed on the outer cover. It can thus be ensured that the outlet part is securely seated and does not rotate when turning to open, for example. The track is advantageously not round, but particularly preferably rectangular in design, so that any rotational motion of the outlet part can be prevented. The outlet part is advantageously formed so as to be able to engage in the tracks of the outer cover in a complementary manner.
No valve is advantageously provided in the area of the outlet opening. The advantage thereby is that the packaging container according to the invention can be produced substantially less expensively and more simply. In the state of the art, for example, a valve is required in order to prevent the escape of liquids and to prevent environmental air contaminated by germs from flowing into the container after dispensing. The packaging container according to the present invention has the advantage that dispensing is possible without subsequent inflow of air contaminated by germs even without a valve, because the flexible inner bag collapses during dispensing and therefore no vacuum whatsoever that could cause inflow of air contaminated by germs occurs in the packaging container.
The wall thickness of the outer cover is advantageously in a range from 0.1 to 2 mm, particularly in a range from 0.15 to 1 mm. If the wall thickness is less than said range, then there is a risk that the packaging container will be easily pressed inward when picking up the packaging container. If the wall thickness is greater than said range, then the container becomes heavier and more expensive to produce due to the greater material thickness.
The wall thickness of the flexible bag is advantageously in a range from 0.02 to 0.5 mm. Below said range, mechanical influences can more easily cause damage to the bag, and thereby cause a leak. Above said range, it is possible for the greater wall thickness and thus the greater rigidity of the flexible bag to prevent complete emptying, such as by collapsing the bag.
The packaging container preferably comprises a size in a range from 5 to 50 cm, calculated using the two points of the packaging container that are spaced furthest apart from each other. The packaging container is thereby particularly well suited for products such as foods or cosmetics intended for end consumers.
The inner flexible bag preferably comprises 2 to 3 layers made of plastic or metal. Said layers are preferably laminated or foil-clad. It can thus be prevented that the layers shift relative to each other when a bag is partially emptied and prevent emptying.
The outlet part advantageously makes direct contact with the outer cover, or with tracks formed integrally on the cover. This has the particular advantage that, in contrast to solutions from the state of the art, an additional component, such as a mounting element for the outlet opening that would first have to be inserted into the outer cover, is not necessary. Leaks can thereby be prevented and production costs reduced.
On the side opposite the outlet opening, the flexible bag preferably comprises an integral rigid component comprises a diameter at least at one location that is greater than the outlet opening. It can thus be prevented that the flexible bag pops out of the outlet opening when pouring out the bulk product, such as a liquid.
The material of the outer cover is preferably cardboard or carton or a plastic. The outer cover preferably does not comprise a coating or a closed coating or film on the inside thereof that would seal the inner side relative to liquids. The advantage therein is that, relative to known containers from the state of the art, a further processing step as well as costs can be saved. The outer can furthermore be designed to be permeable to air or liquids in this manner, so that mold growth in the interior of the outer cover between the flexible bag and the outer cover can be prevented.
The packaging container for pourable liquids, powders, and granulates preferably comprises an inner flexible bag having an outlet opening, and outlet part, and an outer cover, wherein the inner flexible bag is fixedly connected to the outlet part, the outer cover encloses the inner flexible bag, the inner flexible bag is separably connected to the outer cover by means of the outlet part inserted in a cutout, the outer cover is made of at least two swing-open hard shells connected to each other for swinging open by means of at least one hinged joint and having a releasable closure mechanism.
The invention relates to a packaging container, for example, having an inner flexible bag made of a flexible fabric or a flexible film, a laminated fabric, or a laminated film, wherein the inner flexible bag can also be produced from natural materials such as corn. The inner flexible bag is, for example, relatively impervious or impervious to the exchange of gases or liquids, either by itself or after appropriate treatment. Impervious or relatively impervious to the exchange of gases or liquids means that for a 1 L packaging container filled with one liter of water, stored for 170 days at 23° C. and normal humidity and air pressure, no more than 0.3 vol % of water escapes from the flexible bag through the bag material. For special requirements, however, a film can also be selected for which the barrier requirements are adjusted specially to the bulk material and perhaps even a desired air exchange can and should thereby take place. Said flexible properties of the inner bag are a great advantage, especially in production. By using single materials, replacement can be made very simple, for example, and does not need to be considered beforehand in production processes. This also saves storage costs.
The inner flexible bag is preferably fixedly connected to the outlet part. Controlled pouring is thereby made possible. The connection can takes place by means of a weld seam, by means of an adhesive connection, by clamping, by casting, or by means of introducing a guide wire or strip made of other materials as well. The welding seam is preferably generated by laser welding.
The outlet part can have the shape of a screw closure, a cover, a reclosable cap, a valve, or a suitable stopper or cork.
The outlet part is preferably mounted in the lower or upper third of the packaging container.
The outer cover partially or completely encloses the inner flexible bag, for example, except for the area of the outlet part. Correspondingly, a cutout is introduced in said area of the outer cover, for example.
The outlet part having the inner flexible bag attached thereto can be attached at the area about said cutout in the outer cover. The connection can take place by means of a welding seam, a glued connection, a punching process, a plug connection, a clamping device, or by means of introducing a guide wire, including made of other materials. It can also be that the tear open seam is located at a completely different location (see Figures) due to certain clamping connections, and the container can then be more easily separated from the inner bag by releasing said tear open seam. This version can thus also be applied.
The connection by means of an adhesive connection or a clamped connected is preferred. The connection must ensure the required minimum level of stability for the packaging container, while said connection must be easily separated by pulling on the outlet part with little exerted force when disposing of the components of the packaging container after use.
Said inner flexible bag is preferably not connected to the outer cover over the entire surface thereof. The outer cover can provide the shape and stability and can also serve for printing advertising and product information.
Connection of the inner bag to the outer cover not over the entire surface preferably means punctiform and/or linear adhesion or interlocking, wedging, or pinching. In some preferred embodiments, the inner bag is connected to the outer cover at 1-20 places in a punctiform or linear manner. It is also possible that the bag is not connected to the outer cover at all, and that the stability arises solely due to the shape of the bag, for example, such as for a side fold bag that can be ideally inserted in cuboid containers without rotating or collapsing. A preferred embodiment of the inner flexible bag is the tubular bag. Said tubular bag does not necessarily have to have the form of a tube, rather, it is possible to provide the tubular bag with a certain shape, so that the tubular bag can have approximately the shape of a cylinder, cube, cuboid, tetrahedron, polygonal container, star, triangle, heart, wedge, liner, oval cylinder, bag, tube, bottle, triangular prism, a pyramid, or sphere, and thus can match the contours on the inner side of the outer cover that has a comparable shape or some surfaces of a body of comparable shape. The inner flexible preferably makes very close contact with the inner side of the outer cover in the completely filled state. The inner flexible bag is preferably produced from only one material or a composite material such as polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyester, polyurethane, or multi-ply materials made from the preceding materials or other common plastics for storing liquids and primarily food products. The material for the flexible bag is thus preferably made of a plastic film that can be constructed from up to 7 layers of potentially different materials. Said plastic bags can also, however, be vapor coated with aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, and/or other materials producing a barrier. Depending on the contents for the flexible bag, said bag must protect the contents against water entry or CO2 exit, must be resistant to acid, resistant to alcohol, or protect against sunlight, so that layers deflecting sunlight, reflective to sunlight, or colored flexible bags can be used.
The packaging container comprises a outlet part or a pour opening located at a position, for example, where it is possible to pour out substantially the entire contents of the package. The outlet part can further preferably have a valve allowing only the discharge of the contents of the packaging container, but not allowing any air or liquid to enter the inner bag in the opposite direction. The outlet part is preferably located at a corner or an edge or an optimal point prescribed by the shape of the carton or bag of the floor or a side part, and can also be located at the center of any side of the package. The advantage of said embodiment is that when the fluid, powder, or granulate is discharged, no or very little air enters the interior of the packaging container, and so the liquid or powder or granulate present in the interior, and any other goods, make no or very little contact with the air. Oxidation processes are thus prevented, ensuring a longer shelf life of the food products if the packaging container is filled with food products. A valve installed in the outlet part and the flexible packaging of the packaging container causes the inner flexible bag to collapse due to the weight of the liquid and the vacuum created when emptying. Due to the elastic design, the inner flexible bag does not take on any or only very little air, protecting the contents of the bag and leading to a longer shelf life of the contents of the bag.
In order to release the liquid from the packaging container, the packaging container has a pour opening or outlet opening, preferably but not necessarily having a valve. Said valve, which can be used as a pour spout or metering device must prevent oxygen from entering the packaging container after the liquid or solid is poured out, and must prevent further liquid or powder from flowing out of the bag.
An example of a valve that can be used according to the invention is shown in the FIGS. 4-7. FIGS. 4-7 show the construction of the valve, which can further have a cover comprising a screw closure. The valve comprises openings for discharging the contents of the bag. An embodiment of a valve having three openings is shown in FIG. 7, wherein a different number of openings is also possible. A pin on which a rubber ring is placed, as shown in FIGS. 4, 6, and 7, is present in the middle of the valve. The rubber ring allows only the discharge of the contents of the flexible bag from the inside to the outside through the three openings, wherein the rubber ring bulges outward under the pressure exerted by the contents of the bag and the contents of the bag pass by the rubber ring on the sides thereof. As soon as pressure is no longer exerted on the contents of the bag due to the weight of the liquid, a vacuum arises in the flexible bag, ensuring that the rubber ring in the valve is drawn inward and thus closes the three openings in the valve.
As soon as the weight of the bulk material is no longer sufficient to overcome the tension of the rubber valve, and because there is then no longer very much bulk material in the container, so that final emptying will occur soon, the rubber valve can be pulled out, for example by means of a small nipple, and the outlet is then continuous open for final emptying.
Other potential forms of a valve could also be made of a tubular outlet, wherein the tube comprises a thicker part at one point, wherein a displaceable sphere is captured, such that the sphere opens the tube fitting leading to the packaging container when pressure is exerted on the contents of the bag, so that the bag can be emptied, and when pressure is exerted from the outside into the tube, or due to vacuum in the flexible bag, the sphere is pressed or drawn in the direction of the bag and closes the tube fitting of the outlet running in the direction of the bag.
The present invention also fundamentally functions without a valve, as long as the flexible bag is not actively expanded again when emptying the flexible bag and before closing off the outlet part, so that air, gas, or liquid can enter the bag.
For conventional packaging containers for liquid food products from the state of the art, such as the known Tetra-Pak®, a multiple material technology based on a carton is typically used, wherein the same rigid material is used on all surfaces for the design of the packaging container. By using a plurality of relatively rigid materials, the result is necessarily a rigid and inflexible design. The lack of elasticity of the packaging material and a pour opening mounted in the upper area also cause air to flow into the container, whereby the product comes into contact with air and the product, if it is a food product, thus spoils more quickly. Packaging that is constructed from diverse materials glued to each other over the entire surface area, not according to the Tetra-Pak® principle, on the other hand, are difficult to stack, rupture more easily, or lose stability when emptied.
Stackability is understood to mean that at least 3 palettes having 11 layers each of completely filled packaging containers can be placed one atop the other without an enclosing carton and without the stack collapsing.
Said disadvantages from the state of the art are overcome by means of the present invention. In particular, easily recycled, strong, stackable packaging containers are provided that also can be emptied easily and completely and prevent air from entering the inner bag when emptying, even without a valve. The packaging containers according to the invention of said embodiment are preferably made of only three materials (other than adhesive), namely preferably a plastic for the inner flexible bag, a plastic for the outlet part, and a carton, plastic, or other material, including natural material for example, for the outer cover.
The object of the invention is to allow easy separation of the different components of the packaging container, that is, the outer cover and the inner flexible bag having the outlet part. After the packaging container is used, the user, another person, or an appropriate device can pull on the outlet part away from the surface in which the outlet part is present in the direction perpendicular to the same for said embodiment. The optional punctiform or linear connection of the inner flexible bag to the outer cover is thereby optionally released. In any case, the outlet part is thereby completely removed from the connection thereof to the segment placed about the cutout in the outer cover. According to the invention, this can be done without a problem with little effort. It is thus possible that the outflow part and the inner flexible bag attached thereto can be pulled out through the cutout. After separating, said two components can be separately disposed of or recycled. According to the invention, such disposal is possible for a completely emptied, partially emptied, full, or never filled state.
In this manner, difficult material separation as is often required in the state of the art for packaging for milk, for example, is eliminated.
The packaging container presented here has an inner flexible bag and an outer cover and preferably comprises a square or rectangular shape, or another shape having a base surface, up to one top surface, up to two side surfaces, a front surface, and a back surface. The invention is fundamentally not limited to particular packaging shapes, so that unusual shapes such as hearts, starts, tetrahedrons, pyramids, wedges, spheres, or the like can be used, wherein the cube or cuboid shape is preferred.
The outer cover can alternatively be made of glass and have the shape of a bottle. An advantage of said variant is that cleaning of the bottles is thereby eliminated, and only the inner bag must be cleaned to the level required for food products.
A further preferred shape of the packaging container is the triangular prism. Said preferred shape of a packaging container has an outer cover forming the three side surfaces of the triangular prism. A preferably cylindrical tubular bag or a tubular bag having a shape also approximating a triangular prism is present within the cover.
The outer cover for said embodiments, preferably a carton or cardboard or a plastic, can be formed from a rectangular matrix that is folded appropriately and connected or glued along an overlapping part. The triangular prism preferably comprises either three equally sized side surface and an equilateral triangle as a base surface (a=b=c) or two equally sized side surfaces and an isosceles triangle as a base surface (a=b≠c).
Some embodiments of the outer cover can be produced according to the invention to be solid, such that they are also suitable for using carbonated beverages in the inner flexible bag. A pressure can thereby build up over time due to released CO2 within the inner flexible bag, which can lead to a significant increase in the volume of the inner flexible bag. The pressure caused by the increase in volume of the inner flexible bag on the outer cover can be resisted by the same due to the sufficient strength thereof.
A further embodiment relates to a cylindrical outer cover having an inner flexible bag attached therein and filled with granulate of household chemicals such as drain cleaner. According to the invention, the solid outer cover and the inner flexible bag can be separately disposed of or recycled.
In further embodiments, an inner flexible bag can also be used, the volume thereof in the filled state being significantly smaller than the outer cover. If said inner flexible bag having a small volume collapses or displaces within the outer cover in an inappropriate manner when the bulk material is removed, then said inner flexible bag having a small volume can be attached to the outer cover by means of a special mounting element. According to the invention, adhesive points or strips can be used here as well, or a hooking device of a corresponding size. An insulating air layer is thereby created between the inner bag and the outer container, keeping the bulk material cool or warm for a longer time.
An outlet optionally having a valve can be present at the top edge of the packaging container. A further preferred location for mounting the outlet is the top area of an edge between two side surfaces.
The outlet for the packaging containers according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The outlet can comprise an external thread in order to be able to close off the outlet by means of a plug.
FIG. 4 shows an outlet having an inner valve allowing only the discharge of the contents, but not allowing the entry of air or liquid.
The outer cover of the packaging container can be made from carton, cardboard, paper, fabric, edible materials such as corn or soy, bamboo, wood, plastic, cellulose, glass, a natural material, a textile material, leather, a composite material, metal, or a metal alloy, wherein carton, cardboard, and plastic are preferred and carton is particularly preferred. It is preferred if only one material is used for the outer cover. The outer cover is further preferably not laminated, coated, or constructed of multiple layers, does not comprises aluminum foil, and is not connected or glued over the entire area to the material containing the pourable liquid or the pourable solid. The outer cover can also preferably be produced from a folding template. It is not necessary to connect at least two individual parts in order to obtain the outer cover.
The connection, preferably gluing, of the inner flexible bag to the outer cover can be applied as punctiform and/or in strips or adhesive strips, so that the packaging container obtains the required stability but can be easily separated from the bag in order to be disposed of separately. Combinations of punctiform adhesive and linear or strip or circular adhesive can be used. Each of said 1-20 adhesive places are adhesive areas of greater than 4 mm2. In place of up to 20 of said large-area adhesive locations, several hundred or even several thousand small-area adhesive locations can be used, being then preferably distributed over the area of the carton uniformly or according to a particular pattern. The type and design of the individual adhesive areas is not significant, but it is important that full-surface adhesion is avoided, and the adhesive area is preferably significantly less than 50% of the total inner carton surface, preferably less than 40% of the total inner carton surface, further preferably less than 30% of the total inner carton surface, and particularly preferably less than 20% of the total inner carton surface.
It is essential that preferably no full-surface adhesion takes place, wherein full-surface is understood to mean adhesion of an area of 50% or greater.
In place of or in addition to punctiform adhesive, a linear adhesive connection can also take place, extending along the edges or on the surfaces, for example. The adhesive lines can run horizontally or vertically or diagonally, in straight lines, zigzag shapes, or waves, or can also have no geometry. The individual lines can be parallel to each other, approaching each other, or disposed without geometry, can extend along the side surface, can be continuous or interrupted, and can be extended by punctiform adhesive.
It is preferable that the surface on which the previously described punctiform or linear adhesive is applied is the surface opposite the inner side of the outlet part.
Said type of punctiform and/or linear adhesive connection is significantly different from the adhesive connection of packaging containers from the state of the art. For the Tetra-Pak®, for example, a full-surface adhesive connection is used. The packaging container according to the invention thus avoids said known disadvantages by saving adhesive resources and therefore leads to easily separable material combinations and fixations. The packaging container thus also has a better recycling property, as the carton can be more easily separated from the packaging container with a punctiform adhesive connection.
For a further preferred embodiment, the adhesive can detach successively, or be detached successively, depending on the fill level of the inner flexible bag, whereby the inner flexible bag is not held open mechanically but can fold or roll together more easily, but the reduced adhesive surface will not negatively affect the stability of the entire packaging container, because the fill level and thus the mass of liquid or solid in the inner bag has become less and the remaining adhesive area ensures the required stability.
Particularly important for the packaging containers according to the invention is that said containers are stackable and sufficiently dimensionally stable to allow stacking of the packaging containers, reducing the space required to a minimum and saving transport costs.
Due to the very good stability and very good stackability thereof, packaging containers in the shape of a triangular prism are also very preferred.
A further important consideration is the recyclability of the materials of which the packaging container according to the invention is made. By using only three materials (carton and two plastics), better recycling properties are achieved relative to packaging containers from the state of the art that are filled with liquid or powdered food products. It should be emphasized that the packaging container according to the invention is not made of a composite material, as are used for packaging containers from the state of the art. The inner flexible bag may indeed be made from a plurality of materials or material layers that do not, however, need to be separated from each other and that can be recycled together. Often the outlet part made of plastic can be disposed of together with the inner flexible bag.
By using only a few different materials, not only does the packaging container according to the invention provide a packaging container for particularly liquid or powdered food products that can be very well introduced into the recycling stream, but substantially cost-efficient production of the packaging container according to the invention can also be achieved. Preferably only one material or only one composite material is used for the inner flexible bag, as well as only one material for the outer cover. After separating the outer cover and the inner bag, two recyclable materials, namely plastic and typically carton, are obtained and can be introduced into two recycling streams. Other than the adhesive and the outlet part, the packaging container according to the invention thus preferably comprises only two materials or material types. Said two materials or material types are preferably a plastic and a carton or cardboard.
Said advantageous combination of properties of the packaging container presented here is surprising and provides additional functional characteristics to the packaging container according to the invention relative to packaging containers produced according to the state of the art. The packaging container according to the invention is stackable and provides optimal space utilization, is very easy to recycle, can be completely emptied, and prevents the entry of air or liquid into the container, whereby the contents have a longer shelf life.
The present invention thus relates to packaging containers preferably for liquid food products, wherein the packaging containers preferably do not fill with air when emptied. It is further advantageous if the inner bag is preformed in the shape of the outer cover, that is in the shape of the packaging container, and thus comprises a cuboid shape, cube shape, tetrahedral shape, pyramidal shape, wedge shape, prism shape, etc. in the fully filled state. It is finally also essential to the invention that there is no full-surface adhesive or other connection between the inner bag and the outer cover, the cover and bag are not laminated to each other, and the material forming the bag is not an inner layer of the outer cover, and the material forming the bag can be easily separated from the outer cover by the consumer.
The present invention further relates to a method for separately disposing of the inner flexible bag and outer cover, comprising the following steps:

- a) Providing a packaging container according to one of the preceding claims;
- b) Separating the outlet part and the inner flexible bag attached thereto from the outer cover by pulling on the outlet part;
- c) Pulling the outlet part and the inner flexible bag attached thereto out of the outer cover; and
- d) Separately disposing of the inner flexible bag having the outlet part attached thereto and the outer cover.

The present invention further comprises a method for producing and filling a packaging container as previously described, comprising the following steps:

- a) Providing a filled, partially filled, or non-filled inner flexible bag having an outlet opening, an outer cover, and an outlet part;
- b) Fixedly connecting the outlet part to the outlet opening of the inner flexible bag;
- c) Inserting the composite of the outlet part and the inner flexible bag into the outer cover, wherein the outlet part makes contact in the area of the cutout of the outer cover;
- d) Attaching the inner flexible bag to the inner side of the outer cover at 1 to 20 locations in a punctiform or linear manner;
- e) Attaching the outlet part in the area of the cutout of the outer cover.

Subsequently to the previously described method, the follow step can also be optionally performed:

- f) If the inner flexible bag was not filled or was partially filled for step a), complete or partial filling of the packaging container by means of the outlet part.

In a further preferred embodiment, an optional carry handle is a part of the packaging system. In practice, transporting a plurality of the previously described packaging containers has proven to be difficult. In the state of the art there are already outer packagings that collate a plurality of packaging units. In the field of liquid food products, the so-called “six-pack” is well known. Here an outer packaging made of carton, or in rare cases made of plastic, encloses six bottle disposed adjacent to each other in two groups of three. Depending on the embodiment, more comfortable transportation is possible, and sometimes said outer packaging serves only for ensuring that the consumer purchases a minimum quantity. The disadvantage of such outer packagings is the production of additional waste material. The carton or plastic material used therefor can, in the best case, be introduced to the general recycled material flow for said category. Tearing open the outer packaging is also not always possible without trouble.
Said problem is solved for the previously described embodiments by the carry handle according to the invention. Said flat part is made of a rectangular base inserted between the packaging containers disposed in a row of two, and an upper part protruding as an extension of the rectangular base to the top side of the row of two packaging containers. Said upper part can also have the shape of a rectangle, wherein the dimensions do not need to correspond to those of the rectangular base, or it can be trapezoidal in shape. For the trapezoidal shape, the shorter parallel side is preferably located on the top side of the upper part. A cutout is made in the upper part, forming a handle area, allowing transportation of the packaging system by inserting the fingers.
Suitable materials are hard plastics, hard fiber, solid carton, metal, metal alloys, wood, composite materials, fiberglass, rattan, or combinations thereof. The upper part and the rectangular base do not have to be made from the same material. A uniform material is, however, preferred. Embodiments made of hard plastic are particularly preferable.
The carry handle according to the invention comprises an attachment region at the height of each packaging container on the outer sides of the rectangular base, allowing stable connection of the carry handle to the packaging containers. At the same time, said attachment must, however, allow the individual packaging container to be separated from the carry handle, and thus from the entire carrying unit, with little effort.
Said attachment region can be made of a plurality of adhesive points. Said adhesive points provide the required strength but are easily separated. In a preferred embodiment, each packaging container is connected to the carry handle by means of two attachment regions applied one over the other. Each of said attachment regions comprises a plurality of adhesive points disposed in the shape of a circle or ellipsoid. Separation at said adhesive points takes place by simply tearing off the carry handle. Alternatively, a thin, continuous adhesive line or a plurality of thin, linear circular or ellipsoid adhesive segments can be used. For said embodiments, full-surface adhesive is not required and therefore not preferred. After separating all packaging containers, the carry handle can either be used again in a dedicated recycling process after a cleaning step in order to remove the residual adhesives, or can be introduced into a material recycling flow corresponding to the material thereof.
In a further preferred embodiment, full-surface adhesive is present between two circular or oval attachment regions applied one over the other between the carry handle and the packaging container. The carry handle is perforated at the edge of such an attachment region. The distance between the perforation holes is designed such that simple tearing at the carry handle leads to an intended rupture at said perforation line. The glued areas of the carry handle thus remain on the packaging container, while an intended cutout is formed in the carry handle in said areas. After separating all packaging containers, the carry handle can be introduced to a recycling material flow corresponding to the material thereof, but is not suitable for direct recycling.
In a preferred embodiment, the carry handle is made from two halves that are mirror images and connected to each other by means of a fold line or a hinged connection. Such a method of production allows the adhesive required for attachment to be applied to only one side of the carry handle. The two mirror-image halves are brought into contact with each other by folding one half at the fold line or the hinged connection, so that the two sides coated with adhesive are positioned facing outward. In further embodiments, the two halves can also be connected to each other for the purpose of stabilization by at least one further adhesive connection, a plug connection, a button connection, a folding mechanism, a clip device, or combinations thereof. A folding mechanism is preferred, wherein the cutout is punched out only on three sides in the grip area of one or both mirror-image halves, while the side facing upward during the carrying process is not punched out, but comprises a fold line or a hinged connection. Such an arrangement makes it possible that when the two mirror-image halves are placed one above the other, the material part of one half remaining in the grip area can be bent through the grip to the opposite side of the carry handle and folded upward there. If such a remaining material part is also present on the opposite side, said part is also folded upward. The two mirror-image halves are thereby stabilized adjacent to each other. In an alternative embodiment, the first material part remaining in the grip area comprises only one half of the cutout area, wherein the separation line is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cutout area. A complementary second material part is present in the mirror-image half of the carry handle in the area of the grip not covered by the first material part. Said arrangement allows the first and the second material part to be fed through the corresponding grip of the mirror-image half and bent upward there, in order to stabilize the carry handle.
In alternative embodiments, hook-and-loop fasteners can be used. The attachment regions described in the preceding embodiments are each formed by a hook strips or a loop strip of a hook-and-loop fastener. Square or rectangular attachment regions are thereby preferred. It is not important here whether the hook strip or the loop strip is applied to the carry handle or the packaging container. An advantage of said embodiment is that the carry handle can be reused immediately. If the outer cover of the packaging container is also made of plastic, then the outer cover and the part of the hook-and-loop fastener present thereon can be disposed of together, or optionally introduced to a recycling system.
In a further embodiment, the connection between the carry handle and the packaging containers is made by magnetic forces. A permanent magnet is thereby installed in the attachment region of the carry handle, while a magnetizable substance is present in the corresponding attachment region in the outer cover of the packaging container. A light pull or push on the packaging container separates the same from the carry handle. An advantage of said embodiment is again that the carry handle can be reused immediately.
A further preferred group of embodiments of the packaging system according to the invention relates to the nature of the outer cover. For said embodiments, the outer cover is made of at least two hard, mirror-image hollow shapes or hard shells connected to each other on one side by means of at least one hinged connection, while the two hard shells are releasably connected to each other at the opposite side for mirror-image joining of the two hard shells by means of at least one closure mechanism, thus forming a hollow body. The at least two hard shells each comprise a flat base part, forming the base of the outer cover and thus of the packaging container according to the invention when joined together. The area of said base parts must have a ratio relative to the vertical dimensions of the hard shells allowing stable storage of the inner flexible bag in the vertical position in both the filled and the emptied state. Said outer cover having such a nature must also comprise a cutout into which the outlet part and the inner flexible bag connected thereto is inserted. Said outlet part is present either in the top or in the bottom third of the corresponding hard shell. If the cutout for receiving the outlet part is present at the top side of the upright packaging container, the cutout can be mounted in the center, that is, if two mirror-image hard shells are used, a semicircular cutout having the same radius is made in the center of the edge making contact in the center, adjoining each other to form a circular cutout when the two half shells are brought together. When using more than two hard shells, or two hard shells of different sizes, the cutout changes accordingly. Embodiments having two mirror-image hard shells are, however, particularly preferred. The cutout can alternatively also be made on only one side of the surface. In this case, the hard shells would therefore be asymmetrical in the area of the top sides thereof. Alternatively, there are also embodiments according to the invention wherein the outlet part is located at the bottom side of the packaging container. Said embodiment are exact mirror images of those previously described. For some embodiment, the outlet part is further mounted in the lower third of the packaging container. Variants having an outlet tap are preferred.
The invention thus relates to a packaging container for pourable liquids, powders, and granulates comprising an inner flexible bag having an outlet opening, and outlet part, and an outer cover, wherein the inner flexible bag is fixedly connected to the outlet part, the outer cover encloses the inner flexible bag, the inner flexible bag is separably connected to the outer cover by means of the outlet part inserted in a recess, the outer cover is made of at least two swing-open hard shells connected to each other for swinging open by means of at least one hinged joint and having a releasable closure mechanism.
A packaging container for pourable liquids, powders, and granulates comprising an inner flexible bag having an outlet opening, an outer cover, and an outlet part is preferred, wherein the inner flexible bag is not connected to the outer cover, the outer cover is made of two mirror-image hard shells connected to each other by means of at least one hinged connection on the one side of the hard shells and by means of at least one releasable closure mechanism on the opposite side of the hard shells, or by means of at least two releasable closure mechanisms, the outer cover completely encloses the inner flexible bag except for the area of the outlet part, the inner flexible bag is fixedly connected to the outlet part, and the inner flexible bag is reversibly attached to the bottom edge of the outer cover.
In further embodiments, according to the invention, there can also be at least two cutouts for inserting the outlet part into the hard shells. Said cutouts can be made in arbitrary combinations on the corresponding sides. It is, however, preferred that the at least two cutouts are located on the same side. For example, one cutout can be made in each top side of a hard shell. It is preferable to install exactly one outlet part having an associated inner flexible bag in each cutout. Embodiments are also conceivable, however, wherein at least two outlet parts are present on one inner flexible bag and are then inserted in the at least two cutouts. It is also conceivable that one or more cutouts are not used.
The outlet part can be produced as for the previously described embodiments preferably having an outer cover made of carton. Here again embodiments having a valve allowing only the discharge of the contents of the packaging container, but not allowing any air or liquid to enter the inner bag in the opposite direction, are preferred.
The materials for the hard shells must comprise sufficient stability and wear resistance.
Suitable materials are plastics, composite materials, metal, metal alloys, hard fiber, wood, glass, stone, ceramic, porcelain, ceramides, pressed cardboard, cellulose, leather, hardened bast, rattan, natural materials, textile materials, and combinations thereof.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the hard shells are made entirely of plastic. Suitable plastics are polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PET), polyester, polystyrene, polyamide, polycarbonate, and other polymers preferably comprising no halogens.
There are no fundamental size requirements for the hard shells according to the invention. Sizes that can be used for household use or typical retail purchase quantities, however, are preferred. Product information, advertisements, or a two or three-dimensional design can optionally be applied to the outer sides of the hard shells.
In a preferred embodiment, one or two of the side surface of the hard shells comprise a handle suitable for allowing removal by gripping with the fingers. For industrial uses, a handle or a grip edge can also be used that can serve as a contact point for a gripper arm.
The hinged connection between the hard shells can be permanent or separable. In the latter case, the hard shells can be separated or optionally replaced or combined again for different designs.
All typical possibilities can be considered for the hinged components. The hinge components can be made of the materials listed above for the flat parts. The flat parts and hinge components are preferably made of the same material. The hinge components can be rotated to nearly 360°, limited only by the thickness of the flat parts, or can comprise blocking devices allowing rotation of approximately 180° or 90°.
The opposite separable closure mechanism can be a pushbutton, a flap, a clip, an insertion tab, a plug connection, a click connection, a hook connection, a snap closure, a screw connection, an adhesive connection, or a seam.
Said closure mechanism can be mounted unidirectionally or in parallel (bidirectionally.)
A closure mechanism wherein at least one hinged connection is made of at least one return spring is also considered to be according to the invention. No such device is thereby mounted at the edges of the hard shells where a connection is present in the previously described embodiments. The spring constant for each return spring is selected such that little force is required for opening the hard shells, and that the hard shells close tightly again after loading or removing the inner flexible bag, thus ensuring secure transportation and secure use of the packaging container.
In some embodiments, said hinged connection can also be replaced by a releasable closure type described above. In this case, the hard shells can be completely separated from each other. For said embodiments, it is preferred that the releasable closures between the hard shells are identical.
In further preferred embodiments, hook-and-loop fasteners or magnetic connections are used as previously described for the carry handle.
For further variants, the previously described hinged connection is located in the upper part or the base of the packaging container produced as a flat part. In this case, the side parts are connected to each other by means of two releasable closure mechanisms as previously described. Here again it is preferred that the releasable closure mechanisms are identical. The cutout for receiving the outlet part in the hard shell is then preferably located at the side, or on the side opposite the hinged connection.
A seal made of paper or plastic can optionally be applied over the at least one releasable closure mechanism. It can thereby be ensured that no exchange or removal of the inner flexible bag has been done by the producer or by a vendor between filling and loading. Such a seal can thus be used as an original certificate.
The packaging containers made of hard shells can be egg-shaped, eggplant-shaped, pear-shaped, kidney-shaped, bell-shaped, spherical, cylindrical, conical, in the shape of a conical section, cuboid, pyramidal, or combinations thereof.
Arbitrary shapes of cutouts can also be made in the side parts as desired. Material can thereby be saved from the hard shells, and visibility into to the interior of the hollow body having the inner flexible bag is made possible. Furthermore, according to the invention, the surface of the side parts can be varied, such as by a circumferential wavy shape. Said shape can cover the entire surface or only a certain segment of the side parts. An advantage arises from the improved accessibility for household use.
The side parts of the hard shells in said embodiments, if not covering the full surface, can be made of a frame comprising vertical, horizontal, or diagonal bars each at a quantity of 0-10, preferably 1-5, more preferably 2-3, or can have a mesh structure. Said bars can be not only linear, but can also take on arbitrary curves, circles, waves, zigzag shapes, and the like.
The outlet part having the inner flexible bag attached thereto must be inserted in the cutout in the hard shell provided therefor. Any typical clamping and closure mechanisms are thereby conceivable. If the packaging container comprises only one cutout for receiving the outlet part, that is, each hard shell comprises a semicircular cutout made at the edge of the top part, the outlet part is inserted in one of the two semicircular cutouts. One edge of the outlet part makes annular contact directly above and directly below the top part. When the two hard shells are closed, the inner flexible bag is thus clamped between the two hard shells. The two annular edges above and below the top part of the hard shells prevent the inner flexible bag from being unintentionally pulled out of the outer cover, or from falling out, or the outlet part from falling into the interior of the packaging container, particularly in a state of advanced emptiness.
If at least two cutouts are present in the hard shells for receiving the outlet part, then a corresponding quantity of keyhole-shaped openings are present at the contact edges of the top parts of the hard shells. The outlet part thereby comes into the central circular part of the cutout, wherein the narrowest location of the tapering access part of the cutout, located at the edge of the central circular part of the cutout, functions as a clamping mechanism. The outlet part can be attached and later removed with little effort in this manner.
The inner flexible bag must be attached according to the invention to one or both hard shells on the side opposite the outlet part, in order to allow optimal emptying of the bag contents. Said attachment is preferably a process that is easy to perform intuitively understood.
In a preferred embodiment, one or both flat shells comprises a hooking device for the contacting side of the inner flexible bag. The hook can thereby be on the flat part and the loop on the inner flexible bag, or the loop can be on the flat part and the hook on the inner flexible bag.
In a further preferred embodiment, the bottom side of the inner flexible bag is made so as to have a press seam or a weld seam. The inner flexible bag is inserted into a guide rail by means of said seam, said rail being present on the contacting side of the flat shell or flat shells. The guide rail is preferably mounted on the guide rail such that when the hard shells are brought together, both halves of the guide rail form a continuum. Said guide rail retains the inner flexible bag in position and prevents the inner flexible bag from unintentionally sliding out of the rail during transport and/or use. Said guide rail can be a simple clamping mechanism, or an additional, actively operated clamping mechanism, such as a knurled screw or a clamping switch. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the inner flexible bag comprises sufficient material below said seam that some of the seam protrudes in the form of two strips. By means of said region, said seam is inserted in such a rail from the side, wherein the seam makes contact with a bottleneck in the profile of the guide rail. Unintentional sliding out is thereby prevented.
In a further embodiment, the inner flexible bag is attached to one or both hard shells by means of a hook-and-loop fastener on the side facing away from the outlet part on the contacting surface of one or both hard shells. It is thereby not important whether the hook strip is applied to the inner flexible bag and the loop strip to the hard shell, or vice versa.
In a further preferred embodiment, a permanent magnet is present in the bases of the hard shells, while a magnetizable material is present in the contacting side of the inner flexible bag. The magnetic forces arising from the contact make it possible to retain the inner flexible bag in the desired stable position within the folded outer cover. At the same time, however, said magnetic forces can be overcome by a slight application of force by user, another person, or a device, thereby allowing separation of the inner flexible bag from said hard shells without a problem.
For the use of hard shells as well, in further embodiments, an inner flexible bag can also be used, the volume thereof in the filled state being significantly smaller than the outer cover. Here again the inner flexible bag is optionally attached to the outer cover by means of a special mounting element. According to the invention, a correspondingly sized hooking device can be used for this purpose.
Advantages of using hard shells as the outer cover of the packaging container according to the invention are robustness and easy application and removal of the inner flexible bag.
The use of hard shells is also particularly well suited for a recycling system, forming a part of the packaging system according to the invention. After removing the inner flexible bag, the hard shells are already separated at the releasable closure mechanism. While the inner flexible bag can be introduced to a suitable material recycling stream, the hard shells can be used again immediately. As a rule, no cleaning step is required. Otherwise the hard shells can also be recycled. Collection points at a retailer and/or producer of the inner flexible bag having a particular content are suitable for this purpose. The hard shells can be loaded with a new inner flexible bag on site, or can be collected and brought to such a site.
If the hard shells have rounded side parts, then said shells can be stacked in one another particularly easily for saving space. Connected by means of the hinged connection, two piles growing at the same rate arise adjacent to each other. If the hard shells are also separated at the hinged connection, they can of course be stacked in one another in one or more piles.
This is particularly well suited for collection points in consumer markets and for industrial operations where many hard shells are used. When stacked in one another, said shells can easily be brought to the intended site.
Said embodiments using hard shells as outer covers also relate to a method for separately disposing of the inner flexible bag and outer cover, comprising the following steps:

- a) Providing a packaging container according to one of the preceding claims;
- b) Unfolding the hard shells of the outer cover;
- c) Pulling the outlet part and the inner flexible bag attached thereto out of the corresponding hard shell; and
- d) Separately disposing of the inner flexible bag having the outlet part attached thereto and the outer cover.

Said embodiments further relate to a method for producing and filling a packaging container, comprising the following steps:

- a) Providing a filled, partially filled, or non-filled inner flexible bag having an outlet opening, an outer cover, and an outlet part;
- b) Inserting the outlet part into the outlet opening of the inner flexible bag;
- c) Inserting the composite of the outlet part and the inner flexible bag into the outer cover, wherein the outlet part makes contact in the area of the cutout of said hard shells;
- d) Attaching the side of the inner flexible bag facing away from the outlet part to the side of the outer cover facing away from the cutout of the outer cover; and
- e) Closing the hard shells.

The following step can also be optionally performed subsequently to the previously described method:

In a further preferred embodiment, the outer cover is made from a plurality of flat parts. Said flat parts can be formed into a suitable outer cover for the packaging container according to the invention by suitable folding. Said outer cover encloses the inner flexible bag nearly completely in the folded state. At least one of said flat parts has a cutout suitable for the outlet part and the inner flexible bag attached thereto to be attached to said flat part or alternatively to be inserted in the cutout. The flat parts adjacent to each other in the unfolded state are displaceable relative to each other either by a fold or a by at least one hinge component. The flat part located distally to the outlet part in the folded state has an attachment device for the inner flexible bag. Furthermore, the flat parts adjacent to each other in the folded state but not in the unfolded state comprise at least one mutually tuned closure device allowing the outer cover to remain in the folded state and the entire packaging container to be stabilized. The inner flexible bag, in turn, is fixedly connected to the outlet part.
The term ‘flat parts’ describes the side parts, the base, and the top cover of the outer cover of the packaging container according to the invention.
The ‘unfolded state’ in this context means that the flat part are folded so as to form a two-dimensional shape or plane. In said state, the flat part adjacent to each other are retained to each other by a fold or a hinge component.
The ‘folded state’ in this context means that the flat parts are folded so as to form a three-dimensional shape or a spatial body having the shape of the packaging container according to the invention.
The flat parts in said embodiments can cover the full surface, can be made of a frame comprising vertical, horizontal, or diagonal bars each at a quantity of 0-10, preferably 1-5, more preferably 2-3, or can have a mesh structure.
Said bars can be not only linear, but can also take on arbitrary curves, circles, waves, zigzag shapes, and the like.
The flat parts can be made according to the invention out of carton, cardboard, paper, fabric, edible materials such as corn or soy, bamboo, wood, hard fiber, plastic, synthetic material, cellulose, glass, rattan, a natural material, a textile material, leather, a composite material, metal, or a metal alloy.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the flat parts are made entirely of plastic or synthetic material. Suitable plastics are polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PET), polyester, polystyrene, polyamide, polycarbonate, and other polymers preferably comprising no halogens.
Natural polymers such as starch, cellulose, and derivatives thereof are also suitable.
In a further embodiment, the flat parts comprise an intended folding line in the longitudinal axis or transverse axis thereof, or are made of two parts connected by means of at least one additional hinged connection as described below. Said additional subdivision can serve to improve stackability or easier transport of the unfolded outer cover. The intended folding line or the hinged connection are located preferably horizontally at the height of half the width or length of the flat parts.
According to the invention, however, the flat parts can also comprise at least two intended folding lines. A person skilled in the art can apply the same by implication using technical knowledge, or modify existing embodiments without deviating from the idea of the present invention.
According to the invention, at least the flat part intended for the top cover of the packaging container comprises a cutout for attaching the outlet part and the inner flexible bag connected thereto. Said cutout can be circular, or can have an access to a side of the top cover of the packaging container accessible when loading, whereby loading can take place by means of said side opening. Such a cutout in the shape of a keyhole is preferred. The outlet part thereby comes into the central circular part of the cutout, wherein the narrowest location of the tapering access part of the cutout, located at the edge of the central circular part of the cutout, functions as a clamping mechanism. The outlet part can be attached and later removed with little effort in this manner.
The outlet part can, however, also be attached by means of a hinged closure or a lever in further embodiments. Alternatively, an adhesive connection or a hook-and-loop fastener is also according to the invention.
All typical possibilities can be considered for the hinge components. The hinge components can be made of the materials listed above for the flat parts. The flat parts and hinge components are preferably made of the same material. The hinge components can be rotated to nearly 360°, limited only by the thickness of the flat parts, or can comprise blocking devices allowing rotation of approximately 180° or 90°.
Closure devices stabilizing the folded packaging container loaded with an inner flexible bag are located at the side surfaces of the flat parts that are not adjacent to each other in the unfolded state but are adjacent to each other in the folded state. All typical closure devices are conceivable for this purpose. Plug connections, hooking connections, snap closures and magnetic closures, hook-and-loop fasteners, and arbitrary combinations thereof are preferred. Plug connections are particularly preferred. Mounting of the corresponding complementary parts of a closure device to the side surfaces of the flat parts is conceivable in all combinations according to the invention.
The inner flexible bag and the outlet part in said embodiments comprise the same characteristics and potential variations as the previously described embodiments.
In a preferred embodiment, the flat part located opposite the outlet part comprises a hooking device of the adjacent side of the inner flexible bag. The hook can thereby be on the flat part and the loop on the inner flexible bag, or the loop can be on the flat part and the hook on the inner flexible bag.
In a further preferred embodiment, the bottom side of the inner flexible bag is made so as to have a press seam or a weld seam. By means of said seam, the inner flexible bag is inserted into a guide rail present on the inner side of the flat part of the outer cover intended as a lower cover. Said guide rail retains the inner flexible bag in position and prevents the inner flexible bag from unintentionally sliding out of the rail during transport and/or use. Said guide rail can be a simple clamping mechanism, or an additional, actively operated clamping mechanism, such as a knurled screw or a clamping switch. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the inner flexible bag comprises sufficient material below said seam that some of the seam protrudes in the form of two strips. By means of said region, said seam is inserted in such a rail from the side, wherein the seam makes contact with a bottleneck in the profile of the guide rail. Unintentional sliding out is thereby prevented.
In a further preferred embodiment, a permanent magnet is present in said flat part, while a magnetizable material is present in the contacting side of the inner flexible bag. The magnetic forces arising from the contact make it possible to retain the inner flexible bag in the desired stable position within the folded outer cover. At the same time, however, said magnetic forces can be overcome by a slight application of force by user, another person, or a device, thereby allowing separation of the inner flexible bag from said flat part without a problem.
For the use of foldable flat parts as well, in further embodiments, an inner flexible bag can also be used, the volume thereof in the filled state being significantly smaller than the outer cover. Here again the inner flexible bag is optionally attached to the outer cover by means of a special mounting element. According to the invention, a correspondingly sized hooking device can be used here as well.
One application of said embodiment having an outer cover made of foldable flat parts is the use thereof in an integrated recycling system. The bulk material, for example a drinkable liquid such as milk or orange juice, is provided enclosed in the inner flexible bag. Said inner flexible bag is inserted in the outer cover such that said flat parts are folded about the inner flexible bag. The inner flexible bag is thereby suspended or attached by means of the outlet part to the cutout of the flat part of the outer cover provided as the top cover. The inner flexible bag is attached at the underside thereof to the flat part of the outer cover provided as the base cover. The closure devices of the outer cover are closed, whereby the shape of the packaging container is stabilized and the packaging container can be used by the user. When no further bulk material can or should be removed from the packaging container, the outer cover and the inner flexible bag are separated from each other by reversing the steps described for assembly. The outer cover is used again in the same form. The outer cover is also optionally cleaned as needed after each use or at defined intervals. The inner flexible bag having the outlet part is introduced to a suitable recycling process.
An advantage for the use of sizes of the inner flexible bag and outer cover that are not matched to each other is that only one size of hard shells or foldable flat parts is required in order to market various volumes of an inner flexible bag. The recycling system for the outer cover is correspondingly simplified and optionally more easily standardized.
The assembly and disassembly of the packaging container according to the invention can be performed by the end consumer, the producer of the filled inner flexible bags, a vendor, or personnel specialized therein, or combinations thereof.
When using either hard shells or flat parts as the outer cover, said recycling system can be combined according to the invention with a deposit system, wherein the end consumer pays a deposit fee when purchasing an assembled and filled packaging container, and is repaid said fee when the unfolded outer cover and/or the emptied inner flexible bag is returned to a location provided for this purpose. Payment and refunding of the deposit fee can take place using cash, a credit card, a dedicated payment card produced for this purpose, deposit chips to be purchased in advance, or by invoicing.
The present invention accordingly relates to a method for loading and separating a packaging container comprising the following steps:

- a) Providing an outer cover and an inner flexible bag connected to the outlet part;
- b) Inserting the outlet part and the inner flexible bag connected thereto into the corresponding device at the cutout of a flat part;
- c) Using the packaging container as intended;
- d) Removing the outlet part and the inner flexible bag connected thereto from the corresponding device at the cutout of a flat part;
- e) Disposing of the outlet part and the inner flexible bag connected thereto;
- f) Unfolding the outer cover; and
- g) Reusing the outer cover.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows an inner flexible bag (5) according to the invention having a fixedly attached outlet part (9).

FIG. 2 shows the production and disposal of the packaging container (1) according to the invention.

- a) Outer cover (3). In said embodiment, the outer cover (3) is made of solid or corrugated cardboard.
- b) Inner flexible bag (5) having a fixedly connected outlet part (9). In said embodiment, the inner flexible bag (5) is a tubular bag having liquid contents.
- c) The inner flexible bag (5) having a fixedly connected outlet part (9), inserted in the outer cover (3). The red arrow points to a red dot representing the punctiform adhesive on the base of the outer cover (3).
- d) Principle of disposal: By pulling on the outlet part (9) in the direction of the arrow, said part is separated together with the fixedly attached inner flexible bag (5) from the adhesive on the base of the outer cover (3) and from the cutout (21) in the top cover of the outer cover (3) and pulled out through the cutout (21). Both components can then be disposed of separately.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of three potential embodiments of the packaging container (1) according to the invention.

FIG. 4 shows a potential form of an outlet part (9) having an inner valve.

FIG. 5 shows a potential form of an outlet part (9) having a closure, particularly a reclosable screw closure.

FIG. 6 shows a potential outlet part (9) having a thread and no valve.

FIG. 7 shows a different view of an outlet (9) having a thread and no valve.

FIG. 8 shows a carry handle having packaging containers mounted on both sides thereof.

FIG. 9 shows a carry handle having a grip for transporting and two attachment regions for three packaging containers (1) each disposed one above the other. The adhesive points disposed as ellipsoids are shown for each attachment region.

FIG. 10 shows a packaging container (1) after separating from the carry handle. The two fully glued attachment regions disposed one above the other have been broken out from the carry handle along the perforation line and remain on the packaging container.

FIG. 11 shows an expanded carry handle made of two mirror-image halves. The attachment regions having the adhesive points are applied to only one side. The cut-out lines allowing the material part to be ipsilaterally or contralaterally folded in the grip region are shown.

FIG. 12 shows packaging containers (1) wherein the outer cover (3) is made of hard shells. The mirror-image hard shells are connected at one side by means of a hinge connection. The opposite sides of the two hard shells are connected to each other by means of a pushbutton when joined together. The outlet part (9) of the inner flexible bag (5) can be inserted in the cutout (21) in the hard shell provided therefor. At the bottom left is shown how the two hard shells connected by the hinge connection can be stacked.

FIG. 13 shows a variant of the hard shells from FIG. 12. Here the hinge connection is located between the two hard shells at the bottom of the hard shells. Hard shells having such a design can be loaded similarly and stored one inside the other after use.

FIG. 14 shows a further variant of the hard shells from FIG. 12. Here the packaging container (1) is loaded with two inner flexible bags. Each of the two hard shells accordingly comprises a dedicated cutout (21) for receiving the outlet part (9) in the top part thereof, into which the corresponding inner flexible bag (5) is inserted.

FIG. 15 shows further potential embodiments for the hard shells according to the invention.

FIG. 16 shows a foldable outer cover (3) for a packaging container (1) according to the invention in the unfolded state. In said embodiment, the outer cover (3) will take on the shape of a cuboid in the folded state. The flat parts adjacent to each other in the unfolded state are displaceable relative to each other either by hinged components. The plug connections protruding out of the side surfaces of the flat parts form a potential closure device with the holes made accordingly in the flat parts making contact with each other in the folded state. A cutout (21) is made in the flat part provided as the top cover, at which the outlet part (9) having the fixedly connected inner flexible bag (5) can be inserted.

FIG. 17 shows three-dimensionally how a foldable outer cover (3) can be transformed from the unfolded state to the folded state.

FIG. 18 shows in a sequence of images from left to right how the inner flexible bag (5) can be inserted in the foldable outer cover (3). If the image sequence is read from right to left, it can be seen how the packaging container (1) can be disassembled after use into the two components again, which can in turn be introduced into separated recycling processes.

FIG. 19 shows a packaging container (1) having an outer cover (3) that can be plugged together, wherein the individual packaging containers (1) in turn can be plugged together, resulting in the six-pack shown, for example. The hook-shaped plug connections can be easily seen in FIG. 19.

FIG. 20 shows a packaging container (1) having an outer cover (3) that can be plugged together, wherein the individual packaging containers (1) in turn can be plugged together, resulting in the six-pack shown, for example. The plug connections having the shape of screw heads can be easily seen in FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 shows an individual packaging container (1) from the six-pack according to FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 shows a plug connection having the shape of a screw head, as is used for the packaging container (1) according to FIG. 21 and for the six-pack according to FIG. 20.

FIG. 23 shows various embodiments of the packaging container (1) having a “beak”, as is typical for packaging of fruit juice or milk, for example.

FIG. 24 shows further embodiments of the packaging container (1) as a horizontal cuboid, in a classical cuboid shape, and as a pyramid.

FIG. 25 shows embodiments of the inner flexible bag (5). At the top left, a side folding bag can be seen, providing integral standing ability due to the shape thereof, and not as easily collapsing when pouring out.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

A packaging container for 1 L of milk is described, comprising a tubular bag and an outer cover.
The tubular bag is made of polyethylene and is welded so as to have approximately the shape of a cuboid having edge lengths of 9.5 cm×5.5 cm×19.2 cm and a volume capacity of 1 L. Centered on the top side about 1.5 cm from the shorter edge is the outlet opening, optionally having a valve.
The outer cover is made of cardboard and comprises edge lengths of 10 cm×5.5 cm×19.5 cm.
The tubular bag is glued to the base of the outer cover by means of two adhesive strips disposed as a cross in the center of the base surface. The outlet opening of the tubular bag is further pulled through an opening in the outer carton and retained on both sides of the carton by means of a rubber ring. When the tubular bag is completely emptied, the bag can be pulled by the outlet opening through the corresponding cutout in the outer carton, wherein the adhesive on the base of the outer carton separates under the tensile stress and the adhesive largely remains on the tubular bag. The carton and tubular bag can thereby be separated easily and recycled.

Example 2

A packaging container for 1 L of mineral water is described, comprising an inner flexible tubular bag and an outer cover made of two mirror-image hard shells.
The tubular bag is made of polyethylene terephthalate and is welded so as to have approximately the shape of a cuboid having edge lengths of 9.5 cm×5.5 cm×19.2 cm and a volume capacity of 1 L. Centered on the top side about 1 cm from the shorter edge is the outlet opening, optionally having a valve.
The outer cover comprises eggplant-shaped hard shells made of polycarbonate and has a height of 19.5 cm.
The inner flexible cover comprises a hook and one of the two hard shells comprises an eye for hooking the inner flexible cover.
The top sides of the two hard shells each comprise a semicircular cutout having the same radius on the contact line thereof.
The two hard shells are attached to each other by means of a pushbutton, wherein one hard shell comprises the top part and the other hard shell comprises the bottom part of the pushbutton.

Example 3

A packaging container for 1 L of vinegar and 1 L of oil is described, comprising two inner flexible tubular bags and an outer cover made of two mirror-image hard shells.
One tubular bag is made of polyester and the other is made of polyurethane. Each comprise edge lengths of 9.5 cm×5.5 cm×19.2 cm and a volume capacity of 1 L. Centered at the top of each hard shell and approximately 1.3 cm from the shorter edge is an outlet opening, optionally having a valve.
The outer cover is made of cylindrical hard shells made of glass and comprises a height of 19.5 cm.
The two hard shells of the inner flexible cover each comprise a guide rail in which each press seam of the inner flexible bag can be clamped.
The top sides of the two hard shells each comprise a keyhole-shaped cutout at the contact line thereof, in which each outlet part of the inner flexible bag can be inserted and clamped.
The two hard shells are attached to each other by means of a hook-and-loop fastener, wherein one hard shell comprises the hook strip and the other hard shell comprises the loop strip.

Example 4

A packaging container for 1 L of orange juice is described, comprising a tubular bag and an outer collapsible cover that is reused in a deposit system.
The tubular bag is made of polypropylene and is welded so as to have approximately the shape of a cuboid having edge lengths of 9.5 cm×5.5 cm×19.cm and a volume capacity of 1 L. Centered on the top side about 2.0 cm from the shorter edge is the outlet opening, optionally having a valve.
The outer collapsible cover is made of hard fiber and das the shape as shown in FIG. 8. The edges of the side, base, and top surfaces are designed so as to be displaceably insertable in each other and to result in a fixed, stable cuboid having edge lengths of 10 cm×6 cm×20 cm in the completely assembled state. If two parts of the outer collapsible cover are inserted in each other, then said parts can be displaced along the longitudinal axis of the plug connection. The pattern of motion and the type of assembly result clearly from FIG. 9, wherein hinges are shown in FIG. 9 and the perforations that can be displaceably inserted in each other are used in the embodiment described here, wherein a spherical or semispherical design can be inserted in a corresponding cutout of the counterpart and vice versa, so that ultimately a hinge function is also the result.
The top side of the outer collapsible cover comprises a cutout in which the outlet opening of the tubular bag having a collar can be suspended, clamped, or inserted, as shown in FIG. 10. The tubular bag is securely retained in the outer collapsible cover by means of said cutout.
In order that the tubular bag can be fully emptied, a simple clamping device is further located on the inner side of the base surface, in which the lower welding seam of the tubular bag can be clamped, so that the tubular bag does not collapse when emptying and can be fully emptied.
After the tubular bag has been completely emptied, the outer collapsible cover can be opened again and the tubular bag can be removed and disposed of. The outer collapsible cover can be reused for a new, filled tubular bag or preferably returned in a deposit system.
A further advantage with respect to the outer collapsible cover is that the same can be fully unfolded for return transport, and can be transported as a flat folding pattern, saving space and being very environmentally friendly due to reuse in a deposit system, contributing to reduction in waste because only the tubular bag must be disposed of.

REFERENCE LIST

Packaging container 1
Outer cover 3
Inner flexible bag 5
Outlet opening 7
Outlet part 9
Inner side of the outer cover 11
Hard shell 13
Closure mechanism 15
Attachment device 17
Cutouts 19
Cutout of the cover 21

Claims

1. A packaging container (1) for pourable liquids, powders, and granulates, comprising an outer cover (3), and inner flexible bag (5) having an outlet opening (7), and an outlet part (9) connected to the inner flexible bag (5), wherein the inner flexible bag (5) is fixedly connected to the outlet part (9) by means of a welding seam, by means of an adhesive connection, or by molding, and wherein the outlet part (9) is connected to the outer cover (3) by means of a welding seam, by means of an adhesive connection, a punching process, a plug connection, a clamping device, or by inserting a guide wire.

2. The packaging container (1) according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the inner flexible bag (5) in the filled state follows the shape of the outer cover (3) and makes close contact with the inner side (11) of the outer cover (3).

3. The packaging container (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner flexible bag (5) is connected to the outlet part (9) in the area of the outlet opening (7) and the outlet part (9) is connected to the outer cover (3).

4. The packaging container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer cover (3) is egg-shaped, eggplant-shaped, pear-shaped, kidney-shaped, bell-shaped, spherical, cylindrical, conical, in the shape of a conic section, cuboid, pyramidal, or a combination thereof.

5. The packaging container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer cover (3) is made of hard shells (13), particularly said hard shells (13) of the outer cover are made of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyester, polystyrene, polyamide, polycarbonate, or other polymers preferably comprising no halogens.

6. The packaging container (1) according to claim 5, wherein said hard shells (13) are two mirror-image hard shells (13).

7. The packaging container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the outlet opening (9) has a valve function allowing only the discharge of the contents, but not the entry of air, gases, or liquid into the packaging container (1).

8. The packaging container (1) according to one of the claims through 7, wherein the hard shells (13) comprise a releasable closure mechanism (15), wherein particularly the releasable closure mechanism of the two hard shells is a pushbutton, a flap, a clip, an insertion tab, a snap closure, a screw connection, an adhesive connection, or a seam.

9. The packaging container (1) according to claim 8, wherein the releasable closure mechanism (15) is at least one return spring as a hinged connection.

10. The packaging container (1) according to one of the claims 5 through 9, wherein the at least one outlet part (9) is mounted on the top side of said hard shells (13).

11. The packaging container (10 according to one of the claims 1 through 9, wherein the outlet part (9) is mounted in the lower or the upper third of the packaging container (1).

12. The packaging container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the outlet part (9) is a screw closure, a cover, a reclosable cap, or a dispensing tap.

13. The packaging container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner flexible bag (5) is reversibly attached to the bottom end of the outer cover (3).

14. The packaging container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment device (17) for the inner flexible bag (5) on the side of the outer cover (3) opposite the outlet part (9) is a clamping device having a guide rail or a hooking device.

15. The packaging container (1) according to one of the claims 5 through 14, wherein the outer cover (3) comprises at least two cutouts (19) for receiving an outlet part (9), each of which can be loaded with a dedicated inner flexible bag (5) and said at least two cutouts (19) each being able to be loaded with the flexible inner bag (5) by means of a keyhole-shaped cutout (21) at the contact edge of the top part of the hard shells (13).

16. The packaging container (1) according to one of the claims 5 through 15, wherein the unfolded hard shells (13) are stackable.

17. A method for separately disposing of the inner flexible bag (5) and outer cover (3), comprising the following steps:

a) Providing a packaging container (1) according to one of the preceding claims;

b) Optionally unfolding the hard shells (13) of the outer cover (3);

c) Pulling out the outlet part (9) and the inner flexible bag (5) attached thereto through the outer material, particularly the corresponding hard shell (13); and

d) Separately disposing of the inner flexible bag (5) having the outlet part (9) attached thereto and the outer cover (3).

18. A method for producing and filling a packaging container (1) according to one of the claims 1-16, comprising the following steps:

a) Providing a filled, partially filled, or non-filled inner flexible bag (5) having an outlet opening (7), an outer cover (3), and an outlet part (9);

b) Inserting the outlet part (9) into the outlet opening (7) of the inner flexible bag (5);

c) Inserting the composite of the outlet part (9) and the inner flexible bag (5) into the outer cover (3), wherein the outlet part (9) makes contact in the area of the cutout (21) of the outer material and particularly of said hard shells (13);

d) Optionally attaching the side of the inner flexible bag (5) facing away from the outlet part (9) to the side of the outer cover (3) facing away from the cutout of the outer cover (3); and

e) Optionally closing the hard shells (13).

19. A method for producing and filling a packaging container (1) according to claim 18, additionally comprising the following step:

f) If the inner flexible bag (5) was not filled or was partially filled for step a), complete or partial filling of the packaging container by means of the outlet part (9).

20. A method for loading and separating a packaging container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps:

a) Providing an outer cover (3) and an inner flexible bag (5) connected to the outlet part (9);

b) Inserting the outlet part (9) and the inner flexible bag (5) connected thereto into the corresponding device at the cutout (21) of a flat part;

c) Using the packaging container (1) as intended;

d) Removing the outlet part (9) and the inner flexible bag (5) connected thereto from the corresponding device at the cutout (21) of a flat part;

e) Disposing of the outlet part (9) and the inner flexible bag (5) connected thereto;

f) Stacking the half shells of the outer cover (3); and

g) Reusing the outer cover (3).