US20200377259A1

US20200377259A1 - Plastic Element for Packaging and Packaging Having Such a Plastic Element

Info

Publication number: US20200377259A1
Application number: US16/636,780
Authority: US
Inventors: Steffen Reisert; Lars Malindretos
Original assignee: SIG Technology AG
Current assignee: SIG Combibloc Services AG
Priority date: 2017-08-07
Filing date: 2018-07-13
Publication date: 2020-12-03
Also published as: EP3665092B1; ES2880361T3; DE102017117893A1; EP3665092A1; PL3665092T3; CN110997506A; JP2020530827A; WO2019029946A1; CN110997506B

Abstract

Shown and described is a plastic element for a package, comprising: a main body of plastic, and a flange for fastening a composite material of a package, wherein the plastic element is produced from a thermoplastic material. In order in the case of single-use packages to create a low-cost possible way of obtaining information about the state of content of the packages, it is proposed to arrange an electrical, in particular electronic element on the plastic element or integrate it in the plastic element. Also shown and described is a package with such a plastic element.

Description

The invention relates to a plastic element for packaging, comprising: a base body made of plastic, and a flange for fastening a composite material of the packaging, wherein the plastic element is produced from a thermoplastic.
The invention further relates to packaging having a plastic element, comprising: at least one region made of a composite material, and at least one plastic element, wherein the composite material has at least one carrier layer made of a cellulose-containing fibre material, preferably made of paper, paperboard or cardboard, and at least one plastic layer on both sides of the carrier layer respectively, wherein the plastic element has a flange for fastening the composite material, and wherein the composite material is connected to the flange of the plastic element.
Packaging can be produced in different ways and from a wide variety of materials. A widely used possibility for the production thereof is to produce a blank from the packaging material, from which blank firstly a packaging sleeve and finally packaging are produced by folding and further steps. This type of production has, inter alia, the advantage that the blanks and packaging sleeves are very flat and can therefore be stacked in a space-saving manner. In this way, the blanks or packaging sleeves can be produced at a different location to the folding and filling of the packaging sleeves. Composites or composite materials are frequently used as the material, for example a composite of a plurality of thin layers of paper, paperboard, plastic or metal, in particular aluminium. Such packaging is used in particular in the food industry.
In addition to the requirement for packaging, the content of which is to be reliably stored and protected against environmental influences, increasing requirements for packaging consist in providing information on the state of the content thereof. For example, a lot of food packaging is provided with a “best before date”, on the basis of which the customer can recognize the date until which the content is—expected—to be at least durable. This best before date therefore corresponds to a recommended use-by period and is therefore to be distinguished from an “expiry date”. A further information source are what are known as “tamper-evident seals”, which are destroyed when packaging is opened for the first time, so a customer can recognize whether packaging has already been opened beforehand.
However, these solutions known from the prior art have the drawback that they inform the customer only very inaccurately or indirectly about the state of the contents of the packaging. For example, the best before date is determined on the basis of standardized storage conditions (for example, defined storage temperature). Deviations from these standardized storage conditions occurring in practice are therefore disregarded. The above-mentioned tamper-evident seals also do not provide any information about when the packaging was opened for the first time, so, for example, in the case of “open” packaging, it is unclear whether the remaining content is still edible.
Different solutions are known in the field of packaging technology to avoid these drawbacks. However, these solutions have not been used, in particular for cost reasons, for disposable packaging made of composite material.
Against the background of these drawbacks, the object of the invention is to design and develop the plastic element described in the introduction and the packaging described in the introduction in such a way that, even in the case of disposable packaging, a cost-effective possibility is created of obtaining information about the state of the contents of the packaging.
This object is achieved with a plastic element according to the preamble of claim 1 in that an electrical, in particular electronic, element, which is arranged on the plastic element or is integrated into the plastic element.
The invention relates to a plastic element for packaging, in particular for disposable packaging made of composite material. Preferably, the composite material has at least one carrier layer made of a cellulose-containing fibre material, preferably made of paper, paperboard or cardboard, which is covered on both sides by at least one plastic layer respectively. The composite material can also have a layer of aluminium. The plastic element first comprises a base body made of plastic. The plastic element also comprises a flange for fastening a composite material of the packaging. The flange is preferably arranged on the base body. The plastic element is produced from a thermoplastic, for example from PP (polypropylene) or PE (polyethylene), in particular PE-HD (high density polyethylene). These materials have, for example, the advantage of free and variable shaping (for example by injection moulding). The plastics mentioned may contain fillers which are produced from other materials (for example mineral materials). The plastic element can be single-layered or multi-layered.
According to the invention, the plastic element is supplemented by an electrical, in particular electronic, element, which is arranged on the plastic element or is integrated into the plastic element. An arrangement on the plastic element can be taken to mean, for example, an arrangement in which the electrical element touches the plastic element. For example, the electrical element is cohesively connected to the plastic element (for example glued) and/or the electrical element is positively connected to the plastic element (for example clamped). The electrical element can be arranged on the outside (side facing away from the contents of the packaging) or on the inside (side facing the contents of the packaging) of the plastic element. Alternatively, the electrical element can be integrated into the plastic element, which is to be taken to mean an arrangement in which the electrical element is completely surrounded by the material of the plastic element. This can be achieved, for example, in that the electrical element is integrated into the plastic element as early as during the production of the plastic element, for example by installing or inserting the electrical element into the (still) viscous plastic or by inserting the electrical element into the injection moulding tool. Hybrid components made of plastic and metal (the electrical element can have metallic components) are produced by injection moulding insert parts. The electrical element is arranged in particular on the base body of the plastic element or is integrated into the base body of the plastic element. The electrical, in particular electronic, element can be, for example, a chip with integrated circuits.
According to one embodiment of the plastic element, it is provided that the electrical, in particular electronic, element comprises a sensor. The sensor can be, for example, a pressure sensor, a pH sensor, a temperature sensor, a sensor for measuring the oxygen content, a sensor for measuring the electrical conductivity, a sensor for measuring the proportion of one or more vitamins/trace elements, or a sensor for measuring metabolic products. A sensor (also: “pick-up”) serves the purpose of qualitatively and/or quantitatively detecting certain physical or chemical properties of the contents of the packaging. It can be a passive sensor (requires no auxiliary energy) or an active sensor (requires auxiliary energy). The auxiliary energy can be provided by an integrated battery or can be provided by external activation (for example by electromagnetic induction). Depending on the size to be measured and the measuring principle to be used, the sensor can be arranged on the surface, in particular on the inside of the plastic element (for example for contacting measurement methods) or be integrated into the plastic element (for example for contactless measurement methods). It is advantageous if, in order to determine the instantaneous quality of the food, two measured values are used. The same parameter can be involved, with the sensor measuring the measured value, for example a pH, for the first time, for example, when in contact with the product, and thereafter a change in the measured value, without knowing the actual quantitative value. The sensor is therefore preferably a sensor which detects a qualitative change in a measured value. It may therefore be advantageous if the sensor is formed to determine at least one relative value of the measured value relative to an initial measured value.
According to a further embodiment of the plastic element, it is provided that the electrical, in particular electronic, element comprises a transmitter. A transmitter is used to transform or convert an input variable (for example a signal measured by a sensor) into an output variable (for example an electromagnetic wave). The conversion may be necessary, for example, in order to be able to transmit a measured wired signal in a wireless manner. Transmitters are therefore also sometimes referred to as a transmission system or sender. The transmitter can have, for example, an oscillator, an amplifier, a modulator and an antenna.
According to a further embodiment of the plastic element, it is provided that the electrical, in particular electronic, element comprises an antenna. An antenna is used to transmit and receive electromagnetic waves. Since the required size of the antenna depends on the wavelength of the electromagnetic waves transmitted or received thereby, a separate antenna is preferred compared to an integrated antenna (for example compared to an antenna integrated in the transmitter). The antenna preferably has a length of at least 10 mm, in particular of at least 15 mm or at least 20 mm. In order to reduce the angle dependence of the antenna, it can be provided that the antenna is circular at least in sections. For example, the antenna can be arranged around the pouring opening if the plastic element is a pouring element of the packaging.
The plastic element can be supplemented by at least one electrical conductor which connects the electrical, in particular electronic, element to the flange. The electrical conductor serves the purpose of producing an electrical connection between the electrical element and the flange in order to produce an electrical connection there with the composite material to be fastened to the flange. The electrical conductor can be produced, for example, from metal, in particular from copper or from aluminium. For example, the electrical conductor is formed by a wire. The plastic element preferably has two electrical conductors which connect the electrical element to the flange. The at least one electrical conductor is preferably integrated into the plastic element, in particular into the base body thereof, at least in sections.
For this purpose, it is further proposed that the electrical conductor is arranged at least in sections on the contact side of the flange. The contact side of the flange should be taken to mean the side of the flange to which the composite material of the packaging is fastened. Depending on the design, this can be the inside of the flange or the outside of the flange. If a plurality of electrical conductors is provided, preferably all the electrical conductors are arranged at least in sections on the contact side of the flange. In this case, it is preferred that the electrical conductors do not form an overlap, but extend over different sections of the flange. In the case of a rectangular flange, it can be provided, for example, that the first electrical conductor extends over two adjacent sides of the flange, while the second electrical conductor extends over the two other sides. In this way, polarity protection is ensured and short circuits are avoided.
According to one embodiment of the plastic element, it is provided that the plastic element is a pouring element of packaging having a pouring opening. A pouring element serves the purpose of being able to pour out the contents present in the packaging. The pouring element can have a multi-part design and, in addition to the base body, can comprise, for example, a screw closure. Alternatively, it can be provided that the plastic element is a base element of the packaging. The base element of the packaging serves the purpose of being able to reliably set the packaging down and of being designed to be as dimensionally stable as possible. The pouring element (and its flange) and/or the base element (and its flange) determine the shape of the packaging; they can be rectangular—in particular square—round or oval.
The object described in the introduction is also achieved by packaging having a plastic element, comprising: at least one region made of a composite material and at least one plastic element, wherein the composite material comprises at least one carrier layer made of a cellulose-containing fibre material, preferably made of paper, paperboard or cardboard, and has at least one plastic layer on both sides of the carrier layer respectively, wherein the plastic element has a flange for fastening the composite material, and wherein the composite material is connected to the flange of the plastic element. The invention therefore relates to packaging which is produced partially from plastic parts and partially from a composite material. The composite material can, for example, have a thickness in the range between 150 g/m²and 400 g/m², in particular between 200 g/m²and 250 g/m². The packaging is characterised by an electrical, in particular electronic, element, which is arranged on the plastic element or is integrated into the plastic element. In addition to the previously described properties, the arrangement of the electrical element on the plastic part or, respectively, the integration of the electronic element into the plastic part has the advantage that the arrangement there can be produced more easily than an arrangement in the composite material. This is in particular due to the fact that many electrical elements have a certain thickness, which make integration into the very thin composite materials more difficult. The composite material can, for example, have a thickness in the range between 0.2 mm and 1.0 mm, in particular between 0.3 mm and 0.8 mm. In addition, the composite material is typically produced in large quantities as a roll product, in that a plurality of layers of different materials are connected to one another. The composite material is only then cut to size with regard to the different packaging sizes to be produced; integration of the electrical elements into the composite material (for example between two layers of the composite material) would have to take place before cutting to size, however. This too would make a precise arrangement of the electrical elements in the composite material more difficult. For these reasons, it is advantageous to arrange the electrical elements in or on the plastic elements. A further advantage is that the wireless or cableless transmission of signals through the plastic elements to the outside (for example to a device of the consumer, for example to a smartphone) is possible in a simpler manner than through the shielding aluminium layer which is provided in some composite materials.
According to one embodiment of the packaging, it is provided that the plastic element is a plastic element according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The plastic element described above is suitable in all illustrated embodiments in a special way for producing the packaging. This is in particular due to the fact that the plastic element has a flange on which the composite material of the packaging can be fastened (for example glued). The plastic element is therefore structurally aligned with a composite material.
A further design of the packaging provides that the electrical, in particular electronic, element is arranged in such a way that it makes contact with the contents of the packaging or that the electrical, in particular electronic, element is arranged in such a way that it has no contact with the contents of the packaging. An arrangement with contact with the contents of the packaging can be achieved, for example, in that the electrical element is arranged on the inside of the plastic element, in particular arranged on the inside of the base body. In this way, the electrical element can touch the contents of the packaging, for example the product (in the lower region of the packaging) or air or another gas mixture (in the upper region of the packaging). The contacting arrangement can be expedient, for example, if the electrical element is a sensor which is intended to detect certain physical or chemical properties of the contents of the packaging by means of a contacting measurement method. An arrangement without contact with the contents of the packaging, on the other hand, can be achieved, for example, in that the electrical element is arranged on the outside of the plastic element or is completely integrated into the plastic element. In particular, the electrical element can be arranged on the outside of the base body or can be completely integrated into the base body. In this way, contact between the electrical element and the contents of the packaging is reliably prevented. The contactless arrangement can be expedient, for example, if the functioning of the electrical element could be impaired by the contents of the packaging or if the contents of the packaging must not come into contact with the electrical element for hygienic reasons.
According to one embodiment of the packaging, it is provided that the region of composite material is a circumferential sleeve surface. As a sleeve surface made of composite material is provided, the packaging is produced from composite material along the entire circumference thereof. As a result of the very cost-effective production of composite material, the optimally large-area use of composite material has, in particular, cost advantages. In addition, a particularly low weight is made possible by the optimally large-area use of composite material. The lateral surface can be continuously curved (for example round cross-section, oval cross-section) or can be composed of a plurality of side surfaces separated by folding edges (for example rectangular, in particular square, cross-section).
In relation to this embodiment it is further proposed that the composite material has a longitudinal seam in the region of the sleeve surface. The longitudinal seam is produced in that a blank made of composite material is folded and the two edges abutting each other are connected to one another. The longitudinal seam preferably runs in the vertical direction, that is to say from the base region in the direction of the gable region of the packaging. The composite material has at least one layer of paper or cardboard, which layer can be covered on the edge of the longitudinal seam running inside the packaging sleeve.
The cover of the paper layer or cardboard layer has the purpose of preventing contact between the contents of the packaging and this layer. This serves, on the one hand, to avoid the escape of liquid through the non-liquid-tight paper layer or cardboard layer and, on the other hand, to protect the contents of the packaging from impurities due to the paper layer or cardboard layer (for example fibres of the cellulose). The layer of paper or cardboard can be covered by a sealing strip and/or by folding the composite material in the region of the longitudinal seam. One possibility of the covering is the attachment of a separate sealing strip. The sealing strip can be produced, for example, from the same material as the innermost layer of the composite material and can be glued or welded to this layer.
With regard to the longitudinal seam, it is further proposed that the composite material is peeled and/or folded over in the region of the longitudinal seam and/or has a sealing strip. A “peeled” composite material is taken to mean a composite material which has fewer layers in the peeled region than in the remaining regions. The peeling, in particular in the region of overlapping of a plurality of material layers, has the advantage of a less severe increase in thickness. The use of peeled composite material is therefore particularly advantageous when the composite material is folded over or folded down for example in the region of the longitudinal seam. As a result of the folding over the layer is covered by paper or cardboard. In this way, it is now no longer all layers that occur at the edge of the longitudinal seam running inside the packaging, but only the innermost layer of the composite material that appear. However, the innermost layer must in any case be made of a material which is suitable for contact with the contents of the packaging. The sealing strip can be a plastic strip which is connected to the inner side of the composite material, in particular glued or sealed, and seals the longitudinal seam.
According to a further embodiment of the packaging, it is provided that the composite material has at least one electrical conductor. The electrical conductor serves the purpose of conducting electrical current through the composite material, for example from the base region of the packaging to the gable region of the packaging. In this way, electrical elements such as sensors, transmitters and the like can be connected to one another. The electrical conductor can be, for example, a thin wire or a thin strip of an electrically conductive material such as metal, in particular copper or aluminium. The electrical conductor preferably extends through the entire length of the composite material. This has the particular advantage of simple production since the conductor can be placed between two layers or slices of the composite material during production of the composite material. The composite material can have two or more electrical conductors; in this case, the electrical conductors preferably run parallel to one another. This has the advantage that the electrical conductors do not intersect or do not touch. Alternatively to integration between a plurality of layers or slices of the composite material during production, the electrical conductor can also be retrofitted in the region of the longitudinal seam. This can be achieved, for example, in that the composite material is folded over or folded down in the region of the longitudinal seam and the electrical conductor is arranged in the region of the fold. If a plurality of electrical conductors are provided, the conductors are preferably electrically insulated from one another, for example by a plastic layer. The electrical conductor can also be integrated in a plastic strip or sealing strip which is glued to the inside of the composite material.
According to a further embodiment of the packaging, it is provided that the composite material has at least one layer made of an electrically conductive material, in particular of aluminium. On the one hand, the aluminium layer has the advantage that the contents of the packaging are particularly well protected from light and oxygen. A further advantage lies in the fact that an aluminium layer is electrically conductive and can therefore assume the function of an electrical conductor. In order to obtain two electrical conductors, it is therefore sufficient to provide, in addition to the aluminium layer, only one further electrical conductor. If a plurality of electrical conductors is provided, the conductors are preferably electrically insulated from one another, for example by a plastic layer.
According to a further embodiment of the packaging, it is finally proposed that the electrical conductor and/or the layer of electrically conductive material be arranged at least in the region of the plastic element on the contact side of the composite material. The aim of this design is for the electrically conductive regions of the composite material to be in contact with the electrically conductive regions of the plastic element (in particular the electrical conductors) if the composite material is connected to the plastic element. When the composite material and the plastic element are joined together, an electrically conductive contact point is therefore to be formed.

The invention is described in the following on the basis of drawings showing only one preferred embodiment. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a plastic element known from the prior art for packaging,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the plastic element of FIG. 1 with packaging sleeve fastened thereto,

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of packaging known from the prior art having the plastic element of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4A shows a perspective view obliquely from above of a first embodiment of a plastic element according to the invention for packaging,

FIG. 4B shows a perspective view obliquely from below of the plastic element of FIG. 4A,

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of packaging according to the invention with the plastic element of FIG. 4A and of FIG. 4B,

FIG. 6A shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a plastic element according to the invention for packaging,

FIG. 6B shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of a plastic element according to the invention for packaging, and

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of packaging according to the invention with the plastic elements of FIG. 5A and of FIG. 5B.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a plastic element 1 known from the prior art for packaging. The plastic element 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a pouring element. The plastic element 1 has a base body 2 and a screw cap 3. The screw cap 3 is screwed onto a thread (not shown in FIG. 1) and can be unscrewed from the base body 2. The base body 2 has a circumferential flange 4 which serves to fasten a composite material of the packaging. In the plastic element 1 shown in FIG. 1, the flange 4 has the shape of a truncated pyramid. A projection 5 is integrally formed on the flange 4 in each of the four corner regions. The projections 5 serve to improve the join between the gable region of packaging sleeve and the flange 4. The plastic element 1 also has a tamper-evident seal 6 which connects the base body 2 to the screw cap 3 via two thin material bridges 7. When opened for the first time, the material bridges 7 are destroyed, so a customer can easily recognize whether packaging provided with this pouring element has already been opened once. Plastic elements 1 of this type are known, for example, from EP 3 112 283 A1 or EP 2 637 854 A1.
FIG. 2 shows the plastic element 1 of FIG. 1 with packaging sleeve 8 fastened thereto in a perspective view. Those regions of the plastic element 1 which have already been described in connection with FIG. 1 are provided in FIG. 2 and all further figures with corresponding reference numerals. At its two ends, the packaging sleeve 8 has a gable region 9 and a base region 10. The gable region 9 has already been closed, for which purpose the packaging sleeve 8 has been connected to the flange 4 (not shown in FIG. 2) of the plastic element 1. In this case, four obliquely extending gable surfaces 11 and four “ears” 12 formed and protruding from excess packaging material have been formed. Although the ears 12 are sealed in the situation shown in FIG. 2, they are neither folded over nor attached to the gable surfaces 11. In the base region 10, the packaging sleeve 8 is still unsealed and is only folded and closed along fold lines 13 in a later production step.
FIG. 3 shows packaging 14 known from the prior art having the plastic element 1 of FIG. 1 in a perspective view. Those regions of the plastic element 1 and of the packaging sleeve 8 which have already been described in connection with FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 are provided in FIG. 3—and all further figures—with corresponding reference numerals. The packaging 14 shown in FIG. 3 is closed both in the gable region 9 and in the base region 10. In addition, the ears 12 are folded down and glued to one of the two gable surfaces 11 adjoining the respective ear 12. In the state shown in FIG. 3, it can be seen particularly clearly that the packaging 14 has approximately the shape of a truncated pyramid in the gable region 9. In its base region 10 the packaging 14 has a square base surface on which the packaging 14 stands.
FIG. 4A shows a first embodiment of a plastic element 1′ according to the invention for packaging 14′ in a perspective view obliquely from above. Those regions of the plastic element 1′ which have already been described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 3 are provided in FIG. 4A—and all further figures—with corresponding reference numerals. The embodiment of the plastic element 1′ shown in FIG. 4A is characterised in particular in that one electrical element 15 is integrated into the plastic element 1′. In the plastic element 1′ shown in FIG. 4 and therefore preferred, the electrical element 15 is integrated into the base body 2 of the plastic element 1′. The electrical element 15 can be, for example, a transmitter. The plastic element 1′ additionally comprises two electrical conductors 16A, 16B, which connect the electrical element 15 to the flange 4. Starting from the electrical elements 15 the two electrical conductors 16A, 16B are first integrated into the base body 2 of the plastic element 1′, but extend in their further course in an exposed manner on the outside of the flange 4, that is to say on that side of the flange 4 which will come into contact with the packaging sleeve 8. Furthermore, the plastic element 1′ comprises two antennas 17A, 17B, which are approximately semi-circular in shape and are integrated in the base body 2 of the plastic element 1′. The antennas 17A, 17B are also connected to the electrical element 15.
FIG. 4B shows the plastic element 1′ of FIG. 4A in a perspective view obliquely from below. Those regions of the plastic element 1′ which have already been described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 4A are provided in FIG. 4B—and all further figures—with corresponding reference numerals. In this view the plastic element 1′ is shown without a screw cap 3, so a pouring opening 18 provided in the base body 2 is visible, which is surrounded by an approximately cylindrical pouring tube 19. In addition, the position of the two antennas 17A, 17B, which are arranged approximately circularly around the pouring opening 18 in the plastic element, can be seen clearly.
FIG. 5 shows a first embodiment of packaging 14′ according to the invention having the plastic element 1′ of FIG. 4A and of FIG. 4B in a perspective representation. Those regions of the plastic element 1′ which have already been described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 4B, are provided in FIG. 5—and all further figures—with corresponding reference numerals. In addition to the plastic element 1′, the packaging 14′ comprises a packaging sleeve 8 made of a composite material. The packaging sleeve 8 is fastened to the flange 4 of the plastic element 1′. The packaging sleeve 8 has a longitudinal seam 21 and two electrical conductors 22A, 22B running parallel to the longitudinal seam 21 (22B is concealed in FIG. 5). The conductors 16A, 16B extending in the circumferential direction (16B is concealed in FIG. 5) on the flange 4 of the plastic element 1′ forms contact points 23 with the vertically extending conductors 22A, 22B of the packaging sleeve 8. In this way, the electrical element 15′ (for example a sensor) provided in the packaging sleeve 8 is connected via electrical conductors 22A, 22B in the composite material of the packaging sleeve 8 and via electrical conductors 16A, 16B in the gable element to the electrical element 15 provided therein (for example a transmitter) and antennas 17A, 17B connected thereto.
FIG. 6A shows a second embodiment of a plastic element 1″ according to the invention for packaging 14″ in a perspective view. Those regions of the plastic element 1″ which have already been described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 5 are provided in FIG. 6A—and all further figures—with corresponding reference numerals. The second embodiment of the plastic element 1″ is also characterised by an electrical element 15 integrated into the base body 2, which can be, for example, a transmitter. In this embodiment, the electrical element 15 is also connected to two electrical conductors 16A, 16B and two antennas 17A, 17B, the two electrical conductors 16A, 16B also lying exposed here on the outside of the flange 4, in other words, on that side of the flange 4, which comes into contact with the packaging sleeve 8. One difference between the first embodiment of the plastic element 1′ (FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B) and the second embodiment of the plastic element 1″ is that the second embodiment of the plastic element 1″ has a round cross-sectional area, so the circumferential flange 4 is also circular.
FIG. 6B shows a third embodiment of a plastic element 1′″ according to the invention for packaging 14′″ in a perspective representation. Those regions of the plastic element 1′″ which have already been described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 6A are provided in FIG. 6B—and all further figures—with corresponding reference numerals. This embodiment of the plastic element 1′″ also has a base body 2 with a circumferential flange 4 which serves to fasten a composite material of the packaging. The third embodiment of the plastic element 1′″ is likewise characterised by an electrical element 15′ integrated into the base body 2, which element can be, for example, a sensor. In this embodiment, the electrical element 15′ is also connected to two electrical conductors 16A, 16B, which are also arranged here on the outside of the flange 4, in other words, on that side of the flange 4 which comes into contact with the packaging sleeve 8. The third embodiment of the plastic element 1′″ has a round cross-sectional area, so the circumferential flange 4 is also circular. One difference between the third embodiment of the plastic element 1′″ and the first and second embodiment of the plastic element 1′, 1″ is that the third embodiment of the plastic element 1′″ is not a gable element, but rather a base element of the packaging.
Finally, FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of packaging 14″ according to the invention having the plastic elements 1″, 1′″ of FIG. 6A and of FIG. 6B in a perspective representation. In addition to the two plastic elements 1″, 1′″, the packaging 14″ comprises a circumferential sleeve surface 20 made of a composite material. The sleeve surface 20 is fastened to the flanges 4 of the two plastic elements 1″, 1′″. The sleeve surface 20 has a longitudinal seam 21 and two electrical conductors 22A, 22B running parallel to the longitudinal seam 21. The conductors 16A, 16B running in the circumferential direction on the flanges 4 of the two plastic elements 1″, 1′″ form, with the vertically extending conductors 22A, 22B of the sleeve surface 20, contact points 23. In this way, the electrical element 15″ (for example a sensor) provided in the base element is connected via electrical conductors 16A, 16B in the base element and via electrical conductors 22A, 22B in the composite material of the sleeve surface 20 and via electrical conductors 16A, 16B in the gable element to the electrical element 15 provided therein (for example a transmitter) and antennas 17A, 17B connected thereto.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ plastic element
2 base body
3 screw cap
4 flange
5 projection
6 tamper-evident seal
7 material bridge
8 packaging sleeve
9 gable region
10 base region
11 gable surface
12 ear
13 folding line
14, 14′ packaging
15, 15′, 15″ electrical element
16A, 16B electrical conductor
17A, 17B antenna
18 pouring opening
19 pouring tube
20 sleeve surface
21 longitudinal seam
22A, 22B electrical conductor
23 contact point

Claims

1. A plastic element for packaging, comprising:

a base body made of plastic, and

a flange for fastening a composite material of a packaging,

wherein the plastic element is made of a thermoplastic

characterised by

an electrical, in particular electronic, element, which is arranged on the plastic element or is integrated into the plastic element.

2. The plastic element according to claim 1,

characterised in that

the electrical, in particular electronic, element comprises a sensor.

3. The plastic element according to claim 1,

characterised in that

the electrical, in particular electronic, element comprises a transmitter.

4. The plastic element according to claim 1,

characterised in that

the electrical, in particular electronic, element comprises an antenna.

5. The plastic element according to claim 1,

characterised by

at least one electrical conductor, which connects the electrical, in particular electronic, element to the flange.

6. The plastic element according to claim 5,

characterised in that

the electrical conductor is arranged at least in sections on the contact side of the flange.

7. The plastic element according to claim 1,

characterised in that

the plastic element is a pouring element of the packaging having a pouring opening.

8. The plastic element according to claim 1,

characterised in that

the plastic element is a base element of the packaging.

9. A packaging having a plastic element, comprising:

at least one region made of a composite material, and

at least one plastic element,

wherein the composite material comprises at least one carrier layer made of a cellulose-containing fibre material, preferably made of paper, paperboard or cardboard, and has at least one plastic layer on both sides of the carrier layer respectively,

wherein the plastic element has a flange for fastening the composite material, and

wherein the composite material is connected to the flange of the plastic element,

characterised by

10. The packaging according to claim 9,

characterised in that

the plastic element is a plastic element according to claim 9.

11. The packaging according to claim 9,

characterised in that

the electrical, in particular electronic, element is arranged in such a way that it is in contact with the contents of the packaging, or in that the electrical, in particular electronic, element is arranged in such a way that it does not have any contact with the contents of the packaging.

12. The packaging according to claim 9,

characterised in that

the region of composite material is a circumferential sleeve surface.

13. The packaging according to claim 12,

characterised in that

the composite material has a longitudinal seam in the region of the sleeve surface.

14. The packaging according to claim 13,

characterised in that

the composite material is peeled and/or folded over in the region of the longitudinal seam and/or has a sealing strip.

15. The packaging according to claim 9,

characterised in that

the composite material has at least one electrical conductor.

16. The packaging according to claim 9,

characterised in that

the composite material has at least one layer made of an electrically conductive material, in particular of aluminium.

17. The packaging according to claim 9,

characterised in that

the electrical conductor and/or the layer of electrically conductive material is arranged at least in the region of the plastic element on the contact side of the composite material.