Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
  • B65B61/18—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for making package-opening or unpacking elements
  • B65B61/186—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for making package-opening or unpacking elements by applying or incorporating rigid fittings, e.g. discharge spouts
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
  • B65D5/42—Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
  • B65D5/72—Contents-dispensing means
  • B65D5/74—Spouts
  • B65D5/746—Spouts formed separately from the container
  • B65D5/747—Spouts formed separately from the container with means for piercing or cutting the container wall or a membrane connected to said wall
  • B65D5/748—Spouts formed separately from the container with means for piercing or cutting the container wall or a membrane connected to said wall a major part of the container wall or membrane being left inside the container after the opening

Definitions

• This invention relates to containers and more particularly to brick-type containers fashioned from paperboard and particularly adapted for aseptic packaging of liquids and other foodstuffs.
• Brick-type containers are in the general form of a rectangular parallelepiped, and take their name from their resemblance in shape to a common masonry brick.
• one end of the package is provided with a plastic fitment, the fitment including a screw cap and a pouring nozzle.
• the material from which the container is fashioned is typically paperboard coated on one or both of its surfaces with one or more layers of various known barrier materials such as polymeric barrier materials.
• optimum dimensions and proportions of a pour fitment and an aseptic brick package are employed.
• the specific adhesives employed, the area of adhesive coverage needed to prevent leakage, the amount of adhesive, and the specific location of the fitment on the package, as well as the extrusion overvoid area over the pour spout dispensing opening are employed for optimum results.
• the pour spout fitments are located above the incoming filled aseptic brick packages, the packages being filled with milk or fruit juice.
• a hot melt adhesive bead or ring is applied around the perimeter of a dispensing opening which is spanned and closed by one or more barrier layers coating the paperboard.
• the fitment provided with a lower flange and of molded plastic, is placed on top of the hot melt adhesive and pressure is applied.
• the filled brick containers are conveyed, over a period of four to five seconds, with pressure maintained on the fitment flange area, to chill and set the hot melt adhesive.
• the completed packages are conveyed to a pallet area for loading and packaging.
• the liquid filled containers with their sides bulging somewhat from the weight of liquid therein are placed into rigid pockets of a conveyor.
• the rigid side walls of the pockets cause the container side walls to straighten and hence force the level of liquid upwardly so as to come into contact with the inner surface of the container top.
• Figure 1 is a plan view of a unitary paperboard blank from which the carton of this invention is formed.
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of a formed, filled and sealed aseptic container according to the practice of this invention.
• Figure 3 is a view illustrating the container of Figure 2 after it has been placed in a pocket of a pocketed conveyor.
• Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 and illustrates the aseptic container after it has been provided with a continuous bead of a hot melt adhesive around its upper dispensing opening.
• Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 and illustrates the placement of the fitment on the aseptic container while the container is still in a pocket of a pocketed conveyor.
• Figure 6 is a view of a filled carton, the carton provided with a three component plastic pour and rupture fitment shown as exploded.
• Figures 7, 8, and 9 are respective transverse cross sectional views of the three parts of the fitment of Figure 6.
• Figure 10 and 11 are transverse sections illustrating the seal piercing action of the fitment.
• Figure 12 is a view taken substantially along section 12-12 of Figure 10.
• a unitary blank of paperboard or other stiff, foldable and resilient material is designated as 10.
• the blank is rectangular with its central longitudinal axis horizontal and its central transverse axis vertical and has two horizontal score lines 12.
• Vertically extending fold lines 20, 24, 26 and 28 extend from the top to the bottom edges of the blank, with the distance between the left and right blank edges and respective score lines 20 defining left and right borders or strips 30.
• Forty-five degree score lines 32 extend from the four corners, respectively, to the intersection of score lines 24 and 12.
• Forty-five degree score lines are also located, as indicated, at the middle of the blank and extend from respective points on respective score lines 14 to the intersections, respectively, with score lines 26 and 12.
• Dispensing aperture 36 is cut through the blank, with its center being below the top edge of the blank on imaginary axis 38 which intersects score line 28.
• Polymeric extrusion barrier layers 47 cover both surfaces of the blank, as shown at Figure 10 and 11, and are squeezed together to form a layer 48 which spans opening 36.
• the above described score lines define panels 40, 42, and 46, with panels 40 defining the front and rear walls of the carton and panels 42, when folded together with their edges, define side walls of the carton.
• the top of the carton is defined by panels 44, while the bottom of the carton is defined by panels 46.
• the length of blank 10 is about 18.58 inches (472 mm) and its width is about 6.70 inches (170.2 mm).
• the blank of Figure 1 is folded and glued and filled with a liquid in a manner known in this art to form a brick type package shown at Figure 2.
• Triangular flaps 45 extend from the top of the carton and down onto the sidewalls and overlap side seams defined by sealing together zones 16. Flaps similar to 45 are formed at the bottom of the carton, with flaps 45 defined from the upper and lower ends of panels 44, with the (not illustrated) corresponding triangular flaps of the bottom defined by the upper and lower edges of panels 46.
• the general shape and the manner of formation of the carton shown at Figure 2 is known in this art.
• the height of the carton or container is about 6.57 inches (167 mm) and its thickness is about 2.44 inches (62 mm) and its width is about 3.70 inches (94.2 mm).
• Figure 4 is similar to Figure 3 except for a ring or band of adhesive 60 having been placed around dispensing opening 36.
• the dimensions of this ring of adhesive are critical, as is the location of dispensing opening 36 relative to the top of the container.
• the bead 60 is 0.125 inches (3.2 mm) wide.
• a flanged plastic pour spout fitment has been placed on top of the container.
• Such downward motion would ordinarily cause a flexing or bending down of the top of the container.
• Such flexing would result in an improper adhesive connection between the plastic fitment and the container.
• the outward bulges of the container no longer exist and the top of the liquid is forced against the bottom of the top closure, as explained above.
• the top of the liquid thus provides a firm backing when the plastic fitment is pushed down upon and secured to the container.
• the liquid has a head space above it, instead of the liquid contacting the top, then the increased air pressure will provide a firm backing.
• the flange of the fitment is 0.125 inches (3.2 mm) from the nearest edge of the container, while the diameter of the flange is 1.625 inches (41.3 mm).
• FIG. 6 the filled container with adhesive ring or bead 60 around its dispensing opening, the latter closed by the above described barrier layer material, is shown in relation to the plastic fitment, the latter shown exploded.
• This provides exactly the right amount of adhesive to fill the dam between the rings 102 and 104 on the bottom of the spout flange when pressure is applied in the fitment application process.
• the fitment is shown in detail at Figures 7, 8, and 9 and includes an outer screw cap 70, an intermediate flanged spout member 80, and a piercing element 90, the latter adapted to tear the frangible barrier layer material 48 spanning the dispensing opening at the time of initial dispensing of the contents.
• Figure 7 illustrates outermost plastic cap 70 which includes a plurality of internal threads 72, four downwardly extending arms 74, and a base flange 76.
• Figure 8 shows the intermediate fitment spout member 80 having a plurality of inner threads 82 and outer threads 84, the latter terminating in a base flange 86.
• the outside diameter of flange 86 is 1.625 inches (41.3 mm) and was determined to be optimum in terms of: (a) providing enough surface area for bonding to the package; and, (b) being small enough to allow placement of the pourhole opening as close as possible to the pouring edge of the carton. The closer the pourhole is to the carton edge, the easier it is to pour without spill or glug.
• the flange of the fitment is 0.125 inches (3.2 mm) from the score line that forms the pouring edge of the carton.
• the thickness of flange 86 is 0.02 inches (0.5 mm), not including the height of glue dams 102 and 104.
• Abutments 88, shown also at Figure 6, are positioned at 90 degree intervals around the upper portion of flange 86.
• Figure 9 shows cutting element 90 having a plurality of external threads 92, four vertically extending ribs 94 and lower circumferential cutting teeth 96, the latter terminating in tips 97.
• Teeth 96 are interrupted by annularly spaced inverted V shaped drain grooves 98. Grooves 98 provide improved liquid evacuation from the package.
• the height of cutting teeth is 0.125 inches (3.2 mm). This tooth height has been determined to be critical in yielding a clean cut on extrusion layer 48, as opposed to a ragged opening.
• the spout of the fitment was designed especially for adhesion to the aseptic package.
• the flange 86 is 0.020 inches (0.5 mm) thick, not including glue dams 102 and 104.
• the spout is made of polyethylene.
• Figure 10 taken along section 10-10 of Figure 5, shows the pour spout plastic fitment adhered to and mounted on a filled container.
• the liquid within the container is not illustrated.
• Flange 86 of the fitment is in adhesive contact with the top of adhesive bead 60, the latter passing from a round cross section to a generally flat cross section upon downward squeezing by the fitment, with the adhesive joining the fitment to the container.
• Both outer and inner (upper and lower) extrusion barrier layer coatings 47 are shown, and their fusion, in this art, has produced layer 48 which spans dispensing opening 36.
• Figure 10 is the configuration of the fitment prior to initial opening of the fitment and container for dispensing.
• tips 97 of teeth 96 are above the lowermost surface of beads 102 and 104 of flange 86. It has been found that this difference in height, for optimum results, is 0.0625 inches (1.59 mm). This distance is built in to protect extrusion 48 during package distribution by preventing contact of teeth tips 97 with extrusion 48. This difference in height further permits the assembled fitments of Figure 10 to be conveyed on a flat surface to an assembly station without injury of breakage of tips 97.
• fitment cap 70 has been rotated so as to unscrew it from threads 84, causing the cap to move upwardly. Because of the interaction between posts 74 on vertically extending ribs 94 (see Figure 9) cutting member 90 is simultaneously rotated in the same direction, but, because of the pitch of the threads 92 and 82, the cutting portion 90 moves downwardly to rotate and cut the peripheral portions of extrusion layer 48 as it rotates.
• Figure 11 shows the top cap completely off of the fitment, with the contents of the container now being ready for dispensing. After the initial dispensing, cap 70 is screwed down upon the fitment until the next dispensing operation.
• Figure 12 is a view taken along section 12-12 of Figure 10 and illustrates the relation between the several elements of the plastic fitment to yield the above described action.
• Inner and outer integral molded beads 102 and 104 border the inner and outer peripheries of the bottom surface of flange 86. Both are of a height of 0.01 inches (0.25 mm) .
• the continuous annular space between these beads is denoted as 106 and is textured. For convenience in illustration, only a limited annular portion of the flange bottom is shown as textured, it being understood that the texture runs completely around the flange.
• the texture is defined by intersecting molded grooves. Beads 102 and 104 serve as dams to contain hot melt adhesive 60 and prevent the hot melt from oozing out from under flange 86 during application of the fitment flange to the package.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Cartons (AREA)
• Materials For Medical Uses (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)
• Confectionery (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=22341818

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Cited By (26)

Families Citing this family (2)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 1994
  • 1994-08-02 EP EP94925168A patent/EP0714376A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1994-08-02 CA CA002170409A patent/CA2170409A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1994-08-02 BR BR9407361A patent/BR9407361A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1994-08-02 WO PCT/US1994/008725 patent/WO1995005996A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1994-08-02 AU AU75190/94A patent/AU7519094A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1994-08-02 JP JP7507594A patent/JPH09501890A/ja active Pending
  • 1994-08-16 TW TW083107517A patent/TW285655B/zh active
• 1996
  • 1996-02-23 NO NO960755A patent/NO960755L/no unknown
  • 1996-02-26 FI FI960893A patent/FI960893A/fi not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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