WO2002055394A1 - Adhesive-bonded blank for a packaging capsule, method for producing this blank, and use of an adhesive-bonded blank erected to form a filled packaging capsule - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns an adhesive-bonded blank for a packaging capsule, a method for producing the blank, and the use of an adhesive-bonded blank erected to form a filled packaging capsule. The capsule is especially intended for emptying the product content in an uninterrupted sequence. The capsule is closed at least at one end by a membrane (43) which is secured to a peripheral edge of double material thickness, obtained by the adhesive-bonding of end flaps folded against the outside of the capsule walls. On top of this membrane there is an end-piece (30). The latter has a border part which is secured to the capsule end with a guarantee closure. The end-piece can be torn along a line of weakening which, in the assembled state, coincides with the end edge of the capsule body.

Description

  



  TITLE
Adhesive-bonded blank for a packaging capsule, method for producing this blank, and use of an adhesive-bonded blank erected to form a filled packaging capsule.



  TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention concerns a packaging concept, including an adhesive-bonded blank for a packaging capsule, a method for producing the adhesive-bonded blank, and the use of a capsule filled with product
The capsule is intended to be filled with product in a packaging machine and to be delivered to the purchaser in a closed state. The capsule is primarily intended for relatively large volumes of product, of the order of 3 to 6 litres, and for applications where the product in the capsule arrives at the purchaser and is there emptied from the capsule in an uninterrupted sequence During this emptying process, the capsule is intended to be tilted in relation to the horizontal plane, an angle which is determined by   the"angle    of repose"of the product.

   The capsule is in particular suitable for use in the context of a shop where its content is emptied into a container intended to be used for displaying the product in a manner promoting its sale. The product in question can for example be confectionery, advantageously of the type referred to as pick'n-mix. This type of product has an angle of repose which can advantageously be used with the packaging capsule according to the invention. Various types of other products may also be suitable for handling with the packaging capsule according to the invention.

   The products in question run through a long logistics chain starting at the product manufacturer, where the product is filled into the capsules in a packaging machine line, after which the filled capsules are distributed to the purchasers, i. e. in the present case usually shops, in order to be handled there and finally display the product in the shop in a manner promoting its sale. 



  BACKGROUND ART
In order to distribute confectionery products, for example of the pick'n-mix type, and display them in a shop for sale, use is at present made of boxes injection-moulded from plastic material and intended to hold a product volume of the order of 5 to 10 litres. After these boxes have been filled with product, some form of top closure is applied and a set of these boxes is placed on a loading pallet for onward distribution. A consultant/sales representative at times visits the shops and has the task of making sure that the shelves or other arrangements in the shop are well-stocked with the product in question He therefore has to lift, carry and empty these boxes in order to ensure that the product is available in sufficient quantity and is properly displayed in the shop.

   Given that considerable volumes are involved and that many kilos of product therefore have to be handled, this work is strenuous and demanding on the body. These boxes injection-moulded from plastic are often   re-used,    which involves transporting empty boxes and cleaning them for repeated use. This entails transport costs and of course has an effect on the environment.



  The boxes can of course be stacked one inside the other, but, with the cross section widening towards the top of the   box,"air"is naturally    trapped between the boxes when these are stacked on a standardized loading pallet,   and Uairn is    transported in the stage of the logistics chain when filled boxes are transported out to the purchaser
Confectionery products, for example said pick'n-mix, require a good barrier against    2    and water vapour in order to retain their freshness. Since a fairly long time can elapse from when the product is packed to when it finally turns up in the shop, and since in some cases too there are requirements for relatively long storage times, problems can arise with said boxes. 



  PROBLEM ON WHICH THE INVENTION IS BASED
The problem which the invention is intended to solve is to make available, in a technically and economically feasible manner, filled packaging capsules which can be produced in a high-performance packaging machine-The capsule must satisfy the following requirements :
It must be robust, i. e. in the present case also withstand careless handling, it must be tight,   i.    e. have a good barrier against 02 and water vapour, it must be easy to open, it must be able to be emptied in one step,   i-e.    the entire product content must be able to be emptied without interruption Depending on the product content, the capsule construction must allow a moderate angle of tilt relative to the horizontal plane, preferably of the order of   45 .   



  The body of the packaging capsule must not have any parts which protrude more than a certain distance, of the order of 5 mm, from the body, i. e. parts which at some point in a section at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the capsule increase the nominal size of the capsule by more than said distance of the order of 5 mm.



  A fundamental problem which the invention is intended to solve is that of making available a blank which is adhesive-bonded and can be erected in a packaging machine to give the body of the packaging capsule, starting from a flat punched-out blank of cardboard or equivalent stiff material, where the adhesive-bonded blank is such that it can be erected into a filable capsule body, filled with product and closed with a good barrier against   Oz    and water vapour, in a packaging machine operating at a high capacity. 



  A further problem which the invention is intended to solve, in order to permit unique use of the packaging capsule, is that of producing at least one further flat blank of cardboard or equivalent stiff material which can be shaped to give an end-piece and, in said packaging machine, can be applied to one or both ends of the capsule body in an easily removable manner.



  THE INVENTION
According to the invention, the fundamental problem has been solved starting from a construction of an adhesive-bonded blank for a packaging capsule according to the pre-characterizing clause of Claim 1, and the solution to the problem is specified by the characterizing features of said patent claim.



  Patent Claim 2 specifies the method for producing the adhesive-bonded blank
Patent Claims 3 to 5 specify an area of use for the concept according to the invention
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The concept according to the invention is shown in one embodiment in the attached drawings, where :
Figure 1 shows a one-piece blank for the capsule body and part of the bottom closure,
Figure 2 shows a blank for an end-piece intended to be placed on the top of the capsule which is intended to be produced using the blank from Figure   1,    
Figure 3 shows the blank from Figure 1 when adhesive-bonded and folded up,
Figure 4 shows the adhesive-bonded blank from Figure 3 in the erected state and with the bottom closed,
Figure 5 is a diagrammatic representation showing the bottom-closed blank from Figure 4 ready for application of a closure membrane,

  
Figure 6 shows the closure membrane in the applied state on the bottom closed capsule,
Figure 7 shows the boftom-closed capsule provided with the membrane, with said membrane folded down against the sides of the capsule,
Figure 8 shows the bottom-closed capsule provided with the membrane, and ready to be provided with an end-piece on top of the membrane,
Figure 9 is a diagrammatic representation showing the end-piece in a first state of shaping,
Figure   10    shows the end-piece in a subsequent state of shaping,
Figure 11 shows the end-piece applied on and secured to a side wall of the capsule body,
Figure 12 shows the end-piece before a collar part of the latter has been folded down against the associated side of the capsule wall, 
Figure 13 shows the collar part from Figure 12 folded down and secured to said side,

  
Figure 14 is a diagrammatic representation showing how a guarantee closure is obtained on that side of the capsule shown in Figure   11,   
Figure 15 is a diagrammatic representation showing the guarantee closure broken and the end-piece folded up about its line of weakening,
Figure 16 is a diagrammatic representation showing the removal of the membrane from the end of the capsule body, with the end-piece still intact along the line of weakening,
Figure 17 shows the capsule with the membrane removed,
Figure 18 shows the capsule in the state (with product) that it has in one embodiment before insertion in a chute,
Figure 19 is a diagrammatic representation showing a possible way of removing the end-piece, for example after insertion in said chute,

   the end-piece being pulled at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the capsule body in order to break open the line of weakening.



  Figure 20 shows the state which the capsule has, for example, in a chute  (the capsule is in this case tilted relative to the horizontal plane and the open end of the capsule is of course turned downwards), and
Figures 21 to 23 are diagrammatic representations showing a type of bottom closure which can be used with the capsule according to the present embodiment. 



  DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Figure 1 shows a flat blank of cardboard material intended to constitute part of a packaging capsule The cardboard material or other equivalent stiff material is dimensioned to give the finished packaging capsule a high degree of strength and shape stability. The finished capsule is intended to accommodate a relatively large quantity of product, of the order of 3 to 6 litres, which means approximately the same number of kilos of product.

   The packaging construction is especially suited to allow this product to be emptied in an uninterrupted sequence from the packaging, with the packaging being tilted in relation to the horizontal plane and the emptying opening being directed downwards The angle of tilt is dependent on the "angle of repose"of the product packed in the package, which angle generally corresponds to an angle of tilt of   30-60 .    An example of a product which can be packed in the package is what is known as pick'n mix. This type of product often involves requirements in respect of the package having a barrier against 02 and water vapour, and, as will become evident below, this can be achieved using the concept according to the invention.



  The part of the packaging capsule which is shown in Figure 1 is intended to form the capsule body and its bottom closure. The flat blank/part 10 shown in
Figure   1    comprises, in a traditional manner, panels   11-14    which are separated by fold lines and are used to form the side walls of the container body of the finished packaging capsule A joining panel 15 is made in one piece with the blank and adjoins an associated panel 14. End flaps 16-19 are made in one piece with respective panels 11-14 and are adjoined to these via fold lines 20-23. Bottom wall panels 24-27 are likewise made in one piece with respective side wall panels 11-14. In the illustrative embodiment shown, there are tear lines 28,29 in the two longer bottom panels 25, 27. 



  Figure   2    shows a further   par-Vend-piece    30 for the prospective packaging capsule. This part, which like the part 10 in Figure 1 is initially a flat blank punched out from cardboard or equivalent stiff material, comprises a number of subsidiary panels A central panel 31 of rectangular shape and with a surface area dimensioned to cover the finished capsule's end opening with a slight excess is surrounded on respective sides by edge   panels 32-35.    These edge panels are intended to form a border around the end-piece intended for application to the capsule body.

   To assemble that part of the border comprising the sides 32,33,35, adhesive flaps 36,37 are present at each end of the panel   32-Between    the central panel 31 and the panel 34 there is a line of weakening 38, in the illustrative embodiment shown in the form of punched-through parts lying in line with and at a distance from each other
The panel 32 has an extended portion 39 which is made in one piece with it and in which there are two mutually parallel lines of weakening of the same type as the line of weakening 38. The line of weakening 41 lies in line with the outer boundary edge of the panel   32 Formed    between the lines 40,41 there is   a    removable portion, namely a tear-off strip 42.

   As will become clear below, the arrangement with the extended portion serves as a guarantee closure for the finished packaging capsule filled with product.



  Figure 3 shows the special way in which the blank in Figure 1 is adhesivebonded to give an assembled semi-finished product for insertion in a packaging machine. The adhesive bonding is carried out in a gluing machine in such a way that the end flaps 16-18 are folded about the respective fold line 20-22 to the outside of the respective wall panel 11-13 and are secured there, in the present illustrative embodiment by gluing. As can be seen from
Figure 3, the end flap 19 is not folded, but instead lies in the plane of the associated wall panel   14.    The joining panel 15 is glued to the outside of the wall panel 11 and the end flap 16 extending in the same plane with this.



  To obtain this adhesive-bonding of the blank in Figure 1, the following procedure is carried out in the gluing machine. The blank in Figure 1 is first oriented in a first machine direction so that the blank in the machine is advanced in a direction at right angles to the fold lines between the wall panels 11-14. With this direction in the machine, the end flaps 16-18 are folded with the aid of rails against the outside of the respective wall panels and are glued to these. The bottom wall panels 24-27 are left intact.

   After this first gluing operation in said first machine direction, the direction of advance of the blank is turned through   90     and the panel 11 is folded down against the panel 12, for example with the aid of   belts/rails,    and the panel 14 is folded along its fold line down against the panel 11 which has thus already been folded down, likewise with belts or rails during the advance in this second machine direction. The joining panel 15 is thus also folded down against the outside of the wall panel 11 and glued to it.

   Thus, at the output from the gluing machine, the adhesive-bonded semi-finished product shown in Figure 3 is obtained, constituting part of the overall packaging concept according to the invention
This semi-finished product is ready to be inserted in a packaging machine of the type in which said semi-finished product is erected to form a bottomclosed capsule body, filled with product, and further processed to form the finished packaging capsule filled with product
Figure 4 shows in principle an intermediate stage in this packaging machine.



  Here, the unfolded end flap 19 mentioned still lies in the plane of the associated wall panel 14. This end flap 19 is folded down against the outside 14 in the packaging machine Earlier folding-down, in connection with the described adhesive-bonding of the blank, is in fact impossible or difficult in practice. Such previous folding-down would in fact mean that the blank in
Figure 1 could not readily be folded up and glued to the joining panel 15.



  After the end flap 19 has been folded about the associated fold line against the outside of the panel   14,      i e.    after this folding has been done in the packaging machine in the illustrative embodiment shown, the semi-finished product formed from the blank in Figure 1 assumes a state according to
Figure   5 The    bottom closure panels   24-27    are joined together to form a bottom closure in which other elements can also be included, as will be described below.

   The semi-finished product in Figure 5 constitutes in principle a   right-angled, parallelepipedal    packaging capsule body which at its upper open end, about the entire periphery thereof, along each side, has a twofold material thickness The end flaps 16-19 folded back and secured to the outside form, together with the wall portions lying underneath them, an end edge construction of double material thickness. On the one hand, this provides stiffening and, on the other hand, an increased horizontal surface area is at the same time obtained around the whole end of the capsule body, without the external dimensions of the capsule body thereby being added to to any appreciable extent. In the concept according to the invention, this surface area is used to apply a membrane 43, preferably by heat-sealing, onto the end of the capsule body.

   This membrane 43 is made of flexible material providing a good barrier against 02 and water vapour, for example thin paper coated with a suitable plastic composition, or a laminate based on aluminium foil. The external dimensions of the membrane 43 are greater than the external dimensions of the capsule body. With such dimensioning, it is possible to form an easily accessible grip for removing the membrane, as will become clear below.



  Figure 6 shows in principle the stage in the packaging machine when the membrane is applied and heat-sealed onto said capsule body end having the double material thickness. Product has been filled beforehand into the capsule body in the machine
Figure 7 shows in principle a stage where the outer edges of the membrane 43 have been folded down against the outside of the capsule body, but where the securing is such that it is possible to grip the edge at any part thereof 
Figure 8 shows in principle the way in which the end-piece 30 is added to the capsule body closed by the membrane. In a station in the packaging machine following the membrane application and folding-down of the membrane, flat blanks 30 are fed in horizontally to the filled and membrane-sealed capsule which is stationary at said station.

   During this horizontal deliver procedure, the panels 32,33 and 35 forming the border of the blank 31 are raised, and these are joined   together/glued    in the raised position to the joining flaps 36, 37. However, the border panel 34 provided with the line of weakening 38 is left unfolded until the end-piece which is being raised has been placed on the end of the capsule body. Thereafter, the border panel 34 is folded down and secured to the outside of the panel 14 This can be seen in principle in
Figures   9-12.   



  Figure 13 shows the packaging capsule in the finished state for delivery from the packaging machine. As has already been mentioned, the external dimensions of the capsule are dimensioned to be adapted to current pallet standards and the standard which is applied in storage depots and shops.



  Since the capsule has a right-angled, parallelepipedal shape, and since it does not have any component parts which protrude prominently from the capsule walls, said capsule is thus economical to transport and can be stored and otherwise handled in shops in a space-saving manner.



  Figures 14-20 show in principle the way in which the packaging capsule according to the invention is handled in a shop, for example. The productfilled capsule arrives at the shop In order for a container provided in the shop for this product to be filled by chute, the following procedure is followed, for example. First, the guarantee closure strip 42, which previously provides proof that the package has not been tampered with, is removed. The endpiece is thereafter folded up about the line of weakening 38 serving also as a hinge The membrane 43 is now accessible in order to expose the entire end opening of the capsule body By gripping the free outer edge of the membrane 43 at a suitable position, the membrane secured to the sealing edge of the end of the capsule body by peel-sealing is pulled off (Fig. 16).



  The closure with the barrier against 02 and water vapour is thus removed   (Fig 17)    and in the shop the end-piece can once again be placed over the end of the capsule body   (Fig. IS).   



  If the purchaser, for example the shop, is equipped with a chute device for filling a container provided for the product in the shop, and if this container communicates with a chute for the product, the following procedure is preferably followed. The packaging capsule in Figure 18 is placed in the chute with the end-piece 1 directed downwards. After the product-filled capsule has been placed in this way in the chute, the end-piece is pulled in the direction of the arrow   44    in Figure 19. This pulling force has the result that the end-piece   31    is released along the line of weakening of the border part 34 secured to the capsule body. After the end-piece 30 has thus been removed, the entire opening of the capsule body is exposed and the product can slide down unimpeded into the container through the chute.



  If for some reason one does not want to or cannot tear off the end-piece 30, when the capsule is located in the chute, another procedure can be followed.



  In the same way as before, one starts by removing the membrane 43. The end-piece is then also torn off along the line of weakening 38. Thereafter, the end-piece is placed back on the top of the capsule body, the end-piece and the capsule body are held tightly, the whole thing is turned upside down and, still holding the end-piece and capsule, the whole unit is placed in the chute.



  When this has been done, the end-piece 31 is removed, but without at the same time having to break open the fine of weakening 38.



  The design of the bottom closure which the capsule has in the described embodiment can be seen in Figures   21-23.    This bottom closure is in principle of the type which is traditionally used in packaging capsules sealed at the end with a membrane. In the embodiment shown, however, lines of weakening 28,29 are arranged along the entire length of the long bottom flaps of the capsule. After the flaps have been folded in and formed the bottom closure, a tear-off strip 45 is obtained between these two lines of weakening 28,29 This tear-off strip can be easily tom away after the capsule has been emptied of its content and has been removed, for example, from said chute After the strip 45 has been tom off, it is easy to press the capsule body together to a flat state and thereby facilitate handling of used packaging material.



  Although the invention has been described specifically with reference to one illustrative embodiment, it will be appreciated that a number of variants and modifications are possible within the scope of the attached patent claims.



  Thus, it is possible to provide the packaging capsule with end closures which are both of the type used as a top closure in the illustrative embodiment. The cardboard material which is normally used for producing the capsule body and the end-piece is traditionally material coated with plastic. However, in order to improve the barrier against 02 and water vapour, it is also possible to use material laminated with aluminium foil, or in some other way obtain an increased barrier protection, for example by means of the cardboard material being coated with a more sophisticated heat-sealable thermoplastic than the polyethylene plastic which is normally used.



  It will be appreciated of course that the securing of the membrane, and the border part of the end-piece provided with weakening lines, is normally done using the heat-sealable plastic coating on the respective   material/part.   



  Should it prove necessary to strengthen the barrier protection, for example in the seal between the membrane and the capsule end, it is conceivable to use hot-melt adhesive as a complement or alternative to the heat-sealing.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1 Adhesive-bonded blank for a packaging capsule, intended to be inserted in a packaging machine in order to be erected and shaped in the latter to give the finished packaging capsule with a substantially parallelepipedal capsule body closed at its end, preferably with a membrane, and filled with product, characterized in that, at least at one end of the capsule body of the prospective packaging capsule, the blank for this body has end flaps (16-19) for each side (11-14) of the capsule body in the prospective packaging capsule, in that at least two (16-18) of these end flaps are folded down against and secured to the outside of associated capsule sides, in that any other end flaps (19) lie in the plane of the associated sides (14) of the capsule body, and in that a joining flap (15) of the packaging capsule,

used for forming the four-sided capsule, is secured to the outside of the side of the capsule body which lies farthest away from the joining flap when the blank is in the flat and non-bonded state 2. Method for producing an adhesive-bonded blank for a packaging capsule, intended to be inserted in a packaging machine in order to be erected and shaped in the latter to give the packaging capsule with a substantially parallelepipedal capsule body closed at its end, preferably with a membrane, and filled with product, characterized in that, at least at one end of the capsule body of the prospective packaging capsule, the flat blank for this body, with end flaps made in one piece with it,

is oriented in a first machine direction in a gluing machine in such a way that said machine direction lies transverse to the longitudinal direction of the prospective capsule body, in that, with this machine direction, at least two end flaps (16-18) are folded against the outside of and secured to the associated sides (11-13) of the capsule body of the prospective packaging capsule, in that thereafter the blank is turned through 90 to a different machine direction, and in that, with this latter machine direction, two of the sides (11,14) of the prospective packaging capsule are folded and secured together by means of the joining flap (15) of the blank in order to form the adhesive-bonded capsule blank with the joining flap lying outside on the adhesive-bonded blank.

3-Use of an adhesive-bonded blank according to Claim 1 erected to form a filled packaging capsule, in which, with the capsule tilted in relation to the horizontal plane, and after removal of the end closure, the content of the capsule is emptied into a collecting container, for example for displaying the content in a shop.

4. Use of an adhesive-bonded blank according to Claim 3 erected to form a filled packaging capsule, characterized in that the end closure has an end-piece (30) which is first removed, in that thereafter the membrane (43) of the end closure is removed, in that thereafter the end-piece is once again applied and the packaging capsule is inserted into a chute in communication with said collecting container, and in that thereafter the end-piece is removed.

5. Use of a packaging capsule according to Claim 3, characterized in that the end closure has an end-piece (30) with a guarantee closure (39 42) which is broken first, and in that the end-piece is folded up about a line of weakening (38) in the end-piece, in that thereafter the membrane (43) is removed by means of an external portion thereof being gripped, in that thereafter the end-piece is folded back down over the end of the capsule body, and in that the capsule in this state is inserted into a chute in communication with said collecting container, and in that thereafter the end-piece (30) is torn off from the capsule body in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the body, at right angles to said ine of weakening (38)-