Classifications

• • 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
  • B65D33/00—Details of, or accessories for, sacks or bags
  • B65D33/06—Handles
  • B65D33/065—Integral handles
• • 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
  • B65D33/00—Details of, or accessories for, sacks or bags
  • B65D33/06—Handles
  • B65D33/08—Hand holes

Definitions

• Handle for a flexible container, container with handle and method of making a handle is a flexible container, container with handle and method of making a handle.
• the present invention relates to a carrying device of a container, the container comprising a compartment which is defined by flexible walls and whose volume depends on the relative position of the walls, two opposite side walls being joined along a common connecting portion.
• the invention also relates to a container comprising this carrying device, and the method of making the carrying device . 0
• a container of a collapsible type is disclosed in, for instance, W09941155.
• the container comprises three wall portions, of which two form opposite side walls and 5 a third forms the bottom wall .
• the walls which are made of a plastic material are flexible and interconnected to form a compartment whose volume depends on the relative position of the walls.
• the container further comprises a carrying device which is integrated with the connecting 0 portion and has openings for the forming of a handle.
• Such a carrying device makes it possible to grasp the container like a jug and thus handle it like a jug also in its open state.
• a turning of the container and its carrying device takes place in 5 the plane which is made up by the connecting portion.
• the container is very convenient and advantageous for container volumes below about two litres.
• the container will on the one hand be too heavy to be handled safely using one hand and, on the other, the 0 flexibility of the container and the design of the carrying device may cause the pouring motion to be unstable.
• the container is also difficult to grasp and carry, which is a problem to the consumer when bringing home the container from the shop .
• a container of the above type has therefore preferably been used for volumes below two litres although in other respects it has most advantageous properties in the form of method of production, consumption of material and garbage disposal.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a carrying device for containers of a collapsible type which is suitable to use for containers whose volume exceeds two litres.
• Another object is that it should be possible to in- troduce the carrying device in existing production equipment with only minor modifications thereof.
• One more object is that a new type of material does not have to be added to the container.
• the present invention relates to a carrying device having the features defined in claim 1. Preferred embodiments are evident from claims 2-14. Moreover the invention concerns according to claim 15 a container comprising such a carrying device, and according to claim 16 a method of making such a carrying device .
• a carrying device of a container comprising a compartment which is defined by flexible walls and whose volume depends on the relative position of the walls, two opposite side walls being joined along a common side-connecting portion.
• the carrying device is characterised in that the carrying device is formed in one piece and is attached on both sides of a centre axis extending longitudinally in the container, the compartment of the container, during the pouring motion, being arranged for turning relative to the carrying device in a plane transversely of a plane made up by the side-connecting portion.
• a container By arranging the carrying device in one piece which extends between fixing points on both sides of the longitudinal centre axis of the container, a container is obtained, which can be carried like a bucket.
• the lifting point of the container will be vertically aligned with its centre of gravity, thus resulting in a container which is easy to carry with larger volumes since the moment arm is minimal.
• This makes it easy and convenient for the consumer to bring home the container • from the place of purchase.
• the container is held with a supporting hand at the lower edge of the container while it is being lifted by means of the carrying device, using the other hand.
• the compartment of the container is then turned relative to the carrying device in a plane transversely of the plane made up by the side-connecting portion. This results in a stable and controlled pouring motion for containers holding larger volumes.
• a carrying device By the carrying device extending like a band between two fixing points on both sides of the compartment of the container, a carrying device is obtained, which is conve- nient to carry irrespective of the container volume, the size of the consumer's hand or his grip, and by making the carrying device of the same thin-walled flexible material as the rest of the container, there will be no sharp edges which can cut into the consumer's fingers since the carrying device is folded/bent in his hand.
• the carrying device is attached to. the side-connecting portion.
• the side-connecting portion as a rule, being welded/ glued and having a thickness which is twice the material thickness, it affords a good and stable base for fixing of the carrying device. Fixing in the side wall portion also means that the actual container wall will remain unaffected.
• the carrying device is a band-shaped element.
• the band shape provides a simple handle using a small amount of material.
• the carrying device consists of joined flaps which project from the side-connecting portion.
• the flaps can be formed as an extension of the side-connecting portion and be punched in connection with the punching of the contour of the container blank.
• the joining of the flaps takes place in the form of an overlapping joint.
• the carrying device is attached to the side-connecting portion by welding or gluing.
• the attachment of the carrying device can take place in the side-connecting portions in matching holes.
• the carrying device is made of the same material as the rest of the container. Thus no new material is added to the container, which facilitates both handling of materials and handling of used containers.
• a gas-filled duct means can be included.
• the carrying device should be attached to the upper half of the container.
• the pouring motion in fact takes place by holding the container with a supporting hand at the lower edge thereof while it is lifted by means of the carrying device.
• the centre of gravity of the container will be moved closer to the outlet.
• the container should have such a length as to be freely turnable over an outlet which is longitudinally arranged in the container. This means, in fact, that the lifting point of the container will be vertically aligned with the centre of the gravity of the container when the container is being carried, which results in a container that is comfortable to carry.
• the carrying device forms in the unfilled state of the container a seal for an out- let means arranged in the container.
• a seal for an out- let means arranged in the container is advantageous in a number of aspects.
• parts of the carrying device can be punched in connection with the punching of the form of the container. The amount of waste material will thus be minimal since the material that was previously lost as waste can be used for the carrying device.
• the carrying device In connection with the filling of the container, the carrying device is separated from the outlet means, thereby forming an open connection between the compartment of the container and the ambient air. After filling, the outlet means is sealed once more, thereby forming a closed container.
• the shape of the blank will be very stable, which facilitates handling and feeding of the blank in the filling equipment. Moreover, this embodiment eliminates the handling of a separate carrying device.
• the carrying device according to the present invention should be used for containers of volumes exceeding two litres since the container for larger volumes tends to be too heavy to be handled by means of a carrying device according to prior-art technique.
• the carrying device and its container are made of a material comprising a filler of mineral material and a binder of polyolefin material; moreover the mineral material should be chalk (calcium carbonate) .
• a container comprising a compartment which is defined by flexible walls and whose volume depends on the relative position of the walls, two opposite side walls being joined along a common side-connecting portion, said container being characterised by a carrying device which is formed in one piece and which is attached on both sides of a centre axis extending longitudinally in the container, the compartment of the container, during a pouring motion, being arranged for turning relative to the carrying device in a plane transversely of a plane made up by the side-connecting portion.
• the invention relatefe to a method of making a carrying device in a container blank for a container comprising a compartment which i-s defined by flexible walls and whose volume depends on the relative position of the walls, two opposite side walls being joined along a common side-connecting portion, characterised by arranging, in the production of the side walls of the container blank, a carrying device which is formed in one piece with the respective side wall, said carrying device extending between two opposite edges of each side wall, and joining the carrying devices of each side wall in connection with the joining of two opposite side walls.
• Fig. 1A shows a container of a collapsible type comprising a carrying device according to prior-art technique .
• Figs 1B-C illustrate a schematic pouring motion with a container comprising a carrying device according to prior-art technique.
• Fig. 2A illustrates a container comprising a carrying device according to the present invention.
• Figs 2B-C illustrate a schematic pouring motion with a container comprising a carrying device according to the present invention.
• Figs 3A-C illustrate different preferred embodiments of the carrying device according to the present in- vention.
• a container 1 comprising a carrying device 20 according to prior-art technique, which below will be referred to as lifting ear.
• the container 1 is of a collapsible type, i.e. compressible or foldable, and comprises three flexible walls. Two of the walls constitute opposite side walls 3 and the third constitutes a bottom wall (not shown) .
• the walls are interconnected to form a compartment 4 whose volume depends on the relative position of the walls.
• the two side walls 3 are, along the upright sides of the container 1, interconnected along a side- connecting portion 5.
• the side walls 3 are also connected with the bottom wall via a bottom connecting portion (not shown) .
• the joining of the connecting portions suitably takes place by welding.
• the lifting ear 20 is arranged in the side-connecting portion 5 on one side of the longitudinal centre axis 6 of the container 1 and comprises one or more holes 7 through which the user can insert his fingers to grasp and lift the container 1.
• Figs 1B-C are schematic views of the pouring motion.
• the container 1 is handled like a jug, i.e. in the pour- ing motion, the compartment 4 of the container is turned along with the lifting ear 20 in a plane 8 which is made by the side-connecting portions 5.
• a container 1 of the s ⁇ me type as above is shown, however with the difference that it comprises a carrying device 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Therefore the construction of the container will not be described further.
• the carrying device 2 is in its simplest form a band-shaped element 9 which extends between the side-connecting portions 5 on both sides of the longitudinal centre axis 6 of the container.
• the band-shaped element 9 is of such a length between its fixing points 10 that it can be raised and go clear of the container upper edge and, formed therein, an outlet 11 of the compartment 4.
• the container 1 can be lifted like a bucket by means of the carrying device 2.
• FIGs 2B-C a schematic pouring motion is shown, involving a container 1 with the inventive carrying device 2.
• the container 1 is most comfortable to carry since the lifting point 12 of the carrying device 2 forms an almost vertical line with the centre of gravity of the container. The moment arm will thus be minimal. This can be compared with the lifting ear 20 in Figs 1A-1C, which gives a moment arm corresponding to at least half the width of the container since its lifting point 12 is po- sitioned outside the side-connecting portion 5 of the container 1.
• the container 1 is carried in two points, on the one hand in the carrying de- vice 2 and, on the other, using a supporting hand at the lower edge 13 of the container. Subsequently, the compartment 4 of the container is turned relative to the carrying device 2 in a plane 16 transversely of the plane 8 made up by side-connecting portions 5. Thus the turn- ing takes place in the fixing points 10 of the carrying device 2.
• the carrying device 2 allows a very stable and controlled pouring motion, which is important when the container holds larger volumes.
• the carrying device 2 can be designed in a number of different ways, of which a few examples will be given below.
• the carrying device 2 here consists of part of the side walls 3 of the container 1, and its form is punched in connection with the production of the container blank. The method of production will be described below.
• the embodiment is advantageous in a number of aspects. The amount of waste material is minimised since a large amount of the material that was previously lost as waste is now used for the carrying device.
• the carrying device is very stable since it has a thickness corresponding to twice the side wall thickness. Moreover, no separate joining or handling of a loose band element is necessary.
• the carrying device 2 can in fact, together with a temporarily stabilising portion 17, form a seal of the container, whereby the container can retain its sterility from the production of the blank up to the filling operation.
• the temporarily stabilising portion 17 is separated from the carrying de- vice 2 and the outlet means 11, thereby obtaining an open duct (not shown) to the compartment 4 of the container.
• sealing of the outlet means 11 takes place by means of e.g. welding.
• the separation of the temporarily stabilising portion 17 between the outlet means 11 and the carrying device 2 can also take place after filling.
• filling takes place through an open connection (not shown) between the compartment' and the ambient air, which extends through the outlet means 11, the stabilising portion 17 and the carrying device 2.
• a container blank is obtained, which is stable and easy to handle while being advanced through the production equipment.
• Fig. 3B shows a different embodiment of the carrying device 2.
• the carrying device 2 consists of two flaps 14 which are punched in connection with the forming of the container blank. The free ends 15 of the two flaps 14 are then joined to form a closed loop which constitutes the carrying device 2.
• This embodiment is advantageous since there are no loose parts to be handled and added to the container to form the carrying de- vice 2.
• FIG. 3C one more embodiment of a container 1 with a carrying device 2 is illustrated.
• the container has an outlet means 11' which, instead of projecting from the container 1, extends into the container 1.
• the carrying device 2 is punched in connection with the forming of the container blank.
• the carrying device 2 can either be completely separated from the outlet means 11' or be separated therefrom in connection with filling. The separation can take place either direct before filling, in which case filling takes place direct through the outlet means 11', or after filling, in which case filling takes place through both the carrying device 2 and the outlet means 11' .
• the stabilising portion 17 can be used to provide a carrying device which is more comfortable to grasp.
• the band-shaped element 9 can also consist of a completely separate band which is joined with the side-connecting portions 5, for example, by welding or gluing. In this embodiment (not shown) the same material should be used in the band-shaped element as in the rest of the container, since recycling of the container will be facilitated. However, it will be appreciated that the band- shaped element may also consist of e.g. a string. As an alternative to gluing or welding, the band-shaped element can be arranged in matching holes (not shown) which are formed in the side-connecting portions. The band-shaped element can be locked from leaving the holes by, for example, forming a thickened portion of material in the free ends of the band element .
• the carrying means, as well as the container is preferably made of a material comprising a filler of mineral material and a binder of polyolefin material .
• the mineral material can be, for example, chalk.
• the container blank for such a container can either be produced direct in connection with a filling machine or be supplied to the filling machine in a roll.
• the container blank comprises three wall portions, viz. two side walls and a bottom wall. The three walls are intercon- nected in connecting portions along their circumferences.
• connection portions can be arranged, for example, by welding or gluing.
• the desired contour of the container- is obtained, for example, by roll-punching.
• the carry J ing device 2 according to the embodiments as shown in Figs 3A-C can thus easily be provided by rearranging the roll punching tool in such manner that it also punches the desired form of the carrying device 2.
• the carrying device 2 according to the embodiments as shown in Figs 3A-C can thus be said to be part of the side walls 3, and the two wall layers of the carrying device are, like the connecting portion, welded or glued together.
• a carrying device 2 is thus provided for a container 1 of a collapsible type for volumes preferably exceeding two litres.
• the carrying device 2 is arranged on both sides of a longitudinal centre axis 6 of the container 1 and in such manner that the compartment 4 of the container, during the pouring motion, is turned in a plane 16 which is arranged transversely of the plane 8 which is made up by the connecting portion 5. During the pouring motion, also turning of the compartment 4 relative to the carrying device 2 takes place.
• Such a carrying device 2 enables an even and stable pouring motion independently of the volume and the degree of filling of the container 1.
• the container 1 is very comfortable to carry since it can be carried like a bucket, so that the lifting point 12 of the carrying device 2 and the centre of gravity of the container 1 form an essentially vertical line.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Cartons (AREA)
• Bag Frames (AREA)
• Supplying Of Containers To The Packaging Station (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20285085

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (2)

Citations (1)

• 2001
  • 2001-08-22 SE SE0102787A patent/SE519754C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2002
  • 2002-08-21 WO PCT/SE2002/001485 patent/WO2003018416A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (1)

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