WO2009133355A1

WO2009133355A1 - Manufacture of a container

Info

Publication number: WO2009133355A1
Application number: PCT/GB2009/001072
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martin Myerscough
Original assignee: Greenbottle Limited
Priority date: 2008-04-28
Filing date: 2009-04-28
Publication date: 2009-11-05

Abstract

Method of forming a container having an outer shell (20) and an inner bag (10) or liner that extends through the dispensing aperture of the shell. An open, hollow shell is provided, and the bag or liner is laid in the open, hollow shell, with a neck portion (124) of the bag extending outside the periphery of the open, hollow shell. The shell is then closed. The neck portion of the bag or liner is secured with respect to the outside of the hollow shell, either before or after closing the shell.

Description

MANUFACTURE OF A CONTAINER

The present invention relates to the manufacture of a container, and in particular to the provision of a bag or liner in a hollow shell to form a container, and to a container formed by such a method.

The environmental issues relating to packaging, including the use of materials and energy to produce packaging and the recycling or disposal of packaging after use, are of particular interest. In our unpublished earlier International Patent Application number PCT/GB 06/004534, we disclose and claim a container comprising a hollow shell, which may be formed from wood or paper pulp, with a bag loosely provided within the shell, the bag extending through a dispensing opening of the shell and being sealed on the outside of the shell. Such a container has environmental advantages. For example, the main structural part of the container, namely the hollow shell, can be formed from recycled material or material that is not normally suited to contain the intended content of the container, since the content of the container will be stored within the bag provided inside the container. Further, by removing the bag from the shell after use, the bag and shell may easily be disposed of separately. In this case, the material of the shell may be recyclable and/or biodegradable, and may be recycled or allowed to biodegrade even if the bag is not recyclable and/or biodegradable, or is not recyclable and/or biodegradable with the shell.

It is generally desirable to be able to produce a large number of containers quickly. It is therefore important to be able to assemble the bag and shell quickly. The present invention relates generally to a method for assembling a shell and a bag to form a container, for example of the type described in our unpublished earlier International Patent Application number PCT/GB 06/004534.

In particular, the present invention relates to a method of providing a bag or liner in a hollow shell, the bag or liner extending through a dispensing aperture of the hollow shell, and being secured with respect to the outside of the hollow shell.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method of forming a container comprises: providing an open, hollow shell; laying a bag or liner in the open, hollow shell, a neck portion of the bag or liner extending outside the periphery of the open, hollow shell; closing the hollow shell; and, securing the neck portion of the bag or liner with respect to the outside of the hollow shell.

This method enables the easy assembly of a container having an outer shell and an inner bag or liner that is able to hold the contents of the container whilst preventing these coming into contact with the hollow shell. The method allows easy automation of the assembly process, and allows consistent and reliable assembly of containers.

By providing the bag within the hollow body, the contents of the container will be stored within the bag and do not come into contact with the hollow shell. This means that the hollow shell, which can provide the strength of the container, can be formed from materials that would not normally be suitable for containing the contents. By extending the bag through a dispensing aperture, the contents of the container can be introduced and/or dispensed through the dispensing aperture without coming into contact with the inside of the shell. Securing the neck of the bag with respect to the shell ensures that the bag does not get drawn into the shell, for example due to the weight of the contents.

In general, the dispensing aperture will have a size smaller than the cross- sectional area of the hollow shell. The neck of the bag will generally be smaller than the body of the bag.

With the method of the present invention, since the bag or liner is laid into the open shell before this is closed, the potential difficulties of inserting a bag through a restricted opening in a hollow shell forming the container can be avoided. This in turn makes provision of the bag or liner within the hollow shell relatively simple, and also helps avoid the risk that the bag or liner is creased or folded within the final container, and therefore is unable to hold the correct volume.

In one example, the container includes a dispensing opening in the form of a spout. In this case, the spout can be formed as an integral part of the hollow shell. For example, the spout can be formed such that the spout is open when the hollow shell is opened, allowing the bag or liner to be laid in the hollow shell with the neck portion of the bag or liner extending through the open spout. When the hollow shell is closed, the parts forming the spout may also be closed, forming the spout. Alternatively, the spout may be formed as a separate component to be attached to the hollow shell after the bag or liner has been laid in the hollow shell. In this case, the spout may be provided over the neck of the bag or liner before the bag or liner is laid into the open shell, the spout being attached to the open shell either prior to or after the closing of the hollow shell. The neck of the bag or liner may be attached either before the bag or liner is laid in the open, hollow shell, or after the closing of the hollow shell. Alternatively, the spout may be passed over the neck portion of the bag or liner after the bag or liner has been laid in the open, hollow shell. In this case, the spout may be passed over the neck portion of the bag or liner either before or after the hollow shell has been closed.

To assist with laying the bag or liner within the open, hollow shell, the bag or liner may be the suitably folded or rolled to reduce its size before being laid into the open, hollow shell. This can ensure that the body portion of the bag is within the body of the shell, and for example does not extend beyond the periphery of the body of the shell. Further, by folding or rolling the bag to reduce its dimensions, the bag can be easily and reliably expanded after insertion into the shell. This can be important when filling the container. If the bag has not been properly expanded, trapped volumes may be formed in regions of the bag. If the bag has not been properly expanded and contains trapped volumes, the intended volume of contents may not be introduced into the bag. Further, where the container is to be filled by a system that uses a pressure sensor to determine when the container is full, if there are trapped volumes in the bag, the pressure sensor may incorrectly determine when the bag had been filled with the appropriate volume of content. Folding or rolling the bag to reduce its dimension, will assist in ensuring that the bag is properly expanded, and reduces the possibility of trapped volumes occurring in the bag.

The bag may be retained in this folded or rolled condition by an adhesive, tape, band or clip. Where an adhesive, tape, band or clip is used to retain the bag in a folded or rolled condition, this may be ruptured or removed as part of the expansion of the bag.

Whether or not the bag is rolled or folded for introduction into the shell, the bag may be expanded by injecting a jet of fluid, for example air or an inert gas through the neck of the bag.

It is preferred that the body of the bag has a larger size and/or volume than the internal size and/or volume of the hollow shell. In this way, when the bag is filled with contents, the bag will abut against the interior wall of the body of the hollow shell, therefore ensuring that the hollow shell provides support for the weight of the contents.

To secure the bag with respect to the shell, it is preferred that the neck of the bag is secured to the outer surface of the shell, at least around the dispensing aperture. Alternatively or additionally, the neck of the bag could be attached to the inside of the hollow shell, for example using an adhesive. The neck of the bag may be attached to the inside and/or outside of the shell either before or after the open shell is closed.

In one example, the bag is secured with respect to the shell by providing tape to bridge the outside of the hollow shell and the outside of the neck of the bag. The tape may be an adhesive tape that adheres to the shell and bag.

An advantage of providing tape to bridge the outside of the hollow shell and the outside of the neck of the bag is that the tape covers and protects the outside of the hollow shell around the dispensing aperture, and prevents anything, including the contents of the container as they are dispensed, passing between the outside of the bag and the shell and into the shell. In particular, providing a tape covering the shell around the dispensing aperture ensures that this vulnerable portion of the hollow shell does not come into contact with the contents of the container as these are dispensed or as the container is filled. This is particularly advantageous when the shell is made from a material which could be damaged or weaken by coming into contact with the contents of the container.

During dispensing of the contents of the container, it is possible that some of the contents will drip or run down the outside of the neck of the bag. Should the contents be allowed to pass between the outside of the neck of the bag and the inside of the shell, they would come into contact with the shell, and may damage this. Further, any such content could become contaminated by contact with the shell, and this contaminated content could be dispensed when further content is dispensed. Providing a tape that bridges the neck of the bag and the outside of the shell prevents any content passing between the bag and the shell and therefore avoids these problems. A tape is also easily removable to allow separation of the bag from the shell after use.

In one embodiment, a single strip of tape is provided around both sides of the dispensing aperture and both sides of the neck of the bag. Alternatively, multiple lengths of tape may be used, for example one on each side of the neck of the bag.

Other means can be used to secure the neck of the bag with respect to the shell. For example, the neck portion of the bag can be rolled or folded around the dispensing aperture and secured to the outer surface of the shell, for example by an adhesive, by tape or by shrink wrapping. This ensures that the outside of the hollow shell, around the dispensing aperture is covered and protected. Further still, the neck of the bag may be attached to the inside of the shell, for example by an adhesive.

The neck of the bag may include a seal for sealing the body of the bag. In one example the seal comprises a zip-seal. Other sealing means may be provided instead or in addition to a zip-seal. In our earlier International Patent Application No. WO 2007/066090 we disclose a seal formed by folding over a spout forming the dispensing aperture through which the bag extends to cause a nip in the neck of the bag that forms a seal.

The portion of the shell around the dispensing aperture may include a pair of opposed recesses. Protrusions in the neck of the bag, for example the opposed ends of a zip type seal where provided can be located in the recesses when the bag is positioned within the shell. The opposed recesses may be grooves or depressions in the shell, or may be notches formed in the shell. By locating the protrusions in the recesses, the bag is able to hang from the protrusions providing support for the bag to prevent this from being drawn into the container, for example through the weight of the contents.

In one example, a plurality of bags may be provided on a wicket. In this case, the bags may be connected together for ease of transport, and arranged such that one bag can be pulled from the remainder of the bags, for example by tearing a web or stop that connects the bags. In another example, the bags may be provided on a roll. In this case, the bags can be spaced apart on the roll. The bags may be provided with means that can hold the bags whilst allowing the bag to be inserted into the shell. In either case, this can assist automation of the assembly of containers.

The bag or liner is preferably flexible. The bag or liner may be formed from a suitable plastics material, such as polythene. Where the container is to include food or beverage, the bag or liner should be made of a material that is of food standard. Suitable materials which are certified as being of food standard include the Bioplast GF106, Starpol 2000, Starpol Blown Film and Polymer 2189/106 (Starpol NS) films available from Stanelco. Many plastics films, including films of LDPE, LLDPE and HDPE films can be food standard. The film can include an accelerator to make it oxodegradable.

After the container has been assembled, the container can be filled and sealed.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a container formed in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a top view of an open, hollow shell including a bag or liner; Figure 2 shows a side view of an assembled container; Figures 3 and 4 show views of a spout closure system; Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a bag including a zip-seal; Figure 6 shows the location of a bag in a spout; Figures 7a to 7c show the securing of the neck of a bag to a shell.

Figure 1 shows a view from above of an open, hollow shell 20 into which a bag or liner 10 has been laid.

The open, hollow shell 10 forms the part of the container giving strength and rigidity. As described in our earlier International patent application, the hollow shell can be formed by moulding paper pulp or wood pulp. In particular, the pulp material is diluted so that this can be moulded. A mould is provided, typically in the form of a wire mesh, and the diluted pulp material is sprayed and sucked onto the surface of the mould by applying a suction force or vacuum. After moulding the component, the component is heated to evaporate the moisture, and solidify the shell.

Other materials can be used to form the hollow shell. However, it is advantageous if the material from which the shell is formed is a material that has been recycled, or is a material that can itself be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. For example, where the material of the shell is formed from a compostable or biodegradable material, this may be disposed of, for example on a compost heap or on a landfill site where the material will decompose rapidly. In view of this, another material that may be well suited to form the hollow shell is hemp.

It will be appreciated that a number of open shells can be nested together for storage and/or transportation.

The hollow shell may be formed by methods other than moulding. For example, the hollow shell could be formed from one or more sheets of material that are folded to give the desired shell shape. An advantage of forming the hollow shell by moulding is that this can provide a greater range of possible shapes. Therefore, the shape of the shell may be chosen based on functional and/or aesthetic requirements. For example, the shell may be shaped to reflect the intended contents of the container, or may be formed with embossing related to the intended contents of the container, or source. Shaping the body allows strength and stiffness to be added and thinner material thicknesses can therefore be used, reducing costs.

In the example shown in Figure 1, the hollow shell includes two portions 23, 25 that are joined by an interconnecting hinge or web 22. When the hollow shell is in an open configuration, the two portions 23, 25 lay side by side. To close the shell, the two portions 23, 25 are brought together, bending the interconnecting web 22. The two portions 23, 25 include a flange 24 provided around their periphery. When the two portions 23, 25 of the hollow shell are brought together to close the shell, the flanges 24 of each portion 23, 25 will overlie, and are joined together to close the container. In one example, the flanges 24 are joined by an adhesive between the opposed flanges 24. Alternatively, the flanges may be joined by a mechanical fastening, such as a staple or pin, or by a label bridging the two portions. It will be appreciated that the hollow shell can be held in a closed condition in other ways, for example by providing a flange on one portion of the hollow shell which is arranged to be fixed to the side wall of the other portion of the shell, or by an adhesive tape or label secured to each portion of the shell, or by a band encircling the close shell. Other methods for connecting the portions of the shell are within the scope of the present invention.

Figure 1 also shows that the hollow shell includes an opening 30. When the hollow shell is closed, the opening 30 will provide access to and from the interior of the hollow shell.

Even when the container is to hold a fluid, it is not necessary for the join between the portions of the hollow shell 20 to be fluid tight, since the contents are held within a bag provided within the hollow shell 20. Indeed, it is advantageous that the hollow shell 20 is not fluid tight so that air within the hollow shell 20 can be displaced through the hollow shell 20 as the bag is filled, and that air can pass through the walls of the hollow shell 20 to fill the volume as contents are dispensed from the bag. Allowing air to pass into the volume inside the hollow shell 10 as the contents are dispensed from the bag helps ensure smooth dispensing of the contents. The flow of air through the hollow shell 20 may be achieved using the porosity of the walls of the hollow shell 20, or by including a vent in the hollow shell 20. In the latter case, this is provided at a position where there is little risk of puncturing the bag. To form a container, a bag or liner 10 is laid into the open, hollow shell 20. The hollow shell includes at least one void or volume into which the bag is laid. As shown in Figure 1, the bag or liner 10 includes a neck portion 12. The bag or liner 10 is laid in the hollow shell with the neck portion 12 extending through the opening 30 in the hollow shell. To assist with the laying of the bag or liner 10 within the hollow shell 20, the bag or liner 10 may be folded or rolled prior to laying this within the hollow shell 20. In this case, the bag or liner 10 should be folded or rolled in such a way that it can easily unfold or unroll, for example when the container is filled. Any folds or rolls may be lightly held by thin pieces of tape that will release as the bag fills. Alternatively, the bag may be held in the folded or rolled condition by an adhesive, clip or band. When the body of the bag is subsequently expanded, for example by injecting a gas into the bag to expand this or when the container is filled with contents, the retaining means is ruptured or removed from the bag to allow the body of the bag to expand. By folding or rolling the bag prior to laying this into the shell, issues with the bag being caught by the box when closed will be minimised, and this further helps the bag fill properly as it will assume the correct internal orientation when filled.

The bag or liner may be gusseted at the side or bottom, reducing or eliminating the need to fold or roll the bag.

After the bag or liner 10 is laid in the hollow shell, the shell is closed, with the bag or liner 10 contained within the hollow interior of the shell, and with the neck portion 12 of the bag or liner 10 extending through the opening 30 of the shell.

To secure the bag or liner 10 with respect to the shell 20, the outside of the neck portion 12 of the bag or liner 10 is rolled or folded back around the outside of the opening 30 and is attached to the outside of the hollow shell. This attachment may be by an adhesive, for example an adhesive provided between the outside of the neck portion 12 of the bag or liner 10 and the outer wall of the shell 20, or by an adhesive tape. The neck portion 12 of the bag or liner 10 could also be shrink-wrapped to fix this with respect to the dispensing opening of the shell.

Optionally, the bag or liner 10 may be attached to the inside of the hollow shell 20. This could be achieved by providing an adhesive between portions of the bag or liner 10 and the side wall of the hollow shell 20, or by trapping a portion of the bag or liner 10 between the flanges 24 of the hollow shell 20 as this is closed. An advantage of securing at least a portion of the bag or liner 10 to the inside of the hollow shell 20 is that this ensures the bag or liner 10 is held within the hollow shell 20 when the contents of the container are dispensed, rather than being freely movable within the hollow shell. If the bag or liner 10 is freely movable within the hollow shell 20, there is a risk that the contents of the container may not properly be dispensed. However, it is preferred that the bag or liner 10 is separable from the hollow shell 20 after use of the container to allow separate disposal of the bag or liner 10 and the shell 20. It is therefore preferred that where the bag or liner 10 is connected to the inside of the hollow shell 20, this is done at the number of discrete points rather than across the entire surface of the bag or liner 10.

In one example, the bag or liner 10 has a volume greater than the internal volume of the hollow shell 20. In this way, when the container is filled, the bag or liner 10 will contact the inner surface of the hollow shell 20. This helps ensure that the weight of the contents are supported by the shell rather than by the bag or liner. This has also been found to help avoid the contents spilling in the event of an impact on the container, for example when the container is dropped. Such an impact may cause the shell to rupture. In this case, where the bag or liner 10 is larger than the internal volume of the shell, the bag or liner can expand to its natural volume, damping the impact, and thereby avoiding rupture of the bag.

In an example of the present invention, the container includes an elongated spout through which the contents of the container to be dispensed. This may assist with the dispensing of the contents of the container, and can also be used to form a seal for the container. In particular, by folding the spout over, along a lateral line, a sharp crease or nip will be created, acting to seal the spout. By clipping the free end of the spout behind a suitably disposed shoulder 28 of the container, or by otherwise holding this in place, for example using adhesive or a tape or band, the container may easily be closed.

In one example, the elongated spout may be formed integrally with the hollow shell. In this case, the spout may be formed as one or more portions extending from the portions of the shell so that the spout is formed when the hollow shell is closed.

Alternatively, the spout may be formed as a separate component that is attached to the shell either before or after the shell is closed. In either case, the spout may either be provided after the bag is laid in the open hollow shell, being positioned over the extending neck portion 12 of the bag, or the spout may be mounted on the neck portion 12 of the bag or liner 10 before this is laid in the hollow shell. In this case, the end of the neck portion 12 of the bag or liner 10 may be folded over the outside of the spout and attached to the outside of the spout before the spout is attached to the hollow shell. This may be easier than seeking to attach the neck portion 12 of the bag or liner 10 to the outside of the spout after this has been attached to the hollow shell.

To provide the spout on the bag or liner 10 before this is laid into the hollow shell, the spout may be slid onto the neck of the bag or liner 10, or the neck portion 12 of the bag or liner 10 pulled through the spout. The bag or liner 10 can then be laid in the hollow shell, bringing the spout into contact with either the inner surface or outer surface of the hollow shell 20 around the opening 30. The spout is connected to the hollow shell 20, either before or after the hollow shell 20 is closed, for example by using adhesive or a mechanical coupling means.

However the spout is provided, whether this is formed integrally with the remainder of the hollow shell or formed as a separate component to be attached to the hollow shell, and whether the spout is attached to the bag or liner 10 before or after the hollow shell is closed and/or the spout is attached to the hollow shell, the resulting container will comprise a hollow shell having an elongated spout defining a dispensing opening with the bag or liner 10 being provided within the hollow shell, the bag or liner 10 including a neck portion that extends through the spout and is attached to the outside of the spout. In this way, the container can be filled with contents through the spout, without danger that the contents will come into direct contact with the hollow shell or material from which the spout is formed since this is lined with the bag or liner 10. Similarly, the contents of the container can be dispensed through the dispensing opening, again without risk of coming into contact with the material of the hollow shell of spout. By attaching the bag or liner 10 around the outside of the spout, the bag or liner 10 is held in place, and in particular the weight of the content of the container would not pull the bag or liner 10 into the container.

Figure 2 shows a closed container 20 including a separate spout 40. As can be seen in the Figure, the neck portion 12 of the bag or liner 10 extends through the spout 40 and is attached to the outside of the spout. It can also be seen in this example that the flange 24 used to join the two portions 23, 25 of the hollow shell includes an opening 26 which acts as a handle, and also defines a shoulder 28 that is able to receive the free end of the spout 40 when this is folded into a closed position. The closing features of the spout described in more detail with respect to Figures 3 and 4.

There are various ways of folding or rolling back the open neck of the bag or liner over the spout, and attaching this to the spout. One way is to use an arrangement of suction cups or other attracting means to attract the outside of the neck of the bag, and to pull this outwardly, opening the neck of the bag. The edges of the neck of the bag may then be gripped by grippers which move the neck of the bag over the side of the spout. Alternatively, a tube may slide into the open neck of the bag or liner, and moved relative to the spout to slide over the outside of the spout, rolling the neck of the bag around the outside of the spout. The folded or rolled back neck of the bag or liner is then attached to the outside of the spout, for example using adhesive or tape.

Figures 3 and 4 show an example of a spout closure according to one example of the present invention. Figure 3 shows the closure in an open condition to allow the contents of the container 50 to be dispensed through the spout. Figure 4 shows the spout closure when closed.

The spout is formed separately from the remainder of the hollow shell 20. The spout may be moulded from paper or wood pulp, or may be formed in other ways such as described with respect to the remainder of the hollow shell 20. The spout may be formed from a planar sheet of material, rolled into a generally conical or cylindrical shape. Where the spout has a generally cylindrical shape, a section of cardboard tubing can be used.

In the example shown, the spout includes a lower flange 60, which is used to attach the spout to the outside of the hollow shell 20 around the dispensing opening of the hollow shell. It will be appreciated that the spout could be inserted through the dispensing opening and attached to the inner wall of the hollow shell around the dispensing opening. The spout includes a lower portion 52 extending from the flange 60, and an upper portion 54 extending from the lower portion 52 to the upper opening. A rib or ridge 58 may be formed between the upper and lower portions 52, 54 to promote folding of the spout along this line. The upper portion 54 may also include a longitudinal rib or ridge 62 along its length to promote folding of the upper portion 54. Alternatively, the upper portion may be clamped, for example in a flat vice, to create the preferential fold lines.

The hollow shell includes a shoulder 56 arranged to receive and retain the end of the spout when the spout is folded over, as shown in Figure 4. When the upper portion 54 of the spout is pushed towards the shoulder 56, the upper portion 54 will close, being bent around the fold lines 62. The upper portion 54 will then fold along the ridge or rib 58, creating a sharp fold or nip in the spout. This nip will seal the container. In this position, the end of the spout is retained under the shoulder 56. The container can easily be opened by pulling the end of the spout from under the shoulder 56.

Especially where the spout is moulded, this will have sufficient resiliency to revert to its open condition, as shown in Figure 3, when the spout is not restrained under the shoulder 56.

Alternative mechanisms can be provided for sealing the container. Such seals may include a plug or stopper which is removable and replaceable in the dispensing aperture of the container, a zipper type seal to seal the end of the liner, either within the shell of the container or outside the container, a foil or other layer which seals the dispensing opening of the container and is peelable or otherwise removable from the opening when the contents are to be dispensed, a seal similar to the seals used on Tetra-Pak (Trade Mark) type containers, and a seal in an extended length of the end of the liner, for example achieved by twisting or scrunching the end of the liner.

The container may include a coating on some or all of the outer surface of the shell to provide a moisture resistant barrier. This is especially useful where the shell is made from a porous material. It is beneficial to provide such a coating on the bottom of the container, as this will protect the container if this stands in a pool of water or other liquid. The bottom of the container may be shaped to form feet, and these may be coated with latex or other moisture resistant material. The shell may include an accelerator that helps promote the degradation of the shell after use. Alternatively or additionally, additives may be included which help breakdown the intended content of the container - for example where the container is to carry oil, an additive may be included in the liner and/or the shell which helps breakdown oil over time, increasing the recyclable properties of the container.

To assist with the disposal of the container, the bag or liner 10 in certain embodiments may be removable from the shell so that the bag or liner can be disposed of separately from the shell. This can be achieved by separating the neck portion 12 of the bag or liner 10 from the outer surface of the hollow shell, and pulling the bag or liner from the shell through the dispensing opening. The separation of the neck portion of the bag or liner from the shell can be achieved by rupturing a tape or adhesive attaching the bag or liner to the outer surface of the shell, or removing a portion of the shell or spout to which the bag or liner is attached from the remainder of the shell.

Alternatively, the shell may be ruptured allowing access to the interior of the shell, and then removing the bag or liner. Where the shell is held in its closed position along the seam, for example by attachment of two overlapping flanges, the shell may be ruptured by splitting the shell along the seam. In this case, the bag or liner will also need to be detached from the outside of the shell as above.

One example of a bag is shown in Figure 5. The bag 10 has a body 122 and a neck 124 which is open or openable. The body 122 of the bag 10 is sized and shaped to conform generally to the inner volume of the hollow shell 20, although advantageously has a slightly larger size and volume than the internal volume of the hollow shell 20. In this way, when the body 122 of the bag 10 is within the hollow shell 20 and is filled with the contents of the container, the body 122 of the bag 10 will be in contact with the inner wall of the hollow shell 20, thereby ensuring that the weight of the contents of the container is supported by the hollow shell 20 rather than by the bag itself. The neck 124 of the bag 10 is provided so that when the body 122 of the bag 10 is provided within the hollow shell 20, the neck 124 of the bag 210 extends through and beyond the dispensing aperture of the hollow shell 20.

In one example, the neck 124 of the bag 10 includes a sealing means for closing and sealing the open neck 124 of the bag. One suitable sealing means is a ZIP seal as shown in Figure 5. In this case, one inner surface of the neck 124 of the bag 10 includes a male strip member 126. The opposed inner surface of the neck 124 of the bag 10 includes a female strip member 128 including two spaced elongate members that are able to receive and retain the male strip member 126.

Where the neck of the bag includes a zip seal, the hollow shell 20 may include grooves or notches 15a, 15b around the dispensing aperture on the spout to receive the zip seal, and thereby locate the bag with respect to the shell as shown in Figure 6. This prevents the bag falling into the shell before it is attached to the shell. Where the bag does not contain a zip seal, the bag may be shaped to provide a portion receivable within the grooves or notches 15a, 15b to retain the bag in position. Where the hollow shell 20 includes grooves or notches 15a, 15b around the dispensing aperture on the spout to receive a zip seal in the neck of the bag, the bag may be flattened to allow the neck of the bag to drop further into the hollow shell until the grooves or notches 15a, 15b communicate with the zip seal in the neck of the bag.

An alternative example for securing the neck of the bag to the outside of the hollow shell 20 is by using an adhesive tape or the like. This attachment can be done after the bag or liner has been loaded into the open shell 20 and the shell 20 closed to form the hollow shell, with the neck of the bag or liner extending through the dispensing aperture. As shown in Figure 7a, the neck 124 of the bag 10 extends through the dispensing aperture defined by opposed sides 14a, 14b of a short spout. As shown in Figure 7b, the opposed sided 14a, 14b of the spout are flattened towards each other. When the opposed sides of the spout are flattened towards each other, the neck of the bag may be arranged to drop further into the spout. This can be used as a means to ensure the bag is accurately positioned with respect to the dispensing aperture. When the opposed sides of the spouts are flattened towards each other, as shown in Figure 7c, a piece of tape 40 is adhered across the bridge between the outside of the spout of the shell 20 and the outside of the neck 124 of the bag 10. As shown in Figure 7c, adhesive 42 adhering the tape 40 to the spout, and adhesive 44 adhering the tape 40 to the neck 124 of the bag 10. It will be appreciated that the entire surface of the tape 40 facing the spout and neck of the bag may be coated with adhesive. It will also be appreciated that a single piece of tape 40 may extend around and be adhered to both sides of the spout and the neck of the bag, or separate pieces of tape may be provided on each side of the spout.

The primary function of the tape 40 is to secure the neck 124 of the bag 10 with respect to the hollow shell 20. This ensures that when the container is filled, the bag 10 is retained with respect to the dispensing aperture 14 of the hollow shell 20 enabling the container to be filled and emptied. By joining the neck 124 of the bag 10 to the outside of the spout using tape 40, it is relatively easy to remove the tape 40 from the spout when the contents of the container have been dispensed, and to then separate the bag 10 from the hollow shell 20.

A secondary function of the tape 40 is that this covers and protects the outside of the hollow shell 20 around the dispensing aperture 14. During dispensing of the contents of the container, it is possible that some of the contents will drip or run down the outside of the neck 124 of the bag 10. Should the contents be allowed to pass between the outside of the neck 124 of the bag 10 and the inside of the shell 20, they would come into contact with the shell 20, and may damage this. Further, any such content could become contaminated by contact with the shell, and this contaminated content could be dispensed when further content is dispensed. Providing a tape that bridges the neck 124 of the bag 10 and the outside of the shell 20 prevents any content passing between the bag 10 and the shell 20 and therefore avoids these problems. Furthermore, providing a tape covering the neck of the spout ensures that this vulnerable portion of the hollow shell 20 does not come into contact with the contents of the container as these are dispensed.

Alternatively or in addition to the tape 40, the neck 124 of the bag 10 may be secured to the inside of the spout of the hollow shell 20. This may be achieved using an adhesive provided on the inside of the wall 14a, 14b of the hollow shell 20 which comes into contact with the outer surface of the neck 124 of the bag 10 when the spout is flattened. However, where the attachment between the bag 10 and the hollow shell 20 in on the inside of the hollow shell 20, it becomes more difficult to separate the bag 10 from the shell 20 after use. Where an adhesive, such as a pressure sensitive or contact adhesive is provided on the flanges 16a, 16b, 18a, 18b of the shell to hold the portions of the shell together, a similar adhesive may be simultaneously or separately applied to the wall portions 14a, 14b to adhere to the neck 124 of the bag 10.

When all the contents have been dispensed, and it is desired to dispose of the package, the hollow shell 20 can be split open along the flanges that attach the two sides of the hollow shell 20, allowing the shell to open. The tape 40 may then be removed from the shell 20 and may be removed with the bag 10. The hollow shell 20 and the bag 10 may be disposed of separately. If necessary, the tape 40 may also be separated from the bag 10 to be disposed of separately.

In the preferred example, where the hollow shell 20 is formed from a biodegradable material, the shell can be disposed of on a compost heap. The bag 10, which may not be formed of a biodegradable material, can be either recycled, or can at least be disposed of in the most suitable way for such a material. It would be appreciated that the bag 10 itself could be formed from a material that decomposes, and in this case this could also be disposed of on a compost heap. In this case, the advantage of removing the bag 10 from the hollow shell 20 is that the two components can be disposed of in the most suitable way. A further advantage is that the shell 20 can be formed from a nonfood standard material, which does not need to be moisture resistant, since the bag 10 separates the contents from the shell. In use, the container can be filled with liquid or other product to be packaged by introducing this through the open neck 124 of the bag 10. The contents are then stored in the container until they are dispensed through the dispensing aperture 14.

In a particular example, the container of the present invention may be used for containing milk. In this case, a number of open shells may be formed at one location. The shells can be cut to ensure that they are of the correct height, and nested together. The nested shells may then be transported to the dairy or other location where the milk is to be bottled. In this way, the volume of the transported products is minimised compared to the case where the shells are formed as hollow shells before shipping. The open shells may then be folded or otherwise formed to form the hollow shell at this location. In this case, adhesive may be applied to the open shell either before or after transportation.

The bags may also be formed away from the assembly location, and shipped to the assembly location. The bags may be folded prior to or after shipping.

At the assembly location, the bags are loaded into the hollow shells, and attached to the hollow shells. The containers are then filled and sealed. The loading of the bag into the shell, the filling of the containers and the sealing of the containers may be done on a single packaging line.

It will be appreciated that the location at which the various steps in the formation of the container are carried out may be varied depending upon the particular application required.

Claims

1. A method of forming a container comprising: providing an open, hollow shell; laying a bag or liner in the open, hollow shell, a neck portion of the bag or liner extending outside the periphery of the open, hollow shell; closing the hollow shell; and, securing the neck portion of the bag or liner with respect to the outside of the hollow shell.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the container includes a dispensing opening in the form of a spout.

3. A method according to claim 2, in which the spout is formed as an integral part of the hollow shell.

4. A method according to claim 2, in which the spout is formed as a separate component to be attached to the hollow shell after the bag or liner has been laid in the hollow shell.

5. A method according to claim 3, in which the spout is provided over the neck of the bag or liner before the bag or liner is laid into the open shell.

6. A method according to claim 4 or claim 5, in which the neck of the bag or liner is attached to the outer surface of the spout before the bag or liner is laid in the open, hollow shell.

7. A method according to claim 4 or claim 5, in which the neck of the bag or liner is attached to the outer surface of the spout after the closing of the hollow shell.

8. A method according to claim 4, in which the spout is passed over the neck portion of the bag or liner after the bag or liner has been laid in the open, hollow shell.

9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the bag or liner is folded or rolled to reduce its size before being laid into the open, hollow shell.

10. A method according to claim 9, in which the bag or liner is held in the folded or rolled condition by a band, clip, adhesive or tape which is released when the container is filled.

11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the hollow shell is formed from a recycled, biodegradable, compostable or recyclable material.

12. A method according to claim 11, in which the hollow shell is formed from one of wood pulp, paper pulp and hemp.

13. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the hollow shell is a moulded shell.

14. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the neck of the bag or liner is secured with respect to the outside of the hollow shell by applying a tape bridging the outside of the hollow shell and the outside of the neck of the bag.

15. A container formed in accordance with the method of any one of the preceding claims.