WO2013175220A1

WO2013175220A1 - Container, container blank, and filling apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2013175220A1
Application number: PCT/GB2013/051355
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ian Darby; Mike RODGERS
Original assignee: Miriad Cs Limited
Priority date: 2012-05-25
Filing date: 2013-05-23
Publication date: 2013-11-28
Also published as: GB201209226D0; EP2882665A1; GB2517388A

Abstract

A self-supporting container having at least one wall, a base and a top, the top having a closable spout, the wall being made of plastics material and including at least one wall air chamber (26) and a base air chamber (34,38) in which the top (42) is seamless and has a spout assembly (50), the spout assembly (50) comprising a substantially rigid base part upon which is mounted a spout (54) and an air or gas valve (56), the top being formed from a continuous blank which also provides the wall(s) and base of the container.

Description

[Corrected under Rule 26 20.09.2013] CONTAINER, CONTAINER BLANK, AND FILLING APPARATUS

Technical Field

This invention relates to a container, to a container blank, and to apparatus for use when filling the container. The invention relates in particular to containers of the kind described in

WO

WO 2012/073004

A DARBY AND RODGERS 20120607

incorporated herein by reference.

The present container is expected to have is primary utility for containing liquids such as beverages during their transportation and storage, and the following description will therefore relate primarily to such applications. However, the use of the container for some solids (such as granular solids) and also for thick or gelatinous liquids such as soups and yoghurts, is not excluded.

Directional and orientational terms such as "top" "bottom" "base" and "vertical", for example, refer to the container in its normal orientation of use as shown in Fig.3, unless otherwise stated.

The present invention is directed to a closed container, i.e. a container which can fully enclose a material such as a liquid. Unless otherwise stated, the word "container" used in the remainder of this application refers to a closed container rather than an open-topped container.

Background Art

With containers for liquids in particular, it is desirable that the containers are sufficiently rigid to be self-supporting, i.e. they do not collapse under their own weight when empty, or under the weight of the liquid when full.

WO2012/0730004 contains an extensive review of extant containers and some of their disadvantages and describes a self-supporting container which obtains its structural strength from one or more air-filled chambers. The document also describes a blank for the container, the blank being formed from two layers of plastics material which are welded together so as to provide a number of interconnected air chambers. The container has a moulded spout assembly or gland providing the spout for the contained material and an air valve for the introduction of air into the air chambers. It is disclosed that the container can be filled with the chosen product at the same time as the air chambers are filled with air.

Despite the advantages of the container described in WO2012/073004, certain disadvantages have been identified, which the present invention seeks to address.

Firstly, in common with many known self-supporting containers, the size of the spout is limited by the presence of a seam across the top. A seam is a feature of the blank from which the container is made, and is similarly a feature of the blank from which most carton board containers are made.

It is generally desirable to have as large a spout as possible so as to facilitate easy pouring of the product by the consumer. This is particularly, but not exclusively, desirable if the product is gelatinous or is a solid such as a cereal.

The manufacturers of some carton board containers have recognised this disadvantage and provide gable-topped containers, the gable increasing the area of the top to each side of the seam within which the spout can be located. However, the gable top reduces the packaging efficiency of the product, particularly during bulk transportation. As a result such containers are not in widespread use.

Another attempt to overcome this disadvantage is to provide a moulded one-piece top and secure this by welding or adhesive to the carton board so as to make up the container. Whilst this provides a seamless top which can therefore accommodate a relatively large spout, it increases the cost and complexity of the container, and diminishes the likelihood that it can be fully recycled.

Because of their disadvantages the containers described in the previous two paragraphs are not in widespread use. As a result many containers are a compromise having a spout which is as large as possible whilst avoiding the seam across the top of the container. Since the size of the spout is directly related to the size of the top of the container, smaller containers necessarily have smaller spouts. With very small containers, such as carton board containers designed to contain 250ml of fruit juice for example, the top is too small to carry a usable spout, and instead a part of the top is made breakable so as to accommodate a drinking straw. These containers are therefore not re-sealable.

The present invention, according to its first aspect, seeks to minimise or to avoid these problems altogether.

In WO2012/073004 the issue is exacerbated by the desire to provide a single gland for the spout and the air valve. The gland used in embodiments of the invention described in WO2012/073004 is necessarily larger than a similarly-sized spout alone. In order to minimise the disadvantage it is desirable that the air valve is located close to the spout. However, there is a limit as to how close these components can be if the container is to be filled by an automated process.

The use of an automated process to fill the container is highly desirable, and the carton board, plastics and glass containers with which the present invention is primarily competing are all able to be filled by an automated process. The automated process typically includes a number of stations, perhaps arranged upon a carousel. One station actuates the means to grip the spout. A subsequent station controls the pumping of the desired quantity of product through the gripped spout into the container. A further subsequent station controls the fitment of the closure cap to the gripped spout. A final station effects the release of the gripping means from the spout.

Whilst it is desired to use a similar sequence of operations to fill the present container, it is clearly necessary that the processing machine has means to grip both the spout and the air valve, and can additionally introduce air into the air chambers.

It is also desirable that the processing machine can fill the air chambers at substantially the same time as the product is introduced into the container. If the air chambers are filled before the product is introduced the container will become erected and filled with air before the product is introduced and the air is displaced. This presents a possible hygiene risk in that the air might be contaminated with viruses or bacteria for example. If the container is filled with the desired volume of product before the air chambers are filled, the air will need to be pumped into the air chambers at greater pressure so as to form the container into its desired erected shape whilst overcoming the weight of the contained product.

Disclosure of Invention

In the first aspect of the present invention a self-supporting container having at least one wall, a base and a top, the top having a closable spout, the wall being made of plastics material and including at least one wall air chamber and a base air chamber characterised in that the top is seamless and has a spout assembly, the spout assembly comprising a substantially rigid base part upon which is mounted a spout and an air or gas valve, the top being formed as a single continuous panel from a blank which also forms the wall(s) and base of the container.

The present invention therefore differs from WO2012/073004 in providing the top as a single panel which in the formed container does not require a seam across the top. The spout assembly can therefore occupy substantially all of the top of the container. The spout can therefore be approximately doubled in size compared to the spout of a conventional carton board container of similar volume. Also, a (re-sealable) spout can be used on a smaller-volume container of the present invention, whereas a drinking straw would be used on a prior art carton board container of the same volume.

As in WO2012/073004, it is the air within the wall air chamber which provides the structural strength necessary for the container to be self-supporting. Accordingly, when the container is empty the air chamber(s) can also be empty, whereupon the container is not self-supporting and can be collapsed for transportation, to maximise the utilisation of the transportation vehicle.

Preferably the base of the container has at least one base air chamber, said at least one base air chamber having a dimension which is greater than the dimension of the base whereby the base of the container is concave.

Preferably, the container is substantially rectangular (ideally square) in plan view, with four walls. Preferably there is one wall air chamber, or there are two wall air chambers, defining each of the four corners of the container. More than two wall air chambers can be used at each corner if desired, but that is expected to be disadvantageous. Specifically, embodiments utilising a single air chamber at each corner have the additional advantage of increasing the available area of each of the walls of the container which is suitable for the application of printed labels and product information.

The invention therefore provides a blank for forming a container, the blank having a single panel defining the top panel of the container, the single panel being sized and shaped to span the distance between the sides of the erected container.

In a second aspect of the invention, an apparatus for use in filing a container, the container having a spout assembly comprising a substantially rigid base part upon which is mounted a spout and an air valve, the spout having a longitudinal axis, the air valve having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis of the air valve being substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the spout, the apparatus having a gripper to grip the spout assembly, the apparatus having an air conduit which can communicate with the air valve, the air conduit being transverse to the longitudinal axis of the air valve, the apparatus further having a closure member which can be moved to close the air valve.

The provision of an air conduit aligned transverse to the longitudinal axis of the air valve allows the air flow componentry to be arranged to the side of the spout rather than above the spout. In an automated machine it is desirable to leave the region above the spout for the product filling componentry. The transverse arrangement can ensure that the air filling componentry does not block or impede the product filling componentry, so that both of the air filling and product filling processes can be undertaken together.

Preferably, the apparatus comprises a pair of jaws which are pivotable relative to one another about an axis which is aligned substantially parallel with the longitudinal axes of the spout and the air valve.

Providing jaws which pivot about an axis aligned with the longitudinal axes of the spout and air valve allows the jaws to move in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axes. This again keeps the jaws out of the region above the spout and permits the avoidance of blocking or impeding any of the product filling apparatus.

Ideally, the dimension of the jaws in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the spout is smaller than the dimension of the spout in that direction. Accordingly, the jaws can operate below the level of the top of the spout.

Desirably, the closure member moves in a direction transverse, and ideally substantially perpendicular to, the longitudinal axes of the spout and air valve.

Clearly, embodiments of the invention according to the first aspect can be used with or without the apparatus of the second aspect of the invention, and vice versa. In particular, the apparatus of the second aspect can be used to fill containers made according to WO2012/073004.

Whilst reference is made herein to "air chambers'', it will be understood that the chamber(s) can be filled with a gas other than air if desired. Likewise, the reference to “air” includes other gases.

Brief Description of Drawings

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

Fig.1 shows a blank for a container according to the first aspect present invention;

Fig.2 shows a perspective view from above of an erected container made from a blank according to the first aspect;

Fig.3 shows a collapsed container according to the first aspect;

Fig.4 shows a perspective view of a spout assembly for use in a container;

Fig.5 shows a perspective view of the spout assembly of Fig.4 and the apparatus according to the second aspect of the invention;

Fig.6 shows a view from below of the apparatus of the second aspect gripping a spout assembly;

Fig.7 shows a sectional view along the line VII-VII of Fig.6; and

Fig.8 shows a cut-away view of part of the apparatus and spout assembly.

Discussion of examples of the invention

The container 10 shown in Fig.2 is constructed from a blank 12 shown in Fig.1. The blank 12 comprises a two-ply polypropylene sheet, i.e. a sheet comprising two layers of polypropylene, one of the layers overlying the other. The two layers are joined together by a number of seams 14a-i, the seams being created by a welding process or the like which is known to adhere two layers of polypropylene together. In other embodiments the blank comprises a two-ply sheet of another polyolefin material, such as polyethylene.

The structure of the erected container shown in Fig.2 is dependent upon the arrangement of the seams 14, as will be explained below. Whilst many of the seams 14 are interconnected, they will be described separately below according to their function.

The seam 14a defines the outer wall of an annular valve chamber 16, and the seam 14b defines the inner wall of the annular valve chamber. The seams 14c define the walls of a passage 20 connecting the valve chamber 16 to a top chamber 22.

The top chamber 22 is defined by a top seam 14d and four lower seams 14e, and by respective parts of two side seams 14f.

Apart from the passage 20 the top seam 14d is continuous, as are the side seams 14f. The side seams 14f are connected to a bottom seam 14g.

The gaps 24 between the respective lower seams 14e permit air to pass from the top chamber 22 into a respective wall air chamber 26. The sides of each air chamber 26 are defined by longitudinal seams 14h. The (four) wall air chambers 26 terminate at a bottom chamber 30 which is defined by upper seams 14i, bottom seam 14g, and by respective parts of the two side seams 14f.

The bottom seam 14g has gaps 32 which allow air to pass into primary base air chambers 34, and further gaps 36 which permit air to pass into the secondary air chambers 38. The two primary base air chambers 34 and the two secondary base air chambers 38 together define the base structure in the erected container 10.

When air is introduced into the annular valve chamber 16 it passes through the passage 20 and into the top chamber 22, through each of the gaps 24 into the respective wall air chambers 26, into the bottom chamber 30, and also through the

gaps

32, 36 into the

base air chambers

34, 38. The respective chambers can therefore all be filled with air, to the pressure required, in one step.

The longitudinal seams 14h separate the wall air chambers 26 from four first wall regions 40 which do not become filled with air.

The blank 12 can be made from two continuous layers of polypropylene material, i.e. the seams 14a-i can be welded and the layers cut to form the blank 12, in a substantially continuous operation. In a preferred continuous manufacturing method, the blank is initially rectangular, and the unnecessary regions shown in dotted outline (or salvage) to either side of the top panel 42 are removed. The remainder of the blank 12 is folded and the side edge 44 is welded or otherwise secured onto the side edge 46 effectively to form the blank 12 into an open-ended tube.

Within the seam 14b there is a section 60 of the polypropylene material which is removed during the manufacturing process, as described below.

The tube is formed into a rectangular cross-section (ideally upon a suitably-shaped former), and the top panel 42 is folded onto, and welded or otherwise secured to, the side walls so as to form the top of the container. It is expected that the welding or other securing operation will be effected whilst the tubular blank is mounted on the former. The former is removed and the parts forming the base are secured together, also suitably by welding (the salvage surrounding the

base air chambers

34 and 38 can be removed if desired, or left in place to add material strength to the base).

The top panel 42 thus comprises a single panel without any seams, and the spout assembly can be made larger than that shown in Fig.2, to substantially fill the top panel 42 if desired.

It is expected that the spout assembly would occupy a larger proportion of the top panel in containers of smaller volume, for example 0.5 litres and below, or in containers designed to contain gelatinous or solid materials. The particular container 10 illustrated, however, has a volume of 1 litre and is designed to contain a readily pourable liquid such as milk or fruit juice, so that the spout assembly 50 only occupies around half of the top panel 42.

The container 10 can be folded into a gusseted bag as shown in Fig.3. Folding the container in this way minimises its volume for transportation. The container of our previous application WO2012/073004 can also be folded into a gusseted bag, however the top panel is folded along its seam. In the present invention there is no seam in the top panel 42, but the top panel can be folded in this embodiment because the spout assembly 50 occupies less than half of the top panel. Embodiments in which the spout assembly occupies more than half of the top panel would have to be folded differently to that shown in Fig.3.

Fig.4 shows the spout assembly or gland 50 suitable for mounting to the top panel 42 of the container 10. In this embodiment the spout assembly 50 is made of polypropylene to match the material of the blank 12, and thereby facilitate recycling of a used container. The spout assembly 50 is, however, of considerably thicker material than the sheet making up the blank 12, so that it is substantially rigid.

The spout assembly 50 comprises a base plate 52 which can be welded or otherwise secured to the material of the top 42 of the container 10. Ideally, the base plate 52 is secured between the two layers of polypropylene which lie within the seam 14b defining the inner edge of the annular valve chamber 16, whereby the annular valve chamber 16 surrounds the spout 54 and encloses the opening of the air valve 56.

The spout 54 has a longitudinal axis SA-SA, which could be loosely described as the "fill-direction" for the product which is to be introduced into the container 10. The air valve 56 has a longitudinal axis VA-VA, which could be loosely described as the "fill-direction" for the air which is to be introduced into the air chambers 22 etc.

During the process of manufacturing the container 10, the section 60 of the polypropylene material lying within the inner seam 14b is removed, and the border of the removed material is welded or otherwise secured to the base plate 52 surrounding the spout 54, so that the spout 54 opens into the interior of the erected container 10.

Ideally the container 10 is ideally filled with product at substantially the same time as the air chambers 22 etc. are filled with air as part of an automated process. To achieve this, an automated filling machine includes means to grip the spout assembly 50 to permit filling of the container 10 by way of the spout 54 and also includes means to pump air into the air valve 56.

The valve member 56 comprises a valve body 62 and valve cap 64, the cap is initially support above and away from the valve body 62 by one or a number of breakable parts 63. Thus one or a plurality of openings 65 transverse to the axis VA-VA of the valve 56 is/are formed. The hole(s) 65 allow air to be pumped through openings transverse to the axis VA-VA and SA-SA and below the valve cap 64. When the required air pressure within the air chambers 22 etc. has been reached, the valve cap 64 is pressed down to its "closed" position onto valve body 62, closing off hole(s) 65, and sealing the air within the air chambers 22 etc. and maintaining the self-supporting structural rigidity of the container 10. The air valve 56 can be an integral moulding with the remainder of the spout assembly 50, or can be a separate component secured to the base plate 52. Ideally, the air valve 56 is moulded in its open position, and has one or more breakable parts holding it in the open position.

In the example shown in figures 1 to 4 the base of the container has at least one base air chamber 34 having a dimension which is greater than the dimension of the base so that when the chamber is inflated base of the container is concave.

Conventional automated filling machines are available with means to grip the spout 54 and introduce product into the container 10. Such conventional machines have gripping means and filling apparatus which approach from above the spout 54, and generally lie above the spout 54 during the filling procedure. It is desirable to minimise the changes to the conventional machinery which is required to fill the container 10, and the apparatus 70 according to the second aspect of the present invention, and shown in Figs. 5-8, is designed to achieve that.

The apparatus 70 comprises a pair of

jaws

72, 74 which are mounted to pivot upon an axis PA-PA. In the in-use position of the apparatus 70 as shown in Figs. 5-8, the pivot axis PA-PA is substantially parallel to both of the spout axis SA-SA and the valve axis VA-VA. The

jaws

72, 74 therefore approach the spout assembly 50, and recede from the spout assembly 50, in a sideways direction relative to the spout 54, and importantly do not need to pass over or above the spout 54.

The

jaws

72, 74 have grippers 76 which partially surround the base of the spout 54, and serve to grip the spout 54 adjacent to the base plate 52. The elements 76 are carried by

respective arms

80, 82.

The

arms

80, 82 have complementary formations 84 (only the formation 84 on the arm 82 is visible in the drawings) which accommodate the air valve 56. In the in-use condition the elements 76 grip the spout assembly and the

arms

80, 82 overlie the air valve 56, with the air valve located within the space provided by the complementary formations 84. The

arms

80, 82 form an air-tight seal around the air valve 56. The arm 80 has an air conduit 86 which communicates with the space around the air valve 56, and through which air can be pumped through the openings 65 between breakable parts 63 of the air valve 56 and into the air chambers 22 etc.

The arm 82 carries a closure member in the form of a movable wedge 88. When the air chambers 22 etc. have been filled with the required volume of air, to the required pressure, a movable wedge 88 is moved in the direction towards the arm 80, during which movement its wedge-shaped leading edge 90 engages the top of the valve cap 64 and moves the valve cap 64 to its closed position on valve body 62, breaking breakable parts 63 in the process.

It will be seen Fig. 7, in particular, that the height of the apparatus 70 (in the direction of the spout axis SA-SA) is less than the height of the spout 54. Also, whilst the elements 76 engage the spout they do so only at the base of the spout and the top of the spout is kept free for the material filing apparatus. An air line can be fitted to the conduit 86 at the side of the arm 80 and all of the air filling apparatus can be located to the side of the spout, and below the top of the spout. Similarly, a solenoid or other driving member can be fitted to the closure member 88 at the side of the arm 82, and all of the valve closure apparatus can be located to the side of the spout, and below the top of the spout. This permits the air filling operation to be undertaken substantially simultaneously with the material filling operation, maximising the hygiene and processing benefits of the invention.

It will be understood that the container does not need to be square in plan view, and could instead be oblong. Other shapes such as triangular, hexagonal or cylindrical could be provided if desired, but rectangular shapes are preferred because they minimise the volume of wasted space during transportation.

Although one specific embodiment of the first aspect of the invention is shown in figures 1 to 4, the invention may be incorporated into any of the exemplary container embodiments shown in the figures of WO2012/073004.

Claims

A self-supporting container having at least one wall, a base and a top, the top having a closable spout, the wall being made of plastics material and including at least one wall air chamber (26) and a base air chamber (34,38) characterised in that the top (42) is seamless and has a spout assembly (50), the spout assembly (50) comprising a substantially rigid base part upon which is mounted a spout (54) and an air or gas valve (56) , the top (42) being formed as a single continuous panel from a blank which also forms the wall(s) and base of the container.
A self-supporting container according to claim 1 characterised in that the container has at least one base air chamber (34), said at least one base air chamber (34) having a dimension which is greater than the dimension of the base whereby the base of the container is concave.
A self-supporting container according to claim 1 or 2 characterised in that it has a top chamber (22) above each wall and connected by a passage (20) to the air or gas valve (56).
A self-supporting container according to claim 1, 2, or 3 characterised in that the base has a bottom chamber (30), the bottom chamber being connected to the at least one wall air chamber (26) he at least one base air chamber (34, 88), the bottom chamber surrounding the at least one base air chamber.
A self-supporting container according to any preceding claim characterised in that the top (42) comprises a single panel folded from a blank (12) with an aperture (60), said blank also being formed into the walls and the bottom, the spout assembly (50) moulding secured to the top, with the spout (54) aligned with the aperture (60) to permit material to be introduced into and removed from the container.
A self-supporting container according to any preceding claim in which the top container is formed from a blank made of a two-layer material.
A self-standing container according to claim 6 in which the spout assembly (50) comprises the same material as the two layer material.
A self-supporting container according to any preceding claim having a valve chamber (16) surrounding the spout (54), said valve (56) providing access to air or gas into the valve chamber (16) and which provides access to the other chambers in the container though a passage (20)
A self-supporting container according to claim 8 characterised in that all of the air chambers (22, 26; 30, 34, 38) and the valve chamber are connected together in a single air network.
A self-supporting container according to any preceding claim characterised in that the air or gas valve (56) is an integral moulding with the remainder of the spout assembly (50).
A self-supporting container according any preceding claim characterised in that the air valve (56) has openings (65) transverse to the axis of the spout (54).
A self-supporting container according to claim 10 or 11 having a valve cap (64) and one or more breakable parts (63) to hold the valve (56) in the open position before the container is filled, said valve cap (64) being pressed onto the valve body (62) after the container is filled, breaking the breakable parts (63).
A self-standing container according to claims 11 and 12 characterised in that openings (65) are separated by the breakable portions (63).
A self-supporting container having at least one wall, a base and a top, the top having a closable spout, the wall being made of plastics material and including at least one wall air chamber (26) and a base air chamber (34,38) characterised in that the top (42) has a spout assembly (50), and an air or gas valve (56) having openings (65) transverse to the axis of the spout (54).
A self-supporting container according to claim 14 having a valve cap (64)and one or more breakable parts (63) to hold the valve (56) in the open position before the container is filled, said valve cap (64) being pressed onto the valve body (62) after the container is filled, breaking the breakable parts (63).
A blank for the manufacture of a self-standing container according to any one of claims 1 to 14.
Apparatus for use in filing a container, the container having a spout assembly comprising a substantially rigid base part upon which is mounted a spout (54) and an air or air valve (56), the spout having a longitudinal axis, the air valve having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis of the air valve being substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the spout, the apparatus having grippers (76) to grip the spout assembly, the apparatus having an air conduit (86) which can communicate with the air valve, the air conduit being transverse to the longitudinal axis of the air or gas valve, the apparatus further having a closure member (88) which can be moved to close the air valve.
Apparatus according to claim 17 characterised in that the grippers are mounted on a pair of jaws which are pivotable relative to one another about an axis which are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the spout and the air or gas valve.
Apparatus according to claim 17 or 18 characterised in that the dimension of the jaws in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the spout is smaller than the dimension of the spout in that direction.
Apparatus according to claim 17, 18 or 1 characterised in that the closure member (88) moves in a direction transversally and preferably perpendicularly to, the longitudinal axes of the spout and air valve.
Apparatus according to claim 20 characterised in that the closure member (88) is wedge shaped at its end to bear down on a valve cap (64) towards a valve body (62) when the closure member moves to close the air or gas valve (56).