WO2015181655A1

WO2015181655A1 - Container

Info

Publication number: WO2015181655A1
Application number: PCT/IB2015/053164
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paolo Bianchi
Original assignee: Fillshape S.R.L.
Priority date: 2014-05-30
Filing date: 2015-04-30
Publication date: 2015-12-03
Also published as: EP3148894A1

Abstract

A container for a product comprising: a pouch (2) for containing a product; a nozzle (20) comprising an aperture (201) for dispensing the product from the pouch (2); a cap (3) for closing the product dispensing aperture (201). The cap (3) comprises a protrusion (31). In a configuration wherein the cap (3) is connected to the nozzle (20), the protrusion (31 ) extends inside the nozzle (20). The protrusion (31) comprises a coating means (30) which acts as a barrier against light and/or oxygen and protects the product.

Description

DESCRIPTION

CONTAINER

Technical field

The present invention relates to a container for a product.

State of the art

Food products that are packaged inside a pouch (so called in the technical field) comprising a nozzle for dispensing the product, which may be occluded by a cap, are well known.

The pouch has a wall which constitutes a barrier against light and also oxygen. In this regard, the pouch can comprise a film of metal material. A drawback of this constructive solution is tied to the fact that the product present along the nozzle, outside the pouch, is exposed to deterioration induced by light and the penetration of oxygen.

Precisely for this reason, caps are known which comprise a projection that penetrates into the nozzle in such a way as to avoid or in any case minimize the presence of the product along the nozzle itself.

Object of the invention

In this context, the technical task at the basis of the present invention is to optimize the preservation of the product inside the pouch. In this regard, the object of the present invention is to propose a container that protects the product contained inside it from light and the outside atmosphere.

The stated technical task and specified objects are substantially achieved by a container comprising the technical features disclosed in one or more of the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings

Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the approximate, and thus non-limiting, description of a preferred, but non-exclusive embodiment of a container as illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:

-figure 1 shows a sectional view of a container according to the present invention; -figure 2 shows a perspective view of several components of the container of figure 1 ;

-figures 3 and 4 respectively show a perspective and a sectional view of a component of a container according to the present invention;

-figure 5 shows a detail of a component of figure 2.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

In the appended figures, the reference number 1 denotes a container for a product. Typically, the product is food, but it could also be a cosmetic or another product. Preferably, but not necessarily, the product is liquid.

The container 1 comprises a pouch 2 for containing the product. The pouch is impermeable to the product contained inside it. The pouch 2 advantageously defines a barrier against external light. The pouch 2 constitutes a valid barrier also against oxygen. Advantageously, the pouch 2 comprises a film of metal material. Advantageously, the film comprises aluminium or an alloy thereof. The pouch 2 is made of flexible material. The thickness of its walls is less than 1 millimetre.

The container 1 further comprises a nozzle 20. The nozzle 20 in turn comprises an aperture 201 for dispensing the product from the pouch 2. Such nozzle 20 defines the only channel for introducing and extracting the product from the pouch 2. The nozzle 20 is typically made of plastic material. The nozzle 20 is rigid. Typically, the pouch 2 comprises a supporting base 21 which enables it to be maintained in a position in which it extends mainly from top to bottom. Preferably, the nozzle 20 is opposite said supporting base 21 .

The container 1 further comprises a cap 3 for closing off the aperture 201 for dispensing the product. Advantageously, the cap 3 is made mainly of plastic material. The cap 3 is made of rigid material. Such cap 3 comprises a protrusion 31 . In a configuration wherein said cap 3 is connected to the nozzle 20, the protrusion 31 extends inside the nozzle 20. In particular, in this configuration the protrusion 31 passes through dispensing aperture 201 . Conveniently, the protrusion 31 and nozzle 20 jointly perform a fluid- dynamic sealing action relative to the product contained in the pouch 2. Advantageously, the protrusion 31 is solidal with parts of the cap from which it extends.

The protrusion 31 comprises a protective coating means 30 which acts as a barrier against light and/or oxygen, and protects the product. Being a coating means, it is superficial. It is moreover unremovably connected to the protrusion 31 . It thus defines a coating film.

The protrusion 31 comprises a support made of plastic material. Said coating means 30 (which preferably comprises a metal layer) is applied on at least a part of the support. In particular, the metal layer comprises a film, preferably comprising aluminium or an alloy thereof. The film is directly applied on the plastic material which defines the cap 3.

The protrusion 31 comprises a first end 310, which, in a configuration wherein said cap 3 is connected to the nozzle 20, extends inside the nozzle 20 and/or the pouch 2. The coating means 30 comprises a first portion 301 which covers (extends along) said first end 310. Advantageously, the first portion 301 is a film with a thickness of less than 1 millimetre. It is advantageously applied hot. In the preferred solution, the first portion 301 has a disk shape. The first end 310 comprises a first and a second surface 31 1 , 312 which define two opposite sides of a same wall (see figure 4). In a configuration wherein said cap 3 is connected to the nozzle 20, the first surface 31 1 is intended to delimit a product containing area. Again in a configuration wherein said cap 3 is connected to the product, the second surface 312 is external to said product containing area. The first portion 301 of the coating means 30 covers said first and/or said second surface 31 1 , 312. The fact that the first portion 301 covers the first surface 31 1 is advantageous because of the simplicity with which the first portion 301 can be applied to the protrusion 31 . The fact that the first portion 301 covers the second surface 312 is advantageous since in this manner it does not come into contact with the product and is any case protected from external agents. In the case in which the first portion 301 is covering the first surface 31 1 , it advantageously comprises a metal layer, for example aluminium, and a protective layer that prevents direct contact of the aluminium with the product.

The protrusion 31 identifies an internal cavity 313. Conveniently, the cavity 313 is directly accessible from the outside (mainly for reasons of simplicity of construction of the mould). The internal cavity 313 also enables a reduction in the weight of the cap 3 and a saving of material. The coating means 30 at least partly delimits the inside of the cavity 313. The cavity 313 enables the coating means 30 placed there to be protected at least in part. The second surface 312 previously described contributes to delimiting the cavity 313.

Advantageously, the cavity 313 can be contained in an imaginary cylinder having a diameter equal to 15 millimetres and a height of 3 centimetres. The protrusion 31 comprises a longitudinal shaft 314 which joins said first end 310 and a base area 315 from which said shaft 314 extends. The shaft 314 is tapered toward the first end 310 to facilitate the insertion thereof into and the seal with the nozzle 20. The longitudinal shaft 314 comprises a surface 316 inside the cavity 313 and a surface 317 outside the cavity 313. The inside surface 316 and the outside surface 317 are two opposite surfaces of the same wall. The coating means 30 comprises a second portion 302 which covers said inside surface 316 and/or said outside surface 317. The second portion 302 has a substantially cylindrical shape (it preferably extends in height for at least 15 millimetres along said inside surface 316). Advantageously, the second portion 302 has a thickness of less than 1 millimetre.

The second portion 302 has in any case the task of contributing to the obstruction of the shorter pathways allowing light or oxygen to reach the product contained in the pouch 2 through the cap 3. The second portion 302 thus has the task of shielding the area of the cap 3 closest to the product. Optionally, the first and second portions 301 , 302 extend in one body. In such a case they can define a cup.

The first and/or the second portion 301 , 302 comprise(s) a metal layer, preferably of aluminium, which enables said barrier action against light and/or oxygen to be performed.

Given the small thicknesses, the coating means 30, as well as the first and second portions 301 , 302, are not distinguishable in the appended figures, but are simply indicated by the corresponding numerical references.

The cap 3 comprises an annular wall 32 which surrounds said protrusion

31 . In the configuration wherein said cap 3 is connected to the nozzle 20, the nozzle 20 is at least in part interposed between said lateral wall 32 and said protrusion 31 . By way of example, the annular wall 32 comprises a thread for connecting with the nozzle 20. The annular wall 32 can further comprise a tamper-evident band (which is broken after the first use, becoming separated from the remaining parts of the cap).

As exemplified in the appended figures, the cap 3 can comprise a head

33, which surrounds said annular wall 32 and is intended to be grasped by a user in order to connect or remove the cap 3 from the nozzle 20.

The invention as it is conceived enables multiple advantages to be attained.

First of all, it enables optimal preservation of the product present inside the container, in particular of the product located in the immediate vicinity of the cap, which will therefore be homogeneous both in colour and taste with the remaining parts of the product.

The invention as conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept characterised thereby. Furthermore all the details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements. In practice, all the materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be any according to requirements.

Claims

1 . A container for a product comprising:

-a pouch (2) for containing a product;

-a nozzle (20) comprising an aperture (201 ) for dispensing the product from the pouch (2);

-a cap (3) for closing the product dispensing aperture (201 ); said cap (3) comprising a protrusion (31 ), in a configuration wherein said cap (3) is connected to the nozzle (20) the protrusion (31 ) extending inside the nozzle (20);

characterized in that said protrusion (31 ) comprises a coating means (30) which acts as a barrier against light and/or oxygen and protects the product.

2. The container according to claim 1 , characterized in that the protrusion (31 ) comprises a support made of plastic material, on at least a part of which said coating means (30), which comprises a metal layer which acts as a barrier against light and/or oxygen, is applied superficially.

3. The container according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said coating means (30) comprises an aluminium film.

4. The container according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the protrusion (31 ) comprises a first end (310), which, in a configuration wherein said cap (3) is connected to the nozzle (20), extends inside the nozzle (20) or the pouch (2), the coating means (30) comprising a first portion (301 ) which is applied on said first end (310).

5. The container according to claim 4, characterized in that said first end (310) comprises a first and a second surface (31 1 , 312) which define two opposite sides of a same wall; in a configuration wherein said cap (3) is connected to the nozzle (20), the first surface (31 1 ) is intended to delimit a product containing area and the second surface (312) is external to said product containing area; said first portion (301 ) being applied on said first and/or said second surface (31 1 , 312).

6. The container according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said first portion (301 ) comprises a metal layer which protects the product against light and/or oxygen.

7. The container according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said protrusion (31 ) identifies an internal cavity (313), said coating means (30) delimiting, at least in part, the inside of said cavity (313).

8. The container according to claim 7 when it depends directly or indirectly on claim 4, characterized in that said protrusion (31 ) comprises a longitudinal shaft (314) which joins said first end (310) and a base area (315) from which said shaft (314) extends; said longitudinal shaft (314) comprising a surface (316) inside the cavity (313) and a surface (317) outside the cavity (31 3), said coating means (30) comprising a second portion (302) which is applied on said inside surface (316) and/or said outside surface (317).

9. The container according to claim 8, characterized in that said second portion (302) comprises a metal layer which protects the product against light and/or oxygen.

10. The container according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cap (3) comprises an annular wall (32) which surrounds said protrusion (31 ); in the configuration wherein said cap (3) is connected to the nozzle (20), the nozzle (20) is at least in part interposed between said lateral wall (32) and said protrusion (31 ).