WO2021260639A1

WO2021260639A1 - Bag-in-box container structure

Info

Publication number: WO2021260639A1
Application number: PCT/IB2021/055661
Authority: WO
Inventors: Santo BELLOMONTE
Original assignee: Bellomonte Santo
Priority date: 2020-06-26
Filing date: 2021-06-25
Publication date: 2021-12-30
Also published as: IT202000015547A1; EP4185544A1

Abstract

A bag-in-box container structure for realizing a bag-in-box container containing an inner bag suitable for containing liquids and provided with a dispensing tap, which structure comprises an outer casing (2) designed to enclose the bag of the container and having a side wall (3), a hole (5) made in said side wall (3) and having an internal peripheral edge (7) to allow the extraction of the tap and a protection element (6) applied to the side wall (3) at the hole (5) and having a first central passage (8) superimposed on the hole (5) to leave it at least partially free and having an internal edge (9) provided with an axial projection (10) adapted to cover the internal edge (7) of the hole (5).

Description

BAG-IN-BOX CONTAINER STRUCTURE Description

Technical Field

The present invention finds general application into the field of containers for liquids, in particular food liquids, and particularly relates to a bag-in-box container structure.

State of the art

As known, the term bag-in-box indicates those containers consisting of an inner envelope or bag that contains the liquid, generally of a food-grade type, and an outer casing or box wherein the bag is inserted and whose main function is to protect the bag and also make transport and storage easier.

The inner bag is generally made of food grade material, usually a flexible polylaminate, and is provided with a tap for dispensing the liquid.

The outer casing is instead typically made of cardboard and has a hole at the tap to allow its extraction and subsequent locking; moreover, it may have one or more openings to allow transport.

Generally, a bag-in-box container is provided to the final consumer with the tap still inserted inside the outer casing, which will have its hole still closed.

At the time of use, the consumer will open the hole, for example by removing a special septum, to access the tap with his fingers and extract it and then block it on the outer casing, for example by using the same septum.

A first drawback related to these known solutions is represented by the type of material used for the external envelope, which, in addition to being aesthetically unpleasant, is susceptible to easy deformation or damage.

Secondly, the extraction point of the tap represents a risk area for the user, especially when the material of the outer casing is particularly thin, which can easily cause cuts or abrasions to the user’s fingers.

Last but not least, the locking of the tap by means of the cardboard septum has poor stability, not allowing the tap to be reinserted inside the outer casing as it would run the risk of damaging the septum and no longer being adapted to be reused for subsequent locking.

Scope of the invention

The object of the present invention is to overcome the above drawbacks, providing a bag-in-box container structure that is particularly safe for the user.

A particular object is to provide a bag-in-box container structure that is devoid of areas of possible cutting for the user’s fingers at the point where the tap is extracted.

Still another object is to provide a bag-in-box container structure which can be used to make a bag-in-box container which allows easy and safe extraction of the tap and also its possible re-insertion for a new subsequent extraction.

Still another object is to provide a bag-in-box container structure which is particularly resistant and also associates an attractive aesthetic appearance with improved mechanical properties. These objects, as well as others which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a bag-in-box container structure which, according to claim 1, comprises an outer casing designed to enclose an inner bag suitable for containing liquids and provided with a dispensing tap, which casing comprises a side wall wherein a hole is made having an internal peripheral edge to allow the tap to be extracted. The structure also comprises a protection element applied to said side wall at said hole and having a first central passage superimposed on said hole to leave it at least partially free and having an internal edge provided with an axial projection adapted to cover the internal edge of said hole.

Thanks to these features, the tap extraction hole will be adequately protected and safe for the user, who will not risk being cut to the fingers during the extraction action, even in the case of a casing made of thin and/or particularly sharp material, such as a metal sheet.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a bag-in-box container is provided in accordance with claim 10. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are obtained in accordance with the dependent claims.

Brief disclosure of the drawings

Further features and advantages of the object of the invention will become more apparent in the light of the detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a bag-in-box container structure according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the attached drawing tables wherein: FIG. l is a perspective view of the structure according to the invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a detail of the structure of Fig. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a detail of the structure of Fig. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first element of the detail of Fig. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second element of the detail of Fig. 3 in two distinct operating conditions.

Best mode of carrying out the invention

With reference to the attached figures, a preferred but not exclusive configuration of a bag-in-box container structure designed to be used for the assembly of a bag-in-box container is shown, i.e. a container that encloses a bag thereinside, suitable for containing liquids and provided with a dispensing tap.

The configuration of the inner bag and of the relative tap is not limiting to the present invention as it will be possible to use any type of bag already present on the market; for this reason, the bag is neither illustrated nor described in more detail.

Fig. 1 shows a container structure, genetically indicated with 1, which comprises an outer casing 2 designed to enclose the container bag, not shown, and having a side wall 3 closed at the top and at the bottom by two front faces, i.e. one upper face 4 and a lower face, not visible from the figures, and wherein a hole 5 is made to allow the extraction of the tap, not shown as it is not part of the invention.

A protection element 6 is applied to the side wall 3 at the hole 5 in order to protect the user’s fingers from contact with the internal peripheral edge 7 of the hole 5 when the tap is extracted.

In particular, the protection element 6 has a first central passage 8 superimposed on the hole 5 to leave it at least partially free and having an internal edge 9 provided with an axial projection 10 suitable for covering the internal edge 7 of the hole 5. Preferably, the protection element 6 will be formed by a body shaped according to the shape of the side wall 3 in the area where the hole 5 is present, so as to follow the curvature thereof.

If the face of the side wall 3 of the casing 2 in which the hole 5 is made should be flat, the protection element 6 may also be flat.

In any case, the protection element 6 will have an annular projection 10 which protrudes axially and which extends along the entire development of its internal edge 9 with an axial extension sufficient to cover the entire internal edge 7 of the hole 5 and which will be therefore at least equal to the thickness of the outer casing 2.

The protection element 6 will be made integral with the side wall 3 of the outer casing

2 preferably by means of fastening means that allow it to be assembled to the same side wall 3 after the realization of the latter.

According to a variant not shown, the protection element 6 may be integrated and integral with the side wall 3 of the outer casing 2.

As visible from Fig. 2, the fixing means comprise a fixing element 11 adapted to be applied at the hole 5 on the face of the side wall 3 opposite to that on which the protection element 6 is applied.

Preferably, the protection element 6 will be applied to the external face of the side wall

3 while the fixing element 11 will be applied to the internal one, although it will be possible to provide a reverse positioning.

The fastening element 11 will have a second central passage 12 aligned with the first passage 8 and which will preferably be of no less or greater extension of both the first passage 8 and the hole 5 in order to not reduce the free span of the hole 5.

On the contrary, the first passage 8 and the hole 5 will preferably have substantially the same shapes and dimensions and will be exactly aligned and superimposed on each other.

The protection element 6 and the fixing element 11 will comprise respective connecting elements 13, 14 adapted to cooperate with each other to lock the protection element 6 on the fixing element 11 with the interposition of the side wall 3.

In this way, the protection element 6 will be stably applied to the side wall 3 of the outer casing 2.

In the preferred but not exclusive configuration illustrated, the protection element 6 comprises a pair of connecting elements 13 of the male type, visible in Fig. 3, while the fixing element 11 will comprise a pair of connecting elements 14 of the female type.

However, it is understood that the position of the fastening means can be reversed with the protection element 6 which will comprise one or more connecting elements of the female type and the fixing element 11 which will comprise one or more connecting elements of the male type.

The side wall 3 of the outer casing 2 will comprise a pair of slots 15 arranged on opposite sides of the hole 5 and sized to allow the insertion of the connecting elements 13 of the protection element 6 and their coupling with corresponding connecting elements 14 of the fixing element 11.

According to alternative variants, the fastening means may be of a different type, for example of the mechanical fixing type by means of screws, rivets or similar systems, of the magnetic type or, again, direct gluing of the protection element 6 to the external or internal face of the side wall 3 of the outer casing 2 may be envisaged.

As more clearly visible from Fig. 4, the first passage 8 of the protection element 6 will also comprise an arcuate flange 16 which will project axially towards the outside of the outer casing 2, therefore on the opposite side with respect to the axial projection 10, at the lower portion of the internal edge 9 of the first passage 8.

This flange 16 will have the function of supporting the tap spout, which will usually have a cylindrical shape and which will be at least partially inserted in the hole 5. Conveniently, the flange 16 will protrude both inwards and outwards of the outer casing 2 to provide a wider support base for the tap.

According to a further particularly advantageous aspect, the protection element 6 will also comprise means for locking the tap, in particular its spout, inside the first passage 8

In particular, the locking means comprise a movable septum 17 integral with the protection element 6 or with the fixing element 11 and adapted to move between an at least partial closing position of the hole 5 and of the first passage 8 for locking the tap and an opening position of the hole 5 and of the first passage 8 sufficient to allow the extraction and/or re-insertion of the tap.

Preferably, the movable septum 17 will be mounted in a slidable way on the fixing element 11 to move between a first lowered position, visible at the top in Fig. 5, and a second raised position, visible at the bottom in Fig. 5.

In the first lowered position, the hole 5 will be totally closed or open with a minimum light not sufficient to allow the extraction of the tap.

In the raised position, the hole 5 will be totally open or open with maximum light sufficient to allow the insertion of the fingers and the subsequent extraction of the tap, or its re-insertion.

Once the tap is extracted, the movable septum 17 will be adapted to slide downwards but without being able to return to the first lowered position as it will abut against the tap, or its spout, stopping in an intermediate position.

Advantageously, the movable septum 17 will comprise a curved lower edge provided with a further arched flange 18 projecting outwards and which will oppose the arched flange 16 of the first passage 8 to define therewith, when the movable septum 17 is in the intermediate position, a locking element of the tap.

This configuration will allow on the one hand to stably block the tap and on the other hand it will make the re-insertion step simple and any subsequent new extraction and subsequent locking of the tap for a theoretically unlimited number of times without the movable septum 17 being damaged and losing its effectiveness.

In the illustrated configurations, the outer casing 2 is shown with a cylindrical shape; however, it may also have other shapes, such as the classic parallelepiped shape. According to a particular version, the external casing 2 will have a cylindrical shape and will be provided with means for fixing the tap of any type, also configured according to the state of the art.

According to yet another particularly advantageous aspect, regardless of the type of fastening means of the tap and its shape, the outer casing 2 will have its side wall 3 made of a metal sheet or metal alloy, such as tinplate or similar.

The two upper 4 and lower closing faces may also be in the same material as the side wall 3 or in another metal material or metal alloy or, again in plastic material or in cardboard or other material of natural origin.

A bag-in-box container made starting from the aforementioned structure 1 according to the present invention comprises an inner bag suitable for containing liquids and provided with a dispensing tap, an outer casing 2 which encloses the bag and has a side wall 3 wherein a hole 5 is made to allow the tap to be extracted, a protection element 6 applied to the side wall 3 of the outer casing 2 at the hole 5 and having a first central passage 8 superimposed on the hole 5 to leave it at least partially free and provided with an internal edge 9 having an axial projection 10 suitable for covering the internal edge 7 of the hole 5.

From above it can be seen that the structure and the container according to the present invention achieve the intended objects.

Claims

1. A bag-in-box container structure for realizing a bag-in-box container comprising an inner bag suitable for containing liquids and provided with a dispensing tap, which structure comprises: - an outer casing (2) designed to enclose the bag of the container and having a side wall (3); a hole (5) made in said side wall (3) and having an internal peripheral edge (7) to allow the extraction of the tap; characterized by comprising a protection element (6) applied to said side wall (3) at said hole (5) and having a first central passage (8) superimposed on said hole (5) to leave it at least partially free and having an internal edge (9) provided with an axial projection (10) adapted to cover the internal edge (7) of said hole (5).

2 Structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said protection element (6) comprises means for locking the tap in said first central passage (8).

3 Structure as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said locking means comprise a movable septum (17) connected to said protection element (6) and adapted to move between a first position of at least partial closure of said hole (5) and of said first passage (8) for locking the tap and a second position of maximum opening of said hole (5) and of said first passage (8) for extracting and/or reinserting the tap.

4. Structure as claimed in any preceding claim, characterized in that said protection element (6) comprises fixing means for fixing to said side wall (3).

5. Structure as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said fixing means comprise a fixing element (11) adapted to be applied at said hole (5) on the face of said side wall (3) opposite to the one on which said protection element (6) is applied, said fixing element (11) having a second central passage (12) aligned with and superimposed on said first passage (8).

6. Structure as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said protection element (6) and said fixing element (11) comprise respective connecting elements (13, 14) adapted to cooperate with each other to block said protection element (6) on said fixing element (11) with the interposition of said side wall (3).

7. Structure as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said connecting elements (13, 14) are of the male and female type, said side wall (3) comprising one or more slots (15) suitable to allow the insertion of respective of said connecting elements (13, 14) and their mutual coupling.

8. Structure as claimed in any claim form 4 to 7, characterized in that said movable septum (17) is slidably mounted on said fixing element (11) to move between a first lowered position and a second raised position and comprises a curved lower edge provided with a first arched flange (18) protruding outwards, said first passage (8) of said protection element (6) comprising a second arched flange (16) opposed to said first flange (18) to define therewith a blocking element of the tap when said movable septum (17) is in an intermediate position between said first position and said second position.

9. Structure as claimed in any preceding claim, characterized in that said side wall (3) of said outer casing (2) is composed of a metal or metal alloy sheet, such as tinplate or similar.

10. A bag-in-box container, comprising: - an inner bag suitable for containing liquids and equipped with a dispensing tap; an outer casing (2) which encloses said bag and having a side wall (3); a hole (5) made in said side wall (3) of said outer casing (2) and having an internal peripheral edge (7) to allow the extraction of the tap; characterized by comprising a protection element (6) applied to said side wall (3) of said outer casing (2) at said hole (5) and having a first central passage (8) superimposed on said hole (5) to leave it at least partially free and having an internal edge (9) provided with an axial projection (10) adapted to cover the internal edge (7) of said hole (5).