Patent Application
20090272744
The invention relates to a container in accordance with the preamble of patent claim 1.
Containers, especially can-like packaging containers, are known, for example in the form of containers for liquids in the technical sector, for example for oil, and/or in the food sector, for example the classic “cola can” or “beer can”. Such containers are usually made of aluminium or tinplate and can be opened by means of a tear-open tab, which can be gripped by means of a ring. Furthermore, rigid cans based on the model of the afore-mentioned containers and made from stiff cardboard laminates are known.
The afore-mentioned containers require an onerous sealing technique, by means of which the cut and stamped edges therein have to be sealed off from the contents and from external factors in order to avoid, for example, swelling—in the event of moisture entry—of the cardboard laminates used or oxidisation of the aluminium or tinplate materials used. Accordingly, making, for example, a hole for drinking or also, however, a seam that joins the cardboard laminates is problematic. Furthermore, formation of the base therein, that is to say the fitting of a base and the joining of the bases therein to the container bodies, is carried out by means of adhesive bonding and crimping, which is, however, onerous and readily results in lack of sealing.
A further disadvantage of those known containers is that they have to be brought to the filling station whole, that is to say already in their finished formed state. Consequently, making available existing rigid cans and like containers requires onerous logistics, because they have first to be manufactured at one site and then transported to the filling site by truck and intermediate stores.
In those containers, the high price of manufacture, firstly, and also, because of their rigidity, the difficult and space-intensive logistics for the purpose of making them available as well as for disposing of them have proved to be disadvantageous, an additional problem being the opening tab which in many instances has to be disposed of as an individual part, because following opening of the container the tab takes the form of an individual part to be disposed of separately but which, because of its sharp metal edges, has to be handled with care. This problematic situation has been solved in the past by arranging the tear-open tab on a lid of the container so that, on being opened, it is torn open and pressed in the direction of the interior of the container, remaining captively joined to the container.
A further disadvantage of those previous containers, moreover, is that, without an additional covering arrangement such as, for example, a plastics cover which can be snapped on, as provided as an additional component in some containers, their lids can readily become dirty in the region of the tear-open tab or of a future withdrawal opening, so that when a container was opened the contents being poured out came into contact with that dirt and were accordingly contaminated. Furthermore, because of the fact that, when such containers are used for refreshment drinks, drinking is frequently carried out directly from the container, the lips of the person drinking come into contact with the dirt on the can, which is problematic for hygiene reasons. In addition, there is a risk of injuring oneself on the sharp edges of the drinking opening of known containers.
Because, as mentioned hereinbefore, expensive additional covering arrangements, for example additional lids, are required according to the prior art in order to avoid such soiling, this adds to the cost of such a container, with its also being necessary to dispose of a separate part.
A further problematic situation of afore-mentioned metal and cardboard containers is the necessity to use relatively thick materials, which results in a correspondingly high waste volume. Furthermore, thick aluminium layers above all have to be regarded as problematic from an ecological point of view because they have to be disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner in order to prevent soil and ground-water contamination. In addition, the afore-mentioned packagings even in the empty state have a relatively high deadweight, which in turn has a disadvantageous effect on transportation costs, on the one hand, and on the deadweight-to-contents ratio, on the other hand.
For this reason, in the manufacture of the afore-mentioned packagings, efforts have, in the past, been directed at reducing as far as possible the requisite material thicknesses, although a limit is reached here caused by the requisite stability of the packaging.
The problem underlying the present invention is to make available, whilst avoiding the afore-mentioned disadvantages, a container which can be cheaply produced and disposed of, which is suitable both for technical liquids and also for food, for example drinks, and which ensures that the contents can be safely and hygienically withdrawn from the container.
The problem is solved by a container according to patent claim 1.
In particular, the problem is solved by a container, especially a flexible tubular-pouch-like and/or can-like packaging container, preferably a round pouch, having a container body and a lid part and also, optionally, a base part, which is made at least in part of a film, especially a composite film, or a laminate, the container having at least one peel tab, by means of which at least one withdrawal and/or venting opening is covered over.
The basic advantage of such a container according to the invention consists, firstly, in the use of a film to produce and form the container and also in the provision of a peel tab, by means of which a withdrawal opening of the container in the closed state of the container is covered over.
A basic advantage of the container according to the invention lies in the use of a film for its production, which makes it possible to squash or fold up the container to a small size after use, that is to say in the empty state, and as a result to dispose of it in space-saving manner. The possibility further exists, in accordance with the invention, of use of the film in the form of a composite film or a laminate which, if desired, has one or more barrier layers, for example of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, polyethylene terephthalate, SiOx, or AlOx or mixtures of the mentioned substances. By this means it is possible to make available a container which in respect of its permeability characteristics and/or its barrier properties is optimally matched to the chemico-physical properties of the contents in question. A sterilisable film can, moreover, be used to produce the container according to the invention. This is advantageous especially when the container according to the invention is used for food.
A further core concept of the invention lies in there being arranged on the container at least one peel tab, preferably a lap-seal opening tab, by means of which the container can be opened in simple manner, namely by simply pulling, with release of the seal by which the tab is held on a withdrawal opening of the container. As previously mentioned, the peel tab can be in the form of a lap-seal opening tab, which is arranged at least peripherally to the withdrawal opening of the container by means of lap-seal sealing. Alternatively, the peel tab can be in the form of a fin-seal tab, in which case the tab, which in this case is of fin-like form, is likewise pulled off by pulling away from the counterpart film necessary for its sealing. The latter possibility, namely the provision of a fin-seal tab, is especially well suited to channel-like withdrawal openings and also for the possibility of pressure equalisation, in the latter case the fin-seal sealing being capable of bulging outwards like a dome without the closure seal coming away.
In accordance with the invention, the peel tab, preferably the lap-seal opening tab, is formed on the container body and/or the lid part and/or the base part. It further lies within the frame of the invention that a plurality of opening tabs are provided on the container, for example in order to allow pouring out from a withdrawal opening whilst the container is simultaneously vented by means of a second opening, in this case a venting opening, in order to avoid deformation of the container if pressure equalisation cannot take place through the withdrawal opening during emptying of the container.
It further lies within the scope of the invention that, depending on the contents, the container body itself or, however, its lid part and/or base part is opened. By that means it is possible to withdraw the greatest variety of contents from the container without any problem, in which case it should be emphasised that, in the case of large withdrawal openings, even paste-like, powdered and solid contents can be filled into the container according to the invention, stored therein and withdrawn therefrom.
In accordance with the invention the peel tab is so formed that, in the case of a closed container, it covers over at least one withdrawal opening, especially an opening for drinking, at the peripheral margin of which the peel tab is fixed by means of sealing, preferably lap-seal sealing. Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the peel tab can be so formed that, in the case of a closed container, it covers over, starting from the withdrawal opening, more than one third, preferably more than two thirds and especially nine tenths up to the entire external surface of the lid part and/or base part. Consequently, in accordance with that embodiment, not only the withdrawal opening itself but also a considerable part of the surface, especially the external surface, of the lid part and/or base part is also covered over, so that soiling of the lid itself, especially in a withdrawal region, is no longer a fear because the peel tab constitutes protection for the actual lid part surface and/or base part surface against soiling.
At this point it should be mentioned that by means of the peel tab, as mentioned hereinbefore, it is possible not only for at least one withdrawal opening but also, if desired, one or more venting openings to be covered over. This covering-over of the venting opening(s) can preferably be carried out with the same peel tab as the covering-over of the withdrawal opening(s). In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the venting opening(s) can however also be covered over and closed using a separate peel tab.
In accordance with the invention, the peel tab, namely preferably the lap-seal opening tab, is, in the case of a closed container, firmly joined to the container, or the container body, lid part or base part thereof, at least along the peripheral margin of the withdrawal opening; however, it lies within the frame of the invention to join parts of the lap-seal opening tab which extend beyond the withdrawal opening or the peripheral margin thereof to container components in contact therewith, especially in simply releasable manner, so that a gripping portion or gripping region of the opening tab is fixed to the container itself even in the case of vigorous movements but which can be gripped when desired and used on the container for opening.
As a result of the covering-over, by the lap-seal opening tab, of a relatively large region of the container surrounding the withdrawal opening, it is possible to protect that region of the container from impurities and thereby to ensure that the container contents are not contaminated with impurities when poured out or otherwise withdrawn through the withdrawal opening.
Furthermore, it is thereby ensured that the underside, that is to say that side of the lap-seal opening tab which faces the closed container, also remains free of dirt so that, for example in the case of use of the container for refreshment drinks, that underside of the lap-seal opening tab can be used as a lip protector, in which case when drinking directly from the container according to the invention the lips are placed against that side of the lap-seal opening tab which in the closed state faces the container and the drink can flow out from the container over that side of the lap-seal opening tab and into the mouth of the user or into a vessel made available by the user. Because, in accordance with the invention, the lap-seal opening tab has no sharp edges and, in the folded-over state, extends over a lid-sealing seam, mechanical injury is also precluded by structural means, for example when drinking directly from the container according to the invention.
The container according to the invention can of course be used in the same manner as hitherto customary cans, especially also drinks cans, without the peel tab being used as a lip protector. In this case, the peel tab is first removed from the opening of the container and the contents of the container are then poured directly, for example, into a vessel.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the lid part and/or the base part is/are of substantially disc-shaped construction and, in each case, joined to a folded-over peripheral margin of the container body by means of a lap seal. That lap-seal sealing of the lid part and/or base part with the folded-over peripheral margin of the container body can be provided using an external surface or an internal surface of the container body, the lid part and/or base part in question being, in the case of internal-surface sealing to the folded-over peripheral margin of the container body, first inserted into the container and then sealed with the peripheral margin. In the case of external-surface fixing of the lid part and/or base part to the folded-over peripheral margin of the container body, the lid part and/or base part can be simply placed on top of the associated peripheral margin of the container body and then sealed therewith. In each of the two cases it is possible to seal a part of the lap-seal opening tab together with the lid part and/or base part and the peripheral margin of the container body so that the lap seal opening tab is fixed, and therefore captive, in the seal joining the lid part and/or base part to the folded-over peripheral margin. This fixing of the lap-seal opening tab to the peripheral margin of the container body is preferably carried out in such a way that the lap-seal opening tab can, in the opened state, be folded back over the peripheral margin of the container body.
In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention, the lid part and/or the base part is/are of substantially dish-shaped construction and, in each case, joined to a peripheral margin of the container body by means of fin-seal and/or lap-seal sealing. In the case of fin-seal joining, the dish-shaped lid part and/or base part is inserted with an outwardly directed upstanding peripheral margin into that of the container body, the respective peripheral margins of the lid part and/or base part and of the container body being joined, that is to say sealed, adhesively bonded or welded, to one another in the manner of a fin seal.
In the case of lap-seal joining of the lid part and/or base part of respectively dish-shaped construction, that part either is inserted into the container body or is overlaid, as an enveloping lid or base of somewhat larger extent, over the peripheral margin of the container body and sealed with the peripheral margin of the container body with an overlap.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the base part can be of alternatively V-shaped or W-shaped construction, the surrounding margins of that V-shaped or W-shaped base part being in turn joined to the peripheral margin of the container body. For that purpose the V-shaped or W-shaped base part is inserted into the container body so that the peripheral margins of the base part and the container body are in sealing abutment. Where appropriate, the peripheral margin of the container body can in that case extend slightly beyond the peripheral margin of the base part. Such a projecting portion of the peripheral margin of the container body can then, if desired, be folded over the peripheral margin sealing of the base part and container body so that, firstly, the standing surface of the container is somewhat strengthened and, secondly, no open seal surfaces are externally visible. In accordance with the invention, such a procedure can also be used for dish-shaped lid parts and/or base parts. Especially in the case of use of such an arrangement for a lid part, an upper sealing edge resulting from sealing of the peripheral margin of the lid part and that of the container body can be covered over. The strengthening that results therefrom improves the stackability of the containers according to the invention and stabilises their shape.
It should furthermore be mentioned that the withdrawal openings of the container according to the invention can take any desired shape. Feasible in this context are, especially, an approximately triangular shape, which can be torn open especially well, but also a round shape, especially for a venting hole, but also as a withdrawal opening, and also a stellately serrated shape which is especially well suited for the withdrawal of, for example, moist wipes or like flexible solid materials. Further shapes, depending on the desired or intended use and/or implementation, for withdrawal and/or venting opening(s) are of polygonal, especially approximately three-sided to eight-sided, rectangular, trapezoidal, round, oval, or stellate, especially serratedly stellate, construction or constructed as a slot, especially as an X-, Y-, T-, W-, C-, L-, Z-, S-, H-, E- F- or I-shaped slot.
The particular dimensions of the withdrawal opening(s) and/or venting opening(s) here are governed by the particular use, it being possible, for example, to provide a round drinking-straw hole of small dimensions as a withdrawal opening. In the case of paste-like or powdered contents, however, a withdrawal opening that is almost as large as the container, that is to say a withdrawal opening which extends almost over the entire lid surface of the container, is likewise feasible, in which case the peel tab can be fixed either at the peripheral margins located in the plane of the lid or alternatively, however, at the upstanding peripheral margin of a dish-shaped lid part.
In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the withdrawal opening is reversibly openable by means of the peel tab, that is to say especially re-closable. For that purpose, it lies within the frame of the invention to use a re-closable cold adhesive for fixing the lap-seal opening tab, which after opening has adhesion properties which are high enough to at least substantially avoid or prevent liquid contents of the container from slopping over or out.
In accordance with an alternative embodiment, the peel tab has a deformation which is complementary to the withdrawal and/or venting opening and which is suitable for engaging in the withdrawal and/or venting opening, optionally snapping into place therein, when closing, especially re-closing, the container. In the originally closed state of the container, the peel tab can accordingly be releasably sealed, for example by means of lap-seal sealing, at its underside, to the surrounding peripheral margin of a withdrawal or venting opening, whereas the upper side of the peel tab can be structured with a prominence, that prominence having a shape complementary to the withdrawal or venting opening. For re-closing, the upper side of the peel tab is then placed on, and closes, the withdrawal or venting opening, optionally snapping into place in the openings, there being provided, for example, a nose and also, optionally, a sealing lip on the peel tab structure.
As previously mentioned, a gripping portion or gripping region is provided on the peel tab. This gripping portion is preferably formed by the peel tab being folded up or folded back at that end thereof which forms the gripping portion, so that said folding-up or folding-back can be simply gripped. In accordance with an alternative embodiment, the gripping portion can also be formed by the peel tab and/or the gripping portion extending slightly beyond the margin of the container so that it is possible to simply grip the peel tab and/or the gripping portion.
In order to prevent the peel tab from potentially being pulled away from the lid part unintentionally if the gripping portion becomes caught, without opening of the container actually being desired, measures are furthermore provided in accordance with the invention so that the peel tab is fixed on the lid by means of sealing in places. This can be accomplished, for example, by pointwise sealing or by the use of an adhesive. In this case, the peel tab is secured against undesired opening of the container. When it is desired to open the container, the retention seal or adhesive then first has to be released by deliberate pulling on the gripping portion of the peel tab before opening of the container becomes possible by means of continued pulling.
Consequently, in accordance with this embodiment, the peel tab is fixed in the region between one or more withdrawal and/or venting opening(s) and the gripping portion by means of adhesive bonding or sealing, especially punctiform or linear sealing or adhesive bonding. By that means, unintentional protrusion of the peel tab and, as a result, unintentional pulling on the peel tab are avoided.
In accordance with the invention, the peel tab is furthermore captively fixed to the container. As a result of such a captive fixing, the peel tab does not need to be disposed of separately but rather can be disposed of together with the container after the latter has been emptied. A risk of the environment being degraded as a result of the peel tab being thrown away is accordingly avoided.
At this point it should be noted that the peel tab can be opened both in the direction of the peripheral margin of the container and also by pulling in the opposite direction, depending on the constructional arrangement. For a captive construction of peel tab, non-peelable sealing or adhesive bonding is used at the end point in question, it also being possible for the peel tab to be of integral construction with the rest of the lid element.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the lid part has a withdrawal channel, especially like a straw, which co-operates with the withdrawal opening and, optionally, is part of the peel tab.
For the formation of such a withdrawal channel, several variants are feasible in accordance with the invention. Firstly, there can be provided at the withdrawal opening a folding-over of the peripheral margin of one side of the withdrawal opening. The peel tab can then be sealed to that folding-over by means of fin-seal sealing. In accordance with the invention, the folding-over can be in the form of an extended tab-like fold-over margin, onto which the peel tab is sealed so as to form a fin-seal sealing, an unsealed withdrawal channel being left open between the tab-like folding-over and the peel tab. This withdrawal channel can be closed by means of its being creased or folded over again, the actual closure of the container being accomplished by means of the crease in the withdrawal channel. Advantageously, both the folding-over and also the creasing of the extended lid tab portion and of the peel tab, or the folded-over peel tab, are fixed to the container so that the fin-seal sealing is prevented from protruding up from the container.
Furthermore, there is provided on the container in accordance with the invention a pressure and/or volume equalisation arrangement, especially in the form of a membrane which is deformable and preferably capable of snapping back into place and/or in the form of an accordion-like arrangement. This pressure and/or volume equalisation arrangement, especially an accordion-like arrangement, is advantageously arranged inside the container body.
The pressure and/or volume equalisation arrangement can be implemented, for example, by the lid part and/or base part being in the form of a fin seal wherein only the external ends of the film ends brought together to form the fin seal are actually sealed, whilst a remaining portion of the converging films, although extending in parallel in the non-pressurised state, can deform like a dome if pressure comes to be exerted or the volume increases. This dome-like deformation advantageously takes place in reversible manner so that the original container shape is re-assumed. This dome-like deformation is provided in accordance with the invention in the base region and within the container body so that the deformation advantageously is apparent only when the container is viewed from below. Furthermore, the deformation element, or the pressure and/or volume equalisation arrangement, is so far removed from the standing base of the container that the latter retains its standing stability even whilst the actual base is deformed.
Consequently, special preference is given, for example, to a base part which has, in its central region pointing in the direction of the interior of the container, a folding which extends into the container. This folding extends like an accordion or a balloon into the container and can, in the event of increasing pressure in the interior of the container, itself be pushed together, in which case the air occupying the balloon or the accordion can escape through an opening formed as a result of the base being, as previously mentioned, folded in towards the inside. This opening is accordingly formed by the folding-over of the base towards the inside so that only a small opening or a narrow slot is to be seen from the outside.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the peel tab is of integral construction with the lid part. By this means, the peel tab is reliably prevented from being lost. It is furthermore ensured by this means that the peel tab is available for re-closing the container.
Furthermore, an end of the container body that is located opposite the lid part can be closed by means of fin-seal sealing. In this case, the container is in the form of a cylindrical, optionally tube-like, container.
As previously mentioned, an upper peripheral margin, but also a lower peripheral margin, of the container body can be crimped and/or laid around a corresponding peripheral margin of the lid part and/or base part, in order by that means to obtain, firstly, stabilisation of the peripheral margins in question and, by virtue thereof, better stackability and robustness of the container. Furthermore, rounding-off of the container edges can be simply accomplished by that means.
Advantageously, the container body is formed by means of a lap seal or is already extruded in the form of a round container body. It is furthermore advantageous if the container body, the lid part and also, optionally, the base part and the peel tab are made from the same material. The lid part and/or the base part and/or the peel tab are, in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, in the form of an injection-moulded part or produced by deep drawing. This is advantageous especially when these parts are to have a certain intrinsic stability, which is advantageous, for example, in the event of the container according to the invention being re-closable.
Furthermore, the peel tab can be in the form of a stiff, preferably very stiff or rigid part, which optionally has a fold crease. Such an arrangement is likewise advantageous with regard to the containers being re-closable, the peel tab in that case being bent up by means of the afore-mentioned fold crease when container contents are to be withdrawn.
In this case the peel tab has a thickness in the range from 50 μm to 1000 μm, preferably in the range from 150 μm to 800 μm and especially in the range from 400 μm to 700 μm, depending on the material in question and on the profile structure of the peel tab, in which context it should be emphasised that the peel tab can have, by virtue of a particular surface formation, that is to say structuring and/or deformation, a particular predetermined stability, on the one hand, and creasability or foldability, on the other hand.
Furthermore, in accordance with the invention, the stamped edges of the withdrawal opening(s) and, optionally, the venting opening(s) are covered with a polymer, preferably a meltable polymer. This polymer is advantageously derived from a polymer layer of the composite film or laminate from which the container and also, advantageously, the lid part and base part thereof are made. This covering-over of the stamped edges of the mentioned openings ensures that internal layers of the laminate or of the composite film do not come into contact with the contents. By this means, depending on the contents, corrosion of the laminate, and contamination of the contents by laminate components from the inner layers of the laminate are avoided. The covering-over of the stamped edges of the mentioned openings is accomplished in accordance with the invention by means of the fact that a certain excess of meltable polymer in the region of those stamped edges is melted out from the laminate or composite film in the course of the stamping process or in a separate process or is transferred out by other means and laid over the stamped edges. Should the laminate used or composite film used not have any excess meltable polymer, there can furthermore be provided an additional polymer layer of such a meltable polymer, which is supplied separately and serves for covering over such stamped edges.
It should furthermore be pointed out that the composite film or laminate includes at least one barrier layer, preferably a metal foil, especially aluminium, AlOx, SiOx, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), polyamide (PA), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or mixtures of the afore-mentioned materials.
Furthermore, both the container body and also the lid part and also, optionally, the base part and the lap-seal opening tab are advantageously made of the same material. This improves the disposability of the container according to the invention, because it is not necessary for any materials to be separated, for example in relation to components made of film, on the one hand, and injection-moulded components, on the other hand. It is furthermore possible, by this means, for the container according to the invention to be produced from the same laminate and, accordingly, for all container components to be produced with the same barrier properties.
As previously mentioned, the lap-seal opening tab is preferably captively fixed to the container. This can be accomplished, as previously mentioned, by sealing to the container, especially also by sealing jointly with further container components.
The container body itself is preferably formed by means of a lap seal or extruded, in which context it should be emphasised that the container according to the invention can either be in the shape of a can which is capable of standing or in the shape of a cylindrical, optionally tube-like, container wherein an end of the container body which is located opposite the lid part is closed by means of a fin seal.
Further embodiments of the invention arise out of the subordinate claims.
The invention is described hereinbelow with reference to examples of embodiments which are explained in greater detail with reference to the Figures, in which:
a-g show further embodiments of containers according to the invention;
a-e show further forms of volume equalisation arrangements according to the invention;
a-c are further views, in diagrammatic form, of containers according to the invention having various withdrawal and/or venting openings; and
FIGS. 19.1-19.4 are further views, in diagrammatic form, of various withdrawal and/or venting openings according to the invention.
In the description that follows, the same reference numerals are used for parts that are identical or that have an identical effect.
Also shown in
A further possibility for closing the container 10 is shown in
A further pressure and/or volume equalisation arrangement is shown in cross-section in diagrammatic form in
a-g show further embodiments of containers according to the invention;
At this point it should be mentioned that all parts described hereinbefore, especially the details shown in the drawings, are claimed as being important to the invention individually and in any combination. Modifications thereto are routine to the person skilled in the art.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE102006054372.6 | Nov 2006 | DE | national |
| DE102007017339.5 | Apr 2007 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP07/07063 | 8/9/2007 | WO | 00 | 5/15/2009 |
