Patent Application
20160347506
1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates to the field of lubricant packaging, especially labeling and tamper evidence for grease tubes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Grease is used as a lubricant because it clings to the surfaces of moving parts of a machine rather than leaking away like oil. Grease is denser and more viscous than lubricating oils. Typically, grease is applied to machinery using a grease gun, which provides pressure to force the grease out of a grease storage container, such as a grease tube.
Grease tubes or cartridges or packaging are typically cylindrical tubes (tubulars) made of plastic or fiber with labeling information printed on the surface of the tubular. These cylindrical tubes come in many sizes. The grease tube is configured to be received by the grease gun. Several grease gun manufacturers recommend applying some the grease from the opened tube to the surface of the tube to easy the passage of the grease tube into the grease gun during loading and removal. Typically, one end of the grease tube includes a removable portion, such as a pull top, and the other end includes a removable cap. When loaded into a grease gun with the pull top and cap removed, the grease can be forced through the tube by the grease gun and applied to the machinery.
Since grease tubes come in multiple sizes, each of which may apply to different machines, storage space for grease at an industrial facility is reduced when odd sizes are of grease tubes are stored together. This means that storage space is wasted due to a lack of a standardized size for grease tubes.
A shortcoming of current grease tubes is that the grease may efface the printing on the fiber or plastic surface of the grease tube. Grease tubes may also deteriorate or become effaced when exposed to water. Effacement may be due to water on the surface or damage to the tube surface underlying the print. Even grease used to lubricate the outside of the tube may damage the underlying print.
Another shortcoming of current grease tubes is that different types of grease may affect the print quality in different ways. Thus, multiple types of ink, printing, or tube materials may be needed to provide suitable print quality.
Another shortcoming of current grease tubes is that nothing holds the removable cap in place other than the interface between the cap and the surface of the grease tube, which means that a small amount of force can remove the cap and expose the contents of the grease tube to contamination.
Another shortcoming of current grease tubes is that they provide limited evidence of tampering. While a damaged or removed pull top may be an indication of tampering, the removable cap often presents no evidence of whether the grease tube has been opened previously. When tamper indicators are present, the current grease tubes are assembled with one step to install a tamper indicator and a separate step for printing the labeling information on the surface of the grease tube.
Another shortcoming of current grease tubes is that the tubular material may lack sufficient structural strength or integrity to endure rough handling. Impacts to the grease tube may result in a failure of the tube material and leakage of the grease.
There is a need for a lubricant tube with labeling print that is not effaced or damaged by exposure to water or grease. There is also a need for a method of packaging and repackaging grease in tubes that use a common container size for more efficient storage. There is a need to have the ability to repackage tubes for different customer requirements. There is a need to be able to easily print information on both fiber and plastic tubes. There is a need for a grease tube that provides tamper per evidence and reduced spillage risk. There is also need for reinforcement of the lubricant tube material to prevent ruptures due to impacts and rough handling.
In aspects, the present disclosure is related to lubricant packaging, especially labeling and tamper evidence for grease tubes.
One embodiment according to the present disclosure includes a method for labeling a lubricant tube, the method comprising the steps of: priming labeling information on a plastic sleeve to form a printed side; and applying the plastic sleeve to a surface of a lubricant tube, wherein the printed side is direct contact with the surface, and wherein the plastic sleeve completely encloses a circumference of the lubricant tube when applied. The step of applying the plastic sleeve may include shrinking the plastic sleeve to conform to the surface of the lubricant tube. The lubricant tube may include a cylindrical tube having a having a first end and a second end; and a cap, and wherein the step of applying the plastic sleeve further comprises: securing the cap to the first end of the cylindrical tube with the plastic sleeve. The plastic sleeve may include a perforation, where the method includes orienting the cap and the plastic sleeve so that the perforation is closer to the first end than the second end. The perforation may be a t-perforation. The method may also include measuring a length and the circumference of the lubricant tube; selecting a width of the plastic sleeve to be greater than the circumference of the lubricant tube; and selecting a length of the plastic sleeve to be greater than the length of the lubricant tube. The plastic sleeve may be, at least in part, transparent. The lubricant tube may be a grease tube, and may be made of plastic or fiber.
Another embodiment according to the present disclosure includes a lubricant tube comprising: a cylindrical tube; and a plastic sleeve completely surrounding the cylindrical tube, the plastic sleeve comprising: a plastic layer with an inner surface and an outer surface; and printed information on the inner surface. The lubricant tube may include a cap disposed on a first side of the cylindrical tube, wherein the plastic sleeve secures the cap to the first side. The plastic sleeve may include a perforation around its circumference and longitudinally aligned with the cap. The perforation may be a t-perforation. The plastic layer may include PVC. The plastic layer may be transparent, at least in part. The lubricant tube may comprise at least one of fiber and plastic.
Examples of the more important features of the disclosure have been summarized rather broadly in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the contributions they represent to the art may he appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto.
A better understanding of the present disclosure can be obtained with the following detailed descriptions of the various disclosed embodiments in the drawings, which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limiting the present disclosure, and wherein:
In aspects, the present disclosure is related to lubricant packaging. Specifically, the present disclosure is related to especially labeling and tamper evidence for grease tubes. The present invention is susceptible to embodiments of different forms. There are shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, specific embodiments with the understanding that the present invention is to be considered an exemplification of the principles and is not intended to limit the present invention to that illustrated and described herein.
The sleeve 140 may be made of a plastic or other water proof material, including, but not limited to, polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In one embodiment, the sleeve 140 may comprise Kolckner PVC 62%. The sleeve 140 may include printed information 150 about the product stored in the cylindrical tube 110. The printed information 150 may be printed on the inside of the sleeve 140 such that a printed surface 145 of the sleeve is in direct contact with an outer surface 115 of the cylindrical tube 110. At least a portion of the sleeve 140, where the printed information 150 is present, is transparent so that the printed information 150 may be read while the sleeve 140 is applied to the cylindrical tube 110.
The sleeve 140 may be dimensioned to have a width at least as wide as the cylindrical tube 110 is long. The sleeve 140 may be sufficiently wide so that a portion of the sleeve may be folded to secure the cap 120 to the cylindrical tube 110. The length of the sleeve 140 may be as long as or slightly longer than the larger circumference of the cylindrical tube 110 and the cap 120. The excess length of the sleeve 140 may be used to create an overlap 310 (
When applied to the cylindrical tube 110, the sleeve 140 may be folded to enclose at least part of the cap 120 to form a tamper resistant/tamper evidence seal. The sleeve 140 may include a perforation 160 to allow the user to remove a portion of the sleeve 140 enclosing the cap 120 while leaving the rest of the sleeve 140 intact and protecting the cylindrical tube 110 from contact with water and grease. In some aspects, the perforation 160 may t-shaped. In one embodiment, the perforation 160 may be about 23 mm from the first end 125 of the sleeve 140. The sleeve 140 may also reinforce the structural integrity of the cylindrical tube 110 and prevent leaks and spillage.
In some aspects, it is contemplated that users may obtain lubricants, such as grease, in multiple containers of different sizes. The grease may be repackaged into uniform containers with new labels according to the methods 200 and 400. This way, storage of the lubricant tubes may be optimized through a universal size for storage.
While embodiments in the present disclosure have been described in some detail, according to the preferred embodiments illustrated above, it is not meant to be limiting to modifications such as would be obvious to those skilled in the art.
The foregoing disclosure and description of the disclosure are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the details of the illustrated apparatus and system, and the construction and the method of operation may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure.
