Patent Application
20110049154
The invention relates to a packaging container, especially a can-like container having a cylindrical or tubular container body made from composite film and having a lid arrangement, and having a base closure, especially a stand-up base.
Such containers are generally known and are used for holding, storing and transporting liquid, paste-form and solid contents, the low weight and easy printability of such packagings being extremely advantageous. The handling, especially the opening, of such containers can occasionally be disadvantageous, however, as a result of the flexibility of the container body, which is made from a composite film. Because the container body lacks sufficient stability, when the container is opened it can very easily happen that the packaging contents are spilled out in an uncontrolled way. That risk particularly arises in the case where the container opening too is of flexible configuration.
The problem underlying the present invention is therefore to provide, as an alternative to rigid packaging containers made from plastics material, glass or metal, a packaging container that, despite its being made from flexible composite film, can be opened in a controlled way and, where applicable, also closed again. In particular, the packaging containers according to the invention should constitute an alternative to rigid packaging cans.
That problem is solved according to the invention by the features of claim 1.
In particular, the problem is solved by a packaging container, especially a can-like container having a substantially cylindrical or tubular container body made from composite film and having a lid, and having a base, optionally a stand-up base, the peripheral edge of the container body opposite from the base being stabilised by a relatively rigid or dimensionally stable ring on and/or in which the lid is engageable.
An important aspect of the invention is therefore that by means of a ring which stabilises the upper peripheral edge of the container body there is provided a dimensionally stable pouring opening or a dimensionally stable lid shoulder and/or a dimensionally stable lid arrangement which is easy to open, so that access can be gained to the packaging contents in a controlled way. That is achieved according to the invention by attaching a relatively rigid and/or dimensionally stable ring to the upper peripheral edge of the container body. The attachment can be realised by adhesive bonding or by sealing. According to the invention the ring consists of plastics material and is preferably produced by injection-moulding or deep-drawing. Furthermore, according to the invention the ring can be made from a single-layered or multi-layered composite film, it being preferable to use the composite film forming the container body. In accordance with a further embodiment, the ring can also be formed by folding or rolling the composite film or a subcomponent of the composite film, such as, for example, a sealable layer of the composite film.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the rigid or dimensionally stable ring is attached to the inner side of the upper peripheral edge of the container body, but attachment of the ring to the outside of the upper peripheral edge of the container body is also possible. Alternatively, the ring can have a groove facing in the direction of the container body, in which groove the peripheral edge of the container body engages. According to the invention, sealing or adhesive bonding is provided for attachment of the ring; in the former case the ring has a sealable material at least on the outside.
In the case of attachment of the ring to the inside of the container body, the container body can also be expanded slightly before insertion of the ring therein, so that after the tension has been relieved the peripheral edge of the container body rests closely against the inserted ring, especially along the axial extent of the ring.
According to the invention, the ring is joined to the peripheral edge of the container body, especially adhesively bonded, sealed, welded or tightly joined in some other way, over its entire periphery.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the ring has radially extending protuberances which also extend substantially perpendicularly, that is to say in the axial direction and/or obliquely on the ring and, according to the invention, are in the form of ribs or blades.
According to the invention, the protuberances co-operate with a snap rim located on the lid, the snap rim being moved over the protuberances during closure of the lid and snapping into place behind the protuberances. In the closed state, the lid is accordingly fixed on the container and with, for example, a lip, especially a peripheral lip, closes with a substantially smooth, especially planar, upper side of the ring, the portion of the lid coming to rest on the smooth upper side of the ring being constructed so as to fit the upper side of the ring and being sealed therewith prior to the first opening of the container.
In accordance with a further embodiment, the ring is, at least over sections, in the form of a shoulder.
Furthermore, the protuberances arranged on the ring have a radial extent in the range of from 0.1 mm to 10 mm, preferably in the range of from 0.2 mm to 6.5 mm and especially in the range of from 0.5 mm to 5 mm. The inner diameter of the opening of the container according to the invention can advantageously be varied in a simple way by providing protuberances having a different radial extent, so that it is readily possible to match containers of different opening radius to a particular size of lid. For that purpose, the protuberances can extend in the direction of a container axis or in a direction away from that axis, depending upon whether a lid snaps onto or engages in the ring.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, between the ring and the lid there is arranged a cover film which is sealed to the ring as a closure-guarantee film or guarantee of authenticity. Accordingly, for opening the container, first of all a lid that has been snapped onto the ring is removed and then the cover film is peeled off. Advantageously, the lid can be so constructed that it can be snapped back onto the ring, so that the container is always re-closable after opening.
In the case of a shoulder-like configuration of the ring, the lid arrangement comprises a relatively rigid or dimensionally stable annular shoulder, which is arranged on, especially sealed on, the peripheral edge of the container body and defines a container opening, and a cover film which extends over the container opening and is sealed to the edge thereof. That configuration, as well as the embodiments mentioned above, also allow relatively large dimensionally stable container openings, which can be closed so that the container contents are protected from contamination. In particular, the container contents can also be sterilely packaged.
In a preferred embodiment, between the ring or annular shoulder and the container opening there extends a neck onto which a lid can be locked or screwed. In the case of the former solution, the neck has a radially outwardly extending locking projection, especially an annular projection, or a radially inwardly extending locking notch, which corresponds to complementary locking means, especially the snap rim, on the lid.
In the case of the second embodiment or alternative, a thread is formed by stamping or is cut into the outer periphery of the neck, which thread corresponds to a corresponding internal thread of a screw-on lid or screw-on cap.
The lid can also be in the form of a flip-top lid articulated on the ring, especially on the shoulder, by means of a film hinge. In that case the shoulder and the lid are integrally joined to one another. In principle, of course, a multi-part hinge joint connection is also conceivable. It is equally possible for the lid itself to be foldable. For that purpose, a portion of the lid itself can be in the form of a film hinge.
The hinge joint can also be biased into the closed position of the lid, either by suitably creating tension in the material by stamping or by the arrangement of a torsion spring.
The edge of the opening can be circular, oval, triangular or the like. No limits whatsoever are set in respect of the shaping. In particular, the edge of the opening can include a pouring funnel or spout. The lid is then constructed accordingly.
Furthermore, it is advantageous for the cover film and/or the lid to have at least one grip tab extending radially beyond the edge of the container opening. By means of the grip tab, the cover film can easily be detached or peeled off from the edge of the container opening.
The container body preferably consists of a film which, by means of a fin-seal or lap-seal, has been formed into a cylindrical, truncated-cone-shaped or tubular main body. The container body can alternatively also be a length of extruded film tube.
The container body, and optionally also the base and the cover film, preferably consist(s) of a laminate, especially an aluminium laminate, having at least one sealing layer and optionally at least one barrier layer, especially of SiO2, ethyl vinyl alcohol or a metal foil.
The film thickness is in the range of from 50μ to 1000μ, especially from 100μ to 500μ, preferably from 150μ to 350μ. Ultimately the film thickness depends also upon the contents and the size of the packaging container.
The base of the packaging container can be constructed so as either to have a shallow cup shape or to have a V-fold or W-fold and can be adhesively bonded or sealed at its edge to the base-end peripheral edge of the container body. Conventional techniques are used for that purpose. Alternatively, the base can also be closed solely by the formation of a transverse sealed seam corresponding to the base closure of a tube for toothpaste or the like.
Preferably, however, the base consists of a relatively rigid or dimensionally stable material and is in the form of a stand-up base, so that overall a can-like container is formed which is distinguished by a relatively rigid base, a relatively rigid and dimensionally stable lid arrangement and by a container body made from composite film. Such containers are relatively lightweight, simple to produce and sufficiently dimensionally stable to be reliably opened and, where applicable, closed again. They can be used for storing liquid, powdered or granular goods, especially food, drinks or medicaments. By virtue of the flexibility of the container body, i.e. by virtue of the easy deformability of the composite film from which the container body is to be made, it is also possible to produce many different forms of container. It is also very easy to print on the container; it is merely necessary for the composite film to be printed accordingly beforehand.
Furthermore, the lid can also be made from a relatively rigid or dimensionally stable material, so that after the container has been opened the lid is suitable for further uses, such as, for example, as a support for the container.
Preferably, the relatively rigid or dimensionally stable base and/or lid is/are produced by injection-moulding or deep-drawing. Those production methods are extremely economical and are especially suitable for production in large quantities.
According to the invention, the portion joining the base and the container body, that is to say the stand-up base, can be provided with stabilising structuring, especially in the form of axially extending channels or ribs. By virtue of the provision of such channels or ribs, the stability of such a stand-up base according to the invention is further improved, because they make a substantial contribution to the rigidity and dimensional stability of the stand-up base.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the lid has an obliquely sloping upper side and accordingly has a certain height. Furthermore, according to the invention the lid can be truncated-cone-shaped, the lid tapering towards the top. It should be mentioned that a combination of the features of an obliquely sloping upper side of the lid and a taper are combinable.
The above-mentioned embodiments are especially suitable for containers having a lid, the inclined upper side of which is available, for example, for advertising purposes and faces the viewer for better visibility. That is particularly advantageous when the containers are set out on display stands, especially since such a three-dimensional lid has an unusual lid shape and is accordingly somewhat eye-catching.
Furthermore, a lid of such three-dimensional configuration having a truncated-cone-shaped body and an obliquely sloping upper side can, after its removal from the upper side of the container, also be utilised as a standing aid for the container, the container being placed thereon by its stand-up base, which is preferably constructed at least partly so as to be approximately complementary to the truncated-cone shape of the lid. In other words, that means that the lid is so constructed that it can be brought into engagement with the stand-up base. According to the invention, the lids in question also have a dome by means of which a stacking function both of the lids amongst themselves and of the containers is achieved, so that the containers can reliably be stacked, for example in display stands.
As already mentioned above, the base can be constructed so as either to have a shallow cup shape or to have a V-fold or W-fold and can be adhesively bonded, welded or sealed at its edge to the base-end peripheral edge of the container body. That peripheral edge, which usually serves as at least part of the standing surface of the container, assumes an inclined position as a result of the container's being placed onto the lid, so that the entire container then has a slightly inclined position. It will be understood that the filling level of the container is made such that this slightly inclined position does not cause the contents to spill out, especially in the case of a fully opened container.
For the sake of completeness it should be mentioned that the lid can be placed on a substrate either by its underside or optionally also by its upper side, and, when used as a standing aid, the stand-up base of the container engages the inside or outside of the lid, so that the container cannot slip off the sloping surface of the lid.
At this point it is preferable for the peripheral edge of the lid to have a slightly larger outer diameter than the stand-up base or the upper edge of the opening, so that the lid is placed onto a support with its original upper side then facing downwards and the container comes to rest in an opening in the lid and is held, for example, by a lip or ledge on the peripheral edge of the lid which then faces upwards.
As a result of the slightly inclined position of the opened container, its contents are more readily accessible, especially for small children; in addition, it is easier to see into the container.
A similar effect can be achieved when the height of the container body differs over its periphery, so that the container opening of a container positioned horizontally slopes at an angle. In that case, the lid is given an oval configuration so as to be suitable for closing the container opening.
A further embodiment of the invention provides a ring portion or ring which can be snapped on around at least a portion of the neck of the lid arrangement and surrounds at least part of the neck, which ring portion or ring is joined to the lid, especially by means of a film hinge.
The particular advantage of that embodiment is that the container can be filled and closed with a cover film before the lid is attached to the container by means of a ring or by means of a ring portion that surrounds at least part of the neck. It is especially advantageous here for the lid arrangement to be made from a relatively rigid or dimensionally stable material, it being emphasised that not only the lid but also the entire lid arrangement can be injection-moulded or deep-drawn.
The ring portion or the ring is placed around at least a portion of the neck and is in that way joined to the container. A lid so configured with its attachment device surrounding at least part of the neck can be removable, so that the end user can use the lid for different containers. In that way it is possible to close the container in a cost-effective way solely with the cover film. The lid with its attachment device surrounding at least part of the neck can accordingly be used by the end user, as required, for re-closing an opened container.
It also lies within the scope of the inventive concept for the lid and the cover film to be separably joined to one another, the lid and/or the cover film being sealed or adhesively bonded to one another, at least the portions of the lid and of the cover film that are sealed or adhesively bonded to one another being provided with substances of the sealing or bonding material that reduce the sealability and/or adhesive bondability. In the case of the sealing material polyethylene, those substances that reduce the sealability can be, for example, polybutylene or polypropylene or a mixture of the two, especially with an admixture of 20% by weight polybutylene to polypropylene. In that way it is possible to produce a lid having a weakly adherent cover film which, on closure of the container, seals or bonds more strongly to the edge of the opening of the container than to the lid. Accordingly, when the container is opened first of all only the lid is removed, while the cover film remains on the edge of the opening of the container or its lid arrangement and subsequently the cover film can be removed separately, for example with the aid of the grip tab, and the container thus fully opened.
Accordingly it is possible to provide one side of a cover film with substances that reduce the sealability and/or adhesive bondability and in that way reduce the sealability of the cover film towards that side, while the sealability on the opposite side of the cover film is fully retained, so that the cover film has two sides having different sealability, especially in respect of the sealing strength.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the lid has a recess which is openable towards the outside and which, before use, is closed, especially sealed, preferably with a film. In the recess it is possible to arrange an article, such as, for example, a spoon, knife, fork or similar utensil or free gift. The utensil can especially be of foldable or collapsible construction.
Accordingly, to use the utensil, a cover film is peeled off from the upper side of the lid having the recess, so that the recess having the article located in it is accessible. The lid of the container can then be opened, so that access can be gained to the interior of the container.
Furthermore, after removal of the lid from the upper side of the container the lid can be used as a standing aid for the container. In this variant the lid preferably extends over a larger area than the container base and is provided with a recess into which the container base is insertable with a substantially exact fit. That embodiment is especially preferred for use for small children, since overturning or tipping over the container is rendered significantly more difficult as a result of the then enlarged standing surface. If required, the container itself can be provided with a cover film in addition to its lid.
In accordance with a further embodiment, the neck of the lid arrangement is provided with a thread onto which a lid can be screwed. The lid has, preferably provided concentrically with respect to its peripheral edge, a closure leaf which can be pressed out of the upper side of the lid, with the leaf being separated from the lid, so that a circular opening is formed in the upper side of the lid. A teat for babies and/or infants can be inserted into that circular opening in the conventional way, it being understood that the opening formed in the upper side of the lid is dimensioned for commercially available teats. In that way, the container according to the invention can be used as a “bottle” for infants and babies.
Various embodiments of packaging containers according to the invention are explained in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings:
a-3e show a can-like container, depicting the attachment of a lid arrangement according to the invention, in each case in a perspective view;
a-4d show an alternative form of a can-like container, depicting the attachment of a lid arrangement according to the invention, in each case in a perspective view;
a, 6b and 6c show three different embodiments of packaging containers (soft packagings) having a lid arrangement according to the invention, in each case in a perspective view;
a, 9b show a further embodiment of a packaging container according to the invention in closed and opened form, in each case in a perspective view;
a-10c show a further embodiment of a packaging container according to the invention in closed view and in two opened views, in each case in a perspective view;
a-11c show a further embodiment of a packaging container according to the invention in open, partly closed and fully closed form, in each case in a perspective view;
a-12c show a further embodiment of a packaging container according to the invention in closed, partly opened and fully opened form, in each case in a perspective view;
a-13c show a further embodiment of a packaging container according to the invention having a special construction of the lid in closed, partly opened and fully opened form, in each case in a perspective view;
a-14c show a further embodiment of a packaging container according to the invention having a lid with a film hinge in closed, partly opened and fully opened form, in each case in a perspective view;
a-15c show a further embodiment of a packaging container according to the invention based on
a-17c show a further embodiment of a packaging container according to the invention for use as a “bottle” in closed, partly opened and ready-to-use form, in each case in a perspective view.
The packaging container shown in
The cover film 18 has a grip tab 22 extending radially beyond the edge 17 of the container opening 15, by means of which grip tab the cover film 18 can readily be peeled off from the edge 17 of the container opening 15 after removal of the screw-on lid or screw-on cap 20.
The container body 11 and the cover film 18 preferably consist of an aluminium laminate having at least one sealing layer and optionally at least one barrier layer, especially of SiO2, ethyl vinyl alcohol or a metal foil. The laminate of the container body 11 should also be sealable in particular because the lid arrangement, or the annular shoulder thereof, on the one hand and the stand-up base 13 on the other hand should be capable of being sealed-on along the upper and lower peripheral edges, respectively, of the container body 11.
The embodiment according to
a-3e show a can-like container 10, with the attachment of a lid arrangement 12 according to the invention being shown in a sequence of corresponding working steps. Starting from
The embodiment according to
d shows the can-like container 10 in the closed state, that is to say with the flip-top lid 20 in the closed position.
The embodiment according to
The embodiments according to
The embodiment according to
The embodiments according to
a shows a container 10 according to the invention with the lid 20 in place. The container 10 has a container body 11 and, joined to the lower peripheral edge 14 thereof, a stand-up base 13. On its upper peripheral edge there is arranged a lid arrangement 12, the annular shoulder 16 of which surrounds the peripheral edge 14 of the container body 11 on the outside and is sealed thereto. A lid 20 closes the container 10 towards the top, the lid 20 having an obliquely sloping upper side which, having the shape of a cut-off truncated cone, has an upwardly directed conical taper.
b shows the container 10 from
At this point attention should also be drawn to the fact that the container opening 15, in addition to its being closed by the lid 20, is covered with a cover film (not shown) which is preferably welded, sealed or adhesively bonded to the opening edge 17 and must be removed from the container opening 15 in order to open the container.
a to 10c show a further embodiment of a container 10 according to the invention, the height of the container body 11 differing over its periphery so that the container opening 15 of a standing container 10 slopes at an angle and has a preferably oval shape, which is associated with a matching lid. Other shapes can be triangular, quadrangular or polygonal, it being possible for polygonal container openings to have sides of equal or different length, so that controlled pouring, for example by means of one or more corners of the container, is possible.
a shows an above-mentioned container 10 according to the invention having a container body 11, stand-up base 13, annular shoulder 16 and lid 20 in closed form.
a to 11c show a further container 10 according to the invention having a container body 11 and stand-up base 13 as well as a lid arrangement 12 which has an annular shoulder 16, an opening edge 17 and a neck 19 as well as a cover film 18 attached to the opening edge 17 (
c shows the container in the closed state, the container either still being as originally closed and the cover film 18 being present under the lid 20 or, equally, however, the cover film 18 may already have been peeled off from the opening edge 17 of the container 10, so that
a to 12c show a further variant of the container 10 according to the invention which again has a container body 11 as well as a stand-up base 13 and a lid arrangement 12. Furthermore, the lid 20 of
a shows a fully closed container 10. In
a to 13c show a container 10 according to the invention of which the lid has a recess 33 which is openable towards the outside and, before use, is closed with a film, which recess is suitable for holding a spoon, especially a folding spoon or a similar article. The recess 33 openable towards the outside is closed with a film before use. That film is sealed onto an upper peripheral edge defining the recess and can be removed from the lid 20 by grasping the grip tab 22, so that access is gained to the interior of the space in the lid 20 defined by the recess 33.
a shows the container in closed form;
a to 14c show a further embodiment of a container 10 according to the invention, the lid 20 being provided with a film hinge 26. The film hinge 26 forms the folding line by means of which the lid 20 can be folded rearwards for opening the container 10.
a to 15c show a further embodiment of a container 10 according to the invention, a lid having a recess 33 being combined with a lid having an integral film hinge.
Bulged portions that increase the stability of the container are preferably formed on the lid edge in opposite directions to one another in respect of the recess 33 and preferably extend around the entire lid.
a to 17c show a further embodiment of a container 10 according to the invention which can be used as a “bottle” for babies and infants. For that purpose, the neck 19 of the lid arrangement 12 is provided with a thread 21 onto which a screw-on lid 22 can be screwed. In the closed, originally packaged state of the container there is provided a closure leaf 31, which is arranged in the upper side of the lid 20 concentrically with respect to the centre point and is joined to the upper side of the lid 20 in such a way that it can be separated or pressed out, as shown in
b shows that the lid 20 can be removed from the thread 21 of the lid arrangement 12 by rotation and the closure leaf 31 can be removed by being pressed out of the upper side of the lid 20, so that a concentric opening is formed in the upper side of the lid 20. It can also be seen that a cover film 18 is arranged on the opening edge 17 of the lid arrangement 12, which cover film can be peeled off from the container opening 15 using a grip tab 22. A teat 30 can then be placed in the lid opening 34 in known manner and can be fixed to the container 10 by screwing the lid ring which remains, together with the inserted teat 30, back onto the thread 21 of the lid arrangement 12. It should be mentioned that the lid opening 34 is, of course, dimensioned so that conventional teats 30 can be used with such a lid 20 according to the invention and a container 10 according to the invention.
A further container according to the invention (not shown) is constructed so as to be can-like with a height of about 15 cm and a diameter of about 7 cm. At the upper peripheral edge of the container body, a ring is sealed into the container body. The ring has an axial extent of 7 mm and comprises ribs extending radially inwards by one millimetre and having a spacing from one another of about 3 mm and a height of about 4 mm, a snap rim of a lid slides over the ribs and engages behind them in the closed state. The ring also has, at its upper end, a smooth, planar surface to which a lid is sealed with a complementary cover edge in the closed state. Furthermore, the container according to the invention has a shallow-cup-shaped stand-up base, the peripheral edges of which have stabilising structuring in the form of ribs or channels extending in the axial direction.
All the features disclosed in the application documents are claimed as being important to the invention insofar as they are novel over the prior art individually or in combination.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP06/08540 | 8/31/2006 | WO | 00 | 11/19/2010 |
