WO2012013779A1

WO2012013779A1 - Tube-shaped, in particular can-shaped, container and bottom therefor

Info

Publication number: WO2012013779A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/063095
Authority: WO
Inventors: Miroslav Ivanov Hinkov; Gerhard Hartmann; Andreas Michalsky
Original assignee: Huhtamaki Ronsberg, Zweigniederlassung Der Huhtamaki Deutschland Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2010-07-30
Filing date: 2011-07-29
Publication date: 2012-02-02
Also published as: EP2598405A1; DE102010037938A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a tube-shaped, in particular can-shaped, container (10) for holding fluids, in particular beverages, pastes and free-flowing or pourable items, comprising a tube-shaped body (20) and a bottom (30) and/or lid (40) attached thereto, wherein the bottom (30) and/or, if appropriate, the lid (40) are each designed to project into the tube-shaped body (20) in the form of a cone or pyramid, wherein a respective cone or pyramid base is assigned to the respective end of the tube-shaped body (20) and connected thereto in a fluid-tight manner, in particular by sealing or adhesive bonding. Furthermore, the invention relates to a bottom for such a container.

Description

"Tubular, in particular can-shaped, container and bottom for it"

Description

The invention relates to a tubular, in particular can-shaped, container according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and a bottom for such a container according to the preamble of patent claim 10.

Such tubular, in particular can-shaped containers for holding fluids, especially drinks, pastes and pourable or pourable goods have been known for quite some time and are used above all in the food and luxury food industry for packaging a wide variety of goods.

For some years, such packagings have preferably been produced from a film and / or laminate material which, because of its low weight, flexibility and good sealability, is suitable for producing these packagings. In particular, tubular packaging, i. As a rule, round packages are preferred because they require a minimum of laminate for wrapping in relation to the packaged volume.

Due to the efficient and material-saving geometry and design of tubular packaging that optimally envelop a product to be packed with a minimum of material requirements, however, there is the problem that the package with an increase in internal pressure, for example, due to a Füllgutausdehnung when heated, can provide little Ausgleichsvoiumen , An increased internal pressure leads such volume-optimized packs easy to elongation of the tubing or especially the ends, resulting in a curvature of these ends and thus to stagnation problems of the package, if the bottom end bulges. Another associated disadvantage is also that the bulges of the bottom and / or lid causes a change in the visual appearance of the packaging, which is often considered unacceptable. In addition, such a deformation of the packaging and a curvature of the usually sealed bottom and top parts lead to leaks in the packaging, which makes them ultimately unusable.

Conversely, an increase in the external pressure or, analogously thereto, a reduction in the internal pressure in the packaging, also due, for example, to a drop in temperature, leads to a collapse of the packaging, in which case not the ends of the packaging but the tubular body of the packaging are concerned. Also in this case, the appearance of the packaging changes in a generally unacceptable manner, so that such a package is thus useful only in the case of a relatively constant internal and / or external pressure useful, but not if such a package, for example, temperature differences in the refrigerator or a motor vehicle that is in the sun, as is common in everyday life exposed.

In the past, this problem was essentially countered by the fact that mostly the resistance of largely volume-constant packaging and its response to pressure fluctuations was compensated by either very rigid and stable packaging were made, but what in terms of material, life cycle assessment and disposability problems and thereby entails increased costs. Another way to produce a largely volume-constant packaging, further consists in providing a valve on the package in order to be able to blow off an increased overpressure. However, this solution according to the prior art usually only works in one direction, ie only at overpressure, whereby a negative pressure in the packaging can not be taken into account. As a third and also inadequate solution, volume consistency has largely been dispensed with in the case of previous packagings and irreversible deformation of the packaging due to an adaptation of the packaging volume to a pressure fluctuation has generally been tolerated. In summary, it can be said that in previous packages with deformation potential a tightrope between stability and Verformungspotentiai has taken place, often a Auswöiben the bottom of the package, solely by the weight of the product has taken place, the deformation was not always reversible and the packaging thus due to a defective appearance in the trade was no longer usable. Therefore, in order to counter such soil deformation, a smooth laminate floor has often been tightly sealed into the tubular container body. However, by virtue of this tight sealing, the packaging bottom scarcely had any potential for deformation, so that when the pressure inside the packaging increased, the seams between the container body and the bottom were heavily loaded and a leak in the packaging had to be feared. Although a deformability and a Rückstelikraft is adjustable on the elasticity of a particular laminate used; However, this is only possible in a narrow range. An intentional volume adaptation of a known packaging container, however, is very complicated both in production and in handling and also very limited in terms of laminate selection, since for such a desired volume adjustment and thus deformation of the container, for example, a thick aluminum in the range of greater than 20 μηη or but a relatively rigid plastic are necessary, for example, cold deform or hot deform.

The object of the invention is to solve the aforementioned problems and to provide a tubular, in particular can-shaped container available, which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture from a variety of available materials and a maximum of volume compensation, both in over- and at Allows negative pressure in the container, which has a sufficient stability against the Füllgutgewicht and beyond is reversible resettable with respect to the contents of the product.

This object is achieved by a tubular, in particular can-shaped container according to claim 1 and by a bottom for such a container according to claim 10.

In particular, the object is achieved by a tubular, in particular can-shaped, container for holding fluids, in particular drinks, pastes and pourable or pourable goods, with a tubular body and attached to this bottom and / or lid, the bottom and / or gege- If necessary, the lid are each designed conically or pyramid-shaped projecting into the tubular body, wherein a respective cone or pyramid base associated with the respective end of the tubular body and connected to this fluid-tight, in particular sealed or glued.

According to the invention, the tubular body and / or the bottom and / or the lid of the container according to the invention are produced from one, in particular similar or the same, at least one side sealable laminate. If desired, this laminate may also have a double-sided sealability in order to produce an overlapping seal in edge regions of blanks made from this laminate, so that the respective edge regions can be connected to one another in the form of lapelsis, ie overlapping by sealing are. According to an alternative embodiment, the laminate can also be designed to be sealable over its entire surface at its respective outermost layer.

Furthermore, it is provided according to the invention that the laminate has a barrier layer composed of one or more of the following materials: polyethylene terephthalate-silicon oxide (PET-SiO _x ), oriented polyamide (OPA-SiO _x ), ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyamide ( PA), aluminum, in particular aluminum foil or combinations of the materials mentioned. By providing a barrier layer, it is optimally possible to avoid both escape of contents from the container according to the invention and also access of gases, such as oxygen, into the container according to the invention and in this way the quality and quality of the packaged material to sustain,

Furthermore, it is advantageous according to the invention that both the tubular body, as well as the bottom and lid of the container according to the invention from the same laminate can be produced. This leads to a very cost-efficient and rational manufacturability of the container and does not require additional materials that would have to be made, for example, from hard plastics, such as thermosets. Instead, a container presented according to the invention can be produced in a simple manner by cutting the laminate and sealing the respective components out of this laminate in a simple and extremely cost-effective manner and dispose of them without problems after use, since no complicated separation of substances is necessary. Moreover, an essential point of the invention resides in the fact that the bottom and / or optionally the lid of the novel container according to the invention are each embodied in the shape of a cone or pyramid, with the respective conical or pyramidal tip protruding into the tubular body, while the respective associated cone or pyramid base is fluid-tightly connected, in particular sealed or glued, to the respective associated end of the tubular body.

Thus, the respective bottom and, if necessary, the lid of the container according to the invention is conical and forms either a round cap preferably made of barrier laminate material or alternatively a pyramid with at least three, but more if required, i. up to 25 or more side surfaces. In the course of the production of the container according to the invention with the respective cone or pyramid tip, this round or capped pyramid-shaped cap is inserted into the tubular body until the respective cone or pyramid base is substantially flush with the respective associated end of the tubular body to subsequently enable sealing of the respective conical or pyramid base with the respective end of the tubular body and thus to produce a seal sealed by sealing fluid-tight packaging.

As a particularly advantageous this type of sealing of the respective bottom and / or lid in the tubular body, the fact has been found that the sealing surfaces in this case both from outside the tubular body and from the side of the respective bottom or top part are easily accessible and on this way allow an attack of a sealing tool in a simple manner.

After insertion of the bottom in the tubular body and a sealing of the cone or pyramid base of the bottom with the tubular body now protrudes the tip of, depending on, cone or pyramid in the interior of the container according to the invention, the flanks of the cone or the pyramid over the weight of the contents offer a very good stability, with a slight deformation of the respective flanks due to the weight of the contents is possible. With an increasing pressure difference inside and outside the container according to the invention, the flanks from this position in softer they are through the filled good, in both directions, ie deform in terms of overpressure and a negative pressure in the container, wherein at a very large internal pressure in the container a complete everting of the cone - or pyramidal soil is possible. This deformation of the container according to the invention can be reversed mechanically mechanically, for example by a pushing back of the cap in the direction of the interior of the container according to the invention after a decay of the load. The resistance of a conical floor or Deckenis against a deformation results from its stability, or from a combination of its shape and conical or pyramid angle. Thus, the stability of a round cone is greater than that of a pyramid with straight part flanks. Further, a cone with an angle of, optimally about 60 ° - 120 °, more stable than with a shallower or steeper angle, with the proviso that a cone or Pyranidenspitze is all the more stable against everting, the sharper its tip in return, the thighs become longer with an increasingly acute angle and can buckle. The flatter a cone or a pyramid, the easier it is to evert the soil out of the tube, whereby the stiffness of the laminate also plays an essential role. According to the invention, the laminate has an optimum overall thickness in the range from 100 μm to 200 μm. A laminate cone may be formed in accordance with the invention by deep drawing in a cold or warm state, or alternatively may be formed from a blank and sealed with at least one seam extending from the apex to the cone base. This seam can be designed as lapseal or as a finseal, ie directed inwards or outwards. A finseal seam, which comes to lie inwards towards the product, is sufficiently fused to polymer (eg PE, PP) according to the invention at the free laminate edges directed towards the product.

One of the significant advantages of the container according to the invention is, inter alia, that the aforesaid deformation can take place very quickly, so that a packaging formed from such a container according to the invention has a very good shock resistance, for example in a drop test. For a shock-like deformation of an "ideal cone", it is advantageous according to the invention to provide points with different rigidity, or deviate from the ideal shape in some areas, for B. next to the sealed seam of the cone. This high shock resistance, which is possible due to the very rapid protuberance of the floor according to the invention is also ensured, inter alia, that this floor and / or possibly also the lid are made of a flexible laminate, which on the one hand can be easily everted, so that a Pressure relief in the case of a high internal container pressure by an increase in volume of the interior of the container is possible, while on the other hand by the conical or pyramidal shape of the bottom or lid of the container according to the invention a high stability against an overlying filling material is present when the tip the cone-shaped or pyramid-shaped bottom is intended to protrude into the interior of the container when packaged in the normal state, ie when the pressure inside the container and the exterior of the container are equalized. This tapered shape of a floor and / or ceiling according to the invention is therefore ideally suited to compensate for an increasing internal pressure in the container according to the invention, without the container itself, d. H. neither with regard to its material nor with regard to its sealing seams, damages. A conical or pyramidal bottom may extend in both directions, i. H . deform both at positive and negative pressure, because the straight cone or pyramid flanks can bulge in both directions.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is possible to provide the conical or pyramidal base and / or lid of the container according to the invention with reinforcements, so that the weight-receiving capacity of the floor according to the invention can be adapted to the respective weight of a product. Such reinforcements extend according to the invention from the respective conical or pyramid base of the bottom or cover in the direction of its tip, wherein such reinforcements are formed, for example, by folds and / or subsequent seals, ie. by a thickening of the material or by a profiling, for example in the form of ribs which extend from the cone or pyramid base to the respective tip, can be realized. This way, despite the use a flexible laminate that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and process, yet a high stability of the conical or pyramidal bottom and / or lid can be achieved, already ensuring a very good basic stability alone by the conical or pyramidal shape of the bottom and / or lid is.

Furthermore, it is possible according to the invention that the cone-shaped or pyramid-shaped bottom and / or lid has an inverted or depressed tip pointing in the direction of the cone or pyramid base, so that the bottom and / or lid according to the invention has a conical or truncated pyramidal shape represent, wherein the tip of the stump extends in an undepiped manner in the direction of the respective conical or pyramid base and facilitates a volume balance at an increasing negative pressure in the container according to the invention.

According to the invention, the kegei- or pyramid-shaped bottom and / or lid are made of a circular sector-shaped blank having a circular arc length in the range of 24/25 to 2/3, preferably in the range of 19/20 to 3/4 and particularly preferably in the range of 15 / 16 to 7/8 of the full circular arc length, which is calculated twice from the radius times Pi (= 2r * Pi) prepared, wherein the radial edges of the circular sector-shaped blank, preferably overlapping, in particular by sealing, are interconnected. According to an alternative embodiment, the lid can also be made of a circular sector-shaped blank with an angle of 2/3 to 2 * Pi (= 120 ° - 360 °), preferably 1 to 1.5 * Pi (180 - 270 °).

It should be mentioned at this point that the conical or pyramid-shaped bottom and / or lid can also be made from a fully circular blank, if respective sector of a circle are folded and fixed so that the blank results in a Kegei or a pyramid. This is possible, for example, by folding in a circular sector and then sealing the material, which then has two or three layers, at the folded location.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the circular sector-shaped blank or the circulatory-shaped blank can be produced from one or, according to one embodiment, at least two sector-shaped sections which, for example, respectively overlapping each other to the circular sector-shaped blank or the voilkreis- shaped blank are connected to each other. These overlaps are also used, for example, to reinforce the cone produced from the respective blank or the pyramid produced therefrom, which forms the adjoining bottom and / or lid of the container according to the invention,

Furthermore, it should be noted that the tubular body may have at least one overlapping seal seam or, alternatively, is seamless. Another embodiment, which is within the scope of the invention, comprises a tubular body which is closed by means of a suture seam, i. sealed by means of a fin-seal.

Incidentally, the respective sealing seams can point with their respective edge either to the container interior or in the direction of the container outer side, wherein the respective edges of the laminate to improve the corrosion resistance of the laminate and the container can be closed by means of a sealing medium, in particular overmelted, so that in particular the contents only with the respective provided outer layers of the laminate in contact and, for example, a corrosion of Aluminim, which is contained in the barrier layer of the laminate, is avoided. By this measure, the resistance of both the container according to the invention and the contents is ensured.

Furthermore, the object of the invention is achieved in particular by a bottom for a tubular, in particular can-shaped container for holding fluids, in particular drinks, pastes and pourable or pourable goods, wherein the bottom is made of a fully circular or circular sector-shaped blank, wherein the circular sector-shaped Cutting a circular arc length in the range of one whole to 2/3, in particular 24/25 to 2/3, preferably in the range of 19/20 to 3/4 and particularly preferably in the range of 15/16 to 7/8 of the full arc length of 2r * Pi. In this case, the radial edges of the fully circular or circular sector-shaped blank can be made from one or, according to one embodiment, at least two sector-shaped sections, the formation of a pyramid-shaped or conical bottom preferably occurring as a result takes place that the radial edges of the circular sector-shaped blank, preferably overlapping, in particular by sealing, are interconnected, Furthermore, the production of such a conical or pyramidal shape by folding a circle sector, in particular from a full circle, and then fixing the same possible. Such a folded circular sector-shaped blank can protrude, for example in the form of a fin or a differently shaped projection in a defined by the pyramidal or conical shape volume, wherein also a folding of the fin or projection and an application to the wall of the pyramid or cone and a Fixing is possible.

The collapse or separation by sealing a circular sector can be done as a protuberance of the same inwards or outwards, with respect to the cone or the pyramid. In a further embodiment, a conical bottom with many folds in the form of indentations, which are distributed as regularly as possible over the entire Kegeiumfang, which is advantageous for a uniform seal, can be formed from a Volikreiszu- section. According to a further embodiment of the invention, these many uniform folds are sealed, ie flattened and thermally fused or glued, so that sealing surfaces result as uniformly as possible in thickness. A uniform folding can be achieved according to the invention by corresponding grooved, matching molds. Flattening of the folds can be accomplished by a rotation of dies to each other. A fusion of the folds is possible by thermal heating, such as by thermal contact, infrared, hot air or, in laminates with Metallanteiien, especially metal foil, by induction. For the rotative flattening of the folds, according to the invention, the grooves should preferably be asymmetric, for example with one steep edge and one flat flank, and the protruding formations should be retractable in the corresponding mold half, in particular after shaping and before flattening and fusing. According to this embodiment, additional reinforcing ribs are obtained through the folds. Furthermore, the invention provides that the tip of the floor according to the invention is provided with a, optionally additional, sealing seal. Incidentally, it should be noted that embodiments described here for a floor are also applicable and claimed for the production and design of a cover, if necessary with modifications, for example with regard to an integration of an opening mechanism.

It should be noted at this point that the above statements for the production of a floor anaiog also for the production of a Deckenis possible and provided according to the invention.

Further embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

The invention will be described with reference to embodiments, which are explained in more detail with reference to the figures. Hereby show:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a container according to the invention in a view obliquely from above.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the bottom of a container according to the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of another floor according to the invention, which is inserted into a container according to the invention; FIG.

Fig. 4 shows a blank of two circle segments for an inventive

Ground;

5 shows a blank of a floor according to the invention in pyramidal shape according to a further embodiment; and

6 shows a blank formed from a circle segment of a floor according to the invention. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for the same and like parts. Fig. 1 shows an illustration of a container 10 according to the invention. The container body 10 comprises a tubular body 20 in which a conical lid 40 is sealed. The cone base of the cover 40 is connected to the head end of the tubular body 20 by sealing. In Fig. 1 it can be clearly seen how the tip of the cone-shaped lid 40 extends in the direction of the Behäiterinnenraums. This conical extension can be used, for example, in the case of a beverage container, as a guide for introducing a straw into the container, in which case the lid 40 would be pierced with the straw. Fig. 2 shows a conical bottom 30 according to the invention in a view from below. The bottom 30 is sealed in a container 10, which is only hinted recognizable. The conical bottom 30 has a curvature in the form of a conical extension in the direction of the interior of the container. 3 shows a further illustration of a bottom according to the invention which has been inserted into a tubular body 20, wherein the respective sealing edges on the conical base and the bottom end of the tubular body 20 can be clearly seen. The container 10 is shown in FIG. 3 turned upside down. 4 shows a blank 50 for producing a bottom 30 according to the invention or alternatively cover 40, wherein a circular sector of the blank 50 is folded in the direction of an inner volume of a cone to be formed in such a way that it forms a reinforcing rib 70. Furthermore, reinforcing edges 80 produced by folding can be seen.

Fig. 5 shows a representation of a blank 50, which is similar to the blank shown in the following Fig. 6, formed from a circular segment, wherein between side surface portions 60 shown reinforcing edges 80 by kinks are realized in the laminate and contribute to an advantageous stiffening of the bottom produced from the blank 50,

FIG. 6 shows a further illustration of the blank 50 according to FIG. 5, which is formed into a bottom 30 and has a plurality of side surface sections 60 produced by folding reinforcing edges 80.

The floor or cover construction according to the invention has the advantage that prefabricated floors or lids can be stacked or stored and transported in magazines, namely as finished shaped floors / lids, as finished but folded and / or folded lids / floors or as blanks for forming and sealing ceilings / floors. In addition, an inventively pointed tapered bottom or lid end is ideal for closing a package after filling, the cone is introduced into the head or bottom space of the package, thereby reducing the free volume of the head or floor space. The latter has an extremely positive effect on the residual oxygen remaining in the packaging or on the necessary volume of a protective gas to be introduced into the packaging, since the cone of the bottom or lid according to the invention significantly reduces the free volume compared to a conventional container with a straight lid. The "dead volume" of the cone thus substantially does not increase the volume of the packaging, so that the packaging material requirement for the jacket of the packaging remains low, while during introduction of the cone of the bottom or lid according to the invention, the bottom or head space, which is in any case unavoidable in filling, depending on This also constitutes a significant advantage of the novel container according to the invention.

It should be noted at this point that all parts described above, taken alone and in any combination, in particular the details shown in the drawings are claimed as essential to the invention. Variations thereof are familiar to the person skilled in the art. Reference marks Container

tubular body

ground

cover

cut

section

reinforcing rib

reinforcing edge

Claims

claims

1. Tubular, in particular can-shaped, container (10) for receiving fluids, in particular drinks, pastes and pourable or pourable goods, with a tubular body (20) and a attached to these bottom (30) and / or cover (40 )

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the bottom (30) and / or optionally the lid (40) are each conical or pyramidal in the tubular body (20) protruding, wherein a respective cone or pyramid base associated with the respective end of the tubular body (20) and with this fluid-tight connected, in particular sealed or glued, is

2. Container according to claim 1,

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the cone-shaped or pyramid-shaped bottom (30) and / or cover (40) have a pointing in the direction of the cone or pyramid base everted or indented tip.

3. Container according to one of the preceding claims,

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the tubular body (20) and / or the bottom (30) and / or the lid (40) are made of a, in particular the same, at least one side sealable laminate hergesteilt.

4. Container according to claim 3,

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the laminate comprises a barrier layer of one or more of the following materials: polyethylene terephthalate silica (PET-SiO _x ), oriented polyamide (OPA-SiO _x ), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyamide (PA), aluminum, especially aluminum foil, or combinations of the foregoing Materials.

5. Container according to one of the preceding claims,

d a d u rc h e n c e n e s, d a s s

the cone-shaped or pyramid-shaped bottom (30) and / or cover (40) consists of a fully circular blank or of a circular sector-shaped blank (50) with a circular arc length in the range of one whole to 2/3, preferably in the range of 19 / 20 to 3/4 and particularly preferably in the range of 15/16 to 7/8 of the full circular arc length 2r * Pi is made, wherein the radial edges of the circular sector-shaped blank (50), preferably overlapping, in particular by sealing, are interconnected.

6. Container according to claim 5,

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the sector-shaped blank (50) is made of at least one sector-shaped section (60).

7. Container according to one of the preceding claims,

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the conical or pyramidal shape of the bottom is formed by a meshing of at least one, in particular 4-500, circular sector sections.

8. Container according to one of the preceding claims,

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the tubular body (20) has at least one overlapping sealing seam or, alternatively, is seamless.

9. Container according to one of the preceding claims,

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Sealing edges of the container, in particular sealed edges of the container body and the ends, in particular with respect to a filling material, closed by means of a sealing medium, in particular overmelted, are.

10. floor for a tubular, in particular can-shaped, container (10) for holding fluids, in particular drinks, pastes and pourable or pourable goods, dadu rc hge ke nnzeichnet that

the bottom (30) consists of a full-circle blank or a circular sector-shaped blank (50) with a circular arc length in the range of 24/25 to 2/3, preferably in the range of 19/20 to 3/4 and particularly preferably in the range of 15/16 to 7/8 of the full arc length 2r * Pi is made.

11. Floor according to claim 10,

d a d u r c h e s e n c e s e s, d a s s

the radial edges of the circular sector-shaped blank (50) and / or edges of Kreissektorabschnitten, preferably overlapping, in particular by sealing, are connected to each other.

12. Floor according to one of the preceding claims 10 or II,

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a tip of the bottom (30) is provided with an optionally additional density seal.

13. Floor according to one of the preceding claims 10 or 12,

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the fully circular or sector-shaped blank (50) is made of at least one sector-shaped section (60).

14. Floor according to one of claims 10 to 13,

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the conical or pyramidal shape of the bottom is formed by folding in at least one, in particular 4-500, circular sector sections.