ITMO20010038A1 - APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE PROCESSING OF PLASTIC MATERIAL AND CONTAINER OF FLUID PRODUCT - Google Patents

Description

Apparatus and method for processing plastics and fluid product container The invention relates to apparatus and method for manufacturing containers in plastics processing, the containers being arranged to contain a fluid product.

Containers obtained by thermoforming a sheet material, for example a plastic film, are known, arranged to contain a fluid or semi-fluid product, which can be dispensed by coming out through a suitable dispensing section of the container itself.

Such containers are opened by removing a container end portion therefrom so as to obtain an opening therein.

These containers have a drawback consisting in the fact that once opened they cannot be reclosed and therefore an undesired dispensing can occur which causes a certain consumption of the aforementioned product. Furthermore, the spillage of product can cause soiling of parts of the body and / or clothes of a user as well as of the area surrounding the container.

International patent application WO 95/12531 describes a reclosable container comprising a container body arranged to contain a fluid product and a self-reclosable valve arranged to allow the delivery of said product, once the container has been opened, only when on the walls of the body of the container a pressure is exerted by a user.

In particular, the aforesaid patent application describes a first version of container comprising a valve in which a first film and a second film identify a channel through which the product is dispensed.

The first film constitutes a hemispherical cap facing the second film, which, on the contrary, is substantially undeformed so as to constitute an essentially flat section.

During the dispensing phase, the fluid product can escape from the container passing through the channel defined between the hemispherical cap and the flat portion below. Once dispensing is complete, the user must deform the hemispherical cap substantially flattening it, exerting a slight pressure on it to bring the first film into contact with the second film, consequently causing the channel to close.

Therefore the container described in WO 95/12531 cannot be reclosed without the intervention of the user.

The international patent application WO 95/12531 also describes a second version of container in which the dispensing valve is provided with a duct for the outflow of the product identified by a first film and a second film which, as previously described , in a dispensing position they are arranged so as to constitute, respectively, a cap and a flat section. In a closed position, on the other hand, the first film can be deformed in such a way that the cap, initially having a convex profile towards the outside of the container, constitutes a concave portion that can be received in a suitable recess obtained from a simultaneous deformation of the second film.

In this way, the valve hermetically seals the container, preventing the dispensing of the product even if a certain pressure is exerted on the walls of the body thereof.

International patent application WO 99/10252 describes a container obtained by thermoforming sheet material and comprising a closure valve arranged to allow partial and deferred delivery of the product contained therein.

The container comprises a relatively thick lower film having a shaped profile to identify a container body and an upper film which is decidedly thinner and arranged in a substantially flat manner. The lower film and the upper film are sealed along the perimeter of the container.

At one end of the shaped film there is a region comprising a plurality of recesses separated from each other by reliefs interposed therewith. The upper film and the reliefs cooperate to form the closure valve which prevents the product contained in the container from being dispensed in the absence of a force acting on the aforesaid container body.

The operation of the valve is substantially based on the deformability of the upper sheet: in fact, once the pressure that caused the delivery of the product has ceased, the upper sheet is induced to penetrate, at least partially, inside each of the recesses, finding itself at contact with the projections interposed between them and thus preventing further product leaks.

A drawback of the aforementioned containers consists in the fact that they present a considerable manufacturing complexity.

The production of substantially hemispherical recesses and caps is, in fact, rather difficult and can considerably compromise the productivity of the plants arranged to make such containers.

Furthermore, in the case of containers made with a pair of films having different thicknesses, problems may arise due to differences in thermal expansion which make the coupling of the relative films problematic.

An object of the invention is to improve containers obtained by thermoforming and provided with a valve for regulating the delivery of a product contained therein.

Another object of the invention is to obtain a thermoformed container in which a valve can easily be obtained which performs an effective action for regulating the flow of product through a delivery channel.

A further object of the invention is to obtain an apparatus and a method for the production of thermoformed containers provided with a valve for regulating the delivery of a fluid product contained therein.

In a first aspect of the invention, a container is provided, preferably obtained by thermoforming a first film and a second film of thermoformable material, comprising container body means arranged to contain a fluid product and conduit means arranged to regulate the dispensing of said product from said container, characterized in that said conduit means define a non-rectilinear path for said product along progressively decreasing sections of said conduit means.

In an advantageous version, the first film identifies a first concave portion of said conduit means, while the second film can identify a second concave portion of said conduit means which extends inside said first portion.

In a second aspect of the present invention, a container is provided, comprising container body means arranged to contain a fluid product and conduit means arranged to regulate the delivery of said product from said container, characterized in that said means a duct comprise a first concave portion and a second concave portion, said second concave portion extending internally to said first concave portion.

Thanks to these aspects of the invention, it is possible to obtain a container provided with conduit means which define valve means adapted to regulate the outflow of a fluid product.

The duct means preferably have a curvilinear path along which, at the end of the dispensing of the product, a small air bubble is sucked from the environment outside the container and remains trapped in the duct means, counteracting unwanted product leaks.

Furthermore, since the conduit means have a very limited section of extension on the surface and since the fluid product flows with friction on their walls, it occurs that delivery is strongly opposed, if not completely prevented, even in the case in which the bubble of air has penetrated into the container body means and therefore does not further hinder the passage of the product through the conduit means.

It has been verified that the conduit means according to the invention prevent dripping or loss of product even in the case in which the product is very fluid.

Since the inhibition effect of the liquid leakage is not obtained through the contact between the two films that constitute the valve means, but through the realization of sufficiently narrow conduit means whose walls remain constantly separated by a predetermined distance, it is not It is necessary to use films of different thicknesses, and in particular thin films, to have high deformability.

This makes it possible to considerably simplify the production process since films of any thickness can be used, particularly films having equal thicknesses, which can be thermoformed simultaneously by means of a single apparatus.

In a third aspect of the invention, an apparatus for the production of containers is provided, comprising thermoforming means arranged to thermoform first film means and second film means of thermoformable material to obtain said containers, characterized in that said thermoforming means comprise means with forming molds arranged to obtain in said containers duct means having a non-rectilinear path adapted to inhibit unwanted product leaks after opening.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for the production of containers is provided, comprising thermoforming means arranged to thermoform material in a thermoformable sheet to obtain said containers, characterized in that said thermoforming means comprise forming mold means equipped with an element projecting arranged to deform said thermoformable sheet material.

In an advantageous version, the thermoforming mold means comprise first half-mold means provided with at least one cavity arranged to deform the first film to form a first concave part of said duct means, and preferably second half-mold means provided with at least one projecting element arranged to deform the second film to obtain therein a second concave part of said conduit means and extending inside said at least one cavity.

Thanks to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to obtain an apparatus which allows an effective production of containers provided with conduit means which also act as a dispensing valve arranged to regulate the outflow of a fluid product therefrom. This apparatus is capable of simultaneously processing a pair of films of any thickness, heat-sealing and thermoforming them to obtain the desired containers.

In a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for producing containers comprising thermoforming thermoformable sheet material to define in said containers container body means arranged for containing a fluid product and conduit means arranged for regulating the dispensing of said product. from said containers, characterized in that said thermoforming comprises identifying in said conduit means a non-rectilinear path adapted to inhibit unwanted leaks of product after opening.

In an advantageous version, the aforesaid identification comprises making in the conduit means a first concave part and a second concave part of said sheet material extending inside said first concave part.

Thanks to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to obtain a method for the production of containers provided with conduit means which also act as a dispensing valve arranged to regulate the outflow of a fluid product therefrom.

The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate an indicative and non-limiting example of implementation, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic section taken along a vertical plane of a preheating station, a welding station and a forming station of an apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a front view of the welding and forming stations of Figure 1 in which a welding half-mold and a forming half-mold have been removed respectively;

Figure 3 is a sectioned detail along a vertical and interrupted plane of a welding mold of the apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a detail sectioned along a vertical plane of a mold for forming the apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a front view of a container according to the invention;

Figure 6 is a side view of a container according to the invention;

Figure 7 is an enlarged and sectioned detail of valve means for dispensing a container according to the invention;

Figure 8 is an enlarged and sectioned detail like that of Figure 7, but relating to a variant.

With reference to Figures 1 to 4, an apparatus 1 is shown for the production of containers 2 suitable for dispensing a product 3 contained therein in a controlled manner.

The apparatus 1 comprises a plurality of stations through which a first film 4 and a second film 5 made of thermoformable material are advanced by steps along a direction of advancement indicated by the arrow F, progressively unwound from reels not shown.

The aforesaid stations comprise a preheating station 6 inside which heating means 6a, 6b, 6c soften the film, preparing it for the subsequent phases of the processing cycle.

Downstream of the preheating station 6, a welding station 7 is provided in which welding mold means 8 comprising a first welding half-mold 8a and a second welding half-mold 8b moving towards and away from each other, as indicated by the arrows FI and F2, interact with the first film 4 and with the second film 5 to obtain from them a plurality of container preforms 9 welded along respective peripheral edges.

Downstream of the welding station 7, there is a forming station 10 comprising forming mold means 11 provided with a first forming half-mold 11a and a second forming half-mold 11b arranged to clamp onto the preforms 9, translating in the directions indicated by the arrows F3 and F4, to create containers 2.

Downstream of the forming station 10 there is a filling station, not shown, in which the product 3 is introduced into the containers 2.

Finally, downstream of the filling station, there is a sealing station, not shown, in which the containers 2 filled with the product 3 are sealed and a separation station, also not shown, in which the containers 2 filled and sealed are separated from the undeformed portions of the first film 4 and of the second film 5 which keep them joined together.

As shown in Figure 2, tube means 12 are provided in the welding mold means 8 and in the forming mold means 11 which are adapted to allow the introduction of a forming fluid inside the welding mold means 8 and the means. a forming mold 11 through an inlet 12a.

In particular, the forming fluid, being introduced into the welding mold means 8, causes slight deformations of the first film 4 and of the second film 5, thus allowing to obtain the preforms 9, this being due to the limited depth of the cavities 8c with which the first mold half 8a and the second mold half 8b are provided.

Inside the forming mold means 11, on the other hand, the forming fluid inflates the preforms 9 until the first film 4 and the second film 5 come into contact with the walls of the compartments 11c, 11d of the forming mold means 11, thus obtaining the finished containers 2.

As shown in Figure 4, the first forming half-mold 11a and the second forming half-mold 11b respectively have a shaped region 13 and a further region 13a, also shaped, arranged to form delivery valve means 14 in the containers 2.

The first forming half-mold 11a has a substantially frusto-conical shaped region 13, while the second forming half-mold 11b initially has a section of shaped region 13a having a cylindrical shape and subsequently a projecting element 19 suitable for forming in the aforementioned valve means dispensing valve 14 a suitable narrowing of the internal section of the dispensing valve means 14.

With reference to Figures 5 to 7, a container 2 is shown comprising a container body 2a adapted to receive a fluid product 3 and dispensing valve means 14 arranged to regulate the outflow of the fluid 3 from the container 2, particularly to prevent the product 3 is dispensed from the container 2 when no external pressure is exerted on the walls of the body 2a.

The dispensing valve means 14 comprise conduit means 15 obtained by suitably deforming the first film 4 and the second film 5 so as to give the conduit means a shape such as "S". Thus, the conduit means 15 comprise a first curved portion 25 and a second curved portion 26, in succession, the first curved portion and said second curved portion having respective centers of curvature Cl, C2 located on opposite sides of said conduit means 15 .

Said conduit means 15 have a decreasing section away from the body 2a and define a curvilinear path 21 for the fluid 3.

The conduit means 15 comprise means 16 to inhibit the escape of the fluid 3 comprising capillary means 17 obtained by significantly reducing the section of the dispensing valve means 14 at the relative end portion.

The conduit means 15 are crossed by opening indicator means 23 consisting for example of a preferential incision or cutting line along which the container can be opened by tearing, or in any case removing, a flap 24 of the container itself, thus making it possible to escape product 3 from conduit means 15.

This reduction in section of the conduit means 15 is obtained by deforming the second film 5 to form a concave portion 18 in it extending inside a respective concave portion 20 obtained from said first film 4. The concave portion 18 has a substantially shaped profile domed in such a way as to provide capillary means 17 which extend along the aforementioned curvilinear path 21.

The capillary means 17 are therefore obtained by reducing the relative distance between the first film 4 and the second film 5 which, however, are never in mutual contact.

The leakage inhibiting means 16 perform their function according to the principles described below: firstly, when a user releases the body 2a, at the end of the dispensing of product 3, a suction effect is created whereby an air bubble of limited dimensions remains trapped inside the curvilinear path 21 identified by the capillary means 17 thus preventing the escape of further product 3. In the event that the aforementioned air bubble, attracted by the depression created inside the container 2, penetrates inside the body 2a, leaving the capillary means 17 free, the fluid 3 begins to flow towards the outside of the container 2 without however being able to reach it since it is braked by friction on the walls of the capillary means 17 up to a point where any further advancement is precluded.

The length and section of the capillary means 17 can be varied according to the viscosity of the product 2, thus allowing the leakage inhibiting means 16 to effectively perform their task of regulating the delivery of products having viscosities included in a wide range. .

As shown in Figure 8, the curvilinear path 21 may also present in its development towards the container outlet, an area 22 in which there is a widening of the section.

Claims (40)

CLAIMS Container, comprising container body means (2a) arranged to contain a fluid product (3) and conduit means (15) - arranged to regulate the delivery of said product (3) from said container (2), characterized in that said conduit means (15) define a non-rectilinear path (21) for said product (3) which develops along substantially progressively decreasing sections of said conduit means (15). Container according to claim 1, wherein said conduit means (15) comprise a first concave portion (20) and a second concave portion (18) extending internally to said first concave portion (20) to delimit said path (21) not straight. Container, comprising container body means (2a) arranged to contain a fluid product (3) inside it and an outlet for said product (3) from said container body (2a), characterized in that said container body (2a) comprises a recess (18) extending towards said interior. Container according to claim 3, wherein said container (2) comprises a first concave portion (20) adapted to receive said recess (18). Container according to claim 4, wherein said recess comprises a second concave portion (18). Container according to claim 5, wherein said first portion (20) and said second portion (18) are obtained in conduit means (15) of said container means (2) identifying said outlet. Container according to claim 6, wherein said first concave portion (20) and said second concave portion (18) mutually define a non-rectilinear path (21) in said conduit means (15). Container according to claim 6, or 7, in which said non-rectilinear path (21) develops along substantially progressively decreasing sections of said conduit means (15). Container according to claim 2, or according to one of claims 4 to 8, wherein said first portion (20) is formed in first thermoformable sheet means (4). Container according to claim 2, or according to one of claims 5 to 8, or according to claim 9 when dependent on one of claims 5 to 8, wherein said second portion (18) is formed in second sheet means ( 5) thermoformable. 11. Container according to claim 2, or according to one of claims 5 to 8, or according to claim 9 when dependent on one of claims 5 to 8, or according to claim 10, wherein said second portion (18) has a dome-shaped profile. Container according to claim 1, or 2, or according to claim 7, or 8, or according to one of claims 9 to 11 when dependent on claim 7, or 8, in which said non-rectilinear path (21) has a development curvilinear. 13. Container according to claim 12, wherein said curvilinear extension comprises a first curved section (25) and a second curved section (26), in succession, the first curved section (25) and said second curved section (26) having respective centers of curvature (Cl, C2) located on opposite sides of said conduit means (15). Container according to claim 1, or 2, or 6, or 7, or according to one of claims 8 to 13 when dependent on claim 6, wherein said conduit means (15) are transversely crossed by opening indicating means ( 23). Container according to claim 14 when dependent on claim 2, or on claim 6, or 7, or on one of claims 8 to 13 when dependent on claim 6, in which said opening indicating means (23) pass through an area of said conduit means (15) further away from said container body means (2a) of said first portion (20) and of said second portion (18). 16. Apparatus for the production of containers (2), comprising thermoforming means (6, 8, 11) arranged to thermoform first sheet means (4) and second sheet means (5) of thermoformable material to obtain said containers (2) , characterized in that said thermoforming means (6, 8, 11) comprise forming mold means (11) arranged to obtain in said containers (2) duct means (15) having a non-rectilinear path (21) adapted to inhibit unwanted product spills after opening. 17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said forming mold means (11) comprise first half-mold means (11a) arranged to form in said conduit means (15) a first concave portion (20) and second half-mold means (11b) arranged to form in said conduit means (15) a second concave portion (18) capable of extending internally to said first portion (20). 18. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said first half-mold means (11a) comprise cavity means (11a) arranged to deform said first film means (4) to obtain said first portion (20). 19. Apparatus according to claim 17 or 18, wherein said second half-mold means (11b) comprises a projecting element (19) arranged to deform said second film means (5) to obtain said second portion (18). 20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said projecting element (19) has a dome-shaped profile. 21. Apparatus for the production of containers (2), comprising thermoforming means (6, 8, 11) arranged to thermoform material in thermoformable sheet (4, 5) to obtain said containers (2), characterized in that said thermoforming means comprise forming mold means (11) provided with a projecting element (19) arranged to deform said thermoformable sheet material (4, 5). 22. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said projecting element (19) is shaped so as to provide in said containers (2) a recess extending towards an interior of said containers (2) 23. Apparatus according to claim 21, or 22, wherein said forming mold means (11) comprise first half-mold means (11a) arranged to deform first sheet means (4) of said thermoformable material to obtain a first concave portion (20) adapted to receive said recess. Apparatus according to one of claims 21 to 23, wherein said forming mold means (11) comprise second half-mold means (11b) arranged to deform second sheet means (5) of said thermoformable material to obtain in said recess a second concave portion (18). 25. Apparatus according to claims 23 and 24, wherein said forming mold means (11) form said first portion (20) and said second portion (18) in conduit means (15) of said container means (2) so as to define in them a non-straight path (21) for said product (3) adapted to inhibit unwanted leaks after opening. 26. Apparatus according to one of claims 21 to 25, wherein said projecting element (19) has a dome-shaped profile. 27. Apparatus according to one of claims 16 to 26, wherein said forming mold means (11) are arranged in a forming station (10). 28. Apparatus according to one of claims 16 to 27, wherein said thermoforming means (6, 8, 11) further comprise welding mold means (8) arranged to interact with said first film means (4) and with said second film means (5) 'for obtaining container preforms (9) sealed along respective peripheral edges. 29. Apparatus according to claim 28, when dependent on claim 27, wherein said welding mold means (8) are arranged in a welding station (7) positioned upstream of said forming station (10). 30. Apparatus according to claim 29, and further comprising, upstream of said sealing station (7), a station for preheating said first film means (4) and said second film means (5). 31. Apparatus according to claim 27, or according to claim 28 when dependent on claim 27, or according to claim 29, or according to claim 30, and further comprising, downstream of said forming station (10), a filling station in which said product (3) is introduced into said containers (2) and a sealing station, in which the filled containers (2) are sealed. 32. Apparatus according to claim 31, and further comprising, downstream of said sealing station, a separation station in which said containers (2) are separated from non-deformed portions of said first film means (4) and said second film media (5). 33. Method for producing containers (2), comprising thermoforming thermoformable sheet material (4, 5) to define in said containers (2) container body means (2a) arranged for containing a fluid product (3) and conduit means (15) arranged to regulate the delivery of said product (3) from said containers (2), characterized in that said thermoforming comprises identifying in said conduit means (15) a non-rectilinear path (21) adapted to inhibit unwanted leaks of product after opening. A method according to claim 33, wherein said identifying comprises deforming first film means (4) of said sheet material to obtain in said conduit means (15) a first concave portion (20). Method according to claim 33, or 34, wherein said identifying comprises deforming second film means (5) of said sheet material to obtain in said conduit means (15) a second concave portion (18). Method according to claim 35 when dependent on claim 34, wherein before said thermoforming it is provided to heat-seal said first film means (4) to said second film means (5) to obtain container preforms (9) joined along respective peripheral edges. Method according to claim 36, wherein said first film means (4) and said second film means (5) are heated (6) before said heat sealing. 38. Method according to one of claims 33 to 37, wherein after said thermoforming it is provided to introduce said product (3) through suitable openings of said containers (2). 39. Method according to claim 38, wherein after said introducing it is provided to seal said containers (2) in order to close said openings. Method according to claim 39, wherein after said introducing it is provided to separate said containers (2) from undeformed portions of said sheet material (4, 5).