CZ308098A3 - Lagged container and method and apparatus for filling thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a container (1) of contractable material which can be used moldable between a substantially flattened state with an erect shape and includes a channel filling assembly (6) for supplying the content, wherein the inlet duct (10) comprises a duct flattened packaging nations (1) are sealed in a fluid-tight manner a cover membrane (11) made in one unit with the filling kit (6) and permanently attached to the opposite inner surface the wall of the container (1), the cover membrane (11) being in the housing erect the container container (1) mechanically separated from the container a filling assembly (6) and spaced from it at such a distance that the inlet duct (10) includes a free duct. In the way of doing this the containers are pumpable contents of current volume changes by means of a filling set (6) after separating the cover membranes (11). The device includes a filling pump (18) and a filling assembly (6) carried by the container (1) and provided a content feed channel (10).

Description

Packaging container and method and system

Technical field

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a packaging tool which is capable of deformation and erection and comprises a filling device with a channel for supplying content. The invention also relates to a method for filling a container while simultaneously reshaping the container from a substantially flattened condition to a erected condition by means of a filling kit with a content channel, which in the flattened condition of the container is fluid tightly closed. The invention also relates to a system for filling packaging containers with pumpable contents while reshaping the packaging container from a flattened and closed state to an upright state, the system comprising a filling tube and a filling assembly carried by the packaging container and provided with a channel for conveying the contents.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known in the art to wrap liquid or pumpable foods in disposable containers consisting of a flexible wrapping material, for example a plastic film or a packaging laminate comprising layers of paper and plastic. Packaging containers of this type are prepared and sealed and transported, for example, in a flattened state, to the place where they are to be filled with the intended contents.

For example, in the dairy industry or fruit factory, flattened packaging containers are fed to a filling machine which, for example, fills them with milk or fruit juice and closes them again for further transportation to the consumer. If the contents to be packaged have been sterilized beforehand to achieve a long shelf life, the packaging material used is ttt · tttttt tttttt ttttt tttt ·· ··

- 2 containers of aseptic type. For example, sealed, flattened packaging containers can be sterilized by radiation at the manufacturer, which simplifies the transport of packaging containers in aseptic manner to a filling machine where it is filled under aseptic conditions.

A packaging system of this type is described in European patent application EO 95 10 1194.9, to which reference is hereby made. This packaging system produces aseptic disposable consumer packages that are centrally manufactured and sterilized, and are then delivered to a filling machine where it is filled and given the desired final shape. The filling is carried out by means of a filling pump which, after additional sterilization, penetrates the wall in the filling set so that the desired amount of contents can be pumped into the container under aseptic conditions. The filling pump is removed and the filling set is sealed in a sterile chamber and after creep, the container is ready for delivery.

Another known container is described in EP 263 101, which is hereby incorporated by reference. The container is a large bag formed of a flexible plastic material and provided with a filling kit and a closure kit, which together ensures that the prefabricated container can be filled and resealed in a manner convenient to sterility. The filling kit comprises a tubular portion that is sealed liquid tightly through an opening located in the surface of one wall of the container. The closure assembly is connected to the surface of the opposite inner wall of the container and is used to effect internal closure of the filling assembly. With the aid of individually movable working members, the sealing assembly is temporarily removed from the filling assembly in conjunction with the filling operating cycle.

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Although the container of the above type has a filling and sealing arrangement that functions satisfactorily, it is only suitable for use in large, large-volume packs where the opposing walls are placed side by side. This arrangement requires the provision of a double aperture and a liquid-tight closure between the filling set and the closure set or container material, and is also relatively expensive and complex in construction and arrangement.

Therefore, there has been an attempt in the art to provide a consumer-size packaging container that could be prepared in advance, comprising a filling kit suitable also for aseptic filling, and having a simple and economical design and arrangement.

One object of the invention is to propose such a container with a filling arrangement which, from an aseptic point of view, has a clean construction, thus avoiding the aforementioned problems, and which does not suffer from drawbacks, with its own containers according to the prior art.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container with a filling arrangement that can be easily mounted on a flattened container without complicated holes, assembly or sealing.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a container with a filling set whose construction would prevent the occurrence of pockets, cavities or other formations which may cause the risk of bacterial infection.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a container with a filling set such that it comprises a wall intended to be punctured, the wall being so constructed, and

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4 provided that its puncture can be carried out in a controlled manner and without causing contamination in the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other objects are achieved according to the invention by providing a collapsible material container which is deformable between a substantially flattened and erect form and comprises a filling kit with a content channel so that the content channel is in the flattened the container is fluidly sealed by a cover membrane integral with the filling assembly and permanently connected to the opposite surface of the inner wall of the container, the cover membrane being mechanically separated from the filling assembly and positioned at a distance therefrom it is free for content delivery.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cover membrane is provided in one piece with the filling kit and is located at that end of the content supply channel facing the inside of the container.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the filling assembly is made of thermoplastic material and the central section of the cover membrane is heat-sealed to the inner wall surface consisting of the thermoplastic material in the flattened container.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the peripheral region of the cover membrane is connected to the content delivery channel at a distance from the surface of the inner wall of the container.

According to yet another embodiment, the filling assembly serves as an opening device in the erected and filled container, in which case the outer end of the channel is provided with a closure.

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According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the surface of the cover membrane is provided with a marking which, in the flattened state of the container, is visible through a channel from the outside of the container.

By making the filling assembly in one piece, i.e. integral with the covering membrane, an extremely correct construction is obtained which allows aseptic handling. By permanently bonding the cover membrane to the opposite surface of the inner wall in the container, it is ensured that, after puncturing, pieces of material coming from the filling kit and / or container do not fall freely into the interior of the container or do not interfere with filling or emptying. content. In addition, conditions are created for a rational opening and filling cycle, which is also particularly suitable for aseptic conditions

The invention further relates to a method of filling a container of the above type, a method which is very suitable for aseptic filling and is capable of rapid and rational progress in a high capacity filling machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of filling a packaging container that would allow the filling cycle to be performed aseptically satisfactorily without complicated storage of the packaging container and / or filling assembly and without mechanical handling of the various separate parts.

In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of filling a packaging container that does not have the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art.

These and other changes are achieved according to the invention in that the method of the type mentioned in the introduction is carried out in that the filling assembly is connected to the filling tube which removes the liquid-tight closure of the content feed channel by mechanically separating the integral membrane with

- 6 ···· ·· · · filling kit. According to a preferred embodiment of the method, the cover membrane is separated by an annular notch that extends around a closure connecting the cover membrane to the inner wall surface of the container.

The process according to the invention results in a fast and reliable filling cycle which is suitable for aseptic filling in a sterile chamber.

Finally, the present invention also provides a system for filling a container with a pumpable content that is simple, not complicated and does not have the drawbacks of some prior art systems.

The invention further provides a system for filling a packaging container which contains few moving parts and is intended to reliably and hygienically open and fill the prefabricated packaging container in a single operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for filling a container such that it comprises means for fastening the container and handling the container when filling.

The above and other results are achieved according to the invention in that a system comprising a filling tube and a filling set carried by the container and provided with a content supply channel is provided such that the channel has a liquid-tight covering membrane integral with the filling kit and connected with an opposite surface of the inner wall of the container, the filling tube having a portion which is fluid-tightly connectable to the filling assembly and whose free end has a means for penetrating the membrane and separating it from the filling assembly.

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According to a preferred embodiment, the means for penetrating the cover membrane comprises a circular cutting edge which extends around the free end of the filling tube.

Finally, the system also comprises an individually movable guide member surrounding the filling pump and having a fastening member and a locking member mechanically connectable to the outside of the filling assembly to secure the filling pump in the desired position when penetrating the cover membrane and filling the container.

One preferred embodiment of the container, method and system of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, which illustrate only those details that are necessary to understand the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Giant. 1 shows in a flattened condition a container of the type to be filled using the method according to the invention.

Giant. 2 shows the container according to FIG. 1 after filling and final shaping.

Giant. 3 shows, on a larger scale and in cross-section, a filling assembly according to the invention mounted on a container which is in a flattened state.

Giant. 4 shows, on a larger scale and in cross-section, the filling assembly of FIG. 3 at the end stage of the filling cycle.

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Examples of embodiments of the invention

One preferred embodiment of the packaging container according to the invention is shown in Fig. 1 and is made of a collapsible packaging material of known type. For example, the wrapping material may be a laminate that comprises a substantially central support or a core layer of fibrous material, for example paper, which is coated on both sides with homogeneous layers of a thermoplastic material, for example polyethylene. The packaging laminate may also comprise additional layers, for example of aluminum foil or other impermeable material. In FIG. 1, the container is shown in a compressed or flattened state which, as a space-saving measure, makes it suitable for being transported, for example, from the place of manufacture to the food manufacturer, where the container is to be finished and filled with the intended contents. The container 1 is formed by folding the sheet or wall of packaging material twice along the bottom line 2, whereupon the longitudinal and transverse edges of the sheet are heat-sealed internally to each other into two parallel longitudinal joints 3 and a transverse joint 4. Packaging material it is also provided with a plurality of folding or folding lines 5, which allows the blank to be transformed into a substantially parallelepiped configuration in a manner known per se. A container of this type is described, for example, in EP 95101194.9, to which reference is hereby made for further information, both with respect to the container with its filling set and with regard to the method and design and construction of the set.

At the upper end of the container 1, one side of the flat blank represents, for example, a filling, injection molded set and / or an opening set 6, which is covered by a closure 7, for example a screw cap. FIG.

you can see how the container 1, after filling and closing, •

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Has received its parallelepiped configuration where the fold or bend lines 5 control the shaping of the longitudinal and transverse edges of the container 1 and also allow the formation of four flat-laid corner flaps 8 to utilize excess material which, for geometric reasons, penetrates into the final flattened container when forming the flattened container, as a parallelepiped. The two upper corner flaps 8 are bent down to the sides of the container 1 and attached thereto, while the two lower corner flaps (not shown) are folded toward the bottom of the container 1 and attached thereto. It is also shown in FIG. 2 how the filling or opening assembly 6 is positioned at the front end of the relatively flat upper wall 9 of the packaging container 1, i.e. between one of the edge or fold lines 5, after the container has been erected. and in front of the centrally extending transverse joint 4 above the top 9 of the container.

The filling set 6 and the surrounding part of the container 7 are shown on a larger scale and in cross-section in Figs. 3 and 4, from which it can be seen that the filling set 6 has a substantially tubular shape and surrounds the inner content delivery channel 10. The content delivery channel 10 is liquid tightly closed at its lower end by a wall or cover membrane 11 which is integral and thus made in one piece with the filling kit 6, for example by injection molding. The cover diaphragm 11 has a central, planar region and its surrounding peripheral region which is slightly co-conical and is connected to the delivery channel 10 at a slight distance above the plane in which the central region of the cover diaphragm 11 is located. a protruding flange 12 which is heat sealed to the inside of the packaging material by heat sealing. The outside of the filling set 6 further has a groove 13 located at a small distance

Above the flange as well as the thread 14 for receiving the closure 7, for example in the form of a screw cap. When the container 1 is in the flattened state shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the transverse cover joint 4 is located directly adjacent the filling assembly 6 (left in FIG. 3) while the rear of the top wall 9 abuts against its inner surface and It is thermally bonded to the central portion of the cover membrane 11. The thermal bond (heat-induced) between the packaging material and the cover membrane 11 as well as the flange 12 occurs in connection with the production of the flattened packaging containers.

Giant. 4 shows the filling set 6 of FIG. 3 at a later time, as the filling cycle is completed. The filling assembly 6 is surrounded by a guide member 15 comprising a fixed fixture 16 in the form of a rigid or flexible part, and a radially movable fixing device 17 comprising one or more radially movable segments for engaging a groove 13 of the filling assembly 6. the outer diameter of the cylindrical filler tube 18 is equal to or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the content feed duct 10, and the lower portion of the filler tube 18 is surrounded by a sealing ring or a protruding foot 19 for tight fit. At its lower end, the filling tube 18 is provided with a circular cutting edge 20 which, in the position shown, has penetrated the cover membrane 11 and has separated it from the filling assembly 6 along the annular notch. As previously mentioned, the cover membrane 6 is fused to the inner surface of the packaging material at the rear of the top wall 9, which, in connection with the filling and shaping of the flattened packaging container 1 into an upright state, rotates sidewise about the transverse joint 4 a portion of the top wall are located substantially in the same plane. The cover membrane 11 is thereby removed from the supply channel 10 and released so that the contents can be pumped unhindered into the container. In a manner known per se (not shown), the feed tube 18 is connected to a pump and a source of conventional type. The actuation of the feed tube 18 in the axial direction as well as the operation of the movable fastening device 17 of the guide member 15 is carried out mechanically, pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically by means of known drive means, not shown. In filling aseptic containers, the entire filling assembly is surrounded in a manner known per se by a sterile chamber provided with a screening or barrier arrangement, the sterile high-pressure air being supplied to the chamber.

When the container according to the invention is to be filled with its contents, it is fed into the filling machine in a flattened, closed and pre-sterilized state. The container 1 here is provided with a filling set 6, the flange 12 of which is heat-sealed tightly against liquids and bacteria to the surrounding part of the packaging material, and the central part of the cover membrane 11 is permanently connected to the opposite inner wall surface. . The container has undergone sterilization treatment, for example by subjecting it in a flattened state to radiation sterilization for a period of time necessary for its interior to reach a level of sterility that is satisfactory for its intended purpose.

After introduction into the filling machine and possible additional sterilization using, for example, hydrogen peroxide or steam in the sterile space, the filling set 6 is introduced into the machine guide 15 by axial relative movement between the filling set 6 and the guide 15 until the fastening members 16 abut the upper edge of the filling. kits _6. In this position, the radially movable fastening members 17 are actuated so as to engage a groove 13 in the lower, outer part of the filling assembly 6. The filling set 6 is thereby fixed in the desired position relative to the guide member 15, so that the filling

the tube 18 may be axially guided downwards with the desired accuracy through the content supply channel 10. In this case, the cutting edge 20, located at the front end of the filling tube 18, comes into contact with the periphery of the cover membrane 11 which pierces the surface of the channel 10. so that the connection between the cover membrane 11 and the filling set 8 is removed. With the aid of, for example, a metering pump of known type, the contents are now introduced through the filling tube 18 into a flattened container, which is thereby forced to expand and gradually assume the shape of a more or less parallelepiped (notwithstanding the corner flaps 8). by means of external, mechanical forming members (described in more detail in European patent application no.

EP 95101194.9, which is hereby referred to for further information). Upon transition from the flattened state to the parallelepiped shape, the front and rear portions of the top wall 9 rotate away from each other, the transverse sealing joint 4 acting as an axis of rotation so that the top wall 9 assumes the position shown in FIG. The cover membrane 11 (which will thus remain in the container) will thus become invisible to the consumer via the content delivery channel 10. This makes it possible to provide a free surface of the covering membrane with a mark which can only become visible to the consumer if the packaging container 11 is flattened again after the contents have been emptied. The mark may consist of a lottery number or act as an indication of some other type of competition described on the outside of the packaging, which acts as an incentive for the consumer to flatten the empty packaging as desired to reduce garbage and garbage.

Upon completion of filling and shaping of the container 1, the filling tube 18 is removed and the outer end of the filling kit 6 is sealed in a fluid-tight manner to exclude bacteria.

With the aid of a heat-sealable pull tab or screw cap 7, for example, the filling set 6 will also serve as an opener for the finished container 1 in the embodiment shown.

The container with the aforementioned filling arrangement thus allows the flattened, pre-sterilized container to be filled and handled hygienically and in a controlled manner. The whole arrangement can be handled simply and efficiently and achieves rational and fast filling reliably and quickly.

Claims (12)

A collapsible material container which is moldable between a substantially flattened and erect shape and comprises a filling assembly with a content feed channel, characterized in that the content feed channel (10) is in the flattened state of the package container (1). ) closed by a fluid seal (11) integral with the filling assembly (6) and permanently connected to the opposite surface of the inner wall of the container (1), the membrane (11) being mechanically separated in the erected state of the container (9) from the filling assembly (6) and spaced therefrom at a distance such that the content delivery channel (10) is free. Packaging container according to claim 1, characterized in that the covering membrane (11) is formed in one piece with the filling assembly (6) and is located at that end of the content supply channel (10) facing the inside of the packaging container (6). containers (1). Packaging container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the filling assembly (6) is made of thermoplastic material and the central section of the cover membrane (11) is connected to the surface of the inner wall consisting of made of thermoplastic material. Packaging container according to claim 3, characterized in that the peripheral area of the cover membrane (11) is connected to the content delivery channel (10) at a distance from the surface of the inner wall of the packaging container (1). Packaging container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filling set (6) serves in the erected and filled packaging container (1) as "ftft" 94 · 94 · 94 · 94 · 94 - an opening device, in which case the outer end of the channel (10) is provided with a closure (7). Packaging container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface of the covering membrane is provided with a marking which, in the flattened state of the packaging container (1), is visible through a channel from the outside of the packaging container. 7. A method of filling a container with pumpable contents while reshaping it from a substantially flattened state to a state erected through a filling assembly (6) through a content delivery channel (10) which is liquid tightly closed in a flattened state of the container (1). characterized in that the filling assembly (6) is connected to a filling tube (18) which removes the fluid-tight closure of the content supply channel (10) by mechanically separating from it the cover membrane (11) integral with the filling assembly (6) ). A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the cover membrane is separated by an annular notch that extends around a closure connecting the cover membrane to the inner wall surface of the container (1). A system for filling a container with pumpable contents while deforming it from a flattened and closed state to an upright state, the system comprising a filling pump (18) and a filling assembly (6) carried by the container (1) and provided with a channel (10) for a delivery device, characterized in that the channel (10) has a liquid-tight covering membrane (11) integral with the filling assembly (6) and connected to the light surface of the inner wall of the container (1), wherein the filling tube (18) ) has a portion which is fluid-tightly connectable to the filling assembly (6) and whose free end has a means for penetrating the cover membrane (11) and separating it from the filling assembly (6). • · · · · · · - 16 • ·· System according to claim 9, characterized in that the means for penetrating the cover membrane comprise a circular cutting edge (20) which extends around the free end of the filling tube (18). The system of claim 10, wherein the diameter of the cutting edge (20) substantially coincides with the outside diameter of the feed tube (18). System according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that it comprises an individually movable guide member (15) surrounding the filling pump (18) and having a fastening member (16) and a locking member (17) mechanically connectable to the outside filling kits (6) for fastening the filling pump in the desired position when penetrating the cover membrane (11) and filling the container (1).