Method of manufacturing a container, related form for manufacturing such a container, machine for implementing such a method and container

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a container (1), such as a disposable cup, from a sheet (20) of a flexible material, the method comprising the following steps: A step of cutting out from said sheet (20) a planar related shape (21) of said container (1), A step of shaping the planar related shape (21), The method being characterized in that the cutting step comprises the formation on a so-called upper edge (24) of at least one tab (7) of material connecting a lid, and of at least one hemmed strip (29), And in that it further comprises a step of rolling the hemmed strip (29) in order to form a hem (6), leaving the tab (7) of material intact. Figure for abstract: figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: Method for manufacturing a container, related form for manufacturing such a container, machine for implementing such a method and container FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of containers intended to receive a product, in particular a food product such as a drink, and more particularly to so-called disposable containers.

[0002] More specifically, the invention relates to a so-called disposable container comprising a lid, which can be found anywhere. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

[0003] A known type of container is commonly called a "cup": it is a container intended primarily to receive a beverage, generally hot such as coffee, but which may be suitable for receiving any other liquid or solid products, particularly small ones, in the form of granules for example. A cup typically comprises a base and a side wall, which define a filling volume. It may be made of plastic. For ecological reasons, it is increasingly often made of paper or cardboard, and is obtained from the folding and gluing of a sheet so as to form the side wall of a substantially cylindrical shape, the base being attached and glued to the side wall.

[0004] Disposable cups can also be found more generally in any type of business or at events such as concerts or festivals.

[0005] Such a container is generally intended to be used temporarily, for the time it takes to consume the product it contains, and then to be disposed of as waste. It is therefore known to make it from inexpensive and biodegradable material, such as paper or cardboard. Such a container is found in particular for dispensing machines, such as coffee machines, or for takeaway sales. Its diversity of use, its availability and its low cost make it a very widespread object throughout the world.

[0006] A lid may advantageously be associated with the container, in order to close the filling volume; the risks of splashing and spilling are reduced, and, in the case of hot drinks in particular, heat loss is reduced. In the case of a container intended for drinks, the lid may be provided with openings for drinking the contents and / or for inserting a straw. The lid is generally attached to the edge of the opening of the container.

[0007] One problem is that the lid, in order to fit onto the container and stay there, must have dimensions adapted to the container. However, it is desirable to have containers of different sizes, in order to adapt to the volume or quantity of product desired by the consumer: this is commonly referred to as container size. Thus, it is necessary to have as many lids of different sizes as container sizes offered. Managing lids in addition to container sizes involves additional costs.

[0008] The lid must also be sufficiently rigid to provide a good fit on the container. It is then generally made of plastic, which can pose an environmental problem, or of paper / cardboard with a large quantity of material or a special treatment to give it sufficient rigidity. In both cases, the manufacturing costs of the lid are significant.

[0009] Furthermore, the consumer may want to remove the lid from the container by the consumer, either temporarily or permanently, which may inconvenience the consumer, especially when moving. Furthermore, the lid separated from the container constitutes additional waste, which may be mistreated as such by the consumer.

[0010] Document US6601728 describes a solution in which the lid is manufactured and attached with a sleeve to be placed around the container, in particular when the contents are hot to prevent the consumer from burning himself. However, such a solution is partial. Indeed, the sleeve and the lid are made of polystyrene, which poses environmental problems. In addition, the sleeve and the lid are attached to the container, not solving the size management problem. In addition, the sleeve can be separated from the container by the consumer. Finally, the lid implies the presence of the sleeve, which is not necessary depending on the contents of the container and / or the consumer's need.

[0011] Document WO2010 / 144810 proposes forming a container from a sheet cut according to a particular geometry and then rolled, so that the container can be folded so as to provide a closure of the filling volume. A spout shape is also provided, to be able to drink or pour a liquid contained in the container thus closed. However, such a container offers an unconventional shape, which does not attract consumers. In addition, the originality of the cut geometry implies reviewing the manufacturing chain of known containers, which increases manufacturing costs. Finally, opening the container involves an unfolding step, which can be tedious or even dangerous for the consumer in the case of a hot liquid in the container: the unfolding must be carried out carefully at the risk of splashing the consumer or tearing the container, rendering it unusable.

[0012] GB2420265 proposes to mold from paper pulp a single-piece container with the lid. However, the costs of manufacturing a container by this technique are high. For example, the processing of paper pulp involves to use large quantities of heated water and additives. Energy consumption is therefore significant. The airtightness of such a container is limited. In addition, once the material is wet, it becomes softer, making it difficult to properly hold a lid on it. Finally, the molding technique involves having molds of different dimensions to meet size requirements.

[0013] The invention thus aims in particular to address the aforementioned drawbacks. Summary of the invention

[0014] Thus, according to a first aspect, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a container, such as a disposable cup, from a sheet of a flexible material. The material is for example typically paper or cardboard. The container comprises a side wall obtained by shaping said sheet. Said side wall defines an opening of the container which is provided with a rim. The container further comprises a lid intended to close said opening, a hem extending strictly over a portion of the rim, leaving a portion of the rim without a hem, and at least one tab of material connecting the lid to the portion of the rim without a hem. The side wall and the lid form a single-piece assembly. The method then comprises the following steps: • A step of cutting out from said sheet a planar related shape of said container, the planar related shape of said container comprising at least one body portion intended to form at least the side wall of the container, and at least one lid portion, intended to form at least the lid of the container, • A step of shaping the container from the planar related shape.

[0015] The cutting step more particularly comprises the formation on a so-called upper edge of the body portion of at least one tab of material connecting the body portion to the lid portion, and at least one hemmed strip. In addition, the method comprises a step of rolling the hemmed strip in order to form the hem on the edge of the side wall of the container, leaving the tab of material intact.

[0016] The method thus makes it possible to jointly manufacture the container equipped with its lid. The container obtained is then always equipped with its lid which is attached to it. Manufacturing and storage costs are reduced compared to the prior art. The lid being attached to the rest of the container, it will be thrown away with the rest of the container, facilitating waste management.

[0017] According to different aspects, it is possible to provide one and / or the other of the characteristics below taken alone or in combination.

[0018] The method may comprise a step of embossing the lid portion in order to form a collar on the lid. Said collar is intended to engage with the hem of the side wall. The lid can thus be held on the rest of the container to close the opening, preventing it from lifting unexpectedly.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the body section of the planar related shape of the container may comprise a bottom section. The shaping step may then comprise an operation of closing the container by folding down the bottom section. Manufacturing costs are again reduced.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the method may further comprise perforating the cover, in order to form an opening for a straw-like device.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the sheet material comprises paper and / or cardboard, which is a biodegradable material.

[0022] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a flat related shape obtained by implementing the cutting step of the manufacturing method presented above. Such a flat related shape makes it possible to quickly and inexpensively obtain the container provided with its lid. It can also be stored easily, with limited space requirements, before undergoing the shaping step.

[0023] According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a machine for implementing the method presented above. The machine comprises at least: • A cutting station comprising a device for cutting the related flat shape; • A shaping station to form the side wall of the container; • A rolling station for rolling the hem strip to form a hem on the side wall leaving the tab of material intact.

[0024] Such a machine makes it possible to group together the entire manufacturing of the container including the lid in a single machine. It can be installed in a limited space, so as to reduce the floor space.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the machine may further comprise a station for embossing the cover portion in order to form a collar intended to engage with the hem of the side wall.

[0026] According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a container, such as a disposable cup, made from a sheet of flexible material. The container comprises a side wall obtained by shaping said sheet, said side wall defining an opening of the container provided with a rim. The container further comprises a lid intended to close said opening. The container comprises a hem which extends strictly over a portion of the rim, leaving a portion of the rim without a hem, and it comprises a tab of material connecting the lid to the portion of the rim without a hem. Finally, the side wall and the lid form a single-piece assembly.

[0027] Such a container can be obtained in particular by implementing the manufacturing method presented above.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the container may further comprise a base that is a single piece with the rest of the container. Brief description of the drawings

[0029] Embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, briefly described below:

[0030] [Fig-1] represents a three-dimensional view of an example of a container according to an embodiment

[0031] [Fig.2] represents a view of a detail of the container of [Fig.l] at the level of a tongue.

[0032] [Fig.3] shows a sheet of flexible material on which the contours of a shape intended to be cut to form a container are drawn, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention

[0033] [Fig.4] schematically represents a manufacturing machine for according to a embodiment according to the invention.

[0034] In the drawings, like references designate identical or similar objects. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The invention relates to a container 1 of the disposable cup type, a method for manufacturing such a container and a machine for implementing the method. Such a container 1 may be located, for example, near coffee machines in public places or businesses, inside automatic beverage dispensers, in places where beverages are sold, in particular those called "cafés" ("coffee shops" in English) or in any takeaway catering location.

[0036] In [Fig.l], an exemplary embodiment of a container 1 according to the invention is shown. As will be explained later, the container 1 is obtained by shaping a flat shape from a cut sheet. It is therefore distinguished in particular from containers obtained by molding techniques.

[0037] The container 1 comprises a side wall 2 of cylindrical shape, with a substantially circular base according to the example presented, but not necessarily. The container 1 further comprises a bottom (not visible) and a lid 3 intended to close an opening 4 of the container 1, on the side opposite that of the bottom. The opening 4 gives access to an internal volume of the container 1. The shape and dimensions of the lid 3 are adapted to those of the opening 4. The side wall 2 and the lid 3 form a single-piece assembly, that is to say they are manufactured as a single assembly of related material, without subsequent assembly operation. Preferably, but not necessarily, the bottom may also be in one piece with the rest of the container 1.

[0038] The side wall 2 comprises, around the opening 4, a rim 5 provided with a hem 6. The hem 6 makes it possible, in particular, to drink a liquid from the internal volume of the container, by bringing the hem 6 directly to the mouth of a consumer, preventing drops from running down the side wall 2. As will be seen later, the hem 6 is formed by a winding of material, preferably facing the outside of the container 1.

[0039] The container 1 then comprises a tab 7 of material connecting the side wall 2 to the lid 3. The hem 6 is formed strictly on a portion of the rim 5, that is to say that the hem does not extend over the entire rim 5. In other words, at least one portion, which is called in this which portion 8 without hem, of the rim 5 is devoid of hem 6. More precisely a tab 7 connects on the one hand the portion 8 without hem of the rim 5 of the side wall 4 and on the other hand the lid 3. The tab 7 is made of material with the side wall 2 and with the lid 3, ensuring the connectivity. The hem 6 is distinct from the lid 3, that is to say that it is not directly connected to it.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the cover 3 comprises a collar 9 extending substantially at 90° from a main portion 10 of the cover. Said collar 9 is complementary to the hem 6 so that when the cover 3 closes the opening 4, the collar 9 is engaged with the hem 6, ensuring sufficient retention of the cover 3 on the side wall 2 to prevent the cover 3 from being lifted easily, for example under the effect of its own weight and / or wind. The complementarity between the collar 9 of the cover 3 and the hem 6 of the side wall 2 is obtained by cooperation of shapes for example.

[0041] The cover 3 may also, according to one embodiment, comprise a device for drinking a liquid contained in the volume of the container 1 without removing the cover. Such a device may be a hole in the form of a spout, or a window 11 with shutters for inserting a straw.

[0042] The cover 3 is sufficiently rigid to provide closure by cooperation with the hem 6. According to one embodiment, the cover 3 comprises so-called stiffening shapes, i.e. shapes intended to increase the rigidity of the cover 3. For example, as illustrated in [Fig.l] and [Fig.2], hollows 12 may be regularly printed on the collar 9, and a step 13 extending substantially circularly may be formed on the main portion 10 of the cover 3.

[0043] The tab 7 of material is manually deformable by a consumer, and preferably elastically, so as to form a hinge. The tab 7 then allows the cover 3 to be placed on the side wall 2 to close the opening 4 and its removal to open the opening 4, preferably repeatedly. According to one embodiment, the deformation of the tab 7 is guided by fold lines. In the example of Figures 1 and 2, the tab 7 comprises three fold lines represented by broken lines: a first line 14a at the junction with the portion 8 without hem 6 of the rim 5, a second line 14b at the junction with the cover 3, and finally a third line 14c located between the two previous lines 14a, 14b, for example halfway. Guiding the deformation of the tab 7 along the lines 14a, 14b and 14c facilitates the positioning of the cover 3 on the side wall 2. The folded tab 7 may protrude outside the container 1 when the lid 3 closes the opening 4, or protrude towards the inside of the container 1.

[0044] In the container 1 according to the invention, the lid 3 is attached to the rest of the container 1, by the tab 7 acting as a hinge. There is therefore no separate management between containers and lids, ensuring that each container 1 offered to a consumer has an associated lid.

[0045] The conventional general shape of the container 1 allows it to be stacked with other containers to reduce bulk, in a manner similar to that done for containers of the prior art. In addition, the container 1 retains a conventional general shape, known and appreciated by consumers, so that the use of the container 1 is done with complete confidence.

[0046] A method of manufacturing such a container 1 will now be described.

[0047] The method comprises a prior step of providing a sheet 20 of a flexible material. By flexible here is meant the ability of the sheet to be deformed during the manufacturing process without tearing. Preferably, the sheet 20 is also made of biodegradable material. By biodegradable here is meant the ability of the material to be decomposed by living organisms for the most part, or even all of it. This is for example a sheet 20 of paper and / or cardboard, similar to the sheets already used to make containers. Paper or cardboard here means any material obtained in a thin sheet from plant fibers. The sheet 20 may optionally be covered with a thin film in order to provide waterproof properties in particular, in a known manner. This may for example be plastic such as polyethylene or PLA (Polylactic Acid). The film may be made of biodegradable material, but not necessarily. The sheet 20 may be homogeneous, or include areas with different properties.

[0048] The method comprises, following the step of providing the sheet 20, a step of cutting out from said sheet 20 a flat shape 21 of the container 1. The flat shape 21 of the container 1 comprises at least one body portion 22a, intended to form at least the side wall 2 of the container, and at least one lid portion 22b, intended to form the lid 3 of the container 1. The flat shape 21 is connected, i.e. that is, it defines a continuous surface defined by a single external boundary, without discontinuity of the external boundary. In other words, there is surface continuity between the different elements of the flat shape 21.

[0049] More specifically, the body portion 22a comprises a side wall section 23, intended to form the side wall 2 of the container. The side wall section 23 may typically be a quadrilateral, for example of a substantially trapezoidal shape, comprising two substantially parallel edges 24, 25 called upper edge 24 and lower edge 25 in the following for the sake of clarity. According to the example presented here, the side wall section 23 being of trapezoidal shape, the longest edge 24 is said to be upper, the other shorter edge 25 is said to be lower, and the two inclined edges 26 are said to be lateral edges 26.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the body portion 22a may comprise a bottom section 27, intended to form the bottom of the container 1, connected to the side wall section 23 either directly or by a strip 28 of material connected to the side wall section 23 and the bottom section 27.

[0051] According to the invention, the cutting step comprises the formation on the upper edge 24 of the body portion 22a of at least one strip of material, corresponding to the tongue 7 of material of the container, connecting the body portion 22a to the lid portion 22b and at least one hemmed strip 29, intended to form the hem 6 of the container 1. The hemmed strip 29 is distinct from the tongue 7 of material in that the hemmed strip 29 is not directly connected to the lid portion 22b. In other words, the connectivity between the lid portion 22b and the body portion 22a passes exclusively through the tongue 7 of material.

[0052] According to the example illustrated in [Fig. 3], the hemmed strip 29 comprises two sections on either side of the tab 7. More precisely, two notches 30 are cut from the upper edge 24, over a determined distance which corresponds to the length of the tab 7 of material, and to the distance over which the hemmed strip 29 is wound to form the hem 6, as will be seen later. Alternatively, the hemmed strip 29 may be distinguished from the tab 7 by a single notch, for example when the tab 7 is formed near a lateral edge 26 of the side wall section 23. In a way, the tab 7 may be considered as originating from an upper strip extending along the upper edge 25, in which both the hemmed strip 29 and the tab 7 are formed.

[0053] The method then comprises a rolling step in which the hemmed strip 29 is rolled, so as to form the hem 6, while leaving the tab 7 of material intact.

[0054] An example of implementation of the method for manufacturing the container 1 in a machine 100 for manufacturing the container 1 will now be described.

[0055] The method may comprise an initial step of providing a sheet of a flexible and biodegradable material. This is for example a sheet of paper optionally coated with a material giving it desired properties, such as water-tightness. The sheet may be provided in the form of a roll wound around a mandrel, ready to be installed on an unwinding device. When patterns on the container 1 are provided, the sheet in a roll may be unwound into a continuous ribbon in a dedicated system for transferring the patterns onto the form 21, for example a printer.

[0056] The method then comprises a cutting step, in which the planar related shape 21 of the container 1 is cut. For example, the foil strip is transferred, preferably continuously, into a rotary cutting machine in order to obtain a plurality of planar related shapes 21. The dimensions of the cut planar related shape 21 can be adjusted according to the volume targeted for the container 1. This adjustment then concerns both the body portion 22a and the lid portion 22b, so that the lid 9 is automatically adapted to the dimensions of the side wall 2 of the container 1.

[0057] The planar related shape 21 may be stored thus, with a plurality of others, the planar shape facilitating stacking with a small footprint. For example, a plurality of related shape 21 are stacked in a determined number to form a package.

[0058] A step of marking the folds 14a, 14b and 14c can be carried out at the same time as the cutting step, or immediately before or immediately after.

[0059] The method then comprises a step of shaping the container 1 from the related shape 21 in a shaping station 101. More specifically, a bundle of related flat shapes 21 is transferred to the shaping station 101, and each shape 21 is gripped by a gripper or an arm provided with suction cups to be placed in the shaping station 101. The shaping step may first comprise a volume forming operation during which, on a related flat shape 21, the side wall 2 of the container 1 is formed by joining the two side edges 26 of the side wall section 23, typically by overlapping one side edge 26 over the other side edge 26 and fixing them for example by ultrasonic welding, by gluing, heat sealing or any other technique ensuring a waterproof fixing.The shaping step may also include a bottom closing operation, in which the bottom of the container 1 is fixed to the side wall 2. For this purpose, the bottom may have been cut out beforehand, independently of the shape 21, then brought back into the shaping station 101 to be fixed to the side wall. According to the embodiment in which the flat related shape 21 comprises a bottom section 27, the latter may then be folded down so as to close one side of the side wall 2. in the shaping station 101. The base is then fixed in a sealed manner to the side wall 2 by any known technique. For example, the shaping station 101 comprises a tool for positioning the base and sealing it, for example by a heat sealing technique, on the side wall 2.

[0060] The method further comprises a rolling step for forming the hem 6 in a rolling station 102. For example, the container 1 being formed is transferred from the shaping station 101 to the rolling station 103 automatically, by a gripper carousel type device or an endless belt conveyor. The rolling station 102 comprises, for example, a tool, hot or cold, which folds the hemmed strip 29, without touching the material tab 7, nor the lid portion 22b, which remain intact compared to their state before the rolling step. According to the example described, at this stage, the tab 7 and the lid section 22b have not undergone any transformation compared to their shape on the planar related shape 21.

[0061] The method then comprises an embossing step in an embossing station 103, during which the lid portion 22b is shaped to form the lid 3 provided with the collar 9. If necessary, the window 11 and the stiffening shapes 12, 13 are also formed during the embossing step. Preferably, the embossing step consists of a single operation of applying an imprint to the lid portion 22b. The embossing step 103 can be carried out hot, cold, wet, dry or under pressure. The embossing step can also comprise the formation of the folds 14a, 14b and 14c on the tab 7 of material, if they have not already been formed during a previous marking step. Alternatively, the folds 14a, 14b and 14c are not formed during the manufacturing process, and may be applied manually when the cover 3 is applied to the side wall 2 to close the opening 4 for the first time.

[0062] The container 1 thus formed is then transferred to an output station 104, in which the container 1 is ejected from the machine 1 to be stacked with the other containers 1 thus formed. For example, the output station 104 is connected to a chute-type system, in which the container 1 falls under the effect of gravity into stacking tubes in a packaging area. Once a stack has reached a determined number of containers 1, it can be wrapped for example by a plastic film and then be stored for delivery to the places where the containers are used.

[0063] According to one embodiment, between the shaping station 101, the rolling station 102, the embossing station 103 and the output station 104, the machine 100 comprises automatic transfer means. For example, the machine 1 comprises at least one carousel 105 provided with at least one gripping device 106 for gripping each planar connected shape 21 one by one. The rotation of the carousel 105 makes it possible to move the container 1 being formed from station to station. Preferably, the carousel 105 comprises a plurality of gripping devices 106 making it possible to simultaneously implement each of the stations 101, 102, 103 and 104.

[0064] The use of a carousel 105 makes it possible to reduce the floor space occupied by the machine, and makes it possible to stack several carousels 105 vertically to increase manufacturing rates.

[0065] Any other arrangement of the machine 100 is however possible, for example a linear arrangement.

[0066] The order of the steps of the method described above may vary. In particular, the positioning of the base and its fixing may be carried out at any time during the method. Similarly, the embossing step may be carried out at any time during the method. However, the step of cutting out the shape 21 remains a necessary preliminary step to the shaping, rolling and embossing steps. In addition, the volume formation operation is preferably carried out before the rolling and embossing steps. Indeed, in order to follow the manufacturing processes of already known containers and thus limit adaptations.

[0067] The method thus described thus makes it possible to manufacture a complete container with a lid, that is to say that the method makes it possible to jointly manufacture the volume intended to contain a product and the lid associated with this volume. The manufacturing costs are thus greatly reduced. In particular, the time to manufacture a container 1 comprising the lid 3 is reduced compared to the time required to manufacture a container on the one hand and the adapted lid on the other hand. In addition, instead of having two separate manufacturing locations or machines, one for the container and one for the lid, a single machine 100 for implementing the method according to the invention is sufficient. Thus, the floor space occupied by the machine is reduced, and the number of people required to operate the single machine 100 is also reduced. Maintenance costs are also reduced.

[0068] Furthermore, since each container 1 is already provided with a lid, the problems of managing the size of the lids in relation to the size of the containers are eliminated.

[0069] The use of biodegradable material helps to limit the environmental impact.

Claims

1. Claims A method of manufacturing a container (1), such as a disposable cup, from a sheet (20) of a flexible material, the container (1) comprising a side wall (2) obtained by shaping said sheet (20), said side wall (2) defining an opening (4) of the container (1) provided with a rim (5), the container (1) comprising a lid (3) intended to close said opening (4), a hem (6) extending strictly over a portion of the rim (5), leaving a portion (8) of the rim without a hem (6), and at least one tab (7) of material connecting the lid (3) to the portion (8) without a hem (6) of the rim (5), said tab (7) being intended to be folded so as to project towards the outside or the inside of the container (1), and container (1) in which the side wall (2) and the lid (3) form a single-piece assembly, the method comprising the following steps: • A step of cutting out on said sheet (20) a planar related shape (21) of said container (1), the planar related shape (21) of said container (1) comprising at least one body portion (22a) intended to form at least the side wall (2) of the container (1), and at least one lid portion (22b), intended to form at least the lid (3) of the container (1), • A step of shaping the container (1) from the related planar shape (21), The method being characterized in that the cutting step comprises the formation on a so-called upper edge (24) of the body portion of at least one tab (7) of material connecting the body portion (22a) to the lid portion (22b), and at least one hemmed strip (29), And in that it further comprises a step of rolling the hem strip (29) in order to form the hem (6) on the edge (5) of the side wall (2) of the container (1), leaving the tab (7) of material intact. And in that it comprises a step of embossing the portion (22b) of the cover in order to form a collar (9) on the cover (3), said collar (9) being intended to engage with the hem (6) of the side wall (2).

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the body section (22a) of the planar related shape (21) of the container (1) comprises a bottom section (27), and wherein the shaping step comprises an operation of closing the container (1) by folding down the bottom section (27).

3. A method according to any preceding claim, comprising perforating the lid (3), to form an opening (11) for a straw-like device.

4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the material of the sheet (20) comprises paper and / or cardboard.

5. A flat related shape (21) obtained by implementing the cutting step of the manufacturing method according to any one of the preceding claims.

6. Machine (100) for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising at least: • A cutting station comprising a device for cutting the related shape (21) flat; • A shaping station (101) for forming the side wall (2) of the container (1); • A rolling station (102) for rolling the hemmed strip (29) so as to form a hem (6) on the side wall (2) while leaving the tab (7) of material intact, the machine further comprising a station (103) for embossing the portion (22b) of the lid in order to form a collar (9) intended to engage with the hem (6) of the side wall (2).

7. Container (1), such as a disposable cup, made from a sheet (20) of a flexible material, comprising a side wall (2) obtained by shaping said sheet (20), said side wall (2) defining an opening (4) of the container (1) provided with a rim (5), and the container (1) comprising a lid (3) intended to close said opening (4), the container (1) being characterized in that it comprises a hem (6) extending strictly over a portion of the rim (5), leaving a portion (8) of the rim without a hem (6), in that it comprises a tab (7) of material connecting the

8. cover (3) to the portion (8) without a hem (6) of the rim (5), said tab (7) being intended to be folded so as to project towards the outside or the inside of the container (1), in that the cover (3) comprises a collar (9), said collar (9) being intended to engage with the hem (6) of the side wall (2) and in that the side wall (2) and the cover (3) form a single-piece assembly. Container (1) according to the preceding claim, further comprising a base which is one-piece with the rest of the container (1).

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