Cap for sealing a package

Abstract

A closure (102) for sealing a package by applying the closure (102) to a neck (200) of the package, the closure (102) comprising an internal thread (218) arranged on an inner side wall surface (216) of the closure (102), and an inner cylinder (300) extending from an inner top surface (207) of the closure (102), wherein the inner cylinder (300) comprises a peripheral end (306) arranged to guide the inner cylinder (300) into the neck (200), an annular sealing protrusion (304) extending radially outwardly from the inner cylinder (300) towards the inner side wall surface (216), and a concave transition (308) between the annular sealing protrusion (304) and the peripheral end.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food packaging. More specifically, this invention relates to a lid for sealing packaging, an apparatus including a lid and a packaging neck, packaging, and a method of applying the lid to the packaging. The lid has an inner cylinder extending from the inner top surface of the lid, wherein the peripheral ends of the cylinder are arranged to guide the inner cylinder to the neck of the packaging. Background Technology

[0002] Today, many consumers prefer packaging with lids. One reason is that even when the packaging is laid down, i.e., not upright, it can be easily and reliably re-closed, allowing for safe storage of the packaging and its remaining food contents in the refrigerator or other containers. Another advantage of lids is that they can be equipped with tamper-evident straps, sometimes called security rings. By making the tamper-evident strap an integral part of the lid, consumers can easily detect if the packaging has been opened. By unscrewing the lid from the packaging, the tamper-evident strap effectively separates from the rest of the lid.

[0003] From a production perspective, providing lids for packaging presents several challenges. First, to ensure a low environmental food footprint and cost, the lid, and the neck of the packaging that interacts with it, should be made of materials capable of providing reliable functionality at a reasonable cost. Furthermore, the amount of material used to produce the lid and neck should be as minimal as possible. To further reduce the amount of material used in lid production, the lid's shape should be appropriate to ensure its functionality is not compromised.

[0004] The application of caps in food filling machines is typically performed at very high speeds. Because cap application failures can lead to unwanted side effects, such as machine downtime or increased food waste, the shape of the caps should also ensure that the filling machine (sometimes called a packaging machine) can reliably apply the caps to the packaging.

[0005] While the packaging and lids currently available offer high reliability in providing opening and closing functionality for consumers and lid application functionality for food manufacturers, there is still a need to improve the shape of lids to achieve better functionality, while also reducing the amount of material required to produce lids. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The object of this invention is to at least partially overcome one or more of the aforementioned limitations of the prior art. Specifically, the object of this invention is to provide a cap that provides a suitable closing function for the consumer and reliable cap application in a filling machine.

[0007] According to a first aspect, a cap is provided for sealing a package by applying the cap to the neck of the package. The cap includes a top having an outer top surface and an inner top surface, a cylindrical sidewall portion having an outer sidewall surface and an inner sidewall surface, an internal thread disposed on the inner sidewall surface, wherein the internal thread is arranged to interact with an external thread on the neck of the package, and an inner cylinder extending from the inner top surface. The inner cylinder includes a peripheral end disposed to guide the inner cylinder into the neck of the package for positioning the cap, wherein the inner cylinder is radially located inside the neck, the internal thread is radially located outside the neck, an annular sealing protrusion extends radially outward from the inner cylinder toward the inner sidewall surface, and a transition portion located between the annular sealing protrusion and the peripheral end, wherein the transition portion is concave.

[0008] The advantage of making the transition concave (i.e., having an inwardly curved shape) is that it provides space for positioning the cylinder on the neck before the threads of the cap engage with the threads of the neck. This allows the cap to be effectively aligned relative to the neck before rotating the cap to screw it onto the neck. This can make the cap more compact, which might be necessary if, for example, an existing cap is to be fitted with a tether band.

[0009] The transition portion may include a first transition sub-portion having a first tilt angle and a second transition sub-portion having a second tilt angle, wherein the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle are measured relative to the axial direction of the cover, wherein the first transition sub-portion is adjacent to the peripheral end, the second transition sub-portion is adjacent to the sealing protrusion, and the second tilt angle is greater than the first tilt angle.

[0010] The first tilt angle can be less than 45°, and the second tilt angle can be greater than 45°. The first tilt angle can be in the range of 10-20°. The second tilt angle can be in the range of 55-60°.

[0011] Viewed axially from the cover, the height of the transition section can be in the range of 80-120% of the height of the annular sealing protrusion.

[0012] Viewed radially from the cap, the average width of the transition section can be in the range of 30-70% of the maximum width of the annular sealing protrusion.

[0013] The transition section can be concave, with an interior angle greater than 180° or greater than 200°. The interior angle can be less than 270°.

[0014] The transition section may be concave and have a certain depth, which is in the range of 5-50% of the distance from the peripheral end to the widest part of the annular sealing protrusion. The widest part of the annular sealing protrusion is the widest part when viewed radially from the cover.

[0015] The annular sealing protrusion can be asymmetrical when viewed from a plane parallel to the radial direction or parallel to the cover.

[0016] The cap may include an edge protrusion anvil having an edge protrusion anvil surface located on the inner top surface of the cap, and when the cap is applied to the neck of the package, the edge protrusion anvil surface is arranged to abut against the outer top surface of the neck. The difference between the tilt angle of the outer top surface and the tilt angle of the edge protrusion anvil surface may be between 5° and 20°.

[0017] The advantage of this approach is that it prevents ambient air from entering the packaging in two steps: through the interaction between the edge protrusion anvil and the neck, and through the interaction between the annular sealing protrusion and the neck. This reduces the risk of harmful microorganisms entering the packaging.

[0018] According to a second aspect, an apparatus for sealing packaging is provided, the apparatus comprising a cap and a neck according to a first aspect, the neck having external threads arranged to interact with internal threads of the cap, wherein when the cap is applied to the neck, a sealing protrusion abuts against an inner neck surface of the neck.

[0019] The cover may also include a security strap and / or a tie, and the height of the cover without a security strap and / or a tie may be less than 70% of the height of the neck.

[0020] The second inclination angle of the second transition section of the inner cylinder of the lid can be arranged to be substantially the same as the inclination angle of the top surface of the neck. Substantially the same means that the deviation between the inclination angles does not exceed 5°.

[0021] According to a third aspect, a package for containing food is provided, the package comprising a sealing device according to a second aspect, and a carton-based body connected to the sealing device.

[0022] According to a fourth aspect, a method is provided for applying a cap according to the first aspect to a neck, the neck having external threads arranged to interact with the internal threads of the cap. The method includes: guiding an inner cylinder of the cap to the neck using the peripheral end of the inner cylinder; clamping the cap to the neck using the internal threads of the cap and the external threads of the neck; and sealing the package by rotating the cap relative to the neck such that sealing protrusions of the inner cylinder are pressed against a surface of the neck. This fourth aspect has the same advantages as the first aspect.

[0023] The guiding step may also include a sub-step in which a second transition sub-section of the transition portion of the inner cylinder of the lid slides along the edge of the neck protruding top surface.

[0024] The sealing step may also include a sub-step of preventing the passage of surrounding air by pressing the edge protruding side surface of the neck against the edge protruding anvil surface placed on the inner top surface of the lid.

[0025] According to a fifth aspect, a method for producing a package filled with food is provided. The method includes: forming a cardboard base body having an open top end and an open bottom end in a sleeve forming station of a filling machine; molding a shoulder and neck of the package in a molding station such that the shoulder is connected to the open top end of the cardboard base body and the open top end is closed; applying a cap to the neck according to a fourth aspect; filling the package with food through the open bottom end of the cardboard base body in a filling station of the filling machine; and closing the open bottom end in a bottom end forming station of the filling machine.

[0026] Other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the schematic diagrams in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0028] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the packaging;

[0029] Figure 2A and 2B It shows Figure 1 The lid and shoulder of the packaging;

[0030] Figure 3A This is a cross-sectional view of the lid and neck in the pre-sealed state;

[0031] Figure 3B It is a cross-sectional view of the lid and neck in the sealed state;

[0032] Figure 4A and 4B Showing more details Figure 3A A portion of the cross-sectional view shown;

[0033] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating the method of applying a lid to packaging is shown.

[0034] Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating the method for producing packaging is shown.

[0035] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a filling machine used for packaging production. Detailed Implementation

[0036] Figure 1 The example illustrates packaging 100, more specifically, so-called paper bottle packaging.

[0037] The packaging 100 is provided with a lid 102. The lid 102 may be made of polypropylene (PP), but other materials may also be used. The lid 102 may be attached to the neck 200, such as... Figure 2A and 2B As shown, the neck 200 can be connected to the shoulder 104. During the production of package 100, the neck and shoulder 104 can be molded simultaneously, thus forming a single element. Alternatively, the neck can be prefabricated, and then only the shoulder 104 can be molded in a filling machine. When molding both the neck and shoulder 104, or when only the shoulder is molded if the neck is prefabricated, the shoulder can be connected to the cardboard base body 106. The body 106 can be formed from a folded and longitudinally sealed sheet of packaging material. Food 110 can be contained within the interior 108 of package 100.

[0038] Figure 2A and 2B The separate cap 102 and shoulder 104 are shown in more detail. Figure 2A It provides a perspective view from above, while Figure 2B A perspective view from below is provided.

[0039] As shown in the figure, the neck 200 is connected to the shoulder 104 via a connecting edge 202. If the neck 200 and shoulder 104 are molded as a single piece, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the connecting edge 202 can be a thickened portion to ensure rigidity when the cap 102 is screwed and unscrewed from the neck 200. Furthermore, the cap 102 can be equipped with an anti-theft strap and / or a loop 204, i.e., a ring, located at the lower part of the cap 102, which remains on the neck 200 once the cap is first unscrewed. Figure 2A and 2B In the example shown, the lid 102 will be applied to the package 100, i.e., screwed onto the package 100 for the first time, so that the tamper-evident strap and / or tie 204 are attached to the lid 102.

[0040] The lid 102, shown by way of example, includes a top 205 having an outer top surface 206 (facing outward when the lid 102 is applied) and an inner top surface 207 (facing inward when the lid 102 is applied). The lid 102 has cylindrical sidewall portions 209 having an outer sidewall surface 208 and an inner sidewall surface 216. The outer sidewall surface 208 may be provided with vertical grooves (as shown) to provide better grip for the consumer.

[0041] The neck 200 has a cylindrical sidewall portion 217 that is connected to the shoulder portion 104 and includes an outer neck surface 210 and an inner neck surface 212.

[0042] In order for the cover 102 and the neck 200 to interact, the neck 200 is provided with an external thread 214 that is radially outward (R), and the inner sidewall surface 216 of the cover 102 is provided with an internal thread 218 that is radially inward (R).

[0043] Figure 3A and 3B Cross-sectional views of the cover 102, neck 200, and shoulder 104 in pre-sealed and sealed states are shown respectively. Figure 3A The illustration shows the cap 102 positioned on the neck 200 but not fully engaged (i.e., screwed onto the neck 200), while Figure 3B The state of the cap 102 being fully applied to the neck 200 is shown.

[0044] like Figure 3A and 3B as well as Figure 2B As shown, the cap 102 has an inner cylinder 300 extending from the inner top surface 207 of the cap 102. The peripheral end 306 of the inner cylinder 300 is used to properly guide or direct the cap 102 relative to the neck 200 during cap application in a filling machine. As explained in more detail below, the peripheral end 306 may be tapered to provide more reliable guidance during cap application.

[0045] To ensure a proper seal when the cap 102 is applied to the neck 200 (whether during cap application in a filling machine or when the consumer re-closes it), an annular sealing protrusion 304 may be provided. As shown, the annular sealing protrusion 304 extends radially outward from the inner cylinder 300. A transition portion 308 is provided between the peripheral end 306 and the annular sealing protrusion 304. Since the cap 102 may be integrally molded, the transition portion 308 may form a continuous transition from the peripheral end 306 to the annular sealing protrusion 304. Having such a continuous transition (i.e., without sharp edges) may be advantageous because it reduces the risk of food residue getting stuck, thereby improving food safety.

[0046] The tamper-evident strap and / or tie 204 (i.e., a loop used to ensure the packaging is not stolen and / or to secure the loop to the packaging 100) may include a spring element 312 such that the lid 102 with the tamper-evident strap and / or tie 204 can be applied to the neck 200, but once the consumer first opens the packaging 100, the tamper-evident strap and / or tie 204 remains on the neck 200 due to the interaction between the spring element 312 and the protrusion of the neck 200. To allow the tamper-evident strap and / or tie 204 to be completely or partially detached from the lid 102, perforations may be provided in the lid 102.

[0047] The advantage of having an annular sealing protrusion 304 is that it reduces the risk of ambient air entering the interior 108 of the packaging 100. Since the ambient air may contain microorganisms (such as spores and bacteria) that can spoil the food 110, reducing the inflow of ambient air is beneficial. It also prevents packaging leakage. Figure 3A As shown, the annular sealing protrusion 304 reduces this inflow even if the cap 102 is not fully applied. Once the cap 102 is fully applied, as... Figure 3B As shown, the annular sealing protrusion 304 abuts against the inner neck surface 212, while the neck 200 abuts against the inner top surface 207 of the lid 102, thus achieving a double closure. Generally, having a lid and neck with two closures makes the seal of the package 100 more reliable compared to a lid and neck with only one closure.

[0048] As shown in the figure, the height H of the neck is 200. NECK It may be greater than the height H of the lid 102. CAP Additionally, the height H of the cover 102 after removing the anti-theft strap and / or tie 204 is [not specified]. CAP’ The height H of the cover 102 is less than that of the cover 102 with the anti-theft strap and / or tie 204. CAP .

[0049] Figure 4A and 4B Further details are shown Figure 3AThe pre-sealed state is shown. It can be seen that the transition portion 308 can be divided into a first transition sub-portion 400 located near the peripheral end 306 and a second transition sub-portion 402 located near the annular sealing protrusion 304. The first transition sub-portion 400 can be tilted at a first tilt angle α, which is less than 45°, more specifically, measured relative to the axial direction A of the cap 102, the first tilt angle α is in the range of 10° to 20°. The second transition sub-portion 402 can be tilted at a second tilt angle b, which is greater than 45°, more specifically, again measured relative to the axial direction A, the second tilt angle b is in the range of 55° to 60°. The advantage of the first tilt angle α being greater than the second tilt angle b is that, during cap application in the filling machine, the lowest part of the inner cylinder 300 can be more easily installed into the neck 200, while still effectively blocking surrounding air through the annular sealing protrusion 304.

[0050] An edge protrusion 404 may be provided on the outer neck surface 210. This protrusion may have a radially inwardly inclined top surface 406 and a radially outwardly inclined side surface 408. More specifically, the top surface 406 may be inclined at a third inclination angle c, which may be in the range of 55° to 60° relative to the axial direction A. A second inclination angle b and the third inclination angle c are approximately the same, i.e., the surface of the second transition portion 402 is parallel to the top surface 406, which facilitates easier application of the cover 102 to the neck 200. The side surface 408 may be inclined at a fourth inclination angle d, which may be in the range of 140° to 150° relative to the axial direction A.

[0051] An edge-protruding anvil 410 is provided on the inner top surface 207 of the cover 102. This anvil 410 can be tilted at a fifth tilt angle e, which can be within the range of 130° to 140° relative to the axial direction A. The difference between the fourth tilt angle d and the fifth tilt angle e can be 5° to 20°. Once the cover 102 is screwed onto the neck 200, a tight fit is achieved between the anvil 410 and the edge-protruding side surface 408.

[0052] As shown in the figure, viewed from axial direction A, the height h1 of the transition portion 308 can be 100-150% of the height h2 of the annular sealing protrusion 304. Furthermore, the average width w1 of the transition portion 308 can be 30% to 60% of the average width w2 of the annular sealing protrusion 304.

[0053] The transition portion 308 can be concave, or in other words, recessed. This concavity in the transition portion 308 creates a depth d2. The depth d2 can be in the range of 5-50% of the distance l from the peripheral end 306 to the widest part of the annular sealing protrusion 304. The transition portion 308 can be concave with an interior angle f greater than 180° or greater than 200°.

[0054] The advantage of making the transition portion 308 concave is that it allows the cap 112 to be more compact in height. This facilitates providing more space for the tamper-evident strap and / or tie 204. For example, even if the cap 102 is redesigned to include not only the tamper-evident strap but also a combined tamper-evident strap and tie (which requires more height space), the neck 200 can remain unchanged. Another advantage associated with the more compact cap height is that it reduces the amount of material required to produce the cap 102, which is beneficial from both a cost and environmental perspective.

[0055] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a method 500 for applying a cap 102 to a package 100. In a first step 502, the inner cylinder 300 is guided into the neck 200 using the peripheral end 306 of the inner cylinder 300. In a second step 504, the cap 102 is clamped onto the neck 200 using the internal threads 218 of the cap 102 and the external threads 214 of the neck 200. In a third step 506, the package 100 is sealed by screwing the cap onto the neck, which causes the sealing protrusion 304 of the inner cylinder 300 to press against the neck 200. Optionally, in a fourth step 508, the second transition portion 402 of the transition portion 308 of the inner cylinder 300 of the cap 102 slides along the edge protrusion top surface 406 of the neck 200. Optionally, in the sixth step 510, the passage of surrounding air is prevented by pressing the edge protrusion side surface 408 of the neck 200 against the edge protrusion anvil surface 412 of the edge protrusion anvil 410 placed on the inner top surface 207 of the cover 102.

[0056] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a method 600 for producing a package 100 filled with food 110. In the first step 602, further reference is made... Figure 7 In the sleeve forming station 702, a cardboard base body 106 with an open top and an open bottom is formed in the filling machine 700. In the second step 604, the shoulder 104 and neck 200 of the package 100 are molded in the molding station 704, such that the shoulder 104 is connected to the open top of the cardboard base body 106, and the open top is closed. In the third step 606, according to... Figure 5 The method shown applies the cap 102 to the neck 200. In the fourth step 608, in the filling station 706 of the filling machine 700, the food 110 is filled into the package 100 through the open bottom end of the cardboard base body 106. In the fifth step 610, the open bottom end is closed in the bottom forming station 708 of the filling machine 700.

[0057] Figure 7The filling machine 700 described above is generally shown. As shown, a sleeve forming station 702 is provided to form the cardboard base body 106. A molding station 704 may be a plastic injection molding station for forming the neck 200 and shoulder 104, and may include a cap applicator for applying the cap 102 to the shoulder 104. In the filling station 706, food 110 is filled into the package 100. Finally, in the bottom forming station 708, the open bottom end of the cardboard base body 106 is closed. The filling machine can be any suitable conventional filling machine. The cap itself may be pre-manufactured before being applied to the neck. The manufacture of the cap itself can be accomplished using conventional plastic molding and / or injection molding techniques.

[0058] As can be seen from the above description, although various embodiments of the present invention have been described and shown, the present invention is not limited thereto, but may be embodied in other ways within the scope of the subject matter defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A lid (102) for sealing a package (100) by applying the lid (102) to the neck (200) of the package (100), the lid (102) comprising: The top (205) has an outer top surface (206) and an inner top surface (207). A cylindrical sidewall portion (209) having an outer sidewall surface (208) and an inner sidewall surface (216), An internal thread (218) disposed on the inner sidewall surface (216), wherein the internal thread (218) is arranged to interact with the external thread (214) of the neck (200) of the package (100), and An inner cylinder (300) extending from the inner top surface (207), wherein the inner cylinder (300) includes - A peripheral end (306) arranged to guide the inner cylinder (300) to the neck (200) of the package (100) for positioning the lid (102), the inner cylinder (300) being radially located inside the neck (200) and the internal thread (218) being radially located outside the neck (200). - An annular sealing protrusion (304) extending radially outward from the inner cylinder (300) to the inner sidewall surface (216), and - A transition portion (308) located between the annular sealing protrusion (304) and the peripheral end (306), wherein the transition portion (308) is concave; The lid (102) includes an edge-protruding anvil (410) having an edge-protruding anvil surface (412) located at the inner top surface (207) of the lid (102), and is arranged to abut against the outer top surface (408) of the neck (200) when the lid (102) is applied to the neck (200) of the package (100), wherein, The difference (de) between the tilt angle (d) of the outer top surface (408) and the tilt angle (e) of the edge protrusion anvil surface (412) is between 5° and 20°.

2. The lid (102) according to claim 1, wherein, The transition portion (308) includes a first transition sub-portion (400) having a first tilt angle (a) and a second transition sub-portion (402) having a second tilt angle (b), the first tilt angle (a) and the second tilt angle (b) being measured relative to the axial direction (A) of the cover (102), wherein the first transition sub-portion (400) is adjacent to the peripheral end (306), the second transition sub-portion (402) is adjacent to the annular sealing protrusion (304), and the second tilt angle (b) is greater than the first tilt angle (a).

3. The lid (102) according to claim 2, wherein, The first tilt angle (a) is less than 45°, and the second tilt angle (b) is greater than 45°.

4. The lid (102) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first tilt angle (a) is in the range of 10-20°.

5. The lid (102) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the second tilt angle (b) is in the range of 55-65°.

6. The lid (102) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, Viewed from the axial direction (A) of the cover (102), the height (h1) of the transition portion (308) is in the range of 80-120% of the height (h2) of the annular sealing protrusion (304).

7. The lid (102) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, Viewed radially (R) from the cover (102), the average width (w1) of the transition portion (308) is in the range of 30-70% of the maximum width (w2) of the annular sealing protrusion (304).

8. The lid (102) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The transition portion (308) is concave, and its interior angle (f) is greater than 180° or greater than 200°.

9. The lid (102) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The transition portion (308) is concave and has a depth (d2), wherein the depth (d2) is in the range of 5-50% of the distance (l) from the peripheral end (306) to the widest part of the annular sealing protrusion (304).

10. An apparatus for sealing packaging (100), comprising: The lid (102) according to any one of claims 1-9 and A neck (200) having an external thread (214) arranged to interact with the internal thread (218) of the cover (102), wherein, When the cap (102) is applied to the neck (200), the annular sealing protrusion (304) abuts against the inner neck surface (212) of the neck (200).

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the second tilt angle (b) of the second transition portion (402) of the inner cylinder (300) of the cover (102) is arranged to be substantially the same as the tilt angle (c) of the top surface (406) of the neck (200).

12. A package (100) for containing food (110), said package comprising The sealing device according to claim 10 or 11, and Cardboard base body (106) connected to the device for sealing.

13. A method (500) for applying a cap (102) according to any one of claims 1-9 to a neck (200), the neck (200) having an external thread (214) arranged to interact with the internal thread (218) of the cap (102), the method comprising The inner cylinder (300) of the cover (102) is guided (502) onto the neck (200) by using the peripheral end (306) of the inner cylinder (300). The cap (102) is clamped (504) to the neck (200) by using the internal thread (218) of the cap (102) and the external thread (214) of the neck (200), and The package (100) is sealed (506) by rotating the lid (102) relative to the neck (200) such that the annular sealing protrusion (304) of the inner cylinder (300) is pressed against the surface (212) of the neck (200).

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