A nozzle, container and filling process

Abstract

This application discloses a suction nozzle, container, and filling process, including a main body and a mouthpiece. The main body has a through hole, and a limiting portion is provided on the side wall of the through hole. The mouthpiece has a suction hole, and the outer wall of the mouthpiece has a first rib and a second rib for connecting with the limiting portion. The first rib is detachably connected to the limiting portion, while the second rib is non-detachable after being connected to the limiting portion. The suction nozzle of this application is designed as a two-piece structure, which is beneficial for automated filling in a sterile environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of packaging technology, and more specifically, to a nozzle, a container, and a filling process. Background Technology

[0002] Flexible spout pouches are a new type of packaging developed from stand-up pouches, and are widely used, especially in the packaging of beverages, jellies, and other foods. Their structure mainly consists of two parts: the spout and the pouch body. The spout can be considered as a regular pouch opening with a straw attached, tightly integrated with the pouch body to form a support for drinking. The spout is connected to a tamper-evident cap. During filling, the tamper-evident cap is removed, and the liquid is poured from the spout into the pouch body. After filling, the entire container is then heat-sterilized.

[0003] This structure and process involves complex steps in filling and sterilization. The entire filling and sealing process cannot be carried out in a completely sterile environment, and the heat sterilization process after filling is not suitable for all packaging materials. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, this application provides a spout and a flexible packaging container that facilitates filling materials in a sterile environment.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a suction nozzle, including a body and a mouthpiece. The body has a through hole, and the side wall of the through hole has a limiting part. The mouthpiece has a suction hole that can communicate with the through hole. The outer wall of the mouthpiece has a first rib and a second rib for connecting with the limiting part. The first rib is detachably connected to the limiting part, and the second rib is non-detachable after being connected to the limiting part.

[0006] Traditional bagged containers with spouts have the spout, tamper-evident cap, and bag body connected separately. During filling, the tamper-evident cap is removed, and the container is filled through the spout in a sterile environment. After filling, the container leaves the sterile filling environment, the tamper-evident cap is reassembled, and then it undergoes high-temperature sterilization.

[0007] By adopting the technical solution of this application, the main body is used to connect with the bag body, and the nozzle connects to the anti-theft cap. The nozzle structure is designed as a two-piece structure of main body and nozzle, which are connected to the limiting part by the first rib and the second rib respectively to achieve two states. When the first rib is connected to the limiting part, the main body and nozzle are connected as one piece and can be sterilized together before entering the aseptic environment for filling. In the aseptic environment, the main body and nozzle are separated by a robotic arm, and the material enters the bag body through the through hole of the main body for filling. After filling, the nozzle is inserted into the through hole by the robotic arm until the second rib connects to the limiting part, thus locking the main body and nozzle. The entire filling and capping process is carried out in an aseptic environment. After capping, there is no need to sterilize the entire container at high temperature. The process is simple, safer and more reliable, and can be used for packaging more materials.

[0008] In some embodiments, the mouth portion includes a first flange, the second rib is located between the first rib and the first flange, and the through hole includes a tapered surface.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first rib has a first guide portion on the side away from the second rib.

[0010] By adopting the above technical solution, the first rib and the limiting part are in a pre-connected state, and the second rib and the limiting part are in a fastened state. The guide part of the first rib facilitates the first rib entering the through hole to connect with the limiting part. The diameter of the conical surface decreases in the direction away from the limiting part. When the second rib and the limiting part are connected, the conical surface abuts against the first rib circumferentially, improving the sealing performance.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first rib has a second guide portion on the side near the second rib.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, the second guide part is conducive to the separation of the first rib from the limiting part, so as to realize the separation of the nozzle from the main body for filling.

[0013] In some embodiments, the end of the mouth is provided with a guide surface, and the first rib is located between the guide surface and the second rib.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, the guide surface is beneficial for guiding the nozzle into the through hole.

[0015] In some embodiments, the edge of the through hole of the main body is provided with an arc surface to facilitate the entry of the first rib and the second rib into the through hole.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, the curved surface facilitates the entry of the first and second convex ribs into the through hole, thereby achieving two connection states between the mouth and the main body.

[0017] In some embodiments, the main body is provided with a second flange, and the arc surface connects the end face of the second flange and the inner surface of the limiting portion.

[0018] In some embodiments, when the second rib is connected to the limiting portion and in a limiting state, the first flange and the second flange abut against each other.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, the second flange can improve the stability of the connection between the second rib and the limiting part.

[0020] In some implementations, when the first rib is connected to the limiting portion and in a limiting state, the second flange abuts against the arc surface.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, the stability of the connection between the first rib and the limiting part is improved, and effective sealing can also be achieved.

[0022] Secondly, this application provides a flexible packaging container, including a bag body and a spout as described in the first aspect, wherein the bag body and the spout are sealed together.

[0023] By adopting the above technical solution, the entire filling and capping process can be carried out in a sterile environment. After capping, there is no need to sterilize the entire container at high temperature. The process is simple, safer and more reliable, and can be applied to more material packaging.

[0024] Thirdly, this application provides a filling process for filling materials into the flexible packaging containers of the second aspect under aseptic conditions, comprising the following steps:

[0025] Pre-connection: The main body and mouth are connected to the first rib and the limiting part;

[0026] Separation: Place the soft packaging container in a sterile environment for sterilization. After sterilization, detach the first rib from the limiting part to separate the main body and the mouth part.

[0027] Filling: Material is filled into the bag through the through-hole in the main body;

[0028] Sealing: The main body and the mouth are connected to the second convex rib and the limiting part.

[0029] In summary, this application has at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0030] 1. By designing the nozzle as a two-piece structure, it is possible to achieve filling and sealing in a sterile environment, which improves safety and reduces the possible adverse effects of high-temperature sterilization of materials in the later stage.

[0031] 2. The nozzle of this application has a simple structure and reliable connection, and can achieve different functions through two connection states.

[0032] 3. The flexible packaging container of this application has a simple manufacturing process, is safer and more reliable, and can be used for packaging more materials. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is an exploded structural diagram of the nozzle of this application;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the nozzle before filling in this application;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the nozzle before filling in this application;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the connection state between the first protruding rib of the suction nozzle and the limiting part in this application;

[0037] Figure 5This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the connection state between the first protruding rib of the suction nozzle and the limiting part in this application;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the connection state between the second protruding rib of the suction nozzle and the limiting part in this application;

[0039] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the connection between the second protruding rib of the suction nozzle and the limiting part in this application.

[0040] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0041] 1. Main body; 11. Limiting part; 12. Through hole; 121. Conical surface; 13. Second flange; 131. Arc surface; 14. Third flange; 15. Welded flange; 151. Sealing groove; 2. Nozzle; 21. Suction hole; 22. First rib; 221. First guide part; 222. Second guide part; 23. Second rib; 231. Third guide part; 24. Column; 241. Threaded rib; 242. Anti-theft buckle; 243. Guide surface; 25. First flange; 3. Anti-theft cover. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0043] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0044] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0045] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0046] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the features in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0047] Example 1

[0048] Please refer to Figures 1-7 This embodiment discloses a suction nozzle, including an anti-theft cover 3, a mouthpiece 2, and a main body 1.

[0049] Please refer to Figure 1 The mouth part 2 includes a column 24 and a first flange 25 integrally connected to the column 24. An anti-theft buckle 242 and a threaded rib 241 are sequentially arranged on one side of the first flange 25. The anti-theft buckle 242 is integrally formed with the column 24 and the first flange 25. The threaded rib 241 is provided on the side wall of the column 24 for threaded connection with the anti-theft cover 3. The anti-theft buckle 242 and the anti-theft cover 3 are unidirectionally rotatable. The anti-theft cover 3 can be connected to the anti-theft buckle 242 in the threaded tightening direction. When the anti-theft cover 3 rotates in the opposite direction, the anti-theft structure of the anti-theft cover 3 and the anti-theft buckle 242 is destroyed and cannot be restored.

[0050] On the other side of the first flange 25, a second rib 23 and a first rib 22 are sequentially arranged, with the second rib 23 and the first rib 22 spaced apart. The second rib 23 is spaced apart from the first flange 25 and is located between the first rib 22 and the first flange 25. The main body 1 includes a second flange 13 and a third flange 14 spaced apart. A welded flange 15 is connected to the side of the third flange 14 away from the second flange 13. The side wall of the welded flange 15 is provided with multiple sealing grooves 151. The welded flange 15 is used for sealing connection with a flexible packaging bag, and the sealing grooves 151 are used to increase the sealing performance between the welded flange 15 and the flexible packaging bag. A through hole 12 is provided through the center of the main body 1. A limiting part 11 is provided at the end face connection between the through hole 12 and the second flange 13. The limiting part 11 is an annular rib with an inner diameter smaller than the diameter of the through hole 12. The limiting part 11 is used to connect with the first rib 22 and the second rib 23 to achieve two functional states.

[0051] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3This is the connection state before entering the aseptic environment for filling. The first rib 22 has a first guide portion 221 on the side away from the second rib 23, and a second guide portion 222 on the side closer to the second rib 23. In this embodiment, the first guide portion 221 and the second guide portion 222 are rounded, or they can be oblique structures. The first guide portion 221 can reduce the resistance of the first rib 22 passing through the limiting portion 11 during the insertion of the column 24 into the through hole 12. After the first guide portion 221 passes through the limiting portion 11, the first rib 22 abuts against the inner wall of the through hole 12 and the limiting portion 11. The maximum diameter of the first rib 22 is greater than the minimum diameter of the inner hole of the limiting portion 11. Therefore, the first rib 22 is in a relatively stable state after passing through the limiting portion 11, unless a certain pulling force is applied to the nozzle 2 and the anti-theft cap 3 to separate the nozzle 2 from the main body 1. When the first rib 22 is connected to the limiting part 11, the second guide part 222 can reduce the resistance of the first rib 22 separating from the limiting part 11, so that when the mouth part 2 needs to be separated from the main body 1, not too much force is needed, thus reducing the chance of damage to the mouth part 2, the anti-theft cover 3 or the main body 1.

[0052] A guide surface 243 is provided at the end of the column 24 away from the anti-theft cover 3. The outer diameter of the guide surface 243 gradually decreases from the first rib 22 towards the end. The first rib 22 is located between the guide surface 243 and the second rib 23. An arc surface 131 is provided at the connection between the end face of the second flange 13 and the limiting part 11. The diameter of the arc surface 131 gradually decreases from the end face of the second flange 13 along the axis of the through hole 12 towards the third flange 14. The guide surface 243 and the arc surface 131 facilitate the guiding function of the column 24 during the insertion of it into the through hole 12, and facilitate the quick and convenient connection between the nozzle 2 and the main body 1.

[0053] A third guide portion 231 is provided on the side of the second rib 23 near the first rib 22. The third guide portion 231 extends from the second rib 23 along the axial direction of the column 24 toward the first rib 22 and its diameter gradually decreases. When the first rib 22 is connected to the limiting portion 11, the third guide portion 231 abuts against the arc surface 131, which can both limit the insertion of the nozzle 2 into the main body 1 to prevent it from being inserted too deeply and making it difficult to pull out, and also ensure the stability of the connection between the first rib 22 and the limiting portion 11.

[0054] Please see Figure 3 The nozzle 2 has a suction hole 21 at its center. The through hole 12 is located near the second flange 13 and has a conical surface 121. The conical surface 121 extends from the second flange 13 along the axis of the through hole 12 toward the third flange 14 and its diameter gradually decreases. A step is formed at the connection between the conical surface 121 and the limiting part 11 to facilitate the connection of the first rib 22 or the second rib 23 and prevent it from falling off.

[0055] Before filling, the anti-theft cap 3 and the nozzle 2 are connected and fixed, and the nozzle 2 is separated from the column 24.

[0056] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 This is the connection state before the nozzle enters the aseptic filling environment. In this state, the first rib 22 passes through the limiting part 11 and abuts against the conical surface 121 and the limiting part 11, while the third guide part 231 of the second rib 23 abuts against the arc surface 131 on the second flange 13. Thus, the nozzle 2 and the main body 1 achieve a relatively stable connection. When the main body 1 is connected to an empty flexible packaging bag, with the nozzle 2 fixed and the main body 1 suspended, the main body 1 connected to the flexible packaging bag will not detach from the nozzle 2 under gravity. In this connection state, the nozzle with the flexible packaging bag is placed in the aseptic environment, and the nozzle 2 and the main body 1 are separated by a robotic arm for sterilization. After sterilization, the filling equipment fills the flexible packaging bag connected to the main body 1 through the through hole 12.

[0057] Please see Figure 6 and Figure 7 In the nozzle sealing state, after filling in a sterile environment, the robotic arm inserts the nozzle 2 into the through hole 12 of the main body 1 until the first flange 25 and the second flange 13 abut. In this state, the second rib 23 passes through the limiting part 11 and abuts against the limiting part 11 and the conical surface 121, while the first rib 22 abuts against the conical surface 121. The diameter of the first rib 22 is larger than the diameter at the conical surface 121, so the first rib 22 and the conical surface 121 are interference-fitted. Because both the first rib 22 and the second rib 23 are closed rings, they abut against the conical surface 121 to form a double-layer sealing structure, which can improve the sealing performance between the nozzle 2 and the main body 1, reduce the safety of the material in the flexible packaging bag, and reduce the risk of material leakage from the nozzle 2 and the main body 1. In this sealing state, the through hole 12 and the suction hole 21 are connected. Because the tamper-evident cap 3 and the nozzle 2 are sealed, the material in the flexible packaging bag cannot leak through the suction hole 21. Because the entire filling and packaging process is carried out in a sterile environment, the packaged products do not need to undergo additional sterilization and can be directly packaged and sold as finished products. The operation process is simpler and reduces the impact of re-sterilization after packaging on the materials.

[0058] In the sealed state, the anti-theft cover 3, the nozzle 2, and the main body 1 are connected as one unit, and the nozzle 2 and the main body 1 cannot be separated under normal circumstances. When the consumer uses the product, the anti-theft cover 3 is rotated in the opposite direction to detach it from the nozzle 2, and the material can flow out through the through hole 12 and the suction hole 21.

[0059] Example 2

[0060] This embodiment discloses a packaging container, including the suction nozzle as in Embodiment 1 and a flexible packaging bag integrally and sealed with the suction nozzle.

[0061] Example 3

[0062] Please refer to Figures 1-7 This embodiment discloses a filling process for filling materials into the flexible packaging container of Embodiment 2 under aseptic conditions, including the following steps:

[0063] Pre-connection: The main body 1 and the mouth part 2 are connected to the first protruding rib 22 and the limiting part 11;

[0064] Separation: The soft packaging container is placed in a sterile environment for sterilization. After sterilization, the first rib 22 is disengaged from the limiting part 11 to separate the main body 1 and the mouth part 2.

[0065] Filling: Material is filled into the bag through the through hole 12 of the main body 1;

[0066] Sealing: The main body 1 and the mouth part 2 are connected to the second rib 23 and the limiting part 11.

[0067] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and the embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed.

Claims

1. A filling process, characterized in that, The invention includes a flexible packaging container for filling materials in a sterile environment. The flexible packaging container includes a nozzle and a bag body sealed to the nozzle. The nozzle includes a body (1) and a mouth part (2). The body (1) is provided with a through hole (12). The side wall of the through hole (12) is provided with a limiting part (11). The mouth part (2) is provided with a suction hole (21) that can communicate with the through hole (12). The outer wall of the mouth part (2) is provided with a first rib (22) and a second rib (23) for connecting with the limiting part (11). The first rib (22) can be detached from the limiting part (11). The second rib (23) cannot be detached after being connected to the limiting part (11). It also includes the following steps: Pre-connection: The main body (1) and the mouth (2) are connected to the first rib (22) and the limiting part (11); Separation: The soft packaging container is placed in a sterile environment for sterilization. After sterilization, the first rib (22) is disengaged from the limiting part (11) to separate the main body (1) and the mouth (2). Filling: The bag is filled with material through the through hole (12) of the main body (1); Sealing: The main body (1) and the mouth (2) are connected to the second rib (23) and the limiting part (11).

2. The filling process according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mouth part (2) includes a first flange (25), the second rib (23) is located between the first rib (22) and the first flange (25), and the through hole (12) includes a conical surface (121).

3. The filling process according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first rib (22) has a first guide portion (221) on the side away from the second rib (23).

4. The filling process according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first rib (22) has a second guide portion (222) on the side near the second rib (23).

5. The filling process according to claim 2, characterized in that, The mouth part (2) has a guide surface (243) at its end, and the first rib (22) is located between the guide surface (243) and the second rib (23).

6. The filling process according to claim 2, characterized in that, The edge of the through hole (12) of the main body (1) is provided with an arc surface (131) to facilitate the entry of the first rib (22) and the second rib (23) into the through hole (12).

7. The filling process according to claim 6, characterized in that, The main body (1) is provided with a second flange (13), and the arc surface (131) connects the end face of the second flange (13) and the inner surface of the limiting part (11).

8. The filling process according to claim 7, characterized in that, When the second rib (23) is connected to the limiting part (11) and the limiting part is in a limiting state, the first flange (25) and the second flange (13) abut against each other.

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