A chub type container for holding a two-part extrudable material and a method of manufacturing said container

Abstract

A chub type container for holding a two-part extrudable material such as an epoxy adhesive. The chub is comprised from a flexible sheet material folded over itself and in which multiple parallel heat seals are formed to provide at least three chambers, each for holding one component of the two-part extrudable material, such that at least two chambers hold the same component.

Description

[0001] A Chub Type Container for Holding a Two-Part Extrudable Material and a Method of Manufacturing Said Container

[0002] The present invention relates to a chub type container for holding a two-part extrudable material and a method of manufacturing said container.

[0003] Adhesives, sealants and coatings are chemical compositions used in the construction and engineering industries and are generally available in chemistry of either 1-part or 2-part formulations (also known as 1 -component and 2-component formulations).

[0004] 1-part formulations, for example silicone and MS polymer adhesives, do not require mixing and rely on air curing, moisture curing or solvent evaporation curing. 2-part formulations, such as polyester, epoxy, polyurethane and methacrylate require mixing, to allow chemical curing by cross linking or polymerisation.

[0005] For manufacturers of 2-part adhesives and sealants, a popular packaging style that became available in the 1980s was a rigid plastic cartridge whereby the 2-part adhesive, usually a resin and a catalyst, hardener or activator were filled into and contained within a 2-compartment hard plastic cartridge specifically moulded for a particular ratio of chemistry, such as 1 : 1, 2: 1 and 10: 1.

[0006] Two styles of 2-part rigid plastic cartridge evolved, firstly a side by side construction (SBS) whereby two rigid plastic tubes were moulded adjacent to each other and secondly, a co-axial construction (coax) whereby the two rigid plastic tubes were moulded concentrically. 2-component chemical manufacturers have always had to match their formulations to the cartridges that are available on the market. These cartridges are commonly available in the ratios of 1 : 1, 2: 1, 3: 1 4: 1 5: 1 and 10: 1. Very rarely are other ratios available.

[0007] The 2-part plastic cartridges are expensive to mould and transport, generally being moulded out of virgin nylon to satisfy the chemically aggressive or volatile contents. Also, by the nature of their design and the limitations of available filling machines, the 2-part cartridges are slow to fill with formulations.

[0008] In 2001 a new style of 2-part packaging was introduced based on the 2-part “chub” packaging system which was a flexible polymer film bag of 2 compartments, that when filled with a 2-component chemical formulation could be inserted into a rigid 1-part plastic cartridge of the type commonly used for caulks and sealants. Examples of two part chub designs are described in GB2455372 and EP0754633.

[0009] Chubs are conventionally manufactured with a Form, Fill, Seal machine (FFS), using flexible sheet synthetic plastics material formed, during the filling process, into a continuous tube defining a longitudinal cavity filled with the extrudable material. In one form of the 2-part chub design, a tuck is formed in the tube so as to define a second longitudinal cavity extending within the first, this second cavity being filled with a second extrudable material. As dispensed from the chub, usually via an additionally attached static mixer, these materials react, normally to produce a hardening effect, though in principle other chemical effects such as foaming would be possible. After filling, a voiding process is used to evacuate portions of the tube to form voided regions at regular intervals and pairs of wire pieces are crimped around the tube in the voided regions. The tube is then cut between the pairs of crimps to form individual chubs, each sealed at opposite ends.

[0010] This packaging type is now commonly used for adhesives (e.g. polyester based), where the two components are mixed at a 10: 1 ratio and have similar viscosities.

[0011] Unfortunately, this two part chub packaging style is not currently suitable for use with 2-part epoxy formulations. The problems being that epoxy needs to be mixed at a 1 : 1 ratio and their two components have very different rheology, viscosity and thixotropy characteristics.

[0012] With a 1 : 1 ratio the two part chub when put in the circular cross sectioned rigid tube, will naturally adopt a semi-circular cross section. With that in mind, in GB2534224 the chubs were constructed with semi-circular cross sections.

[0013] When the chubs are compressed within the rigid tube by the piston, the fluid components within the bags tend to flow radially outwards such that the bags crosssection shape (as viewed from the piston face) moves towards a circular shape. Where the two components have very different viscosities, the bag with the thicker fluid protrudes into the space occupied by the other, herein referred to as lateral protrusion. As a consequence, the cross section area of the bag with the thicker fluid is now much larger than that of the bag holding the less viscous liquid. This results in an unequal ratio of fluids being extruded. The present invention was conceived to ameliorate the problems of the prior art.

[0014] DEI 9708548 Al describes a container comprising a multiple chamber tubular film cartridge. Each chamber is shaped to have a segment cross-section. Each chamber has a discharge part that when placed together form a smooth truncated cylinder over which a threaded sleeve is placed. The shape of these chambers is complex and so time consuming and expensive to manufacture. They are not suitable for manufacture using a Form-Fill-Seal (FFS) machine, the type of filling machine most commonly used for chub manufacture.

[0015] GB 1446007 describes a chub arrangement that provides three compartments for holding three different components.

[0016] US4913553 describes a container system for dispensing a two-component material comprising four cartridges. Two of the cartridges holds the first part and the other two cartridges hold the second part. The system container system is dispensed by a four- barrel dispenser, each cartridge being held in a separate barrel.

[0017] According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a container holding a two- part extrudable material, the container comprising and first and second chambers holding, and isolating from one another, respective first and second parts of the two part extrudable material; the first and second chambers comprised from a flexible film material and conjoined about adjacent longitudinal sides by a first longitudinal seal formed in the flexible film material; and characterised in the container comprising a third chamber conjoined to one of the first and second chambers by a second longitudinal seal; one of the first, second and third chambers holding a first part of the two part extrudable material and the other two chambers holding a second part of the two part extrudable material.

[0018] The first longitudinal seal may comprise a first longitudinal heat seal, and the second longitudinal seal comprise a second longitudinal heat seal.

[0019] The first and second chambers may be arranged on opposite sides of the first longitudinal seal. The second chamber and third chamber may be arranged on an opposite side of the second longitudinal seal.

[0020] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a container holding a two-part extrudable material, the container comprising two chambers holding, and isolating from one another, respective first and second parts of the two part extrudable material; the two chambers comprised from a flexible film material and conjoined about adjacent longitudinal sides by a first longitudinal heat seal formed in the flexible film material, the chambers arranged on opposite sides of the first longitudinal heat seal.

[0021] The following may apply to either aspect of the invention. Surprisingly, the arrangement comprising three chambers significantly reduces lateral protrusion where the components have differing viscosity, rheological and / or thixotropy characteristics compared with, two-chamber arrangements, and thus allows for extrusion of the two components simultaneously in the correct ratios, without, for example, the need of a flow restrictor.

[0022] The invention thereby overcomes the problem with mis-match of mixing ratios of the prior art, a problem that is commonly observed in epoxy formulations.

[0023] Advantageously the first and second chambers (and optionally third chamber where present) may have differing lateral cross-sectional areas as viewed along the longitudinal axis and thereby differing volumes, and therefore allows this container arrangement to hold 2-part formulations in a wide variety of ratios including 1 : 1, thus making it suitable for holding epoxy formulations. Additionally, it removes the need to adapt new two part extrudable formulations to be compatible with the limited range of dispenser ratios commercially available. Further advantageously, this arrangement can be manufactured inexpensively using a form-fill-seal machine.

[0024] The container may comprise a tube in which the first and second, and optionally third where present, chambers are held; the tube having, about one end, a relatively narrow neck portion providing an, optionally externally threaded, outlet for the extrudable material being extruded out from the chambers; the tube being relatively rigid compared with the flexible film material. This puts the container in a format compatible for use with conventional single cartridge extrusion tools (sometimes referred to as a caulking gun or silicone gun). As such the container may also comprise a piston element held within a second end of the tube that is moveable along the tube to compress the chambers to extrude both first and second parts out through the outlet.

[0025] The first and second chambers may be held within the tube in a folded configuration in which the two chambers are folded in towards one another about a longitudinal fold line, typically lying on and / or about the first longitudinal seal. Similarly, where present, the third chamber may be folded in toward on or both other chamber about a second fold line lying on and / or about the second longitudinal seal. The folding action gives rise to a chub with a generally cylinder shape enabling the folded chambers to fit within the confines of the rigid tube.

[0026] The first and second chambers (and optionally third chamber where present) may be closed and held together at each end by sealing means to retain the extrudable material within each chamber. In this way an end of each chamber can be closed through a single sealing operation of a form-fill seal machine. The sealing means may comprise one or more: rings and / or clips and / or lateral heat seals. Clips are preferred due to being the current industrial standard method of sealing chubs and so easier to implement with the machinery currently available.

[0027] The chambers may have approximately circular cross-section shape; however, improved lateral protrusion has been observed where the chambers have a non-circular cross-sectional shape. For example, each of at least two of the chambers may have a first wall and a second wall provided by the flexible sheet material that extends between parallel longitudinal heat seals, the lengths of the wall being unequal.

[0028] Each of the three chambers may have substantially equal cross-section areas (as viewed from a longitudinal end), which could be used to hold a formulation intended to be extruded in a 2: 1 ratio.

[0029] Alternatively, one of the chambers may have a different cross-sectional area to the others to allow for different mixing ratios. In one example, for a 1 : 1 ratio formulation, two of the three chambers may hold the more viscous component; the sum of the cross- sectional areas of the two smaller chambers substantially equals the cross-section area of the third chamber holding the less viscous component. In another variant, each chamber may have a different cross-sectional area to the others.

[0030] The container may comprise a fourth chamber comprised from the flexible film material, the four chamber conjoined to one of the other three chambers by a third longitudinal seal; the fourth chamber holding one of the first or second parts of the two part extrudable material.

[0031] A container with four chambers exhibits reduced lateral protrusion compared with a three chamber container. Containers with an even greater number of chambers, i.e. five or more chambers, reduce lateral protrusion further; however, the inventor has identified that four chambers provides the best compromise between inhibiting lateral protrusion and minimising the quantity of flexible film material required for manufacturing the container.

[0032] In one embodiment, the four chambers are of substantially equal cross-sectional area; two of the chambers hold one of the two part extrudable material, and the other two chambers hold the second part of the two part extrudable material. This provides a mixing ratio of 1 : 1 which is suitable, for example, for many epoxy formulations.

[0033] Although four chambers are preferred, it will be appreciated that the concept of spreading each component part across an equal number of bags can be extrapolated to configurations with more than four bags. E.g. a six chamber container may have one component in three of the six chambers and the second component in the other three chambers. Where the sum cross-sectional area of the three bags holding the first component is the same as the sum cross-section area of the three bags holding the second component (e.g. because all bags are the same size) this will allow for a 1 : 1 mixing ratio. With different sum areas, different ratios can be provided.

[0034] Alternatively, three of the chambers may hold one of the components and the fourth chamber the other component and / or one or more of the four chambers may have a different cross-sectional area than the others to allow for differing mixing ratios.

[0035] The two part extrudable material may comprise a two part adhesive material, e.g. an epoxy material. The first, second and third chambers are comprised from a flexible film sheet; the flexible film sheet having a first side and second side; the flexible film sheet folded over itself to provide a first sheet portion and second sheet portion, with the first side of the two sheet portions facing one another; the two sheet portions bonded together about the first sides by the two, parallel, longitudinal heat seals.

[0036] The invention may be expressed in terms of a method, and thus according to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a multicompartment container containing a two-part extrudable material, the method comprising: arranging two sheet portions of flexible film material face to face, bonding the two sheet portions together through forming multiple parallel seals lines between the two sheet portions to define three parallel compartments; filling two of the compartments with one component of the two part extrudable material and the other compartment with a second component of the two part extrudable material; folding the compartments towards one another about their seal lines; and sealing both ends of each compartment closed.

[0037] The two sheet portions may be provided through folding a sheet of flexible film material. As such, both compartments maybe comprised from the same single sheet of film material.

[0038] The three compartments may be filled substantially simultaneously using three individual filling tubes. This speeds up the manufacturing process. The method may comprise bonding the two sheet portions together through forming multiple parallel seals lines between the two sheet portions to define four parallel compartments; filling two of the compartments with one component of the two part extrudable material and the other two compartments with the second component of the two part extrudable material.

[0039] The method may be carried out with a form, fill, seal machine.

[0040] The four parallel compartments may have equal cross-sectional areas, as viewed from a longitudinal end of the container.

[0041] The two part extrudable material may be an adhesive material, e.g. an epoxy. Nevertheless, the invention is also applicable to other two part formulations, including but not limited to, polyester, polyurethane and methacrylate

[0042] According to a another aspect of the invention there is provided a container for holding a two-part extrudable material, the container comprising three chambers each comprised from a flexible film material, one of the three chambers holding a first part of the two part extrudable material, each of the other two chambers holding a second part of the two part extrudable material; wherein one of the three chambers has a different cross sectional area, as viewed from a longitudinal end of the container, to the other two chambers. This arrangement reduces lateral protrusion compared with using a one bag per component arrangement.

[0043] This advantageously allows for a very broad range of mixing ratios that is not constrained by the total number of chambers. Any desired ratio can be achieved through selecting the cross-sectional area of each bag. Many two part components have optimum mixing ratios as fractions, and as such do not comply with the conventions of whole number formulations. At present, fillers are added to one or both components to bring the formulation back to a whole number ratio. The broad range of mixing ratios allowed for by the invention allows for mixing at the optimum fraction ratio, thus removing the need for fillers.

[0044] The container may comprise a fourth chamber comprised from the flexible film material holding one of the first part or second part of the two part extrudable material.

[0045] Two of the four chambers may hold the first part of the two part extrudable material; the other two chambers may hold the second part of the two part extrudable material. The fourth chamber may have the same cross-sectional area as one of the other three chambers. To dispense a 1 : 1 ratio, all four chambers may have substantially the same cross-sectional area.

[0046] According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a container for holding a two-part extrudable material, the container comprising three chambers each comprised from a flexible film material, one of the three chambers holding a first part of the two part extrudable material, each of the other two chambers holding a second part of the two part extrudable material. The three chambers may be are comprised from a folded single sheet of the flexible film material. The container may comprise a fourth chamber comprised from the flexible film material holding one of the first part or second part of the two part extrudable material.

[0047] Each of the chambers may have the same cross -sectional area. Alternatively one or more of the chambers may have a different cross-sectional area to the others.

[0048] According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a container for holding a two-part extrudable material comprising a first part and a second part in a 1 : 1 ratio, the container comprising a relatively rigid tube housing four flexible chambers, two of the four chambers holding the first part of the two part extrudable material, the other two chambers holding the second part of the two part extrudable material; the container comprising a relatively rigid tube housing the four flexible chambers.

[0049] The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the following Figures in which:

[0050] Figure 1 is a side view of cartridge system comprising a multi-chamber chub for holding a two part extrudable material;

[0051] Figure l is a side view of the multi-chamber chub;

[0052] Figure 3 is a lateral cross section view through the cartridge system along X-X; Figures 4A-4C are lateral cross-section views through the cartridge system illustrating variant chamber configurations and filling ratios;

[0053] Figures 5A-5H illustrates manufacturing stages of a cartridge system with a four chamber chub.

[0054] Referring firstly to Fig 1, there is shown a cartridge system 1 for holding a two part extrudable material adapted to be dispensed using an extrusion gun.

[0055] The cartridge system 1 comprises a hollow plastic cylinder 10 having a longitudinal axis Y-Y. The cylinder 10 holds a multi-compartment chub 20 filled with the two part extrudable material, e.g. an epoxy adhesive, for mixing in a 1 : 1 ratio.

[0056] A first end 10A of the cylinder 10 is provided with threaded neck 11 providing an outlet 12 for the two part extrudable material. At a second, opposite, end 10B the cylinder 10 houses a piston 13 moveable within the cylinder 10 along longitudinal axis Y-Y to apply pressure to the chub 20 to enable extrusion of the two part material through the outlet 12. The system 1 also comprises a cap 14 adapted to be threaded onto the neck 11 to protect a clipped end of the chub 20 protruding out of the end of the neck 11.

[0057] The multi-compartment chub 20 is comprised from flexible sheet film material. Usually the film is a laminate having at least one layer specifically designed to isolate its contents from the atmosphere and the other to allow for heat-sealing. An example of a suitable flexible sheet material is a polyester / polyethylene laminate, though the skilled person will appreciate that other suitable materials may be used instead. With reference also to Fig 2, the chub 20 comprises multiple parallel tubular chambers or compartments 21, 22, in this example four, of which three are visible in Fig 2. Each chamber extends along the whole length of the chub 20. As such, all the chamber 21, 22 are of substantially the same length and have the same volume. Each chamber 21, 22 is conjoined along its length by longitudinal heat-seals 23 formed in the flexible sheet material. In this example, three heat seals are required to conjoin the four chambers side-by-side. The common ends of each chamber 21, 22 are sealed closed by crimps 24, e.g. metallic crimps.

[0058] The two compartments labelled 21 hold a first component 25 of the two part extrudable material, and the compartments 22 hold the second component 26 of the two part extrudable material.

[0059] As seen in Fig 3, the compartments 21, 22 all have substantially the same cross- sectional area as viewed along longitudinal axis Y-Y. They are configured so that those holding the same component are located diametrically opposite each other. However, in a variant they could be side-by-side.

[0060] The multiple tubular chambers 21, 22 can be configured by selecting their number and / or cross-sectional area to match other mixing ratios of either whole number of fractional number formulation ratios. Figures 4A-4D example a few of the possible configurations where three or four chambers are present. Figure 4A illustrates a three chamber chub 20 for a 1 : 1 mixing ratio. Two of the chambers 21 hold the first part 25 of the extrudable material. The two chambers 21 are of substantially equal cross-sectional area to one another. A third chamber 22, which has twice the cross-sectional area of each chamber 21, i.e. is the same area of the two chambers 21 together, holds the second part 26 of the extrudable material. Typically, the first part 25 has greater viscosity than the second part 26 and so holding it in two chambers reduces its propensity to laterally protrude into the chamber 22 holding the second part 26.

[0061] Figure 4B illustrates a three chamber chub configuration, for holding a 2: 1 formulation ratio in which all the chambers 21, 22 have substantially the same cross-sectional area.

[0062] Figure 4C illustrates a four chamber chub configuration similar to that of Fig 3, but for holding a 3:1 formulation ratio. The four chambers all have substantially the same cross-sectional area. Three of the chambers hold the first component 25 and the fourth chamber holds the second component 26.

[0063] Figure 4D is a further variant four chamber chub configuration for holding a fractional formulation ratio, in this example 1.1 : 1. The two chambers 21 holding the first component 25 each have a cross-sectional area that is substantial the same as one another, but which is a larger than the cross-sectional area of the two chambers 22 that hold the second component 26 in order that the chub holds a greater volume of the first component 25 to second component 26. An example method of manufacturing the cartridge system of Figs 1-3 is described with reference to Figs 5A-5H.

[0064] Film material 30 (Fig 5A) from a roll (not shown), is unrolled and folded, e.g. over a forming shoulder, to create a pre-sealed tube 40 (Fig 5B). Longitudinal edges 41, 42 of the pre-sealed tube 40 are sealed together by use of heat sealing to form a first longitudinal heat seal 23 A, in this example a fin seal (although this could be a lap seal) to seal the tube 40 having a chamber 43, (Fig 5C). A further three longitudinal heat seals 23B, 23C and 23D are formed between opposite faces of the tube 40. Each of these further heat seals 23B, 23C and 23D are parallel with the first seal 23 A and spaced apart from the first seal 23A and each other to divide the main chamber 43 into four parallel longitudinal chambers 44A-D (Fig 5D).

[0065] The spacing between parallel heat seals 23 and the positioning of heat seal 23D determines the relative cross-sectional area, and thus volume of the chambers 44. For four equal sized chambers, as in this example, the heat seals are equally spaced apart. The arranging of Fig 4A can be achieved through using only three heat seals 23 A, 23B, 23D, positioning heat seal 23D closer to heat seal 23A and spacing heat seal 23B midway between heat-seals 23 A and 23D.

[0066] Unequal spacing between parallel heat seals 23 will provide chambers with differing relative cross-sectional sizes, and thus volumes, to enable the configuration of Fig 4D, for example. As best seen in Fig 5E, three of the chambers 44A, 44B, and 44C are defined by two walls 45 A, 45B, 45C and 46A, 46B, 46C of film material that extend between adjacent heat seals 23. Each wall 45A-C is made shorter than the other 46A-C to provide the offset arrangement illustrated in Fig 5E. The fourth chamber, 44D which lies on the side furthest from the first heat seal 23 A, is defined by a single wall of folded and / or curved film material 45D.

[0067] Each chamber 44 is filled with either the first or second component 25, 26 as required. Preferably the chambers 44 are filled simultaneously using a separate filling mandrel 47 for each chamber 44 (Fig 5F).

[0068] Where manufacture is carried out using a continuous form-fill seal process, the tube 40 and thus chambers 44 will be continuously filled. The filled tube portion 40 (Fig 5G) is then folded over, e.g. using a shaping tool, to bring the two outer chambers 44A 44D together to make a generally cylindrical shape (Fig 5H).

[0069] Voided regions are formed at regular spacing along the tube 40 using voiding rollers. One or more gather elements (e.g. plates) are used to gather the plastic film within the voided regions and pairs of crimps 24 are crimped over the gathered material. The gathered plastic material is then cut between the pairs of crimps 24 to form the finished chub 20. The chub 20 is then inserted into the second end of the housing 10 with one crimped end pulled through the outlet 12 prior to applying the cap 14. Following insertion of the chub 20, the piston 13 is inserted into the second end 10B of the casing 10. With reference back to Fig 5F, if produced using an intermittent operation form fill seal machine (or other method), a lateral seal (non-shown), typically a heat seal, is formed to close off one end of each chamber 44 prior to filling at the other end. The other end would then be sealed with a second lateral seal before carrying out the shaping process of Fig 5H. A neck region may be heat formed at one or both ends. As such the voiding and clipping process is not required.

[0070] It will be appreciated that other variations are possible, e.g. using more than four chambers, and different relative sizes of chamber.

Claims

Claims1. A container holding a two-part extrudable material, the container comprising and first and second chambers holding, and isolating from one another, respective first and second parts of the two part extrudable material; the first and second chambers comprised from a flexible film material and conjoined about adjacent longitudinal sides by a first longitudinal seal formed in the flexible film material; and characterised in the container comprising a third chamber conjoined to one of the first and second chambers by a second longitudinal seal; one of the first, second and third chambers holding a first part of the two part extrudable material and the other two chambers holding a second part of the two part extrudable material.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein the first longitudinal seal comprises a first longitudinal heat seal and second longitudinal seal comprises a second longitudinal heat seal.

3. A container according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the first and second chambers are arranged on opposite sides of the first longitudinal seal.

4. A container according to any claim 1-3 comprising a tube in which the three chambers are held; the tube having, about one end, a relatively narrow neck portion providing an outlet for the extrudable material being extruded out from the three chambers; the tube being relatively rigid compared with the flexible film material.

5. A container according to claim 4 wherein the first, second and third chambers are held within the tube folded in towards one another about a first fold line lying on and / or about the first longitudinal seal and a second fold line lying on and / or about the second longitudinal seal.

6. A container according to any previous claim wherein the first, second and third chambers are closed and held together at each end by sealing means.

7. A container according to claim 6 wherein the sealing means comprises one or more: rings and / or clips and / or lateral heat seals.

8. A container according to any previous claim further comprising a fourth chamber comprised from the flexible film material, the fourth chamber conjoined to one of the other three chambers by a third longitudinal seal; the fourth chamber holding one of the first or second parts of the two part extrudable material.

9. A container according to any previous claim wherein the two part extrudable material comprises a two-part adhesive material.

10. A container according to any previous claim wherein the first, second and third chambers are comprised from a flexible film sheet; the flexible film sheet having a first side and second side; the flexible film sheet folded over itself to provide a first sheet portion and second sheet portion, with the first side of eachsheet portion faces one another; the two sheet portions bonded together about the first sides by the two, parallel, longitudinal heat seals.

11. A method of manufacturing a multi-compartment container holding a two-part extrudable material, the method comprising: arranging two sheet portions of flexible film material face to face, bonding the two sheet portions together through forming multiple parallel seals lines between the two sheet portions to define three parallel compartments; filling two of the compartments with one component of the two part extrudable material and the other compartment with a second component of the two part extrudable material; folding the compartments towards one another about their seal lines; and sealing both ends of each compartment closed.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the two sheet portions are provided through folding a sheet of flexible film material.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein a first seal line of the multiple seal lines is formed to bond the two sheet portions to form a tube; then two further seal lines of the multiple seal lines are formed simultaneously to divide the tube to provide the three parallel compartments.

14. A method according to any claim 11-13, comprising of using three individual filling tubes to fill the three chambers substantially simultaneously.

15. A container for holding a two-part extrudable material, the container comprising three chambers each comprised from a flexible film material, one of the three chambers holding a first part of the two part extrudable material, each of the other two chambers holding a second part of the two part extrudable material; and wherein one of the three chambers has a different cross sectional area to the other two chambers.

16. A container for holding a two-part extrudable material, the container comprising three chambers each comprised from a flexible film material, one of the three chambers holding a first part of the two part extrudable material, each of the other two chambers holding a second part of the two part extrudable material; wherein the three chambers are comprised from a folded single sheet of the flexible film material.

17. A container for holding a two-part extrudable material according to claim 15 or 16, the container comprising a fourth chamber comprised from the flexible film material holding one of the first part or second part of the two part extrudable material.

18. A container according to any claims 15-17 comprising a relatively rigid tube housing the flexible chambers.

19. A container according to any claim 15-18 suitable for holding a two-part extrudable material in a 1 : 1 ratio.

20. A container for holding a two-part extrudable material comprising a first part and a second part in a 1 : 1 ratio, the container comprising a relatively rigid tube housing four flexible chambers, two of the four chambers holding the first part of the two part extrudable material, the other two chambers holding the second part of the two part extrudable material; the container comprising a relatively rigid tube housing the four flexible chambers.

21. A container according to any claim 15 - 20, wherein the two part extrudable material is an epoxy formulation.

22. A container according to any claim 15-21 wherein the first and second chambers conjoined together about adjacent longitudinal sides by a first longitudinal heat seal formed in the flexible film material, the second and third chambers conjoined together about adjacent longitudinal sides by a second longitudinal heat seal formed in the flexible film material.

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