Container

Abstract

A container 10 for a product, the container formed of a laminate material 12 folded as a container body having a first end 16, a second end (18, fig 2), and at least one side wall 20 connecting the fi

Description

The present invention relates to a container of folded laminate material for containing a product such as food. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Folded laminate packaging such as a Tetra Pak (RTM) carton has many advantages. For example, the laminate may be constructed to form aseptic containers which allow foods to stay fresher for longer. The laminate is relatively lightweight which minimises transport costs. Indicia can be printed onto the laminate material through various printing processes. A conventional Tetra Pak (RTM) carton is formed from a single sheet of laminate material, with two opposing edges connected together. Adjacent edges of the laminate container are then sealed at both the top and bottom of the container. This leaves a seal disposed at the top of the container. Excess material at the top is typically folded towards sides adjacent to the top face, whereas excess material at the bottom is folded towards the bottom of the container. A small opening is typically provided on the top face, offset from the top seal. The small opening is ideal for carefully pouring liquids such as milk and juices stored in the container. However, this type of container is not appropriate for storing solids, viscous liquids or powders. This is because they cannot be easily removed from the carton via the opening, hence why they are still sold in glass jars or plastic containers which can be formed open-topped. Glass jars and plastic containers are typically shipped empty from the manufacturer for subsequent filling, with a large volume per container thus resulting in a higher transport cost and a significant carbon footprint which is not environmentally sustainable. Glass jars in particular are relatively expensive to manufacture and heavy, which exacerbates the transport and environmental costs. It is an object of the present invention to reduce or substantially obviate the aforementioned problems. STATEMENT OF INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container as claimed in claim 1. Optional features are set out in the dependent claims. The arrangement in which the middle region (or a centre) of the aperture is disposed in a centre of the side wall, with the seal offset or disposed on an adjacent end wall, provides space to accommodate a large or wide aperture. This has particular application in the pre-formed bottle and jar packaging industry and the invention enables an important shift towards more useful and more sustainable packaging. A container according to the invention provides a lightweight, low logistical cost alternative to glass and plastic bottles, jars and containers. It has the added advantage of not shattering under impact, unlike glass and some plastic containers. The term “folded” may be interpreted to mean that the container is formed from a single and / or continuous piece of the laminate material, which has one or more folds. The container body may comprise any suitable number of folds. A given fold may be disposed between two adjacent walls of the container body, such that those walls meet at a distinct angle. The container may be considered to be a carton, particularly a re-closeable carton. The container may be used for any one or more of retort, aseptic, ambient or chilled applications. That is, for food storage in various scenarios. It will be appreciated that the container is not limited in any way solely to food container applications and it can be used for a variety of other container purposes as discussed further below. The first end wall may be considered to be opposite the second end wall. The aperture may have diameter which extends substantially across a majority of a width of its host side wall. The aperture is a wide neck aperture. The aperture is able to receive or permit entry of a utensil such as a spoon for removing the product or products. The aperture may be at least 3cm in both length and width (or diameter), for example. The aperture may around 4cm or 5cm in both length and width (or diameter), in other examples. The aperture may be around 6cm or 8cm or 10cm in both length and width (or diameter), in further examples. The apertured side wall has an external perimeter defining a side wall area (or enclosed area). That is, folds at the boundary of the sidewall may define the area of the side wall. The aperture covers an area which is at least 60% (or more) of the side wall area. The aperture area may be up to about 75% of the side wall area. That is, the area bounded by the side wall perimeter. The aperture is preferably as large as possible whilst fitting within the side wall area but without compromising overall structure of the sidewall. The laminate container with a wide aperture can be used instead of glass jars and wide neck glass bottles, for example. This allows the benefits of a laminate container to be realised for additional products where logistical, transportation and storage costs for the packaging are reduced. The container may be formed of a single piece of laminate material. The laminate material may provide a barrier to odour, oxygen, UV light, and moisture. The laminate material may comprise any combination of: one or more polymer or plastic layers such as polyethylene; one or more metal layers such as aluminium layers; one or more paperboard layers. The laminate material may be conventional Tetra Pak (RTM) laminate material, for example. The at least one seal may be formed or provided where different parts or edges of the laminate material are connected together (such as heat sealed or glued together by adhesive) to form the container body. The at least one seal may include overlapping portions of the laminate material. A first seal may be provided at or on the first end wall for sealing the folded laminate at the first end wall. A second seal may be provided at or on the second end wall for sealing the folded laminate at the second end wall. The seal(s) may be disposed on container faces which are adjacent to and / or on opposite sides of the apertured face. One or more folded tabs (or flaps) may be provided on or sealed to the first end wall. One or more folded tabs (or flaps) may be provided on or sealed to the second end wall. Each tab or flap may be substantially triangular in shape. At least one folded tab portion may be provided on or sealed to both of the first and second end walls. The folded tab portions may be formed of laminate material. The laminate material forming the folded tab portions may be considered excess portions of laminate material not used to form the walls defining the chamber of the container body. The folded tab portions may be formed by folding a substantially rectangular piece of laminate material into the container body. At least one edge seal may be formed substantially along overlapping edges of the laminate material. The edge seal may extend along a direction perpendicular to the first and second seal. The edge seal may be disposed on at least one side wall. The edge seal may be disposed substantially centrally on the side wall. The edge seal may be disposed offset from a centre of the side wall. At least four side walls may be provided. The container may be substantially cuboidal or prismatic. The container body may be a square-based substantially cuboidal container or a square prism container. The square base of the container may oppose the apertured side wall. The apertured side wall may have a square or rectangular perimeter. The container body may have a height to width ratio relative to the apertured side wall, the height to width ratio being substantially in the range of 2:1 to 1:2. The container may be at least half as tall as it is wide. The container may be up to twice as tall as it is wide. The height of the container may be taken along an axis which is parallel to a central axis of the aperture. The width of the container may be taken along an axis which is orthogonal to a central axis of the aperture. This can provide a relatively short I squat container. Put another way, the container can have a low centre of mass and be at relatively lower risk of being tipped over accidentally, if knocked. The container may have a minimum chamber volume of about 25 ml. The container may have a maximum chamber volume of about 5000 ml. The unit ml may instead be cm3. The chamber volume may have an integer value in the range 25 ml to 5000 ml, such as 50 ml, 75 ml, 100 ml, 125ml, 150 ml, 200 ml, 250 ml, 300 ml, 400 ml, 500 ml, 750 ml, 1000 ml, 1500 ml, 2000 ml, 2500 ml, 3000 ml, 3500 ml, 4000 ml, or 4500 ml, for example. The range of chamber volumes may be selected to have lower and upper limits which are each independently selected from any of the values mentioned herein. The container may comprise a plurality of side walls of the laminate material. Each of the plurality of side walls may connect the first and second end walls together. The aperture may be provided through the laminate material of one of the plurality of side walls. At least one side wall may be formed of a continuous uninterrupted portion of the folded laminate. That is to say the folded laminate material may extend continuously in a single plane without interruption by the at least one seal. The aperture may be disposed through the continuous portion of the folded laminate of the side wall. Absence of the seal on that side wall can provide space to accommodate a larger aperture such as the wide neck aperture. Put another way, the apertured side of the container may lack a seal where two different portions of the laminate material are sealed to each other. Where at least four side walls are provided, at least two side walls or at least three side walls may not comprise a seal. One side wall may comprise a seal or edge seal. The edge seal may be formed along a longitudinal side of the container. The aperture may be disposed through a planar portion of the folded laminate material. Indicia such as branding and / or images of container contents / product (such as food or tablets) may be printed or otherwise provided on the laminate material. Indicia may be provided on one or both of the first and second end walls. Indicia may be provided on one, some or all of the side walls. Indicia may be provided on the at least one folded tab portion, where provided. Indicia provided on the at least one folded tab portion may align with corresponding indicia provided on at least one of the respective end walls for providing any of continuous image(s), logo(s) or letter(s), for example. Where a folded tab is disposed over indicia on one of the first and second end walls, indicia on the folded tab may be substantially the same as the concealed or covered indicia on the first or second end wall. Aligning the indicia provided on the folded tab(s) with the indicia on the respective end wall(s) allows indicia across the folded tab(s) and respective end wall(s) to form a substantially continuous appearance to the indicia. This provides a more aesthetically pleasing container. The aperture may be sealed by a metal foil lid or metal foil laminate. For example the metal foil may be aluminium. The metal foil lid may be preferred for aseptic packaging applications. The metal foil lid may prevent ingress of one or more of moisture, light, oxygen and bacteria. The aperture may be re-closeable or substantially re-sealable by a closure or cap. For example, the closure may be a screw-threaded lid or push-fit lid. The closure may be made of metal such as aluminium. The closure may be made of plastic. The closure and the metal foil seal may both be provided as part of the container. Where a screw-threaded lid is used, a neck portion or lid receiving portion may be secured or sealed to the side wall for screwing the lid in place. Where a push-fit lid is used, the lid may substantially form a seal to the aperture rim by virtue of the push-fit connection. The push-fit lid may extend into the chamber to some extent. The closure or lid may be colour-matched to indicia on the container. This can assist in pairing or matching a correct lid to a container where there are multiple containers of similar size open at the same time, and may assist if there are multiple container of different size but which have equally-sized closures. This can avoid cross contamination of product between containers. The closure may be a childproof cap. A childproof cap may be preferred where the container contains medicinal and / or nutraceutical products. The closure may be provided in addition to the metal foil lid. The closure may allow the container to be substantially resealable for prolonging the shelf-life of the product in the container, e.g. after a metal seal (if provided) has been broken. The container may include or be used to package products such as fast-moving consumer goods. The product may include wet or dry goods. The product may include solid or semi-solid product (where a semi-solid product includes at least some solids or is a flowable solid, or contains some solid and some liquid portions). The product may include liquid. The products may include any one or more of the following: - A food or beverage such as any of mayonnaise, peanut butter, chocolate spread, nuts, baby food, coffee beans or coffee granules / powder, pasta sauce, mustard, jam, double cream, pickled food, flour, salt, microwaveable food, and confectionary; - A health and beauty product (or cosmetic product) such as any of baby formula, lotion, gel, cream, and powder or another solid; - A medicinal product such as a digestant (for digestive health), a plurality of capsules (or tablets / pills), oral medicine, and ointment; - A nutraceutical product such as a plurality of vitamin tablets, supplements, and protein powder. The container may be used to package a product such as any of: pet food, oil and / or grease, and industrial powder. The container or laminate material may be suitable for irradiation by microwaves for heating the product therein, (i.e. it may be a microwaveable container). For example, if the container contains microwaveable food or contents, then the laminate material and the closure should be made of microwave-safe materials. The container may be a chemical container for containing solid chemicals such as laboratory chemicals. The container chamber (or the surface(s) of the laminate material facing into the chamber) may be lined with an inert or passivating layer such as a polymer layer or metal layer, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or platinum, for example. It will be appreciated that other polymer(s) or metal(s) (or material) may be used to the extent that they are compatible for use with the product in the chamber. For example, the container may be suitable for containing an inedible chemical product or a household chemical. In some examples, the container may contain any of: washing powder, washing capsules, dishwasher capsules / tablets, or an industrial chemical. For example, soda crystals or another pipe-unblocking chemical could be provided. The container therefore provides a safer way to store household products, when compared to simple cardboard boxes that can be opened relatively easily by a child, whilst providing a more environmentally friendly option to conventional glass and plastic packaging. The container is preferred for use where the chemical product involved does not require specific protective packaging. For example, a spill absorbent, or garden fertiliser could be provided in the container. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a folded laminate container as set out in claim 16. Optional features are set out in the dependent claims. The advantages are similar to those discussed with respect to the first aspect of the invention. Folding the sheet of laminate material may include folding one or more portions of the sheet into a plurality of folded tabs. The laminate material may be pre-creased, or the method may include the step of providing creases or pre-folds in the laminate material. The aperture may be provided or formed through the laminate material prior to the folding step. The closure, or neck portion thereof, may be applied to the laminate material prior to the folding step. The laminate material may be folded into a tubular-type structure initially, followed by folding respective portions of the material into the end walls. An edge seal may be formed longitudinally by overlapping the material and sealing along the overlap. Sealing the laminate material in the form of the container may include sealing the folded portions at the end walls for preventing product spillage or leakage. Sealing the laminate material may include sealing some of the folded tabs to the container body at the first end wall. Sealing the laminate material may include sealing some of the folded tabs to the container body at the second end wall, opposite the first end wall. Any aspect of the invention may include any feature or features presented with respect to any other aspect of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first container according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a second container according to the present invention; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a third container according to the present invention; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a fourth container according to the present invention; and Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a fifth container according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring firstly to Figure 1, a container according to the present invention is generally indicated at 10. The container 10 may be used to hold a product such as viscous liquid or powder. The container is formed from a folded laminate material 12. The folded laminate material 12 defines a chamber for receiving a product. Whilst the container 10 is shown in partial view, it will be appreciated that the container 10 has six main faces which provide a substantially cuboidal body. The laminate material 12 provides a barrier against oxygen, moisture and UV from entering the container 10. A wide aperture (or wide neck aperture) 14 is provided. The wide neck aperture 14 is disposed through a top face of the container 10 in the orientation shown, as described below. The aperture 16 is substantially circular in this embodiment, although other shapes of aperture may be used in other embodiments. A first face is provided at a first end wall 16. The first face can be considered a leftside face of the container. A second face is provided at a second end wall (18, see Figures 2 to 5). The second face can be considered a right-side face. The second end wall 18 is disposed opposite to the first end wall 16. The second end wall 18 is substantially similar to the first end wall 16. A third face of the container 10 is provided at a first side wall 20. The third face can be considered a top face. The first side wall 20 is disposed adjacent to the first end wall 16 and the second end wall 18. The first side wall 20 connects or extends between the first end wall 16 and the second end wall 18. A fourth face of the container 10 is provided at a second side wall 22. The fourth face can be considered a bottom face. The second side wall 22 is disposed adjacent to the first end wall 16 and second end wall 18. The second side wall 22 is disposed opposite to the first side wall 20. A fifth face of the container 10 is provided at a third side wall 24. The fifth face can be considered a front face. The third side wall 24 is disposed adjacent to the first end wall 16 and second end wall 18. The third side wall 24 is disposed adjacent to the first side wall 20 and second side wall. A sixth face of the container 10 is provided at a fourth side wall (not shown). The sixth face can be considered a rear face. The fourth side wall is disposed adjacent to the first end wall 16 and second end wall 18. The fourth side wall is disposed adjacent to the first side wall 20 and second side wall 22. The fourth side wall is disposed opposite to the third side wall 24. In this embodiment, the container 10 is constructed from a single sheet of the laminate material 12. During manufacture, first and second opposing edges of the laminate material sheet are connected together. The first and second opposing edges are overlapped and are sealed together to form an overlap seal. The laminate sheet at that stage forms a tube-like structure with a substantially square crosssection. The laminate material 10 can be folded and sealed at either end of the tube structure to form the first end wall 16 and second end wall 18 respectively. The first end wall 16 has a first end wall seal 30. The second end wall 18 has a second end wall seal (36, see Figures 2 to 5). Folded tab portions 32 are provided on the first end wall 16 and the second end wall 18. The folded tab portions 32 in this embodiment are formed from excess material at the first and second end wall 18 as is conventional when constructing cuboidal containers from a substantially rectangular sheet of material. The folded tab portions 32 are folded onto the first end wall 16 and second end wall 18. The folded tab portions 32 are sealed to the first end wall 16 and second end wall 18. That is, the folded tab portions for the first end wall are disposed opposite the second end wall, and vice versa. The container 10 has three faces which are substantially free from seals 30 or folded tab portions 32. In this embodiment, the first side wall 20 (i.e. top face), second side wall 22 (i.e. bottom face), and third side wall 24 (i.e. front face) are substantially free from seals 30 or folded tab portions 28. In other words, these faces are formed of continuous, uninterrupted portions of the laminate material 12. The aperture 14 is provided through the first side wall 20. In other words, the aperture 14 is provided through the top face of the container 10. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments the aperture 14 may be disposed one or both of the second side wall 22 and the third side wall 24. In this embodiment, the aperture 14 is not disposed on a face comprising the overlap seal. Positioning the aperture 14 on a side wall 20 substantially free from seals or folded tabs 32 allows the aperture 14 to occupy a comparatively larger area of the container side without crossing a seal 20, which could adversely affect the seal and the closure means. The aperture 14 can be much larger than the aperture provided in conventional cartons. In this embodiment, the aperture 14 occupies approximately 50-60% of the total area of the first side wall 20. It will be appreciated that slightly smaller apertures (e.g. around 40% side wall area) may be provided in other embodiments, or that relatively larger apertures may be used in further embodiments. The aperture should be large enough to permit a utensil to be used to scoop or spoon out the product from the container, rather than by a ‘pouring’ motion. Larger apertures can be preferred for ease of doing so, and so that the occluded or ‘overhung’ region of the chamber (in the upper chamber corners) is more easily accessible, e.g. in some cases to minimise the amount of product left adhered to the chamber corner(s). The aperture 14 is closed by a closure 34. In this embodiment, the closure 34 is a screw cap. In other embodiments, alternative closures 34 may be provided. The closure 34 provides a means of opening and substantially resealing or re-closing the aperture 14. Referring now to Figures 2 to 5, the container 10 can be sized to accommodate or provide chambers of different relative shapes or sizes. Identical reference numerals will be used to refer to equivalent features across the embodiments. Referring to Figure 2, a second embodiment of the container according to the present invention is generally shown at 100. The container 100 is intended as a replacement container for a conventional pasta sauce jar. Hence, the surface indicia include images of tomatoes, which are substantially aligned across between the tabs and the walls. The closure is red to substantially match the indicia. In this embodiment, the container 100 could be sized to accommodate approximately 300 ml to 5 litres of product, for example. Referring to Figure 3, a third embodiment of container according to the present invention is generally shown at 200. The container 200 is intended as a replacement for a jam jar. Hence, the surface indicia include images of strawberries, which are substantially aligned across between the tabs and the walls. The closure is red to substantially match the indicia. In this embodiment, the container 200 could be sized to accommodate approximately 100 ml to 700 ml of product. Referring to Figure 4, a fourth embodiment of container according to the present invention is generally shown at 300. The container 300 is intended as a replacement container for ground coffee packaging or coffee granule / bean container. Hence, the surface indicia include images of coffee beans, the images being substantially aligned across between the tabs and the walls. The closure is brown to substantially match the indicia. In this embodiment, the container 300 could be sized to accommodate approximately 200 ml to 1000 ml of product. Referring to Figure 5, a fifth embodiment of container according to the present invention is generally shown at 400. The container 400 is a replacement for a pharmaceutical or nutraceutical bottle. Hence, the surface indicia include images of tablets or capsules, the images being substantially aligned across between the tabs and the walls. The closure is beige or tan to substantially match the indicia. In this embodiment, the container 400 could be sized to accommodate approximately 25 ml to 150 ml of product. In the embodiments of Figures 2 to 5, indicia 40 are provided on the exterior or outward-facing surfaces of the laminate material 12. The indicia 40 give an indication of the product stored in the container 100, 200, 300, 400. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments the indica 40 may include branding material and / or textual information about the product, for example. The indicia may provide partial container surface coverage or may fully cover the container body. In these embodiments, each of the closures 36 are colour-coded to indicia 40. This facilitates identification of the product in the container 100, 200, 300, 400. As can be seen most clearly in Figure 2, the indicia 40 are provided on the folded tabs 32 as well as the main container body. The indicia 40 on the folded tabs 32 align with corresponding indicia 40 disposed on the second end wall 18. The alignment of the indica 40 on the folded tabs 32 and second end wall 18 produces a consistent image across the right-side face of the container 100. In other words, a full image can be displayed on the right-side face despite the folded tabs 32 covering portions of the second end wall 18. The embodiments described above are provided by way of example only, and various changes and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A container for a product, the container formed of a laminate material folded as a container body having a first end wall of the laminate material, a second end wall of the laminate material, and at least one side wall of the laminate material connecting the first and second end walls together, in which the first end wall, the second end wall and the at least one side wall define a chamber for holding the product, in which an aperture is provided through the laminate material of the at least one side wall, a middle of the aperture being disposed on a first central plane of the container and also on a second central plane of the container, the second central plane being orthogonal to the first central plane, and the container body including at least one seal for sealing the folded laminate material as the container body, the at least one seal being: a) disposed on the first end wall or the second end wall, or b) on the at least one side wall and offset from the aperture, in which the apertured side wall has an external perimeter defining a side wall area, and the aperture is a wide aperture or wide-neck aperture for accepting a utensil for removing the product or products, the wide aperture or wide-neck aperture having an area which is at least 60% of the side wall area.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1, in which the at least one seal includes a first seal for sealing the folded laminate is provided on the first end wall and a second seal for sealing the folded laminate is provided on the second end wall.

3. A container as claimed in claim 2, in which at least one folded tab portion is provided on or sealed to at least one of the first and second end walls.

4. A container as claimed in claim 3, in which the at least one folded tab portion includes a first folded tab portion on the first end wall and at least one second folded tab portion is provided on the second end wall.

5. A container as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, in which one or more indicia are provided on the at least one folded tab portion, and similar indicia are provided on the first end wall and / or on the second end wall, the one or more indicia on the at least one folded tab portion being aligned with the similar indicia on one or both of the first and second end walls for providing asubstantially continuous appearance to the indicia across the tab portion(s) and wall(s).

6. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the features of (a) are provided, and the at least one side wall is formed of a continuous portion of the folded laminate material extending continuously in a single plane without interruption by the at least one seal.

7. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the aperture is disposed through a planar portion of the folded laminate material.

8. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the container body is a square-based substantially cuboidal container or a square prism container.

9. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the container body has a height to width ratio relative to the apertured side wall, the height to width ratio being substantially in the range 2:1 to 1:2.

10. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, in which four side walls are provided and at least three of those side walls do not comprise a seal.

11. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the aperture is sealed by a metal foil lid.

12. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the aperture is sealed by a closure or cap.

13. A container as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, when dependent on claim 5, in which the closure or lid is colour-matched to the indicia.

14. A container as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13 when dependent on claim 12, in which the closure is a screw threaded lid.

15. A container as claimed in claim 12 or 13 when dependent on claim 12, in which the closure is a push-fit lid.

16. A method of manufacturing a folded laminate container, comprising the steps of:i. folding a sheet of laminate material into a container body which has a first end wall, a second end wall, and at least one side wall connecting the first and second end walls together, a chamber in the container body beingdefined by the first end wall, the second end wall and the at least one side wall, and an aperture being provided through the laminate material of the at least one side wall, in which a middle of the aperture is disposed on a first central plane of the container body and also on a second central plane of the container body which is orthogonal to the first central plane, the apertured side wall having an external perimeter defining a side wall area, and the aperture being a wide aperture or wide-neck aperture for accepting a utensil for removing the product or products, the wide aperture or wide-neck aperture having an area which is at least 60% of the side wall area;ii. sealing the laminate material in the shape of the container body so that the chamber is suitable for retaining a product, including at least one seal: a) on the at least one side wall and offset from the aperture, or b) disposed on the first end wall or the second end wall.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, in which folding the sheet of laminate material includes folding one or more portions of the sheet into a plurality of folded tabs, and sealing the laminate material includes sealing some of the folded tabs to the container body at the first end wall and also sealing some of the folded tabs to the container body at the second end wall, opposite the first end wall.

Images