An insert for a fibre bottle or fibre container

Abstract

An insert 10 adapted to be fitted to an open end or rim of a container 20, the insert comprising a flange element including an inner sleeve portion 18 adapted to be inserted into the open end, and an outer sleeve portion 14 adapted to externally surround the rim including an external thread to form a seal. The insert may be circular, have a U-shaped, V-shaped or Y-shaped cross section and the inner and outer sleeve portions may be parallel. The insert may be formed from an organic material, pulp of fibre, plastic or metal. The insert may be fitted by a press or interference fit, an adhesive 16 on the inner surface 13 of the insert or by teeth provided on the outer and / or inner sleeve portion which grip the rim. The insert may be used to attach a metal screw cap to a biodegradable bottle or container formed from fibre. Also provided is a method of manufacturing a fibre bottle or container comprising fitting the insert into the rim or open end and bonding it thereto.

Description

Field This invention relates to an insert for a fibre bottle or a fibre container. Background Containers, especially bottles that contain liquids (such as detergent and fabric softener) or other containers that contain dry materials (such as tablets, supplements, powders or dried food) often have a screw cap in order to ensure they remain airtight and to improve the shelf life of their contents. This is important for retailers such as supermarkets as well as consumers. Increasingly there is a trend towards low ‘carbon footprint’ policies in manufacturing, commerce, and hospitality and this applies especially to biodegradable packaging. Collectively these attributes or features are sometimes referred to as ‘environmentally friendly’ packaging. A relatively new type of biodegradable container is formed from a compressed natural fibre, such as hemp, bamboo, bagasse, pineapple and straw for foodstuffs as well as recycled paper and wood pulp for packaging or boxes containing non-edible products, such as absorbent materials which are used in cat litter for example or liquids. A problem with such biodegradable containers, when used as bottles (for liquids or smaller items such as pills) or when used as larger receptacles, such as jars (for containing loose items such as confectionary) has been that it has been difficult to attach conventional tops, lids or caps to them. This is because the tops. Lids or caps cannot be easily and consistently connected to the fibre containers. Consequently, despite legislative incentives in many jurisdictions to adopt more sustainable use of recyclable materials and ‘environmentally friendly’ packaging and processes, and in part due to proven advantages of existing synthetic plastics containers, there has been little effort to promote the use of biodegradable containers. One aim of the invention is to provide an insert for a biodegradable container to enable it to be used with a conventional metal cap or lid. Another aim is to provide a means for connecting lids and caps to biodegradable containers, such as those formed from natural fibres, fibrous or woven natural materials. Another aim is to provide a means to connect a metal lid by way of a metal insert to a biodegradable container to improve the separation of these constituent container parts during recycling and material recovery processes. A further aim it to provide an insert which can be fitted quickly to a biodegradable container without substantial modifications to existing production and food container filling lines. Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an insert adapted to be fitted to an open end or rim of a container, the insert comprising a flange element including an inner sleeve portion, adapted to be inserted into the open end of a container, and an outer sleeve portion adapted to externally surround the rim of the container, wherein the outer sleeve portion includes an external thread to form a seal. The insert is ideally circular. In some embodiments the inner sleeve portion is tapering so as to have a conical internal neck which extends into the open end or neck of the container. In some embodiments the insert has a U-shaped, V-shaped, or Y-shaped cross section which define an outer surface, which lies outside the container; and an inner surface which, when the insert is fitted lies outside the container. Preferably the inner surface extends as a continuous band around the rim of the container. Optionally the insert has an adhesive layer or coating on one or more of its surface portions, preferably on its inner surface. The adhesive may be heat and / or pressure activated. As an alternative, or in addition to the aforementioned adhesive, the insert may have crimped portions or teeth or tangs which engage with the neck or opening of the container. These teeth or raised portions or tangs are provided on an outer and / or an inner sleeve portion and when deployed grip inner and / or outer regions of the neck and rim of the container. In some embodiments the insert may be formed from an organic material, pulp of fibre or a synthetic plastics material. Ideally the inner sleeve portion and out sleeve portion are generally parallel and / or are joined at (distal) at the joining end to form the U-shaped, V-shaped or Y-shaped junction. A threaded or threaded portion is provided or formed integrally with the insert and present on an outer surface thereof thereby enabling a screw threaded cap, lid or top to be screwed thereon. It will be appreciated that the outer threads on the insert receive and connect the cap or closure to hold the lid in place. The insert may have a neck ring or other device connected thereto or formed therewith which bonds the cap or lid to define a tamper evident device. The container may be a bottle with a narrow neck or a container in the shape of jar, with a relatively wide mouth, and the container may be sold with the insert fitted thereto in readiness for filling on a production line. Alternatively, the container, bottle or container in the shape of jar may be filled and then fitted with the insert as hereindescribed. When the container is fitted with the insert and the insert may be press fitted or interference fitted to the container and / or bonded thereto with adhesive. The insert may be pre-formed or formed in-situ over the rim of the bottle or container such that the inner sleeve contacts the inner surface of the rim of the container and the outer sleeve surrounding the exterior rim of the container. The bottle or container is adapted to receive the insert into the rim thereof, wherein the bottle or container is formed from an organic material, pulp of fibre. The bottle or container may be supplied separately or as a finished item including a screw cap with an internal thread threaded portion thereon onto and / or interfacing with the external thread on the outer sleeve portion of the insert, preferably to form a seal. According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a fibre bottle or fibre container comprising the steps of: fitting an insert as hereindescribed into the rim or open end of a bottle or container and bonding it thereto. The method optionally includes a step of interference fitting or press fitting the insert into the rim or open end of the bottle or container. The insert may also be fitted into rim or open-end using an adhesive. The method may include screwing on a cap or lid (with an internal thread) onto the external thread of the insert to seal ore close the container. Advantages of the invention are that it enables a conventional threaded metal cap to be used to close the biodegradable container and thus no modification of existing production and food container filling lines is required. The invention will now be described, by way of examples only, and with reference to the following Figures in which: Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 shows an overall diagrammatical view of one embodiment of an insert to be fitted to a neck of a container, such as a bottle, which is formed from a biodegradable material; Figure 2 shows a diagrammatical section through the insert of Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows an overall view of the container with the insert heat sealed and fitted thereto. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiment of the Invention Figure 1 shows an example of an insert 10 which is formed from metal, such as tin coated steel or aluminium. The insert 10 is circular and has a U-shaped cross-section (Figure 2) and is adapted to be fitted to an open end or rim of a container, such as a bottle 20. The insert 10 shown Figure 3, comprises an internal flange element which includes an inner sleeve portion 20, adapted to be inserted into the open end of the container 20. An outer sleeve portion 14 is adapted to externally surround the rim of the container and has a portion which includes an external thread or threaded portion 20 formed thereon which is sized and dimensioned to receive a cap (not shown) with an internal threaded portion (not shown). The insert 10 may be punched from a thin metal sheet of steel or aluminium whose thickness between 0.2 mm and 0.3 mm and preferably between 0.02 mm and 0.04 mm. Aluminium tends to be 0.28 mm gauge and tinplate tends to be around 0.21 mm thick. Inner surface 13 see view of the inert 10 (Figure 2) is adapted to surround an inner upper portion of neck of the container 20. An adhesive layer or coating 16 is applied on one or more of interior surface portions of the insert 10 within the U-shaped profile and when the adhesive is activated it bonds the insert 10 to the container 20. The invention therefore permits both heat and compression adhesion of the insert 10 to the container 20. It will be appreciated that variation to the aforementioned embodiment may be made without departing from the scope of protection as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. An insert adapted to be fitted to an open end or rim of a container, the insert comprising a flange element including an inner sleeve portion, adapted to be inserted into the open end of a container, and an outer sleeve portion adapted to externally surround the rim of the container, wherein the outer sleeve portion includes an external thread to form a seal.

2. An insert according to claim 1 which is circular.

3. An insert according to claim 1 or 2 where the insert has a U-shaped, V-shapedor Y-shaped cross section, forming an outer surface and an inner surface.

4. An insert according to claims 1 to 3 wherein the inner surface is adapted to surround the rim of the container.

5. An insert according to claims 1 to 4 including an adhesive layer or coating on one or more of its surface portions, preferably on an inner surface.

6. An insert according to any of claims 1 to 5 wherein the insert is formed from an organic material, pulp of fibre or a synthetic plastics material.

7. An insert according to claims 1 to 5 wherein the inner sleeve portion and out sleeve portions are generally parallel and / or are joined at (distal) at the joining end to form a U, V or Y shaped junction.

8. An insert according to any preceding claim wherein teeth or raised portions or tangs are provided on an outer and / or an inner sleeve portion and when deployed grip inner and outer regions of the rim of the container.

9. An insert according to any preceding claim wherein the insert is press or interference fitted to the container and / or fitted thereto with adhesive.

10. An insert according to any preceding claim wherein the insert is formed over the rim of the bottle such that the inner sleeve contacts the inner surface of the rim of the container and the outer sleeve surrounding the exterior rim of the container.

11. An insert according to any preceding claim wherein the insert is fitted into rim or open-end using an adhesive.

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