Multiple-container and manufacturing method for the same

Abstract

To provide a multiple-container that includes a plurality of containers with handles with improved barrier properties, and that can reduce an amount of processing remaining material generated during manufacturing.SOLUTION: A multiple-container 1 comprises a container body 2, a flange part 3, and a handle part 4, and includes a plurality of containers 11 and 12 with handles in which a dimension of the container body 2 in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction which is a longitudinal direction of the handle part 4 are greater than a dimension of the handle part 4 in the same direction, and all of the containers 11 and 12 with handles are lined up in the second direction, and the container bodies 2 of adjacent containers 11 and 12 with handles are arranged so as to face the opposite side of the first direction, and are separably connected via a connection part 13. A peripheral wall, a bottom wall, the flange part 3 and the handle part 4 of the container body 2 of each of the containers 11 and 12 with handles are formed of a laminated material comprising a barrier layer made of metal foil, a base layer provided on one side of the barrier layer, and a heat-sealable resin layer provided on the other side of the barrier layer and covering an upper surface of the flange part 3 and an inner surface of the container body 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a multiple container used for packaging fluid contents such as pet food and baby food, and a method for manufacturing the multiple container.

[0002] In this specification and claims, except for the description of FIG. 5, the top and bottom of FIG. 2 will be referred to as the top and bottom.

[0003] In this specification, the term "aluminum" includes aluminum alloys as well as pure aluminum. [Background technology]

[0004] Pet food treats are used as a communication tool with pets, and one of their attractions is that owners can feed their pets directly from their hands. However, while dry, solid food in stick form does not get hands dirty, the popular semi-solid (fluid) food that contains a lot of moisture does get hands dirty. Therefore, owners have to transfer the food to a separate feeding container, or use a slider to squeeze the pet food from the stick-shaped multi-layer film packaging out of the packaging and feed it directly to their pet. However, even in this case, the contents can get on their hands when squeezing, or if they squeeze out more than necessary, the contents can drop on the floor and make a mess.

[0005] Thus, a package described in Patent Document 1 is known as a package that allows pets to be fed directly with one hand without having to squeeze the contents out of a separate feeding container or sealed bag. The package described in Patent Document 1 is a package that includes a container body made of peripheral and bottom walls and having an opening surrounded by the upper end of the peripheral wall, an outward-facing flange provided at the upper end of the peripheral wall, and a handle provided on a portion of the flange in a circumferential direction so as to protrude outward. The dimensions of the container body in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction that is the longitudinal direction of the handle are larger than the dimensions of the handle. The opening of the container body of the handled container is closed with a lid that is heat-sealed to the upper surface of the flange (see Patent Document 1). The handled container of this package is made by subjecting a synthetic resin sheet to pressure forming or vacuum forming.

[0006] The handle-equipped container used in the package described in Patent Document 1 is manufactured by, for example, a method employing the method described in Patent Document 2. Specifically, a strip-shaped material made of aluminum foil coated with a thermoplastic resin and having a certain length and width is cut into blank sections spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped material. The blank sections are made of a first section forming the container body, a second section surrounding the first section and forming a flange, and a third section connected to a portion of the periphery of the second section and forming the handle. The blank sections are then pressed to form the container body, which is made up of a peripheral wall and a bottom wall. The blank is then trimmed to punch out handle-equipped containers, leaving a flange at the top end of the peripheral wall of the container body and a handle protruding outward from a portion of the flange in the circumferential direction. In this manner, multiple handle-equipped containers are manufactured. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-151878 [Patent Document 2] Jikko No. 43-9432 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, because the handled container described in Patent Document 1 is made of resin, there is a problem that the barrier properties that protect the contents from gas, water vapor, light, etc. are insufficient, resulting in insufficient shelf life for the contents. Furthermore, there is a problem that the handle is not strong enough, resulting in deformation or breakage of the handle. Furthermore, in the case of a package that allows pet food to be fed directly to a pet by an owner's hand, the capacity of the container body of the handled container is relatively small, so multiple packages are often placed together in a bag or box for handling, but because all the packages are separate, handling is relatively difficult.

[0009] Furthermore, when manufacturing handled containers using the method described in Patent Document 2, there is a problem in that the amount of processing residue after punching out the handled containers from the strip-shaped material is relatively large, resulting in poor material yield.

[0010] In view of the above-mentioned situation, the present invention aims to provide a multi-container and a method for manufacturing a multi-container that has multiple handle-equipped containers with improved barrier properties and that can reduce the amount of processing waste material generated during manufacturing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises the following aspects.

[0012] 1) A plurality of handled containers are arranged in the second direction, each of which is made up of a container body consisting of a peripheral wall and a bottom wall, and which has an opening surrounded by the upper end of the peripheral wall, an outward flange provided at the upper end of the peripheral wall, and a handle provided at a portion of the flange in the circumferential direction and extending outward, and in which the dimension of the container body in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the handle, is larger than the dimension of the handle in the second direction, and the container bodies of adjacent handled containers are arranged so as to face the opposite side of the first direction and are separably connected together via a connecting portion; A multi-container in which the peripheral wall, bottom wall, flange and handle of the container body of each handled container are integrally formed, and which is equipped with a barrier layer made of metal foil, a base layer including a synthetic resin layer provided on one side of the barrier layer, and a heat-sealable resin layer provided on the other side of the barrier layer and covering the upper surface of the flange and the inner surface of the container body.

[0013] 2) A multi-container according to 1) above, in which first handled containers whose container bodies face one side of the first direction and second handled containers whose container bodies face the other side of the first direction are arranged alternately, and both ends of all first handled containers and both ends of all second handled containers, the centers of all first handled containers as viewed from a plane on the container bodies, and the centers of all second handled containers as viewed from a plane on the container bodies are each located on the same straight line.

[0014] 3) A multi-container as described in 2) above, in which adjacent first and second handled containers are arranged at a distance from each other, and a connecting portion is formed so as to span between the adjacent first and second handled containers.

[0015] 4) A multi-container as described in 3) above, in which adjacent first and second handled containers are detachably connected via at least one connecting part located on a straight line connecting the center of the container body of the first handled container as viewed from a plane and the center of the container body of the second handled container as viewed from a plane.

[0016] 5) A multi-container as described in 3) above, in which adjacent first and second handled containers are detachably connected via at least two connecting parts spaced apart from each other so as to be located on a straight line on which the centers of all of the first handled containers, as viewed from a plane in the container body, and on a straight line on which the centers of all of the second handled containers, as viewed from a plane in the container body, are located.

[0017] 6) A multi-container as described in 5) above, in which adjacent first and second handled containers are detachably connected via three connecting parts spaced apart from each other so as to be located on a line on which the centers of all the first handled containers as viewed from a plane in the container body are located, on a line on which the centers of all the second handled containers as viewed from a plane in the container body are located, and on a line connecting the center of the first handled container as viewed from a plane in the container body and the center of the second handled container as viewed from a plane in the container body.

[0018] 7) A multi-container as described in 2) above, in which a slit is formed between adjacent first and second handled containers, leaving a remaining portion of a certain length, in the area sandwiched between a straight line on which the centers of all first handled containers, as viewed from a plane, are located, and a straight line on which the centers of all second handled containers, as viewed from a plane, are located, and the remaining portion serves as a connecting portion, and the connecting portion is located on a straight line connecting the center of the first handled container, as viewed from a plane, of the container body of two adjacent handled containers, and the center of the second handled container, as viewed from a plane.

[0019] 8) A multi-container as described in 2) above, in which a notch is formed in the portion of the base material layer and the heat-sealable resin layer between adjacent first and second handled containers in the range sandwiched between a straight line on which the centers of all first handled containers are located when viewed from a plane in the container body and a straight line on which the centers of all second handled containers are located when viewed from a plane in the container body, and the portion where the notch is formed serves as a connecting portion.

[0020] 9) A method for producing a multiple container according to any one of 1) to 8) above, a material made of a laminated material including a barrier layer made of a metal foil, a base layer including a synthetic resin layer provided on one side of the barrier layer, and a heat-sealable resin layer provided on the other side of the barrier layer, is subjected to a protruding process so as to protrude on the side opposite to the heat-sealable resin layer, thereby forming a plurality of container bodies in the material, each of which is made of a peripheral wall portion and a bottom wall portion and has an opening surrounded by an upper end of the peripheral wall portion, and the inner surfaces of the peripheral wall portion and the bottom wall portion are covered with the heat-sealable resin layer; and forming a plurality of handled containers having an outward flange at the upper end of the peripheral wall of the container body and a handle protruding outward from a portion of the flange in the circumferential direction by trimming the material, and arranging the plurality of handled containers in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction which is the longitudinal direction of the handle, and arranging the container bodies of adjacent handled containers so that they face the opposite side of the first direction, thereby forming a multiple-connected structure in which two adjacent handled containers are separably connected to each other via a connecting portion; A method for manufacturing a multiple container, comprising:

[0021] 10) A method for manufacturing a multi-piece container according to 9) above, in which a fixed mold and a movable mold having cutting blades are prepared, and while the fixed mold supports the heat-sealable resin layer surface of the bottom wall portion of the container body in the material from which the container body is formed, the movable mold is moved toward the fixed mold from the opposite side of the heat-sealable resin layer, and the material is pushed through by the cutting blades of the fixed mold and movable mold to perform trimming.

[0022] 11) A method for manufacturing a multi-piece container described in any of 3) to 6) above, wherein during trimming processing, a gap is formed between adjacent first and second handled containers, and a connecting portion is formed so as to span the space between adjacent first and second handled containers.

[0023] 12) A method for manufacturing a multi-piece container as described in 7) above, wherein during trimming, a slit is formed between adjacent first and second handled containers, leaving a certain length of remaining portion, in the area sandwiched between a straight line on which the centers of the container bodies of all first handled containers are located when viewed from a plane and a straight line on which the centers of the container bodies of all second handled containers are located when viewed from a plane, and the remaining portion is made into a connecting portion located on a straight line connecting the center of the container body of the first handled container and the center of the container body of the second handled container when viewed from a plane, of two adjacent handled containers.

[0024] 13) A method for producing a multi-piece container as described in 8) above, wherein during trimming, a notch is formed in the base material layer and the heat-sealable resin layer in the portion between adjacent first-handled containers and second-handled containers in the range sandwiched between a straight line on which the centers of the container bodies of all first-handled containers are located when viewed from a plane and a straight line on which the centers of the container bodies of all second-handled containers are located when viewed from a plane, and the portion where the notch is formed is used as a connecting portion.

[0025] 14) A multi-container package in which contents are placed in the container body of each of the handled containers of the multi-container described in any of 1) to 7) above, the openings of the container bodies of all the handled containers are closed by a single lid material heat-sealed across the top surface of the flange portion, and the lid material can be separated for each adjacent handled container.

[0026] 15) A multi-container package in which contents are placed in the container body of each handled container of the multi-container described in 8) above, and the opening of the container body of each handled container is closed by a lid material of a shape corresponding to each handled container that is heat-sealed to the top surface of the flange portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] The container body and handle of the multiple container with handle described above in 1) to 8) are provided with a barrier layer made of metal foil, which improves the barrier properties that protect the contents from gas, water vapor, light, etc., and ensures sufficient shelf life for the contents. In addition, the barrier layer made of metal foil serves as a framework, and a base layer containing a synthetic resin layer is formed on one side of it, and a heat-sealable resin layer is formed on the other side, which increases the strength of the handle, preventing deformation and breakage, and ensuring corrosion resistance.

[0028] Furthermore, the multi-piece containers 1) to 8) above are arranged in multiple rows in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the handle portion, and the container bodies of adjacent handled containers are arranged facing in the opposite direction to the first direction, so that two adjacent handled containers are separably connected.Therefore, the amount of processing waste material generated when molding the multi-piece container is less than when multiple containers are manufactured using the method described in Patent Document 2, and material yield is improved.

[0029] Moreover, in the case of the multiple packages of 14) and 15) above using the multiple containers of 1) to 8) above, multiple packages containing pet food, etc. can be handled together, improving handleability. Furthermore, in the case of packages using the multiple containers of 3) to 8) above, no tools such as scissors are required to separate a package having a first handled container from an adjacent package having a second handled container.

[0030] According to the multi-container of 2) above, first handled containers whose container bodies face in one direction of the first direction and second handled containers whose container bodies face in the other direction of the first direction are arranged alternately, and both ends of all first handled containers and both ends of all second handled containers, the centers of the container bodies of all first handled containers as viewed from a plane, and the centers of the container bodies of all second handled containers as viewed from a plane are all located on the same straight line, so the amount of processing waste material generated when molding the multi-container is reliably less than when multiple containers are manufactured using the method described in Patent Document 2, further improving material yield.

[0031] In the case of a package using the above-mentioned 3) to 8) multiple containers, when the first handled container is separated from the adjacent second handled container and the lid material is separated, and the pet food contained in the container body is directly fed to the pet by holding the handle, the discomfort felt by the fingers, etc. is reduced.

[0032] According to the multi-connected containers of 5) and 6) above, adjacent first and second handle-equipped containers are stably connected, making it easier to maintain their posture and facilitating handling of the multi-connected containers and the multi-connected packaging bodies of 14) and 15) above using the multi-connected containers.

[0033] According to the method for manufacturing a multiple container of the above 9), wrinkles are less likely to occur in the flanges and handles of each of the handled containers of the manufactured multiple containers.

[0034] In addition, a method for manufacturing a multiple container using a method including bulging processing includes: applying bulging processing to a raw material made of a laminated material comprising a barrier layer made of metal foil, a base layer including a synthetic resin layer provided on one side of the barrier layer, and a heat-sealable resin layer provided on the other side of the barrier layer, so that the bulging processing extends toward the opposite side of the heat-sealable resin layer, thereby forming a plurality of container bodies in the raw material, each of which has a peripheral wall portion and a bottom wall portion and has an enclosed opening at the upper end of the peripheral wall portion, and the inner surfaces of the peripheral wall portion and the bottom wall portion are covered with the heat-sealable resin layer; and applying a trimming process to the raw material, so that a plurality of handled containers are formed, each of which has an outward flange portion at the upper end of the peripheral wall portion of the container body and a handle portion protruding outward from part of the circumferential direction of the flange portion, and the plurality of handled containers are lined up in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the handle portion, and the container bodies of adjacent handled containers are arranged so that they face opposite the first direction, thereby forming a multiple container in which two adjacent handled containers are separably connected to each other via a connecting portion. During the stretching process, the parts of the strip-shaped material that form the flange and the parts that form the handle are pressed from above and below, and the part that will become the container body is stretched using a punch.Therefore, the thickness of the flange and handle of each handle-equipped container of the manufactured multi-piece container is almost the same as the thickness of the original strip-shaped material, but the thickness of the peripheral wall and bottom wall of the container body is thinner than the thickness of the original strip-shaped material.

[0035] In the case of a package using a multi-container manufactured by the multi-container manufacturing method described above in 11) to 13), no tools such as scissors are required to separate a package having a first handled container from an adjacent package having a second handled container.

[0036] Furthermore, in the case of a package using a multi-container manufactured by the multi-container manufacturing method of 11) to 13) above, when the package having the first handled container is separated from the adjacent package having the second handled container, the lid material is peeled off, and the pet food contained in the container body is directly fed to the pet by holding the handle portion, discomfort to the fingers, etc. is reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0037] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of a multiple container according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a laminated material used to manufacture the multiple container of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a plan view showing some steps in the method for manufacturing the multiple container of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a step different from that shown in FIG. 4 in the method for producing the multiple container of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 2 is a plan view showing a package having the multiple container of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a second embodiment of a multiple container according to the present invention. [Figure 8] 8 is a plan view showing a package having the multiple container of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a third embodiment of a multiple container according to the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 9. [Figure 11] 10 is a plan view showing a package having the multiple container of FIG. 9. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

[0039] In the following description, the same objects and parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings.

[0040] Figures 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of a multiple container according to the present invention, and Figure 3 shows a laminated material used to manufacture the multiple container of Figures 1 and 2. Figures 4 and 5 show some steps in a method for manufacturing the multiple container of Figures 1 and 2, and Figure 6 shows a package having the multiple container of Figures 1 and 2. In Figure 2, the ratios of the thickness of the peripheral wall, bottom wall, flange, and handle of the container body to the length and width of the handle are exaggerated for clarity.

[0041] In Figures 1 and 2, the multiple container (1) is a container body (2) consisting of a peripheral wall portion (21) and a bottom wall portion (22) and having an opening (23) surrounded by the upper end of the peripheral wall portion (21), and a plurality of handled containers (11) (12) consisting of an outward flange portion (3) provided at the upper end of the peripheral wall portion (21) and a handle portion (4) provided at a portion of the circumferential direction of the flange portion (3) and extending outward, which are separably connected via connecting portions (13).

[0042] The peripheral wall (21) and bottom wall (22) of the container body (2) of each of the handled containers (11) and (12), the flange (3), and the handle (4) are integrally formed. The opening (23), bottom wall (22), and flange (3) of the container body (2) have circular outer shapes in a plan view. The peripheral wall (21) of the container body (2) gradually tapers downward, and the lower end of the peripheral wall (21) is connected to the bottom wall (22) via a connecting portion (24) that protrudes outward and has an arc-shaped cross section (partially cylindrical). Furthermore, a curve is formed between the inner surface of the peripheral wall (21) and the upper surface of the flange (3), and between the outer surface of the peripheral wall (21) and the lower surface of the flange (3).

[0043] Here, the longitudinal direction of the handle portion (4) of the handled containers (11) and (12) (the left-right direction in Figures 1 and 2) is referred to as the first direction, and the direction perpendicular to the first direction when viewed from above (the up-down direction in Figure 1) is referred to as the second direction. The dimension of the container body (2) in the second direction is longer than the dimension of the handle portion (4) in the second direction. In the multiple container (1), multiple handled containers (11) and (12) are arranged in the second direction, with the container bodies (2) of adjacent handled containers (11) and (12) facing in the opposite direction to the first direction, and are separably connected via connecting portions (13). Furthermore, if a handled container (11) whose container body (2) faces one side (right) of the first direction is referred to as a first handled container, and a handled container (12) whose container body (2) faces the other side (left) of the first direction is referred to as a second handled container, the first handled containers (11) and the second handled containers (12) are arranged alternately in the second direction in the multiple container (1). In the multiple container (1), both ends in the first direction of all first handled containers (11) and both ends in the first direction of all second handled containers (12), the centers (C1) of all first handled containers (11) as seen from a plane of the container body (2) of the first handled containers (11), and the centers (C2) of all second handled containers (12) as seen from a plane of the container body (2) of the second handled containers (12) are all located on the same straight line.

[0044] The thickness of the flange portion (3) and handle portion (4) of the entire handled container (11) (12) is uniform throughout. If the thickness of the handle portion (4) is d1 mm, the thickness of the upper end of the peripheral wall portion (21) of the container body (2) is d2 mm, and the thickness of the portion of the peripheral wall portion (21) of the container body (2) excluding the upper end is d3 mm, then d1 > d2 > d3, and it is preferable that d2 is 60-80% of d1 and d3 is 45-65% of d1. Furthermore, if the thickness of the bottom wall portion (22) is d4 mm, then d1 > d2 > d3 ≧ d4, and it is preferable that d4 is 45-65% of d1. Note that d2 is the thickness from the upper end of the peripheral wall portion (21) to 5-50% of the total height, and d3 is the thickness from the part with a thickness of d2 to the connecting portion (24).

[0045] The thickness of the flange portion (3) and the handle portion (4) is preferably 0.3 to 0.4 mm. If the thickness of the flange portion (3) and the handle portion (4) is less than 0.3 mm, the thickness of the peripheral wall of the container body (2) will be insufficient, which may cause pinholes or damage due to punctures, while if the thickness exceeds 0.4 mm, the manufacturing cost may be higher than necessary and the separability may be reduced.

[0046] In addition, taking into consideration the container functions such as ease of holding and ease of feeding, it is preferable that the diameter of the bottom wall portion (22) of the container body (2) is 10 to 40 mm, the diameter of the opening (23) of the container body (2) is 30 to 60 mm, the protrusion width of the flange portion (3) is 1 to 10 mm, the width of the handle portion (4) is 15 to 30 mm, and the length from the periphery of the opening (23) to the tip of the handle portion (4) is 30 to 50 mm.

[0047] Adjacent first handled containers (11) and second handled containers (12) of the multiple container (1) are arranged at a distance from each other, and the connecting portion (13) connecting adjacent first handled containers (11) and second handled containers (12) is formed so as to straddle the adjacent first handled containers (11) and second handled containers (12) at a distance from each other on a straight line (L1) on which the centers (C1) of the container bodies (2) of all first handled containers (11) as viewed from a plane are located, on a straight line (L2) on which the centers (C2) of the container bodies (2) of all second handled containers (12) as viewed from a plane are located, and on a straight line (L3) connecting the center (C1) of the container body (2) of the first handled container (11) as viewed from a plane and the center (C2) of the container body (2) of the second handled container (12) as viewed from a plane. At least one connecting portion (13) may be provided on a straight line (L3) connecting the center (C1) of the container body (2) of the first handled container (11) as viewed from above and the center (C2) of the container body (2) of the second handled container (12) as viewed from above. The dimension of the connecting portion (13) in the direction of the straight line (L1), (L2), (L3) is preferably 0.5 to 3.0 mm in consideration of ease of handling when separating the portion of the multiple package (100) having the first handled container (11) from the portion having the second handled container (12), peeling off the lid, and holding the handle to directly feed the pet food contained in the container body (2) to a pet. The dimension of the connecting portion (13) in the direction perpendicular to the straight line (L1), (L2), (L3) is preferably 0.5 to 3.0 mm in consideration of ease of separation.

[0048] As shown in Figure 3, the multiple container (1) is formed from a laminated material (5) having a barrier layer (51) made of metal foil, a base layer (52) made of a synthetic resin layer provided on one side of the barrier layer (51), and a heat-sealable resin layer (53) provided on the other side of the barrier layer (51), and the heat-sealable resin layer (53) forms the uppermost surface of the flange portion (3), the uppermost surface of the handle portion (4), and the innermost surface of the container body (2) of each handled container (11) (12).

[0049] The barrier layer (51) of the laminated material (5) is a layer that protects the contents of the package, in which the openings (23) of the handled containers (11) and (12) are closed with a lid whose periphery is heat-sealed to the flange (3), from gas, water vapor, light, etc. It is made of metal foil made of metals such as aluminum (including aluminum alloys; the same applies below), copper (including copper alloys), iron (stainless steel), and titanium. However, aluminum foil is preferred in terms of barrier function, processability, cost, etc. As the aluminum foil, foil made of 1000 series or 8000 series aluminum material specified in JIS H4160:1994 is particularly preferred. Specifically, A8021, A8079, and A1N30 materials are preferably used.

[0050] The thickness of the barrier layer (51) is preferably 40 to 120 μm. If the thickness of the barrier layer (51) is less than 40 μm, the strength of the handle portion (4) of the handled containers (11) and (12) may be insufficient, and if it exceeds 120 μm, it becomes difficult to form the container body (2). The thickness of the barrier layer (51) is more preferably 60 to 100 μm.

[0051] The aluminum foil that will become the barrier layer (51) is treated with a chromate treatment, silicate treatment, zirconium-based conversion treatment, or the like to have a chromium deposition amount of 0.1 to 50 mg / m per side. 2 , preferably 2 to 20 mg / m 2 It is preferable that the chemical conversion coating is formed so as to

[0052] The substrate layer (52) is preferably formed to a thickness of 10 to 300 μm using a monolayer film made of, for example, polyolefin, polyester, polyamide, or the like, or a multilayer film formed by laminating a plurality of monolayer films. If the thickness of the substrate layer (52) is less than 10 μm, it becomes difficult to form the multiple container (1) using the laminate material (5), and if it exceeds 300 μm, the manufacturing cost becomes unnecessarily high. The thickness of the substrate layer (52) is more preferably 15 to 25 μm.

[0053] The monolayer film may be a non-stretched film or a biaxially stretched film. Examples of polyolefins include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), homopolypropylene (hPP), ethylene-propylene random copolymer (rPP), and ethylene-propylene block copolymer (bPP). Examples of polyesters include polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). Examples of polyamides include 6-nylon, 6.6 nylon, and MXD nylon. Among these, it is preferable to use a biaxially stretched film made of polyamide, taking into consideration the formability of the container body (2).

[0054] The heat-sealable resin layer (53) is made of a polyolefin resin such as high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), homopolypropylene (hPP), ethylene-propylene random copolymer (rPP), or ethylene-propylene block copolymer (bPP), and among these, it is preferable to use a non-oriented polypropylene film.

[0055] The thickness of the heat-sealable resin layer (53) is preferably 100 to 300 μm. If the thickness of the heat-sealable resin layer (53) is less than 100 μm, it may break when the lid material is heat-sealed to the flange portion (3), and if it is more than 300 μm, it becomes difficult to form the container body (2) by bulging processing.

[0056] To ensure sufficient laminate strength, the barrier layer (51) and the base layer (52), and the barrier layer (51) and the heat-sealable resin layer (53) are preferably bonded together with an adhesive layer having a thickness of 1 to 7 μm, preferably 2 to 5 μm. Examples of adhesives that can be used include urethane adhesives, epoxy adhesives, and olefin adhesives.

[0057] A method for manufacturing the multiple container 1 will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. In the description of Figure 5, the top and bottom of Figure 5 will be referred to as top and bottom.

[0058] First, a blank portion (61) having a shape corresponding to the multiple containers (1) is set on a strip-shaped material (6) made of laminated material (5) shown in Figure 3 and having a certain length and width, and the blank portion (61) is then bulged to form a plurality of container bodies (2) each consisting of a peripheral wall portion (21) and a bottom wall portion (22) with an enclosed opening (23) at the upper end of the peripheral wall portion, and the inner surfaces of the peripheral wall portion (21) and the bottom wall portion (22) are covered with a heat-sealable resin layer (53) (see Figure 4). During the bulging process, the portion (62) that will become the flange portion (4) and the portion (63) that will become the handle portion (4) of the blank portion of the material are pressed from above and below, and the portion surrounded by the portion (62) that will become the flange portion (4) is stretched with a punch.

[0059] Next, the blank (6) is trimmed to punch out the multiple containers (1). The trimming of the blank (6) is performed by preparing a fixed mold (7) having a cutting blade (71) and a movable mold (8) disposed above the fixed mold (7) and having a cutting blade (81), as shown in FIG. 5 . The blank (6) is supported by a support member (72) provided on the fixed mold (7) so that the opening (23) of the container body (2) faces downward. The movable mold (8) is then moved from above toward the fixed mold (7). The blank (6) is then pressed down around the container body (2) with a pressing member (82) provided on the movable mold (8) so that the pressing member (82) is provided ...

[0060] As shown in Figure 6, a package (100) having a multiple container (1) has contents placed in the container body (2) of each of the handled containers (11) and (12) of the multiple container (1), and the openings (23) of the container bodies (2) of all the handled containers (11) and (12) are closed by a single lid material (101) heat-sealed across the top surfaces of all the flange portions (4), and the lid material (101) can be separated for each of the adjacent handled containers (11) and (12).

[0061] The shape of the lid material (101) in plan view corresponds to the shape of the multiple container (1), and is composed of lid main body portions (102) shaped to correspond to each of the handled containers (11) and (12), and connecting portions (103) provided at positions corresponding to the connecting portions (13) of the multiple container (1) and connecting adjacent lid main body portions (102). Taking separability into consideration, it is preferable to use a lid material (101) having an overall thickness, for example, a total thickness of 0.06 to 0.1 mm, including the barrier layer, the surface protection layer covering the outer surface of the barrier layer, and the heat-sealable resin layer covering the barrier layer on the container main body (2) side. Separate lid materials may be used for each of the handled containers (11) and (12).

[0062] FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of a multiple container according to the present invention, and FIG. 8 shows a package having the multiple container of FIG.

[0063] 7, the multiple container (110) has a slit (111) formed between adjacent first and second handled containers (11) in the range between a line (L1) on which the centers (C1) of all first handled containers (11) are located when viewed from above in the container body (2) and a line (L2) on which the centers (C2) of all second handled containers (12) are located when viewed from above in the container body (2). The slit (111) leaves a certain length of remaining portion between adjacent first handled containers (11) and second handled containers (12). The remaining portion serves as a connecting portion (112) that separably connects the adjacent first handled containers (11) and second handled containers (12). The connecting portion (112) is preferably arranged so that its center is located on a line (L3) connecting the center (C1) of the first handled container (11) when viewed from above in the container body (2) and the center (C2) of the second handled container (12) when viewed from above in the container body (2). The length of the connecting portion (112) is preferably 0.5 to 3.0 mm, taking into consideration the separability of adjacent handled containers (11) and (12).

[0064] The other configurations are the same as those of the multiple container (1) of the first embodiment described above.

[0065] The manufacturing method of the multi-piece container (110) is almost the same as the manufacturing method of the multi-piece container (1) of the first embodiment, but differs from the manufacturing method of the multi-piece container (110) of the first embodiment described above in that in the blank portion of the shape corresponding to the multi-piece container (110) made of laminated material (10) shown in Figure 3 and set to a strip-shaped material having a certain length and width, no gap is left between the portions that will become adjacent handled containers (11) (12), and that during trimming processing, a slit (111) is formed between adjacent first handled containers (11) and second handled containers (12) in the range sandwiched between the straight line (L1) on which the centers (C1) of the container bodies (2) of all first handled containers (11) are located when viewed from a plane, and the straight line (L2) on which the centers (C2) of the container bodies (2) of all second handled containers (12) are located when viewed from a plane, leaving a remaining portion of a certain length.

[0066] As shown in Figure 8, a package (120) having a multiple container (110) has contents placed in the container body (2) of each handled container (11) (12) of the multiple container (110), and the openings (23) of the container body (2) of all the handled containers (11) (12) are closed by a single lid material (120) heat-sealed across the top surfaces of all flange portions (4), and the lid material (121) can be separated for each adjacent handled container (11) (12).

[0067] The shape of the lid material (121) in plan view corresponds to the shape of the multiple container (110), and it comprises lid main bodies (122) shaped to correspond to each of the handled containers (11) and (12), and connecting portions (123) of a certain length provided between adjacent first handled containers (11) and second handled containers (12) in the range sandwiched between a line on which the centers of the container bodies (2) of all the first handled containers (11) in plan view are located and a line on which the centers of the container bodies (2) of all the second handled containers (12) in plan view are located. Taking separability into consideration, it is preferable to use a lid material (121) having an overall thickness, for example, a total thickness of 0.06 to 0.1 mm, including the barrier layer, the surface protective layer covering the outer surface of the barrier layer, and the heat-sealable resin layer covering the container body (2) side of the barrier layer.

[0068] 9 and 10 show a third embodiment of a multiple container according to the present invention, and FIGS. 11 and 12 show a package having the multiple container of the third embodiment.

[0069] 9 and 10, the multi-piece container (130) has notches (131) and (132) formed in the portions of the base material layer (52) and the heat-sealable resin layer (53) of the laminated material (5) forming the multi-piece container (130) between adjacent first-handled containers (11) and second-handled containers (12) in the range sandwiched between a straight line (L1) on which the centers (C1) of the container bodies (2) of all first-handled containers (11) are located when viewed from above, and a straight line (L2) on which the centers (C2) of the container bodies (2) of all second-handled containers (12) are located when viewed from above, and the portions where the notches (131) and (132) are formed form connecting portions (133).

[0070] The other configurations are the same as those of the multiple container (130) of the first embodiment described above.

[0071] The method for manufacturing the multiple container (130) involves the steps of: forming a blank portion of a shape corresponding to the multiple container (130) from a strip-shaped material made of the laminated material (10) shown in FIG. 3 and having a certain length and width; not providing any gaps between adjacent portions that will become the handled containers (11) and (12); and trimming the blank portion so that the center (C1) of each of the first handled containers (11) is located along a straight line (L1) on which the center (C1) of each of the container bodies (2) is located as viewed from above; and forming all of the second handled containers (12) along a straight line (L1) on which the center (C1) of each of the first handled containers (11) is located as viewed from above. This differs from the manufacturing method of the multi-piece container (130) of the first embodiment in that notches (131) (132) are formed in the portion of the base material layer (52) and the heat-sealable resin layer (53) of the laminated material (5) forming the multi-piece container (130) between the adjacent first handled container (11) and second handled container (12) in the range sandwiched between the line (L2) on which the center (C2) is located when viewed from above in the container body (2).

[0072] The package (140) having the multiple container (130) has contents placed in the container body (2) of each of the handled containers (11) and (12) of the multiple container (130), and the openings of the container body (2) of each of the handled containers (11) and (12) are closed by a plurality of lid materials (141) of shapes corresponding to each of the handled containers (11) and (12) that are heat-sealed to the upper surface of the flange portion (3) of each of the handled containers (11) and (12).

[0073] The shape of the lid material (141) when viewed from above corresponds to the shape of each of the handled containers (11) and (12) of the multiple container (130). It is preferable to use a lid material having an overall thickness, for example, a total thickness of 0.06 to 0.1 mm, including the barrier layer, the surface protection layer covering the outer surface of the barrier layer, and the heat-sealable resin layer covering the container body (2) side of the barrier layer.

[0074] The packaging body (140) is manufactured in the manufacturing method of the multiple container (130) of the first embodiment by forming the container body (2), placing the contents into the container body (2), heat-sealing the strip-shaped lid material across the upper surfaces of the flange portions of all the handled containers, and then forming notches (131) and (132) when trimming the material for the multiple container (130) to provide a connecting portion (133) to manufacture the multiple container (130), and at the same time, cutting the lid material into each of the handled containers (11) and (12).

[0075] When the adjacent first handled container (11) and second handled container (12) of the package (140) are separated, the laminated material (5) is torn off as shown in FIG. [Industrial Applicability]

[0076] The multiple container (130) of the present invention is suitable for use as a package for packaging fluid contents such as pet food, baby food, and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] (1): multiple container, (2): container body, (21): peripheral wall portion, (22): bottom wall portion, (23): opening, (3): flange portion, (4): handle portion, (11): first container with handle, (12): second container with handle, (13): connecting portion, (5): laminated material, (51): barrier layer, (52): base material layer, (53): heat-sealable resin layer, (6): strip-shaped material, (7): fixed type, (71): cutting blade, (8): movable type, (81): cutting blade, (100): packaging body, (101): lid material, (110): multiple container, (111): slit, (112): connecting portion, (120): packaging body, (121): lid material, (13 0): multiple container, (131)(132): notch, (133): connecting portion, (140): packaging body, (141): lid material, (L1): line on which the centers of all the first-handled containers' container bodies as viewed from a plane are located, (L2): line on which the centers of all the second-handled containers' container bodies as viewed from a plane are located, (L3): line connecting the centers of the first-handled container's container body as viewed from a plane and the second-handled container's container body as viewed from a plane, (C1): center of the first-handled container's container body as viewed from a plane, (C2): center of the second-handled container's container body as viewed from a plane

Claims

1. A plurality of handled containers are arranged in the second direction, each of which is a longitudinal direction of the handle, and each of which is a container body consisting of a peripheral wall and a bottom wall and having an opening surrounded by the upper end of the peripheral wall, an outward flange provided at the upper end of the peripheral wall, and a handle provided at a portion of the flange in the circumferential direction and extending outward, the dimensions of the container body in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction which is the longitudinal direction of the handle being larger than the dimensions of the handle in the second direction, and the container bodies of adjacent handled containers are arranged so as to face the opposite side of the first direction and are separably connected together via a connecting portion; A multi-container in which the peripheral wall, bottom wall, flange and handle of the container body of each handled container are integrally formed, and which is equipped with a barrier layer made of metal foil, a base layer including a synthetic resin layer provided on one side of the barrier layer, and a heat-sealable resin layer provided on the other side of the barrier layer and covering the upper surface of the flange and the inner surface of the container body.

2. A multi-container as described in claim 1, wherein first handled containers whose container bodies face one side of the first direction and second handled containers whose container bodies face the other side of the first direction are arranged alternately, and both ends of all first handled containers and both ends of all second handled containers, the centers of all first handled containers as viewed from a plane on the container bodies, and the centers of all second handled containers as viewed from a plane on the container bodies are each located on the same straight line.

3. A multi-container as described in claim 2, wherein adjacent first and second handled containers are arranged at an interval, and a connecting portion is formed so as to span between adjacent first and second handled containers.

4. A multi-container as described in claim 3, wherein adjacent first and second handled containers are detachably connected via at least one connecting portion located on a straight line connecting the center of the container body of the first handled container as viewed from a plane and the center of the container body of the second handled container as viewed from a plane.

5. A multi-container as described in claim 3, wherein adjacent first and second handled containers are detachably connected via at least two connecting portions spaced apart from each other so as to be located on a straight line on which the centers of all of the first handled containers, as viewed from a plane in the container body, and on a straight line on which the centers of all of the second handled containers, as viewed from a plane in the container body, are located.

6. A multi-container as described in claim 5, wherein adjacent first and second handled containers are detachably connected via three connecting parts that are spaced apart so as to be located on a straight line on which the centers of all of the first handled containers' container bodies are located when viewed from a plane, on a straight line on which the centers of all of the second handled containers' container bodies are located when viewed from a plane, and on a straight line connecting the center of the first handled container's container body when viewed from a plane and the center of the second handled container's container body when viewed from a plane.

7. A multi-container as described in claim 2, wherein a slit is formed between adjacent first and second handled containers, leaving a remaining portion of a certain length, in the area sandwiched between a straight line on which the centers of the container bodies of all first handled containers are located when viewed from a plane and a straight line on which the centers of the container bodies of all second handled containers are located when viewed from a plane, and the remaining portion serves as a connecting portion, and the connecting portion is located on a straight line connecting the center of the container body of the first handled container and the center of the container body of the second handled container when viewed from a plane, of two adjacent handled containers.

8. A multi-container as described in claim 2, wherein a notch of a certain length is formed in the portion of the base material layer and the heat-sealable resin layer between adjacent first and second handled containers in the area sandwiched between a straight line on which the centers of the container bodies of all first handled containers are located when viewed from a plane and a straight line on which the centers of the container bodies of all second handled containers are located when viewed from a plane, and the portion where the notch is formed serves as a connecting portion.

9. A method for producing a multiple container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising: a material made of a laminated material including a barrier layer made of a metal foil, a base layer including a synthetic resin layer provided on one side of the barrier layer, and a heat-sealable resin layer provided on the other side of the barrier layer, is subjected to a protruding process so as to protrude on the side opposite to the heat-sealable resin layer, thereby forming a plurality of container bodies in the material, each of which is made of a peripheral wall portion and a bottom wall portion and has an opening surrounded by an upper end of the peripheral wall portion, and the inner surfaces of the peripheral wall portion and the bottom wall portion are covered with the heat-sealable resin layer; and forming a plurality of handled containers having an outward flange at the upper end of the peripheral wall of the container body and a handle protruding outward from a portion of the flange in the circumferential direction by trimming the material, and arranging the plurality of handled containers in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction which is the longitudinal direction of the handle, with the container bodies of adjacent handled containers facing the opposite side of the first direction, so that two adjacent handled containers are separably connected to each other via a connecting portion to form a multiple-connected structure. A method for manufacturing a multiple container, comprising:

10. A method for manufacturing a multi-piece container according to claim 9, wherein a fixed mold and a movable mold having cutting blades are prepared, and while the fixed mold supports the heat-sealable resin layer surface of the bottom wall portion of the container body in the material from which the container body is formed, the movable mold is moved toward the fixed mold from the side opposite the heat-sealable resin layer, and the trimming process is performed by pushing through the material with the cutting blades of the fixed mold and the movable mold.

11. A method for manufacturing a multi-container according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein during trimming processing, a gap is formed between adjacent first and second handled containers, and a connecting portion is formed so as to span between adjacent first and second handled containers.A method for manufacturing a multi-container according to claim 9.

12. A method for manufacturing a multi-container as described in claim 7, wherein during trimming, a slit is formed between adjacent first and second handled containers, leaving a remaining portion of a certain length, in the area sandwiched between a straight line on which the centers of the container bodies of all first handled containers are located when viewed from a plane and a straight line on which the centers of the container bodies of all second handled containers are located when viewed from a plane, and the remaining portion is made into a connecting portion located on a straight line connecting the center of the container body of the first handled container and the center of the container body of the second handled container when viewed from a plane, of two adjacent handled containers.

13. A method for manufacturing a multi-piece container as described in claim 8, wherein during trimming processing, a notch is formed in the portion of the base material layer and the heat-sealable resin layer between adjacent first and second handled containers in the range sandwiched between a straight line on which the centers of the container bodies of all first handled containers are located when viewed from a plane and a straight line on which the centers of the container bodies of all second handled containers are located when viewed from a plane, and the portion where the notch is formed is used as a connecting portion.

14. A multi-container package in which contents are placed in the container body of each of the handled containers of the multi-container described in any one of claims 1 to 7, the openings of the container bodies of all the handled containers are closed by a single lid material heat-sealed across the upper surface of the flange portion, and the lid material can be separated for each adjacent handled container.

15. A multi-container package in which contents are placed in the container body of each of the handled containers of the multi-container described in claim 8, and the opening of the container body of each handled container is closed by a lid material of a shape corresponding to each handled container that is heat-sealed to the upper surface of the flange portion.

Images