Product containers, especially containers for fluid products
The container design addresses bonding issues by using a 115°-140° angled closure transition, improving manufacturing efficiency and quality through fold-free bonding and reduced material usage.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2025521036
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-10-14
- Filing Date
- 2023-09-28
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-22
AI Technical Summary
The existing manufacturing process for containers with separate body and closure components faces issues with bonding quality due to small folds in the folded edges, which hinder processes like heat sealing or gluing, affecting the overall manufacturing quality.
The container design features a closure with a bonding region and transition region forming an angle between 115° and 140°, preferably 120°, allowing for efficient connection through heat sealing or gluing without edge folding, using materials like plastic for the body and closure.
This design enhances manufacturing efficiency and quality by ensuring a strong, fold-free bond between the body and closure, reducing material usage and costs while maintaining a compact size.
Smart Images
Figure 2025535111000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention is in the field of container manufacturing. In particular, the present invention is in the field of containers used to contain bath or cosmetic products such as shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, cosmetic creams, etc., or food products such as ketchup, food sauces such as mayonnaise, etc. In particular, the present invention relates to a container in the form of a tube, preferably a collapsible tube suitable for being squeezed to allow the product contained therein to flow out. [Background technology]
[0002] Various types of containers are known that are suitable for receiving widely used products such as, for example, bath products such as shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, etc., or cosmetics such as cosmetic creams, or food products such as ketchup, food sauces such as mayonnaise, etc.
[0003] These containers typically consist of a tubular body for containing the product and a closure adapted to close the body and defining a discharge opening for dispensing the product.
[0004] A closure cap is then associated with the outlet and typically pressed or screwed on.
[0005] According to the prior art, during the manufacture of the container, the body and the closure are made separately and then joined together in place.
[0006] Preferably, the main tube container body is made of a plastic material with elastic yield properties, preferably by injection molding, stretching, rolling or extrusion techniques. The closure is also preferably made of a plastic material that typically has greater mechanical hardness properties than the body, e.g. to ensure a greater mechanical seal in the application area of the lid.
[0007] According to the prior art, the closure, through which the outlet for dispensing the product is located, has the shape of a truncated cone defined by a slope that narrows from the outer periphery of the body towards the centre, where the outlet is located, the slope favouring the flow of product from the inside of the container towards the outlet, for example when the container is squeezed.
[0008] In commonly used types of containers, the angle of inclination of the inclined surface is kept relatively low, for example about 100°, relative to the outer periphery of the body in order to limit the size and amount of plastic material.
[0009] As mentioned above, during manufacture of the container, the body and closure are made separately and then suitably joined, in particular by a heat sealing or laser sealing process.
[0010] The connection of the body to the closure is made at the level of the upper edge of the body, which surrounds the first part of the closure and folds over the second part of the closure, and the upper edge is then joined to the closure, preferably by heat sealing or gluing or other connecting methods suitable for closing the edge on the closure.
[0011] However, the current state of the art solutions have several drawbacks. A drawback of this known technique is that due to the geometry provided for the closure, the bond between the body and the closure is problematic as the folded edges of the body are subjected to small folds that prevent subsequent bonding processes, such as heat sealing or gluing. This has a negative impact on the manufacturing quality of the container.
[0012] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a main object of the present invention to solve or at least partially obviate the above-mentioned drawbacks that characterize the state of the art. In particular, the object of the invention is to propose a container which makes it possible to improve the manufacturing process and the quality of the final product. Summary of the Invention
[0013] Thus, in a first aspect, the invention provides a container for a fluent product, adapted to dispense said fluent product, comprising a discharge opening associated with a terminal region of said container, The container comprises: a body having a tubular shape and extending along a major axis and adapted to define an interior region for containing said fluent product, said body comprising a closed bottom region and an edge facing said end region; a closure adapted to close the body, the closure being defined in the end region and having the outlet defined therein, the closure comprising a bonding region adapted to connect the closure to the edge of the body, and a transition region between the bonding region and the outlet, the edge of the body comprising a first annular portion adapted to be externally connected to a first surface of the bonding region, and a second portion folded relative to the first annular portion and extending from the first annular portion in the direction of the major axis, the second portion adapted to be connected to a second surface of the bonding region; The first surface and the second surface of the bonding region of the closure define respective directions which together form an angle comprised between 115° and 140°, preferably an angle comprised between 117° and 130°, more preferably an angle equal to 120°.
[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the first annular portion of the rim comprises a cylindrical portion, and / or the first surface of the bonding area comprises a cylindrical surface, and / or the second portion of the rim comprises a frustoconical portion, and / or the second surface of the bonding area comprises a frustoconical surface.
[0015] Preferably, the transition zones define respective inclined transition surfaces which specify respective directions that define, relative to the direction of the first surface of the bonding region, an angle comprised between 90° and 110°, preferably an angle comprised between 95° and 105°, more preferably an angle equal to 100°.
[0016] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said transition region is frusto-conical in shape.
[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the body and the closure are made from a plastic material.
[0018] Preferably, the connection of said closure to said edge of said body is a connection obtained by a sealing process, preferably a heat sealing or laser sealing process.
[0019] In an alternative preferred embodiment, the connection of said closure part to said edge of said body is a connection obtained by a gluing process.
[0020] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said body comprises at least one elastically yielding portion.
[0021] In another aspect, the invention relates to an assembly comprising a container for a fluid and a closure element associated with said container, said container being manufactured in accordance with the above. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0022] Other advantages, objects, features and embodiments of the invention are defined in the claims and will become apparent from the following description. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows an axonometric view of a container provided with a lid according to a first embodiment of the invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows the container of FIG. 1 with the lid in a removed position. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal cross section of the container of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged detail of FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged detail of FIG. 4 with elements removed. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows an enlarged detail of FIG. [Figure 7-9] 7-9 illustrate further manufacturing steps for a container according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below and shown in the drawings.
[0024] The illustrated embodiments described in the drawings define certain aspects of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims.
[0025] The present invention proves to be particularly advantageous when applied to containers suitable for holding products in fluid form. More preferably, the present invention proves to be advantageous when applied to containers, preferably convertible, suitable for holding bath or cosmetic products, such as, for example, bath products, such as shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, or cosmetics, such as cosmetic creams, which are therefore in a more or less dense liquid or paste form. However, it should be pointed out that the present invention is not limited to such uses. On the contrary, the present invention finds convenient application in all cases, including the use of containers, preferably convertible, suitable for holding easily dispensable fluid products, such as food containers for, for example, ketchup, food sauces, such as mayonnaise, etc.
[0026] A preferred embodiment of a container 1 according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0027] The container 1 comprises a discharge opening 7 for dispensing the product, associated with an end region 5 or upper end of the container 1, from which the product can be dispensed. The container 1 in Figure 1 is shown with a closure element 50 or lid in a closed configuration.
[0028] The size and shape of the outlet 7 may sometimes vary depending on the size of the tube and / or the type of product being dispensed.
[0029] The outlet 7 is preferably defined in the area of the connection means 52 for the lid 50 .
[0030] The connecting means 52 preferably comprises a cylindrical portion adapted to receive a corresponding cylindrical mating portion (not shown) of the lid 50 .
[0031] The container 1 shown in the figures is a tube-type container for containing fluids, including for example bath products or cosmetics.
[0032] The container 1 is preferably made entirely of plastic material, as will be better explained below.
[0033] In alternative embodiments, other types of materials may be used, such as paper.
[0034] The lid 50 is preferably applied to the container 1 by a snap connection.
[0035] The lid is also preferably made of a plastic material.
[0036] However, in variant embodiments, the lid can be associated with the container in another way, for example by screwing, by a hinged connection in a solution known as a flip-top, or by equivalent connecting means.
[0037] In further embodiment variations, the type of lid may be of any type and known in the industry.
[0038] For example, a pump-type lid may be provided, in which the fluid flow is promoted by the operation of a movable pump element associated with the lid itself, or a lid configured to dispense a foam, or a lid configured to dispense a spray product.
[0039] The container 1 initially comprises a body 2 defining an interior area 3 for containing a product to be dispensed, the product not being shown in the figures.
[0040] The tubular body 2 extends along a main axis X and comprises a closed bottom region 4, i.e. the lower end, of the container 1 and a rim 10 facing towards a discharge opening 7 associated with an upper terminal region 5 of the container 1.
[0041] The body 2 preferably has a cylindrical tubular shape, although in variant embodiments it may have a different shape, for example an oval tubular shape instead of a cylindrical shape.
[0042] The bottom region 4 of the body 2 preferably has a closed shape with a crushed edge 4a, which is advantageously obtained by means of a heat seal closure after the product has been inserted into the interior region 3 of the body 2.
[0043] The body 2 unfolds towards the upper end, preferably terminating in a cylindrical edge 6 .
[0044] In turn, the upper end of the container 1 defines a closure 20 suitable for closing the body 2 or the shoulder, and in this closure 20 in turn defines a discharge opening 7 .
[0045] The closure part 20 and the body 2 define a single whole within the container 1 that constitutes the final product, whereas during the manufacture of the container 1 itself, the two closure parts 20 and the body 2 are made separately and then joined together, as will be better explained below.
[0046] For this purpose, the closure 20 therefore comprises a bonding area 22 suitable for connecting the closure 20 to the edge 6 of the body 2. A transition area 24 is then identified on the closure 20, extending from the bonding area 22 to the outlet 7.
[0047] The closure 20 advantageously has a shape conjugated to the shape of the body 2 to which it is connected, and therefore preferably has a circular shape.
[0048] As can be seen in Figures 4 and 5, the edge 6 of the body 2 comprises a first annular portion 62 suitable for being externally connected to the first surface 32 of the bonding region 22, and a second portion 64 bent relative to the first annular portion 62 and extending from the first annular portion 62 in the direction of the major axis X of the body 2 and suitable for being connected to the second surface 34 of the bonding region 22.
[0049] According to one aspect of the invention, as shown in FIG. 6, the first surface 32 and the second surface 34 of the bonding region 22 of the closure part 20 define respective directions Y1, Y2, which together form an angle W comprised between 115° and 140°, preferably between 117° and 130°, more preferably equal to 120°, the latter being the actual angle W shown in FIG. 6.
[0050] The first surface 32 of the bonding region 22 preferably comprises a cylindrically shaped surface, and the second surface 34 of the bonding region 22 preferably comprises a frusto-conical shaped region.
[0051] Similarly, the first annular portion 62 of the rim 6 of the body 2 may preferably comprise a cylindrical portion, and the first annular portion 62 of the rim 6 of the body 2 may preferably comprise a frustoconical portion.
[0052] The transition region 24 extends from the joining region 22 to the outlet 7 as previously described and is preferably frusto-conical in shape.
[0053] The transition regions 24 define respective sloped transition surfaces 84 . Preferably, according to one aspect of the invention, the inclined transition surfaces 84 define a respective direction Y3 that defines, relative to the direction Y1 of the first surface 32 of the bonding area, an angle Z comprised between 90° and 110°, preferably an angle comprised between 95° and 105°, more preferably an angle Z equal to 100°, the latter being the actual angle Z shown in FIG. 6.
[0054] 3, transition region 24 extends longitudinally along major axis X, representing a reduced value that conserves the size and amount of material used to make container 1, thereby reducing the overall size and relative manufacturing costs of container 1. This also results in a reduced overall size of lid 50, which may have a lower height, and lid 50 is preferably molded with a collar 51 suitable for covering transition region 24 of closure 20.
[0055] Generally, the height H of the transition area 24 depends on the size of the container 1, in particular the size of the body 2, and the size of the connection means 52 for the lid 50. For example, the height H of the transition area 24 is comprised between 0 mm and 6 mm, and even more preferably is equal to 3 mm.
[0056] According to one aspect of the invention, the body 2 and the closure 20 are preferably made of a plastic material.
[0057] The body 2 is preferably made of an elastically yielding plastic material suitable for being squeezed to force the fluid out of its interior. Plastic materials that can be used for this purpose include polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PELLD, PELD, PEMD, PEHD), and other substances known as ABL, PBL, PCR, soft touch resins.
[0058] In an alternative embodiment, only a portion of the body may be elastically yielding and deformable to allow product to be dispensed.
[0059] The closure 20 is preferably made of a plastic material having mechanical hardness properties greater than that of the body 2. This provides a sufficient mechanical seal against the attachment and removal of the lid 50.
[0060] In alternative embodiments, different types of materials may be used for the body and / or closure, for example, a paper material (paper) may be used.
[0061] 7-9, the main steps in the manufacture of the container 1, in particular the step of bonding between the body 2 and the closure 20, are shown.
[0062] As shown in FIG. 7, the closure part 20 and the body 2, which may be pre-made, for example from plastic, by means of injection molding, extrusion or rolling techniques, are preferably aligned along the insertion direction T.
[0063] The closure part 20 is inserted into the body 2 so that the first annular portion 62 of the edge 6 of the body 2 is aligned with the first surface 32 of the bonding region 22 of the closure part 20 (FIG. 8).
[0064] The second portion 64 of the edge 6 of the body 2 is then folded over to contact the second surface 34 of the bonding area 22 (FIG. 9).
[0065] According to an advantageous embodiment, during this step, thanks to the angle W provided according to the invention, i.e. an angle between 115° and 140°, preferably between 117° and 130°, more preferably equal to 120°, the edge 6 adheres onto the second surface 34 of the bonding area 22 without folding the edge 6 itself or possibly forming small folds.
[0066] The closure 20 is then operatively connected to the body 2 . Due to the absence of creases or the presence of small creases in the area of the edge 6, this joining process is carried out in a particularly efficient manner and with higher quality than in known types of systems, thus improving the quality of the final product consisting of the container 1.
[0067] The connection between the closure part 20 and the body 2 is obtained by a connecting process that takes into account the materials from which the closure part 20 and the body 2 are made. For example, preferably when using a plastic material, a sealing process is used, preferably a heat sealing process or a laser sealing process, during which the edge 6 of the body 2 and the bonding area 22 of the closure part 20 undergo a heating and melting process, resulting in at least partial interpenetration of the two parts.
[0068] In a variant of the embodiment, depending on the type of material used, different joining processes can be envisaged, for example, a bonding process with an adhesive interposed therebetween, and the same advantages, both in terms of the manufacturing method and the final product, that rely on the absence of folds or the presence of small folds in the edge area are obtained for containers manufactured according to this variant.
[0069] From what has been disclosed it can therefore be seen that the container of the invention makes it possible to achieve the set objectives and in particular to improve the method for producing the container and the quality of the container itself.
[0070] While the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments depicted in the drawings, it should be noted that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments shown and described; on the contrary, further modifications of the described embodiments are included within the scope of the invention, which scope is defined by the claims.
Claims
1. A container (1) for a fluid product, comprising: the container (1) comprises a discharge opening (7) suitable for dispensing said fluent product and associated with an end region (5) of said container (1); The container (1) a body (2) of tubular shape extending along a main axis (X) and adapted to define an interior area (3) for containing said fluent product, said body having a closed bottom area (4) and an edge (6) facing said end area (5); a closure part (20) suitable for closing the body (2) and defined in the end region (5) and having the outlet (7), the closure part (20) comprising a joining region (22) suitable for connecting the closure part (20) to the edge (6) of the body (2) and a transition region (24) between the joining region (22) and the outlet (7), the edge (6) of the body (2) having a first annular part (62) suitable for external connection to a first surface (32) of the joining region (22), and a second part (64) folded relative to the first annular part (62) and extending from the first annular part (62) in the direction of the major axis (X) and suitable for connection to a second surface (34) of the joining region (22); In the container (1) provided with Container (1), characterized in that the first surface (32) and the second surface (34) of the joining region (22) of the closure part (20) define respective directions (Y1, Y2), said respective directions (Y1, Y2) together forming an angle comprised between 115° and 140°, preferably an angle comprised between 117° and 130°, more preferably an angle equal to 120°.
2. Container (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first annular portion (62) of the rim (6) comprises a cylindrical portion, and / or the first surface (32) of the bonding area (22) comprises a cylindrical surface, and / or the second portion (64) of the rim (6) comprises a frustoconical portion, and / or the second surface (34) of the bonding area (22) comprises a frustoconical surface.
3. 3. A container (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the transition areas (24) define respective inclined transition surfaces which identify respective directions (Y3) which, relative to the direction (Y1) of the first surface (32) of the bonding area (22), define an angle comprised between 90° and 110°, preferably an angle comprised between 95° and 105°, more preferably an angle equal to 100°.
4. Container (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the transition area (24) is frusto-conical in shape.
5. Container (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the body (2) and the closure (20) are made of plastic material.
6. Container (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the connection of the closure (20) to the edge (6) of the body (2) is a connection obtained by a sealing process, preferably a heat sealing process or a laser sealing process.
7. Container (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the connection of the closure (20) to the edge (6) of the body (2) is a connection obtained by a gluing process.
8. Container (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the body (2) comprises at least one elastically yielding portion.
9. An assembly comprising a container (1) for a fluid and a closure element (50) associated with said container (1), Assembly, characterized in that the container (1) is a container (1) according to any one of claims 1-8.