Packaging containers and intermediate products

Abstract

To provide a packaging container which has excellent transportation efficiency as it can be transported in a folded state, and which has a plug structure which can acquire sufficient welding strength even when a plug is retrofitted.SOLUTION: A packaging container 1 is made of a laminate 20 having: a paper layer 22; and thermoplastic resin layers arranged respectively as an outermost layer and as an inner most layer. The packaging container can be deformed into either of a flat state or a box-shaped state, reversibly, and has an opening part 5 into which a thermoplastic resin plug 10 is fitted. The plug is constituted of a plug inside member 11 and a plug outside member 14. The plug inside member comprises an inner flange part 12 and a trunk part 13. The trunk part is fitted into the opening part from the inside of the container. An upper surface of the trunk part is at a height that does not protrude from an outermost surface of the laminate. The plug outside member comprises an outer flange part 15 and a cylindrical part 16. In the opening part, the plug inside member is fitted and welded beforehand from the inside of the container, and the plug inside member and the plug outside member are welded to each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaging container, and more particularly to a foldable packaging container having excellent transport efficiency and an intermediate product thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] When filling a packaging container with a content, the container may be manufactured on-site, but in some cases, empty containers manufactured at a container manufacturer's factory are transported to a filling factory and filled with the content. In such cases, it is ideal to transport the empty container in a deflated or folded state, since transporting the container in a state in which it is inflated to a specified filling volume results in extremely poor transport efficiency.

[0003] The packaging container described in Patent Document 1 develops this concept a step further, being a packaging container that can be transformed between a box-shaped state and a flat state, and that can be reused even after being crushed into a flat state by returning it to the box-shaped state.

[0004] On the other hand, containers for storing liquids may be used with a stopper attached. A stopper is usually attached by inserting a synthetic resin stopper member with a flange at its base from the inside of the opening and welding the flange (see FIG. 9). This provides sufficient welding strength, but when a stopper is attached to a container such as that described in Patent Document 1, the stopper is first attached to the blank container and then the container is assembled into a box. This means that the stopper protrudes even when the container is folded, and transportation efficiency is inevitably reduced.

[0005] When transportation efficiency is important, the closure must be attached to the container opening from the outside at the filling site. However, in this case, even if some kind of opening treatment that is usually considered is applied to the opening in advance, perfect welding strength cannot be obtained. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-26275 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to propose a packaging container having excellent transportation efficiency, which can be transported in a folded state, and a plug structure which ensures sufficient welding strength even if a plug is attached later. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] As a means for solving the above problems, the invention described in claim 1 is a packaging container obtained by box-making a laminate having a paper layer and a thermoplastic resin layer as an outermost layer and an innermost layer, the packaging container being reversibly deformable between a flat state and a box-shaped state, and having an opening for attaching a thermoplastic resin plug, the plug being composed of a plug inner member and a plug outer member, the plug inner member being composed of an inner flange portion and a body portion, the body portion being The outer diameter is equal to the inner diameter of the opening, and the upper surface is formed to be flat, so that the upper surface of the body and the outer surface of the container are flush with each other. A container is fitted into the opening from the inside. Wait the plug outer member is composed of an outer flange portion and a tubular portion, and a plug inner member is attached to the opening from inside the container in advance, the inner flange portion of the plug inner member is welded to the innermost layer of the laminate, and the outermost layer of the thermoplastic resin layer is welded to the underside of the outer flange portion, The upper surface of the body of the plug inner member is welded to the lower surface of the tubular portion of the plug outer member and to the lower surface of a part of the outer flange portion around the lower surface, and the other part of the outer flange portion is welded to the outer surface of the container. This is a packaging container characterized by being welded.

[0009] The packaging container according to the present invention has a plug that is divided into an inner plug member and an outer plug member and is configured to be weldable, so that by transporting the container without the outer plug member, a packaging container with a strong plug can be obtained without reducing transportation efficiency.

[0010] The invention described in claim 2 is the packaging container described in claim 1, characterized in that the tubular portion of the outer plug member has a threaded portion for attaching a cap or a pump dispenser.

[0011] The invention described in claim 3 is a packaging container described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the thermoplastic resins constituting the outermost and innermost layers of the laminate, and the thermoplastic resins constituting the inner plug member and the outer plug member are all polyethylene resins.

[0012] The invention described in claim 4 is the packaging container described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the laminate has a gas barrier layer on the inner side of the paper layer.

[0013] The invention described in claim 5 is a packaging container described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the upper surface of the inner plug member and the lower surface of the outer plug member have mating convex and concave ridges formed thereon.

[0014] The invention as set forth in claim 6 is a packaging container intermediate product in which the outer plug member is not welded in the packaging container as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 5. Effect of the Invention

[0015] Since the packaging container of the present invention can be reversibly transformed between a flat state and a box-shaped state, it is possible to achieve extremely good transportation efficiency by keeping it in a flat state during transportation and in a box-shaped state during filling.

[0016] The plug is divided into an inner plug member and an outer plug member, and transported to the filling location with the inner plug member firmly attached in advance, and the outer plug member can be stably attached at the filling location, making it possible to achieve both a strong plug and high transportation efficiency.

[0017] Since the plug is firmly fused, even if a pump dispenser is attached to the plug, the plug is unlikely to be damaged by the pumping action.

[0018] As in the invention described in claim 3, when the thermoplastic resins constituting the outermost and innermost layers of the laminate, and the thermoplastic resins constituting the inner and outer plug members are all polyethylene resins, the welding of each is stably and reliably carried out, making it less likely that accidents such as the plug falling off will occur.

[0019] When the laminate has a gas barrier layer on the inside of the paper layer as in the invention described in claim 4, the preservation of the contents is improved and the range of contents to be selected is widened.

[0020] As in the invention described in claim 5, when the upper surface of the inner plug member and the lower surface of the outer plug member are formed with mating convex and concave ridges, the inner plug member and the outer plug member can be reliably aligned, making it less likely that the finished product will vary. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] Fig. 1(1) is an explanatory perspective view showing one embodiment of the packaging container according to the present invention in a flat state, and Fig. 1(2) is an explanatory perspective view showing the container raised from the flat state of Fig. 1(1) into a box-shaped state. [Diagram 2] Fig. 2(1) is a schematic plan view of a first part constituting the packaging container shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 2(2) is a schematic plan view of a second part constituting the packaging container shown in Fig. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an explanatory perspective view showing a packaging container intermediate product in a state where an outer plug member is not attached. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing an example of the structure of a plug of a packaging container according to the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing the divided structure of the plug shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing the state of the opening in Comparative Example 1. As shown in FIG. [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing the state of the opening in Comparative Example 2. As shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing the state of the opening in Comparative Example 3. As shown in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing the state of the opening in Comparative Example 4. As shown in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the layer structure of a laminate used in a packaging container according to the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the plug of the packaging container according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] The packaging container according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1(1) is an explanatory perspective view showing one embodiment of the packaging container according to the present invention, showing a flat state. FIG. 1(2) is an explanatory perspective view showing a state where the packaging container is raised from the flat state of FIG. 1(1) to a box-shaped state. FIG. 2(1) is a schematic plan view of a first part constituting the packaging container shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2(2) is a schematic plan view of a second part constituting the packaging container shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the layer structure of a laminate used in the packaging container according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing an example of the structure of the stopper of the packaging container according to the present invention. Also, FIG. 5 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing the divided structure of the stopper shown in FIG. 4.

[0023] The packaging container 1 according to the present invention is a packaging container obtained by box-making a laminate 20 having a paper layer 22, an outer thermoplastic resin layer as the outermost layer, and an inner thermoplastic resin layer as the innermost layer. As shown in Fig. 1, it is reversibly deformable between a flat state and a box-shaped state, and has an opening 5 to which a thermoplastic resin plug 10 is attached, as shown in Fig. 2.

[0024] As shown in Figures 4 and 4, the plug 10 is composed of a plug inner member 11 and a plug outer member 14. The plug inner member 11 is composed of an inner flange portion 12 and a body portion 13. The body portion 13 fits into the opening 5 from the inside of the container, and the upper surface of the body portion 13 is at a height that does not protrude beyond the outermost surface of the laminate 20 or does not exceed five times the thickness of the laminate.

[0025] The outer plug member 14 is composed of an outer flange portion 15 and a cylindrical portion 16. The inner plug member 11 is attached to the opening 5 from the inside of the container in advance, and the inner flange portion 12 of the inner plug member 11 is welded to the inner thermoplastic resin layer 24, which is the innermost layer of the laminate 20. The outer thermoplastic resin layer 21, which is a plastic resin layer, is welded to the underside of the outer flange portion 15, and the upper surface of the body portion 13 of the plug inner member 11 is welded to either or both of the underside of the outer flange portion 15 and the underside of the tubular portion 16 of the plug outer member 14.

[0026] In this way, by dividing the plug 10 into the plug inner member 11 and the plug outer member 14, the procedure for manufacturing a packaging container and filling it with the contents is as follows: first, the plug inner member 11 is inserted from the inside of the opening 5 of the first part 3 that constitutes the packaging container, and the inner flange portion 12 is firmly fused to the inner thermoplastic resin layer 24 of the laminate.

[0027] Next, the inner thermoplastic resin layers of the first portion 3 and the second portion 4 are placed face to face with each other and the periphery is heat sealed to obtain a flat intermediate packaging container product 2 as shown in Fig. 3. By transporting the intermediate packaging container in this state to the filling site, the transportation efficiency is very good.

[0028] At the filling site, the outer plug member 14 is fused to the opening of the flat packaging container intermediate product 2, and then the flat packaging container intermediate product 2 is raised into a box shape and filled with contents. The inner plug member 11 and the outer plug member 14 can be made of the same material that is easily fused, so that they can be joined to the opening of the flat packaging container intermediate product 2 while maintaining sufficient strength.

[0029] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the layer structure of the laminate 20 used in the packaging container 1 according to the present invention. In this example, an outer thermoplastic resin layer 21 is laminated as the outermost layer on a paper layer 22, and a gas barrier layer 23 and an inner thermoplastic resin layer 24 are laminated as the innermost layer under the paper layer 22.

[0030] The outer thermoplastic resin layer 21 and the inner thermoplastic resin layer 24 do not necessarily have to be made of the same thermoplastic resin material, but by using the same easily heat-sealable material for the inner and outer plug members, stable heat-sealability can be obtained. Examples of such materials include low-density polyethylene resin (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene resin (LLDPE), medium-density polyethylene resin (MDPE), and high-density polyethylene resin (HDPE).

[0031] The storage stability of the contents of the packaging container is improved by providing the gas barrier layer 23. As the gas barrier layer 23, gas barrier films such as polyvinylidene chloride film, polyvinyl alcohol film, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer film, gas barrier nylon film, gas barrier polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, metal deposition films in which a metal such as aluminum is deposited on a PET film, etc., inorganic oxide deposition films in which an inorganic oxide such as aluminum oxide or silicon oxide is deposited on a PET film, gas barrier coating layers such as polyvinylidene chloride coating, resin layers made of a coating containing a water-soluble resin and an inorganic layered compound, or a coating in which a metal alkoxide or its hydrolyzate is reacted with an isocyanate compound, combinations of these, or metal foils such as aluminum foil can be used.

[0032] 11 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the plug 10 of the packaging container 1 according to the present invention. In this example, the upper surface of the plug inner member 11 and the lower surface of the plug outer member 14 are formed with interlocking convex and concave strips 18. It is arbitrary which side has the concave strip and which side has the convex strip, but by configuring in this way, the positioning of the plug inner member 11 and the plug outer member 14 can be reliably performed.

[0033] The packaging container according to the present invention will be described more specifically below based on examples and comparative examples.

[0034] <Example 1> The laminate is made of a 25μm thick low-density polyethylene resin film on the surface side, with a basis weight of 250g / m 2 A laminate was prepared by laminating, in this order, a paper, a 25 μm-thick low-density polyethylene resin layer, an aluminum foil having a thickness of 6 μm, a polyethylene terephthalate resin film having a thickness of 12 μm, and a low-density polyethylene resin film having a thickness of 40 μm.

[0035] Blanks as shown in Figures 2(1) and (2) were punched out and folded, and then the inner plug member 11 of the plug 10 as shown in Figure 4 was fused to the opening 5 of the first part 3 from the inside of the opening, and then the second part 4 was placed opposite and the periphery was heat sealed. 50 pieces were placed in this flat state in a cardboard box and the volume occupied by each piece was measured. Next, the outer plug member was fused onto the inner plug member, and the container was raised to the state shown in Figure 1(2), and then a pump dispenser was attached to the plug and 500 repeated discharge operations were performed.

[0036] <Comparative Example 1> Using the same laminate as used in Example 1, a similar blank was punched out, and a fold line was made, and then an opening edge protection film punched into a doughnut shape from the front and back was sealed on the opening 5 of the first portion 3, and processed as shown in Fig. 6. The opening edge protection film has a structure in which the outer film is LDPE40 / PET12 / Ny15 / PET12 / LDPE40 from the front side, and the inner film is LDPE40 / PET12 / Ny15 / PET12 from the front side. Ny is an abbreviation for nylon film, and the numbers each represent the thickness (μm).

[0037] In the same manner as in Example 1, the container was laid flat and the plug 10 was attached as shown in FIG.

[0038] <Comparative Example 2> Using the same laminate as used in Example 1, a similar blank was punched out, creased, and then an opening edge protection film punched into a doughnut shape from the front side was sealed to the opening 5 of the first portion 3, and processed as shown in Fig. 7. The opening edge protection film was configured such that the outer film was LDPE40 / PET25 / LDPE40 from the front side, and the inner side of the opening was an extension of the inner thermoplastic resin layer of the laminate.

[0039] Thereafter, in the same manner as in Example 1, in a flat state, the plug 10 was attached as shown in FIG.

[0040] <Comparative Example 3> The laminate is LDPE25 / PET12 / LDPE30 / paper250 (g / m 2 As shown in Figure 8, a laminate film layer other than the paper layer was extended at the opening to seal and protect the edge of the paper layer.

[0041] Thereafter, in the same manner as in Example 1, in a flat state, the plug 10 was attached as shown in FIG. 8, and then the occupied volume and durability were evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0042] <Comparative Example 4> A container was produced in the same manner as in the example using the same laminate as used in the example, and a plug was attached from the inside as is commonly done, as shown in Fig. 9. The occupied volume and durability were then evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The above results are summarized in Table 1.

[0043] [Table 1]

[0044] From the results in Table 1, the packaging container according to the present invention had a small occupied volume and good transport efficiency, and there was no problem with durability when used with a pump dispenser.

[0045] In Comparative Examples 1 to 3, in which the stopper was attached after molding the container, the occupied volume was small, but the attachment strength of the stopper was weak, and the stopper came off during durability testing using a pump dispenser. In Comparative Example 4, which is a conventional specification, there was no problem with durability, but the occupied volume was large, and there was a problem with transportation efficiency. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1...Packaging container 2...Packaging containers intermediate products 3. First Part 4. Second part 5. Opening 10...Plug 11... Inner part of the spout 12 Inner flange 13... Body 14... Outer part of the spout 15...Outer flange 16... Cylindrical section 17...Threaded section 18. Convex and concave stripes 20...Laminate 21...Outer thermoplastic resin layer 22...Paper layer 23. Gas barrier layer 24...Inner thermoplastic resin layer

Claims

1. A packaging container obtained by forming a laminate having a paper layer and having thermoplastic resin layers as an outermost layer and an innermost layer, the container is reversibly deformable between a flat state and a box-shaped state, and has an opening for receiving a thermoplastic resin plug; The plug is composed of a plug inner member and a plug outer member, the plug inner member being composed of an inner flange portion and a body portion, the body is formed so that its outer diameter is equal to the inner diameter of the opening and its upper surface is flat, and is fitted into the opening from inside the container so that the upper surface of the body is flush with the outer surface of the container; The plug outer member comprises an outer flange portion and a cylindrical portion, An inner plug member is attached to the opening from inside the container in advance, and an inner flange portion of the inner plug member is welded to the innermost layer of the laminate, The outermost thermoplastic resin layer and the lower surface of the outer flange portion are welded together, A packaging container characterized in that the upper surface of the body of the inner plug member is welded to the lower surface of the tubular portion of the outer plug member and to the lower surface of a part of the surrounding outer flange portion, and the other part of the outer flange portion is welded to the outer surface of the container.

2. 2. The packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion of the outer plug member has a screw portion for attaching a cap or a pump dispenser.

3. 3. The packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resins constituting the outermost and innermost layers of the laminate and the thermoplastic resins constituting the inner plug member and the outer plug member are all polyethylene resins.

4. The packaging container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the laminate has a gas barrier layer on the inner side of the paper layer.

5. 5. The packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the inner plug member and the lower surface of the outer plug member are formed with ridges and grooves that fit together.

6. 6. A packaging container intermediate product according to claim 1, in which the outer plug member is not welded.

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