Jar refill capsule and method for manufacturing same

Abstract

The invention relates to a capsule capable of containing a product and intended to be contained in a transparent jar comprising an internal cavity configured to receive the capsule, the capsule comprising an outer surface which is visible from the outside of the jar when the capsule is in the transparent jar, characterized in that the visible outer surface comprises a texture having a micrometre pattern.

Description

Jar refill capsule

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of packaging and conditioning, more particularly of products traditionally offered in jars or pots, in particular, but not exclusively, cosmetic or food products such as spices.

[0002] The types of products mentioned, especially when it comes to products with a luxury connotation, are offered in glass jars, mineral or organic glass, in these small containers so that the weight of the jar is easily greater than the weight of the product it contains.

[0003] Particularly in the field of cosmetics, the trend towards avoiding the use of preservatives is leading to a reduction in the size of containers.

[0004] The small size of the jar and the nature of the products contained, which must, for example, be stored under suitable sterile conditions, make it difficult to envisage refilling the jar with bulk product.

[0005] To avoid packaging waste, jar refills are available. These refills contain the product in a lightweight, sealed plastic container, the dimensions of which are perfectly adapted to the interior size of the jar for which they are intended.

[0006] Thus, a packaging system comprises a jar (10) or pot, frequently transparent or translucent, a lid (20) adapted to close the jar and a capsule (100) containing the product and configured to be introduced into an internal cavity (30) of the jar (10) without preventing the latter from being closed by the lid (20).

[0007] The capsule (100) is hermetically sealed, for example by means of a peelable membrane (110) crimped onto its end.

[0008] The identification of the product, and in particular its brand, is carried out by printing on this membrane and / or by printing on a wall of the capsule

[0009] Since the jar is generally transparent, the printing on one wall of the capsule is visible when the latter is inside the jar while the peelable membrane (110) has been removed.

[0010] When it comes to luxury products or those with a luxury connotation, the overall appearance is not always very flattering and identifying the product, for example among several jars on a shelf, is not easy for the consumer who has to consult the information written on the walls of the capsule through the jar.

[0011] To this end, the invention relates to a capsule, capable of containing a product and intended to be contained in a transparent jar comprising an internal cavity configured to receive the capsule, the capsule enclosing a container in walls made of a thermoplastic material and comprising an exterior surface visible from the outside of the jar when the capsule is in the transparent jar, in which the visible exterior surface comprises a texture comprising a micrometric pattern molded in the thermoplastic material.

[0012] Thus, the capsule includes a texture allowing it to be differentiated, molded directly into the material constituting the capsule without requiring any printing or surface coating, hence a gain in terms of manufacturing stages.

[0013] This pattern can cover the entire visible exterior surface or only part of it.

[0014] Additionally, this molding into the very surface of the capsule walls of a micrometric pattern, which can draw macroscopic patterns such as text or a logo, is difficult for a counterfeiter to reproduce, including by printing, and even allows information or patterns to be hidden, possibly invisible to the consumer, which allow the origin of the product to be authenticated.

[0015] This technical solution can be implemented according to the embodiments and variants set out below, which are to be considered individually or according to any technically effective combination.

[0016] According to an exemplary embodiment, a wall thickness is less than 1 mm, preferably less than 0.5 mm.

[0017] The micrometer pattern extends over distances between 0.1 micrometers and 100 micrometers in 3 spatial directions.

[0018] According to exemplary embodiments, the thermoplastic material is selected from polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), preferably in their totally or partially bio-sourced version.

[0019] Thermoplastic material can be reinforced with filler to form a composite.

[0020] The filler may consist of short fibers made of a polymer having a melting temperature higher than a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material.

[0021] According to variants, the texture comprising the micrometric pattern reproduces an appearance selected from leather, wood, marble, a carbon fiber appearance, and canework.

[0022] According to embodiments, the micrometric pattern comprises strands protruding from the externally visible surface to form a velvet appearance.

[0023] According to another embodiment, the texture comprises micrometric patterns forming a hologram.

[0024] Micrometric patterns can be configured to reveal a marking in the texture.

[0025] The capsule may be manufactured by a molding process using a molding tool comprising a die comprising a molding surface, the molding surface comprising a microstructuring configured to produce, in three-dimensional mirror, a texture comprising a micrometric pattern.

[0026] The molding process is chosen from plastic injection, injection blow molding and thermoforming.

[0027] The die may include a molding surface heater including inductors extending into cavities of the die.

[0028] The die may comprise a device for cooling the molding surface comprising channels for the circulation of a heat transfer fluid.

[0029] Characteristics of the heating device and the cooling device are selected so that the heating rate and the cooling rate of the molding surface are at least 2°Cs. -1 between room temperature and a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material.

[0030] Microstructuring of the molding surface may be achieved by a process selected from photochemical etching, electroerosion and laser pulse microetching or any combination of these processes.

[0031] The implementation can be carried out according to the non-limiting embodiments presented below with reference to in which: Fig. 1

[0032] represents an exploded view of an example of an embodiment of a jar comprising a refill capsule; Fig.2

[0033] shows, in a sectional view, an example of the embodiment of a matrix for implementing the invention; Fig.3

[0034] presents examples of micrometric pattern textures that can be produced on capsule surfaces; Fig.4

[0035] shows an example in a partial perspective view of a molding surface of a molding die; Fig.5

[0036] shows in a partial perspective view an example of texture on a visible exterior surface of a capsule; and Fig.6

[0037] represents in a front view an example of a capsule comprising different textures on a visible exterior surface.

[0038] The refill capsule presented below according to some embodiments aims to:

[0039] reduce the quantity of material constituting the capsule, in particular by thinner walls;

[0040] preferentially use bio-sourced materials for the construction of said capsule;

[0041] integrate markings and textures onto capsule surfaces without resorting to printing; and

[0042] all while remaining compatible with very large-scale production.

[0043] These objectives are achieved by implementing a manufacturing process chosen from: plastic injection, injection-blow molding or thermoforming of a thermoplastic material chosen in particular from polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), in their petrochemical or biosourced version.

[0044] This method makes it possible to mold a texture comprising micrometric patterns in the visible exterior surface (111) of a wall of the capsule.

[0045] Textures including micrometric patterns and surface markings on the capsule walls are produced during a molding process, such as injection, injection-blow molding or thermoforming, without any additional operation, and appear directly upon demolding the capsule. This makes it possible to obtain surface effects, visual, optical or tactile, in a reproducible manner in a large-scale process without additional printing, finishing or coating operations.

[0046] Texture refers to a visual, optical, or tactile surface appearance. The visible surface of the capsule may include multiple textures.

[0047] Micrometric pattern refers to an elementary pattern used in the constitution of a texture to give it the desired appearance. A surface comprises several micrometric patterns which may all be the same or all different in shape or size.

[0048] To situate the scale deferences, a dimension along which a texture extends on the visible surface is at least 100 times and more frequently at least 1000 times larger than the largest dimension of the micrometric patterns constituting the texture.

[0049] The capsule comprises thin walls with a thickness (112) of less than 1 mm and preferably less than 0.5 mm.

[0050] The mechanical properties of the capsule can be improved by adding a fibrous filler to the thermoplastic material to form a composite.

[0051] The filler includes, for example, short fibers with a maximum length of 100 micrometers for a diameter or thickness of the order of 1 / 10 ème of this length.

[0052] The short fibers may be mineral fibers of glass or carbon, organic fibers made of a polymer whose melting temperature is preferably higher than the melting temperature of the thermoplastic material or natural fibers for example linen, hemp or bamboo or any combination of these alternatives.

[0053] according to an exemplary embodiment, a mold (200) intended for injection molding, thermoforming or injection-blow molding of a thermoplastic material, comprises a matrix (210) comprising a molding surface (211) and a punch (250) or core.

[0054] The matrix, in particular for the implementation of injection and injection-blow molding processes, can be in two parts, for example assembled during molding at a joint plane corresponding to the cutting plane of the two parts being moved away or brought closer to each other by a press, the punch or core being fixed.

[0055] In the case of thermoforming, the die can be in one part and the punch can be moved closer to or further away from the die.

[0056] The molding processes are known from the prior art and are not set out in more detail. In all cases a parison of the thermoplastic material brought to a temperature suitable for the molding process, generally close to the melting temperature of the thermoplastic material, this temperature is generally recommended by the supplier of the thermoplastic material

[0057] The parison is applied against the molding surface, either by injection pressure, by the action of the blow punch or by the movement of the punch in the die.

[0058] The molding surface is micro-engraved, by any technique of the prior art, in particular by photochemical attack, by electroerosion by laser microstructuring, but also by mechanical processes such as micro-shot blasting in order to create one or more micrometric patterns constituting one or more textures.

[0059] Microengraving is a three-dimensional mirror of the desired surface on the final part, a depression on the molding surface resulting in a relief on the final part.

[0060] Laser microstructuring is performed by laser pulses whose duration can vary from femtoseconds to microseconds, thus allowing the depth of material ablation per pulse to be controlled.

[0061] In the text, the terms "micrometric pattern" designate an elementary three-dimensional pattern, repeated on the surface and whose dimensions in the three directions of space are between 0.1 micrometers and 100 micrometers, preferably between 0.1 micrometers and 10 micrometers with 1 micrometer = 10 -6 meter.

[0062] A texture may comprise the repetition in an ordered or random pattern of several elementary patterns, so as to produce a visual and / or optical and / or tactile texture.

[0063] A visual texture is visible to the naked eye, an optical texture is visible depending on a particular lighting orientation, intensity or wavelength via phenomena of diffusion, reflection, refraction and diffraction of the incident light, a tactile texture is recognizable by touch. Most of the textures that can be produced can present all of these effects to varying degrees.

[0064] The matrix (210) is made of a metallic material, for example a ferromagnetic tool steel, a stainless steel, a light alloy, copper or a copper alloy,

[0065] In order for the texture comprising the micrometric patterns of the molding surface (211) to be perfectly reproduced in the material applied against the molding surface, said molding surface is brought to an appropriate temperature. This temperature depends on the molding process, it can be determined by temperature viscosity measurement tests or by preliminary development tests.

[0066] The temperature of the molding surface must be sufficient so that the thermoplastic material is sufficiently fluid to fill all the micrometric patterns but that this thermoplastic material sets at a sufficient viscosity in said micrometric patterns upon contact with the molding surface.

[0067] Empirically the preheating temperature of the molding surface is between 0.5Ti+20°C and Ti-20°C where Ti is the injection temperature but this must be refined by preliminary tests.

[0068] In particular, this preheating temperature must be uniform over the entire molding surface. Indeed, hot or cold spots lead to changes in the appearance of the molded surface.

[0069] For the texture to be perfectly reproduced, the temperature of the molding surface and the material in contact with it must be cooled rapidly at a cooling rate of around 2°Cs -1 . In the same way, cooling must be uniform over the entire molding surface in order to avoid appearance defects.

[0070] These results are obtained by, on the one hand, the creation in the matrix of channels (230), pockets of the molding surface for the circulation of a heat transfer fluid and the rapid cooling of the molding surface.

[0071] The heat transfer fluid may be a liquid, such as water, or a gas such as air, argon, or helium, without these examples being limiting.

[0072] Inductors (220) arranged in conduits made in the matrix make it possible to heat the molding surface (211) quickly, of the order of 2°Cs. -1 and above all uniform.

[0073] According to one embodiment, the matrix is ​​made of a material with high magnetic permeability, such as a ferromagnetic tool steel.

[0074] In this case, the circulation of a high-frequency alternating current in the inductors directly heats the mass of material by induction, ensuring uniform heating.

[0075] According to alternative embodiments, only one layer comprising the molding surface (211) is made of a material with high magnetic permeability, the rest of the matrix can be made, for example, of another material so that the heating action of the inductors only takes effect in said layer comprising the molding surface.

[0076] According to another embodiment variant, the matrix is ​​made of a diamagnetic material with high thermal conductivity such as copper or a copper alloy or an aluminum alloy. These materials are not sensitive to induction heating.

[0077] In this case the conduits comprising the inductors (220) comprise a coating (221) made of a material with high magnetic permeability with a thickness of the order of 1 mm,

[0078] According to examples of realization, the inductors are made of copper tubes or multi-strand cables.

[0079] The inductors are connected to a high-frequency generator. Thus, when they are supplied with current at a frequency between 10 kHz and 200 kHz, they induce eddy currents which produce induction heating either directly of the matrix or of the walls of the conduits, causing rapid heating, greater than 2°Cs. -1 and uniform molding surface.

[0080] According to the embodiment, the high thermal conductivity of the material constituting the matrix promotes the uniformity of the temperature on the molding surface both during heating and cooling.

[0081] When the inductors are of the tubular type, the heat transfer fluid can also be circulated in the inductors.

[0082] Rapid cooling precisely freezes the micrometric pattern engraved in mirror reproduction on the molding surface on the surface of the part in contact with it.

[0083] When the temperature drops below a certain value, the solid capsule can be demolded.

[0084] The rapid heating and cooling cycle thus allows for a very short cycle time, compatible with very large-scale production, while ensuring faithful and perfect reproduction of the micrometric pattern engraved on the molding surface and the possibility of producing thin walls.

[0085] Due to the preheating of the die and the molding surface, the process is compatible with bio-sourced thermoplastic materials, which are generally more viscous.

[0086] Bio-sourced thermoplastic materials are, for example, obtained by lignocellulosic means from wood or other biomasses such as sugar cane, corn or rice straw, in particular by catalytic pyrolysis operations.

[0087] Rapid heating and cooling are also advantageous for the processing of a thermoplastic material reinforced with a filler comprising fibers of natural origin.

[0088] according to an exemplary embodiment, the microstructuring of the molding surface (211) comprises the production of several micrometric patterns (401, 402, 403) of varied shapes and dimensions and repeated according to different periodicities or models. Each pattern can have a different shape and depth.

[0089] On the surface, each pattern is included in a diameter (410) between 0.1 micrometer and 100 micrometers and extends in depth (420) between 0.1 micrometer and 100 micrometers.

[0090] Several recessed patterns can be arranged to produce a relief pattern on the molding surface which will result in a recessed pattern on the surface of the part in contact with the molding surface during the molding operation.

[0091] The very rapid heating and cooling cycle of the molding surface (211) allows not only a fine reproduction of the micrometric patterns but also a possible mirror polishing of the molding surface between the engraved micrometric patterns.

[0092] For example, such a mirror polish is obtained for a surface with a roughness Ra (ISO 10110-8) less than 0.1 micrometer, preferably less than 0.05 micrometer.

[0093] Thus, the final surface can have an exceptional shine which, combined with micrometric patterns, allows optical embossing to be produced by molding for the reproduction of a hologram.

[0094] Unlike a printed hologram, the casting process literally molds this hologram into the material.

[0095] shows some examples of textures and patterns, in no way limiting, which can be produced on the visible walls of the capsule, such as a “carbon fiber” appearance (311), a caning appearance (314), a hologram (312), a marbled appearance (315) or a particular decorative pattern (313).

[0096] according to an exemplary embodiment, the texture on the visible external surface (111) of the capsule comprises a plurality of strands (501) of determined shape, here truncated, the height h (520) of which is between 0.1 micrometer and 10 micrometers as well as a diameter d at mid-height (510).

[0097] The molding surface (211) may comprise strands of different height, diameter, slenderness (h / d) and shapes.

[0098] These strands thus make it possible to create a tactile velvet texture, but by locally varying the size, shape or density of the strands, they also make it possible to create a visual effect, in particular to create a display such as a brand or a logo.

[0099] Thus, the visible outer surface (111) of the capsule may comprise a change in the texture characteristics so as to form a visual marking (611).

[0100] Another area, more difficult to detect visually, or even only detectable under certain lighting conditions, which can also be precisely located on the visible surface, can include an authentication marking (612) to guarantee the origin of the product and thus identify possible counterfeits. List of references

[0101] 10: jar

[0102] 20: cover

[0103] 30: internal cavity

[0104] 100: capsule

[0105] 110: peelable membrane

[0106] 111: visible exterior surface

[0107] 112: thickness

[0108] 200: mold

[0109] 210: matrix

[0110] 211: molding surface

[0111] 221: coating

[0112] 230: channels

[0113] 250: punch

[0114] 311: carbon fiber appearance

[0115] 312: hologram

[0116] 313: decorative motif

[0117] 314: caning aspect

[0118] 315: marbled appearance

[0119] 401, 402, 403: micrometric patterns

[0120] 410: diameter

[0121] 420: depth

[0122] 501: strand

[0123] 520: height

[0124] 611: visual marking

[0125] 612: authentication marking

Claims

Capsule (100), capable of containing a product and intended to be contained in a transparent jar (10) comprising an internal cavity (30) configured to receive the capsule (100), the capsule enclosing a container in walls made of a thermoplastic material and comprising an exterior surface, visible from the exterior of the jar when the capsule is in the transparent jar, in which the visible exterior surface (111) comprises a texture comprising a micrometric pattern (401, 402, 403, 501) molded in the thermoplastic material. Capsule according to claim 1, in which a thickness (112) of the walls is less than 1 mm, preferably less than 0.5 mm. Capsule according to claim 1, in which the micrometric pattern extends at distances (410, 420, 510, 520) between 0.1 micrometers and 100 micrometers in 3 spatial directions. Capsule according to claim 1, in which the thermoplastic material is selected from polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), preferably in their totally or partially bio-sourced version. A capsule according to claim 1, wherein reinforced with a filler to form a composite. Capsule according to claim 5, wherein the filler comprises short fibers made of a polymer whose melting temperature is higher than a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material. Capsule according to claim 1, in which the texture comprising the micrometric pattern reproduces an appearance selected from a leather appearance, a wood appearance, a marbled appearance (315), a carbon fiber appearance (311) and a cane appearance (314). The capsule of claim 1, wherein the micrometric pattern comprises strands (501) protruding from the visible outer surface (111) to form a velvet appearance. Capsule according to claim 1, in which the texture comprises micrometric patterns forming a hologram (312). Capsule according to claim 1, in which the micrometric patterns are configured to reveal a marking (611, 612) in the texture. Molding method for manufacturing a capsule according to claim 1, in a molding tool comprising a die (210) comprising a molding surface (211), the molding surface comprising a microstructuring configured to produce, in three-dimensional mirror, the texture comprising the micrometric pattern. The method of claim 11, wherein the molding method is selected from plastic injection, injection blow molding and thermoforming. Method according to claim 11, wherein the die comprises a device for heating the molding surface comprising inductors (220) extending in conduits of the die and wherein the die comprises a device for cooling the molding surface comprising channels (230) for the circulation of a heat transfer fluid. The method of claim 13, wherein characteristics of the heating device and characteristics of the cooling device are selected so that a heating rate and a cooling rate of the molding surface are at least 2°C. -1 between room temperature and a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material. The method of claim 11, wherein the microstructuring of the molding surface is performed by a method selected from photochemical etching, electroerosion and laser pulse microetching.

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