Packaging container

Abstract

A reusable packaging container and method of manufacture are provided to reduce single-use plastic waste. The container comprises flexible film shaped into front and rear panels joined to form an enclosed compartment for containing a product. A continuous tear line, preferably formed by pre-scored perforations, extends adjacent to the upper end of at least one panel, allowing a user to remove a top portion and access the contents. After emptying, the container may be repurposed as a refuse-bin liner or a refuse container via the access opening, thereby extending its useful life.

Description

[0001] PACKAGING CONTAINER

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to flexible packaging. More particularly, the invention relates to reusable packaging containers configured to reduce the consumption of single-use plastics. The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such containers.

[0004] BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0005] Pre-packaged consumer products are frequently supplied in sealed plastic containers or bags. To access the contents, a consumer typically pierces, cuts, or otherwise breaches the packaging, rendering it unsuitable for further use and resulting in disposal of the packaging after a single use. Such single-use packaging systems contribute substantially to the generation of plastic waste.

[0006] Various approaches have been proposed to reduce the environmental impact associated with plastic packaging, including the development of biodegradable materials and the implementation of regulatory restrictions on certain forms of plastic packaging. However, such measures often present drawbacks. For example, biodegradable plastics may require specific environmental conditions, such as controlled temperature, humidity, or microbial activity, to achieve effective decomposition, which may not be reliably present in standard waste management infrastructure. Furthermore, the cost of producing or procuring compliant alternative packaging materials is frequently higher than conventional plastics, with such costs typically being transferred to the consumer, thereby presenting financial disadvantages, particularly for lower-income groups.

[0007] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0008] It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a reusable packaging container that will, at least partially, alleviate the abovementioned disadvantages.

[0009] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a packaging container for containing a product, the container being of a flexible film material and being shaped and sealed to define a front panel and an opposing rear panel, the front and rear panels being joined together to collectively define an enclosed compartment for containing the product, the container being characterized in that a continuous tear line extends along at least one of the front and rear panels adjacent an upper end of the container, so that, in use, tearing open of the tear line creates an access opening through which the product is removable from the container, and through which waste materials can be deposited into the container allowing the container to be reused as a refuse container or a refuse-bin liner.

[0011] Preferably, the tear line may extend along both the front and rear panels to define a removable top portion joined to a remainder of the container along the tear line. More preferably, the tear line may extend partially around the periphery of the container. In some embodiments, the tear line may extend around the entire periphery of the container.

[0012] In an example embodiment, the tear line comprises a weakened section in the film material, preferably in the form of a series of perforations pre-scored during manufacture.

[0013] In some embodiments of the invention, at least one of the panels may include words and / or graphics which specify that the container is intended for re-use after emptying as a refuse-bin liner.

[0014] The container may be sized to hold at least 10 litres and not more than 200 litres. Preferably, the container may be sized to hold at least 20 litres and not more than 100 litres. More preferably, the container may be sized to hold at least 25 litres and not more than 65 litres.

[0015] The film material may include plastic and / or paper.

[0016] The product may be a dry or wet product.

[0017] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing the aforesaid packaging container, the method including the steps of:

[0018] - conveying a continuous film web;

[0019] - forming along the web the continuous tear line with a rotary cutter having circumferential teeth; - sealing the web transversely with respect to the tear line to create a discrete packaging container;

[0020] - inserting the product into the container; and

[0021] - sealing the container adjacent above the tear line to complete the container.

[0022] The step of sealing the web transversely with respect to the tear line may include forming a first seal and a second seal, the second seal being positioned at a distance from the first seal substantially equal to a width of the packaging container.

[0023] The film web may comprise a plastic film web and the seal may comprise a heat seal.

[0024] According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided the packaging container as defined hereinbefore for use as a refuse container or refuse-bin liner.

[0025] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided use of the packaging container as defined hereinbefore as a refuse container or refuse-bin liner.

[0026] These and other features of the invention are described in more detail below.

[0027] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURES

[0028] Embodiments of the invention will now be described further below, by way of nonlimiting examples only, and with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sealed packaging container in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

[0029] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the packaging container after a user has tom along a perforated tear line to separate a top portion from a remainder of the container;

[0030] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the container without the top portion which has been emptied and repurposed as a refuse-bin liner; and

[0031] Figure 4 is a similar view to that shown in Figure 2 of a packaging container in accordance with a second embodiment, wherein a top portion is partially separated from a remainder of the container.

[0032] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] It should be understood that, unless otherwise explicitly indicated, terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “rear”, and “top”, and similar orientation descriptors are used herein for convenience of description and reference to the accompanying figures. These terms are not intended to be limiting or to imply any particular fixed orientation of the components in actual use. The invention may be practiced in various orientations, and such terminology is not intended to restrict the scope of the claimed invention to any specific spatial arrangement. With reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like features, a packaging container according to a first example embodiment of the invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 10 in Figures 1 -3, and a packaging container according to a second example embodiment of the invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 10A in Figure 4.

[0034] The container 10 has a front panel 12 and an opposing rear panel 14, both of which are joined together by means of a heat-fused seal along one or more longitudinal seams 15. The container 10 terminates in a heat-fused upper seal 16 at an upper end 18 and a heat-fused lower seal 20 at an opposite lower end 22. These features define an enclosed compartment 24 wherein a product 26, in this example embodiment comprising rolls of paper products, is contained. The container 10 is manufactured from a plastic film which may be either virgin plastic, recycled content, biodegradable or comprises bioplastics, and which is sized to hold from 10 to 200 litres, preferably from 25 to 65 litres.

[0035] The front and rear panels 12, 14 further include an elongated continuous tear line 28 that extends along and adjacent below the upper end 18, around the entire periphery of the container 10. The tear line 28 comprises a weakened area in the front and rear panels 12, 14, more specifically a series of perforations pre-scored during manufacturing.

[0036] The tear line 28 is formed by intermittently engaging the film with a rotary cutter whose toothed disc produces a pattern of through-cuts interspaced by residual bridges sized to withstand handling stresses yet yield under a consumer-applied tensile force of less than 20 N, more preferably less than 10 N, and most preferably less than 8 N. It will be appreciated that the magnitude of the required tensile force will be dependent upon the mass of the product 26.

[0037] The front and rear panels 12, 14 include words and / or graphics 29 printed thereon that specify that the container 10 is intended for re-use as a refuse container and / or refusebin liner after the contents thereof have been emptied.

[0038] In use, a user grips the container 10 operatively below the tear line 28 in one hand, and using the other hand, grips the upper end 18 and tears circumferentially along the tear line 28. This pulling action causes a top portion 30 to detach from a remainder of the container 10 which may be recycled or discarded. The now exposed access opening 32 is wider than the original upper seal 16, enabling effortless removal of the paper rolls 26 from the container 10. Once the container 10 has been emptied, the consumer may deploy it as a refuse-bin liner by placing it in a bin 34 with edges surrounding the opening 32 folded over the bin’s rim, thus extending the container’s 10 service life and mitigating plastic waste.

[0039] To manufacture the container 10, a continuous plastic film web passes over tensioning rollers towards a perforation station where the aforementioned rotary cutter is spring loaded against an anvil roller. The cutter disc rotates synchronously with the film web to create the tear line 28. A heat sealing bar seals and cuts the film to a desired width of the container 10. After product 26 insertion, a heat sealing bar seals and cuts the container 10 adjacent above the tear line 28. Operating parameters such as film gauge, perforation pitch, bridge length, and seal temperatures may be optimised for specific product loads without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0040] The packaging container 10A is similar to the packaging container 10 described above, except that the continuous tear line 28 extends only partially around the periphery of the container 10A. In particular, a peripheral region 36 on one side of the container 10A does not include the tear line 28, such that this region remains intact after the user tears along the tear line. This configuration ensures that the top portion 30 remains connected to the remainder of the container 10A at the region 36, thereby preventing the user from being left with a separate, detached piece requiring disposal. The top portion 30 may instead be folded inwardly into the container 10A when the container is used as a refuse container or refuse-bin liner.

[0041] The present invention thus provides a versatile packaging solution that serves dual purposes - providing both secure product containment and facilitating reuse. This innovative solution not only promotes the reduction of single-use plastic consumption but also enhances the convenience for consumers by combining two common uses of plastic containers into one sustainable product. This dual-purpose functionality offers a significant step forward in reducing plastic waste and promoting environmental sustainability.

[0042] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the precise details as described herein and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, the tear line 28 could include a tear tape (not shown) that is attached to the front and rear panels 12, 14, and which may comprise a tab formation (not shown) to facilitate tearing along the tear line 28. Also, the film material may comprise paper in addition to or instead of plastic.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A packaging container for containing a product, the container being of a flexible film material and being shaped and sealed to define a front panel and an opposing rear panel, the front and rear panels being joined together to collectively define an enclosed compartment for containing the product, wherein a continuous tear line extends along at least one of the front and rear panels adjacent an upper end of the container, such that, in use, tearing open of the tear line creates an access opening through which the product is removable from the container and through which waste materials can be deposited into the container, thereby allowing the container to be reused as a refuse container or a refuse-bin liner.

2. The packaging container of claim 1 , wherein the tear line extends along both the front and rear panels to define a removable top portion joined to the remainder of the container along the tear line.

3. The packaging container of claim 2, wherein the tear line extends at least partially around the periphery of the container.

4. The packaging container of claim 2, wherein the tear line extends around the entire periphery of the container.

5. The packaging container of claim 1 , wherein the tear line comprises a weakened section in the film material in the form of a series of perforations pre-scored during manufacture.

6. The packaging container of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the front and rear panels includes words and / or graphics which specify that the container is intended for re-use after emptying as a refuse container or a refuse-bin liner.

7. The packaging container of claim 1 , wherein the container is sized to hold at least 10 litres and not more than 200 litres.

8. The packaging container of claim 1 , wherein the container is sized to hold at least 25 litres and not more than 65 litres.

9. A method of manufacturing the packaging container as defined in any one of claims 1 to 8, the method comprising: conveying a continuous film web; forming along the web the continuous tear line with a rotary cutter having circumferential teeth; sealing the web transversely with respect to the tear line to create a discrete packaging container; inserting the product into the container; and sealing the container adjacent above the tear line to complete the container.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of sealing the web transversely with respect to the tear line may include forming a first seal and a second seal, the second seal being positioned at a distance from the first seal substantially equal to a width of the packaging container.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the film web comprises a plastic film web and the seal comprises a heat seal.

12. The packaging container of any one of claims 1 to 8 for use as a refuse-bin liner or a refuse container.

13. Use of the packaging container of any one of claims 1 to 8 as a refuse-bin liner or a refuse container.

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