U.S. patent application number 11/609637 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-21 for packaging with subsequently molded form-fit connection.
Invention is credited to Peter Riegger, Dietmar SEND, Joachim Dr. Wokurka.
Application Number | 20070138192 11/609637 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46326805 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070138192 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SEND; Dietmar ; et
al. |
June 21, 2007 |
PACKAGING WITH SUBSEQUENTLY MOLDED FORM-FIT CONNECTION
Abstract
The present invention relates to a packaging with a packaging
trough, into which a packaging material can be filled and which is
closed with a lid, whereby at least one form-fit connection
connects the packaging trough with the lid and the connection
comprises a first and a second connection means. Furthermore, the
present invention relates to a method for the production of a
packaging as well as a packaging machine.
Inventors: |
SEND; Dietmar; (Durach,
DE) ; Riegger; Peter; (Wilpoldsried, DE) ;
Wokurka; Joachim Dr.; (Landsberg, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PERMAN & GREEN
425 POST ROAD
FAIRFIELD
CT
06824
US
|
Family ID: |
46326805 |
Appl. No.: |
11/609637 |
Filed: |
December 12, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11181037 |
Jul 13, 2005 |
|
|
|
11609637 |
Dec 12, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/780 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C 65/58 20130101;
B29C 66/24245 20130101; B65D 43/0212 20130101; B65D 2543/00527
20130101; B29C 66/542 20130101; B29C 66/83221 20130101; B65D
2543/0062 20130101; B29C 66/545 20130101; B29C 2791/001 20130101;
B65D 2543/00731 20130101; B29C 66/8432 20130101; B29C 66/8322
20130101; B29C 65/56 20130101; B29C 66/24221 20130101; B65D
2543/00537 20130101; B65D 2543/00694 20130101; B65B 7/2857
20130101; B29C 51/00 20130101; B65D 2543/00194 20130101; B65D
2543/00296 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/780 |
International
Class: |
B65D 41/18 20060101
B65D041/18 |
Claims
1. A packaging (1) with a packaging trough (2), into which a
packaging material can be filled and which is closed with a lid
(3), whereby at least one form-fit connection (4) connects the
packaging trough (2) with the lid (3) and the connection (4)
comprises a first and a second connection element (4', 4''),
characterized in that at least one connection element (4', 4'') has
been molded at least partially into the packaging (1) after the
packaging trough (2) has been closed with the lid (3).
2. The packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that both
connection elements (4', 4'') are molded into the packaging after
the packaging trough (2) has been closed with the lid (3).
3. The packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the
connection elements are groove (4') and tongue (4'').
4. The packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the
form closure increases the pull-off force of the lid (3) from the
packaging trough (2).
5. The packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the
connection (4) is arranged parallel to the direction of transport
of the items of packaging in a packaging machine.
6. The packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that it has
at least two form-fit connections (4).
7. The packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the
lid (3) and the packaging trough (2) are sealed to one another,
preferably in a peelable manner.
8. A method for producing a packaging (1) having a packaging trough
(2) and a lid (3), whereby the packaging trough (2) is closed with
the lid (3), characterized in that a form-fit connection (4), which
connects the lid with the packaging trough, is then molded into the
packaging.
9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the
connection (4) is molded into the packaging after the lid has been
sealed to the packaging trough.
10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the
connections are preferably molded in transversely to the direction
of conveying.
11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the
connections are molded in with an embossing means which interacts
with a counter-bearing (7), and in that the counter-bearing is
rotated and lowered after molding in.
12. A packaging machine having embossing means (5, 6) with which at
least one connection element (4', 4'') can be molded into a
packaging.
13. The packaging machine according to claim 10, characterized in
that the embossing means (5, 6) are mounted so as to be
displaceable crosswise to the direction of transport of the film
web.
14. The packaging machine according to claim 1, characterized in
that the embossing means (5, 6) cooperate with counter-bearings
(7).
15. The packaging machine according to claim 1, characterized in
that it has a sealing station and that the embossing means (5, 6)
are downstream of the sealing station.
16. The packaging machine according to claim 13, characterized in
that the counter-bearings (7) are arranged so that they are
vertically displaceable.
17. The packaging machine according to claim 13, characterized in
that the counter-bearings (7) are rotatably mounted.
18. The packaging machine according to claim 1, characterized in
that it has a sealing station and in that the embossing means (5,
6) are arranged after the sealing station.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Continuation-in-part and claims
benefit from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/181,037 filed on
Jul. 13, 2005.
[0002] The present invention relates to a packaging with a
packaging trough, into which a packaging material can be filled and
which is closed with a lid, whereby at least one form-fit
connection connects the packaging trough with the lid and the
connection comprises a first and a second connection means.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for the
production of a packaging as well as a packaging machine.
[0003] Items of packaging as a rule comprise a packaging trough,
into which the packaging material, for example foodstuff, can be
filled. This packaging trough is then closed with an, as a rule,
preformed lid. In order to increase the pull-off force of the lid
from the packaging trough after the initial opening, it is
advantageous for the re-closure capability if at least one form-fit
connection is present between the lid and the packaging trough.
This form-fit connection comprises two connection elements, for
example a groove and a tongue, whereby the tongue is introduced
into the groove.
[0004] At present, the connection elements are molded into the lid
and into the packaging trough during deep-drawing. Since the lid
and the packaging trough must, however, be able to be removed again
from the respective deep-drawing die after deep-drawing and one
connection element must be able to be introduced into the other,
the shape of the connection elements is very greatly restricted
with this method.
[0005] The problem of the present invention, therefore, was to make
available a packaging that does not display the drawbacks of the
prior art.
[0006] This problem is solved with a packaging with a packaging
trough, into which a packaging material can be filled and which is
closed with a lid, whereby at least one form-fit connection
connects the packaging trough with the lid and the connection
comprises a first and a second connection element, wherein at least
one connection element has been molded at least partially into the
packaging after the packaging trough has been closed with the
lid.
[0007] It was extremely surprising for the expert and not to be
expected that the packaging according to the invention can have an
arbitrarily shaped form-fit connection between the lid and the
packaging trough. Very great design possibilities of the form-fit
connection between the packaging trough and the lid thus arise, so
that the force that is required to remove the lid from the
packaging trough can for example be adjusted very exactly. The
packaging according to the invention can be produced in a
straightforward manner and cost effectively.
[0008] According to the invention, the packaging comprises a
packaging trough, into which the packaging material can be filled,
and a lid. Both the packaging trough and the lid are preferably
manufactured from a plastics material and are deep-drawn in each
case. The plastic material may be comparatively stiff and/or
foamed. At least one, but preferably several, form-fit connections
are arranged between the lid and the packaging trough, whereby the
form-fit connection is brought about in such a way that the force
that is required to detach the lid from the packaging trough is
increased. The form-fit connections can be distributed arbitrarily
over the circumference of the packaging. Furthermore, the form-fit
connections can be combined with a joint, whereby at least one
form-fit connection is then arranged opposite the hinge (joint).
Furthermore, the form-fit connections can also be used as snap
connections for the re-closure of the items of packaging. According
to the invention, the form-fit connection comprises a first and a
second connection means, which engage into one another and thus
bring about the form-fit connection. All connection elements
familiar to the expert can be considered as connection elements,
with which it is possible to achieve a form closure between the
packaging trough and the lid. Preferably, however, the connection
element is a groove and tongue connection or two spherical
part-shells which engage into one another. The connection
preferably extends parallel to the transport direction of the film
web from which the packaging is produced. This embodiment of the
present invention simplifies the dies and their arrangement in a
packaging machine which are required to mould the connection
elements of the form-fit connection into the packaging trough and
the lid.
[0009] According to the invention, the packaging has at least one,
but preferably two or more, form-fit connections.
[0010] The lid and the packaging trough are preferably sealed to
one another in the region of a sealing plane. This sealing is
preferably peelable, so that the packaging can be closed again by
means of the form-fit connection.
[0011] The connections are preferably inserted by thermal molds
into the packaging trough. The connection should preferably be
inserted from the inside to the outside, i.e. the circumference of
the packaging increases in the region of the connection. The
advantage of this design of the present invention is that the
surface by which the goods can be removed from the packaging is not
reduced by the inner moldings, or that no additional outward bulges
have to made into which the connections are then shaped, as
disclosed in EP 0 367 603 A2.
[0012] The inner molding is preferably located in the lateral walls
of the packaging trough.
[0013] The lid is preferably sealed to the packaging trough. This
sealing is preferably peelable so that the connection serves as a
resealing device after the packaging is opened for the first time.
The lid is preferably sealed to the packaging trough along an
essentially horizontal sealing plane
[0014] The items of packaging may be arbitrarily shaped, but the
items of packaging preferably have an essentially square or round
base surface.
[0015] A further subject-matter of the present invention is a
method for the production of a packaging having a packaging trough
and a lid, whereby the packaging trough is closed with the lid,
wherein a form-fit connection, which connects the lid with the
packaging trough, is subsequently molded into the packaging.
[0016] With the method according to the invention, it is possible
to produce items of packaging which have arbitrarily shaped
form-fit connections between the packaging and the lid. The method
according to the invention can be carried out in a straightforward
manner and cost effectively.
[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the
invention, the lid is sealed to the packaging trough before the
form-fit connection has been produced. The sealing is preferably
peelable.
[0018] The packaging is preferably manufactured in cycles, i.e. one
format at a time, consisting of several items of packaging, is
always conveyed in cycles along a packaging machine. The
connections are then molded in whilst the items of packaging to be
produced are stationary. For this purpose a die is displaced
preferably vertically, which die has at least one, preferably
several embossing means. The connections are made with these
embossing means.
[0019] For the actual manufacture of the connections the embossing
means are preferably displaced for this purpose transversely to the
direction of conveying of the items of packaging along the
packaging machine, thereby molding the connection into the
packaging trough or the lid. After manufacture, the embossing means
are retracted and moved vertically upwards so that the items of
packaging can continue to be conveyed by one cycle.
[0020] The embossing means preferably interact with a
counter-bearing, in order for example to prevent the packaging from
becoming misshaped when the connection is molded in. It is
preferable, particularly in the case of round items of packaging,
for the counter-bearings to be arranged so that they are vertically
displaceable. As soon as the items of packaging are located
underneath the embossing means, the counter-bearings are raised so
that they rest on the packaging troughs. Before the items of
packaging are conveyed further, the counter-bearings are lowered
again.
[0021] Counter-bearings are preferably adjusted before
lowering.
[0022] A further subject-matter of the present invention is a
packaging machine, which has an embossing means with which a
connection element can be molded into the packaging.
[0023] This embossing means is preferably mounted so as to be
displaceable crosswise to the direction of transport of the film
web, so that it can be brought reversibly into engagement with the
packaging trough and the lid. Furthermore, it is preferably
arranged so that it is vertically displaceable so that it can be
removed from the area of the packaging after the connection has
been molded in.
[0024] The packaging machine according to the invention preferably
works cyclically. The items of packaging of one size are in this
case always conveyed further cyclically by a certain distance. The
packaging is processed and the connection molded in whilst the
items of packaging are stationary.
[0025] The packaging machine according to the invention also
preferably has counter-bearings, with which the embossing means
cooperate. By means of this preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the connection means of the form-fit connection can be
molded more rapidly and more exactly into the packaging trough and
into the lid. Furthermore, adjustment of the packaging during
manufacture of the connection is avoided.
[0026] These counter-bearings may be arranged so that they are
vertically displaceable. This is particularly preferred in the case
of round items of packaging. The counter-bearings are preferably
rotated about a vertical axis before lowering until a recess
provided in the counter-bearing overlaps the molded in connection.
It is then possible to lower the packaging trough without
problem.
[0027] The packaging machine according to the invention preferably
has a sealing station, in which the lid is sealed to the packaging
trough. The embossing means are preferably downstream of the
sealing station, in relation to the running direction of the film
from which the packaging trough and the lid is produced.
[0028] The invention will be explained below with the aid of FIGS.
1 to 4. These explanations are merely by way of example and do not
restrict the general ideas of the invention. The explanations apply
equally to all the subject-matters of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 1 shows the packaging according to the invention,
[0030] FIG. 2 shows two possible embodiments of the form-fit
connection,
[0031] FIG. 3 shows the packaging machine according to the
invention with the embossing means and
[0032] FIG. 4 shows further details of the embossing means
according to FIG. 3,
[0033] FIG. 5 shows a format on round counter-bearings for
manufacturing a packaging according to the invention,
[0034] FIG. 6 shows a section and detail of the counter-bearings
according to FIG. 5,
[0035] FIG. 7 shows the drive of the counter-bearings.
[0036] FIG. 1 shows the packaging according to the invention, which
comprises a packaging trough 2 and a lid 3. A packaging material,
for example foodstuff, can be placed into packaging trough 2.
Packaging trough 2 is then closed with lid 3. After the packaging
trough has been closed with the lid, form-fit connection 4 is
molded into the lid and/or the packaging trough. In the present
case, the form-fit connection is molded both into lid 3 and into
packaging trough 2. The packaging according to the invention is
produced on a packaging machine, whereby the packaging trough and
the lid are either placed as ready molded parts into the packaging
machine or are molded into a plane film web, for example by
deep-drawing. In each case, the items of packaging are transported,
preferably cyclically, along the running direction represented by
the arrow inside the packaging machine. The expert will recognize
that, in the present case, form-fit connection 4 is arranged
parallel to the running direction of the packaging machine, which
considerably simplifies the design of the packaging machine, this
being explained in greater detail with the aid of FIGS. 3 and 4.
The lid and the packaging trough are sealed to one another in a
peelable manner in the region of the sealing plane before the
form-fit connection has been molded into the packaging.
[0037] FIG. 2 shows two possible design shapes of the form-fit
connection. The left-hand representation shows a groove tapering to
a point, which extends into and out of the plane of the paper. Due
to the fact that the form-fit connection is molded into the lid and
the packaging trough only after the lid has been placed onto the
packaging trough, it is possible to produce shapes of the form-fit
connection which were not possible according to the prior art. For
example, it was not possible to produce a groove and tongue in such
a pointed fashion depicted in the left-hand representation, without
the latter either no longer being able to be removed from the mould
or becoming damaged during the fitting together of the lid and the
packaging trough.
[0038] The right-hand part of FIG. 2 represents a hemispherical
design of the form-fit connection. The expert will understand that
it is advantageous for several such spherical form-fit connections
to be arranged over the circumference of the packaging trough.
Reference is further made to the comments concerning the left-hand
embodiment according to FIG. 2.
[0039] FIG. 3 represents the embossing means of the packaging
machine according to the invention. The packaging trough (not
shown) closed with a lid is transported into the plane of the paper
and stopped for a short time in recesses 12 of die 8. As soon as
the packaging is located inside recess 12 in a stationary position,
embossing means 5, 6, which are located on displacement means 9,
10, are lowered and displaced to the right or to the left, so that
they engage with the packaging and mould the respective connection
elements essentially simultaneously into the lid and into the
packaging trough. During the molding, embossing means 5, 6
cooperate with counter-bearings 7, which are arranged on die 8. As
soon as the connection elements of the form-fit connection have
been produced, the dies are again moved back and the packages thus
completed are transported one cycle onwards. The movement of
adjustment elements 9, 10 is represented by the two double arrows.
Due to the fact that the form-fit connections are parallel to the
direction transport of the packaging, die 8 does not have to be
designed lowerable, and this represents a considerable design
advantage. Embossing means 5, 6 can be designed heatable.
[0040] FIG. 4 essentially corresponds to FIG. 3, whereby in the
present case tubes 11 are also represented, with which the
displacement of adjustment means 9, 10 crosswise to the direction
transport of the film web is brought about.
[0041] FIG. 5 shows a two-row format, each with four
counter-bearings 7 for manufacturing the connecting elements
according to the invention on items of packaging which are arranged
in a suitable format. These counter-bearings 7 each have a groove
13, which interacts with the embossing means (not shown) in order
to emboss the connecting element according to the invention into
the lateral wall of the packaging trough and into the lid.
Furthermore, the counter-bearing according to the invention has
four recesses 14 on which the groove is interrupted and which
extend as far as the upper edge of the counter-bearing 7. Two
heated embossing means (not shown) are pressed outwards
transversely to the direction of conveying represented by the
arrow, thereby embossing the form-fit connection in the lid and the
lateral wall of the packaging trough. The embossing means are then
retracted and at the same time or shortly thereafter the
counter-means are rotated 45.degree. clockwise or anticlockwise by
means of a drive until recesses 14 overlap the form-fit connections
in the items of packaging. Counter-bearings 7 can then be lowered
without damaging the form-fit connection and the packaging troughs
provided with the form-fit connection can be conveyed further one
cycle. Between two cycles the counter-bearings can be rotated
45.degree. back into their original position, and as soon as the
further conveyance of the packaging troughs is completed, they can
then be brought into engagement with a further format of items of
packaging in order to insert the form-fit connections into the
packaging.
[0042] FIG. 6 shows a section through a row of counter-bearings 7
and an enlargement B. It can clearly be seen that the
counter-bearings 7 are rotatable about a vertical axis 15. The
adjustment is in this case made 450 clockwise and anticlockwise by
means of a toothed belt 17, which engages with a toothed wheel 16.
The expert understands that any drive may also be considered here.
The expert understands that the connections need not be molded in
transversely to the direction of conveying but may also be arranged
at any other point.
[0043] The drive for toothed belt 17 is shown in FIG. 7. In this
case the drive is provided by a pneumatic cylinder 16, which drives
a lever 19 alternately clockwise and anticlockwise. This drive is
transmitted by toothed belt 17 to all ten toothed wheels 16 and
drives them synchronously. The expert understands that any other
drive may be considered here.
* * * * *