U.S. patent application number 13/884706 was filed with the patent office on 2013-09-05 for package, particularly for aseptically packageable products.
This patent application is currently assigned to GOGLIO S.P.A.. The applicant listed for this patent is Franco Goglio. Invention is credited to Franco Goglio.
Application Number | 20130230261 13/884706 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43742719 |
Filed Date | 2013-09-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130230261 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Goglio; Franco |
September 5, 2013 |
PACKAGE, PARTICULARLY FOR ASEPTICALLY PACKAGEABLE PRODUCTS
Abstract
A package (10), particularly for aseptic packaging, is made up
of two opposite facing walls (12) heat sealed one to the other
along a peripheral line (S). The walls (12) include at least one
layer in metallized heat-sealable plastic material (13) or with
barrier effect and at least one layer (16) in heat-sealable plastic
material. The peripheral heat sealing line (S) is provided at the
cutting edge of the walls (12) so as to form an encapsulation (I)
of the coupled layers (13, 16) at the cutting edge, due to overflow
of the plastic material.
Inventors: |
Goglio; Franco; (Milano,
IT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Goglio; Franco |
Milano |
|
IT |
|
|
Assignee: |
GOGLIO S.P.A.
Milano
IT
|
Family ID: |
43742719 |
Appl. No.: |
13/884706 |
Filed: |
November 10, 2011 |
PCT Filed: |
November 10, 2011 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2011/069882 |
371 Date: |
May 10, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/113 ;
220/62.11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 33/00 20130101;
B65D 75/48 20130101; B31B 2155/00 20170801; B31B 2160/10 20170801;
B31B 2155/003 20170801; B65D 31/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/113 ;
220/62.11 |
International
Class: |
B65D 33/00 20060101
B65D033/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 12, 2010 |
IT |
MI2010A 002104 |
Claims
1-7. (canceled)
8. A package (10), particularly for aseptic packaging, consisting
of two opposite facing walls (12) heat sealed one to another along
a peripheral line (S), said walls (12) comprising at least one
layer in heat-sealable metallized plastic material (13), or with
barrier effect, and at least one layer (16) in heat-sealable
plastic material, wherein said peripheral heat sealing line (S) is
provided at the cutting edge of said walls (12) and in that at said
cutting edge an encapsulation (I) of said coupled layers (13, 16)
is provided, said encapsulation being formed by means of overflow
of the plastic material.
9. The package (10) according to claim 8, further comprising at
least two further heat sealings at two longitudinal or transversal
opposite sides of the bag for coupling said opposite facing walls
(12), parallel to the edge peripheral heat sealing line (S) and
suitably spaced therefrom.
10. The package (10) according to claim 8, wherein said at least
one metallized layer or with barrier effect (13) comprises a pair
of films of polyethylene (14) with a film of metallized polyester
(15) placed therebetween.
11. The package (10) according to claim 8, wherein said at least
one metallized layer or with barrier effect (13) comprises at least
one film of nylon or of ethylene-vinyl-alcohol (EVOH).
12. The package (10) according to claim 8, wherein said at least
one plastic material layer (16) is made of polyethylene.
13. The package (10) according to claim 8, wherein a cut is formed
at one of said facing walls (12) for inserting and fixing a filling
mouthpiece (20) provided with a closing cap (22).
14. The package (10) according to claim 13, wherein a heat sealing
(Si) with encapsulation (I) of the facing layers (13-16) is
provided at the edge of said cut for inserting and fixing the
filling mouthpiece (20).
15. The package (10) according to claim 9, wherein said at least
one metallized layer or with barrier effect (13) comprises a pair
of films of polyethylene (14) with a film of metallized polyester
(15) placed therebetween.
16. The package (10) according to claim 9, wherein said at least
one metallized layer or with barrier effect (13) comprises at least
one film of nylon or of ethylene-vinyl-alcohol (EVOH
17. The package (10) according to claim 9, wherein a cut is formed
at one of said facing walls (12) for inserting and fixing a filling
mouthpiece (20) provided with a closing cap (22).
18. The package (10) according to claim 17, wherein a heat sealing
(51) with encapsulation (I) of the facing layers (13-16) is
provided at the edge of said cut for inserting and fixing the
filling mouthpiece (20).
Description
[0001] The object of the present invention is a package,
particularly suitable for the aseptic packaging of products, such
as for example chopped tomatoes and tomato puree, fruit juices and
the like.
[0002] Packages of the aforesaid type are made up of bags with
walls having several layers or films, with at least one metallized
layer or in any case with barrier effect.
[0003] Each wall of the bag typically has a metallized external
layer with the following layering, proceeding from the exterior
towards the interior: polyethylene-metallized
polyester-polyethylene, and at least one layer of polyethylene,
preferably three layers of polyethylene.
[0004] Such a bag, as described for example in EP 1512635 in the
name of the same Applicant, is obtained by coupling separately the
layers of each wall and then performing the peripheral heat
scalings and, subsequently, transverse cuts to separate one bag
from the next, after having inserted beforehand in a wall of the
bag a mouthpiece for filling the same.
[0005] FIG. 1 shows a partially sectioned view of a bag 1 obtained
in this way. More particularly, FIG. 1 shows the peripheral heat
sealing S between facing multi-layer walls 2, each one comprising a
metallized external layer 3 and at least one internal layer 4 in
heat-sealable plastic material, such as polyethylene.
[0006] FIG. 1 also illustrates an edge portion B, at which portion
the heat-sealed multi-layer walls 2 are separated, following the
transverse cut of separation made during the phase of production of
the bag 1.
[0007] It is clear that the composition of the walls of the bag can
be different from that first illustrated by way of an example, as
the process of production of the bag can also be different, i.e.
the phases of coupling of the films.
[0008] The bags obtained in this way, wherein the filling
mouthpiece is closed by an external cap, are normally transferred
to sterilisation with gamma rays, before being sent to the users,
which are in particular cannery firms or food firms in general,
which use them for the packaging of chopped tomatoes and tomato
puree, fruit juices and the like.
[0009] Filling of the bag takes place by means of appropriate
systems for aseptic packaging, wherein the product, after having
undergone a heat treatment by means of tube bundles, is sent to a
loading head, which comprises a sterilised chamber, which is
positioned in such a way as to embrace the filling mouthpiece,
produces a jet of steam or of suitable sterilised solution so as to
sterilise the area of the mouthpiece, removes the closing cap from
the same and finally positions a tube for dispensing of the product
inside the mouthpiece, so as to provide for filling of the bag. The
aforesaid operations, or the majority of them, are performed with
the bag inserted in a special drum for subsequent storage and
transport.
[0010] The known bags described above and illustrated in FIG. 1
have, however, the following disadvantage.
[0011] In the phase of sterilisation with jet of steam in the area
of the filling mouthpiece condensation is generated, which goes to
deposit on the base of the drum. This condensation remains in
contact with the transverse cut provided on the base of the bag,
and therefore with the edge of the various component layers of the
bag walls, penetrating through the layers of polyethylene, which
are not combined one with the other, as far as the area of heat
sealing S.
[0012] More particularly, the prolonged contact of the condensation
with the edge of the metallized layers 3 often causes the
delamination between the combined films of polyethylene and
metallized polyester of these layers 3 (arrows in FIG. 1).
[0013] As a result, during the phase of extraction of the bag from
the storage drum, which takes place by lifting, the weight of its
content causes at times its bursting, with consequent release of
the product.
[0014] Another point of attack by external substances is
represented by the heat sealing formed in at least one wall of the
bag for the attachment of the filling mouthpiece.
[0015] The object of the invention is therefore that of
eliminating, or at least reducing, the problem as mentioned above
by making available a package, particularly for fluid products
which are aseptically packageable, provided with heat sealing
performed in such a way as to prevent possible infiltrations of
condensation between the films of the metallized layers and the
consequent separation of the same.
[0016] Another object of the present invention is that of providing
a package which can be produced at competitive manufacturing
costs.
[0017] These and other objects, which will be made clearer herein
below, are achieved in accordance with the invention with the
features listed in the annexed claim 1.
[0018] Further advantageous features of the invention form the
object of the dependent claims.
[0019] According to the present invention a package is therefore
provided, particularly for aseptic packaging, made up of two
opposite facing walls heat sealed one to the other along a
peripheral line. The walls comprise at least one layer in
metallized heat-sealable plastic material or with barrier effect
and at least one layer in heat-sealable plastic material. The
package is characterised in that the peripheral heat sealing line
is provided at the cutting edge of the walls, so as to form an
encapsulation of the coupled layers at the cutting edge, due to
overflow of the plastic material.
[0020] The features of the invention will be made clearer by the
following detailed description referred to one of its embodiments
purely by way of a non-limiting example, illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0021] FIG. 1 is a sectioned partial view on an enlarged scale of a
package of the prior art;
[0022] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a package according to an
embodiment of the present invention, and
[0023] FIG. 3 is a sectioned view on an enlarged scale taken along
the trace III-III of FIG. 2.
[0024] In the drawings listed above identical or similar elements
will be denoted by the same reference numerals.
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a package is illustrated in
them, particularly for aseptically packageable fluid products,
according to an embodiment of the present invention, denoted in
general by reference numeral 10.
[0026] The package 10 comprises opposite facing walls 12 obtained
from the coupling of at least two layers of plastic material and
joined one to the other by means of a peripheral heat sealing line
S. At one of the two opposite facing walls 12 a filling mouthpiece
20, provided with a closing cap 22, is preferably applied.
[0027] As shown in detail in FIG. 3, each wall 12 comprises,
preferably, a metallized external layer 13, or with barrier effect,
including a pair of films 14 of heat-sealable material, such as
polyethylene, between which a film of metallized polyester 15 is
placed, and at least another internal layer of polyethylene 16, in
the example illustrated a single layer of polyethylene 16, but in
practice more than one. The internal layers of polyethylene 16 are
not combined or glued one to the other and to the metallized
external layer 13.
[0028] The peripheral heat sealing S is formed at the edge of the
facing walls 12. As a result, in the heat sealing phase, there is
an overflow of the polyethylene plastic material whereof the walls
12 are made, which, once cooled, forms an encapsulation I of the
layers 14, 15 and 16, at the cutting line.
[0029] This encapsulation I prevents, advantageously, the
delamination of the metallized external layers 13, i.e. the
separation between the films of polyethylene 14 and the film of
metallized polyester 15, caused by the deposit of condensation on
the base of the drum of storage of the package 10 following a
treatment of sterilisation with jet of steam of the same
package.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 2, preferably, a heat sealing 51 is
provided, with encapsulation I of the films 14, 15 and 16 of the
metallized external layer 13, also at the cutting edge formed in
one of the two walls 12 of the bag 10 for the insertion and the
attachment of the filling mouthpiece 20.
[0031] This prevents, advantageously, the delamination of the
metallized external layer 13, in an area which constitutes, as
mentioned previously, a typical point of attack by external
substances, such as condensation and the like.
[0032] Depending on the methods used for manufacturing the bag, by
forwarding the films forming the walls 12 thereof in the
longitudinal or transversal direction of the bag, and by
subsequently making transversal or longitudinal cuts respectively
on the formed bags, at least two further heat sealings can be
provided along two opposite sides of the bag, which are parallel to
the heat sealing made on the edges of the bag.
[0033] For example, if the bags are made by means of a continuous
forwarding in the longitudinal direction, heat sealings are made on
the edges of the longitudinal cut including encapsulation of the
layers at their edges as stated before, and double transversal
spaced heat sealings are made between the tail and the head of two
adjacent bags, which are separated by means of a transversal cut
between them. In this case, heat sealings are made on the
transversal edges of the cut with overflow of plastic material,
which remain spaced apart from the preceding ones and form,
together with the previously made longitudinal heat sealings, the
said peripheral sealing S.
[0034] From what is disclosed above, it is easily understood how,
thanks to the presence of the heat sealing S at the peripheral edge
of the package, with consequent encapsulation of the layers of the
walls due to overflow of plastic material, a package is obtained,
particularly for aseptically packageable products, able to remain
intact especially during lifting from the storage drum.
[0035] Numerous detail variations and changes can be made to the
embodiments of the invention described above, within the reach of a
person skilled in the art and in any case coming within the scope
of the invention expressed by the annexed claims.
[0036] For example, although in the example described and
illustrated reference has been made to a bag whose walls comprise a
metallized external layer including a pair of polyethylene films,
between which a metallized polyester film is placed, the invention
is applicable to all laminates containing films of nylon or of
ethylene-vinyl-alcohol (EVOH), notoriously sensitive to humidity
and to all cases wherein there is a risk of delamination by
external agents.
* * * * *