A toothpaste transfer device for transferring toothpaste from a larger home-size toothpaste tube to a smaller travel-size toothpaste tube, enabling one to fill and refill travel-size toothpaste tubes.

A toothpaste transfer device for transferring toothpaste from a larger home-size toothpaste tube to a smaller travel-size toothpaste tube, enabling one to fill and refill travel-size toothpaste tubes.

Providing clean water to a population is essential to maintain human life. Short and long-term issues may prevent a population from obtaining potable water. Transporting bulk water or prepackaged water (e.g., jugs, bottles, etc.) is an expensive and resource-intensive proposition. The population may be forced to utilize unsafe containers, further exacerbating the already adverse conditions. By providing empty, biodegradable bottles to a location which are then filled on-site from a potable or treated non-potable water source provides greater flexibility, resource savings, and safety. Additionally, the biodegradable bottles reduce the opportunity for the adverse effects experienced by non-degradable bottles which are often abandoned.

Providing clean water to a population is essential to maintain human life. Short and long-term issues may prevent a population from obtaining potable water. Transporting bulk water or prepackaged water (e.g., jugs, bottles, etc.) is an expensive and resource-intensive proposition. The population may be forced to utilize unsafe containers, further exacerbating the already adverse conditions. By providing empty, biodegradable bottles to a location which are then filled on-site from a potable or treated non-potable water source provides greater flexibility, resource savings, and safety. Additionally, the biodegradable bottles reduce the opportunity for the adverse effects experienced by non-degradable bottles which are often abandoned.

The invention relates to an arrangement adapted to package a liquid consumable product in a package. The arrangement comprises an infeed to provide prepared packaging material having a first side (6) and a second side (7), said second side (7) being adapted to be in contact with the consumable product, a digital printing system (4) coupled to said infeed and adapted to print at least one color onto at least a portion of the first side (6) of the prepared packaging material, a sterilization system (8) having a low voltage electron beam device (12) adapted to emit an electron beam on said first and second side (6, 7) of said packaging material, and a packaging machine (9) coupled to an outfeed of the digital printing system (4) and adapted to provide a package from said prepared packaging material, said package being filled with the consumable product. The invention also relates to a method for packaging a liquid consumable product in a package.

The invention relates to an arrangement adapted to package a liquid consumable product in a package. The arrangement comprises an infeed to provide prepared packaging material having a first side (6) and a second side (7), said second side (7) being adapted to be in contact with the consumable product, a digital printing system (4) coupled to said infeed and adapted to print at least one color onto at least a portion of the first side (6) of the prepared packaging material, a sterilization system (8) having a low voltage electron beam device (12) adapted to emit an electron beam on said first and second side (6, 7) of said packaging material, and a packaging machine (9) coupled to an outfeed of the digital printing system (4) and adapted to provide a package from said prepared packaging material, said package being filled with the consumable product. The invention also relates to a method for packaging a liquid consumable product in a package.

A tube or other container for storing and dispensing a product such as toothpaste, a lotion, a cream, etc., includes one or more creases. Initially, each crease can be in a contracted position, where the tube has a first volume when the crease is in the contracted position. Due to outgassing of the product and/or other factors, pressure may increase within the sealed tube. In response to the pressure increase, the one or more creases can deflect from the contracted position to an expanded position, where the tube has a second, increased volume when the crease is in the expanded position. Deflection of the one or more creases effectively increases the volume of the interior of the tube, and maintains pressure within the tube at a desirable level.

A tube or other container for storing and dispensing a product such as toothpaste, a lotion, a cream, etc., includes one or more creases. Initially, each crease can be in a contracted position, where the tube has a first volume when the crease is in the contracted position. Due to outgassing of the product and/or other factors, pressure may increase within the sealed tube. In response to the pressure increase, the one or more creases can deflect from the contracted position to an expanded position, where the tube has a second, increased volume when the crease is in the expanded position. Deflection of the one or more creases effectively increases the volume of the interior of the tube, and maintains pressure within the tube at a desirable level.

A unit for inflating an inflatable object includes a first sub-system for initially inflating the inflatable object and a second sub-system for automatically adding air to the inflatable object when the air pressure within the object falls below a predetermined threshold after inflation. The air pressure within the inflatable object is monitored and measured by an electric pressure sensor that communicates with a PC circuit board. The unit allows air into and out of the inflatable object using a solenoid configured to open and close a valve. The first and second sub-systems are both contained within the same housing affixed to the inflatable object and use the same solenoid and valve to add air into the inflatable object.

A tube holder is disclosed for carrying a tube to multiple processing stations of a tube filling machine. In one non-limiting embodiment, the tube holder includes a body comprising a receptacle configured for retaining a tube. The tube includes a dispensing end and an opposite open end for filling a cavity therein with a product. A retractable tube shaping device is movably disposed in the tube holder. The shaping device is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. When the shaping device is in the extended position, the shaping device engages the tube proximate to the open end and removes ovality which might interfere with the tube filling operation. In various embodiments, the shaping device comprises a plurality of vertically retractable straightening elements that engage the sidewalls of the tube to ensure circularity of the open tube end.