CONTAINER MADE OF PAPER

Abstract

A container for holding a fluid is disclosed. The container comprises an inner sleeve having a first opening and a second opening opposite the first opening, and an outer sleeve having a third opening and a fourth opening opposite the third opening. The inner sleeve and the outer sleeve are made of paper. The first opening has a first reinforcing element which extends into the first opening, and the third opening has a second reinforcing element which extends into the third opening. Further, the container comprises a functional insert. The outer sleeve has a larger diameter than the inner sleeve so that the inner sleeve is insertable into the outer sleeve through the fourth opening such that the insert is fastened between the first reinforcing element and the second reinforcing element.

Claims

1-19. (canceled)

20. A container for holding a fluid, the container comprising: an inner sleeve having a first opening and a second opening opposite the first opening; an outer sleeve having a third opening and a fourth opening opposite the third opening; wherein the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve are made of paper, wherein the first opening comprises a first reinforcing element which extends into the first opening, wherein the third opening comprises a second reinforcing element which extends into the third opening; a functional insert, wherein the outer sleeve has a larger diameter than the inner sleeve so that the inner sleeve is insertable into the outer sleeve through the fourth opening such that the insert is fastened between the first reinforcing element and the second reinforcing element.

21. The container according to claim 20, wherein the diameter of the inner sleeve and the diameter of the outer sleeve are configured such that an outer surface of the inner sleeve and an inner surface of the outer sleeve are frictionally coupled to each other.

22. The container according to claim 20, wherein the diameter of the inner sleeve and the diameter of the outer sleeve are configured such that an outer surface of the inner sleeve and an inner surface of the outer sleeve are coupleable to each other in a substance-to-substance bonded manner.

23. The container according to claim 20, further comprising: a closure element for closing at least one of the second opening of the inner sleeve and the fourth opening of the outer sleeve.

24. The container according to claim 23, wherein the closure element comprises a head disk, wherein the head disk is fastened to at least one of the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve such that the second opening and the fourth opening are closed.

25. The container according to claim 24, wherein the closure element comprises a further outer sleeve which is closed on one side by the head disk in such a way that the closure element is slipped over the second opening and the fourth opening.

26. The container according to claim 25, wherein the further outer sleeve and the head disk are made of paper.

27. The container according to claim 25, wherein the further outer sleeve comprises a third reinforcing element which extends into the sixth opening, wherein the head disk is coupled to the portion of the third reinforcing element extending into the interior of the further outer sleeve.

28. The container according to claim 25, wherein the diameter of the outer sleeve and the diameter of the further outer sleeve are configured such that an outer surface of the outer sleeve and an inner surface of the further outer sleeve are frictionally coupled to each other.

29. The container according to claim 20, wherein a predetermined breaking point is formed in at least one of the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve such that a tool-free separation of at least one of the first sleeve and the second sleeve is providable.

30. The container according to claim 29, wherein the predetermined breaking point forms a region of the inner sleeve and/or the outer sleeve which is less robust than a region of the corresponding inner sleeve and/or the outer sleeve surrounding the predetermined breaking point.

31. The container according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the first reinforcing element and the second reinforcing element comprises a bead.

32. The container according to claim 20, wherein at least one of an outer surface of the inner sleeve and an inner surface of the inner sleeve is provided with a coating, and/or wherein at least one of an outer surface of the outer sleeve and an inner surface of the outer sleeve is provided with a coating.

33. The container according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve consists of a plurality of layers.

34. The container according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve is a spirally wound sleeve.

35. The container according to claim 20, wherein the functional insert comprises a bag member for holding a fluid and a support member to which the bag member is attached, wherein the bag member extends from the support member into the interior of the first sleeve.

36. The container according to claim 35, wherein the bag member is designed to be elastically deformable such that the bag member is expandable by means of the fluid inside the bag member.

37. The container according to claim 20, wherein the functional insert comprises a valve insert through which a fluid inside the first sleeve is selectively dischargeable.

38. A method of manufacturing a container for holding a fluid, the method comprising: providing an inner sleeve having a first opening and a second opening opposite the first opening; providing an outer sleeve having a third opening and a fourth opening opposite the third opening; wherein the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve are made of paper, providing a first reinforcing element at the first opening, which first reinforcing element extends into the first opening, providing a second reinforcing element at the third opening, which second reinforcing element extends into the third opening; providing a functional insert, wherein the outer sleeve has a larger diameter than the inner sleeve so that the inner sleeve is insertable into the outer sleeve through the second opening such that the insert is fastened between the first reinforcing element and the second reinforcing element.

39. The container according to claim 30, wherein the predetermined breaking point comprises at least one of a notch, a perforation, a scribe mark, a spatially limited embrittled region and a material taper.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0070] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the container according to the disclosure, the container consisting in particular of three sleeves.

[0071] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the container according to FIG. 1 with cap.

[0072] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of a further exemplary embodiment of the container according to the disclosure, the container consisting in particular of two sleeves.

[0073] FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of a further exemplary embodiment of the container according to FIG. 3 with cap.

[0074] FIG. 5 shows a schematic sectional view of a further exemplary embodiment of the container according to the disclosure with three sleeves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0075] It is pointed out that in the following detailed description, features or components of different embodiments which are identical or at least functionally identical to the corresponding features or components of another embodiment are provided with the same reference signs or with reference signs which are identical in the last two digits to the reference signs of corresponding identical or at least functionally identical features or components. To avoid unnecessary repetitions, features or components already explained on the basis of a previously described embodiment will not be explained again in detail at a later point.

[0076] It is also noted that the representation in the figures is schematic and not to scale.

[0077] It is further noted that space-related terms, such as “front” and “back,” “top” and “bottom,” “left” and “right,” etc., are used to describe the relationship of an element to another element or elements, as illustrated in the figures. Accordingly, the space-related terms may apply to orientations which are different from the orientations illustrated in the figures. It is understood, however, that all such space-related terms refer to the orientations shown in the drawings for the sake of simplicity of description and are not necessarily limiting, since the particular device, component, etc. shown, when in use, may assume orientations that may be different from the orientations shown in the drawing.

[0078] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the container 100 according to the disclosure for holding a fluid, in particular an aerosol. The container 100 comprises an inner sleeve 101 having a first opening 102 and a second opening 103 opposite the first opening 102. Further, the container 100 comprises an outer sleeve 104 having a third opening 105 and a fourth opening 106 opposite the third opening 105. The inner sleeve 101 and the outer sleeve 104 are made of paper. The first opening 102 comprises a first reinforcing element 107 which extends into the first opening 102, and the third opening 105 comprises a second reinforcing element 108 which extends into the third opening 105. Further, the container 100 comprises a functional insert 109. The outer sleeve 104 has a larger diameter than the inner sleeve 101 so that the inner sleeve 101 is insertable into the outer sleeve 104 through the fourth opening 106 such that the insert 109 is fastened between the first reinforcing element 107 and the second reinforcing element 108.

[0079] The reinforcing element 107 is a full circumferential bead which extends from the skin surface of the inner sleeve 101 into the interior or inner volume of the inner sleeve 101 and contributes to the stiffening, mechanical strength and dimensional stability of the inner sleeve 101. In this case, the reinforcing element 107 is a flange with a round cross-section, which extends into the interior, i.e. into the cylindrical volume of the inner sleeve 101.

[0080] The inner sleeve 101 is in particular a spirally wound sleeve which is made of paper, in particular of at least two paper layers. In the embodiment according to the disclosure shown in FIG. 1, an inner surface 111 and an outer surface 110 of the inner sleeve 101 may be provided with a coating. Coatings of the inner sleeve 101 serve in this case to improve the resistance of the inner sleeve 101 to, for example, grease, oil and water.

[0081] The outer sleeve 104 comprises a reinforcing element 108, which is also a flange with a circular cross-section that extends into the interior of the outer sleeve 104. The outer sleeve 104 is also a spirally wound sleeve, which is made of two layers of paper. The inner surface 113 and the outer surface 112 of the outer sleeve 104 may be provided without coating or with coating.

[0082] The inner sleeve 101 has an outer diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of the outer sleeve 104. The outer diameter of the inner sleeve 101 and the inner diameter of the outer sleeve 104 are configured in such a way that the outer surface 110 of the inner sleeve 101 and the inner surface 113 of the outer sleeve 104 are almost completely in contact. In particular, the inner sleeve 101 may thus be fastened to each other with the outer sleeve 104 by means of an interference fit. The outer diameter of the inner sleeve 101 and the inner diameter of the outer sleeve 104 are formed in such a way that the inner sleeve 101 is inserted into the outer sleeve 104 with an insertion force and that a static frictional force is present. The static frictional force prevents the inner sleeve 101 from slipping out of the outer sleeve 104.

[0083] The inner sleeve 101 has a shorter length in the longitudinal direction LR than the outer sleeve 104 so that an area is provided between the first reinforcing element 107 and the second reinforcing element 108 in the interior of the outer sleeve 104, which is configured such that a functional insert 109 is arranged and fastened within said area.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 1, the functional insert 109 may form a valve carrier 124 that supports a valve 123. The functional insert 109 may be made of plastic and thus differ from the recyclable material of the sleeves 101, 104.

[0085] The functional insert 109 has a diameter that is smaller than the inner diameter of the outer sleeve 104. Further, the diameter of the functional insert 109 is larger than the free diameter of the third opening 105, which is not constrained or restricted by the second reinforcing element 108. As a result, the functional insert 109 may be inserted through the fourth opening 106 of the outer sleeve 104 and may be applied to the second reinforcing element 108. Additionally, the diameter of the functional insert 109 is larger than the free diameter of the first opening 102, which is not constrained or restricted by the first reinforcing element 107. Thus, after the functional insert 109 is applied to the second reinforcing element 108, the inner sleeve 101 may be pushed or inserted into the outer sleeve 104 so that the inner sleeve 101 and the first reinforcing element 107 press the functional insert 109 against the first reinforcing element 108. The functional insert 109 is thus clamped and fixed between the first reinforcing element 107 and the second reinforcing element 108.

[0086] Furthermore, the container 101 comprises a closure element. The closure element comprises a head disk 118 and a further outer sleeve 114. The further outer sleeve 114 comprises a fifth opening 115 and a sixth opening 116, which are arranged opposite each other. The further outer sleeve 114 is also a spirally wound sleeve, which consists of two paper layers. The inner surface 119 and the outer surface 120 of the further outer sleeve 104 may be provided without or with a coating.

[0087] The head disk 118 is fastened to a third reinforcing element 117 which is provided at the sixth opening 116 of the further outer sleeve 114. The third reinforcing element 114 may be formed as a flange having a circular cross-section. A fastening of the head disk 118 to the third reinforcing element 117 is provided by means of a material connection (adhesive connection) and/or a press connection. In this case, in particular in the case of the adhesive connection, a fastening of the head disk to the third reinforcing element 117 is realized by means of a complete or punctual adhesive bond, preferably by means of three adhesive points.

[0088] The inner diameter of the further outer sleeve 114 and the outer diameter of the outer sleeve 104 are configured here in such a way that the outer surface 112 of the outer sleeve 104 and the inner surface 119 of the further outer sleeve 114 are almost completely in contact. Here, the outer sleeve 104 is formed with the further outer sleeve 114 in a kind of interference fit. The outer diameter of the outer sleeve 104 and the inner diameter of the further outer sleeve 114 are formed in such a way that the outer sleeve 104 is pushed or inserted into the further outer sleeve 114 with an insertion force and that a static frictional force is present. The static frictional force prevents the outer sleeve 104 from slipping out of the further outer sleeve 114.

[0089] The further outer sleeve 114 has a length which is smaller than the length of the inner sleeve 101 and/or the outer sleeve 104 in a longitudinal direction LR. Thus, the closure element may at least partially or completely cover the outer surface 110 and 112 of the inner and outer sleeves 101 and 104.

[0090] Furthermore, depending in particular on the static friction and the length of the further outer sleeve 104, the closure element serves as a kind of stopper so that a force acting on the valve carrier 124 in the longitudinal direction LR does not cause the inner sleeve 101 and the valve carrier 124 to be pressed out of the outer sleeve 104. This stopping function is provided by the fact that the one force acting on the valve carrier 124 in the longitudinal direction LR must not only be stronger than the static friction force between the inner sleeve 101 and the outer sleeve 104, but must also be stronger than a superposition of the static friction force between the inner sleeve 101 and the outer sleeve 104 and the static friction force between the outer sleeve 104 and the further outer sleeve 114.

[0091] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the container 100 according to FIG. 1. The container 100 shown in FIG. 2 is provided with a cap 201. This cap 201 may also be provided by means of a spirally wound sleeve 202 made of paper, a reinforcing element 203 extending into the interior of the sleeve 202, which is a flange having a round cross-section, and a cover disk 204 coupled to the reinforcing element 203 in the interior of the sleeve. Here, a length of the cap 201 in the longitudinal direction LR and the inner diameter of the cap 201 are configured such that the cap 201 can be partially or fully slipped over the outer surface 112 of the outer sleeve 104. Here, the inner diameter of the cap 201 may be identical to the inner diameter of the further outer sleeve 114. As a result, the inner diameter of the cap 201 and the outer diameter of the outer sleeve 104 are also configured such that the cap 201 is formed with the further outer sleeve 114 in a kind of interference fit. The outer diameter of the outer sleeve 104 and the inner diameter of the cap 201 are thus desugned such that the cap 201 is pushed onto the outer sleeve 104 with a thrust force, and such that a static frictional force is present. The static frictional force prevents the cap 201 from slipping off the outer sleeve 104.

[0092] Further, the cap 201 comprises an inlay 205 that may be used to define or set a seating depth, i.e., a depth at which the container 100 is inserted into the cap 201, i.e., the inlay is configured to serve as a stop. The inlay is a spirally wound sleeve or a bead that is materially or frictionally fastened in the sleeve 202 of the cap 201. With the aid of the inlay, a recessed grip 206 may be provided by forming the cap 201 and the closure element such that the outer sleeve 104 is exposed in a region.

[0093] In addition to the static frictional forces acting between the inner sleeve 101, the outer sleeve 104 and the further outer sleeve 114, as already described in detail for FIG. 1, slipping of the inner sleeve 101 out of the outer sleeve 104 and of the outer sleeve 104 out of the further outer sleeve 114 may also be reliably prevented if a fluid inside the inner sleeve or a fluid in a bag system 222 inside the inner sleeve 101 leads to a mechanical pressure load in the radial direction RR towards the outside. In other words, the inner sleeve 101, the outer sleeve 104 and the further outer sleeve 114 may be pressed against each other when, for example, the inner sleeve 101 or the bag system 222 arranged inside the inner sleeve 101 is filled with a fluid, e.g. aerosol, in such a way that the expansion of the inner sleeve 101 or of the bag system 222 in radial direction RR towards the outside also leads to an expansion or to an outward pressing of the inner sleeve 101 against the outer sleeve 104 and against the further outer sleeve 114. If the mechanical pressure load in the radial direction RR decreases towards the outside, which is induced for example by the use and the emptying of the bag system 222, the compression of the inner 110, the outer 104 and the further outer sleeve 114 also decreases so that the sleeves 101, 104 and 114 are coupled only by means of the static friction and a separation is facilitated.

[0094] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of an exemplary further embodiment of the container 100 according to the disclosure, the container 100 consisting in particular of two sleeves. The container 100 shown in FIG. 3 also comprises an inner sleeve 101 and an outer sleeve 104, which are provided by means of spiral winding and consist of two paper webs. The inner sleeve 101 comprises a first reinforcing element 107 and the outer sleeve 104 comprises a second reinforcing element 108. Furthermore, the container 100 comprises a closure element. In the embodiments according to the disclosure shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the closure element represents a head disk 118, which is fastened in a substance-to-substance bonded manner to the second opening 103 of the inner sleeve 101. A substance-to-substance or material bond is provided in this case by means of complete or punctual adhesion of the head disk 118 to the inner sleeve 101, in particular to the edge of the second opening 103. Alternatively, the closure element in FIGS. 3 and 4 may be a head disk 118 which is placed on the second opening 103 of the inner sleeve 101, i.e., not coupled in a substance-to-substance bonded manner, and is fastened by means of a reinforcing element which is provided at the fourth opening 106 of the outer sleeve 104 after the head disk has been placed on the second opening 103. Here, the inner diameter of the outer sleeve 104 and the outer diameter of the inner sleeve 101 are again configured such that the inner surface 113 of the outer sleeve 104 and the outer surface 110 of the inner sleeve provide a kind of interference fit. Thus, the inner sleeve 101 and the outer sleeve 104 are frictionally coupled to each other, i.e. by means of a static frictional force, so that the inner sleeve 101 is prevented from slipping out of the outer sleeve 104.

[0095] In addition to the static frictional force which couples the inner sleeve 101 and the outer sleeve 104 to each other, in this exemplary embodiment according to the disclosure, slipping of the inner sleeve 101 out of the outer sleeve 104 may also be prevented by means of a crimping or compression, as described at FIG. 2, of the sleeves 101 and 104.

[0096] FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of an exemplary further embodiment of the container according to FIG. 3. In the embodiment according to the disclosure shown in FIG. 4, the container 100 of FIG. 3 is provided with a cap 202 as already described in FIG. 2.

[0097] FIG. 5 shows a schematic sectional view of an exemplary further embodiment of the container 100 according to the disclosure, the container 100 consisting in particular of three sleeves. The container 100 shown in FIG. 5 comprises, just like the container 100 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a spirally wound inner sleeve 101, a spirally wound outer sleeve 108 and a closure element comprising a spirally wound further outer sleeve 114 and a head disk 118. The inner sleeve 101, outer sleeve 108, and further outer sleeve 114 all include a reinforcing element at an opening. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment according to the disclosure of FIGS. 1 and 2, the inner sleeve 101 and/or the outer sleeve 104 and/or the further outer sleeve 114 are coupled to each other in a substance-to-substance bonded manner. Adhesives, in particular recyclable adhesives, are used for providing a substance-to-substance bonded coupling. The coupling is provided here by means of a complete bonding of the sleeves 101, 104 and 114.

[0098] A separability of the sleeves 101, 104 and 114 may be provided here by releasing or breaking the substance-to-substance bonded coupling by a torsional movement in the emptied state of the container so that a separation of the sleeves 101, 104 and 114 is made possible.

[0099] A separability of recyclable elements, i.e. the spirally wound paper sleeves 101,104 and 114, and elements, i.e. the functional insert, may be provided in the further exemplary embodiments according to the disclosure as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 by means of a predetermined breaking point 121. The predetermined breaking point 121 is provided in the outer sleeve 104 in a region between the first reinforcing element 107 and the second reinforcing element 108. As a result, recyclable elements and non-recyclable elements of the container 100 may be easily separated from each other by a tool-free, manual breaking of the predetermined breaking point 121.

[0100] The predetermined breaking point 121 may be a perforated region or perforation in the circumferential direction on the outer sleeve 104 and/or on the inner sleeve 101. The perforation of the outer sleeve 104 and/or of the inner sleeve 101 weakens the sleeve/sleeves 101 and 104 in the region of the predetermined breaking point 212 in such a way that the sleeves 101 and 104 can be separated destructively by hand by means of pure muscle power without the use of tools.

[0101] In addition to the substance-to-substance bonding between the inner sleeve 101, the outer sleeve 104 and the further outer sleeve 114, a coupling of the inner sleeve 101, the outer sleeve 104 and, if applicable, the further outer sleeve 114 may furthermore be reliably provided if a fluid inside the inner sleeve or a fluid in a, in particular elastically deformable, bag system 222 inside the inner sleeve 101 leads to a mechanical pressure load against the sleeves 101, 104 in the radial direction RR towards the outside. In other words, the inner sleeve 101, the outer sleeve 104 and, if applicable, the further outer sleeve 114 may be pressed against each other if, for example, the inner sleeve 101 or the bag system 222, which is arranged inside the inner sleeve 101, is filled with a fluid, e.g. aerosol, in such a way that the outward expansion of the inner sleeve 101 or of the bag system 222 in radial direction RR also leads to an expansion or to an outward pressing of the inner sleeve 101 against the outer sleeve 104 and against the further outer sleeve 114.

[0102] Further, the container 100 shown in FIG. 5 is provided with a cap 201 as described with respect to FIG. 2.

[0103] In contrast to the cap 201 described in FIG. 2, the inlay 205 of the cap 201 in FIG. 5 has a thickened structure 501, which is a flange with a round cross-section and which also defines or fixes a seating depth of the cap 201 on the container 100, i.e. the inlay is configured in such a way that it serves as a stop. With the aid of this inlay 205, a recessed grip 206 is provided in that the cap 201 and the closure element are configured in such a way that the outer sleeve 104 remains exposed in one region.

[0104] It is noted that the terms “comprise” or “have” do not exclude other elements and that the “a” does not exclude a plurality. Also, elements described in connection with different embodiments may be combined. It should also be noted that reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

TABLE-US-00001 100 container 201 cap 101 inner sleeve 202 sleeve 102 first opening 203 reinforcing element 103 second opening 204 cover disk 104 outer sleeve 205 inlay 105 third opening 206 recessed grip 106 fourth opening 222 bag member 107 first reinforcing element 501 thickened structure 108 second reinforcing element LR longitudinal direction 109 insert RR radial direction 110 outer surface 111 inner surface 112 outer surface 113 inner surface 114 further outer sleeve 115 fifth opening 116 sixth opening 117 third reinforcing element 118 head disk 119 inner surface 120 outer surface 121 predetermined breaking point 123 valve 124 valve carrier