TUBE AND METHOD FOR CLOSING A TUBE

Abstract

A tube, including a tube body, which has a tube shoulder on a first axial end and is closed on an opposite second axial end, in that opposite sections of a tube wall of the tube body are welded to each other in a closure region. The closure region is folded over on a first fold edge in such a way that it is divided into an unfolded base section connected to the tube body and a foldover section. The foldover section is glued to the unfolded base section of the closure region.

Claims

1. A tube comprising: a tube body that has a tube shoulder on a first axial end and is closed on an opposite second axial end; a tube wall, wherein opposite sections of the tube wall of the tube body are welded to each other in a closure region, wherein the closure region is folded over on a first fold edge such that the closure region is divided into an unfolded base section connected to the tube body and a foldover section, and wherein the foldover section is glued only to the unfolded base section of the closure region.

2. The tube according to claim 1, wherein the tube wall includes a first layer made of paper, which is coated with a second layer made of plastic at least on one side.

3. The tube according to claim 1, wherein the foldover section is folded over on a second fold edge such that the foldover section is divided into a foldover base section connected to the first fold edge and a foldover end section, and wherein the foldover end section is glued to the unfolded base section of the closure region.

4. The tube according to claim 3, wherein the foldover end section of the foldover section is arranged between the foldover base section and the base section of the closure region.

5. The tube according to claim 4, wherein the foldover end section is glued to the foldover base section.

6. A method for closing a tube, the method comprising: providing a tube body having a tube wall; welding opposite sections of the tube wall of the tube body to each other in a closure region; folding over the closure region after welding on a first fold edge such that the closure region is divided into an unfolded base section connected to the tube body and a foldover section; and gluing the foldover section to the unfolded base section of the closure region.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the foldover section is folded over on a second fold edge such that the foldover section is divided into a foldover base section connected to the first fold edge and a foldover end section, and wherein the foldover end section is glued to the unfolded base section of the closure region.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the folded foldover end section of the foldover section is arranged between the foldover base section and the base section of the closure region.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the foldover end section is glued to the foldover base section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of the components of a tube in an extended representation;

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation, not to scale, of section II-II in a first phase of the method;

[0027] FIG. 3 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 2 in a second phase of the method;

[0028] FIG. 4 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 3, with an example of the tube or the method; and

[0029] FIG. 5 shows a refinement of the tube or the method according to FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] FIG. 1 shows an extended representation of the individual parts of a tube 10. Tube 10 has a tubular tube body 11, which is provided with a tube shoulder 13 on a right first end 11 a according to FIG. 1. Tube shoulder 13 may be prefabricated from plastic and be connected to tube body 11. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, tube shoulder 13 includes a thread 13a, which may be screwed onto a closing cap 12.

[0031] Tube body 11 is closed in a closure region 17 on opposite, left second axial end 11 b according to FIG. 1. Details of closure region 17 are apparent from FIG. 2.

[0032] According to FIG. 2, a tube wall 14 of tube body 11 is provided with a multilayer construction and has a first layer 14a made of paper, to which a second layer 14b made of plastic is attached on the inside. The plastic of second layer 14b is heated by means of hot air or ultrasound or laser or in another manner in the region of second axial end 11 b to the extent that the plastic of second layer 14b at least superficially melts. Opposite sections of melted-on tube wall 14 of tube body 11 are then pressed against each other in such a way that the melted-on sections of second layer 14b are welded to each other, forming a weld seam 16. This state is shown in FIG. 2.

[0033] Closure region 17 having weld seam 16 is then folded over by 180° on a first fold edge 21 (cf. FIG. 3) in such a way that closure region 17 is divided into an unfolded base section 15 connected to tube body 11 and a foldover section 18, base section 15 being longer than foldover section 18. Foldover section 18 is then situated next to and essentially in parallel to base secti9n 15 on the outside thereof. During or after the formation of first fold edge 21, an adhesive 20 is applied in such a way that foldover section 18 is glued to an outer wall 14c of unfolded base section 15 of closure region 17. It is provided that foldover section 17 is connected only to unfolded base section 15 of closure region 17 and not to outer wall 14c of tube body 11 outside closure region 17. This state is shown in FIG. 3.

[0034] FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the closure of tube 11, in this case as well closure region 17 being folded over on first fold edge 21 in such a way that closure region 17 is divided into unfolded base section 15 connected to tube body 11 and foldover section 18. However, foldover section 18 is subsequently folded over again by 180° on a second fold edge 23 in such a way that foldover section 18 is divided into a foldover base section 19 connected to first fold edge 21 and a foldover end section 22. Foldover end section 22 of foldover section 18 is arranged between foldover base section 19 and base section 15 of closure region 17.

[0035] During or after the formation of second fold edge 23, foldover end section 22 is glued to unfolded base section 15 of closure region 17, using an adhesive glue, for example, a hot glue 20.

[0036] FIG. 5 shows an additional example of the embodiment according to FIG. 4 and differs therefrom in that foldover end section 22 is now also glued to foldover base section 19 with the aid of an adhesive layer 24.

[0037] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.