Method Of Producing Packaging Container Comprising A Valve

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods of producing a packaging container for bulk solids. The packaging container has an inner compartment and a transport closure closing the inner compartment, the transport closure being provided with a pressure relief valve, the method includes the steps of forming a tubular container body having an upper body opening; presenting the container body to an upper body opening sealing station comprising a plunger piston comprising a bottom plate, the bottom plate having a through hole; closing the upper body opening by pressing the transport closure into the upper body opening such that a pressure above an ambient pressure is produced within the tubular container body, allowing gas to exit the valve and the valve to be pre-conditioned; and attaching the transport closure to the container body wall.

Claims

1. A method of producing a packaging container for bulk solids, the packaging container comprising an inner compartment and a transport closure closing the inner compartment, the transport closure comprising a top layer and a bottom layer, the bottom layer facing the inner compartment, the top layer being provided with an opening, the transport closure being provided, on a first side of the transport closure, with a one-way pressure relief valve for allowing gas in the inner compartment of the packaging container to exit therefrom, the valve being arranged within the opening and on a side of the bottom layer facing away from the inner compartment, a surface area of the opening being greater than a surface area of the valve, the transport closure being provided with at least one through perforation covered by the valve on the first side of the transport closure, the method comprises the steps of: a) forming a tubular container body, the container body having an upper end with an upper body opening and a bottom end with a bottom body opening and a container body wall extending in a height direction of the packaging container between the upper body opening and the bottom body opening, the container body wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, an upper end edge and a bottom end edge; b) presenting the container body to an upper body opening sealing station comprising a plunger piston comprising a bottom plate, the bottom plate having a through hole extending from a first side of the bottom plate to a second side of the bottom plate, the first and second sides being opposing sides; c) applying the first side of the bottom plate against the first side of the transport closure such that the through hole of the bottom plate is arranged to at least partially overlap the opening of the top layer and closing the upper body opening by pressing the transport closure with the plunger piston comprising the bottom plate into the upper body opening such that a pressure above an ambient pressure is produced within the tubular container body on a second side of the transport closure, allowing gas to exit the valve and the valve to be pre-conditioned; and d) attaching the transport closure to the inner surface of the container body wall.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a surface area of the opening of the top layer is at least 20% greater than a surface area of the valve.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the valve includes an upper barrier layer and two elongated adhesive material strips.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the two elongated adhesive material strips are arranged between the upper barrier layer and the first side of the transport closure and on a respective lateral side of the perforations in the transport closure.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the valve further comprising a sealing lubricant applied over the perforations.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transport closure comprises a peripheral flange surrounding a transport closure base portion, the peripheral flange being flexed towards the upper end of the container body in the height direction.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein a surface area of the bottom plate is at least 85% of a surface area of the transport closure base portion.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein step c) includes pressing the transport closure into the upper body opening with a length L.sub.1 in said height direction, as measured between the upper end edge and the transport closure base portion and wherein the length L.sub.1 is at least 2 mm.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sealing station comprises a guiding member forming a guiding channel, the guiding channel extending away from the container body, in the height direction, with a length L.sub.2, as measured from the upper end edge, the length L.sub.2 is at least mm and wherein step d) includes pressing the transport closure through the guiding channel and into the upper body opening.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein step c) comprises that the size ratio of a surface area of the transport closure to a surface area of the upper body opening is at least 1.01:1, such that an outer edge portion of the transport closure is shaped and flexed when the transport closure is pressed into the upper body opening, the outer edge portion of the transport closure forming a peripheral flange projecting out of a main plane of the transport closure, the peripheral flange being aligned with the inner surface of the container body wall.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein a minimum cross-section width of the through hole in the bottom plate is at least 4 mm.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is a method for producing and filling a packaging container with bulk solids, wherein the method prior to step b), comprises the steps of closing the container body bottom opening and presenting the container body to a filling station and filling bulk solids into the container body through the upper body opening.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is a method for producing and filling a packaging container with bulk solids, wherein the method, after step d), comprises the step of turning the container body, presenting the container body to a filling station and filling bulk solids into the container body through the bottom body opening and closing the container body bottom opening.

14. A method of producing a packaging container for bulk solids, the packaging container comprising an inner compartment and a transport closure closing the inner compartment, the transport closure being provided with a one-way pressure relief valve for allowing gas in the inner compartment of the packaging container to exit therefrom, the method comprises the steps of: a) forming a container body, the container body having an upper end with an upper body opening and a bottom end with a bottom body opening and a container body wall extending in a height direction of the packaging container between the upper body opening and the bottom body opening, the container body wall having an inner surface; b) presenting the container body to an upper body opening sealing station comprising a plunger piston comprising a bottom plate, the bottom plate having a through hole extending from a first side of the bottom plate to a second side of the bottom plate; c) applying the first side of the bottom plate against the first side of the transport closure such that the through hole is arranged over the valve, and closing the upper body opening by pressing the transport closure with the plunger piston comprising the bottom plate into the upper body opening such that a pressure above an ambient pressure is produced within the tubular container body on a second side of the transport closure, allowing gas to exit the valve and the valve to be pre-conditioned; and d) attaching the transport closure to the inner surface of the container body wall.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the transport closure has at least one through perforation covered by the valve on a first side of the transport closure, the first side of the transport closure facing away from the inner compartment.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the valve has a thickness of less than 600 μm.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein a surface area of the through hole is greater than a surface area of the valve.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the valve includes an upper barrier layer and two elongated adhesive material strips.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the two elongated adhesive material strips are arranged between the upper barrier layer and the first side of the transport closure and on a respective lateral side of the at least one perforation in the transport closure.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the valve further comprising a sealing lubricant applied over the at least one perforation.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein the transport closure comprises a peripheral flange surrounding a transport closure base portion, the peripheral flange being flexed towards the upper end of the container body in the height direction.

22. The method according to claim 14, wherein step c) includes pressing the transport closure into the upper body opening with a length L.sub.1 in said height direction, as measured between the upper end edge and the transport closure base portion and wherein the length L.sub.1 is at least 2 mm.

23. The method according to claim 14, wherein the sealing station comprises a guiding member forming a guiding channel, the guiding channel extending away from the container body, in the height direction, with a length L.sub.2, as measured from the upper end edge, the length L.sub.2 is at least 20 mm and wherein step d) includes pressing the transport closure through the guiding channel and into the upper body opening.

24. The method according to claim 14, wherein an outer edge portion of the transport closure is shaped and flexed when the transport closure is pressed into the upper body opening, the outer edge portion of the transport closure forming a peripheral flange projecting out of a main plane of the transport closure, the peripheral flange being aligned with the inner surface of the container body wall.

25. The method according to claim 14, wherein the method is a method for producing and filling a packaging container with bulk solids, wherein the method comprises the steps of closing the container body bottom opening and presenting the container body to a filling station and filling bulk solids into the container body through the upper body opening.

26. The method according to claim 14, wherein the method is a method for producing and filling a packaging container with bulk solids, wherein the method comprises the step of turning the container body, presenting the container body to a filling station and filling bulk solids into the container body through the bottom body opening and closing the container body bottom opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] The present disclosure will be further explained hereinafter by means of non-limiting examples and with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

[0047] FIG. 1 illustrates a packaging container according to the present disclosure;

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a transport closure provided with a valve according to the present disclosure;

[0049] FIG. 3 shows schematically a method for producing and filling the packaging container in FIG. 1;

[0050] FIG. 4 shows an upper section of the packaging container and a cross-sectional view of the plunger piston after pressing the transport closure disc into and closing the upper body opening according to the present disclosure, and

[0051] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a packaging container during pressing of the transport closure disc into the upper body opening and wherein the sealing station comprises a guiding member according to the present disclosure.

[0052] Like reference number denote similar features throughout the figures. Reference numbers may be omitted in some figures for better visibility, in which case reference is made to the other figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] It is to be understood that the drawings are schematic and that individual components, such as layers of materials are not necessarily drawn to scale. The packaging container, transport closure, valve and plunger piston comprising the bottom plate shown in the figures are provided as examples only and should not be considered limiting to the disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of disclosure is determined solely by the scope of the appended claims.

[0054] FIG. 1 illustrates a packaging container 1 for bulk solids, such as pulverulent material, obtained by a method according to the present disclosure. The particular shape of the container 1 shown in the figures should not be considered limiting to the disclosure. Accordingly, a packaging container produced according to the disclosure may have any useful shape or size.

[0055] The packaging container 1 as illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises an inner compartment 2 comprising bulk solids (shown in FIG. 3). The packaging container 1 comprises a tubular container body 3 having an upper end 4 with an upper body opening 5 and a bottom end 6 with a bottom body opening 7. A container body wall 8 extends in a height direction H of the packaging container 1 between the upper body opening 5 and the bottom body opening 7. The container body wall 8 comprises an inner surface 9 and an outer surface 10, an upper end edge 11 and a bottom end edge 12.

[0056] A transport closure 13 is provided over the inner compartment 2, to keep the contents in the composite container fresh and protected against contamination up until a first opening of the packaging container 1 by a consumer. In this FIG. 1, the transport closure 13 is illustrated as an at least partly removable transport closure which may be removed by the end user by gripping the grip tab 14 and tearing off the transport closure 13. The transport closure 13 comprises a first side 13a and a second side 13b, the second side 13b facing the inner compartment 2 and the first side 13a facing away from the inner compartment 2.

[0057] The transport closure 13 is provided with a valve 15 on the first side 13a thereof. The valve 15 is a one-way pressure relief valve allowing gas in the inner compartment 2 to exit therefrom. The transport closure 13 is provided with through perforations 16 which are covered by the valve 15 and which perforations allow gas to exit from the inner compartment 2.

[0058] In FIG. 1, the transport closure 13 is a laminate transport closure 13 comprising a top layer 13′ and a bottom layer 13″ laminated together. The top layer 13′ is provided with an opening 17 within which the valve 15 is arranged. A surface area of the opening 17 is greater than a surface area of the valve 15, such that an edge 17a of the opening 17 is arranged at a distance from an edge 15a of the valve 15, providing a valve-free area between the opening edge 17a and the valve edge 15a. The transport closure 13 is attached via an outer edge portion 18 (shown in FIG. 2) of the transport closure 13 surrounding a transport closure base portion 19 which has been flexed upwards during insertion forming a peripheral flange 18′ during insertion of the transport closure 13 into the upper body opening 5 of the tubular container body 2. The peripheral flange 18′ of the bottom layer 13″ is attached to the inner surface 9 of the container body wall 8, such as by adhesive or by welding.

[0059] The container 1 is furthermore provided with a lid component including a top rim 20 and an openable and closable lid part 21.

[0060] When the lid is part of a lid component, it is connected to the top rim 20 by means of a hinge. The hinge may be a live hinge, i.e. a bendable connection between the lid part 21 and the top rim 20 or frame structure. A live hinge may be formed integrally with the lid and/or with the top rim or frame structure or may be a separately formed element which is attached to the lid and to the top rim or frame structure. Alternatively, the hinge may be a two-part hinge, with a first hinge part arranged on the lid and a second hinge part arranged on the top rim or frame structure.

[0061] The packaging container 1 is a container for dry or moist goods, often referred to as “bulk solids”, in particular the bulk solids may be bulk solids emitting gas. Such products are non-liquid, generally particulate materials capable of being poured, scooped or taken by hand out of the cans.

[0062] The packaging container 1 is a disposable container, which are intended to be discarded after having been emptied of its contents.

[0063] FIG. 2 illustrates the transport closure 13 from FIG. 1 prior to insertion into the packaging container 1 and prior to attachment to the inner surface 9 of the container body wall 8 (shown in FIG. 1). The bottom layer 13″ of the transport closure 13 is intended to face the inner compartment 2 of the packaging container 1. The bottom layer 13″ has a larger surface area than the top layer 13′ and the outer edge portion 18 of the bottom layer 13″ extends beyond the top layer 13′ surrounding the transport closure base portion 19 forming a peripheral flange 18′ (shown in FIG. 1) when being flexed upwardly during insertion of the transport closure 13 into the upper body opening 5 of the tubular container body 2 (shown in FIG. 1). The transport closure 13 is an at least partly removable transport closure which may be removed by the end user by gripping the grip tab 14 and tearing off the transport closure 13.

[0064] The valve 15 is arranged within the opening 17 of the top layer 13′ of the laminate transport closure 13 and on the bottom layer 13″, more specifically on a surface of the bottom layer 13″ facing away from the inner compartment 2. A surface area of the opening 17 is greater than a surface area of the valve 15, such as at least 20% greater, optionally within the range from 20% to 200% greater. The valve 15 is arranged over opening 17, here provided in the bottom layer 13″. The valve 15 may have a thickness of less than 600 μm. The thickness of the top layer 13′ may be approximately the same or greater than the thickness of the valve 15. The thickness of the valve 15 may for example be in the range of 25% to 200% of the thickness of the top layer 13′. In absolute numbers the thickness of the valve 15 may be in the range of 150 μm to 600 μm. The thickness of the top layer 13′ may be less than 600 μm, such as less than 500 μm, such as less than 300 μm, such as less than 200 μm, such as less than 150 μm. The top layer 13′ may have an essentially uniform thickness.

[0065] The valve 15 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes an upper barrier layer 22 and two elongated adhesive material strips 23 arranged between the upper barrier layer 22 and on the first side 13a of the transport closure 13 and on a respective lateral side of the perforations 16 in the transport closure 13. The valve 15 further comprises a sealing lubricant 24, such as oil, applied over the perforations 16.

[0066] The valve 15 is a pressure-relief valve allowing gas in the inner compartment 2 to exit therefrom, when the gas pressure inside exceeds the target pressure, by opening of the pressure-relief valve 15. When the gas exits the perforations 16 provided in the transport closure 13, the upper barrier layer 22 is pressed upwardly and the arrows shown in the figure indicates the gas passage during exit. It has been found by the present inventors, that when the valve 15 has been activated once, the required opening pressure may be lower and the gas flow through the valve may be larger in a shorter period of time, thus allowing an increasing internal pressure to be reduced faster. However, to precondition the valves prior to providing the transport closures into the packaging containers may imply higher production costs and a more complex production.

[0067] FIG. 3 discloses a method of producing and filling a packaging container 1 with bulk solids according to the present disclosure. In a first step, a tubular container body 3 is formed from a paperboard sheet 3′ by bringing together the side edges of the paperboard sheet 3′, thus causing the material to assume a tubular shape. The side edges of the paperboard sheet 3′ are then sealed together thus forming a tubular container body 3. Sealing of the side edges may be made by any suitable method as known in the art, such as by welding or gluing, with welding being preferred. The side edges of the container body sheet 3′ may be sealed using a sealing strip. The container body 3 has an upper end 4 with an upper body opening 5 and a bottom end 6 with a bottom body opening 7, the container body 3 is here shown with the bottom end 6 and the bottom body opening 7 directed upwardly. A container body wall 8 extends in a height direction H of the packaging container 1, between the upper body opening 5 and the bottom body opening 7, the container body wall 8 having an inner surface 9 and an outer surface 10, an upper end edge 11 and a bottom end edge 12. The method further comprising the step of closing the bottom body opening 7, here with a bottom disc 25 being pressed into the bottom body opening 7 and sealed against the inner surface 9 of the container body 3. Optionally, a bottom rim 25a may be attached to the bottom end edge 12 of the container body 3, alternatively, the bottom end edge may be curled inwards to form a curled bottom end edge. The container body 3 is then turned, such that the upper end 4 is directed upwards in the vertical direction and the bottom end 5 is directed downwards in the vertical direction. The method then comprises the step of presenting the container body 3 to a filling station 26 and filling bulk solids 27 into the container body 3 through the upper body opening 5. The container body 3 is subsequently presented to an upper body opening sealing station 28 comprising a plunger piston 29 including a bottom plate 30. The bottom plate 30 has a through hole 31 extending from a first side 30a of the bottom plate 30 to a second side 30b of the bottom plate 30 (shown in FIG. 4). The bottom plate 30 may extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to a pressing direction of the plunger piston 29. The bottom plate 30 may extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the height direction H of the packaging container 1, that is substantially parallel to the top layer 17, when the packaging container 1 is presented to the upper body opening sealing station 28. The first side 30a and the second side 30b of the bottom plate 30 may be opposing sides. The through hole 31 may extend in the height direction H of the packaging container 1. The upper body opening 5 is closed by applying the bottom plate 30 against the first side 13a of the transport closure 13 and pressing the transport closure disc 13 as illustrated in FIG. 2, by means of the plunger piston 29 comprising the bottom plate 30 into the upper body opening such that a pressure above an ambient pressure is produced within the packaging container 1 and at the second side 13b of the transport closure 13. The first side 30a of the bottom plate 30 being applied against the first side 13a of the transport closure 13 such that the through hole 31 of the bottom plate 30 is arranged to partly or completely overlap with the opening 17 of the top layer 13′, as seen in the height direction H, allowing gas to exit the valve 15 and the valve 15 to be pre-conditioned.

[0068] A surface area of the plunger piston 29 and/or bottom plate 30 may be equal to or not less than 85% of a surface area of the transport closure base portion 19, optionally equal to, or not less than 90% of a surface area of the transport closure base portion 19. Such size ratios may prevent gas from escaping from the inner compartment at the edges of the transport closure 13 and the plunger piston 29 and/or bottom plate 30.

[0069] To further prevent air to exit the inner compartment 2 between the transport closure 13 and the inner surface 9 of the container body 8 when pressing the transport closure into upper body opening, a size ratio of the surface area of the transport closure 13 to a surface area of the upper body opening 5 surface area may be at least 1.01, such that the outer edge portion 18 of the transport closure 13 is shaped and flexed when the transport closure 13 is pressed into the upper body opening 5. The outer edge portion 18 of transport closure forming a peripheral flange 18′ projecting out of a main plane of the transport closure 13, the peripheral flange 18′ being aligned with the inner surface 9 of the container body wall 8.

[0070] In FIG. 3, a lid component including a top rim 20 and an openable and closable lid part 21 is connected to the packaging container 1 by connecting the top rim 20 to the upper end edge 11. The top rim 20 may for example be attached by adhesive or by welding.

[0071] FIG. 4 illustrates an upper part of the packaging container 1 and a cross-sectional of the plunger piston 29 from the method step in FIG. 3 of closing the upper body opening of the packaging container 1. As shown in this figure, the plunger piston 29 comprising the bottom plate 30 has pressed the transport closure 13 into the upper body opening 5. The plunger piston 29 may include a plunger 32 made in a flexible material, such as rubber, which presses the peripheral flange 18′ against the inner surface 9 of the tubular body 3. The through hole 31 in the bottom plate 30 may have a minimum cross-section width Wh of 4 mm, such as within the range of from 4 mm to 35 mm, such as within the range of from 5 mm to 25 mm. Alternatively, or additionally, the bottom plate may comprise two or more through holes, such as three or more through holes according to the present disclosure. The minimum cross-section width of the through holes in the bottom plate, if the bottom plate comprises two or more, or three or more though holes according to the present disclosure, may be 1 mm or 2 mm.

[0072] In FIG. 4, the transport closure 13 comprises a top layer 13′ and a bottom layer 13″, the top layer 13′ being provided with an opening 17, the valve 15 being arranged within the opening 17 and on the bottom layer 13″, more specifically on a surface of the bottom layer 13″ facing the top layer 13′. The through hole 31 in the bottom plate 30 is arranged to at least partly overlap with the opening 17 of the top layer 13′ of the transport closure. The through hole 31 may be arranged to partly or completely overlap with a valve-free area of the opening 17, i.e., an area between an edge 17a of the opening 17 and an edge 15a of the valve 15.

[0073] FIG. 5 illustrates an optional step of the method according to the present disclosure wherein the transport closure 13 is pressed into the upper body opening 5 with a length L.sub.1 in the height direction H, as measured between the upper end edge 11 and the transport closure base portion 19, the length L.sub.1 may be 2 mm or more, such as within the range of from 2 mm and 50 mm.

[0074] In FIG. 5, the upper body sealing station 28 comprises a guiding member forming an, as seen from the upper end 4, upwardly extending guiding channel 33, the guiding channel 33 extending away from the container body 3, in the height direction H, with a length L.sub.2, as measured from the upper end edge 11 of the container body 3. The length L.sub.2 is at least 20 mm. The transport closure 13 is pressed through the guiding channel 33 and into the upper body opening 5, thus providing a higher pressure at the second side 13b of the transport closure 13 for preconditioning of the valve 15. The plunger piston 29 includes the bottom plate 30 comprising the through hole 31 and the plunger 32 made in a flexible material, such as rubber, which presses the peripheral flange 18′ against the inner surface 9 of the tubular body 3. The peripheral flange 18′ is attached by welding members 34.

[0075] The sum of the length L.sub.1 and the length L.sub.2 may be from 22 mm, such as within the range of from 22 mm and 305 mm.