CARTRIDGE FOR A MIXING AND DISPENSING SYSTEM

Abstract

A cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system includes at least one flexible film bag as a cartridge wall, a rigid front part that is in particular integrally formed with the at least one flexible film bag and that is arranged at a front end section of the at least one film bag, the rigid front part including at least one outlet opening. The cartridge for a two-component mixing and dispensing system has a first flexible film bag as a cartridge wall and a second flexible film bag as a cartridge wall, and a structure surrounding the cartridge.

Claims

1. A cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system, comprising: at least one flexible film bag as a cartridge wall, a rigid front part that is arranged at a front end section of the at least one film bag, the rigid front part comprising at least one outlet opening, the at least one film bag comprising a film having multilayers, the multilayers of the film comprising at least an inner layer and an outer layer, at least one layer of the multilayers of the film bag comprising one of the following: aluminum, ethylene vinyl alcohol, recycled material, polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, an orientated polyamide film and a biaxially orientated polyamide film, a coupling agent arranged between at least two layers of the multilayers of the film bag, with the coupling agent connecting the two layers to one another, the film bag having a wall thickness of at least 60 m, each of the layers of the film bag having a thickness in the range of 5 m to 100 m, and the inner layer has a larger thickness than the outer layer, and the inner layer has a minimum thickness of 50 m to 90 m.

2. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the inner layer and an outer layer being a first layer and a second layers of at least three layers.

3. (canceled)

4. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the film bag has an overall material thickness selected between 80 m and 150 m, or the film bag has a total mass per unit area of between 100 g/m2 and 170 g/m2.

5-6. (canceled)

7. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of the inner layer of the film bag and the outer layer of the film bag is made of the same material as the rigid front part.

8. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance claim 1, wherein at least one of the inner layer of the film bag, the outer layer of the film bag, and the rigid front piece comprises one of a plastic and a thermoplastic.

9-10. (canceled)

11. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of the inner layer has a shore D hardness between 40 and 99.

12. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of the inner layer of the film bag, the outer layer of the film bag and the rigid front piece is made of polyethylene, poly-propylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, or a high density polyethylene.

13-19. (canceled)

20. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one film bag is closed at an end remote from the rigid front part by one of a weld, a clip and am adhesive.

21-22. (canceled)

23. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the film bag is rigid in a direction of movement, or the at least one flexible film bag is configured such that a film test body made from the film bag with a width of 15 mm in a direction that corresponds to an axial direction of the film bag has a tensile strength of at least 50 N, or the film bag has a resistance to perforation of between 10 to 20 N, or the film bag has a water vapor permeability of at most 0.3 g/(m2d), or the film bag has an oxygen permeability of at most 0.3 cm.sup.3/(m.sup.2bard).

24-30. (canceled)

31. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the outlet opening has a minimum diameter of 1 mm to 12 mm, or the outlet opening has a tapering cross-section, or the outlet opening has a cross-section that tapers inwardly, or the outlet opening has a variable cross-section.

32-34. (canceled)

35. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rigid front part is configured at least substantially plate like and comprises at least one nose piece that forms a prolongation of the outlet opening, at least a portion of the nose piece at least a wall thickness selected in the range of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm, or the nose piece has a length selected between 5 mm and 40 mm, the nose piece has a length that lies in a range selected between 1/7 and 1/10 of an overall length of the cartridge in a filled state.

36-43. (canceled)

44. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one film bag has an at least a substantially cylindrical outer shape; or the at least one film bag has a weld seam in an axial direction, or with the weld seam being formed as one of a fin seal and an overlap seal, or the at least one film bag has the weld seam in the axial direction, with the weld seam being formed as one of a fin seal and an overlap seal, or the outer layer of the film bag is arealy connected to an inner wall of the front part, or the film bag has a volume selected in the range of 50 ml to 750 ml, or the film bag has a volume selected in the range of 750 ml to 5000 ml, or the film bag has a volume of 1000 ml, 1250 ml, 1500 ml, 2500 ml or 4000 ml, or a designation of the content of the cartridge is present at an outer side of the film bag, or the rigid front part has ribs that stiffen the front part at a side of the front part remote from the film bag, or the at least one flexible film bag is configured such that a film test body made from the film bag with a width of 15 mm in a direction that corresponds to an axial direction of the film bag has a tensile strength of at least 60 N, or the at least one flexible film bag has the weld seam, or the at least one flexible film bag has one of the fin seam and the overlap seam, and either the at least one flexible film bag is configured such that the film test body made from the film bag with the width of 15 mm has a sealed seam in a form of the fin seal at a center thereof with a tensile strength of at least 40 N in accordance with DIN 55529, or such that the film test body made from the film bag with the width of 15 mm has the sealed seam in the form of the overlap seam at a center with a tensile strength of at least 70 N in accordance with DIN 55529, or an overall tensile strength of the cartridge lies above 200 N, or a rear end of the film bag continuously tapers in a filled state.

45-58. (canceled)

59. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a rear end of the film bag is dome-shaped or cone-shaped, or the rear side of the film bag is substantially planar in a filled state, or either the rear end of the film bag is closed with a seam configured as a fin seal or the film bag has a lateral seal configured as a fin seal, or the rear end of the film bag is closed with a seal configured as an overlap seal, or the film bag has a lateral seal configured as an overlap seal.

60-72. (canceled)

73. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rigid front part is integrally formed with the at least one flexible film bag.

74. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rigid front part is an injection molded part formed at the film bag by injection molding in order to obtain a fixed connection between the rigid front part and the film bag.

75. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cartridge is filled with a material.

76. (canceled)

77. A cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system, comprising: at least one flexible film bag as a cartridge wall, a rigid front part that is arranged at a front end section of the at least one film bag, the rigid front part comprising at least one outlet opening, the at least one flexible film bag configured such that a film test body made from the film bag with a width of 15 mm in a direction that corresponds to an axial direction of the film bag has a tensile strength of at least 50 N, and the film bag has a resistance to perforation of between 10 to 20 N.

78. A cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system, comprising: at least one flexible film bag as a cartridge wall, a rigid front part that is arranged at a front end section of the at least one film bag, the rigid front part comprising at least one outlet opening, the film bag having a water vapor permeability of at most 0.3 g/(m2d), and the film bag has an oxygen permeability of at most 0.3 cm3/(m2bard).

79. A cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system, comprising: at least one flexible film bag as a cartridge wall, a rigid front part that is arranged at a front end section of the at least one film bag, the rigid front part comprising at least one outlet opening, the at least one film bag having an at least substantially cylindrical outer shape; the at least one film bag having a weld seam in an axial direction, with the weld seam being formed as one of a fin seal and an overlap seal, and an overall tensile strength of the cartridge being above 200 N.

80. The cartridge for a one or two-component mixing and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of the inner layer of the film bag, the outer layer of the film bag and the rigid front piece is made of a high density polyethylene having a density selected in the range of 930 kg/m.sup.3 to 970 kg/m.sup.3.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0076] The invention will be explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to the drawings.

[0077] FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of a two-component cartridge in accordance with the invention;

[0078] FIG. 2 is a perspective illustration of a two-component cartridge in accordance with the invention in accordance with a second embodiment;

[0079] FIG. 3 is a front view of a two-component cartridge in accordance with FIG. 1 or FIG. 2;

[0080] FIG. 4 is a lateral sectional view of a rigid front part of a two-component cartridge in accordance with FIG. 1 or FIG. 2;

[0081] FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the boundary of the rigid front part of FIG. 4;

[0082] FIG. 6 is a principle sketch of a layer structure of a film bag in accordance with a first embodiment;

[0083] FIG. 7 is a principle sketch of a layer assembly of a film bag in accordance with a second embodiment;

[0084] FIG. 8 is a principle sketch of a seam of the film bag in accordance with a first embodiment;

[0085] FIG. 9 is a principle sketch of a seam of the film bag in accordance with a second embodiment;

[0086] FIG. 10 is an illustration of a seam of the film bag in accordance with a third embodiment;

[0087] FIG. 11 is a further illustration of the seam of the film bag of FIG. 10;

[0088] FIG. 12 is a lateral sectional view of a rigid front part with a film attached at the front end;

[0089] FIG. 13 is a detailed view of the boundary of the rigid front part of FIG. 12;

[0090] FIG. 14 is a perspective illustration of a coaxial two-component cartridge in accordance with the invention;

[0091] FIG. 15 is a perspective illustration of a two-component cartridge in accordance with the invention in which the individual part cartridges are clipped one to another;

[0092] FIG. 16 is a side view of a rigid front part of a two-component cartridge in accordance with a further embodiment; and

[0093] FIG. 17 is a front view of the rigid front part of FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0094] FIG. 1 shows a side-by-side cartridge 10 that is configured to be inserted into a corresponding two-component mixing and dispensing system, for example the COX and MK dispenser of Sulzer MIXPAC. The cartridge 10 comprises a first flexible film bag 12 and a second flexible film bag 14. The flexible film bags 12, 14 are connected to a rigid front part 16 at their front end. The rigid front part 16 is configured substantially plate-like and extends perpendicular to the main direction of extent of the flexible film bags 12, 14.

[0095] The rigid front part 16 has ribs 18 at a side remote to the flexible film bags 12, 14. The ribs 18 extend substantially over the overall surface of the side of the rigid front part 16 remote from the flexible film bags 12, 14. In this connection the lateral ribs 18b extend perpendicular to a main rib 18a which is configured for the reception of bending moments exerted onto the rigid front piece 16 which are formed by a dispensing of materials from the flexible film bags 12, 14.

[0096] The rigid front piece 16 is formed in one piece with the first flexible film bag 12 and with the second flexible film bag 14 in that the rigid front piece 16 is over molded at the flexible film bags 12, 14 by injection molding. Two outlet openings 20 are formed into the rigid front part 16, with a first outlet opening 20 being connected to the first flexible film bag 12 in a fluid conducting manner and a second outlet opening 20 being connected to the second flexible film bag in a fluid conducting manner or both being able to be brought into such a connection. The two outlet openings 20 are formed by a nose piece 22. The nose piece 22 has a thread at its outer circumferential surface onto which, for example, a static mixer can be screwed.

[0097] In FIG. 2, a slightly different variant of a cartridge 10 is shown. In this embodiment the flexible film bags 12, 14 each have a weld seam 25 extending in an axial direction at the circumferential side. The flexible film bags 12, 14 are thus produced by a rolling of the film and a subsequent welding of end regions of the film to film bags 12, 14. In this connection, the weld seam 25, as illustrated in FIG. 8, can be formed by an overlap seal. Alternatively hereto the weld seam 25, as shown in FIG. 9 can be configured as a fin seal.

[0098] FIG. 3 shows the rigid front part 16 from the front. In this connection one can recognize that the rigid front piece 16 has the shape of two circles connected one to another. The shape of the rigid front piece is in this connection adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the first flexible film bag 12 and of the second flexible film bag 14, which in the filled state have a cylindrical shape and are arranged in parallel to one another.

[0099] FIG. 4 shows a lateral sectional illustration of the rigid front part 16. One can see in more detail that the two outlet openings 20 each extend in parallel to one another and that one of the outlet openings 20 is connected to the first flexible film bag 12 in a fluid-conducting manner and the second outlet opening 20 is connected to the second flexible film bag 14 in a fluid conducting manner. The outlet openings 20 are separated from one another along the nose piece 22 by a web 26.

[0100] In FIG. 5 it is shown how the connection between the flexible film bag 12 and the rigid front part 16 is configured. The rigid front part 16 forms an inner circumferential surface 28 which is aerially connected to an outer layer 30 of the flexible film bag.

[0101] In order to ensure a good connection between the outer layer 30 of the flexible film bag 12 and the inner circumferential surface 28 of the rigid front part 16, the two parts should as far as possible be formed of the same material. An innermost layer of the flexible film bag 12 is referred to as an inner layer 32. In the embodiment shown, however, the inner layer 32 does not lie at a section of the rigid front piece 16.

[0102] In the FIGS. 6 and 7 an assembly of a flexible film bag 12 is respectively shown. In FIG. 6 a five-layered assembly of a flexible film bag 12 is shown. In this connection the inner layer 32 is made of polypropylene. The inner layer 32 as can be seen in FIG. 6 is the thickest layer of the multi-layered film. A first intermediate layer 34 is made of polyamide. On this intermediate layer 34 of polyamide a further intermediate layer 36 follows which can be composed of aluminum or EVOH. A further intermediate layer 38 of polyamide then follows this. An outer layer 30 of polypropylene then follows the intermediate layer 38 of polyamide. A coupling agent 39 is respectively provided between the respective layers, this means between the inner layer and the first intermediate layer 34, between each of the intermediate layers 34, 36 and 38 and between the intermediate layer 38 and the outer layer 30. This coupling agent 39 acts as an adhesive and holds the individual layers 30 to 38 together.

[0103] Generally, the flexible film bags 12, 14 can comprise at least two layers of different materials. For example, a five-layered film bag can have an outer layer 30 having a thickness between 20 and 40 m of PE. This can be connected via a coupling agent 39 which has a thickness of 1.5 to 2.5 m to a layer of PA which has a layer thickness of 10 m to 20 m. The PA layer can be connected via a coupling agent (thickness 1.5 to 2.5 m) to a 5 to 10 m thick layer of aluminum or aluminum alloy. This layer in turn can then be connected via a coupling agent 39 (thickness 1.5 to 2.5 m) to a PA layer which has a thickness between 10 and 20 m. The PA layer is then connected to the inner layer 32 which can have a layer thickness between 45 to 100 m.

[0104] In FIG. 7, a further layer assembly of a flexible film bag 12 is shown. This film bag has eleven layers. These layers can likewise be bonded one to another with a coupling agent 39. The layers shown in FIG. 7 are all composed of a recycled material.

[0105] In FIG. 10, a possibility is shown of how the first flexible film bag 12 or of how the second flexible film bag 14 can be closed off at their respective rear end sections. As can be seen in FIG. 11 the film bag is laterally folded such that four layers of the flexible film bag 12 aerially lie on top of one another. End sections of the layers lying on top of one another are subsequently welded one to another. In this way a final weld seam 41 known from coffee packages is formed.

[0106] In the FIGS. 12 and 13, a further embodiment of a connection with the rigid front part 16 to the flexible film bag 12 is shown. In this connection a further film 42 is arranged at an inner lying end side of the rigid front part 16. This further film 42 can likewise be connected in one piece to the rigid front part 16. The further film 42 is preferably at least regionally connected to a predetermined breaking point such that on dispensing a material from the flexible film bag 12 the further film 42 is destroyed at the predetermined breaking point.

[0107] In FIG. 14, a variant of the cartridge 10 is shown in which the first flexible film bag and the second flexible film bag 14 are arranged coaxially with respect to one another in the cartridge 10. Preferably the inner first film bag 12 is in contact with the material in the outer second film bag 14 in the filled state. The outlet opening 20 for the materials of the two film bags 12, 14 are likewise arranged coaxially with respect to one another. Such a construction shape of the cartridge 10 has the advantage that only one piston is required in order to dispense the material from the first film bag 12 and in the second film bag 14. A further advantage of this construction consists therein that the cartridge 10 is comparatively compact.

[0108] In FIG. 15 a further variant of the cartridge 10 is shown in which the first flexible film bag 12 and the second flexible film bag 14 are respectively clipsed one to another at the outlet nose piece 22. For this purpose, non-shown latch openings are provided at the nose piece 22 into which a respective latch nose 44 can be clipsed. This variant of the cartridge 10 has the advantage that different types of partial cartridges 46 can be used with one another. Preferably, the tongue and groove-like connection formed by the latching openings and the latching bolts 44 can be configured releasable.

[0109] In the FIGS. 16 and 17 a further embodiment with the rigid front piece 16 is shown in which a stiffening plate 48 is provided. The stiffening plate 48 extends from a circular section of the rigid front part 16 to the other circular section of the rigid front part 16. The stiffening plate 48 forms a part of the nose piece 22 and in this way also a part of the outlet opening 20.