Refill container

Abstract

A refill container includes one sheet of lamination body having a base material and a sealant layer and a pouring nozzle seal portion, where the lamination body is folded such that the sealant layer is arranged inward, a peripheral portion of the surface lamination body and the rear surface lamination body is sealed, the bend portion together with the surface lamination body, the rear surface lamination body, and the pouring nozzle seal portion forms a pouring nozzle which pours a content, a tip of the pouring nozzle is sealed by a pouring-nozzle tip seal portion, the pouring-nozzle tip seal portion is detached along an opening line to form a pouring opening, an easily cutting processing which forms a plurality of half-cutting lines parallel to the opening line is performed, and the plurality of half-cutting lines is broken at a ridge line of the bend portion.

Claims

1. A refill container comprising one sheet of a lamination body comprising a base material and a sealant layer, and a pouring nozzle seal portion, wherein: the lamination body is folded, such that the sealant layer is arranged inward, to form a bend portion, a surface lamination body, and a rear surface lamination body; a peripheral portion of the surface lamination body and the rear surface lamination body is sealed; the pouring nozzle seal portion is arranged at a lower portion of the bend portion; the bend portion together with the surface lamination body, the rear surface lamination body, and the pouring nozzle seal portion arranged at the lower portion of the bend portion forms a pouring nozzle which is a discharge passage from which a content is poured; a tip of the pouring nozzle is sealed by a pouring-nozzle tip seal portion, and the pouring-nozzle tip seal portion is detachable along an opening line to form a pouring opening; a cross-sectional area of the bend portion has a swelled shape on an upper portion of the bend portion; on the opening line and at a peripheral portion of the opening line, a plurality of half-cut lines parallel to the opening line has been formed by half-cutting; the plurality of half-cut lines includes a plurality of broken half-cut lines that are broken at a ridge line of the bend portion and at a swelled portion in the cross-sectional area of the pouring opening; and the peripheral portion of the surface lamination body is divided along an opening cutting line that extends from an outer edge of the refill container to the half-cut line, the opening cutting line having a curvature that is convex toward an interior of the refill container, and the opening cutting line forming an opening tab in the peripheral portion.

2. The refill container according to claim 1, wherein the broken half-cut lines are at least half of the plurality of half-cut lines.

3. The refill container according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of half-cut lines further includes a plurality half-cut lines not broken at the ridge line, and the plurality of broken half-cut lines and the plurality of half-cut lines not broken at the ridge are alternately arranged.

4. A refill container comprising one sheet of lamination body comprising a base material and a sealant layer, and a pouring nozzle seal portion, wherein: the lamination body is folded, such that the sealant layer is arranged inward, to form a bend portion, a surface lamination body, and a rear surface lamination body; a peripheral portion of the surface lamination body and the rear surface lamination body is sealed; the pouring nozzle seal portion is arranged at a lower portion of the bend portion; the bend portion together with the surface lamination body, the rear surface lamination body, and the pouring nozzle seal portion arranged at the lower portion of the bend portion forms a pouring nozzle which is a discharge passage from which a content is poured; a tip of the pouring nozzle is sealed by a pouring-nozzle tip seal portion, and the pouring-nozzle tip seal portion is detachable along an opening line to form a pouring opening; a cross-sectional area of the bend portion has a swelled shape on an upper portion of the bend portion; on the opening line, one half-cut line parallel to the opening line has been formed by half-cutting; the half-cut line is broken at a ridge line of the bend portion and at a swelled portion in the cross-sectional area of the pouring opening; and the peripheral portion of the surface lamination body is divided along an opening cutting line that extends from an outer edge of the refill container to the half-cut line, the opening cutting line having a curvature that is convex toward an interior of the refill container, and the opening cutting line forming an opening tab in the peripheral portion.

5. The refill container according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of broken half-cut lines is broken across a distance from the ridge line of the bend portion that is in a range of 1.0 mm or more and 4.0 mm or less.

6. The refill container according to claim 4, wherein the half-cut line is broken across a distance from the ridge line of the bend portion that is in a range of 1.0 mm or more and 4.0 mm or less.

7. The refill container according to claim 1, wherein the refill container has a shape of a standing pouch comprising: a bottom tape which is formed by further folding such that the sealant layer is arranged outward; and a seal portion which comprises the bottom tape between the surface lamination body and the rear surface lamination body, and is sealed at a peripheral portion.

8. The refill container according to claim 4, wherein the refill container has a shape of a standing pouch comprising: a bottom tape which is formed by further folding such that the sealant layer is arranged outward; and a seal portion which comprises the bottom tape between the surface lamination body and the rear surface lamination body, and is sealed at a peripheral portion.

9. The refill container according to claim 1, further comprising a filling opening portion which is formed by opening up a portion of the bend portion and is filled with the content.

10. The refill container according to claim 4, further comprising a filling opening portion which is formed by opening up a portion of the bend portion and is filled with the content.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a refill container according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an X-X cross-section of FIG. 1 showing a layer structure of a lamination body which configures the refill container.

(3) FIG. 3 is an enlarged diagram showing a detail of a pouring nozzle portion of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state where a folded portion of FIG. 3 is unfolded.

(5) FIG. 5 is an enlarged diagram showing another exemplary embodiment of a pouring nozzle portion.

(6) FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a state where a folded portion of FIG. 5 is unfolded.

(7) FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a refill container according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(8) FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional refill container.

(9) FIG. 9A is a schematic diagram showing a flexible packaging bag described in prior art.

(10) FIG. 9B is an enlarged diagram showing a detail of a pouring opening of the flexible packaging bag of FIG. 9A.

(11) FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a refill container described in prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(12) Hereinbelow, a refill container according to the present invention is described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(13) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a refill container according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an X-X cross-section of FIG. 1 showing a layer structure of a lamination body which configures the refill container. FIG. 3 is an enlarged diagram showing a detail of a pouring nozzle portion of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state where a folded portion of FIG. 3 is unfolded.

(14) A refill container 1 includes, as shown in FIG. 2, a lamination body having at least a base material 11 and a sealant layer 12. As shown in FIG. 1, in the refill container 1, a sheet of lamination body is folded such that the sealant layer 12 is arranged inward to form a bend portion 6, and a surface lamination body 2 and a rear surface lamination body 3 of a main body, and a peripheral portion of the surface lamination body 2 and the rear surface lamination body 3 is sealed.

(15) The bend portion 6 together with the surface lamination body 2, the rear surface lamination body 3, and the pouring nozzle seal portion 24 forms a pouring nozzle 32 which pours the content. A tip of the pouring nozzle 32 is sealed by the pouring-nozzle tip seal portion 25. When the pouring-nozzle tip seal portion 25 is detached along an opening line 36, a pouring opening 31 is provided.

(16) The opening line 36 is a single virtual line starting from an opening cutting line 35, passing through the surface lamination body 2, the bend portion 6, and the rear surface lamination body 3, and returning to the opening cutting line.

(17) In the present exemplary embodiment, at the lower portion of the pouring-nozzle tip seal portion 25, an opening tab 34 divided by the opening cutting line 35 provided at the pouring nozzle seal portion 24 is formed. By splitting the pouring-nozzle tip seal portion 25 along the opening line 36 with holding the opening tab 34, the pouring opening 31 is provided (the detail thereof is not shown).

(18) The opening line 36 is formed so as to incline with respect to the bend portion 6, and on the opening line and at a peripheral portion thereof, an easily cutting processing 33 which forms a plurality of half-cutting lines parallel to the opening line 36 is performed. A tip portion 35a of the opening cutting line 35 is bent toward a direction parallel to the opening line 36. In addition, the half-cutting lines are broken at the bend portion 6.

(19) The refill container 1 according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, on the opening line 36 and at a peripheral portion thereof, an easily cutting processing 33 which forms a plurality of half-cutting lines parallel to the opening line 36 is performed. More than half of the half-cutting lines are broken when a distance d from the ridge line of the bend portion 6 is in a range of 1.0 mm or more and 4.0 mm or less.

(20) Here, five half-cutting lines are formed from the surface lamination body 2 to the rear surface lamination body 3, and three of the half-cutting lines are broken over the distance d from the ridge line (a dashed line shown in FIG. 4) of the bend portion 6. The rest of two half-cutting lines are connected at the ridge line of the bend portion.

(21) In addition, the broken half-cutting lines and the non-broken half-cutting lines are arranged alternatively. Therefore, density of the half-cutting lines at the bend portion 6 is decreased to a half or less of the original density. As a result, it is possible to prevent the bend portion 6, which is a top portion of the refill container 1, from rubbing or tearing that causes liquid leakage due to any causes occurred during transporting or handling the refill container 1.

(22) Regarding the distance d from the ridge line of the bend portion 6 to a location where the half-cutting line is broken, if the distance d is too short, rubbing or tearing resistance is decreased, and if the distance d is too long, opening becomes difficult. Therefore, it is experimentally suitable that the distance d is in a range of 1.0 mm or more and 4.0 mm or less.

(23) FIG. 5 is an enlarged diagram showing another exemplary embodiment of a pouring nozzle portion. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a state where a folded portion of FIG. 5 is unfolded.

(24) In the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, one half-cutting line is provided on the opening line 36, and the half-cutting line is broken at a ridge line of the bend portion 6. As described above, in the refill container 1 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an easily cutting processing 33 which forms one or more half-cutting lines parallel to the opening line 36 is performed. More than half of the half-cutting lines (in this case, one half-cutting line) are broken when a distance d from the ridge line of the bend portion 6 is in a range of 1.0 mm or more and 4.0 mm or less.

(25) Here, the bend portion 6 of the refill container 1 is described in more detail. The bend portion 6 is formed such that a top portion of one sheet of lamination body is folded such that the sealant layer 12 is arranged inward. The bend portion 6 together with the surface lamination body 2, the rear surface lamination body 3, and the pouring nozzle seal portion 24 provided at a lower portion of the bend portion form a content discharge pass reaching the pouring opening 31. By the function of the elasticity of the lamination body in the bent portion 6, the cross-section of the discharge pass always has a swelled shape on the upper portion. Therefore, it is possible to keep a wide cross-sectional area of the pouring opening 31, and it is possible to discharge a large amount of contents at once.

(26) In addition, in the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-4, by splitting the pouring-nozzle tip seal portion 25 along the opening line 36 with holding the opening tab 34 divided by the opening cutting line 35 provided at the pouring nozzle seal portion 24, the opening line 31 is formed. The opening line 36 is formed so as to incline with respect to the bend portion 6, and on the opening line and at a peripheral portion thereof, an easily cutting processing 33 which forms a plurality of half-cutting lines parallel to the opening line 36 is performed. A tip portion 35a of the opening cutting line 35 is bent toward a direction parallel to the opening line 36. Therefore, the opening can be performed smoothly.

(27) In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the surface lamination body 2 and the rear surface lamination body 3 are sealed at a side seal portion 22 and a bottom seal portion 23 to form a bag-shape. In a practical container, although a filling opening portion for filling the content is necessary, it is not shown in FIG. 1. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a filling opening portion can be provided at the bottom seal portion 23 or the side seal portion 22. In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, the filling opening portion 41 can be formed by opening up a portion of the bend portion 6.

(28) In addition, when the filling opening portion 41 is provided, the pouring nozzle is inserted to the filling opening portion 41 to fill the contents. In this case, since the filling opening portion 41 is expanded, there is a case where an end portion of the pouring nozzle side of the filling opening 41 is pulled and stretched. In order to prevent the stretch, it is preferable to provide a point seal at the end portion of the pouring nozzle side.

(29) In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the bend portion 6 is formed horizontally at the upper portion of the refill container 1; however, the bend portion 6 can be formed vertically at a side surface of the refill container.

(30) The opening line 36 is a virtual line showing an opening position; however, in order to show clearly the opening position, practically, printing descriptions and the like may be performed. In addition, easily cutting processing 33 is a half-cutting line provided on the outer surface of the surface lamination body 2 and the rear surface lamination body 3.

(31) In order to form the half-cutting line, a method of forming the line using a cutter, and a method of forming the line by laser processing are generally used; however, if the method of forming the line by laser processing is used, it is possible to form a cut line more uniformly and stably. As a type of a laser, a carbon dioxide laser is preferable. Regarding an opening line 36, it is not perpendicular to the ridge line of the bent portion. By forming the opening line 36 to be inclined as shown in FIG. 1, the operability at the time of pouring is improved.

(32) As a lamination body used for a refill container of the present exemplary embodiment, a lamination body generally used for a flexible packaging bag can be employed. As a base material 11, paper having one or more layers, a metal foil, or a synthetic resin film is appropriate. As an example, polyolefin-based resins such as a low-density polyethylene resin (LDPE), a high density polyethylene resin (HDPE), a linear low density polyethylene resin (LLDPE), a polypropylene resin (PP), and polyolefin-based elastomer; a polyester-based resin such as a polyethylene terephthalate resin (PET), a polybutylene terephthalate resin (PBT), and a polyethylene naphthalate resin (PEN); a cellulosic-based resins such as cellophane and cellulose triacetate (TAC); a synthetic resin film such as a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resin, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin (EVA), an ionomer resin, a polybutene-based resin, a polyacrylonitrile-based resin, a polyamide-based resin, a polystyrene-based resin (PS), a polyvinyl chloride-based resin (PVC), a polyvinylidene-based chloride resin (PVDC), a polycarbonate resin (PC), a fluorine-based resin, and an urethane-based resin; and paper, a plastic film or the like are used as a single body or a compounded body. In the base member 11, a printing layer, an adhesive layer and the like are included as needed.

(33) As the above-described paper, fine quality paper, one-side art paper, coated paper, cast-coated paper, Japanese vellum or the like can be used. When paper is used for the lamination body, the paper may have fractures due to the deep embossing. Therefore, when paper is used for the refill container according to the present exemplary embodiment, as a convex emboss and a concave emboss, by forming streaky embosses, the lamination body using paper can be stably used. Moreover, in terms of environmental considerations, the use of paper is preferable.

(34) As the sealant layer 12, a polyolefin-based resin is generally used. In particular, an ethylene-based resin such as a low density polyethylene resin, a medium density polyethylene resin, a linear low-density polyethylene resin, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and ethylene -olefin copolymer, and a polypropylene-based resin such as a homopolypropylene resin, propylene-ethylene random copolymer, propylene-ethylene block copolymer, and propylene -olefin copolymer are used. Moreover, a multi-layer composite film of these resins can be used.

(35) An example of a specific lamination structure is a film laminated such as in the order of: PET/print layer/adhesive layer/oriented polyamide resin film (hereinafter, abbreviated as ONY)/adhesive layer/LLDPE; ONY/adhesive layer/LLDPE; ONY/adhesive layer/ONY/adhesive layer/LLDPE, paper/LDPE/aluminum foil/LDPE; and paper/LDPE.

(36) FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a refill container 1 of another exemplary embodiment.

(37) In the refill container 1 of the present exemplary embodiment, a standing pouch shape is formed such that the sheet of lamination body having at least a base material and a sealant layer is folded such that the sealant layer is arranged outward to form the bottom tape 4, the bottom tape 4 is inserted between the surface lamination body 2 and the rear surface lamination body 3, and the periphery thereof is sealed. In such a shape, since a filling opening portion with which the content is filled cannot be provided at the side seal portion, a portion of the bend portion 6 is opened up to form the filling opening portion 41. As described above, when an opening portion for filling is provided at a top portion of the container, the operation of filling the contents becomes easy.

(38) Since a bottom tape 4 spreads in a container having a shape of a standing pouch, the container has a large capacity. Therefore, the pouring time using the refill container can be further decreased.

(39) The bend portion 6 is formed such that a top portion of one sheet of lamination body is folded such that the sealant layer is arranged inward. The bend portion 6 together with the surface lamination body 2, the rear surface lamination body 3, and the pouring nozzle seal portion 24 form a content discharge pass reaching the pouring opening 31. As a result, particularly when the content is liquid, since the content smoothly flows through the linear discharge pass when pouring the content, it is possible to quickly pour the content out. The above-described configuration is more preferable in the present exemplary embodiment since the container of the present exemplary embodiment has a large capacity.

(40) In order to manufacture the refill container 1 shown in FIG. 7, in the lamination body, which is slit to have a width approximately two times longer than a width corresponding to a height of the container, a top portion is folded such that the sealant layer surface is arranged inward and folded portions face each other to form the surface lamination body 2 and the rear surface lamination body 3. The surface lamination body 2 and the rear surface lamination body 3 are continuously provided, and the bottom tape 4 which is double-folded such that a surface of the sealant layer is arranged outward is continuously provided therebetween. Moreover, after necessary sealing is performed, the container is obtained by punching.

(41) As described above, in the refill container according to the present exemplary embodiment, the pouring opening portion having a large area can be secured without using a particular plug and the like made of plastic. In addition, since a size of the pouring opening portion can be designed freely in accordance with a desired shape of the plug in the repeated-use containers, the refill container is useful as a dedicated refill container in which a refill operation can be performed quickly.

(42) Hereinbelow, based on the examples, the refill container according to the present exemplary embodiment is described in more detail.

EXAMPLES

(43) <Configuration of Surface Lamination Body and Rear Surface Lamination Body>

(44) As the surface lamination body and the rear surface lamination body, a lamination body having a configuration described below was used:

(45) PET (P60 manufactured by Toray Industries, Inc., 12 m)/print layer/adhesive layer (TM 272 manufactured by Toyo-Morton, Ltd., 3 g/m.sup.2(dry))/ONY (ONMB manufactured by Unitika Ltd., 15 m)/adhesive layer (same as described above)/L-LDPE (T.U.X FC-S manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals Tohcello, Inc., 150 m).

(46) <Configuration of Bottom Tape>

(47) As the bottom tape, a lamination body having a configuration described below was used:

(48) ONY (ONM manufactured by Unitika Ltd., 25 m)/L-LDPE (same as described above, 120 m).

(49) With the lamination bodies described above, a standing pouch having a shape shown in FIG. 7 was manufactured. The size of a pouch was a width of 130 mm, height of 260 mm, and a bottom folding length of 35 mm. A width of the opening portion is approximately 18 mm.

(50) A portion of the bend portion is cut to form a filling opening portion. In addition, on the opening line which forms a pouring opening portion of the pouring-nozzle tip portion, an easily cutting processing which forms a plurality of half-cutting lines by a laser processing as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is performed. The distance d was 2 mm. At the pouring nozzle seal portion, an opening cutting line is formed, and the tip portion of the opening cutting line is bent toward a direction parallel to the opening line.

(51) When opening characteristics of the refill container obtained as described above were studied, it was possible to open in line with the opening line with a probability of 100%, and the pouring opening portion was stably formed. In addition, a transportation test was performed such that 10 packaging bodies after the filling were packed in a cardboard, and no liquid leakage due to rubbing, tearing or the like was occurred.