Opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container

Abstract

The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container includes a base sheet (1) having a first layer (1a) with a lower surface covered by a first adhesive (3), a second layer (1b) attached on the first layer (1a) by a second adhesive (8a), and contour cuts (5) defining an opening/closing flap (2) connected to the rest of the base sheet (1) by a fold line (6) that has aligned discontinuous cuts affecting both the first and second layers (1a, 1b) and the first and second adhesives (3, 8a). Optionally, the base sheet (1) includes a third layer (1c) attached on the second layer (1b) by a third adhesive (8b), and optionally the aligned discontinuous cuts of the fold line (6) also affect the third layer (1c).

Claims

1. An opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container, comprising a flexible base sheet which, when in use, is adhered to a flexible wall of the disposable flexible container covering a dispensing opening formed therein, said base sheet having one or more contour cuts defining an opening/closing flap connected to the rest of the base sheet by a fold line and provided with a lower surface covered by a first adhesive, said opening/closing flap being movable between a closed position, in which the opening/closing flap is adhered to an area of the flexible wall around said dispensing opening closing same, and an open position, in which the opening/closing flap is raised, providing free access to the dispensing opening, and where the base sheet comprises a first layer which, when in use, is adhered to a flexible wall of the disposable flexible container, and a second layer attached on said first layer by a second adhesive, characterized in that the fold line comprises a plurality of aligned discontinuous cuts affecting both first and second layers of the base sheet, and both first and second adhesives.

2. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 1, wherein said first adhesive covering the lower surface of the opening/closing flap is a re-adherable adhesive.

3. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 1, wherein said first adhesive covering the lower surface of the opening/closing flap is a permanent adhesive envisaged for being adhered to a silicone varnish applied on the flexible wall of the disposable flexible container.

4. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 1, wherein said contour cuts include curved end portions intersecting with opposite ends of the fold line and extending from said opposite ends of the fold line outwardly with respect to the opening/closing flap and towards an end of the base sheet opposite the fold line.

5. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 1, wherein the base sheet comprises a third layer attached on the second layer by a third adhesive, and both the one or more contour cuts and said plurality of aligned discontinuous cuts of the fold line furthermore affect said third layer and said third adhesive.

6. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 1, wherein the base sheet comprises a third layer attached on the second layer by a third adhesive, where the one or more contour cuts furthermore affect said third layer and said third adhesive, and where the aligned discontinuous cuts of the fold line do not affect the third layer of the base sheet.

7. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 5, wherein the second layer of the base sheet has a thickness and/or rigidity greater than a thickness and/or rigidity of the first layer.

8. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 5, wherein the third layer of the base sheet has a thickness and/or rigidity less than a thickness and/or rigidity of the first layer.

9. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 1, wherein said first layer is a printed layer and the second layer and the second adhesive are transparent.

10. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 5, wherein said first layer is a printed layer and the second and third layers and the second and third adhesives are transparent.

11. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 2, wherein the second layer is a printed layer and the third layer and the third adhesive are transparent.

12. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 1, wherein the opening/closing flap has a gripping tab located on a side thereof opposite said fold line.

13. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 12, wherein said gripping tab is free of said first adhesive.

14. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 12, wherein said gripping tab has an anti-adherent treatment applied on said first adhesive.

15. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 12, wherein the base sheet has a surrounding portion encircling the opening/closing flap except at least part of said gripping tab, said surrounding portion, when in use, being permanently adhered to the flexible wall of the disposable flexible container.

16. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 1, wherein the fold line is substantially tangent to both curved end portions.

17. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 6, wherein the second layer of the base sheet has a thickness and/or rigidity greater than the thickness and/or rigidity of the first layer.

18. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 6, wherein the third layer of the base sheet has a thickness and/or rigidity less than the thickness and/or rigidity of the first layer.

19. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 6, wherein said first layer is a printed layer and the second and third layers and the second and third adhesives are transparent.

20. The opening/closing device for a disposable flexible container according to claim 7, wherein said first layer is a printed layer and the second and third layers and the second and third adhesives are transparent.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The foregoing and other features and advantages will become more evident from the following detailed description of several illustrative and non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a top view of a disposable flexible container including an opening/closing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a closed position;

(3) FIG. 2 is a top view of the disposable flexible container including the opening/closing device of FIG. 1 in an open position;

(4) FIG. 3 is a partial cross-section view taken along plane of FIG. 1, where the thicknesses of the sheets are exaggerated to better understand the drawing;

(5) FIG. 4 is a partial cross-section view similar to FIG. 3 in the open position;

(6) FIG. 5 is a partial cross-section view of a disposable flexible container including an opening/closing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention in a closed position, where the thicknesses of the sheets are exaggerated to better understand the drawing;

(7) FIG. 6 is a partial cross-section view similar to FIG. 5 in the open position;

(8) FIG. 7 is a partial cross-section view of a disposable flexible container including an opening/closing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention in a closed position, where the thicknesses of the sheets are exaggerated to better understand the drawing; and

(9) FIG. 8 is a partial cross-section view similar to FIG. 7 in the open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(10) FIGS. 1 to 4 shows an opening/closing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention applied to a disposable flexible container 30, such as a wet wipe container, for example, in which the inner moisture must be maintained, which comprises a flexible wall 31 made of a sheet of impermeable plastic material arranged in the form of a flat tubular bag closed at its ends by two transverse welding seams 34. The flexible wall 31 has a dispensing opening 32 initially closed by a corresponding portion 33 of the flexible wall 31.

(11) The opening/closing device of the present invention comprises a flexible base sheet 1 which, when in use, is adhered to the mentioned flexible wall 31 of the disposable flexible container 30 covering the dispensing opening 32. This base sheet 1 has contour cuts 5 defining an opening/closing flap 2 connected to the rest of the base sheet 1 by a fold line 6 formed by a series of aligned discontinuous cuts acting as a hinge. The opening/closing flap 2 is provided with a gripping tab 4 on one side thereof opposite said fold line 6.

(12) A lower surface of the opening/closing flap 2 is covered by a first adhesive 3 (indicated by means of shading in FIG. 2), which can be a re-adherable adhesive or a permanent adhesive envisaged for being adhered to a silicone varnish applied on the flexible wall 31 of the disposable flexible container 30. An area corresponding to said gripping tab 4 is free of the first adhesive 3 or has an anti-adherent treatment applied on the first adhesive 3. The base sheet 1 has a surrounding portion 7 encircling the opening/closing flap 2 except a portion thereof corresponding to the gripping tab 4, and this surrounding portion 7, when in use, is permanently adhered to the flexible wall 31 of the disposable flexible container 30.

(13) Therefore, by gripping the opening/closing flap 2 by the gripping tab 4, the opening/closing flap 2 can be moved between a closed position (FIGS. 1 and 3), in which the opening/closing flap 2 is adhered to an area of the flexible wall 31 around the dispensing opening 32, hermetically closing the dispensing opening 32, and an open position (FIGS. 2 and 4), in which the opening/closing flap 2 is raised, providing free access to the dispensing opening 32.

(14) The contour cuts 5 defining the opening/closing flap 2 have respective opposing curved portions that are convex with respect to the opening/closing flap 2 and include curved end portions 5a intersecting with opposite ends of the fold line 6 and extending from said opposite ends of the fold line 6 outwardly with respect to the opening/closing flap 2 and towards an end of the base sheet 1 opposite the fold line 6. In the illustrated example, the fold line 6 is substantially tangent to both curved end portions 5a.

(15) When in use, the mentioned portion 33 of the flexible wall 31 of the disposable flexible container 30 corresponding to the dispensing opening 32 is permanently adhered to the lower surface of the opening/closing flap 2 by the first adhesive 3 (FIGS. 2 and 4). This portion 33 of the flexible wall 31 is initially attached to the flexible wall 31 of the container by way of partial die cutting and is pulled off by the opening/closing flap 2 the first time said flap is opened.

(16) As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the first embodiment the base sheet 1 comprises two layers of plastic material, including a lower first layer 1a and an upper second layer 1b attached to one another by a second adhesive 8a. Both the plurality of aligned discontinuous cuts forming the fold line 6 and the contour cuts 5 defining the opening/closing flap 2 affect both first and second layers 1a, 1b, the first adhesive 3 and the second adhesive 8a.

(17) Optionally, the first layer 1a is a printed layer and the second layer 1b and the second adhesive 8a are transparent.

(18) FIGS. 5 and 6 show an opening/closing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which is completely analogous to the first embodiment described above in relation to FIGS. 1 to 4 except that in this second embodiment, the base sheet 1 comprises three layers, including a lower first layer 1a, an intermediate second layer 1b, and an upper third layer 1c arranged on the second layer 1b. The second layer 1b is attached to said first layer 1a by a second adhesive 8a, and the third layer 1c is attached to the intermediate second layer 1b by a third adhesive 8b. The second and third adhesives 8a, 8b attaching the first, second and third layers 1a, 1b, 1c can be identical or different.

(19) In this second embodiment, the fold line 6 also comprises a series of aligned discontinuous cuts, and both the aligned discontinuous cuts of the fold line 6 and the one or more contour cuts 5 affect the three layers, i.e., the first, second and third layers 1a, 1b, 1c, the first adhesive 3 and the second and third adhesives 8a, 8b.

(20) In the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the second layer 1b of the base sheet 1 preferably has a thickness and/or rigidity greater than the thickness and/or rigidity of the first layer 1a, and the third layer 1c of the base sheet 1 has a thickness and/or rigidity less than the thickness and/or rigidity of the first layer 1a, taking into account that the rigidity of each of the first, second and third layers 1a, 1b, 1c is determined by the material from which it is made in combination with the thickness thereof. Optionally, the first layer 1a is a printed layer and the second and third layers 1b, 1c as well as the second and third adhesives 8a, 8b are transparent, or alternatively the second layer 1b is a printed layer and the third layer 1c and third adhesive 8b are transparent.

(21) FIGS. 7 and 8 show an opening/closing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention, which is entirely analogous to the second embodiment described above in relation to FIGS. 5 and 6 except that in this third embodiment, the aligned discontinuous cuts comprised in the fold line 6 only affect the lower first layer 1a, the intermediate second layer 1b, and the first and second adhesives 3, 8a, but they do not affect the upper third layer 1c.

(22) The scope of the present invention is defined in the attached claims.