Container and method for producing a container

Abstract

The invention relates to a container for receiving contents, in particular liquid foods, having a tubular main body and having at least one molded fiber part connected to the main body, and to a method for producing such a container. For the container to be suitable for being aseptically filled with liquid or paste-like foods, the inner face of the at least one molded fiber part is coated to be gas and liquid tight. The container is produced as follows: pressing at least one molded fiber part from pulp, coating the inner face(s) of the molded fiber part or parts, providing the tubular main body, connecting the main body to the (first) molded fiber part for generating a container that is open on one side, filling the container through the open side, and closing the container by folding or by joining to the (further) molded fiber part.

Claims

1. A container for receiving contents, in particular liquid foodstuffs, comprising a tubular base body and comprising at least one fibrous moulding connected to the base body, wherein the inner side of the at least one fibrous moulding is coated in a gas- and liquid-tight manner by means of a multilayer film which can also contain a barrier layer and wherein the film is guided around the edge of the fibrous moulding in an overlap region in which the film is positioned between an interior surface of the base body and an exterior surface of the fibrous moulding.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the base body is made of packaging laminate.

3. The container according to claim 2, wherein the packaging at least comprises a layer of board, paper, plastic or aluminum.

4. The container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fibrous moulding is made from pulp.

5. The container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fibrous moulding forms the upper part of the container.

6. The container according to claim 5, wherein the upper part of the container has a pouring opening.

7. The container according to claim 6, wherein the pouring opening is reclosable.

8. The container according to claim 1, wherein the fibrous moulding is the base part of the container.

9. The container according to claim 1, wherein the outer side of the at least one fibrous moulding is completely or partially provided with a coating.

10. A method for manufacturing a container including a base body and at least one fibrous moulding, the method comprising the following steps: pressing at least one fibrous moulding from pulp, coating the inner sides of each fibrous moulding with a film as far as around the lower edge of the fibrous moulding in an overlap region, providing a tubular base body, joining the tubular base body to the fibrous moulding to produce a container open on one side, filling the container through the open side, and closing the container by folding or by joining to another fibrous moulding, wherein the film is coated around the lower edge of the fibrous moulding up to the overlap region in which the film is positioned between an interior surface of the base body and an exterior surface of the fibrous moulding.

11. A method for manufacturing a container including a base body and at least one fibrous moulding having a pouring opening, the method comprising the following steps: pressing at least one fibrous moulding from pulp, coating the inner sides of each fibrous moulding with a film as far as around the lower edge of the fibrous moulding in an overlap region, providing a tubular base body, joining the tubular base body to the at least one fibrous moulding to produce a container, filling the container through the pouring opening, and closing the pouring opening, wherein the film is coated around the lower edge of the fibrous moulding up to the overlap region in which the film is positioned between an interior surface of the base body and an exterior surface of the fibrous moulding.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a base body and an upper part of a container joined to the base body in side view,

(3) FIG. 2 shows the container from FIG. 1 in section along the line II-II,

(4) FIG. 2A shows an enlargement of the upper part from FIG. 2,

(5) FIG. 3 shows the container in a perspective view,

(6) FIG. 4 shows the base of the container, in perspective view from below and

(7) FIG. 5 shows another exemplary embodiment of another container in a perspective view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(8) FIG. 1 shows a base body 1 of a container which is connected to an upper part 2 of the container, in side view. The upper part 2 is a fibrous moulding pressed from pulp and in the preferred exemplary embodiment shown is provided with a pouring opening 3. The connection between base body and upper part is produced by the base body 1 surrounding the upper part 2 in an overlap region 4.

(9) FIG. 2 shows the container from FIG. 1 in a section along the line II-II. Here in the overlap region 4 in which the connection is formed between base body 1 and upper part 2, it can be clearly identified that the base body 1 surrounds the upper part 2 in the overlap region 4. Within the framework of the invention, however, an embodiment is also feasible in which the lower region of the upper part surrounds the base body.

(10) The base body 1 has substantially the same cross-sectional area from the underside to the upper side. On the underside the cross-section of the base body 1 is substantially rectangular-shaped. The further the base body 1 extends from its underside to its upper side, the more the rectangular edges of the base body 1 go over into circular arc segments having increasingly larger radius, as can be deduced in particular from FIG. 3, where the container is shown in perspective view. On the upper side the cross-section of the base body 1 therefore only has rectangularly arranged side pieces which are interconnected by circular arc segments.

(11) In order that the upper part 2 of the container is gas- and liquid-tight and can act as a barrier layer, said upper part is provided in its interior with a film 5 as can be clearly deduced from the enlarged view according to FIG. 2A. It can be clearly identified that the film 5 is drawn around the lower edge of the upper part 2, thus facilitating sealing of base body 1 and upper part 2 as well as protection of the edge from moisture. In a known manner, aluminium foil, SiOx, aluminium vapour deposition, polyamide (PA), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) or another barrier plastic can be used as barrier layer inside the film 5. PA and EVOH are preferred. In one aspect, the film 5 may be positioned between an interior surface of the base body 1 and an exterior surface of the fibrous moulding.

(12) FIG. 3 shows the container in perspective view. The base body 1 is closed on its underside. As already shown in FIG. 2, the base body 1 has a varying cross-sectional area in its course from bottom to top. The base can be closed by sealing and folding as shown in FIG. 4, where packaging ears 6 are placed onto the seam 7 at the base. It is not shown that the pouring element can also have a thread in the upper part 2 manufactured as a fibrous moulding. It is furthermore clear that the upper part 2 can also be coated from its upper side in order to be protected from external influences, in particular moisture.

(13) FIG. 5 finally shows another exemplary embodiment of a container in perspective view in which the lower part 1 is identical to the aforesaid lower part 1 but the upper part 2 has a completely different geometry. There the substantially similarly constructed pouring element 3 is protected by a protuberance 8. However the connection between upper part 2 and base body 1 is made exactly as described previously in the connection region 4. As a result it is clear that when using upper partsbut also lower partsmade from fibrous mouldings, any shapes which cannot be produced by folding and sealing packaging laminate, can be achieved. In this way, the container according to the invention and the method for its manufacture comprise a plurality of feasible configurations.