Container for a toilet rim block cage

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a container (11) with at least one opening (13) for storing cleaning agents for a toilet rim block cage (30), wherein a polymer film (20) is provided, and at least one opening (13) is punched into the polymer film (20). The at least one opening (13) is closed by a substantially gas-tight and removable closure material (21), and the film (20) together with the closed opening (13) is then three-dimensionally deformed by means of thermoforming. The invention also relates to the container (11).

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a container (11) having at least one opening (13) for storing cleaning agent (40) for a toilet rim block cage (30), characterised in that a polymer film (20) is provided and the at least one opening (13) is punched into the polymer film (20), the at least one opening (13) is sealed with a substantially gas-tight and removable sealing material (21), wherein said substantially gas-tight and removable sealing material is configured to limit a decrease in a concentration of a fragrance in the cleaning agent to 30 percent or less after two weeks of the cleaning agent being sealed within the container, and the film (20) having the sealed opening (13) is subsequently three-dimensionally deformed by means of thermoforming.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the substantially gas-tight and removable sealing material (21) is a film and is laminated onto the polymer film (20) having the at least one opening (13).

3. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the substantially gas-tight and removable sealing material (21) is a water-soluble material, a self-adhesive label or a pull tab.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterised in that the water-soluble material is a water-soluble film selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyalkylene oxide, polyacrylate, polyacrylamide, polyamide, acryl maleic acid copolymers, polysaccharide, gelatine, cellulose derivatives, in particular hydroxyethyl-, methy- and propyl-cellulose, maltodextrins or thermoplastic biodegradable granulates or renewable resources.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the polymer film (20) is selected from the group consisting of PET, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene or multi-layered films.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterised in that the substantially gas-tight and removable sealing material (21) is a water-soluble material, a self-adhesive label or a pull tab.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterised in that the water-soluble material is a water-soluable film selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyalkylene oxide, polyacrylate, polyacrylamide, polyamide, acryl maleic acid copolymers, polysaccharide, gelatine, cellulose derivatives, in particular hydroxyethyl-, methy- and propyl-cellulose, maltodextrins, and thermoplastic biodegradable granulates or renewable resources.

Description

(1) The present invention is described in more detail using exemplary embodiments. They show:

(2) FIG. 1: the view of the outer side of the container according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2: the plan view of the inner side of the container from FIG. 1,

(4) FIGS. 3a and 3b: two variants of the container lid,

(5) FIG. 4: the container from FIGS. 1 to 3 on a suspension device in a toilet bowl,

(6) FIG. 5: a schematic depiction of the method according to the invention having the steps a) to i) and

(7) FIG. 6: a schematic depiction of the layer sequence of the film cross-section of the container.

(8) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a container 11, which has a semi-cylindrical shell 14 having a peripheral edge 15. The semi-cylindrical shell 14 serves to receive the cleaning agent 40. FIG. 1 shows the view of the outer side of the container 11, thus the view of the side which, when the container 11 is hung in the toilet bowl 50, faces in the direction of the toilet bowl wall 52, cf. FIG. 4. FIG. 2 shows the inner side of the open container 11 in a plan view.

(9) In the shell 14, five elongated openings 13 are provided which are sealed in a gas-tight manner with a film piece as a sealing material 21. In a first embodiment, the film piece 21 is a water-soluble film which is adhered to the outer side 23 of the container 11 onto the openings 13.

(10) The film piece 21 was adhered to the openings 13, which are punched into the polymer film 20, before the thermoforming process, as is described further below.

(11) This water-soluble film 21 can be removed by being washed over with water during the first use and thus the openings 13, through which the water can get to the surface of the cleaning agent 40, can be washed free.

(12) Naturally, the shell 14 can also have another shape, as long as this can be manufactured by means of thermoforming. The number, shape and arrangement of the openings 13 can naturally also vary. Due to the size and number of the openings 13, the flushing behaviour and the rinse rate of the cleaning agent 40 can be changed.

(13) On the upper end of the shell 14 which is open upwards, a flat edge 15 circulating outwards extends, cf. FIG. 2. The edge 15 serves to seal the container 11 to the container lid 12 in a preferably gas-tight manner after filling with the cleaning agent 40. Here, suitable and usual sealing methods such as heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing or even adhesion with an adhesive such as polyvinyl alcohol solution, for example, can be used. The width of the edge 15 is preferably between 2 mm and 10 mm.

(14) In FIG. 3, two variants of the container lid 12 are depicted. FIG. 3a shows a simple container lid 12 made from a non-water-soluble polymer film 20, which, with its dashed region 17, covers the openings 13 in the shell 14, and is connected to the edge 15 of the container 11 with its edge 18. For an appealing appearance, the visible side 23 of the container lid 12 in the toilet bowl 50 is decoratively designed.

(15) Above the covering region 17, a film section 19 with longitudinal fixing slits 16 is provided. Fixing hooks 32 provided on the suspension device 31 can be inserted through these fixing slits 16, such that the container 11 with the container lid 12 and filled with the cleaning agent 40 can be fixed on the suspension device 31 on the edge of the toilet bowl 50, cf. FIG. 4.

(16) In the second lid variant in FIG. 3b, the container lid 12 consisting of a non-water-soluble plastic film 20′ also has punched openings 13′, which can also be sealed with a water-soluble film 21′, corresponding to the previously described container 11. The container lid 12 is preferably flat, but it can also be three-dimensionally formed, corresponding to the container 11, by punching from a film, sealing the openings 13 and subsequent thermoforming. Corresponding to the previously described container 11, this water-soluble film 21′ is also rinsed away during the first washing over.

(17) This container 11 with openings 13, which is covered by the container lid 12 with openings 13′, thereby allows the flush water to access the cleaning agent 40 through the shell 14 and through the container lid 12 after the free-rinsing of the sealing material 21 or 21′ in the flush water flow.

(18) The method according to the invention is schematically depicted in FIGS. 5a to 5i.

(19) Gas-impermeable polymer film 20 is unwound from a roll, and five longitudinal openings 13 are punched with a punch 60 into the flat polymer film 20 in a surface of approximately 40×60 mm, cf. FIG. 5a,b. Via the openings 13, a water-soluble PVA film is now adhered as a gas-tight sealing material 21 with polyvinyl alcohol solution as an adhesive, cf. FIG. 5c, such that the openings 13 are sealed in a gas-tight manner.

(20) The PVA film 21 can also be unwound from a roll and can also be completely laminated onto the polymer film 20 with the punched openings 13, such that a composite or laminate is obtained.

(21) It is essential for the method step in FIG. 5c that the composite of the polymer film 20 with the openings 13 and the sealing material 21 is gas-tight.

(22) Subsequently, the composite of the polymer film 20 and the sealing material 21 is heated in a heating station on one or both sides. The pre-stretcher 61 and the thermoforming tool 62 pass through the softened film plane and already roughly predetermine the finished contour, cf. 5d,e. Then compressed air comes from one side and a vacuum from the other side, in order to bring the film quickly and powerfully to the water-cooled wall (contour) of the moulding tool (not depicted). The air escapes between the film composite 20, 21 and the tool through small holes or slits. The cooled, now firm film composite 20, 21 is separated from the moulding tool and is brought to the punching station 60′ in the next working cycle, cf. FIG. 5f, g.

(23) The cooled container 11 with the openings 13 and the laminated water-soluble film 21 is now filled with the hot cleaning agent mass 40 and left to cool (FIG. 5h). Instead of a hot, melted cleaning agent mass, a firm, for example extruded or pelleted, cleaning agent moulded body can also be placed into the cavity.

(24) Subsequently, the container 11 with a container lid 12, which is sealed or adhered onto the edge 15 of the container 11, is sealed in a gas-tight manner, FIG. 5i.

(25) FIG. 6 schematically shows the layer sequence of the film composite of the container 11.

(26) The composite consists of an external PVA film 21, which disintegrates when it comes into contact with water, and one or several internal polymer films 20 with punched openings 13.

(27) The PVA film 21 is adhered to the punched polymer film 20 with a laminating adhesive 22. After the first washing over with water, the openings 13 become permeable, since the PVA film 21 disintegrates such that water from the exterior space 34 can get into the interior space 35 of the container 11 and dissolves the cleaning agent 40 located there.

(28) The geometry and position of the openings 13 is selected in such a way that these are not changed or influenced, or are changed or influenced as little as possible, by the forming process during thermoforming.

(29) The exterior sealing material 21 is connected to the interior perforated film layer 20 by means of an elastic laminating adhesive 22, which is suitable for the thermoforming. The laminating adhesive 22 is applied onto the polymer film 20, in order not to influence the dissolving behaviour of the PVA film 21 in the region of the openings 13. The laminating adhesive 22 can be based on polyurethane and can be a chemically curing 2-component-PU-adhesive.

(30) Optionally, a sealing layer 41 can be applied on the side of the polymer film 20 facing in the direction of the interior space 35, in order to enable an easier connection between the edge 15 of the shell 14 and the container lid 12 with a common heat-sealing method. By way of example, this layer 41 can consist of polyethylene or polypropylene.