Support for packaging container

Abstract

A method is described of filling and/or sealing a packaging container. The packaging container can include a packaging laminate and having a top portion and a lower portion including one or more side walls and an open base. The method can include: supporting the packaging container with the open base uppermost on a support with an upstanding portion, wherein the support engages the top portion of the packaging container and engages part of the one or more side walls via the upstanding portion of the support; and filling the packaging container via its open base and/or sealing the open base of the packaging container, wherein the support ensures dimensional stability of the packaging container during the filling and/or sealing step. A related apparatus, support and packaging container are also described.

Claims

1. A method of filling and/or sealing a packaging container comprising a packaging laminate and having a top portion and a lower portion including one or more side walls and an open base, the method comprising: supporting the packaging container with the open base uppermost on a support comprising an upstanding portion, wherein the support engages the top portion of the packaging container and engages part of the one or more side walls via the upstanding portion of the support; filling the packaging container via its open base and/or sealing the open base of the packaging container, wherein the support ensures dimensional stability of the packaging container during the filling and/or sealing step; and wherein the support comprises a collar configured to engage a full perimeter of the packaging container, the collar comprising a generally square opening with rounded corners, the upstanding portion protruding from a corner of the collar, the corner of the collar extending into the opening of the collar.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the top portion of the packaging container is plastic and the lower portion of the packaging container packaging laminate, and wherein the support engages the plastic top portion and the upstanding portion of the support engages part of the one or more side walls of the packaging laminate lower portion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the upstanding portion of the support engages one or more corners of the lower portion of the packaging container.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the top portion and/or at least part of the lower portion of the packaging container is not rectangular in cross-section.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the packaging container has one or more rounded corners in the top portion and/or at least part of the lower portion.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the top portion and/or the lower portion of the packaging container comprises a concave portion and the support engages at least part of the concave portion.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the packaging container has a concave portion at one or more corners of the top portion and/or the lower portion.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the packaging container has a larger maximum cross-sectional dimension within its top portion than within its lower portion.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the support is removably mounted to a cassette, the cassette providing further support for the packaging container during the filling and/or sealing step.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the collar narrows in a downward direction.

11. A packaging container having a concave portion, the packaging container being produced by the method of claim 1.

Description

(1) The invention will be further described with reference to a preferred embodiment, as shown in the drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows the filled and sealed carton bottle 10 of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a cassette 30 and support insert 42 forming part of a filling and sealing apparatus of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIG. 3(a) shows a perspective view of the support insert 42 of a preferred embodiment of the invention; FIG. 3(b) shows a perspective view of a support insert 142 of an alternative embodiment of the invention.

(5) FIG. 4 shows the support insert 42 of FIG. 3(a) from below.

(6) FIG. 5 shows the cassette 30 and support insert 42 of FIG. 2 supporting the filled and sealed carton bottle 10 of FIG. 1.

(7) A TT/3™ filling and sealing apparatus (not shown) is used to fill and seal a carton bottle 10 (also referred to herein as a “packaging container”) prepared as described above.

(8) The carton bottle 10 (FIG. 1) has a lower portion formed of a sleeve of packaging laminate 14 and a plastics top portion 16 including a screw top opening device 18. The sleeve of packaging laminate 14 will form the side walls 69 and closed base (not shown) of the final filled and sealed package as described in more detail below. The sleeve of packaging laminate 14 has a lower end (not shown) which is square in cross-section and an upper end 22 which is generally square in cross-section with rounded corners; at one corner 24 is a concave channel 26 starting near to the lower end and extending and widening to the upper end 22. The cross-sectional dimensions of the sleeve of packaging laminate 14 at the upper end 22 are larger than at the lower end. The plastics top portion 16 is moulded and joins the sleeve of packaging laminate 14 at a seam 25. The plastics top portion 16 generally extends the cross-section of the packaging laminate sleeve 14 including the concave channel 26 (also referred to herein as a “concave portion”) via a shoulder region 27 to an upper surface 28 including an opening with screw threaded neck (not shown) to which the screw top opening device 18 is mounted.

(9) The carton bottle 10 is formed up to the filling and sealing steps by the method described above.

(10) The filling and sealing apparatus includes a metal cassette 30 (FIG. 2) for conveying the carton bottle 10 with open base (not shown) uppermost. The cassette 30 comprises a cylindrical upper surround 34 with a flanged top edge 36 and a lower frame 38 having a C-shaped cross-section and being provided with several pairs of external rails 40 spaced along its height. The cassette 30 is sized such that a carton bottle 10 introduced into the cassette 30 via its flanged top edge 36 will be engaged by friction fit with the cylindrical upper surround 34 of the cassette 30.

(11) A support insert 42 (FIGS. 3(a) and 4); also referred to herein as a “support” and as a “volume plate”) is mounted to the rails 40 of the cassette 30.

(12) The support insert 42 is formed in one piece of POM by three-dimensional printing. The support insert 42 includes a collar 44 (also referred to herein as a “support part”) for supporting the carton bottle 10 and a mounting 46. The collar 44 is in the form of a ring 48 which is approximately cylindrical but which narrows slightly in the downwards direction. The ring 48 is generally square with rounded corners; one corner 52 (front left in use when facing the apparatus) is concave and an upstanding peg 50 (also referred to herein as an “upstanding portion”) of oval cross-section protrudes perpendicular from this corner 42 perpendicular to the ring 48 in the upwards direction so as to extend the concave profile. The inner profile 54 of the collar 44 is complementary to part of the outside profile of the carton bottle 10 such that when the carton bottle 10 is positioned on the collar 44 with its plastics top portion 16 downwards, the collar 44 engages the shoulder region 27 but not the upper surface 28 or opening device 18 of the plastics top portion 16. The collar 44 also engages part of the packaging laminate sleeve 14. More specifically, corner 52 engages the concave channel 26 of the plastics top portion 16 and upstanding peg 50 engages part of the length of the concave channel 26 of the packaging laminate sleeve 14.

(13) The mounting 46 of the support insert 42 takes the form of an integral mounting plate extending from the lower front edge (in use) of the collar 44 with a pair of legs 60 extending therefrom along the sides 62 of the collar 44; the legs 60 are separated from the collar 44 by a pair of slots 64. The front edge (in use) of the mounting plate 56 extends upwards into a grip member 66 having a semi-circular notch 68.

(14) In use, the support insert 42 is mounted to the cassette 30 by hand using grip member 66. The slots 64 of the mounting 46 are slidably engaged with the C-shaped lower frame 38 of the cassette 30 such that the legs 60 are supported on one of the pairs of rails 40.

(15) A carton bottle 10 with open base 11 uppermost is introduced into the cassette 30 via the flanged top edge 36 of the cassette 30 (FIG. 5). The top portion 16 of the carton bottle 10 is engaged by friction fit with the cylindrical upper surround 34 of the cassette 30. However, the packaging laminate sleeve 14, of smaller cross-sectional dimensions, sits within the cylindrical upper surround 34 of the cassette 30 without close engagement.

(16) The carton bottle 10 is orientated such that the concave channel 26 is aligned with the concave front corner 52 of the support insert 42 which has the upstanding peg 50. Thus, the collar 44 of the support insert 42 engages the carton bottle 10, with the ring 48 engaging the full perimeter of the plastics top portion 16 at the shoulder region 27 and the upstanding peg 50 engaging only the concave channel 26 of the packaging laminate sleeve 14. The opening device 18 does not contact the support insert 42. The open base of the packaging laminate sleeve 14 is held within the cylindrical upper surround 34 of the cassette 30. The carton bottle 10 is thus well supported, particularly at its concave portions. The carton bottle 10 is prevented from rotating or moving vertically within the cassette 30.

(17) The carton bottle 10 is conveyed by cassette 30 to a filling station (not shown) and is filled through its open base with liquid food product (not shown). The support insert 42 provides counter pressure against the pressure of the filling liquid. This prevents filling from changing the shape of the carton bottle 10 by bulging, particularly at the concave channel 26. In this way, dimensional stability of the carton bottle 10 is ensured.

(18) The filled carton bottle 10 is conveyed by cassette 30 to a sealing station (not shown) and the open base is sealed with a transverse seal (not shown) and folded. Thus, side walls 69 and a closed base (not shown) are formed. Again, the support insert 42 provides counter pressure against the pressure of the liquid contents during volume displacement which may occur during sealing. This prevents sealing from changing the shape of the container by bulging, particularly at the concave channel 26. In this way, dimensional stability of the carton bottle 10 is ensured.

(19) In an alternative embodiment of the support insert 42 shown in FIG. 3(b), upstanding peg 50 extends from a rear corner (in use) 70 of the support insert 142.

(20) The use of a support insert as in the preferred embodiments of the invention has the following advantages: The carton bottle is well supported externally by the support insert during filling and sealing. This support extends to the packaging laminate lower portion of the carton bottle via the upstanding peg, as well as to the plastics top portion. Thus, changes in internal pressure in the carton bottle during filling and sealing are counteracted by external supporting pressure. This prevents bulging or other changes to the shape of the container, which would otherwise be a particular risk at the concave portion. The support insert has a complementary profile to the plastics top portion of the carton bottle. This prevents the carton bottle from rotating within the cassette. This is particularly important as the carton bottle has rounded corners. It is also particularly important as the carton bottle has smaller cross-sectional dimensions at its base than at its top portion, so that the cassette does not fit tightly around the lower portion. The support insert serves to position the carton bottle at the correct height within the cassette during the filling and sealing steps. The support insert may be positioned at different heights by appropriate selection of one of the sets of rails of the cassette. This allows flexibility, for example for carton bottles of similar top design but different volumes. The use of a support insert which is separable from the cassette means that the filling and sealing apparatus can be easily customised for different designs of carton bottle by use of different supports. The ability to form carton bottles with one or more concave portions is desirable as it provides additional design freedom. Such bottles are easy to hold. They may be desirable for aesthetic reasons. It will be seen that the carton bottle of FIG. 1 has an unusual appearance and can readily be gripped with the user's thumb in the concave channel e.g. during opening.

(21) Whilst the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. 10 carton bottle container 14 sleeve of packaging laminate 16 plastics top portion 18 screw top opening device 22 upper end of sleeve of packaging laminate 24 corner of sleeve of packaging laminate 25 carton bottle seam 26 concave channel 27 shoulder region of plastics top portion 28 upper surface of top portion 30 cassette 34 cylindrical upper surround of cassette 36 flanged top edge of cassette 38 lower frame of cassette 40 rails of cassette 42 support insert 44 collar 46 mounting 48 ring of collar 50 upstanding peg of collar 52 front corner of ring of collar 54 inner profile of collar 56 mounting plate 60 legs of mounting 62 sides of collar 64 slots of support insert 66 grip member of support insert 68 semi-circular notch of grip member 69 side walls of carton bottle 70 rear corner of ring of collar 142 support insert of alternative embodiment