Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
105359 1
The present invention relates to a receptaole suoh as a
beaker, bottle or the like made of thermoplastic material which
comprise a ~ide wall, an end wall integral with said ~ide wall and
intended to be pro~ided with at least one openin~ for extraction, a~
well as a separate bottom intended hermstioally ~o close the ope~lng
for filling, looated opposite the end wall.
This type of receptacle is described for exampla in Prench
Patents 1 196 104 and 1 274 576. In the case of the known recep-
tacles, the end wall ia providsd with a groove ¢lo~ed on itself
and oon~tituting a line of least resistanoe, alon~ whioh an opening
may be out, for example with the aid of a knife, throu~h which the
contents of the reoeptacle may be extracted.
The drawbaok of these reoeptaole~ is that they require a ~h,arp
objeot to open them and that the oontents of the reoeptaole sometime~
squirt out when the end wall i~ out.
It is also known by Frenoh Patent 1 196 104 to firstly make
the ~ide wall of the reoeptaole ao as to leave on the end wall ~ide
an annular portion defining the end opening, to olose said 0~9ning
by a lid and to provide the other end of said wall with a bottom
after hiaving previously filled said reoeptaole.
It 18 aI~o general b known to oover the extraotion opaning
o~ a rcceptaole with a metal sheet or di~o, e. g. aluminium foil~
provided with a layer of glue, preferably thermo-adhesive, and to
weld or orimp said foil on the edge of the extraotion opening (of. `-~;~
for example ~renoh Patent 1 273 5B1).
It has been aaoertained that the seal of a metal foil on the
edge of the extraotion opening is not ve~y oonvenlent espeoially
when s~id edge is inside the periphery defined by the oorresponding
end of the side wall of the reoeptaole, This drawback ia further
105;~59~1
increased whe~ the side wall and the end wall are made by
heat-forming and when the subsequent extraction opening
is cut out from said end wall by suitable cutting, shear-
ing or stamping means.
In fact, in this case, the thickness of the
end wall is substantially less than that of the side wall,
with the result that the extraction opening made in said
end wall is delimited by a very sharp edge which makes
the use of these receptacles fairly problematic. In
addition, in the case of a thin edge located inside the
periphery of the corresponding end of the side wall of the
receptacle, the seal to be made between said edge and
the metal foil by cold-gluing or by heat-sealing is often
defective, with the result that the contents of the
receptacle is in direct contact with the ambient air
and may even escape inopportunely. Upon sealing of the
metal foil on the already thermo-formed edge of the
receptacle, the heat from sealing releases the internal
tensions of the thermoplastic material which are due to the
thermo-forming and to the sharp cooling of the thermoplas-
tic material when it comes into contact with the mould,
with the result that the edge retracts and cracks in the
sealing zone.
In accordance with one aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing,
filling and closing a xeceptacle, which comprises forming
in one piece a side wall and an end wall of the receptacle
by deformation of a thermoplastic material in a mould;
sealing a covering foil or cap on at least a portion of ~ -
the outer face of the end wall, the covering foil or
cap being provided with a layer of adhesive material on
.
, ~ ~ - 3 -
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~()5;~591
its face turned towards the end wall; forming in the
end wall at least one curved or polygonal slot at least
partially closed on itself by partially melting the
thermoplastic material from the face of the end wall and
through the entire thickness of the end wall, at least
a zone of the end wall completely surrounding the slot
and a part of the end wall surrounded by the slot being
hermetically fast with the covering foil or cap; filling
the receptacle through a filling opening opposite the
end wall provided with the at least one slot; and
hermetically closing the filling opening; whereby an
extraction cpening can be made through the end wall by
removing the covering foil and pulling thereby the part
of the end wall surrounded by the at least one slot.
In accordance with another aspect of the present : :~
invention, there is provided a receptacle such as bottle,
beaker or the like comprising a side wall made of thermo-
plastic material; an end wall made of thermoplastic -:
matexial and integral with the side wall; a separate
bottom hermetically closing a filling opening located
. opposite the end wall; at least one curved or polygonal
slot at least partially closed on itself formed through .
the entire thickness of the end wall and having edges
in the form of flanges of substantially rounded section;
the slot being made by melting of the thermoplastic
material; and a foil or cap covering at least partially
the end wall and provided with a layer of adhesive
material opposite the end wall, the covering foil or cap
being hermetically fast with a zone of the end wall
surrounding the at least one slot and the part of the
end wall surrounded by the slot, where~y at least one
_ 4 _
. .
105~59~
extraction opening delimited by the slot is provided
by removlng the covering foil or cap and pulling thereby
the part of the end wall surrounded by the at least
one slot.
In the present invention, the extraction openings
have rounded edges since, when the slot is made by melting
the thermoplastic material, said latter tends to contract
so as to form rounded edges. In addition, since that end
wall portion located inside the zone of the slot remains
glued to the covering foil, said opening may be easily
closed again, after the receptacle has been opened by
removing at least part of said foil, by using as centering
piece the end wall part remaining fast with said foil,
after separation of said latter from the outer edge of
the slot. ~ -
In carrying out the method, a sealed contact is
made between the cover foil and the end wall when the
receptacle is moulded and before an opening is made in
said end wall. The force of abutment exerted by the end
wall on the cover foil is uniform and acts from the
inside to the outside of the receptacle during the forming
operation of said latter.
~":.
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~053591
In addition, a~ the end wall i~ already fast with the metal covering foil
or cap, the marginal zone defining the slot does not undergo any deforma-
tion during its production by melting of the thermoplastic material; fur-
thermore, the excess heat with respect to that nece~ary for melting the
slot can soften the thermopla~tic material only in the marginal ~one of
the slot as it iB rapidly distributed and dissipated in the metal covering
foil or oap.
~he invention will be more readily under~tood on reading the
following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whi¢h:
Figs. 1 to 5 are vertiGal axial sections through a receptacle
during the different stages of its manufacture and filling;
Fig, 6 is a vertical axial section through a receptacle filled
and closed according to the invention;
Figs. 7 to 10 are views in perspective of different embodiment~ ;
of the extraotion end of the reoeptacle aocording to the invention; and
Fig~. 11 to 13 are axial sections through further embodiments
of the extraction end of the receptacle according to the invention.
Referring now to the drawings, Figs. 1 to 6 show a mould 1 having
~ a oavity 2 of suitable form, for example in the form of a oylindrioal,
trunoated or pyramidal bottle,beaker or the like in whioh i~ disposed,
in the bottom zone and preferably on the very bottom 1a of said mould, a
met~l coverin~ foil or cap 3, preferably made of aluminium whloh, o~ the
face opposite the bottom 1a of the mould 1 and intended to adhere intima-
tely to the end wall of tke receptaole, is provided with a layer of adhesive
which glue~ hot or cold.
~ hls covering foil 3 i8 in the form of a small cap who~e edge
is raised, but it may also be almost flat as ~hown in Fig. 7. ~he covering
foil 3 oomprises a tongue 3a whioh is not oovered with any layer of glue
or~adhesive.
After having deposited the foil 3 in the mould 1, the end wall 4
~ 5 ~
1053Sg~
and the ~ide wall 4b of the receptacle 4 i~ moulded above said foil 3,
for example by a well known method of thermo-forming from a thermoplastlc
strip or she~t, auch a~ for example described in ~rench Patent 1 134 142
or German Patent 1 165 241. Ihe upper part of the side wall 4b tsrminates
in an outwardly directed annular edge 4c surrounding an opening 4d for
filling. Of course, a known method of in~ection moulding may also be
carried out to make the receptaole 4. When the end wall ~ is moulded,
it come~ lnto contact, in the hot state, with the adhesive layer, which
~ is preferab b heat-sealing, provided on the inner faoe of the oovering
foll 3 with the exception of the portion forming tongue 3a whioh, moreo-
ver, automatioally fits into the material of the side wall 4b in the
same way as the raised edge 3b of the foil 3 if there i8 one (of. for
example Fig~ 2). Under the effect of the uniform pressure prevailing
inside the reoeptacle 4 and more preoisely, on the side of the inner faoe
f the end wall 4a and of the side wall 4b, and under the effeot of the
heat of the thermoplastios material coming in oontaot with said covering
foil 3, the layer of adhesive establishes, after the whole has oooled
down, a sealed, suffioiently solid bond between said foil 3 and said end
wall 4a.
Once this sealed bond is e~tablished, a slot 5 of curved or
polygonal form, closed at least partially on it~elf (of. for example ~ig.
.
10) is made in the end wall 4a, and more generally speaking in the wall
oovered by the oovering foil 3. ~his slot 5 is made in the end wall 4a
by partially meltlng the thermoplastio material composing same with the
aid of a heated eleotrode 18 of suitable form, for example annular and
arranged so as to be able to penetrate into the mo--ld 1 as far a8 the
bottom thereof. As the oovering foil 3 is made of a non-fusible mat~rial,
for example paper and preferably metal, partioularly aluminium, the hea-
ted ele¢trode 1~ has no effeot on said foil 3 and is stopped thereby since
~aid latter rests directly on the bottom 1a or another portion of the
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! ' ' . .
l~C~359~
mould 1 made of an incompre~ible materlal. When the thermopl3stic ma-
terial is partly melted at the moment of making the ~lot 5, thi~ mat~rial
escape~ laterally, forming a ~ort of flange 6 of rounded section (cf. in
particular Fig 11) on each edge de~ining the ~lot 5 ~he ~hape of the
slot 5 i8 generally round, oval, polygonal, eto ... and olo~e~ at lea~t
partially on it~elf (cf. ~ig. 10). When the slot 5 does not close entirely
on itself, it~is important that the ~oining part 7 which i~ integral with
the end wall 4a and whioh oonnects the part defined by the outsr edge 5a
of said slot 5 to the part delimited by the lnner edge 5b of thi~ slot,
extend along a straight line or be at lea~t relati~ely short (of. ~igs.
10 and 11). ~he slot 5 may also be entirely olo~ed on lt~elf (of. Figs. ~ -
1 to 9, 12 and 13) with the result that the part ~' of the end wall 4a,
delimited by the inner edge 5b of the ~lot, is entirely separated from
; part ~' of the end wall 4a, said part 4a" looated outside the edge 5a of
the 810t 5.
~he part 4a' of the end wal7 4a, part 4a' being looated inside
the slot 5 and entirely separated thereby from the part 4a'l looated out3i-
de the ~aid slot 5, ie maintained in plaoe by the oovering foil 3 whioh
is hermetioally glued or welded both on the outer part 4~11 and on the
inner part 4a~ of the end wall 4a. For making the slot 5, the reoeptacle
is not neoeE~arily houssd in the mould 1 having ~erved for forming 3aid
reoeptaole 4. In fact, for making the slot 5, it is suffioient if that
reoeptaole part, i. e. the end wall 4aj whioh i~ provided with the covering
foil 3 i~ ~upported by a support 8 whioh may pos~ibly also hold the re¢ep-
taole 4 laterally, as 3hown in Fig. 3.
After the slot 5 has been made, the receptacle 4 is tran~ported
to a fllling station where it is filled from one or more nozzle~ 9 through
the filling opening 4d (Fig. 4) and ~aid receptaole 4 is then clo~ed, for
example in a sealing station where it i~ provided with a ~eotioned or
flat, separate bottom 10 he =etioally welded on the annular edge 4c of
-- 7
loS;359~
the reoeptaole 4 (cf. Fig. 5~. Whil~t the reoeptacle 4 ia being filled
and sealed, it rest~ on a support plat0 11. In the ~ealing station, a
support ring 12 and eleotrode 13, which are vertioally movable and oapa-
ble of tightening therebetween the edee~ of the rsceptacls 4 and tho se-
parate bottom 10, serve to hermetloally olo~e, in known manner, the recep-
taole 4 whioh is then placed in it~ normal position in which the oovering
foil 3 i~ looated above the separate bottom 10 (Fig. 6).
~ig. 7 shows that the outer edge 5a of the ~lot constitutes at
the same time the delimitation of the extraction opening 13 of the reoep-
taole onoe the oovering foil 3 has been rsmoved. ~his extraotion openin~
may also be shaped 80 as to present a semi-circular part 13a followed by
an oblong part 13b forming a sort of pouring ~pout after the coverlng foil
3 has been removed (of. ~ig. 8).
It is not neoe~sary for the oovering foil 3 to oover the whole
f the end wall 4a. It may for example take the form of a strip (of. Flg.9)
whioh oovers only a part of the end wall 4a provided in the oovered zone
with two ~lots of whioh the outer edges 5a constitute the extraction ope~
ning after the removal of the covering foil 3 on which adhe~e~ the part
of the end wall 4a' located inside the slot 5, i. e. inside the outer edge
5a-
.
Of oourse, when the mould 1 has a flat bottom and the oovering
foil 3 does not oover the whole of the end wall 4a, said foil 3 fits into
said wall 4a (Fig. 9) whioh then present~ a shallow reoess 14, after said
foil 3 has been removed, Similarly, the tongue ~ of the oovering foil 3
fits into the adjaoent part of the side wall 4b forming a reoess 15 therein,
but with the differenoe with respect to the foil 3, that said tongue 3a
doe~ ~ot adhere to the side wall 4b of the reoeptacle.
It is ea~ily understood that the end wall 4a may be provided
with a plurality of extraotion opening~ in the zone of the ¢overing foil 3.
~his may be advantageous when the reoeptacle 4 oontains a powdery or gra-
~OS3591
nular produot or pieces in bulk, etc.. In thi~ case, it may al~o b0
advantag~ou~ to provids the lnner face of the oovering foil 3 with a
layer of glue with permanent adhe~ive powert with the result that, after
the receptaole has been u~ed, the covering foil 3 m~y b~ reglued on the
end wall 4~.
In the case of the slot 5 not being entirely clo~ed on it~elf
(Fig~. 10 and 11), the part 4a' of the end wall 4a serves a~ permanently
attaohed partial oover, the tongue 3a and cover foil 3 fast therewith
facilitating its pivoting at the level of the Joining part 7
A oylindrical cap may also ba u~ed as covering foil 3, of which
the cylindrical slde wall 3b i~ threaded and of whioh the flat part 30
GoVers the end wall 4a of the re¢eptacle 4. In thie oase, there i~ pro-
vided on the faoe of the cap 3 opposite the end wall 4a, a layer of highly
viscoua glue 16 which is thixotropio in behavlour, ha~ a low ~hear strength
and whioh, in addition, presento a high volumio stability. In thl~ way,
when the threaded oap 3 iB rotated with reEpeot to the slde wall 4b of
the receptaole, the sealed bond between the flat part 3c of aaid oap 3
a d the outer part 4~" of the end wall 4a, ~aid outer part 4~" ~urroundin~
the slot 5, is broken.
~he end wall 4~ of tha receptacle i~ not necessarily flat. It
may also be oonvex, spherioal, pyramldal? trunoated, eto... or may be a
oombination of a flat part with a non-flat part. Fig. 13 ahow~ a part
of a reoeptacle, which compriees in particular an end wall 4~ compo~ed of
a flat part and of a truncated part in which the slot 5 i~ made. On ita
outer faoe, the truncated part of the end wall 4~ adhere~ intimately to
the coY~ring foil 3 whi¢h also hermetioally ¢overs the ~lot 5 and i~ ~ha-
ped 80 as to be able to be adapted to the trunoated fo~m of the end wall.
