Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
WO 9~/J5g~6 ~ 1 B4~ ~ PCT~S94/08725
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ASEPTIC BRICR PAC~G~
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to containers and more
particularly to brick-type containers fashioned from
paperboard and particularly adapted for aseptic
packaging of liquids and other foodstuffs. Brick-type
containers are in the general form of a rectangular
parallelepiped, and take their name from their
resemblance in shape to a common masonry brick.
Typically, one end of the package is provided with a
plastic fitment, the fitment including a screw cap and
a pouring nozzle. The material from which the
container is fashioned is typically paperboard coated
on one or both of its surfaces with one or more layers
of various known barrier materials such as polymeric
barrier materials.
Examples of this general type of container and
fitment pouring spout are seen in U.S. Patents
4,948,015 and 5,027,979 issued to Kawajiri et al and
4,483,464 issued to Nomura. Such containers have
typically been used in the packaging of potable
liquids, such as milk and fruit juice. Brick style
packages are the packages of choice but it is obvious
that the spout and container construction can be used
- 25 on other package shapes, such as gable top containers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the practice of this invention,
optimum dimensions and proportions of a pour fitment
and an aseptic brick package are employed. The
specific adhesives employed, the area of adhesive
coverage needed to prevent leakage, the amount of
Iadhesive, and the specific location of the fitment on
the package, as well as the extrusion overvoid area
W09s~5~36 ~11 d4~9 PCT~S94/0872~
over the pour spout dispensing opening are employed for
optimum results. Typically, in carrying out this
invention, the pour spout fitments are located above
the incoming filled aseptic brick packages, the
packages being filled with milk or fruit juice. A hot
melt adhesive bead or ring is applied around the
perimeter of a dispensing opening which is spanned and
closed by one or more barrier layers coating the
paperboard. The fitment, provided with a lower flange
and of molded plastic, is placed on top of the hot melt
adhesive and pressure is applied. Next, the filled
brick containers are conveyed, over a period of four to
five seconds, with pressure maintained on the fitment
flange area, to chill and set the hot melt adhesive.
Lastly, the completed packages are conveyed to a pallet
area for loading and packaging.
In order to provide a firm or rigid base for
placing the fitment onto the top of the container, the
liquid filled containers with their sides bulging
somewhat from the weight of liquid therein, are placed
into rigid pockets of a conveyor. The rigid side walls
of the pockets cause the container side walls to
straighten and hence force the level of liquid upwardly
so as to come into contact with the inner surface of
the container top.
In this way, when a fitment flange is placed above the
adhesive ring and pushed down, the container top will
not bend downwardly due to the incompressibility of the
liguid, and a firm adhesive bond will result.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure l is a plan view of a unitary paperboard
blank from which the carton of this invention is
formed.
I Figure 2 is a perspective view of a formed, filled
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and sealed aseptic container according to the practice
of this invention.
Figure 3 is a view illustrating the container of
Figure 2 after it has been placed in a pocket of a
pocketed conveyor.
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 and
illustrates the aseptic container after it has been
provided with a continuous bead of a hot melt adhesive
around its upper dispensing opening.
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 and
illustrates the placement of the fitment on the aseptic
container while the container is still in a pocket of
a pocketed conveyor.
Figure 6 is a view of a filled carton, the carton
provided with a three component plastic pour and
rupture fitment shown as exploded.
Figures 7, 8, and 9 are respective transverse
cross sectional views of the three parts of the fitment
of Figure 6.
Figure 10 and 11 are transverse sections
illustrating the seal piercing action of the fitment.
Figure 12 is a view taken substantially along
section 12-12 of Figure 10.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, a
unitary blank of paperboard or other stiff, foldable
and resilient material is designated as 10. The blank
is rectangular with its central longitudinal axis
horizontal and its central transverse axis vertical and
has two horizontal score lines 12. Vertically
extending fold lines 20, 24, 26 and 28 extend from the
top to the bottom edges of the blank, with the distance
I between the left and right blank edges and respective
score lines 20 defining left and right borders or
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W095/05996 PCT~S94108725
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strips 30. Forty-five degree score lines 32 extend
from the four corners, respectively, to the
intersection of score lines 24 and 12. Forty-five
degree score lines are also located, as indicated, at
the middle of the blank and extend from respective
points on respective score lines 14 to the
intersections, respectively, with score lines 26 and
12. Dispensing aperture 36 is cut through the blank,
with its center being below the top edge of the blank
on imaginary axis 38 ~hich intersects score line 28.
Polymeric extrusion barrier layers 47 (known in this
art) cover both surfaces of the blank, as shown at
Figure 10 and 11, and are squeezed together to form a
layer 48 which spans opening 36.
The above described score lines define panels 40,
42, and 46, with panels 40 defining the front and rear
walls of the carton and panels 42, when folded together
with their edges, define side walls of the carton. The
top of the carton is defined by panels 44, while the
bottom of the carton is defined by panels 46.
The length of blank 10 is about 18.58 inches (472
mm) and its width is about 6.70 inches (170.2 mm).
The blank of Figure 1 is folded and glued and
filled with a liquid in a manner known in this art to
form a brick type package shown at Figure 2.
Triangular flaps 45 (see Figure 6) extend from the top
of the carton and down onto the sidewalls and overlap
side seams defined by sealing together zones 16. Flaps
similar to 45 are formed at the bottom of the carton,
with flaps 45 defined from the upper and lower ends of
panels 44, with the (not illustrated) corresponding
triangular flaps of the bottom defined by the upper and
lower edges of panels 46. The general shape and the
manner of formation of the carton shown at Figure 2 is
1 35 known in this art. The height of the carton or
2~ 4~ 9
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container is about 6.57 inches (167 mm) and its
thickness is about 2.44 inches (62 mm) and its width is
about 3.70 inches (94.2 mm).
Referring now to Figure 3, the carton of Figure 2
has been placed in a pocket on a conveyor, the pocket
defined by upstanding rigid walls 50 and 52. It will
be understood that an endless conveyor of any
conventional construction carries a plurality of such
pockets and it is only necessary to illustrate one
pocket for an understanding of this invention. After
the filled and sealed container is placed in the pocket
shown at Figure 3, the sidewalls of the container no
longer bulge, because of the rigidity of walls 50 and
52. Because the four sides of the container no longer
bulge outwardiy, this forces the level of the liquid in
the container upwardly so that there is practically no
void or space between the bottom surface of the top of
the container and the top of the liquid in it. In some
cases, only sides 50 are required for back pressure
depending on the viscosity of the product contained.
Figure 4 is similar to Figure 3 except for a ring
or band of adhesive 60 having been placed around
dispensing opening 36. The dimensions of this ring of
adhesive are critical, as is the location of dispensing
opening 36 relative to the top of the container. The
bead 60 is 0.125 inches (3.2 mm) wide.
Referring now to Figure 5, a flanged plastic pour
spout fitment has been placed on top of the container.
This is illustrated at Figure 5 wherein the flange of
the plastic pour spout fitment (shortly to be
described) has been placed onto adhesive ring 60 and
squeezed downwardly. Such downward motion would
ordinarily cause a flexing or bending down of the top
I of the container. Such flexing would result in an
improper adhesive connection between the plastic
~1~0~3g ."
Wos~ 6 PCT~S94tO8725
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fitment and the container. By virtue of being in a
pocket defined by walls 50 and 52, the outward bulges
of the container no longer exist and the top of the
liquid is forced against the bottom of the top closure,
as explained above. The top of the liquid thus
provides a firm backing when the plastic fitment is
pushed down upon and secured to the container. If the
liquid has a head space above it, instead of the liquid
contacting the top, then the increased air pressure
will provide a firm backing. Analogously, if gable top
type liquid packages are used, instead of brick type
packages, the same back pressure action would occur to
inhibit deformation of the fitment accepting panel.
The flange of the fitment is 0.125 inches (3.2 mm) from
the nearest edge of the container, while the diameter
of the flange is 1.625 inches (41.3 mm).
Referring now to Figure 6, the filled container
with adhesive ring or bead 60 around its dispensing
opening, the latter ciosed by the above described
barrier layer material, is shown in relation to the
plastic fitment, the latter shown exploded. This
provides exactly the right amount of adhesive to fill
the dam between the rings 102 and 104 on the bottom of
the spout flange when pressure is applied in the
fitment application process. The fitment isshown
in detail at Figures 7, 8, and 9 and includes an outer
screw cap 70, an intermediate flanged spout member 80,
and a piercing element 90, the latter adapted to tear
the frangible barrier layer material 48 spanning the
dispensing opening at the time of initial dispensing of
the contents.
Figure 7 illustrates outermost plastic cap 70
which includes a plurality of internal threads 72, four
downwardly extending arms 74, and a base flange 76.
I 35 Figure 8 shows the intermediate fitment spout
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member 80 having a plurality of inner threads 82 and
outer threads 84, the latter terminating in a base
flange 86. The outside diameter of flange 86 is 1.625
inches (41.3 mm) and was determined to be optimum in
terms of: (a) providing enough surface area for bonding
to the package; and, (b) being small enough to allow
placement of the pourhole opening as close as possible
to the pouring edge of the carton. The closer the
pourhole is to the carton edge, the easier it is to
pour without spill or glug. The flange of the fitment
is 0.125 inches (3.2 mm) from the score line that forms
the pouring edge of the carton. The thickness of
flange 86 is 0.02 inches (0.5 mm), not including the
height of glue dams 102 and 104. Abutments 88, shown
also at Figure 6, are positioned at 90 degree intervals
around the upper portion of flange 86.
Figure 9 shows cutting element 90 having a
plurality of external threads 92, four vertically
extending ribs 94 and lower circumferential cutting
teeth 96, the latter terminating in tips 97. Teeth 96
are interrupted by annularly spaced inverted V shaped
drain grooves 98. Grooves 98 provide improved liquid
evacuation from the package. The height of cutting
teeth is 0.125 inches (3.2 mm). This tooth height has
been determined to be critical in yielding a clean cut
on extrusion layer 48, as opposed to a ragged opening.
The spout of the fitment was designed especially for
adhesion to the aseptic package. The flange 86 is
0.020 inches (0.5 mm) thick, not including glue dams
102 and 104. Also, the spout is made of polyethylene.
These two features allow the flange to flex with the
package, reducing the danger of the spout detaching
from the package during handling and distribution. The
I thicker and less flexible spout wall does not flex and
aids in protecting the extrusion from the teeth of the
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Wos5/0sg96 PCT~S94/08725
insert.
Figure 10, taken along section 10-10 of Figure 5,
shows the pour spout plastic fitment adhered to and
mounted on a filled container. The liquid within the
container is not illustrated. Flange 86 of the fitment
is in adhesive contact with the top of adhesive bead
60, the latter passing from a round cross section to a
generally flat cross section upon downward squeezing by
the fitment, with the adhesive joining the fitment to
the container. Both outer and inner (upper and lower)
extrusion barrier layer coatings 47 are shown, and
their fusion, in this art, has produced layer 48 which
spans dispensing opening 36. Figure 10 is the
configuration of the fitment prior to initial opening
of the fitment and container for dispensing. It will
be noted that tips 97 of teeth 96 are above the
lowermost surface of beads 102 and 104 of flange 86.
It has been found that this difference in height, for
optimum results, is 0.0625 inches (1.59 mm). This
distance is built in to protect extrusion 48 during
package distribution by preventing contact of teeth
tips 97 with extrusion 48. This difference in height
further permits the assembled fitments of Figure 10 to
be conveyed on a flat surface to an assembly station
without injury of breakage of tips 97.
Turning now to Figure 11, fitment cap 70 has been
rotated so as to unscrew it from threads 84, causing
the cap to move upwardly. Because of the interaction
between posts 74 on vertically extending ribs 94 (see
Figure 9) cutting member 90 is simultaneously rotated
in the same direction, but, because of the pitch of the
threads 92 and 82, the cutting portion 90 moves
downwardly to rotate and cut the peripheral portions of
extrusion layer 48 as it rotates. For convenience in
1 35 illustration, Figure 11 shows the top cap completely
~9
Woss/o5996 PCT~S94/08725
off of the fitment, with the contents of the container
now being ready for dispensing. After the initial
dispensing, cap 70 is screwed down upon the fitment
until the next dispensing operation.
Figure 12 is a view taken along section 12-12 of
Figure 10 and illustrates the relation between the
several elements of the plastic fitment to yield the
above described action. Inner and outer integral
molded beads 102 and 104, respectively, border the
inner and outer peripheries of the bottom surface of
flange 86. Both are of a height of 0.01 inches (0.25
mm). The continuous annular space between these beads
is denoted as 106 and is textured. For convenience in
illustration, only a limited annular portion of the
flange bottom'is shown as textured, it being understood
that the texture runs completely around the flange.
The texture is defined by intersecting molded grooves.
Beads 102 and 104 serve as dams to contain hot melt
adhesive 60 and prevent the hot melt from oozing out
from under flange 86 during application of the fitment
flange to the package.
The dimensions of the blank and of the fitment
parameters set out above are for a one liter container.
