Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
21 ~6428
~ W096/04187 ~ .C
.
CONTAINER WITH OPENING MEAN5, MAKING THEREOF AND TOOL FOR MAKING CONTAINER
The invention concerns a packing for e.g. meat including a
tray ~Luduced of a relatively rigid plastic foil and having a
bottom- and side wall and a plane closure of a relatively
flexible plastic foil for heat sealing on the tray.
Packi-ngs of this type is used to a great extent for distribu-
tion of foodstuffs. The packings are cheap to produce and
convenient to use in the stage of packing. At the same time
they offer the ~oodstuffs a good protection against external
10 cnntAm;nAt;nn and they can there~ore freely be lying about, by
way of example, in a refrigerating showcase of a su~L"~Lhet
where the consumer can subject the displayed products to a
direct inspection before buying, as the closure usually
consists of a transparent plastic foil.
The packings are, in addition, normally tight, such as the
consumer can carry the bought products home without risk for
being nnntAm;nAt~fl~ by way of example, exuding meat juice.
20 When the consumer is going to open a packing for using the
packed product problems arise, however, with the conventional
packings of this type.
The closure need namely, for safely being able to protect the
25 product, to be heat sealed onto the tray with a sufficiently
large specific strength there Aormally is between 5.000 and
10.000 g/25mm. With this strength it will be almost i~nss;hle
to pull off the closure of the tray, even if the closure for
this object should be e~uipped with a tear-off flap. The
30 specific strength must be as low as between about 5 and 15~ of
the above named strength if the packing should be suitable for
being opened by pulling off the closure.
The heat sealing such must have a small specific strength if
35 the closure should be easy to pull off, and a large strength
if the packing should be sufficiently reliable.
-
WO96/04187 2 1 9 6 4 2 8 2 PCT~K95/00305 ~
In the most majority of cases the packing industry will,
however, ~irst of all make a point of that the packing is
reliable. The decisive economic consideration in this
connection is that the packing should be able to_secure the
durability of the packed products. If the packing is becoming
not tight it will, as a rule, cause the packed products to be
rejected by which a large economic loss can arise. Therefore
there is used, almost solely, packings having such a large
10 specific strength of heat sealing that the closure cannot be
pulled off. Instead the consumer has to open the packing by
initially penetrating the closure with a sharp-pointed tool
and subserluently tearing up the broken plastic foil.
1~ The plastic foil of the closure consists, however, usually of
a material as is difficult to penetrate and as therefore
requires a tool having a relatively sharp point as always is
on the tools, e.g. knifes or scissors, as the consumer
immediately has to his disposal. The penetrating operation is
20 in addition not rluite harmless. Such there is always a risk
for that the sharp-pointed tool by accident can hit a hand
holding on to the packing. In addition the consumer especially
often sticks the tool down in the packing with such a large
force that not only the foil of the closure is penetrated but
25 also that the tool ;s ~P~rl y forcea into the packed product as
could thereby be more and less damaged. Often the consumer, in
excess of the time spended for the proper process of opening,
in addition afterwards also need to spend time for cleaning-up
the used tool.
Concerning remedying these ~r~wh~rkc there is developed a
packing provided with a built-in tool for breaking through the
plastic foil of the closure. This packing is described in the
~uropean patent appl-r~ti~n ~o. 0~330 812. The tool corsists,
3~ in this case, of a small about 0.4 mm thick, relatively rigid
polyvinyl; ~nr~l r,r; de lPVC) plate as behind a bending line is
~ WO96/04187 21 9 6 4 2 8 pcT~K9sloo3os
glued together with the closure. On the other side of the
bending line the PvC plate is free and on this side there is a
V-formed weakening line.
5 When the packing is going to be opened the free side of the
PvC plate initially is lifted a little upwards after which the
V-formede w~k~r;ng line is broken by pressing out the
material within the wP~k~ning line. Thereby is formed a
triangular point as_is pressed~dQwn~i~to the plastic foil of
10 the closure for penetrating this. Finally the plastic foil is
teared up merging from the now formed hole.
This solution is remedying some of the above named drawbacks
but in return the construction is expensive to produce and
15 troublesome to work with.
Therefore there is a need for a packing of the type stated in
the opening paragraph as is reliable for packing of even
perishable foodstuffs, is easy to open without use of
20 auxiliary tools, and still is c~eap to produce.~
This is, according to the invention, obtained by forming the
foil of the tray with a point situated at the closure plane
for penetrating the foil of the closure. By means of this
25 construction it is possible to use secure p~k;ng~ having a
high strength of heat sealing, as the foil of the closure now,
without using auxiliary tools, can be broken merely by a
pressure for manuàlly to deforming the packing or parts of
this such that the point is forced through the foil of the
30 closure. The point does not increase the total production cost
of the packing in relation to conv~ntl~nAl packings of this
type as the point is formed in the same operation as the tray
in its entirety and without using more material than else. The
- point simply is drawn out of the foil material as thereby at
35 this place is becoming somewhat thinner and at the same time
more hard. This increasing of the hardness is imparting to the
~.
WO96/04187 21 964~8 4 r~
foil the necessary strength for being able to penetrating the
foil of the closure.
n a preferably embodiment the penetrating point can be
surrounded of a ring-formed depression in the foil with an
outer wall merging into the other tray, an inner wall merging
into the penetrating point, and a bottom connecting the two
walls. ~he point ig to be ~;r~ct~ against and placed
relatively close below the foil of the closure as is
lO penetrated when the point is lifted by e.g. with a finger to
act on the bottom of the depression with a suff;c;~ntly large
upwards directed pressure to deforming both this and the outer
wall. When the point initially hag penetrated the foil of the
closure the consumer easily can tear the foil up by sticking a
15 finger down through the now formed opening in the foil and
pulling it free along the rim of the tray.
For being able easily to lift the point the bottom of the
depression can in section be semicircular. Thereby the foil in
20 the outer ~wall and the bottom will roll, such offering
relatively small resistance against being deformed.
When the bottom of the depression is in a conical surface
converging against the bottom of the tray and relatively sharp
25 merges into the two walls of this, the point can easily be
lifted with a finger clapping the bottom into the depression.
In an appropriate elaboration of this construction the bottom
leaps back elastically to its original position when the
30 pressure comes to an end, by which the point anew is pulled
down into the depression. This is an advantage as the point
not is in the way of the flnger as finally are going to tear
the foil of the closure totally up.
35 In a preferable embodiment the outer wall of the depression is
bellow-formed, by which the depression becomes particularly
~ WO 96/04187 5 2 1 9 6 4 2~
easy to deform and the consumer there~ore only need to
exercise a small pressure with the finger for being able to
lift the point and penetrate the foil of the closure. This
solution is particularly expedient as the packing also are
convenient to open for persons having weak fingers.
When using the last-mentioned embodiment the bellow can have a
symmetrical wave pattern by which the point will penetrate the
foil of the closure in a direction perpendicular to this.
The bellow can, however, also have an asymmetric wave-pattern,
and in this case the point will not merely prick a hole in the
foil of the closure, but via a shearing movement in the foil b
terminating at the outer wall instead of remain standing in
15 the middle of the depression. Thereby is obtained the
advantage that the foil of the closure is opened effectively
as there in~t~ f a small hole is formed a tear as the
finger easily can be sticked through when the foil finally is
going to be teared totally up. Another advantage consists in
20 that the point is brought out of way such as the consumer is
not sticking himself when the finger via the tear is stucked
down into the opening of the depression for removing the foil.
For further s~ecuring t~e consumer against sticking himself on
25 the point the contour of the depression can at the transition
to the remaining tray delimit an opening~having a wide section
allowing a finger to be irserted and a narrow section not
allowing this. This device is especially expedient in
connection with a depression having an asymmetric bellow as
30 the point during penetrating of the foil of the closure is
brought into a final position in the narrow section where the
- finger of the consumer is not able to get into.
~ A further measure of precaution for protecting the consumer
35 against sticking him$elf on the point c~ncists in letting the
penetrating point stepwise merging into the inner wall of the
~,
Wo96/04187 ~i 9 6 ~ 2 8 6 PCT~Ks5loo3os
depresslon and having a height as corresponds to thg thickness
of the foil of the closure or merely is somewhat larger-than
this thickness.
5 As the used closure foil usually is thinner than the epidermis
of a finger such a point can very well penetrate the foil but
not wound the consumer by penetrating the epidermis.
In the above named examples the point has in all cases been
10 placed in a deformable area of the tray. Instead can the point
be formed in a stiff:area of e.g.~ the side wall of the tray
close to the closure foil as then can be penetrated by
pressing the flexible foil down the stationary point.
15 The invention also concerns a method for producing a packing
according to the invention by which the tray is vacuum-formed
in a matrices with a sprlg formed, in the main, as the inner
side of the penetrating point.
20 The invention further concerns a ~tool for carrying out the
method by which the sprig of the matrices consists of an outer
sprig and of an inner sprig arranged in a central
through-going hole in the outer sprig, and the through-going
hole and the inner sprig are formed ln a such a way in the
25 transverse ;rection that there between the inner sprig and
the through-going hole is left at least one air slit ~t~nfllng
downwards from the over side of the outer sprig to the
underside o~ ~his and communicating with the source of vacuum.
Thereby securing that the air below the penetrating point is
30 completely evacuated durlng the vacuum forming process and
that the point thereby becomes sufficiently sharp.
The invention will be explained more fully by the following
description of embodiments, given by way of example, with
35 re~erence to the drawing, in which
~WO96/04187 7 21 964Z8 PCT~K9S/0030s
fig. 1 shows in perspective, seen oblique from above, a first
~mho~;m~nt for a packing according invent1on,
fig. 2 shows the same, but seen obligue from below in
5 perspective,
~ig. 3 shows in perspective, seen oblique from above, another
~mhofl;m~nt for a packing according invention,
10 fig. 4 shows a section of the packing of ~ig. 1 and 2,
~ig. 5 a,b,c show fragmentarily, in a larger scale, a section
through a first embodiment of a device for perforating the
cover foil of the packing, seen=~ in three successive
15 process-stages,
fig. 6 shows fragmentarily, seen from above in a larger scale,
another embodiment for a device ior perforating the cover foil
of the packing,~
~ig. 7 a,b,c is a section taken along the line VII - VII in
fig. 6, showed in three successive process-stages of the
showed device for perforating the cover ioiI o~ the packing ,
25 fig. 8 shows fragmentarily, seen from above in a larger scale,
a third embodiment for a device for perforating the cover foil
of the packing,
fig. 9 a,b,c,d,e is a section, taken along the line IX - IX in
30 fig. 8, in~five successive proces-stages of the showed device
for perforating the cover foil of the packing,
~ig. 10 shows fr~gm~nt~rily, seen from above in a larger
scale, a fourth ho~;m~nt for a device for perforating the
35 cover foil of the packing,
WO96/04l87 2~ 96428 PCT~K95~0305 ~
fig. 11 a,b,c shows a section, taken along the line XI - XI in
fig. 10, in three successive proces-stages of the showed
device for perforating the cover foil of the packing ,
5 fig. 12 shows fragmentarily in section a fifth embodiment for
a device for perforating the cover foil of the packing ,
fig. 13 shows the same, but seen from above,
10 fig. 14 a,b shows fragmentarily in section the device of fig.
12 and 13 for perforating the cover foil of the packing, in
two successive proces-stages,
fig. 1~ shows in a larger scale a fragment of a device for
15 perforating the cover foil of the packing with a perforating
sprig,
fig. 16 shows a section of a tool for forming a tray for the
packing according invention,
fig. 17 Is a lateral view of a sprig for the tool of fig. 16,
fig. 18 is a top view of:the same,
2~ fig. 19 shows a section through a sprig corresponding tp the
sprig of fig. 17, but having a tri.angular section,
fig. 20 shows a matrices for the tool of fig._16, but in
another ~mhofl;m~nt for a form.ing sprig,
fig. 21 is a top view of the forming sprig of fig. 20,
fig. 22 shows the forming sprig of~fig. 20, seen from below,
35 fig. 23 shows in a larger scale, a section of the second
embodiment for the forming sprig, seen from above, and
21 96428
WO96/~187
fig. 24 is a lateral sectional view of the same.
Fig. 1 and 2 shows in perspective, seen obli~ue from above and
5 from below, respectively, a first embodiment for a packing
according invention. The packing, which is generally
designated by 1, consists of a rectangular tray 2 and a
closure 3.
;
10 The tray 2 has a bottom 4 (fig. 2), a side wall 5 and a rim 6.
It is produced o~ a relatively heavy thermoplastic, e.g.
polyvinyli~Pn~h-oride, polyethylenterPphth~l~te or polystyrene
in thicknesses as typically could be between 250 and 600 my.
15 The material can be either in form of a monofoil or be
laminated with poiyethylene or polypropylene. The tray is
produced by initiaIly heating the foil and then forming this
in a matrices by means of vacuum and possibly of compressed
air to the wanted form.
The closure 3 also consists of a thermoplastic foil which
typical can be in form of a laminate of polyamide~polyethylene
or polyethylenterPphth~l~te/polyethylene or similar in
thicknesses which typically oan be between about 40 and 60 my.
25 The material will usually be fairly flexible.
In the fllled ana closed packing the fQil of the closure is
heat sealed on the rim 6 of the tray. For being able to
controlling the foil of the closure during this process the
30 basis of this (polyamid or polyethylenterPphth~l~t) must be
oriented and preferabIy h;~ lly oriented. This is obtained
by stretching the foil in the longitudinal and transverse
direction followed of a fixing by means of a heat shock.
35 This structure secures that the foil of the closure not
elongates when acted on by the heat from the heat sealing
WO961Wl87 21 ~6428 lo
during the heat sealing process. ~,Jleuv~L the molecule
structure of the plastic will change from having a tangled and
branching molecular structure to having straight rows of
molecular chains arranged parallel in the longitudinal
5 direction.
Fig. 3 shows another ~mhod; -- t for a packing according
invention. This packing, which is generally designated by 7,
consists of a round tray 8 and a round closure 9. The tray has
10 a bottom 10, a side wall 11 and a rim 12. The used plastic
materials are the game as used for the first embodiment of
fig. 1 and 2.
Both ~mho~im~nt~ are typically used for food stuffs,: e.g.
15 meat, and they are therefore closed by a heat sealing which
has a large specific strength for gecuring the filled packing
against becoming not tight and the c~n~pn~c becoming tainted.
The foil of the closure therefore~cannot or can only with most
20 difficulty be pullea off the tray when the consumer is:going
to open the packing and uging the~contents. Instead he have to
try tearing it to pieces, but this causes immediate trouble as
the material is ductile and hard to penetrate.
25 ~s showed in fig. 1 and 2 the packing according to the
invention is, however, e~uipped with a point 13 servi~g to
penetrate the foil of the closure 3. When such a penetrating
has taken place the particular molecular structure of the foil
will cause it to burst linear along a molecular chain. Thereby
30 an opening arises in the foil of the closure sufficiently
large for introducing a finger by which the foil easily can be
teared up and removed along the rim of the tray. The packing
such has been opened rapidly and easily and the consumer has
obtained full access to the ~nt~n~ of~the packing without
35 using any form for auxiliary tools.
~ WO96104187 2 1 9 6 4 2 8 r~"~
_ t~ . j ' . ! i
The point constitutes an integral part of the tray and is
produced contemporary with this and without using extra
materials. The point therefore in no way is lncreasing the
cost of the packing and it is immediately to hand when the
5 packing is going to be opened.
The decisive operation in the opening process is the
perforating of the foil of the closure as takes place by
deforming the packing or part of=this in such a way that the
10 point is brought past the closure plan of the packing, or in
other words, is forced through the foil of the closure. For
this purpose can the tray be formed in different ways which
can facilitate and control this operation, such as it will be
described more:detailed by means of the following examples
15 with refer~ to figures where i~Pnt;c~1 parts has been
deslgnated by the same reference numbers
In fig. 1 and 2 the tray is erluipped wlth a special device for
per~orating the foil of the closure. This device is called a
20 perforator below and is in ~ig. 1 and 2 generally designated
by 14. The perforator can also be see~ in fig. 4 showing in
section the pespectively showed packing of fig. 1 and 2.
The perforator 14 has form of a ringformed depression in the
2~ plastic foil of the tray and consists in the main of a
ringformed outer wall 15, a ringformed inner wail 16 and a
ringformed bottom 17 connecting the two walls 15 and 16.
In the showed first embodiment of the packing the perforator
30 is arranged in an incision 18 in one of the corners of the
rectangular tray. The incision is formed by in this corner to
~ leading the side wall 11 inwards into an about half conical
surface. The ~nriqi~n protects the perforator against being
activated by accidentally outer influences which nnint~ntirn~l
35 could cause the point to perforating the foil of the closure.
The incision is, however, open below, therefore allowing the
WO96/04187 2 1~ 9 6 4 2 8 PCT~K9S/00305
consumer having full access to deform the perforator with a
finger.
The outer wall 15 partly merges into the rim 6 of the tray,
5 partly in a ledge 19, the level of which is situated a little
below the rim 6 and is terminating, above at the top, the
conical surface of the incision 18. The inner wall 16 of the
perforator merges into the point 13 which remain standing in a
small distance below the foil of the closure 3. When the
10 bottom 17 of the per~orator therefore is acted on by a
sufficiently large upwards directed pressure the perforator
will deform and the point being lifted up and penetrating the
foil of the closure.
15 The walls of the perforator can, however, very well be fairly
stiff and in these cases it ca~ be troublesome to deform the
perforator. If the bottom 17 of the perforator, seen in
section, is mainly semicircular, however, as showed in fig. 4,
it will be easy to deform the perforator as the outer wall 15
20 in this elaboration is ~nrl ;n~ to roll inward along the
circle of the bottom 17 without encountering much resistance
when the perforator is exposed to a upwards directed pressure.
In fig. 1,2 and 3 the perforator is arra~ged in a corner of
25 the rectangular :tray 2. The perforator can, however, be
arranged in other suitable places in a tray and function in
exactly the same way. sy way of example, the perforator can be
alLany~d at a side or free in the bottom of the tray.
30 In fig. 3 an example of the last- t;~r~d allany~ t is
seen. In this case the tray 8 is round and the perforator 14
is arranged in a raised platform 20 in the middle of the
bottom. sesides, the construction functions i~ the same way as
described above in the case of the first embodiment. The round
35 tray 8 can be used for packing of e.g. forcemeat shape or
ringformed cakes.
~ W096/04l87 13 21 96428 .~ C
Fig. 5 a,b,c shows a perforator with a downwards converging
conical bottom 21 merging into the outer wall 15 and the inner
wall 16, respectively, along roundwise bending lines 22 and
5 23.
In fig. sa the perforator is in its starting position, that is
in the state as it is being delivered from the producer of the
tray. The point 13 has a small distance from the foil of the
10 closure 3 and is standing perpe~dicular on this.
In fig. ~b the consumer deforms the perforator with a finger
24 which is pressing the conical kott4m 21 upwards such that
it is clapped elastically up about the bending lines 22 and 23
15 and now converges conically upwards. ~As it can be seen, the
point 13 thereky is lifted so much that it penetrates the foil
of the closure 3.
In fig. 5c the bottom 21 has leaped elastically back into its
20 starting position. The consumer has inserted a finger 24 in
the opening which the point 13 has formed in the foil of the
closure 3 and is now tearing the foil up for totally removing
it and optaining access to the contents o~ the packing. This
operation is facilitated of the fact that the ledge 19 is
25 situated below the rim 6 of the tray and thereby a little
distance below the cover foil 3. Thereky is formed ample
access for the finger 24 to get hold of the foil of the
closure 3 as the finger, in addition to via the opening of the
perforator, can get in below the foil of the closure 3 in the
30 area between this and the ledge 19.
In the showed case the perforator had such a construction and
was produced of such a plastic that the perforator was
elastically deformed. In other cases the deformation will,
35 however, wholly or partly be permanent by which the point 13
will remain standing in the position showed in fig. 5b. The
. ~
WO96iO4l87 21 ~ ~ 4 2 8 14 PCI~K9S/0030S ~
per~orated closure foil can, however, o~PllPntly still be
teared up with a ~inger which immediately merely will pre6s
the point 13 somewhat back into the depression of the
perforator.
In fig. 6 is from above seen a perforator which is placed in
an incision 18 in a corner of a rectangular tray 2. The
perforator has form of a circular solid of revolution and the
point 13 has a direction perpendicular on the foil of the
10 closure and is situated a little distance below this.
Fig. 7 a,b,c show the same perforator in section. As it can be
seen, the outer wall 15 of the perforator :is in this case
provided with a number of symmetrically placed waves 25 The
15 outer wall 15 therefore assumes character of a bellow.
In fig. 7a the perforator is seen in its starting position.
In fig. 7b the consumer with a finger is deforming the
20 perforator with an upwards directea pressure. The perforator
yields readily as the outer wall 15, fnn~ti~n;ng as a bellow,
is pressed together in the waves 25 Therefore only a small
pressure is necessary for deforming the perforator, and that
means that even persons having~weak fingers can easily operate
25 the per~orator and use it ~or opening the packing.
In fig. 7c the perforator elastically has leaped a little back
and has thereby pulled the point a little down into the
opening of the perforator. The main of the deformation
30 imparted to the perforator is, however, permanent. The
bellow-formed outer wall 15 has namely settled in the waves.
As in the previous example the consumer has inserted a finger
24 in the opening ~ormed by the point 13 in the foil of the
closure 3 and is now tearing it up.
~ WO96/04187 15 2 1 9 6 4 2 8 P~ -"
Fig. 8 and g shows a variant of the embodiment showed in fig.
6 ana 7 with bellow-formed outer wall. The perforator is seen
from above in fig. 8. The opening of the perforator has a
section 26 being sufficiently large ~or inserting a finger.
5 This wide section 26 merges in the corner of the tray into
another section 27 which is so narrow that it, conversely, not
is possible to insert a finger
.
Fig. 9a shows the perforator in its starting position The
10 outer wall 15 is also in this case provided with waves 25
causing the outer wall to function as a bellow, but now the
waves are asymmetrically placed, that is with the largest
wave-formation on the right hand or towards the middle of the
tray, and the smallest wave-formation on the left hand or
15 towards the corner Df the tray. The point is standing
perpendicular on the cover foil 3 a small distance below this.
In fig. 9b the consumer is with a finger 24 acting on the
perforator from ~elow with an upwards directed pressure. The
20 bellow-formed outer wall 25 has yielded for the pressure and
has brought the point 13 up into contact with the foil of the
closure 3. The perforating of this is ~ust going to start.
In fig. 9c the point 13 has broken through the foil of the
25 closure 3. As the wave-formation is asymmetrical the
perforator also will deform asymmetrical and for the most part
on the right hand; This implies that the point not merely is
pricking a hole in the foil of the closure 3 but now directly
is shearing a long tear in this as the point during the
30 asymmetrlcally deformation of the perforator is forced into a
~",v_..._llt going from the position showed in fig. 9 to the
~ position showed in fig. 9d.
In fig. 9e the ~nn -- has, as in the previous examples,
35 inserted a finger 24 in the opening which the point 13 has
formea in the foil of the closure 3 and is now tearing the
WO96/04187 21 ~6428 16 PCT
foil up for removing it totally. The point 13 i9, however~ in
this case brought completely out of the wide section 26 of the
opening, serving to insert the consumers finger 24, and into
the narrow section 27 of the opening. The consumer can
5 therefore easily with a finger get in below the cover foil
without in any way to be bothered of the point 13, as this now
is in the narrow section 27 where the finger is not able to
get in. The consumer such will not by accident 1m;nt~nt;nn~lly
could stick himself on the point.
The perforator showed in fig. 6 ana 7 with asymmetrical waves
in the outer wall 15 has in addition the very large advantage
that the point by operating the perforator is shearing a long
tear in the foil o~ the closure Thereby the consumer easily
15 can come in below and get hold of the already teard foil.
Fig. 10 and 11 shows an ~n~ nt for a perforator with
asymmetrically placed waves 28 in the inner wall 16 The
opening, as in fig 10 is seen from above, is oval and tapers
20 in the direction towards the corner of the tray 2. The waves
28 exist, as shown in fig. ll a,b,c, only on the left hand of
the inner wall 16 or in the side turned toward the corner of
the tray.
25 In this case the perforator itself is asymmetrical having the
point 13, in the starting position showed in fig. lla, placed
close to the corner of the tray in the narrow area of the
opening. ~ ~
30 In fig.~lla~the point is situated ; ~ tely below the foil
of the closure 3, thereby facilitating the penetrating process
while the closure foil of the packing in return is more
w lnerable for unintentionally being perforated by an
accidentally outer influence. In many cases the point 13
35 therefore will be placed with a small safety distance (not
shown) from the foil of the closure in the starting ~p+5xposition,
~ WO96/04187 2 1 9 6428
which is al6c the state ln which the filled and closed packing
is distributed.
- As shown in fig. llb, the consumer now can drive the point
5 through the foil of the closure 3 by bending with a finger 24
the rim down into the corner where the perforator is arranged.
Thereby the left side of the inner wall 16 is strechted as the
waves 28 partly are straightened out. The remainer of the
perforator is relatively rigid and is therefore holding the
10 point 13 in position, while the foil of the closure 3 in the
corner of the tray is forced down the point and is being
perforated when bending the rim 6 down.
.
In fig. ilc the consumer has, as in the previous examples,
15 inserted the finger 24 in~o the opening which the point 13 has
formed in the foil of the closure 3 and is now tearing the
foil up for removing it totally and obtaining access to of the
cnnt~nt~ of the packing. The point 13 is standing out at the
corner in the narrow area of the opening of the perforator
20 where it is not to inconvenience of the consumer.
Fig. 12, 13 and I4a,b shows a point 29 which is statinnAry
placed on the~side wall 5 of the rectangular tray 2. The point
29 is formed as the intersection between a triangular formed
25 indentation 30 in the side wall 5 and the upper term;n~t;nn 3
of this ;n~nt~t;on 30.
In fig. 14a the consumer is pressi~ng with a finger 24 the
flexible closure foil 3 down the point 29, thereby breaking
30 the foil.
The consumer can now, as shown in fig. 14b! insert the finger
down through the formed opening~in the foil of the closure and
tear the foil up in the same way as in the other examples.
WO96/04187 9 6 -~ 2 8 18 PCT~K9~00308
Fig. 15 shows, in a larger scale, a section through a fragment
o~ an inner wall 16 of a perforator with a point 13 which is
placed on the top of a ledge 32 and is terminating the inner
wall above at the top.
The point has a height h which is equal to or~merely a little
more than the thickness of the normal used closure foil, that
is about 40-60 my. As the epidermis of a finger has a
thickness which is larger than this thickness the point cannot
10 penetrate the epidermis and wound the finger. The point has,
however, a sufficient height for perforating the foil of the
closure.
Fig. 16 shows an apparatus for forming a tray for the packing.
15 The apparatur is generally designated by 33 and comprises a
patrice 34 and a matrices 35.
The apparatur is used in a forming machine (not shown), where
the foil 37 is heated and hold between two planes 38 and 39.
20 The heated foil is sucked down into the matrices 35 as is
evacuated via channels 36 which is connected with a source of
vacuum (not shown). By finally pressing the patrice 34 down
into the matrices 35 the tray is imparted its final form.
25 With this process, which is per se convont;~n~lr it is
possible to form the foil with relatively sharp details. The
process is, however, not able to form the point 13 of the
perforator with such a large sharpness that it safely and
easily can penetrate the closure foil of the packing. It has
30 namely appeared, that the air below the point of the
perforator is not escaping rapidly enough during the forming
process. The foil in the point of the perforator is namely not
cooled so rapidly that the air has enough time for escaping
through the very narrow passage formed between the foil in the
35 point of the perforator and the coLLe~u~ding point of the
tool before the foil is becoming so st; ff th~t it not more is
96/04187 lg 2 1 9 6 4 2 ~ pCT~K9~00305
en~f;ri~nt~y formable. Tne point of the perforator will
therefore in the reality be formed over a air cushion which is
giving the point a round form instead of a sharp form.
5 For being able to form the point of the perforator with a
sufficiently larje sharpness the point 40 of the tool,
corresponding to the point of the perforator, as by way of
example can be a forming sprig 40 which, as shown in fig. 17
is let into the matrices 35, has grooves 41 which are led all
lO the way out to the extreme end of the polnt of the sprig 40.
The grooves communicate with the source of vacuum via one of
the ~h~nnAlA 36 for evacuating all of the air at the point
below the foil before this is r~n~rlng so cold that it is not
formable any more. The foil will therefore be deposited close
15 about the forming point of the sprig by which the penetrating
point 13 will assume the sharpness of this.
Instead of the grooves 41 the forming sprig 40 can be round or
formed with faces or facets.
Fig. 13 shows, seen from above, the forming sprig showed in
fig. 17 but in another embodiment where the sprig instead o~
the grooves 41 has faces or facets 42. These faces or facets
can be better seen in fig. l9 as, in a larger scale, shows a
25 section through the extreme end of the forming sprig 40. As
can be seen the sprig is triangular and it will therefore be
hard for the foil during the forming process to be deposited
close to the faces or facets 42 by which there between these
and the foil arise wide passages for evacuatin of the air
30 below the foil. The perforating point is therefore now not any
more formed over a cushion but assumes instead the same
sharpness as the sprig.
Fig. 20 shows a third Amho~lrAnt for a forming sprig 43,
35 placed in the matrices 35 of which there, in a larger scale,
only can be seen a section. This forming sprig is moreover
WO96/04l87 PCT~K95/00305
seen ~rom above in ~ig. 21 and ~rom below in ~ig. 22 and
fragmentarily in a larger scale again from above in fig. 23
and in section from the side in fig. 24.
5 This em~odiment is particularly advantageous as the ~orming
sprig in this case is provided with an inner sprig 44 placed
in a vertical through-going hole 45 in the forming sprig 43.
Above at the~top the inner sprig 44 merges into a point 46 as
constitutes the part of the forming sprig 43 which is forming
10 the proper point 13 of ~he perforator 14.
As it best can be seen in fig. 23 and 24 the inner sprig 44 is
out of round and is therefore not filling the through-going
hole 45 completely up in the transverse direction ~5 showed
15 in fig. 23 the sprig such in one transverse direction has as
lesser transverse measure than the diameter of the
through-going hole by which there is leaved two through-going
air slits between the inner sprig 44 and the forming sprig 43.
20 In the bottom of the forming sprig 43 there is formed a number
of grooves 48 (also shown in fig. 22~ which radiate from the
through-going hole 45. ~ number of air rh~nn~l q 49 extend in
addition vertically upwards from:their respective grooves 48
to the top of the forming sprig 43.
This third embodiment for the forming sprig 43 is
distinguished by its eminent ability to safely and effectively
to being able to evacuate the air below the plastic foil of
the perforating point 13 during ~the vacuum forming process.
30 The air above the surface of the forming sprig is to a great
extend evacuated via the air channels 49, the radial grooves
48 and the ~h~nn~l c 36. Simultaneously, especially the air
directly below the extreme part of the plastic foil of the of
perforating point 13 is evacuated rapidly and effectively via
35 the air slits 47 between the inner sprig 44 and the
~ W096/04187 2~1 9~6428 PCT~K95/00305
through-going hole 45. Thereby is secured that the perforating
point is formed with the wanted sharpness.
- The packing according to the invention can be produced to the
5 same price as packings without a penetrating point.
In A~;t;nn the perforator stands well protected against
lln;nt~nt;nnAl activating. Furthermore can the trays be formed
with obli~ue sides allowing them to be stabled such that they
10 take up as little of room as possible on the stock and during
transportating.
The filled packing is closed by, with a large specific
strength, to heat seal the foil of the closure on the tray.
15 The packing is therefore safe and reliable.
The packing can easily and quickly be opened without using
All~;l;Ary tools but merely by, with a pressure of a finger, to
driving the perforating point through the foil of the closure
20 and tearing the foil up.
:
. .
