Field

[0001] A container with a sealing flange is described herein and, in particular, a container having an inwardly-extending sealing flange with a generally rectangular sealing surface.

Background

[0002] Containers are often formed by injection molding or blow molding. A common container made by blow molding can have a variety of cross-sectional shapes, such as rectangular or circular. Often, however, a blow-molded container has a circular neck defining a circular access opening, even when the container has a generally rectangular cross section. A circular neck and a circular access opening can facilitate attachment of a threaded or snap-fit cap. A threaded cap or snap-fit cap can include an inner sealing membrane for forming a seal against the circular neck to block the circular access opening. Alternatively, a sealing membrane can be directly sealed to the circular neck. However, a blow-molded container that has a generally rectangular or generally square neck and sealing surface presents complications for sealing of the container that are not present with a circular neck and sealing surface. For example, the blow molding process can result in an uneven distribution of material, particularly in corners.

Summary

[0003] A container having a container body with an interior bounded by a bottom wall, a neck opposite the bottom wall, and sidewalls extending between the bottom wall and the neck. The container body can be blow molded. The neck has an outwardly extending protuberance for cooperating with an inwardly extending protuberance of a lid. The neck also has an inwardly- cantilevered sealing flange for sealing attaching of a sealing barrier. The sealing flange has a first end connected to an upwardly extending step to form a hinged intersection therewith, positioned on an opposite side of the protuberance relative to the bottom wall, and a second end that defines an access opening to the interior of the container. The sealing flange extends at an inclined angle away from the bottom wall such that, during sealing of a sealing barrier to the sealing flange, the sealing flange can pivot about the hinged intersection with the step and toward the bottom wall. The sealing flange presents a non-circular sealing surface, such as generally rectangular. [0004] In one aspect, the access opening is non-circular. For example, the access opening can be generally rectangular, such as generally square. The sealing flange can have a width extending from the first end and the second end. The width of the sealing flange can be constant about the access opening, or the width can vary about the access opening.

[0005] In one aspect, the sealing flange has four generally linear segments and four corner regions. The generally linear segments each can have a central portion with an increased height relative to the bottom wall as compared to the corner regions. In other words, the generally linear segments can be bowed.

[0006] In one aspect, the sidewalls of the container body define a generally rectangular perimeter of the container body.

[0007] In one aspect, the container body can have a generally rectangular cross-section, parallel to the bottom wall and spaced therefrom, at one or more locations along a height of the sidewalls.

[0008] In one aspect, the sidewalls of the container body define a hollow handle spaced by a through-opening from a remainder of the container body. The hollow handle can be in communication with the interior of the container body at one or both ends of the handle.

[0009] In one aspect, the container body is formed by blow molding.

[00010] In one aspect, the container body is formed by blow molding; and a diagonally opposite pair of the corners of the sealing flange having pinch line that extends at 50% or less of a width of the sealing flange at each of the pair of corners.

[00011] In one aspect, a method of forming the container comprises blow molding the container body.

[00012] In one aspect, the container includes a sealing barrier sealed to the sealing flange to seal the interior of the container body.

[00013] In one aspect, the container includes a lid removably attached relative to the neck of the container and covering the access opening and the sealing barrier. The lid can have a top wall and a depending skirt. The skirt can have an inwardly extending protuberance configured to cooperate with the outwardly extending protuberance of the neck of the container body to secure the lid to the neck of the container body, such as with a snap-fit.

[00014] In one aspect, a method of forming the container can include positioning the sealing barrier against the sealing flange of the container body; and then applying heat and pressure to the sealing barrier to inwardly pivot the sealing flange about the hinged intersection with the step and to seal the sealing barrier to the sealing flange. The method may include filling the container with a hygroscopic beverage powder prior to the steps of positioning the sealing barrier and applying heat and pressure to the sealing barrier. The method may also include, after the steps of filling the container with a hygroscopic beverage powder, positioning the sealing barrier and applying heat and pressure to the sealing barrier, removably attaching a lid relative to the neck of the container to cover the access opening.

[00015] A method is described for sealing a blow molded container having a generally polygonal sealing surface with a plurality of segments extending between adjacent corner regions with a sealing barrier using a planar sealing head surface, wherein the generally polygonal sealing surface is positioned on an opposite side of a lid locking protuberance as compared to a bottom wall of the container, the generally polygonal sealing surface extending at an inwardly and upwardly angle relative to the planar sealing head surface and wherein the generally polygonal sealing surface is closer to the planar sealing head surface prior to sealing at regions of the plurality of segments as compared to at the corner regions, the generally polygonal sealing surface deflecting toward the bottom wall of the container during sealing of the sealing barrier using the planar sealing head surface.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[00016] FIGURE l is a top perspective view of a generally rectangular container having a container body with sidewalls, a neck and a handle, and a lid attached to the neck of the container body;

[00017] FIGURE 2 is a bottom perspective view of the container of FIGURE 1, showing a bottom wall of the container body;

[00018] FIGURE 3 is a rear side elevation view of the container of FIGURE 1;

[00019] FIGURE 4 is a front side elevation view of the container of FIGURE 1;

[00020] FIGURE 5 is an exploded view of the container of FIGURE 1, showing the container body, a sealing barrier and the lid;

[00021] FIGURE 6 is a front side elevation view of the container body of FIGURE 1; [00022] FIGURE 7 is a partial section view taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 10, and showing the neck of the container body and a sealing flange of the neck;

[00023] FIGURE 8 is a partial section view similar to that of FIGURE 7, but additionally showing the sealing barrier sealed to the sealing surface of the sealing flange of the neck and the lid attached to the neck of the container body;

[00024] FIGURE 9 is a top perspective view of the container body of the container of FIGURE 1, showing the sealing flange and an access opening defined by the sealing flange;

[00025] FIGURE 10 is a top plan view of the container body of the container of FIGURE 1; and

[00026] FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatical representation of a change in height, relative to the bottom wall, of the sealing flange about a perimeter of the access opening.

Detailed Description

[00027] A container 10 having a container body 12, a sealing barrier 14 and a lid 16 is described herein and has aspects of which are depicted in FIGURES 1-11. The container body 12 can be formed by blow molding.

[00028] The container body 12 has an interior 18 bounded by a bottom wall 20, a neck 22, which can be non-circular, opposite the bottom wall 20, and sidewalls 24, 26, 28 and 30 extending between the bottom wall 20 and the neck 22. The neck 22 has an outwardly extending protuberance 32 for cooperating with an inwardly extending protuberance 34 of the lid 16, as shown in FIGURE 8. The neck 22 also has an inwardly-cantilevered sealing flange 36 presenting a non-circular sealing surface 38, such as generally rectangular, and having a first end 40 connected to an upwardly extending step 42 to form a hinged intersection therewith, positioned on an opposite side of the protuberance 32 relative to the bottom wall 20, and a second end 44 that defines the perimeter of an access opening 46 to the interior 18 of the container, the sealing flange 36 extending at an inclined angle away from the bottom wall 20 such that, during sealing of a sealing barrier 14 to the sealing surface 38 of the sealing flange 36, the sealing flange 36 can pivot about the hinged intersection with the step 42 and toward the bottom wall 20.

[00029] Turning now to details regarding the container body 12, the bottom wall 20 includes a generally rectangular periphery, having four corners 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d with generally linear segments 20e, 20f, 20g and 20h extending between each of the corners 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d. The generally linear segments 20e, 20f, 20g and 20h are not necessarily perfectly linear, but rather can be bowed, in the illustrated example, outwardly bowed. The sidewalls 24, 26, 28 and 30 extend upwardly from the perimeter of the bottom wall 20 to the neck 22 of the container body 12. There are four sidewalls 24, 26, 28 and 30, including a left sidewall 24, front sidewall 26, right sidewall 28 and rear sidewall 30. Adjacent ones of the sidewalls 24, 26, 28 and 30 intersect at rounded corners 24a, 26a, 28a and 30a. Optionally an indentation 48 can span some or all of the sidewalls 24, 26, 28 and 30, such as for placement of a label.

[00030] The bottom wall 20, sidewalls 24, 26, 28 and 30 and neck 22 define the interior 18 of the container 10 with the access opening 46 via the neck 22, as will be described in greater detail herein.

[00031] An adjacent pair of sidewalls, such as the left and rear sidewalls 24 and 30 as illustrated, can have a pass-through opening 50 therebetween such that a handle 52 is formed adjacent one of the corners 30a of the container body 12. The handle 52 can have an upper end 54, adjacent the neck 22, and a lower end 56, adjacent the bottom wall 20. The handle 52 can be hollow and in communication with a remainder of the interior at the upper and/or lower ends 54 and 56 thereof. For a blow molded container body 12, slidable inserts can be used with the mold for forming the handle opening 50. Instead of a handle 52, however, a narrowed region lacking an opening can be used to provide a gripping location.

[00032] The neck 22 of the container body 12 is configured for removable attachment of a lid 16, such as a snap-on lid. To this end, the neck 22 includes the outwardly extending protuberance 32 spaced from the sidewalls 24. 26, 28 and 30 by a recessed portion or groove 58. The protuberance 32 can be curved. The lid 16 includes a top wall 60 and a depending skirt 62. The skirt 62 has the inwardly extending, curved protuberance 34 configured to cooperate with the outwardly extending protuberance 32 of the neck 22 of the container body 12 to secure the lid 16 to the neck 22 of the container body 12. As the lid 16 is pressed onto the neck 22 of the container body 12, the inwardly extending protuberance 34 of the lid 16 contacts the outwardly extending protuberance 32 of the neck 22 of the container body 12. Further movement of the lid 16 onto the neck 22 of the container body 12 causes the skirt 62 of the lid 16, and the inwardly extending protuberance 34, to flex outwardly away from the outwardly extending protuberance 32 of the neck 22 of the container body 12 until the inwardly extending protuberance 34 of the skirt 62 of the lid 16 passes the outwardly extending protuberance 32 of the neck 22 of the container body 12 and is received in the recessed portion 58 of the neck 22, as shown in FIGURE 8. Removal of the lid 16 can be accomplished by pulling the lid 16 away from the neck 22 of the container body 12 to slide the inwardly extending protuberance 34 of the skirt 62 of the lid 16 past the outwardly extending protuberance 32 of the neck 22 of the container body 12.

[00033] The neck 22 of the container 12 is also configured for sealing attachment of the sealing barrier 14 to block the access opening 46. More specifically, the neck 22 includes the sealing flange 36, as shown in FIGURE 7, to which the sealing barrier 14 is sealed. As mentioned above, the sealing flange 36 includes the first end 40 and the second end 44. The first end 40 is connected to the upwardly extending step 42 positioned above the outwardly extending protuberance 32 of the neck 22, on an opposite side of the outwardly extending protuberance 32 relative to the sidewalls 24, 26, 28 and 30 of the container body 12. The first end 40 of the sealing flange 36 forms the hinged intersection with the step 42. The second end 44 of the sealing flange 36 defines the perimeter of the access opening 46 to the interior 18 of the container body 12. The sealing flange 36 extends at an inclined angle away from the bottom wall 20. In other words, the first end 40 of the sealing flange 36 is closer to the bottom wall 20 of the container body 12 as compared to the second end 44 of the sealing flange 36.

[00034] The sealing flange 36 is inwardly-cantilevered. Optionally, a perimeter of the access opening 46 can be surrounded, in projection, by a maximum perimeter of the sidewalls 24, 26, 28 and 30, taken from parallel planes. The sealing flange 36 has a width, extending between the first and second ends 40 and 44 thereof. Although preferably linear or flat across the width or the majority thereof, the sealing flange 36 may not be perfectly linear or flat. The sealing flange 36 extends continuously about the perimeter of the access opening 46. The sealing flange 36 has four generally linear segments 36a, 36b, 36c and 36d and four corner regions 36e, 36f, 36g and 36h.

[00035] The sealing barrier 14 can be formed of any suitable material, such as a laminate foil, laminated film or the like. The sealing barrier 14 has a heat sealant layer on a bottom side such that the application of heat and pressure on a top side, opposite the bottom side, causes the heat sealant layer to adhere to the sealing surface 38 of the sealing flange 36. The heat and pressure can be applied, for example, using a sealing platen having a planar sealing surface. Induction sealing can also be used.

[00036] During sealing of the sealing barrier 14 to the sealing surface 38 of the sealing flange 36, the pressure applied to the sealing barrier 14, and thus to the sealing flange 36, can cause the sealing flange 36 to pivot inwardly about the hinged intersection with the step 42. Not all portions of the sealing flange 36 may need to pivot inwardly to the same degree about the hinged intersection. This can be due to the sealing flange 36 not being uniformly formed about the entirety of the perimeter of the access opening 46. For example, the container body 12 can shrink after blow molding, more so in some areas as opposed to others. While such variations in shrinkage may be slight, that can be enough to create variations in, for example, the height of a given portion of the sealing flange 36 relative to the height of another portion of the sealing flange 36 relative to the bottom wall 20. By intentionally designing flex or pivoting of the sealing flange 36 about the hinged intersection with the step 42, those variations can be accommodated during sealing to ultimately result in a more planar sealing area of the sealing surface 38 on the sealing flange 36 for sealing of the sealing barrier 14.

[00037] In a specific example, the step 42 can have a height of , the sealing flange 36 can have a projection width of pw, and the sealing flange 36 can have an angle of inclination of 0 relative to a plane parallel to the bottom wall 20. Furthermore, there can be a radius r at the hinged intersection of the step 42 and the sealing flange 36. In exemplary embodiments, those variables can have the following values, although other values can also be suitable:

[00038] As mentioned above, variations in the sealing flange 36 can result in a sealing flange 36 that is not uniform about the perimeter of the access opening 46, such as due to blow molding techniques. For example, unlike a container with a circular cross-section or footprint, a blow molded container with a generally rectangular cross-section or footprint can have thickened sidewalls adjacent the corner regions as opposed to between the corner regions. This can result in shrinkage and other variations that impact the height of the sealing flange 36 above the bottom wall 20 about the perimeter of the access opening 46. Thickened sidewalls adjacent the corner regions can cause adjacent portions of the sealing flange 36 to be less flexible as compared to portions of the sealing flange 36 at the mid-sections of spans between adjacent corner regions. To address these challenges with sealing flange 36 flexion adjacent the corner regions 24a, 26a, 28a and 30a of the sidewalls 24, 26, 28 and 30 and the neck 22, the generally linear segments 36e, 36f, 36g and 36h of the sealing flange 36 each have a central portion with an increased height relative to the bottom wall 20 as compared to the corner regions 36a, 36b, 36c and 36d of the sealing flange 36. This is shown schematically in FIGURE 11, which is not to scale, but shows that the central portions of the generally linear segments 36e, 36f, 36g and 36h are higher than the corner regions 36a, 36b, 36c and 36d. Thus, with four central portions and four corner regions 36a, 36b, 36c and 36d, there will be four peaks and four valleys. Of course, other curves or shapes can be used to accomplish this. Advantageously, when pressed upon by a sealing platen, via the intermediate sealing barrier 14, the sealing flange 36 will flex more in the central regions of the generally linear segments 36e, 36f, 36g and 36h than the corner regions 36a, 36b, 36c and 36d, but the sealing flange 36 is also less stiff or has less resistance to pivoting about the hinged intersection in the central regions of the generally linear segments 36e, 36f, 36g and 36h as compared to the corner regions 36a, 36b, 36c and 36d. The result is that a more uniform sealing surface 38 of the sealing flange 36 which can lead to a more consistent seal between the sealing flange 36 and the sealing barrier 14.

[00039] The addition of the handle 52 to the container body 12 limits the location of the mold parting line and thus the pinch-off area. With the handle 52 being at the intersection of two of the sidewalls 24 and 30, the mold parting line extends from the adjacent corner region 36a to the diagonally-opposite corner region 36c, as shown in FIGURE 10. The pinch-off lines extend over part of the mold parting line, and with the pinch-off area is removed, pinch-off lines 36i and 36j can remain on the sealing flange 36 adjacent those two corner regions 36a and 36c. The pinch- off lines can result in an uneven surface on the sealing flange. It is preferably to reduce the length of the pinch lines 36i and 36j, such as to no more than 50% of the width of the sealing flange 36 thereat, such as can be achieved with shortening the pinch-off area via mold design so that the pinch-off area does not extend over the entirety of the sealing flange 36 adjacent those two comers 36i and 36j.

[00040] The container 10 described herein can be suitable for containing a hygroscopic beverage powder. In one non-limiting example, the container 10 can have a footprint of about 138 mm by about 138 mm, and a height of about 169 mm, and the opening 50 for the handle 52 can have a maximum height of about 105 mm. Of course, other dimensions can be used for different sized containers. For example, the footprint can be between 100 mm and 200 mm on each side thereof, such as generally square or rectangular. The height can be between 125 mm and 225 mm, and the handle opening can have a maximum height of about 50% to 75% of the container height. However, these are non-limiting examples.

[00041] It will be understood that the terms bottom wall and sidewall do not require a single surface, such as a single planar or curved surface, but rather can be formed of multiple connected or relatively connected surfaces. It will also be understood that the terms generally rectangular and generally square do not require a perfect rectangle or perfect square, e.g., 90 degree intersections are not required. Such terms include readily identifiable corner regions with segments extending therebetween, which segments do not have to be perfectly straight, but rather can have some curvature, wave shape, or be bowed. This is in contrast to an oval or round shape.