corresponding container

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for making a container containing a product, in particular provided with a portion arranged in use to break or tear or to be perforated to enable the product, retained in the container, to exit. The invention further refers to a container that is thus obtained.

For several years, the manufacturers of disposable containers for beverages have directed their attention to the use of materials that are recyclable or compostable. Such materials must maintain unaltered the state of the product contained in the container and, at the same time, have features that can adapt to existing production systems and to use methods to which the consumer is already accustomed.

Disposable containers for beverages are known, for example for tea or fruit juices, provided with an aluminium cover element that seals the product contained in a body obtained by moulding or thermoforming plastics. In use, in order to access the contents, the user has to perforate the cover element with a tool, for example a straw.

Replacing aluminium with recyclable or compostable plastics would enable the entire contents to be inserted into a single recovery or treatment chain after use, with clear advantages. Nevertheless, a recyclable or compostable polymer material that is used for the cover element has greater deformability than aluminium, which causes a reduction in the perforability of the cover element, in fact, the pressure that the user should exert on a cover of plastics to perforate the cover with the tool would be too great, this involving great inconvenience of use and being able to cause deformation of the perforating tool. In other types of container, the container is opened by separating the cover element from a body of the container. The body of plastics is provided with a flange to which the cover element is fixed, in a portion of the flange, intended for being grasped by the user, there is an incision that defines an interruption in the contact between the body of the container and the zone of the cover element that is over the incision. The user accesses the product inside the container grasping the portion with incision of the flange together with the cover element and pulling the cover element in a radial direction; in this manner the force applied by the user causes the flange to break along the incision and the portion of flange to separate from the rest of the flange together with detachment of the cover element from the body of the container. In the production of this type of container, obtaining the portion with an incision on the flange is rather complex because it requires precise reciprocal positioning of the materials to be cut into and of the cutting instruments, the surface to be treated being rather small, such as that of the resulting flange of the container. This also entails relatively high production costs. Sometimes, owing to a positioning error, some product containers have a defect of the cut into portion, which is too shallow and too near the outer edge of the flange, making breaking thereof difficult by the user who desires to open the container. This drawback is particularly accentuated for those known containers comprising inside a further container element, such as a filtering element, in which the flange of the body of the container acts as a support element and to which the further container element is fixed by welding. This type of container is generally used in automatic hot beverage dispensing machines, in which the filtering element retains a product that has to be traversed by a liquid. In these containers, the incision on the flange has the function of enabling the user to extract the further container element from the outer body together with the cover element to be collected and stored separately from the body of the container. In the production of this type of container, the incision on the flange has to be applied to an increased thickness of material, constituted by the thickness of the cover element and of the further container element in addition to that of the flange, this being rather complex and not always effective.

Other containers for beverages are further known containing a product to be combined with a liquid to obtain an end product by percolation or infusion, for example a hot beverage, which are also used in automatic dispensing machines. These containers are generally provided with an impermeable external body, with the shape of a glass or cup, having a bottom wall and a side wall that define a cavity provided with an upper opening. The latter is closed hermetically by a cover element so as to seal the contained product inside the casing.

The product inside the container is made available outside the container by perforating the cover or a bottom zone of the body of the container or both, by means of perforating bodies of the dispensing machine.

Sometimes, perforation may be incomplete, making part of the liquid injected into the container unable to enter the container easily and escape from the path provided without traversing the container, unexpectedly exiting the dispensing machine. In certain dispensing machines, the beverage is dispensed by introducing liquid into the container at a pressure that is sufficient to tear a part of the container. Nevertheless, the container or the cover element sometimes tear insufficiently, this causing difficult extraction of the beverage or even no dispensing of the beverage.

Further, the perforating bodies of the dispensing machines have to exert a certain force on the cover element or on the body of the container to obtain perforation thereof, this entailing structural complications on the dispensing machine itself.

WO 2017/045699 discloses a container for beverages in which, during thermoforming, a zone with reduced thickness is made in the bottom of the container. The zone with reduced thickness is made by compressing locally the material that constitutes the body of the container, during thermoforming of the container. Compression occurs by providing with mutually facing protrusions the punch and the die used for thermoforming the container.

DE 103 24 012 discloses a container the body of which has an annular flange on which an annular zone with reduced thickness is made that is obtained by compressing locally the flange during thermoforming at said annular zone. Compression is obtained by providing the thermoforming die of the container with ridges at said annular zone.

Making zones of reduced thickness obtained by compressing locally the material that constitutes the body of the container, during thermoforming, has the drawback that when the container cools, deformations may form at the zones of reduced thickness. These deformations may compromise the aesthetics of the container, making the container no longer suitable for being marketed.

Further, in the case of containers intended to be inserted into a machine for preparing beverages obtained by delivering a pressurized liquid into the container, the aforesaid deformations can make difficult the insertion of the container into the seat of the machine for preparing beverages into which the container has to be inserted.

One object of the present invention is to improve known methods and apparatuses for making containers containing a product.

Another object is to obtain a method and an apparatus for producing containers containing a product that make incision and cutting operations easier on parts of material constituting the containers.

Still another object is to provide a container provided with incision zones that are breakable without difficulty by a user. A further object is to provide a method and an apparatus that enable a container to be obtained that is provided with portions that can be easily perforated and pierced, for example by a perforating body or an injector of a dispensing machine, or that can tear under pressure.

Another object is to provide a container provided with portions that can be easily perforated or portions that can be easily torn by a certain increase of pressure inside the container and at the same time these portions are sufficiently resistant not to break when the container is handled.

Still another object is to obtain a container having a cover element that can be fixed solidly to a flange of the body of the container so as not to become accidentally detached and that at the same time can be easily detached and removed from the body by a user in an opening or disposal after use step.

In a first aspect of the invention a method is provided for making a container according to claim 1.

In a second aspect of the invention an apparatus according to claim 13 is provided.

In a third aspect of the invention a container according to claim 19 is provided.

In a fourth aspect of the invention a method is provided for making a container according to claim 20.

In a fifth aspect of the invention, an apparatus according to claim 26 is provided.

The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings that illustrate some embodiments thereof by way of non-limiting example, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic side view showing a portion of an apparatus for making containers including a forming station and a deforming station in a first embodiment operating on a strip of containers;

Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the portion of apparatus of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a schematic side view showing a portion of an apparatus for making containers including a forming station and a deforming station in a second embodiment operating on discrete containing bodies;

Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of the portion of apparatus of Figure 3;

Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged schematic side views of the deforming station in different operating steps; Figures 7 and 8 are respectively section and plan views of a container upstream of the deforming station;

Figures 9 and 10 are respectively section and plan views of a container exiting the deforming station;

Figure 1 1 is a schematic side view showing a portion of an apparatus for making containers in a third embodiment comprising a compression station of a covering film and operating on a continuous strip of containers;

Figure 12 is a schematic plan view of a covering film that traverses the compression station of Figure 1 1 ;

Figure 13 is a schematic side view showing a portion of an apparatus for making containers in a fourth embodiment comprising a compression station of a covering film and operating on discrete containing bodies;

Figure 14 is a schematic plan view of a covering film that traverses the compression station of Figure 13;

Figures 15 to 17 are schematic side views of operating steps of an application station of the covering film in the third embodiment;

Figure 18 is a section view illustrating a compression step of the covering film;

Figures 19 and 20 are section views illustrating application steps of the covering film; Figure 21 shows a view in a longitudinal section and a plan view of a container provided with a cover element obtained according to an apparatus of any of the illustrated embodiments;

Figure 22 illustrates schematically making an incision in the flange of a container during forming of the container;

Figure 23 illustrates schematically making an incision in the flange of a container whilst a zone of reduced thickness is made on the flange of the container.

Figures 1 and 2 show a portion of an apparatus 1 to make a container containing a product from a sheet material 2, which is a thermoformable and weldable material and can comprise a single-layer or multilayer polymeric film. In particular, the polymeric film can comprise three or five layers, the central layer of which can be made of EVOH, which constitutes a barrier layer to oxygen and gases in general, arranged in the centre of two layers of PP or of four layers of PP, depending on whether respectively a three or five-layer multilayer is considered. Other materials can be provided for the polymeric film, for example single layer or multiple layer compostable polymers, biodegradable polymers, maize starch-based polymers.

The apparatus 1 comprises a forming station 20 in which a forming device 21 , of known type and for this reason not disclosed in detail, forms on the sheet material 2 a plurality of containing cavities 4. Each containing cavity 4 is a precursor of a body 5 (Figures 7-10) of the container into which a product to be packaged is introduced. The body 5 (Figures 7-10) can be glass or cup-shaped, having a bottom wall 8 and a side wall 9, this latter terminating with a flange 10 bounding an upper opening. The latter is closed hermetically by a cover element 6 (Fig. 21) so as to seal the contained product inside the body 5, as will be disclosed below.

For the sake of simplicity, Figure 1 shows a single containing cavity 4, but in all the embodiments disclosed here the illustrated containing cavity 4 can be a cavity of a multiplicity of containing cavities 4 that are arranged along a same row and are formed simultaneously.

Downstream of the forming station 20 a deforming station 30 is arranged for deforming a portion 7 of bottom wall 8 of the containing cavity 4 so as to obtain a reduction of thickness in the portion 7 of bottom wall 8.

Figures 3 and 4 show a second embodiment 101 of the apparatus 1 that differs from the latter only by the fact that a shearing station 40 is provided upstream of the deforming station 30, in other words, in the apparatus 101 the deforming station 30 deforms bodies 5 that are already sheared, i.e. separated from the sheet material 2. This entails a different conveying device from that of the apparatus 1 , in which the sheet material is conveyed inside the deforming station by a parallel belt conveyor 12, whereas in embodiment 101 , the sheared bodies are conveyed by a conveyor 13 on which housings for the bodies 5 are obtained.

Accordingly, the stations common to the various embodiments will be indicated by the same reference numbers when they are structurally or functionally the same as one another.

The deforming station 30 comprises a pair of punches, respectively an upper punch 31 and a lower punch 32, at least one of said punches being a heating punch.

The punches 31 , 32 are reciprocally movable between a raised position S, shown in Figure 5, in which they do not interact with the containing cavity 4 and a deformation position D, shown in Figure 6, in which they press the bottom wall 8 to reduce the thickness thereof in at least one a portion 7, owing to the cooperation with ridges 33 and 34 provided in each punch 31 , 32 and facing one another. The pressure on the bottom of the body 5 is thus exerted on both faces of the bottom wall 8.

If both the punches are heated, the bottom wall 8 is deformed on both the outer and inner sides.

If only one punch is heated, the bottom wall 8 is deformed only on the side that comes into contact with the heated punch.

If it is desired not to alter the visual appeal of the container, it is advantageous to heat only the upper punch 31 , which comes into contact with the side of the bottom 8 facing the inside of the cavity 4. In this manner, the outer side of the bottom 8 will not be deformed and the visual appeal of the container will remain unaltered.

The portions 7 that are less thick than adjacent portions of the bottom wall 8 can be circular and distributed circumferentially according to a constant angular pitch as shown in Figure 10. The shape and distribution of the portions 7 is a natural consequence of the shape and distribution on the punches of the ridges 33 and 34.

If the container 3 (Figure 21 ) that is made is of the type that is usable in beverage dispensing machines, the portions 7 can be arranged according to perforating bodies of the dispensing machine.

It has in fact been ascertained that the deformation made to the portions 7 permits easier perforation of the bottom of the container by an external tool.

In the deforming station 30, the bottom wall 8 is thus pressed by applying a pressure comprised between 200 N/cm ² and 4000 N/cm ² , in particular comprised between 700 N/cm ² and 2500 N/cm ² . The pressure application time is comprised between 0.1 s and 3s, in particular comprised between 0.2s and 1 ,2s. Simultaneously, the temperature of at least one of the two punches 31 , 32 in the deforming station rises to a temperature comprised between 50°C and 300°C, in particular comprised between 70°C and 250°C.

The reduction of thickness is of the order of at least 10%.

In one embodiment that is not shown, the deformation with reduction of thickness is actuated in different parts from the bottom of the body container for example on the side part or on the flange, in particular, in this latter case, reducing thickness before making an incision on the flange, facilitates significantly obtaining the incision.

The amount of reduction of thickness can be adjusted by stroke end elements 74, of the pressing station 30, by means of which it is possible to determine the minimum distance between the punches 31 and 32, which corresponds to thickness of the portions 7 that it is desired to obtain.

It is also possible to use the deforming station 30 to make the thickness of the bottom 8 of the containers uniform.

In fact, it is known that in thermoformed containers the thickness of the bottom and of the walls is hardly constant. This means that there can be, for example, zones of the bottom 8 of greater thickness than a maximum permitted thickness, defined to permit, for example, the perforation of the bottom 8 by the perforating members of a dispensing machine. In order to make the thickness of the bottom 8 of the containers uniform, so that there are no portions of thickness greater than a set maximum thickness, it is possible to use in the deforming station 30 punches without ridges 33 and 34 and adjust the stroke end elements 74, so that the minimum stroke-end distance between the punches is equal to the maximum permitted thickness of the bottom 8 of the containers.

In the embodiment in Figure 1 1 , an apparatus 201 is shown that that differs from the preceding embodiments by the fact that it comprises an application station 70 for applying a closing film 1 1 to the containing cavity 4 and obtaining a cover element 6 on the container.

Upstream of the application station 70 a compression station 50 is provided to compress the closing film 1 1 arranged for compressing a region 17 of the closing film 1 1 so as to obtain a reduction of thickness in the region 17 in the cover element 6.

The closing film 1 1 is a single-layer or multilayer polymeric film, in particular, the polymeric film can comprise three layers, the central layer of which can be made of EVOH, that constitutes a barrier layer to the oxygen and to gases in general, arranged in the centre of two layers of PP. Other materials can be provided for the polymeric film, for example compostable polymers, biodegradable polymers, maize starch-based polymers, which are also single-layer or multilayer.

It is obvious to the skilled person that, instead of the forming station 220 of the apparatus 201 , a portion of production line can be provided that is the same as that shown in Figure 1 , including a deforming station for the containing cavity.

In the embodiment in Figure 13, an apparatus 301 is shown that differs from the embodiment of Figure 1 1 by the fact that it comprises a shearing station 40 downstream of the forming station 220. Also for this embodiment, it is clear to the skilled person that, instead of the forming station 220 and shearing station 40, a portion of production line can be provided that the same as that shown in Figure 3, including a deforming station for the containing cavity. In both the embodiments of Figures 1 1 and 13, the compression station 50 operates in the same way on the closing film 1 1 to compress a region 17 of the closing film 1 1 and thus create a zone of the cover element that is more easily perforable or tearable.

The compression station 50 has a structure and function that is identical to the deforming station 30, the description of which can be referred to, with the difference that the punches 51 and 52 (Figure 18) of the compression station 50 comprise a protrusion 53 of annular shape, which forms a region 17 with less thickness on the closing film 1 1 of annular shape, as shown in Figures 12, 14 and 21.

The closing film 1 1 then undergoes pressure from both faces.

In the compression station 50 the closing film 1 1 is thus pressed by applying a pressure comprised between 200 N/cm ² and 4000 N/cm ² , in particular comprised between 700 N/cm ² and 2500 N/cm ² . The pressure application time is comprised between about 0.1 s and about 3s, in particular comprised between 0.2s and 1.2s. Simultaneously, the temperature of at least one of the two punches 31 , 32 in the deforming station rises to a temperature comprised between 50°C and 300°C, in particular comprised between 70°C and 250°C.

The reduction of thickness is of the order of at least 5%.

With reference to Figures 15 to 17, 19 and 20, in the application station 70, after an initial step I, in which the closing film enters the application station 70, a cutting step is provided in which the cover element is cut from the closing film 1 1 by a cutting sleeve 71 that is vertically movable and is provided with a cutting edge 72. The cutting step T is shown in Figure 16.

Subsequently, a welding element 73 that is slidable inside the cutting sleeve 71 welds the cover element 6 to the containing cavity 4. This step F is shown in Figure 17.

One embodiment of container 3 provided with the cover element 6 with regions 17 with reduced thickness is shown in Figure 21.

The separating or cutting step T for separating or cutting the cover element 6 is carried out after the compression step performed in the compression station 50. Positioning means that is not shown centres the regions 17 on the containing cavities 4, such that the regions 17 are arranged substantially concentrically with respect to the containing cavities 4.

Still with reference to Figures 1 1 and 13, before the application station 70 a filling station 60 is naturally provided for filling the containing cavities 4 with the product to be packaged.

Owing to the apparatus and to the method according to the invention it is possible to produce containers containing a product that make operations of making incisions in or cutting portions of the material constituting the containers more effective.

In fact, reducing thickness creates adjacent zones having different deformability, which makes incision operations in said zones easier.

The zones of reduced thickness obtained on the body of the container or on the cover element or on both, enables the action of opening the container by cutting, perforation or tearing to be made easier during use without reducing the resistance of the container when it is handled.

In Figure 22, making an incision on the flange 10 of a container 3 in a thermoforming station 20 is illustrated.

The thermoforming station 90 comprises a lower half mould 75, in which a seat 76 is obtained for forming the body 5 of a container 3, and an upper half mould 77 comprising a punch 78 intended to form the body 5 of the container 3. The lower half mould 75 is provided with a blade element 79 arranged so as to pierce a flange 10 partially, making a partial incision 80, i.e. that affects only a part of the thickness of the flange 10, in a zone 81 in the lower part of the flange 10, to promote breakage of the flange 10 in said zone 81 , in order to facilitate for a user opening of the container 3 by removal of the cover element 6, acting, for example, on a gripping element 82, for example in the shape of a tab, of the cover element 6.

The lower half mould 75 and the upper half mould 76 can be not heated if the sheet of thermoformable material from which the body 5 of the container 3 will be obtained reaches the thermoforming station that is already heated in a heating station (not shown) located upstream of the forming station.

After forming of the container 3, said zone 81 of the flange 10 can be subjected to crushing, according to the methods disclosed above, to make breakage thereof easier. In Figure 23, making an incision on the flange 10 of an already formed container 3 in a deforming station 100 is illustrated, the deforming station 100 comprises a lower punch 83 provided with a seat 84 for receiving the container 3 and with a crushing element 85 intended to exert pressure in a preset zone of the flange 10 of the body 5 of the container 3.

The deforming station 30 further comprises an upper punch 86 intended to interact with the crushing element 85 to crush a zone 88 of the flange 10 so as to reduce the thickness thereof, to make the flange 10 easier to break.

The crushing element 85 is associated with a blade 87, which, during crushing of the flange 10, makes a partial incision 89 in the thickness of the flange 10 in the crushing zone 88, in order to promote breaking of said zone 88 by a user, to facilitate removal of the cover element 6 by acting on the gripping element 82.