The present invention relates to a packaging holding a liquid such as paint, the packaging is used both during storage before use and during use when applying paint to surfaces. The packaging comprises walls constituted of at least two sheets which sheets are joined and fixed to each other along edges forming an inner space, both the sheet and the joined edges constitutes a vapor barrier for volatile components inside the packaging.

Background Art:

Packaging or reservoirs used for paint, or the like, normally comprises a bucket like container of round/cylindric or rectangular shape constituted of a hard polymer or metal and comprising a removable and normally re-closable lid.

DE4124307 Al discloses a disposable packing for paint or other fluid. The packing comprises a bag made from a plastic sheet which packing can be filled and then closed. The bag can be positioned upright into a support (14) such as a bucket or basket so that after removing the top section of the bag the paint or other fluid inside the packing is easily accessible. The packing is so long that the upper section may extend above the top opening edge (15) of the support (14) and may be folded over the upper edge (15). The packing comprises an inner and outer sleeve (13, 12). The packing may comprise a filling opening (5) at the bottom which filling opening (5) is sealed by a welding seam (4) after filling. The packing is constructed as having almost vertical sides or walls attached to a flat bottom at an angle approaching 90 degrees. A flat bottom combined with angular corners along the flat bottom of the bucket/basket holding the flexible disposable packing make it difficult to reach and use the last amount of paint remaining in the packing. Also, this model will consume more material when produced.

Summary of invention:

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved and less expensive packaging for a paint or the like, which packaging is easy to open, easy to place in a container or support and easy to use during application of e.g. a paint or an adhesive.

The packaging is normally positioned in a bucket or a box such as a cardboard box or a similar upward- open container during use, and then opened either by cutting and/or tearing and/or ripping. When the reservoir has been opened, a user may apply liquid from the packaging to an application device such as a paint roller or another painting device and apply the liquid such as paint onto a surface. The special form of the packaging minimizes appearance of pockets where the application device such as a paint roller may be caught and possibly tear the packaging or liquid may hide in pockets. The packaging according to the invention is less expensive as it can be made without folding of the materials constituting the walls, and may e.g. be welded in a single step.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the invention relates to a packaging containing a liquid or a liquid suspension such as paint during storage or use. The packaging comprises at least two sheets (1) which sheets (1) are joined and fixed along edges (2), the joined edges (2) and walls formed by the at least two sheets (1) defines an inner volume (3) in which inner volume (3) a liquid or a liquid suspension or an ingredient such as paint is isolated from the surroundings before use, the ingredient may be a powder or paste or other material which before use is to be added a solvent or suspending agent to become liquid,

- the packaging comprises a lower part (5) being downwards during use and an upper part (4) being upwards during use, the inner volume (3) is comprised in the lower part (5), where "during use" means during application of liquid or liquid suspension to a surface,

- the packaging comprises an upward closure (6) being closed before use and opened upon use to access the liquid or liquid suspension inside the inner volume (3), wherein at least in one dimension a lower profile (8), i.e. a profile facing downwards, of the inner volume (3) is either rounded or has a convex polygonal shape where no angle is below 110 degrees, preferably no angle is below 120 degrees.

In the one dimension defined by the lower profile (8), the inner volume (3) has a height h and a width w.

The height h of the inner volume (3) may decrease in this dimension from a maximum height h _c at a center C towards a minimum height of h _e at each end (9) of the inner volume (8). The width w of the inner volume (3) in this dimension is a function of the height h and may increase from the center C having maximum height he to the ends (9) having the minimum height h _e , i.e. minimum w = w(hc) and w(h _c ) < w(h _e ).

The center C may be a point, i.e. w(h _c )=0, or it may extend in/for a length having a constant height h _c , i.e. w(hc) >0. The center C may constitute up to half the maximum width of the inner volume (3), i.e. up to % x w(h _e ), preferably the center C may constitute up to one third of the maximum width of the inner volume (3), i.e. up to 1/3 x w(h _e ). Preferably, the center C constitutes a length of at least one tenth of the maximum width of the inner volume (3).

The width w of the inner volume (3) in this dimension is a function of the height h and may increase from the center C having maximum height h _c to the ends (9) having the minimum height h _e , i.e. minimum w = w(h _c ) and w(h _c ) < w(h _e ).

According to any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the liquid or liquid suspension to be applied to the surface by an application device may be a coating such as paint providing protection and/or coloring of the surface or such as adhesive, and/or the liquid or liquid suspension may penetrate the surface providing coloring and/or treatment of the surface, e.g. the liquid or liquid suspension may comprise a paint, or an adhesive, or a surface preservation composition such as a wood preservation composition, or an oil composition.

According to any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the application device may be a roller, or a brush, or a sponge or similar device used to transfer the liquid or liquid suspension from the packaging to a surface by first contacting the liquid in the packaging with the application device and then contacting the surface with the liquid carried by the application device. Alternatively, the application device used to transport the liquid or liquid suspension from the packaging to a surface such as a wall may comprise a tube or like mechanical parts guiding the liquid or liquid suspension from the packaging to a surface by use of a force such as suction or pressure, e.g. by using compressed gas. The liquid or liquid suspension may also be transferred from the packaging to another container or machinery from where the liquid may be applied to the wall by cutting and/or tearing and/or ripping the packaging open.

According to any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the upward closure (6) may be constituted of corresponding surfaces of the at least two sheets (1) which may be separated without destroying the sheets e.g. by positioning a peel zone optionally made by coating or by semi-permeable welding of the corresponding surfaces or by providing a ziplock comprising corresponding and interlocking grooves and ridges or by other commonly known methods.

According to any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the packaging may be constituted of two sheets (1) of same or similar size joined along an edge.

According to any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the at least two sheets (1) may extend above the upward closure (6) and may be sealed by a second closure (10).

According to any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the packaging may comprise a handle part (7).

According to any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the packaging is constituted of two sheets (1), and preferable each of the two sheets are at least 80 pm thick, e.g. at least 90 pm thick.

According to any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the at least two sheets (1) may be glued or welded together along an outer edge (2).

According to any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the inner volume (3) during storage and use holds a liquid e.g. of relatively low viscosity which is to be applied to a roller or another application device being inserted into the inner volume (3) and via that roller or other application device transferred to a surface.

According to any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the inner volume (3) during storage contains a dry or paste material e.g. a particular material which is to be added a solvent or suspending agent before use to become a liquid or liquid suspension.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the invention relates to an assembly comprising a packaging according to the first aspect and comprising a support comprising an upward opening during use such as a bucket or a cardboard box or the like comprising upright walls of same height or higher than the height of the inner volume (3) of the packaging when the packaging is in a filled state, and/or comprising one or more upright wall constituting a volume being larger than the inner volume (3). One wall in case the support has a round or an oval or otherwise rounded cross-section, and more upright walls if the support has a polygonal e.g. rectangular cross-section.

According to any embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, the volume V _s of the support may be at least 1.2 times as large as the volume V, of the inner volume: V _s > 1.2 xV,, preferably V _s > 1.4 xV,.

According to any embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, the packaging may be longer in the at least one dimension comprising the downward rounded or polygonal profile (8) and the ends (9), than the opening of the support (12) in which opening the packaging is positioned during use i.e. during application of liquid.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a packaging containing a paint or similar liquid comprising at least two sheets (1) which sheets (1) are joined and fixed along edges (2), the joined edges (2) and walls formed by the at least two sheets (1) defines an inner volume (3) in which inner volume (3) liquid, or a suspension, such as paint, or an ingredient is isolated from the surroundings before use, the packaging comprises a lower part (5) being downwards during use and an upper part (4) being upwards during use, the inner volume (3) is comprised in the lower part (5), the packaging comprises an upward closure (6) at the top of the inner volume (3) which is closed before use and opened upon use to access the paint, wherein the at least two sheets (1) extend above the upward closure (6) and are sealed by a second closure (10) forming a second inner volume (11) between the upward closure (6) and the second closure (10).

According to any embodiment of the third aspect, the upward closure (6) may be constituted of corresponding surfaces of the at least two sheets which may be separated without destroying the sheets e.g. by positioning a peel zone e.g. by coating or by a semi-permanent welding of the corresponding surfaces or by providing a ziplock comprising corresponding and interlocking grooves and ridges.

According to any embodiment of the third aspect, the second closure (10) may be constituted of a welded or glued line which may be removed by cutting or clipping or tearing.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to an assembly comprising a packaging according to the first aspect, and further comprising an application device such as a roller, or a brush, or a sponge or a similar device used to transfer the liquid or liquid suspension from the packaging to a surface by first contacting the liquid in the packaging by the application device, or wetting the application device, and then contacting or wetting the surface to which the liquid or liquid suspension is to be applied.

According to any embodiment of the fourth aspect, the assembly may further comprise a support (12) such as a bucket or a box such as a cardboard box or the like comprising upright walls of same height or higher than the height of the inner volume (3) of the packaging when the packaging is in a filled state and placed between the upright walls of the support, and/or comprising one or more upright wall constituting a volume being larger than the inner volume (3). At least one of the walls or at least a part of one a wall of the support (12) may be adapted for rolling e.g. by comprising a series of ridges or plurality of otherwise distributed elevations.

List of figures:

Figure 1 discloses a side view of an embodiment of a paint packaging according to the invention.

Figure 2 discloses a view of support supporting a packaging containing paint.

Throughout the application identical or similar elements of different embodiments are given the same reference numbers. Definitions of words:

In general - when this expression is used in respect of a feature, the feature may be employed with any embodiment of any aspect of the invention, even though the specific mentioning appears in the detailed part of the description.

Sheet- in the context of the present invention a sheet is considered to be a thin layer of a flexible material, the material may be a polymer, a metal foil or impregnated paper, but any flexible material or combination of materials able to constitute an impermeable surface for a specific liquid to be contained by the material may be used. The sheet material may be transparent which is desirable if you want to see the color of the content, or, the sheet material may be colored and e.g. impermeable to light, which is desirable if there is a need to protect a light-sensitive content.

A semi-permanent welding - A semi-permanent welding is a welding which may be ripped open without destroying the sheets constituting the closure made by the semi-permanent welding, a semipermanent welding may be provided by welding in a shorter time and/or at a lower temperature and/or at a lower pressure and/or applying a coating and/or other commonly known methods.

Detailed description of invention:

Figures 1 discloses an embodiment of a packaging adapted to hold a liquid or a liquid suspension to be applied to a surface by an application such as paint. The shown embodiment of the packaging comprises two sheets 1, which two sheets 1 are joined and fixed along outer edges 2 along the entire perimeter. As fig. 1 is a side view, only one of the sheets 1 is visible, the second sheet is in shape and size identical to the shown "front" side sheet constituting the not-shown "backside" of the embodiment. The two sheets 1 in combination with the outer edges 2 isolate an inner volume 3 from the surroundings in a vapor and fluid tight manner.

In general, the packaging may be constituted of more than two sheets of material, then the packing will comprise more edges to be joined and fixed to each other to form a vapor tight inner volume 3.

In general, "vapor tight" means that diffusion of molecules through the sheet material does not have a significant or functional effect on the content, at least the sheet of material provides a barrier that reduces or limits diffusion to an extent which makes it possible to define a minimum shelf-life of the product inside the packaging of at least 6 months.

The packaging may also be constituted of a single sheet of material which is folded in such a way that two layers of the sheet faces each other, and then the two layers may be welded together preparing a welded edge e.g. the bottom center C may be constituted of the folding. However, such an embodiment is also considered to be constituted of at least two sheets as each layer of the sheet constitute an individual wall of the inner volume 3. The two sheets are then joined by a folding line at one position instead of being joined by e.g. a welding line.

In general, the packaging may be produced from two layers of sheets placed facing each other and then welded or glued together along an edge line defining the shape of the inner volume 3. The material being outside the edge line and therefore not forming part of the inner volume, need not be cut off or otherwise removed but may stay attached to the welding/gluing line. As the material constituting the sheets is flexible the material outside the edge line will just fold into flat position below the packaging when the packaging filled with liquid is positioned inside a bucket or similar open container.

That a packaging according to the invention comprises at least two sheets means that each sheet 1 constituting a wall in the packaging may be constituted from several sheets joined by welding or gluing or the like. It is not essential for the invention how an individual wall of the packaging is constructed; it is however suitable that the walls of the packaging before filling comprises a flat i.e. 2D, form, preferably only constituted of two layers of sheet material.

The embodiment comprises an upward closure 6 which is closed before use, i.e. during storage, and opened upon use when the packaging is placed in a support to access the paint.

In general, a packaging according to the invention is defined as having an upper part 4 and a lower part 5 where "up" and "down" is defined in the use-situation, and the packaging therefore comprises a lower part 5 comprising the inner volume 3 and being positioned closed to the supporting surface i.e. downward during use and an upper part (4) is positioned upward during use thereby defining an upward opening making it possible for a user to wet an application device such as a paint roller or another painting tool.

In the embodiment of fig. 1, the joined edges 2, walls formed by the at least two sheets 1 and the upward closure 6 define the inner volume 3 in which volume the liquid or liquid suspension such as paint, or an ingredient for a liquid or liquid suspension, is isolated from the surroundings before use. If the inner volume 3 contains an ingredient before use, the user may apply a solvent or suspension agent such as water or oil to bring the ingredient to a usable form i.e. to a liquid form with a viscosity suitable for application.

In general, the inner volume 3 of a packaging according to the invention will at least in one dimension have a profile 8 which profile 8 during use i.e. application of liquid, faces downward, i.e. also called a lower profile. The profile 8 may be either rounded or be of a convex polygonal shape where no angle is below 110 degrees. Preferably no angle of such a convex polygonal shape is below 120 degrees. The height h of the inner volume 3 along this at least one dimension decreases from a center C where the height of the inner volume 3 is he towards each end 9 of the profile of the inner volume 3 where the height of the inner volume is h _e , i.e. h _c > h _e and preferably h _c > than the height of the inner volume at any other point along the profile 8. The center C may be a point but alternatively the center C may extend in the at least one dimension and normally the center C constitute less than half ( i) of the maximum width or length of the inner volume 3 in this dimension, according to the embodiment of fig.

1, the length C constitutes around a fourth (i) of the maximum width or length of the inner volume 3 in this dimension.

The lower rounded or convex polygonal shape makes it easier to place the soft and pliable packaging into a support 12 such as a bucket or cardboard box or the like before use, even if the packaging is larger/longer than the support 12 in one or two dimensions the packaging will easily slide into position inside the support 12. Also, the content of the packaging will flow to the center C of the packaging when the packaging is placed in a support and not end up in a folded corner of the packaging as the packaging has no low positioned corners. The packaging may be longer in the at least one dimension comprising the downward rounded or polygonal profile 8 and the ends 9, than the opening of the support 12 in which the packaging is positioned during use. Due to the rounded/polygonal shape of the downward profile 8 the packaging will adapt to the inner opening of the support 12 by levelling the ends 9 with the central part C or resting the ends against walls of the support 12, as the central part C rests at the bottom of the opening of the support 12.

The upward closure 6 may be constituted of correspondingly adapted surfaces of the at least two sheets constituting the walls of the packaging which adapted surfaces may be separated without destroying the sheets 1 simply be pulling the sheets away from each other. The correspondingly adapted surfaces may comprise a peel zone which peel zone may comprise coatings e.g. coatings made by layer of material such as a varnish added to one or each surface, or the peel zone may comprise a welding where pressure, time and temperature is adapted to make the welding separable without destroying the sheets , or the correspondingly adapted surfaces of the sheets 1 may comprise corresponding parts of a ziplock constituted of corresponding and interlocking grooves and ridges. The correspondingly adapted surfaces of the upward closure 6 may be adapted to re-close during or after use.

In general, the at least two sheets may extend above the upward closure 6, and the part of the sheets extending in the upper part 4 may be closed by a second closure 10 in such a way that a second inner volume 11 is formed, however, this second inner volume 11 is during normal storage and transport of the packaging empty i.e. no paint being held in the inner volume 3 is present in this second inner volume before use under normal circumstances.

The second inner volume 11 between the upward closure 6 and the second closure 10 is under normal circumstances kept free of the liquid content, however, the presence of this second inner volume 11 makes it possible to use an upward closure 6 which can relatively easily be e.g. torn open by a user, as the second closure 10 will prevent the liquid content from flowing out of the packaging in case of an accident where the more weak upward closure 6 is accidently torn open before use. The second closure 10 may before use be opened by a scissor or a knife, but the tool will not be contaminated with the liquid content as the second inner volume 11 is normally empty.

Also, during use i.e. after the second closure 10 has been opened, the area of the sheets 1 constituting the second inner volume 11 may - at least partly - be folded over the upper edge of the support 12 holding the packaging in a use-situation, and as no liquid content is covering the inner surface of the second inner volume 11, the inner surface of the second inner volume 11 provides a clean cover for the upper edge of the support 12.

In general, the packaging may comprise a handle part 7. The handle part 7 is normally placed at the upper part 4 of the packaging and may be attached to or constitute the upper most central part of the packaging before use if there is a single handle part 7. If the packaging holds a large amount of liquid content, it might be preferred to equip the packaging with two handle parts 7 placed near opposite sides of the packaging. E.g. handle parts 7 may be placed below the second closure 10 attached to each of the at least two sheets in such a way that the handle parts 7 may be used to fold the sheets down and around the upper edges of the support 12.

The sheets 1 of the packaging may be made of any material which is flexible and suitable to contain a specific paint by forming a vapor proof isolation to the surroundings. A preferred material today is polymer such a PE (Polyethylene), PA (Polyamide), PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) or OPAPE (Oriented polyamide - polyethylene). A sheet may be constituted of two or more layers of different types of polymer material.

That the material is flexible means that it should be able to bulge out forming a curved surface instead of a flat surface. In this way, two flat sheets facing each other and constituting a 2D-double-layer before filling of the packaging, may bulge out and provide a 3D-volume containing a liquid content after being filled.

The sheets 1 must be of a certain thickness, normally a polymer sheet material has a thickness of at least 80 pm, e.g. at least 90 pm.

The at least two sheets 1 are glued or welded or folded together along the outer edge, the optimal way of joining two neighboring sheets will depend on the material chosen for the sheets 1.

The invention also relates to an assembly comprising both a packaging and a support for the packaging. The support 12 is normally constituted of a container having rigid upright walls and during use the container is open upwards. The support 12 may be a bucket or a cardboard box or the like comprising upright walls of same height or higher than the inner volume 3 of the packaging when the packaging is in a filled state and is placed in the support, and/or comprising one or more upright wall constituting a volume being larger or at least of same size as the inner volume 3. A normal support may have an upright wall being between 15 and 30 cm high, while the maximum height h _c of the inner volume 3 of a packaging in an empty state may be between 20 and 35 cm and only around 5 to 20 cm high in a filled state as the sheets bulges out when placed in a support 12.

The support 12 may be constructed as having almost vertical sides or walls attached to a flat bottom at an angle approaching 90 degrees.

In general, one wall or a part of a wall may be adapted for rolling e.g. by comprising a series of ridges which ridges may be parallel or a plurality of elevations e.g. round elevations distributed over the surface.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of an assembly according to the invention positioned where a packaging according to the invention is positioned in a support 12 in a state of use. The shown support 12 is a traditional bucket having a rectangular cross-section normally used by professional painters.

The embodiment of the packaging shown in fig. 2 comprises an upward closure 6 which has been opened and therefore the upward closure 6 is seen as a line positioned below the upper edge of the support 12. A second closure 10 and central handle part 7 might have been part of the embodiment, but they would have been removed before use and do therefore not show in the figure. A part of the sheets 1 extending upward above the upward closure 6 is folded over the upper edges of the support 12 and therefore prevents the liquid content such as paint from getting in contact with the support 12. This will ease cleaning of the support 12 after use. The joined edge 2 is shown as being positioned at the center or the middle part of the short side of the support 12 with the rectangular cross-section, however, the packaging might also have been positioned diagonally in the support 12 e.g. which might have been preferred if the support 12 had been shorter in the longest dimension, and the joined edge 2 of the packaging would then have been positioned in the corner of the support 12 where the short side and the long side of the support 12 meet.

In fig. 2 the upper surface of the liquid content such as paint 13 in the open packaging is shown as a shaded field, the surface of the liquid content 13 is positioned below the line of the upper closure 6.