AU2022263570B2 - Container Sealing Body - Google Patents

Abstract

A sealing body according to an embodiment includes a backing layer, which is an upper layer formed of a single layer or multi-layered material such as plastic, paper, and a membrane layer, which is a lower layer, and an opening tab 5 shape and an opening guide cut line connected thereto are formed in the backing layer, and the membrane layer is adhered to a lower portion of the backing layer. Accordingly, the sealing body having a simple manufacturing process, tamper evident, convenient opening, and economical efficiency can be provided. 3/17 FIG. IC

Description

3/17

FIG. IC

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 (Cth)

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION APPLICANT SEAL AND PACK CO., LTD TITLE CONTAINER SEALING BODY CONTAINER SEALING BODY CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent

Application No. 10-2022-0045961 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on

April 13, 2022, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0107813 filed in the

Korean Intellectual Property Office on August 26, 2022, the entire contents of which

are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

A container sealing body is provided to increase the convenience of opening

and prevent tampering.

(b) Description of the Related Art

In general industry, product producers fill and package containers that are

made of various materials such as plastic, glass, metal, and paper. In this case, the

container is sealed to prevent leakage of the contents until just before the product is

delivered to a consumer, or for consumer protection and reliability by sealing. Such

a sealing technology is common, and container sealing bodies with various functions

and shapes are already widely used. In addition, when the sealing body is removed

from the container, a sealing body equipped with various types of opening tabs is

used for convenient opening.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show various types of conventional sealing bodies.

For example, there are a type of opening that leaves a trace of opening by

damaging the sealing body as shown in FIG. 1A, and a type that peels off the sealing

body from the entrance of the container as shown in FIG. 1B, FIG. 1C, and FIG. 1D.

However, while the sealing bodies shown in FIG. 1A to FIG. 1D each have merits,

each of them may be somewhat weak in ease of use and stability for consumer

protection. In addition, the sealing body of FIG. 1D, invented by the inventor of the

present application, does not have any functional problems, but the tamper evident

function, opening convenience, and economic feasibility may be weak.

In the case of FIG. 1A, the sealing body is constructed in the form of a strong

welding seal at a mouth of the container. Accordingly, it is possible to protect

consumers from malicious intrusion from the outside by the function of tamper

evidence that leaves a clear opening trace after opening, and has pressure and

impact resistance that withstands impact and pressure well. However, in the

process of breaking the sealing body using fingers or tools when opening, the

contents may come out, and the fingers may be scratched or pricked by the sealing

body that is made of aluminum foil.

In the cases of FIG. 1B, FIG. 1C, and FIG. 1D, the sealing body is configured

in the form of a peelable seal that can be peeled off from the container, and the

sealing body is removed by holding the opening tab formed on the sealing body and

peeling it from the container mouth. As shown in the case of FIG. 1B and FIG. 1C,

since the size of the opening tab is small in the structure of the opening tab, which

is in the form of one or more protrusions as an outer portion of the sealing body, it is difficult to remove the sealing body by holding such a small opening tab by hand. In the case of FIG. 1D, which is more advanced than the cases of FIG. 1B or FIG. 1C, an opening tab in the shape of a half moon is formed on a central portion of an upper cross-section of the sealing body, and the opening tab is lifted upward and the sealing body is peeled off from the mouth of the container to open. However, although such a sealing body in the form of a peelable seal can be easily removed from the container and opened, the sealing body may be re sealed by peeling off the sealing body and reheating in order for others to maliciously and intentionally harm the consumer, and thus the tamper-evident function that protects the consumer from external intrusion is weak.

In the case of the sealing body developed by the inventor of the present

applicant as shown in FIG. 2A to FIG. 2D, it is functionally perfect and there is no

problem because it has convenient opening and tamper-evident function, but

economic efficiency may be lowered due to the difficulty of the manufacturing

process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an aspect of the present invention there is provided a sealing body for

sealing an opening to the interior of a container, comprising:

a backing layer in which an opening tab and an opening guide cut line are

defined, the opening guide cut line defining an outline of the opening tab and

extending part way around the sealing body from one side of the opening tab at a

distance from an outer perimeter of the sealing body and from an opposite side of the opening tab to the outer perimeter of the sealing body; and a membrane layer that is positioned below the backing layer and having the same area and outer perimeter as the backing layer, the membrane layer and the backing layer being bonded together; and wherein the sealing body in use is sealed to a rim of the container defining the container's opening whereby the sealing body overlies the opening and the interior of the container is sealed by the sealing body, and wherein the opening tab is for being pressed into the container, folding the opening tab into the container and breaking the opening guide cut line and membrane layer to permit the sealing body to be torn along the opening guide cut line to the outer perimeter of the sealing body for allowing a strip of the sealing body that is defined by the outer perimeter and the section of the opening guide cut line extending part way around the sealing body from the one side of the opening tab to be progressively peeled from the rim of the container in a direction from the opening tab upon the opening tab subsequently being pulled outwardly, for removal of the sealing body from the container with continued pulling of said strip of the sealing body.

Typically, the opening guide cut line is linear from the opening tab to the outer

perimeter of the sealing body.

Typically, the opening guide cut line is linear along the one side of the

opening tab to the section of the opening guide cut line extending from the one side

of the opening tab.

Typically, the opening guide cut line is linear along each said side of the opening tab.

Typically, the membrane layer is not perforated or cut along the opening

guide cut line beyond the opening tab and is arranged for being torn by the pulling

of said strip of the sealing body.

Typically, the backing layer includes a fold cut line of the opening tab,

wherein the fold cut line is for being folded when the opening tab is pressed into the

container.

In at least some embodiments, the fold cut line extends across the opening

tab from the one side of the opening tab to the opposite side of the opening tab, and

meets the opening guide cut line at a position from where the opening guide cut line

extends part way around the sealing body from the opening tab.

Typically, the fold cut line is one of a plurality of fold cut lines, the plurality of

fold cut lines being parallel to each other.

In some embodiments, the sealing body includes a first fold cut line for being

folded when the opening tab is pressed into the container and a further fold cut line,

the first fold cut line being defined at an upper end region of the opening tab and the

further fold cut line is defined at lower end of the of the opening tab.

Typically, the opening guide cut line defines a top end of the opening tab,

and wherein the sealing body is configured for the sealing body to first split along

the opening guide cut line defining the top end of the opening tab when the opening

tab is pressed in use.

Typically, the section of the opening guide cut line extending part way around the sealing body from the one side of the opening tab curves around the sealing body at a constant distance from the outer perimeter of the sealing body.

In preferred embodiments, the membrane layer comprises an aluminum foil

layer and a heat-sealing resin layer positioned under the aluminum foil layer.

Typically, the backing layer comprises more than one layer.

In preferred embodiments, the backing layer comprises at least one of a

surface film layer, a middle substrate layer, and a rigid film layer.

Typically, the sealing body further comprises an adhesive layer bonding the

backing layer and the membrane layer together.

In another aspect there is provided a container with a sealing body sealed to

a rim defining an opening to the interior of the container such that the opening is

sealed by the sealing body, the sealing body being a sealing body embodied by the

invention.

According to embodiments in one or more forms as described herein, an

opening tab shape and an opening guide cut line connected thereto are formed on

a backing layer, which is an upper layer of a sealing body formed of a single layer or

multi-layered of plastic, paper, and the like, and a sealing body with a membrane

layer attached to a lower portion of the backing layer are formed, thereby providing

for a simple manufacturing process, tamper-evident, convenient opening, and

economical efficiency.

Further embodiments in one or more forms as described herein provide for

improvement of conventional sealing bodies, and development of a more

6a economical sealing body through a simple structure and simplification of the manufacturing process.

In a structure of a sealing body as described herein, an induction seal method

may be used rather than a conduction seal method for combination of a backing

layer, which is an upper layer, and a membrane layer, which is a lower layer.

The conduction seal method is used to manufacture a relatively thin lead seal

used for general bottles or containers. A backing layer used from thin to thick

thickness, and a membrane layer with the same specification as the backing layer,

but with a relatively large opening tab at one or two or more positions on an outer

side, are adhered to each other by the induction seal method such that the backing

layer and the membrane layer are integrated, thereby manufacturing the sealing

body.

First, when a consumer opens the sealing body to take out the contents from

the container sealed on the sealing body and use it, the consumer pushes the

opening tab in an upper portion of the backing layer of the sealing body to break the

membrane layer adhered to the lower part, and then the opening tap and the

damaged membrane layer are held and pulled along an opening guide cut line to

easily peel off the sealing body from the container to thereby open more conveniently

and easily.

Second, in the sealing body that is opened in the form of peeling, since the

sealing body is easily broken and cut and opened, a tamper evident function is

provided such that the sealing body that has once been opened cannot be reused,

6b thereby protecting from malicious action from the outside.

Third, the shape of the peelable seal can be selected from a hard peel that

leaves an opening trace from the container mouth or a clean peel that cleanly peels

off from the container entrance according to the requirements of the sealing body

type.

In addition to the task, embodiments as described herein may achieve other

tasks not specifically mentioned.

An embodiment relates to a sealing body that seals the mouth of a container

formed of a material such as plastic, glass, metal, paper, and the like, and more

specifically, it relates to a sealing body with convenient opening and tamper

evidence function that can clearly show opening marks when the sealing body is

opened from the container.

In the embodiment, when the sealing body is sequentially viewed from the

top, an upper layer is formed of one or more of a film of plastic material, a foamed

film or sheet, and paper. The sealing body is formed of a backing layer formed

single-layered or multi-layered by bonding these materials in various combinations,

and a membrane layer provided in a lower end portion of the backing layer and

formed of aluminum foil and thermal adhesion sealing resin that substantially blocks

the inside and outside of the container and seals the entrance of the container.

In the sealing body in which the backing layer and the membrane layer are

adhered by an adhesive layer and integrated, an opening tab and an opening guide

cut line are formed before the backing layer of the sealing body is bonded with the

membrane layer. The opening tab is positioned on an inner surface in the shape of

the completed sealing body, an inner line continues to extend out of 6c the outer shape of the opening tab to meet the opening guide cut line, and an outer line meets the outermost line in the shape of the sealing body. Accordingly, the sealing body in which the opening guide cut line is formed inside and the opening guide cut line is formed outside the sealing body outline is provided. The opening tab has a semicircle and straight-line shape, and is formed by cutting the outer shape with a cutting knife that completely cuts or a sewing machine that cuts in a dotted line shape. After the backing layer and the lower membrane layer are adhered to complete the sealing body, the container is sealed and the container can be opened.

When the opening tab is pressed by hand to open the container, the semicircular

shaped opening start cut line, which is an upper outline of the opening tab of the

pre-cut backing layer, splits, and the membrane layer formed of the heat-sealing the

aluminum foil layer and the resin layer below is pressed and broken. The opening

tab is more easily folded into a direction toward inside the container by more than

one folding cut line along with the broken membrane layer. Continuously, when the

opening tab is held by fingers and pulled upward again, the membrane layer is

broken along the opening guide cut line cut in advance in the backing layer, and then

an opening guide cutting strip formed on the edge of the sealing body connected to

the opening tab is opened. The opening guide cut line is formed in partial arcs or

entire circles as needed.

According to the embodiment, a sealing body that can be easily and

conveniently opened can be provided. For this, the sealing body according to an

embodiment has a structure in which the opening tap on the upper end portion of the sealing body is pushed to break the membrane layer positioned therebelow, and then the opening tab is held by hand and pulled to open along the opening guide cut line that has been cut in advance in the form of a dotted line on the backing layer, which is the upper layer.

The sealing body according to the embodiment has the function of providing

tamper-evidence for consumer protection. When opening the container by holding

the opening tab by hand, the membrane layer and the backing layer of the sealing

body are broken together along the opening guide cut line formed in the backing

layer, which is the upper layer, and thus the opened material cannot be bonded back

to the container.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like

which has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a

context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all

of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge

in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed in Australia or elsewhere

before the priority date of this application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show various types of conventional sealing bodies.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a top plan view of the container sealing body

according to an embodiment and a cross-sectional view, taken along the line AA.

FIG. 4 schematically shows a process of opening the container sealing body

according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a photograph of the container sealing body according to the embodiment attached to a container.

FIG. 6 to FIG. 8 are photographs that show a process of opening the

container sealing body according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a photograph of an upper side of the container sealing body

schematically showing the opened state of the container sealing body according to

the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a photograph of a bottom side of the container sealing body

schematically showing the opened state of the container sealing body according to

the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view that schematically shows the container sealing

body according to the embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a top plan view that schematically shows the container sealing

body according to the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the accompanying drawing, an embodiment of the present

invention will be described in detail and thus a person of an ordinary skill can easily

implement it in the technical field to which the present invention is included. As

those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified

in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present

invention. In order to clearly explain the present invention in the drawing, parts

irrelevant to the description were omitted, and the same reference numeral is

designated to the same or similar constituent elements throughout the specification.

In addition, in the case of a well-known known technology, a detailed description

thereof will be omitted.

In addition, unless explicitly described to the contrary, the word "comprise",

and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the

inclusion of stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements.

Hereinafter, a container sealing body according to an embodiment will be

described in detail.

9a

Referring to FIG. 3 to FIG. 12, a sealing body 1 is formed of a backing layer

10 in an upper portion and a membrane layer 30 in a lower portion. In the backing

layer 10, an outline of an opening tab 11 and an opening guide cutting line 15

connected thereto may be cut to have a shape of a straight line and a curved line

with proper inner direction compared to the outermost of the sealing body 1 by a

cutting knife that cuts completely or a sewing machine knife that cuts in a dotted line

form. After bonding the membrane layer 30 formed of an aluminum foil layer 31 and

a heat-sealing resin layer 32 to the lower portion of the backing layer 10, cutting and

punching to the sealing body shape are performed such that the container sealing

body 1 is formed. Accordingly, when the opening tab 11 formed on the upper portion

is pushed with a finger or the like during opening, the membrane layer 30 is broken

in a shape corresponding to the opening guide cut line 15 and has substantially the

same shape as the opening guide cut line 15. Next, when the opening tab 11 and

the damaged membrane layer 30 are held together by hand and pulled in an upper

direction, the sealing body may be easily opened from the container along the

opening guide cut line 15 of the backing layer 10.

The opening tab 11 is positioned inside the shape of the completed sealing

body 1, and an inner line 13 of the outer shape of the opening tab 11 continuously

extends and meets the opening guide cut line 15, and an outer line 14 meets the

outermost line 18 of the sealing body 1 among shapes of the sealing body 1.

Accordingly, the sealing body 1 in which the opening guide cut line 15 is formed on

the inside and the opening guide cut line 50 formed with the outermost line 18 is formed on the outside is provided. The opening tab 11 has a semicircle and straight-line shape, and is formed by cutting the outer shape with a cutting knife that completely cuts or a sewing machine that cuts in a dotted line shape. The opening tab 11 includes an opening start cut line 12 formed at the top of the opening tab 11, and when the opening tab 11 is pushed and pulled, the opening start cut line 12 is first split. At a position overlapping the opening start cut line 12, a cut line by laser marking on the heat-sealing resin layer 32 of the membrane layer 30 is formed in substantially the same shape as the opening start break line 12. Accordingly, when the vicinity of the opening start cut line 12 is pressed in the backing layer 10 to open the container, the aluminum foil layer 31 and the heat-sealing resin layer 32 near the opening start cut line 12 may be more easily damaged, and may be damaged earlier than the opening guide cut line 15 such that opening of the container may be started.

When the opening tab 11 is pressed by hand to open the container, the

semicircular-shaped opening start cut line 12, which is an upper outline of the

opening tab 11 of the pre-cut backing layer 10, splits, and the membrane layer 30

formed of the heat-sealing the aluminum foil layer 31 and the resin layer 32 below is

pressed and broken. The opening tab 11 is more easily folded into a direction toward

inside the container by more than one folding cut line 19 along with the broken

membrane layer 30. Continuously, when the opening tab 11 is held by fingers and

pulled upward again, the membrane layer 30 is broken along the opening guide cut

line 15 cut in advance in the backing layer 10, and then an opening guide cutting

strip 50 formed on the edge of the sealing body 1 connected to the opening tab 11 is opened. The opening guide cut line 15 is formed at regular intervals from the outermost line of the backing layer 10. The opening guide cut line 15 is formed in partial arcs or entire circles as needed. Alternatively, the opening guide cut line 15 may be formed in a partial square shape.

A layer forming the sealing body 1 may be formed of the backing layer 10

which is an upper layer, and the membrane layer 30, which is a lower layer.

The backing layer 10 may be formed of at least one material such as a plastic

film, a foamed plastic film or sheet, a non-woven fabric, and paper. The backing

layer 10 may be formed of a single-layer structure formed of one of these materials

or a multi-layered structure joined by bonding two or more materials.

For example, a single-layered backing layer 10 may be formed of a single

material of a typical stretched film or a foamed plastic film or sheet.

The multi-layered backing layer 10 may be formed of two or more layers by

utilizing the functional characteristics of each layer. The backing layer 10 may be

formed of a selective combination of two or more layers of a surface film layer, a

middle substrate layer, and a rigid film layer, sequentially from the top surface to the

bottom surface direction, according to the application. In addition, the rigid film layer

is a film layer having relatively high tensile strength and may be formed of one of

polyester, nylon, and polyolefin-based films.

For example, a surface film layer may be formed on the uppermost portion

of the backing layer 10 to increase the surface strength and prevent thermal

adhesion to the inner surface of the cap and the printing operation.

In the lower portion of the surface film layer, a middle base layer formed of

at least one of a plastic foam resin, paper, and non-woven fabric may be formed to

improve the perfect adhesion of the cap and the container and to prevent the heat

generated from aluminum in the lower membrane layer 30 due to high frequency

induction heating from being transferred to the upper layer.

A rigid film layer that can enhance the tensile strength and hardness of the

backing layer 10 may be formed under the middle substrate layer.

In addition, in the backing layer 10, an external shape of the opening tab 11,

and the opening guide cut line 15 connected thereto may be cut to have a shape of

a straight line and a curved line with proper inner direction than the outermost of the

sealing body 1 by a cutting knife that cuts completely or a sewing machine knife that

is cut in a dotted line form. After bonding the membrane layer 30 formed of an

aluminum foil layer 31 and a heat-sealing resin layer 32 to the lower portion of the

backing layer 10, cutting and punching to the sealing body shape are performed

such that the container sealing body 1 is formed. Accordingly, the process of

manufacturing the sealing body can be simplified and economical efficiency can be

improved. In addition, by such a manufacturing process, the backing layer 10 and

the membrane layer 30 may overlap each other, the planar shape may be the same

as each other, and the flat area may also be the same.

The backing layer 10 and the membrane layer 30 are bonded to each other

by an adhesive layer to form a sealing body. The adhesive layer may be formed

such that a lower cross-section of the backing layer 10 and an upper cross-section of the membrane layer 30 are adhered with adhesion strength of about

500 gf/15 mm or more in width. An adhesion method includes a dry lamination

adhesion method using an adhesive, an adhesion method using an adhesive resin

as an extrusion lamination method, or an adhesion method using a hot melt

adhesive. One suitable bonding method may be selected from among the bonding

methods, and thus the backing layer 10 and the membrane layer 30 can be bonded.

In addition, for the backing layer 10, the operation of forming the opening guide cut

line 15 by a cutting knife that completely cuts in advance or a sewing machine that

cuts in the form of a dotted line is carried out before the bonding operation. In

addition, the heat-sealing resin layer 32 coated with a film or a polymer is also

marked with a laser at the beginning of opening such that the heat-sealing resin

layer 32 can be torn and opened more easily when opened, and thus the membrane

layer 30 is more easily damaged, thereby opening the container.

While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently

considered to be practical embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is

not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover

various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and

scope of the appended claims.

Claims (16)

1. A sealing body for sealing an opening to the interior of a container,

comprising:

a backing layer in which an opening tab and an opening guide cut line are

defined, the opening guide cut line defining an outline of the opening tab and

extending part way around the sealing body from one side of the opening tab at

a distance from an outer perimeter of the sealing body and from an opposite side

of the opening tab to the outer perimeter of the sealing body; and

a membrane layer that is positioned below the backing layer and having

the same area and outer perimeter as the backing layer, the membrane layer and

the backing layer being bonded together; and

wherein the sealing body in use is sealed to a rim of the container defining

the container's opening whereby the sealing body overlies the opening and the

interior of the container is sealed by the sealing body, and wherein the opening

tab is for being pressed into the container, folding the opening tab into the

container and breaking the opening guide cut line and membrane layer to permit

the sealing body to be torn along the opening guide cut line to the outer perimeter

of the sealing body for allowing a strip of the sealing body that is defined by the

outer perimeter and the section of the opening guide cut line extending part way

around the sealing body from the one side of the opening tab to be progressively

peeled from the rim of the container in a direction from the opening tab upon the

opening tab subsequently being pulled outwardly, for removal of the sealing body

from the container with continued pulling of said strip of the sealing body.

2. The sealing body of claim 1, wherein the opening guide cut line is

linear from the opening tab to the outer perimeter of the sealing body.

3. The sealing body of claim 1, wherein the opening guide cut line is

linear along the one side of the opening tab to the section of the opening guide

cut line extending from the one side of the opening tab.

4. The sealing body of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the opening

guide cut line is linear along each said side of the opening tab.

5. The sealing body of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the

membrane layer is not perforated or cut along the opening guide cut line beyond

the opening tab and is arranged for being torn by the pulling of said strip of the

sealing body.

6. The sealing body of claim 1, wherein the backing layer includes a

fold cut line of the opening tab, wherein the fold cut line is for being folded when

the opening tab is pressed into the container.

7. The sealing body of claim 6, wherein the fold cut line is one of a

plurality of fold cut lines, the plurality of fold cut lines being parallel to each other.

8. The sealing body of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the sealing

body includes a first fold cut line for being folded when the opening tab is pressed into the container and a further fold cut line, the first fold cut line being defined at an upper end region of the opening tab and the further fold cut line is defined at lower end of the of the opening tab.

9. The sealing body of claim 6, where the fold cut line extends across

the opening tab from the one side of the opening tab to the opposite side of the

opening tab, and meets the opening guide cut line at a position from where the

opening guide cut line extends part way around the sealing body from the

opening tab.

10. The sealing body of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the opening

guide cut line defines a top end of the opening tab, and wherein the sealing body

is configured to first split along the opening guide cut line defining the top end of

the opening tab when the opening tab is pressed in use.

11. The sealing body of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the section

of the opening guide cut line extending part way around the sealing body from

the one side of the opening tab curves around the sealing body at a constant

distance from the outer perimeter of the sealing body.

12. The sealing body of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the

membrane layer comprises an aluminum foil layer and a heat-sealing resin layer

positioned under the aluminum foil layer.

13. The sealing body of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the backing

layer comprises more than one layer.

14. The sealing body of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the backing

layer comprises at least one of a surface film layer, a middle substrate layer, and

a rigid film layer.

15. The sealing body of any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising

an adhesive layer bonding the backing layer and the membrane layer together.

16. A container with a sealing body sealed to a rim defining an

opening to the interior of the container such that the opening is sealed by the

sealing body, wherein the sealing body is a sealing body as defined in any one

of claims 1 to 15.