AU776642B2

AU776642B2 - Apparatus and package for the metered dispensing of a viscous material

Info

Publication number: AU776642B2
Application number: AU32412/01A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Victor Robert Bochno; Sjoukje Wiegersma
Original assignee: Intercon Holland BV
Current assignee: Intercon Holland BV
Priority date: 1999-12-07
Filing date: 2000-12-07
Publication date: 2004-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 2020-12-07
Also published as: EP1242291B1; JP2003516285A; CN1407937A; ATE276150T1; WO2001042100A8; AU3241201A; EP1242291A1; CA2393700A1; WO2001042100A1; DE60013902D1; US20030098316A1; NL1013778C2

Abstract

A metering apparatus for emptying a package containing a viscous material, which apparatus comprises a frame (1) with a substantially flat supporting surface, on which a package (6) manufactured from a flexible foil material can be positioned, and a metering control means (2, 3, 4), which can empty the package by means of activation. The package (6) can be squeezed nipwise by cooperation with the supporting surface, starting from a first end in the direction of an opposite second end, by moving the metering control means, for instance a roller or rod, relative to the package, while through at least one discharge opening (6d) at the second end the viscous material is expelled from the package and the nipwise squeezing can be continued until at least the discharge opening (6d).

Description

New amended specification Title: An assembly comprising a package and an apparatus for metered emptying of the package containing a viscous material, and a package for use in such an assembly The invention relates to an assembly comprising a package and an apparatus for metered emptying of the package containing a viscous material and being squeezable including at least one discharge opening by being at least partly manufactured from a flexible sheet-like foil material, which apparatus comprises a frame and a metering control means to be coupled therewith for emptying the package, which frame comprises a flat supporting surface for supporting the package, which, starting from a first end, can be squeezed nipwise in the direction of an opposite second end provided with the at least one discharge opening for dispensing the viscous material, by a relative movement between the package and the metering control means. The invention further relates to a package for use in such an assembly.

Such an assembly is known from DE-U 86 08 053, where a sausage-like package is laid in a box-shaped frame with a flat bottom. The discharge opening is situated in a spout which, directed upwardly, is laid against a wall of the frame extending perpendicularly to the bottom. After cutting away the end of the spout the contents are to be expelled from the package by means of a AMENDED

SHEET

cylindrical body to be rolled over the bottom. The rolling movement of the cylindrical body is confined by a bottom bent upwardly on the side of the spout and ending before the wall against which the spout lies. This has the result that the package cannot be emptied completely, which not only means a loss of material, but also additional chemical s waste which has to be processes in a relatively laborious and expensive manner.

Further, US-A 2 830 734, DE-A 2 061 850 and FR-A-1.252.743, disclose apparatuses intended for emptying a tube with a cap. The same problem is encountered with such an assembly, i.e. the package cannot be emptied completely, because the threaded discharge opening of the package is of a relatively stiff construction. The same 1o problem occurs with an assembly as known from FR-A-2 443 975, when a tube toothpaste placed in a hanging apparatus is emptied.

Object of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome one or more of the above disadvantages, or at least to provide a useful alternative.

Summary of the Invention The present invention provides an assembly comprising a package and an apparatus for metered emptying of the package containing a viscous material and being squeezable including at least one discharge opening by being at least partly manufactured from a flexible sheet-like foil material, which apparatus comprises a frame and a metering S 20 control means to be coupled therewith for emptying the package, which from comprises a flat supporting surface for supporting the package, which, starting from a first end, can be squeezed nipwise in the direction of an opposite second end provided with the at lest one discharge opening for dispensing the viscous material, by a relative movement between the package and the metering control means, wherein the discharge opening is situated on the flat supporting surface and the metering control means being movable with respect to the package from said first end to at least the at least one discharge opening for thoroughly emptying the package by completely squeezing the package including the at least one discharge opening.

S•According to a preferred embodiment, when the discharge opening is situated on the flat supporting surface and the metering control means being movable with respect to the package from said first end to at least the at least one discharge opening for thoroughly emptying the package by completely squeezing the package including the at least one discharge opening. Through these measures it becomes simply, but very effectively possible to I R:L BVV03548spec .doc: NJC new page 3 completely empty the package. In addition, the available supporting surface forms a very suitable base for effecting a highly controlled and accurately metered emptying by mipwise squeezing the package from one side to the other, so that material is hardly, if at all, left on the inner wails of the package.

Through this mode of operation the area where the viscous material leaves the flexible package is emptied very thoroughly, so that, in fact, after consumption of the material contained in the package only a minor amount of foil material is left, which not only results in a more environmentally friendly, but also in a relatively cheaper solution.

With a plurality of packages the contents thereof are directly suitable for the intended consumption. In a number of other applications a specific amount of expelled viscous mass needs to be mixed with a specific amount of another viscous mass so as to obtain a product sitable for consumption. In such cases, using the regular, controlled and complete emptying of the package, a very advantageous assembly can be obtained according to a further embodiment of the invention if the package is longitudinally divided into at least two mutually separated compartments, which are situated on the frame lengthwise in a longitudinal direction of the supporting surface, and the metering control means is designed and positioned with a pressure line for the mipwise squeezing of the package extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the supporting surface. By adjusting the crosssections of the compartments to the required mixing ratio it can be effected new page 4 through a simple operation of the apparatus that each time exactly the correct relative amounts of viscous mass are dispensed from the compartments to obtain an optimum mixture, while, moreover, the supporting surface connecting to the discharge opening may serve as a mixing surface, if so desired.

In embodiments of the assembly according to the invention in which for emptying the package the metering control means is moved over the supporting surface and the package lying thereon, fixing elements are preferably provided, with which the package can be arrested relative to the supporting surface. For this a clamping strip may be considered, but also projections or hooks which extend through holes suitably provided in the package; of course without creating an access to the interior of the package.

Instead of moving the metering control means over the package lying on the supporting surface, it is also possible to move the package over the supporting surface. To this end, for instance, it may be ensured that the metering control means comprises a spindle for winding up the package in emptied form, while during metering the package moves backwards over the supporting surface The package may have various forms, for instance a sausage form. Such a package can now be emptied nearly completely, because it is completely squeezed flat and is no longer wrinkled together. Preferably, however, the package for use in an assembly according to the invention has a flat bagnew page shaped configuration. Such a package can be formed from a tubular foil which is laid down flat and is sealed in this form at the ends; of course after having filling it with the material to be metered. Another possibility is that the package is formed from two sheet-like parts which are bonded together along their longitudinal edges and according to two strips located transversely thereto, at a distance from each other.

If it is to be prevented that the expelled viscous material falls on the supporting surface, then this can be simply ensured by extending the package with a slab-shaped part moving over the supporting surface. According to a further elaboration of this idea it may be ensured that the supporting surface forms part of an elongated frame part and the package is extended with a loopshaped part to an endless shell part which fits tautly around the elongated frame part. In this embodiment one of the edges of the supporting surface may serve as nip-former, because when pulling over this edge the walls of the package are intimately pressed together and thus displace the viscous material, that is to say press it out. If desired, a roller pressing on the package and supported on the supporting surface via the package may of course also be provided.

The movement of the package over the supporting surface can be realized in a relatively simple manner if the metering control means comprises a stationary rotatable deflecting roller with which the shell part can be moved over the elongated frame part.

new page 6 The arrangement on the apparatus of the package tensioned during use can be easily carried out if according to a further embodiment of the invention the deflecting roller is movable between a placing position in which the shell part can be slid on the elongated frame part and a tensioning position in which the shell part can be moved around the elongated frame part.

With reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings the assembly according to the invention will now be explained in greater detail, though only by way of example. In these drawings: Fig. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of the metering apparatus; Fig. 2 is the top plan view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a second embodiment; Fig. 4 is the left front view of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a cross-section of a third embodiment; Fig. 6 is a side view of the third embodiment; AMENDED SHEE WO 01/42100 pCT/NL00/00904 7 Fig. 7 is the left front view of Figs. 5 and 6; Fig. 8 is a side view of a fourth embodiment; Fig. 9 is a side view of a modified detail of the embodiment of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a side view of another modified detail of the embodiment of Fig. 8; and Fig. 11 is a side view of a part of a fifth embodiment.

The metering apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a plateshaped supporting part 1, to which a substantially U-shaped handle 2 is pivotably attached near the end which, seen in the figures, is the left end.

Of a substantially U-shaped supporting arm 3 the free leg ends are pivotably connected to the handle 2, roughly approximately halfway the lengths of the legs of the handle 2. Rotatably mounted on the body part of the supporting arm 3 is a roller 4, the arrangement being such that when the handle 2 is swung back and forth, the roller 4 rolls back and forth in a controlled manner over the upper surface of the supporting part 1. The supporting part 1 is provided near the left end with a pluralitY of hooks for arresting a package 6, which is manufactured from two sheets of flexible foil material which are mutually connected stripwise, such that two closed and mutually separated spaces 6a and 6b are formed for accommodating viscous material. At the left end the strip-like connecting area is provided with a plurality of holes 6c for attaching the package 6 to the hooks 5. At the right end the spaces 6a and 6b each end funnelwise in a mouth 6d. In the exemplary embodiment shown the two mouths 6d are opened by cutting away a connecting area comparable to that in which the holes 6c are pr To empty a package 6 by means of the metering apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2, the package 6, after swinging the handle 2 with supporting arm 3 and roller 4 aside, is laid flat on the supporting part 1, while the hooks 5 are passed through the holes 6c. Subsequently, the handle 2 is swung such that the roller 4 can be pressed on the package 6 at the beginning of the spaces PCTNLOO/00904 WO 01/42100 8 6a and 6b adjacent the hooks 5. After removing a strip for opening the dy for use. By swinging the handle mouths 6d, the metering apparatus is ready for use. By swinging the handle 2 to the right while pressing, the roller 4 will roll over the supporting part 1 to the right and squeeze the package 6 held by the hooks 5, which rolling tandsque. ePc el is si ltaneousl movement heromes possible, because viscous material is si ta expelled fro- the mouths 6d. leaving the two mouths 6 With such packages the viscous ateri eavng the m needs to be collected and mixed. The resulting mixtureoften must be processed within a short time, if it is not to become useless. In the situation shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the package 6 is approximately half emptied, from which it appears that the emptied part practically or entirely consists of only two compressed foil sheets. Should the contents of the package not be processed in one go, then the mouths must be carefully sealed for intermediate storage. This can be done, for instance, with a screw cap or by one of the methods discussed below. relativel large radius of Instead of a roller 4, a roller part with a late radius of curvature, which may or may not be constant, can be also used, of which a possible surface to be contacted with the supporting surface is indicated in Fig. 1 by the line With such a roller part the package 6 can be emptied by means of a rocking-rOlling movement. If desired, the relevant roller part can be incorporated in a rocking mechanism which lays down a controlled pressing movement over the supporting surface.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a metering apparatus comprising a supporting part 11, which, at the left end, carries two ears 12 for supportg a freely rotatable pressure roller 13 and a winding roller 14 which is rotatable by means of a wing grip 15. A package 16 of the type as described above is means of a wing gripb that it can be provided at the left end with a flat connecting area, such that it can be passed below the pressure roller 13 into the winding roller 14, which is therefore provided with an inlet slot 14a. Near the right end of the supporting part 11 a clamping strip 17 can be arranged thereon, which WO 01/42100 PCT/NLOO/00904 9 comprises a clamping groove 17a and snapping projections 17b. The latter can cooperate with snapping edges Ila, which, as shown in Fig. 4, laterally extend along the supporting part ii. The upper surface of the supporting part is provided with a plurality of grooves 18, with which, as shown in the right part of Fig. 3, the clamping groove 17a can engage for intimately clamping the package 16. If desired, a clamping strip 17 could also be provided with more than one clamping groove 17a, in which case the grooves 18 could be omitted. The arrangement of several grooves 18 over the length of the upper surface of the supporting part 11 means that packages of different lengths can be clamped and/or that a package 16 can be emptied portionwise and can be temporarily sealed between times.

After removing the clamping strip 17 and opening the package 16 asituated, the package ran be along the edge where the clamping strip was situated, the package can be emptied in metered amounts by rotating the winding roller 14 by means of the wing grip 15. Consequently, the package 16 is pulled to the left and wound on the roller 14, while the contents of the package are held in place by the pressure roller 13 relative to the supporting part 11, which has the result that the viscous material contained in the package 16 is expelled therefrom. This material falls on the upper surface of the supporting part 11. If this is to be prevented, then this can be simply realized by designing the lower sheet of the package as a slab-shaped extension.

When a predetermined portion of viscous material is withdrawn from the package 16, the dispensing part thereof will be situated approximately near a further groove 18. By placing the clamping strip 17 the package 16 can be sealed airtight again. Of course, it is also possible not to provide grooves 18 and/or to design the clamping strip 17 such that it can be snapped fast in any place.

The metering apparatus shown in Figs. 5-7 comprises a supporting part 21, which supports two side walls 22 and 23, on which are mounted racks 22a and 23a, respectively, and above which are arranged guide raks2a nd23respec =ery, PCTNL00/009 04 WO 01/4 2 1 00 grooves 22b and 23b, respectively, breaking through the relevant side wall 22, 23. hrogh the guide grooves 22b and 23b extends a shaft 24, on which 22, 23. Through the e ue roer 25, whi s interposed between the walls 22 is mounted variu menso are selected such that the pressure roller and 23. The various dimensions shaft 24 and cooperating with can squeeze a package 26. Mounted on the s t c eating th racks 22a and 23a are pinions 24a and 24b, respectively. By rotating the racks 22a and 23a are Pios roller 25 will be advanced through shaft 24 via a handwheel 27 the pressure roe e a the rack-and-pinion cooperation while emptying the package 26.

The package is arrested relative to the supporting part 21 by means of a spring clamp 28 placed at the left end. A closing spring 29 can be placed at the right end for tempoarily sealing a partially emptied package 26.

at the right end for teporaly of Figs. 5-7 resembles that The operation of the metering apparatus of Figs. 5-7 resembles that operat of Figs. 1 and 2 to such an extent that a further discussion of that operation seems superfluous.

seems superfluousin Fig. 8 comprises a supporting part The metering apparatus shown in Fig. e supporting part 31 with a rrugated upper surface 32. At the right end the supporting part 31 with a corrugated upper ac between whichis supported a tension 31 is provided with two side arms 33, between which is supported a tension roller 35 is providtatable by means sideof a handwheel 34. A package 36 is of the type roller 35 rotatable by means of a anhee h as discussed above, though the lower sheet is extended to a shell-shaped as discussed above, thoughdimension that in the operating part, which has such a circumfrentil diments tat aon the supporting p art position of the metering apparatus it fita 34 such that the 31 and the tension roller 35. By turning the handwhee 34 h that the package 36 starts rotating in an anti-clockwise direction, the package 36, when pulling over the left upper edge, will be emptied via mouths arranged near the tension roller 35. The expelled viscous material falls on the conear the tension rollerand can thus be easily mixed an rotating lower sheet of the package 36 and can 32 e e iably sealing an removed without filling the corrugated upper surface 3. Reliration of a opened and partially emptied package 36 is realized by cpea groove in the corrugated upper surface 32 wth a wire amp 37 PCT/NL0/00 9 0 4 WO 01142100 11 In cases where this is desirable because of the vo material t be processed, for emptying the package near the left end of the supporting part 31, as shown in Fig. 9, a pressure roller 38 can be arranged, for instance by 31, as shown in Fig. 9, a pressure o able to the wire amp 37.

means of a detachable wire clamp 39 comparable t the wire camp 37 Furthermore, at the left end of the supporting part 31 a defecting roller corre, ponding to the tension roller 35 could be arranged- In the embodiment of Fig. 8 the shell part of the package 36 fits tautly around the supporting part 31 and the tension roller 35. To relatively easily bring a package 36 to be placed into this tensioned osition, the tension roller 35 may be adjustable between two ositi for instance in the manner shown in Fig. 10. The lower surfaces of the two ears 33 supported by the supporting part 31 are provided with a cam track 40, into which the shaft 35a of the tension roller 35 extends The position shown in Fig. 10 represents the tensioned or operating position. By pulling the tension roller 35 to the right and then bringing it down and to the left, which movement is possible due to the elasticity of the package 36, the tension roller 35 can be brought into a placing position, which, relative to the tensioning position, is located farther to the left, with the result that the shell part comes to lie loosely around the supporting part 31 and the tension roller 35, so that a package can be easily removed and placed.

The metering apparatus partly shown in Fig. 11 comprises a supporting part 41, which, at the left end, carries on both sides an L-shaped supporting arm 42 for supporting a pressure roller 43 and a counter roller 44, which cooperate nipwise, while the pressure roller 43 can be rotated by means of a handwheel A package 46 of the type discussed before is placed on the supporting part 41 in lying position, with its left onnecting pat in the nip between the rollers 43 and 44, after which the package 46 is pulled to the left by turning the handwheel 45 and can thus be emptied, after making an opening on the WO 01/42100 pTNO/00 12 right side not shown. If desired, the circuniferentialsurfaces of the rollers an 4cnb rvdd with cooperating profles.

It is self-explanaoY that within the scope of theinetoasad down in the appended claims in addition to the possible embodimlents shwn nd he ossible modifications discussed in this respect, many further amendments and variants are possible. Tui h moiet shown the various elements pressing on the package are designed as rollers.

Although these are preferred, those elements could also be rods, tubes, and the like. Furthermore, reference is always made to a hand-operable activating element. of course, it could also be an electrically, pneuimaticaly or hydraulically activable member.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising a package and an apparatus for metered emptying of the package containing a viscous material and being squeezable including at least one discharge opening by being at least partly manufactured from a flexible sheet- like foil material, which apparatus comprises a frame and a metering control means to be coupled therewith for emptying the package, which from comprises a flat supporting surface for supporting the package, which, starting from a first end, can be squeezed nipwise in the direction of an opposite second end provided with the at lest one discharge opening for dispensing the viscous material, by a relative movement between the package and the metering control means, wherein the discharge opening is situated on the flat supporting surface and the metering control means being movable with respect to the package from said first end to at least the at least one discharge opening for thoroughly emptying the package by completely squeezing the package including the at least one discharge opening.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the package is longitudinally divided into at least two mutually separated compartments, which are situated on the frame lengthwise in a longitudinal direction of the supporting surface, and the metering control means is designed and positioned with a pressure line for the nipwise :squeezing of the package extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the 20 supporting surface.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein fixing elements are provided, with which the package can be arrested relative to the supporting surface.

4. An assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the package can move over the supporting surface. 25

5. An assembly according to claim 4, wherein the supporting surface forms part of an elongated frame part and the package is extended with a loop-shaped part to an endless shell part which fits tautly around the elongated frame part.

6. An assembly according to claim 5, wherein the metering control means comprises a stationary rotatable deflecting roller, with which the shell part can be moved over the elongated frame part.

7. An assembly according to claim 6, wherein the deflecting roller is movable between a placing position in which the shell part can be slid on the elongated frame part and a tensioning position in which the shell part can be moved around the elongated frame part. I R.\LIBVV03548spcci.doc:NJC 14

8. A package for use in an assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the package has a flat bag-shaped configuration with a completely squeezable discharge opening.

9. A package according to claim 8, wherein the package is formed from a s tubular foil which is laid down flat and is sealed in this form at the ends including a completely squeezable discharge opening.

A package according to claim 8, wherein the package is formed from two sheet-like parts, which are bonded together along their longitudinal edges and according to two strips located transversely thereto, at a distance from each other.

11. A package according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the package is divided in two parallel compartments both ending at a corresponding end in a completely squeezable discharge opening.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the package is formed from two sheet-like parts, which are bonded together along their longitudinal edges and according to two strips located transversely thereto, at a distance from each other.

13. An apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the metering control means comprises a spindle for winding up the package in emptied form.

14. An apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the supporting surface forms part of an elongated frame part and the package is extended with S 20 a loop-shaped part to an endless shell part which fits tautly around the elongated frame part. o

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the metering control means comprises a stationary rotatable deflecting roller, with which the shell part can be moved over the elongated frame part.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the deflecting roller is movable between a placing position in which the shell part can be slid on the elongated frame part and a tensioning position in which the shell part can be moved around the *elongated frame part.

An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a sealing means is provided in the form of a clamping strip or clamping rod, which can seal a discharge opening provided at the second end, by pressing on the supporting surface with interposition of the package.

.18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the sealing means can be clampingly arranged on the surface in several places. [R:UBVVw03s48speci.doc:NJC r

19. An apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the supporting surface is provided with at least one groove, with which at least part of the circumferential surface of the sealing means can conformably cooperate.

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the sealing means is s provided with two parallel clamping grooves, located at a short distance from each other, which can each engage with a groove.

21. An apparatus according to any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein the sealing means is provided with coupling elements, with which the sealing means can be fixed in a position elastically pressing on the supporting surface.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the coupling elements are snapping projections.

23. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the coupling elements, together with the clamping strip or clamping rod, form a detachable clamping clip or clamping spring.

24. An assembly comprising a package and an apparatus for metered emptying of the package substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the embodiments as that embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings. Dated 27 July, 2004 Intercon Holland B.V. Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON C o** *o o o (R:\UBVV03548spcci doc:NJC