EP0770547A1

EP0770547A1 - Method and apparatus for closing an opening in a container

Info

Publication number: EP0770547A1
Application number: EP95202883A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Meinrad Rosse
Original assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA; Nestle SA
Current assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA; Nestle SA
Priority date: 1995-10-24
Filing date: 1995-10-24
Publication date: 1997-05-02

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for closing an opening in a container (12) comprising a neck part (13) surrounding the opening (14) and an outer groove or grooves (15) in said neck part (13) extending along the opening (14) on at least two opposite sides thereof, by forming a lid over the opening in the container. Said method comprises covering the opening (14) with a cover (16) extending beyond the opening, forming the cover (16) over the neck part (13) and pressing the cover (16) into the groove or grooves (15) of the neck part (13) and thereby creating a plastic deformation of the cover (16) by means of at least partly inflating at least one flexible inflatable hose (18) so as to form a lid over the opening (14) engaging with said groove or grooves (15). The present invention furthermore relates to an apparatus for closing an opening (14) in a container and to closed containers. The invention may be carried out with pre-shaped covers (16).

Description

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for closing an opening in a container by forming a lid around the part of the container surrounding said opening. The present invention is especially useful for closure of containers comprising a neck part surrounding the opening and an outer groove or grooves in said neck part extending along the opening on at least two opposite sides thereof.
The technical field of the present invention is the art of closing opening in containers, trays, jars, beakers etc. Closures of such openings may be done in various ways, e.g. by the well known technique of providing a container with a screw-threaded neck closure and applying a screw-threaded lid thereto. Screw-thread closures of container openings may be desirable where the container is to be opened and re-closed. However, the cost of providing screw-threads to both container and lid is for some purposes undesirably high and unnecessary where the container is not to be re-closed after opening.
It is also known to apply foil seal to glass beakers by hand or by mechanical seizing. For example, this may be done by means of a segmented pressure ring with circumferentially spaced elements compressing the foil around the top of the glass beaker due to the spring forces from a ring spring. Such a sealing apparatus is known from German patent application DE 3 047 932. Another mechanical seizing mechanism is disclosed in French patent application 2 429 155. In this application, containers are closed by pressing inwardly an annular collar around container necks.
The mechanical mechanisms for closure of container openings do not provide an optimal tightening of the container opening as this is only possible with an apparatus that offers a compressing of the cover around the container opening which is adaptable to any variations that may occur in the shape of the container opening and the abutting container part. Such a tight engagement is not possible with mechanical seizing means as a total adaptation to variations of the contour is not possible. Consequently, too big a variation in the shape of the container opening will render the closure too loose and slack, if the means contracting around the opening does not adapt to the shape of the opening.
Furthermore, the construction of the mechanical compression ring is often somewhat complicated, as it comprises a plurality of elements which are circumferentially spaced. We provide an apparatus for closure of container openings which is simple in design and comprises few elements.
Alternatively, container openings may be closed by adhering or welding a cover to the container. If the container is used for food products, such closures may present difficulties with regard to undesirable food/adhesive contact.
The method, apparatus, use and container according to the present invention overcome the above discussed drawbacks and provide, by employing at least one inflatable hose as means for compressing, a lid or cover onto a container opening:

optimal engagement between compressing means and the cover/container which provides an optimal tightening and engagement between the cover and the container,
a surprisingly tight closure of the container without need for adhesives or welding,
adjustable compressing of the cover onto the container by varying the inflation and/or expansion of the hose,
a simple constructed apparatus for closing of container openings,
reliable closure of the container, even for containers with some dimension and shape variations, together with a
possibility of including a cover-stretching step in the closing operation.

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for closing an opening in a container comprising a neck part surrounding the opening and an outer groove or grooves in said neck part extending along the opening on at least two opposite sides thereof, by forming a lid over the opening in the container, said method comprises
covering the opening with a cover extending beyond the opening, forming the cover over the neck part and pressing the cover into the groove or grooves of the neck part and thereby creating a plastic deformation of the cover by means of at least partly inflating at least one flexible inflatable hose so as to form a lid over the opening engaging with said groove or grooves.
The container which can be closed with the present method may be of almost any configuration: a jar, beaker with straight side walls or with neck in parts, a bottle having an normal upward opening or with a neck part positioned on the side etc. Advantageously, the containers may be simple upwardly opened container or trays having a bottom wall from which side walls extend upwards, and a groove or grooves running on the outer side along the edge of the opening.
By means of the inflation of the flexible inflatable hose the cover will, when the hose is adjacent to the groove or grooves and inflated, be pressed and compressed into the groove or grooves. By inflating the hose an optimal engagement between compressing means and the cover/container will provide an optimal tightening and engagement between the cover and the container.
For fastening of the cover to the container, the hose may be inflated and advantageously also expanded when performing the pressing of the cover into the groove or grooves. The inflatable hose is conveniently inflated and expanded by pressurised air.
Especially, a straight and stretched cover is ensured when at least one at least partly inflated inflatable hose first is contacted with the cover along the edge of the opening of the container, then is moved along the neck part in order to stretch the cover there about and finally is expanded or further expanded into the groove or grooves to engage the lid with the container.
In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, one inflatable hose encircles the neck part of the container. The method for closing a container opening is favourably used for containers such as cylindrical or rectangular trays with straight walls, i.e. wherein the above-defined neck part constitutes side walls in the container.
In order to obtain the tightest closure of the container opening the container is preferably provided with a groove encircling the opening. Hence, for a cylindrical container the groove is advantageously annular and in one plane.
The cover is either formed from a sheet, film or foil. Suitable materials are metal foil, or laminates of metal and plastics. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the cover is an Aluminium foil covered with a temperature sensitive lacquer. The cover is preferably flexible without being so rigid that the structure of the material reverses the shaping of the cover, and thus prevents plastic deformation thereof. Appropriate cover material is subject to deformation when pressed into the grooves. The cover thickness is advantageously in the range 0.1 - 0.5 mm, preferably from 0.2 to 0.3 mm.
The method according to the invention may be carried by covering the container opening with a straight sheet, film, foil, or laminated material. Alternatively, the cover is pre-shaped in a shape corresponding to the neck part of the container. However, at the start of the closing and forming procedure, the step of pre-shaping the cover can be excluded by, contacting and pressing inwards the cover along the edge of the opening and forming it around the abutting container area.
In another aspect, the invention relates to an apparatus for closing an opening in a container comprising a neck part surrounding the opening and an outer groove or grooves in said neck part extending along the opening on at least two opposite sides thereof, by forming a lid from a cover positioned over and extending beyond the opening and creating a plastic deformation of said cover, said apparatus comprises,
a container guide ensuring the right position of the container, at least one flexible inflatable hose positioned in a hose support, motion means for moving the inflatable hose with its support and/or the container relative to one another to a position wherein the inflatable hose contacts the cover along the opening of the container, further to a position wherein the inflatable hose is adjacent to the groove or grooves in the neck part, and back to the start position, and air supply means for inflating or expanding the inflatable hose at least when the inflatable hose is adjacent to the groove or grooves.
The container guide ensures the position of the container during the operation of apparatus. This is important for a correct positioning of the inflatable hose or hoses around the neck part. The apparatus may further be provided with sensor means to ensure the correct position of the container and the container guide relative to the hose support. Also, the apparatus is provided with sensors blocking the movement of the hose support and the inflation of the hose if the container is out of place or no container is positioned in the container guide. This is in order to avoid explosion or in other ways damaging of the inflatable hose or container.
The hose is flexible, inflatable and preferably expandable. The hose may be made of natural or synthetic rubber, e.g. silicone. The hose is connected to air supply means such as a pressurised air supply, e.g. providing 7-8 bar. The hose is preferably 0.5-1.0 mm.
The motion means for moving the movable part in the apparatus are e.g. pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders by moving a piston rod moves the hose support or the container guide or both. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the container guide ensures the container in a position with the opening facing upwards, and the container guide is stationary while the inflatable hose with the hose support is moved substantially vertical relative thereto.
The air supply means preferably, at least partly, inflates or expands the inflatable hose when it contacts the cover along the opening in the container in order to fold and compress the cover around the container neck part.
The air supply may be kept up while the inflatable hose with its hose support and the container are moved relative to one another along the neck part, and the inflatable hose is then expanded or expanded further when it is adjacent of the groove or grooves. This gives a stretched and straight lid or membrane over the opening and a tight engagement between lid and container along the grooves.
Conveniently, the apparatus comprises cover supply means supplying and positioning the cover covering and extending beyond the opening. The covers may e.g. be supplied from rollers or as single sheet. The covers should be sufficiently large to be able to substantially engage with the groove or grooves in the container.
In an embodiment of the invention the apparatus further comprises heating means disposed along the opening in the container. If foils comprising a layer of heat sensitive lacquer are used as cover, heating of the cover with the heating means will result in sealing the cover onto the container. The inflatable hose and the heating means may advantageously be mounted side by side in a common support.
An alternative embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention is an apparatus for closing an opening in a container comprising a neck part surrounding the opening and an outer groove or grooves in said neck part extending along the opening on at least two opposite sides thereof, by forming a lid from a pre-formed cover positioned over the opening and the neck part of the container and creating a plastic deformation of said pre-formed cover, said apparatus comprises,
a container guide ensuring the correct position of the container, at least one flexible inflatable hose positioned in a hose support, motion means for moving the inflatable hose with its support and/or the container relative to one another to and from a position wherein the inflatable hose is adjacent to the groove or grooves in the neck part, and air supply means for inflating or expanding the inflatable hose in this position.
Again, if the motion means first moves the inflatable hose and the cover into contact along the edge of the opening and then along the neck part to the position adjacent to the groove or grooves, a very straight and tight lid or membrane is obtained. During the movement along the neck part the inflatable hose is at least partly inflated in order to press the cover towards the container.
Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of the method for covering containers as those mentioned above. Especially advantageous is the use of the method for closing of an opening in a substantially cylindrical container comprising a substantially circular base and a substantially cylindrical side wall extending substantially vertically from the base, wherein the neck part constitutes the cylindrical wall; and an opening in a container comprising a substantially rectangular shaped base and substantially straight side walls extending substantially vertically from said base, wherein the neck part constitutes the side walls of the container.
In a further aspect, the invention relates to a container with an opening closed in accordance with the method of the invention by means of a cover either of a sheet, foil, or film or in the shape of a cover pre-formed thereof.
The method, apparatus, use and container according to the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of an example in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematical cross sectional side view of an apparatus according to the invention in a start position wherein the container is positioned in the apparatus and provided with a pre-formed cover,
Fig. 2 shows the apparatus in Fig. 1 closing a container with a lid over the container opening, and
Fig. 3 shows the apparatus in Fig. 1 reversing after an end closing operation.

Fig. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of an apparatus 10 according to the invention. The apparatus comprises a frame 11 wherein a container guide 17 and motion means 19 are mounted. The motion means 19 is a pneumatic cylinder with a piston rod 20 onto which a hose support 21 is attached. The hose support 21 supports a flexible inflatable hose 18. The inflatable hose 18 is connected to a pressurised air supply which is not shown in the drawings. The pneumatic cylinder is mounted in the frame 11 above the container guide support 17 and provides a substantially vertical movement towards and away from the container guide 17. The container guide 17 provides a substantially horizontal support for a container 12 onto which a pre-formed cover 16 is positioned. Said container 12 comprises a neck part 13 extending along an opening 14 in the container 12. On the outer surface of the container 12 along opening 14 the container 12 has an annular groove 15 encircling the opening 14. Thus, the groove 15 is extending on at least two opposite sides of the opening 14 such as is required in order to have a sufficiently tight engagement between the container 12 and the cover 16. The container 12 is a simple upwardly open cylindrical container. It will, however, be understood that the container 12 may have any shape as long as it is provided with a neck part 13 as discussed above. The neck part 13 should, except for the annular groove, preferably have substantially vertical walls if positioned under a cylinder which gives a substantially vertical movement.
The container guide 17 shown in Fig. 1 comprises a substantially horizontal support surface 25 and roller guides 26 biasing the container 12 towards a desired position. The container guide 17 is connected to sensor means ensuring the presence and the correct position of the container 12 before and under the movement of the piston rod 20.
Furthermore, an appropriate position of the hose 18 and hose support 21 is ensured by a sensor 24. In this preferred embodiment this sensor 24 blocks the inflation of the hose 18 until the hose is contacting the cover along the opening in the container. In this way, burst of the hose is avoided. The apparatus 10 is further provided with activating means 23 for starting and stopping the operation of the apparatus. For an embodiment of the apparatus not having a protective screens, these activating means are for safety reasons bi-manual e.g. two hands are required for activating the apparatus.
Fig. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate the operation of the apparatus and the method according to the invention. Closing the opening 14 in the container 12 is done in the following way: The container 12 is positioned on the support surface 25 with the opening 14 facing upwards. The roller guide 26 and sensor means ensure a correct positioning of the container. The cover 16, which in this illustration is pre-formed, is positioned over the opening 14 and the neck part 13 of the container 12. The motion means 19 moves the hose support 21 and the flexible inflatable hose 18 downwards from the position shown in Fig. 1. The hose 18 inflates at least partly and reaches contact with the cover 16 along the edge of the opening 14, and not before. This is ensured by sensor 24 position detection. The hose 18 is then moved along the neck part 13 in abutting connection with the cover 16 pressing the cover towards the neck part, such as shown in Fig. 2, and to the position adjacent to the annular groove 15. In this position the inflatable hose 18 is further inflated or expanded which presses and compresses the cover 16 into the annular groove 15. This provides a tight engagement between the cover 16 and the container 12.
The air is now let out of the inflatable hose and the pneumatic cylinder 19 moves the piston rod with the hose and hose support back to the start position, see fig. 3, and the closed container can now be released from the container guide 17.

Claims

Method for closing an opening in a container comprising a neck part surrounding the opening and an outer groove or grooves in said neck part extending along the opening on at least two opposite sides thereof, by forming a lid over the opening in the container, said method comprises
covering the opening with a cover extending beyond the opening, forming the cover over the neck part and pressing the cover into the groove or grooves of the neck part and thereby creating a plastic deformation of the cover by means of at least partly inflating at least one flexible inflatable hose so as to form a lid over the opening engaging with said groove or grooves.
A method according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable hose is expanded due to the inflation.
A method according to any of claims 1 and 2, wherein at least one of the at least partly inflated inflatable hose first is contacted with the cover along the edge of the opening of the container, then is moved along the neck part in order to stretch the cover there about and finally is expanded or expanded further into the groove or grooves to engage the lid with the container.
A method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein one inflatable hose encircles the neck part of the container.
A method according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the neck part constitutes side walls in the container.
A method according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the container comprises a cylindrical wall defining the opening in the container and an annular groove or grooves along the periphery.
A method according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the groove encircles the opening.
A method according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the cover is a sheet, film or foil or a combination thereof.
A method according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cover is pre-formed substantially corresponding the neck part of the container.
Apparatus for closing an opening in a container comprising a neck part surrounding the opening and an outer groove or grooves in said neck part extending along the opening on at least two opposite sides thereof, by forming a lid from a cover positioned over and extending beyond the opening and creating a plastic deformation of said cover, said apparatus comprises,
a container guide ensuring the correct position of the container, at least one flexible inflatable hose positioned in a hose support, motion means for moving the inflatable hose with its support and/or the container relative to one another to a position wherein the inflatable hose contacts the cover along the opening of the container, further to a position wherein the inflatable hose is adjacent to the groove or grooves in the neck part, and back to the start position, and air supply means for inflating or expanding the inflatable hose at least when the inflatable hose is adjacent to the groove or grooves.
Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein air supply means at least partly inflates or expands the inflatable hose when it contacts the cover along the opening in the container, and not before this contact is created.
Apparatus according to any of claims 10 and 11, wherein the air supply keeps the inflatable hose inflated or expanded while the inflatable hose with its hose support and the container are moved relative to one another along the neck part, and wherein the inflatable hose is expanded or expanded further when adjacent of the groove or grooves.
Apparatus according to any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the motion means moves the inflatable hose with the hose support and the container is positioned substantially stationary in the container guide.
Apparatus according to any of claims 10 to 13, wherein the apparatus further comprises cover supply means supplying and positioning the cover covering and extending beyond the opening.
Apparatus according to any of claims 10 to 14, wherein the apparatus is further provided with sensor means to ensure the correct position of the container and the container guide relative to the hose support.
Apparatus according to any of the claims 10 to 15, wherein the container guide ensures the container in a position with the opening facing upwards, and the container guide is stationary while the inflatable hose with the hose support is moved substantially vertical relative thereto.
Apparatus according to any of claims 10 to 16, further comprising heating means positioned along the opening.
Apparatus for closing an opening in a container comprising a neck part surrounding the opening and an outer groove or grooves in said neck part extending along the opening on at least two opposite sides thereof, by forming a lid from a pre-formed cover positioned over the opening and the neck part of the container and creating a plastic deformation of said pre-formed cover, said apparatus comprises,
a container guide ensuring the correct position of the container, at least one flexible inflatable hose positioned in a hose support, motion means for moving the inflatable hose with its support and/or the container relative to one another to and from a position wherein the inflatable hose is adjacent to the groove or grooves in the neck part, and air supply means for inflating or expanding the inflatable hose in this position.
Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the motion means first moves the inflatable hose and the cover into contact along the edge of the opening and then along the neck part to the position adjacent to the groove or grooves.
Use of an apparatus according to any of claims 10 to 19 for closing an opening in a container comprising a neck part surrounding the opening and an outer groove or grooves in said neck part extending along the opening on at least two opposite sides thereof.
Use of an apparatus according to any of claims 10 to 19 for closing of an opening in a substantially cylindrical container comprising a substantially circular base and a substantially cylindrical side wall extending substantially vertically from the base, wherein the neck part constitutes the cylindrical wall.
Use of an apparatus according to any of claims 10 to 19 for closing of an opening of a container comprising a substantially rectangular shaped base and substantially straight side walls extending substantially vertically from said base, wherein the neck part constitutes the side walls of the container.
Container with an opening closed in accordance with the method of claims 1 to 8 by means of a cover.
Container with an opening closed in accordance with the method of claim 9 by means of a pre-formed cover.