Patent EP0299124A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
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EP0299124A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Package, packing machine and method

Assignee: Amcor Packaging Canada Inc
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Filing: 1987-09-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-09-18
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Abstract

Abstract A disposable container suitable for retaining liquids comprises two opposed container sections (50), each having a peripheral ring-like flange (52) about a recess (54) with the flanges (52) being sealed therebetween. The recesses (54) of the opposed container sections (50) define a common central cavity and the flanges (52) include a throat opening (56) into said cavity (54) through which product within the cavity (54) can be dispensed. The throat (56) is at least partially defined by the opposed container flanges (52) and each container section (50) is of a thermoformable plastic material. These container sections (50) are originally formed from flat strip packaging material having diecut side edges with the strip defining individual container body sections. A tapered neck portion (48) of each body section (50) accommodates dispensing of the contents and preferably a hot melt adhesive (42) secures the opposed container sections (50).

Inventors

  • 👤 Derek Vincent Mancini

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-10 01:05
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C66/00; B29C66/80; B29C66/81; B29C66/816; B29C66/8161; B29C51/00; B29C51/26; B29C51/42; B29C51/421; B29C51/422; B29C57/00; B29C57/10; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C65/18; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/13; B29C66/131; B29C66/1312; B29C66/50; B29C66/51; B29C66/54; B29C66/818; B29C66/8181; B29C66/82; B29C66/824; B29C66/8242; B29C66/83; B29C66/832; B29C66/8322; B65; B65B; B65B3/00; B65B3/02; B65D; B65D75/00; B65D75/28; B65D75/30; B65D75/32; B65D75/321; B65D75/322; B29C66/70; B29C66/72; B29C66/723; B29C66/7232; B29C66/72327; B29C66/72328

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim 76 words
A disposable container of predetermined shape suitable for retaining liquids comprising two opposed container sections, each having a peripheral flange about a recess with said flanges being secured and sealed therebetween, said recesses collectively defining a common central cavity of said container and said flanges including a throat opening into said cavity, said throat being at least partially defined by said opposed flanges and passing therebetween, each container section being of a similar thermoformable plastic material
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 76 words
A disposable container of predetermined shape suitable for retaining liquids comprising two opposed container sections, each having a peripheral flange about a recess with said flanges being secured and sealed therebetween, said recesses collectively defining a common central cavity of said container and said flanges including a throat opening into said cavity, said throat being at least partially defined by said opposed flanges and passing therebetween, each container section being of a similar thermoformable plastic material
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 28 words
A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said throat is sealed at an end thereof remote from said cavity and said container retains a liquid product therewithin.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 63 words
A container as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said container sections are at least essentially identical and each includes a pair of flat generally circular label areas, in opposed spaced apart relationship defining opposite sides of said central cavity and being generally parallel with said opposed flanges, said label areas additionally defining support surfaces for free-­standing disposition of said container.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 48 words
A strip of packaging material having diecut side edges and including individual container body sections joined by neck portions, said strip comprising a plastic thermoformable sheet which on one side thereof includes a thermally activated suitable adhesive at least essentially about the perimeter of each container body section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 48 words
A strip of packaging material having diecut side edges and including individual container body sections joined by neck portions, said strip comprising a plastic thermoformable sheet which on one side thereof includes a thermally activated suitable adhesive at least essentially about the perimeter of each container body section.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 64 words
A strip of thermoformed plastic container sections joined in series, each container section having a flat generally planar peripheral flange area surrounding an outer edge of a wide generally central recess opening, said flange being interrupted by a sunken neck portion which connects with a neck portion of an adjacent container section; each flange including hot melt adhesive on an outwardly facing flange area.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 64 words
A strip of thermoformed plastic container sections joined in series, each container section having a flat generally planar peripheral flange area surrounding an outer edge of a wide generally central recess opening, said flange being interrupted by a sunken neck portion which connects with a neck portion of an adjacent container section; each flange including hot melt adhesive on an outwardly facing flange area.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 262 words
A method of forming a plastic container of fixed shape comprising: intermittently advancing two flat strips of plastic thermoformable material through separate thermoforming operations; shaping each strip in a thermoforming operation to form a series of connected half containers in a strip, with each half container having a recess therein generally surrounded by a flange and a necked area across said flange accessing the recess, said flange including a thermally activated adhesive thereon; cooling said flange about each half container during the thermoforming operation to an extent sufficient to essentially maintain said hot melt adhesive on said flanges unactivated during the thermoforming operation; aligning said strips of half containers in an opposed manner to create a series of container portions, each container portion being defined by a pair of aligned half containers in which the respective recesses collectively define a common central cavity with the respective aligned neck areas defining a narrow throat for filling of the cavity; sealing said aligned strips of half containers by applying sufficient heat to activate the adhesive on said flanges while maintaining the narrow throat open and maintaining said flanges below their thermal activation temperature during a dwell time between advances of said strips to thereby form a strip of said container portions; retaining each container portion within a conveyor for separating and filling; separating individual containers from the strip of container portions and filling the individual containers with a fluid-like product during the dwell time; sealing the throat of each filled container; releasing the retained sealed containers; and removing the sealed containers from the conveyor.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 262 words
A method of forming a plastic container of fixed shape comprising: intermittently advancing two flat strips of plastic thermoformable material through separate thermoforming operations; shaping each strip in a thermoforming operation to form a series of connected half containers in a strip, with each half container having a recess therein generally surrounded by a flange and a necked area across said flange accessing the recess, said flange including a thermally activated adhesive thereon; cooling said flange about each half container during the thermoforming operation to an extent sufficient to essentially maintain said hot melt adhesive on said flanges unactivated during the thermoforming operation; aligning said strips of half containers in an opposed manner to create a series of container portions, each container portion being defined by a pair of aligned half containers in which the respective recesses collectively define a common central cavity with the respective aligned neck areas defining a narrow throat for filling of the cavity; sealing said aligned strips of half containers by applying sufficient heat to activate the adhesive on said flanges while maintaining the narrow throat open and maintaining said flanges below their thermal activation temperature during a dwell time between advances of said strips to thereby form a strip of said container portions; retaining each container portion within a conveyor for separating and filling; separating individual containers from the strip of container portions and filling the individual containers with a fluid-like product during the dwell time; sealing the throat of each filled container; releasing the retained sealed containers; and removing the sealed containers from the conveyor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 39 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the individual containers are separated by cutting and are rotated in preparation for said filling to orientate each container so that the throat is in a position above the central cavity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 174 words
A packaging machine for the forming, filling and sealing of a container comprising: two separate forming conveyors each advancing thermoformable plastic strip material through separate forming operations; means for bringing the output of one of said forming conveyors into appropriate registration at a registration point and in timed sequence with the output of the other of said forming conveyors, such that the outputs define opposed container sections produced during the thermoforming operations; container sealing means for sealing the strips of container sections to provide a strip of container portions, each container portion having a throat portion; a further conveyor for receiving the sealed strip of container portions, said further conveyor having means to engage each container portion and retain the same in a conveyor plate; separating, filling and sealing stations associated with said further conveyor for first separating said container portions from said strips as discrete containers open at said throat portion, filling said discrete containers and sealing said filled containers; and means associated with said further conveyor for discharging the sealed filled containers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 174 words
A packaging machine for the forming, filling and sealing of a container comprising: two separate forming conveyors each advancing thermoformable plastic strip material through separate forming operations; means for bringing the output of one of said forming conveyors into appropriate registration at a registration point and in timed sequence with the output of the other of said forming conveyors, such that the outputs define opposed container sections produced during the thermoforming operations; container sealing means for sealing the strips of container sections to provide a strip of container portions, each container portion having a throat portion; a further conveyor for receiving the sealed strip of container portions, said further conveyor having means to engage each container portion and retain the same in a conveyor plate; separating, filling and sealing stations associated with said further conveyor for first separating said container portions from said strips as discrete containers open at said throat portion, filling said discrete containers and sealing said filled containers; and means associated with said further conveyor for discharging the sealed filled containers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 238 words
Apparatus for the forming, filling and sealing of containers such as individual serving creamers and the like comprising first and second forming and shaping stations, a sealing station, a first conveyor means for advancing a first series of interconnected partially diecut container forming material through said first forming and shaping station to shape the material to form half containers; a second conveyor means for advancing a second series of interconnected partially cut container forming material through said second forming and shaping station to shape the material to form half containers; means for bringing the second series into opposed aligned relation with the first series and, in said first conveyor means to be advanced with said shaped first series, advancing the first conveyor means to pass the aligned opposed series through said sealing station to secure and form a liquid tight seal between the opposed half containers while leaving a filling inlet; means for cutting the series of forming material to free the partially sealed containers therefrom, means for orientating the partially sealed containers to position the filling inlets for top filling of the containers; a filling station for filling an orientated container with product through the filling inlet as the orientated container is advanced by said first conveyor means; a sealing station for collapsing the filling inlet and completing the seal of the filled container, and means for discharging the filled sealed container from said first conveyor means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 238 words
Apparatus for the forming, filling and sealing of containers such as individual serving creamers and the like comprising first and second forming and shaping stations, a sealing station, a first conveyor means for advancing a first series of interconnected partially diecut container forming material through said first forming and shaping station to shape the material to form half containers; a second conveyor means for advancing a second series of interconnected partially cut container forming material through said second forming and shaping station to shape the material to form half containers; means for bringing the second series into opposed aligned relation with the first series and, in said first conveyor means to be advanced with said shaped first series, advancing the first conveyor means to pass the aligned opposed series through said sealing station to secure and form a liquid tight seal between the opposed half containers while leaving a filling inlet; means for cutting the series of forming material to free the partially sealed containers therefrom, means for orientating the partially sealed containers to position the filling inlets for top filling of the containers; a filling station for filling an orientated container with product through the filling inlet as the orientated container is advanced by said first conveyor means; a sealing station for collapsing the filling inlet and completing the seal of the filled container, and means for discharging the filled sealed container from said first conveyor means.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 177 words
A method of forming a container, filling the formed container and sealing the container comprising: advancing two strips of formable material through separate forming operations and shaping each strip to form a series of half containers each having a recess therein generally surrounded by a similarly sized flange; aligning the two strips in opposed relation abutting the flanges of opposed half containers in a manner to form a central cavity for receiving product by having the half containers of each of said strips received in a recessed plate of a horizontal conveyor; securing the opposed flanges substantially about the periphery thereof to form a container having a liquid tight seal between opposed flanges while leaving an unsealed area between opposed flanges for filling of the container; cutting each of the formed containers from the strip material and rotating said plates to appropriately orientate the containers with the unsealed area at a raised position; filling each formed container through the unsealed area; and subsequently sealing the remaining portion of the opposed flanges providing a liquid tight seal thereabout.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 177 words
A method of forming a container, filling the formed container and sealing the container comprising: advancing two strips of formable material through separate forming operations and shaping each strip to form a series of half containers each having a recess therein generally surrounded by a similarly sized flange; aligning the two strips in opposed relation abutting the flanges of opposed half containers in a manner to form a central cavity for receiving product by having the half containers of each of said strips received in a recessed plate of a horizontal conveyor; securing the opposed flanges substantially about the periphery thereof to form a container having a liquid tight seal between opposed flanges while leaving an unsealed area between opposed flanges for filling of the container; cutting each of the formed containers from the strip material and rotating said plates to appropriately orientate the containers with the unsealed area at a raised position; filling each formed container through the unsealed area; and subsequently sealing the remaining portion of the opposed flanges providing a liquid tight seal thereabout.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 152 words
A method of forming, filling and sealing a container made from opposed formable strip material, comprising advancing each strip material through a forming and shaping operation to form a portion of the container and provide a sealing area thereabout for abutment with a like sealing area of the other strip material; aligning each formed strip material in opposed relation to define the container with the sealing areas in abutment; advancing the aligned strip material through a sealing operation to effect a seal between said sealing areas and define a filling inlet through which product is introduced to the container; cutting the containers from the strip material; changing the orientation of the containers to position the filling outlet at an upper position in preparation for filling; advancing the container through a filling station and filling the container through the filling inlet with product and subsequently sealing the filling inlet to close the container.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 152 words
A method of forming, filling and sealing a container made from opposed formable strip material, comprising advancing each strip material through a forming and shaping operation to form a portion of the container and provide a sealing area thereabout for abutment with a like sealing area of the other strip material; aligning each formed strip material in opposed relation to define the container with the sealing areas in abutment; advancing the aligned strip material through a sealing operation to effect a seal between said sealing areas and define a filling inlet through which product is introduced to the container; cutting the containers from the strip material; changing the orientation of the containers to position the filling outlet at an upper position in preparation for filling; advancing the container through a filling station and filling the container through the filling inlet with product and subsequently sealing the filling inlet to close the container.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 96 words
A disposable free-standing container for a small portion of a liquid comprising: first and second panel members in opposed, spaced apart facing relationship and a side wall means extending between said panel members; a cavity for storing liquid defined between said first and second panel members and said side wall means; at least one of said first and second panel members defining a support surface for free-standing disposition of said container; and a throat passage communicating with said cavity and positioned to be at a raised point when said container is disposed in such free-standing disposition.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 96 words
A disposable free-standing container for a small portion of a liquid comprising: first and second panel members in opposed, spaced apart facing relationship and a side wall means extending between said panel members; a cavity for storing liquid defined between said first and second panel members and said side wall means; at least one of said first and second panel members defining a support surface for free-standing disposition of said container; and a throat passage communicating with said cavity and positioned to be at a raised point when said container is disposed in such free-standing disposition.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 39 words
A container according to claim 12, where said first and second panel members both define support surfaces capable of standing said container in free-standing disposition, said throat passage extending laterally of said side wall means in said free-standing disposition.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 68 words
A disposable container of fixed shape comprising: first and second container sections in opposed facing relationship defining a cavity for retaining a small portion of a liquid and a throat communicating with said cavity; said container sections defining at least one support surface for free-standing disposition of said container with said throat at a raised position relative to the at least one support surface in a free-standing disposition.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 68 words
A disposable container of fixed shape comprising: first and second container sections in opposed facing relationship defining a cavity for retaining a small portion of a liquid and a throat communicating with said cavity; said container sections defining at least one support surface for free-standing disposition of said container with said throat at a raised position relative to the at least one support surface in a free-standing disposition.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 79 words
A disposable container defining a generally closed cavity for retaining a small liquid portion and a throat communication with said cavity, said container having a planar support area spaced relative to said container with a portion of said throat remote from said cavity at a raised spaced position relative to said support area in said free-standing disposition, said container being shaped to provide an inherent bias urging said container to return to said free-standing disposition if inadvertently tipped therefrom.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 79 words
A disposable container defining a generally closed cavity for retaining a small liquid portion and a throat communication with said cavity, said container having a planar support area spaced relative to said container with a portion of said throat remote from said cavity at a raised spaced position relative to said support area in said free-standing disposition, said container being shaped to provide an inherent bias urging said container to return to said free-standing disposition if inadvertently tipped therefrom.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 109 words
A disposable free-standing container suitable for retaining liquids comprising: an upper portion of a first configuration and a lower portion of a second configuration, said second configuration being essentially a mirror image of said first configuration; said lower portion having a base panel defining a support surface for free-standing disposition of said container; a liquid retaining cavity defined between said upper and lower portions; and a filling and pouring throat portion communicating with said cavity and extending laterally of said container in said free-standing disposition at a position above said support surface; said portions co­operating to urge said container to said free-standing disposition when supported by a flat surface.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 109 words
A disposable free-standing container suitable for retaining liquids comprising: an upper portion of a first configuration and a lower portion of a second configuration, said second configuration being essentially a mirror image of said first configuration; said lower portion having a base panel defining a support surface for free-standing disposition of said container; a liquid retaining cavity defined between said upper and lower portions; and a filling and pouring throat portion communicating with said cavity and extending laterally of said container in said free-standing disposition at a position above said support surface; said portions co­operating to urge said container to said free-standing disposition when supported by a flat surface.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 126 words
A disposable free-standing container comprising first and second container sections in opposed facing relationship which collectively define a cavity for retaining a small portion of a liquid, and a throat intermediate said container sections communicating with said cavity; said container sections each including a peripheral flange extending beyond said cavity with said flanges secured to at least substantially close said cavity; at least one of said container sections defining a support area for free-standing disposition of said container with said throat at a raised spaced position relative to said support area in such free-standing disposition; at least one of said flanges co-operating with said support area to act as a stop surface which limits the extent of inadvertent tipping of said container from said free-standing position.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 126 words
A disposable free-standing container comprising first and second container sections in opposed facing relationship which collectively define a cavity for retaining a small portion of a liquid, and a throat intermediate said container sections communicating with said cavity; said container sections each including a peripheral flange extending beyond said cavity with said flanges secured to at least substantially close said cavity; at least one of said container sections defining a support area for free-standing disposition of said container with said throat at a raised spaced position relative to said support area in such free-standing disposition; at least one of said flanges co-operating with said support area to act as a stop surface which limits the extent of inadvertent tipping of said container from said free-standing position.

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