GB2041318A

GB2041318A - A Double-walled, Air-tight Package and a Method of Manufacturing Such a Package

Info

Publication number: GB2041318A
Application number: GB7905163A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Oordt & Co Holding Bv
Current assignee: Oordt & Co Holding Bv
Priority date: 1979-02-14
Filing date: 1979-02-14
Publication date: 1980-09-10
Also published as: GB2041318B

Abstract

A double-walled, air-tight package comprises a container (2) which is sufficiently rigid for stacking, a relatively flaccid liner (4) which receives the package content (9) in a gassed and/or vacuumized space, is vacuum deep drawn to the interior contour of the container (2), and is sealed to a peripheral flange (3) of the container (2), an air connection(s) (7, 8) being provided from the exterior of the container (2) to between the container (2) and liner (4), and a sealing sheet (6) sealed air-tightly to the container and liner. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A Substantially Double-walled, Air-tight Package and a Method of Manufacturing Such a Package The invention relates in the first place to a substantially double-walled, air-tight package, provided with a wrapping sufficiently rigid for allowing stacking, and with a relatively flaccid liner receiving the package content in a gassed and/or vacuumized space.

Prior art double-walled packages of this type may for instance comprise a cardboard wrapping, for accommodating for instance a liner consisting of foil material with package content while the interior space of said liner has been gassed with a gas suitable for the purpose and/or has been vacuumized.

It has been found that many products in practice receive a longer preservability when packaged in vucuumized or gassed condition. A drawback of the conventional packages of this type is the relatively elaborate, expensive method of packaging. The wrapping that is required for a proper product indication and for the stackability, and likewise for preventing the liner from being damaged, and the liner have to be made separately and subsequently brought together.

The separate operations for the two different types of packages, viz. wrapping and liner lead to comparatively high production cost and elaborate manufacture.

It is the object of the invention to provide an improvement in the above respect, enabling a rational and comparatively inexpensive manufacture, and affording a substantial degree of freedom in the choice of the shape of the wrapping.

In order to achieve these objects, a substantially double-walled, air-tight package of the above described type according to the invention is characterized in that the liner comprises material to be adapted by means of vacuum deep drawing, to the interior contour of the substantially container-shaped wrapping or cover, and which liner is adhered to the wrapping with a circulating peripheral edge, in particular sealed, there being an air connection to beyond the adhering, respectively sealing seam, while on the assembly of wrapping and liner there is adhered, in particular sealed-tight a solid sealing sheet for the air-tight enclosure of the package content.

The wrapping, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, may also comprise a material to be brought in a substantially container-shape by means of vacuum deep drawing. In such case the wrapping and the liner may together be brought in one deep drawing operation in the required container-shape for the wrapping or cover.

According to the invention furthermore the air connection to beyond the sealing seam between wrapping and liner can be formed by holes in the wrapper in the region inwardly of said seam, in particular at the periphery of the container bottom.

The said air connection, however, may also be formed by local interruptions in the said sealing seam.

The method of manufacturing the package according to the above description for the substantially double-walled, air-tight packaging, in particular of foodstuffs and luxuries and the like, with a wrapping or cover sufficiently rigid for the purpose of stacking and a relatively flaccid liner receiving the package content brought in a gassed and/or vacuumized space, takes place according to the invention in such a way that.~ in a first phase, by vacuum deep drawing, the liner, in conformity with the inner contour of the wrapping or cover, is deformed inside there against to a container-shape and along a circulating peripheral edge destined for supporting a solid sealing sheet which is adhered to said wrapping or cover, in particular sealed thereto, while maintaining an air connection to beyond said sealing seam, in a second phase, after filling the content of the resulting assembly, the sealing sheet is adhered, in particular sealed, along the said peripheral edge, thereby releasing air passages between assembly and sealing sheet, and finally in the third phase via the latter passages, takes place the gassing and/or the vacuumizing of the interior package space and the sealing of said passages.

According to the invention, in the first phase, the wrapping and the liner together may be brought in the container-shape from a double material sheet or a double material web in one vacuum deep drawing operation. The said air connection is then preferably formed by air passage gaps remaining open between the wrapping and liner in situ of the said peripheral edge.

However, according to the invention it is also possible, in the first phase, to use a previously container-shaped wrapping or cover suitable for the purpose in question, as vacuum deep drawing mould for the liner. In such case the air passage is preferably formed by holes disposed along the edge of the bottom of the container mould in the wrapping.

One embodiment of a package with content according to the invention will now be explained, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, wherein:~ Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the package with exploded parts; Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line Il-Il in Fig.

1.

In accordance with the drawing, a package according to the invention is generally indicated by numeral 1.

The package 1 comprises a container-shaped wrapping or cover 2 suitable for stacking, having at the top of the container a horizontal, circulating, flanged circumferential edge 3, a liner 4, of flexible. in particular foil material, and a solid sealing sheet 6.

The liner 4 extends at its upper edge onto the flanged circumferential edge 3 and is adhered thereon, sealed thereon in the present case. The wrapping 2 and the liner 4 are made of material suitable for sealing.

In the depicted embodiment the wrapper 2 and the liner 4, for bringing same in the shape, shown in the drawing, of a container-cumcircumferential flange, have been deep drawn together from a double sheet or web portion of suitable materials.

The sealing sheet 6 is adhered with its circumferential edge in a manner as shown in the drawing, in the present case again sealed, onto the top of the circumferential edge 5 of the liner 4, which is sealed on the circulating circumferential edge 3 of the wrapper.

During the sealing of the circumferential edge 5 of the liner 4 onto the circumferential edge 3 of the wrapper 2, a plurality of passages have been left open, which passages may be slightly troughshaped, as shown in Fig. 1 by reference numeral 7, and constituting an air connection from outside to behind the sealing seam between the edges 5 and 3.

Air moreover has access from the outside relative to the wrapper 2 to the exterior of the liner 4 via holes 8 adjacent the transition between the bottom and the rising wall of the wrapper 2.

By reference numeral 9 is indicated the content of the package which in the present case may consist for instance of foodstuffs.

By reference numerals 10 are indicated in the left-hand part of Fig. 1 passages that during the sealing of the sealing sheet 6 onto the circumferential edge 5 of the liner have remained open in the first instance and via which the interior space within the liner 4 has been vacuumized with the package content 9. In the final position of the package shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the said passages 10 are also sealed tight yet, so that the content 9 is packaged air-tight in the interior space within the liner 4. The liner 4 is thereby protected at the exterior and is supported and carried by the wrapper 2, which has the appropriate rigidity, in particular being sufficiently rigid for stacking a plurality of such packages 1 for storage and transport.

In addition to being stackable, the wrapper is likewise an effective protection against mechanical damage of the liner.

Naturally there is disposed on the wrapper, respectively on the sealing sheet, as far as necessary, likewise a description of the goods, which remains always properly readable as a result of the shape-holding property of said wrapper, respectively of the sealing sheet, which enhances the visual selling capacity of the packaged product.

While in the depicted embodiment of the wrapper, a simple container mould-cumcircumferential flange is shown along the container upper edge, the wrapper may be manufactured in any imaginable shape to be created by thermal or other deformation techniques by means of conventional apparatus and conventional production speeds.

While in the depicted embodiment there is question of vacuumizing the interior space of the liner-covered by the sealing sheet-with package content, said interior space may naturally also be gassed with an appropriate gas. It is also possible, if required, to partly vacuumize and gas the interior space jointly, i.e. in such case the package content is present in a gassed, interior package space at a pressure that is reduced relative to the surrounding atmosphere.

The invented package may be utilized for a wide range of purposes and package contents and offers a very favourable solution for those cases in which the package content is to be packaged in a visually non-acceptable film and yet providing possibilities for printing texts and the like on the outer wall. The invented package forms a substantial saving relative to the prior art double packages with e.g. a cardboard wrapper, containing a vacuumized or gassed, flexible liner.

Claims

1. A substantially double-walled, air-tight package provided with a rigid wrapper or cover sufficient for stacking purposes, and with a relatively flaccid liner receiving the package content in a gassed and/or vacuumized space, characterized in that the liner comprises material to be adapted by means of vacuum deep drawing, to the interior contour of the substantially container-shaped wrapping, and said liner is adhered, in particular sealed to the wrapper with a circulating circumferential edge, there being an air connection to beyond the adhering or sealing seam, while on the assembly of wrapper and liner there is adhered, in particular sealed a solid sealing sheet for the air-tight sealing of the package content.

2. A package according to claim 1, characterized in that the wrapper comprises material to be brought by means of vacuum deep drawing in a substantially container-shape.

3. A package according to claim 1 and/or 2, characterized in that the air connection to beyond the adhering or sealing seam between wrapper and liner is formed by small holes in the wrapper in the region inwardly of the adhering or sealing seam, in particular at the circumference of the container bottom.

4. A package according to at least any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air connection to beyond the adhering or sealing seam is formed between wrapper and liner by local interruption of said seam.

5. A method of manufacturing a substantially double-walled, air-tight package for packing in particular foodstuffs, luxuries and the like having a wrapper that is sufficiently rigid for stacking and a relatively flaccid liner receiving the package content in a gassed and/or vacuumized space, to a package according to at least any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that::~ in a first phase the liner is deformed by vacuum deep drawing, in conformity with the inner contour of the wrapper inwardly thereagainst to a container-shape, and is adhered, in particular sealed onto said wrapper along a circulating circumferential edge destined for a solid sealing sheet, while maintaining an air connection to beyond said seam, in a second phase, after filling the resulting assembly of wrapper and liner with the content, the sealing sheet is adhered, in particular sealed along the said circumferential edge, thereby releasing air passages between assembly and sealing sheet, and in a third phase, takes place via the latter passages the gassing and/or vacuumizing of the interior packing space and the sealing of the said passages.

6. A method according to claim 5, characterized in that in the first phase the wrapper and the liner are brought together from a double material web or a double material sheet in one vacuum deep drawing operation in the container-shape and the said air connection is formed by air passage gaps remaining open between wrapper and liner adjacent the said circulating circumferential edge.

7. A method according to claim 5, characterized in that in the first phase use is made of a wrapper previously brought in containershape as vacuum deep drawing mould for the liner with, preferably adjacent the bottom edge of the container mould, holes in said wrapper functioning as the said air connection.

8. A package substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.

9. A method substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.