WO2010063971A1 - Container cover for receiving a material to be strained and which is soaked in a liquid - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cover for closing an opening of a container (C) body for receiving a material soaking in a liquid, such as foodstuffs soaked in a juice. Said cover (1) includes: (i) a ring (2) comprising an inner portion (6) to be extended to the body opening, said inner portion (6) comprising a central opening (10), and (ii) a strippable membrane (3). The inner portion (6) of the ring (2) also comprises a straining member (8) that enables, at the time of separation of the strippable membrane (3) from said ring (2) and depending on the slope applied to the contents, either the straining of a packaged material as a result of said straining member (8), or the drainage of the materials through the central opening (10).

Description

 COVER FOR CONTAINER FOR RECEIVING A PRODUCT TO BE DRAINED AND

BATHING IN A LIQUID

The present invention relates to the field of containers, in particular of the kind of cans, intended to receive products to be drained before use. Some products are packaged in waterproof containers, where they are immersed in a suitable liquid.

This is the case for foodstuffs, namely most cooked or precooked vegetables (peas, beans, carrots, etc.), which are preserved in a liquid that has been used as cooking liquid.

In some cases, the end user may or must drain the products before use (preparation, cooking, consumption, etc.). For this, the liquid can be extracted from the container, while being careful not to unintentionally evacuate the products before complete draining.

For example, EP-0 718 202 discloses a container-type container equipped with means for draining packaged products. This container comprises for this purpose two parts, namely a closure lid and a dewatering / filtering means in the form of a grid, which are attached and fixed independently of one another on the container body.

In general, the various constituent parts of the container (body, cover and grid) are manufactured independently, on a production site. These container parts are then transported to a packaging and assembly site: the manufacturer reports its product in the container body, then it closes the latter successively by means of the grid and the cover.

However, such structures require independent management of the lid and also the dewatering grid (whether for transport, storage, etc.). Mounting problems can also arise, especially with the assembly of the two independent parts

(grid and lid) on the container body.

To remedy these drawbacks, the Applicant has developed a cover structure that simultaneously integrates the shutter function and the draining function.

This cover has the advantage of being easily transported from the manufacturing site to a mounting site; it also has the advantage of greatly simplifying the inventory management and assembly operations mentioned above.

For this purpose, the lid according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises:

(i) a ring comprising - an outer part adapted to be fixed on a border of a body defining an opening, and - an inner part intended to extend at said body opening, said inner part comprising a body draining and a central opening through which the packaged products are intended to be extracted from said container, and (ii) a peelable membrane whose outer edge is hermetically fixed on said ring, which membrane is provided with at least one pull tab to allow its separation from said ring.

The inner part of the ring allows, when the peelable membrane is separated from said ring and depending on the inclination applied to the container, either the dewatering of the packaged products through said drip member, or the evacuation of products through of said central opening.

Additional features, which can be taken in combination or independently of each other, are listed below: the inner part of the ring comprises a flat annular collar, and the drip member is in the form of a planar element in which is formed a plurality of drip holes, which drip member extends in the plane of said annular flange and extends the latter; in this context, the peelable membrane is advantageously fixed on the annular flange of the inner part of the ring. the dewatering member is in the general shape of a disk segment;

- The surface of the drip member is between 5 and 50% of the surface of the inner portion, the remainder of the surface of this inner portion being mainly constituted by the central opening;

- The ring and the associated drip member form a single piece; - The peelable membrane is attached to the ring so that its tongue extends above the drip member, allowing a dewatering operation through said drip member through a partial separation of the membrane ; in this case, the longitudinal axes of symmetry of the tongue and the drip member are merged or substantially merged. The present invention also relates to a ring with drip member, as defined above; it also relates to the container equipped with at least one such cover and / or at least one such ring.

The invention is further illustrated, without being limited in any way, by the following description of a possible embodiment, given solely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a general and perspective view of a lid according to the invention, in which the peelable membrane is hermetically fixed on the underlying ring, and in which a schematic local cut is made at said peelable membrane to show part of the underlying ring; - Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lid of Figure 1, wherein its membrane is partially peeled so as to discover the dewatering member of the associated ring; FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the continuation of the peeling of the membrane on the lid of FIGS.

1 and 2, until its complete separation from the ring.

The lid 1 according to the invention, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, is suitable for the manufacture of containers equipped with at least one membrane or a peelable seal.

This type of container is typically used for food packaging, but could be used for the packaging of any other product to be subjected to a drip / drain operation before use, as developed subsequently. This cover 1 is adapted to be attached at the level of one or one of the openings of a container body C (such a container body C is shown schematically and in broken lines in FIG. 1). It is fixed by any appropriate technique on the end edge of the container body defining the opening to be closed, for example by crimping.

This container body C has a side wall which can be of various configurations, dimensions and sections. The lid 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is in particular adapted to be attached to a container body with a circular section. This cover 1 could also be adapted to be mounted on a body having another shape / section: oval, square, rectangular, oblong, etc. ; its general form would then be adapted accordingly.

The constituent material of this container body 14, and its method of manufacture, may be selected by those skilled in the art. It is for example made of metal, especially steel or aluminum, chosen depending on the product to be packaged.

As shown, the lid 1 according to the invention comprises (i) a mounting ring

2 and (ii) a peelable sealing membrane 3, hermetically fixed on said ring 2.

The mounting ring 2 advantageously consists of a metal part, for example made of steel or aluminum.

The shape and dimensions of this ring 2 are adapted according to the section of the container body Ç_ on which it will be mounted. In this case, this ring 2 has a generally annular or circular shape.

As shown in particular in FIG. 4 (the membrane 3 being entirely peeled), the ring 2 comprises:

a peripheral annular portion 5 adapted to be mechanically secured to the free edge of the container body C, and

an inner part 6 intended to extend at the level of the opening of the container body C 2.

The inner part 6 here consists of a flat annular collar 7 extended on part of its angular sector by a dewatering member 8 in the form of a grid.

This inner portion 6 is further delimited by an inner edge 9, defining a central opening 10; this internal border 9 is here, in part, of the border 9a of the drip member 8 and, for another part, of the free inner edge 9b of the annular collar 7.

The drip member 8 here consists of a planar member, in the general shape of a disk segment, made in one piece with the ring 2. It extends in the plane of the annular flange 7. The central opening 10 presents the occurrence a general form of partially truncated disc.

Alternatively, this drip member 8 can be attached to the ring 2, by the implementation of suitable removable or irremovable fastening means.

The drip member 8 is provided with a plurality of orifices 1 1, sized to allow the passage of the juice to be discharged while ensuring the maintenance of the products to be drained into the container. As an indication, the orifices 1 1 may have a diameter of between 1 and 8 mm.

The inner part 6, in general disc shape, consists mainly of the drip member 8 and the central opening 10. More specifically, the surface of the drip member 8 is advantageously between 5 and 50% of the surface of the inner part 6. The central opening 10 forms the remainder of this inner part 6, that is to say respectively between 95 and 50% of this inner part 6 (the surface of the flange 7 being here negligible).

In this case, the surfaces of the drip member 8 and the central opening 10 are of the order of 25% and 75%, respectively, with respect to the total surface of the inner portion 6.

The peelable membrane 3, shown in Figures 1 to 3, is for example of the type described in EP-1 878 666.

This peelable membrane 3, also called "operculum", is hermetically fixed on the ring 2, advantageously by a bonding bonding / welding (for example a thermo-welding technique). It here covers the drip member 8 and the central opening 10.

This membrane 3 is here secured, at its outer edge, on the upper face of the annular flange 7 of the ring 2. Alternatively, it can be secured hermetically to any other part of the ring 2, for example on its outer crimping part 5.

At its peripheral edge, the peelable membrane 3 further comprises a tongue 15 constituting a gripping member to facilitate its peeling by the user. This tongue 15 is here folded facing and against the upper face of the membrane 3. According to other embodiments, the membrane 3 may be provided with several tongues 15.

This tongue 15 is advantageously made in one piece with the membrane 3, and consists of an extension of material. Alternatively, the tongue 15 is attached to the membrane 3, directly or indirectly (the membrane 3 is thus obtained by assembling at least two parts).

The tongue 15 has a longitudinal axis of symmetry 15 '(passing between its inner and outer ends), which here extends radially or at least approximately radially.

In addition, the membrane 3 is here attached to the ring 2, so that its tongue 15 extends above the drip member 8. More precisely, the longitudinal axis 15 'of the tongue 15 and the axis of symmetry 8 'of the drip member 8 (radially oriented, as shown in Figure 4) extend here parallel to one another and are merged or substantially merged.

These structural features allow an optimal partial separation of the membrane 3 (as described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 2), allowing a dewatering operation through the dewatering element 8 without releasing the internal opening 10.

In practice, the cover 1 according to the invention is produced on a first manufacturing site.

For this, the ring 2 and the peelable membrane 3 are manufactured independently of one another by techniques known to those skilled in the art, before being assembled for example by a thermo-welding technique.

The lid 1 obtained can easily be stored and transported to a packaging site where it is mounted on the body of a container, after its filling product.

Alternatively, the lid 1 can be mounted immediately on the container body, before transporting the assembly to the product packaging site (in the filler).

In possession of a container equipped with a lid 1 according to the invention, the end user can implement the operations described below in connection with Figures 2 to 4, to drain the product.

Firstly, the user partially opens the lid 1, partially peeling the membrane 3 by appropriate traction on the tongue 15.

As shown in FIG. 2, the partial peeling of the membrane 3 makes it possible to free all or part of the drip member 8, while keeping the internal opening 10 closed.

The operator can properly incline the container so as to orient the drip member 8 downwards, which allows the evacuation of the liquid while avoiding the risk of dispersion of the packaged products.

Once the products have been properly drained, the user ends the peeling of the membrane 3 until it completely separates from the ring 2 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The central opening 10 is then released, the operator can properly tilt the packaging so as to orient this central opening 10 down and evacuate the packaged products through the opening 10 by simple gravity.

Alternatively, starting from a filled container, the user can completely remove the peelable membrane 3.

In this case, it will be sufficient to slightly incline the container so as to orient the drip member 8 down to evacuate the liquid, then to rotate on the other side so as to allow the evacuation of produced through the central opening 10.

The lid according to the invention thus simultaneously integrates a shutter function and a draining function. It has the advantage of being easily transported from the manufacturing site to the assembly site; it also has the advantage of facilitating the management of stocks (one piece

"Unique" to manage) and mounting operations (attachment to the container body in a single operation).

Claims

- CLAIMS - 1.- Lid for closing an opening of a container body (Ç_) intended to receive a product immersed in a liquid and to be drained before use, such as food stuffed in a juice, which lid (1) is characterized in that it comprises: (i) a ring (2) having - an outer part (5) adapted to be fixed on an edge of said body (Ç_) delimiting said body opening, and - an inner part (6) intended to extending at said body opening, said inner portion (6) having a drip member (8) and a central opening (10), and (ii) a peelable sealing membrane (3), an outer edge of which is hermetically sealed to said ring (2), which membrane (3) is provided with at least one pull tab (15) to allow separation of said membrane (3) with respect to said ring (2), and in that said inner part (6) of the ring (2) allows, when the peelable membrane (3) is separated from said ring (2) and according to the inclination applied to the container, the draining of the packaged products through said drip member (8), or the evacuation of products through said central opening (10). 2. Lid according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner portion (6) of the ring (2) comprises a flat annular flange (7), and in that the drip member (8) is present in the form of a plane element in which is formed a plurality of drip holes (1 1), which drip member (8) extends said annular flange (7) and extends in the plane of the latter . 3. Lid according to claim 2, characterized in that the peelable membrane (3) is fixed on the annular flange (7) of the inner portion (6) of the ring (2). 4. Lid according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the drip member (8) is in the general shape of disc segment. 5. Lid according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the surface of the drip member (8) corresponds between 5 and 50% of the surface of the inner portion (6), and the remainder of said inner portion (6) is formed by the central opening (10). 6. Lid according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the drip member (8) is formed integrally with the ring (2). 7. Lid according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the peelable membrane (3) is attached to the ring (2) so that its tongue (15) extends over the dewatering member (8), allowing a dewatering operation through said dewatering member (8) by partial separation of the peelable membrane (3). 8. Lid according to claim 7, characterized in that the longitudinal axes of symmetry (15 'and 8') of the tongue (15) and the drip member (8) are merged or substantially merged. 9. Ring (2) with drip member (8), for a lid (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8. 10. Container for receiving a product immersed in a liquid, comprising a body (C) equipped with at least one cover (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and / or at least one ring (2). according to claim 9.