CN101080352A - Flexible container containing a liquid product, and a process for making a liquid-filled, flexible container - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flexible container containing a liquid product, wherein the flexible container (2) comprises a closure having an inner end and an outer end, the closure being fixed through the wall of the flexible container (2) such that the inner end of the closure lies within the flexible container (2) and is in contact with the liquid product, and the outer end of the closure lies outside of the flexible container, wherein the closure has an open position and a closed position, and wherein the outer end of the closure is connected to a self-sealing valve (30) which opens when the closure is in the open position and when pressure is applied to the liquid product within the flexible container, and which closes when the pressure is released. In another aspect the invention relates to a process of making a liquid-filled, flexible container.

Description

Flexible container containing liquid product and method of manufacturing flexible container filled with liquid

The present invention relates to a flexible container containing a liquid product and a method for manufacturing a flexible container filled with a liquid. The flexible container can be, for example, a sachet or bag, and is preferably made of plastic film.

Flexible pouches including some kind of spout can be used as packaging for a variety of products, including beverages. In practice, the spout can be closed by a screw cap or a flip cap.

US 5,307,955, published May 3, 1994, discloses a lightweight bottom delivery package for fluid products incorporating a closure device comprising a self-sealing valve and a flip-top.

However, such packages have the potential to leak during packaging or shipping if so much pressure is applied to the bag that the self-sealing valve opens and enough to dislodge the flip-top.

A variety of sealing devices have been designed. These closures block applied pressure unless the user first manually opens the closure. US 4,445,551, published May 1, 1984, discloses a quick disconnect coupling and valve assembly consisting of a disposable coupling and valve assembly and a connector cooperating therewith.

However, it would be desirable to be able to provide a lightweight, flexible container that resists leakage during packaging and shipping, and that can be opened and reclosed to accommodate multiple doses. Examples of products commonly sold in packs containing multiple doses include, but are not limited to: dishwashing liquids, fabric softeners, laundry detergents, shampoos, skin lotions, and food products, among others.

A flexible container according to the invention for containing a liquid product, wherein the flexible container comprises a closure having an inner end and an outer end, the closure being secured by a wall of the flexible container such that the inner end of the closure is located within the flexible container and contacts the liquid product , and the outer end of the closure is located outside the flexible container, wherein the closure has an open position and a closed position, and wherein the outer end of the closure is connected to the valve.

Summary of the invention

According to the invention, said valve is a self-sealing valve. The valve opens when the closure is in the open position and pressure is applied to the liquid product in the flexible container, and closes when the pressure is released.

The invention also relates to a method of making such a flexible container.

Figure overview

Figure 1a shows a cross-section A-A of a flexible container with a closure according to the invention. The closure is shown in the open position. Figure 1b shows a top view of the flexible container and closure.

Figure 2a shows a cross-section A-A of a flexible container with a closure according to the invention. The closure is shown in the open position.

Figure 3 shows an assembled perspective view of a flexible container and closure according to the invention.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a liquid-filled flexible container of the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

In its simplest embodiment, the closure device of the invention may consist of two concentric cylinders: an outer female cylinder and an inner male cylinder. The inner male cylinder has a blind end and at least one hole in the curved cylinder wall. When the outer cylinder of the closure is secured by the wall of the container filled with liquid, there is no passage of liquid through the closure as long as the inner cylinder is completely enclosed within the outer cylinder. However, when the inner cylinder is moved axially relative to the outer cylinder towards the container filled with liquid, the holes in the wall of the inner cylinder become exposed so that liquid can pass through the holes and pass along the inner cylinder out of the closure . Movement of the inner cylinder back to its original position will close the dispensing aperture and also prevent liquid from leaving the container.

In an alternative embodiment a closure as described in WO 99/05446 published February 4, 1999 may be used. In this embodiment, the female part has an axial bore and a plug closing the bore. A cooperating male part may be provided, the plug and male part having cooperating connection means. The device connects the plug to the male part as the male part is inserted into the borehole and maintains this connection as the male part is further inserted into the borehole. The plug has at least one hook member that retains the plug in the borehole until the plug and male part are connected to each other while the male part is inserted into the borehole.

The male and female parts of the connection device can cooperate with a simple push-pull motion, or the two parts can be connected by threads. These variations are illustrated in Figures 2 and 4 of WO 00/66448 published on November 9, 2000.

According to the invention, said connecting means also comprise a self-sealing valve. Self-sealing valves are typically made from elastomeric materials such as silicone or thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). The valve has one or more slits cut through the elastomeric material. For example, the valve may have two mutually perpendicular slits. By selecting the size and configuration of the slit in the self-sealing valve, the rate at which the liquid product is dispensed from the container under pressure can be controlled.

Self-sealing valves are commercially available, an example of which is sold under the trade name SimpliSqueeze by Seaquist Closures, Inc. of Mukwonago, Wisconsin, USA.

The term "flexible" as used herein means that the container is flexibly deformable, but is not resilient in the sense that it returns to its original shape when the deformation pressure is removed. In order to form a closed container, the flexible container of the present invention is preferably formed from plastic films sealed together at the edges. The container has an opening sealed around the closure. Most preferably, the plastic film is made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester or laminates thereof and has a thickness of 50 to 250 microns.

The liquid that fills the liquid container can be any kind of liquid, including relatively viscous gels and pastes. The only restriction on viscosity is that the liquid should be dispensed under pressure as much as possible through a self-sealing valve. Typical examples of suitable liquid products include detergent products such as dishwashing liquids and fabric treatment products such as fabric softening liquid compositions.

Figure 1 illustrates a closure device comprising a female part (10) comprising a collar (12) secured within the opening of a flexible container (2). The female part (10) also includes an axial bore (14) and a plug (16). The plug (16) has at least one hook member (18) capable of removably sealing the plug (16) within the axial bore (14).

The male part (20) comprises a cylindrical part (22) fitted in the axial bore (14) of the female part (10) and axially movable therein. The end (26) of the cylindrical member (22) is removably engaged with the plug (16). The male part (20) and the female part (10) are interconnected by a thread (28) so that the male part (20) moves axially in the bore (14) of the female part (10) when the thread (28) engages, thereby The plug (16) is released from the bore (14) and the male part (20) moves axially in the opposite direction as the threads (28) disengage, thereby closing the bore (14) with the plug (16). The open position is illustrated by FIG. 1 ; the closed position is illustrated by FIG. 2 .

The male part (20) includes an axial bore (24). The axial bore (24) accommodates a self-sealing valve (30).

An end cap (40) covers the closure assembly. An end cap (40) can be clipped onto the male part (20) to facilitate opening and closing of the closure.

The resulting assembly provides a one-way valve closure in which the self-sealing valve (30) does not allow air to vent back into the flexible container (2). Furthermore, the closing device has a closed position in which the bung (16) engages the bore (14) (Fig. 2). In the closed position, liquid cannot be dispensed from the flexible container (2). The closed position prevents leakage or accidental dispensing during shipping and storage. The closure has an open position in which the bung (16) is disengaged from the bore (14) (Fig. 1). In the open position, liquid will not be discharged until the liquid pressure exceeds the threshold pressure of the self-sealing valve (30). When the threshold pressure is exceeded, the self-sealing valve (30) opens and liquid is dispensed from the container (2) until the applied pressure is released and the self-sealing valve (30) closes again.

Preferably, the liquid in the flexible container (2) is free or at least substantially free of any gas, eg said liquid is free or at least substantially free of any air.

Figure 3 shows an assembled perspective view of a flexible container and closure according to the invention.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a liquid-filled flexible container of the present invention incorporating a closure device as detailed above. The container shown in Figure 4 is self-standing, wherein the closure is located on top of the flexible container (2) when the container is standing on its own on the base (3).

In one aspect of the invention, a liquid-filled flexible container is formed and filled by the following method steps:

(i) forming a closed flexible container (2) from film material, and securing the female part (10) of the closure device by the wall of the flexible container (2);

(ii) filling the flexible container (2) with a liquid product by injecting the liquid product into the container (2) through the female part (10) of the closure device;

(iii) sealing the flexible container (2) by closing the female part (10) of the closure, preferably by a releasably fitted bung (16); and

(iv) inserting the male part (20) of the closure device into the female part (10), so that the female part and the male part (10, 20) form a closure device having an open position and a closed position,

Wherein the male part (20) of the sealing device comprises a self-sealing valve (30). The valve opens when the closure is in the open position and applies pressure to the liquid product inside the flexible container (2), and closes when the pressure is released.

Preferably, the self-sealing valve (30) is integrally molded onto the male part (20) of the closure. More preferably, the self-sealing valve (30) is molded onto the male part (20) of the closure by a co-injection method.

In a particular aspect of the method, the female part (10) of the closure is sealed by a releasably fitted bung (16) such as described in WO 00/66448. This method facilitates filling the pliable bag with the substantial exclusion of any gas and, in particular, the substantial exclusion of any air.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the method, the male and female parts of the closure are fitted together by threads (28), and wherein the closure is fitted by rotating the male part (20) relative to the female part (10). It is opened, and wherein the closure is closed by inverting the male part (20) relative to the female part (10).

Advantages of the closure device of the present invention include the avoidance of leakage or accidental discharge that may occur when a self-sealing valve is used as the sole closure component or even when a self-sealing valve is used in combination with a flip-top. Furthermore, since the sealing device is interposed between the fluid and the valve, it eliminates long-term compatibility issues of the product with the valve material due to contact of the product with the valve during use.

Another advantage is that the liquid-filled flexible container made by the method described above enables the liquid to be substantially free of gas. The closure prevents any gas, such as air, from entering the liquid-filled container during normal use.

Furthermore, the self-sealing valve avoids or minimizes dripping of liquid during use, so that the closure device of the present invention does not become soiled.

The flexible container is lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture and ship.

Another advantage of the present invention is that there are no removable parts that the consumer could lose after opening the package.

Claims (10)

1. the flexible container of a receiving fluids product, wherein said flexible container (2) comprises the closing device with inner and outer end, described closing device is fixed by the wall of flexible container (2), make the inner of described closing device be positioned within the flexible container (2) and the contact liq product, and the outer end of described closing device is positioned at outside the flexible container (2), wherein said closing device has open position and off position, and the outer end of wherein said closing device is connected on the valve, it is characterized in that described valve is a kind of self-sealing valve (30), described valve is shown in an open position and opens when the liquid product in the flexible container (2) is exerted pressure at closing device, and closes when hold-off pressure.

2. flexible container as claimed in claim 1, any gas is filled and be substantially free of to wherein said container with liquid product.

3. flexible container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said closing device comprises common unit (20) and the auxiliary assembly (10) that is assembled together by screw thread (28), and wherein said closing device is opened with respect to auxiliary assembly (10) rotation by making common unit (20), and wherein said closing device is closed with respect to auxiliary assembly (10) counter-rotating by making common unit (20).

4. as each described flexible container in the claim 1 to 3, wherein said container comprises pedestal (3), so that the described flexible container (2) that is filled with liquid stands on the pedestal (3) certainly, wherein said closing device stands on the top that is positioned at flexible container when pedestal (3) is gone up certainly at container (2).

5. flexible container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said closing device seals flexible container (2) and prevents the liquid product discharge at off position.

6. a manufacturing is filled with the method for the flexible container of liquid, and described method comprises:

(i) form osed top flexible container (2) by membraneous material, and fix the auxiliary assembly (10) of closing device by the wall of flexible container (2);

(ii) the auxiliary assembly (10) by closing device injects liquid product to come in the flexible container (2) and fills flexible container (2) with liquid product;

(iii) the auxiliary assembly (10) by the sealing closing device seals flexible container; With

(iv) the common unit (20) with closing device is inserted in the auxiliary assembly (10), so that common unit (20) and auxiliary assembly (10) form the closing device with open position and off position,

The common unit (20) that it is characterized in that described closing device comprises a kind of self-sealing valve (30), and described valve is shown in an open position and opens when the liquid product in the flexible container (2) is exerted pressure at closing device, and closes when hold-off pressure.

7. method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said self-sealing valve (30) is arrived on the common unit (20) of closing device by Unitarily molded.

8. method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said self-sealing valve (30) is molded onto on the common unit (20) of closing device by being total to injecting method.

9. method as claimed in claim 6, wherein step (iii) in, the auxiliary assembly of described closing device (10) by releasedly the assembling stopper (16) seal.

10. method as claimed in claim 6, common unit of wherein said closing device (20) and auxiliary assembly (10) are assembled together by screw thread (28), and wherein said closing device is opened with respect to auxiliary assembly (10) rotation by making common unit (20), and wherein said closing device is closed with respect to auxiliary assembly (10) counter-rotating by making common unit (20).

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