A pour spout fitment comprises an externally threaded, tubular pour spout (4), an internally threaded cap (12), a tamper-evident band (16) co-axially and frangibly attached to an inner end of the cap (12), an annular slot (20) co-axial with the spout (4), an annular flange (18) co-axial with and provided by the band (16) and projecting into the slot (20), at least one detent in the slot (20), at least one detent on the flange (18), a first external reference on the cap (12), a second external reference on the band (16) and in a predetermined relationship with the first external reference. The arrangement is such that, upon unscrewing of the cap (12), the at least one detent on the spout (4) co-operates with the at least one detent on the band (16) to detain the band (16) against turning movement relative to the spout (4) and to detain the band (16) in a position relative to the substantially fully reclosed cap (12) such that the reference on the band (16) remains out of the predetermined relationship. A method of providing tamper evidence is also disclosed.
B65D 41/32 - Caps or cap-like covers with lines of weakness, tearing-strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices, e.g. to facilitate formation of pouring openings
B65D 41/34 - Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers
A method comprising forming creases (14-16, 18-20, 30, 101-104) in sheet material, which creases (14-16, 18-20, 30, 101-104) provide folding lines in the material, a first crease (18) of the creases (14-16, 18-20, 30, 101-104) forming a furrow corresponding to itself in one surface of the material, and a second crease (19) of the creases (14-16, 18-20, 30, 101-104) forming a furrow corresponding to itself in an opposite surface of the material. In one embodiment, the creases 19 and 20 have furrows at the innermost surface of the blank, with there being corresponding ridges on the outermost surface of the blank. The gusset creases 18 stop short of the region 130 where they would otherwise meet, so that a non- creased region 130 exists before the creases 19 and 20 are reached.
B65D 5/06 - Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper by folding or erecting a single blank to form a tubular body with or without subsequent folding operations, or the addition of separate elements, to close the ends of the body with end-closing or contents-supporting elements formed by folding inwardly a wall extending from, and continuously around, an end of the tubular body
3.
IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO HEATING DEVICES AND METHODS
A heating device for heating an annular, outwardly facing surface portion (26) of (i) a flange (16) of a pour spout fitment (8) comprising a flanged pour spout (14) whereof the flange (16) is to be sealingly applied to an external surface of a container, and a toothed, tubular plunger (18) whereof a toothed edge (20) extends to substantially radially inwards of the flange (16), or (ii) an external surface of a container formed with a partial-depth cut encircled by the surface portion (26), the heating device comprising an annular heat-emitting arrangement of nozzles (4) for locating substantially co-axially of the flange (16) or the cut and serving to direct heating medium (6) obliquely outwardly to impinge upon the outwardly facing surface portion (26) rather than upon the toothed edge (20) or the cut.
Apparatus for handling partially formed or fully formed cartons each having a mid-portion of predetermined cross-section includes rollers (68) arranged to press on respective mid-portions of respective upright edges of one of a plurality of pairs of adjacent upright edges of each carton, so as to make the mid-portion of the cartons of rounder cross-section. The rollers (68) are provided with respective projections (70) arranged to bear on a carton between the rollers (68). Respective biassing devices serve to bias the rollers (68) into respective home angular positions. Upper and lower endless conveying belts (52 and 54) advance the cartons relative to the rollers (68). The rollers (68) are offset along the path of advance by said advancing arrangement.
B65B 61/24 - Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for shaping or reshaping completed packages
A pressure member (6) for applying pressure to outside surfaces of carton bottom panels (18) and (20) has a pressing surface (22) of which a middle is in the form of an outwardly curved dome. In co-operation with a mandrel cap (2), there is thus produced a carton bottom having an external surface of which a middle is in the form of an inwardly curved dome. The peripheral edge of the dome is spaced significantly from the carton bottom corners. For a carton (4) which is of substantially square horizontal section, the dome, in plan view, is substantially circular, whereas, for a carton (4) which is oblong rectangular in horizontal section, the dome is of a rounded, oblong form in plan view.
B65D 5/06 - Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper by folding or erecting a single blank to form a tubular body with or without subsequent folding operations, or the addition of separate elements, to close the ends of the body with end-closing or contents-supporting elements formed by folding inwardly a wall extending from, and continuously around, an end of the tubular body
B31B 3/28 - Machinery characterised by making boxes or cartons by folding single-piece sheets, blanks, or webs and having means for folding sheets, blanks, or webs around mandrels, including bottom-forming operations
B31F 1/00 - Mechanical deformation without removing material, e.g. in combination with laminating
A segregated nitrogen flush system (10) segregates a nitrogen flow arrangement (12) for providing a nitrogen flush, a chemical flow arrangement (16) and a steam flow arrangement (14) for sterilization of the segregated nitrogen flush system. Electronics are segregated from a flow of sanitizing steam or chemical that would harm electronics and other controls. A filter (18) upstream from a nitrogen delivery path (28) provides a resilient transition from nitrogen flow to higher pressure flow of sanitizing steam. Nitrogen flow is commanded through the nitrogen delivery path (28) to a nitrogen flush assembly (22) having a forward nozzle and plenum member for providing nitrogen flush to partially closed cartons. Guide rails are configured to converge to close the cartons increasingly as they index forward. During a second operating mode, sanitizing steam flows through at least the filter. During a third operating mode, sanitizing chemical flows through the chemical flow arrangement (16) to the nitrogen flush assembly (22).
B65B 31/04 - Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied
7.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEALING A RAW EDGE PORTION OF A CONTAINER, A CONTAINER BLANK FOR USE IN THE SAME AND A CONTAINER PRODUCED THEREFROM
The invention is directed to sealing of raw edge portions of packaging sheet material. In one embodiment a J- flap end closure of a carton has, at each of two apices (104) pointing towards each other, two limbs of a hairpin- form cut edge portion of the apex facing each other. The completion of the end closure includes sealing respective sides of those four limbs directly to parts of a stepped-back, inner surface of an outermost sub-panel (26) beyond the J- fold (102). Alternatively, the apices (104) are squeezed against those surface parts, preferably with the input of thermal energy to cause the plastics to flow. Alternatively, sealing fluid, in particular fluid plastics, is applied to the raw edge portions from a supply channel of a profile substantially matching that of the raw edge portion. The invention is particularly applicable to gable -top, slant- top and flat -top liquid packaging cartons.
B31B 1/28 - Folding sheets, blanks, or webs around mandrels, including bottom-forming operations
B31B 3/28 - Machinery characterised by making boxes or cartons by folding single-piece sheets, blanks, or webs and having means for folding sheets, blanks, or webs around mandrels, including bottom-forming operations
B65D 5/06 - Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper by folding or erecting a single blank to form a tubular body with or without subsequent folding operations, or the addition of separate elements, to close the ends of the body with end-closing or contents-supporting elements formed by folding inwardly a wall extending from, and continuously around, an end of the tubular body
B65D 5/42 - Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
A capping apparatus (16) for a carton filling system has an ultrasonic stack assembly (20) and a fitment applicator assembly (18) for applying fitments to cartons in a packaging machine. The fitment applicator assembly (18) has an anvil (22) having at least two spigots and is turnable and reciprocable to receive fitments and to mount them in carton walls. The anvil location can be adjusted by a thrust bearing (44) connectible to a spline shaft (34) of a rotary ball spline (32), (34). The ultrasonic stack assembly (20) has ultrasonic stacks (26) that are reciprocated between a retracted position and an engaging position by dual rail arrangements (56) to bring horns (28) into contact with outer surfaces of the cartons. The overall height of a wedge arrangement (52) for each ultrasonic stack (26) is adjustable to increase and decrease selectively the distance between the horns (28) and a ground surface.
B65B 61/18 - Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for applying or incorporating package-opening or unpacking elements, e.g. tear-strips
B23Q 1/56 - Movable or adjustable work or tool supports using particular mechanisms with sliding pairs only
B31B 1/84 - Forming valves or applying valve inserts
9.
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FOLDING SEMI - RIGID SHEET MATERIAL
Apparatus for folding substantially rectangular bottom end closure panels of a carton sleeve (20) of semi-rigid sheet material in forming a carton comprises two pairs of arms (28) oscillatable towards and away from one another relative to the panels, two jaws (34) and (36) pivotally mounted on the respective arms (28) and whereof the axes of turning (37) are oscillatable with the arms (28) relative to the panels and which are applicable in substantially parallel manners to the respective panels to be folded relative to respective other panels of the carton sleeve (20) which are backed up by a mandrel.
A method of forming a carton (6) includes providing a laminate comprised of a paperboard layer and a thermoplastics layer, shaping the laminate so as to bring portions (8) of the thermoplastics layer face-to-face with each other, and sealing the portions (8) face-to-face with each other using two jaws 2 and 4 of which one jaw (4) has a flexible sealing surface provided by flexible material (16) and the other jaw (2) has a rigid sealing surface (10). The flexible material (16) is preferably an elastomer incorporating thermally conductive additives.
B29C 65/02 - Joining of preformed partsApparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
B65B 51/14 - Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof by reciprocating or oscillating members
B31B 3/64 - Machinery characterised by making boxes or cartons by folding single-piece sheets, blanks, or webs and having means for uniting opposed surfaces or edges, or for taping by applying heat or pressure
An annular cutter (2) for a pour spout fitment comprises an annular body (6), a single, cutting and/or rupturing tooth (4) protruding from an axial end of the body (6), the tooth (4), at its tip (10), being of a knife-edge shape circumferentialIy of the body. As viewed radially of the body (6), the knife-edge shape, which is substantially part of a sinusoidal wave form, is curved. The tooth (4) also has a leading knife-edge (12) extending obliquely away from the tip (10) towards the body (6), and the leading knife-edge (12) is another part of the sinusoidal wave form.
B65D 51/22 - Caps, lids, or covers co-operating with an inner closure arranged to be opened by piercing, cutting, or tearing having means for piercing, cutting, or tearing the inner closure
12.
POUR SPOUT FIMENTS WITH TAMPER EVIDENT ARRANGEMENT
A package comprises a container (28) and a pour spout fitment (2) attached thereto, the fitment (2) comprising a pour spout (6), a closure (4) covering an outer end of the spout (6), and a tamper-evident arrangement attached to the spout (6) or the container (28), on the one hand, and, more weakly, by at least one frangible bridge (14) to the closure (4), on the other hand, the arrangement being such that, through opening of the closure (4), the or each bridge (14) is broken, but at least one significant portion (15) of the tamper-evident arrangement remaining attached to the spout (6) or the container (28) can project laterally outwards noticeably. In one embodiment, the or each significant portion (15) is pre-stressed laterally outwardly and is a leg portion (15) extending longitudinally of the spout. In other embodiments, the or each significant portion (42) is arcuate and extends about the spout (6).
A package comprises a carton and a pour spout fitment (2) comprising a pour spout (4) attached to a wall (14) of the carton and bounding a pouring mouth (10), a screw cap (6) closing the pouring mouth (10), and a turnable cutting device (8) in the spout (4) whereby a hole can be formed through a zone (26) of the wall (14) to permit pouring of a content of the carton from the pour spout (4), the cap (6) being sufficiently transparent that a consumer can conclude, without opening the cap (6), but by inspection through the cap (6) from outside the carton, whether or not the hole has been formed.
A spigot (24) of a pour spout fitment applicator includes a ridge (26) extending therearound. The pour spout (4) of a fitment (2) includes a series of ribs (12) extending longitudinally of the spout (4) and protruding from an internal peripheral surface of the spout (4) and distributed about that surface, the ridge (26) being of a maximum radius from a longitudinal axis of the spigot greater than the radii from that axis of the radially innermost portions of the respective ribs (12), and the spigot (24) being insertable into the pour spout (4) sufficiently far that radially outermost portions of the ridge (26) become located beyond the radially innermost portions of the ribs (12).
A packaging machine has a sterile chamber, a first, lip seal (46) arranged to prevent debris build-up at an access panel (24, 26) used by an operator for accessing the chamber, a second seal (58) arranged to prevent debris build-up between two face-to-face surfaces in the chamber, and a third seal (82) arranged to prevent debris build-up between a shaft and a through hole located inside the chamber.
A sealed adjuster (24) has a first portion (34) fixed to a first structure, a second portion (36) fixed to a second structure (30), and a manually operable third portion (38) adjustable to change the position of the first portion (34) relative to the second portion (36) such that, as the position of the first portion (34) is changed relative to the second portion (36), the position of the first structure is changed relative to the position of the second structure (30). The adjuster (24) also has a sealing arrangement (88, 90, 92, 96 and 116) for providing sealing among the first portion (34), the second portion (36), and the third portion (38).
B65B 51/14 - Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof by reciprocating or oscillating members
B65B 59/00 - Arrangements to enable machines to handle articles of different sizes, to produce packages of different sizes, to vary the contents of packages or to give access for cleaning or maintenance purposes
Apparatus for orientating a cap (19) in a capping machine (10) includes two side-by-side loading chutes (12), orientation areas (14) and rotation mechanisms (16), at least one sensing and comparing system (18), and a spigot assembly (20). Each loading chute (12) has an escapement mechanism for delivering one-by-one the caps (19) therein. Each rotation mechanism (16) includes a motor (34), an output shaft (36), and a drive roller. The orientation areas (14) have a slide lock (28), and respective rear openings (40), and are associated with the respective drive rollers. The system (18) comprises a camera (32), a light source, and a processor. The spigot assembly (20) comprises a spigot (44) disposed at the end of each of a plurality of arms (46) and operable to receive a cap (19) thereon.
B65B 61/18 - Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for applying or incorporating package-opening or unpacking elements, e.g. tear-strips
B65B 7/28 - Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons by applying separate preformed closures, e.g. lids, covers
18.
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR APPLYING A FITMENT TO A PACKAGING MATERIAL
Apparatus for use in applying a fitment (2) to packaging material (4) comprises an applicator including an anvil (10) comprising a body and a receiver (12) mounted on the body and arranged to receive the fitment (2), and a counter-member (38), e.g. an ultrasonic horn, between which and the receiver (12) the fitment (2) is sandwiched and thereby the fitment (2) is pressed against the receiver (12). The receiver (12) is loosely mounted on the body so as to be self-aligning relative to the counter-member (38) when the fitment (2) is pressed against the receiver (12). A resilient biassing device (14) encircling the receiver (12) is arranged to urge the receiver (12) towards the counter-member (38) and a detent (26) on the receiver (12) is arranged to limit movement of the receiver towards the counter-member (38) relative to the body.
B65B 61/18 - Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for applying or incorporating package-opening or unpacking elements, e.g. tear-strips
B29C 65/00 - Joining of preformed partsApparatus therefor
B31B 1/84 - Forming valves or applying valve inserts
B31B 19/84 - Forming valves or applying valve inserts
19.
METHOD AND APARATUS FOR TESTING FILLED AND SEALED CONTAINERS
A testing method comprising introducing into a pressure chamber (2) a batch of gable-top, plastics-coated paperboard cartons (10) containing a liquid, closing the chamber (2), supplying air under pressure to the interior of the chamber 2 exteriorly of the cartons (10) to a pressure level sufficient to cause the air to penetrate potential leakage paths between the outside of at least one of the cartons and the interior of the latter carton (s), whereby the air penetrates into the interior of the latter carton(s), and, after a period of time, reducing the pressure level, whereupon the air which has penetrated into the interior of the latter carton(s) causes outward bulging of the side walls of the latter carton (s).
A steam sterilization system for a conveyor wash using a submicron filter (24) that can cope with transition from lower pressure flow of water to higher pressure flow of steam. Water flows through the submicron filter when the system is in a first operating mode, and steam flows through the submicron filter when the system is in a second operating mode. The submicron filter is such that predetermined values of steam pressure and temperature can be applied for a sustained period of time without damaging the filter, thereby avoiding reducing the efficiency of the filter.
A form-fill-seal packaging machine includes a tank (20) for storing fluid product to be dosed, nozzles (26) for receiving the product from the tank (20) and for dosing it, and a conveyor (22) for moving along a conveying path (30) that includes a position under each nozzle (26). An adjustable tubular connection (43) is located in the fluid flow path between the tank (20) and each nozzle (26) and conveys product from the tank (20) to the nozzle (26). The connection (43) has an inlet end portion with a vertical axis and has an outlet end portion with a vertical axis parallel to the axis of the inlet end portion that is movable such that the axis of the outlet end portion of the connection (43) remains parallel with the axis of the inlet end portion throughout its range of movement.
B65B 3/04 - Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
B65B 39/02 - Expansible or contractible nozzles, funnels, or guides
B65B 59/00 - Arrangements to enable machines to handle articles of different sizes, to produce packages of different sizes, to vary the contents of packages or to give access for cleaning or maintenance purposes
B65B 39/00 - Nozzles, funnels or guides for introducing articles or materials into containers or wrappers
B67C 3/26 - Filling-headsMeans for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks
A plastics-coated paperboard blank for forming into an asymmetric finseal carton has a front top closure panel (13) extending from a front body panel (3) to a rear body panel (1) and overlapping a rear, smaller, top closure panel (11), so that the finseal (21 - 25) does not protrude beyond the rear body panel (1), the free edge (26) of the finseal is formed with V-notches (56) between the sealing sub-panels ( 21 and 23 ) in the loop of sealing sub-panels (21 - 25). In an alternative embodiment, there is a lenticular intermediate sub-panel between the rear body panel (1) and the rear top closure panel (11) to provide a recess in place of the ridge provided by the boundary (52). Another possibility is to have curved score lines in place of, or in addition to, the rectilinear score lines (40 and 41) and bulging into the associated front and rear top closure panels (13 and 11).
B65D 5/06 - Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper by folding or erecting a single blank to form a tubular body with or without subsequent folding operations, or the addition of separate elements, to close the ends of the body with end-closing or contents-supporting elements formed by folding inwardly a wall extending from, and continuously around, an end of the tubular body
A packaging machine for forming, filling and sealing containers, which machine treats the containers with a liquid sterilising agent before filling them, includes a nozzle assembly (10) with a mixing cap (40) of a particular configuration, for helping to provide a sterilising spray.
A plastics-coated paperboard carton blank comprises an end part for forming a bottom end closure of the carton; the end part comprises first, second, third and fourth end panels (6-9) whereof the first and third end panels (6,8) are for forming outside panels (6,8) of the end closure and the second and fourth panels (7,9) are for forming inside panels (7,9) of the end closure; the free end portion (12) of the third end panel (8) is cut out at both sides in a laterally symmetrical manner with respect to its middle, so as to leave a central tongue (17), and the free end portions (11,13) of the second and fourth panels (7,9), respectively, are cut out at their sides adjacent to the third end panel (8), so as to form respective cut-outs (36,40); and the cut-outs (36,40) have respective edges (32,34) thereof which are further from the tongue (17) disposed obliquely relative to adjacent edges (42,44) of the respective cut-outs (36,40) and diverging outwardly relative to each other.
B65D 5/06 - Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper by folding or erecting a single blank to form a tubular body with or without subsequent folding operations, or the addition of separate elements, to close the ends of the body with end-closing or contents-supporting elements formed by folding inwardly a wall extending from, and continuously around, an end of the tubular body
25.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ORIENTATING AN ANNULAR ELEMENT SUCH AS A FLANGE OF A POUR SPOUT FITMENT
An orientating apparatus for a pour spout fitment (4) having an annular flange (4F) comprises a mounting device for supporting the fitment (4), a follower (22), a drive arrangement arranged to produce relative rotary motion, about an axis, between the mounting device and the follower (22), a biassing device arranged to urge the follower (22) towards the mounting device, and a detection device arranged to detect relative movement between the mounting device and the follower (22) under the action of the biassing device and allowed by a notch (4G) in the flange (4F) and thereby to cause the drive arrangement to stop the relative rotary motion and to orientate the fitment (4).
B65B 61/18 - Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for applying or incorporating package-opening or unpacking elements, e.g. tear-strips
B31B 1/84 - Forming valves or applying valve inserts
26.
IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO POUR SPOUT FITMENTS
A pour spout fitment (2) comprises a tubular spout body (4) insertable between a consumer's lips and for attachment by a flange (6) at an inner end thereof to a container, and a tear element (8) comprising a first portion (10; 32) of substantially flat cross-section throughout and closing the spout body (4) at an outer end of the body (4) and a second portion (12; 44) seizable by a consumer for pulling to tear a loop of weakness (14; 40) extending around the outer end of the spout body (4), the second portion (12; 44) iying beside an annular external surface of the body (4).
patents