Container with peel-off lid having improved anchorage region

Abstract: The container (1) has a peel-off lid (2) heat-welded thereto. The weld includes an anchorage region (3), whereby the container (1) can be opened by peeling back the lid (2) and the lid (2) remains attached to the container (1) at the anchorage region (3). The anchorage region (3) includes an arcuate portion (4) having a spot-weld (5,6) at each end.

Description: The present invention relates to a container with a heat-welded peel-off lid having an improved anchorage region. As is known, there are containers which usually have a heat-welded peel-off lid which allows a rapid and easy opening. The greatest problem that they have is related to the recycling of the container and the lid. Furthermore, since the use of this type of container is becoming widespread, especially for the replacement of containers which have higher manufacturing and recycling costs, it is necessary to overcome the problem of the disposal of the lid, which sometimes is not kept and stored together with the container after use but is discarded wherever the user is at the time. Known from EP-A-0 299 571 is a container for milk, cream and the like, with a filling cavity joined with a flat circumferential stiff rim and a cover sheet which is connected by means of a sealing connecting seam to the flat rim. The rim and cover have a portion extended beyond the connecting seam, a channel communication with the filling cavity being formed in the extended rim portion, the channel being surrounded, beyond the connecting seam, by an additional sealing seam which is weaker than a connecting seam portion extending transversally to said channel. Thus, the cover portion extended beyond the connecting seam can be pulled away up to such transversal connecting seal portion. DE-U-9 114 409 discloses a container with a lid wherein the main part of the circumference of the lid is connected to the container by a permanent adhesive and a smaller part, which is shaped as a circle sector, connected to the container by a fixing adhesive. The aim of the present invention is to eliminate or substantially reduce the problems described above by providing a container which allows to keep the lid associated with the container. Within the scope of the above aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a container which improves the use of the container itself. This aim, this object and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a container according to the claims. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of a container according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a perspective view of a container according to the invention in an open condition; figure 2 is a plan view of the container in a closed condition; figure 3 is a plan view of the container in an open condition; figure 4 is a plan view of a heat-welding head; and figure 5 is a front elevation view of the head. With reference to figures 1 to 3, the present invention comprises a container 1 with a heat-welded peel-off lid 2. The heat-weld of the lid 2 on the container 1 has at least one preset portion or anchorage region, designated by the reference numeral 3 in the above described figures, which provides a high degree of resistance to mutual separation. The preset portion 3 comprises an arcuate portion 4 and at least two spot-welds 5 and 6 produced at the ends of the arcuate portion 4; said spot-welds cooperate, whereby to resist separation of the lid 2 from the container 1, obtaining at the same time, as shown in figures 1 and 3, the possibility of easily extracting any product contained therein. A heat-welding head, designated by the reference numeral 7, comprises at least one raised portion, designated by the reference numeral 8, which allows to heat-weld the lid 2 onto the container 1, which features the portion 3 with high resistance to mutual separation. The raised portion 8 comprises an arcuate portion 9 at the end of which protrusions 10 and 11 are formed, in order to define the complementarily shaped arcuate portion 4 of high-resistance weld and the spot-welds 5 and 6, as previously described. Advantageously, the container according to the invention can be recycled together with its respective lid. Furthermore, the container can accommodate any product, replacing packages which are more expensive or more difficult to recycle. The resistance afforded by the spot-welds and/or arcuate portion to the separation of the lid from the container severely limits the possibility of disposing of the lid separately from the container, if the products packaged in said container are fresh or perishable products, such as yogurts, dairy creams, confectionery products and the like. Practical tests have shown that the container achieves the intended aim and object, eliminating the possibility of mutual separation of the lid and the container and advantageously constituting a container which can be recycled together with its respective lid. The container according to the present invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations within the scope of the claims. In practice, the materials employed, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: Container with peel-off lid with improved anchorage region, wherein said lid (2) is connected to the container (1) by means of a circumferential heat weld and wherein at least one portion (3) of said circumferential heat weld has a higher degree of resistance to mutual separation than the remaining portion of said circumferential heat weld, characterized in that said one portion (3) is delimited by two spot welds (5), said spot welds (5) being such that they resist separation of the lid (2) from the container (1). Container according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one portion (3) of said heat weld comprises a circle arc shaped portion (4), said two spot welds (5) being provided at the ends of said circle arc shaped portion (4). Head for heat-welding the peel-off lid to the container of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises at least one raised portion (8) for providing said at least one portion (3) of said circumferential heat weld having a higher degree of resistance to mutual separation than the remaining portion of said heat weld, said raised portion (8) comprising two protrusions (11) adjacent to its ends for forming said two spot welds (5). Head according to claim 3, characterized in that said raised portion (8) comprises a circle arc shaped portion (9) for forming said circle arc shaped portion (4) of said one portion (3) of said circumferential heat weld, said two protrusions (11) protruding adjacent to the ends of said circle arc shaped portion (9).

Inventors: OMETTO WALTER, VISONA SERGIO, OMETTO, WALTER, VISONA', SERGIO
Applicants: BURGOPACK STAMPA TRASFORMAZION, BURGOPACK STAMPA, TRASFORMAZIONE, IMBALLAGGI S.P.A.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B65D77
IPC codes: B65D77, B65B7, B65D17