DISPOSABLE CONTAINER FOR LIQUIDS, IN PARTICULAR DRINKS

Abstract: A disposable container for directly sippable liquids, characterised by comprising at least two walls which extend into at least one appendix (4, 8) for protecting at least one conduit (10, 100, 14) through which the liquid is sipped.

Description: DISPOSABLE CONTAINER FOR LIQUIDS, IN PARTICULAR DRINKS This invention relates to a disposable container for liquids, in particular drinks, intended to be directly sipped from the container via a straw. A known type of container is formed from a piece of polyethylene-coated paper tube which is welded at its ends after being filled with the liquid. This container is provided with a hole to which a tearable closure seal is applied, for example a thin aluminium strip, which at the time of use can be removed or torn to allow the insertion into said hole of a straw through which the drink can be directly sipped. A drawback of this construction is the limited number of shapes available, these merely a parallelepiped shape if the two transverse thermoweld lines of the starting tube are mutually parallel, or a tetrahedron shape if the two transverse thermoweld lines are mutually perpendicular. A further drawback is that the straw to be inserted into the container has to be produced separately and then applied to the closed container, with the evident need for automatic machines or alternatively a certain laboriousness in assembly. Another known type of container consists of two half- shells of plastic or polyethylene-coated paper welded along their mutually contacting edges and comprising at said edge a delivery nozzle provided with a cloasure plug. The nozzle can be applied to the two half-shells during the thermowelding and hence with already existing automatic machines. However containers of this type do not enable the drink to be sipped with a straw, but at most allow the drink to be poured into a tumbler or directly into the mouth of the consumer. In neither case would it appear possible to comfortably consume the drink while walking, without the availability of a tumbler or straw, neither of which is provided with the pack. All these drawbacks are eliminated according to the invention through a disposable container for liquid as described in claim 1. Some preferred embodiments of the invention are described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partially transparent perspective view of a first embodiment of container according to the invention; Figure 2 is a partially transparent perspective view of a second embodiment thereof; Figure 3 is a cross-section therethrough on the line III-III of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a partially transparent perspective view of a third embodiment thereof; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment thereof; Figure 6 is a cross-section through a fifth embodiment thereof; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment thereof; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a seventh embodiment thereof; Figure 9 is a perspective view of an eighth embodiment thereof; and Figure 10 shows it in the same view as Figure 9 at the moment of use. As can be seen from the figures, in a first embodiment (see Figure 1) the container consists of a pair of half- shells 2 of substantially rigid food-compatible plastics material, which are cut and preformed to the desired shape and joined together along their mutually contacting edges. The two half-shells 2, which in the illustrated example are symmetrical but could also be different from each other provided that they comprise mating edges, are provided with two facing appendices 4 and are joined together, including along said appendices, by a continuous thermoweld line 6, which at said appendices is of "peelable" type but avoids two small tabs 8 by which the two appendices 4 can be easily separated from each other, to hence uncover the upper end of a straw 10 inserted between the two half-shells 2 to a depth such that its lower end draws from the bottom of the container. The upper end of the straw 10 comprises a weld spot (not shown on the drawings) the purpose of which is explained hereinafter. To form the pack, conventional techniques are used for hot-forming the two half-shells 2 starting from a continuous web of plastics material, after which they are thermowelded together along their contacting edges with the exclusion of the two appendices 4. Using conventional automatic equipment the container is then filled with the liquid to be contained, after which the straw 10 is inserted between the two appendices 4 again using automatic equipment. Finally the two appendices 4 are thermowelded to hence complete the sealing of the pack. At the moment of consumption it is necessary only to pull the two tabs 8 of the two appendices 4 apart until they are separated to an extent sufficient to leave the end of the straw 10 free. In the same manner the weld spot on the straw is broken to enable the drink to be sipped. In the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3, the straw 10 instead of being inserted into the container after joining its two half-shells 2 together is formed directly from the two half-shells on joining them together, this being achieved by virtue of thermoweld lines 6 which in addition to extending along the contacting outer edges of the two half- shells also extend to define said straw 10. In this second embodiment, the two appendices 4 can be turned over outwards after being separated and are provided with a snap button 12 which maintains them securely in this overturned configuration, in which their inner surface also forms the contact nozzle for the consumer's lips. The embodiment shown in Figure 4 is functionally identical to the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3, except for the final shape of the container, in which the straw 10 is positioned laterally instead of centrally to it. Independently of the particular embodiment used, the half-shells can be formed of thermoweldable plastics material, ultrasonic-weldable plastics material, or composite materials such as paper-aluminium, paper-polyethylene or aluminium-polyethylene. In all cases, independently of the particular embodimen and materials, the container according to the invention i particularly advantageous, and in particular: - it enables the drink to be sipped without the need fo tumblers and without the need to pour the liquid directl into the consumer's mouth, - it enables containers to be formed practically of an shape, - it ensures an absolutely hygienic pack, particularly o those parts with which the consumer's lips make contact, - it ensures that the pack is properly hermetically sealed, without using plugs and without the need for implements fo its opening, - it enables currently existing automatic equipment to b used for its formation, - in some of the embodiments it saves the cost of the stra and of the operations involved in its insertion. The embodiment shown in Figure 5 is functionally identica to the embodiment shown in Figure 1 except for the type o material used, which is flexible plastic. This type of material results in a reduction in the overall size of th container when not filled with liquid. The embodiment shown in Figure 6 is functionall identical to the embodiment shown in Figure 4 except for the presence within the container of two laterally positioned straws, the purpose of which is to prevent the container deforming under vacuum during use. In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the container is constructed of flexible material, the weld strip interrupting for a short length sufficient to form a nozzle 14. In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, the container is constructed of flexible material and comprises a further weld line 4' extending parallel to the major sides. This weld line defines with the weld 4 joining the two half-shells a seat for housing a straw 10, the seat being closed at both ends by welds 16,16' of peelable type. For consumption it is necessary merely to pull the two edges of the upper weld 16 apart and then push the straw downwards to break the bottom weld 16'. This embodiment has the further advantage of allowing the straw to make contact with the liquid only at the moment of consumption. In the embodiment shown in Figure 9 the container is substantially of frusto-conical shape with its major surface comprising a bellows appendix 18 preferably formed during the formation of the container and having at its free end a weld spot 20 which is tearable or in any event easily openable. A straw 100 is housed within said container and sai appendix. At the moment of consumption it is necessary merel to tear the end of the appendix 18 and then compress sai bellows appendix 18 in order to expose the upper end of th straw 100.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. A disposable container for directly sippable liquids, characterised by comprising at least two walls which extend into at least one appendix (4,8) for protecting at least one conduit (10,100,14) through which the liquid is sipped. 2. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the conduit extends at least partially within the container. 3. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised by comprising a pair of appendices (4) for protecting the upper end of a conduit extending in proximity to the container base. 4. A container as claimed in claim 3, characterised by comprising a pair of half-shells (2) which comprise said appendices (4) and are joined together by a weld line (6) . 5. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the conduit (10) consists of a straw inserted between the two walls. 6. A container as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the conduit (10) consists of a straw inserted and retained between the two half-shells (2) . 7. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the conduit (10) consists of a part of the container separated from the remaining part by weld lines. 8. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the appendices (4) each comprises a tab (8) which after said appendices have been joined together remains free to form the gripping element for separating the appendices. 9. A container as claimed in claim 3 , characterised in that each appendix (4) is of overturnable type and is provided with means (12) for its snap-engagement in the overturned position. 10. A container as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the two half-shells (2) are joined together by a line of thermowelding (6) . 11. A container as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the two half-shells (2) are joined together by a line of ultrasonic welding. 12. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the straw (10) is closed upperly and lowerly by two welds (16,16') of peelable type. 13. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the appendix consists of a bellows (18) . 14. A container as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the upper end of the straw (10) is closed by a weld spot. 15. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised by being formed of flexible plastics material. 16. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised by being formed of rigid plastics material.

Inventors: TRANI GIORGIO, TRANI, GIORGIO
Applicants: TRANI GIORGIO, TRANI, GIORGIO
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B65D77
IPC codes: B65D75, B65D77