Patent EA-000549-B1 (EA)
Title: Reclosable container and method for manufacturing it
Inventor: FEDERIGNI ALBERTO
IPC: B65D1/04
Filed: 1997-06-20
Abstract: 1. A container (1), comprising a longitudinally extending hollow body, provided with a dispensing mouth (15), and also closure means (4, 20, 23) which comprise a substantially transversely extending zone from which plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21, 21b, 25) for said mouth (15) extend on the part of the closure means which is directed towards the mouth, tearing elements being provided for connecting uninterruptedly said closure means (4, 20, 23) with said container (1), characterized in that said closure means comprise a handle (4) having at the bottom thereof a detachable central part (12) which is connected to the handle bottom through breakable bridges (7), said plug means (6, 6b, 6c) extending from said central part (12). 2. A container according to Claim 1, characterized in that said plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21, 21b, 25) are coupled to said mouth (15) when the container is sealed, i.e., before use. 3. A container according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21, 21b, 25) can be coupled, or respectively are coupled, to the inner surface of said mouth (15). 4. A container according to Claim 1, characterized in that said handle (4, 20, 23) is detachably connected to a neck (5) of the body (2) through deformable connecting means (8) which are fixed to said neck along prefracture lines (14). 5. A container according to Claim 1, characterized in that said plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21, 21b) are provided with an annular expansion (6a, 21a) which is adapted to enter with a tight fit the mouth (15) of the container (1). 6. A container according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that said plug means (6, 25) are arranged outside the mouth (15) of the container (1) when said connecting means (8) are in a nondeformed configuration. 7. A container according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said plug means (6b, 21b) are partially inserted in the mouth (15) of the container (1) when said connecting means (8) are in a nondeformed configuration. 8. A container according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said plug means (6c, 21) are connected to the mouth (15) of the container (1) by means of breakable bridges (18) or along a prefracture line (18a). 9. A container according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21, 21b) are provided with a cavity (17) which is open outward and in which there is provided an annular protrusion (16). 10. A container according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that said handle (4) has a prism-like hollow shape. 11. A container according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said handle is constituted by a substantially flat flap (20, 23). 12. A container according to Claim 10, characterized in that said breakable bridges (7) are made so as to break upon pulling off and optionally twisting said handle (4, 20, 23) with respect to the container. 13. A container according to Claim 11, characterized in that said plug means (21, 21b, 25) are connected to said flap (23) through at least one connecting tab (24). 14. A container according to Claim 1, characterized in that said plug means (25) are constituted by a substantially cylindrical body which ends, at the tip directed towards the container (1), with a pair of protrusions (28) separated by a groove (29). 15. A container according to Claim 14, characterized in that inside the neck (5) of the container (1) there are provided two mutually opposite protrusions (30), which are shaped like an annular sector and are adapted to couple to said protrusions (28), and two conical surface portions (31), in which the taper is directed towards the mouth (15) and which are mutually opposite and offset by 90 degree  with respect to said protrusions (30). 16. A container according to Claim 1, characterized in that said plug means (21, 21b, 25) are connected to the neck (5) of the container (1) through deformable connecting means (26) which are fixed to said neck along prefracture lines (27). 17. A container according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that it is an element of a plurality of containers (1), which are mutually connected so as to constitute a pack of containers (1). 18. A container according to Claim 17, characterized in that the body (2) of the container (1) has, at an intermediate distance between its ends, connecting flaps (3) which are joined, along prefracture lines (9), to the corresponding flaps (3) of the adjacent containers (1). 19. A container according to Claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the handle (4, 20) of the closure means of one container (1) is connected along prefracture lines (10) to the corresponding handles (4, 20) of the adjacent containers (1). 20. A container according to Claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the plug means (21, 21b, 25) of the containers (1) of the pack of containers (1) are all connected to a same handle (23). 21. A container (1), such as set forth in Claim 1, comprising a hollow body (2) provided with a dispensing mouth (15) which can be plugged through respective detachable closure means (4, 20, 23) comprising plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21, 21b, 25) coupleable to said mouth (15), said closure means (4, 20, 23) being monolithic with the container (1) and detachably connectable to said body (2) through deformable connecting means (8) characterized in that said connecting means (8) are fixed to said body (2) along prefracture lines (14) and have, in an intermediary position thereof, respective recesses (37) adapted to define localized deformation zones upon insertion of the plug means (6) in said mouth (15), blocking elements (38) being further insertable at said intermediary position for increasing the rigidity of said the connecting means (8). 22. A container, according to Claim 21, characterized in that said blocking elements (38) are providable at said connecting means (8) at a sectional thickening (39) thereof or through addition of material at said intermediary position. 23. A container according to Claim 22, characterized in that said blocking elements (38) are constituted by thermically bindable facing materials. 24. A container according to Claim 22, characterized in that said sectional thickenings (39) are provided at said connecting means (8) in proximity to said recesses (37). 25. A method for manufacturing containers (1), comprising the formation of a hollow body (2) provided with a dispensing mouth (15), and monolithically with the body (2) formation also of respective detachable closure means (4, 20, 23) which comprises plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21, 21b, 25) being formed on said closure means (4, 20, 23) on the side thereof which is directed towards said container mouth (15), and at the end of said formation, coupling said plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21, 21b, 25) to said container mouth (15),characterized in that it comprises the additional step, after the coupling of the plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21b, 25), of tightly inserting an air injector at the end of the container opposed to the plugged mouth (15) and feeding pressurized air into the container in order to detect any microscopic holes or leaks. 26. A method according to Claim 25, characterized in that said coupling occurs with the internal surface of said mouth (15). 27. A method according to Claim 25, characterized in that said formation is performed by using, for the body (2), a core (32) which is adapted to also form an internal end part of said plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21, 21b) and to couple to it, so that by extracting said core axially from said body (2) away from the mouth (15), said plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21, 21b) are made to couple to said mouth (15). 28. A method according to Claim 25 or 26, characterized in that said coupling is provided by applying to the closure means (4, 20, 23), at the end of the formation operation, a thrust which is directed towards the mouth (15). 29. A method according to Claim 25, characterized in that, after said plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21, 21b, 25) are brought in connection with said mouth (15), said blocking elements (38) are inserted in said localized deformation zones. 30. An apparatus for forming containers (1) having a hollow body (2) provided with a dispensing mouth (15) which can be plugged through respective detachable closure means (4, 20, 23) comprising plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21, 21b) which can be coupled to said mouth (15), said closure means (4, 20, 23) being formed monolithically with the container (1), said apparatus comprising means for coupling said plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21, 21b) to said dispensing mouth (15), and a core (32) with an end tab for forming said body (2), said core (32) protruding beyond said body (2) through said mouth (15) with said end tab thereof which is adapted to also form part of said plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21, 21b) characterized in that it further comprises an air injector (35) which is sealingly coupleable at the end of the container body (2) opposite to the dispensing mouth for inserting pressurized air into the container, after coupling of the plug, in order to detect any microscopic holes and leaks. 31. An apparatus according to Claim 30, characterized in that said tab is provided with means for forming, in said part, an element (16) for traction coupling to said tab, said tab in traction coupling with said element (16) constituting said plug coupling means. 32. Use of a movable molding part of an apparatus, as set forth in Claim 30, for retracting a detachable part of a formed container into a recess of said container. 33. Closure device made monolithically with a container according to one or more of the preceding Claims, comprising a handle (4, 20, 23) and plug means (6, 6b, 6c, 21, 21b, 25) extending from said handle, at the side thereof facing the mouth (15) of the container (1), and are adapted to close said container at said mouth (15), characterized in that said handle (4, 20, 23) comprises a bottom region the central part (12) whereof