Patent Description:
In current packaging technology, most of the disposable containers used for non-food pourable liquids are based on plastic. Such solutions integrate a number of product functions in an indivisible body. These one-piece solutions provide product enclosing, a structure to allow the container to stand upright and guarantee package integrity, and a neck to enable product pouring.

Such containers are usually completed by a cap, removable or partially removable, which is configured to seal and - in certain cases - to dose the liquid. Other disposable devices may be used as alternatives to caps, such as trigger pumps or spray pumps.

Common examples of disposable containers include rigid plastic bottles and containers whose body consists in flexible (supple) packaging material. The latter usually features a welded monolithic neck. Flexible packaging solutions are more advantageous than rigid plastic solutions in terms of material optimization.

Some recently introduced solutions use a material other than plastic to provide the structural function, in order to reduce the amount of non-sustainable material within the package. Such solutions feature a plastic internal blow-molded bottle-like container, consisting in a neck and in a very thin supple bag, enclosed in an external structural shell made of paper pulp. Plastic caps, trigger or spray pumps complete the solution.

One of the key goals nowadays is to reach a sustainable use of resources, in particular with respect to packaging solutions. Although plastic containers can be recycled when designed as mono-material solutions, in common practice only <NUM>% of such material can actually be recycled.

Moreover, the worldwide average recycling rate for plastics in <NUM> was only <NUM>%, thus making plastics a non-desirable material from a sustainability perspective. The use of plastics should therefore be minimized.

All of the known solutions are, however, far from minimizing the amount of plastics when it comes down to providing the functions and features expected from the packaging.

Among these known solutions, the features of which are listed below, are:.

In summary, all of the unnecessary use of plastics represent a sustainability problem.

The object of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned technical problems. Particularly, the object of the invention is to provide an eco-sustainable container with a reduced environmental impact, which is also fully recyclable.

The object of the invention is achieved by a container having the features of the appended claims, which form an integral part of the technical disclosure provided herein in relation to the invention.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the annexed figures, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, wherein:.

Reference number <NUM> in <FIG> designates as a whole an eco-sustainable container for fluid products according to the invention.

The container <NUM> comprises an outer shell <NUM> made of a cellulose-based material, and a sealed flexible bag <NUM> of polymer material containing a fluid, particularly liquid, product L.

Cellulose based materials that can be used for the outer shell <NUM> include cellulose pulp and wood pulp, while the polymer material used for the sealed flexible bag <NUM> is a polymer mono-material, preferably a single polymer mono-material layer. To this end, the polymer mono-material may conveniently be chosen from among the following.

Yet preferably, the material of the outer shell <NUM> is plastic-free, i.e. it does not include plastic materials, neither as a dispersion, nor as layers. In this latter regard, the liquid barrier is entirely provided by the sealed flexible bag <NUM>, without requiring any additional barrier layer on the outer shell <NUM>.

The outer shell <NUM> comprises an inner surface <NUM> and a through opening <NUM> (preferably circular and having an axis h8) featuring an inner edge <NUM>. The sealed flexible bag <NUM> is housed within the outer shell <NUM> and has an outer surface <NUM> facing the inner surface <NUM> of the outer shell <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, a portion of the outer surface <NUM> of the sealed flexible bag <NUM> is joined to a portion of the inner surface <NUM> of the outer shell <NUM> along a joining path <NUM> surrounding the inner edge <NUM>, particularly extending around the axis h8 of the opening <NUM>. The portion of the outer surface <NUM> enclosed by the joining path <NUM> is configured to be pierced to enable transfer of fluid to and from the bag <NUM> through the opening <NUM>. According to the invention, as will be detailed in the following, a preferred way to break the bag <NUM> open comprises piercing the same at the through opening <NUM> by means of a fluid delivery port.

In this regard, the invention also envisages "clustered" embodiments wherein more than one sealed flexible bag <NUM> is housed within the outer shell <NUM>. Particularly, when multiple sealed bags <NUM> are housed within the outer shell <NUM>, an equal number of through openings <NUM> are provided so that each bag is joined to the inner surface <NUM> of the outer shell <NUM> at the outer surface <NUM> thereof along a joining path <NUM> surrounding the inner edge <NUM> of the respective opening <NUM>. In this way, multiple access ports can be created by piercing the sealed bags open at the respective through openings <NUM>. This allows providing multiple fluid products within the same outer shell, for instance fluid products intended to be mixed only outside of the outer shell <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, as well as <FIG>, the joining path <NUM> may be provided in a variety of different solutions. The joining path <NUM> may feature a circular, continuous joining line or bead <NUM> (<FIG>), or as a discontinuous or intermittent circular joining line or bead 16A (<FIG>) following a similar circular path as the joining line or bead <NUM>.

Alternatively, the joining path <NUM> may feature a continuous polygonal joining line or bead 16B (<FIG>) - here, by way of example, represented as having a quadrilateral or square pattern, although it is to be understood that any polygonal shape can be used, or a discontinuous or intermittent polygonal joining line or bead 16C (<FIG>) - again, by way of example, represented as having a quadrilateral or square pattern, although it is to be understood that any polygonal shape can be used.

Joining is preferably provided by means of gluing, so that the joining line or bead follows the desired joining path <NUM> around the opening <NUM>, and the glue is dispensed according to the continuous or intermittent pattern described above.

With reference to <FIG>, the outer shell <NUM> may be manufactured starting from a sheet or board made of the cellulose-based materials referred to in the foregoing folded and glued together in a carton-like shape including a top fin <NUM>. The top fin <NUM> may itself provide additional anchoring for the bag <NUM> in addition to the joining line or bead(s) <NUM>, whereby a portion of the sealed flexible bag <NUM> containing the fluid/liquid product L is sandwiched (and fixed) between opposite joined tabs making up the fin <NUM>. Alternatively (<FIG>), the fin <NUM> may be formed without sandwiching the bag <NUM> therebetween, hence relying on the joining at the path <NUM> for securing the bag <NUM> to the outer shell <NUM>.

In some embodiments (<FIG> and <FIG>), the outer shell <NUM> may feature a two-piece construction including an upper shell portion 2A and a bottom portion 2B fitted into the upper shell portion 2A and possibly provided with a recessed shape (i.e. a bow shape) to exhibit some degree of radial stiffness to help maintaining the shape of the outer shell <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, in some embodiments the upper shell portion 2A is cylindrical (with a generic elliptical cross-section) and the bottom portion 2B is bow shaped and inwardly recessed, whereby it is mainly concave on the outer side.

With reference to <FIG>, in other embodiments the upper shell portion is prismatic or polyhedral and the bottom portion is again bow shaped to provide some degree of stiffness to the overall shape of the shell <NUM>, only it is convex (flat) on the outer side. Note that the embodiments of <FIG> can be practiced as a single piece construction, just like conventional double lid cardboard boxes.

In all of the embodiments herein, the outer shell <NUM> may be provided with an additional rim <NUM> (<FIG>) at the opening <NUM>, so to increase the wall thickness at the opening <NUM> itself.

The rim <NUM> is made of a cellulose-based material, preferably the same as the outer shell and is joined thereto by gluing, or by other material specific bonding technologies (e.g. water sealing Polypaper® when the rim <NUM> is made of Polypaper®, which is disclosed in <CIT>).

The outer shell <NUM> may also be provided with a handle <NUM>, preferably as part of a wrapping band enclosing the outer walls of the outer shell <NUM> and joined at the very handle <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, the rim <NUM> may be integrally formed with the outer shell <NUM>, while according to the invention - see <FIG> - the opening <NUM> is provided at a bulged socket <NUM> including a first, bulging, portion <NUM> sticking out of the outer shell <NUM>, and a second, recessed (socket) portion <NUM> at the bottom of which the opening <NUM> is provided. Here the joining path <NUM> preferably extends at the bottom of the recessed portion <NUM>.

In yet other embodiments that are not part of the invention, such as those depicted in <FIG>, the rim <NUM> may be provided as a separate member made of a cellulose-based material, possibly as the outer shell <NUM>, but it is fixed to the shell <NUM> at the inner surface <NUM> thereof. To this end, the rim <NUM> may be conveniently formed with a flange as an abutment member at the inner edge <NUM> of the opening <NUM>. Note that, while this arrangement is shown as applied to the embodiment of <FIG>, it is to be understood that it is applicable to each and every single embodiment disclosed herein.

With reference to <FIG>, <FIG>, a first embodiment of an access port member <NUM> intended to be used with the container <NUM> is shown therein.

The access port member <NUM> is configured to pierce the sealed flexible bag <NUM> open at the through opening <NUM>, so to enable transfer of fluid to and from the bag <NUM> through the opening <NUM>.

The access port member <NUM> comprises a neck portion <NUM> and a piercing portion <NUM>, all traversed by a longitudinal through channel <NUM> extending along a longitudinal axis h30 of the access port member <NUM> and having a first section 36A (with a first cross section) at the piercing portion <NUM> and partly at the neck portion <NUM>, a second section 36B (with a tapering cross section) and a third section 36C (with a second cross section, larger than the first cross section), both at the neck portion <NUM>.

The piercing portion <NUM> includes a slanted tip <NUM>, and preferably a plurality of radial through holes or eyelets <NUM>. The slanted tip <NUM> may additionally be combined with, or replaced by, a serrated edge at a nose end thereof.

The neck portion <NUM>, on its hand, includes a tapered portion <NUM> adjacent the piercing portion <NUM> at a shoulder <NUM>, whereby the diameter of the tapered portion <NUM> at the shoulder <NUM> is larger than the (constant) diameter of the piercing portion <NUM>. The tapered portion <NUM> may conveniently include a thread or a surface sculpturing T42 to increase the contact area at the through opening <NUM>. The diameter of the tapered portion <NUM> increases away from the piercing portion <NUM>.

The neck portion <NUM> also includes a terminal portion <NUM> adjacent the tapered portion <NUM>, preferably at a flange <NUM> which defines a shoulder <NUM> at the tapered portion <NUM>. The (constant) diameter of the terminal portion <NUM> may be coincident, larger, or smaller than the diameter of the tapered portion <NUM> at the flange <NUM>, subject - of course - to it being larger than the inner diameter of the channel <NUM> at the terminal portion <NUM> itself.

A first sealing member, preferably an annular sealing member (e.g. an O-ring type seal) <NUM> is provided at the shoulder <NUM>, while a second sealing member <NUM>, again preferably an annular sealing member (e.g. an O-ring type seal), is provided at the shoulder <NUM>.

Similarly to the portion <NUM>, the terminal portion <NUM> may be provided with an outer thread T44 which is intended to receive a cap <NUM> with a matching inner thread T52, or else a functional attachment such as a pump or a spray pump <NUM> (see also <FIG>), whereby a cannula <NUM> of the spray pump <NUM> may be routed through the channel <NUM> once the bag <NUM> is pierced open.

With reference to <FIG>, a second embodiment of an access port member is designated by reference number <NUM>. The access port member <NUM> is essentially mushroom shaped and includes a head <NUM> as a neck portion and a sleeve <NUM> adjacent to the head <NUM> as a piercing portion. The sleeve <NUM> preferably features an outer thread or surface sculpturing T64 to increase the contact area at the opening <NUM>, and also preferably features a serrated edge <NUM> to assist with tearing the bag <NUM> open. The serrated edge may itself be provided on a slanted edge of the sleeve <NUM>, and the serrated edge <NUM> may even be dispensed with, if needed, and replaced with a non-serrated slanted edge. A through channel <NUM> extends along a longitudinal axis h60 of the access port member <NUM>.

The operation of the container <NUM> in combination with the access port members <NUM> and <NUM> will now be described.

The container <NUM> is intended to be marketed as a fully recyclable, pre-filled fluid product container with an easy-to-provide fluid port that may possibly function as an attachment for accessories such as the cap <NUM> or the spray pump <NUM>.

The sale unit may comprise one or more containers <NUM> or else may comprise a kit including the container <NUM> (or multiple containers <NUM>) and the access port member <NUM> or <NUM>.

In use, the flexible bag <NUM> is pierced open by tearing the portion thereof facing outside through the opening <NUM> to enable a fluid transfer to and from the container <NUM>. This can be done with whatever tearing tool (such as a blade, a stylet, a cannula) or, preferably, through the access port member <NUM> or <NUM>.

When inserted through the opening <NUM> with the piercing portion <NUM> or <NUM> in leading position (and with the axis h30 or h60 roughly aligned with the axis h8), the latter tears the plastic layer making up the wall of the flexible bag <NUM> and pokes into the volume of the bag <NUM>. The through channels <NUM>, <NUM> provide the actual access port that enables fluid transfer to and from the bag <NUM>, and the one or more sealing members possibly provided on the access port members ensure fluid tightness at the interface between the bag <NUM> and the access port members <NUM>, <NUM>.

The design of the sealing members <NUM>, <NUM> may conveniently be matched to that of the opening <NUM>: when the latter is provided with the rim <NUM> or as a simple opening in the wall thickness of the outer shell <NUM> the access port member <NUM> may provide a simple and effective access tool to the interior of the bag <NUM>, with fluid tightness provided by the shoulder between the head <NUM> and the sleeve <NUM>, possibly with the aid of a sealing member thereat. The access port member <NUM> may work just as fine, with the tapered section <NUM> increasing the interference condition with the opening <NUM> as the access port member is advanced through the opening <NUM>. In both cases, the thread/surface sculpturing T42, T64 may increase the contact surface by threading or scoring the interior of the opening <NUM>.

When the opening <NUM> is provided on the bulged socket <NUM>, the use of the access port member <NUM> is preferable in that the tapered section <NUM> matches the shape of the socket portion <NUM> and both the sealing members <NUM> and <NUM> are accordingly in a position to ensure fluid tightness at the top and the bottom of the socket portion <NUM>, as visible in <FIG>.

Once access to the interior of the bag <NUM> is achieved, the container <NUM> can be used just like any prior art container, i.e. by pouring or spraying the fluid product/liquid L - or even by replenishing the bag <NUM> with fresh fluid product L. the cap <NUM> may be used to seal close the container <NUM>, and the same closure action can be achieved when mounting the spray pump <NUM> onto the terminal portion <NUM>, as the spray pump acts both as a dispenser and a cap.

Once the bag <NUM> is empty, the container can be disposed of by removing the access port member <NUM> or <NUM>, breaking the outer shell <NUM> open and removing the bag by severing the connection at the joining line <NUM>. The outer shell <NUM> can be recycled in the paper recycling stream, or as organic or compostable material, being it cellulose based, while the plastic mono-material of the bag <NUM> can be disposed of as recyclable plastic.

In general, the following end-of-life disposal options are available with the container <NUM>.

In other words, all of the components of the container <NUM> can be separated and recycled as individual, uniform material, items. This ensures an almost total extent of recycling as compared to prior art containers wherein, for instance, certain plastic parts (for instance the neck and the cap) are made with a higher grade polymer material - for performance reasons. Thanks to the invention, the "high performance" portions such as the access port members <NUM>, <NUM> are completely separable and independent of the container, which can accordingly be manufactured with eco-sustainable, mild-performance, and highly recyclable materials thereby dispensing with the manufacturing of a neck and a cap for each container <NUM>, with related cost savings.

Claim 1:
An eco-sustainable container (<NUM>) for fluid products (L), comprising:
- an outer shell (<NUM>) made of cellulose-based material and having an inner surface (<NUM>) and at least one through opening (<NUM>) having an inner edge (<NUM>),
- at least one sealed flexible bag (<NUM>) of polymer material containing a fluid product (L), the at least one sealed flexible bag (<NUM>) being housed within the outer shell (<NUM>) and having an outer surface (<NUM>) facing said inner surface (<NUM>) of the outer shell (<NUM>),
characterised in that
wherein a portion of the outer surface (<NUM>) of the sealed flexible bag (<NUM>) is joined to a portion of the inner surface (<NUM>) of the outer shell (<NUM>) along a joining path (<NUM>) surrounding the inner edge (<NUM>) of a corresponding through opening (<NUM>), wherein said portion of the outer surface (<NUM>) enclosed by said joining path (<NUM>) is configured to be pierced by an access port member (<NUM>, <NUM>) when the latter is inserted through said through opening (<NUM>) of said outer shell (<NUM>),
wherein the through opening (<NUM>) is provided on a bulged socket (<NUM>), the bulged socket comprising a bulged portion (<NUM>) sticking out of an outer surface of the outer shell (<NUM>), and a recessed portion (<NUM>) at the bottom of which said through opening (<NUM>) is provided.