Dispensing – With discharge assistant – Container with follower
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-29
2001-02-20
Shoap, Allan N. (Department: 3727)
Dispensing
With discharge assistant
Container with follower
C053S470000, C156S305000, C220S062210, C220S723000, C493S099000, C493S100000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189744
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to compartmented containers i.e. containers having a bag or diaphragm to separate the interior of the container into at least two sections. Such compartmented containers have found widespread use in aerosols where it is desirable to separate the propellant gases from the contents to be dispensed from the container.
UK patent application No. 2024334A is an example of such a compartmented aerosol container, which uses an adhesive to secure a plastics pouch to the sidewall of the aerosol can. An alternative type of compartmented aerosol container is shown in EP0354137A, in which an injection moulded shoulder is glued to an aerosol can body, a pouch being bonded to a portion of the shoulder insert. More commonly, a metallic top component is provided, and the pouch or bag is secured by crimping the top of the bag into the double seamed joint between the can body and the top component. An example of this type of container is GB2027130A Enrich crimps a pouch by means of the double seam, but is also subjected to a heat treatment to bond the pouch and repair any tears in the pouch caused by the double seaming. The present invention attempts to avoid the use of adhesives, and the problems of tearing the bag when it is secured by means of the double seam.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly there is provided a method of manufacturing a compartmented container characterised by the steps of:
i. forming a plastics pouch being open at at least one of its ends;
ii. forming a metallic top component having at least one surface thereof coated with a polymeric layer;
iii. heat-sealing the often end of the pouch and the top component one to the other by means of a plastics/plastics bond between the pouch and the polymeric layer of the top component;
iv. inserting the pouch into a tubular container body such that the top component is adjacent one open end of the container body; and
v. securing the top component onto the container body by means of a seaming operation.
The top component preferably includes an annular countersink, and the open end of the pouch is heat-sealed to a wall of the annular countersink. Preferably the pouch is heat-sealed to the top component by means of an induction heater. Alternatively, the pouch may be heat-sealed to the top component by means of the injection of a line of molten polymer material in order to bond the panel to the top component one to the other. In this instance the molten polymer material is preferably polypropylene.
The plastics pouch is conveniently formed as a continuous tube and subsequently cut to length. One end of the pouch may be closed and sealed prior to heat-sealing the opposite end to the top component, but more preferably one end is heat-sealed to the top component, and the opposite end is closed and sealed prior to insertion of the pouch in the tubular container.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a compartmented container comprising a tubular container body having an open upper end, a plastics pouch having a closed lower end and an open upper end, and a top component connected to and closing the container body by means of a double seam, the top component being formed of metal and having at least its inner surface coated with a polymeric layer characterised in that the open upper end of the plastics pouch is heat-sealed to the top component at an area away from that of the double seam by means of a plastics/plastics bond between the pouch and the polymeric layer on the top component.
The term “coated” is herein meant to include metal/polymer laminates such as those of our European patent No. EP 0312302B, as well as other coated techniques for producing metal coils coated with plastics material as will be known by those skilled in the art. Preferably one or both of the tubular container body and the top component are formed of steel coated with a polymeric layer. Conveniently one or both of the tubular container body and the top component have at least their inner surface coated with a layer of polypropylene. Preferably the compartmented container is an aerosol container, and the top component is conveniently an aerosol cone.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided, in combination, a top component for an container and a plastics pouch, the top component being formed of metal and having at least one surface thereof coated with a polymeric layer, the top component having a seaming flange portion adapted to be used to attach the top component to a container body by means of a double seam, the plastics pouch being open at at least one of its ends, characterised in that the open end of the pouch is heat-sealed to the top component at an area away from the seaming flange portion by means of a plastics/plastics bond between the pouch and the polymeric layer of the top component. Preferably the plastics pouch is open at one end and closed at the other end, ready for receiving the conents to be dispensed from the container.
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CarnaudMetalbox (Holdings) USA Inc.
Diller, Ramik & Wight PC
Merek Joe
Shoap Allan N.
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