Container and a method for its manufacture

Abstract

A container ( 1 ) for food products is fashioned in such a way that there are no interstitial spaces or stagnation traps on the inside. The bottom end ( 8 ) of the container is fashioned by bending and flattening one end portion ( 7 ) of a tubular blank in such a way as to produce two triangular stiffening folds ( 10 ) of double thickness, each penetrable along one open side coinciding with the base ( 10 a ) of the triangle; before the folds ( 10 ) are turned inward, the open sides are sealed by bonding the two triangular thicknesses together along the base ( 10 a ) so that the folds remain isolated from the inside of the container ( 1 ).

1 ) A container, in particular for preserving food products, consisting in a hollow structure ( 2 ) obtainable by bending and sealing at least one substantially flat blank ( 1   a ) and comprising: a containing portion ( 3 ) providing an enclosure ( 4 ) in which to accommodate at least one preservable product, presenting at least one side wall ( 6 ) furnished with at least one end portion ( 7 ) adaptable by bending and sealing operations in such a way as to fashion a bottom end ( 8 ); and an outlet portion ( 5 ) located at the end opposite to the bottom end ( 8 ), permanently associated with the side wall ( 6 ) of the containing portion ( 3 ) and combining to establish the enclosure ( 4 ) at least in part, characterized in that the bottom end ( 8 ) fashioned from the end portion ( 7 ) of the side wall ( 6 ) presents at least one area of layered structure delimited by at least one seal ( 10   c ) positioned to isolate the selfsame area of layered structure from the enclosure ( 4 ) of the container ( 1 ), thereby ensuring that the enclosure ( 4 ) encompasses a volume devoid of interstitial spaces and/or stagnation points.  
   
   
       2 ) A container as in  claim 1 , wherein the seal ( 10   c ) delimiting the area of layered structure presented by the bottom end ( 8 ) is applied to at least two parts of the end portion ( 7 ) of the side wall ( 8 ), in such a way that the selfsame parts are united to create a respective stiffening element ( 10 ) forming part of the bottom end.  
   
   
       3 ) A container as in  claim 1 , of which the outlet portion ( 5 ) incorporates a spout ( 5   d ) by which the food product in the container can be caused to follow a predetermined preferential flow direction, wherein the spout ( 5   d ) consists in a part of the outlet portion ( 5 ) furnished with at least two crease lines ( 5   c ) extending divergently toward a free edge ( 12 ) of the outlet portion and capable of alternating between a non-operating condition in which the container ( 1 ) is closed with the spout ( 5   d ) retracted into the outlet portion ( 5 ) and presenting a substantially flat configuration, and an operating condition in which the container ( 1 ) is open with the spout ( 5   d ) projecting from the selfsame outlet portion ( 5 ).  
   
   
       4 ) A container as in  claim 1 , wherein the outlet portion ( 5 ) is furnished with at least one neck piece ( 9 ) connecting the enclosure ( 4 ) with the surrounding environment, also with a relative element ( 9   a ) fitted to and functioning as a closure for the selfsame neck piece ( 9 ).  
   
   
       5 ) A container as in  claim 1 , wherein the container ( 1 ) is of substantially prismatic shape, presenting a polygonal cross section.  
   
   
       6 ) A container as in  claim 1 , wherein the container ( 1 ) is of substantially cylindrical shape, presenting a circular cross section.  
   
   
       7 ) A container, in particular for preserving food products, consisting in a hollow structure ( 2 ) obtainable by bending and sealing at least one substantially flat blank ( 1   a ) and comprising: a containing portion ( 3 ) providing an enclosure ( 4 ) in which to accommodate at least one preservable product, presenting at least one side wall ( 6 ) furnished with at least one end portion ( 7 ) adaptable by bending and sealing operations in such a way as to fashion a bottom end ( 8 ); and an outlet portion ( 5 ) located at the end opposite to the bottom end ( 8 ), permanently associated with the side wall ( 6 ) of the containing portion ( 3 ) and combining to establish the enclosure ( 4 ) at least in part, characterized in that the outlet portion ( 5 ) presents at least one spout ( 5   d ) by which the food product in the container can be caused to follow a predetermined preferential flow direction, and in that such a spout ( 5   d ) consists in a part of the outlet portion ( 5 ) furnished with at least two crease lines ( 5   c ) extending divergently toward a free edge ( 12 ) of the outlet portion and capable of alternating between a non-operating condition in which the container ( 1 ) is closed with the spout ( 5   d ) retracted into the outlet portion ( 5 ) and presenting a substantially flat configuration, and an operating condition in which the container ( 1 ) is open with the spout ( 5   d ) projecting from the selfsame outlet portion ( 5 ).  
   
   
       8 ) A container as in  claim 7 , wherein the spout ( 5   d ) presents a substantially Vee shaped cross sectional profile when in the operating condition.  
   
   
       9 ) A method of manufacturing a container, in particular for preserving food products, utilizing a substantially flat blank ( 1   a ) of material presenting a plurality of crease lines ( 11 ) generated by a scoring operation, and comprising the steps of: causing the blank ( 1   a ) to assume a substantially tubular shape establishing at least one side wall ( 6 ) of the container ( 1 ) in production; fixing the blank ( 1   a ) to retain the tubular shape; bending the tubular blank ( 1   a ) along at least two mutually opposed segments of a transverse crease line ( 11   b ) delimiting an end portion ( 7 ) of the side wall ( 6 ) so that the end portion is caused to bend along angled crease lines ( 11   c ) departing from the transverse crease line ( 11   b ) and extending convergently toward a free transverse edge ( 12 ) of the tubular blank ( 1   a ), in such a way as to create a bottom end ( 8 ) of the container ( 1 ) in production, and at least two mutually opposed stiffening elements ( 10 ) of layered structure; fixing the bottom end ( 8 ) and the stiffening elements ( 10 ) by sealing together at least two joined faces of the free transverse edge ( 12 ) presented by the tubular blank ( 1   a ); bending the end portion ( 7 ) further along mutually opposed segments of the transverse crease line ( 11   b ) delimiting the stiffening elements ( 10 ) so that these same elements are flattened over the bottom end ( 8 ); and securing the stiffening elements ( 10 ) to the bottom end ( 8 ), characterized in that it comprises the further step of sealing the layered structure presented by each stiffening element ( 10 ) along the corresponding segment of the transverse crease line ( 11   b ).  
   
   
       10 ) A method as in  claim 9 , wherein the step of sealing each stiffening element ( 10 ) is effected before these same elements are bent along the respective segments of the transverse crease line ( 11   b ).  
   
   
       11 ) A container as in  claim 2 , wherein the container ( 1 ) is of substantially prismatic shape, presenting a polygonal cross section.  
   
   
       12 ) A container as in  claim 3 , wherein the container ( 1 ) is of substantially prismatic shape, presenting a polygonal cross section.  
   
   
       13 ) A container as in  claim 4 , wherein the container ( 1 ) is of substantially prismatic shape, presenting a polygonal cross section.  
   
   
       14 ) A container as in  claim 2 , wherein the container ( 1 ) is of substantially cylindrical shape, presenting a circular cross section.  
   
   
       15 ) A container as in  claim 3 , wherein the container ( 1 ) is of substantially cylindrical shape, presenting a circular cross section.  
   
   
       16 ) A container as in  claim 4 , wherein the container ( 1 ) is of substantially cylindrical shape, presenting a circular cross section.