Container having a peelable sealing membrane, which is to receive a powder material and have excess internal pressure

Abstract

A container for a powder material includes an inner portion in the form of a flange ( 13 ), and a peelable sealing membrane sealingly attached onto the flange ( 13 ) via a peripheral sealing cord ( 27 ). The sealing membrane also has at least one pull tab ( 23 ) so as to enable the peeling thereof relative to the flange ( 13 ) by breaking down the sealing cord ( 27 ). The flange ( 13 ) has at least one passageway ( 18 ) for circulating gas; the passageway ( 18 ) is to be sealed by the attached sealing membrane and is located opposite the pull tab ( 23 ) so as to release the internal excess pressure from the container ( 3 ) upon the initiation of the peeling of the sealing membrane. The container is particularly useful for eliminating, or at least reducing, the splatter of the packaged material.

1 . A container intended to receive a powder product and intended to have an internal excess pressure, said container ( 3 ) comprises:
 (i) a flange-shaped inner portion ( 13 ), intended to extend on the perimeter of an opening ( 6 ) to be closed, which flange ( 13 ) is delimited by a lower face, an upper face ( 17 ), an inner edge ( 14 ) defining a central aperture ( 15 ) and an outer edge ( 16 ) connected to a lateral wall ( 4 ) of the container body ( 2 ), and   (ii) a peelable closing membrane ( 11 ) intended to close said central aperture ( 15 ), including an upper face ( 21 ) and a lower face ( 20 ), wherein the outer contour of the lower face ( 20 ) is hermetically fixed to the upper face ( 17 ) of said flange ( 13 ) through a sealing cord ( 27 ), which closing membrane ( 11 ) is provided with at least one pull-tab ( 23 ) to allow the peeling thereof with respect to said flange ( 13 ) by degradation of said sealing cord ( 27 ),   characterized in that said flange ( 13 ) is provided with at least one passageway ( 18 ) for the circulation of gas, which passageway ( 18 ) is intended to be closed by said added closing membrane ( 11 ) and is located opposite said pull-tab ( 23 ) to release the internal excess pressure of the container ( 3 ) upon the initiation of the peeling of said closing membrane ( 11 ).   
     
     
         2 . The container according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said passageway ( 18 ) consists in at least one orifice ( 181 ) arranged through the flange ( 13 ), between its inner ( 14 ) and outer ( 16 ) edges. 
     
     
         3 . The container according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the orifice(s) ( 181 ) define together a passageway ( 18 ) whose surface area is comprised between 0.5 and 30 mm 2 . 
     
     
         4 . The container according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the orifice(s) ( 181 ) have a generally circular shape, whose diameter is comprised between 0.5 and 1 mm, and are 1 to 10 in number. 
     
     
         5 . The container according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the orifice(s) ( 181 ) consist in an elongated slot, whose length is comprised between 10 and 20 mm and whose width is comprised between 0.5 and 3 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The container according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the orifice(s) ( 181 ) arranged in the flange ( 13 ) are located within the footprint ( 30 ) of the sealing cord ( 27 ). 
     
     
         7 . The container according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the sealing cord ( 27 ) includes at least one not-sealed inner area ( 271 ), and in that the orifice(s) ( 181 ) are arranged in said non-sealed inner area ( 271 ). 
     
     
         8 . The container according to  claim 2 , characterized in that said passageway ( 18 ) is arranged between an inner edge ( 28 ) of the sealing cord ( 27 ) and an inner edge ( 14 ) of the flange ( 13 ). 
     
     
         9 . The container according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said passageway ( 18 ) consists in a notch ( 182 ) arranged from said inner edge ( 14 ) of the flange ( 13 ) and extending towards its outer edge ( 16 ). 
     
     
         10 . The container according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the flange ( 13 ) includes several passageways ( 18 ) that are regularly distributed over its circumference. 
     
     
         11 . The container according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the inner ( 14 ) and outer ( 16 ) edges of the flange ( 13 ) extend parallel, or approximately parallel, relative to each other, providing it with a constant or approximately constant width over its whole periphery. 
     
     
         12 . The container according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the flange ( 13 ) consists of a peripheral annular portion ( 131 ) continued by a disk segment ( 132 ). 
     
     
         13 . The container according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the peripheral sealing cord ( 27 ) is delimited by an inner edge ( 28 ) and an outer edge ( 29 ), and in that said sealing cord ( 27 ) includes a fracture initiation area ( 31 ) arranged at said pull-tab ( 23 ), which fracture initiation area ( 31 ) comprises a protruding section ( 32 ) of said outer edge ( 29 ) of said sealing cord ( 27 ) that forms a local protuberance extending towards said outer edge ( 16 ) of said flange ( 13 ), to reduce the effort required for initiating the fracture of said sealing cord ( 27 ) by pulling the tab ( 23 ) and thus facilitating the initiation of the peeling of said closing membrane ( 11 ), and in that at least one of the passageways ( 18 ) is arranged at said fracture initiation area ( 31 ). 
     
     
         14 . The container according to  claim 1 , characterized in that:
 (i) the flange ( 13 ) is made single-piece with the lateral wall ( 4 ) of the container body ( 2 ), or   (ii) the container ( 3 ) is provided with an added ring ( 10 ) including—an outer portion ( 12 ), fixed on an edge ( 5 ) of the container body ( 2 ) delimiting said opening ( 6 ) to be closed, and—an inner portion ( 13 ) forming an added flange, intended to extend over the perimeter of said opening ( 6 ) to be closed.   
     
     
         15 . A ring for a lid ( 1 ) intended to equip a container body ( 2 ), possibly equipped with a peelable closing membrane ( 11 ), according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . The container according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the orifice(s) ( 181 ) have a generally circular shape, whose diameter is comprised between 0.5 and 1 mm, and are 1 to 10 in number. 
     
     
         17 . The container according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the orifice(s) ( 181 ) consist in an elongated slot, whose length is comprised between 10 and 20 mm and whose width is comprised between 0.5 and 3 mm.