CARTRIDGE, CORE, MOLD AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A CARTRIDGE

• US 20190322018A1
• Filed: 06/27/2017
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medmix Switzerland AG (Sulzer AG)
• Original Assignee: Sulzer MixPac AG (Sulzer AG)
• Inventors: BODENMULLER, Tobias, LAVELANET, Richard, CLEMENS, Victor
• Granted Patent: US 10,773,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 17/00553 with means allowing the stock of material to consist of at least two different components
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 17/00583 the container for the material to be dispensed being deformable
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14065 Positioning or centering articles in the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14418 Sealing means between mould and article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14598 Coating tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/261 having tubular mould cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/36 having means for locating or centering cores
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/712 Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages closures therefor B29L2031/56; ink or toner cartridges B29L2031/7678; squeeze tubes B29L2023/20; suitcases B29L2031/7418
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0055 Containers or packages provided with a flexible bag or a deformable membrane or diaphragm for expelling the contents
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0072 the contents of a flexible bag being expelled by a piston or a movable bottom or partition provided in the container or the package

Abstract

A cartridge for a medium to be dispensed includes a head part having a dispensing outlet and a film forming a cartridge wall, with the film surrounding a cartridge chamber for the medium to be dispensed, extending at least partially (along an axial extension) in a longitudinal direction of the cartridge and having a front end being connected to the head part. The film is preferably a multilayer film having at least two layers formed from different materials, and the front end of the film is sealingly and non-releasably embedded in the head part of the cartridge, so that an end face of the front end of the film is covered, in particular completely covered, by the head part.

Claims

1. A cartridge for a medium to be dispensed, comprising

a head part having a dispensing outlet and a film forming a cartridge wall, the film bounding a cartridge chamber for the medium to be dispensed, extending at least partially in a longitudinal direction of the cartridge and having a front end that is connected to the head part,

the film being a multilayer film having at least two layers formed from different materials, and the front end of the film is sealingly and non-releasably embedded in the head part of the cartridge, so that an end face of the front end of the film is covered, in particular completely covered, by the head part.

2. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein

an outer surface and an inner surface of the film are continuously covered by the head part at least in the region of the end face, with the outer and the inner surface both being arranged directly adjacent to the end face of the front end of the film.

3. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the head part has a collar, the collar surrounding the dispensing outlet in a radially outer region of the head part extending in the longitudinal direction, with the collar having an inner annular section and an outer annular section with a circumferential groove disposed between the inner annular section and the outer annular section, and the front end of the film is sealingly and non-releasably embedded in the circumferential groove disposed between the inner annular section and the outer annular section.

4. The cartridge in accordance with claim 3, wherein

a respective thickness of the film or of the inner annular section is at least substantially uniform in a radial direction.

5. The cartridge in accordance with claim 3, wherein

the inner annular section comprises a plurality of cut outs, and a depth of each cut out in the longitudinal direction is less than a depth of the circumferential groove disposed between the inner annular section and the outer annular section.

6. The cartridge in accordance with claim 3, wherein

the outer annular section has a generally round, external shape in cross-section and the outer annular section has a non-uniform radial thickness.

7. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the embedded front end of the film has a corrugated shape in cross-section.

8. The cartridge in accordance with claim 7, wherein

the embedded front end of the film has an undulating shape in cross-section.

9. The cartridge in accordance with claim 5, wherein

the embedded front end of the film has a polygonal cross-section comprising a plurality of vertices, with each of the plurality of vertices of the polygonal cross-section being aligned with a respective one of the plurality of cut outs.

10. The cartridge in accordance with claim 5, wherein

at least one projection is formed in an inner surface of the outer annular section and preferably wherein a plurality of projections are provided in the inner surface of the outer annular section, wherein the plurality of projections comprising first projections and second projections, with the first and second projections having different shapes, widths and/or diameters in cross-section.

11. The cartridge in accordance with claim 10, wherein

at least one of the plurality of cut outs is disposed at at least one boundary of the at least one projection.

19. The cartridge in accordance with claim 10, wherein

the at least one projection includes a plurality of projections disposed on the inner surface of the outer annular section, the plurality of projections comprising first projections and second projections, with the first and second projections having different shapes, widths or diameters in cross-section.

12. A core for a mold for molding and thereby attaching a head part of a cartridge to a film forming a cartridge wall, with the film having a front end to be connected to the head part, the core comprising:

a cartridge head forming end configured to form the head part, and a circumferentially extending cavity at the cartridge head forming end that extends from an end face of the cartridge head forming end to an outer circumferential surface of the core.

13. The core in accordance with claim 12, wherein

the cavity is defined by a beveled or recessed outer surface of the core between the end face of the cartridge head forming end and the outer circumferential surface of the core.

14. The core in accordance with claim 12, wherein

the cavity comprises a plurality of protrusions formed therein, with the plurality of protrusions extending radially to the outer circumferential surface of the core.

15. The core in accordance with claim 14, wherein

the plurality of protrusions are set back from the end face of the cartridge head forming end.

16. The core in accordance with claim 12, wherein

a profile of the cross-section of the cartridge head forming end has a generally rounded shape, a corrugated shape, or a generally polygonal shape.

17. A mold for molding and thereby attaching a head part of a cartridge to a film forming a cartridge wall, the mold comprising:

a core in accordance with claim 12;

a region forming a head space configured to form the head part of the cartridge and within which the film is sealingly and non-releasably embedded within the head part; and

at least two sliders configured to engage the film surrounding the core and to engage the core via the film adjacent to the cartridge head forming end, with the at least two sliders forming a boundary of the head space.

18. A method of manufacturing a cartridge having a head part using a mold in accordance with claim 16, the method comprising the steps of:

placing the at least one film on the core;

placing the film and the core in the mold;

moving the at least two sliders to clamp the film into position on the core such that the front end of the film projects into the head space; and

injection molding the head part in the head space of the mold to form the head part and to sealingly and non-releasably embed the front end of the film in the head part, so that an end face of the front end of the film is covered by the head part.

20. The core in accordance with claim 12, wherein

a profile of the cross-section of the cartridge head forming end has a generally rounded or polygonal shape having recesses formed therein, at least part of the recesses having different shapes, different widths or different diameters in cross-section.