Method and apparatus for forming composite container including a tab-cut label layer

• US 4,091,718 A
• Filed: 01/18/1977
• Issued: 05/30/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
• Original Assignee: Boise Cascade Holdings LLC (Madison Dearborn Partners LLC)
• Inventors: Thornhill, Dewey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coan, James F.
• Application Number:
  US05/759,336
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 93/39.1 R, 93/55.1 R, 93/55.1 M, 93/80, 93/94 R, 93/94 M, 93/77 CL, 93/39 C, 113/120 Q, 113/120 XY, 229/51 BP
• US Class Current: 493/67
• CPC Class Codes: B31C 3/02 and inserting into a tube end a bottom to form a container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 3/22 with double walls; with walls incorporating air-chambers; with walls made of laminated material for thermal insulating purposes B65D81/3818

Abstract

A one-step easy-open composite container for dough products and the like, together with a method and apparatus for forming the same, are disclosed, which composite container includes a fibrous body wall layer having an unbonded helical butt joint, an impervious inner liner layer that is folded to define an expansible folded portion that extends helically the length of the container opposite the helical butt joint, an outer label layer wound helically in adhesively-bonded relation upon the body wall across the butt joint, and at least one end closure member closing one end of the body wall-label laminate, characterized in that the overlapping edge of the outer label layer is precut--prior to winding on the body wall layer--by a tab cut which is arranged at an acute angle relative to the separation line of end cut in laterally spaced relation to the helical butt joint. Consequently, when the pull tab portion defined by the tab cut is pulled to partially tear the label from the container, the body wall butt joint is exposed and is automatically expanded by the product packaged in the container to open the inner liner layer folded portion along the butt joint.

Claims

1. The method of manufacturing a composite container for dough products and the like, comprising the steps of

(a) helically winding on a mandrel an impervious inner liner layer strip (6);

(b) helically winding a fibrous body wall layer strip (8) in the same sense as, and in adhesively bonded relation on the external surface of, said helically-wound inner liner layer, said body wall layer having a helical unbonded butt joint (12) the adjacent edges of which are contiguous, said liner layer including a helically extending folded expansible portion (6a, 6b) bonded to said body wall layer on both sides of, and extending solely in straddling relation across the inner surface of, said body wall helical butt joint;

(c) cutting in one longitudial edge of a label layer strip

     10) a plurality of longitudinally-spaced parallel tab cuts (16) angularly arranged relative to the longitudinal axis of said label layer strip;

(d) helically winding the label layer strip in adhesively-bonded relation on the external surface of, in the same winding sense as, and in straddling relation across the butt joint of, said body wall layer, thereby to form a tubular laminate, said label layer being wound in edge-overlapping relation with said one edge portion being exposed and laterally offset from said butt joint;

(e) transversely cutting the tubular laminate along longitudinally spaced lines of circumferential end cuts contained in planes normal to the longitudinal axis of the tubular laminate, thereby to define a plurality of cylindrical laminate sections, said label layer strip being wound with each of said tab cuts arranged in laterally spaced relation relative to the associated butt joint and extending toward said end cut at an acute angle (α

) relative to said end cut, whereby a pull tab portion (18) is defined in said label layer between the tab cut and the label layer edge; and

(f) securing to the end of the laminate section adjacent the tab cut a metal end closure member, whereby upon pulling of the tab portion of the label defined by the tab cut, the label is torn from the container assembly along a circumferential tear line adjacent the metal end closure member.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein each circumferential cut in the laminate is contiguous with one end of the corresponding label layer tab cut.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein each circumferential cut in the laminate is adjacent but slightly spaced from the end of the label layer tab cut.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein one edge portion (6a) of said liner layer terminates adjacent a first side of said body wall helical butt joint, the other edge portion of said liner layer having a first portion (6b) which extends from the other side of said butt joint across and beyond said butt joint, and a reversely folded second portion (6c) which extends between said one edge portion and said first portion back toward said butt joint, the length of said second portion extending substantially the length of said first portion and terminating adjacent the edge of said one edge portion, the fold line (6d) between said first and second liner portions extending helically the length of the laminate section, the outer surface of said reversely folded second liner portion (6c) being secured to the inner surface of said liner layer one edge portion to permit relative expansion of said first and second liner portions.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, and further including the steps, prior to the label layer strip winding step, of

(g) applying upon the surface of one of said body wall and label layers facing the other of said layers solely at transversely extending portions thereof containing the lines of circumferential cut a layer of adhesive-resistant material;

and

(h) applying a liquid adhesive to the remaining portions of said surface.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, and further including the steps, prior to the label layer strip winding step, of

(g) applying upon the surface of one of said body wall and label layers facing the other of said layers solely at transversely extending portions thereof containing the lines of circumferential cut a layer of release adhesive;

and

(h) applying a liquid adhesive to the remaining portions of said surface.

7. Apparatus for manufacturing a composite container for dough products and the like, comprising the steps of

(a) means for helically winding an impervious liner layer strip (6) upon a mandrel;

(b) means for helically winding in the same sense and with a helical butt joint (12) a body wall layer strip (8) in adhesively bonded relation on the outer surface of said liner layer, one edge portion (6a) of said liner layer terminating adjacent a first side of said body wall helical butt joint, the other edge portion of said liner layer having a first portion (6b) which extends from the other side of said butt joint across and beyond said butt joint, and a reversely folded second portion (6c) which extends between said one edge portion and said first portion back toward said butt joint, the length of said second portion extending substantially the length of said first portion and terminating adjacent the edge of said one edge portion, the fold line between said first and second liner portions extending helically the length of the butt joint, the outer surface of said reversely folded second liner portion being secured to the inner surface of said liner layer one edge portion to permit relative expansion of said first and second liner portions;

(c) means for cutting in one longitudinal edge of a label layer (10) a plurality of longitudinally-spaced parallel tab cuts (16) angularly arranged relative to the longitudinal axis of said label layer strip;

(d) means for helically winding said label layer strip in the same sense in edge-overlapping adhesively bonded relation on the external surface of said body wall layer in straddling relation across the helical butt joint contained therein;

(e) means for transversely cutting the tubular laminate along longitudinally spaced lines of circumferential end cuts contained in planes normal to the longitudinal axis of the tubular laminate, thereby to define a plurality of cylindrical laminate sections, each of said circumferential end cuts being laterally spaced from said butt joint adjacent one end of the associated tab cut; and

(f) means operable for securing to at least that end of each laminate section adjacent the tab cut a metal end closure member, whereby upon pulling of the tab portion of the label defined by the tab cut, the label is torn from the container assembly along a circumferential tear line adjacent the metal end closure member.

8. The method of manufacturing a composite container for dough products and the like, comprising the steps of

(a) helically winding on a mandrel an impervious inner liner layer strip (6);

(b) helically winding a fibrous body wall layer strip (8) in the same sense as, and in adhesively bonded relation on the external surface of, said helically-wound inner liner layer, said body wall layer containing helical unbonded butt joint (12), the outer surface of said body wall layer being lined with a layer of newsprint material, said liner layer including a helically extending folded expansible portion (6a, 6b) bonded to said body wall layer on both sides of, and extending in straddling relation across, said body wall helical butt joint;

(c) cutting in one longitudinal edge of a label layer strip (10) a plurality of longitudinally-spaced parallel tab cuts (16) angularly arranged relative to the longitudinal axis of said label layer strip;

(d) helically winding the label layer strip in adhesively-bonded relation on the external surface of said body wall layer, thereby to form a tubular laminate, said label layer being wound in edge-overlapping relation with said one edge portion exposed;

(e) transversely cutting the tubular laminate along longitudinally spaced lines of circumferential end cuts contained in planes normal to the longitudinal axis of the tubular laminate, thereby to define a plurality of cylindrical laminate sections, each of said tab cuts being arranged in laterally spaced relation to the associated butt joint at an acute angle relative to the associated end cut and terminating at one end adjacent thereto, whereby a pull tab portion (18) is defined in said label layer between the tab cut and the label layer edge; and

(f) securing to the end of the laminate section adjacent the tab cut a metal end closure member, whereby upon pulling of the tab portion of the label defined by the tab cut, the label is torn from the container assembly along a circumferential tear line adjacent the metal end closure member.

9. The method of manufacturing a composite container for dough products and the like, comprising the steps of

(a) helically winding an impervious liner layer strip (6) upon a mandrel;

(b) helically winding in the same sense and with a helical butt joint (12) a fibrous body wall layer strip (8) in adhesively bonded relation on the outer surface of said liner layer, one edge portion (6a) of said liner layer terminating adjacent a first side of said body wall helical butt joint, the other edge portion of said liner layer having a first portion (6b) which extends from the other side of said butt joint across and beyond said butt joint, and a reversely folded second portion (6c) which extends between said one edge portion and said first portion back toward said butt joint, the length of said second portion extending substantially the length of said first portion and terminating adjacent the edge of said one edge portion, the fold line between said first and second liner portions extending helically the length of said butt joint, the outer surface of said reversely folded second liner portion being secured to the inner surface of said liner layer one edge portion to permit relative expansion of said first and second liner portions;

(c) cutting in one longitudinal edge of a label layer (10) a plurality of longitudinally-spaced parallel tab cuts (16) angularly arranged relative to the longitudinal axis of said label layer strip;

(d) helically winding said label layer strip in the same sense in edge-overlapping adhesively bonded relation on the external surface of said body wall layer in straddling relation across the helical butt joint contained therein, said label layer strip being wound so that said tab cuts are laterally displaced from said butt joint;

(e) transversely cutting the tubular laminate along longitudinally spaced lines of circumferential end cuts contained in planes normal to the longitudinal axis of the tubular laminate, thereby to define a plurality of cylindrical laminate sections, said circumferential cuts being adjacent one end of said tab cuts, respectively, each of said tab cuts being formed in the exposed edge of said label layer and extending toward the associated end cut at an acute angle (α

) relative to said associated end cut, whereby the tab cut cooperates with the overlapping label layer edge to define a pull tab portion (18) in said label layer; and

(f) securing to at least that end of each laminate section adjacent the tab cut a metal end closure member, whereby upon pulling of the tab portion of the label defined by the tab cut, the label may be torn from the container assembly along a circumferential tear line adjacent the metal end closure member.

10. Apparatus for manufacturing a composite container for dough products and the like, comprising

(a) means for helically winding on a mandrel an impervious liner layer strip (6);

(b) means for helically winding in the same sense in bonded relation on said liner layer a fibrous body wall layer strip (8) to define a continuous helical unbonded butt joint (2), said liner layer strip containing an expansible folded portion which extends in straddling relation across, and helically the length of, said butt joint;

(c) means for cutting in one longitudinal edge of a label layer strip (10) a plurality of longitudinally-spaced parallel tab cuts (16) angularly arranged relative to the longitudinal axis of said label layer strip;

(d) helically winding in edge overlapping relation the label layer strip in the same sense and in adhesively bonded relation on the external surface of said body wall layer, said label layer extending in straddling relation across said body wall butt joint, thereby to form a tubular laminate;

(e) means for transversely cutting the tubular laminate along longitudinally spaced lines of circumferential cuts contained in planes normal to the longitudinal axis of the tubular laminate, thereby to define a plurality of cylindrical laminate sections, each of said tab cuts being arranged in the exposed edge of said label layer at an acute angle (α

) relative to the line of end cut in laterally spaced relation to the butt joint, whereby a pull tab portion (18) is defined between said tab cut and the adjacent label layer edge; and

(f) means for securing to the end of the laminate section adjacent the tab cut a metal end closure member, whereby upon pulling of the label tab portion, the label is torn from the container assembly along a circumferential tear line adjacent the metal end closure member.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said tab cut cutting means includes a reciprocatory cutting blade.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said tab cut cutting means includes a helical cutting balde mounted on the periphery of a rotary drum.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, and further including means for applying upon the surface of one of the body wall and label layers facing the other of said layers solely at transversely extending portions thereof containing the lines of circumferential cut a layer of adhesive-resistant material;

and means for applying liquid adhesive to the remaining portions of said surface.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, and further including means for applying upon the surface of one of said body wall and label layers facing the other of said layers solely at transversely extending portions thereof containing the lines of circumferential cut a layer of release adhesive;

and means for applying a liquid adhesive to the remaining portions of said surace.