CONTAINER OF THE TYPE COMPRISING A RECEPTACLE AND A HINGED LID

Abstract

The invention relates to a container comprising: a receptacle comprising an internal cavity designed to accommodate contents, and an opening; a lid capable of closing the opening; means for connecting the lid to the receptacle in such a way as to allow the lid to pivot with respect to the receptacle; and a capsule arranged between the receptacle and the lid, which capsule hermetically seals the opening; in which the capsule is held against an edge of the opening by negative pressure inside the cavity.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of containers of the kind comprising a receptacle and a hinged lid.

BACKGROUND ART

Containers (generally called “cans”) are known which comprise a receptacle and a lid provided with a flat gasket. The receptacle comprises a wall defining an internal cavity designed to accommodate contents, and an edge (or lip) defining an opening capable of being closed by the lid.

Such containers generally comprise means for connecting the lid to the receptacle in such a way as to allow the lid to pivot with respect to the receptacle.

The container is generally made of glass and the connecting means comprise an electroplated wire frame.

Such containers are typically used to contain food products exposed to a sterilizing or pasteurizing treatment, such as terrines, pâtés, or foies gras.

At the time of closing the receptacle, a vacuum is created in the cavity in that closing of the lid is performed in a vacuum (in a vacuum bell) or in that gas purging is caused during heat treatment (in an autoclave). Due to this vacuum, the lid is held bearing on the lip of the receptacle via the gasket. The gasket ensures sealing of the assembly and maintains the vacuum inside the receptacle.

Due to the gasket being compressed between the receptacle and the lid, the gasket tends to deform thus forming a bead protruding with respect to the lid and the receptacle.

Furthermore, conventionally, the gasket may have a tab extending toward the outside of the receptacle. The tab may be gripped by a user for moving the gasket and causing a disruption of the vacuum inside the receptacle, so as to facilitate the opening of the receptacle.

A disadvantage of this kind of container is that the gasket can be in contact with the contents of the receptacle, which might lead to contamination of the contents.

E.g., in case the contents are food products, contact of the product with the gasket may lead to migration of certain components of the gasket to the product. Such migration can modify the organoleptic (or taste) characteristics of the product.

Another disadvantage is that opening of this kind of container is sometimes difficult for the user as it requires a displacement of the gasket.

The document EP 1 733 977 A1 suggests a container wherein, when the receptacle is closed, the gasket is separated from the cavity by a portion of the receptacle or the lid. Thus, the gasket is not likely to come in contact with the contents of the receptacle.

Furthermore, the document EP 1 733 977 A1 provides specific means for facilitating this opening.

Finally, the method for assembling such containers is relatively complicated, because the closing of the lid is performed under a vacuum bell or in an autoclave in order to create a vacuum. Therefore, these operations are performed at relatively slow rates.

The final operation of locking the lid on the receptacle is generally done in a manual or semi-automatic way.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aim of the invention is to facilitate opening of the container by a user.

Another aim of the invention is to simplify the assembly of the container and to allow automation thereof.

This problem is solved by the present invention by means of a container comprising:

• • a receptacle comprising an internal cavity designed to accommodate contents, and an opening,
  • a lid capable of closing the opening, means for connecting the lid to the receptacle in such a way as to allow the lid to pivot with respect to the receptacle,
  • a capsule arranged between the receptacle and the lid, said capsule hermetically sealing the opening,

wherein the capsule is held bearing on an edge of the opening due to a vacuum prevailing inside the cavity.

Thanks to the presence of the capsule, closing the lid may be performed after the passage of the receptacle inside a vacuum bell or an autoclave.

The operation of placing the capsule may be performed automatically and at high rates. Thereby it is possible in particular to reduce the time of contact of the contents with the surrounding atmosphere. Oxidation of certain food products in contact with the surrounding air may indeed have a significant impact on the visual and organoleptic aspect of the product, especially for foies gras and certain pâtés.

Thanks to the capsule, the presence of a gasket between the receptacle and the lid is no longer required. Therefore, the risks of the contents being contaminated by the gasket are eliminated.

Furthermore, due to the capsule being protected by the lid when it is in the closed position, the lid will guarantee that the capsule or the information appearing on the capsule is not affected.

After first-time use, once the capsule has been removed, the receptacle can be easily closed again by means of the lid.

The container can advantageously have the following characteristics:

• • the capsule comprises means for causing a disruption of vacuum inside the cavity, which results in the capsule separating from the receptacle,
  • the means for causing a disruption of the vacuum inside the cavity comprise an area of reduced resistance of the capsule so as to facilitate incipient tearing of the capsule,
  • the means for causing a disruption of the vacuum inside the cavity comprise an orifice made through the capsule and a pelable or tearable membrane sealing the orifice, which membrane may be peeled or torn off so as to release the orifice,
  • the membrane is made of food-grade plastic,
  • the capsule comprises at least one metal foil and layer of food-grade plastic,
  • the capsule comprises a flowed-in gasket extending on a periphery of the capsule, the capsule being held bearing on an edge of the opening via the gasket,
  • the capsule comprises a skirt extending around a wall of the receptacle limiting the opening, the flowed-in gasket also extending along the skirt,
  • the means for connecting the lid to the receptacle comprise a wire frame,
  • the container comprises means for locking the lid to the receptacle in order to lock the lid in position when the lid is closing the opening.

The invention also relates to a method for assembling a container as defined previously, comprising the steps of:

a—filling the internal cavity of the receptacle with contents,

b—arranging the capsule on the opening,

c—creating a vacuum inside the cavity so that the capsule is held bearing on an edge of the opening due to this vacuum and hermetically seals the opening,

d—closing the receptacle with the lid by pivoting the lid (3) with respect to the receptacle, so that the capsule is arranged between the receptacle and the lid.

In one embodiment of the method, steps b and c are performed simultaneously.

Furthermore, step c is performed by injecting vapor between the capsule and the receptacle.

Step d is performed at surrounding pressure.

The method can furthermore comprise a sterilizing or pasteurizing step.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Further characteristics and advantages will be apparent from the following description, which is purely illustrative and not limiting, and is to be read with reference to the figures attached, of which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates in a perspective view a container in accordance with an embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates, in a partial sectional view, the container of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates steps of a method for assembling a container in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the illustrated container 1 comprises a receptacle 2, a lid 3, a capsule 4, and means 5 for connecting the lid to the receptacle.

The receptacle 2 is a glass jar comprising a wall having a generally cylindrical shape defining an internal cavity 22 designed to accommodate contents, such as a food product for instance.

The receptacle 2 also comprises an opening 23 limited by an edge 24 of the wall 21 and a ring 25 protruding from the wall 21 in a radial direction with respect thereto, near the opening 23.

The lid 3 is formed of glass or any other transparent material. The lid 3 is hinged on the receptacle 2 via connecting means 5. In FIG. 1, the lid 23 is illustrated in the open position. The lid 3 can be transferred by rotation into a closed position in which it closes the opening 23.

As usual, the connecting means 5 comprise frames made of metal wires. The connecting means 5 comprise a first wire frame 51 fastened to the receptacle 2 and a second wire frame 52 fastened to the lid 3. Wire frames 51 and 52 are connected together in a known manner via loops so as to form a hinge.

The connecting means 5 also comprise a third wire frame 53 forming means for locking the lid 3 to the receptacle 2 in order to lock the lid in the closed position.

The capsule 4 has an internal side turned towards the cavity 22 and an external side opposite the internal side. The capsule 4 comprises an external metal foil 41, an internal metal foil 42 covered by a layer of food-grade plastic (such as a food-grade epoxy phenolic resin for instance) and a flowed-in gasket 43 extending on a periphery of the capsule 5. The metal foils 41 and 42 are for instance made of tinplate.

More specifically, the capsule has a disc-shaped planar center part 44 and a cylindrical peripheral part forming a skirt around the center part 44. The capsule 4 is arranged on the receptacle 2 so that the center part 44 blocks the opening 23, and the peripheral part 45 extends around part of the wall 21 limiting the opening 23. The flowed-in gasket 43 extends both on an area of the center part 44 and on an area of the peripheral part 45.

The capsule 4 is held bearing on the edge 24 of the opening only by due to the vacuum prevailing inside the cavity 22. In other words, the pressure prevailing inside the cavity 22 is lower than the surrounding pressure. The pressure differential is sufficiently high for the capsule 4 to be held on the receptacle 2.

More specifically, the capsule 4 is bearing on the edge 24 of the receptacle 2 via the flowed-in gasket 43, so that the capsule 4 will hermetically seal the opening 23.

The capsule 4 also comprises an orifice 46 made through the foils 41 and 42, and a pelable or tearable membrane 47 of food-grade plastic sealing the orifice 46. The membrane 47 can be peeled or torn off to release the orifice 46 and thus cause a disruption of the vacuum inside the cavity 22, with the result of separating the capsule 4 from the receptacle 2.

Thereby, a user can remove the capsule 4 from the receptacle 2 in order to gain access to the contents inside the container 1. The user then has the possibility to close the lid 3 again in order to preserve the contents of the container 1.

The external side of the capsule 4 may be printed with information regarding the product contained inside the container 1. Due to the lid 3 being made of transparent material, the information is visible through the lid 3 when the lid 3 is in the closed position.

Consequently, the capsule 4 offers an additional surface for marking information.

Furthermore, due to the capsule 4 being protected by the lid 3 in the closed position, the lid will guarantee that the capsule or the information 25 marked have not been impaired.

In an alternative (not shown) of the embodiment which has been described, the orifice 46 and the membrane 47 can be replaced by other means for causing a disruption of the vacuum inside the cavity, such as an area of reduced resistance formed in the capsule 4 so as to facilitate incipient tearing of the capsule.

The area of reduced resistance may for instance comprise an incision made in the metal foils 41 and 42, but not in the plastic layer covering the internal foil 42. In this case, the opening can be made by tearing up the plastic layer using a tool (e.g. a knife).

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates different steps of a method 300 for assembling a container in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

The receptacle 2 is feed-driven on a conveyor 61 through a container assembly line.

According to a first step 301, the receptacle 2 is filled with contents 62. The contents 62 are deposited inside the internal cavity 22 of the receptacle through the opening 23 (e.g. using automatic filling means 63).

According to a second step 302, the capsule 4 is deposited on the receptacle 2 and simultaneously vapor 64 is injected between the capsule 4 and the receptacle 2 for purging the air contained inside the receptacle 2.

More specifically, the capsule 4 is held in a slanting position with respect to the feed direction of the receptacle 2. When the receptacle 2 passes by, the capsule 4 is deposited naturally on the receptacle 2 under the effect of gravity and is positioned on the edge of the receptacle. Simultaneously with the capsule 4 being deposited on the receptacle 2, the air is purged from the internal cavity 22 by the vapor, resulting in a vacuum being created inside the internal cavity 22.

Step 302 may be performed by means of a fully automated high-speed capping machine.

At the end of step 302, the receptacle 2 is hermetically sealed by the capsule 4, the capsule being held bearing on the edge of the opening of the receptacle only by the vacuum prevailing inside the cavity.

According to a third step 303, the sealed receptacle 2 is introduced inside a sterilizer or a pasteurizer 65 so as to be exposed to heat treatment.

According to a fourth step 304, the lid 3 is mounted on the receptacle 2.

According to a fifth step 305, the lid 3 is closed and then locked on the receptacle 2.

The container thus produced is ready for storage.

It is to be noted that in the embodiment which has been described, the step of depositing the capsule on the receptacle may be performed automatically and rapidly. Therefore, the method allows for an increase in the container production rates and a reduction of the contact time of the contents with the surrounding atmosphere. Oxidation of certain food products in contact with surrounding air may indeed have a significant impact on the visual and organoleptic aspect of the product, especially in the case of foies gras and certain pâtés.

Furthermore, the steps of mounting and closing the lid are performed after the step of sterilizing or pasteurizing the receptacle.

This has the advantage of making the closing step less complicated.

Furthermore, due to the receptacle being introduced inside the sterilizer or pasteurizer without the lid, it has a compact size. This allows for the introduction of a larger number of receptacles inside the same sterilizer or pasteurizer, and contributes to an increase of the container production rate.

Finally, as the lid is not exposed to heat treatment, it is up to the manufacturer to make the lid from a material which is not necessarily chosen for its characteristics of temperature resistance.

The method can be fully automated, which allows for an increase of the container production rates.

Claims

1. A container comprising:

a receptacle comprising an internal cavity designed to accommodate contents, and an opening,

a lid capable of closing the opening,

means for connecting the lid to the receptacle in such a way as to allow the lid to pivot with respect to the receptacle,

a capsule arranged between the receptacle and the lid, said capsule hermetically sealing the opening,

wherein the capsule is held bearing on an edge of the opening due to a vacuum prevailing inside the cavity.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the capsule comprises means for causing a disruption of the vacuum inside the cavity, resulting in the capsule separating from the receptacle.

3. The container according to claim 2, wherein the means for causing a disruption of the vacuum inside the cavity comprise an area of reduced resistance of the capsule so as to facilitate incipient tearing of the capsule.

4. The container according to claim 2, wherein the means for causing a disruption of the vacuum inside the cavity comprise an orifice made through the capsule and a pelable or tearable membrane sealing the orifice, which membrane can be peeled or torn off so as to release the orifice.

5. The container according to claim 4, wherein the membrane is made of food-grade plastic.

6. The container according to claim 1, wherein the capsule comprises at least one metal foil and a layer of food-grade plastic.

7. The container according to claim 1, wherein the capsule comprises a flowed-in gasket extending on a periphery of the capsule, the capsule being held bearing on an edge of the opening via the gasket.

8. The container according to claim 7, wherein the capsule comprises a skirt extending around a wall of the receptacle limiting the opening, the flowed-in gasket also extending along the skirt.

9. The container according to claim 1, wherein the means for connecting the lid to the receptacle comprise a wire frame.

10. The container according to claim 1, comprising means for locking the lid to the receptacle so as to lock the lid in position when the lid is closing the opening.

11. A method for assembling a container according to claim 1, comprising:

a—filling the internal cavity of the receptacle with contents,

b—arranging the capsule on the opening,

c—creating a vacuum inside the internal cavity so that the capsule is held bearing on the edge of the opening due to this vacuum and hermetically seals the opening,

d—closing the receptacle with the lid by pivoting the lid with respect to the receptacle, so that the capsule is arranged between the receptacle and the lid.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein steps b and c are performed simultaneously.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein step c is performed by injecting vapor between the capsule and the receptacle.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein step d is performed at a surrounding pressure.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising a sterilizing or pasteurizing step.