JP4431930B2 - How to open a sealed plastic bottle - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for opening a sealed plastic bottle in which the bottle body is maintained in a sterile state.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The container for filling food, medicine, etc. is in a state where the mouth of the bottle remains open after the bottle is formed and until the contents are filled into the bottle. After molding at the container manufacturer, the container mouth is in the open state until this container is used, for example, until it is transported to a pharmaceutical company. Prior to this, a bottle cleaning and sterilization process was required.
[0003]
In order to avoid this, for example, immediately after the bottle is formed, a film is pseudo welded to the mouth and the seal piece is peeled off immediately before filling the contents, or the welded film is easily broken by the contents filling nozzle. When forming a casing with a thin seal piece to the extent possible (see JP-A-1-67057) and blow molding, the burr part of the blow molded container is processed to form a sealed state with the container closed It has been proposed that the closed portion formed by the burr is cut off prior to filling the contents (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-245392).
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if the seal piece is peeled off immediately before filling the contents, a peeling process is required, which is not only very troublesome, but also causes a peeling error, a method of breaking through with a filling nozzle, and a mouth formed in the opening of the plastic container. According to the method of cutting off the closed portion, there is a possibility that the plastic pieces that have become chips will fall into the container.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention solves these problems of the prior art, and keeps the inside of the bottle aseptic aseptically, prevents dust from entering, and does not cause any unsuccessful opening. The present invention provides a body and a method for opening the body, that is, the present invention provides: 1) a heating element is brought close to a plastic thin film surface of a plastic bottle body whose mouth is sealed with a plastic film thin film; According to the setting of the distance of the heating element to the surface and the temperature and heating time of the heating element, the plastic thin film is melt-opened so that the resin constituting the plastic thin film remains only in the plastic bottle opening. How to open the bottle,
2) The method for opening a sealed plastic bottle according to 1) above, wherein a heater heated to about 300 to 650 ° C. is used as the heating element.
3) The plastic thin film is melt-opened by bringing the heating element close to the plastic thin film surface of the plastic bottle whose mouth is sealed with a plastic film thin film, and the opened container is filled with a predetermined content. , A method for producing a content-filled plastic bottle, wherein the container opening is sealed with a desired stopper;
4) The method for producing a content-filled plastic bottle according to 3) above, wherein a heater heated to about 300 to 650 ° C. is used as the heating element .
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, a plastic container whose mouth is closed with a plastic film is used to prevent dust from entering the casing, particularly after the molding of the plastic casing up to the time of use, to maintain sterility. Prior to filling the contents of the container body, the film piece with the container body opening closed is melt-opened.
The plastic bottle body according to the present invention has a plastic film welded and bonded to its mouth to prevent entry of dust into the container and to maintain sterility inside the container. It is not limited. Any of those generally used for packaging foods and pharmaceuticals, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyvinyl chloride, can be used.
[0007]
As the plastic film that can be used to close the mouth of the sealed plastic casing, any plastic film that can be welded and bonded to the casing body mouth and can be melted by a heating element can be used. Polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate Any material that is generally used for packaging food or pharmaceuticals, such as polyvinyl chloride, can be used. Since the film is thin and melt-opened, it is particularly preferable to use a thinly formed film or a stretched film. By making the material of the container body and the material of the mouth closing film the same or the same series, in the filled container after filling, the vicinity of the opening of the housing is beautifully welded with a cap, which is convenient. is there.
[0008]
An extremely thin film has a small amount of resin, and when melt-opened, the resin melted around the opening of the housing is not bulky, so that the vicinity of the opening of the housing is beautifully formed, which is convenient.
In particular, in a plastic case, when sealing with a plastic cap or peel piece after filling its contents, the film residue and its molten resin are mixed into the welding surface with the cap, and the film It is so beautiful that I don't know there was.
[0009]
As the step of closing the container body opening with the film piece, it can be welded and bonded by a generally known method such as heat sealing with a normal heating bar or solvent bonding.
In the case of the “flange” type, which is a welding part for general sealing of plastic containers, only the center part of the flange part is welded and sealed, that is, a circle that is smaller than the outer shape of the plastic housing and larger than the inner diameter. In the subsequent process of sealing the container opening with a stopper, the molten resin is mixed into the welding surface with the cap and hidden indistinguishable, effectively and beautifully. Completed (see FIGS. 1 and 2).
The welding in this case is not limited to a circular shape, but since the container main body is sealed, it is effective to provide a seal over the entire circumference.
[0010]
In general, the film piece may be heated to a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the material of the film piece as a temperature for heating the film piece. These are determined by the melting temperature of the film thin film resin to be welded, the type of heater, and the relationship between the distance between the heater and the film piece. Of course, if the temperature is set low, the time will be longer, and the heater from the film piece will be longer. If the distance is set short (near), the melting (opening) time is shortened. For example, in the case of using a general polypropylene film thin film, 300 ° C. or higher, 500 ° C. or higher, 700 ° C. or higher, and a particularly preferable temperature range may be set to 300 to 650 ° C. or 350 ° C. to 600 ° C. it can.
The heating element for melting and unsealing the film piece may be any device that can provide the necessary temperature as described above, and examples thereof include a heater and a hot air device. The invention is not limited to these heating devices.
[0011]
[Action]
In the sealed plastic casing of the present invention, after forming the casing main body, a thin seal piece is welded to the casing opening. In particular, the casing can be kept in a completely sterile state by molding the casing body under aseptic conditions and welding a thin seal piece to the mouth in an aseptic atmosphere.
The sealed casing manufactured by the container maker is transported to food manufacturers and pharmaceutical manufacturers, but sealing is achieved even during this period, and no dust or bacteria enter.
In a filling line of a food manufacturer or a pharmaceutical manufacturer, the sealed casing is melted with a sealing piece in a melting opening step provided immediately before the filling step, and thereafter, the target content is filled from a filling nozzle. Then, after filling the contents, a lid is welded to the opening and sealed to produce a filled product.
[0012]
[Example 1]
A 50 micrometer polypropylene film thin film was welded and sealed to a plastic bottle molded with polypropylene. Prior to the filling of the content liquid, the polypropylene container was opened with a heater heated to 350 ° C. kept at a distance of about 3 mm on the polypropylene film surface for 50 seconds.
The film was beautifully opened, and the remaining resin was only left on the flange, and there was nothing that adhered to the inside and outside of the container.
[0013]
[Example 2]
A 35 μm OPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene) film thin film was welded to a flange portion provided in a polypropylene container mouth. The welding seal was only the center part of the flange part, and the container was sealed by sealing all around in the circumferential direction.
Prior to filling the PP container with the content liquid, a heater heated to 600 ° C. was kept at a distance of about 5 mm for 5.2 seconds in the mouth portion where the OPP film piece was welded and opened. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the film was beautifully opened, and the remaining resin was only left on the flange, and there was nothing that adhered to the inside and outside of the container.
[0014]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention is extremely hygienic because it can prevent the intrusion of dust into the housing and can maintain the sterilized state inside the container.
At the time of opening, since the unnecessary mouth closing film piece is melted and removed, it is not necessary to provide a separate process for peeling off the seal piece, it can be opened aseptically in a short time, and does not interfere with the subsequent process, Work efficiency can be improved. In addition, flexible containers that are not self-supporting can maintain their shapes by sealing their mouths, improving handling in container transport lines and alignment lines, and improving work efficiency.
Moreover, since some of the remaining parts are also hidden by the welding of the cap or the like when closing the mouth, it is possible to maintain a beautiful appearance and to exhibit many excellent effects such as being convenient.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the sealed state of the plastic casing.
FIG. 2 is a state of melting and opening of the plastic casing.
FIG. 3 shows a melt-opened state (Example 2) of the present plastic casing.

Claims (4)

A plastic thin film can be obtained by placing a heating element close to the plastic thin film surface of the plastic bottle whose mouth is sealed with a plastic film thin film, and setting the distance of the heating element to the plastic thin film surface and the temperature and heating time of the heating element. A method of opening a sealed plastic bottle, characterized in that the resin constituting the plastic thin film is melt-opened so that the resin remains only in the mouth portion of the plastic bottle.   The method for opening a sealed plastic bottle according to claim 1, wherein a heater heated to about 300 to 650 ° C is used as the heating element.   The plastic thin film surface of the plastic bottle whose mouth is sealed with a plastic film thin film is melted and opened by bringing a heating element close to the plastic thin film surface, and the opened container is filled with a predetermined content. A method for producing a plastic bottle filled with contents, wherein the container opening is sealed with a stopper.   4. The method of manufacturing a content-filled plastic bottle according to claim 3, wherein a heater heated to about 300 to 650 [deg.] C. is used as the heating element.

Images