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EP-4741298-A2 - METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A CONTAINER FROM A FIBRE-BASED BASE MATERIAL

EP4741298A2EP 4741298 A2EP4741298 A2EP 4741298A2EP-4741298-A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a container (10a-c), in particular a cup-shaped container, from a fiber-based base material, in particular paper or cardboard material, wherein the container (10a-c) has at least one opening (12a-c) and a flange (14a-c) consisting at least partially, preferably completely, of the fiber-based base material and at least partially, preferably completely, surrounding the opening (12a-c), wherein in at least one process step (16a-c) to stiffen the flange (14a-c) at least one partial area of the flange (14a-c) clamped between two jaw elements (22a-c, 24a-c) contacting the flange (14a-c) on opposite sides (18a-c, 20a-c), in particular by at least one of the jaw elements (22a-c, 24a-c), is heated to temperatures of 100°C or more. It is proposed that the flange (14a-c) is pressed by the two jaw elements (22a-c, 24a-c) with a pressing force of 15 N/mm 2 or more in the process step (16a-c).

Inventors

  • BISCHOFF, BERND KONRAD
  • Heeß, Daniel

Assignees

  • Syntegon Technology GmbH

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251015

Claims (13)

  1. A method for manufacturing a container (10a-c), in particular a cup-shaped container, from a fiber-based base material, in particular paper or cardboard material, wherein the container (10a-c) has at least one opening (12a-c) and a flange (14a-c) consisting at least partially, preferably completely, of the fiber-based base material and at least partially, preferably completely, surrounding the opening (12a-c), wherein in at least one process step (16a-c) stiffening the flange (14a-c), at least one partial area of the flange (14a-c) clamped between two jaw elements (22a-c, 24a-c) contacting the flange (14a-c) on opposite sides (18a-c, 20a-c), in particular by at least one of the jaw elements (22a-c, 24a-c), is heated to temperatures of 100°C or more, characterized in that the flange (14a-c) in the process step (16a-c) is pressed by the two jaw elements (22a-c, 24a-c) with a pressing force of 15 N/mm 2 or more.
  2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the heating, and in particular a pressing force generated by the jaw elements (22a-c, 24a-c), is maintained in the process step (16a-c) until a substantial part of all fibers of the fiber-based base material are bonded together in the flange (14a-c).
  3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flange (14a) is heated in the method step (16a) from both opposite sides (18a, 20a) of the flange (14a).
  4. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flange (14b-c) is heated in the method step (16b-c) only from one side (18b-c) of the two opposite sides (18b-c, 20b-c) of the flange (14b-c).
  5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the flange (14b) in the method step (16b) is heated only from the side (18b) of the two opposite sides (18b, 20b) of the flange (14b), which is different from a closure or sealing side (26b) of the flange (14b), which is provided for making a contact, in particular a sealing contact, with a circuit board (28b) closing the opening (12b).
  6. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the flange (14c) in the method step (16c) is heated only from the side (20c) of the two opposite sides (18c, 20c) of the flange (14c), which is identical to a closure or sealing side (26c) of the flange (14c), which is provided for making a contact, in particular a sealing contact, with a circuit board (28c) closing the opening (12c).
  7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heat introduced by the, preferably only one-sided, heating is large enough that, in addition to the stiffening effect of the fiber-based base material of the flange (14a-c) achieved by the heat, a circuit board (28a-c) also clamped between the two jaw elements (22a-c, 24a-c) above the opening (12a-c), in particular on a closure or sealing side (26a-c) of the flange (14a-c), can be sealed onto the flange (14a-c) by the heat, in particular simultaneously with a flange stiffening process.
  8. Method according to claim 3 or according to claims 3 and 7, characterized in that the temperature of the heated jaw element (24a) of the two jaw elements (22a, 24a), which is brought into contact with the closure or sealing side (26a) of the flange (14a) in the process step (16a), is significantly lower than the temperature of the other jaw element (22a) of the two jaw elements (22a, 24a), which is brought into contact with the side (20a) of the flange (14a) opposite the closure or sealing side (26a) in the process step (16a).
  9. Device (44a-c) for producing a container (10a-c), in particular a cup-shaped container, from a fiber-based base material, in particular paper or cardboard material, preferably by means of a method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the container (10a-c) has at least one opening (12a-c) and a flange (14a-c) consisting at least partially, preferably completely, of the fiber-based base material and at least partially, preferably completely, surrounding the opening (12a-c), comprising a first jaw element (22a-c) and a second jaw element (24a-c), which together with the first jaw element (22a-c) forms a flange clamping area (30a-c) provided for clamping at least a partial area of the flange (14a-c), and a stiffening heating unit (32a-c) provided for heating at least a partial area of the flange arranged in the flange clamping area (30a-c). to heat the flange (14a-c) to stiffen the flange (14a-c) with temperatures of 100°C or more, characterized in that the stiffening heating unit (32a-c) is provided to press the flange (14a-c) to stiffen the flange (14a-c) by means of the two jaw elements (22a-c, 24a-c) with a pressing force of 15 N/mm 2 or more.
  10. Device (44b-c) according to claim 9, characterized in that the stiffening heating unit (32b-c) is integrated only into one jaw element (22b-c, 24b-c) of the two jaw elements (22b-c, 24b-c).
  11. Device (44b-c) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the stiffening heating unit (32b) is integrated only into the jaw element (22b, 24b) of the two jaw elements (22b, 24b), which is provided to contact the flange (14b) on a side (18b) opposite a closure or sealing side (26b) of the flange (14b).
  12. Device (44b-c) according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the jaw element (22b-c, 24b-c) is additionally free of a sealing unit without a stiffening heating unit (32b-c).
  13. Container (10a-c), in particular cup-shaped container (10a-c), preferably paper pod, made of a fiber-based base material, preferably with a lid formed by a circuit board (28a-c), manufactured by a method according to one of claims 1 to 8 and/or by a device (44a-c) according to one of claims 9 to 12.

Description

State of the art The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1, a device according to the preamble of claim 9 and a container according to claim 13. When sealing cups made of fiber-based materials, flanges are already used and pressed together. However, the purpose of this pressing is merely to tightly close the cups, for example, by smoothing out wrinkles in the flange that can occur during the forming process. The resulting sealed cups have low flange stiffness and can swell when exposed to moisture, which can further reduce the flange stiffness. Out of DE 10 2023 108 719 A1 , DE 10 2023 124 998 A1 and DE 10 2021 109 913 A1 For example, methods and devices for manufacturing a container from a fiber-based base material are already known. The object of the invention is, in particular, to provide containers, especially bowls, made of fiber-based base material with improved properties, especially with regard to stability. This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claims 1, 9, and 13, while advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims. Disclosure of the invention The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a container, in particular a cup-shaped one, from a fiber-based base material, in particular paper or cardboard material, wherein the container has at least one opening and a flange consisting at least partially, preferably completely, of the fiber-based base material and at least partially, preferably completely, surrounding the opening, wherein in at least one process step to stiffen the flange at least one partial area of the flange, clamped between two jaw elements contacting the flange on opposite (flat) sides, is heated, in particular by at least one of the jaw elements, to temperatures of 100°C or more, preferably 120°C or more, preferably 140°C or more and particularly preferably 160°C or more. It is proposed that in this process step, the flange is pressed by the two jaw elements with a pressing force of 15 N/ mm² or more, preferably 18 N/ mm² or more, more preferably 20 N/ mm² or more, and particularly preferably 30 N/ mm² or more. Preferably, the pressing force is less than 100 N/ mm² . The pressurization/pressing force application to the flange by the two jaw elements and the heating of the flange preferably occur at least overlapping in time or simultaneously during the aforementioned process step. The aforementioned pressure values/pressing forces, in combination with the aforementioned temperature values, have yielded the best results in tests. In particular, a temperature of 100°C and a pressure/pressing force of 15 N/ mm² already represent a good compromise between manufacturing effort and the resulting stiffening effect. The aforementioned pressure values/pressing forces of 15 N/mm² or more are particularly higher than the pressure/pressing force required solely for forming the container and smoothing any wrinkles that may occur during forming. Preferably, especially in the aforementioned process step, the application of the aforementioned temperature values of 100°C or more to the flange during heating, in combination with the application of the aforementioned pressure values/pressing forces of 15 N/mm² or more to the flange by means of the two jaw elements, results in the stiffening of the Flange. The inventive method advantageously achieves a particularly effective bonding of the fiber-based material of the flange. A high flange stiffness can be advantageously achieved. Furthermore, the bonding of the fibers of the fiber-based material is advantageously achieved, so that, in particular, the penetration of moisture into the flange can be significantly hindered. Swelling of the flanges can thus be advantageously prevented. The container is, in particular, a paper bowl with a single opening at the top. The container is specifically a so-called "paper pod." The container preferably has a round or rectangular bowl-like shape with an open rim. However, alternative known container shapes with openings defined by flanges are also conceivable. The container can be used, for example, for storing food, coffee, hygiene products, cosmetics, medical products, cleaning products, etc. The container is preferably made, at least in large part, from one or more papers or from one or more paper-based materials. The container can be formed, at least partially, from a multi-layered base material, which, for example, in addition to a paper or cardboard layer, includes a plastic layer, an aluminum layer (e.g., as a moisture, ambient air, and/or light barrier), and/or a sealing layer to increase shelf life. Preferably, the entire paper packaging is made from a single (single- or multi-layered) sheet of paper or a paper tube. The fiber-based base material can be, in particular, pulp, recycled paper, cardboard, kraft paper, and/or specialty paper, e.g., from non-wood-based fiber sources such as