Tube Comprising a Connecting Ring Between a Shoulder and a Skirt

This application claims priority to European Application No. 24167730.1, filed on Mar. 28, 2024, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The invention relates to a tube comprising a tube head and a tube skirt extending along a main axis, the tube head comprising:

Nowadays, the worldwide plastic production represents one of the biggest packaging waste sources. The consumption and the recycling of these plastic products is a major concern for national and regional organizations. The non-recycled plastic materials are currently disposed of by a variety of processes from landfill disposal to energy recovery through thermal and chemical treatments.

In the case of cosmetic packaging industry, laminated materials comprising several plastic layers are widely used as they represent advantages in terms of product protection and mechanical properties.

Some alternatives to plastics are studied in many technical fields. In the field of cosmetics packaging, it has already been envisaged to replace some plastic layers with a paper layer. As the paper is easily recyclable, the presence of a paper layer improves the recyclability of the laminated material. The thicker the paper layer, the higher the proportion of paper in the laminate and the more recyclable the laminate.

However, for many applications, the head of the tube, and particularly the neck, must be in a plastic material. This allows the neck to be sufficiently resistant over time as the tube is used.

Generally, the neck and the shoulder are made in one piece and the upper end of the skirt containing paper is attached to the shoulder.

The present invention attempts to reduce the quantity of plastic material in the head of the tube.

The documents DE 8,407,074 U1; DE 2,154,602 A1; BE 419,299 A; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,513 A provide additional technological background.

The invention relates to a tube comprising a head and a skirt extending along a main axis, the head comprising:

According to some embodiment, the connecting ring is a separate part from the neck.

According to some embodiment, the connecting ring comprises a first annular face onto which a face of the annular outer section of the shoulder is flat attached, and a second annular face, arranged externally around the first annular face onto which a face of the upper end section of the skirt is flat attached.

According to some embodiment, the connecting ring comprises an annular rib forming a dividing line between the first annular face and the second annular face, the annular rib protruding from each first annular face and second annular face.

According to some embodiment, the annular rib is interposed between an outer peripheral edge of the shoulder and the upper end of the skirt.

According to some embodiment, the first annular face and the second annular face of the connecting ring form an angle greater or equal to 90° in an axial section plane.

According to some embodiment, an internal face of the shoulder is flat attached against the first annular face of the connecting ring.

According to some embodiment, an internal face of the skirt is flat attached against the second annular face of the connecting ring.

According to some embodiment, the connecting ring is concealed inside the tube.

According to some embodiment, the annular outer section of the shoulder is attached to the first annular face of the connecting ring by ultrasonic welding.

According to some embodiment, the upper section of the skirt is attached to the second annular face of the connecting ring by ultrasonic welding.

According to some embodiment, the connecting ring is made of plastic material.

According to some embodiment, an outer rim of the neck is arranged radially at distance from an outer peripheral edge of the shoulder.

According to some embodiment, the laminated material forming the shoulder comprises at least one paper layer comprising cellulose fibers.

According to some embodiment, the skirt is made of laminated material comprising at least one paper layer comprising cellulose fibers.

According to some embodiment, the shoulder and the skirt are made of the same laminated material.

According to some embodiment, the cellulose fibers represent at least 70% in mass of the tube, preferably more than 80%.

According to some embodiment, the laminated material comprises at least an internal polymeric layer.

In the context of the invention, the axial orientation is defined in the direction of the main axis “A” of the tube directed from bottom. A radial orientation extends from inside, near the main axis “A”, toward outside in every direction orthogonally from said main axis “A”.

The term “external” and “internal” are used to for an item which is respectively outside the tube or inside the tube.

The terms “outer” and “inner” are used to define a face which is respectively far from the main axis “A” or close to the main axis “A”.

The term “container” is used herein to refer to an item which may contain a product. Such products are usually liquids, gels, or pastes. Preferred containers include tubes and pouches. The container may further comprise a lid or a cap and, if necessary, attachment means for the lid or cap (such as a tube head or shoulder) before it forms a useful commercial container. Consequently, the laminated material can form a tube skirt, an insert of a tube head or a combination thereof.

The term “flexible laminate” as used herein describes a laminate or a container made thereof which can bend or be bent easily and which does not break (unless it is bent too much). Herein in connection with the containers the term flexible indicates that if the container is subjected to a force, for example, by being filled with a liquid, or by applying pressure with a finger or a hand, it will change its form without breaking. A flexible container can also be a “squeezable” container.

The term “polymer” refers to a large molecule, or macromolecule, composed of many repeated subunits.

The term “PE” refers to polyethylene.

The term “paper layer” refers to a layer comprising cellulose fibers. This term includes bleached, unbleached, colored and barrier coated paper. It is preferably a bleached paper which is easier and quicker to recycle.

shows a tubeextending along a main axis “A”. The tubecomprises a tube headand a tube skirt.

The tubeis intended to contain a product such as liquids, gels, or pastes. Advantageously, the tubeis intended to contain a cosmetic product.

The skirtis made by a cylinder of a sheet of extruded or laminated material. An upper endof the skirtis tightly secured to the tube head. A lower endof the skirtis tightly closed, for instance by flat welding, to enclose the content of the tube. Theshows the skirtafter its lower endis welded.shows the skirtwith its lower endopened, before it is welded and other components assembled.

As shown in, the tube headcomprises a shoulderand a neck.

The neckextends axially upward from the middle of the shoulder, along the main axis “A”. The neckis made of a rigid plastic material. For instance, the plastic material is PE, more particularly high density polyethylene (HDPE). In the example, the neckis more particularly made in one piece. As variant, the neck could be made in two or more pieces, comprising for instance a separate closure cap.

The neckof the tubemay also comprise a closure caphere attached to a central partof the neckby a hinge. As a variant, the cap is a part distinct from the neck.

The central partof the neckis intended to project upward above the shoulder. The central partcomprises a distribution holefrom which the content of the tubeis intended to be distributed.

The neckalso comprises a peripheric flangevisible at. The peripheric flangeextends radially from the base of the central part. The peripheric flangeis radially delimited by an outer rim. The outer rimhere presents a continuous circular shape. The peripheric flangeis intended to be concealed under the shoulder, inside the tube.

The shoulderis made exclusively of an annular piece of laminated material. As showed on, the annular piece forming the shoulderis distinct from the skirt. The shoulderis for instance made by a piece of laminated materialin the shape of a disc having a central orifice. The shoulderis then radially delimited by an outer peripheral edgeand by an inner edge.

The central orificeis intended to receive the central partof the neck, while an annular inner sectionof the disc is in contact with the upper face of the flangeof the neck. The annular inner sectionof the shouldercovers externally the flange. The annular inner sectionof the shoulderis tightly secured to the flange.

The shoulderextends globally radially with respect to the main axis “A” between the upper endof the tube skirtand the neck. The shouldermay present a flat shape extending in a radial plane, or it may present a frustoconical shape as showed in the figures.

The annular inner sectionof the shoulderis tightly secured to the flangeby welding. For instance, the annular inner sectionof the shoulderis secured by ultrasonic welding.

The outer peripheral edgeof the shoulderis arranged at the junction with the upper endof the skirt.

The outer rimof the flangeis arranged radially at distance from the outer peripheral edgeof the shoulder. This reduces the amount of plastic material used in the overall composition of the tube.

The radial distance between the outer peripheral edgeof the shoulderand the outer rimof the flangeis preferably greater or equal to the radial width of the flangebetween the central partof the neckand its outer rim.