[0001] The present invention relates to a process for producing aluminium containers and
in particular to beverage aluminium capsules.
[0002] Containers made of aluminium foils are very current and have been known for a long
time. These containers are very often used in the field of food industry for storing
and dispensing food ingredients.
[0003] Such aluminium containers are particularly used in the field of production of beverages
: they can present the form of a capsule containing beverage ingredients designed
for insertion in a beverage production device in which a liquid enters the capsule
in order to interact with ingredients in the capsule and to drain a beverage from
the capsule. The capsules can contain different types of beverage ingredients in order
to produce different types of beverages. Usually the exterior side of the capsules
present different colours according to the nature of the beverage ingredients stored
in the capsule.
[0004] These aluminium containers or capsules are commonly produced by implementing the
following steps :
- cutting an aluminium foil to fit the dimensions of the container,
- deep drawing the precut aluminium foil to preform a body and simultaneously rolling
the edges which usually present a torn and sharp aspect,
- filling the container body with the ingredients to be stored inside, and
- closing the stamped container by a cover.
[0005] To get containers or capsules of different outside colours, a face of the starting
aluminium foil is coloured so that when it is deep drawn, the exterior face of the
container appears with the colour.
[0006] In the nowadays systems implementing a beverage production machine associated with
a range of specific capsules, an increase number of different capsules containing
different beverage-type ingredients is implemented so as to propose to customers a
large panel of different beverages and to continuously provide the customers with
new beverages. It can lead to the production of aluminium containers with a high number
of different colours to differentiate each new beverage from the others and it can
be difficult for the customers to memorise the colour corresponding to each beverage.
[0007] For example
EP 468079 and
EP 1849715 describe the production of aluminium beverage capsules of which external faces are
coloured.
[0008] A solution could be to provide beverage information on the cover closing the capsule
body, yet such a solution would imply the production of specific covers for each existing
beverage and consequently a more complicated and expansive production of the capsules.
Besides, this solution would not enable a rapid and direct knowledge of the beverage
inside the capsule without manipulating, orienting the capsule and reading the information
written on the cover. A problem is that, when a high number of beverage capsules exists,
it should be possible for the customer to select the right beverage and capsule by
a simple glance. The fact or writing information on the cover is not satisfying since
the capsules are often stored with the cover oriented downside or randomly placed
in a box.
[0009] Another solution could be to associate a second colour to the first one on the exterior
face of the body of the capsule for example by deep drawing an aluminium foil painted
on one of his face with two colours e.g. in the form of an alternation of lines of
two different colours. Yet due to the deformation of the aluminium surface during
the deep drawing, the resulting aspect of the capsule could not be perfectly controlled
and may present an irregular aspect from one capsule to another. Besides, some trials
showed that it was not easy for customers to rapidly differentiate containers of different
colours combinations when containers had been randomly mixed.
[0010] It is neither a solution to imagine colouring the outside of the capsule once it
has been deep drawn on account of production steps optimization and production costs,
the number of produced beverage capsules being huge. Actually today some plants can
produce up to millions capsules per day and it impossible to apply a coloured treatment
on a part of the capsule.
[0011] The present invention aims at solving the problem of providing aluminium foil made
containers, in particular beverage capsules, presenting an outside aspect enabling
the differentiation of containers according to their contents, especially according
to content variations, and that can be produced in a huge amount without complicating
the known production process and increasing its cost.
[0012] Another problem is to solve the problem of increasing the number of different colours
for aluminium foil made containers without complicating the known production process.
[0013] The invention concerns a process according to Claim 1.
[0014] Concerning the starting aluminium foil, colour treatments of the faces of said foil
are usually realised by application of a paint composition comprising at least a pigment
and a lacquer. This application is usually made by roller coatings on each side of
the foil.
[0015] According to the invention, the paint compositions for each face of the starting
aluminium foil differ by the nature of the pigment so that the faces finally present
different colours. Usually, the paint composition that is applied on the face of the
starting aluminium foil intended to form the interior face of the aluminium container
comprises also a welding lacquer, usually a heat seal lacquer. This lacquer enables
the welding of the lid on the edges of the opening of the container body, preferably
on the flange-like rim of the container. Welding is usually realised by heating. Such
welding lacquers are well known products usually implemented for the production of
aluminium containers.
[0016] The aluminium container is produced as a container for storing an edible product.
It is preferable that at least one of the colour treatments is realised with a food
agreed paint composition. Effectively since the starting aluminium foil is treated
on its both faces by a colour treatment, one of the faces is in contact with the edible
product stored in the container and said face must be designed for a safe food contact.
Then for this use the aluminium foil must be deep drawn so that the inside of the
container body presents the colour treatment that is realised with food agreed lacquers
and pigments.
[0017] In the process of the present invention the container is prepared starting from an
aluminium foil which is first cut to provide a piece of aluminium fitting the dimensions
of the final container to be obtained. This step results in the production of sharp
and torn edges around the container body. This piece of aluminium foil is deep drawn
according to known deep drawing process in either one or several deep drawing steps
; during the at least one deep drawing step, the edges of the aluminium foil piece
are rolled to provide a nice and secure aspect to the edge of the container body.
The rolling operation is realised by rolling the edges on themselves in direction
of the exterior face of the container body. Then it is the same aluminium foil face
that is inside the body container that becomes apparent at the exterior of the curled
edge. According to the invention, the colour of the curled edge is different from
the natural colour of the aluminium foil, and the colour of the exterior side of the
container body is different from the natural colour of the aluminium foil too. "Natural
colour of aluminium" means the colour of aluminium which is not altered by any colour
treatment. Then view from the exterior the aluminium container of the present invention
can present two parts of different colours, each being different from the natural
colour of the aluminium foil : one part is the exterior face of the container body
presenting one coloured face of the starting aluminium foil and the other part is
the curled edge presenting the colour of the other face of the starting aluminium
foil from which the container is made.
[0018] Finally the opening of the container is closed by a lid or cover like a foil or a
membrane. Usually the lid is attached to a flange-like rim between the container body
and the curled edge, this flange can be produced during deep drawing step.
[0019] The aluminium container contains an edible product. The aluminium container is a
capsule containing at least one beverage ingredient designed for insertion in a beverage
production device in which a liquid enters the capsule in order to interact with the
ingredient in the capsule and to drain a beverage from the capsule.
[0020] The present invention presents the advantage of enabling the production of capsules
with a high number of different colour combinations of the container body exterior
face and the curled edge without complicating the known production process of aluminium
containers. Then the fact of producing coloured capsules does not decrease the capsule
production rate, which is the most important advantage of the present invention.
[0021] The way the capsules are coloured on the container body exterior face and the curled
edge enables a rapid selection of the desired container by a simple glance even if
a high number of different coloured containers are present. This property is helpful
for the consumer in face of the final container filled with product and laying other
its lid. It is also helpful for the container producer during the step of storage
of unfilled containers since the containers can be piled up while the colours of the
edge of the containers staying apparent. Moreover it has also be surprisingly noticed
that the fact of having only a thin touch of colour on the curled edge of the capsule
is sufficient for the customer to identify the capsule he is searching for, which
was not prima facie obvious.
[0022] The way the containers are coloured is particularly adapted for the presentation
of the containers by range or variety according to the products stored inside. In
particular for the use of the containers as beverage capsules, it is possible to create
different ranges based on different basic beverages like tea, coffee and chocolate
by applying the same colour on the container body exterior face and to differentiate
inside each range different beverage specialities by applying different colours on
the curled edges, for example in the tea range to differentiate green, black, red,
herbal tea, in the coffee range to differentiate several origins, etc ...
Brief description of the drawings
[0023] The characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood in
relation to the figures which follow:
- Figure 1 is a cross section view of an aluminium container,
- Figure 2 is a perspective view of an aluminium container,
- Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the different steps of production of the container
according to the present invention.
Detailed description of the drawings
[0024] Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the type of aluminium containers to which the present
invention refers. The aluminium container 1 is made of an aluminium foil that has
been stamped in order to form a container body 7. The extremity of the container body
presents a flange-like rim 4 and a curled edge 2. The opening of the container is
closed by a lid 3 welded on the flange-like rim 4. The product stored in the container
1 has not been represented. According to the invention, the aluminium foil from which
the container is made presents two faces 61, 62 presenting different colour treatments.
Due to this difference of treatment, the container presents a curled edge 2 of different
colour from the container body 7 and the flange-like rim 4, said colour being represented
in a stipple fashion in Figures 1 and 2.
[0025] Figure 3 illustrates a process for producing the containers of the present invention.
In steps a) and b), a piece of aluminium foil 6 is preformed by deep drawing means
8. The starting piece of aluminium foil 6 presents two faces 61, 62 with different
colour treatments. For the use of the container in food applications, it is preferable
that the face 62 is treated with food agreed pigment and lacquer. In step c), the
walls of the container body 7 created by deep drawing are folded to create flange-like
rims. In step d), the edges of the container are rolled. Yet the steps b), c) and
d) can be simultaneously realised during the deep drawing step. In step e) the container
is filled with the product 5 to be stored inside and said product is eventually tamped
down. Finally in step f) the container is closed by welding a lid on the flange-like
rim 4.
1. Process for producing a capsule containing at least a beverage ingredient designed
for insertion in a beverage production device in which a liquid enters the capsule
in order to interact with the ingredient in the capsule and to drain a beverage from
the capsule, said process comprising the steps of :
- cutting an aluminium foil to produce a piece of aluminium (6) fitting the dimensions
of the capsule,
- deep drawing the piece of aluminium foil (6) to form a capsule body (7) and rolling
the edges of the capsule body on the exterior side of the deep drawn capsule in order
to form a curled edge (2),
- filling the capsule body (7) with at least one beverage ingredient,
- closing the capsule body by a lid (3),
wherein each one of the two faces of the starting aluminium foil presents a colour
treatment of different colour than the other face, the colour of the exterior side
of the capsule body and the colour of the curled edge being different from the natural
colour of the aluminium foil,
wherein the rolling operation is realised by rolling the edges on themselves in direction
of the exterior surface of the capsule body so that it is the same alumimium foil
face that is inside the body capsule that becomes apparent at the exterior of the
curled edge.
2. Process according to Claim 1 wherein at least one of the colour treatments is realised
with a food agreed paint composition.
3. Process according to Claim 2 wherein the aluminium foil is deep drawn so that the
inside of the capsule body (7) presents the colour treatment that is realised with
a food agreed pigment and lacquer.
1. Verfahren zur Herstellung einer Kapsel, die mindestens eine Getränkezutat enthält,
die zum Einsetzen in eine Getränkeherstellungsvorrichtung ausgelegt ist, in der eine
Flüssigkeit in die Kapsel eintritt, um mit der Zutat in der Kapsel zu interagieren
und ein Getränk aus der Kapsel abzulassen, wobei das Verfahren die folgenden Schritte
umfasst:
- Schneiden einer Aluminiumfolie zur Produktion eines Stücks Aluminium (6), das den
Abmessungen der Kapsel entspricht,
- Tiefziehen des Stücks Aluminiumfolie (6), um einen Kapselkörper (7) zu bilden, und
Walzen der Kanten des Kapselkörpers auf der Außenseite der tiefgezogenen Kapsel, um
eine gewellte Kante (2) zu bilden,
- Füllen des Kapselkörpers (7) mit mindestens einer Getränkezutat,
- Schließen des Kapselkörpers durch einen Deckel (3),
wobei jeweils eine der beiden Flächen der Ausgangs-Aluminiumfolie eine Farbbehandlung
mit einer Farbe, die sich von der Farbe der anderen Fläche unterscheidet, aufweist,
wobei die Farbe der Außenseite der Kapsel und die Farbe der gewellten Kante sich von
der natürlichen Farbe der Aluminiumfolie unterscheiden,
wobei der Walzvorgang durch Walzen der Kanten in Richtung der Außenoberfläche des
Kapselkörpers durchgeführt wird, sodass es sich um die gleiche Aluminiumfolienfläche
handelt, die sich innerhalb der Körper von der Kapsel befindet, die außen an der gewellten
Kante sichtbar wird.
2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, wobei mindestens eine der Farbbehandlungen mit einer für
Lebensmittel zugelassenen Anstrichmittelzusammensetzung durchgeführt wird.
3. Verfahren nach Anspruch 2, wobei die Aluminiumfolie tiefgezogen wird, sodass das Innere
des Kapselkörpers (7) die Farbbehandlung aufweist, die mit einem für Lebensmittel
zugelassenen Farbstoff und Lack ausgeführt wird.
1. Procédé de fabrication d'une capsule contenant au moins un ingrédient de boisson destinée
à être insérée dans un dispositif de production de boisson dans lequel un liquide
entre dans la capsule pour interagir avec l'ingrédient dans la capsule et pour drainer
une boisson à partir de la capsule, ledit procédé comprenant les étapes consistant
à :
- découper une feuille d'aluminium pour produire une pièce d'aluminium (6) correspondant
aux dimensions de la capsule,
- emboutir profondément la pièce de feuille d'aluminium (6) pour former un corps de
capsule (7) et laminer les bords du corps de capsule sur le côté extérieur de la capsule
emboutie profondément pour former un bord plié (2),
- remplir le corps de capsule (7) avec au moins un ingrédient de boisson,
- fermer le corps de capsule avec un couvercle (3),
dans lequel chacune des deux faces de la feuille d'aluminium de départ présente un
traitement de couleur de couleur différente de celle de l'autre face, la couleur du
côté extérieur du corps de capsule et la couleur du bord plié étant différentes de
la couleur naturelle de la feuille d'aluminium,
dans lequel l'opération de laminage est réalisée en faisant rouler les bords sur eux
en direction de la surface extérieure du corps de capsule de sorte que c'est la même
face de feuille d'aluminium qui est à l'intérieur du corps de capsule qui devient
apparente à l'extérieur du bord plié.
2. Procédé selon la Revendication 1 dans lequel au moins l'un des traitements de couleur
est réalisé avec une composition de peinture alimentaire.
3. Procédé selon la Revendication 2 dans lequel la feuille d'aluminium est emboutie profondément
de sorte que l'intérieur du corps de capsule (7) présente le traitement de couleur
qui est réalisé avec un pigment et une laque alimentaires.