Tetra Pak Delta TwistCap: First in a new generation of direct injection moulded closures for gable-top cartons

Convenience is key in consumers’ choice between carton packages. They accept nothing less today than packages that are safe, easy to use, and with an inherent attractiveness that brings a smile to both consumers and producers. The latest Tetra Pak offering to meet this demand is the Delta Opening System: a new generation of integrated direct injection moulded openings on Tetra Rex gable-top cartons, for chilled liquid foods. Delta TwistCap, the first member of this new closure generation, made its debut in field tests at the TINE dairy in Bergen, Norway during December 2004. Now Tetra Pak has launched DeltaTwistCap commercially. The Delta Unit, required to apply the DeltaTwistCap, is available as an option on new Tetra Rex TR/7 Series II gable-top filling machines, and as a retrofit to existing TR/7 machines already installed. Machines equipped with the new closure will fill at the standard TR/7 speed of 6000 packages/hour (100/minute). Delta TwistCap features a spout and an overcap: &'149 The spout is integrated into the carton using a Delta Unit TR/7, which replaces the carton ‘blank’ magazine and in-feed on standard TR/7 equipment. The spout is created from plastic granules and moulded directly onto carton blanks, using the ‘Direct Injection Moulded Concept’ (DIMC) made popular by other Tetra Pak chilled carton systems, such as Tetra Brik and Tetra Top. Moulding occurs at a sterile 200ºC, just seconds before the product is filled. The overcap is applied by a Capper 20 Overcap Applicator, downstream of the filling machine. “The main benefit of the Delta TwistCap versus other competitive caps is the high level of product hygiene and safety, because the spout is moulded directly onto the package,” said Sigbjorn Vik, Dairy Manager at the TINE Meieriet Vest dairy in Bergen, where the Delta TwistCap was field-tested. “With other systems you risk airborne bacteria and so they are less safe,” he said. Complete package integrity ensured & convenient operation. Says Tetra Pak, the Delta TwistCap spout is made from the same polyethylene used to laminate the Tetra Rex cartons themselves and is seamlessly integrated onto the package, with no exposed, raw paper edges. This ensures complete package integrity. Other built-in features of Delta TwistCap include its appealing, intuitive and easy-to-open design: The spout features a pull-tab with a novel spiral-shaped crease. This allows consumers to open the tamper-evident plastic membrane seal with minimum effort. The Delta TwistCap is also wide and tall, for steadier pouring and reduced product ‘gulping’. The Delta Unit that injection moulds the Delta TwistCap, includes an operator panel with touch-screen interface, from which machine operators can accurately control and monitor the functions of the Delta Unit easily. This touch screen uses clear and intuitive symbols, and a logical sequence of commands, making machine start-ups and stops easy, and cleaning and maintenance even simpler.