Method for producing a re-closable-container

A method for producing a re-closable container, which container comprises:

• a container body (1) having a bottom wall (3) and a circumferential side wall (4) extending upwardly from the bottom wall (3) and terminating in an outwardly directed peripheral flange (5) having an upper surface (6) defining an access opening (7) into an interior compartment (8) of the container body (1), and
• a closure lid (2) having a peripheral frame member (9) which surrounds at least partially the peripheral flange (5) of the container body (1) and a lidding film (10) which is adhered to said peripheral frame member (9) on an upper surface (11) thereof,
• the container body (1) and the peripheral frame member (9) are produced in one piece and are separated from one another by a discontinuous die-cut line (12) containing bridging elements (13) attaching the peripheral frame member (9) of the closure lid (2) to the peripheral flange (5) of the container body (1) so that next to said die-cut line (12) the upper surface (11) of the peripheral frame member (9) is substantially at a same level as the upper surface (6) of the peripheral flange (5), the peripheral flange (5) of the container body (1) and the peripheral frame member (9) of the lid (2) being next to said die-cut line (12) less flexible than said lidding film (10),
• which method comprises the following steps:
• sealing the lidding film (10) by means of a seal tool (16, 17), on the one hand, according to a first seal line (20) around said access opening (7) onto the upper surface (6) of the peripheral flange (5) to seal off the interior compartment (8) of the container body (1) and, on the other hand, according to a second seal line (21), along said discontinuous die-cut line (12), onto the upper surface (11) of the peripheral frame member (9) to adhere the lidding film (10) to the peripheral frame member (9), which seal tool comprises an upper seal tool (16), having a first (22) and a second seal blade (23), and a lower seal tool (17), having a first (18) and a second support blade (19), the peripheral frame member (9) with the lidding film (10) applied on its upper surface (11) being pressed during the sealing step between a press surface (24) of the first seal blade (22) and a press surface (25) of the first support blade (18) and the peripheral flange (5) with the lidding film (10) applied on its upper surface (6) between a press surface (26) of the second seal blade (23) and a press surface (27) of the second support blade (19), and
• displacing the peripheral frame member (9) during said sealing step relative to the peripheral flange (5) by means of the seal tool (16, 17) so that next to said die-cut line (12) the upper surface (11) of the peripheral frame member (9) is moved to a level which is lower than the level of the upper surface (6) of the peripheral flange (5) next to said die-cut line (12) whereby a shearing action is exerted onto said bridging elements (13) so as to cut these bridging elements (13) without cutting the lidding film (10), the lidding film (10) being sealed to the upper surfaces (6, 11) of the peripheral frame member (9) and the peripheral flange (5) with the upper surface (11) of the peripheral frame member (9) being at said lower level with respect to the level of the upper surface (6) of the peripheral flange (5).