EP0370957B1 - Plastic bag for receiving a liquid or a powdery product - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a plastic bag according to the preamble of claim 1.

Known pouches made of two plastic films for holding a liquid or a powdery material, e.g. Soup powder are rectangular. To open these bags, a corner is torn off or cut off. The disadvantage of these known plastic bags is that if the entire content is not used up, they can no longer be closed again in a simple manner. From GB-A-2 130 173 a plastic bag is previously known in which a bag neck is formed by sections of the plastic film, which neck has the same width as the bag. A plate made of a plastically deformable material for closing the bag is arranged in the central region of the bag neck, the plate being connected to the bag neck on one side. The neck of the bag has folded-in side parts, these folded-in parts having to be stretched to keep the neck of the bag open. Only by bending the plate could it not be possible to keep the neck of the bag sufficiently open. The plate is bent to close the bag.

It is an object of the invention to provide a plastic bag of the type mentioned at the outset, which is suitable as a refill bag and can be easily closed again after use. The one arranged in the neck of the bag Platelets should also be suitable for opening the neck of the bag while removing the contents contained in the bag. The plastic bag according to the invention is characterized by the features stated in the characterizing part of patent claim 1.

Particular embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

• Fig. 1 die Ansicht eines Ausführungsbeispiels des erfindungsgemässen Kunststoffbeutels,
• Fig. 2 den Beutelhals in der Offenstellung, in schaubildlicher Darstellung,
• Fig. 3 einen Schnitt entlang der Linie III-III der Fig. 2,
• Fig. 4 den Beutelhals in der Schliessstellung, in schaubildlicher Darstellung,
• Fig. 5 den oberen Teil eines weiteren Ausführungsbeispieles des erfindungsgemässen Kunststoffbeutels in der Ansicht,
• Fig. 6 den Beutelhals des Beutels gemäss der Fig. 5 in der Offenstellung, in der Draufsicht,
• Fig. 7 einen Schnitt entlang der Linie VII-VII,
• Fig. 8 die Ansicht eines dritten Ausführungsbeispieles des erfindungsgemässen Kunststoffbeutels in einem kleineren Massstab gezeichnet, und
• Fig. 9 ein viertes Ausführungsbeispiel des erfindungsgemässen Kunststoffbeutels.

The subject matter of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing, for example. Show it:

• 1 is a view of an embodiment of the plastic bag according to the invention,
• 2 the bag neck in the open position, in a diagrammatic representation,
• 3 shows a section along the line III-III of FIG. 2,
• 4 the bag neck in the closed position, in a diagrammatic representation,
• 5 is a view of the upper part of a further embodiment of the plastic bag according to the invention,
• 6 the neck of the bag according to FIG. 5 in the open position, in plan view,
• 7 shows a section along the line VII-VII,
• 8 shows the view of a third exemplary embodiment of the plastic bag according to the invention drawn on a smaller scale, and
• Fig. 9 shows a fourth embodiment of the plastic bag according to the invention.

The plastic bag 1 shown in FIG. 1 is made of two essentially rectangular, superimposed plastic films 2. At one of the upper corners, both foils 2 each have a section 3. The sections 3 together form a bag neck 4. The edge regions of the foils 2 and the sections 3 are welded to one another with the exception of the neck opening 5 or are hot-sealed. At a point opposite to the neck of the bag, a pick 6 is used to form a bag bottom. Instead of using the pimple, the bottom of the bag can be obtained by folding in the film if only a single film is used to form the bag.

The filling material, e.g. a liquid can be filled into the bag through a piece of pipe, not shown, which projects through the neck opening 5 into the interior of the bag 1. After filling the container, the edges of the neck opening 5 are also welded after removal of the said pipe piece. The contents can also be filled through the handle, which has not yet been sealed.

A rectangular plate 7 made of a plastically deformable material is arranged in the bag neck 4. The plate 7 is provided at least on one side with a heat-sealable coating or coated with a protective covering, for example with a plastic, or lacquered and welded to the adjacent film section 3 along a long side. The welded surface area 8 is indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2 by the hatched area.

The plate 7 can consist of aluminum, copper or tin, for example. The plate 7 is with two Provided rows of beads 9 running parallel to each other. The stiffness of the plate 7 is increased by the beads 9. In this way it is possible to use a thinner plate 7 with the same stiffness. A tab can be formed on the upper corner of the bag 1 opposite the bag neck 4, which enables the bag 1 to be hung on a hook.

The plate 7 has no function until the neck opening 5 is opened, for example by cutting off the weld seam closing the neck opening 5. In order to remove part of the liquid contained in the bag 1, the plate 7 is bent around a longitudinal axis 10 drawn in broken lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, which extends between the two rows of beads 9.

2 and 3, the bag neck 4 is drawn in the open state. The two film sections 3 are held in the open position by the plate 7 bent about the longitudinal axis 10, as can be clearly seen from FIG. 3. The liquid can flow out of the bag 1 practically unhindered through the bag neck 4 held open by the plate 7, if the bag is inclined accordingly.

When the desired amount of liquid has been removed from the bag 1, the plate 7 is bent back so that both rows of beads 9 lie in one plane again. Then the plate 7 with the entire bag neck 4 is bent about an axis 11 running transversely to the aforementioned longitudinal axis 10, as shown in FIG. 4. The outer part of the bag neck 4 is bent by the plate 7 in the position essentially 180 ° with respect to the neck held. In this position, the bag 1 is not hermetically sealed, but the leakage of liquid is at least very difficult.

The above-mentioned plastic film can be a monofilm, a composite film made of two plastic films, e.g. Polyethylene and polyester films or a composite film made of a plastic film and a metal film.

5 to 7 show a second embodiment of the bag according to the invention. This bag also has a bag neck 13 formed from sections 12 of the films. Inside the bag neck 13 there is a plate 14 made of a plastically deformable material, the edge area 15 of which is completely welded or sealed to one of the film sections 12. A tab 16 is punched out within the welded edge area; the tab 16 is bent in order to keep the neck 13 of the bag open during the removal of the liquid contained in the bag in the direction of the film section 12 which is not connected to the plate 14. This state is shown in section in FIG. 7.

To close the neck 13 of the bag, the tab 16 is first bent back into the plane of the plate 14. Subsequently, the plate 14 together with the bag neck 13 is bent essentially by 180 ° about an axis running transversely through the bag neck 13.

Subsequent to the upper part of the bag which is not occupied by the bag neck 13, sections of the foils forming the bag are formed into a handle 17.

The handle 17 has a recess 18 and the two film sections forming the handle 17 are held together by a plurality of, preferably parallel, weld seams 19. The bag neck 13 and the adjacent handle 17 are separated from one another by a slot 21 except for a web 20. The web 20 forms a predetermined breaking point at which the bag neck 13 can be completely separated from the handle 17 in order to be able to close the bag neck. To facilitate the detachment of the bag neck 13 from the handle 17, a notch 22 is arranged in the web 20. In order to prevent the slot 21 from accidentally tearing further in the region of the neck of the bag, a round opening 23 is provided at least at the end of the slot 21 adjacent to the said neck.

8 shows a third embodiment of the plastic bag according to the invention. This bag 24 has a bag neck 25 and a spatula 26 for forming a bottom. Arranged within the neck 25 of the bag is a plate 27 which, for example, can be of the same design as the plate 7 according to the bag shown in FIG. 1. The bag 24 has a handle 28 to facilitate pouring the liquid. The opening and closing of the bag neck 25 is carried out in the same way as in the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4.

9 shows a fourth exemplary embodiment of the plastic bag according to the invention. The bag 29 is wedge-shaped, the end region arranged at the narrowest point being designed as a bag neck 30. In the wider end area opposite the bag neck, a pick 31 is used to form the bag bottom. A plate 32 is fastened inside the bag neck 30, which plate is configured similarly to the plate 14 according to the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 5 to 7. On one side of the bag 29 there is a plate from the bottom of the container to the outermost edge of the bag neck 30 extending handle 33 arranged. With the exception of a web 34, the bag neck 30 is separated from the upper part of the handle 33 by a slot 35. To make it easier to separate the neck 30 of the bag from the upper part of the handle 33, a notch 36 is provided in the web 34.

The bags described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7 could also be produced from an endless plastic tube, in which case the side weld seams would then be omitted.

The bags described above are particularly suitable for so-called refill or multi-portion packs. The bags are completely sealed up to the consumer and can be closed again several times after opening several times. After completely emptying, these bags are thrown into the trash where they take up very little space.

Claims (9)

1. A plastic bag (1) for holding a liquid or a powdery material, made from a folded plastic film sheet or from two superposed plastic film sheets (2), adjoining edge portions of the plastic film sheets being welded or sealed to one another, and the plastic bag being designed so that there is a bag neck (4; 13; 25; 30) formed by sections (3; 12) of the plastic film sheets, so that a small plate (7; 14; 27; 32) made of a plastically deformable material is disposed in the bag neck to hold open or close the bag neck, and so that at least part of the edge portion of the small plate (7; 14; 27; 32) is joined to at least one of the plastic film sheet sections (3; 12) forming the bag neck, characterized in that the small plate (7) has two rows of substantially parallel reinforcing fins (9) or at least one tongue (16), one of whose sides is joined with the rest of the small plate, is punched out in said small plate (14).
2. The bag of claim 1, characterized in that sections of plastic film sheet adjoining the bag neck are designed as a handle (17; 28; 33).
3. The bag of claim 2, characterized in that the end of the film sheet sections (12) forming the bag neck (13; 30) adjoining the film sheet sections of the handle (17; 33) are joined with the film sheet sections of the handle via a crosspiece (20; 34) serving as a breaking point.
4. The bag of one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the small plate (7; 14; 27) is disposed in the bag neck (4; 13; 25) in such a way that a part of the small plate projects into the interior of the bag.
5. The bag of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the small plate (7; 14) is made of a metal, eg. aluminium.
6. The bag of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the small plate is coated on at least one side with a heat-sealable coating, or with a protective covering.
7. The bag of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plastic film sheet is a single or composite film.
8. The bag of claim 7, characterized in that the composite film sheet comprises the plastic film sheet and a metal sheet.
9. The bag of claim 7, characterized in that the composite film sheet comprises a polyethylene sheet and a polyester sheet, and in that the polyethylene sheet is preferably situated on the inside of the bag.

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