AU2012216442A1 - A leak resistant pack for a solid or liquid product - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A leak resistant pack for a liquid or solid product, the pack has an inner and outer bag. The inner and outer bag is formed from the same or different material such as a laminated, mono or multi layer co-extruded plastic film. The pack is formed with an open mouth at one end and being ready for filling with a liquid or solid product. The sides and other ends of the bags are sealed with a wider than normal seal and the adjacent films forming the open mouths of the inner and outer bags are tacked together to thereby form an easily open mouth for the pack. COMS ID No: SBMI-01383423 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 13:18 Date (Y-M-d) 2005-07-28

Description

1 Australia Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT A LEAK RESISTANT PACK FOR A SOLID OR LIQUID PRODUCT The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: COMS ID No: SBMI-01383423 Received bv IP Australia: Time (H:ml 13:18 Date (Y-M-dl 2005-07-78 2 A LEAK RESISTANT PACK FOR A SOLID OR LIQUID PRODUCT Field of the Invention The invention relates to a leak resistant pack for a solid or liquid product such as a food product. Background to the Invention A problem at all levels with many products such as pre-packaged soups, poultry, meat and other consumables is liquid leakage in existing packaging. For example poultry has bones which if exposed can puncture a bag resulting in a leakage of liquid. This can be a health hazard and serious inconvenience in store or in a production plant when the product is being packaged. In addition existing films used in packaging for food products are not entirely liquid impervious and this is particularly the case where the edges of the films forming a package are welded or sealed together. An attempt to overcome this problem is the subject of New Zealand Patent specification no. 527733. The content of this specification is incorporated herein by way of reference. This specification describes a marketable commodity where a fresh poultry item is inserted in an inner bag which is then closed and sealed within another bag. A disadvantage with this solution is that in a production plant additional handling is involved to firstly close the inner bag and then to place the filled bag in an outer bag which must then be sealed. All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert and the applicant reserves the right to challenge the COMS ID No: SBMI-01383423 Received bv1P Australix: Time (H-m) 13:18 Date (Y-M-d) 2005-07-28 3 accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country. It is acknowledged that the term 'comprise' may, under varying jurisdictions, be attributed with either an exclusive or an inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted, the term 'comprise' shall have an inclusive meaning, ie that it will be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components it directly references, but also other non-specified components or elements. This rationale will also be used when the term "comprised" or "comprising" is used in relation to one or more steps in a method or process. An object of the present invention is to improve production efficiency in a pack filling or production plant and to overcome at least in part the disadvantages of known double bagging methods for a variety of products and to provide consumers with a useful alternative choice. Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only. Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a leak resistant pack for a liquid or solid product, the pack including an inner and outer bag, the inner and outer bag being formed from the same or different material such as a laminated, mono or multi layer co-extruded plastic film, the pack being formed with an open mouth at one end, the pack being ready for filling with a liquid or solid product, the sides and other ends of the bags being sealed with a wider than normal seal, the adjacent films forming the open mouths of the inner and outer bags being tacked together to thereby form an easily open mouth for the pack. COMS ID No: SBMI-01383423 RpenivPd hv IP A,,trali.- Tim -m) 1-1A Flat. /Y-M-en 2nnf-7-2 4 According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an easily filled leak resistant pack for a liquid or solid product, the pack being formed from inner and outer bags in which the sides and ends of the inner and outer bags opposite the open mouth of the pack are sealed together with a wider than normal seal, and wherein the sides of the inner and outer bags forming the mouth of the pack are tacked together to form an easily opened mouth through which the pack is filled. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a packaged food or liquid product sealed'in a leak resistant pack formed from an inner and outer bag formed from the same or different material such as a laminated, mono or multi layer co-extruded plastic film, the pack being manufactured with an open mouth at one end, the sides and other ends of the bags being sealed with a wider than normal seal, the adjacent films forming the open mouths of the inner and outer bags being tacked together to form the open mouth for the pack through which the pack is filled with the liquid or solid product before the pack is sealed by a suitable heat sealing method. The inner and outer bags can be formed from mono or multi layer co-extruded film or laminated films. The film or films forming the inner and outer bags can be any suitable food grade film. Preferably the films are layered films formed from layers of polyethylene and polypropylene. Advantageously the film is laminated from two or more layers or is co-extruded from three or more layers being outer layers of polyethylene and an inner layer of polypropylene. Preferably the film from which the inner bag is formed is thinner than that chosen for the outer bag but it is to be appreciated that there may be circumstances which dictate that the film for the outer bag is thinner than that for the inner bag. COMS ID No: SBMI-01383423 Received bv IP AuitraIix Timp (-mi 1-11 I atA (YVM-rn 20f..-/l-2 5 The inner and outer bags are formed using a heat sealing method or any suitable known method of sealing, gluing or welding the surface regions of the films together to provide a wide liquid proof seal. In use the pack when filled with a solid or liquid product has the open mouth of the pack sealed by a suitable heat sealing or other sealing method to provide a liquid proof seal to the filled pack. The pack can be formed as a pack of wicketed bags. The pack of wicketed bags can include a tear off section allowing each pack to be removed. Alternatively the pack can be formed as a loose bag with the open mouth at the top or bottom of the pack. The typical film from which the inner bag is formed is greater than or equal to a 22 to 40 micron film. The typical film from which the outer bag is formed is greater than or equal to a 40 to 60 micron film. The side seals of the pack preferably have a side weld, wide seal or a combination thereof. A wide seal can have a seal width of greater than 4 mm. The seal for the mouth of the pack preferably has a height of greater than or equal to 20 mm. The inner bag can float within the outer bag or the other end of the inner bag opposite the open mouth can be encapsulated with the outer bag when the ends of the bags are sealed with the wider than normal seal. According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a lay flat wicketable bag within a bag assembly including: an inner bag, and COMS ID No: SBMI-01383423 Received bv IP Australia: Time (H:ml 13-18 Datp tv-M-en 9n-n7-9 6 an outer bag within which the inner bag is at least partly positioned so as to be fillable via an open mouth of the inner bag which is reliant, at least in part, on the at least partial opening of the mouth of the outer bag, wherein the inner bag is of at least one ply plastic film and the outer bag is of at least one ply plastic film, and wherein the inner bag has been heat sealed both to the outer bag and itself at at least its side edge regions. As used herein "bag" in the context of a bag within a bag assembly includes any panel pair (whether interposed or not and gusseted or not) which despite panel to panel peripheral features, such as seals and/or folds, and despite any attachment to other panels or extensions thereof, exhibits a mouthed bag like character. The side seals of the inner and/or outer bags of the bag within a bag assembly preferably have a seal width of greater than 4mm. Preferably a single heat seal is used to seal the side edges of the inner and outer bags together. The heat seal(s) joining the ends of the inner and outer bags together opposite the open mouths of the bags can be a single seal joining the bags together or can be separate seals closing the ends of the bags. The plastic film from which the inner bag is formed is greater than or equal to a 22 to 40 micron film. The plastic film from which the outer bag is formed is greater than or equal to a 40 to 60 micron film. The inner and outer bags can be formed from mono or multilayer co-extruded film or laminated films. COM ID No RRMI-013R3423 Rpiv-d h. IP An -tralix Tim I--ml 1-1R rata tv-M-d\ 2 7 According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a lay flat bag within a bag assembly including: an inner bag, and an outer bag within which the inner bag is at least partly positioned so as to be fillable via the mouth of the inner bag which is reliant, at least in part, on the at least partial opening of the mouth of the outer bag, and wherein one panel of the inner bag in each instance is at least in part heat sealed to the adjacent panel of the outer bag. The open mouth of the lay flat bag assembly can be closed, when the assembly is filled, by any form of sealing including a pinch seal, impulse seal, ultrasound formed seal, glue or adhesive, or a flap fold over seal. Further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only. Description of the Drawing An example of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view an example of pack according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a section through the pack shown in Figure 1 on the line YY; and Figure 3 shows a section through the pack shown in Figure 1 on the lines XX. Description of the Examples The examples of the invention will be described with reference to a pack for poultry. It will be appreciated by the skilled addressee that the pack according COMS ID No: SBMI-01383423 Received bv IP Australia: Time (H:m) 13:18 Date (Y-M-d3 2005-07-28 to the invention can be used for a wide range of consumable products which can be any food or other product of either solid or liquid form. The pack shown in Figures 1 to 3 is formed from plastics films and the films can be layered film formed from layers of polyethylene and polypropylene. Preferably each film is laminated from two or more layers or if it is co-extruded is formed from three layers being outer layers of polyethylene and an inner layer of polypropylene. The pack which is generally indicated by arrow 1 is formed with an outer bag manufactured from film 2. The outer bag has formed therein an inner bag formed from film 3. Side edges 4 of the inner and outer bags are formed by a seal 5 (shown shaded). The width of the seal 5 is preferably greater than the normal seal used to form bag side edge. For example the seal 5 is preferable about 4 to 10 mm in width. Top 6 of the outer bag can be formed by a seal 7 (shown shaded). The height of the seal is preferably greater than the normal seal used to form the top of a plastics bag. In the example, as shown in Figure 2, the top 8 of the inner bag is formed separate from the top 6 of the outer bag. In an alternative construction not shown in the drawings the top 8 of the inner bag can be formed by the films 9, 10 forming the inner bag being sealed together with the seal 7 of the outer bag. The films 11, 12 which form the open mouth of the outer bag are tack sealed at 13, 14 (shown shaded) to the respective adjacent films 9, 10 where they form the open mouth 15 of the inner bag. The adjacent layers of films 9, 11 at region 16 allow the pack when manufactured to be formed into a wicketed set of packs. ComR in Mn- RRI..I1VAAAA7I RP-vh w 1,0 IDA-tralin- ime % IM-4-1 raV-t. tv.-en nn n7.l 9 The inner and outer bags can be formed in a manufacturing process at the same time using machinery which folds the films and then heat seals or welds the surface regions of the films to form the open mouth pack. The welds or seals are formed during the manufacturing process so that they are wider than normal. Typically welds used to form existing plastics bags are less than 4 mm in width. In the present invention the width of the welds are greater than or equal to 4mm in width to thereby form a satisfactory liquid proof seal. The typical film from which the inner bag is formed is a 22 to 40 micron film. The typical film from which the outer bag is formed is a 40 to 60 micron film. In use the packs are manufactured in the orientation shown in Figure 1 of the drawings with the open mouth facing downward. This allows the end user to use the wide seal region 7 for advertising or promotional material and/or to suspend the filled pack from a mounting means in a store or marketplace. In use the pack is inverted for filling with a solid or liquid product. The open mouth of the pack is sealed by a suitable heat sealing method to provide a liquid proof seal to the filled pack. It is envisaged that the inner sealing or welding surface of the film from which the inner bag is manufactured can have a lower sealing or welding temperature so that the inner bag is initially sealed closed first in the filling step. This allows both ends of the inner bag to be, to a degree, independent or floating relative to the outer bag. The final closing seal or weld for the open mouths of both the inner and outer bags can be spaced from or adjacent to the initial seal and this seal or weld completely seals films 11, 9, 10 and 12 together. Thus by the invention there is provided a pack for a solid or liquid product such as a food product. COMS ID No: SBMI-01383423 Received bv IP Auetralie Time (H-m\ 111R alte Y-M-d\ 2jnn..n7-R 10 Examples of the invention have been described and it is envisaged that improvements and modifications thereto can take place without departing from the scope of the attached claims. COMS ID No: SBMI-01383423 Received bv IP Autralia Time (Hmi 13R-1 Iate Y-M-dl9nn -f7-2n

Claims (32)

1. A leak resistant pack for a liquid or solid product, the pack including an inner and outer bag, the inner and outer bag being formed from the same or different material such as a laminated, mono or multi layer co extruded plastic film, the pack being formed with an open mouth at one end, the pack being ready for filling with a liquid or solid product, the sides and. other ends of the bags being sealed with a wider than normal seal, the adjacent films forming the open mouths of the inner and outer bags being tacked together to thereby form an easily open mouth for the pack.

2. An easily filled leak resistant pack for a liquid or solid product, the pack being formed from inner and outer bags in which the sides and ends of the inner and outer bags opposite the open mouth of the pack are sealed together with a wider than normal seal, and wherein the sides of the inner and outer bags forming the mouth of the pack are tacked together to form an easily opened mouth through which the pack is filled.

3. A pack as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the inner and outer bags is formed from mono or multi layer co-extruded film or laminated films.

4. A pack as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the film or films forming the inner and outer bags are any suitable food grade film.

5. A pack as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the films are layered films formed from layers of polyethylene and polypropylene.

6. A pack as claimed in claim in any one of the preceding claims wherein the film is laminated from two or more layers or is co-extruded from three or more layers being outer layers of polyethylene and an inner layer of polypropylene. COMS I Nn- RRMI-1t1RdA2 P- ivo h,, ID AtrIin- Tim- rW-N -Iin r tl _,n -V>AAN 'n n n-O 12

7. A pack as claimed in claim 6 wherein the film from which the inner bag is formed is thinner than that chosen for the outer bag.

8. A pack as claimed in claim 6 wherein the film for the outer bag is thinner than that chosen for the inner bag.

9. A pack as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the inner and outer bags are formed using a heat sealing method, gluing or welding the surface regions of the films together to provide a wide liquid proof seal.

10.A pack as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the pack is formed as a loose bag with the open mouth at the top or bottom of the pack.

11.A pack as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the typical film from which the inner bag is formed is greater than or equal to a 22 to 40 micron film.

12.A pack as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the typical film from which the outer bag is formed is greater than or equal to a 40 to 60 micron film.

13.A pack as claimed in any one of the preceding claims- wherein the side seals of the pack have a side weld, wide seal or a combination thereof.

14.A pack as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the wide seal has a seal width of greater than 4 mm.

15.A pack as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the seal for the mouth of the pack has a height of greater than or equal to 20 mm. COMS ID No: SBMI-01383423 Received bv IP Australia: Time (H:m) 13:18 Date (Y-M-d) 2005-07-28 13

16.A pack as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the pack is formed as a loose bag with the open mouth at the top or bottom of the pack.

17.A pack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15 wherein the inner bag floats within the outer bag or the other end of the inner bag opposite the open mouth is encapsulated with the outer bag when the ends of the bags are sealed with the wider than normal seal. 1&A pack of wicked bags wherein each pack of the wicked pack is a pack as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

19.A pack of wicked bags as claimed in claim 18 wherein the packs forming the pack of wicketed bags includes a tear off section allowing each pack to be removed.

20.A packaged food or liquid product sealed in a leak resistant pack formed from an inner and outer bag formed from the same or different material such as a laminated, mono or multi layer co-extruded plastic film, the pack being manufactured with an open mouth at one end, the sides and other ends of the bags being sealed with a wider than normal seal, the adjacent films forming the open mouths of the inner and outer bags being tacked together to form the open mouth for the pack through which the pack is filled with the liquid or solid product before the pack is sealed by a suitable heat sealing method.

21.A packaged food or liquid product as claimed in claim 20 wherein the pack when filled with a solid or liquid product has the open mouth of the pack sealed by a suitable heat sealing or other sealing method to provide a liquid proof seal to the filled pack.

22.A lay flat wicketable bag within a bag assembly including: an inner bag, and COMS ID No: SBMI-01383423 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 13:18 Date (Y-M-d) 2005-07-28 14 an outer bag within which the inner bag is at least partly positioned so as to be fillable via an open mouth of the inner bag which is reliant, at least in part, on the at least partial opening of the mouth of the outer bag, wherein the inner bag is of at least one ply plastic film and the outer bag is of at least one ply plastic film, and wherein the inner bag has been heat sealed both to the outer bag and itself at at least its side edge regions.

23.A lay flat wicketable bag as claimed in claim 22 wherein the side seals of the inner and/or outer bags of the bag within a bag assembly has a seal width of greater than 4mm.

24.A lay flat wicketable bag as claimed in claim 22 or claim 23 wherein a single heat seal is used to seal the side edges of the inner and outer bags together.

25.A lay flat wicketable bag as claimed in claim 22 or claim 23 wherein the heat seal(s) joining the ends of the inner and outer bags together opposite the open mouths of the bags is(are) a single seal joining the bags together or are separate seals closing the ends of the bags.

26.A lay flat wicketable bag as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 25 wherein the plastic film from which the inner bag is formed is greater than or equal to a 22 to 40 micron film.

27.A lay flat wicketable bag as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 26 wherein the plastic film from which the outer bag is formed is greater than or equal to a 40 to 60 micron film.

28.A lay flat wicketable bag as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 27 wherein the inner and outer bags are formed from mono or multilayer co-extruded film or laminated films. COMS ID No: SBMI-01383423 Reenived bv IP Austr2li Time (H-m 13-18 latA (Y-M-d 9On-r7-A 15

29. A lay flat bag within a bag assembly including: an inner bag, and an outer bag within which the inner bag is at least partly positioned so as to be fillable via the mouth of the inner bag which is reliant, at least in part, on the at least partial opening of the mouth of the outer bag, and wherein one panel of the inner bag in each instance is at least in part heat sealed to the adjacent panel of the outer bag.

30.A lay flat bag within a bag assembly as claimed in claim 29 wherein the open mouth of the lay flat bag assembly is closed, when the assembly is filled, by any form of sealing including a pinch seal, impulse seal, ultrasound formed seal, glue or adhesive, or a flap fold over seal.

31.A pack as claimed in claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

32.A packaged food or liquid product sealed in a leak resistant pack as claimed in claim 20 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

33.A lay flat bag within a bag assembly as claimed in claim 29 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. COMSID No: SBMI-01383423 Received bv IP Australia: Time (H:mi 13:18 Date (Y-M-d) 2005-07-28