CA2004741A1

CA2004741A1 - Packing arrangement

Info

Publication number: CA2004741A1
Application number: CA 2004741
Authority: CA
Inventors: Arvidas I. Barauskas; Vadim A. Kuzin; Sergei A. Kuzin
Original assignee: NAUCHNO-PROIZVODSTVENNY KOOPERATIV "LAURA"
Current assignee: NAUCHNO-PROIZVODSTVENNY KOOPERATIV "LAURA"
Priority date: 1988-12-08
Filing date: 1989-12-06
Publication date: 1990-06-08
Also published as: SU1664117A3; CN1043285A; DK187890D0; EP0400155A1; DK187890A; FI903907A0; BR8907234A; YU230889A; WO1990006272A1; GR890100812A; JPH03504117A; EP0400155A4; AU4747790A

Abstract

PACKING ARRANGEMENT
ABSTRACT
A packet for liquid food products is fabricated from a thermoplastic film, and has two walls joined by side weld seams to define an interior, a bottom, and a neck.
Parts of the two walls adjacent to the neck are folded toward the interior and connected by two weld seams extending so as to intersect with the side weld seams to form an inlet passage converging toward the in-terior, communicating therewith, and serving to fill the packet with a liquid food product and empty the packet of the product. A packing arrangement includes at least two like packets joined together by a portion of the film.

Description

~ n ~ 74 1 PACKING ARRANGEMENT

~ield of the Inve.ntion This invention relates generally to containers for -~
the storage and tra.nsportation of articles and materials, : ,. .....
and more particularly to packets a.nd packing arrangements for handling liquid food products. .. ~ -. ~ .
The inven-tion can be used fo- packing, stopping, .-and consuming liquid food products, such as juices, ;;~
mineral water, efreshment beverages, and milk. .
Prior Art There are know.n vessels fabricated from a thermo~
plastic film for packing food products closable by a film disk of a diameter greater than the diameter o~ .. ~. ....
the necX of the vesscl. ~dges of the disk extendin~
from the neck diameter are crimped thereabout and .. ..
heated to seal the vesscl (cf., SU, ~, 623,504). . ~
Such vessels are difficult to seal, and necessi~
tate the u~e of special mcans overcomplicating -the sealin~ procedure. ` ........ .
~here are also known soft packets fabricated from .
a thermoplastic material having two walls joi.ned by .
side weld seams to form an interior, a bottom, and a s-neck wherethrough the packet is filled. The thermoplas_ tic ~ilm ca.n be a single_layer or double-layer film (cf., SU, A, 309,499; SU, A, 1,147,640). . -.. -.
After filling the pacXet with a liquid product ... . j it is sealed by a weld seam. However, this packet is .not ~: . ' ' '; ',' - - - .. :... ...
' , :, .
' I .. . . ..

74~1 convenient in use, as it is open~d by puncturing or cutting, after which it is preferable to replace the contents of the packet to another vessel more co.nve.nient for use and ~torage.
In addition, making the packet, filling it with a liquid product, and stopping necessitates the u~e of .
complicated equipment as the packet is unsta~le (SU, A, .. ~
1,147,640). .... :
Summary of the Invention It is an object of the present inventio.n to provide ;
a packing arrangement so constructed as to substantially simplify fillin~ and stopping liquid ~ood products. `~
Another object is to provide a packet fabricated .
from a flexible film which :would be co.nvenicnt in The objects of the invention are attained by that ...
in a packet for liquid food products fabricated from at least a single_layer thermopla~tic film and having -.`.
two walls joined together by ~ide weld ~eams to define ;........ j.~
an interior, a bottom, a.nd a neck for fillin~ the packet, .. `~- .~.:
according to the invention, for forming the neck of the .-.i.-packet parts of the two walls adjacent to the neck are folded toward the interior of the packet and joi.ned by ...
two weld seams so that these seams intersect with the side weld æeam~ to define an inlet passage converging ~ ..... :.. .. ;
toward the i.nterisor communicating therewith, a:nd servi.ng .
to fill the packet with and remove the liquid food pro_ duct therefrom. :~

Z~ 74t `:

Such a packet makes it possible to simplify the procedures a~sociated with filling the packet with a liquid food product and stopping the packet.
It is advisable that the folded parts of the two walls be joined with one wall of the packet by at least ; -two weld seams. It is also advisable that the two weld seam~ joining the folded parts ~f the two walls be, accordingly, the two weld seams joining the folded parts with one wall. ~his makes sealing of the packet more reliable.
It is preferable that each weld seam extend along ~ -a straight line inclined to the corresponding side weld ~eam, whereas the inlet passage have the form of a truncated cone whose minor base faces the interior of -the packet. I;lternatively, it is preferable that each `
weld seam follow a hyperbolic line, whereas the inlet pas~a~e have the form of a hyperboloid whose narrow portion faces the interior of the pas~a~e. ~s one more ~-alternative embodiment, each weld seam can be stepped !`
with the two seams defining an inlet passage of stepped Advisably, the qmallest diameter of the inlet passage ~,~'`''',',~'~,''!`''~,~'~
i8 ~maller than the height of the inlet pasqage to faci~
litate sealin~
It is further advisable that each wald seam could ~ -~
extend at the folded parts of the two walls of the packet at least at a portion of the surface of the folded parts. ~ -~
This is distated by welding process to improve the weld ,'',.,'''''`';

zon~74t seam in the interior.
~or purely hygienic purposes it i~ desirable that . ;.; ~-.
the neck be. provided with a cover fabricated from a -~
thermoplaqtic film to cloqe the inlet pa3sage of the packet.
The objects of the invention are further attained .~
by that in a packin arrangement for liquid food pro_ . ~. .. ..
ducts fabricated from a thermoplastic film, accordi g to the invention, it compriseq at least twc like :.-~... `.. :.
packet~ made as heretofore described and joined to~
gether by a portion of the film. .
Thi~ packing arrangement can be rolled i.nto a coil, ` ...... ... .
whereby qtora~e and transportation are greately faci- .
litated, and weight of the arra.ngement as a container . ....... ... ~
is reduced. . :.... .``.~;
Deæirably, the portion of the film between the adjacent packet~ has a cavity to accommodate a means for removing the liquid product from the packet. .. `.
Preferably, the portion of the film between the adjacent packetæ has perforations facilitating separation -of the packets. ~. ,... ,,.~"i~,,~i~,;~,,~, Brief Description of the Drawings ~he invention will now be de~cribed in greater .
detail with refere.nce to ~pecific embodimentæ thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing~
in which~
Fig. 1 is a ge.neral view of a packet ~or liquid food products;

20~ 41~ ~

Fig. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the proposed packet;
Figs 3a, b, c show the process of forming the neck of the packet; i~
Figs. 4a, b, c, d show an alternative process for forming the neck of the packet;
Figs. 5a, b, c, d, show one more alternative process of forming the neck of the packet;
~ig. 6 shows the proposed packet with an inlet -~
passage in the form of a hyperboloid;
Fi~. 7 shows the proposed packet with an inlet pas-sa~e of stepped shape;
~ig. 8 illustrates weld seams joining the foldcd -parts of packet wall~;
~ ig. 9 ~hows a packing arrangement according to the invention; and ~ `~
Figs. 1Oa and b show the packing arrangement accord~
ing to the invention with a cover cap. -~
Best Made of Carrying out the Invention . ~, A packet for liquid food~ i9 fabricated from a film of thelmoplastic material, which can be a single_layer or multi_layer film. The multi_layer film~ can include layers of different physical and optical properties.
Used ag the thermoplastic material are polyethylene, polyvinylchloride, polycarbonate, or polypropylene. ;~ ;
The packet has two walls 1 (~ig. 1) defining the interior of the packet, bottom, and neck. The walls 1 -:: ;:, :','~

ZO ~ 4 7 4 _ 6 are joined by two side weld seams 2, 3 and a bottom weld seam 4. The seams 2 to 4 are somewhat spaced from .~ -an edge 5 of the film (~ig. 1), or function as the edge ;~
of the film (~ig. 2).
The neck of the packet is made in the following manner.
The film 6 (Fi~. 3a) forming one wall of the packet is foled d along line a_a followed by placing another .~
film 7 (Fig. 3b), and a portion 8 of the film 7 is .~ . .~.. -.
registered with the folded portion 9 of the film 6. ; `
Then two weld seams 10, 11 are folmed at the registered . ....... `^.
portions 3, 9 to connect these portions. The film 7 :.. ~
(Fig. 3b) is folded toward th~. weld s~ams I0, 11 along `.;~;~` .. `
line b_b to superpose it on the film 6 and fo~m side ...
sea:ns 2, 3 (~ig. 3c) and bottom seam 4.
The side seams 2 and 3 intersect the seams 10 and 11, respectively. Therefore the neck of the packet includes the portions 8, 9 folded to the interior o~ the packet, belonging to the walls 1, .~ .
and joined by the seams 10, 11 i.ntersecting with the seAms 2, 3. The space bctween the s..~ms 10 a.nd 1I define an inlet passage 12 converging toward thc interior of the packet, communicati.ng with the. packct interior, and serving fo.r filling a.nd emptying the packet.
~igs. 4a, b, c and d show the process of forming ;
the packet, with refere.nce to ~i~s. 4a and b car.ried out ~ :
: ~: ,-.
substanti~lly as shown in Figs. 3a, and b. Then the ;Z0~474~ ~ ~

portions 8 and 9 ( ~ig. 4c) are superposed on the film 6 and joined therewith by weld seams 13, 14. In this manner, after joining the portions 8, 9 they are additionally con_ nected to one film, such as film 6, forming one wall o~ a future packet. ~ig. 4c illustrates that the portions 8, 9 ;
are brought in registration with the film 6, and are con~
nected thereto by weld seams 13, 14 in proximity to ~; ; `
seams 10', 11'. After this, in a manner described with reference to ~ig. 3c, a packet is formed with a neck (Fig. 4c) thereof including ~he folded portions 8, 9 of the wall~ 1 connected to one of the walls 1.
~ similar neck can be made wh~n the seams 13 and ..., ~, . . ~
14 are brought in coincidence with the seams 10 and 11 `
as illustrated in Figs. 5a, b, c and d. Therewith, after registering the folded portion.s 8, 9 (Figs. 5a, b) of the films 6, 7 they are superposed on one of the films, such as film 6, to form two weld seam3 10, 11 (13, 14), which simultaneously join one wall 1 (Fig. 5d) formed ~ ~;
from the film 6 and portions 8, 9. ~he seam 10 is thu3 registered with the seam 13, whereas the seam 11 is re_ -:
gistered with the seam 14.
Figs. 3, 4, 5 show weld seams 10, 11, 10', 11', 13, 14 in the form of a straight line inclincd toward the corre~ponding side seam 2, 3 defining an inlet pa3sage 12 shaped as a truncated cone with a minor base 15 thereof facing toward the interior of the packet.
Alternatively, these seams can have of a hyperbola ;~
16 (Fig. 6), whereby the inlet pa3sage 12 is shaped as '' .: ',: '': :~.
.. - ~

2~q~4~41 a hyperboloid whose nalrow portion faces the interio~ '''; ~'.. :,.:':-,~::-~
of the packet. ,--.- ... ''-' ,.'.,'-' Alternatively, seams 17 (Fig. 7) can be stepped, , ~
and thc i,nlet passage 12 has a stepped shape. ~ .7`
Each weld seam 10, 11 (~ig. 8) at the folded por_ .. : :.'. ,.. , '',tions 8, 9 (~ig. 3) is provided only at a section of ~ "., ' these portions, the inle-t passage 12 failing to extend ,~
the boundary of the folded portion3 8, 9. '-" .,.`.-~"'.'.'.".. `
The proposed construction of the packet makes it :~.. ;.. ' '`',~'.,''',-.~',,A
possible to provide a unique roll_type packing arrange- ~.,'''.. .-,"~.'..... ~, ment (Fig. 9) . 1ike packets 18 extend along the length of a film roll 19, and adjacent packets 18 are~.,'. -,''~",,.'., separated by film portions 20. Each film portion 20. ,''., ~ .' has perforations 21 to facilitate separating one packet 18 from another. Each portion 20 has a space 22 accommodat- :., .... `.. 'i.:.~`~';~, ing a means ~or removing the contents of adjacent pac~
ket ~8, ~uch as a polymer tube 23. . ~
~he neck uf the packet 18 accommodates a cover 24 ~ c~,.,~,.,~, (Figs. 10a, b) closing the inlet passage 12. The cover ,, 24 is made of a thermoplastic film foldcd 30 as to close ,. . ,,: . . . .
the inlet pa~sage 12, a.nd is joined with the packet 18 . ,~.,`.',.. '.
by weld co~nections 25. .,~
'~he proposed packet for liquid foods is used in ,: ','."~- .
the following manner.
~he packet 18 is set on a filling machine (not shown) ..
so that the cnd of a meteri.ng tank of the machine be in the inlet passage 12 for the packet to be filled and to '' .,.',~ ,'.~'.
- , :. .-,:
...... .

Z01?~741 ~ :
_ 9 assume the shape ~f a vessel, such as a bottle, deter-mined by the outline of the w~ld seams 2 to 4. ~he por-tions 8, 9 and wall 1 thereby closely fit each other to close the mouth of the vessel.. Complete sealing of the .. ~`.
packet is attained. either by an excessive liquid pres_ . : .
sure relative t~ the atmoqpheric, or by a pre~sulvc o~
air not completely forced out of ~he interior of the packet. I~lhen fillin~ the packe-t with a food contai.ning carbon dioxide, an extra pressure of carbon dioxide is .
released. It is t~ be noted that the liquid content of .; ;~
the packet fails to leak i.n any position of the packet.
The liquid product can be removed from the packet by inserting a tube or any other similar object into the inlet passage 12 to spread the portions 8, 9 of the walls 1, leaving ~he tLIbe i.n the inlet passage 12, and pouring :~
the contents of the packet out. It is important that when wishing to leave some of the liquid product i.nside .
the packet it is sufficient without removing the .tube from the inlet passage 12 to fill the packet with ai:r, .
such as through said tube, and then take the tube out : -~
suddenly. This restores the seal of the packet facilitat~
i.ng a longer storage of i-ts contents.
The tube or removing the liquid product from the ~.. :.. ;: ~.
p~cket can be applied thereto in a special cavity or .
space 22. ..
The packets 18 linked together into a roll are suc~
cessively filled with a liquid product as ha~ been here_ . . . -, .: . ,, ~ -. .

~ : -. :: :

:-. ~:,-.. : : - : .:. . , ~0~474~
.

tofore described. The thus filled packing arrangement : - -can be rolled into a coil to be either shipped or stored, ~ ~ -as it is completely ~ealed.
The cover 24 of each packet 18 serves only the pur~
po~e of hygiene, and is not used for ~ealing the packet.
The proposcd packet construction :makes the process -of filling and r~moving the liquid product simpler and less expensiv~. Transportation is substantially ~acili-tated and made less expensive through reducing the weight of package and obviating the need ~or extra ~con~
tainers, as the packing arrangement including a plurality ~ -o~ identical packets functions as Q container.
The proposed packet is convenient in use, especially in areas conjested with people, such as stadiums, beaches, and the like, a~ well a~ during trips or cxcur~ions.
It is ecologically clean due to low weight and volume, and i2 3a~ily utilizable.

' ' '~ '~ ~- '"'' ` . . ::

, ~.

Claims

1. A packet for liquid food products fabricated from at least a single-layer thermoplastic film and comprising: first and second like walls; two side weld seams joining said first and second walls; a bottom; an interior between said first and second walls; a neck;
a first part of said first wall adjacent to said neck and folded toward said interior to form said neck; a second part of said second wall adjacent to said neck and folded toward said interior to form said neck; said neck having third and fourth weld seams extedning so as to intersect with said first and second side weld seams, accordingly, and joining said first and second parts of said first and second walls; an inlet passage converting toward said interior, defined by said third and fourth weld seams communicating with said interior, and serving to fill said packet with a liquid food product and empty the packet of the liquid food product.

2. A packet as defined in claim 1, in which said neck has fifth and sixth weld seams joining said first and second parts with said wall.

3. A packet as defined in claim 1 or 2, in which said third and fourth weld seams extend along a straight line inclined, accordingly, toward said first and second side weld seams, said inlet passage having the form of a truncated cone whose minor has faces said interior.

4. A packet as defined in claims 1 or 2, in which said third and fourth weld seams follow a hyperbolic line, whereas said inlet passage has the form of a hyper-boloid whose narrow portion faces said interior.

5. A packet as defined in claims 1 or 2, in which said third and fourth weld seams are stepped to form said inlet passage of stepped configuration.

6. A packet as defined in claims 1 or 2, in which the smallest diameter of said inlet passage is less than the height of said inlet passage.

7. A packet as defined in claims 1 or 2, in which a cover is provided at said neck to close said inlet passage, this cover being fabricated from a thermoplas-tic film.

8. A packet as defined in claim 2, in which said third weld seam is joined with said fifth weld seam, and said fourth weld seam is joined with said sixth weld seam.

9. A packet as defined in claim 2, in which said third and fourth weld seams extend along at least a portion of the surface of said first and second wall parts.

10. A packet as defined in claim 3, in which the diameter of said minor base of said truncated cone defining said inlet passage is smaller than the height of said truncated cone.

11. A packet as defined in claim 4, in which said third weld seam is joined with said fifth weld seam, and said fourth weld seam is joined with said sixth weld seam.

12. A packet as defined in claim 4, in which said third and fourth weld seams extend at least along a portion of the surface of said first and second wall parts.

13. A packet as defined in claim 4, in which a cover is provided at said neck to close said inlet passage, this cover being fabricated from a thermoplastic film.

14. A packet as defined in claim 8, in which said third and fourth weld scams extend along a straight line inclined, accordingly, toward said first and second side weld seams, whereas said inlet passage has the form of a truncated cone whose minor base faces said interior.

15. A packet as defined in claim 8, in which said third and fourth weld seams follow a hyperbolic line, whereas said inlet passage has the form of a hyperboloid whose narrow portion faces said interior.

16. A packet as defined in claim 8, in which said third and fourth weld seams are stepped to form said inlet passage of stepped configuration.

17. A packing arrangement for liquid food products fabricated from at least a single-layer thermoplastic film comprising: at least two like packets, and a film portion connecting said packets together; each such packet including first and second like walls, two side weld seams joining said first and second walls, a bottom, an interior between said first and second walls, and a neck; the first portion of said first wall in proximity to said neck being folded toward said interior to form said neck; the second portion of said second wall in proximity to said neck being folded toward said inte-rior to form said neck; said neck having third and fourth weld scams extending so as to intersect with said first and said second side weld seams, accordingly, to connect said first and second parts of said first and second walls; an inlet passage converging toward said interior, defined by said third and fourth weld seams, communicating with interior, and serving to fill said packet with a liquid food product and empty said packet of the liquid food product.

18. A packing arrangement as defined in claim 17, in which said portion of the film joining said packets together accommodate a cavity containing a means for facilitating the removal of the liquid food product from said packet.

19. A packing arrangement as defined in claims 17 or 18, in which said portion of the film connecting said packet has perforations for facilitating the separation of said packets.