CA2180191A1

CA2180191A1 - Packing bag and method of making the same

Info

Publication number: CA2180191A1
Application number: CA002180191A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Kohei Yamamoto
Original assignee: Fukuoka Marumoto Co Ltd
Current assignee: Fukuoka Marumoto Co Ltd
Priority date: 1995-08-29
Filing date: 1996-06-28
Publication date: 1997-03-01
Also published as: TW321626B; CN1152527A; KR970010600A; KR100253919B1; JP2716954B2; JPH0966944A; CN1068849C

Abstract

A packing bag formed by a synthetic resin sheet and including an opening portion at the upper part thereof through which articles to be packed are inserted. A packing main body of the packing bag can be turned inside out so that a printing portion on the inside of the packing main body can normally be recognized from the outside. A method of producing a packing bag comprises the steps of folding an elongated transparent synthetic resin sheet including a printing portion with a certain amount of off-center in such a manner that the folded part serves as a bottom of the packing bag, and cutting the folded portions of the synthetic resin sheet by fusible seals to form a bag main body defined by both side edges.

Description

218Ql~I
PACKING BAG AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME

The present invention relates to a packing bag usable for packing vegetables, fruits and flowers such as egg-apple, cucumber, spinach and so forth (hereinafter {eferred to as article ) .
~ any of articles are sold in a supermarket or the like while a suitable number of them are packed in a bag made of synthetic resin film such as polyethyleLIe or the like. Packing is normally performed during the course they are collected from producers and delivered to the supermarket or the like.
Articles are packed in f acilities owned by a local agricultural organization or the like. In facilities where a number of articles are handled, they are packed in an automatic packing machine, whereas in facilities where a small number of vegetables, fruits or flowers are handled, they are manually packed with operators ~ hands . In the case that article are manually packed, an efficiency of the packing operation varies remarkably depending on the kind of articles . For example, when a several number of egg-apples, pimentos, apples, persimmons or the like are collectivel~r packed in a bag, it is difficult for them to slidably proceed to the bottom of the bag due to the fact that their surfaces adhere to the inner surface of the packing f ilm . When they are put in the bag one by one, their adhesive contact state is attenuated but the packing efficiency is remarkably degraded.

I

218~191 Especially, in the case of egg-apples, their surfaces are liable to adhere to each other attributable to their whole configuration and elasticitli when second and third egg-apples are put in the same bag. Thus, there readily arises an occasion that an egg-apple to be put in the bag later can not move back and forth due to its close contact with the surface of the bag film as well as close cont~ct with the surface of egg-apple previously put in the bag.
To cope with the foreqoing malfunction, the applicant common to the present invention invented a packing assisting instrument which comprises a packing bag holding frame including a through hole for allowing the article and a packing bag to pass therethrough and a support stand for supporting the packing bag holding frame while the through hole assumes a hori20ntal attitude. Fig. 9 is perspective view of the packing assist instrument 51 which is substantially composed of a ring-like holding frame 52, a support column 53 and a stand base 54.
The holding frame 52 is made of a plastic material or a stainless steel to exhibit a ring-like contour, and the holding frame 52 is supported by a sul?port column 53 such that it assumes a substantially hori20ntal attitude. A through hole of the holding frame 52 is dimensioned to have a diameter so that plurality of articles to be packed such as egg-apples or the like can pass therethrough.
To assure that the whole packing assist instrument 51 can be supported in stable state eve~ though a load is eccentrically applied thereto when it is used, it includes four feet 54a,54b, 54c and 54d, and among them, the feet 54a and 54b located ~ 218~1~t on the holding frame 52 side have a length longer than that of the feet 54c and 54d on the opposite side.
When egg-apples N are put using the packing assist instrument 51, first, the latter is placed on a suitable working table, and then, a bag H is put on the holding frame 52 while it is turned upside down as shown in Fig. lO(a). Subsequently, several egg-apples N are simultaneously brought in contact with the bottom portion of the bag H while they are seized with an operator~s hand so that they are thrust in the holding frame 52 together with the bag H (see Fig. 10(b)). This causes the bag H to be pushed by egg-a3?ples N downwardly of the holding frame 52 so as to wrap them while the bag H is turned inside out, whereby they are displaced through the holding frame 52 until they fall down on the working table (see Fig. lO(c)).
In such manner, by using the packing assist instrument 51, it becomes possible that the bag H is put on the holding frame 52 while it is turned upside down, and egg-apples N are thrust in the holding frame 52 from the above of the bag H so that they are inserted into the bag H while the latter is turned inside out. ThuS, in the course of the steps shown in Fig. lO(a) to Fig. lO(c), the egg-apples 3!~ and the bag H are simultaneously displaced as they are brought in contact with each other.
Consequently, in spite of the fact that the surface of each egg-apple N is smooth and the egg-apple is apt to come in close contact with the bag H, the egg-apples N are smoothly inserted into the bag H with the result that it can be packed at a high ef f iciency .
The packing bag H used for packing in that way is kept closed 2180~
by hot sealing both the side surfaces and the bottom surface with the exception of the opening portion along the position located away from the outer edge by several millimeters, and informations such as content, production site, handling company and so forth are placed on the surface of the packing bag H .
Therefore, to assure that the packing bag H assumes the state as 6hown in Fig. lO(a), it is necessary that the packing bag H is placed on the holding frame 52 while it is turned inside out. This operation becomes a significant factor of degrading an efficiency of packing operation with the use of the packing assist instrument ~1.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the aforementioned background.
An object of the present invention is to provide a packing bag which assures that the packing assist instrument of the foregoing type can be used without any necessity turning a packing bag inside out in order to achieve each packing operation at an increased efficiency.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a packing bag of the foregoing type.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a packing bag for~ed by a synthetic resin sheet and including an opening portion at the upper part thereof wherein the packing bag comprises a packing bag main body of which peripheral portion is connected by fusible seals and which can 2180~9~
be turned inside out and an information portion printed on the inside surface or the outside surface reversed at a transparent part of the packing bag.
In addition, according to other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of producing a packing bag of the foregoing kind wherein the method comprises the steps of folding an elongated transparent synthetic resin sheet including a printing portion with a certain amount of in such a manner that the folded part serves as a bottom of the packing bag, and cutting the folded portions of the synthetic resin sheet by fusible seals to form a paclcing bag defined by both side edges.
Triangular cut portions are formed by fusible seals on the opposite sides of the bottom portion of the packing bag.
Further, one of the front surface sheet and the rear surface sheet is protruded from the other one so as to allow the protruded part to serve as a holding portion.
E~ere, the reverse printing represents a printing method wherein when an information ~uch as a design printed on the bag or the like is visually obser~ved in the packed state, the normal state of the information is normally recognized from the reverse side. To this end, there is present the case that an information is printed on the inside surl ace of the bag in the bag produced state and there is present the case that an information is printed on the outside surface of the same. Especially, in the case that the packing bag is used for packing a foodstuff, it is desirable that an information is printed on the inside surface of the bag in the bag produced state. In contrast with a hot seal method of connecting surfaces to each other, the fusible ~ 2180191 seal method is practiced by linearly continuously connecting the edges of the synthetic resin sheet to each other at the same time as fusing is performed, and the bag produced by the fusible seal can be used regardless of the relationship between the front side and the rear side.
To assure that the bag is easily turned inside out during a packing operation performed using a packing assist instrument, triangular cut portions are formed by fusible seal on the opposite sides of the botto]~ of the bag.
When one of the front surface sheet and the rear surface sheet is protruded from the other one, it becomes possible that an operation for putting paciking bags on holding frames can be performed automatically.
According to the present invention, since the bag main body is formed by fusible seals and an information is placed on the bag by reverse printing, when the packing bag is put on the holding frame of a packing assist instrument, it can be used as it is without a necessity for turning inside out.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will readily become apparent from reading of the description which has made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings .

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a packing bag which shows an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the packing bag taken in line 2l8aIg~
A - P. in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shows by way of perspective views a process of producing the packing bag shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 shows by way of perspective views the procedure of a packing operation performed using the packing bag shown in Fig. 1 and a stationary packing assist instrument.
Fig. S is a perspective view of a consecutive packing assist apparatus to be operated using the packing bags shown in Fig.
1.
Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the packing assist apparatus shown in Fig. 5, illustrating how laminated packing baqs are placed on a base board of said packing assist apparatus .
Fig. 7 shows by way of perspective views a packing process to be practiced using the pac~:ing assist apparatus shown in Fig.
5.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of egg-apples received in the packing bag shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a stationary packing assist ins trument .
The present invention will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments thereof.
Fig. 1 is perspective view of a packing bag constructed in _ _ _ _ _ _ 2~8019~
.
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig.
2 is a sectional view of the packing bag taken in line A - A
in Fig. 1.
According to this embodiment, the packing bag 10 is made of transparent biaxial exte]~sible polypropylene and includes a front surface sheet 12 and a rear surface sheet 13 of which upper part is protruded fro~ the front surface sheet 12 as a lip 13a. Reference numeral 11 denotes a bottom portion which is formed by folding a sheet-like article, and the joint portion between the front surface sheet 12 and the rear surface sheet 13 is connected by fusible seals 14, whereby a bag main body having an opening portion at the upper part is formed. In contrast with a method of face-to-face jointing via a hot seal, the fusible seal 14 is lormed by linearly continuously connecting the edges of the sheets 12 and 13 of synthetic resin to each other at the same time as fusing without any substantial distinction between the inner side and the outer side as illustrated by a f ragmentary enlarged view shown in Fig . 1. Thus, the packing bag produced by the fusible seals 14 in the form of a bag-like article can practically be used regardless of any relationship between the front side and the rear side.
Reference numeral 15 shown by phantom lines denotes a triangular cut portion which is formed by another fusible seal 14. The presence of the triangular cut portions 15 contributes to elimination of bag corner portions which are hitherto difficult to be reversed. Consequently, it becomes easy that a bag 10 is turned inside out. As shown in Fig. 2, a printing portion 16 having an information representing the on tent of ~ 218~19~
the bag placed thereon is formed via reverse printing on the inner surface of the front surface sheet 12.
Thus, when the bag 10 is turned inside out, the printed surface is reversed to assul~e an outer surface side, whereby the printing portion 16 can visually be observed from the outside as a normal character information (see Fig. 8).
Next, a method of producing the packing bag 10 will be described below with reference to Fig. 3.
As shown in Fig. 3(a), a rectangular synthetic resin sheet S having a printing portion 16 preliminarily formed on the upper surface side (which becomes an inside surface after the bag is made) is folded with a some amount of off-center as shown in Fig. 3 (b) so as to form a front surface sheet 12 and a rear surface sheet 13. Next, parts serving as both side edges of the packing bag 10 are formed, the front seat 12 and the rear sheet 13 are cut by fusible seals 14, and moreover, the opposite sides of the bottom portion 11 are triangularly cut, whereby the front surface sheet 12 and the rear surface sheet 13 are connected to each other as shown in Fig. 3(c).
Consequently, formation of each packing bag 10 shown in Fig.
1 is completed.
Fig. 4 is an illustrative view which shows a packing operation for egg-apples N using a packing assist instrument 51. First, the bag 10 is placed on a holding frame 52 while it is turned upside down as shown in Flg. 4(a). While the foregoing state is maintained, the printing portion 16 is recognized on the inside surface of the bag 10. Next, a several number of egg- apples N are brought in contact with the bag 10 2180~9~
.
while they are seized with an operator ' s hand, and subsequently, the egg apples N are thrust in the holding f rame 5 2 together with the bag 10 ( see Fig . 4 (b ~ ) . This causes the bottom portion of the bag 10 to be downwardly thrust in the holding frame 52 by the egg-apples N so that the bag 10 passes past the holding frame 52 together with the egg-apples N while it is turned inside out. Finally, the egg-apples N fall down on the working table while they are packed in the bag 10 (see Fig. 4(c)).
Fig . 8 is a perspective view which shows the f oregoing packed state. The packing bag lO is completely turned inside out from the state shown in Fig. 1, and the printing portion 16 is visually recognized on the outer surface side to assume a normal information representing state. Since the triangular cut portions 15 are formed by the fusible seals 14, this contributes to elimination of the corner parts which are dif f icult to be reversed. Thus, the packing back 10 can easily be turned inside out merely by allowing articles to be packed to fall down through the holding frame 52. Thereafter, packing is completed by binding the upper part of the packing bag 10 using an adhesive tape or by thermally fusing it in the same manner as the conventional bag.
In the aforementioned embodiment, the printing portion 16 is located on the inside of the bag at the time of production of the bag in order to prevent the articles to be packed from coming in contact with the printing ink at the time of packing.
On the contrary, it is acceptable that the printing surface is located on the outside of the bag at the time of packing. In this case, since the printing portion 16 is located on the inner ~ 218~19t surface while articles to be packed are received in the bag, there does arise few occasion that the printed matter is peeled of f due to contact with othe~: material in contrast with the case that the printing portion 16 is printed on the outer surface.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a consecutive packing assist apparatus which assures that packing bags can automatically be put on holding frames, Fig. 6 is a perspective view which shows that packing bags are placed on said packing assist instrument apparatus, and Fig. 7 shows by way of perspective views a process of packing.
This apparatus is constructed such that a plurality of holding frames are fitted to a support column in the vertical plane and packing bags are automatically put on the holding frames by utilizing rotation of the holding frames.
This packing assist apparatus 30 is composed of four L-shaped arms 31a to 31d, holding frames 32a to 32d on the arms 31a to 31d, a gate type supl?ort column 33, a base board 35 and a blower 36.
The arms 31a to 31d are such that each pipe molded of synthetic resin is formed in an L-shaped pattern. The holding frames 32a to 32d are attac~led to the foremost ends of the arms 32a to 31d and base ends of the arms 31a to 31d are crosswise collected and attached to an upper beam of the support column 33 so that they are supported in such a manner that they can be rotated only in the B arrow-marked direction via a ratchet mechanism ( not shown ) .
Each of the holding frames 32a to 32d is made of a stainless steel rod which is formed in the ring-shaped contour, and the l I

~ 218019~
holding frames 32a to 32d are attached to the foremost ends of the arms 31a to 31d so that they assume substantially horizontal state when their upper parts are upwardly oriented, and moreover, as partially shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 5, an angle of each of the holding frames 32a to 32d relative to the arms 31a to 31d can be adjusted as re~uired. Each holding frames 32a tb 32d has a dimension such that the packing bag 10 can be put on each of the holding frames 32a to 32d as shown in Fig. 7(e).
The support column 33 is made of synthetic resin which is formed in a gate-shaped contour, and its upper beam is connected to the base ends of the arms 31a to 31d via a connecting joint 34. ~he lower end of the sup]?ort column 33 is fixed to the base board 35.
~ he base board 35 is prepared in the form of a flat plate so that the whole packing assist apparatus can be supported in the stable state when it is used, and moreover, a number of packing bags 10 can be placed on the base board 35 in the laminated state as will be described later.
The blower 36 is a blowing unit for expanding one by one the packing bags 10 placed on the base board 35 in the laminated state. While the blowing port of the blower 36 is oriented toward the upper part of the laminated packing bags l O, the blower 36 is fixed to the one end side of the base board 35.
When egg-apples N are packed using the packing assist apparatus 30, first, 30 to 50 bags 10 are laminated in position with correct orientation and placed on the base board 35 while the opening side of each bag 10 is located opposing to the blowing port of the blower 36, and an inverted U-shaped staple 37 is inserted through two holes 13b formed on the lip 13a located on the opening side of each bag 10, whereby the laminated bags 10 are firmly held on the base board 35.
As shown in Fig. 7(a), ~ihen one of the holding frames 32a is located between the bag 10 on the base board 35 and the blower 36, a switch for the blower 36 is turned on. As the blower 36 is driven, the air blown from the blower 36 is received by an uppermost bag lOa of the laminated bags 10 so that it is expanded as shown in Fig. 7 (b) . Whell the arms 31a to 31d are rotated as shown in Fig. 7(c) while the foregoing state is maintained, the holding frame 32a is received in the expanded bag lOa, and then, when the arms 31a to 31d are rotated as shown in Fig. 7(d), the holding frame 32a abuts against the bottom of the bag lOa so that the bag lOa is pulled slantwise upwardly. As mentioned above, the bag lOa is firml~ held on the base board 35 by the retainer 37 but it is torn at the holes 13b of the lip 13a as the bag lOa is pulled slantwise upwardly by rotation of the holding frame 32a, causing the ~ip 13a to be parted away from the retainer 37. q~hus, whil,~ the bag lOa is put on the holding frame 32, it is raised up together with the holding frame 32a When a several number c~f egg-apples N are thrust in the holding frame 32a together with the bag lOa while the foregoing state is maintained as shown in Fig. 7(e), the bottom of the bag 10a is thrust downwardly of the holding frame 32a, whereby as shown in Fig. 7(f), the bag passes past the holding frame 32a together with the egg-apples N which are packed as the bag lOa is turned inside out. When the bag passes past the holding frame 32a, insertion of the egg-apples N into the bag lOa is ~ 2180191 terminated. At this time, the packing bag 10 is safely turned inside out from the state shown in Fig. 1 so that the printing portion 16 is formed on the upper surface of the bag lOa to assume a normal information displaying state as shown in Fig. 8.
Thereafter, the arms 31a to 31d are rotated in the same manner as mentioned above so that insertion of egg-apples into the bag 10 is sequentially achieved. Further, by repeating this process, an inserting operation of egg-apples into the bag lO
can continuously be performed.
In such manner, with the packing assist apparatus 30, the bag 10 can automatically be put on each of the holding frames 32a to 32d by expanding the laminated bags lO successively from the above with the air blown from the blower 36 and then rotating the arms 31a to 31d.
Conclusively, according to the present invention, the following advantageous effects can be obtained.
( 1 ) Since a bag main body is formed by fusible seals using a synthetic resin sheet and a printing portion is placed on the inside or outside surface of the packing bag, it becomes possible to use the packing bag without any distinction between the front side and the rear side. In addition, since the packing bag can be put on the holding frame as it is without a necessity for turning inside out, each pa~king operation can be achieved at an increased efficiency by operating the packing assist instrument or apparatus.
(2) Since triangular cutting portions are formed by fusible seals on the opposite sides of the bottom portion, corner portions which are difficult to be reversed disappear. Thus, ~ 2180191 it becomes easy that the packing bag is turned inside out merely by allowing articles to be packed to fall down through the holding f rame .

(3) Since one of the front surface sheet and the rear surface sheet is protruded from the other one, packing bags can automatically be put on holding frames by operating the packing assist instrument or apparatus.
While the present invention has been described above with respect to preferred embodiments thereof, it should be noted that the present invention should not be limited only to these embodiments but various change or modif ication can be made without departure from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A packing bag, comprising superposed front and rear sheets of synthetic resin material, which bag having an open end for allowing articles to be packed at one edge and being closed on other edges thereof ,wherein said bag is reversible on the closed edges, and said front or rear sheet is transparent at least in part of its inside or outside for printing information thereon in reversed manner.

2. A packing bag as defined in claim 1, wherein triangular-shaped cuttings are formed on both sides of one edge opposing said open end of said bag, said cuttings being formed by means of fusible seal.

3. A packing bag as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein one of said front and rear sheets protrudes from the other one in the opening end of said bag at upper part of said packing bag.

4. A method for producing a packing bag, comprising the steps of furnishing information by printing on a transparent surface of either surface of a synthetic resin sheet, forming the bottom of said bag by folding said sheet so that the printed surface thereof is disposed inside thereof, and forming both side edges of said bag by cutting said folded sheet by means of fusible seals.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein triangular shaped cuttings are formed by fusible seals on the opposite side of the open end of said packing bag.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein one of the front sheet and the rear sheet of said bag is protruded from the other one so as to allow the protruded part to serve as a holding portion in the form of a lip.