EP0965538B1 - One - compartment infusion bag, especially for tea, and process for its manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

The teabag (1) has tea in a chamber formed by two walls (2, 3) connected along the long sides (4, 5) and transverse sides (6, 7). At least one, preferably both long sides have an enlarging accordion or bellows fold by which the chamber volume can be increased for the same width. The production process involves moving strips of the same width, stamping them, and connecting them in sequence in the form of an accordion or bellows fold.

Description

The invention relates to a single-chamber infusion bag, in particular for tea a chamber containing a substance quantum, which consists of a pair of each other oppositely arranged walls is formed, which on its circumference are connected to each other along their long and short sides and one enclosed space containing the substance quantum, whereby at least one, preferably both long sides with a chamber volume with a constant bag width increasing at least five, preferably seven concertina or bellows-type concertina to be folded trained folding are provided. The invention further relates to a method for the continuous production, filling and sealing of such Single-chamber infusion bags, especially for tea.

Tea infusion bags are used in various forms, in particular the use of double-chamber infusion bags has prevailed, the two arranged side by side have lying chambers, each containing a quantity of dried and crushed tea leaves included. Because of the complicated manufacture but simple single-compartment infusion bags continue to be used, which are usually consist of a rectangular filter paper strip, which is folded in the middle and including a quantity of substance on the three initially open sides, is sealed in particular by heat sealing or from two Filter paper webs into a four-sided sealed or round bag be sealed by heat sealing. The disadvantage of these single-chamber infusion bags the folding process to be carried out in the course of production and especially the small chamber volume, which is only a limited one Provides expansion when the tea swells, so that the valuable tea substances are insufficiently extracted from the substance and in the surrounding tea water can be transferred. Because of the low Chamber volumes can also not be considered as leaf tea varieties Use quantum substance, but only fine cuts, whose quality is lower than that of leaf tea.

In order to counter these disadvantages, according to German utility model 91 04 897 a tea bag has already been proposed, which consists of tubular Material is made at its lower end by folding or welding is closed and is filled with tea via the upper open end, after which a special closure part is used to the upper end of the Seal the bag. With such a tubular bag that is Chamber volume is significantly increased compared to known tea bags, but is on the other hand, an elaborate production with several operations required that hinder continuous production. But most of all is disadvantageous that the known tubular bag dimensions much larger than has the usual single-chamber infusion bag and approximately in length Corresponds to the inside height of a glass or jug in which the bag is inserted becomes.

A single-chamber infusion bag of the type mentioned with accordion or Bellows-like folds are known from GB 789 492 A. On in this way it is possible to use the concertina or bellows-like design the long sides of the single-chamber infusion bag significantly increase the chamber volume increase without increasing the outside dimensions of the bag. So that is in addition to the flexibility in the design of the bag thickness, the additional advantage connected that with a small depth of folding in the interior of the bag can be worked into and thus the effective filling volume for the Substance can be enlarged. With a simple folding, which in the is substantially V-shaped, the depth of folding into the chamber is too great Given the prepositioned substance, so that either the amount of substance must be reduced or the folding process is disturbed by the substance becomes. In practice, however, it has been shown that this zigzag shape is extremely difficult Form fold so that a predetermined bag width is observed.

EP 0 806 351 A1 describes a double-chamber infusion bag, in particular for Tea, known in which the long sides by a longitudinal edge seal are closed. To increase the chamber volume is already there proposed to fold the longitudinal edge seal inwards, whereby the Teabag gets smaller in width. The disadvantage is that with this measure sufficient for a double chamber bag, but in principle only in limited chamber enlargement is possible.

In view of the prior art dealt with above, the invention is based on the object of developing a technically simple and continuously producible single-chamber infusion bag which, while maintaining the usual external dimensions without increasing its length or width in the packaging state, has an accordion or at least along one long side provides bellows-like folding to enlarge the chamber volume.

The object is inventively achieved in a single-chamber infusion bag of the type mentioned in that the two opposing chamber walls of the single-chamber infusion bag are provided for producing the folding with linear congruent pre-embossings parallel to the longitudinal side connection. With the help of the knockouts on the oppositely arranged walls of the chamber, it is possible in a simple manner, by inserting the longitudinal side connection into the chambers, to reliably and reproducibly fold the zigzag-shaped fold in at the predetermined locations, preferably on both longitudinal sides, with this the bag width can also be determined.

A plurality are expediently parallel to one another, at a distance mutually congruent pairs of linear knockouts according to the number of intended folding operations side by side arranged. Interacting pairs of knockouts can be the same Folding forces and non-interacting pairs have different folding forces need in that the knockouts are of different depths. Instead of Knockouts can also be linear mini perforations or Stronger reductions in the material applied according to the type of film hinge formation become.

In general, the single-chamber infusion bag according to the invention consists of a easily permeable, heat sealable filter paper material, which it the Infusion liquid enables the substance to be leached out, in particular the tea, good to open up and on the other hand is suitable, the Long side connections and transverse side connections by heat sealing to manufacture.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a thread with a Label attached to the infusion bag, the label thread preferably loop-shaped inside the chamber and by means of the label is extractable for use.

For the continuous production, filling and sealing of single-chamber infusion bags of the type described above is a method according to the invention proposed, which is characterized in that a uniform forward-moving flat first web of heat-sealable filter paper material a series of identical substance quanta is provided at regular intervals, that over the first web a second top web of heat sealable Filter paper material of the same width is guided that the lower and upper web coincident in the longitudinal direction with a the width of the finished bag determining knockout is provided on one or both long sides that the lower and upper web are brought together and by means of Longitudinally running heat seal together on their long sides be connected to a hose that one or both longitudinal sides are folded in accordion or bellows-like that the tube in regular, each quantum substance Distances - according to the height of the bags to be produced - in Transverse direction is heat sealed and that the transverse Heat seals are cut in the middle and such tube parts are formed are each a chamber containing a substance quantum exhibit.

To an accordion-like or bellows-like folding in simple How to produce is in an expedient embodiment of the invention proposed pairs of congruent linear knockouts according to the number of folding operations next to each other and with Form distance from each other. The process step of Folding the long sides can be carried out in several stages by first in a first fold the longitudinal sides provided with longitudinal edge seals be pressed inwards so that a right-angled bend on the Internal knockouts are made and the tube has a cross-section gets rectangular shape and that then in further folding operations Longitudinal edge seals pressed further into the chamber and be brought out again, so that according to the knockouts zigzag-shaped Folding operations are carried out, preferably the Longitudinal edge seals are positioned in the median plane of the hose.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention The process is proposed, together with the process step of Cross seal a thread with a label on each cross seal in this way attach that each one after cutting the cross seal individually present bag has a sealed label thread that preferably pulled out in a loop shape inside the chamber is arranged.

By doubling the number of single-chamber infusion bags that can be manufactured at the same time According to a further embodiment, the Invention proposed a duplex process control, thereby is characterized in that on a correspondingly broadened first web two Rows of substance quanta are placed symmetrically next to each other, that over the first track a correspondingly broadened second upper track is carried out that the knockouts are then made, the upper and lower web brought together and by means of two outer, in Longitudinal heat seals and a central, in Longitudinal heat seal together to form two tubes are connected, which are then cut centrally in the longitudinal direction and finally in the same way as with the simplex process the long sides folded in accordion or bellows shape, in Transversely heat sealed and in the transverse seals in a transverse direction Direction to be cut.

Fig. 1

einen Einkammer-Aufgußbeutel im Abpackzustand, perspektivisch;

Fig. 2

den Einkammer-Aufgußbeutel der Fig. 1 im Querschnitt;

Fig. 3

drei Herstellungsstadien I, II und III des Einkammer-Aufgußbeutels der Fig. 1 und 2 im Querschnitt;

Fig. 4

die Herstellungsstadien I, II und III in einer Draufsicht sowie einer zugeordneten Querschnittansicht entsprechend Fig. 3;

Fig. 5

einen Teil einer kontinuierlichen zweibahnigen Herstellung von Einkammer-Aufgußbeuteln gemäß Fig. 1, schematisch in perspektivischer Darstellung und

Fig. 6

eine Duplex-Anordnung zur Herstellung von Einkammer-Aufgußbeuteln mit nur einer seitlichen Einfaltung in Draufsicht mit darüber angeordneter Querschnittsansicht.

The knockouts can also be provided at the beginning of the process on the first and second webs before loading with substance quanta. Further details, features and advantages of the subject matter of the invention result from the following description of the associated drawing, in which the single-chamber infusion bag for tea and the method according to the invention are shown schematically. The drawing shows:

Fig. 1

a single-chamber infusion bag in the pack state, in perspective;

Fig. 2

the single-chamber infusion bag of Figure 1 in cross section.

Fig. 3

three manufacturing stages I, II and III of the single-chamber infusion bag of Figures 1 and 2 in cross section.

Fig. 4

the stages of manufacture I, II and III in a plan view and an associated cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3;

Fig. 5

part of a continuous two-lane production of single-chamber infusion bags according to FIG. 1, schematically in perspective and

Fig. 6

a duplex arrangement for the production of single-chamber infusion bags with only one side folding in plan view with a cross-sectional view arranged above.

The one-chamber infusion bag 1 shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing made of heat sealable filter paper material and has two each other oppositely arranged chamber walls 2, 3 on their circumference connected to one another along their long sides 4, 5 and transverse sides 6, 7 are and such an enclosed space to form a chamber 8th form, which a substance quantum 9, namely a portioned amount of tea, contains. The one-chamber infusion bag 1 is therefore on its four sides sealed by heat sealing, namely by longitudinal edge seals 10, 11 on the long sides 4, 5 and two cross seals 12, 13 on the short sides 6, 7.

The volume of the chamber 8 of such a single-chamber infusion bag 1 is significantly increased by the fact that on both longitudinal sides 4, 5 one Folding 14, 15 is formed, which is accordion-shaped in cross section, the longitudinal edge seals 10, 11 approximately in the central plane 18 of the Bags are and are inserted into the chamber 8 such that the usual external dimensions of such single-chamber bags are maintained and thus, despite the increase in chamber volume, no increase in it Length or width in the packaging state is given. So that is achieved that the substance quantum of tea in the chamber is outstanding due to the Infusion liquid is to be digested and the substances contained in it solve optimally.

The single-chamber infusion bag 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing has a width W = 4 cm and a height H = 6 cm in the from the stand known in the art. However, the chamber volume is more than 30% compared to a conventional single-chamber infusion bag without Enlargement enlarged, with the zigzag-shaped folding 14, 15 each according to the number of folds - at least five folds on one side - one greater variability in the design of the chamber volume can be achieved.

In a manner known per se, the single-chamber infusion bag 1 has one on it attached thread 16 provided with label 17, the hanging of the bag into a cup, jug or similar vessel.

The manufacture of such a single-chamber infusion bag 1 is as follows based on the description of FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawing. 3 and 4 illustrate a single-row or simplex production, while Fig. 5 of the drawing a bag production in two parallel rows continuous, also called duplex production.

The starting point for the production of single-chamber infusion bags 1 is a first one heat-sealable filter paper web 19 by a not shown Material roll drawn off by a pulling device and as a web one Dosing device for tea is supplied. From this are positioned Substance quanta 9, i.e. piles of tea, at regular intervals in one Row placed on the filter paper web 19. From a not shown Another roll of material is a second, upper heat-sealable from above Filter paper web 20 of identical size and transport speed lower filter paper web 19 and fed in parallel by means of a roller this arranged so that there is a uniform forward movement of the Filter paper web 19 and the filter paper web 20 arranged one above the other and gives each other opaque.

Both the lower sheet 19 and the upper sheet 20 are pre-dosed or before merging in an embossing device in the longitudinal direction one or more knockouts 21 on both long sides congruent provided whose positions are made so that they ultimately the Determine the width B of the finished single-chamber infusion bag 1. The line-shaped Knockouts 21 represent crease edges that form the folds 14, 15 in the later stage of the procedure.

In the next stage of the process, the lower web 19 and upper web 20 in a device having heat sealing rollers brought together and by means of the longitudinal Longitudinal edge seals 10 and 11 to each other at the web edges a hose 22 connected at regular intervals in a row contains the substance quanta 9. 3 and 4 of the drawing reached stage of manufacture I.

Then the process step of folding the long sides 4 and 5 done in two stages. This will be done first in a first convolution the provided with the longitudinal edge seals 10, 11 longitudinal sides 4, 5 of Hose 22 pressed inward so that a right-angled kink The knockouts 21 are carried out and the tube has a cross section rectangular shape according to manufacturing stage II in Fig. 3 and 4 of the drawing receives. Then the longitudinal edge seals 10, 11 continue to inside in the chamber 8 in a second folding according to manufacturing stage III pressed in and for example by folding swords, rollers and the like performed until the folds 14, 15 the desired zigzag Have cross-section, the longitudinal edge seals 10, 11 approximately in the Middle plane 18 of the chamber 8 are positioned in the finished bag.

The hose 22 created in this process stage with the bellows Folds 14 and 15 are then in with a cross sealer regular intervals, each covering a quantity of substance 9 - according to the height H of the bags to be produced - in the transverse direction heat-sealed and the transverse heat seals are centered cut so that hose parts are formed, each one Have chamber 8 containing substance quantum, on the long sides with Longitudinal edge seals 10, 11 and on the transverse sides with transverse seals 12, 13 provided and are closed on all sides.

Together with the procedural step of cross sealing, the thread 14 previously laid out with label 17 for each single-chamber infusion bag 1 to attach to one of the cross seals, including a loop Removable label thread 16 is provided from inside the chamber 8 can be.

To double the number of single-chamber infusion bags that can be produced at the same time To achieve 1, is a duplex process according to FIG. 5 of the drawing proposed at the correspondingly widened first web 23 made of heat-sealable filter paper material accordingly widened second upper web made of heat-sealable filter paper material to be led. It is then with an embossing device 27 outer and central knockouts 21 in several parallel and at a distance from each other arranged rows made on both sides of the substance quanta 9, which in two rows 24, 25 symmetrically side by side on the lower one Lane 23 are filed. Then first web 23 and second web 26 brought together and by means of two outer, running in the longitudinal direction Heat seals 28, 29 and a central longitudinal one Heat seal 30 joined together to form two tubes that then in the middle in the longitudinal direction by means of a cutting device can be cut and separated.

In the subsequent process step, the same procedure as for Simplex process on the long sides of the two hoses accordion-shaped folds corresponding to Fig. 3 of the drawing and then the individual single-chamber infusion bags created by moving in a transverse direction into one substance quantum of each row distances according to the length dimensions of transverse heat seals 31 and finally with one Cutting device the separation by cutting in the cross seals is made in the transverse direction.

A variant of the duplex method is shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing. In order to simplify production, there is only an outer fold 32, 33 are provided, which follow the longitudinal heat sealing process step Cross heat sealing is done. Only after training the is then the cutting both in longitudinal and in Transverse direction.

Reference list

1

Single chamber tea bags

2nd

Chamber wall

3rd

Chamber wall

4th

Long side

5

Long side

6

Short side

7

Short side

8th

chamber

9

Substance quanta

10th

Longitudinal edge sealing

11

Longitudinal edge sealing

12th

Cross sealing

13

Cross sealing

14

Folding

15

Folding

16

thread

17th

label

18th

Middle plane

19th

Filter paper web

20th

Filter paper web

21

Knockout

22

tube

23

first lane

24th

Substance quantum series

25th

Substance quantum series

26

second lane

27

Embossing device

28

Heat seal

29

Heat seal

30th

central heat seal

31

Cross heat sealing

32

outer fold

33

outer fold

H

Bag height

B

Bag width

Claims (9)

1. Single-chamber infusion bag (1), especially for tea, with a chamber (8) containing a quantity of substance (9), which chamber (8) is formed from a pair of opposite walls (2, 3), which are connected with each other in their circumference along their longitudinal sides (4, 5) and transverse sides (6, 7) and form an enclosed space containing the quantity of substance (9), wherein at least one, preferably both, longitudinal sides (4, 5) are provided with a concertina or bellows-type folding arrangement (14, 15), which has at least five, preferably seven, fold lines and increases the chamber volume given a constant bag width (B),
   characterised in that
   the two opposing chamber walls (2, 3) are provided with linear, congruent pre-embossings (21) parallel to the longitudinal side connection.
2. Single-chamber infusion bag according to claim 1, characterised by a plurality of congruent pairs of linear pre-embossings (21), arranged parallel to each other at a distance from each other, corresponding to the number of envisaged folding operations in an arrangement next to each other.
3. Single-chamber infusion bag according to claim 2, characterised in that cooperating pairs of pre-embossings (21) require the same folding forces and non-cooperating pairs require different folding forces for the folding process, in that the pre-embossings (24) of the non-cooperating pairs are constructed at different depths.
4. Single-chamber infusion bag according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that a string (16) with a label (17) is attached to it, wherein the label string is accommodated preferably in the form of a loop inside the chamber (8) and can be extracted for use at the label.
5. Process for the continuous manufacture, filling and sealing of single-chamber infusion bags according to one of the claims 1 to 4,
   characterised in that
   a uniformly advanced, level first web (19) made of heat-sealing filter paper material is provided with a row of equal quantities of substance (9) at equal distances, that a second upper web (20) made of heat-sealing filter paper material of the same width is led over the first web (19), that the lower (19) and upper web (20) corresponding in longitudinal direction are provided with a pre-embossing (21) determining the width (B) of the finished bag at one or both longitudinal sides (4, 5), that the lower (19) and upper web (20) are brought together and connected with each other at their longitudinal sides (4, 5) by means of a heat seal running in a longitudinal direction to a hose (22), that one or both longitudinal sides (4, 5) are folded like a concertina or bellows, that the hose (22) is heat sealed in a cross direction at regular intervals, each interval containing a quantity of substance (9) - corresponding to the height (H) of the bag being produced - and that the transverse-running heat seals (31) are cut centrally, forming sections of the hose parts in such a way that each one has a chamber (8) containing a quantity of substance (9).
6. Process according to claim 5, characterised in that pairs of congruent, linear pre-embossings (21) corresponding to the number of envisaged folding operations are formed next to each other and at a distance from each other.
7. Process according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the procedural step of folding the longitudinal sides is carried out in several stages in that initially, as a first fold, the longitudinal sides (4, 5) provided with longitudinal seals (10) are pressed inwards so that a rectangular bend is made on the pre-embossings (21) and the hose (22) receives a rectangular form in profile and that then, as a second fold, the longitudinal seals (10, 11) are pressed further inwards into the chamber (8) until the folds (14, 15) have the desired concertina or bellows-type profile, wherein the longitudinal seals (10, 11) are positioned in the central plane (18) of the hose (8).
8. Process according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that, together with the procedural step of cross-sealing, a string (16) with label (17) is attached to each cross seal (31) in such a way that each individual bag produced has a sealed-on label string (16, 17) after each cut of the cross seal (31).
9. Process according to one of the claims 5 to 7, characterised in that two rows (24, 25) of quantities of substance (9) are deposited symmetrically next to each other on a widened first web (23), that a correspondingly widened second upper web (26) is led over the first web (23), that then the pre-embossings (21) are carried out, the upper (26) and lower web (23) are brought together and connected with each other by means of two external heat seals (28, 29) running in a longitudinal direction and a central heat seal (30) running in a longitudinal direction to two hoses, which are then cut centrally in a longitudinal direction and finally folded at the longitudinal sides like a concertina or bellows, heat-sealed in a cross direction and cut in the cross seals (31) in a transverse-running direction.

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