EP1002743B1 - Process for the manufacturing, filling and closing of infusion bags with one compartment - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for continuous production, filling and Closing single-chamber infusion bags, especially for the preparation of Tea.

In addition to double-chamber infusion bags are becoming more complicated because of them Manufacturing continues to use simple single-chamber tea bags that either consist of two rectangular filter paper sheets made of sealable material, those after the introduction of the substance quantum together at their four edges be sealed (WO-A-93/19997), or which consist of a rectangular, leaf-shaped blank made of suitable material, which by central Folding and sewing from three sides is connected to the chamber, taking on one or more folds of the fold edge forming the base, if applicable can be provided (US-A-2 186 087). The disadvantage of these single-chamber infusion bags the complex individual production and continued use many sealed seams or complex sewing processes. The small chamber volume provides only a limited expansion option when the tea swells Available so that the valuable tea is insufficient from the substance can be extracted and transferred to the surrounding tea water. The small chamber volume also means that none can be Leaf tea varieties as a quantum of substance, but only use fine cuts whose Quality is less than leaf tea.

From NL-A-1 003 569 a single chamber infusion bag is known in which the Long sides of the chamber are formed by tubing by the two longitudinal edges of a heat-sealable material web to the inside Folded in the middle and joined together by heat sealing be, with one on each long side in the chamber itself extending folding is provided. The tube is formed Fold-free, seal-free or seam-free long sides, in which in a simple way inward-extending folds can be made, which both a simple continuous manufacture and a large one Chamber volume can be achieved. The disadvantage, however, is that the central longitudinal heat seal which are available for the passage of the leaching liquid Area of one chamber wall is significantly reduced. Due to the relatively wide The heat-sealing surface cannot penetrate the liquid and it becomes a large one Part of the quantity of substance in the chamber through the broad and flat heat seal strips covered. An immediate one Effect of the liquid on the underlying substance parts is therefore not possible. These can only be passed laterally from the penetrating liquid be detected, so that the tea is insufficient from the substance can be extracted and transferred to the tea water.

In view of this prior art, the invention has for its object to provide a method for the continuous manufacture, filling and closing of single-chamber infusion bags, by which the passage area is enlarged to improve leaching and a broad heat sealing strip on the chamber wall is avoided.

To achieve this object by the invention it is proposed that portioned substance quanta of the substance to be leached out are deposited at regular intervals on an initially flat material web, in particular filter paper web, optionally after bulging of their side edges, so that a continuous tube is subsequently formed from the web by the two longitudinal edges are folded inwards towards the longitudinal center and bent at an unequal length from the plane of the bag surface parallel to one another and connected to one another by knurling, so that the two longitudinal sides are provided with an inwardly extending fold-in during the tube formation or subsequent to the tube formation, that the tube is then heat-sealed in the transverse direction at regular intervals, each measuring a quantity of substance, and that the cross-heat seals are cut in the middle and such tube parts are formed that each ils have a chamber containing a substance quantum.

The method of the invention can be carried out at high speed because the middle-longitudinal connection is carried out by mechanical knurling and - different than when producing a medium-length heat seal - none time-consuming transfers of high amounts of heat as well as cooling processes must be carried out to create the longitudinal seam.

DE-A-1 800 032 shows a single-chamber infusion bag in which the Tube is already formed by a knurled seam. The other features of the However, the method according to the invention does not apply to this document remove.

According to an expedient embodiment of the invention, it can be advantageous by preheating the two longitudinal edges to be fastened together Perform the knurling to perform a stapling to ensure accuracy the knurling, which may be carried out in several stages, with folding into the To be able to execute the bag level precisely.

Both long sides are preferably accordion-like or bellows-like folded in, the flat material web beforehand with linear Longitudinal knockouts according to the number of intended Folding processes can be provided.

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.

As part of the training of the central longitudinal knurled seam is more appropriate Design of the method proposed, the touching, in the longitudinal center merged longitudinal edges to a perpendicular to the web to form upstanding longitudinal seam and this from both sides of the Knurling and, if necessary, subject to pre-stitching.

Fig. 1

einen Einkammer-Aufgußbeutel im Abpackzustand, perspektivisch;

Fig. 2

den Einkammer-Aufgußbeutel der Fig. 1 im Querschnitt;

Fig. 3

den Einkammer-Aufgußbeutel im Querschnitt mit einer Rändelvorrichtung zur Ausbildung einer Mittel-Längs-Rändelnaht, schematisch;

Fig. 4

drei Herstellungsstadien I, II und III des Einkammer-Aufgußbeutels der Fig. 3 in einer Draufsicht sowie bezüglich der Stadien I, II und III in einer zugeordneten Querschnittsansicht entsprechend Fig. 3 und

Fig. 5

einen Teil einer kontinuierlichen einbahnigen Herstellung von Einkammer-Aufgußbeuteln gemäß Fig. 3, schematisch in einer Seitenansicht.

Further details, features and advantages of the subject matter of the invention result from the following description of the accompanying drawing, in which an embodiment of the single-chamber infusion bag and a device for carrying out 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

the single-chamber infusion bag in cross section with a knurling device for forming a central longitudinal knurled seam, schematically;

Fig. 4

3 manufacturing stages I, II and III of the single-chamber infusion bag of FIG. 3 in a plan view and with respect to the stages I, II and III in an associated cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3 and

Fig. 5

part of a continuous single-lane production of single-chamber infusion bags according to FIG. 3, schematically in a side view.

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 through Tube formation of a web 4 of the filter paper material result by the turned over both longitudinal edges 5, 6 inwards towards the longitudinal center 7 and there are connected to one another by a central longitudinal knurled seam 8, the foot end 9 and the head end 10 each having a transverse one Heat seal 11 or 12 are closed. That way is a enclosed space formed to form a chamber 13, the one Substance quantum 14, namely a portioned amount of tea, contains. The A single-chamber infusion bag 1 is therefore on its two long sides 15 and 16 due to the tube formation without seams and sealing-free in that the central longitudinal knurled seam 8 is provided, while the closure on Foot end 9 and head end 10 through the transverse heat seals 11 and 12 he follows.

The volume of the chamber 13 of such a single-chamber infusion bag 1 is significantly increased in that one on each of the long sides 15, 16 Folding 17, 18 is formed, the V-shaped to accordion-shaped Cross section is and approximately in the central plane in the chamber 13 of the bag extends inwards. The folds 17, 18 are so made that the usual external dimensions of such single-chamber infusion bags be maintained and thus despite the increase in Chamber volume no increase in its length or width in Packaging condition is given. This ensures that Substance quantum tea in chamber 13 excellently through the Infusion liquid is to be digested and the substances contained in it solve optimally. This is also due to the fact that the long sides 15 and 16 and the chamber wall 2 are free of heat seals.

In a manner known per se, the single-chamber infusion bag 1 with a attached thread with label (not shown), which hanging the bag in a cup, jug or the like enable,

The embodiment shown in cross section in FIG. 3 of the drawing Einkammer-Aufgußbeutels 19 illustrates that the touching, in the longitudinal center 7 merged knurled longitudinal edges 5 and 6 into one are formed perpendicular to the web 4 upstanding longitudinal seam 20, the subjected to knurling from both sides by means of knurling wheels 21, 22 becomes. Then the knurled seam essentially folds into the Level of the bag instead, as can be seen in FIG. 2.

The manufacture of such a single-chamber infusion bag 1 or 19 is below based on the description of FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing clarifies. The starting point of manufacture is a heat sealable one Filter paper web 4 by a roll of material, not shown, by a Pulled device and as a flat track of a metering device D for Tea is fed. The portioned substance quanta 14, that is, heaps of tea, evenly spaced in a row on the Filter paper web 4 filed (see. Fig. 4 I of the drawing). It can before Dosing device D with an embossing device, not shown in Longitudinal direction left and right parallel to the longitudinal edges 5, 6 of the Filter paper web 4 are each made a linear pre-embossing acts as a folded edge to the formation of the folds 17 and 18 in to facilitate the later stage of the procedure.

In the next stage of the process, the material web 4 becomes a hose by means of forming a tube inwards according to the arrows in Fig. 4 I of the drawing turned on both sides until the longitudinal edges 5 and 6 in come together in the middle. For the formation of the single-chamber infusion bag 19 becomes the longitudinal seam 20 according to FIG. 3 with an uneven height brought up from the bag level and arranged parallel to each other Longitudinal edges formed, then by a central longitudinal knurled seam 8, if necessary also by additionally folding the Longitudinal edges to make the connection. Then the Method step of folding the long sides 15 and 16 with not folding devices shown performed by the long sides 15, 16th be pressed into the interior of the tube 23 already formed until the folds 17 and 18 the V-shape desired in this embodiment Have cross-section. 4 of the drawing Production stage II reached.

The hose 23 created in this process stage with the V-shaped Folds 17 and 18 are then in with a cross sealing device regular intervals, each capturing a quantity of substance 14 in Transversely heat sealed and these cross heat seals 11, 12th cut in the middle so that hose parts 24 are formed, each one have a chamber 13 containing quantum of substance 14, on all sides is closed by two heat seals and the knurled seam. This Process stage is shown in Fig. 4 III of the drawing.

Together with the process step of cross sealing, a previously designed thread with a label for each single-chamber infusion bag 1 or 19 to attach to one of the cross seals, including a Label thread which can be pulled out in a loop from the interior of the chamber 13 can be provided.

According to FIG. 5 of the drawing, another can be used to improve the knurling Stapling the longitudinal edges 5 and 6 together by using a H be done before knurling by softening the Plastic fibers the filter paper material leads to an adhesive connection. This allows the longitudinal edges to be folded and knurled together perform more precisely and safely.

Reference list

1

Single chamber tea bags

2nd

Chamber wall

3rd

Chamber wall

4th

Material web / filter paper web

5

Longitudinal edge

6

Longitudinal edge

7

Longitudinal center

8th

Knurled seam

9

Foot end

10th

Headboard

11

Cross heat seal

12th

Cross heat seal

13

chamber

14

Substance quantum

15

Long side

16

Long side

17th

Folding

18th

Folding

19th

Single chamber tea bags

20th

Longitudinal seam

21

Knurled wheels

22

Knurled wheels

23

tube

24th

Hose parts

D

Dosing device

H

Hot device

Claims (5)

1. Process for continuously manufacturing, filling and closing one-compartment infusion bags (1; 19), especially for preparing tea,
   characterised in that portioned substance quantities (14) of the substance which is to be extracted are deposited at uniform spacings on an initially plane material web (4), especially a filter paper web, optionally after arching its side edges, that a continuous tube is then formed from the web by turning the two longitudinal edges (5, 6) inwards towards the longitudinal centre (7), bending them up parallel to one another over unequal lengths out of the plane of the bag surface and joining then together by knurling, that the two longitudinal sides (15, 16) are provided during or subsequent to the tube shaping operation with an inward extending fold (17, 18), that the tube is then heat-sealed in the transverse direction at regular spacings, each of which comprises a substance quantity (14), and that the transverse heat seals (11, 12) are cut centrally to form tube parts which each have a compartment (13) containing a substance quantity (14).
2. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that an adhesive action is carried out prior to knurling by pre-heating the two longitudinal edges to be joined together.
3. Process according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that both longitudinal sides (15, 16) are folded in like a concertina or bellows, wherein the plane material web (4) is firstly provided with linear pre-stampings in the longitudinal direction according to the number of intended folding actions.
4. Process according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that a string with tag is fastened at each transverse seal when the transverse sealing process step is carried out such that each bag obtained individually after cutting the transverse heat seal (11, 12) has a sealed-on tag string which is preferably disposed inside the compartment (13) such that it can be removed in the form of a loop.
5. Process according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the longitudinal edges (5, 6) contacting one another and brought together at the longitudinal centre (7) are shaped into a longitudinal seam (20) which rises up perpendicularly to the web (4) and is subjected to heat-sealing from both sides.

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