EP1646569B1

EP1646569B1 - Food bag with pouring spout, method for filling a food bag, and method for manufacturing a food bag

Info

Publication number: EP1646569B1
Application number: EP04740745A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-François Marquet
Original assignee: Mars Inc
Current assignee: Mars Inc
Priority date: 2003-07-11
Filing date: 2004-07-07
Publication date: 2012-04-11
Anticipated expiration: 2024-07-07
Also published as: EP1646569A1; ATE553041T1; FR2857338A1; WO2005007528A1; FR2857338B1

Abstract

The food bag has two lateral sides (3) that extend from a base (1) and define an interior of the bag. A spout (8) closed by a sealing (4) is arranged on one of the sides. The spout has an opening line, and projects towards exterior of the bag. The sides are provided with gussets at their end opposite to the base, where each gusset is deployed towards the exterior of the bag for constituting the spout. Independent claims are also included for the following: (a) a method of refilling a food bag (b) a method of fabricating a food bag.

Description

The present invention relates to food bags according to the preamble of claim 1 and more particularly bags for granule-type foods, such as dry dog or cat food in biscuit or nugget form for example.
Bags for granule-type foods are already known commercially which have a base from which two main walls and two sides extend, these walls and sides being of flexible sheeting-type material. The two walls are, at their end opposite the base, joined one over the other along a seam, such as a weld line or a glue line, for example. The two sides are, at their end opposite the base, shaped into gussets.
Known bags of this type generally have an opening line which extends along one of the two walls, in proximity to the seam. It is also known for this type of bag to be provided, in the immediate vicinity of the opening line, with closing means of the releasable anchoring type, for example a "zipper" comprising a male anchoring line and a mating female anchoring line, which allows the user to re-close the bag after first use.
However, such bags have provided difficult for users to handle when they try to pour the food, for example into a bowl. This difficult is all the greater when the bag has a large capacity and is consequently difficult to lift and turn over.
It has therefore been proposed, for example in the document FR-A-2 821 610 to make the opening line at the level of the zone shaped into a gusset in one side. This zone, forming a gusset, is able to adopt two positions, a folded-up position when the opening line is closed and an unfolded position when the opening line is open, the gusset being returned to the unfolded position thus defining a pouring spout capable of guiding the food to the outside via the side opening.
However, this unfolding of the gusset towards the outside of the bag is not always ideal. Either because the user does not notice that such a possibility exists, or because the unfolding is inadequate or poorly maintained. A food bag according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from document JP2001 031119A .
The present invention proposes to overcome this drawback and proposes a food bag comprising a base, two walls and two sides extending from the base, said base, walls and sides defining the inside of the bag, said bag moreover comprising a spout closed by a seal arranged on one side, the sealed spout projecting towards the outside of the bag. The sides are shaped into gussets at their end opposite the base, one gusset being unfolded towards the outside of the bag in order to constitute the spout. The gusset constituting the spout comprises an opening line that extends over the walls.
According to one embodiment, each gusset of the bag is unfolded towards the outside.
According to one embodiment, the opening line extends over the whole width of one side and over at least two thirds of the length of the walls.
According to one characteristic, the opening line is arranged below, in the immediate proximity of the spout seal.
According to one embodiment, the spout seal extends over the walls in a seam of the walls at their end opposite the base.
According to one characteristic, the lower point of the spout is situated approximately level with the height to which the bag is filled.
According to one embodiment, the bag further comprises closing means of releasable anchoring type, arranged in proximity to the opening line.
According to one embodiment, the bag comprises a conduit inside the bag, for channelling the content of the bag which has to be poured via the spout.
According to one embodiment, the bag comprises gripping means arranged in a part of the walls opposite the base.
According to one application, the bag is intended to contain granule-type food.
The invention also proposes a method for filling a food bag according to one of claims 1 to 10, comprising the steps of:

providing a folded flexible sheeting shaped with a base, walls and sides shaped into gussets at their end opposite the base;
unfolding of the sheeting to constitute a bag which is open at its end opposite the base;
filling of the bag;
shaping of the bag;
joining of the ends, opposite the base, of the walls into a seam;

According to one embodiment, the gusset is unfolded into a spout towards the outside of the bag during the step of unfolding the sheeting.
According to another embodiment, the gusset is unfolded into a spout towards the outside of the bag during the bag-shaping step.
The invention also proposes a production method for a food bag according to one of claims 1 to 10, comprising the steps of:

providing a flexible sheeting;
shaping of the sheeting into a tube comprising two walls and two sides defining the inside of a bag;
cutting off the tube and welding the base;
shaping of gussets on the ends, opposite the base, of each side;
folding of the sheeting

the method comprising moreover a step of unfolding of a gusset towards the outside of the bag in order to constitute a spout.
According to one embodiment, the gusset is unfolded into a spout towards the outside of the bag during the step of shaping the gussets.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, given solely as an example, and with reference to the drawings which show:

Figure 1, a side view of one wall of a bag according to the invention:
Figure 2, a side view of one side of a bag according to the invention with a detailed view (A) of an embodiment of a bag opening;
Figure 3, a section according to B-B in Figure 2;
Figure 4, a section according to C-C in Figure 2;
Figure 5, a diagrammatic view of the use of the bag according to the invention when foods are poured from the bag.

The bag according to the invention comprises a base 1, two main walls 2, and two sides 3, extending from the base 1. The bag is preferably formed from shaped flexible sheeting. The base 1, walls 2 and sides 3 define the inside of the bag.
The bag moreover comprises a spout 8 closed by a seal 4. The spout 8 is arranged on one side 3 of the bag and projects towards the outside of the bag when the seal 4 is closed. This gusset configuration makes it possible to directly constitute a pouring spout 8 for the bag. This pouring spout is easily identifiable by the user as it is already unfolded when the bag is sold.
The seal 4 of the spout can coincide with or constitute the continuation of a seam of the bag. The two main walls 2 are closed one over the other, at their end opposite the base 1, along a seam 4. Depending on the material of the sheeting which constitutes the bag, for example plastic or paper, the joining of the two walls 2 can be achieved by welding, gluing or any other appropriate technique.
The seal of the spout 4 can then be directly constituted by the seam 4 of the walls 2.
The lower point of the spout 8 is situated approximately level with the height h to which the bag is filled. The content of the bag cannot therefore be upset via the gusset 8 when the bag is placed on its base 1.
The two sides 3 are each folded along a fold line 7 extending from the base 1 of the bag towards the seam 4. This fold 7 gives the side the shape of a gusset, at least at the end opposite the base 1, i.e. it constitutes a folding part between the two semi-rigid walls 2.
The gussets are generally constituted by two semi-gussets 9, 9'. For example, the sides 3 have a width of 120 mm and each semi-gusset 9, 9' a width of 60 mm. The gussets are generally shaped before the step of joining the walls 4, the seam 4 thus contributes to the maintenance of the gussets on the sides 3.
According to the invention, at least one gusset is unfolded towards the outside of the bag in order to constitute the spout 8. Figures 3 and 4 show the gussets in the sides 3 of the bag according to the invention. In the median part of the bag (Figure 3), the semi-gussets 9, 9' of the sides 3 are folded towards the inside of the bag with a relatively wide angle of fold. In the upper part of the bag (Figure 4), the fold of the semi-gussets 9, 9' in the sides 3 presents an acute angle and at least one gusset 8 is unfolded towards the outside of the bag, i.e. the fold 7 of two semi-gussets 9, 9' is reversed on the upper part of one side 3.
The gusset thus unfolded towards the outside constitutes the pouring spout 8 of the bag according to the invention. The unfolding of the gusset 8 towards the outside is moreover sufficient and well maintained since the bag has been manufactured with the gusset thus shaped. The fold lines of the gusset unfolded into a spout 8 are therefore very neat.
According to one embodiment, both of the bag's gussets can be unfolded to form spouts on each side 3 of the bag. The bag therefore comprises two pouring spouts, on either side of the bag, which allows easy pouring, whichever side the bag is gripped.
The spout 8 of the bag comprises an opening line 5. This opening line 5 extends over at least one of the gussets constituting the spout, approximately over the whole width of the two semi-gussets 9, 9'. The opening 5 moreover extends over all or part of the main walls 2, for example over approximately two-thirds of the walls 2, starting from the side 3 comprising the gusset with opening 5.
The opening line 5 can for example be defined by perforations, a thinned section for tearing produced on the sheeting or a peelable material, arranged in the sheeting. The opening line 5 is situated below, and preferably just below, the seam 4 of the walls 2 of the bag.
Moreover, it is advantageous to provide closing means of the releasable anchoring type situated in proximity to the opening line 5 just below or merging with this line. Such closing means can be constituted by a "zipper" or Velcro®-type anchoring means.
The bag can comprise, on the inside, a conduit allowing the content to be channelled before being poured via the pouring spout of the unfolded gusset 8. To this end, it is possible to provide for a flexible sheeting element to be added between the main walls 2, said element extending approximately vertically over an upper part of the bag, starting for example from the seam 4. It is also possible to produce such a conduit, in a particularly simple and economical manner, by a weld line of the two walls 2, made on a top part of the bag. Thus, in proximity to the pouring spout 8, a conduit is created which facilitates the guiding of the flow of the food, such as granules, contained in the bag.
The bag which has just been described is used as follows:
During the first use, the user of the bag tears or cuts off all or part of the seal 4 of the pouring spout 8, for example by tearing or cutting off the seam 4. Optionally, the user can also tear open the opening line 5. This tearing open of the opening line can be replaced by the opening of closing means of the releasable anchoring type, such as a "zipper" for example arranged closed under the seam 4.
In the example of the detail A in Figure 2, the bag is opened by separating the upper edges of the walls 2 above the opening line 5 and pulling each wall 2 in the opposite direction in order to tear open the opening line 5.
The opening line 5 extends across the spout 8 unfolded towards the outside of the bag, which allows the user to easily guide the food to the opening of the bag by inclining the bag.
After pouring the food, the user can re-close the opening 5, if appropriate with releasable anchoring means.
The production of the bag according to the invention will now be described in detail.
According to a first embodiment, the spout 8 of the bag can be produced by unfolding of a gusset 9, 9' during filling of the bag. Standard flexible sheeting folded and shaped into a bag with gussets folded inwards is supplied to the food manufacturer who is filling this bag.
Such a bag-filling procedure comprises the supply of flexible sheeting shaped with a base 1, walls 2, and sides 3 shaped into gussets at their end opposite the base. At least one gusset can comprise an opening line 5 made by the bag supplier. The flexible sheeting thus shaped is supplied folded flat to the food manufacturer.
The sheeting is then unfolded in order to constitute a bag open at its end opposite the base and filled, for example with granule-type food.
Then, the bag is shaped in order to restore an appropriate shape to the two semi-gussets 9, 9' and to smooth out the main walls 2 of the full bag. The bag is then closed: the ends of the walls 2 opposite the base are joined, by welding or gluing, along a seam 4.
According to the invention, the bag-filling method comprises a step of unfolding a gusset comprising an opening line 5 towards the outside of the bag in order to constitute a spout 8. This unfolding step can be carried out during the unfolding of the sheeting in order to constitute the bag, one gusset then being unfolded towards the outside or during the shaving of the bag after filling, one gusset being unfolded towards the outside, instead of being folded in towards the inside of the bag in order to join the main walls.
According to another embodiment, the spout 8 of the bag according to the invention can be made by unfolding one gusset during production of the bag, flexible sheeting folded and shaped into a bag with an unfolded gusset being supplied to the food manufacturer who is filling this bag.
Such a bag-manufacturing method comprises the supply of flexible plastic or paper sheeting, and the shaping of this sheeting into a tube comprising two walls 2 and two sides 3. The sheeting, shaped into a tube, is welded laterally along at least one of the sides 3. The inside of the tube will define the inside of a bag. The tube is then cut off and a base 1 is welded, the ends of the walls and sides opposite the base being free. Semi-gussets 9, 9' are shaped on the ends, opposite the base 1, of each side 3, by folding about a fold line 7. The sheeting thus shaped is then folded flat to be transported and supplied to the food manufacturer who unfolds it into a bag and fills this bag.
According to the invention, the bag-manufacturing method comprises a step of unfolding a gusset towards the outside of the bag in order to constitute a spout 8, for example during the shaping of the semi-gussets 9, 9', by folding about a fold line 7.
Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described by way of an example; thus, the shapes and dimensions of the bag according to the invention are adapted according to uses, and any manufacturing method making it possible to unfold a gusset of the bag towards the outside can be used within the scope of the present invention.
It is also possible for example to provide the bag according to the invention with gripping means in its upper part. The presence of the opening line 5 over the gusset or gussets 8 makes it possible to free at least a central part of the walls 2 which can accommodate a handle. Such a handle can be made, for example, by folding the portion situated at the upper end of the bag above the seam 4 downwards, and rendering the two side end parts of said portion integral with the main wall 2 over which the portion is folded. Thus, a gripping handle is formed in the central part of the portion which is folded but not rendered integral, in a simple and economic manner. Such a handle could also be made by perforations in the upper part of the joined walls 2 which form a pre-cutout section allowing the bag to be gripped, by tearing out the pre-cutout section manually.

Claims

A food bag comprising a base (1), two walls (2) and two sides (3) extending from the base, said base (1), walls (2) and sides (3) defining the inside of the bag, said bag moreover comprising a spout (8) arranged on a side (3) and closed by a seal (4), the sealed spout projecting towards the outside of the bag, wherein the sides (3) are shaped into gussets (9. 9') at their end opposite the base (1), one gusset being unfolded towards the outside of the bag in order to constitute the spout (8) and characterized in that, the gusset constituting the spout (8) comprises an opening line (5) that extends over the walls (2).
The food bag according to claim 1, wherein each gusset is unfolded towards the outside.
The food bag according to one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the opening line (5) extends over the whole width of one side (3) and over at least two-thirds of the length of the walls (2).
The food bag according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the opening line (5) is arranged below and in immediate proximity to the seal (4) of the spout (8).
The food bag according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the seal (4) of the spout (8) extends over the walls (2) in a seam (4) of the walls at their end opposite the base (1).
The food bag according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the lower point of the spout (8) is situated approximately level with the height (h) to which the bag is filled.
The food bag according to one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising closing means of the releasable anchoring type arranged in proximity to the opening line (5).
The food bag according to one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a conduit inside the bag for channelling the content of the bag before it is poured via the spout (8).
The food bag according to one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising gripping means made in a part of the walls (2) opposite the base (1).
The food bag according to one of claims 1 to 9, intended to contain granule-type food.
A method for filling a food bag according to one of claims 1 to 10 comprising the steps of:
- providing a folded flexible sheeting shaped with a base (1), walls (2) and sides (3) shaped into gussets (9, 9') at their end opposite the base;

- unfolding of the sheeting in order to constitute a bag open at its end opposite the base (1);

- filling of the bag;

- shaping of the bag;

- joining of the ends opposite the base of the walls (2) in a seam (4);
the method further comprising a step of unfolding one gusset towards the outside of the bag in order to constitute a spout (8) comprising an opening line (5) that extends over the walls (2).
The method according to claim 11, wherein the gusset is unfolded into a spout (8) towards the outside of the bag during the step of unfolding the sheeting.
The method according to claim 11, wherein the gusset is unfolded into a spout (8) towards the outside of the bag during the step of shaping the bag.
A method for manufacturing a food bag according to one of claims 1 to 10 comprising the steps of:
- providing a flexible sheeting;

- shaping of the bag into a tube comprising two walls (2) and two sides (3) defining the inside of a bag;

- cutting off the tube and welding the base (1);

- shaping of gussets (9, 9') on the ends opposite the base (1) of each side (3);

- folding of the sheeting;
the method further comprising a step of unfolding one gusset towards the outside of the bag in order to constitute a spout (8) comprising an opening line (5) that extends over the walls (2).
The method according to claim 14, wherein the gusset is unfolded into a spout (8) towards the outside of the bag during the step of shaping the gussets.