Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
  • B65D75/04—Articles or materials wholly enclosed in single sheets or wrapper blanks
  • B65D75/06—Articles or materials wholly enclosed in single sheets or wrapper blanks in sheets or blanks initially folded to form tubes
  • B65D75/12—Articles or materials wholly enclosed in single sheets or wrapper blanks in sheets or blanks initially folded to form tubes with the ends of the tube closed by flattening and heat-sealing
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D88/00—Large containers
  • B65D88/16—Large containers flexible
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D33/00—Details of, or accessories for, sacks or bags
  • B65D33/001—Blocks, stacks or like assemblies of bags
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
  • B65D75/40—Packages formed by enclosing successive articles, or increments of material, in webs, e.g. folded or tubular webs, or by subdividing tubes filled with liquid, semi-liquid, or plastic materials
  • B65D75/44—Individual packages cut from webs or tubes
  • B65D75/48—Individual packages cut from webs or tubes containing liquids, semiliquids, or pastes, e.g. cushion-shaped packages
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
  • B65D75/52—Details
  • B65D75/54—Cards, coupons or other inserts or accessories
  • B65D75/56—Handles or other suspension means
  • B65D75/566—Hand holes or suspension apertures

Definitions

• the present invention relates to pouches. Specifically, the present invention relates to sealed pouches formed from a film material.
• Pouches are typically formed of a laminate or a film and may be used for holding many types of items such as food, shampoos, detergents, medicines, etc. In order to prevent them from leaking, they are often sealed on all sides to form a fixed volume to contain a product, for example a granular or liquid detergent. However, it is always a challenge to balance pouch waste and strength against bursting and leakage. The strength of a seal is directly proportional to the sealing area itself. If the pouch is sealed with too much sealing area on the sides, then the given volume per area of film is smaller, leading to wasted film. However, if the sealing area is too narrow, then the pouch will easily burst if dropped or if jostled against other pouches during shipment or display.
• a pouch is sealed with a straight seal forming approximately a 90° angle. While this is an efficient means of sealing the top and bottom, it has now been found that this leads to easy puncture of the pouch's body in response to a sudden impact, such as when the pouch is dropped, when something else is dropped onto the pouch, etc. Such a sudden impact could occur at any time prior to opening for use, such as during the filling/manufacturing process, shipping, storage, transportation, display, etc. Such an undesirable puncture leads to waste, messiness, product loss, etc. and in some cases, a customer may even refuse to purchase a product in a punctured pouch.
• the present invention relates to a pouch having a sheet containing at least one layer of a film material.
• the sheet forms a tube that is closed with a seal to form a volume.
• the seal contains a first edge and the sheet contains a second edge in connected relation to the first edge.
• a curved seal joins the first edge with the second edge.
• a sealing jaw contains a sealing arm and a receiving arm.
• the sealing arm contains a sealing area further containing a first edge-forming element and a curved seal-forming element adjoining the first edge-forming element.
• the first edge-forming element forms a curved seal adjacent to the first edge-forming element.
• a method for sealing a pouch includes the steps of providing a sheet, forming a tube from the sheet having a leading edge, sealing the leading edge to form a leading edge seal, filling the tube with a predetermined amount of a product, sealing the tube to form a trailing edge seal, and cutting the tube after the trailing edge seal to form a pouch.
• the leading edge seal and the trailing edge seal form a volume therebetween and the volume contains the product.
• At least one of the leading edge seal or trailing edge seal contains a first edge and a curved seal adjoining the first edge.
• the invention can significantly reduce puncturing at the body by blunting the force when, for example, the filled pouch is dropped or jostled against other pouches during shipment or display.
• Fig. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the pouch herein;
• Fig. 2 is a cut-away view of the pouch of Fig. 1, as seen along line 2-2;
• Fig. 3 is a front view of an existing comparative pouch
• Fig. 4 is a front view of an existing comparative pouch
• Fig. 5 is a front view of an existing comparative pouch
• Fig. 6 is a front view of an embodiment of the sealing arm according to the invention herein;
• Fig. 7 is a front view of an embodiment of the receiving arm according to the invention herein;
• Fig. 8 is a front view of an embodiment of the pouch herein;
• Fig. 9A is a partial front view of an embodiment of the pouch herein.
• Fig. 9B is a partial front view of an embodiment of the pouch herein.
• fabric enhancer includes a composition intended to provide an improved scent, softness, anti-static benefit, and/or shape-retention benefits to a fabric, such as a fabric conditioner, and/or a fabric softener. Such a fabric enhancer is typically intended to function in the rise cycle of a laundering process.
• This disclosure relates to a pouch having a sheet containing at least one layer of a film material.
• the sheet forms a tube that is closed with a seal to form a volume.
• the seal contains a first edge and a second edge adjoining the first edge.
• the first edge forms a curved seal with the second edge.
• This disclosure also relates to methods and equipment for making such a pouch.
• Fig. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the pouch, 100, containing a sheet, 120, formed into a tube (see Fig. 2 at 142).
• the pouch is formed of a sheet which is in turn formed from at least one film material typically selected from the group consisting of polyamide (nylon), polyethylene, polypropylene, ethyl-vinyl-acetate, poly-4- methylpentene- 1 , a microporous membrane, and a combination thereof; or polyamide (nylon), linear low-density polyethylene, an oriented polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and a combination thereof.
• softer and more stretchy film materials also may reduce rupturing, and therefore extrusion lamination, co-extrusion lamination, and blends of film materials, such as polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate are useful herein.
• the film material may also be affixed to and/or contain a metal therein, and/or be a metalized film.
• Film materials are well known in the art and may further contain resins, laminates, printed artwork, additives (i.e., UV blockers, antimicrobials, dyes, pigments, etc.), etc. Suitable film materials are available from various suppliers worldwide such as 3M Company (St. Paul, Minnesota, USA), Du Pont Co. (Wilmington, Delaware, USA), Toppan Insatsu Co. (Tokyo, Japan), Gelman Sciences Company (Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA), and many other suppliers worldwide.
• the sheet herein may contain either a single layer or contain multiple layers of the same, or different film material(s), so long as it remains sealable.
• the sheet is typically from about 15 ⁇ to about 220 ⁇ , or from about 20 ⁇ to about 200 ⁇ , or from about 25 ⁇ to about 160 ⁇ thick.
• Each individual film material may be oriented, or random as desired.
• Multiple layers of film materials may be joined together to form a sheet with multiple properties and/or benefits.
• the sheet, 120 may then be formed into a pouch, 100, by pulling and/or stretching the sheet, 120, around a forming tube (not shown) to form a tube out of the sheet, 120.
• the tube is formed by sealing the edges of the sheet, 120, in any direction such as the machine direction at any point or continuously, and/or by sealing the edges in the cross direction at either the leading edge and/or the trailing edge.
• the forming tube doubles as a filling tube, through which the product to be contained in the pouch is then filled into the tube (see Fig. 2 at 142).
• the sheet is pulled or advanced in the machine direction (A), and the sealing jaw (comprising of the sealing arm and receiving arm) (see Fig. 6 at 150, and Fig.
• the sheet, 120 is sealed in the machine direction (A) to form a fin seal, 126, resulting in the continuous production of a tube (see Fig. 2 at 142).
• the leading edge, 124 is then sealed by a sealing jaw (comprising of the sealing arm and receiving arm) (see Fig. 6 at 150, and Fig. 7 at 170), typically in the cross direction (B), to form the volume (see Fig. 2 at 144) closed at the seal, 122.
• the seal, 122 is a leading edge seal, 122', and contains a first edge, 128, and a second edge, 130.
• the first edge, 128, and the second edge, 130 form a curved seal, 132, therebetween.
• all of the 4 corners of the pouch contain a curved seal, 132, and the curved seal has a radius, r, which defines the curvature of the curved seal.
• the radius, r, of the curved seal is typically greater than about 3 mm, or from about 10 mm to about 30 mm, or from about 5 mm to about 20 em, or from about 5 cm to about 20 cm.
• the curved seal, 132 is concavely-curved, meaning that the center, c, of the radius, r, is in the volume, 134, that contains the product (not shown), rather than the center, c, being located in the seal, 122 (compare, for example, Fig.
• the pouch contains a plurality of corners, or from about 3 corners to about 6 corners, or from about 4 corners to about 5 corners, or about 4 corners, and each corner contains a curved seal.
• the radius of each curved seal is about the same. In an alternative embodiment herein, the radius of at least 2 corners, or from about 2 corners to about 4 corners, is different.
• typical pouches contain a right angle, or even an acute angle at the corners where the leading edge seal and/or the trailing edge seal meets the edge of the standard pouch (see, Figs. 3-5). It is now believed that many punctures of standard pouches (see Figs. 3-5), such as those containing granular laundry detergents, is caused by a small amount of granular product that accumulates in the corner of the pouch, and may contain a little air or other granular products behind it - which forms a dart like sharp corner and when the pouch receives an impact, from, for example, dropping, falling, another pouch hitting it, etc. the small amount of granular product is forced at a relatively high velocity towards the corner.
• the force of the plurality of moving granules is concentrated to a single point in the corner.
• These multiple, high-velocity impacts may weaken the film material and/ or even cause the body or surface taking the impact to burst.
• the cumulative impacts to the material in the corner potentially result in a tearing of the film from within, and cause the film material at the pouch body to fail, resulting in a pouch that leaks from the body.
• the pouch herein contains a corner area, 134, where the sheet, 120, is sealed with a curved seal, 132.
• the curved seal blunts the force of the plurality of moving granules. It is also believed that the curved seal distributes this force over a greater area, instead of concentrating it like a right or acute angle may do. As a result, the film material maintains its integrity and is less prone to bursting or failure.
• a typical pouch has approximately a rectangular or square 2-dimentional face, and therefore the pouch edges, 136, will still typically form right angles, ⁇ . Such pouches (see also Figs. 3-5) are the most common and the easiest to make.
• the curved seal, 132 is adjacent to a first edge, 128, formed by the seal, 122, this means that for a typical pouch, 100, herein as shown in Fig. 1 the second edge, 130, is typically formed by the edge, 136, of the pouch, 100.
• the leading edge, 124 and the trailing edge, 138 may contain similar seals, 122, including similar curved seals, 132.
• the trailing edge seal, 122 contains a first edge, 128, a second edge, 130, and a curved seal, 132.
• VFFS vertical form/fill/seal
• the trailing edge, 138 also contains a plurality of handle holes, 140, to allow easier carrying of the pouch, 100.
• the pouch contains at least 1 handle hole, or from about 1 handle hole to about 5 handle holes; or from about 2 to about 3 handle holes, or about 2 handle holes.
• the handle holes are typically centered above the pouch's center of gravity in order to make carrying easier. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that a single handle hole is typically most convenient for the user; Thus in an embodiment herein, the pouch contains 1 handle hole. However, if a fin seal, 126, is present, then cutting such a single handle hole increases the wear and tear of the cut blade(s) on the sealing arm (see Fig. 7 at 160). Having an even number of handle holes can reduce the need to cut through the fin seal, however, having 4 or more handle holes is confusing to the user. Accordingly, in an embodiment herein the pouch contains 2 handle holes.
• Fig. 2 is a cut-away view of the pouch, 100, in Fig. 1, as seen along line 2-2.
• the sheet, 120 has been formed into a tube, 142, by joining the sheet, 120, to itself at the fin seal, 126.
• This tube, 142 is also sealed at the far end by the seal, 122, that then defines a volume, 144.
• the volume, 144 can contain a product (not shown) therein to protect it from spillage, moisture, the outside atmosphere, etc.
• the pouch is formed in what is commonly known in the art as a "pillow pouch” or a "pillow bag”.
• the pouch may be formed into other pouches such as gusset bags, wicket bags, standup bags, etc., it is believed that the puncture problem described herein is particularly prominent in pillow bags. Accordingly, in an embodiment of the invention, the pouch is a pillow bag.
• the product (not shown) to be filled into the pouch typically has a bulk density of at least 250 g/L, or from about 300 g/L to about 1.3 kg/L, or from about 450 g/L to about 1.1 kg/L.
• the product is typically a granular product; or a fine granular product, such as a granular product having a number-median particle size of from about 10 ⁇ to about 5 mm.
• the fine granular product is a granular detergent, a granular fertilizer, a granular fabric enhancer, a granular mineral, and/or a granular medicine; or a granular laundry detergent, and/or a granular fabric enhancer.
• the product is a liquid product.
• liquid is used herein to broadly include, for example, mixtures, solutions, dispersions, emulsions, etc.
• the liquid may be from low to very high viscosities including gels and pastes, such as up to about 10,000 mPa-s, or from about 100 mPa-s to about 1000 mPa-s, or from about 300 mPa-s to about 500 mPa-s.
• the liquid may contain active ingredients suitable for various applications such as, for example, domestic and consumer products (e.g., laundry cleaning and treatment, dish and hard surface cleaning, shampoo, bath additives, etc.).
• the liquid product is a liquid laundry detergent, or a liquid fabric enhancer.
• the volume, 144 may be either airtight or may allow air to flow into and or out of the volume, 144.
• the volume is airtight (or substantially airtight) once all the seals are formed and in place; only upon puncture thereof is air and/or the granular or liquid product easily let into or let out of the volume.
• Such an airtight pouch is typical of current bags containing, for example, a granular laundry detergent, as described in the examples.
• the pouch may allow air to pass out of the volume, by, for example having a valve, a seal design allowing air to pass therethrough (see, e.g., US Patent Publication No. 2009/226573 Al to Gonzales, et.
• the volume typically ranges from (when sealed) at least 500 mL, or from about 500 mL to about 100 L, or from about 800 mL to about 60 L, or from about 1 L to about 30 L, or from about 1.5 L to about 20 L.
• the pouch will contain both the product as well as air (or another type of gas) therein, because without air in the package (i.e., a vacuum-packed package), the product does not move, and therefore problem does not exist.
• the pouch comprises air therein, and the product in the pouch is not vacuum-packed.
• Fig. 3 shows a front view of an existing pouch, 100', lacking a curved seal at each volume corner, 146.
• the pouch, 100' is a typical pillow bag having a fin seal, 126, and seals, 122, at the leading edge, 124, and the trailing edge, 138.
• the edge, 136, and the seal, 122 form a typical angle, ⁇ , of substantially 90°. Typically, this angle is repeated at each of the 4 volume corners, 146.
• Fig. 4 shows a front view of an existing comparative pouch, 100', having a substantially continuous seal, 122, all around the perimeter thereof.
• a pouch, 100' is typically formed of two separate sheets, 120, 120', of film materials, sealed at all the edges, 136, to form a volume, 144, therein.
• Such a pouch, 100' also typically has an angle, ⁇ , of substantially 90° where the seal, 122, forms a volume corner, 146. Typically, this angle is repeated at each of the 4 volume corners, 146.
• Fig. 5 shows a front view of an existing comparative pouch, 100', with a convexly- curved seal, 148, at each of the volume corners, 146.
• This embodiment was allegedly created to solve a similar puncture problem as described herein; however, it was not successful.
• the center, c, of the radius, r is located in the seal, 122, and not in the volume, 144.
• Fig. 6 shows a front view of an embodiment of a sealing arm, 150, of the present invention.
• the sealing arm, 150, and the receiving arm are opposed to each other, either permanently or temporarily, to form a sealing jaw (not shown).
• the sealing arm, 150 contains a sealing area, 152, for forming the seal (see Fig. 1 at 122).
• the sealing area, 152 further contains a first edge-forming element, 154, connected to a curved seal-forming element, 156.
• the curved seal-forming element, 156 has a concave angle with center, c, and a radius, r.
• the sealing arm, 150 contains a heating element, 158, on the back side of the sealing arm, 150, that keeps the sealing area, 152, hot enough to melt the sheet (see Fig. 1 at 120).
• a heating element, 158 on the back side of the sealing arm, 150, that keeps the sealing area, 152, hot enough to melt the sheet (see Fig. 1 at 120).
• the seal is formed by heat sealing and/or ultrasonic sealing; or heat sealing.
• the sealing area, 152 terminates in a cut blade, 160, that cuts the pouch (see Fig.
• the cut blade, 160 may be replaced with a line of needles or a line of intermittent cut blades, to make, for example, a perforation.
• Other methods and elements for making a line of weakness are also known in the art.
• the cut blade(s) should be of sufficient structural integrity, and durability to both penetrate all layers of the pouch completely, and also be oriented to easily release the finished pouch after the seal and perforation is made.
• the cut blade is from about 1 cm to about ⁇ , or from about 5 mm to about 20 ⁇ , or from about 2 mm to about 40 ⁇ in height, as measured perpendicularly from the surface of the sealing arm, 150.
• the cutting blade may be straight, jagged, curved, etc. as desired.
• the cut blade may be perpendicular to the surface of the sealing arm, or may be angled in the machine direction. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that if the cut blade is perpendicular to the surface of the sealing arm, then at slower machine speeds the cut blade will more effectively form the cuts.
• a cut blade that is angled in the direction of the package flow may more quickly release the finished pouch, so as to reducing jamming of the autopacking machine caused by a failure of the finished pouch to drop away from the sealing arm.
• a plurality of sealing jaws may be used such that, for example, a sealing jaw may be present to seal the top of the pouch and cut it away, while a separate but adjacent sealing jaw may simultaneously seal the bottom of the next pouch.
• the sealing arm, 150 also contains optional sealing ridges, 162, which may provide textured seals. Such textured seals may be desirable in some instances to produce, for example, an easier to grip seal, to enhance seal strength, aesthetic reasons, etc.
• the sealing jaw is designed so that it can cut a handle in the seal by, for example, including a handle cutting element.
• a handle cutting element may also be formed by, for example, one or more cut blades.
• Fig. 7 is a front view of an embodiment of a receiving arm, 170, of the present invention.
• the receiving arm, 170 complements the sealing arm (Fig. 6 at 150), and is a mirror image thereof, containing a complementary sealing area, 152, which matches with the sealing arm's sealing area, 152 (see Fig. 6).
• the receiving arm, 170 contains a cut channel, 172, which is typically a concave indentation or depression in the surface of the receiving arm, 170, that allows the cut blade(s) (Fig. 6 at 160), etc. to punch through the sheets and form the respective cut, perforation, etc.
• the receiving arm, 170 also contains sealing ridges, 162, to complement those on the sealing arm (Fig. 6 at 150).
• the cut blade(s) is releasably attached to the sealing arm, so that when it wears out it may be removed, sharpened and/or replaced without having to fabricate an entire new sealing arm.
• the sealing arm and the receiving arm are typically each independently formed of an appropriate durable material for their uses herein, such as, for example, a metal, a ceramic, a plastic, and a combination thereof.
• a sealing jaw intended for heat sealing should be both strong and conduct heat well and may be formed of, for example, copper, brass, steel, or iron, aluminum, etc.
• Impulse and induction sealing methods are known in the art and are useful herein. Based on this disclosure, a sealing arm and a receiving arm according to the present invention may be custom made by various suppliers and/or machine shops around the world.
• sealing jaw herein may be used on an autopacking machine.
• Fig. 8 shows a front view of an embodiment of the pouch, 100, herein containing a single curved seal, 132, having a relatively large radius, r, across the entire leading edge, 124, and a single curved seal, 132, having a relatively large radius, r, across the entire trailing edge, 138.
• a single curved seal having the same center and radius also forms both the curved seal of the leading edge and the trailing edge.
• Fig. 9A shows a partial front view of an embodiment of the pouch, 100, containing multiple curved seals, 132, 132', at the same volume corner, 146.
• the seal, 122 forms a first curved seal, 132, having center, c, and radius, r, at the pouch edge, 136.
• the seal also forms a second curved seal, 132', having a different center, c', and radius, r'. Both curved seals, 132, and 132', are concave, as their centers, c and c', are in the volume, 144.
• Fig. 9B shows a partial front view of an embodiment of the pouch, 100, containing multiple curved seals, 132, 132', at the same volume corner, 146.
• the seal, 122 forms a first curved seal, 132, having center, c, and radius, r, at the pouch edge, 136.
• the seal also forms a second curved seal, 132', having a different center, c', and radius, r'.
• the center, c", of the convexly-curved seal, 148 is located in the seal, 122.
• the invention is combined with additional techniques known in the art, such as a laser-cut, a half-cut, a score line, embossing, etc. and the known methods and machinery therefor.
• a reclosing technology is combined with the invention herein, to allow easy and efficient reclosing of the pouch after opening.
• reclosing technologies are also especially beneficial with larger-sized pouches.
• Typical reclosing technologies are known in the art and include plastic pressure-sensitive zippers, hook and loop fastening systems, zipper systems, adhesive strips and patches, clips and snaps, locking systems, etc.
• EP Patent No. 1 409 366 Bl to Camargo-Parodi, et al. granted on June 21, 2006; and EP Patent Application No. 071 19454.2 To Rogers, filed on October 29, 2007.
• Pouches according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are formed on a VFFS machine from a sheet using sealing jaws similar to that of Figs. 6-7.
• the VFFS machine creates all seals by heating up the sealing jaw to create thermal bonding between the separate sheets.
• the sheet is a three layer laminate of the film materials polyethylene terepthalate, a metallic film (like MYLAR®), and polyethylene.
• the sheet is provided on a roll which feeds into the VFFS machine and is stretched onto an area where the tube is formed by sealing a fin seal in the machine direction.
• the tube has a leading edge which is sealed to form a leading edge seal using the sealing jaws according to Figs. 6-7.
• a predetermined weight (-1.7 kg) of a granular laundry detergent is filled into and flows down the tube and the tube is sealed using the sealing jaws of Figs. 6-7 to form a filled pillow pouch containing granular laundry detergent. The process then repeats itself for the next pouch.
• Comparative pouches according to Fig. 3 using similar materials are formed on a standard VFFS machine, employing a standard set of sealing jaws. These comparative pouches have substantially 90° angles at all of the volume corners.
• Bursting was tested by dropping individual bags from a height of 1.2 m 3 times on three different sides and then also by dropping then from a height of 1.2 m 3 times packed in poly woven bags on 3 different faces. The bag was also dropped on another bag keeping the corner landing on the face of the other bag lying on ground. The observations were also made when one bag free falls from conveyer belt height to the Poly woven bag at the end of line.
• the pillow pouches of Figs. 1-2 were made in the same manner as described in Example 1 and filled with a predetermined weight of (-1.55 kg) of a granular laundry detergent.
• the comparative pouches according to Fig. 3 were also filled with the same amount of the granular laundry detergent.
• the pouches were manually packed one on top of the other in a container for shipment. After arrival at the destination, the number of film punctures or loss sealings were counted, and multipled by the number of total bags to determine the defect rates show below:
• the pouches of the invention demonstrated reduced quality defects during shipment in comparison to the standard pouches with substantially 90° angles volume corners.

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• 2011
  • 2011-01-10 WO PCT/CN2011/000038 patent/WO2012094773A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2011-12-02 MX MX2013008079A patent/MX354094B/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2011-12-02 RU RU2013130652/12A patent/RU2013130652A/en unknown
  • 2011-12-02 EP EP11855833.7A patent/EP2663504A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2011-12-02 BR BR112013016169A patent/BR112013016169A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2011-12-02 JP JP2013547788A patent/JP2014502585A/en active Pending
  • 2011-12-02 CN CN2011800645769A patent/CN103415446A/en active Pending
  • 2011-12-02 WO PCT/CN2011/002016 patent/WO2012094791A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2011-12-02 RU RU2017107256A patent/RU2669741C1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2013
  • 2013-06-25 ZA ZA2013/04725A patent/ZA201304725B/en unknown

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