EP3490903B1

EP3490903B1 - Packaging for fluid or semisolid products and related method of production

Info

Publication number: EP3490903B1
Application number: EP17742266.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Franco Goglio; Luigi FOGLIA; Roberto Galbasini; Mauro Pozzi
Original assignee: Goglio SpA
Current assignee: Goglio SpA
Priority date: 2016-07-29
Filing date: 2017-07-26
Publication date: 2020-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 2037-07-26
Also published as: PL3490903T3; IT201600079828A1; EP3490903A1; WO2018019880A1; ES2823179T3; WO2018019880A4

Description

The object of the present invention is a disposable packaging of the pastry bag (sac à poche) type for the dispensing of fluid or semisolid substances such as, for example, those used in the culinary sphere, where a creamy substance is introduced into the packaging in order to be expelled in batched quantities by means of a device comparable to a syringe. However, the field of application is not limited to the culinary and confectionery one but can also be extended to industrial products such as, for example, sealants and binders.
Disposable packaging is understood here to be a packaging which cannot be reused once its content has been used up, even if in successive times.
A container of the pastry bag type used in the culinary sphere normally has a cone or triangle shape and can be made in different materials, including fabric and plastic materials. In these applications a user normally uses products previously packaged or prepared in order to fill the container manually, which can then be reused once the content has been dispensed, or can be of the disposable type. A typical configuration of these containers comprises two openings at opposite ends, of which one narrow and one wider. The creamy or paste substance to be dispensed is introduced into the packaging via the wider opening which is subsequently closed, for example by twisting the fabric of the packaging so as to confine the product inside the same. By pressing the packaging the substance introduced is forced towards the narrow opening placed at the opposite end and therefore expelled after being passed through a special interchangeable dispenser, for example a nozzle with circular section. Different sections of the nozzle allow the substance to be dispensed with the required shapes.
This type of packaging is not very practical in that the user has to proceed manually with filling of the substance to be dispensed, with often long and complicated phases of preparation which also involve a loss of quality and freshness of the product.
Moreover, there could also be losses of product during the transfer phase.
Finally, the manipulations performed by the user do not allow a product to be had that is completely safe from the hygiene viewpoint in that it could be contaminated by some external agent during the transfer.
EP 2 813 359 A1 describes an apparatus for the production of packagings in plastic material of the stand-up type, i.e. having a widened base in order to be self supporting. The disposable packaging disclosed in EP 2 813 359 A1 is formed of two superimposed sheets of material of rectangular shape with the same width and with different length, each sheet having a lower edge, two side edges and an upper or front edge, the upper sheet of said two superimposed sheets of material having an end section projecting beyond the front edge of an underlying lower sheet and being folded on itself so as to form a Z-shaped fold with an upper or inner loop and a lower or outer loop, such that the front edges of both sheets coincide, wherein said sheets are plastic laminates having at least one inner layer in heat-sealable material, and are joined by means of heat sealing, along said lower edge thereof to form a transverse weld base, along the side edges, including said upper loop of the fold, which is adjacent to the end section of the upper sheet, and along the upper edge, wherein oblique welds are provided at the four corners of the end section, said end section being provided with an opening with spout.
Such a packaging would not be suitable as pastry bag, in that it would not allow an easy squeezing for the dispensing of the product and would cause an accumulation of product in the folds of the base of the packaging.
US 2011/0091139 A1 describes a packaging for liquids of the stand-up type and a relative method of production. The liquid is dispensed through an opening between the sheets which constitute the packaging where a weld is not performed between the same and where a spout may optionally be placed.
The object of the present invention is that of eliminating the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a packaging of the pastry bag type for fluid or semisolid products which is versatile, practical, economical and easy to make.
Another object of the present invention is that of providing such a packaging for fluid or semisolid products able to be prefilled rapidly and directly by the producer of the substance and the packing company, and which is of immediate use.
A further object of the present invention is that of providing such a hygienically safe packaging which is able to guarantee a perfect conservation of the product in its interior, also for long periods.
These objects are achieved by the packaging of the pastry bag type for fluid and semisolid products according to the invention which has the features of the appended independent claim 1.
Advantageous embodiments of the invention are stated in the dependent claims. Substantially, the invention provides a disposable packaging for fluid or semisolid products formed by two sheets of material of rectangular shape of the same width and of different length, each having a lower edge or base, two side edges and an upper edge, an upper sheet having an end section projecting beyond the front edge of an underlying lower sheet and being folded on itself so as to form a Z-shaped fold such that the front edges of both sheets coincide, said sheets being joined along their perimeter, in particular along said lower edge or base, along the side edges, including an upper loop of the Z-shaped fold, adjacent to the end section of the upper sheet, and along the upper edge, said end section being provided with an opening with spout for dispensing the product.
The invention likewise relates to a method for the production and the packing of a packaging for fluid and semisolid materials according to claim 9.
Further features of the invention will be made clearer by the following detailed description, referred to one of its embodiments purely by way of a non-limiting example, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the packaging for fluid or semisolid products according to the invention before being filled with product and closed by a cap;
Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the packaging for fluid or semisolid products according to the invention in arrangement for use with a dispenser applied;
Figures 3-5 are sectioned schematic views showing successive phases of production of the packaging for fluid or semisolid products according to the invention;
Figure 6 is a schematic view from above of the packagings shown in Figure 5, with the spout removed;
Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the detail B in Figure 4, with the spout removed;
Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the detail A in Figure 5; and
Figure 9 is a plan view from above illustrating very schematically a possible method of production of the packagings according to the invention according to the steps of Figures 3-5.

Referring to these drawings, 1 denotes as a whole the packaging of the pastry bag type for fluid or semisolid products according to the invention. In particular Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the packaging 1 before being filled with the product. The packaging 1 is formed by two sheets of material, rectangular in shape, having the same width but with different length. In particular an upper sheet 30 has an end section 39 projecting beyond the front edge of an underlying lower sheet 20 and is folded on itself so as to form a Z-shaped fold 34 such that the front edges 36 of both sheets coincide.
The sheets 20, 30 are plastic laminates with several layers, not necessarily of the same type, for example with the inner layer in heat-sealable material such as polyethylene and an optional barrier layer.
Referring also to Figure 7, which shows an enlarged schematic perspective view of the area around the fold 34, on said end section 39 an opening 44 is formed for the dispensing of the product on which, in turn, a spout 40 is applied.
The two sheets arranged in this way, with the upper sheet 30 folded in a Z shape on itself, as mentioned previously, are heat sealed along their perimeter, in particular along the lower edge or base 32, along the side edges 38 and along the upper edge 36. The presence of the fold 34 means that the aforesaid welds along the side edges 38 involve also an upper loop 35 of the fold 34, adjacent to the end section 39 of the upper sheet 30, bordered by a free inner edge (i.e. the lower or outer loop 37 not welded along the free inner edge extending between the oblique welds 53, 54) 33 opposite said upper edge 36.
The packaging 1 of the pastry bag type for fluid or semisolid products of Figure 1 has a substantially flat configuration before filling.
The opening 44 comprising the spout 40 is in a condition wherein the filling can take place in an easy and industrialised manner. The use of a packaging 1 according to the invention reduces the disadvantages linked to filling by the user in that filling can be performed directly by the producer of the product, for example a confectionery company.
The application of a cap 42 allows a packaging of the pastry bag type to be obtained, filled with the product and hermetically sealed, directly available to the user. Filling may optionally be carried out in aseptic conditions, thus providing sterile packagings.
In Figure 2 the packaging 1 of the pastry bag type is shown during use. Here the cap 42 is replaced by a special dispenser nozzle attached to the spout 40. Different types of dispensers are known which allow dispensing of the product in different forms according to their outlet section, applicable to packagings of the pastry bag type according to the invention. After the packaging 1 has been filled with the product required, the presence of the free edge 33 of the end section 39 of the upper sheet 30 allows a packaging to be had wherein the spout 40 no longer remains orthogonal to the lower layer 20 but is placed in a position suitable for dispensing.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the packaging 1 has oblique welds 51, 52, 53, 54 at the four corners of the end section 39. Figure 6 is a schematic view from above which shows these welds placed around the opening 44. In particular the welds 51, 52 extend respectively between the side edges 38 of the packaging 1 and the upper edge 36, thus making the end section 39 of the sheet 30 adhere to the lower sheet 20. The welds 53, 54 extend instead between the side edges 38 and said free inner edge 33 involving said upper loop 35 of the Z-shaped fold 34.
The oblique welds 51, 52, 53, 54 form with the corresponding sections of side welds 38 K-shaped welds which define with the upper edge 36 and the free inner edge 33 surfaces which do not have points in which the product would go to accumulate. The surface defined by the abovementioned K-shaped welds is an octagonal surface yet without departing from the scope of the invention it could be different in shape, for example hexagonal or quadrangular, should the abovementioned oblique welds be adjacent one to the other in opposite pairs or all adjacent one to the other.
The configuration of the end section 39 of the upper layer 30 according to this embodiment means that the product inserted in the packaging does not go to accumulate in dead zones which could be the sharp corners of the packaging 1 without the oblique welds, 51, 52, 53, 54, thus allowing, during use, a more complete dispensing of the product by means of the opening 44 and respective dispenser.
Preferably the sharp corners present on the end section 39 of the upper sheet 30, externally to the oblique welds 51, 52, 53, 54, are cut so as to taper the angles and make the package aesthetically more attractive.
The non-accumulation of the product in the packaging and the complete dispensing of the same are also guaranteed by the fact that the base of the packaging is flattened, a simple transverse weld being provided at the lower edge 32 of the sheets 20, 30 determining a flattened packaging in sachet form, particularly suitable for use as pastry bag.
Figures 3, 4, 5 and 9 show an exemplifying method of production of packagings 1 of the pastry bag type according to the invention. The method described here provides for the production of two packagings at each machine stroke, but it is clear that in a simplified and less productive embodiment the production of a single packaging can be provided at each machine stroke.
For the production of the packagings 1 according to the invention two webs of sheet material 20' and 30' are used, unwound from rolls not shown in Figure 9, apt to form said lower 20 and upper 30 sheets of the packagings 1.
In Figure 9, which is a plan view from above, only the upper web 30' can be seen which projects from both sides with respect to the underlying web 20' of a section 39' of the same length of the projecting section 39 of the packagings 1. On said projecting sections 39' the abovementioned openings 44 are formed, at regular intervals, corresponding substantially to the width of each packaging 1, in which the spouts 40 are applied in a successive station.
Subsequently the projecting sections 39' are folded into a Z shape on the upper web 30' so that the upper web 30' takes on the same width of the lower web 20'. Then a longitudinal median weld 32', longitudinal end welds 36' and transverse welds 38' are performed at distances equal to the width of a packaging, so as to obtain the abovementioned perimeter welding of each packaging.
In a subsequent station the abovementioned oblique welds 51, 52, 53, 54 are formed by means of welding bars descending from above and inserting a thermally insulating material in a lower loop 37 of the Z-shaped fold, so as to prevent the upper sheet 30 from welding to the lower sheet 20 (whose opposite inner layers are in materials compatible one with the other) in correspondence of the oblique welds 53, 54.
Transverse cuts are then performed centrally to the transverse welds 38' so as to separate adjacent pairs of packagings 1, and a longitudinal cut centrally to the median longitudinal weld 32, so as to separate the single packagings.
In a further station trimming can be provided of the four corners of the end sections 39 externally to the respective oblique welds 51, 52, 53, 54.
Naturally some of the steps described previously can be performed in an order different from that illustrated.
The procedure described previously leads to the formation of single packagings which are separated as mentioned previously. It is possible to supply the packagings joined one to the other to form a web, from which they can subsequently be separated, providing for the formation of discontinuous incisions, rather than a continuous cut, at said transverse welds 38', so as to obtain strings or webs of packagings which remain attached one to the other by points.
That described previously is one of the possible methods of production of the pastry bag packaging according to the invention.
An alternative method could consist in starting from sheets 20, 30 precut to the suitable sizes and subsequently folded and welded to obtain the packaging as described previously.
Naturally the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described previously and illustrated in the drawings, but numerous detail changes may be made thereto, within the reach of the person skilled in the art, without thereby departing from the scope of the same invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Disposable "sac a poche" packaging (1) for dispensing fluid or semisolid products in the form of creamy or paste, said packaging being provided with a cap (42) replaceable with a dispenser nozzle and being formed of two superimposed sheets of material (20, 30) of rectangular shape with the same width and with different length,
each sheet having a lower edge (32), two side edges (38) and an upper or front edge (36),
the upper sheet (30) of said two superimposed sheets of material (20, 30) having an end section (39) projecting beyond the front edge of an underlying lower sheet (20) and being folded on itself so as to form a Z-shaped fold (34) with an upper or inner loop (35) and a lower or outer loop (37), such that the front edges (36) of both sheets coincide,
wherein
said two sheets (20, 30) are plastic laminates having at least one inner layer in heat-sealable material and an optional barrier layer, and are joined by means of heat sealing
- along said lower edge thereof (32) to form a transverse weld base, along the side edges (38), including said upper loop (35) of the fold (34) which is adjacent to the end section (39) of the upper sheet (30), bordered by a free inner edge (33) of the Z-shaped fold (34) opposite to said upper edge (36), and along the upper edge (36), determining a flattened packaging with a sachet shape, wherein oblique welds (51, 52, 53, 54) are provided at the four corners of the end section (39), said end section (39) being provided with an opening (44) with spout (40), and wherein the lower or outer loop (37) is not welded along the free inner edge extending between the oblique welds (53, 54).
Disposable packaging (1) for fluid or semisolid products according to claim 1, wherein a pair of oblique welds (51, 52) extend between said side edges (38) of the packaging (1) and said upper edge (36) such as to make the end section (39) of the upper sheet (30) bond to the lower sheet (20), while the other pair of oblique welds (53, 54) extend between said side edges (38) and a free inner edge (33) of the end section (39) involving said upper loop (35) of the Z-shaped fold (34).
Disposable packaging (1) for fluid or semisolid products according to claim 2, wherein said oblique welds (51, 52, 53, 54) form with the corresponding sections of side welds (38), K-shaped welds which define with the upper edge (36) and the free inner edge (33) a polygonal area.
Disposable packaging (1) for fluid or semisolid products according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sharp corners present on the end section (39) of the upper sheet (30), externally to the oblique welds (51, 52, 53, 54), are cut so as to taper the angles.
Method for the production of disposable packagings (1) for fluid or semisolid products according to claim 1, comprising the following steps, at least some of which can be carried out in a different order from that indicated:
- feeding of two superimposed webs of sheet material, an upper web (30') which projects from at least one side with respect to an underlying web (20') of an end section (39') of the same length as the projecting end section (39) of the packagings;

- making of openings (44) in said at least one projecting end section (39'), at regular intervals, substantially corresponding to the width of each packaging (1);

- applying of spouts (40) in said openings (44);

- folding as a Z said at least one projecting end section (39') on the upper web (30'), so that said folded upper web (30') takes on the same width of the lower web (20');

- performing of longitudinal end welds (32', 36') and transverse welds (38') at distances equal to the width of a packaging, so as to obtain a perimeter welding of each packaging, said transverse welds (38') involving also an upper loop (35) and a lower or outer loop (37) of the Z-shaped fold which is adjacent to the end section (39') of the upper web (30'), bordered by a free inner edge (33) of the Z-shaped fold;

- making of oblique welds (51, 52, 53, 54) at the four corners of each end section (39'), wherein the lower or outer loop (37) is not welded along the free inner edge (33) extending between the oblique welds (53, 54),

- making of transverse cuts centrally to said transverse welds (38'), so as to separate the packagings (1);

- optionally trimming of the four corners of the end section (39) externally to the respective oblique welds (51, 52, 53, 54).
Method according to claim 5, wherein said upper web (30') protrudes from both sides with respect to the underlying web (20') and one of said longitudinal welds (32') is made centrally to said webs (20', 30'), the execution of a longitudinal cut being also provided centrally to said longitudinal weld (32'), so as to produce two packagings (1) at each machine stroke.
Method according to claim 5 or 6, further comprising, before the making of said oblique welds, the step consisting of:
- inserting of a thermally insulating material in a lower loop (37) of the Z-shaped fold, so as to prevent the upper sheet (30) from welding to the lower sheet (20) in correspondence of the oblique welds (53, 54).