GB2544339A

GB2544339A - Improvements in or relating to pouches

Info

Publication number: GB2544339A
Application number: GB1520081.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nicholas Moor Timothy
Original assignee: HELPFUL BABY PRODUCTS Ltd
Current assignee: HELPFUL BABY PRODUCTS Ltd
Priority date: 2015-11-13
Filing date: 2015-11-13
Publication date: 2017-05-17
Also published as: GB201520081D0; WO2017081175A1

Abstract

A freestanding flexible pouch comprising sealed ends, a tear line 8 allowing for removal of the second (top) 7 sealed end, and one or more gussets 5, 6 at the first (bottom) 4 sealed end. The walls 9 of the pouch are constructed from materials providing a barrier to water and air. The walls 9 preferably comprising outer and inner layers of laminated thermoplastic (polyethylene and polypropylene etc.) provided with one or more barrier layers (ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) etc.) therebetween. The walls 9 provide a barrier at all areas of the pouch, including at the tear line 8; preferably achieved by providing the tear line 8 as a score that doesnt extend all the way through the pouch (19, Fig 7). Measurement marks/graduations 10 are also provided on a transparent section of the walls 9. The pouch may also be attached to a holder 12, 13. A process of producing a pouch is also taught, comprising sealing the pouch along its bottom and side edges, optionally introducing contents into the pouch, sealing the top end of the pouch and forming a tear line therein; the pouches being produced on a continuous line.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO POUCHES

The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to pouches and in particular to pouches that can be opened and attached to a holder to provide a container. In particular the pouch may be attached to a holder and then filled typically with a liquid and then closed by the cover of the holder in order to provide a liquid filled container. The holder may also be provided with a delivery mechanism for the contents of the pouch which may or may not be part of the holder. In a preferred embodiment the delivery mechanism is a teat and the pouch when attached to the holder can be a baby bottle.

The pouch is preferably flat in its unopened state. Flat packed pouches for use with holders are known. For example, a flat packed baby bottle comprising a flexible pouch hermetically sealed to a holder is described in European Patent Publication 1765255. This system suffers from the disadvantage that the pouch must be sealed to the holder which works well for applications without the pouch being pre filled. However, if the pouch is prefilled, the ability to have the filled pouch separate from the holder provides a further space saving improvement enabling sealed pouches to be stacked against each other.

The invention therefore provides a flexible pouch comprising a first sealed end and a second end sealed provided with a tear line to make the second end seal a removable seal and provided with a gusset at the first sealed end whereby the second seal can be removed and the pouch opened to provide a self-standing vessel wherein the walls of the pouch are of one or more materials providing a barrier to the passage of water and air in all areas including the tear line and at least part of the walls of the pouch are transparent and measurement marks are provided on a transparent section of the walls of the pouch to enable sight of the volume of material within the self-standing vessel. In a preferred embodiment the pouch can be attached to a holder system as described in our co-pending Patent Application GB 1517743.9 which comprises a ring component, a holder component, a cap and optionally a delivery component.

The holder system of GB 1517743.9 comprises a holder providing an opening, an external circumferential band provided towards the upper end of the exterior of the holder, the holder being provided on its outer surface with an engagement means below the circumferential band and a slip ring designed to engage with the engagement means of the holder and further comprising a delivery system attachable to the holder.

The engagement means on the outer surface of the holder may be a screw thread designed to co-operate with a screw thread on the inner surface of the slip ring. Alternatively the slip ring may be a snap and/or push fit around the circumference of the holder. Optionally this can create a seal.

In a preferred embodiment the holder system contains a delivery system for the contents of the container, for example, it may contain a collapsed teat held within the internal space of a collar that is attachable to the holder by means of a manually placeable and removable cap.

The holder is designed to hold a pouch of this invention and can carry an external circumferential band at the position on the holder where the top of the open mouth of the pouch produced by removal of the removable seal will reside so that when applying the pouch around the holder it abuts the base of the circumferential band and the user knows that it is properly located and furthermore the band prevents the collar of the holder system falling into the open pouch. In a further embodiment a seal or gasket may be provided around the base of the exterior of the holder so that when the slip ring is engaged with the holder the seal ensures a hermetic connection between the holder and the slip ring with the open mouth of the pouch therebetween. This combined with a cap which may be provided on the opening provided at the top of the holder can provide a hermetic seal for the liquid contents of the pouch once created allowing hygienic storage and enabling one container filling to be used for more than one infant feed.

The holder provides the means for the introduction of material into the pouch of this invention and it may also be detachably attached to the delivery system for the contents of the pouch. In a preferred embodiment where the container is a baby bottle the holder is designed to releasably engage with a delivery system comprising a collar containing a teat. In this embodiment the collar of the delivery system is provided with means for attachment to the holder such as an internal thread which can engage with a thread at the upper end of the holder. When the collar is engaged with the holder it may also form a seal against the slip ring. Alternatively the collar may be a snap fit onto the holder. In either embodiment the holder system includes the delivery teat system which may be in place attached to the holder. The teat system may be removed to allow material such as water to be introduced into the pouch, and may then be replaced so that the filled container is then ready for use. A cap may be provided to protect the delivery system such as a teat from contamination when the container is not in use. Where the delivery system comprises a teat and a collar the cap can be designed to be a removable fit within the internal circumference of the collar.

The removable fit may be a snap fit or screw thread preferably a snap fit. In the embodiment where the teat is compressed within the collar and the holder the application of the cap can force the teat to collapse and the underside of the cap may be shaped to provide protection for the teat. The cap may also be provided with a tab to aid its removal from the container. It is preferred that when a cap is employed it is made from medical grade polypropylene.

The holder may be of any suitable material according to the use to which the container comprising the pouch of this invention and the holder is to be put. The holder should however be sufficiently rigid to provide strength and integrity to the open pouch with which it is used when the open pouch contains the particular liquid for which it is designed. It is preferred that the holder be of a thermoplastic material and is preferably prepared by injection moulding. In particular we have found that polypropylene, ethylene/propylene copolymers, rubbers, thermoplastics elastomers or polyamides are particularly useful materials from which the holder can be made.

In a further embodiment small protrusions maybe provided around the inner ring of the holder so that an audible click is produced as the container is assembled to indicate that the components are fully engaged with the open end of the pouch secured between the holder and the ring. In another embodiment the slip ring may be provided with indicators of any shape particularly arrows on its external surface showing the way up in which it should be used and the direction it should be moved to secure the pouch to the holder. The indicators can also be shaped to provide additional grip for the user.

When used with a holder system according to GB 1517743.9 the pouch of this invention once the pouch is in its self-standing position the holder of the system may be inserted into the open end of the pouch formed by removal of the seal and the ring component of the holder can be slid up the outside of the pouch to engage with the holder and grip the open top of the cylindrical pouch which is then held between the ring and the holder. This assembly with the holder and the gusset of the pouch provides a self-standing container ready for filling through the orifice provided by the holder in position in the open top of the pouch. It is preferred that the open end of the pouch is circular.

Once attached to the holder system the pouch may be filled to the desired level (using the measurement markers) and leakage is prevented by the open top of the pouch being held securely between the ring and the holder. The cap component of the holder may then be applied to form a closed and filled container, the pouch of this invention is particularly useful as a container for liquids particularly baby milk feed and in this embodiment the original sealed pouch can contain powdered milk to which water can be added once the pouch is self-standing with the holder and ring in place. As described in GB 1517743.9 the holder may include a collapsed teat and a cap and removal of the cap can allow the teat to be restored to its normal position for delivery of the liquid feed to an infant.

The pouch may have a single gusset to form a base for the container to be self-standing or it may be provided with two gussets opposite to each other when the pouch is self-standing.

The pouches of the present invention can find widespread use but in their preferred use as a component of a baby bottle the material from which the pouch is made must have a very low permeability to oxygen and also low permeability to water vapour. In the preferred container the permeability of the material from which the pouch is made to oxygen no more than 0.8 and preferably no more than 0.01 and the permeability to water vapour is no more than 0.3. The walls of the pouch are typically made from thermoplastic film and preferably have a tensile strength greater than 90N when the pouch is formed with hold points at either end of the sealed pouch. The material should be flexible, stable and not expand at the temperatures at which the pouch may be used, they should also be resistant to any hot liquids that may be introduced into the pouch such as boiling water up to 100°C. The external surface of the walls (preferably the underside wall) of the pouch should be printable to enable the provision of the measurement marks and the wall should also be transparent at least at the position of the measurement marks. In particular for use as a baby bottle the print should conform with standard ENISO2409.

The removable seal at the second end of the pouch should be such that the end of the pouch can be removed by hand and is conveniently provided by a tear line across the width of the pouch and near to the second end of the pouch. When a tear line is used the line should be sufficiently strong to avoid unwanted opening of the pouch. It is also important that the tear line is extremely well defined so that when the removable seal is removed the open end of the pouch that is provided, provides a uniform preferably circular end to the pouch so that it can be accurately held between the ring and the holder components of a holder system. We have found that such a tear line can be produced by employing a laser to define the tear line by cutting part way through the material used to make the pouch. We have also found that removing from one third to two thirds of the thickness of the material provides an optimum tear line.

Any suitable materials may be used to produce the pouch of this invention, thermoplastic films being preferred. The pouch may be produced by folding a flat piece of film and forming a seal at the side and the bottom. Alternatively the pouch may be formed from two different pieces of material sealed together along the sides and at one end with the provision of the gusset at the sealed end of the pouch. If the pouch is to contain material such as powdered milk it will be introduced into the pouch through the open end which is then sealed to provide the removable seal and this may be provided automatically after the material has been introduced and the end sealed. The tear line is usually positioned just below the seal.

The pouches are preferably produced on a continuous line where the appropriate material is provided and then continuously shaped and sealed at the sides and one end, any contents introduced into the pouch and a seal formed at the other end and the completed pouch cut from the material to allow the next pouch to be formed in the same manner. It is preferred to use a vertical form fill seal machine wherein the material is a single sheet on a reel which is folded in half and fed into the machine vertically from top to bottom and the gusset is formed on the folded edge of the material. The material may be pre printed and pre laser cut to provide the tear line. The laser cut lines are provided on both halves and are matched or aligned together and a seal created above the laser cut lines. This provides a single sheet of material now folded and welded with a channel allowing contents to be introduced to within the side of the resulting pouch. When the pouches are in this orientation on the machine, the weld line forming the base of the pouch is also at the top of the previous filled pouch which has been cut away. The newly filled pouch is then sealed at the top and cut away from the rest of the material. For powder fills, the pouch may be gas flushed when it is filled which not only preserves the content but makes it easier for a holder to be introduced when the tear strip has been removed from the pouch. For liquid fills the same conditions may be preferred. Alternatively the pouch may be manufactured on a horizontal fill form machine, here the pouches are made horizontally, although this is not preferred as the volume capability is not as high and the machines take up a larger footprint.

To enhance the opening of the pouch and expansion of the gusset, the two side seams of the preferred pouch assist in creating the supporting structure and the powder when introduced can be gas flushed which helps form the cylindrical shape of the pouch when the tear seal is removed. To further assist, two laser cut points or dots may be introduced on the material at the fold line of the gusset at the first sealed end. This can enhance uniformity in the gusset when being opened for some applications that may not require liquid to be added above ambient temperature for example.

An important feature of the pouch of this invention is that the material from which it is made does not contain any metal such as metal to provide barrier properties because of the need to see the content and measurement marks. The pouches can be made from two sheets or one with a single side seam although two side seams (using a single folded sheet) are preferred. Four side seams can be formed when creating a ‘block bottom’ or ‘push pop’ style pouch although we prefer the ‘Doy style’ pouch with a single gusset at the bottom and with two side seams and a single weld at the top which provides the most appropriate stability and uniformity.

Any suitable material may be used to manufacture the pouch. The material can have a thickness in the range of 40pm to 250 pm and preferably between 100 pm to 120 pm with 102pm to 115 pm being most preferred. The material should have the desired permeability, strength, flexibility, transparency, sealability and printability. It may therefore be necessary to employ laminates of different materials each of which contributes a particular property. For example the inner surface of the pouch may be of polyethylene in order to provide the high resistance to permeability of oxygen and water and also to provide sealability and the outer surface of the pouch may be of polypropylene to provide increased strength, printability whilst retaining flexibility. Other materials that may be used include polyamide films and polyester films. Where the pouch is to be used for foodstuffs the materials need to satisfy the appropriate health requirements particularly in relation to any additives which may be present in the walls of the pouch which must not migrate into the contents of the pouch. A preferred laminate from which to produce the pouch comprises an inner layer that is rough to create a good friction fit to a holder. An inner layer comprising a polyethylene film coated with an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer to provide barrier properties preferably comprising two layers of polyethylene with the ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer between them, the polyethylene having a seal initiation temperature of about 100°C is particularly useful. Such a film of thickness of 50 to 100 pm particularly 60 to 80 pm being especially preferred as the inner layer. The middle layer of the laminate is preferably a film of polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate coated with silica and an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer to provide further barrier properties. Hereagain this middle layer may be a three layer sandwich of two polyester layers with the silica and ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer between them. This middle layer is preferably of thickness 8 to 16 pm more preferably 10 to 14 pm. The outer layer of the three layer laminate is preferably of oriented preferably transparent polypropylene to enable provision of the slip ring when used with the holder system. The outer layer preferably has a thickness of 10 to 30 pm more preferably 15 to 25 pm. The tear line may therefore be formed by cutting through the outer polypropylene layer and perhaps part of the middle polyester layer whilst leaving the inner layer intact and providing barrier properties.

By way of example, alternative materials for manufacture of the pouch can include the barrier layer in the middle of the three layers only. Or, if two layers are used, the barrier layer can be on one or both of the layers. If only one barrier layer is used, preferably on the inside layer. A print layer for pouch artwork including measurements and level indicators indicating content by liquid volume may be provided on the underside of the orientated polypropylene layer between the middle layer and outer layer.

Where multilayers films are used it is preferred that the lamination of the layers is performed in the melt and is solvent free. The laser cut line to produce the tear line is preferably through the orientated polypropylene layer and possibly into some of the polyester layer. The two barrier film layers are used in order to ensure the low permeability to water and oxygen is retained at the tear line. The additional barrier film layer also extends the shelf life up to 18 months. A pouch derived from these materials conforms to all relevant testing standards in particular to BSEN14350 materials standards which includes migration of certain elements for drinking bottles. Our preferred pouch material does not exceed any of the permitted tolerances.

Typical additives include slip agents such as silica and antioxidants to retard any degradation of the materials used to produce the pouch and any antioxidants that are used are preferably metal free.

The invention is illustrated but in no way limited by reference to the accompanying drawings in which

Figure 1 shows a pouch according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows the pouch shown in Figure 1 with the removable seal removed and the pouch in its self-standing position.

Figure 3 shows how the holder component of a holder system according to GB 1517743.9 can be inserted into the open end of the self-standing pouch shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3 also shows how the ring component of the holder system according to GB 1517743.9 can slide upwards around the exterior of the pouch towards the holder.

Figure 4 shows the ring component of Figure 3 engaged with the holder and holding the upper end of the pouch between the holder and the ring.

Figure 5 shows how a cap (which may contain a teat not shown) component of a holder system according to GB 1517743.9 can be provided to seal the container.

Figure 6 shows how the cap of Figure 5 can be opened to expose the teat.

Figure 7 is a cross section schematic view of the material used to make the pouch showing the laser created tear line.

Figure 1 shows a pouch (1) with a seal at both sides (2) and (3) and also at the bottom (4) provided with gusset (5) and (6). The pouch is sealed at the top (7) where it is provided with a tear line (8) to enable removal of the seal. The walls of the pouch (9) are transparent and provided with measurement markers (10). Although not shown the pouch is of a laminar material with an inner barrier layer providing barrier properties in all areas including the tear line.

Figure 2 shows how the pouch shown in Figure 1 can be converted into cylindrical vessel with an open end (11) by removal of the seal (6) along the tear line (7) and making use of the gussets (5) and (6) to make the cylindrical vessel self-standing. Although not shown the tear line does not extend into the inner barrier layer of the lamination.

Figure 3 show the cylindrical vessel shown in Figure 2 with a holder (12) inserted into the open end (11) of the cylindrical vessel and also with a ring (13) of a holder system positioned around the perimeter of the cylindrical vessel ready for engagement with the holder (12).

Figure 4 shows the vessel of Figure 3 ready for filling with the ring (13) engaged with the holder to secure the upper end of the cylindrical vessel between the ring (13) and the holder (12).

Figure 5 shows the vessel of Figure 4 provided with a cap (14) to provide a liquid tight container.

Figure 6 shows how the cap (14) of Figure 5 can be removed to expose a teat (15).

Figure 7 is a schematic cross section of a three layer laminate which may be used to make the pouch of this invention. The detailed structure of each layer is not shown and each layer may itself be multilayer as previously described. In Figure 7 layer (16) is the outer layer of the pouch, layer (17) is the middle layer which provides barrier properties and layer (18) is the inner layer which also provides barrier properties. (19) is the tear line provided to enable the sealed second end of the pouch to be removed. As shown in Figure 7 the tear line 19) does not pass into the inner layer (18) and accordingly the barrier properties provided by layer (18) are retained.

In these Figures the contents of the pouch and container are not shown but the pouch could contain a powdered infant feed such as powdered milk and the desired amount of water to dissolve the powder to produce the milk can readily be introduced through the holder to the level indicated by the measurement markers preferably in ml (10) when the container is assembled as shown in Figure 4. The measurement markers may also include or be level indictors according to the age of a baby, indicating how much to feed during a single feed.

Accordingly in use as a bottle to provide for example, milk to an infant, the removable seal can be removed from a pouch containing powdered milk, the pouch may then be assembled with the holder and ring as shown to provide a vessel with an open end. Water can be provided through the opening of the holder (shown in Figure 4) in the desired amount as indicated by the measurement markings and the cap component of the holder then placed on the holder component to provide a water tight container ready for use. In other uses the pouch may contain other foods and drinks, other powders, gels and pastes and may be used for sporting drinks, outdoor drinks, drinks for the aged and also may have medical applications such as the administration of fluids in hospitals. Radio Frequency tags, barcodes, special scanner inks and the like may be provided on the pouches so they can be scanned by third party devices such as mobile phones to provide information relating to traceability or a ‘how to use’ video for example.

Once used such as for a baby feed, the ring of the holder system can be released from the holder, the used pouch removed from the holder and disposed of and the holder system may be cleaned and sterilised ready for use with another pouch.

The invention therefore provides several embodiments as described and illustrated herein. The invention provides the novel pouch both empty and prefilled and its method of manufacture whether filled or not, in particular having a tear line to provide a removable seal and produced from a barrier material that provides barrier properties at all areas including at the tear line. The invention further provides the pouch with the removable seal removed and held by the holder and ring of the holder system of GB Patent Application 1517743.9. In a further embodiment the invention provides the container comprising the pouch of this invention held by the holder and ring of the holder system further provided with a cap over the holder and such a container wherein a delivery system is provided in the holder system particularly when the container system is a baby bottle and the delivery system is a teat.

The holder may contain many different dispense systems depending use envisaged for the container. A straw, beaker or an opening for ordinary consumption are examples of alternative dispense systems.

The pouch can be sold individually or as a set or in packs of multiple pouches which may include one or more holder(s) with dispense system(s).

Claims

1. A flexible pouch comprising a first sealed end and a second end sealed provided with a tear line to make the second end seal a removable seal and provided with one or more gussets at the first sealed end whereby the removable seal can be removed and the pouch opened to provide a self-standing vessel wherein the walls of the pouch are of materials providing a barrier to the passage of water and air at all areas including the tear line and at least part of the walls of the pouch are transparent and measurement marks are provided on a transparent section of the walls of the pouch to enable sight of the volume of material within the self-standing vessel.

2. A pouch according to Claim 1 having a single gusset to form a base for the vessel to be self-standing.

3. A pouch according to Claim 1 provided with two gussets opposing to each other when the pouch is self-standing.

4. A pouch according to any of the preceding claims wherein the barrier material comprises plastic film having a low permeability to oxygen and also low permeability to water vapour.

5. A pouch according to Claim 4 in which the permeability to oxygen is no more than 0.8 and the permeability to water vapour is no more than 0.3.

6. A pouch according to any of the preceding claims in which the material contains a layer of an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer.

7. A pouch according to any of the preceding claims containing at least two barrier layers.

8. A pouch according to any of the preceding claims in which the walls are made from flexible thermoplastic film having a tensile strength greater than 90 N and being resistant to any liquids that may be introduced into the pouch.

9. A pouch according to any of the preceding claims in which the pouch is printable and the walls are transparent at least at the position of the measurement marks.

10. A pouch according to any of the preceding claims in which the removable seal at the end of the pouch is such that the end of the pouch can be removed by hand.

11. A pouch according to Claim 10 in which the seal is removable by a tear line provided across the width of the pouch and near to the second end of the pouch.

12. A pouch according to Claim 11 in which the tear line is formed by removing from one third to two thirds of the thickness of the material along the tear line whilst leaving a thickness of barrier material.

13. A pouch according to any of the preceding claims the walls of which have a thickness in the range of 40 pm to 250 pm..

14. A pouch according to Claim 13 in which the walls are of laminated materials.

15. A pouch according to Claim 14 in which the inner surface of the pouch is of polyethylene and the outer surface of the pouch is of polypropylene with one or more barrier layers therebetween.

16. A pouch according to Claim 15 in which the barrier layer comprises an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer laminated to the polyethylene layer.

17. A pouch according to Claim 15 or Claim 16 in which the barrier layer comprises a polyester film coated with an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer.

18. A pouch according to Claim 17 in which the layer comprises two layers of polyester film with a layer of an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer therebetween.

19. A pouch according to any of the preceding claims wherein contents are introduced at the point of manufacture and the barrier properties are provided without employing any metals

20. A pouch according to any of the preceding claims wherein at least part of the walls of the pouch remain transparent when the pouch is printed and measurement marks are provided on a transparent section of the walls of the pouch.

21. A pouch according to any of the preceding claims wherein the measurement marks are in units of measurement for liquid volumes such as ml/L/fl.oz

22. A process for the production of a pouch according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the pouches are produced on a continuous line where the material is provided, continuously shaped and sealed at the side and one end, optionally introducing contents into the pouch, a second seal formed at the other end and a tear line is pre-formed across the pouch close to the second seal and the completed pouch cut from the material to allow another pouch to be formed.

23. A process according to Claim 22 performed in a vertical fill form seal machine wherein the material is a single sheet with pre-printed artwork and tear lines on a reel which is folded in half and fed into the machine vertically from top to bottom and the gusset is formed on at one end of the folded edge of the material and at the other end laser cut lines are aligned on both halves of the folded material and are mated together and a weld created above the laser cut lines which form the tear line.

24. A container comprising a pouch according to any of Claims 1 to 21 attached to a holder.

25. A container according to Claim 24 further provided with a cap over the holder.

26. A container according to Claim 24 or Claim 25 wherein a delivery system is provided in the holder system.

27. A container according to any of Claims 24 to 26 comprising a baby bottle wherein the delivery system is a teat.

28. A container according to any of Claims 24 to 26 wherein the delivery system is a straw system