JP7487561B2 - Pouches and How to Use Them - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a pouch that prevents water from spilling out when heated.

Conventionally, there is known a packaging bag that can cook food in a microwave oven while the food is still in the container, and that has the effect of steaming the food by using the steam generated during cooking, and that can also allow the steam to escape by partially peeling off the heat-sealed part due to the internal steam pressure (see Patent Document 1). On the other hand, a tray-shaped device is also used in which water is poured over dried noodles and the like, and the food is heated in a microwave oven for simple cooking.

JP 2015-120550 A

The tray format mentioned above has the problem that it is difficult to handle as a container for selling food, etc. Another problem with the tray format is that it must be washed every time cooking, which uses a lot of water and increases the amount of work. On the other hand, with the pouch shape, it is possible to purchase the food content and heat it as is. In particular, when the content is dried noodles, the top of the pouch can be opened, water poured in and heated to cause the noodles or other food to absorb moisture. However, depending on the shape of the pouch, the water can become bubbles containing steam when heated and spill out, making it difficult to boil the noodles.

Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to provide a pouch that can prevent water from spilling over when heated, and a method for using the pouch.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides
A pouch having a storage portion between a front film, a back film, and a bottom film,
A first edge portion;
a second edge portion opposite the first edge portion;
a third edge and a fourth edge extending between the first edge and the second edge;
A tearing line formed along the first edge portion on the front film and the back film;
a gusset portion having a first pleat portion and a second pleat portion formed by joining the bottom film to the front film and the back film,
a distance W1 between an outer edge of the third edge side of the containing portion and an outer edge of the fourth edge side of the containing portion is greater than a distance H2 between a folded portion of the bottom film, which is a boundary between the first fold portion and the second fold portion when the bottom film is folded, and the opening planned line;
The distance H2 is equal to or greater than the distance H3 between the outer edge of the storage portion 11 on the second edge portion 5 side and the folded-in portion,
A pouch is provided, wherein the first pleat and the second pleat are not fixed.

The pouch of the present invention further comprises:
The distance W1, the distance H2, and the distance H3 may satisfy both of the following conditions C1 and C2.
(C1) 2.0×(H2+H3)≦W1≦2.5×(H2+H3)
(C2) H3≦H2≦2.0×H3

The pouch of the present invention further comprises:
The thickness of the front film, the back film, and the bottom film may be 75 μm or more and 130 μm or less.

The pouch of the present invention further comprises:
When the bottom film is folded in an overlapping state by the fold-in portion without containing any contents, the portion of the front film overlapping the fold-in portion is defined as the upper end of the first fold portion, and the portion of the front film overlapping the fold-in portion is defined as the upper end of the second fold portion,
a first region includes the first pleat, the second pleat, and a region closer to the bottom film than an upper end of a gusset portion connecting an upper end of the first pleat and an upper end of the second pleat;
The noodles as the contents may be contained within the first region with the longitudinal direction of the noodles aligned along the first edge portion.

A shape-retaining portion may be provided between the intended opening line and the fold-in portion, the shape-retaining portion extending in a direction connecting the third edge portion and the fourth edge portion.

The shape-retaining portion may be an opening/closing mechanism that engages a first member and a second member that are bonded to the front film and the back film, respectively.

a third edge seal formed along the third edge and a fourth edge seal formed along the fourth edge,
The shape-retaining portion may be formed across from the third edge seal portion to the fourth edge seal portion.

The present invention also provides a method for producing a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:
A storage section is provided between the front film, the back film, and the bottom film,
A method for using a pouch having a first edge, a second edge opposite to the first edge, a third edge and a fourth edge extending between the first edge and the second edge, a planned opening line formed along the first edge in the front film and the back film, and a gusset portion having a first pleat and a second pleat formed on the second edge side, wherein the first pleat and the second pleat are not fixed, comprising:
Opening the first edge side along a planned opening line formed on the pouch to form an opening;
Water is added through the opening, the first pleats and the second pleats are expanded, and the container is placed with the second edge side facing downward and the opening facing upward in a state in which contents are accommodated in the first pleats and the second pleats.
Heating the pouch in a microwave oven;
Allowing bubbles containing water to rise along an outer edge of the third edge portion of the storage portion and an outer edge of the fourth edge portion of the storage portion;
When the bubbles fall, they are received by the inner surfaces of the front and back films and are absorbed into the contents, thereby providing a method for using the pouch.

The present invention provides a pouch that can prevent water from spilling over when heated, and a method for using the pouch.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a pouch according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing components constituting the pouch according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a pouch according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of the pouch after it has been filled and sealed. 13 is a diagram showing the state in which the container is placed so that the bottom film is in contact with the placement surface after the contents have been filled and sealed. FIG. FIG. 2 shows the pouch after it has been opened and water has been poured into the pouch containing the contents. FIG. 13 is a front view of a pouch in a modified example. FIG. 11 is a front view showing a pouch according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a front view showing a pouch according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 10 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line EE shown in FIG. 9. 13 is a diagram showing a pouch according to a third embodiment that has been filled with contents, sealed, and then placed with the bottom film in contact with a placement surface. FIG. FIG. 13 shows a pouch according to a third embodiment after opening and injecting water into the pouch containing the contents. FIG. 11 is a front view showing a modified example of a pouch according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
First Embodiment
Fig. 1 is a front view showing a pouch according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an exploded view showing members constituting the pouch according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the pouch according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The pouch according to this embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 3 shows the pouch in a state before being filled with contents (a state in which no contents are filled). The pouch according to this embodiment has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and includes a first edge 4 and a second edge 5 opposed to each other, and a third edge 6 and a fourth edge 7 extending between the first edge 4 and the second edge 5.

In this specification, the term "rectangle" refers not only to a rectangle with right-angled corners, but also to a rectangle with its four corners beveled to form an outwardly convex arc, and other shapes that can be considered to be approximately rectangular. In this specification, the term "pouch" refers not only to a pouch that is not filled with contents, but also to a pouch that is filled with contents. In addition, the pouch of this embodiment has a bottom gusset portion 9 with a first pleat portion 9a and a second pleat portion 9b on the second edge portion 5 side. By widening the bottom surface so that the first pleat portion 9a and the second pleat portion 9b of the bottom gusset portion 9 are spaced apart, the pouch can be made to stand on its own by placing it with the first edge portion 4 side facing up and the second edge portion 5 side facing down.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pouch of this embodiment is composed of three components: a substantially rectangular front film 1, a back film 2 having the same shape as the front film 1, and a substantially rectangular bottom film 3. The pouch of this embodiment is formed by joining the three films, the front film 1, the back film 2, and the bottom film 3, at predetermined locations by heat sealing (thermal fusion) or the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, the bottom film 3 is folded in half at the fold 3a, and is divided into a first portion 3f and a second portion 3g by the fold 3a. In order to stabilize the self-supporting property when heated in a microwave oven, it is preferable that the distance from the fold 3a to the second edge 5 of the pouch in the direction perpendicular to the fold 3a is, for example, 35 mm or more. The fold 3a is also the boundary between the first pleat portion 9a and the second pleat portion 9b.

<Each seal part>
As shown in Fig. 1, the pouch of this embodiment includes a bottom seal portion 15, a third edge seal portion 16, and a fourth edge seal portion 17, and the first edge portion 4 side is left unsealed and has an opening for filling the contents. The bottom seal portion 15 includes a first bottom seal portion 15a and a second bottom seal portion 15b. In Fig. 1, each seal portion is indicated by hatching with oblique lines.

The third edge seal portion 16 and the fourth edge seal portion 17 are formed by sealing and joining the front film 1 and the back film 2. The third edge seal portion 16 is formed along the third edge portion 6 so as to include the third edge portion 6 (the left end in FIG. 1), and the fourth edge seal portion 17 is formed along the fourth edge portion 7 so as to include the fourth edge portion 7 (the right end in FIG. 1). The seal width of the third edge seal portion 16 and the fourth edge seal portion 17 is preferably, for example, 8 mm or more and 30 mm or less. From the viewpoint of preventing burns when the third edge seal portion 16 and the fourth edge seal portion 17 are held by hand, the seal width can be 15 mm or more. The seal width is the width in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the seal portion extends.

The bottom seal portion 15 is a seal portion formed on the second edge 5 side (lower side in Figs. 1 and 3) from the folded portion 3a, and is composed of a first bottom seal portion 15a and a second bottom seal portion 15b. As shown in Fig. 1, the bottom seal portion 15 is formed in a substantially U-shape along the third edge 6, the second edge 5, and the fourth edge 7 on the second edge 5 side from the folded portion 3a. Of these, the seal portion formed along the second edge 5 is the first bottom seal portion 15a, and the seal portion formed along the third edge 6 and the fourth edge 7 is the second bottom seal portion 15b. The bottom seal portion 15 is a seal portion in which the first portion 3f of the front film 1 and the bottom film 3, and the second portion 3g of the back film 2 and the bottom film 3 are sealed. The bottom films 3 folded by the folded portion 3a are not sealed to each other. On the second edge 5 side of the folded-in portion 3a, where the bottom film 3 exists, there is no place where the front film 1 and the back film 2 directly face each other, so there is no place where the front film 1 and the back film 2 are joined. Therefore, the two first pleats 9a and the second pleats 9b that make up the bottom gusset portion 9 are not fixed.

<Bottom gusset>
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a pouch according to an embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 3, the portion indicated by diagonal hatching is a seal portion. As shown in Fig. 3, the first portion 3f of the bottom film 3 and the portion of the front film 1 corresponding to the first portion 3f of the bottom film 3 are joined by the bottom seal portion 15 to form a first fold portion 9a. In addition, the second portion 3g of the bottom film 3 and the portion of the back film 2 corresponding to the second portion 3g of the bottom film 3 are joined by the bottom seal portion 15 to form a second fold portion 9b. The first fold portion 9a and the second fold portion 9b form a bottom gusset portion 9. In addition, the upper end of the first fold portion 9a is the first fold portion upper end 9at, and the upper end of the second fold portion 9b is the second fold portion upper end 9bt. The upper end 9at of the first pleat and the upper end 9bt of the second pleat are both imaginary line segments whose distances from the first edge 4 and the second edge 5 are equal to the fold-in portion 3a. In the front view of Fig. 1, the first pleat 9a is visible below the fold-in portion 3a.

As described above, the bottom seal portion 15 is formed in a generally U-shape in front view along the third edge portion 6, the second edge portion 5, and the fourth edge portion 7 on the second edge portion 5 side of the folded portion 3a. The bottom seal portion 15 forms a first fold portion 9a by joining the first portion 3f of the bottom film 3 to a portion of the front film 1 corresponding to the first portion 3f of the bottom film 3, and forms a second fold portion 9b by joining the second portion 3g of the bottom film 3 to a portion of the back film 2 corresponding to the second portion 3g of the bottom film 3.

As shown in Figures 3(a) and (b), the opposing first and second portions 3f and 3g of the bottom film 3 are not joined to each other over their entire surfaces. Therefore, the first and second pleats 9a and 9b, which respectively comprise the opposing first and second portions 3f and 3g, are not fixed. In this way, because the first and second pleats 9a and 9b are not fixed, when the pouch is placed with the first edge 4 side facing up and the second edge 5 side facing down, the first and second pleats 9a and 9b are separated, and the bottom film 3 opens flat to function as the bottom of the pouch.

<Storage section>
After the contents are accommodated through the opening on the first edge 4 side, the first edge seal portion 14 is formed at the first edge seal portion (above the dashed line) indicated as 14a in Fig. 1, and the pouch is sealed (see Fig. 4). The first edge seal portion 14 is formed along the first edge 4 from the third edge seal portion 16 to the fourth edge seal portion 17. The accommodation portion 11 is defined by the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16, the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17, the inner edge of the bottom seal portion 15 (first bottom seal portion 15a, second bottom seal portion 15b), and the inner edge of the first edge seal portion 14. Therefore, the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16, the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17, the inner edge of the bottom seal portion 15 (first bottom seal portion 15a, second bottom seal portion 15b), and the inner edge of the first edge seal portion 14 become the outer edge of the accommodating portion 11.

Figure 4 is a front view of the pouch after it has been filled with the contents and sealed. Also, Figure 5 is a diagram showing the state in which the pouch has been filled with the contents and sealed, and then placed so that the bottom film 3 is in contact with the placement surface. In Figures 4 and 5, the contents N are placed mainly on the inner side of the first pleat 9a and the inner side of the second pleat 9b, and the first edge 4 side is sealed by the first edge seal portion 14. In Figure 5, the folded portion 3a is located at the bottom. Figures 4 and 5(a) are front views from the front film 1 side, which is the same viewpoint as Figure 1, and Figure 5(b) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line C-C in Figure 5(a).

5, the storage section 11 is divided into two regions, a first region 11a and a second region 11b. Specifically, in the storage section 11, the imaginary line connecting the first pleat upper end 9at and the second pleat upper end 9bt is the upper end of the bottom gusset, and the region closer to the bottom film 3 than the upper end of the bottom gusset is the first region 11a. Therefore, the first region 11a also includes the inner side of the first pleat 9a and the inner side of the second pleat 9b. The first pleat upper end 9at, which is the upper end of the first pleat 9a, is the portion of the front film 1 that overlaps with the fold-in portion 3a when the bottom film 3 is folded in a state where it overlaps with the fold-in portion 3a without containing the contents N, as shown in FIG. In addition, the upper end of the second fold 9b, which is the upper end of the second fold 9b, is the portion of the back film 2 that overlaps with the fold 3a when the bottom film 3 is folded so that it overlaps with the fold 3a without containing the contents N, as shown in FIG. 3.

The second region 11b is a region other than the first region 11a in the storage section 11. Therefore, the second region 11b is a region closer to the first edge portion 4 than the upper end of the bottom gusset portion that connects the upper end 9at of the first pleat portion and the upper end 9bt of the second pleat portion.

When the storage section 11 is divided according to the above definition, it is preferable that the contents N are all contained within the first region 11a. In particular, when the contents N are noodles, it is preferable that the contents N are contained with the longitudinal direction of the noodles oriented along the first edge portion 4. In this way, by containing all the contents N in the first region 11a, it is possible for the entire pouch to stand stably and independently when placed with the bottom film 3 facing downward.

<Contents>
The contents are preferably foods capable of absorbing moisture. Examples include noodles such as pasta, udon, soba, and ramen. As for noodles, both dried noodles and non-dried noodles such as fresh pasta can be used as the contents.

<Film details>
A laminated film can be used as the front film, back film, and bottom film of the pouch. The laminated film is a laminate including at least a base layer and a sealant layer from the outside. For example, the laminated film is formed by laminating a base layer, a printed layer, other layers (e.g., a barrier layer), and a sealant layer in this order from the outside. The printed layer and other layers are not essential. An adhesive layer can also be used to laminate these layers. The sealant layer is a layer that constitutes the innermost surface of the pouch. The pouch according to this embodiment is required to be resistant to heat. For this reason, the base layer is preferably made of a material having heat resistance. For example, polyester films such as polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate, polyamide films such as nylon, polypropylene films, etc. can be used as the material of the base layer. The thickness is about 10 μm to 50 μm. The base layer is preferably biaxially stretched.

The laminated film may also have multiple substrate layers. The multiple substrate layers may include a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer. The first substrate layer and the second substrate layer may be selected from the above materials in appropriate combination. For example, polyethylene terephthalate may be used as the first substrate layer, which is the outermost layer, and polyamide may be used as the second substrate layer, which is the inner layer (sealant layer side). The second substrate layer is stretched from one side edge to the other side edge. For example, the second substrate layer may be "EMBLEM (registered trademark) NC" manufactured by Unitika Ltd., which contains MXD (metaxylenediamine) having excellent barrier properties. For the second substrate layer, polyester such as "EMBLET (registered trademark) PC" manufactured by Unitika Ltd. or "EMBLET (registered trademark) PCBC" manufactured by Unitika Ltd. may also be used. The first substrate layer and the second substrate layer may be laminated, for example, by a dry lamination method.

The printing layer is provided to display the product contents, to impart an aesthetic look, and to display cut portions. The printing layer is formed from printing ink containing a binder and a pigment. The sealant layer is placed on the side of the laminated film that will be the innermost side of the container when the film is made into a pouch. Polyolefin resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and ethylene-propylene block copolymer can be used as the material for the sealant layer. The thickness of the sealant layer is 30 μm or more and 150 μm or less. It is preferable that the sealant layer is unstretched.

The laminated film may include other layers. The other layers may be provided on the outside of the base layer, or between the base layer and the sealant layer. As the other layers, appropriate ones are selected according to the required functions, such as water vapor and other gas barrier properties, light shielding properties, etc. For example, when the other layer is a gas barrier layer, a vapor deposition layer of a metal oxide such as aluminum oxide or an inorganic oxide such as silicon oxide is provided. The vapor deposition layer may be laminated on the base layer or may be vapor deposited on the sealant layer. In addition, a resin layer having gas barrier properties, such as ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), polyvinylidene chloride resin (PVDC), or aromatic polyamide such as nylon MXD6, may be provided. Each layer can be laminated using a dry lamination method, a melt extrusion method, or the like.

Specific examples of the layer structure of a laminated film with one base layer include the following:

・Transparent vapor-deposited stretched nylon (ONY) 15 μm / printing layer (ink) / adhesive / linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) 60 μm (total thickness 79 μm)
・Transparent vapor-deposited polyethylene terephthalate (PET) 12 μm / printing layer / adhesive / LLDPE 80 μm (total thickness 96 μm)
Furthermore, examples of a substrate having two layers include the following.
・Transparent vapor-deposited PET 12 μm/printed layer/adhesive/ONY 15 μm/adhesive/LLDPE 50 μm (total thickness 81 μm)
- ONY 15 μm / printing layer / adhesive / transparent vapor deposition PET 12 μm / adhesive / LLDPE 80 μm (total thickness 111 μm)
・Transparent vapor-deposited PET 12 μm/printed layer/adhesive/ONY 15 μm/adhesive/CPP 50 μm (total thickness 81 μm)
・PET 12μm/printed layer/adhesive/transparent vapor-deposited PET 12μm/adhesive/CPP 60μm (total thickness 88μm)

The transparently vapor-deposited base layer also functions as a barrier layer. The total thickness of the laminated film is preferably 75 μm or more and 130 μm or less. If the total thickness of the laminated film is less than 75 μm, it will not be able to withstand the weight of water added to the storage section 11, making it difficult to maintain the bag shape during cooking. Also, if the total thickness of the laminated film exceeds 130 μm, the stiffness of the laminated film, which is the packaging material, will be too strong, and an appropriate bag shape will not be obtained even if water is added to the storage section 11.

<Scheduled opening line>
In this embodiment, the opening line 12 is formed between the folded portion 3a and the first edge portion 4. The opening line 12 is formed parallel to the folded portion 3a and the first edge portion 4. The opening line 12 is a half-cut line that penetrates the base material layer and does not penetrate the sealant layer. In the case of a half-cut line, the opening line 12 may be formed using a blade or by laser processing. In addition, in the case of a half-cut line, the opening line 12 may be a line that extends continuously or may be a line that extends intermittently. In addition, the opening line 12 may be provided so as to extend from the third edge portion 6 to the fourth edge portion 7 of the pouch.

The opening line 12 may be realized by a straight-cut film. A straight-cut film is a film that can be torn linearly in one direction. The straight-cut film has a tensile strength in the MD direction (film flow direction) greater than the tensile strength in the TD direction (direction perpendicular to the MD direction). When the opening line 12 is realized by a straight-cut film, a straight-cut film is used for at least one of the base layer and the sealant layer. When a straight-cut film is used for the base layer, for example, Emblem (registered trademark) PC or Emblem (registered trademark) NC manufactured by Unitika Co., Ltd. can be used as the base layer. The tensile strength of Emblem (registered trademark) PC in the MD direction is 200 MPa, and the tensile strength in the TD direction is 180 MPa. When a straight-cut film is used for the sealant layer, for example, ZK500R manufactured by Toray Film Processing Co., Ltd. can be used as the sealant layer.

When creating a planned opening line using straight-cut film, the film can be opened at any position along the first edge 4. For this reason, if there is no indication, it is difficult to determine where to cut. Therefore, when creating a planned opening line using straight-cut film, the planned opening line is indicated by printing. For example, the position of the planned opening line 12 can be determined by actually printing a line at the position of the planned opening line shown by the dashed line in Figure 1.

In addition, in order to facilitate opening, an opening start means may be provided in addition to the opening planned line 12. The opening start means can be realized by a cut or notch, also called a notch. When a notch (cut or notch) is formed as the opening start means, it is formed at a position corresponding to the opening planned line 12 on at least one of the third edge portion 6 and the fourth edge portion 7. When the third edge portion 6 and the fourth edge portion 7 are not straight but have a so-called jagged shape (a shape connected by straight lines with alternating inclinations), as is often seen in pillow packaging, a large number of notch-like shapes formed by two straight line portions are formed on the third edge portion 6 and the fourth edge portion 7. In this case, the notch-like parts recessed toward the storage portion 11 side of the third edge portion 6 and the fourth edge portion 7 function as the opening start means. In this case, the opening planned line can be formed by printing on at least one of the front surface film 1 and the back surface film. This allows opening to be started from the third edge portion 6 and the fourth edge portion 7 corresponding to the opening planned line.

Even if the intended opening line 12 is not a half-cut line, a straight-cut film, or a printed marking, if an opening initiation means such as a notch is formed on at least one of the third edge 6 and the fourth edge 7, a line passing through the opening initiation means and parallel to the first edge 4 and the fold-in portion 3a is defined as the intended opening line.

<Dimensions and Size>
Next, the size (dimension) of each part of the pouch according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, four distances (lengths) H1, H2, H3, and W1 are defined. The size of each part of the pouch is defined by these distances. The distance H1 is the distance (length) between the outer edge of the first edge 4 side of the storage section 11 and the outer edge of the second edge 5 side of the storage section 11. That is, the distance H1 indicates the height of the storage section 11. In this embodiment, the outer edge of the first edge 4 side of the storage section 11 is the inner edge of the first edge seal section 14, and the outer edge of the second edge 5 side of the storage section 11 is the inner edge of the bottom seal section 15 along the second edge 5 side of the pouch. In addition, in FIG. 1, since the first edge seal section 14 has not yet been formed, the first edge seal planned section 14a is used to show it.

Distance H2 is the distance (length) from the opening line 12 to the folded portion 3a when the bottom film is folded. Distance H3 is the distance (length) between the outer edge of the second edge 5 side of the storage section 11 and the folded portion 3a. In this embodiment, the outer edge of the second edge 5 side of the storage section 11 is the inner edge of the first bottom seal portion 15a formed along the second edge 5. Distance W1 indicates the distance (length) between the outer edge of the third edge 6 side of the storage section 11 and the outer edge of the fourth edge 7 side of the storage section 11. In other words, distance W1 indicates the horizontal width of the storage section 11. In this embodiment, the outer edge of the third edge 6 side of the storage section 11 is the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16, and the outer edge of the fourth edge 7 side of the storage section 11 is the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17.

When the pouch is later opened along the intended opening line 12, the position of the intended opening line 12 becomes the opening of the pouch after opening. Furthermore, when the pouch is placed with the contents contained therein, the folded portion 3a becomes the bottom surface of the pouch. Therefore, the distance H2 becomes the depth of the storage section when the pouch is placed with the contents contained therein and opened. Furthermore, when the pouch is placed with the contents contained therein, the contact area of the bottom film 3 with the placement surface in a flat state is maximized. At this time, the distance H3 affects the contact area with the placement surface and contributes to the self-supporting nature of the pouch. The distance W1 affects the horizontal cross-sectional area of the storage section 11 when the pouch is placed with the contents contained therein, and affects the amount that can be stored.

Next, the relationship between the distances will be explained. It is preferable that the distances H2, H3, and W1 satisfy the condition shown in [Condition C0] below.

[Condition C0]
H3≦H2<W1

As shown in [Condition C0], it is preferable that the distance W1 is greater than the distance H2. If the distance W1 is equal to or less than the distance H2, the opening edge defined by the intended opening line 12 does not spread sufficiently, and the outer edge on the third edge 6 side of the storage section (the inner edge of the third edge seal section 16) and the outer edge on the fourth edge 7 side of the storage section (the inner edge of the fourth edge seal section 17), which are both ends of the opening edge, do not approach each other sufficiently. For this reason, the bubbles that rise along the inner edge of the third edge seal section 16 and the inner edge of the fourth edge seal section 17 cannot be sufficiently prevented from spilling over.

Furthermore, as shown in [Condition C0], it is preferable that the distance H2 is equal to or greater than the distance H3. If the distance H2 is less than the distance H3, the depth of the storage section will be insufficient compared to the length of the bottom surface. This will make it difficult to hold the contents.

Furthermore, as a condition stricter than [Condition C0], it is preferable that distances H2, H3, and W1 each satisfy the conditions shown in the following [Condition C1] and [Condition C2].

[Condition C1]
2.0×(H2+H3)≦W1≦2.5×(H2+H3)

As shown in [Condition C1], it is preferable that the distance W1 is at least twice the sum of the distances H2 and H3. If the distance W1 is less than twice the sum of the distances H2 and H3, the opening edge defined by the intended opening line 12 does not spread sufficiently, and the inner edges of the third edge seal portion 16 and the fourth edge seal portion 17, which are both ends of the opening edge, do not approach each other sufficiently. For this reason, the bubbles that rise along the outer edge of the third edge 6 side of the storage portion (the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16) and the outer edge of the fourth edge 7 side of the storage portion (the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17) cannot be prevented from spilling out.

In addition, as shown in [Condition C1], it is preferable that the distance W1 is 2.5 times or less than the sum of the distances H2 and H3. If the distance W1 exceeds 2.5 times the sum of the distances H2 and H3, the first pleats 9a and the second pleats 9b that are expanded at the bottom gusset portion 9 cannot maintain their independence, and problems such as falling toward the front film 1 or the back film 2 are likely to occur.

[Condition C2]
H3≦H2≦2.0×H3

As shown in [Condition C2], it is preferable that the distance H2 is equal to or greater than the distance H3. This is also included in [Condition C0] above, but if the distance H2 is less than the distance H3, the depth of the storage section is insufficient compared to the length of the bottom surface. This makes it difficult to hold the contents. Also, as shown in [Condition 2], it is preferable that the distance H2 is equal to or less than twice the distance H3. If the distance H2 exceeds twice the distance H3, the opening edge defined by the opening line 12 does not spread sufficiently, and the inner edge of the third edge seal section 16 and the inner edge of the fourth edge seal section 17, which are both ends of the opening edge, are too close to each other. As a result, it is not possible to prevent the bubbles that rise along the outer edge of the third edge 6 side of the storage section (the inner edge of the third edge seal section 16) and the outer edge of the fourth edge 7 side of the storage section (the inner edge of the fourth edge seal section 17) from spilling out.

By satisfying both the above conditions [Condition C1] and [Condition C2], a pouch with less overflow can be obtained than when only the above condition [Condition C0] is satisfied.

<How to use>
A method of using the pouch according to the present embodiment as shown in FIG. 5 will be described. First, the first edge 4 side is cut along the opening line 12 to open the pouch. Then, an appropriate amount of water and a small amount of seasoning are added (put in) into the storage section 11. For example, when the content is 100 g of dried pasta, the amount of water is preferably 150 ml to 300 ml. When the amount of water is less than 150 ml, the pasta cannot absorb enough water, and the boiling is likely to be uneven. When the amount of water exceeds 300 ml, too much water is wasted, and a large amount of water remains in the storage section even after cooking. Various seasonings can be used according to preference, but when the content is dried pasta, salt or the like can be used as the seasoning.

After pouring in water and seasonings, the pasta is placed in the first area, and the bottom film 3 is placed in the microwave oven with the first fold 9a and second fold 9b open, with the bottom film 3 facing downward. Heating is then performed in the microwave oven. Figure 6 shows the pouch after it has been opened along the intended opening line 12 and water has been poured into the pouch containing the contents. Figure 6(a) is a perspective view of the front film 1 side, as seen from slightly diagonally above, and Figure 6(b) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line D-D in Figure 6(a).

In FIG. 6, the contents N are all submerged in water M. The top of the contents N is located below the water level Ma (on the bottom film 3 side). In actual pasta cooking, the pasta may protrude from the water level Ma. The state in FIG. 6 is an example of cooking. After the water is poured in, the weight of the water exerts a pushing force from inside the container 11 toward the outside on the front film 1 and back film 2. The third edge 6 and fourth edge 7 of the front film 1 and back film 2 are joined by the third edge seal 16 and fourth edge seal 17, so that the vicinity of the center in the horizontal direction opens in a direction that moves the front film 1 and back film 2 away from each other.

In the example of FIG. 6, when the pouch is opened along the opening line 12, the midpoint 12a of the front film 1 and the midpoint 12b of the back film 2 are the most expanded. After the water is poured in and the pouch is heated sufficiently, the starch of the contents soaked in the poured water starts to dissolve. Then, bubbles containing water vapor are generated from the boiled water and rise. The dashed arrow in FIG. 6(a) indicates the direction in which the bubbles rise. At this time, the bubbles below the opening continue to rise, but the bubbles generated near the inner edges of the third edge seal portion 16 and the fourth edge seal portion 17 move toward the center along the third edge seal portion 16 and the fourth edge seal portion 17 and rise from the opening. The boiled water bubbles are viscous because the starch has dissolved out, making the water vapor bubbles difficult to break. In this way, the rising bubbles float above the pouch and then fall. The dashed arrow in FIG. 6(b) indicates the direction in which the bubbles fall. Generally, as bubbles continue to grow without bursting, the number and volume of bubbles increase, making them more likely to overflow. In the pouch of this embodiment, the opening is appropriately widened to catch bubbles that are about to overflow, allowing the pasta in the storage section 11 to absorb the moisture. If the midpoint 12a of the front film 1 and the midpoint 12b of the back film 2 are not appropriately separated and the opening is not widened, the bubbles cannot be sufficiently received and the pasta, which is the content, cannot absorb the moisture. In this embodiment, the above distances W1, H2, and H3 meet the specified conditions, so that overflow of bubbles can be sufficiently suppressed and the water can be absorbed by the pasta.

After heating for a certain period of time, the pasta will have absorbed the right amount of moisture and will have the right amount of elasticity and texture. In this way, by using the pouch according to this embodiment, it becomes possible to easily cook the ingredients contained therein.

The first embodiment has been described above, but the front film 1 and the back film 2 are defined as "front" and "back" for the sake of convenience. The front film 1 and the back film 2 are symmetrical to each other, so either may be the "front" and either may be the "back". The third edge 6 and the fourth edge 7 are also symmetrical to each other, so either may be the third edge and either may be the fourth edge. The shape of the seal part is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be other shapes. A modified example of the shape of the seal part will be described. Figure 7 is a front view of a pouch in a modified example. In Figure 7, the shape of the second bottom seal part 15b is different from that in Figure 1. In the example shown in Figure 1, the second bottom seal part 15b was formed with an equal width along the third edge part 6 and the fourth edge part 7, but in the modified example shown in Figure 7, the second bottom seal part 15b is formed so that its width increases as it approaches the second edge part 5. Also, in the modified example shown in FIG. 7, the inner edge of the second bottom seal portion 15b is straight, but it may be curved.

In the above embodiment, the front film 1, the back film 2, and the bottom film 3 are each formed as three separate films to form the pouch, but they may be formed of two or one film. For example, one film in which the front film 1, the bottom film 3, and the back film 2 are connected may be used, or two films in total may be used, including the film forming the front film 1 and the film in which the back film 2 and the bottom film 3 are connected. When one film in which the front film 1, the bottom film 3, and the back film 2 are connected is used, the bottom gusset portion 9 can be formed by folding the single film twice at the second edge 5 and once at the fold-in portion 3a without forming a seal portion at the second edge 5. In this case, the pouch is sealed by filling the contents from the opening on the first edge 4 side and then forming the first edge seal portion 14.

Second Embodiment
Next, the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a front view showing a pouch according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and the description will be omitted. The pouch according to the second embodiment is significantly different from the first embodiment in that it is a pillow-type pouch having a gable portion. Therefore, the opening for filling the contents is not on the first edge portion 4 side but on the third edge portion 6 side. In addition, the bottom seal portion 15 does not have a portion corresponding to the first bottom seal portion 15a along the second edge portion 5, and only a portion corresponding to the second bottom seal portion 15b is formed.

The pouch according to the second embodiment, like the first embodiment, also comprises a front film 1, a back film 2 having the same shape as the front film 1, and a bottom film 3 having a substantially rectangular shape. However, it differs from the first embodiment in that the front film 1 comprises a seam 21. The second embodiment is a pillow-type pouch, and is obtained by sealing a single continuous film at the seam 21 to form a cylindrical body, folding the second edge 5 side to form the bottom gusset 9, and forming the fourth edge seal 17 and bottom seal 15. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the front film 1, back film 2, and bottom film 3 are composed of a single continuous laminated film.

In the pouch of the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the contents are received through the opening on the unsealed third edge 6 side, and then the third edge seal portion 16 is formed at the third edge seal portion (left side of the dashed line) indicated as 16a in FIG. 8, and the pouch is sealed (see FIG. 5). The third edge seal portion 16 is formed along the third edge 6 from the first edge 4 to the second edge 5. The storage portion 11 is defined by the first edge 4, the second edge 5, the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16, and the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17. Therefore, the first edge 4, the second edge 5, the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16, and the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17 form the outer edge of the storage portion 11.

The other features are the same as those of the first embodiment, the first pleat 9a and the second pleat 9b are not fixed, and the distances W1, H2, and H3 defined as above satisfy the conditions C1 and C2. Also, the distance H1 is the distance (length) between the outer edge of the first edge 4 side of the storage section 11 and the outer edge of the second edge 5 side of the storage section 11, as in the first embodiment, but in the second embodiment, the outer edge of the first edge 4 side of the storage section 11 coincides with the first edge 4, and the outer edge of the second edge 5 side of the storage section 11 coincides with the second edge 5. Also, the distance H3 is the distance (length) between the outer edge of the second edge 5 side of the storage section 11 and the fold-in section 3a, as in the first embodiment, but as described above, in the second embodiment, the outer edge of the second edge 5 side of the storage section 11 coincides with the second edge 5. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the fourth edge seal 17 is formed on the fourth edge 7, and the third edge 6 side is the opening for filling the contents, but since the third edge 6 and the fourth edge 7 are symmetrical to each other, the third edge seal 16 may be formed on the third edge 6, and the fourth edge 7 side may be the opening for filling the contents. However, after filling and sealing, a seal will be formed on both the third edge 6 and the fourth edge 7 side.

Third Embodiment
Next, a third embodiment will be described. Fig. 9 is a front view showing a pouch according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. The pouch according to the third embodiment is characterized in that the pouch according to the first embodiment further includes a shape retaining part for maintaining the shape of the opening. As in the first embodiment, the pouch according to the third embodiment also includes a front film 1, a back film 2 having the same shape as the front film 1, and a bottom film 3 having a substantially rectangular shape.

<Shape retention section>
A shape retaining part of the pouch according to the third embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 9, in the pouch according to the present embodiment, a shape retaining part for retaining the shape of the pouch is formed along the first edge 4. In the present embodiment, a fitting 30 that also functions as an opening and closing mechanism that allows the pouch to be opened and resealed is formed as the shape retaining part. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the line E-E shown in FIG. 9. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the pouch according to the third embodiment includes a freely openable fitting 30 made of a first member and a second member that fit together, as a shape retaining part that also functions as an opening and closing mechanism, near the first edge 4 of the storage section 11. In the present embodiment, the male member 31 is described as the first member and the female member 32 as the second member, but the female member 32 may be the first member and the male member 31 as the second member. As shown in FIG. 9, the belt-shaped fitting 30 is provided along the first edge 4. In the present embodiment, the fitting 30 is provided so that the longitudinal direction of the fitting 30 is parallel to the first edge 4.

10(b), the male member 31 has a first base 31a that is strip-shaped in plan view, and a male fitting portion 31b on one side of the first base 31a, and the other side of the first base 31a is joined to the inner surface of the front film 1. The female member 32 has a second base 32a that is strip-shaped in plan view, and a female fitting portion 32b on one side of the second base 32a, and the other side of the second base 32a is joined to the inner surface of the back film 2. In addition, in FIG. 9, in the portion where the fitting 30 overlaps with the third edge seal portion 16 and the fourth edge seal portion 17, the male member 31 as the first member and the female member 32 as the second member are welded and fixed integrally with the third edge seal portion 16 and the fourth edge seal portion 17. As shown in FIG. 9, the end of the fitting 30 closer to the first edge 4 is formed at a position closer to the second edge 5 by a distance L from the intended opening line 12. The distance L is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 mm or more and 30 mm or less, and more preferably 3 mm or more and 20 mm or less. For example, L can be set to 5 mm.

The fitting 30 formed along the first edge 4 can be used as a zipper, making it possible to open and reseal the storage section 11. The joining surface of the fitting 30 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 10, and the first base 31a may be joined to the inner surface of the back film 2, and the second base 32a may be joined to the inner surface of the front film 1.

The fitting part 30 is made of different materials for the fitting part of the male fitting part 31b and the female fitting part 32b and the base part of the first base part 31a and the second base part 32a. Of the fitting parts 30 that function as shape-retaining parts, the fitting parts of the male fitting part 31b and the female fitting part 32b mainly have a shape-retaining effect. As the material of the fitting part having a shape-retaining effect, various materials can be used as long as they can exhibit a shape-retaining effect to the extent that they can retain the shape of the opening of the pouch. For example, it is preferable to use a resin composition in which 0.1 to 40 parts by weight of inorganic filler is added to 100 parts by weight of high-density polyethylene resin. As the inorganic filler, it is preferable to select one or more from the group consisting of talc, nucleating agent, mica, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and magnesium oxide. Since the fitting parts of the male fitting part 31b and the female fitting part 32b contain the above-mentioned materials, it is possible to form the fitting part only by the extrusion molding process without the intervening stretching process.

The base material of the first base 31a and the second base 32a can be a resin compatible with the sealant layer of the laminated film used as the front film 1, the back film 2, and the bottom film 3. Specifically, it is preferable to use an olefin resin such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) that is compatible with the sealant layer of the laminated film. As the olefin resin, a polyethylene resin such as low-density polyethylene or linear low-density polyethylene, or a polypropylene resin is preferable. As the polypropylene resin, homopolypropylene, block polypropylene, random polypropylene (RPP), propylene-ethylene-butene 1 random terpolymer, etc. can be used. As shown in FIG. 10, the fitting device 30 is composed of a male member 31 and a female member 32, and the male member 31 is joined to the front film 1 and the female member 32 is joined to the back film 2 by heat sealing. At this time, a heat shield plate (not shown) is interposed between the male member 31 and the female member 32 to prevent the male member 31 and the female member 32 from thermally fusing.

Figure 10(c) is a diagram showing dimensions related to the cross section of the fitting 30. Four dimensions L1 to L4 are shown in Figure 10(c). L1 is the width of the fitting 30, which is a strip-like shape in a plan view, and is also the width of the bases of the first base 31a and the second base 32a. L2 is the width of the fitting portion of the male fitting portion 31b and the female fitting portion 32b. L3 is the height of the fitting portion of the male fitting portion 31b and the female fitting portion 32b. L4 is the thickness of the bases of the first base 31a and the second base 32a. The width L1 of the fitting 30, which is the width in the direction connecting the first edge portion 4 and the second edge portion 5, is preferably 2 mm or more and 20 mm or less. Similarly, the width L2 of the fitting portion, which is the width in the direction connecting the first edge portion 4 and the second edge portion 5, is preferably 1 mm or more and 4 mm or less. Additionally, the height L3 of the fitting portion, which is the height in the direction intersecting the planes of the front film 1 and the back film 2, is preferably 1 mm or more and 4 mm or less. Similarly, the thickness L4 of the base portion, which is the thickness in the direction intersecting the planes of the front film 1 and the back film 2, is preferably 50 μm or more and 700 μm or less. In particular, by having the width L2 and height L3 of the fitting portion, which have a high shape retention effect, within the above ranges, a fitting device 30 is obtained that has high shape retention and high operability for opening and resealing.

To avoid cluttering the drawing, FIG. 10 shows the fitting 30 with the entire first base 31a bonded to the front film 1 and the entire second base 32a bonded to the back film 2. However, in reality, it is normal for there to be no bonding in a certain range between the first end 20a, which is the end on the first edge 4 side of the fitting 30, and the second end 20b, which is the end on the second edge 5 side. This is not a feature of the present invention, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

After filling the pouch as shown in Figure 9 with the contents, the first edge seal portion 14a is heat sealed to form the first edge seal portion 14, and the pouch is sealed. Figure 11 shows a pouch according to the third embodiment that has been filled with the contents, sealed, and then placed with the bottom film 3 in contact with the placement surface.

When using a pouch according to the third embodiment with a shape-retaining portion, similar to the pouches according to the first and second embodiments, when the pouch is opened from the intended opening line and heated, it is possible to sufficiently prevent overflow of bubbles and boil the contents, such as pasta. During this process, the contents absorb moisture. Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the opening is fixed by the shape-retaining portion, which reduces the possibility of the open opening narrowing, making it even easier to prevent overflow.

<Method of using the pouch according to the third embodiment>
A method of using the pouch according to the third embodiment will be described. First, in the same manner as the pouches according to the first and second embodiments, the first edge 4 side of the pouch is cut along the opening line 12 of the pouch shown in FIG. 11 to open the pouch. Then, an appropriate amount of water and a small amount of seasoning are added into the storage portion 11. The contents and the water to be added can be added in the same manner as the pouches according to the first and second embodiments. In particular, the pouch according to the third embodiment is provided with the fitting 30 which is a shape retaining portion, so that the ratio of the distance W1 to the distances H2 and H3 is relatively large, and even if the opening according to the opening line 12 is a pouch with a shape in which one side is wider, the opening can be easily maintained in an open state.

After pouring in water and seasonings, the pasta is placed in the first area, and the bottom film 3 is placed in the microwave oven with the first fold 9a and second fold 9b open, with the bottom film 3 facing downward. Heating is then performed in the microwave oven. Figure 12 shows the pouch after it has been opened along the intended opening line 12 and water has been poured into the pouch containing the contents. Figure 12(a) is a perspective view of the front film 1 side as in Figure 6(a) and viewed from slightly above at an angle, and Figure 12(b) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line F-F in Figure 12(a).

In FIG. 12, the contents N are all submerged in water M. The top of the contents N is located below the water level Ma (on the bottom film 3 side). In actual pasta cooking, the pasta may protrude from the water level Ma. The state in FIG. 12 is an example of cooking. After the water is poured in, the weight of the water exerts a pushing force from inside the container 11 toward the outside on the front film 1 and back film 2. The third edge 6 and fourth edge 7 of the front film 1 and back film 2 are joined by the third edge seal 16 and fourth edge seal 17, so that the vicinity of the center in the horizontal direction opens in a direction that moves the front film 1 and back film 2 away from each other.

In the example of Figure 12, as in Figure 6, when the pouch is opened along the intended opening line 12, the widest state is shown at the midpoint 12a of the front film 1 and the midpoint 12b of the back film 2. In the third embodiment, the shape of the opening can be fixed by creating creases at the midpoint 12a of the front film 1 and the midpoint 12b of the back film 2 so that the shape-retaining portion has a diamond shape in the cross section of the pouch. This makes it easier to maintain the opening compared to the first embodiment.

After pouring water through the opening whose shape is maintained by the fitting 30, the pouch is heated sufficiently, and the starch of the contents soaked in the poured water starts to dissolve. Then, bubbles containing water vapor are generated from the boiling liquid and rise. The dashed arrows in FIG. 12(a) indicate the direction in which the bubbles rise, as in FIG. 6(a). At this time, the bubbles below the opening continue to rise, but the bubbles generated near the inner edges of the third and fourth edge seals 16 and 17 move toward the center along the third and fourth edge seals 16 and 17 and rise from the opening. The boiling liquid bubbles are viscous because the starch has dissolved out, making the water vapor bubbles less likely to break. In this way, the rising bubbles float above the pouch and then fall. The dashed arrows in FIG. 12(b) indicate the direction in which the bubbles fall. In general, bubbles increase without bursting, increasing the number and volume of bubbles and making it easier for the contents to overflow.

In the pouch of this embodiment, the opening is appropriately widened to catch any foam that is about to overflow, allowing the pasta in the storage section 11 to absorb the moisture. If the midpoint 12a of the front film 1 and the midpoint 12b of the back film 2 are not appropriately separated and the opening is not widened, the foam cannot be sufficiently received and the pasta, which is the content, cannot absorb the moisture. In the third embodiment, the distances W1, H2, and H3 satisfy the specified conditions, so that the foam can be sufficiently prevented from overflowing and the pasta can absorb the moisture. In particular, in the third embodiment, even if the distances W1, H2, and H3 do not completely satisfy the specified conditions, the opening shape of the shape-retaining section can be maintained to prevent the foam from overflowing.

After being heated for a predetermined time, the pasta absorbs the appropriate amount of moisture and has the appropriate elasticity and a good texture. In this way, the pouch according to the third embodiment can be used to easily cook the ingredients contained therein. The pouch according to the third embodiment has a shape-retaining portion, so the pouch shape is less likely to collapse (deform) during cooking in a microwave oven or the like, making it less likely to leak water. In addition, the opening is maintained, making it easy to add water before cooking and to add sauces after cooking. Furthermore, since the opening is maintained, the pouch can be used as a dish to easily eat. In particular, when the contents are long pasta, providing a shape-retaining portion to a pouch with a distance W1 of 250 mm or more can prevent the pouch shape from collapsing.

Up to this point, a preferred example of the third embodiment has been described using Figs. 9 to 12. Next, a modified example of the shape-retaining part will be described. Fig. 13 is a front view showing a modified example of the pouch according to the third embodiment. As is clear from a comparison with Fig. 9, in the modified example shown in Fig. 13, the fitting 30, which is the shape-retaining part, is not formed across the inner edges of the third edge seal part 16 and the fourth edge seal part 17. That is, it is formed in a partial section between the inner edges of the third edge seal part 16 and the fourth edge seal part 17. Where it is formed between the inner edges of the third edge seal part 16 and the fourth edge seal part 17 can be determined as appropriate, but in order to keep the shape of the opening after opening by the opening line 12 wide, it is preferable to form it in a position including the middle position between the third edge seal part 16 and the fourth edge seal part 17.

In FIG. 13, the two-dot chain line extending in the vertical direction is a virtual center line CE. The center line CE is a line connecting the midpoint of the first edge 4 and the midpoint of the second edge 5, and is a straight line equidistant from the third edge 6 and the fourth edge 7. Therefore, the center line CE exists at a position that is halfway between the third edge 6 and the fourth edge 7. When the seal widths of the third edge seal portion 16 and the fourth edge seal portion 17 are equal, the center line CE exists at a position that is halfway between the third edge seal portion 16 and the fourth edge seal portion 17. As shown in FIG. 13, the fitting 30 of the modified example is formed at a position that intersects with this center line CE. In other words, since it is formed at a position that includes a position that is halfway between the third edge seal portion 16 and the fourth edge seal portion 17, it acts on the middle part where the front surface film 1 and the back surface film 2 are furthest from each other, and it is possible to maintain the shape of the opening.

In this embodiment, the shape-retaining portion is realized by the fitting 30, which is an opening/closing mechanism, but the shape-retaining portion does not necessarily have to be an opening/closing mechanism, and may simply be a band-shaped member extending in the direction connecting the third edge 6 and the fourth edge 7. For example, the shape-retaining portion may be formed by the first member not having the male fitting portion 31b but only having the band-shaped first base portion 31a, the second member not having the female fitting portion 32b but only having the band-shaped second base portion 32a, and the first base portion 31a and the second base portion 32a being joined to the inner surfaces of the front film 1 and the back film 2, respectively.

The above describes the third embodiment, but various modifications are possible in the third embodiment as in the first and second embodiments. As in the first embodiment, the front film 1 and the back film 2 are symmetrical to each other, so either one can be the "front" and either one can be the "back", and the third edge 6 and the fourth edge 7 are symmetrical to each other, so either one can be the third edge and either one can be the fourth edge. As for the shape of the seal portion, as shown in FIG. 7, it may be formed so that the width increases as it approaches the second edge 5, and in this case, the inner edge of the second bottom seal portion 15b may be curved.

In the third embodiment, the front film 1, the back film 2, and the bottom film 3 are each formed as three separate films to form the pouch, but as in the first embodiment, they may be formed from two or one film. If the pouch is folded back at the second edge 5, the first bottom seal portion 15a along the second edge 5 does not need to be formed.

Example 1
A transparent vapor-deposited PET film having a thickness of 12 μm was used as the base layer, and an LLDPE film having a thickness of 80 μm was used as the sealant layer. Specifically, a printed layer was first formed on the inner surface of the transparent vapor-deposited PET film having a thickness of 12 μm, which was the base layer. The printed layer also included a printed line indicating the position of the opening line 12. Then, the surface of the printed layer was bonded to an LLDPE film having a thickness of 80 μm via an adhesive layer. As a result, a packaging material was obtained that was a laminated film having a layer structure of transparent vapor-deposited PET/printed layer/adhesive layer/LLDPE 80 μm. The adhesive layer was a cured product of an acrylic polyol and an isocyanate compound.

The obtained laminated film was cut to 240 mm x 145 mm to form the front film 1 and the back film 2. A half-cut line was formed in the front film 1 and the back film 2 as the opening line 12, which penetrated only the base material layer. Next, the packaging material was cut to 240 mm x 110 mm to form the bottom film 3. After forming the pouch according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 (the pouch in which the first edge seal portion 14 is not formed) using the front film 1, the back film 2, and the bottom film 3, 100 g of dried pasta with a diameter of 1.7 mm was placed in the storage portion 11. The pasta was placed in the first region 11a centered on the first fold portion 9a and the second fold portion 9b, with the longitudinal direction of the noodles being along the first edge portion 4 and the second edge portion 5 (the left-right direction in FIG. 5(a)).

Then, the first edge seal portion 14 was formed to form the pouch shown in FIG. 5. The seal width of the first edge seal portion 14 and the bottom seal portion 15 along the second edge portion 5 was 5 mm, and the seal width of the third edge seal portion 16 and the fourth edge seal portion 17 was 10 mm. The distance W1 between the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16 and the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17 was 220 mm, the distance H2 from the opening line 12 to the fold-in portion 3a was 60 mm, and the distance H3 from the fold-in portion 3a to the inner edge of the bottom seal portion 15 along the second edge portion 5 side of the pouch was 50 mm. W1 = 2.0 x (H2 + H3), H2 = 1.2 x H3, and both [Condition C1] and [Condition C2] are satisfied. The distance W1 is the lower limit of [Condition C1].

Example 2
A pouch containing pasta was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the distance W1 between the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16 and the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17 was set to 250 mm, and the front film 1, back film 2, and bottom film 3 were cut out to match this size. W1 = 2.3 x (H2 + H3), H2 = 1.2 x H3, satisfying both [Condition C1] and [Condition C2]. The distance W1 is intermediate between [Condition C1].

Example 3
A pouch containing pasta was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the distance W1 between the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16 and the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17 was set to 275 mm, and the front film 1, back film 2, and bottom film 3 of corresponding sizes were used. W1 = 2.5 x (H2 + H3), H2 = 1.2 x H3, and both [Condition C1] and [Condition C2] are satisfied. The distance W1 is the upper limit of [Condition C1].

Example 4
A pouch containing pasta was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the distance W1 between the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16 and the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17 was 200 mm, the distance H2 from the opening line 12 to the fold-in portion 3a was 50 mm, and the distance H3 from the fold-in portion 3a to the inner edge of the bottom seal portion 15 along the second edge 5 side of the pouch was 50 mm, and the front film 1, back film 2, and bottom film 3 of the corresponding sizes were used. W1 = 2.0 x (H2 + H3), H2 = 1.0 x H3, and both conditions [Condition C1] and [Condition C2] are satisfied. The distance W1 is the lower limit of [Condition C1], and the distance H2 is the lower limit of [Condition C2].

Example 5
A pouch containing pasta was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the distance W1 between the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16 and the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17 was 300 mm, the distance H2 from the opening line 12 to the fold-in portion 3a was 100 mm, and the distance H3 from the fold-in portion 3a to the inner edge of the bottom seal portion 15 along the second edge 5 side of the pouch was 50 mm, and the front film 1, back film 2, and bottom film 3 of the corresponding sizes were used. W1 = 2.0 x (H2 + H3), H2 = 2.0 x H3, and both conditions [Condition C1] and [Condition C2] are satisfied. The distance W1 is the lower limit of [Condition C1], and the distance H2 is the upper limit of [Condition C2].

Example 6
A pouch containing pasta was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the distance W1 between the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16 and the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17 was 250 mm, the distance H2 from the opening line 12 to the fold-in portion 3a was 50 mm, and the distance H3 from the fold-in portion 3a to the inner edge of the bottom seal portion 15 along the second edge 5 side of the pouch was 50 mm, and the front film 1, back film 2, and bottom film 3 of the corresponding sizes were used. W1 = 2.5 x (H2 + H3), H2 = 1.0 x H3, and both conditions [Condition C1] and [Condition C2] are satisfied. The distance W1 is the upper limit of [Condition C1], and the distance H2 is the lower limit of [Condition C2].

Example 7
A pouch containing pasta was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the distance W1 between the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16 and the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17 was 240 mm, the distance H2 from the opening line 12 to the fold-in portion 3a was 80 mm, and the distance H3 from the fold-in portion 3a to the inner edge of the bottom seal portion 15 along the second edge 5 side of the pouch was 40 mm, and the front film 1, back film 2, and bottom film 3 of the corresponding sizes were used. W1 = 2.0 x (H2 + H3), H2 = 2.0 x H3, and both conditions [Condition C1] and [Condition C2] are satisfied. The distance W1 is the lower limit of [Condition C1], and the distance H2 is the upper limit of [Condition C2].

Example 8
A 15 μm thick stretched nylon (ONY) film was used as the base layer, and a 70 μm thick LLDPE film was used as the sealant layer. Specifically, a printed layer was first formed on the inner surface of the 15 μm thick ONY film that was to become the base layer. The printed layer also included a printed line indicating the position of the opening line 12. Then, the printed layer side was bonded to a 70 μm thick LLDPE film via an adhesive layer. As a result, a packaging material was obtained that was a laminated film with a layer structure of ONY 15 μm/printed layer/adhesive layer/LLDPE 70 μm. The adhesive layer was a cured product of an acrylic polyol and an isocyanate compound.

The obtained laminated film was cut to 290 mm x 130 mm to form the front film 1 and the back film 2. A half-cut line penetrating only the base layer was formed on the front film 1 and the back film 2 as the opening line 12. Next, the packaging material was cut to 290 mm x 108 mm to form the bottom film 3. Furthermore, a fitting tool 30 made of polyethylene compatible with the LLDPE sealant layer was prepared. As the fitting tool 30, Idemitsu Unitech's "MFL-801K" was used. The width of the fitting tool 30 in the direction connecting the first edge 4 and the second edge 5 was set to 13 mm. Furthermore, the front film 1, the back film 2, and the bottom film 3 were used to form a pouch according to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 9 (a pouch in which the first edge seal portion 14 is not formed). At this time, the first base 31a of the male member 31 of the fitting 30 was joined to the inner surface of the front film 1, and the second base 32a of the female member 32 of the fitting 30 was joined to the inner surface of the back film 2 by heat sealing. After that, 100g of dried long pasta with a diameter of 1.7 mm was placed in the storage section 11. The long pasta was placed in such a way that the longitudinal direction of the noodles was along the first edge 4 and the second edge 5 (the left-right direction in FIG. 11), and the noodles were placed within the first region 11a centered on the first fold 9a and the second fold 9b.

Then, the first edge seal portion 14 was formed to form the pouch shown in FIG. 11. The seal width of the first edge seal portion 14 was 5 mm, the seal width of the portion of the bottom seal portion 15 along the second edge portion 5 was 4 mm, and the seal widths of the third edge seal portion 16 and the fourth edge seal portion 17 were 10 mm. The distance W1 between the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16 and the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17 was 270 mm, the distance H2 from the opening line 12 to the fold-in portion 3a was 56 mm, and the distance H3 from the fold-in portion 3a to the inner edge of the bottom seal portion 15 along the second edge portion 5 side of the pouch was 50 mm. W1 = 2.547 x (H2 + H3), H2 = 1.12 x H3, and the condition of [Condition C2] is satisfied, but W1 is too large compared to (H2 + H3) and does not satisfy [Condition C1]. However, because H3≦H2<W1, condition C0 is met.

<Comparative Example 1>
A pouch containing pasta was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the distance W1 between the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16 and the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17 was 240 mm, the distance H2 from the opening line 12 to the fold-in portion 3a was 45 mm, and the distance H3 from the fold-in portion 3a to the inner edge of the bottom seal portion 15 along the second edge 5 side of the pouch was 50 mm, and the front film 1, back film 2, and bottom film 3 of the corresponding sizes were used. W1 = 2.53 x (H2 + H3), H2 = 0.9 x H3, and neither [Condition C1] nor [Condition C2] is satisfied. The distance W1 exceeds the upper limit of [Condition C1], and the distance H2 is less than the lower limit of [Condition C2].

<Comparative Example 2>
A pouch containing pasta was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the distance W1 between the inner edge of the third edge seal portion 16 and the inner edge of the fourth edge seal portion 17 was 300 mm, the distance H2 from the opening line 12 to the fold-in portion 3a was 150 mm, and the distance H3 from the fold-in portion 3a to the inner edge of the bottom seal portion 15 along the second edge 5 side of the pouch was 50 mm, and the front film 1, back film 2, and bottom film 3 of the corresponding sizes were used. W1 = 1.5 x (H2 + H3), H2 = 3.0 x H3, and neither [Condition C1] nor [Condition C2] is satisfied. The distance W1 is less than the lower limit of [Condition C1], and the distance H2 exceeds the upper limit of [Condition C2].

<Cooking experiment>
A cooking experiment was carried out on the pouches of the embodiment and the comparative example. First, the pouch was opened by cutting the first edge 4 side along the planned opening line 12, and 200 ml of water and 1 g of salt were poured into the storage section 11. Then, the pouch was placed in a microwave oven with the first fold section 9a and the second fold section 9b spread and the bottom film 3 facing downward, and heated at 500 W for 6 minutes and 30 seconds. After heating, the amount of water that had spilled into the microwave oven was visually confirmed, and the hardness of the pasta, which was the content, was confirmed by actually eating it. When the amount of water that had spilled was small and the pasta was of a suitable hardness, it was evaluated as ◯, and when the amount of water that had spilled was too much, it was evaluated as ×. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

As shown in Table 1, good cooking results were obtained in all of Examples 1 to 7, in which distance W1, distance H2, and distance H3 satisfied both [Condition C1] and [Condition C2]. Also, good cooking results were obtained in Example 8, which did not satisfy [Condition C1] but did satisfy [Condition C0] and [Condition C2]. It is believed that the provision of a shape-retaining portion was effective in Example 8. On the other hand, in Comparative Examples 1 and 2, which did not satisfy either [Condition C1] or [Condition C2], there was a lot of overflow and good cooking results were not obtained. As a result, it was confirmed that good cooking results could be obtained with a pouch that satisfied both [Condition C1] and [Condition C2].

The above describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

1: Front film 2: Back film 3: Bottom film 3a: Fold-in portion 3f: First portion of bottom film 3g: Second portion of bottom film 4: First edge portion 5: Second edge portion 6: Third edge portion 7: Fourth edge portion 9: Bottom gusset portion 9a: First pleat portion 9at: Upper end of first pleat portion 9b: Second pleat portion 9bt: Upper end of second pleat portion 11: Storage portion 11a: First region 11b: Second region 12: Planned opening line 14: First edge seal portion 14a: First edge seal portion 15: Bottom seal portion 15a: First bottom seal portion 15b: Second bottom seal portion 16: Third edge seal portion 17: Fourth edge seal portion 21: Joint portion 30: Fitting (shape-retaining portion)
31: Male member 31a: First base 31b: Male fitting portion 32: Female member 32a: Second base 32b: Female fitting portion H1: Distance (length) between the outer edge of the first edge 4 side of the accommodation portion 11 and the outer edge of the second edge 5 side of the accommodation portion 11
H2: Distance (length) from the opening line 12 to the fold-in portion 3a
H3: Distance (length) between the outer edge of the second edge portion 5 of the storage portion 11 and the folded-in portion 3a
W1: Distance (length) between the outer edge of the storage portion 11 on the third edge 6 side and the outer edge of the storage portion 11 on the fourth edge 7 side

Claims (7)

A pouch having a storage portion between a front film, a back film, and a bottom film,
A first edge portion;
a second edge portion opposite the first edge portion;
a third edge and a fourth edge extending between the first edge and the second edge;
A tearing line formed along the first edge portion on the front film and the back film;
a gusset portion having a first pleat portion and a second pleat portion, the bottom film being joined to the front film and the back film, respectively;
a distance W1 between an outer edge of the third edge side of the containing portion and an outer edge of the fourth edge side of the containing portion is greater than a distance H2 between a folded portion of the bottom film, which is a boundary between the first fold portion and the second fold portion when the bottom film is folded, and the opening planned line;
The distance H2 is equal to or greater than a distance H3 between the outer edge of the storage portion on the second edge side and the folded-in portion,
The distance W1, the distance H2, and the distance H3 satisfy the following conditions C1 and C2,
(C1) 2.0×(H2+H3)≦W1≦2.5×(H2+H3)
(C2) H3≦H2≦2.0×H3
The pouch, wherein the first pleat and the second pleat are not fixed. 2. The pouch according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the front film, the back film, and the bottom film is 75 μm or more and 130 μm or less. When the bottom film is folded in an overlapping state by the fold-in portion without containing any contents, a portion of the front film overlapping the fold-in portion is defined as an upper end of a first fold portion, and a portion of the back film overlapping the fold-in portion is defined as an upper end of a second fold portion,
a first region includes the first pleat, the second pleat, and a region closer to the bottom film than an upper end of a gusset portion connecting an upper end of the first pleat and an upper end of the second pleat;
The noodles as the contents are arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the noodles is a direction along the first edge portion,
The pouch of claim 1 or claim 2 , contained within the first region. The pouch according to claim 1 , further comprising a shape-retaining portion between the intended opening line and the folded-in portion, the shape-retaining portion extending in a direction connecting the third edge portion and the fourth edge portion. The pouch according to claim 4 , wherein the shape-retaining portion is an opening/closing mechanism that engages a first member and a second member that are joined to the front film and the back film, respectively. a third edge seal formed along the third edge and a fourth edge seal formed along the fourth edge,
The pouch according to claim 4 or 5 , wherein the shape-retaining portion is formed from the third edge sealed portion to the fourth edge sealed portion. A storage section is provided between the front film, the back film, and the bottom film,
a first edge portion, a second edge portion opposite to the first edge portion, a third edge portion and a fourth edge portion extending between the first edge portion and the second edge portion, a planned opening line formed along the first edge portion on the front surface film and the back surface film, and a gusset portion having a first pleat portion and a second pleat portion formed on the second edge portion side,
a distance W1 between an outer edge of the third edge side of the containing portion and an outer edge of the fourth edge side of the containing portion is greater than a distance H2 between a folded portion of the bottom film, which is a boundary between the first fold portion and the second fold portion when the bottom film is folded, and the opening planned line;
The distance H2 is equal to or greater than a distance H3 between the outer edge of the storage portion on the second edge side and the fold-in portion,
The distance W1, the distance H2, and the distance H3 satisfy the following conditions C1 and C2,
(C1) 2.0×(H2+H3)≦W1≦2.5×(H2+H3)
(C2) H3≦H2≦2.0×H3
A method for using a pouch in which the first pleat portion and the second pleat portion are not fixed, comprising the steps of:
Opening the first edge side along a planned opening line formed on the pouch to form an opening;
Water is added through the opening, the first pleats and the second pleats are expanded, and the container is placed with the second edge side facing downward and the opening facing upward in a state in which contents are accommodated in the first pleats and the second pleats.
Heating the pouch in a microwave oven;
Allowing bubbles containing water to rise along an outer edge of the third edge portion of the storage portion and an outer edge of the fourth edge portion of the storage portion;
When the bubbles fall, they are received by the inner surfaces of the front film and the back film, and are absorbed into the contents.