MXPA94003426A - Folding bag with evacuation passage and metodopara factory - Google Patents

Abstract

A foldable bag for use to contain and distribute a liquid, such as a boxed bag arrangement, and a method for making the bag. Before sealing the two walls of the bag together to form the bag, a one-piece spout unit and evacuation strip is attached to the exterior surface of a bag wall and one or more openings are provided through the bag. wall of the bag in liquid communication with a plurality of liquid channels in the strip. The two walls of the bag are then sealed together to form the bag, and the evacuation strip provides fluid passages for the liquid in the bag to flow towards the spout in order to achieve complete removal of the liquid from the bag as it is fold or crush the bowl

Description

'FOLDING BAG WITH EVACUATION PASSAGE AND METHOD TO MANUFACTURE IT "INVENTORS: CHRISTOPHER C. RUTTER, and JAMES H. REBHOLZ, citizens of Australia and North America, domiciled at 1232 Sunnyhills Road, Oakland, California 94610 and 100 Santa Rosa, Place, San Ramón , California, 94583, United States of America, cede all rights to THE COCA-COLA COMPANY, a company duly organized and constituted in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delawa-re, United States of America, with address on One Coca-Cola Plaza, Atlanta, Georgia 30313 United States of America, for the invention that is described below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A collapsible bag for use to contain and distribute a liquid, such as a boxed bag arrangement, and a method for making the bag. Before sealing the two walls of the bag together to form the bag, a one-piece spout unit and evacuation strip is attached to the exterior surface of a bag wall and one or more openings are provided through the bag. wall of the bag in liquid communication with a plurality of liquid channels in the strip. The two walls of the bag are then sealed together to form the bag, and the evacuation strip provides fluid passages for the liquid in the bag to flow to the spout in order to achieve complete removal of the liquid from the bag as it is fold or crush the bag.

AflTSCEDSNTES E LA IKVSMCIQM The invention relates to folding bags of the type used in a bag in a box, for containing and dispensing liquids, such as syrups for post-sealed rests and with a method for manufacturing these bags. More particularly, this arrangement is related to bags having syrup evacuation passages accessible to the syrup for. achieve a complete withdrawal of the syrup from the bag, as the bag collapses or folds independently of the way in which both the bag and the spigot of the bag are oriented. The bags for box-in-box packages are well-known (see for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 4,601,410? 4, t37 »? 30? 4,138,036; 4,286,636 * 3» 171 »57U and 2,859,899) and some include inserts placed inside the bag to provide a passage to removal Complete the liquid from the bag as the bag is folded. Some of these inserts, such as dip tubes, are inserted into the bag after the bag is manufactured and thus filled with liquid and have the disadvantage of additional time and expense to carry out this separate additional task. . To avoid this disadvantage, the inserts subsequently part of the bag is thrown away. These insertion shoes are placed between the walls of the bag and fixed in the spigot before the walls of the bag are joined to form the bag. However, these bags are subject to the disadvantages of time, expense and additional difficulty to place these ßpi'.e? S of insertion between the walls of the bag and then also secure the insertion feet to the spout * Adeaiás »some of these insertion feet» being adjacent * or below the spigot * can interfere with or de-accelerate the filling process * another disadvantage is the possibility of these insertion feet separating from the spigot *? * to North American atampter 4 # 893 »731 overcomes these disadvantages by placing an insert to the outside of the bag adjacent to the spout and along the wall of the bag and providing syrup evacuation passages forming the wall of the bag upwards to the channels in the insert. However, when the wall of the bag moves upward towards the insertion channels, wrinkles occur in the wall of the bag which can cause problems to provide a. seal on the periphery of the walls of the bag »'s object of the present invention is to provide an improved bag and method for manufacturing the bag q \ x &; overcome other disadvantages of the prior art »Another object of this invention is to provide a bag with a liquid evacuation passage without the need for a separate passage for inserting or fixing the same. A still further object of this invention is to provide a bag and a method for manufacturing the bag which provides a passage in liquid communication with the opening of the spout, without having to fix an insert, in the spout and without nothing should be inserted inside the bag. Yet another additional object of this invention is to provide a bag and a method for making the same, which bag and method are less expensive than those of the prior art. Another object of this invention is to provide a bag that can be filled more easily and quickly, that does not provide restrictions on the spout, and that does not have an insertion piece that can be accidentally separated. A further object of this invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a bag that can operate at a higher speed. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a bag with an evacuation strip that forms an integral single unit in the spout of the bag. A further object of the invention is to provide a bag with an external drainage strip and to provide the channels of the strip as evacuation passages of the liquid without distorting or wrinkling the wall of the bag. Another object of this invention is to provide a bag with a strip of evacuation that is easier and less expensive to manufacture and that provides better performance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A collapsible bag for containing and dispensing a liquid, such as a syrup for a post-mixed soda, and a method for making the bag. The bag is particularly useful in the b- > lsa in box. The bag includes a spout and one-piece evacuation strip sealed in a wall of the bag. The evacuation strip has at least one channel or elongated slot in it. One or more openings are provided through the wall of the adjacent bag to provide at least VL ?. liquid passage for the syrup to be evacuated from inside the bag to the inside of the spigot. The passage of liquid remains in liquid communication with the spigot. The channels in the strip are sized and shaped in such a way that as the bag is folded or crushed, the? Ared (es) of the bag can not be squashed inward and close these liquid passages »whereby the passages they allow and achieve the complete removal of the liquid from the bag as the bag is squished or folded. The evacuation strip is integrally connected to one side of the spout, at whose location the spout has a lateral opening in fluid flow communication with the channels or passages of the strip. The tap has the normal spigot opening. One or more of the openings that are provided through the wall of the bag adjacent to the channels in the strip which may be eg spaced apart, spaced holes or split. The method of this invention includes, in the preferred embodiment, the heat sealing of a flat peripheral flange of the unit of a single spout and pulls on the outer surface of the bag, before all the walls of the bag are joined together to form the bag. One or more openings are provided through the wall of the bag so that the fluid flows from the chamber of the bag into the channels in the strip. This opening (s) can be provided either before or after the flat tab is sealed in the bag » DESCRIPTION DB THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description which follows when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the like reference numbers refer to like elements and wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view partially broken, partially diagrammatic of a total arrangement in which the bag of the present invention can be used} FIGURE is a top perspective view of a bag of a preferred embodiment of the present invention} Figure 3 is a detailed perspective view, partially amplified, of the bottom of the spout and one-piece evacuation strip of the present invention? Figure 4 is a partial plan view of the bag of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a partial cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4? Figure 6 is a partial top plan view of the bag of Figure 1; Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional view, taken along line 7-7 of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a partial top plan view of a second embodiment of the bag of the present invention? Figure 9 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 9- of Figure 8; Figure 10 is a partial top plan view of the third embodiment of the bag of the present invention; Figure 11 is a partial cross-sectional view taken on line 11-1 of Figure 10; Figure 12 is a partial plan view of the wall of the bag with a recessed portion in accordance with the embodiment of this invention; Figure 13 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 13-13 of Figure 12; Figure 14 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to Figure 13 but of another embodiment; Figure 15 is a partial top plan view of a portion of the wall 20 of the bag, with another embodiment of the spout unit and evacuation strip; Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 16-16 of Figure 15; Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view taken through line 17-17 of Figure 15; Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 17, but showing another embodiment of the evacuation strip; Figure 19 is a view in partially diagrammatic cross-section through the bag of this invention, showing the flow of the syrup during the evacuation, Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view through the bag in box. Figure 1 illustrating the bag after having partially evacuated, and Figure 21 is a partially schematic, partially diagrammatic diagram showing a preferred method for making the bag of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION D5 THE FRSFE IDA MODALITY Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a typical arrangement in which the bag 10 of the present invention can be used. The bag 10 is contained in a cardboard box 12 (this arrangement is known as a boxed bag) and supplies liquid, such as a soda syrup, to a post-mix beverage dispenser 14, placed on the top of a counter through a conduit or line 16 of syrup by a syrup pump 18. As the syrup is removed, the bag 10 collapses or collapses (see Figure 16). It is desirable to be able to place the bag in any orientation (such as with a spout 26 adjacent to the top as shown in Figure 1) and still have all the liquid distributed from the bag leaving-little or no liquid excess. invention provides this advantage. Figures 1 to 7 show the foldable bag 10 with a fortitude with an embodiment of the present invention that includes a pair of walls 20 and 22, of flexible bags which are hermetic to the liquid »joined (for example by means of heat sealing) on their periphery 25» a unit 24 of a single piece of spout and attached evacuation strip (preferably by heat sealing) to the outer surface of a wall 20 of the bag along a peripheral flange 29 of the unit 24, and a more openings 40 through the wall 20 of the bag to provide liquid passages from the chamber 32 of the bag to the passages 36 of the strip. The unit 24 includes a spigot 26 and an integral evacuation strip 28. The spout 26 includes a spout opening 30 in liquid communication with the syrup chamber 32 within the pouch 10, through a discharge opening 21 in the wall 20 of the pouch. The elongated evacuation strip 28 extends from a proximal end thereof in contact with the spout 26 to a far end far away therefrom. Through the present specification and claims, the term "inner surface M from wall 20 of the bag is the surface facing chamber 32 of the bag and the" outer surface "is the other surface or the outer surface thereof. The strip 28 includes a plurality of elongate straight channels 34. These channels provide the syrup evacuation passages 36 (see Figure 1) which cooperate with the openings 40 to provide the syrup passages for the syrup to flow from the chamber 32. from the bag to the opening 30 of the spout, even as the bag 10 is folded or flattened. The passages 36 have a depth and width such that as the walls of the bag are folded during the distribution of the bag. liquid from the bag, the wall 22 of the bag (or even 20) can not be folded inwardly and block the flow of liquid through the passages 36, so that these passages remain open and allow n and achieve the complete removal of the liquid from the bag as the bag is folded. In the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 7 ,; the openings 40 are circular openings of approximately 6.35 millimeters in diameter. There are three of these openings 40 spaced along the length of the strip 28. Additional openings may be provided if desired, and may be of the same size. n _. different ways and configurations. Figure 2 shows the bag 10 finished with the unit 24 fixed and with the flat bag as it appears before filling with the syrup. Figure 3 is a partial view of the bottom of the unit 24 showing the spout 26 and part of the strip 28, remote from the wall 20 of the bag to which it is thermally sealed. The shaded area in Figure 3 shows the location of the thermal bundle along the peripheral flange 29 of the unit 24. As shown in Figure 3 »the spout 26 includes a plurality of radial spider arms 42 and a ring 44 which helps to prevent the wall 22 of the opposite bag (or even 20) from being sucked inwardly and blocking the opening 30 of the spout. The spider arms 42 and the ring 44 can be formed alternately so as to extend axially further towards the opposite wall 22, if desired, to prevent blocking. In addition, you can use other shapes of the elements instead of the ring and the spider arms shown. Lae Figures 7 and 7 show a portion of the bag 10 including the unit 4 sealed in the wall 20 of the bag. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view through line 7-7 of Figure 6, showing the opening 40 providing liquid communication with the channels 34. Figures 8 and 9 show a second embodiment of the invention in which , instead of the separate openings 40, the wall 20 of the bag is provided with one or more slits such as three slits 46, one below each of the channels 34, The slot can be a single cut through the wall 20 (meaning through all the layers of the wall 20 is a multi-layered wall) or it can be a slot with a certain width of the material of the wall removed. Figures 10 and 11 show a third embodiment in which the opening is a single wavy slot 48. The opening 40 and slots 46 and 48 preferably (although not necessarily) are produced in the wall 20 of the bag before fixing the unit 24 thereto. Figure 1 shows another embodiment of the present invention and shows a plan view of a portion of the wall 20 showing a recess 50. Figure 13 shows the unit 24 installed in the recessed area with the peripheral flange 25 sealed in the bottom surface (the inside of the bag surface) of the wall 20. Figure 14 is similar to Figure 13 with the exception that the unit 24 is sealed at the top > External wall of the wall 20. Figures 15 to 17 show another embodiment of the present invention of a bag 60 having a unit 62 of a single tap spigot and evacuation strip sealed therein. In this embodiment, the strip 64 is fixed to the inner surface of the wall 20 of the bag; therefore, openings through the wall 20 of the bag are not required to provide liquid communication to the channels 34. The spout 66 extends upward from the peripheral sealing flange 68 and the strip extends downward from the eyelash. Figure 18 shows an alternative embodiment of that of Figure 17 since the sealing flange is omitted from the strip portion 64 of the unit 62. The flat bottom wall 70 of the strip 64 is sealed in the wall 20. Sn Figures 17 and 18, the evacuation strip can be tubular (with any configuration in cross section, such as square, or circular) with holes in it, instead of having channels in the form of "ü". In Figures 17 and 18, the proximal end of the channels is in liquid communication with the opening of the spout, without the need for a side opening in the spout as shown in Figure 3. Clearly, the unit of this invention, avoid any of the pronounced angles to avoid damage to the bag. Figure 19 illustrates amicably the jet flow out of the bag 10 of Figure 1, including flow directly through the opening 30 of the spout and the flow through the openings., and then through the liquid passages 36 in the channels 34 and then to the opening 30 of the spout. Figure 20 shows the bag 10 in a box 12 after the bag has been partially evacuated. Even when the wall 22 has been folded against the wall 20, at the upper ends thereof, the syrup can still be removed from the bag 10 because the liquid passages 36 through the channels 34 remain open and that they continue to provide an evacuation route for the syrup. Figure 21 illustrates a method for manufacturing the bag 10 of consistency with the present invention. Figure 21 shows a manufacturing system 8o including a pair of rolls 82 and 83 that supply the layers 84 and 85 of material - for making the wall 20 of the bag, a pair of rolls 86 and 87 that supply the layers 88 and 89 of material for manufacturing the wall 22 of the bowl, a spigot hole cutter 30, xx n cutter 91 of the evacuation opening (for cutting the openings 40 or slits 46 or 48), VÍ? unit sealant 92, a valve insertion apparatus 94, a side seal 96 for sealing the side edges of the bag 10, and an end seal 9S for sealing the end edges of the bag 10, and a perforator 100 for providing perforations between each bag 10 in the continuous belt 102 of the bags. The unit sealant 92 also retains a supply of the units 24 to be sealed on the wall 20. The valve insertion apparatus 94 inserts a known valve into the opening 30 of the spout as is known in the art. The unit 24 of this invention is preferably manufactured from LLDPS having a thickness of .508 millimeters. However, other thicknesses may be used and other materials are preferably thermally sealed to the wall 20 but may be extended in other ways. The walls of the bag are preferably plastic. The flexible wall layers can comprise any desired number of layers, even when two are preferred. The layers 85 and 89 are preferably a continuous tape of .0508 millimeters. Polyethylene placed adjacent to the layers 84 and 88 is preferably a continuous belt constructed of the following three materials: .0508 millimeters of polyethylene, .0127 millimeters of nylon, and .0508 millimeters of polyethylene. The size and configuration of the passages is such as to prevent the pred 22 from the bag from collapsing or folding towards it and closing the passages. The dimensions depend, for example, on the stiffness of the wall of the bag. For example, the passages can have a width of approximately 3,810 millimeters and a depth of approximately 3,048 millimeters. While the preferred embodiment of this invention has been described in detail above, it will be understood that variations and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, for example, even though only one embodiment has been shown. evacuation strip, two or more »may be used if desired, they extend in different directions from the spout 26. Other width configurations and lengths of the strip 28 may be used. Other configurations and channel numbers (and passages) may be used. Other materials may be used. Other numbers of wall layers of the bag (such as 1, 3, etc.) can be used. Other ways can be used to seal the £ 4 unit on the wall 20. The method can use a continuous or intermittent movement. The bag of preference is formed by joining together two separate rectangular bag walls, however, they can be joined together to arm the bag with other members of the walls of the bag. The unit 24 e preferably connects to a wall of the bag before all the walls are joined to form the bag, however, this is not essential. The preferential unit 24 is in one piece, however , two separate pieces could be used, if desired, then sealed -thermally put together or still left separate but adjacent, and the spout in that case may have an internal lateral extension channel to provide liquid communication with the channels of the strip. The evacuation strip can be fixed to the inner inner surface s of the wall 20 of the bag. If the evacuation strip is separated from the spout, it can alternatively be sealed on the other wall 22 of the bag and run directly under the spout.

Claims (26)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content of the following is claimed as property: R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. A foldable bag for use to contain and distribute a liquid comprising: (a) a liquid-tight bag having a flexible bag wall having a discharge opening therethrough and enclosing a liquid chamber; (b) a one-piece spout unit and elongate evacuation strip sealed to the exterior of the bag wall surface; (c) the spout and strip unit includes a spout that is above the discharge opening and having an axial spout opening extending axially therethrough in liquid communication with the chamber through the spout. discharge opening and, the spout having a side wall opening towards the opening of the axial spout, and the strip extends from the spout from a proximal end thereof in contact with the spout to a distant end remote from the spout , the strip includes a channel d.- > elongated liquid, the strip is brought into contact with the spout adjacent to the side wall opening and the channel is in liquid communication with the spout opening through the side wall opening, the strip and spigot unit includes a first peripheral sealing flange sealed to the exterior surface of the bag; and (d) the wall of the bag has at least one opening therethrough which lies below the channel which provides liquid communication between the liquid chamber and the channel, the channel and at least one opening provide a passage of liquid from inside the bag to the opening of the spout, the channel and the opening have dimensions such that when the wall of the bag collapses or collapses during the distribution of liquid from the bag, the wall of the bag The bag can not be squashed towards and blocking the passage, such that the passage remains open to achieve an essentially complete removal of fluid from the bag as the bag is collapsed or folded.

2.- The bag in accordance with the claim 1, wherein the evacuation strip includes a plurality of elongated channels that provide a plurality of passages.

3.- The bag in accordance with the claim 2, wherein each of the channels has a constant cross-sectional area through its length.

4. - The bag according to claim 2, wherein all the channels extend almost across the entire length of the evacuation strip.

5. The bag according to claim 2, wherein the spout includes an open structure of spider arms at its lower end, such that the wall of the pouch opposite the spout can not be squashed toward and seal the opening. of the spigot.

6. The bag according to claim 2, wherein the wall of the bag includes a pair of bag walls sealed in their peripheries.

7. The bag according to claim 2, wherein the strip is flexible and straight.

8. The bag according to claim 2, wherein the spout is placed adjacent to one edge of the bag.

9. - The bag according to claim 2, wherein the channels terminate before the distal end of the strip to eliminate any pronounced edges.

10. The bag according to claim 2, wherein the strip and spout unit is thermally sealed in the wall of the bag.

11. The bag according to claim 2, wherein the strip and spigot unit is made of linear low density polyethylene.

12. A method for manufacturing a collapsible bag for use to contain and distribute a liquid comprising the steps of: (a) sealing a pair of bag walls together to form a collapsible bag with a flexible liquid-tight bag wall enclosing a liquid chamber; (b) before the step of sealing, forming a discharge opening through one of the walls of the bag and fixing a one-piece spout unit and elongated evacuation strip on the outer surface of one of the walls of the bag. bag, with the spout having a spout opening extending axially therethrough in liquid communication with the liquid chamber through the discharge opening, the evacuation strip extends from a proximal end thereof in contact with the spout to a distant end thereof away from the spout, the strip includes an elongated channel; and (c) forming at least one opening through one of the walls of the bag that lies below the channel to provide a liquid communication passage between the liquid chamber and the opening of the spout.

13. The method according to claim 12, which includes the step of providing the strip with a plurality of channels to provide a plurality of passages and wherein the forming step includes forming a plurality of openings through a plurality of channels. one of the walls of the bag.

14. The method according to claim 12, which includes the step of providing the strip with a plurality of channels to provide a plurality of passages, and wherein the forming step includes forming a single elongated slit under each of the channels.

15. A foldable bag for use to contain and distribute a liquid comprising: (a) a liquid-tight bag having a flexible bag wall having a discharge opening therethrough and enclosing a liquid chamber; (b) a one-piece spout unit and an elongated evacuation strip unit sealed in the wall of the bag; (c) the strip and spout unit includes a spout that is above the discharge opening and having an axial spout opening extending axially therethrough in liquid communication with the chamber, and the strip is extends longitudinally away from the spout from the proximal end thereof in contact with the spout to a far end away from the spout, the strip includes therein at least one channel of elongated liquid in liquid communication with the opening of the spout. spigot; (d) at least one opening that provides fluid communication between the liquid chamber and at least one channel, in order to provide a liquid passage for the liquid to flow out of the bag, the channel and at least An opening has dimensions such that the wall of the bag folds or collapses during the evacuation of liquid from the bag, the wall of the bag can not be squashed inwardly and block the passage, so that the passage remains open for achieve an essentially complete removal of fluid from the bag as it folds or crushes the bag.

16.- The bag in accordance with the claim 15, wherein the strip includes a plurality of elongated channels that provide a plurality of passages.

17. - The bag in accordance with the claim 16, wherein the spout includes a side opening towards the opening of the spout and the channels are in liquid communication with the opening of the spout through the side opening.

18. The bag according to claim 15, wherein the strip is flexible and straight.

19. The bag according to claim 15, wherein the channels terminate before the distal end of the strip to eliminate any pronounced edges.

20. The bag according to claim 15, wherein the strip is sealed on the inner surface of the wall of the bag, and at least one opening is an opening in the strip towards at least one channel.

21. The bag according to claim 15, wherein the strip is sealed to the outer surface of the bag, and at least one opening is an opening through the wall of the bag and at least one channel is in the form of "U".

22. A collapsible bag for use to contain and distribute a liquid comprising: (a) a liquid tight bag having a flexible bag wall having a discharge opening therethrough and enclosing a liquid chamber, (b) a spigot sealed to the wall of the bag and an elongated evacuation strip sealed along its entire length with the wall of the bag; (c) the spout is above the discharge opening and has an axial spout opening extending axially therethrough in liquid communication with the chamber through the discharge opening, and the strip extends from the proximal end thereof adjacent the spout to the distal end thereof remote from the spout, the strip includes therein at least one elongated liquid channel in liquid communication with the opening of the spout; and (d) at least one opening that provides fluid communication between the liquid chamber and at least one channel, to provide a liquid passage for the liquid to flow out of the bag, the channel and at least one opening have dimensions such that as the wall of the bag collapses or collapses during the evacuation of liquid from the bag, the wall of the bag can not be squashed inwards and block the passage in such a way that the passage remains open to achieve an essentially complete removal of the liquid from the bag as the bag collapses or collapses.

23. The bag according to claim 22, wherein the spout and the strip are an integral unit in one piece.

24. The bag according to claim 22, wherein the strip is sealed to the outer surface of the bag and at least one opening is an opening through the wall of the bag that lies below at least one channel .

25. The bag according to claim 22, wherein the strip is sealed on the inner surface of the wall of the bag and at least one opening is an opening in the strip.

26. The bag according to claim 25, wherein the strip is sealed in the same wall of the bag to which the spout is sealed. IN WITNESS WHEREOVER, I have signed the above description and novelty of the invention, as attorney of THE COCA-COLA COMPANY, in Mexico City, Federal District, today, May 9, 1994. p.p. of THE COCA-COLA COMPANY