NZ293706A - Flexible container with interior reinforcing liner heat sealed to central portion of container wall and maintaining an opening through the container and liner - Google Patents

Description

New Zealand No. 293706 International No. PCT/NZ95/00090 Priority Date(s): Complete Specification Filed: .15)3.155.....

CIQ£.S: ..£fe&.3Htej.!»£> Publication Date: P.O. Journal No: .19^0 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 complete specification Title of Invention: A container Name, address and nationality of applicant(s) as in international application form: TRANSPAK INDUSTRIES LIMITED, of 23-25 Porana Road, Glenfield, Auckland 1310, New Zealand A CONTAINER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in and relating to containers.

More particularly but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a container suitable for the packaging and/or transport of bulk material especially granulated or powdered materials and liquids. It is to be appreciated however that the present invention has application for all types of containers.

To the present time various proposals have been put forward for containers for use in the transportation and storage of bulk material. Such bulk containers have frequently used a flexible nylon or cloth material with a provision for inserting the material into the bag through a spout at the top and with some provision for enabling the material to be released from the bottom of the bag. The latter typically involves some complex release mechanism to enable access to a discharge outlet which, until required for use, is protected from contamination by ingress of dirt or moisture.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a container which in one particular embodiment is of an improved design enabling the speedy and efficient entry 90 7 7 n ft *CT/N29 5 / 0 0 C 3 0 0 / U D RECEIVED 2 5 JUN 1996 and discharge of material and/or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Further objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a flexible container comprising a flexible body portion which in its expanded condition defines an internal volume to hold a required material, an internal insert positioned within at least a substantially central part of said body portion and secured thereto, an external surface of the insert and material forming an inner surface of said body portion each having a melting point temperature which is lower than that of the inner surface of the insert whereby the insert can be sealed to the inner surface of the body portion without the inner surface of the insert also being sealed together and so as to maintain an opening through said insert and through said body portion, said insert defining a support acting to reinforce the body portion.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a container as TENDED sheet lefirM* 1 2 KCV 1996 WffW*T CPF.C 293706 pct/nz 95/00090 RECEIVED 2 5 JUN 1996 immediately above wherein said insert has an inlet spout means, an outlet spout means and said internal insert.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention a flexible container is provided substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

Further aspects of this invention which should be considered in all its novel aspects will become apparent from the following description given by way of example of possible embodiments thereof and in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure l: shows very diagrammatically a container formed with inlet and outlet spouts; Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view along arrows A-A of Figure 1; Figure 3: shows a side view of the container of Figure 1; and Figure 4; shows very diagrammatically a container according to a one possible embodiment of the invention. i / 2 1 2 f:C-V 1995 \ DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS J -CENT OmQE Referring to the accompanying drawings, a container in the form of a bag is referenced generally by arrow 1. tfVO 96/09233 The container is shown with a body portion 2 having a gusseted design with gussets 14 defining respective side portions 3 extending on both sides of the body portion 2. The body portion 2 is suitably of a plastics material for example a polyolefin such as polyethylene. The upper end of the body portion 2 is shown closed off with a seal 6 extending across the top edge but leaving an inlet port 5 providing access into the interior of the body portion 2. An insert in the form of an inlet spout 4 is also gusseted and has its exterior surface 7 sealed with the material of the body portion 2 about the inlet 5 while leaving the inlet 5 open. In achieving this, the interior material 4 of the spout 4 is of a higher melting point material such as a polyamide, for example a nylon. The material of the outer surface 7 of the spout 4 and the material of the body portion 2 can both be of a material with a lower melting point such as a polyolefin for example polyethylene. In forming the top end of the container 1, inserts can be inserted within the gussets 14 of the body portion 2 so as to prevent the side portions 3 welding together. The sealing temperature is such that a seal is also made between the inlet spout 4 and the body portion 2. However, as the temperature of sealing of the nylon or other material 13 on the interior of the spout 4 is higher, it will remain unsealed so as to not close off the inlet 5. The spout 4 in its raised position is shown in outline at which it is able to accommodate a feeder tube or spout to enable material to be fed into the bag 1. Once the bag 1 has been filled the spout 4 can be closed off by sealing. With the spout 4 inverted this can be done at the original temperature as the lower temperature- melting point material 7 is now juxtaposed. The sealed spout inserted into the interior of the bag 1 as shown in the position 4A. The use of a gusseted spout 4 with a gusseted body portion 2 means that with tension applied across the top of the bag 1, a well defined inlet opening 5 is created. Otherwise with the use of a non-gusseted spout 4, or if no spout 4 is used, tension applied across the top of the bag can tend to provide a minimal opening as the material at the top of the bag 2 tends to hold together under tension closing the opening and interfering with access into the interior of the bag 1.

At the bottom end of the body portion 2 a seal 10 is shown extending across the bottom end and including a seal with a further insert in the form of a bottom spout 11 again preferably gusseted. The exterior material of the outlet spout 11 is suitably compatible with the material of the body portion 2 so that sealing between them can be achieved at a suitable temperature while again leaving the opening 13 from the body portion 2 into the outlet spout 11 open. This can be achieved by a higher melting point material on the interior of the spout 11, as with the inlet spout 4. The bottom edge of the outlet spout 11 is shown sealed off with a seal 12 which can then be cut open when discharge is required. This bottom seal can be achieved on an inversion of the spout 11 to juxtapose low temperature melt material from its exterior, by capping or by a high temperature seal. During filling and transportation and storage the outlet spout 11 can be folded up, as indicated at 11A in Figure 3. and taped or otherwise secured to the bottom of the body portion 2. If a laminate material featuring high and low temperature melting points is not used for the outlet spout 11, as in the case of the inlet spout 4, then an insert of a suitable gusseted shape may be inserted through the inlet spout 11 at the time of sealing so as to maintain the outlet 13 open. The seal 23 created at the bottom of the discharge spout 11 can then be effected by using the same relatively low temperature sealing bar as was used for the main portion of the seal 10. Once again, the use of a gusseted outlet spout 11 with a gusseted body portion 2 facilitates the maintenance of the full or substantially full area of the outlet port 13 when the bottom end of the body portion 2 is under tension and discharge of the bag contents through the outlet port 13 is required. 293706 pct/nz 9 5 / 0 00 3 RECEIVED 2 5 JUN IS Referring now to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings, an embodiment of the invention is shown with the container referenced generally by arrow 100.

Equivalent reference numerals are used as in the preceding Figures where appropriate.' Thus the container 100 is shown with a body portion 2 with gussets 14 and provided with a gusseted inlet spout 4 and a gusseted outlet spout 11. However, the container 100 is also shown provided with a further internal and gusseted insert 101, with gussets 102, which is sealed with the internal surfaces of the outer body 2 with a suitable sealing being about the rectangular, in the example shown, sealing line 103. The attachment of an insert 101 within the outer container 2 can enhance the reinforcement of the outer container 2. By adjustment of the length of i :*e perimeter of the insert 101 relative to the outer container 2 the appropriate tensional/compressional forces can be imposed on the outer container 2 in improving its performance when filled. As with the spout 4, the external surface of the insert 101 will be of a material of a lower sealing temperature than that of its inner surface, which temperature is compfd&'ttblV^A^T with the sealing temperature of the body portiori ^ I'D liiSSS this way the insert 101 may be sealed to t le QFFiQC portion 2 without its inner surfaces also being sealed together.

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to possible embodiments thereof it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (11)

29^706 pct/NZ9 5 / 0 0 0 9 0 RECEIVED 2 5 Jl'N 1996 - 9 -

1. A flexible container comprising a flexible body portion which in its expanded condition defines an internal volume to hold a required material, an internal insert positioned witi.-in at least a substantially central part of said body portion and secured thereto, an external surface of the insert and material forming an inner surface of said body portion each having a melting point temperature which is lower than that of the inner surface of the insert whereby the insert can be sealed to the inner surface of the body portion without the inner surface of the insert also being sealed together and so as to maintain an opening through said insert and through said body portion, said insert defining a support acting to reinforce the body portion.

2. A flexible container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said internal insert has a perimeter of a length which relative to the length of the perimeter of the said substantially central part of said body portion results in tensional and/or compressional forces being imposed on said body portion.

3 . A flexible container as claimed in claim 1 or claim 293706 pct/nz 95/0009 0 RECEIVED 2 5 JUN 1996 - 10 - 2 wherein a sealing line seals said internal insert to the said inner surface of the body portion.

4. A flexible container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said internal insert is gusseted so as to conform with a gusseted said body portion.

5. A flexible container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the external surface of said internal insert and the material of the inner surface of said body portion is of a polyolefin and said inner surface of said internal insert is of a polyamide.

6. A flexible container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one further insert includes an inlet spout means.

7. A flexible container as claimed in claim 6 wherein at least one further insert includes an outlet spout means.

8. A flexible container as claimed in claim 7 wherein each said further insert is gusseted so as to conform with a gusseted said body portion to assist in defining an inlet or outlet respectively about which said frLlet'" I and outlet spout means are sealable. j j ^ pt^y jggg PttTEAiT CmOR 293706 - 11 -

9. A flexible container as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8 wherein said at least one further insert has an exterior surface sealable to said body portion at one temperature but having an interior surface which is not sealable together at said one temperature, the sealing of said at least one further insert with said body portion at said one temperature thus leaving open an opening through said at least one further insert.

10. A flexible container as claimed in claim 6 or any one of claims 7 to 9 when dependent on claim 6 wherein said inlet spout means is able to have a raised portion extending outwardly of said body portion but is able to be inserted into said body portion.

11. A flexible container substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompauiying drawings. end of claims 1 r isss TSPEC24241