Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
  • B65D85/70—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for materials not otherwise provided for
  • B65D85/804—Disposable containers or packages with contents which are mixed, infused or dissolved in situ, i.e. without having been previously removed from the package
  • B65D85/808—Disposable containers or packages with contents which are mixed, infused or dissolved in situ, i.e. without having been previously removed from the package for immersion in the liquid to release part or all of their contents, e.g. tea bags
  • B65D85/812—Disposable containers or packages with contents which are mixed, infused or dissolved in situ, i.e. without having been previously removed from the package for immersion in the liquid to release part or all of their contents, e.g. tea bags with features facilitating their manipulation or suspension

Definitions

• Disposable filter bag for the preparation of extraction drinks such as tea for the preparation of extraction drinks such as tea.
• the present invention relates to a disposable filter bag to be used in the preparation of extraction drinks, such as tea, and in particular a disposable filter bag which is especially suitable for the preparation of one single portion of tea directly in a cup or a mug.
• disposable tea filter bags of the kind comprising a bag made from paper material and being prefilled with tea leaves and which tea filter bag is connected to a holder component, made from a piece of cardboard or as part of an envelope, through a string fixated by means of a staple, have been extensively used in the preparation of tea, not least in the preparation of tea in small quantities such as the preparation of one single portion directly in a cup or a mug.
• Disposable filter bags made from two sheets of a fiber material as e.g. heat sealed filter paper which is sealed along their edges for con ⁇ taining a portion of tea leaves have been suggested for substituting the above mentioned tea filter bags.
• a cut or a weakening line is made enabling partly detachment of a part of the sealed edge areas from the filter bag for the formation of a holder com ⁇ ponent for handling of the bag. Examples of this prior art is described in US patent No. 2,413,686 and French patent No. 1,327,192.
• US patent No. 3,899,599 thus describes the assembly of a tea filter bag in which the tea filter bag proper is confined between two sheets which may be used for fixating the bag to the spout of a teapot by means of a number of cuts. Moreover, it is illustrated how the bag may be brought to hang on the edge of a mug, which way of hanging is considered to be very unstable.
• this US patent relates to an assembly which may be considered very expensive to produce.
• WO 93/15974 shows a disposable filter bag manufactured by means of two sheets of filter paper which are sealed together around a material to be extracted and in which assembly an edge area is cut for the formation of a loop formed handle to be placed around the handle of a cup.
• This assembly suffers from the drawback that it is applicable for cups or mugs, only, the handle size, handle form and handle position of which fit with the dimensions of the loop formed tea bag handle.
• the present invention provides a disposable filter bag to be used for the preparation of extraction drinks in containers of different dimensions, especially in cups and mugs of different dimensions and without considering the design and position of a handle, if any, of the container, the disposable filter bag in accordance with the present in ⁇ vention being meant for hanging on the edge of the container during ex ⁇ traction and furthermore being designed in a manner enabling it to be hung on container edges of different dimensions, especially cups or mugs having different rim configurations.
• the present invention relates to a disposable filter bag for the preparation of extraction drinks, especially tea, which disposable filter bag comprises an upper part, constituting a holder component, and a lower part, constituting an extraction chamber for containing a material which is to be extracted, and in which the upper part and the lower part are integrally made and are connected to each other in an area around a common central axis of the holder component and of the ex ⁇ traction chamber and in which the holder component is on each side of the central axis provided with a suspension means which suspension means comprises a hanging area meant for resting during the extraction on the edge of the container in which the extraction is to take place, which suspension area is made in a manner so as to be able to receive con ⁇ tainer rims of various dimensions.
• the disposable filter bag according to the present invention is in ⁇ expensive to produce as it may be produced from two sheets of material joined together for producing of the extraction chamber for containing the material which is to be extracted, the extraction chamber being either totally closed around a suitable quantity of extractable material or being upwardly open for later filling by an extractable material to be chosen by the user.
• the surrounding part of the two sheets of material may be joined totally or partly as desired.
• suitable materials for manufacturing of disposable filter bags various kinds of paper material may be mentioned, including paper material mixed with other fibrous materials than cellulose, such as thermoplastics fibers, various kinds of plastics materials, including non-woven or melt-blown plastics or polymeric material. Also coated materials such as paper coated by latex or plastics materials may be used. Perforated plastics foils are also applicable. A heat sealable paper material is presently preferred.
• the paper material has a grammage of 10 to 50 g/m , e.g. a
• the material is available in various grammages and usually a material having a grammage of from 10 to 100 o g/m will be used, e.g. a grammage of from 20 to 80 g/m and especially from 25 to 60 g/m 2 .
• the material sheets used must be characterized by being able to sub- stantially retaining the extractable material in the extraction chamber, but being able to allow the liquid used for the extraction to pass to such an extent that the desired extraction can take place. It is to be understood that the extraction chamber defining material sheets are able jointly to substantially retain the extractable material in the chamber, but allow the liquid necessary for the extraction to pass to such an ex ⁇ tent that the extraction desired can take place. Thus, it would be possible to leave e.g. one of the material sheets impermeable or substantially impermeable for the extraction liquid, provided that the second material sheet is sufficiently porous for allowing the desired extraction to take place and at the same time is in all essentials able to retain the extractable material in the chamber.
• one of the material sheets may be produced from a continuous foil, e.g. a foil made from thermoplastics material, such as polypropylene.
• a continuous foil e.g. a foil made from thermoplastics material, such as polypropylene.
• one of the material sheets or both of them may be designed with one part being permeable for the extraction liquid as well as a second part being un- impermeable for the liquid.
• any suitable joining technique may be utilized, such as welding, glueing, printing and/or embossing as the joining technique is to be chosen in consideration of the nature of the material sheets.
• Cold sealing as well as heat sealing techniques are applicable, and a rotation technique suchs as rotation heat sealing/- cutting is just as applicable as a more discontinuously effective technique, such as flush heat welding or cutting.
• the disposable filter bag according to the present invention comprises an upper part constituting a holder component and a lower part con ⁇ stituting an extraction chamber for containing the material to be ex ⁇ tracted.
• the upper part and the lower part are integrally made and are connected to each other in an area around a common central axis of the holder component and of the extraction chamber.
• the holder component On each side of the cen ⁇ tral axis, the holder component is provided with a suspension means.
• Each of these suspension means comprises a suspension area intended to rest on the rim of the extraction container. These suspensions areas are designed in a manner enabling them to receive edges of different dimensions.
• This suspension by means of two suspension means, one of each side of the central axis and each being provided with a suspension area designed in a way enabling them to receive container rims of different dimensions, causes the disposable filter bag according to the present invention to rest safely on the rim of e.g. cups and mugs of different designs during the extraction.
• the disposable filter bag according to the present invention is typically of rectangular configuration, but prin ⁇ cipally it may be produced in other configurations, e.g. having a cir ⁇ cular extraction chamber.
• the bag may usually in all essentials be symmetrical around the central part.
• the suspension means will typically be produced by means of cuts or weakening lines made in the bag material, the cut or weakening lines be ⁇ ing produced simultaneously with the bag being cut from continuously conveyed and joined material sheets.
• the cutting may take place in any suitable manner, but typically it will be made by blanking.
• the blanking may be made coldly or during influence of heat. By blanking during influence of heat, a joined welding of the material sheets in the blanking area is simultaneouly obtained if the material sheets comprise a sufficient quantity of thermoplastics material .
• the suspension areas in each of the suspension means are designed in a manner so as to enable receipt of container rims of different dimensions.
• This feature may be obtained by producing the suspension area by means of an upwardly to convex cutting in the holder component.
• This upwardly convex cutting may be of many different con- figurations and may be of an angular or an annular configuration.
• the cutting may e.g. take the configuration of an upward triangle top, an upwardly section of a rectangle, a trapezium, a circle, an ellipse, an oval or similar.
• the cutting may constitute a closed con- figuration, e.g.
• the cutting may also have the same shape as the upper part of a shepherd's stick.
• the shepherd's stick-shaped cutting as well as other kinds of cuttings may have its free end turned towards the central axis or against it. It is of vital importance that the upwardly convex part of the cutting comprises a good surface of contact for the container rim.
• curved cuttings are preferred since they do not constitute a natural point for an unintended breach of the holder component.
• the suspension means are made in the upper part of the bag.
• the suspension means may also extend from the upper part of the bag and further down into the lower part of the bag on both sides of the extraction chamber.
• the suspension means may extend downwardly along one third or one fourth of the sides of the extraction chamber as a couple of downwardly projecting flaps.
• the flaps may be of different configurations, but may e.g. be made by means of a cutting or weakening line extending from the edge of the bag and discontinuing in a distance from the central axis and causing the upper part of the ex ⁇ traction chamber and the lower part of the bag defining this part of the extraction chamber to get a curved configuration as a couple of rounded shoulders.
• the suspension means may also extend from the upper part of the bag and to the end of the lower edge on both sides of the extraction chamber. Finally, the suspension means may be connected to each other for the formation of a loop.
• the disposable filter bag according to the present invention is described with special reference to a simple bag produced by joining two material sheets together.
• the disposable filter bag according to the present invention may, however, be produced as a so-called twofold bag.
• Traditional twofold bags are produced from one hose length of e.g. filter paper which, after having been filled up with for instance tea, is bent together in the middle so that its free ends reach one another and are thereafter folded once and closed by a staple and provided with a string and a holder component flap.
• a disposable filter bag according to the present invention and produced as a twofold bag is produced correspondingly by means of a hose filled up with material to be ex ⁇ tracted, but after bending of the hose, the two ends of the hose are joined together for the formation of an upper part consisting of four layers and constituting a holder component as described above. Due to its four layers, this holder component is of course characterized by be ⁇ ing of increased strength and rigidity.
• the holder component may be made more rigid by adding one further material sheet.
• the holder component may also be made more rigid by embossing of a suitable pattern, e.g. by embossing of slots or ribs for strengthening in the desired direction.
• the holder component may also be provided with some kind of characteristic for identification of the product and/or the manufacturer. Such a characteristic may be made by means of embossing or blanking in connection with the manufacturing procedure, by printing on the finished bag or by printing on the material sheet before manufacturing the bag. Of course, it is also possible to provide the holder component with a characteristic by sticking a label or the like which will make the holder component more rigid, as well.
• the holder component may, moreover, be provided with means for reducing the wick effect, e.g. by means of a water repel!ant ribbon to be welded into the assembly and which may further serve the purpose of reinforcing the holder component in cross direction.
• the means for reducing the wick effect may also comprise transverse welding lines or cutting lines.
• the wick effect may also be reduced by increasing the temperature during welding of the holder component.
• FIG. 1 is a view of an embodiment of the disposable filter bag according to the present invention in which the suspension means is provided in the upper part of the bag and the extraction chamber is a closed chamber containing material to be extracted,
• Fig. 2 is a view of another embodiment of the disposable filter bag according to the present invention in which the suspension means extends from the upper part of the bag and further down in the lower part of the bag on each sides of the extraction chamber and the extraction chamber is a closed chamber containing material to be extracted,
• Fig. 3 is a view of yet another embodiment of the disposable filter bag according to the present invention in which the bag is made as a twofold bag, the suspension means is made in the upper part of the bag and the extraction chamber is a closed chamber containing the material to be ex ⁇ tracted,
• Fig. 4 is a view of a further embodiment of the disposable filter bag according to the present invention in which the suspension means is con ⁇ nected to each other for the formation of a loop and the extraction chamber is upwardly open for filling in of the material to be extracted,
• Fig. 5-11 are schematic views of different embodiments of the holder component.
• Fig. 12 illustrate a disposable filter bag according to Fig. 2 in a hanging position on the rim of a mug before filling of boiling water.
• Fig. 1 illustrates a presently preferred embodiment of the disposable filter bag according to the present invention designated the reference numeral 1.
• the bag comprises an upper part 2 constituting a holder com ⁇ ponent 3 and a lower part 4 constituting an extraction chamber 5.
• the filter bag is produced from two material sheets 11, 12 of a paper material mixed with thermoplastics fibers for the formation of a heat weldable filter paper with a grammage of 16.5 g/m 2 . Between the two material sheets 11, 12 a portion of tea leaves 10 is situated as shown in the lowermost lefthand corner of the bag in which a part of the material sheet 11 is removed for purposes of illustration.
• the upper part 2 of the filter bag as well as the side edges of the lower part are joined for defining the extraction chamber 5.
• the upper part 2 of the filter bag and its lower part 4 are integrally made and connected to each other in an area 6 around the common central axis 7 of the holder component 3 and the extraction chamber 5.
• the holder component 3 On each side of the central axis the holder component 3 is provided with a suspension means 8.
• the suspension means 8 is produced by means of cuttings for weakening lines 13 made in the bag material. Over an upward section, the cuttings or the weakening lines 13 have an upwardly convex course each of the cuttings or weakening lines 13 ending upwardly in an annular cut 17 in the holder component.
• These annular cuts 17 constitute suspension areas 9 intended to rest during the extraction on the edge of the container in which the extraction is to take place, e.g.
• the disposal filter bag 1 When being hung on the rim of e.g. a mug, the disposal filter bag 1 is positioned with the lower part including the extraction chamber 5 which contains the tea leaves hanging down into the mug with the suspension areas 9 resting on the rim of the mug and the downwardly projecting flaps of the suspension means 8 positioned against the exterior of the mug.
• the special design of the suspension areas 9 causes the disposable filter bag 1 to hang safely on edges of dimensions of ordinary occurance.
• perpendicular slots or ribs are made by embossing which causes the upper part of the bag to be more rigid in the cross direction.
• the slots or ribs are omitted e.g. for esthetic reasons, in order to provide a special holder component area or in order to provide an area intended to be printed with a logo or the like.
• Fig. 2 illustrates another embodiment of the disposable filter bag 1.
• This embodiment is different from the one shown i Fig. 1 in that the suspension means 8 extends from the upper part of the bag 2 and further down into the lower part 4 of the bag on each side of the extraction chamber.
• the upper part of the extraction chamber is also rounded up ⁇ wardly so that the configurations of the suspension means 8 and the ex- traction chamber 5 are adjusted to each other. Further, it is evident how the lower edge of the bag is not in this case formed by a fold, but by a joining.
• the suspension areas 9 are formed by annular cuttings in the holder component 3, but the cuts or weakening lines 13 end up somewhere else in the annular curve so that the suspension means 8 forms an upward projection 19 immediately below the suspension area 9.
• These upward projections 19 serve the purpose of being able to engage with an outward edge, e.g. of a mug and thereby contribute to further fixation of the filter bag during the extraction.
• the holder component 3 is provided with embossed slots or ribs in cross direction, but in the present embodiment the slots or ribs continue in the side seams of the lower part of the bag.
• Fig. 3 illustrates a disposable filter bag 1 produced as a so-called twofold bag.
• the extraction chamber 5 is made by a hose of filter paper which is filled with tea leaves (not shown) and folded in the centre, so that the two free ends of the hose abut on one another. Thereafter, these two free ends are welded or embossed together for the formation of the upper part 2 of the bag with the holder component 3 which thus comprises four layers of joined filter paper.
• the suspension means 8 is made by means of cuts for weakening lines 13 which over an upward section are upwardly convex so that an upwardly convex cut 16 is provided in the holder component which cut is of almost the same con ⁇ figuration as the upper part of a shepherd's stick.
• the holder component 3 of the bag is provided with characteristics 20 which may be made by embossing, blanking or printing.
• the suspension means converge downwardly towards the central axis of the bag, and in this area a water repel1ant ribbon 21 is welded into the assembly which water repellant ribbon partly serves the purpose of breaking the wick effect of the paper material and partly serves the purpose of strengthening and supporting the area in which the suspension means converge towards the central axis.
• the mutual distance between the converging projections of the suspension means 8 is relatively short, of the range of 5 to 10 mm, and therefore it contributes to further ensure fixation of the filter bag to a cup or to a mug by engaging with the handle of the cup or the mug.
• Fig. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the filter bag 1 in which the ex ⁇ traction chamber 5 is upwardly open so that extractable material, e.g. a special tea blend, may be filled in as desired, the filling being made conveniently by means of a suitable proportioning apparatus such as a container provided with a nozzle or a spout of the type known from dosing of sugar.
• the suspension means 8 extends from the upper part of the bag and further down into the lower part 4 of the bag on each side of the extraction chamber 5 and continues further down below the lower edge of the extraction chamber for formation of a loose loop.
• This embodiment of the suspension means is not especially attached to a filter bag with an open extraction chamber, but will just as well be applicable for a filter bag with a closed extraction chamber.
• the other embodiments of the suspension means described as examples are applicable in connection with a disposable filter bag with an upward open extraction chamber, of course provided that when working out the suspension means consideration is made to make room for an aperture for filling of extractable material between the suspension means.
• FIG. 5-11 Further embodiments of the holder component are illustrated schematical- ly in Fig. 5-11.
• the cuts or weakening lines 13 have a curved course 14 during a section so that a kind of barbs are provided contributing to prevent the bag from sliding down from the rim of the container.
• a corresponding effect is obtained by the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 in which the cuts or weakening lines 13 are transversely provided with small cuts 15.
• Fig. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a filter bag in which the suspension areas are formed by star-shaped cuts 17 in the holder component. These star-formed cuts 18 have the double function of being able to receive container edges of different dimensions and at the same time being able to engage with any container edge.
• a scale 22 is provided on the upper part of the bag for indication of infusion time, as the distance reached by the liquied in the upper part of the bag indicates the infusion time.
• Fig. 9 illustrates that the upward cutting or weakening lines may just as well have an inward as an outward bending as shown in some of the other figures.
• a cut 23 is made in the holder component which cut may be utilized for grasping the bag either during the preparation of an ex- traction drink or during the manufacture of the bag proper.
• the cut may be of various configurations, a circular cut being suitable for suspension of the bag on a punch during the process of production.
• An oval cut like the one shown in the figure is suitable for grasping the bag in connection with use of the bag and would furthermore be able to provide a certain breach of the wick effect.
• the cuts or the weakening lines 13 are of a softly outward configuration.
• Fig. 11 illustrates a cutting line 21 provided for breach of the wick effect.
• Fig. 12 illustrates a mug 50 with a filter bag 1 of the embodiment shown i Fig. 2 hanging on the edge 51 of a mug with the extraction chamber 5 hanging down into the mug and with the suspension means 8 (not shown) protruding beyond the rim of the mug on its reverse side (not shown) with the suspension areas 9 resting against the edge 51 of the mug 50.
• the extraction chamber 5 will swing out from the inside of the mug and float in the water or turn tilted between the opposite sides of the mug so that the extraction may take place freely.
• the suspension means 8 is pressed against the exterior of the mug and contributes to fixate the filter bag against the edge of the mug.
• this part of the filter bag adheres to the inside of the mug above the surface of the liquid and serves the purpose of further fixating the bag.
• the filter bag is removed from the extract by grasping around the holder component.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)
• Apparatus For Making Beverages (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8091097

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (5)

Citations (7)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 1994
  • 1994-02-23 DK DK022194A patent/DK172116B1/da not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1995
  • 1995-02-20 AU AU17547/95A patent/AU1754795A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1995-02-20 WO PCT/DK1995/000071 patent/WO1995023100A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1995-02-20 EP EP95910454A patent/EP0746515B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1995-02-20 DE DE69513953T patent/DE69513953T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1995-02-20 AT AT95910454T patent/ATE187700T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1995-02-23 GB GB9503651A patent/GB2286816B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1996
  • 1996-08-23 NO NO963515A patent/NO963515L/no unknown
  • 1996-08-23 FI FI963301A patent/FI963301A/fi unknown

Patent Citations (7)

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