WO2003016156A1

WO2003016156A1 - Foil bag

Info

Publication number: WO2003016156A1
Application number: PCT/EP2002/009037
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ekkehard Scheffold
Original assignee: Mars, Inc.
Priority date: 2001-08-17
Filing date: 2002-08-13
Publication date: 2003-02-27
Also published as: DE10140425A1; CA2455293A1; DE10140425C2

Abstract

A foil bag (2) with two lateral edges (2, 3), each of which is sealed by a side seam (4, 5), and a filling edge (6), characterised in that at least one side seam has a portion adjacent to the filling edge which forms (in each case) a gripping region (4a, 5a) and which is wider than the remaining part of it remote from the filling edge.

Description

FOIL BAG

The invention relates to a foil bag with two lateral edges, each of which is sealed by a side seam, and a filling edge.

Foil bags of this kind, which are made from two identical, usually rectangular, pieces of a suitable foil material, are first produced with side seams and, as a rule, with a bottom seam, so that they are sealed on three sides. After being filled through the filling edge, which is open initially, they are sealed with a further welded seam. As a rule, the foil material has a multi-layer structure and usually comprises at least one metallised or metal layer, which is necessary in order to make a diffusion-tight pack.

Existing foil bags have relatively wide side seams, e.g. about 6 mm wide, out of a total width of 100 mm, for example, and a height of 120 to 150 mm, for example.

A disadvantage here is that, because of the relatively wide side seams, a relatively large amount of foil material is needed to make the foil bags, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, a relatively large amount of packaging material is needed to package the finished foil bags after filling, because they take on a kind of "cushion shape". While attempts have already been made to reduce the width of the side seams, these have nevertheless entailed the disadvantage that the grippers generally used in handling the foil bags give rise to the risk of damage from pressing through the foil material, which causes leaks, so that, ultimately, considerably narrower side seams than those generally found so far have not become widespread in practice.

The object of the invention therefore consists in improving a foil bag of this generic type such that, on the one hand, less foil and packaging material is needed, while, on the other hand, the foil bags are not exposed to the risk of damage from grippers possibly pressing through the foil material. This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by means of a foil bag with two lateral edges, each of which is sealed by a side seam, and a filling edge, characterised in that at least one side seam has a portion adjacent to the filling edge which forms (in each case) a gripping region and which is wider than the remaining part of it remote from the filling edge.

It can be provided that the length of the (of each) gripping region is 5 % to 50 % and preferably 15 % to 25 % of the total length of the lateral edges.

The width of the (of each) gripping region can be 4 % to 20 % and preferably 5 % to 10 % of the width of the foil bag.

It can be provided that the (each) gripping region is substantially strip-shaped or rectangular, and that the (each) gripping region can have rounded edges.

In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the at least one side seam is about 0.5 mm to about 4 mm and preferably 1 mm to 2 mm wide outside the at least one gripping region.

It can be provided that the foil bag has a bottom seam the width of which corresponds to that part of the relevant side seam located outside the at least one gripping region. In this case, it can be provided that the foil bag has a double bottom seam (with a strip of foil material inserted) to form a standing bag.

The invention will now be explained by means of one embodiment, with reference to a drawing in which

Fig. 1 shows a foil bag according to the invention with side seams; and

Fig. 2 shows a foil bag according to the invention with side and bottom seams.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic horizontal projection of an unfilled and unsealed foil bag (also referred to as a tubular bag or pouch), which has two identical sections made of a foil material, which in this example are integrally connected at a bottom edge 1 and folded, while the foil bag has a seal-like side seam 4, 5 on each of its lateral edges 2, 3, so that the foil bag is closed oh three sides. An open, as yet unsealed, filling edge 6 serves to fill the foil bag with a desired content, the filling edge likewise being welded or sealed after the filling process.

As Fig. 1 also shows, the side seams 4, 5 are designed in the shape of a relatively wide strip in their upper portions, adjacent to the filling edge 6, so that a gripping region 4a, 5a is formed in each case. These gripping regions make it possible for the foil bag to be held with grippers, with no difficulty, during the various handling processes while filling, sealing etc., without there being any risk of leaks occurring, even if a part of the foil material should be punctured or pressed through within the gripping regions 4a, 5a, such as by an incorrectly adjusted gripper.

Beneath the gripping regions 4a, 5a, i.e. in the remainder of their part remote from the filling edge 6, the side seams 4, 5 are made narrower, and even considerably narrower than in the gripping regions 4a, 5a, namely just wide enough to ensure, with a sufficient degree of certainty, that the foil bag will remain tightly sealed. In these regions, the width of the side seams 4, 5 can, for example, be 1 to 2 mm or even less. It can be provided for the sections of foil adjacent to the lateral edges 2, 3 to be butt-welded together, meaning that they do not lie on top of one another in an overlapping portion, as is indicated in Fig. 1, but that their ends abut cut edges and are thus welded together directly. The only important thing is to create the gripping regions 4a, 5a for safe handling.

Fig. 2 shows a foil bag in accordance with Fig. 1, where, instead of the folded bottom edge 1, a bottom seam 8 is provided, the width of which can be relatively great, as was customary in the prior art, though it is appropriate for it to be relatively narrow and for its width to correspond to the regions of the side seams 4, 5 outside the gripping regions.

Claims

1. A foil bag with two lateral edges (2, 3), each of which is sealed by a side seam (4, 5), and a filling edge (6), characterised in that at least one side seam (4, 5) has a portion adjacent to the filling edge (6) which forms (in each case) a gripping region (4a, 5 a) and which is wider than the remaining part of it remote from the filling edge (6).

2. The foil bag as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the length of the (of each) gripping region (4a, 5a) is 5 % to 50 % and preferably 15 % to 25 % of the total length of the lateral edges (2, 3).

3. The foil bag as claimed in either of Claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the width of the (of each) gripping region (4a, 5 a) is 4 % to 20 % and preferably 5 % to 10 % of the width of the foil bag.

4. The foil bag as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the (each) gripping region (4a, 5a) is substantially strip-shaped or rectangular.

5. The foil bag as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the (each) gripping region (4a, 5a) has rounded edges.

6. The foil bag as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the at least one side seam (4, 5) is about 0.5 mm to about 4 mm and preferably 1 mm to 2 mm wide outside the at least one gripping region (4a, 5 a).

7. The foil bag as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the foil bag has a bottom seam (8) the width of which- corresponds to that part of the relevant side seam (4, 5) located outside the at least one gripping region (4a, 5a).

8. The foil bag as claimed in Claim 7, characterised in that the foil bag has a double bottom seam to form a standing bag.