(19)
(11) EP 1 990 290 A1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(43) Date of publication:
12.11.2008 Bulletin 2008/46

(21) Application number: 07447032.9

(22) Date of filing: 11.05.2007
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
B65D 75/58(2006.01)
B65D 83/04(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL BA HR MK RS

(71) Applicant: Amcor Flexibles A/S
8700 Horsens (DK)

(72) Inventors:
  • Daelmans, Eddy
    3560 Disen-Stokkem (BE)
  • Abbeel, Annemarie
    3000 Leuven (BE)

(74) Representative: pronovem 
Office Van Malderen Boulevard de la Sauvenière 85/043
4000 Liège
4000 Liège (BE)

   


(54) Dispensing packaging


(57) The present invention relates to an easy to open and to close dispensing plastic bag comprising:
- a plastic film defining an inner pouch with a dispensing mouth;
- semi-rigid and at least partially sealed edges surrounding at least partially said inner pouch;
- a tear initiation in a tear zone at the top of said packaging,

wherein, in use, after the top of said packaging in said tear zone has been removed, the semi-rigid edges can be pressed toward said mouth in order to open it and are then subsequently released so that said mouth automatically recloses.













Description

Field of the invention



[0001] The present invention relates to the field of packaging, and in particular to a pocket-sized dispensing packaging for small dispensable products with fixed dimension such as confectionery products (sweets, candies, chewing-gums, ...) but also for drugs or mechanical pieces like screws.

Technical background of the invention and prior art



[0002] A recent trend in the market requires particular pocket-sized dispensing packaging offering the possibility of controlled dispensing with the possibility to close the packaging after use.

[0003] In a controlled dispensing mechanism for the particular case of confectionery products and drugs, the consumer should not touch the products that he does not intend to consume, and rigid packaging such as plastic tubes or push-trough blister pack (see EP-A-1762508) has been developed in the past to fulfil these requirements.

[0004] There is a wide patent literature about confectionery-dispensing units, in particular chewing-gums, but very few are based on a semi-rigid flow-pack principle with a flexible dispensing mouth.

[0005] Plastic bags with semi-rigid parts obtained by a particular seal configuration are notably disclosed in EP-A-0627355.

[0006] A particular device to create stabilizing bottom seams in form of Quattro seals is disclosed in US patent 6,615,567. Those Quattro seals are also disclosed in DE 19639793 C1 (Fig.1., reference 9).

Aims of the invention / Solution to the problem



[0007] The present invention aims to provide a pocket-sized dispensing pack for small dispensable products that combines the cost effectiveness of a flow pack and the dispensing qualities of a rigid pack.

Summary of the invention



[0008] The present invention discloses an easy to open and to close dispensing plastic bag comprising:
  • a plastic film defining an inner pouch with a dispensing mouth;
  • semi-rigid and at least partially sealed edges surrounding at least partially said inner pouch;
  • a tear initiation in a tear zone at the top of said packaging,
wherein, in use, after the top of said packaging in said tear zone has been removed, the semi-rigid edges can be pressed toward said mouth in order to open it and are then subsequently released so that said mouth automatically recloses.

[0009] Particular embodiments of the present invention comprise at least one of the following features:
  • the tear-initiation zone additionally comprises a weakening line crossing the dispensing mouth of said inner pouch and delimiting a tear-off strip;
  • the section of said inner pouch is wide at the bottom and progressively becomes narrow towards the top of said pouch, the narrow section at the top of said pouch defining said dispensing mouth;
  • the bag is a form, fill and seal plastic bag;
  • the plastic film is a multilayer film;
  • the semi-rigid edges comprise at least four stabilizing seams at the bottom of said bag;
  • the semi-rigid edges are Quattro seals;
  • the Quattro seals are cross-sealed at the bottom of said plastic bag;
  • the Quattro seals are left unsealed at the bottom to constitute stabilizing seams for a standing pouch;
  • the mouth comprises an external or an internal closing means;
  • the internal closing means is a pressure-sensitive adhesive zone inside the dispensing mouth;
  • the external closing means is a tape situated outside the dispensing mouth.

Brief description of the drawings



[0010] Fig.1a to 1d show the way that the dispensing pack of the present invention is used.

[0011] Fig.2 shows a front view of the packaging of the present invention with its different seal zones surrounding the pouch.

[0012] Fig.3 shows a front view of the packaging of the present invention with its different seal zones surrounding the pouch and an additional pressure-sensitive adhesive zone in the dispensing mouth area.

[0013] Fig.4a to 4c shows three different cross-section views of the packaging of the present invention cut at three different levels. The references x, y and z, corresponding to Fig.4a, Fig.4b & Fig.4c respectively are also indicated in Fig. 2 & 3 to show the various types of seals along the height of the packaging.

[0014] Fig.5 and Fig.6 show two different embodiments of the present invention. In Fig.5, the Quattro seals are cross-sealed and in Fig.6, the Quattro seals are used as stabilizing seams for a standing pouch.

Detailed description of the invention



[0015] The present invention discloses a pocket-sized dispensing packaging comprising a central container such as a pouch (4) surrounded by a semi-rigid part with various sealed layers (1,3,5). The sealed layers constitute the semi-rigid part of the dispensing packaging and are functionally required to achieve the dispensing mechanism of the packaging of the present invention, which is represented in Fig.1a to 1d.

[0016] The sealed layers can be of various kinds but are preferably Quattro seals at the bottom of the dispensing packaging. Such Quattro seals can constitute stabilizing seams (5) and supply the option for a stand-up pouch (see Fig.6).

[0017] The Quattro-seal configuration suitable for dispensing packs according to the present invention is characterised by two inside-inside seals at the bottom of the pack. This type of seals is specifically disclosed in Fig.1, reference 9 of DE19639793C1 as mentioned above. These seals can lead to four corners at the bottom (see Fig.6) or to a close rigid part with only two edges when the corners are again sealed at the bottom (see Fig.5).

[0018] At the top of the packaging, the Quattro seals are again sealed to each other providing a structure with an inside/inside/outside/outside/inside/inside seal (1) (see Fig.4a). This seal structure leads to a semi-rigid part of four film layers at the edges (1) in the so-called tuck-in zone and two film layers (3) at each side in direct proximity of the dispensing mouth (x) (see Fig.1, 2 & 4a).

[0019] The semi-rigidity of the seal layers (1,3,5) surrounding the pouch (4) is very important since it allows the user to press the semi-rigid edges of the dispensing pack towards the centre of the pack, i.e. the dispensing mouth (see Fig.lb) once the tear-off strip is removed (see Fig.1a), the dispensing mouth is then open and dispenses units of confectionary products (see Fig.1c).

[0020] The dispensing mouth located between the semi-rigid seams (1,3) is the most flexible part at the top of the packaging, this intrinsic flexibility leads to an automatic rapid close of the pack once the hand pressure on the semi-rigid seals (1,3) is released (see Fig.1d).

[0021] In specific embodiments of the present invention, the dispensing mouth comprises additional internal and/or external closing means such as pressure-sensitive adhesive inside the dispensing mouth (6) or a tape of any kind outside the dispensing mouth (not represented). A pressure-sensitive adhesive is normally applied in quantities of about 20 g/m2. In the present case, this quantity would be reduced to 5 g/m2 or even less on a very small portion of the dispensing mouth to avoid any dispensing trouble. A pressure-sensitive adhesive effect of the inner film can also be reached by reducing the quantity of anti-block or slip additive in the extrusion operation of the used film.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pouch is shaped as a funnel to lead the confectionary goods towards the dispensing mouth one by one at the end of the funnel. The size of the dispensing mouth is always adapted to the size of the confectionery product.

[0023] The dispensing mouth can also be located at the end of a parallel tunnel starting from the smallest section of the pouch at the top of the pack (not represented).

[0024] On the closed packaging, before the tear-off strip is removed, the dispensing mouth of the dispensing pack is closed by a bridge-like seal, optionally comprising a weakening line (reference x, Fig.2 & 4a), said weakening line (2) crossing the dispensing mouth. The pack of the present invention comprises at least a tear initiation at the top of the pack, said tear initiation being optionally reinforced by a weakening line (2).

[0025] Weakening lines (2) are quite common in confectionary packaging and can for instance be achieved by mechanical perforation or laser scoring.

[0026] The plastic film used for the pack of the present invention must be sealable. Non-limitative examples of particular thermoplastic materials are bi-oriented or blown polypropylene, PET, ... The plastic films are multilayer films in the preferred embodiments of the invention. Non-limitative examples of multilayer plastic films according to the present invention are BOPP 20µm/PET 12µm/Blown PP 50µm or alternatively BOPP 20µm/BOPP metallised 20µm/PE 30µm.

[0027] Key
  1. 1. Seal zone with inside/inside/outside/outside/inside/ inside seals
  2. 2. Tear initiation (for example LASER score) with or without additional weakening line crossing the dispensing mouth
  3. 3. Seal zone near the dispensing mouth with inside/inside seal
  4. 4. Pouch or container
  5. 5. Quattro seal zone with stabilizing seals
  6. 6. Pressure-sensitive adhesive inside the dispensing mouth



Claims

1. Easy to open and to close dispensing plastic bag comprising:

- a plastic film defining an inner pouch (4) with a dispensing mouth;

- semi-rigid and at least partially sealed edges (1,3,5) surrounding at least partially said inner pouch (4);

- a tear initiation in a tear zone at the top of said packaging,

wherein, in use, after the top of said packaging in said tear zone has been removed, the semi-rigid edges (1,3,5) can be pressed toward said mouth in order to open it and are then subsequently released so that said mouth automatically recloses.
 
2. Easy to open and to close dispensing plastic bag according to Claim 1, wherein the tear-initiation zone additionally comprises a weakening line (2) crossing the dispensing mouth of said inner pouch (4) and delimiting a tear-off strip.
 
3. Easy to open and to close dispensing plastic bag according to Claim 1, wherein the section of said inner pouch (4) is wide at the bottom and progressively becomes narrow towards the top of said pouch (4), the narrow section at the top of said pouch (4) defining said dispensing mouth.
 
4. Easy to open and to close dispensing plastic bag according to Claim 1, wherein said bag is a form, fill and seal plastic bag.
 
5. Easy to open and to close dispensing plastic bag according to Claim 1, wherein said plastic film is a multilayer film.
 
6. Easy to open and to close dispensing plastic bag according to Claim 1, wherein said semi-rigid edges (1,3,5) comprise at least four stabilizing seams (5) at the bottom of said bag.
 
7. Easy to open and to close dispensing plastic bag according to Claim 6, wherein said semi-rigid edges (5) are Quattro seals.
 
8. Easy to open and to close dispensing plastic bag according to Claim 7, wherein said Quattro seals are cross-sealed at the bottom of said plastic bag.
 
9. Easy to open and to close dispensing plastic bag according to Claim 7, wherein said Quattro seals are left unsealed at the bottom to constitute stabilizing seams for a standing pouch.
 
10. Easy to open and to close dispensing plastic bag according to Claim 1, wherein said dispensing mouth comprises an external or an internal closing means.
 
11. Easy to open and to close dispensing plastic bag according to Claim 10, wherein said internal closing means (6) is a pressure-sensitive adhesive zone inside the dispensing mouth.
 
12. Easy to open and to close dispensing plastic bag according to Claim 11, wherein said external closing means is a tape situated outside the dispensing mouth.
 




Drawing













Search report










Cited references

REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

Patent documents cited in the description