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