Packaging bag with pour spout

Abstract

To make opening of a pour spout easier and two positively prevent inadvertent tearing for a packaging bag with pour spout which has a tube attached in the pour spout. A packaging bag 1 with pour spout wherein a flow path 11 in the pour spout 10 established in the top of a packaging bag 1 is partitioned off by sealed regions 5a, 7 made by sealing two films 2, 3, a tube 12 is attached in side of the flow path 11 of the pour spout 10, and opening guide line 14 which guides opening in a direction which intersects with the flow path 11 of the pour spout 10 is formed in one of the side seal regions 7 of the pour spout 10, and the seal region 5a on the other side which is opposite to the side of the pour spout 10 has a plurality of cut lines 16, 16, which pass through the seal region 5a of the two films 2, 3, and are positioned in line in relation to the ending region 14g of the opening guide line 14.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/762,758 filed on Jan. 27, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a packaging bag with pour spout which has a tube attached in the pour spout.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, when small quantities of content, such detergent or fabric softener or the like, stored in a main container such as a plastic bottle are removed and used, the main container is not disposed when the content of the main container is used up, but rather new contents are refilled, and the main container is reused. Packaging bags with pour spouts which have a pour spout at the top of the packaging bag are used as packaging bags for storing refilling contents.

With this type of packaging bag with pour spout, the pour spout can be opened by cutting the leading end side of the pour spout, and then the contents are poured from the open pour spout into the main container in order to refill the content. In order to enable simple opening by tearing open the packaging bag by hand without using tools such as scissors, packaging bags are commonly known which have a notch or cut into the side of the pour spout to form a starting point for a cut line, or a half cut groove or the like which is formed beforehand across the flow path.

For instance, with the pouch with pour spout shown in Patent Reference 1, a pour spout formed in the upper corner region is enclosed by a thermal adhesive region, a notch is formed on the side of the thermal adhesive region, and a tear stopper formed from a punch hole or a round incision is formed at the end of the expected tear line which extends in the lateral direction from the notch.

Furthermore, with the packaging bag shown in Patent Reference 2, a pour spout is not established, but a top and bottom pair of half cut grooves are formed across the whole width of the packaging bag, and a tear line which is formed with a notch formed in the side region of the packaging bag as a starting point is guided by either the top or bottom half cut groove. With the packaging bag of the Patent Reference 2, notches are formed in both sides of the packaging bag so that the packaging bag can be opened from either the left or right side, but regardless of which notch the packaging bag is opened from, the tear line is guided by the half cut groove, and after the tear line reaches the half cut groove, a straight-line opening region will be formed along the half cut groove (Refer to paragraph 0025 of Patent Reference 2).

• Patent Reference 1 Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2000-281090
• Patent Reference 2 Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2002-104437

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Problem to be Resolved by the Invention

Incidentally, in order to prevent flattening of the pour spout and to enable smooth pouring of contents, a tube is attached inside of the pour spout in order to mutually separate the front and back films. In this case, the pour spout is bulged along the outer shape of the tube.

With this type of pour spout with tube, the tearing line for the opening starting at the notch may be curved by the bulge along the tube and sufficiently controlling the direction of the tearing line is difficult. In particular, if the tear lines on the front and back of the packaging bag are staggered so as to not be in a mutually overlapping condition (condition shown in FIG. 3(a). So-called “staggered tearing”), the tearing force will be dispersed and the force for tearing the opening region will stop when the seal region of the end region side of the tear line is reached, and tearing of the seal region may be difficult.

If the region to the leading edge side of the opening region of the pour spout is left remaining, this region will contact with the mouth of the bottle during refilling so the opening region of the pour spout will be made narrow and be impeded, so the region on the leading end side of the opening region is preferably completely removed. Furthermore, if this region cannot be removed while the leading end region of the pour spout is remaining as described above, stopgap measures are usually taken, such as leaving the leading edge region hanging down from the opening region, or bending the leading edge region over to the outside so that the surface is overlapping onto the back surface film.

Furthermore, for the case where a half cut groove is formed to transect the pour spout, if the film is bulged along the outer dimension of the tube, the half cut groove will be deformed and opened to have a V shaped cross-section, adjacent packaging bags can easily come in contact, and as a result, the half cut groove of the packaging bag after filling may inadvertently be broken open during transportation or storage or the like.

With the foregoing in mind, an object of the present invention is to provide a packaging bag with pour spout which has a tube attached in the pour spout, and to enable simple opening of the pour spout and positively prevent inadvertent tearing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the aforementioned object, the present invention provides a packaging bag with pour spout wherein a flow path in the pour spout established in the top of a packaging bag is partitioned off by sealed regions made by sealing two films, a tube is attached inside of the flow path of the pour spout, and opening guide line which guides opening in a direction which intersects with the flow path of the pour spout is formed in one of the side seal regions of the pour spout, and the seal region on the other side which is opposite to the side of the pour spout has a plurality of cut lines which pass through the seal region of the two films and are positioned in line in relation to the ending region of the opening guide line.

With this type of packaging bag with pour spout, preferably the pour spout is formed in the corner region of the packaging bag, the flow path of the pour spout angles toward the top of the packaging bag, the opening guide line begins from the top side of the packaging bag, the opening guide line extends at an upward angle along the flow path, then changes direction in a curved region, and the ending region of the opening guide line extends parallel to the bottom side of the packaging bag toward the outside of the packaging bag.

The cut lines are preferably cut by a Thomson blade.

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

With the packaging bag with pour spout of the present invention, a plurality of cut lines formed in a line pass through the seal region of the side where the opening guide line is formed as well as on the opposite side, so even if “staggered tearing” occurs on the tearing line which is formed with the opening guide line as a starting point, the various tearing lines will be able to reach any one of the plurality of cut lines in the ending region side of the opening region. Furthermore, the cut lines pass through both of the films in the seal region, so both films can easily be separated between the cut line where the tearing line on one film side has reached and the cut line where the tearing line on the other side of film has reached. Therefore, the seal region on the ending side of the tearing line can easily be torn, and the region on the leading end side of the pour spout opening region can positively be removed. Of course the time required for opening can also be shortened. Furthermore, the opening region can be widely opened by completely removing the leading edge region of the pour spout, so refilling productivity can be dramatically improved.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments while referring to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1(a) and (b), the packaging bag with pour spout 1 of this embodiment (hereinafter simply referred to as “packaging bag”) is a standing pouch comprising two main body films 2, 3 which have the same flat pattern, and a bottom film 4 which is folded in half with folding line 4a as the centerline. The bottom film 4 is folded over so that the folding line 4a is facing inward, and is placed between the bottom parts of the pair of main body films 2, 3.

Side edge seal regions 5a, 5b are formed on both side edges of the packaging bag 1. In the part of the side edge seal regions 5a, 5b above the bottom film 4, both of the side edge regions of the main body films 2, 3 are heat sealed together, and in the lower area where the bottom film 4 is positioned between the main body films 2, 3, both of the side edge regions of the main body films 2, 3 are heat sealed to both of the side edges of the bottom film 4.

Furthermore, bottom seal region 6 is formed in the bottom region of the packaging bag 1 by heat sealing the bottom edge regions of mutually opposing surfaces of the main body films 2, 3 and the bottom film 4. Incidentally, a cutaway (omitted from the drawings) may be formed from a punch hole or the like in a part of the bottom film 4 such that one main body film 2 is directly heat sealed to the other main body film 3 through this cutaway.

The film which is used for the main body films 2, 3 and the bottom film 4 may be a conventionally used material such as a laminate structure wherein a base film made from biaxially elongated polypropylene, biaxially elongating polyamide, or biaxially elongated polyester or the like is laminated by a sealant layer made from a polyolefin resin such as low density polyethylene, straight chain low density polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, or polypropylene or the like. In this case, multiple layers of base film may be laminated in order to increase the strength of the packaging bag. Alternatively, in order to increase the barrier properties against gases and ultraviolet light, metallic foil such as aluminum foil, an inorganic vapor deposition layer such as ceramic, or an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer film or the like may also be laminated. Furthermore, if a uniaxially elongated polyolefin or nylon film or the like is used or if an easily tearing nylon film obtained by elongating a resin film into which an aromatic nylon such as 6 nylon or MXD6 has been blended is used in order to increase the ease of tearing in the a horizontal direction of the packaging bag, easily tearing properties can be obtained, and this is preferable.

As shown in FIG. 1(a), a pour spout 10 is established in the top of the packaging bag 1. In this embodiment, the pour spout 10 is established in the corner 1c between the top side 1a of the packaging bag 1 and one side edge seal region 5a (left side in FIG. 1(a)). On the side of the top side 1a of the packaging bag 1 where the pour spout 10 is located in the corner 1c, the main body films 2, 3 are heat sealed together by a top seal region 7 which extends from one side edge seal region 5a. Furthermore, the region between the top seal region 7 and the other side edge seal region 5b is left open as a filling port 8, and the content can be filled into the packaging bag 1 through the filling port 8.

Incidentally, after filling with the content, the main body films 2, 3 are heat sealed together along the edge of the filling port 8, and the filling port 8 is sealed shut by forming a filling port seal region 8a along the top side 1a of the packaging bag 1 (Refer to FIG. 3).

The unsealed region between both seal regions 5a, 7 forms the flow path 11 for the pour spout 10. In other words, the flow path 11 is partitioned off by one side edge seal region 5a and the top seal region 7. The flow path 11 extends in an upward angled direction (left upward direction in FIG. 1(a)) of the packaging bag 1 from the inside region of the packaging bag 1 toward the corner 1c.

A tube 12 is attached between the main body films 2, 3 in the flow path 11 of the pour spout 10. The tube may be formed from a material which is a synthetic resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyester, polystyrene, or polycarbonate or the like, but polyolefin resins such as polyethylene or polypropylene are preferable in order to thermally adhere by heat sealing to the sealant layer on the inside surface of the main body films 2, 3. As shown in FIG. 1(b), the main body films 2, 3 have an expanded region 13 which swells out in the area around the tube 12. This expanded region 13 is preferably formed beforehand (prior to inserting the tube 12) in the main body films 2, 3 by vacuum forming or compressed air forming during the process of manufacturing the packaging bag 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, an opening guide line 14 which guides the opening in a direction which intersects with the flow path 11 of the pour spout 10 is formed in the top seal region 7. The starting region 14a of the opening guide line 14 which is formed in the top seal region 7 is established in the top side 1a of the packaging bag 1, and the starting region 14a preferably has a cutaway or V shape notch, and the angle with the top side is preferably rounded. With this type of construction, inadvertent opening when a filled packaging bag contacts another object can effectively be prevented.

The opening guide line 14 has a vertical region 14c which extends perpendicular to the op side 1a from the starting region 14a, changes direction at a bend region 14d at the bottom of he vertical region 14c, has a angle region 14e which extends at an upward angle along the flow path, again changes direction from the angled region 14e at a curved region 14f, and has an end region 14g which extends parallel to the bottom side 1b of the packaging bag 1 toward the outside of the packaging bag 1.

For the case of the packaging bag 1 of this embodiment, the region from the vertical region 14c along the angled region 14e to the end region 14g has cuts (penetrating marks) which pass through the two sheets of main body films 2, 3 made using a Thompson blade for instance. Furthermore, both sides of the vertical region 14c are connected by a remaining uncut region 14b between the vertical region 14c and the starting region 14a. A cutaway in the starting region 14a and the penetrating marks of the vertical region 14c and the like are preferably formed simultaneously in order to prevent shifting positions with regards to each other.

The width of the uncut region 14b is dependent on the material of the main body films 2, 3, but for instance is between approximately 0.5 and 1.5 mm. Incidentally, uncut regions 14b may be formed in a plurality of locations along the opening guide line 14 if necessary.

The whole opening guide line 14 from the starting point 14a to the end region 14g is formed in the top seal region 7 and is not extended to the unsealed region which forms the flow path 11 of the pour spout 10, so the strength of the main body films 2, 3 which cover the pour spout 10 will not be weakened, and tearing of the main body films 2, 3 can be suppressed. Furthermore, by tearing the uncut region 14b, the region 15 enclosed by the vertical region 14c and the angle region 14e may be pulled out from the top seal region 7 and can be used as a holding tab when opening the packaging bag. By using this tab 15, the tearing force of the hand can be sufficiently transferred to the main body films 2, 3 when starting to tear the pour spout 10 from the end region 14g.

Furthermore, a plurality of cut lines 16 which pass through the two main body films 2, 3 are established in a line in the direction along the flow path 11 at a location corresponding to the ending region 14g of the opening guide line 14, transacting the flow path 11 of the pour spout 10 in one side edge seal region 5a.

These cut lines 16 are I shaped notches which extend in the same direction as the ending region 14g (parallel to the bottom side 1b of the packaging bag 1 in this embodiment), and a tear line which is started by tearing from the ending region 14g is easily connected with the cut lines 16. These cut lines 16, 16, can be formed using a tool such as a Thomson blade.

The length of the cut lines 16 is for instance between 0.5 and 2 mm. The interval between adjacent cut lines 16 is for instance between 2 and 4 mm. The number of cut lines 16 is two or more, but having three or more cut lines is more preferable.

When the packaging bag 1 of the present embodiment is to be opened, first the uncut region 14b is cut and a tab 15 enclosed by the vertical region 14c and the angled region 14e is formed in the top seal region 7, and this tab 15 is grasped and tearing is started from the ending region 14g of the opening guide line 14.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), even if the tear line 2a formed in one main body film 2 and the tear line 3a formed in the other main body film 3 become shifted and are not mutually aligned partway through tearing the pour spout 10 (“staggered tearing”), each of the tear lines 2a, 3a will be able to reach one of the plurality of cut lines 16, 16, which are formed in the seal region 5a of the opening region 17. Each of the cut lines 16, 16, extend in the same direction as the ending region 14g of the opening guide line 14, so both of the tear lines 2a, 3a can be extended by continuing to apply the tearing force by hand.

The cut lines 16 pass through the two films 2, 3 so the region between both films 2, 3 can easily be separated between the cut line 16 which is in contact with the tear line 2a of one main body film 2 and the cut line 16 which is in contact with the tear line 3a of the other main body film. Therefore, the seal region 5a at the ending side of the tear lines 2a, 3a can easily be torn, and as shown in FIG. 3(b), the leading end 10a of the pour spout 10 can positively be removed. In this manner, the leading end 10a of the pour spout 10 can easily and positively be removed by tearing by hand, so the opening region 17 can be inserted into the pour spout of the main container (not shown in the drawings) without interference, and the contents can efficiently be transferred from the packaging bag 1 to the main container.

The present invention was described above based on a preferred embodiment, but the present invention is not to restricted to the aforementioned embodiment, and various modifications are possible so long as the essence of the present invention is not violated. For instance, the location where the pour spout is established in the present invention is not restricted to the corner of the packaging bag, and can also be established in the center region of the top side of the packaging bag. Furthermore, the pour spout may have a shape where the leading end protrudes from the top side of the packaging bag.

Preferred Embodiments

A packaging bag 1 with pour spout of the form shown in FIG. 1 was manufactured by the following procedures.

A three layer film made from a laminate material (biaxially elongated polyethylene terephthalate film/easily tearing nylon film obtained by elongating a mixed resin film of 6 nylon and MDX 6 nylon/straight chain low density polyethylene layer (sealant layer)) was used for the main body films 2, 3, and a two layer film made from a laminate material (biaxially elongated nylon/straight chain low density polyethylene layer (sealant layer)) was used for the bottom film 4.

First, an expanded region 13 was formed in a predetermined location of the main body films 2, 3 using compressed air forming or vacuum forming, and a cylindrical tube 12 was inserted into this expanded region 13 and was bonded by heat sealing. Next, the main body films 2, 3 were positioned so that the sealant layers were facing each other, and the bottom film 4, which had been folded in half so that the sealant layer forms the outside surface, was inserted between the main body films 2, 3. The main body films 2, 3 were heat sealed to the bottom film 4 to form a bottom heat seal region 6, and the side edge seal regions 5a, 5b and the top seal region 7 were formed so as to partition off the flow path 11 in one of the top corner regions 1c of the packaging bag 1.

Next, the opening guide line 14 was formed in the top seal region 7 and a plurality of cut lines 16, 16, were formed in one side edge seal region 5a by punching with a Thomson blade, in order to complete the packaging bag 1 with pour spout.

In the present embodiment, the length of the cut lines 16 was 1 mm, the interval between adjacent cut lines 16 was 3 mm, and five cut lines were formed.

After the packaging bag 1 with pour spout was filled with content through the fill port 8, a fill port seal region 8a was formed by heat sealing in order to seal of the packaging bag 1 with pour spout, to make a packaging bag filled with content (packaged product).

When using the filled packaged product, the uncut region 14b of the opening guide, line 14 is first cut and tab 15 is pulled out from the top seal region 7, and then holding this tab 15, tearing is started from the end region 14g of the opening guide line 14.

With the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the tear line 2a formed in one main body film 2 and the tear line 3a formed in the other main body film 3 became staggered and were not mutually aligned (“staggered tearing”) part way through tearing the pour spout 10, and the space between both tear lines 2a, 3a increased to approximately 9 mm in the vertical direction of the packaging bag 1. Regardless, both tear lines 2a, 3a extended to transect one side edge seal region 5a by reaching any one of the cut lines 16, 16, and therefore the leading end 10a of the pour spout 10 could be completely removed.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3(b), even though one main body film 2 was approximately 9 mm longer than the other main body film 3 in the end region of the side edge seal region 5a of the opening region 17, when the pour spout 10 was inserted into the pour spout of the empty main container and powder detergent was transferred, all of the powder detergent which had been filled into the packaging bag 1 with pour spout could be transferred over to the main container without spilling outside of the main container.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

The present invention can be used for storing and packaging products in a variety of industrial fields, and for instance is preferably used as a packaging bag with pour spout for storing contents for refilling (such as powders or liquids, and specifically detergent or fabric softener or the like).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1(a) is a front view showing an embodiment of the packaging bag with pour spout of the present invention, and (b) is a longitudinal cross section view along line A-A in FIG. 1(a);

FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged front view showing the area around the pour spout of the packaging bag with pour spout of the present invention; and

FIG. 3(a) is a partial enlarged perspective view of an example of a condition where staggered tearing has occurred part way through opening of the packaging bag with pour spout shown in FIG. 1, and (b) is a partial enlarged perspective view showing an example of the condition where the pour spout was completely opened after the condition of (a).

DESCRIPTION OF CODES

• 1—packaging bag with pour spout
• 1a—top side
• 1b—bottom side
• 1c—corner
• 2, 3—main body film
• 5a—one side edge seal region
• 7—top seal region
• 10—pour spout
• 11—flow path
• 12—tube
• 14—opening guide line
• 14e—opening guide line angled region
• 14f—opening guide line curved region
• 14g—opening guide line ending region
• 16—cut lines

The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm.”

All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A packaging bag with pour spout wherein a flow path in a pour spout established in the top of a packaging bag is partitioned off by sealed regions made by sealing two films, a tube is attached inside of the flow path of the pour spout, an opening guide line which guides an opening in a direction which intersects with the flow path of the pour spout is formed in one of the side seal regions of the pour spout, and the seal region on the other side which is opposite to the side of the pour spout has a plurality of cut lines which pass through the seal region of the two films and are positioned in line in relation to the ending region of the opening guide line.

2. The packaging bag with pour spout according to claim 1, wherein the pour spout is formed in the corner region of the packaging bag, the flow path of the pour spout angles toward the top of the packaging bag, the opening guide line begins from the top side of the packaging bag, the opening guide line extends at an upward angle along the flow path, then changes direction in a curved region, and the ending region of the opening guide line extends parallel to the bottom side of the packaging bag toward the outside of the packaging bag.

3. The packaging bag with pour spout according to claim 1, wherein the cut lines are cut by a Thomson blade.