PACKING BAG

Abstract

In a packing bag made of a flexible film-like first material with, a substantially rectangular base which is formed as a standing surface with longitudinal and side edges, the base comprises a second material giving form-stability to the bag in the area close to the base, and has a base fold line running in the center and parallel to the two longitudinal edges and dividing the base into two base parts which can be folded against each other, and the longitudinal edges form side fold lines between the base and substantially rectangular side walls arranged on two opposite sides of the base, wherein the fold part which is constructed from the base and the two side walls is glued to the bag.

Description

BACKGROUND

The invention concerns a packing bag of a flexible film-like first material with a substantially rectangular base formed as a standing surface with longitudinal and side edges.

As a standing pack for foodstuffs which are heated in a microwave oven and served on a plate, rigid or form-stable containers of plastics, normally made by 3D thermoforming or injection moulding, with a tightly attached lid, and rigid bags made of plastic laminate are known. Such packing containers and bags, because of their greater need for material required to achieve stability, are ecologically harmful and also relatively expensive.

Dish containers with tightly attached lid have the disadvantage that they are bulky and easily broken.

The invention is based on the object of providing a packing for both dry products e.g. nuts or crisps, and for products with liquid and solid elements or semi-solid products such as ready meals to be heated in the microwave, which packing does not have or only has to a lesser extent the disadvantages described above of the packaging according to the prior art.

The object according to the invention is achieved in a packing bag of the type cited initially in which the base comprises a second material giving the bag form-stability in the area close to the base, has a base fold line running in the centre between and parallel to the two longitudinal or side edges and dividing the base into two base parts which can be folded against each other, and the longitudinal or side edges form side fold lines between the base and two substantially rectangular side walls which are arranged on two opposing sides of the base, wherein a fold part which is formed from the base and the two side walls is glued to the bag.

A substantial advantage of the packing bag according to the invention lies firstly in the flat bag form in the first position which is ideal for transport, and secondly in open state in the form-stable dish shape ideal as a serving or cooking dish in the second position.

In a suitable embodiment of the packing bag according to the invention, the fold part which is formed from the base and the two side walls in a first position is substantially V-shaped in relation to a theoretical section plane running perpendicular to the fold lines. In a second position the two base parts form a substantially flat base as a standing surface and the two side walls protrude from the base. The fold part constructed from the base and the two side walls can be brought from the first position into the second position by pressure on the fold edges connecting the two base parts to form the substantially flat base.

In a special embodiment of the fold part the side fold lines are outwardly curved in relation to the base fold line so that the fold part which is constructed from the base and the two side walls assumes a stable form in the second position.

The end of the bag which is remote from the base can be separated preferably along a tear line lying substantially parallel to the standing surface of the bag.

The packing bag itself can be a standing bag without inherent standing stability, a hose bag or an extruded bag. The bag material for the packing bag according to the invention, in comparison with the rigid material required for a standing bag with inherent standing stability, can have a lesser thickness and is consequently cheaper.

The bag material of the packing bag according to the invention is preferably a one-layer or multi-layer film made of plastics, where applicable laminated with a paper layer or aluminum film, or a paper laminated with plastics.

The material for the fold part and the reinforcement part can be any low cost material. A preferred material is cardboard or a transparent or opaque plastic.

The packing bag is particularly suitable for packing foodstuffs, in particular spoonable fillings. A further preferred area of application is the packing of fillings which are intended for heating in a microwave oven.

The meals e.g. ready meals can be heated directly in a microwave in the packing bag according to the invention in the open state. The advantage of the packing bag according to the invention lies here in the heat-insulating design of the area of the bag near the base due to the fold part, which allows holding with bare hands. Certain meals in the open bag can for example also be heated in a water bath. For ready meals, the open bag can serve directly as a cooking dish.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention arise from the description below of preferred embodiment examples and with reference to the drawings which show diagrammatically:

FIG. 1 a perspective view of a packing bag in a first position;

FIG. 2 a perspective view of the open packing bag of FIG. 1 in a second position;

FIG. 3 a top view of a fold part constructed from base and side walls with curved side fold lines;

FIG. 4 the side view of the fold part of FIG. 3 after folding the side walls into the second position;

FIG. 5 the top view of the fold part in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 the side view of the fold part in FIG. 4 rotated through 90°;

FIG. 7 a front view of the opening part of a packing bag with a first variant of a reclosable opening;

FIG. 8 a section through the bag in FIG. 7 on line I-I;

FIG. 9 a front view of the opening part of a packing bag with a second variant of a closable opening;

FIG. 10 a section through the bag in FIG. 9 on line II-II.

A packing bag 10 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in the form of a standing bag and comprising a flexible film material e.g. polyamide, has a sealed bag base 12, a front wall 14 and a rear wall 16. Front wall 14 and rear wall 16 are connected in the known manner by way of lateral longitudinal sealed seams 18, 19 and together with a transverse sealing seam 20 which is arranged at the end of the bag 10 remote from the base, form a closed packing bag 10.

The transverse sealing seam 20 at the end of the packing bag 10 remote from the base is part of a bag part 24 which can be separated from the bag and is covered by a V-shaped reinforcement part 22. The reinforcement part 22 is equipped with a through slot 26 for suspending the bag 10. To open the packing bag 10, the separable bag part 24 together with the reinforcement part 22 is torn away along a tear line 28 which is arranged parallel to the bag walls 14, 16 at a short distance from the transverse sealing seam 20. As a tear aid, tear notches are provided in the longitudinal sealing seams 18, 19 with a tip ending on the tear line 28.

In the area of the bag 10 close to the base is a fold part 30 extending from the bag front wall 14 to the rear wall 16 and reinforcing the bag base 12, comprising a substantially form-stable material e.g. cardboard, plastics, another suitable material or a laminate of the said materials and where applicable further materials. The fold part 30 can be arranged on the bag base 12 inside the bag or surrounding the bag base 12 from the outside.

The fold part 30 comprises a rectangular base 32 with longitudinal edges 34, 35 and side edges 36, 37. A base fold line a running in the centre between and parallel to the two longitudinal edges 34, 35 divides the base 32 into two base parts 38, 40 which can be folded against each other. The longitudinal edges 34, 35 of the base 32 form side fold lines b, c between the base 32 and substantially rectangular side walls 42, 44 which are arranged on two opposing sides of the base 32.

The fold part 30 which is constructed from the base 32 and the two side walls 42, 44 can as stated above be arranged both inside the bag or on its outside and is at least partly attached to the bag inside or outside respectively by gluing, sealing and similar connection methods. The fixing to the bag walls 14, 16 takes place e.g. partially by way of spot glue or seal points.

It is clear from FIG. 1 that the fold part 30 which is constructed from the base 32 and the two side walls 42, 44 in a first position is substantially V-shaped in relation to a theoretical section plane extending perpendicular to the fold lines a, b, c. In a second position shown in FIG. 2 the two base parts 38, 40 form the substantially flat base 32 as a standing surface and the two side walls 42, 44 protrude substantially vertically from the base. The fold part 30 which is formed from the base 32 and the two side walls 42, 44 is brought from the first position into the second position by pressure from the outside on the base fold edge or line a connecting the two base parts 38, 40 to form the substantially flat base 32. Conversion of the fold part 30, which is substantially V-shaped in the first position, to the second position with flat base 32 and side walls 42, 44 protruding therefrom, occurs automatically on standing the bag 10 in its upright position.

The base 32 serves as a standing surface so that the packing bag 10 itself need not be formed stand-stable. The packing bag 10 can therefore also be a simple hose bag with a longitudinal seam or an extruded bag without longitudinal seam, and two side seams.

It is evident from FIG. 2 that, after opening, the bag 10 together with the specially designed fold part 30 forms a dish with a substantially rectangular base. Depending on bag content, the dish which is formed can serve as a serving dish for e.g. nuts or crisps, or as a cooking dish suitable for microwave oven for e.g. ready meals.

In the fold part 30 which is shown in FIG. 3 the side fold lines b, c are outwardly curved in relation to the base fold line a so that the fold part 30 which is formed from the base 32 and the two side walls 42, 44 assumes a stable form in the second position shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the side walls 42, 44 in the second position of the fold part 30 form convex curved surfaces, and the base 32 shortly before reaching the second position spontaneously falls into a form-stable, concave curved end position.

FIGS. 7 to 10 show example embodiments of packing bags with a reclosable opening part.

In a first variant shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, to open the packing bag 10 the bag part with transverse sealing seam 20 is torn away along a tear line 28 arranged in the bag walls 14, 16 parallel to and at a short distance from the transverse sealing seam 20. As a tear aid, tear notches 46 are provided in the longitudinal sealing seams 18, 19 with tip ending on the tear line 28.

At a further distance from the transverse sealing seam 20 and the tear line 28, arranged parallel to the transverse sealing seam 20 at the bag walls 14, 16 are arranged corresponding parts of a zip closure 48, 49. After the bag has been opened by tearing away the bag part with the transverse sealing seam 20 along the tear line 28, the bag can be reopened and closed using the zip closure 48, 49.

In a second variant shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, to open the packing bag 10 again first the bag part with the transverse sealing seam 20 is torn away along a tear line 28 which is arranged in the bag walls 14, 16 parallel to and at a short distance from the transverse sealing seam 20. As tear aids, tear notches 46 are provided in the longitudinal sealing seams 18, 19 with tip ending on the tear line 28.

At a further distance from the transverse sealing seam 20 and tear line 28 is arranged a peelable and reclosable closure strip 50 connecting the two bag walls 14, 16 by means of a contact adhesive. After the bag has been opened by tearing away the bag part with the transverse sealing seam 20 along the tear line 28, the bag can be repeatedly opened and reclosed by means of the closure strip 50. To facilitate opening, the closure strip 50 is formed rising in an arrow shape from the longitudinal sealing seams 18, 19 towards the transverse sealing seam 20. In this way the force required for opening is concentrated in the centre of the sealing strip 50 and separation of the sealing strip 50 takes place continuously from the middle of the bag towards the two longitudinal sealing edges 18, 19.

The opening and reclosing systems shown in the drawing are simply a small selection of a multiplicity of possibilities for reclosable opening of a bag. The scope of protection of the packing bag according to the invention is not restricted to the embodiment example shown in the drawing but extends rather to packing bags with any arbitrary opening and where applicable reclosing systems.

Claims

1. Packing bag of a flexible film-like first material with a substantially rectangular base formed as a standing surface with two pairs of opposed edges,

characterised in that

the base comprises a second material giving the bag form-stability in the area close to the base, and has a base fold line running in the centre between and parallel to one of the two pairs of edges and dividing the base into two base parts which can be folded against each other, and the one of the two pairs of edges form side fold lines between the base and substantially rectangular side walls which are arranged on two opposing sides of the base, wherein a fold part which is formed from the base and the two side walls is glued to the bag.

2. Packing bag according to claim 1, characterised in that the fold part which is formed from the base and the two side walls in a first position is substantially V-shaped in relation to a theoretical section plane perpendicular to the fold lines and in a second position the two base parts form the substantially flat base as a standing surface and the two side walls project from the base, wherein the fold part which is formed from the base and the two side walls can be brought from the first position into the second position by pressure on the base fold line connecting the two base parts to form the substantially flat base.

3. Packing bag according to claim 2, characterised in that the side fold lines are outwardly curved in relation to the base fold line so that the fold part which is constructed from the base and the two side walls assumes a stable form in the second position.

4. Packing bag according to claim 1, characterised in that the end of the bag which is remote from the base can be separated along a tear line lying substantially parallel to the standing surface of the bag.

5. Packing bag according to claim 4, characterised in that the separable end of the bag is covered by a reinforcement part.

6. Packing bag according to claim 1, characterised in that at the end of the bag which is remote from the base is arranged an opening and reclosing system selected from a group consisting of: a zip closure and a peelable and reclosable closing strip of a contact adhesive.

7. Packing bag according to claim 1, characterised in that the bag material is a one-layer or multi-layer film of plastics, laminated where applicable with a paper layer or aluminum film, or a paper laminated with plastics.

8. Packing bag according to claim 1, characterised in that the fold part which is constructed from the base and the two side walls is selected from a group consisting of: cardboard, transparent plastic, and opaque plastic.

9. Packing bag according to claim 1, characterised in that the fold part which is constructed from the base and the two side walls is attached to the packing bag by way of spot glue points.

10. Packing bag according to claim 1, characterised in that the bag is one of a group consisting of: a standing bag, a hose bag and an extruded bag.

11. A method comprising using a packing bag according to claim 1 for packing foodstuffs.

12. A method comprising using a packing bag according to claim 1 for packing fillings intended for heating in a microwave oven.

13. Packing bag according to claim 5, wherein the reinforcement part comprises a material selected from a group consisting of: cardboard, transparent plastic, and opaque plastic.

14. A packing bag comprising:

a bag member formed of a flexible first material; and

a fold part connected to the bag member and formed of a second material giving the bag form-stability in the area close to the base, the fold part comprising a substantially rectangular base and two substantially rectangular side walls connected to opposed edges of the base,

wherein the fold part has a base fold line running along a center thereof, between and parallel to the opposed edges of the base and dividing the base into two base parts which can be folded against each other, and

wherein the opposed edges of the base form fold lines between the base and the side walls.