U.S. patent application number 09/841563 was filed with the patent office on 2002-10-24 for freezer bags with integral closure means.
Invention is credited to Folkmar, Jan.
Application Number | 20020153468 09/841563 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25285183 |
Filed Date | 2002-10-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020153468 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Folkmar, Jan |
October 24, 2002 |
Freezer bags with integral closure means
Abstract
A bag useful for forming ice cubes or the like has a pouch-like
fill chamber which may extend across the whole of the width of the
bag. The fill chamber has an outlet opening connecting to the
interior of the bags which comprises at least two passageways in
parallel relationship. An internal seal is provided to isolate the
fill chamber from the interior of the bag. The seal may comprise a
zip type fastener, or a simple flap valve disposed in each of the
passageways. The arrangement facilitates the handling of the bags
to permit larger bags that may be filled more rapidly and with
little or no air trapped within the bag, in comparison to other
known bags.
Inventors: |
Folkmar, Jan; (Arosa,
CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
J. Folkmar
c/o Kenneth M. Garrett
392 Lakeshore Road East
Oakkville
ON
L6J 1J8
CA
|
Family ID: |
25285183 |
Appl. No.: |
09/841563 |
Filed: |
April 23, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
249/61 ; 249/105;
249/119; 249/127 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A23L 3/36 20130101; B65D
33/2508 20130101; F25C 1/243 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
249/61 ; 249/127;
249/105; 249/119 |
International
Class: |
B65D 030/22; B65D
033/16; F25C 001/24 |
Claims
1. A bag for freezing liquids comprising a pair of similar flexible
walls each having a rectangular shape with an upper margin
extending in a transverse direction, a lower margin, and side
margins extending therebetween, arranged in mutually confronting
relationship and sealed together about said lower margin and said
side margins; upper portions of said bag walls together defining a
fill chamber having an entrance thereto in communication with the
exterior of said bag and an outlet opening thereto disposed beneath
said entrance in communication with the interior of said bag,
characterized wherein said outlet opening comprises at least two
passageways disposed in parallel relationship, and formed by
interconnecting opposed wall portions of said bag; said passageways
serving to constrain the outward movement of said walls of said
bag; and means disposed within the chamber for isolating said
outlet opening from said entrance.
2. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 1 wherein said
passageways together have a combined transverse dimension of not
less than about 35 percent of the transverse dimension of said
bag.
3. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 1 wherein said
passageways are formed by interconnecting opposed wall portions of
said bag by welds.
4. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 3 wherein said
welds are of a releasable type.
5. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 4 wherein said
isolating means comprises a zip fastener.
6. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 5 wherein said
zip fastener is of a push-together type.
7. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 6 wherein said
side margins are united together in a welded joint, and wherein
said zip fastener has a pair of opposed ends united in said welded
joints at a juncture and wherein said juncture extends transversely
along said zip fastener by an amount at least equal to about 5
mm.
8. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 6 wherein said
passageways together have a combined transverse dimension equal to
not less than 90 percent of the transverse dimension of the
interior of said bag.
9. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 6 wherein said
chamber has an entrance opening having a transverse dimension equal
to not less than 90 percent of the transverse dimension of the
interior of said bag.
10. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 6 wherein said
walls are joined together in the interior of said bag by an open
grid of welds to form ice cube compartments.
11. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 10 wherein said
welds are of a releasable type.
12. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 10 wherein said
bag has an interior transverse dimension so as to provide at least
six passageways in parallel each having a transverse dimension of
not less than about 40 mm.
13. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 1 wherein said
isolating means comprises a flap valve associated with each of said
passageways.
14. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 13 wherein there
are at least three said passageways which together have a combined
transverse dimension of not less than about 35 percent of the
transverse dimension of the interior of said bag.
15. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in 13 wherein said walls
are joined together in the interior of said bag by an open grid of
welds to form ice cube compartments.
16. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 15 wherein said
welds are of a releasable type.
17. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 16 wherein the
mutually opposed surfaces of the bag are joined together to form a
small passage adjacent to the lower margin of the bag in flow
relation with the interior of the bag.
18. A bag for freezing liquids as defined in claim 1 wherein said
bag is closed by a tamper resistant barrier that must be removed to
permit the use of the bag.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to bags which are useful in
containing liquids for freezing, particularly where it is desired
to form a number of relatively small portions of frozen liquid
rather than a large block.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Ice cube bags are well known in commerce, and are described
in the patent art. They may be exemplified by the bag described in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,042, of common inventorship herewith. Such bags
include a pair of generally rectangular bag walls of a thin plastic
foil arranged in mutually confronting relationship. The walls have
a margin therearound including an upper margin portion, and are
sealed together to leave a relatively small opening in the upper
margin portion, to provide an inlet opening. The confronting walls
are sealed together on each side of the inlet opening along
downwardly converging lines to form a funnel like structure, the
outlet of which connects to the interior of the bag. The walls in
the interior are interconnected by a plurality of spaced apart
joints arranged in an open grid pattern, to define a plurality of
compartments connected in flow relationship with the funnel and
with each other. When the bag is filled with water it is closed
using a clip which is clamped about the bag walls at the most
restricted part of the funnel. When the bag is frozen, the water
will form a plurality of ice cubes which are joined together by
small ice bridges, which may be easily broken apart. The
interconnects forming the grid are also of a nature whereby they
may be easily ruptured, to provide a bag filled with individual ice
cubes. The bag may be cut open, or alternatively, one or more seams
of the bag may be of a pull-apart type, to permit the ice cubes to
be removed from the interior of the bag.
[0003] In published European Patent Application 0129,072, also of
common inventorship herewith, improvements are described in ice
cube bags wherein an internal seal comprising a simple flap valve
is disposed in the outlet to the funnel structure, thereby avoiding
the use of an external clamp for closing the bag after filling with
liquid. One of the problems associated with this type of internal
closure is that of air being trapped inside the bag. This may act
to reduce the effective capacity of the bag, and it may cause
spoilage of air-sensitive material stored within the bag.
[0004] While there are no absolute limits to the physical
dimensions of ice cube bags, it will be understood that for reasons
of economy, the bag walls are made from very thin foils.
Accordingly, a bag that is too wide will be impractical to handle
when filling. Moreover, there are limits to the size of the simple
flap valves that may be used, which if exceeded, will lead to
leakage from the bags.
[0005] An examination of several different commercially available
ice cube bags shows there to be a de facto standard for the si7e of
the ice cubes, most of which have a width of 40 to 42 mm;
additionally, the bags are all dimensioned to produce four ice
cubes across, and accordingly have an interior transverse dimension
of about 165 mm. Moreover, the bags all have funnel mouth openings
having a width extending along the upper margin of the bag of
between about 60 to 75 mm, which is some 25 to 35 percent of the
transverse dimension of the interior of the bag, and the funnel
outlets to have a transverse opening dimension of some 18 to 25 mm,
or about 12 to 15 percent of the bag's width. The relatively small
size, particularly of the funnel outlet, makes the filling of the
bag with water a rather slow operation, particularly where it is
desired to fill many bags. Where it is desired to fill the bag with
a thin food slurry such as a puree, the small size of both the
inlet and the outlet to the funnel will make the operation
impractical, at least for a domestic application. For various
reasons it is not possible simply to enlarge the outlet openings of
the above funnel like structures to make filling progress more
quickly, and any substantial enlargement of the physical size of
the bags to increase their capacity would exacerbate the
problem.
[0006] It is known to provide freezer bags with zip type closures
which can be fully opened to permit the addition of solid foods to
the bag. However, if such a bag is filled with liquid, the walls of
the bag will balloon outwardly in an uncontrollable manner, making
the bag difficult to close. Moreover, the zip structure of
commercially produced bags usually permits leakage of liquid
adjacent to the juncture of the zipper ends and the side margins of
the bag.
[0007] It is an object of this invention to provide improved
freezer bags which are of particular use with liquids.
[0008] It is another object of this invention to provide bags of
the foregoing type which may be filled more readily than
commercially available bags.
[0009] It is still another object of this invention to provide
freezer bags for liquids which may be used for freezing relatively
thick liquids such as purees.
[0010] It is yet another object of this invention to provide
freezer bags for liquids that may be substantially larger than is
usual, but which may be handled in a controllable manner.
[0011] It is a further object of this invention to provide freezer
bags wherein little or no air remains in the bag when it is
closed.
[0012] In accordance with a broad aspect of the invention, in a bag
which comprises a pair of mutually confronting bag walls having a
generally rectangular form, including an upper margin portion, the
upper portion of the bag is configured to define a pouch-like fill
chamber. The fill chamber has an entry opening thereto in
communication with the exterior of the bag, which opening suitably
extends across at least 50 percent and preferably across the
substantially the whole of the length of the upper margin of the
bag. The fill chamber has an outlet opening thereto in
communication with the interior of the bag. The outlet opening
comprises at least two passageways disposed in parallel
relationship formed by joining mutually confronting surfaces of the
bag, which passageways suitably and preferably define the zone of
greatest restriction between the inlet opening and the interior of
the bag. The passageways together may suitably provide a transverse
opening having a total width of not less than about 45 mm, which is
to say about 35 percent of the transverse dimension of standard
size bags. The bag further comprises an internal seal disposed
within or adjacent to the outlet opening. In accordance with one
embodiment, the internal seal comprises a zip type fastener
disposed intermediate the entry opening and the outlet opening, and
the outlet opening may extend substantially across the whole of the
transverse width of the bag if desired, so as not to provide a
significant impediment to the flow of liquid from the fill
chamber.
[0013] The passageways which define the outlet to the fill chamber
interconnect the confronting surfaces of the bag, and serve to
prevent the walls of the bag from ballooning outwardly in an
uncontrolled manner in the vicinity of the closure means when the
bag is filled with liquid, and concomitantly, to retain the
confronting portions of the zip fastener in proximity. The
passageways in this embodiment suitably comprise a plurality of
small welds which are transversely spaced apart across the bag, and
which in their totality may have a transverse dimension less than
about 3 percent of the transverse dimension of the bag.
[0014] The bag of this first embodiment may be filled to any
desired extent with liquid, and any air within the bag may be
totally expelled by squeezing the sides of the bag together before
sealing the bag. Should it be desired, the bag may be overfilled to
ensure that all air is displaced prior to closure, and the excess
liquid discarded. In either of these modes of use, the bag may be
partially closed shortly prior to it being filled to completion,
thereby facilitating the complete expulsion of air from the
bag.
[0015] The internal seal is not limited to zip type fasteners, and
in accordance with a second embodiment to be described hereinafter,
it may be of a self-closing type. Still other means are
contemplated and will occur to persons skilled in the art,
including, for example, adhesive seals.
[0016] The wall thickness of the chamber portion of the bag in this
first embodiment is suitably and preferably greater than that of
the interior of the bag, so providing greater stability and
increased ease of handling of the bag during the filling process.
Given the marked increase in filling speed, it is quite feasible
for bags of this embodiment to be appreciably larger in their width
than the above mentioned industry standard bags, and bags for
making six or more standard ice cubes across their width are quite
practical.
[0017] The term `weld` as used throughout the specification
includes the thermal fusion of the walls together, or a bonding
together of the walls through the use of an agent. Suitably and
preferably, the welds defining structure within the bag are of a
releasable type, which is to say that they may be ruptured without
destroying the integrity of the walls of the bag, as is known in
the art. Accordingly, following the freezing of liquid within the
bag, it may be removed in a frozen condition by rupturing the
interior welds.
[0018] In accordance with a second embodiment, which is
subsequently described in greater detail, the passageways are
defined by axially elongated welds disposed at transversely spaced
apart intervals, and the seal means comprises a simple flap valve
disposed in each of the passageways, which valves may be similar to
the valve described in the aforementioned European patent
application. Such valves may be suitably formed by simply folding
the upper portion of the bag wall inwardly, in a generally known
manner. However, if it is attempted to make the transverse
dimension of valves of this type too large, the flaps will distort
and leakage will result. By providing a plurality of separate ones
of the valves, the total opening between the fill chamber and the
interior of the bag can be sufficiently large to permit a ready
flow of liquid into the interior of the bag, while individual ones
of the valves remain sufficiently small so as to produce a reliable
liquid tight seal. Moreover, valves of this type will remain open
until such time as they are closed by a small head of liquid.
Accordingly, the provision of more than one passageway and valve
permits air to escape through the valve of one passageway while the
bag is being filled through the other, thereby reducing problems
associated with air being trapped within the bag.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 shows in elevation a bag in accordance with a first
embodiment;
[0020] FIG. 2 shows upper portions of the bag partially opened for
filling;
[0021] FIG. 3 shows schematically a section on line 3-3 of FIG. 2,
on enlarged scale;
[0022] FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 1, but shows a second
embodiment;
[0023] FIG. 5 shows upper portions of the bag of FIG. 4 partially
open for filling;
[0024] FIG. 6 shows schematically a section on line 6-6 of FIG. 5;
and
[0025] FIG. 7 shows schematically a section on line 7-7 of FIG.
5.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] Referring to the drawings in detail, with reference first to
FIGS. 1-3, a bag in accordance with a first embodiment of the
invention is identified therein by the numeral 10. Bag 10 comprises
a pair of mutually confronting walls 12, 14 which are generally
identical, and differentiated here primarily to facilitate the
description. Walls 12, 14 are generally rectangular in shape, and
have an upper margin 16, a lower margin 18 and side margins 20. The
lower margin 18 and side margins of walls 12, 14 are joined
together by continuously welded seam 22.
[0027] A push together zip fastener 40 comprises a first continuous
channel portion 42 and a second continuous barbed portion 44
disposed in confronting relationship on the inner surfaces of walls
12, 14 to span continuously between opposed side margins 20. The
opposed ends of fastener 40 will normally be incorporated into and
form a part of seams 22 at a juncture 46. Suitably and preferably,
as seen in FIG. 1, juncture 46 will extend transversely by a small
amount, typically not less than the greater of about 5 mm and about
five times the width of channel portion 42, so as to ensure the
tightness of the seal when zip 40 is closed. Also preferably,
channel portion 42 and barbed portion 44 will have cooperating
cross sections to permit fastener 40 to be peeled apart by a force
applied to the upper margins 16 of bag 10, while resisting an
unintended separation under the influence of pressure within bag
10.
[0028] The walls 12, 14 of bag 10 are joined together at
transversely spaced apart spot welds 50 which are disposed adjacent
to upper margin 16. Walls 12, 14 are additionally joined together
at spot welds 52 which together form an open grid 54 within the
interior of bag 10, and which define a plurality of interconnected
compartments 56. A plurality of small perforations 58 are provided
on walls 12, 14 across the whole of the width of bag 10 adjacent to
upper margin, to form a tear-off tamper-proof barrier.
[0029] Referring now particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, when bag 10 is
to be used, a suitable force will be applied to margins 16, causing
the rupture of safety barrier welds 58 and the peeling apart of the
mating portions 42, 44 of zip 40, to form a pouch-like chamber 60
having a mouth opening 62 formed by upper margins 16. It will be
appreciated that as liquid is introduced into chamber 60, liquid
pressure will cause walls 16 to bow outwardly between adjacent
welds 50, whereby in effect these welds define passageways 66 which
connect chamber 60 to the interior to bag 10.
[0030] The wall thickness of bag 10 in the portion thereof defining
chamber 60 will normally be substantially increased in comparison
to the wall thickness in the interior portions of the bag, so as to
stabilize zip fastener 40. The effect of this increased rigidity,
together with that provided by zip fastener 40 itself, is to
provide a significantly increased stiffness to the walls of the
chamber portion 60. Accordingly, it is found that the transverse
dimension of bag 10 may be significantly increased, i.e. by some 50
percent or more, to provide a bag for producing at lest six
standard width ice cubes across, while ensuring an ease of handling
bag 10 during the filling operation, and a very marked increase in
the speed of filling. Conveniently, when bag 10 is filled near to
completion, zip 40 may be partially closed, following which the
remainder of the bag is filled to a point where free liquid remains
in compartment 56; at this point, any air remaining within bag 10
can be expelled either by a suitable orientation of the bag or by
squeezing the sides together, following which zip 40 is completely
closed to seal the bag.
[0031] Welds 50, 52 are preferably of a type wherein they may be
ruptured without destroying the integrity of walls 12, 14.
Accordingly, when a liquid is frozen within bag 10 to form cubes
within the compartments 56, welds 50, 52 may be ruptured, and the
cubes will be free within the confines of bag 10, in an analogous
manner to that described in the previously mentioned U.S. Patent.
In order to gain access to the cubes, it is merely required to open
zip 40, and following the removal of the quantity of cubes desired,
zip 40 may be closed to permit the remaining cubes to be stored
within bag 10.
[0032] Referring now to FIGS. 4-7, a bag 110 in accordance with a
second embodiment of the invention comprises walls 112, 114 having
an upper margin 116, a lower margin 118 and side margins 120. Walls
112, 114 are joined together around lower margin 118 and side
margins 120 in a continuous seam 122. Each of walls 112, 114 is
folded over inwardly at upper margin 116 to form a pair of similar
flaps 124, 126. Walls 112,114 and flaps 124, 126 are united along
axially extending, transversely spaced apart weld lines 128; the
walls and flaps are further united along generally transversely
extending weld lines 130 which intersect weld lines 128 and seams
122 to form a plurality of inverted U shapes 132 and a plurality of
passages 134 therebetween. Flaps 124, 126 are respectively joined
to an adjacent overlaying wall 12, 14 along transversely extending
weld lines 136 which bridge between adjacent ones of passages 134
at the upper end thereof. Flaps 124, 126 extend into the interior
of bag 110 somewhat below the lower end of passages 134, and
terminate at edge 138. The flaps 124, 126 are respectively joined
adjacent their lower ends to walls 112, 114 at transversely spaced
apart spot welds 139 which are offset from passageways 134. Walls
112, 114 in the interior of bag 110 are joined together by
releasable welds 152 forming an open grid 154 in an analogous
manner to the first embodiment. An additional line of welds 156
which may be of a releasable type or otherwise is formed across the
whole of the width of bag 110 marginally apart from lower margin
118, to form therewith a small tubular member 158 connected in flow
relationship with the interior of bag 110.
[0033] Referring now to FIG. 5, it may be seen that walls 112, 114
and flaps 124, 126 therewith may be outwardly bowed above
passageways 134 to form a pouch-like chamber 160 extending across
the whole of the width of bag 110 and it will be appreciated that
liquid poured into chamber 160 will readily drain into the interior
of bag 110 through the several passageways 134. When bag 110 is
being filled with liquid, the bag may be oriented in the final
stages of filling so that one of passageways 134 is superior to the
remaining passageways. liquid within chamber 160 will then flow
into the interior of bag 110 through the lower one or ones of the
passageways 134, and air will be expelled through the uppermost of
the passageways. When bag 110 is completely filled in this manner,
the bag is inverted, thus causing liquid to flow between a flap
124, 126 and the adjacent wall 112, 114, and to exert a closure
pressure on the flaps within each of the passageways 134, whereby
the flaps form simple, non-return valves 136. Typically, each of
passages 134 may have a transverse dimension of between about 15 to
18 mm, so as to ensure a leak-free operation of the valves.
Accordingly, the combined transverse dimensions of each of
passageways 134 in this embodiment may have a value of between
about 45 to 54 mm, which will permit bag 110 to be filled with
liquids much more rapidly than bags of the prior art.
[0034] Access to the frozen contents of bag 110 may conveniently be
gained by hinging the bag about weld line 156, causing the bag to
stretch and tear open along this weld line. This will permit the
opposed walls 112,114 of bag 110 to be grasped and pulled
outwardly, to release the welds forming grid 154, whereby the ice
cubes will be free within the confines of the bag.
* * * * *