U.S. patent application number 10/677381 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-01 for evacuable valve, evacuable bag, and production process thereof.
Invention is credited to Koyanagi, Yoshihiro.
Application Number | 20050190995 10/677381 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32815505 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050190995 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Koyanagi, Yoshihiro |
September 1, 2005 |
Evacuable valve, evacuable bag, and production process thereof
Abstract
The present invention provides an evacuable valve which does not
need a separate member such as a covering for closing an
air-through portion and has a small portion that projects
therefrom. A valve body 5 in the evacuable valve can securely
contact the valve body contacting portion 32a and close an
air-through portion 33 where the valve body 5 covers, thereby
keeping the evacuated state for a long period of time. A valve seat
portion 32 of the back face of an evacuable valve can at least
partly rest in the depressed area 7 of the front face of the other
valve, thereby being able to pile up the evacuable valves 1. In the
production process of evacuable bags that are provided with the
evacuable valve, piling and storage of the evacuable valves do not
need excessive space and much effort.
Inventors: |
Koyanagi, Yoshihiro; (Osaka,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
32815505 |
Appl. No.: |
10/677381 |
Filed: |
October 3, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/103 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 81/2038
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/103 |
International
Class: |
B65D 033/01 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 27, 2002 |
JP |
2002-378780 |
Claims
1. An evacuable valve comprising a body member provided with an
air-through portion passing from its front face to its back face,
and a filmy valve body disposed so as to open and close the
air-through portion, wherein the body member includes a valve seat
portion for mounting the valve body, said valve seat portion having
a valve body contacting area which slants toward the front face as
running from the central part thereof to the periphery, and the
air-through portion is arranged to radiate in the valve seat
portion with a view from above, and the valve body is securely
fixed to the central part of the valve seat portion and is movable
close to or away from the valve body contacting face by floating
except for the fixed portion, and closes the air-through portion
while contacting the valve body contacting area.
2. The evacuable valve of claim 1, wherein it includes a depressed
area on the front face thereof, whereby one evacuable valve can at
least partly rest in the depressed area of the other valve, and
accordingly the evacuable valves can be piled up by putting the
front face of one evacuable valve and the back face of the other
evacuable valve together.
3. An evacuable bag made of flexible resin film and of internal
sealable structure, wherein the evacuable valve of claim 1 is
mounted to communicate between the outside and inside of the bag
through the air-through portion formed on a valve seat portion of
the evacuable valves, whereby the bag may be evacuated and keep the
evacuated state.
4. A production process of the evacuable bag comprising steps of:
opening a valve mounting hole in the flexible resin film; taking
one from the piled evacuable valves of claim 1; positioning the
evacuable valve to coincide with the valve mounting hole; and
bonding the evacuable valves to the film.
5. An evacuable bag made of flexible resin film and of internal
sealable structure, wherein the evacuable valve of claim 2 is
mounted to communicate between the outside and inside of the bag
through the air-through portion formed on a valve seat portion of
the evacuable valves, whereby the bag may be evacuated and keep the
evacuated state.
6. A production process of the evacuable bag comprising steps of:
opening a valve mounting hole in the flexible resin film; taking
one from the piled evacuable valves of claim 2; positioning the
evacuable valve to coincide with the valve mounting hole; and
bonding the evacuable valves to the film.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an evacuable valve which
may open and close an air-through portion by a specific arrangement
of a valve body, and an evacuable bag provided with the evacuable
valve.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] As disclosed by Laid-Open Japan Utility Model Application
H05-44837, there have been evacuable bags which may make goods such
as clothing, bedding, etc. that are usually fluffy with air in
small volume by removing the air inside the bag.
[0003] An opening portion for inserting the goods formed on the
disclosed evacuable bag may be hermetically closed. In addition,
many kinds of an evacuable bag have an evacuable valve disposed
with an air-through portion for letting the air inside the bag
out.
[0004] A vacuum can be connected with the evacuable valve of the
bag when sucking the air in the bag out.
[0005] One of the evacuable valves used in the bag for containing
bedding etc. is adduced by the above-mentioned Japanese
application. This type of the valve is formed integral with the
evacuable bag, comprising a base body allowing communication
between the inside and outside of the bag through an air-through
portion, and a covering which fits on the base body by screwing
together.
[0006] The base body is formed with a valve body, which may open
and close the air-through portion formed on the covering when the
covering is screwed off the base body.
[0007] Specifically, the evacuable valve is arranged such that the
valve body is left biased by energizing means such as a spring to
close the air-through portion, and as aforementioned, only when the
vacuum is connected with the bag, the air-through portion is opened
to let the internal air out of the bag.
[0008] And finally, by screwing the covering onto the base body,
the valve body is kept closed to ensure that the evacuable bag will
maintain the evacuated state.
[0009] For the purpose of preventing any leak of air within the
evacuable bag, the conventional evacuable valve needs a separate
member such as a covering for closing the air-through portion. And,
since the base body and the covering projecting from the evacuable
bag, it may cause trouble in piling the evacuable bags.
Furthermore, in the production process, it may become a problem to
store the evacuable valves alone.
[0010] In view of the above-described problems, the present
invention provides an evacuable valve that needs no separate member
such as a covering for closing an air-through portion and has only
a small portion that projects therefrom.
[0011] The present invention also provides an evacuable valve which
does not bulk and easily store in the production process of the
evacuable bag.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] To overcome said problems, a first aspect of the present
invention provides an evacuable valve comprising a body member 2
provided with an air-through portion 33 passing from its front face
to its back face, and a valve body 5 disposed so as to open and
close the air-through portion 33. The body member 2 includes a
valve seat portion 32 for mounting the valve body 5. The valve seat
portion 32 has a valve body contacting area 32a which slants toward
the front face as running from the central part thereof to the
periphery. The air-through portion 33 is arranged to radiate in the
valve seat portion 32 with a view from above. The valve body 5 is
securely fixed to the central part 32b of the valve seat portion 32
and is movable close to or away from the valve body contacting area
32a by floating out except for the fixed portion. While the valve
body 5 contacts the valve body contacting area 32a, the air-through
portion 33 is closed.
[0013] In a second aspect of the present invention, the evacuable
valve of the first embodiment includes a depressed area 7 on the
front face thereof. The valve seat portion 32 of one evacuable
valve 1 can at lease partly rest in the depressed area 7 of the
other valve 1. The evacuable valves can be piled up by putting the
front face of one evacuable valve 1 and the back face of the other
evacuable valve 1 together.
[0014] In a third aspect of the present invention, an evacuable bag
made of flexible resin film is provided with the evacuable valve 1
of the first or second embodiments. The evacualble valve 1 is
mounted in order for the bag to communicate between the outside and
inside of the bag through the air-through portion 33 formed on the
valve seat portion 32 of the evacuable valves 1. Thus, the bag may
be evacuated and keep the evacuated state.
[0015] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a
production process of the evacuable bag. The process comprises
steps of opening a valve mounting hole 83 in the flexible resin
film 81; taking one from the piled evacuable valves 1 in accordance
with any one of the first and second embodiments; positioning the
evacuable valve 1 to coincide with the valve mounting hole 83; and
bonding the evacuable valve 1 to the film 81.
[0016] In the first aspect of the present invention, the valve body
5 can securely contact the slanted valve body contacting area 32a,
thereby enabling the air-through portion 33 to be securely closed
to ensure the evacuated state. Furthermore, there is no need of
providing a separate member such as a covering for closing the
air-through portion.
[0017] In the second aspect of the present invention, the valve
seat portion 32 of one evacuable valve can at least partly rest in
the depressed area 7 of the other evacuable valve, thereby being
able to pile up the evacuable valves. Besides, piling and storage
of the evacuable valves 1 do not need excessive space and much
effort even in the production process of the evacuable bags 8.
[0018] In the third aspect of the present invention, the evacuable
bag 8 which may keep the evacuated state thereinside for a long
period of time without provision of a separate member such as a
covering for closing the air-through portion is provided.
[0019] In the fourth aspect of the present invention, a production
process of the evacuable bags 8 that can keep the evacuated state
for a long period of time is provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying
drawings, which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are
not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
[0021] FIG. 1(A) is a plan view illustrating an evacuable valve of
the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2(B) is a bottom
view illustrating the same,
[0022] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along a line I-I,
[0023] FIG. 3(A) is a cross sectional diagram showing the
structures of the sections of the evacuable valve of the embodiment
of the present invention, and FIG. 3(B) is a plan view of the valve
body,
[0024] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an evacuable bag equipped with
the evacuable valve of the embodiment,
[0025] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional diagram showing the piled
evacuable bags,
[0026] FIG. 6(A) is a diagram showing the ridges of the evacuable
valve functioning as spacer, and FIG. 6(B) is a diagram showing a
direction in which air is flowing, and
[0027] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the production
system for evacuable bags of the embodiment, and FIG. 7(B) is a
diagram showing the relationship between the bag sheet and the
evacuable bag during production.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] In the following description, as regards a body member 2,
the side (as shown in FIG. 1(A)) where a valve body 5 is provided
shall be referred as "front face", while the other side thereof (in
FIG. 1(B)) as "back face", and any reference to the directions of
the front and back will be made based on the above-described
sides.
[0029] In this embodiment, an evacuable valve 1, which is made of
synthetic resin, is composed of a body member 2, a valve body 5 and
a valve body covering 6.
[0030] The body member 2 is a plate-like member in appearance,
wherein air is allowed to pass through air-through portion 33
between the front and back faces.
[0031] This particular body member 2 comprises a valve portion 3
formed with an air-through portion 33 and a base portion 4 formed
around the valve portion 3 for the purpose of attachment to the
evacuable bag 8.
[0032] In this embodiment, the valve portion 3 includes a wall 31
and a valve seat portion 32 positioned in a direction of the back
face of the wall 31.
[0033] The wall 31 looks like a ring in a plan view and a wall in a
cross sectional view, as shown in FIG. 2, projecting from the base
portion 4 in both directions of the front and back faces.
[0034] Though the wall 31 is shown to be perpendicular to the base
portion 4 here, it does not limit to this and may be formed at an
angle to said base portion 4.
[0035] On the inner surface of the wall 31 is provided with fitting
projection 32e for fitting and securing the valve body covering 6
(see FIG. 3(A)).
[0036] The valve seat portion 32, being made planar, shares a back
face end 31b of the wall 31 and resembles a bowl with the bottom
constituting a center portion 32b, as viewed from the front face.
In this embodiment, the center portion 32b is flat, while a valve
body contacting area 32a encompassing the center portion has a
tapering slanted surface. The valve seat portion 32 may be entirely
consisted of curved surface like a dish antenna.
[0037] The valve body contacting area 32a is a portion formed on
said tapering slanted surface on the front face of the valve seat
portion 32. By way of contact of the film valve body 5 to the valve
body contacting area 32a, the air-through portion 33 formed in a
position where the valve body 5 covers in a plan view may be
closed.
[0038] In this embodiment, a valve body fixing projection 32c is
provided in the center portion 32b, projecting therefrom. As shown
in FIG. 3(B), the valve body 5 may be mounted on the valve seat
portion 32 by fitting the projection into a mounting hole 51a
formed in the valve body 5.
[0039] With the evacuable valve 1 of this embodiment, as shown in
FIG. 5, the evacuable valves can be piled up by putting the back
face end 31b (a peripheral portion of the valve seat portion) of an
evacuable valve 1 on the front face end 31a of the wall 31 in the
piled evacuable valve 1.
[0040] As discussed later, in consequence that a valve body 5 and a
valve body covering 6 are mounted on the valve portion 3, a
depressed area 7 includes said wall 31 and the valve body covering
6. Part of the valve seat portion 32 and valve portion ridges 32d
formed on the back face of the valve seat portion 32 will rest in
the depressed area 7. This enables the evacuable valves 1 to pile
up neatly, and in the production process of evacuable bags, as
illustrated by FIG. 7(A), the production system 100 can
subsequently operate in a relatively compact space thanks to the
piled valves.
[0041] The air-through portion 33 is formed in the valve seat
portion 32 so as to communicate from the front face to the back
face. As seen in FIG. 1(B), the air-through portion 33 radiates
from the center of the valve seat portion in a plan view. In this
embodiment, the air-through portion 33 where to be covered by the
valve body 5 is divided in four directions at right angles to the
respective adjacent ones.
[0042] Reinforcing pieces 33a, 33b are provided at the air-through
portion 33 to extend in radial and circumferential directions
respectively. The air-through portion 33 is set off by the
reinforcing pieces 33a, 33b so as to be spaced 90 degrees apart in
four directions in a plan view. The reinforcing pieces 33a, 33b on
the front face are flush with the valve body contacting area 32a,
constituting the same surface. Such an arrangement of the
reinforcing pieces 33a, 33b setting off the valve body 5 prevents
the valve body 5 from bending and being sucked into the air-through
portion 33 under the influence of atmospheric pressure when the
valve body 5 has closed the air-through portion 33, whereby air
leakage through a clearance which may be formed between the valve
body 5 and the valve body contacting area 32a will not occur, thus
resulting in the air-through portion 33 being securely closed.
[0043] Of both reinforcing pieces 333a, 33b, the reinforcing pieces
33a, which have been formed to extend in a radial direction, also
may serve as a valve portion ridge 32d, as described later.
[0044] The form of the air-through portion 33 in a plan view does
not limit to the abovementioned, but may employ various shapes such
as a slit or a round hole. And the reinforcing pieces are also made
changeable, for example, in the form of a mesh.
[0045] As aforementioned, forming the valve seat portion 32 aslope
and the air-through portion 33 radial in a plan view enable air to
flow smoothly from the back face to the front face in the evacuable
valve 1 through the air-through portion 33. That is, as shown in
FIG. 4, if the evacuable valve 1 of the present embodiment is
mounted on the evacuable bag 8, an air stream F along the base
portion 4 inside the bag will flow toward the air-through portion
33 by virtue of the slope on the back face of the valve seat
portion 32 and valve portion ridges 32d so that quick evacuation
can be achieved (see FIG. 6(B)).
[0046] As shown in FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B), the valve body 5 is a piece
of film. In accordance with the present embodiment, slits 52, which
are cut off from the outer periphery in the radial direction,
divide a round of the valve body in a plan view into four equal
parts, thereby bearing four valve blades 53 to be formed around a
central portion 51 in a cloverleaf pattern, as viewed from
above.
[0047] The central portion 51 in the valve body 5 fits to the valve
seat portion 32, being provided with a cross-shaped mounting hole
51a in this embodiment. The valve seat portion 32 and the valve
body 5 are joined together by fitting the valve body fixing
projection 32c being crossed-shaped in a plan view and provided on
the central portion 32b of the valve seat portion 32 to the
mounting hole 51a. Thus, the central portion 51 of the valve body 5
has been securely fixed in position, wherein the valve blades 53
may move close to or away from the valve body contacting area 32a
by means of its floating motion.
[0048] The valve body 5 is in a flat form to be able to cover the
air-through portion 33 which is formed radial on the valve seat
portion 32. In addition, the valve body 5 may contact the valve
body contacting area 32a on the surface of the valve seat portion
32. The abovementioned arrangement makes it possible to allow the
valve body 5 to close the air-through portion 33.
[0049] To cope with what has been described above, the valve body 5
will be made to match the air-through portion 33 in shape.
Therefore, according to the shape of the air-through portion 33,
the number of the valve blades 53 may be determined, e.g. two,
three, or more than five. Moreover, each of the valve blades 53 may
be respectively made independent rather than share the central
portion 51.
[0050] Also, with reference to the attachment of the valve body 5
to the valve seat portion 32, adhesives, thermal bonding, screws or
rivets may be employed in addition to fitting of the valve body
mounting hole 51a and the valve body fixing projection 32c of the
valve seat portion 32. As regards the position where to fix the
valve body 5, outer peripheries, side ends, or other areas than the
central portion 51 of the valve body 5 may be available to match
the shape of the valve body 5.
[0051] As foregoing, the valve body 5 is a film type, and it is
preferable that it be flexible in nature and excellent in
resiliency of the form. To be more specific, relatively flexible
resin film or paper impregnated with resin may be used. The back
face of the valve body 5, where the valve body contacting area 32a
contacts, may be coated with adherent materials to improve adhesion
to the valve body contacting area 32a in closing the air-through
portion 33.
[0052] Owing to the valve body 5 as disclosed above, the
air-through portion 33 in evacuation is opened only by the air
flowing from the back face to the front face, and except for that,
the valve body 5 sticks to the valve body contacting area 32a so as
to keep the air-through portion 33 closed. This may avoid
unexpected opening of the air-through portion 33 except for
evacuation, even if no separate covering of screw fitting in the
prior art is provided, and the evacuable bag 8 provided with the
evacuable valve 1 may hold its airtightness for a long period of
time.
[0053] For the purpose of reassuring users of the bag, as shown in
FIG. 3(A), a cap 9 fit to the wall 31 of the body member 2 may be
provided by way of covering of the valve portion 3 in the evacuable
valve 1 of this embodiment is.
[0054] As above mentioned, the valve body covering 6 together with
the valve body 5 is mounted to the valve body fixing projection 32c
formed on the valve seat portion 32. Shown in FIGS. 1(A) and 3(A),
the valve body covering 6 shapes like a disk in a plan view and has
a round air hole 61 formed in the center thereof. Provided in the
back face of the valve body covering 6 is a valve body press foot
62 in a manner of heading from four directions to the center. As
shown in FIG. 3(A), said valve body press foot 62 is triangular in
a cross sectional shape while the shape in the back face is linear
to match the slope of the valve body contacting area 32a.
[0055] Such being the case, when the valve body covering 6 is
attached to the valve portion 3, a predetermined clearance will be
constituted between the valve body contacting area 32a and the
valve body press foot 62. As shown in FIG. 2, the valve body 5 is
to be disposed in this clearance.
[0056] When the valve body covering 6 is attached to the valve
portion 3, the valve body press foot 62 embraces the central area
of valve blades 53 of the valve body 5, being disposed from the
central portion 51 to circumferential directions. In this case
where the valve blades 53 are formed to extend in four different
directions, the valve body press foots 62 are formed to extend in
the four directions responding to the blades. Thus, the valve body
press foot 62 will be formed to cope with the shape of the valve
body 5 when the valve body 5 is different from the shape in the
present embodiment.
[0057] The positions of the clearance and the valve body 5 are
determined to prevent excessive floating of the valve body 5, as is
explained later.
[0058] So, even if there still exists a clearance between the valve
body contacting area 32a and the valve body press foot 62, where
the valve body 5 disposed in the position can float, it is
acceptable. Or the valve body 5 may be tightly sandwiched between
the valve body contacting area 32a and the valve body press foot
62, meaning no clearance exists therebetween.
[0059] Referring to the abovementioned respect, it is most
preferable that as in the latter case, the valve body 5 bear a
contact relationship between the valve body contacting area 32a and
the valve body press foot 62.
[0060] Here, the larger the air-through portion 33, the more
smoothly evacuation is achieved, but that would entail enlargement
of the valve body 5 and the valve blades 53 of the valve body 5
will be liable to float, thereby increasing the risk of air
leakage.
[0061] Thus, the relationship between the valve body contacting
area 32a and the valve body press foot 62 sandwiching the valve
body 5 therebetween may let the valve body press foot 62 function
to separate the valve blades 53, thereby ensuring reduction of the
risk of air leakage due to floating of the valve body 5.
[0062] In the center of the air hole 61 of the valve body covering
6 is provided a cylindrical mounting portion 63, which is fully
supported by the valve body press foots 62 and fits to the valve
body fixing projection 32c as formed in the valve seat portion 32.
By this means, the central portion 51 of the valve body 5 will be
sandwiched between the central portion 32b of the valve seat
portion 32 and said mounting portion 63 before the valve body 5
stays fixed.
[0063] The outer periphery of the valve body covering 6 fits to
fitting projection 32e formed on the inner surface of the wall 31
(see FIG. 3(A)). The valve body covering 6 may be firmly stuck on
the valve body portion 3 accordingly.
[0064] Owing to the valve body covering 6 thus mounted to the valve
portion 3, even when air passes through the air-through portion 33,
the valve body 5, floating of which is limited by the valve body
press foot 62, will not flip over and may securely close the
air-through portion 33.
[0065] The base portion 4 is a flat portion as formed around the
valve portion 3 and substantially rectangular in a plan view, as
shown by FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B).
[0066] The front face of the base portion 4 consists of a flat
smooth surface, where a bag film 81 is attached by any bonding
means such as thermal bonding. On the back face thereof is formed
with base portion ridges 41. In this embodiment shown in FIG. 1(B),
they are arranged parallel at a predetermined interval to the
longer side of the base portion 4.
[0067] When an evacuable bag 8 has been completed as shown in FIG.
4, the base portion ridges 41 serve as a spacer for bearing a
clearance between the beg film 81 of the evacuable valve 1 side and
the film 81 of the other side (see FIG. 6(A)), and also function to
guide the internal air toward the air-through portion 33 of the
evacuable valve 1 (see FIG. 6(B)), thereby ensuring discharge of
the internal air of the evacuable bag 8.
[0068] If said function of the base portion ridges 41 matters, it
is preferable that the base portion 4 be provided as in the case of
the present embodiment, but if not, an evacuable valve 1 consisting
only of a valve portion 3 may be directly mounted to the evacuable
bag 8 without provision of a base portion 4.
[0069] Referring to the shape of the base portion 4, it is not
limited rectangular, and a variety of shapes such as circular or
oval one may be available.
[0070] As well as the back face of the base portion 4 where the
base portion ridges 41 are formed parallel to the long side
thereof, the valve portion 3 is also provided with radial valve
portion ridges 32d on the back face of the valve seat portion 32,
as shown in FIG. 1(B).
[0071] FIG. 6(B) shows that the air inside the evacuable bag 8
provided with an evacuable valve 1 is guided to the valve seat
portion 32 by the base portion ridges 41, and consequently to the
air-through portion 33 by the valve portion ridges 32d. Thus, the
air inside the evacuable bag 8 is easily guided to the air-through
portion 33.
[0072] FIG. 6(A) shows that the ridges 41, 32d function as a spacer
so that the constituent clearance between the bag film 81 of the
valve 1 side and the bag film 81 of the other side can be
maintained without their contacting. This arrangement may avoid any
interruption caused by tight contact of the bag films in emission
of the air, resulting in complete evacuation.
[0073] The evacuable valve 1 of the present embodiment having the
structure as mentioned above is mounted on the evacuable bag 8 for
actual use, as shown in FIG. 4.
[0074] A bag to be used as evacuable bag 8 is made of a bag film 81
of flexible resin and the like, having a closing means 82a such as
a zipper, provided at the opening portion 82 in order to keep the
bag airtight. The production method for the evacuable bag 8 is
described later.
[0075] General use of this particular evacuable bag 8 is as
follows. First, a hose or nozzle of the vacuum is connected to the
valve body covering 6 of the evacuable valve 1. Then, the vacuum
turns on so as to detach the valve body 5 from the valve body
contacting area 32a, whereby the air-through portion 33 and the air
hole 61 of the valve body covering 6 are opened to emit the air
inside the bag through said elements. After the emission of the air
is finished and the hose or nozzle the vacuum is disconnected from
the evacuable valve 1, the valve body 5 contact the valve body
contacting area 32a again, resulting in closing the air-through
portion 33. In this occasion, since the valve body 5 strongly
sticks to the valve body contacting area 32a under atmospheric
pressure, unexpected opening of the air-through portion 33 will not
occur, which ensures that the evacuated condition inside the bag
will be maintained for a long period of time.
[0076] Now, the description will be made of a production process of
the evacuable bag 8 of this embodiment.
[0077] Flexible resin film of polyethylene or the like is used as a
material for the bag. In this embodiment, a sheet of bag film 81
wound in a roll is fed in a longitudinal direction thereof to be
processed.
[0078] As shown in FIG. 7(B), a mounting hole 83, where an
evacuable valve 1 is to be mounted, is formed in the bag film 81.
The hole is slightly bigger than the valve portion 3, more
specifically, than the outer diameter of the wall 31 in a plan
view.
[0079] A production system 100, shown in FIG. 7(A), for performing
said production process includes a server 102, where evacuable
valves 1 pile up in the fashion shown in FIG. 5 next to the film
81. Each valve here is ready-assembled with a body member 2, a
valve body 5, and a valve covering 6. A lowest one of the piled
valves 1 is taken out to slide toward the direction of lying over
the bag film 81 in order for the valve portion 3 of the evacuable
valve 1 to coincide with said mounting hole 83 of the bag film. In
this case, though not shown, an actuator traveling along a slide
track 101 which is discussed later moves the evacuable valve 1.
Then, the film 81 and the base portion 4 of the valve 1 are
securely fixed by thermal bonding.
[0080] After that, the film 81 provided with the evacuable valve 1
and the film 81 of the opposite side are bonded to make a bag.
Concurrently, a fastener 82a for closing the opening portion 82 is
provided to complete an evacuable bag 8.
[0081] The above-described steps are as one example, so they may be
changed in sequence or be increased by an additional step.
[0082] As discussed already, the base portion ridges 41 are formed
on the back face of the base portion 4 of the evacuable valve 1 in
a direction of the longer side. Concerning the production system
100 of this embodiment, a linear slide track 101 is provided at
right angle to the direction of the longer side of the film 81. Not
shown in detail, this slide track 101 consists of more than a
couple of parallel rails 101a which are laid hanging in midair or
fixed onto a flat plate. The rails 101a maintain an interval
therebetween to correspond with the intervals between the base
portion ridges 41 when an evacuable valve 1 is placed on the slide
track 101. As a slide track 101 in this embodiment, two rails 101a,
101a are disposed and have an interval to correspond with the
interval L between the outmost ridges 42 of the base portion 4 as
shown in FIG. 1(B).
[0083] The evacuable valve 1 placed on the rails 101a of the slide
track 101 may slide on the slide track 101. Thus, the base portion
ridges 41 function as a guide for the valve in sliding on the track
so that the production process can be carried out efficiently.
[0084] In the first aspect of the present invention, a valve body
can securely contact a slanted valve body contacting area, thereby
enabling an air-through portion to be securely closed to ensure the
evacuated state. Furthermore, there is no need of providing a
separate member such as a covering for closing the air-through
portion.
[0085] In the second aspect of the present invention, the valve
seat portion of one evacuable valve can at least partly rest in the
depressed area of the other evacuable valve, thereby being able to
pile up the evacuable valves. Besides, piling and storage of the
evacuable valves do not need excessive space and much effort even
in the production process of evacuable bags.
[0086] In the third aspect of the present invention, the evacuable
bag may keep the evacuated state thereinside for a long period of
time without provision of a separate member such as a covering for
closing the air-through portion.
[0087] In the fourth aspect of the present invention, a production
process of the evacuable bag that may keep the evacuated state for
a long period of time is provided.
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