U.S. patent application number 12/674622 was filed with the patent office on 2011-05-19 for zippered pouch with spout.
This patent application is currently assigned to TOYO SEIKAN KAISHA, LTD.. Invention is credited to Souichi Kawakami, Kazuyuki Kurosawa, Hiroshi Sahara.
Application Number | 20110116730 12/674622 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40378278 |
Filed Date | 2011-05-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110116730 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kawakami; Souichi ; et
al. |
May 19, 2011 |
ZIPPERED POUCH WITH SPOUT
Abstract
A pouch comprises a plurality of plastic sheets sealed on
periphery, has a contents spout and a plastic zipper arranged in a
fused state between the sheets whose outer periphery is sealed, and
is heat-sterilized after being filled with contents. A a barrier
portion is formed in a portion of the pouch interior set further
toward the contents and away from the plastic zipper, the barrier
portion formed in a state in which a film base material has been
folded over. As a result, even if any damage is imparted during the
step for manufacturing the plastic zipper or the step for mounting
the zipper in the pouch, there will be no incidence of the contents
leaking from the barrier portion and reaching the zipper portion
due to heat and pressure encountered when retort sterilization,
boiling, or another type of heat sterilization is performed after
the pouch has been filled with foodstuffs or other material.
Inventors: |
Kawakami; Souichi; (
Kanagawa, JP) ; Kurosawa; Kazuyuki; (Kanagawa,
JP) ; Sahara; Hiroshi; ( Aichi, JP) |
Assignee: |
TOYO SEIKAN KAISHA, LTD.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
40378278 |
Appl. No.: |
12/674622 |
Filed: |
August 18, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
August 18, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2008/065059 |
371 Date: |
February 22, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/41 ;
383/63 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 75/566 20130101;
B65D 33/2525 20130101; B65D 33/2533 20130101; B65D 75/5883
20130101; B65D 75/5805 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/41 ;
383/63 |
International
Class: |
B65D 33/25 20060101
B65D033/25; B65D 33/38 20060101 B65D033/38 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 21, 2007 |
JP |
2007-214274 |
Claims
1. A zippered pouch with a spout comprising a plurality of plastic
sheets sealed on periphery, the pouch having a contents spout and a
plastic zipper arranged in a fused state between the sheets whose
outer periphery is sealed, and the pouch being heat-sterilized
after being filled with contents and sealed, wherein: the plastic
zipper has a linear convexity formed on one surface of a film base
material; a concavity into which the convexity fits, the concavity
formed on a surface of a film base material facing the convexity; a
barrier portion formed on a portion set further toward the contents
and away from the convexity and the concavity, the barrier portion
being formed in a state in which the film base material has been
folded over; and a tongue piece providing a fluid-tight barrier
between the side of the pouch interior on which the contents spout
is disposed and the other side, the tongue piece extending from the
barrier portion towards the contents on at least one of the film
base materials of the barrier portion.
2. The zippered pouch with a spout of claim 1, wherein the rupture
strength of the barrier portion is 10 to 150 N/50 mm width.
3. The zippered pouch with a spout of claim 1 or 2, wherein the
contents spout is set apart from the zipper on the pouch outer
periphery and comprises an outlet member that is different from the
plastic sheet.
4. The zippered pouch with a spout of claim 1, wherein the pouch is
a bottomed pouch.
5. The zippered pouch with a spout of claim 2, wherein the pouch is
a bottomed pouch.
6. The zippered pouch with a spout of claim 3, wherein the pouch is
a bottomed pouch.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a pouch having a function
for resealing foodstuffs or other contents, and more specifically
relates to a pouch that is subjected to retort sterilization after,
e.g., an enteral nutrient, liquid food, or the like has been stored
in the pouch. The present invention particularly relates to a
zippered pouch with a spout having a plastic zipper therein in
order to facilitate removal, dilution, or re-moistening of the
contents; washing of the content-dispensing tube; or resealing
after contents have been removed. The zippered pouch with a spout
also has a barrier portion in which an extended portion of a
plastic film used as the zipper base material that is folded back
further inward from the zipper; i.e., towards the contents, forms a
low-strength portion. As a result, defects are less likely to arise
in the barrier portion of the zipper in the manufacturing step, and
the barrier portion does not rupture due to heat or pressure during
retort sterilization or due to internal pressure from loading or
the like during transportation, after the zippered pouch has been
fashioned into an end product.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-206162 is an
invention related to a zippered pouch with a spout developed by the
present applicants, wherein a plastic linear fastener (zipper) 2 is
disposed inside a pouch A in the upper portion of the pouch, and
moisture or the like can be readily replenished by opening and
closing the linear fastener 2, which is shown in FIG. 6. The zipper
2 in the pouch described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication
No. 2005-206162 has a linear convexity formed on one surface of a
film base material 22, and a concavity that fits the convexity and
is formed on the surface facing the convexity. The zipper 2 is
configured to be opened and closed by the interlocking 21 of the
convexity and the concavity. A barrier portion 23 is formed in
which the side facing inward from the mating portion; i.e., the
portion in which the film base material extending to the contents
is folded back, forms a low-strength portion, and the barrier
portion 23 can be ruptured after the zipper portion has been
unzipped.
[0005] With such a configuration, a zipper-fitted portion is
provided in an upper part of a sealed opening portion 15 of the
pouch, and a barrier portion 23 is formed further inward from the
zipper portion on the portion in which a film used as a zipper base
material is extended and folded back; therefore, the enteral
nutrients, liquid foodstuffs, retort foodstuffs or other contents
stored in the pouch do not pass beyond the zipper-fitted portion
and leak out to the sealed opening portion 15, even during
retorting. Accordingly, when the sealed opening portion 15 is
opened, the contents do not spill out and foul the fingers of the
user when used.
[0006] There are various methods for manufacturing a plastic
zipper, but ordinarily, a convexity and a concavity (zipper mating
portion) that fits onto the convexity are melt-extruded onto a film
base material composed of polypropylene. The assembly is
water-cooled and dried, drawn through nip rollers, folded about the
barrier portion, and rolled up in a mated state, after which the
product is shipped. However, the folded portion of the film (the
barrier portion constituting a low-strength portion) sometimes
comes into contact with a guide roll or the like of the production
machine during the manufacturing step, which is liable to cause
unobservable damage to the low-strength portion and produce
pinholes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The barrier portion constituting the low-strength portion
shields the contents in the zippered retort pouch A in the manner
described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-206162,
and the contents are prevented from passing beyond the surface on
which the mating convexity and concavity portions of the zipper
portion 2 are formed. However, when the pouch undergoes retort
sterilization in a state in which the barrier portion 23 is damaged
or has pinholes, problems are presented in that the contents can
leak out to the surface on which mating convexity and concavity
portions of the zipper are formed because the damaged portion of
the barrier portion 23 constituting the low-strength portion may
rupture or otherwise become porous, the utility as a pouch for
storing foodstuffs is compromised because the contents spill out
[onto the fingers of the user] when the pouch is opened, leaky
pouches cannot be provided to customers as a product, and the
discard rate increases.
[0008] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is
to provide a zippered pouch with a spout in which the plastic
zipper provided to the zipper-pouch with a spout is reinforced so
that the low-strength portion constituting the barrier portion is
not damaged when contact is made with a guide roll or the like in
the manufacturing step, and so that heat treatment can be withstood
during retort sterilization.
[0009] The present invention was contrived in order to achieve the
object described above, and is configured as follows.
[0010] According to the present invention, there is provided a
pouch comprising a plurality of plastic sheets sealed on periphery,
the pouch having a contents spout and a plastic zipper arranged in
a fused state between the sheets whose outer periphery is sealed,
and the pouch being heat-sterilized after being filled with
contents and sealed, wherein
[0011] the plastic zipper has
[0012] a linear convexity formed on one surface of a film base
material;
[0013] a concavity into which the convexity fits, the concavity
formed on a surface of a film base material facing the
convexity;
[0014] a barrier portion formed on a portion set further toward the
contents and away from the convexity and the concavity, the barrier
portion being formed in a state in which the film base material has
been folded over; and
[0015] a tongue piece providing a fluid-tight barrier between the
side of the pouch interior on which the contents spout is disposed
and the other side, the tongue piece extending from the barrier
portion towards the contents on at least one of the film base
materials of the barrier portion.
[0016] According to the present invention, furthermore, there is
provided the zippered pouch with a spout, wherein the rupture
strength of the barrier portion is 10 to 150 N/50 mm width.
[0017] According to the present invention, furthermore, there is
provided the zippered pouch with a spout, wherein the contents
spout is set apart from the zipper on the pouch outer periphery and
comprises an outlet member that is different from the plastic
sheet.
[0018] According to the present invention, furthermore, there is
provided the zippered pouch with a spout described above, wherein
the pouch is a bottomed pouch.
[0019] According to the first aspect of the present invention, in
the zippered pouch provided with a contents spout, the tongue piece
covers the end surface of the folded portion (barrier portion) of
the film connected to the zipper arranged inside the pouch, whereby
the end surface of the barrier portion is prevented from being
damaged in the step for manufacturing the zipper or in the step for
mounting the zipper on the pouch. As a result, there is no
incidence of the contents leaking from the barrier portion and
reaching the zipper portion due to heat and pressure even when a
step is provided for carrying out retort sterilization, boiling, or
another type of heat sterilization after the pouch has been filled
with foodstuffs and the pouch has been sealed. Therefore, a product
that is stable in terms of hygiene and quality control can be
provided to the customer.
[0020] In accordance with the second aspect of the present
invention, the barrier portion is formed to have a rupture strength
of 10 to 150 N/50 mm width, whereby the barrier portion can be
manually opened in a simple manner after the zipper has been
opened, and there is no instance of excessive force being required
and contents spillage on opening.
[0021] In accordance with the third aspect of the present
invention, the pouch may have a separate, rigid outlet member used
as the spout shown in FIG. 1. In this case, a tube may be connected
to the outlet to deliver the contents, which is advantageous for
liquid food or the like because moisture can be replenished via the
zipper portion and the pouch can be resealed.
[0022] In accordance with the fourth aspect of the present
invention, the zippered pouch with a spout may be a bottomed pouch
in which the opening portion is formed only in the upper part of
the pouch, as shown in FIG. 4, and the range of use can be
increased.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a front view of an example of the zippered pouch
with a spout of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the zipper
used in the zippered pouch with a spout of the present
invention;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a foldout view of the zipper shown in FIG. 2;
[0026] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a bottomed pouch provided
with a zipper;
[0027] FIG. 5 is a front view of a zippered pouch with a grip
portion; and
[0028] FIG. 6 is a front view of conventional liquid-food pouch
described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No.
2005-206162.
KEY TO SYMBOLS
[0029] 1,A: Pouch [0030] 11: Pouch periphery (sealed portion)
[0031] 12: Pouch contents [0032] 14: Grip portion [0033] 15: Sealed
opening portion [0034] 16: Bottom of bottomed pouch [0035] 2:
Zipper [0036] 21: Zipper mating portion [0037] 21a: Zipper
concavity portion [0038] 21b: Zipper convexity portion [0039] 22:
Zipper film base material [0040] 22a: End portion in the lengthwise
direction of the zipper [0041] 23: Barrier portion (weakened
portion) [0042] 24: Tongue piece [0043] 25: Zipper-fusing portion
[0044] 26: Hanging hole [0045] 3: Spout [0046] 31: Outlet (content
dispenser) [0047] 4,4': Plastic sheet of pouch body
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0048] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described
below with reference to the drawings.
[0049] FIG. 1 is a front view of the zippered pouch 1 with a spout
of the present invention. The main part of the pouch 1 is composed
of a plurality of plastic sheets (the pouch in FIG. 1 has two
sheets 4, 4', front and back.) with a sealed periphery 11. An
outlet 31 made of a rigid synthetic plastic material is fused to
the lower periphery of the pouch to form a contents spout 3. The
plastic zipper 2 (hereinafter referred to merely as "zipper") in
the upper portion inside the pouch is arranged in a state in which
the two end portions in the lengthwise direction of the zipper and
the end portion of the upper side thereof are fused to the pouch
body.
[0050] In other words, the zippered pouch with a spout of the
present invention is sealed in a state in which the end portion 22a
(relative to the lengthwise direction of the zipper) of the film
base material 22 of the zipper is sandwiched between the front and
back sheets on the periphery of the two end portions of the pouch.
The film base material 22 is sealed to the inner surfaces of the
front and back sheets of the pouch body in which the surface on
which the concavity and convexity portions are formed and the
surface opposite thereto face each other in a location above the
mating portion 21 along the lengthwise direction of the zipper to
form a zipper-fusing portion 25. The upper-end edge portion of the
pouch body is sealed so that the portion above the zipper-fusing
portion 25 constitutes the sealed opening portion 15 below the seal
portion 11.
[0051] FIG. 2 is a transverse-sectional view of the zipper 2 of the
present invention.
[0052] The zipper 2 has a convexity portion 21b formed on one
surface of the film base material 22; a concavity portion 21a for
engaging the convexity portion 21b, and formed on the other
surface; and a barrier portion 23 formed from the portion that is
folded over from a location set apart from the zipper portions 21a,
21b. The barrier portion 23 is a low-strength portion that is
ordinarily thinly formed so that the barrier portion can be
manually ruptured after the zipper portion has been opened.
[0053] The barrier portion 23 must be strong enough so as not to
rupture or suffer pinholing during retort sterilization, boiling,
or other types of heat treatment performed after the pouch has been
filled, but must be thin enough so that when the zipper is opened,
the barrier portion will rupture after being opened manually
without requiring excessive force. The level in terms of rupture
strength is 10 to 150 N/mm width, and about 10 to 100 .mu.m in
terms the thickness of the barrier portion.
[0054] An important aspect of the present invention is that, as
shown in FIG. 2, one of the films constituting the barrier portion
23 extends further beyond the folded portion, and the tongue piece
24 is formed on the surface opposite the surface on which the
convexity portion 21b and the concavity portion 21a are formed,
whereby the end surface of the barrier portion 23 is positioned
inward from the tongue piece. It is therefore possible to avoid
instances where the end surface makes contact with a guide roll or
the like and gets damaged during the step for manufacturing the
zipper. Accordingly, since the end surface of the barrier portion
23 is sealed inside the pouch in an undamaged state, the barrier
portion 23 does not suffer damage nor are pinholes formed even when
retort sterilization or other heat treatment is carried out after
the pouch is filled, and [the pouch] can be manufactured in a state
in which the contents and the surface on which the convexity
portion 21b and the concavity portion 21a of the zipper portion are
formed are completely separate.
[0055] The extended state of the tongue piece 24 (indicated by H in
FIG. 2) is not particularly limited as long as the end surface of
the barrier portion is not the leading edge and is protected by the
tongue piece. However, according to experiments performed by the
present inventors, the length may be at least 0.1 mm or more, and
is most preferably 0.4 to 0.5 mm in terms of handling, material
costs, and other considerations. The shape of the tongue piece 24
is most preferably a shape that covers in parallel the front
surface of the end surface of the barrier portion 23 in the
lengthwise direction of the zipper, but there is no drawback in
terms of performance if the tongue piece 24 is partially missing as
long as the end surface of the barrier portion 23 does not make
contact with the guide roll or the like in the manufacturing step.
Considering its purpose, the tongue piece 24 may be present along
the barrier portion 23, on the right end thereof.
[0056] Having the portions of the film base material 22 extending
beyond the zipper 2 and into the pouch connected as the barrier
portion 23 prevent the pouch contents from making direct contact
with the surface of the film base material 22 on the pouch-opening
side of the zipper 2. Therefore, the pouch contents, which reach a
high temperature due to heat and pressure during retort
sterilization, do not make contact with surface of the zipper 2 on
the opposite side of the contents. Accordingly, the pouch contents
do not get deposited on or near the interlocking portions 21a, 21b
of the zipper 2, and it is possible to prevent in advance any
instances of the contents being deposited on the zipper portion
when the sealed opening portion 15 of the pouch periphery is opened
and the zipper 2 portion comes into contact with outside air.
[0057] The plastic film constituting the pouch must be capable of
being heat-sealed, and is preferably heat-resistant. A single-layer
film may be used as the film material, but ordinarily, the material
is provided with heat-sealing properties and barrier properties.
Therefore, it is preferable to use a laminate film composed of an
inner layer (heat-sealing layer), an intermediate layer (barrier
layer), and an outer layer (surface layer); or an inner layer
(heat-sealing layer), an intermediate layer (base material layer),
an intermediate layer (barrier layer), and an outer layer (surface
layer). It is particularly preferred to use a laminate film in
which the inner layer is composed of polypropylene, the
intermediate layer is composed of nylon, and the outer layer is
composed of polyethylene terephthalate, the inner layer side having
a vapor-deposited thin film composed of aluminum oxide, inorganic
silicon, or the like as a barrier layer. Other than the vapor
deposition layer, an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin (EVOH),
aluminum foil, or the like may be used as a barrier layer in
addition to the vapor deposition layer. Other than polypropylene,
polyethylene may be used as the inner layer, and other than
polyethylene terephthalate, nylon or the like may be used as the
outer layer.
[0058] The spout 3 in the zippered pouch 1 with a spout of the
present invention may be a contents dispenser 31 known as an outlet
and ordinarily molded using polypropylene resin or another
retort-resistant hard plastic material, or the known dispenser as
such described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No.
2005-206162 described above. Since the dispenser is mounted in a
state of being fused between the inner layers of the plastic film
in the outer periphery 11 of the plastic film constituting the body
of a liquid-food pouch, the material of the dispenser must be
capable of being fused with the film inner layer constituting the
pouch. The shape of the distal end of the dispenser may be tapered
so as to facilitate insertion into a pipe, or may be suitably
fashioned with a concavo-convex shape at the distal end portion
external periphery in order to reduce the possibility of the pipe
becoming dislodged. The spout 3 of the zippered pouch with a spout
of the present invention is formed by mounting the content
dispenser (outlet) 31 as a separate member provided with a
dispensing nozzle, such a configuration being preferred in that the
mounting of a duct or other the dispensing work is facilitated.
However, it is also possible to use a configuration in which the
pouch body is formed in the shape of a nozzle to constitute a spout
rather than mounting a content dispenser as a separate member.
[0059] A hole 26 for hanging the pouch is provided to the zippered
pouch with a spout in the sealed portion of the upper part of the
pouch away from the spout 3, such a pouch being advantageous in
that it is suspended from a hook in a hospital or the like in order
to deliver liquid food to a patient. In this case, the zipper
portion 2 can be used as a moisture replenishment port after the
contents have been administered, and the zipper with the extended
tongue piece used to protect the barrier portion of the present
invention has excellent hygiene and hermetic-sealing properties and
can be used in an advantageous manner.
[0060] The seal of the pouch peripheral portion is preferably a
heat seal, but ultrasonic sealing may also be used. An important
aspect of the present invention is the extended tongue piece for
protecting the end surface of the barrier portion of the zipper,
the shape of the pouch not being particularly limited as long as it
is zippered and has a spout.
[0061] When moisture replenishment, dilution, content removal, or
the like is carried out via the zipper portion, the sealed opening
portion 15 in the upper area of the pouch is cut or otherwise
opened, the zipper arranged in a fitted state therebelow is
laterally opened and disengaged, and the low-strength portion of
the barrier portion 23 then ruptures. Moisture can then be
replenished or contents removed.
[0062] The sealed opening portion 15 is designed to be cut or
opened to thereby open the zipper portion 2. A line may be printed
or otherwise provided to the sealed opening portion in the case
that the portion is to be opened with a pair of scissors or another
cutting tool, and a low-strength line may be formed by laser
processing or another technique to allow the portion to be manually
torn.
[0063] The zippered pouch with a spout of the present invention may
have a bottom, as shown in FIG. 4. This bottomed pouch may have a
film constituting a bottom portion 16 disposed between the two
films that constitute the front and back, and the peripheral
portion sealed as to have a bottomed shape.
[0064] Since the pouch can be stood upright on its bottom, a
liquid-food pouch, for example, can be loaded into wagon or the
like and stably transported or moved; and a hose, pot, pitcher, or
the like can be used to stably and reliably add water or the like
when an opening is formed for replenishing water or the like.
[0065] In the pouch of the present invention, a grip portion 14 may
be formed on, e.g., at least one side of the upper end portion in
order to allow a user to readily carry the pouch, as shown in FIG.
5. In such a situation, the sealed opening portion 15 of the pouch
is formed inside the grip portion 14, thereby allowing a user to
insert their finger into a grip portion 14a after the pouch has
been opened and thereafter to perform work while griping the open
portion with the pouch in a readily portable, nonslip state.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0066] According to the zippered pouch with a spout of the present
invention, a barrier portion formed using a film base material
constituting a plastic zipper provided in a fused state in the
pouch has an end surface that is covered by a tongue piece so that
the end surface is not positioned beyond the distal end of the
tongue piece. Therefore, the end surface of the barrier portion
will not suffer damage in the zipper manufacturing step; the
barrier portion will neither rupture nor suffer pinholing due to
heat and pressure encountered when the zippered pouch undergoes
retort sterilization, is loaded during transportation, or is
subjected to other processes after being loaded with contents; the
pouch contents can be completely prevented from deteriorating or
decomposing; the customer can be provided with a highly reliable
product; and the stable quality will yield excellent industrial
applicability.
* * * * *