U.S. patent application number 13/029718 was filed with the patent office on 2012-08-23 for opening means in pillow package bag provided with easy unsealing means.
Invention is credited to Eri Hibino, Nobuyuki Kawai, Shinichiro SUGIYAMA.
Application Number | 20120213456 13/029718 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46652791 |
Filed Date | 2012-08-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120213456 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SUGIYAMA; Shinichiro ; et
al. |
August 23, 2012 |
Opening Means in Pillow Package Bag Provided with Easy Unsealing
Means
Abstract
In a pillow package bag provided with an easy unsealing device,
a slit having a rising gradient is provided as the easy unsealing
device formed at a back sealing seal. Triangular tabs are formed at
the back sealing seal of edges of a torn bag. As a result, it is
easy for people having disabled finger tips, elderly people and
children to open the unsealed bag by pinching the tabs.
Inventors: |
SUGIYAMA; Shinichiro;
(Seto-shi, JP) ; Hibino; Eri; (Seto-shi, JP)
; Kawai; Nobuyuki; (Seto-shi, JP) |
Family ID: |
46652791 |
Appl. No.: |
13/029718 |
Filed: |
February 17, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/207 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 75/5805
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/207 |
International
Class: |
B65D 33/00 20060101
B65D033/00 |
Claims
1. An opening device in a pillow package bag provided with an easy
unsealing means, the opening device comprising: a fin sealing seal
positioned at a center of a back surface of the bag, the fin
sealing seal being folded down to one side and being heat-sealed to
an outer-side film of the bag, wherein the easy unsealing means is
provided along an end of the fin sealing seal, the easy unsealing
means including a heat-seal portion formed at a side end of the bag
in a direction in which the fin sealing seal is folded down, and a
V-shaped or an I-shaped notch, extending in a direction of the fin
sealing seal, formed in the heat-seal portion, wherein the easy
unsealing means includes a slit having a rising gradient extending
toward an unsealing mouth from an end of the fin sealing seal to a
portion situated partway into the fin sealing seal, and when
tearing of the bag is started horizontally in a straight line from
the V-shaped or I-shaped notch toward the fin sealing seal, the
tear enters the slit from the end of the fin sealing seal, extends
obliquely in a rising direction by the slit, reaches a base of the
fin sealing seal, then, extends horizontally in a straight line
again, and reaches another side end of the bag, to thereby unseal
the bag entirely, as a result of which an opening tab is formed at
the fin sealing seal at the torn mouth of the fin sealing seal.
2. An opening means in the pillow package bag provided with the
easy unsealing means according to claim 1, wherein at least one
additional slit is provided such that a plurality of the slits are
formed.
3. An opening device in a pillow package bag provided with the easy
unsealing means according to claim 1, wherein an angle of the
gradient of the slit is in a range of from 12 degrees to 45
degrees.
4. An opening device in a pillow package bag provided with the easy
unsealing means according to claim 1, wherein the slit is formed to
bend horizontally from an apex of the gradient.
5. An opening device in a pillow package bag provided with the easy
unsealing means according to claim 1, wherein an entrance of the
slit is provided with a V-shaped inlet.
6. An opening device in a pillow package bag, the opening device
comprising: a fin sealing seal positioned at a center of a back
surface of the bag, the fin sealing seal being folded down to one
side and being heat-sealed to an outer-side film of the bag; an
easy unsealing means provided along an end of the fin sealing seal,
the easy unsealing means including a heat-seal portion formed at a
side end of the bag in a direction in which the fin sealing seal is
folded down, and a V-shaped or an I-shaped notch, extending in a
direction of the fin sealing seal, formed in the heat-seal portion,
wherein the easy unsealing means includes a slit in the of the fin
sealing seal, the slit having a rising gradient from an end of the
fin sealing seal to a portion situated partway into the fin sealing
seal, the gradient of the slit rising from the end of the fin
sealing seal toward a torn mouth which is formed when the bag is
fully unsealed wherein when tearing of the bag is started
horizontally from the V-shaped or I-shaped notch toward the fin
sealing seal, the tear enters the slit from the end of the fin
sealing seal, extends obliquely in a rising direction following the
slit, reaches a base of the fin sealing seal, then, extends
horizontally again, and reaches another side end of the bag, to
thereby unseal the bag entirely, as a result of which an opening
tab is formed at the fin sealing seal at the torn mouth of the fin
sealing seal.
7. An opening means in the pillow package bag provided with the
easy unsealing means according to claim 6, wherein at least one
additional slit is provided such that a plurality of the slits are
formed.
8. An opening device in a pillow package bag provided with the easy
unsealing means according to claim 6, wherein an angle of the
gradient of the slit is in a range of from 12 degrees to 45
degrees.
9. An opening device in a pillow package bag provided with the easy
unsealing means according to claim 6, wherein the slit is formed to
bend horizontally from an apex of the gradient.
10. An opening device in a pillow package bag provided with the
easy unsealing means according to claim 6, wherein an entrance of
the slit is provided with a V-shaped inlet.
11. A pillow package bag comprising: plastic films or a plastic
film composite forming a surface of the bag; a mouth seal closing a
bag mouth; a fin sealing seal positioned at a center of a back of
the surface of the bag, the fin sealing seal being folded down to
one side and being heat-sealed to an outer-side film of the bag; an
easy unsealing means provided along an end of the fin sealing seal,
the easy unsealing means including a heat-seal portion formed at a
side end of the bag in a direction in which the fin sealing seal is
folded down, and a V-shaped or an I-shaped notch, extending in a
direction of the fin sealing seal, formed in the heat-seal portion,
wherein the easy unsealing means includes a slit in the of the fin
sealing seal, the slit having a rising gradient from an end of the
fin sealing seal to a portion situated partway into the fin sealing
seal, the gradient of the slit rising from the end of the fin
sealing seal toward a torn mouth which is formed when the bag is
fully unsealed wherein when tearing of the bag is started
horizontally from the V-shaped or I-shaped notch toward the fin
sealing seal, the tear enters the slit from the end of the fin
sealing seal, extends obliquely in a rising direction following the
slit, reaches a base of the fin sealing seal, then, extends
horizontally again, and reaches another side end of the bag, to
thereby unseal the bag entirely, as a result of which an opening
tab is formed at the fin sealing seal at the torn mouth of the fin
sealing seal.
12. A pillow package bag according to claim 11, wherein at least
one additional slit is provided such that a plurality of the slits
are formed.
13. A pillow package bag according to claim 11, wherein an angle of
the gradient of the slit is in a range of from 12 degrees to 45
degrees.
14. A pillow package bag according to claim 11, wherein the slit is
formed to bend horizontally from an apex of the gradient.
15. A pillow package bag according to claim 11, wherein an entrance
of the slit is provided with a V-shaped inlet.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to opening means in a pillow
package bag provided with easy unsealing means.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] In a pillow package bag, both sides of one film are brought
toward the center and back fin sealing is performed on the both
sides to form a cylindrical shape, and a bottom and mouth are
sealed so as to cross this heat-sealed portion after the formation
into the cylindrical shape.
[0005] When such a pillow package bag is unsealed by tearing the
bag from a side of the bag, the tearing stops at the back-sealing
sealed portion, as a result of which the bag cannot be further
torn. Therefore, it is necessary to use a pair of scissors to
unseal the bag.
[0006] In order to make it possible to unseal a bag without using
scissors, the applicant for the invention proposed a pillow package
bag provided with easy unsealing means discussed in Japanese Patent
No. 4199024 (Patent Document 1).
[0007] The aforementioned publicly known bag is currently widely
used and popular, but has one problem.
[0008] The aforementioned publicly known bag has made unsealing of
a bag easy, but when opening a torn mouth of the unsealed bag,
edges 5a and 6a of torn front and back films 5 and 6 of a bag 1
become aligned, as shown in FIG. 7. Therefore, even if a person
tries to open the mouth of the bag by pinching the edges 5a and 6a
with his/her finger tips, he/she cannot pinch the edges 5a and 6a
open.
[0009] In particular, when the films are highly rigid or a zipper
11 is inserted in the unsealing mouth, the edges 5a and 6a
essentially contact each other.
[0010] Therefore, there are many cases in which people having
disabled finger tips, elderly people and children have difficulties
opening a bag, and hence, there is a demand for a proposal that
solves this problem. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 3 denotes a back
sealing seal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention is made in view of the above described
problem, and its object is to provide opening means that allows a
bag to be easily opened after tearing an unsealing mouth even by
people having disabled finger tips, elderly people and children, in
a pillow package bag according to the Patent Document 1.
[0012] According to the present invention, when a bag is torn and
unsealed, pinching tabs are automatically formed at a back sealing
portion of the torn edges of the bag, which makes it possible to
easily open the bag by pinching the tabs.
[0013] To this end, according to a first form of the present
invention, there is provided opening means in a pillow package bag
provided with easy unsealing means, in which a fin sealing seal is
positioned at a center of a back surface of the bag, the easy
unsealing means is provided along an end of the fin sealing seal,
the fin sealing seal is folded down to one side and is heat-sealed
to an outer-side film of the bag, a heat-seal portion is formed at
a side end of the bag in a direction in which the fin sealing seal
is folded down, and a V-shaped or an I-shaped notch extending in a
direction of the fin sealing seal is formed in the heat-seal
portion. Here, the easy unsealing means includes a slit having a
rising gradient extending toward an unsealing mouth from the end of
the fin sealing seal to a portion situated partway into the fin
sealing seal, and when tearing of the bag is started horizontally
in a straight line from the V-shaped or I-shaped notch toward the
fin sealing seal, the tear enters the slit from the end of the fin
sealing seal, extends obliquely in a rising direction by the slit,
reaches a base of the fin sealing seal, then, extends horizontally
in a straight line again, and reaches another side end of the bag,
to thereby unseal the bag entirely, as a result of which an opening
tab is formed at the fin sealing seal at the torn mouth of the fin
sealing seal.
[0014] According to a second form of the present invention, in the
opening means in the first form, a plurality of the slits are
formed.
[0015] According to a third form of the present invention, in the
opening means in the first form, an angle of the gradient of the
slit is set arbitrarily in a range of from 12 degrees to 45
degrees.
[0016] According to a fourth form of the present invention, in the
opening means in the first form, the slit is formed to bend
horizontally from an apex of the gradient.
[0017] According to a fifth form of the present invention, in the
opening means in the first form, an entrance of the slit is
provided with a V-shaped inlet.
[0018] According to the present invention, as mentioned above, tabs
are formed at the torn edges at the unsealed mouth, and hence the
bag can be easily opened by pinching the tabs.
[0019] Therefore, the present invention is effective for, in
particular, people having disabled finger tips, elderly people and
children.
[0020] The various features of novelty which characterize the
invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed
to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better
understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and
specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the
accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred
embodiments of the invention are illustrated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] In the drawings:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a pillow package
bag to which the present invention is applied;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a fin sealing
portion provided with the easy unsealing means;
[0024] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which
the bag is being unsealed;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which
the bag is being opened by pinching tabs;
[0026] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a first embodiment in which
auxiliary slits are formed at upper ends of slits;
[0027] FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment in which an inlet is
formed at an entrance of the slit; and
[0028] FIG. 7 illustrates a related pillow package bag provided
with easy unsealing means.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] Referring to the drawings in particular, the present
invention is effective, in particular, when a zipper is inserted in
an unsealing mouth. However, it is also applicable to bags in which
this zipper is not inserted.
[0030] The present invention is also applicable to both gusset bags
and non-gusset bags.
[0031] The materials of the bag include plastic film composites or
plastic films that are composite with aluminum foil films.
[0032] Embodiments of inventions of respective first to fifth forms
will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to
6.
[0033] In each figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a pillow package
bag, reference numeral 2 denotes a mouth seal of the pillow package
bag 1, and reference numeral 3 denotes a fin sealing seal that is
positioned at the center of a back surface 6. The fin sealing seal
3 is folded down at the back surface 6 of the bag 1, and is
heat-sealed to the front surface of the back film 6.
[0034] Reference numerals 4 denote slits that are formed by forming
cuts in the fin sealing seal 3 with rising gradients from its end
3a. Ends 4b of the slits 4 stop before reaching a base 3b of the
fin sealing seal 3.
[0035] Reference numeral 8 denotes a seal portion formed by partly
heat-sealing a front film 5 and a back film 6 at the position
opposing the slits 4 in a side end 1a of the bag 1 provided in the
direction in which the fin sealing seal 3 is folded down. A
V-shaped or an I-shaped notch 9 extending toward the slits 4 is
formed in the seal portion 8.
[0036] As long as an area including the slits 4 or areas above and
below the slits 4 are heat-sealed to the back film 6 of the bag 1,
there is no problem in unsealing (tearing) the fin sealing seal 3.
However, the entire fin sealing seal 3 may be heat-sealed to the
back film 6.
[0037] Reference numeral 11 denotes a zipper inserted in an
unsealing mouth 7.
[0038] Unsealing of the bag 1 having the above-described structure
will now be explained. As shown in FIG. 3, when the bag 1 is torn
from the V-shaped or I-shaped notch 9, the front film 5 and the
back film 6 are torn horizontally along a direction a indicated by
a dotted line. Eventually, the tear reaches the end 3a of the fin
sealing seal 3. Then, the tear enters an entrance 4a of one of the
slits 4 from the end 3a, and extends in a rising direction along
the inclination of the slit 4. Then, when the slit 4 is torn at an
upper end 4b of the slit 4, the tear extends horizontally again at
the fin sealing seal 3. Then, the tear extends into the front film
5 and the back film 6 of the bag 1 from the base 3b, and extends
horizontally up to a side end 1b of the bag 1. As a result, the bag
1 is fully unsealed.
[0039] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the torn mouth 7 when the bag
1 is fully unsealed in this way. Triangular tabs 10 are formed
between the inclined portion of the slit 4 and the portion where
the bag 1 is torn horizontally from the upper end 4b of the slit
4.
[0040] Thus, edges 5a and 6a at the torn mouth become easier to
pinch at the tabs 10. Consequently, as shown in FIG. 4, the bag 1
can be easily opened by pinching the tabs 10 with the finger
tips.
[0041] Since the tabs 10 become small when a slit-4 angle is small,
the slit-4 angle is at least equal to or greater than 12 degrees.
Tearing strength becomes high when the slit-4 angle exceeds 45
degrees, and hence it is practically desirable that the slit-4
angle be approximately 35 degrees. This feature of a preferred
angle corresponds to the aforementioned third form.
[0042] When auxiliary slits 4c are formed by horizontally bending
the upper ends 4b of the slits 4, the front film 5 and the back
film 6 that are torn along the slits 4 become easier to tear
because a tearing direction is changed to the horizontal direction
(transverse direction) by the auxiliary slits 4c. This corresponds
to the aforementioned fourth form.
[0043] In the above-described structure and operation, the number
of slits 4 is not limited, but three to four slits 4 are
enough.
[0044] If, as shown in FIG. 6, a V-shaped inlet 4d is formed at the
entrance 4a of the slit 4, the tear easily enters the slit 4, and
the number of the slits 4 may be reduced.
[0045] The tabs 10 are certainly convenient, if their existence is
indicated by words, such as "pinch here to open", or by coloring
them.
[0046] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown
and described in detail to illustrate the application of the
principles of the invention, it will be understood that the
invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such
principles.
* * * * *