U.S. patent application number 13/770670 was filed with the patent office on 2013-08-22 for flexible container with liquid block.
This patent application is currently assigned to SUNBEAM PRODUCTS, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is Sunbeam Products, Inc.. Invention is credited to Jamal F. Hammad.
Application Number | 20130213827 13/770670 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48980538 |
Filed Date | 2013-08-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130213827 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hammad; Jamal F. |
August 22, 2013 |
Flexible Container with Liquid Block
Abstract
A flexible storage container is provided which includes first
and second panels of film having opposing first and second edges
interconnected by a seal. A bottom end of the flexible container is
formed by interconnecting the first and second panels with a seal.
An opening is formed from the first and second panels on a top end
of the flexible container to allow food items to be inserted into
an interior volume formed between the first and second panels. An
absorbent pad is disposed between an inner surface of the first and
second panels a distance D from the opening and extending an entire
length of the opening. The absorbent pad includes opposing tabs
that are inserted between the first and second panels before being
interconnected. The tabs are firmly held between the first and
second panels in an extra wide portion of the seals having a width
W.
Inventors: |
Hammad; Jamal F.; (Boynton
Beach, FL) |
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Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Sunbeam Products, Inc.; |
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US |
|
|
Assignee: |
SUNBEAM PRODUCTS, INC.
Boca Raton
FL
|
Family ID: |
48980538 |
Appl. No.: |
13/770670 |
Filed: |
February 19, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61599972 |
Feb 17, 2012 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/204 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 85/00 20130101;
B65D 81/2023 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/204 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/00 20060101
B65D085/00 |
Claims
1. A food preservation and storage bag, comprising: a first and
second sidewall having opposing first and second edges
interconnected along an entire length of the first and second edges
by a seal having at least a portion having a width W; an opening
formed from the first and second sidewalls on a first end of the
bag configured to allow food items to be inserted into an interior
volume formed between the first and second sidewalls; a second end
of the bag formed from the first and second sidewalls opposite the
first end, wherein the first and second sidewalls are
interconnected along an entire length of the second end with a
seal; an absorbent pad disposed between an inner surface of the
first and second sidewalls a distance D from the opening and
extending an entire length of the opening, the absorbent pad having
opposing tabs that are inserted between the first and second
sidewalls before being interconnected and are firmly held between
the first and second sidewalls in the portion of the seal having
the width W after the opposing first and second edges are
interconnected.
2. The bag of claim 1, wherein the seals with the portion having
the width W are formed by heat sealing.
3. The bag of claim 1, wherein the first sidewall is comprised of a
sheet of material from the group consisting of polyethylene,
polypropylene and ethylene-vinyl acetate.
4. The bag of claim 1, wherein the second sidewall is comprised of
a sheet of material from the group consisting of nylon, polyester,
polyvinyl chloride and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH).
5. The bag of claim 1, wherein the width W is in the range of ten
to twenty millimeters.
6. The bag of claim 1, wherein the distance D is in the range of
fifty to seventy millimeters.
7. The bag of claim 1, wherein the material comprising the
absorbent pad is an absorbent that includes one or more of the
materials from the group consisting of fluff, pulp, cellulose and
airlaid paper.
8. The bag of claim 1, wherein the absorbent pad includes an active
agent.
9. The bag of claim 1, wherein the active agent is one or more of
the active agents from the group consisting of carbon dioxide
generators, oxygen scavengers, ethylene scavengers and
antimicrobials.
10. The bag of claim 1, wherein the absorbent pad includes a
superabsorbent.
11. A flexible container, comprising: a first and second panel
having opposing first and second edges interconnected along an
entire length of the first and second edges by a seal having at
least a portion having a width W; an opening formed from the first
and second panels on a first end of the bag configured to allow
food items to be inserted into an interior volume formed between
the first and second panels; a second end of the bag formed from
the first and second panels opposite the first end, wherein the
first and second panels are interconnected along an entire length
of the second end with a seal; an absorbent pad disposed between an
inner surface of the first and second panels a distance D from the
opening and extending an entire length of the opening, the
absorbent pad having opposing tabs that are inserted between the
first and second panels before being interconnected and are firmly
held between the first and second panels in the portion of the seal
having the width W after the opposing first and second edges are
interconnected.
12. The bag of claim 11, wherein the seals with the portion having
the width W are formed by heat sealing.
13. The bag of claim 11, wherein the first panel is comprised of a
sheet of material from the group consisting of polyethylene,
polypropylene and ethylene-vinyl acetate.
14. The bag of claim 11, wherein the second panel is comprised of a
sheet of material from the group consisting of nylon, polyester,
polyvinyl chloride and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH).
15. The bag of claim 11, wherein the width W of the portion of the
seals is in the range of ten to twenty millimeters.
16. The bag of claim 11, wherein the distance D is in the range of
fifty to seventy millimeters.
17. The bag of claim 11, wherein the material comprising the
absorbent pad is an absorbent that includes one or more of the
materials from the group consisting of fluff, pulp, cellulose and
airlaid paper.
18. The bag of claim 11, wherein the absorbent pad includes an
active agent.
19. The bag of claim 11, wherein the active agent is one or more
active agents from the group consisting of carbon dioxide
generators, oxygen scavengers, ethylene scavengers and
antimicrobials.
20. The bag of claim 11, wherein the absorbent pad includes a
superabsorbent.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 61/599,972 filed Feb. 17, 2012, which is
incorporated by reference as if fully rewritten herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to preservation of perishable items,
and more particularly, to a flexible container for storing
perishable items such as food having a pad of liquid absorbing
material disposed proximate the open end for absorbing liquid while
the flexible container is evacuated prior to heat sealing the open
end.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It is known to preserve food and other perishable items such
as food in flexible containers including storage bags made from
layers of film. The film is a barrier for air, and in particular
oxygen, which rapidly spoils the perishable items. It is also known
to use a vacuum packaging machine to evacuate the flexible
container of air/oxygen and thereafter heat seal the open end where
the perishable item was inserted into the flexible container.
Unfortunately, when evacuating the flexible container liquids such
as food juices are also drawn into the vacuum packaging machine
which is messy. In addition, the liquids inhibit the ability of the
heat sealing element of the vacuum packaging machine to form a
proper seal which could result in a leaking flexible container.
Thus, there exists a need for preventing liquids from escaping the
flexible container during evacuation and inhibiting heat sealing in
the area of the flexible container being heat sealed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In an embodiment, there is provided a food preservation and
storage bag, including a first and second sidewall having opposing
first and second edges interconnected along an entire length of the
first and second edges by a seal having at least a portion having a
width W, an opening formed from the first and second sidewalls on a
first end of the bag configured to allow food items to be inserted
into an interior volume formed between the first and second
sidewalls, a second end of the bag formed from the first and second
sidewalls opposite the first end, wherein the first and second
sidewalls are interconnected along an entire length of the second
end with a seal, an absorbent pad disposed between an inner surface
of the first and second sidewalls a distance D from the opening and
extending an entire length of the opening, the absorbent pad having
opposing tabs that are inserted between the first and second
sidewalls before being interconnected and are firmly held between
the first and second sidewalls in the portion of the seal having
the width W after the opposing first and second edges are
interconnected.
[0005] In an embodiment, there is provided a flexible container,
including a first and second panel having opposing first and second
edges interconnected along an entire length of the first and second
edges by a seal having at least a portion having a width W, an
opening formed from the first and second panels on a first end of
the bag configured to allow food items to be inserted into an
interior volume formed between the first and second panels, a
second end of the bag formed from the first and second panels
opposite the first end, wherein the first and second panels are
interconnected along an entire length of the second end with a
seal, an absorbent pad disposed between an inner surface of the
first and second panels a distance D from the opening and extending
an entire length of the opening, the absorbent pad having opposing
tabs that are inserted between the first and second panels before
being interconnected and are firmly held between the first and
second panels in the portion of the seal having the width W after
the opposing first and second edges are interconnected
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flexible container with a
liquid absorbing pad mounted proximate to an open end;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of the flexible
container of FIG. 1 with the liquid absorbing pad exploded from the
flexible container;
[0008] FIG. 3 a front view of the flexible container with absorbent
pad of FIG. 1; and
[0009] FIG. 4 is a front view of the flexible container of FIG. 1
with an alternate embodiment mounting of the absorbent pad
proximate the open end.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, illustrated is an embodiment of a
flexible storage container 100 that is used for vacuum packaging
perishable items including food items. The flexible container 100
is formed by overlapping two sheets or panels 110, 120 of generally
planar-shaped film that may pre-sealed together at the factory
along first and second opposing side edges 111, 121 and a bottom or
second end 101 with a seal. Typically, the seals are formed by heat
sealing or sonic welding. This leaves a single opening O at a
remaining top or first end 105 of the flexible container 100 for
insertion of perishable items before vacuum packaging and heat
sealing the top end 105. Alternately, the two panels 110, 120 may
be formed into a roll of continuous tubular container material
where the first and second opposing side edges 111, 121 are
pre-sealed at the factory and sections of the container material
are cut to form the flexible storage container 100. The remaining
bottom end 101 and the top end 105 may then be sealed by a vacuum
packaging machine in a known manner.
[0011] Each piece of sheet material 110, 120 may be formed from one
or more layers of film including a heat sealable inner layer and a
high barrier material outer layer resistant to gas permeation,
particularly oxygen, which rapidly deteriorates perishable items
such as food items. Either sheet 110, 120 may be transparent or one
or both of the sheets 110, 120 may be opaque or of the same or
dissimilar colors. The inner layer preferably consists of
polyethylene, but can instead be of any other type of heat sealable
thermoplastic (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl
acetate, and the like). The outer layer preferably consists of
nylon, but can instead be of any other type of gas impermeable or
high barrier plastic (e.g., polyester, polyvinyl chloride, ethylene
vinyl alcohol (EVOH) and the like). A material is considered "a
high oxygen barrier" if its oxygen transmission rate is around 1
cc/100i.sup.n2/24 hr. Other examples of exemplary packaging films
having low oxygen transmission rates are shown in Table 1. It
should be understood that this is not meant to be limiting as other
films known to one of ordinary skill in the art may be used in
either layer.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 OTR @ 73.degree. F. (23.degree. C.), 0% RH
Film Type (cc/100 in2/24 hr) (cc/m2/24 hr) The following OTRs are
bulk material properties displayed at 1 mil. Divide by the gauge
(in mil) in order to approximate OTR at a different thickness.
EVOH* (ethyiene vinyl alcohol) .005-.12 .08-.19 Biax Nylon-6
1.2-2.5 18.6-39.sup. OPET (oriented polyester) 2-6 31-93 OPP
100-160 1550-2500 Cast PP 150-200 2300-3100 HDPE (high density
polyethylene) 150-200 2300-3100 OPS (oriented polystyrene) 280-400
4350-6200 LDPE (low density polyethylene) 450-500 7000-8500 The
following OTRs are enhanced by coating or metallizing. Therefore,
these are not bulk film properties, and total film thickness has
little impact on the OTR value. Metallized OPET .01-.11 .16-1.7
PVOH-coated OPP (AOH) .02 .31 Metallized biax Nylon-6 .05 .78
PVdC-coated OPET .30-.50 4.7-7.8 High Barrier PVdC-coated OPP
.30-.60 4.7-9.3 PVdC-coated biax Nylon-6 .35-.50 4.7-7.8 OPP 1.2-10
19-160 Scalable PVdC-coated OPP 1.5-3.5 23-54
[0012] The flexible container 100 may be evacuated and sealed in
any conventional manner, dependent at least partially upon the
container material and the material employed to seal the flexible
container 100. By way of example only, the heat-sealable container
100 illustrated in the figures can be sealed by application of heat
to the top end 105 of the container 10 in any manner, such as by a
conventional vacuum sealer (not shown). During vacuum sealing
operations, the opposing first and second sidewalls 110, 120 of the
flexible container 100 are drawn toward one another, which can
interfere with the ability of air and/or liquids to be drawn from
the flexible container 100. One or both of the inner sidewalls of
the panels 110, 120 may be embossed to provide pathways for air
and/or liquids to flow from within the interior of the flexible
container 100.
[0013] In an embodiment, an absorbent pad 200 is mounted between
the inner sides of the panels 110, 120 of the flexible container
100 a pre-determined distance D from the top end 105 of the
flexible container 100. It has been found that the distance D from
the top end 105 of the flexible container 100 to the absorbent pad
200 works well when in the range of fifty (50) to seventy (70)
millimeters. The absorbent pad 200 is contained in an envelope 205
which may be comprised of two layers of porous film or non-woven
material sealed together at its outer edges. The sealed side edges
207, 208 of the envelope 205 form a pair of tabs 209, 210 that may
be used to hold the absorbent pad 200 in position by the tabs 209,
210 being secured between the opposing sealed edges 111, 121 of the
flexible container 100. The width W of the seal sealing the edge
portions of the flexible container 100 in the proximity of the tabs
209, 210 of the envelope 205 containing the absorbent pad 200 may
be extra wide to ensure that the tabs 209, 210 are secured between
the opposing sealed edges 111, 121 of the flexible container
100.
[0014] Typically, the width of the sealed edge portions 111, 121 is
in the range of zero (0) to ten (10) millimeters. It has been found
that the width W for the portion of the seal of the sealed edge
portions 111, 121 holding the tabs 209, 210 of the absorbent pad
200 in the subject flexible container 100 works well when in the
range of ten (10) to twenty (20) millimeters. Alternately, in
another embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the seal sealing the edge
portions 111, 121 of the flexible container 300 along their entire
length may be extra wide having the width W to ensure that the tabs
209, 210 of the envelope 205 containing the absorbent pad 200 are
secured between the sealed opposing first and second edges 111, 121
of the flexible container 300.
[0015] In an embodiment, the absorbent pad 200 is comprised of a
food-grade absorbent material including but not limited to fluff,
pulp, cellulose or airlaid paper. The absorbent pad 200 may include
an absorbent medium body that may be made of one or more absorbent
layers, such as tissue layers. The absorbent layers may be arranged
to form pockets or compartments in the absorbent pad 200 to hold
active agents, to control the availability and timing of release of
an active agent in a food storage container such as the flexible
container 100. Active agents that may be used include but are not
limited to one or more carbon dioxide generators, oxygen
scavengers, ethylene scavengers and/or antimicrobials. Alternately,
the absorbent pad 200 may include a superabsorbent material with
active agents separately or in combination with the absorbent
material but in a different pocket or compartment. The
superabsorbent material may include superabsorbent polymers such as
polyacrylate and polyvinyl alcohol.
[0016] In another embodiment, an adhesive (not shown) may be used
on one side of the envelope 205 containing the absorbent pad 200 to
fasten the absorbent pad 200 on the inner surface of one of the
sidewalls 110, 120 of the flexible container 100 prior to heat
sealing the opposing edges 111, 121. Alternately, the absorbent pad
200 may be tack-welded to the inner surface of one of the sidewalls
110, 120 of the flexible container 100 prior to heat sealing the
opposing edges 111, 121. The porous film allows liquid being drawn
from within the interior of the flexible container 100 to flow into
the absorbent pad 200. The absorbent pad 200 absorbs the liquid so
that no liquid flows out of the envelope 205 and through the
opening O of the flexible container 100 while it is being evacuated
and heat sealed.
[0017] All references cited herein are expressly incorporated by
reference in their entirety.
[0018] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that
the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly
shown and described herein above. In addition, unless mention was
made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the
accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications
and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without
departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, which is
limited only by the following claims.
* * * * *