US2895606A - Commodity packets - Google Patents

Description

y 1959 R. w. HOAG 2,895,606

. COMMODITY PACKETS Filed Sept. 25; 1956 Jizmzi? 2,895,606 coMMonrrY PACKETS Roderick W. Hoag, Melrose, Mass.

Application September 25, 1956, Serial No. dllfiiiii 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-56) This invention relates to commodity packets.

The invention is more particularly concerned with novel packets for measured volumes of tea or sugar and which is particularly characterized in its ability to retain a relatively flat condition prior to use and to assume a substantial expanded condition upon use thereof.

Packets for commodities such as tea and sugar have heretofore been in the form of envelopes wherein the enveloped commodities were in a single mass distributed throughout the areas of the packets.

Such packets as now in use, particularly for tea, have confined the contents to a single rather compacted mass with the result that when deposited in hot water, seepage is relatively slow with a resulting relatively long time interval required in the making of tea, and oft times without securing advantage of the full flavor of the mass of tea.

In the present envelope type of packet for sugar, the contents are also in a single mass distributed over the area of the narrow envelope with the result that when the envelope is opened and insufliciently wide mouth is afforded for rapid dispensing of the sugar from the envelope.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide a packet for tea, sugar or other commodities which comprises an envelope of normally relatively flat form and which includes a plurality of intercomrnunicating cells which expand upon placing same in liquid or tearing off an end thereof, for maximum seepage when the contents is tea and for maximum pouring efficiency when the contents is sugar.

A further and more specific object of the invention is the provision of a commodity packet including a flat rectangular backing lay-er and a rectangular fluted layer having its margins secured to the backing layer with the provision of a plurality of commodity cells, and wherein the flutes inwardly of said margins are free of the backing layer for ready expansion of the cells.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description taken in connection with he accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. l is a fragmental plan view of a preformed composite strip from which the individual packets are formed.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the strip of Fig. 1 as observed in the plane of line 22 thereon.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a tea packet after same has expanded under action of liquid seepage therethrough.

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of a completed packet in which is packaged a heavy material.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan view of a preformed strip which is provided with a weakened tear line adjacent and parallel to one edge thereof.

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of a packet constructed from the strip of Fig. 5 and wherein a packet opening strip is being torn away on the said tear line.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, 10 designates P Patented July 21, 1959 a fragment of a composite strip which is formed by the method and machine disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 611,821, filedconcurrently herewith and which has eventuated into Patent No. 2,826,020. The strip as indicated in Fig. 2 comprises a backing layer 11 and a heat-scalable layer 12. which in accordance with the said co-pending application is transversely corrugated or fluted with the flutes opening inwardly and being in spaced groups and with the spacing between the groups being greater than the spacing between the individual flutes in each group thereof, the flutes being designated 13 on the drawing.

The packets as set forth in said co-pending application are formed upon transverse severance of the strip 10 intermediate the flute groups and as indicated in Figs. 3, 4 and 6, each packet comprises a backing layer 11, a layer 12 having opposite side margins thereof heat sealed as at 14 to the backing layer and having the other opposite side margins thereof crimp sealed to the backing layer as at 14", and the layer 12 of the packet is provided with a group of flutes 13 which are free of the backing layer within the above referred to sealed margins. While the packet is shown as comprising three cell or packet forming flutes, it is not limited thereto.

it is to be particularly observed that a salient feature of the invention is the freedom of connection of the layer 12 with the backing layer ill at the bases of the flutes l3 inwardly of the marginal connection of layer 12 with the backing layer 11, whereby the cells or pockets C defined by the flutes 13 in association with the backing layer 11 are free to expand.

The sectional structure shown in Fig. 3 is that of a tea packet and which has been subjected to the action of a liquid with the resulting expansion of the cells or pockets C into a substantially large single pocket C whereby the liquid seepage through the mass to tea T is of maximum effectiveness in the extraction of the flavor from the tea. The section shown in Fig. 3 is of course substantially in the plane of line 2-2 on Fig. 1 and the opposite ends of the flutes 13 or pockets C will of course be retained to some extent.

in Fig. 4 is shown a packet filled with a heavy commodity. Regardless, however, of the character of the commodity, the packets will present a substantially flat form adapting them to economical packaging in relatively large containers.

The package shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is adapted for use with sugar and wherein same is provided with a weakened tear line 15 for severance of a strip S as indicated in Fig. 6 and upon which severance the several pockets or cells C open up into a single relatively wide pouring mouth M for easy and rapid dispensing of the sugar contents.

While I have disclosed my invention in accordance with a single specific structural embodiment thereof, such is to be considered as illustrative only, and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being defined in the subjoined claim.

What I claim and desire to secure by US. Letters Patent is:

A commodity packet comprising a rectangular backing layer, and a second rectangular layer superposed on said backing layer and having a pair of opposed margins thereof heat-sealed to the corresponding margins of said backing layer, and a second pair of opposed margins of the second layer being crimp-sealed to the backing layer, said second layer being provided with a plurality of cellforming flutes opening toward said backing layer and free of connection therewith, inwardly of said heat-sealed and crimp-sealed margins, said flutes being of relatively small uniform transverse dimensions and having their outermost points in a plane parallel with said backing layer, thereby providing a pocket of generally flat form for facilitating packaging thereof in containers, and a tear line intersecting said fluates adjacent the corresponding ends thereof for the ready severance of the corresponding end portions of said layers and permitting the discharge of a relatively large vfilume of a commodity from within all of said flutes,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Eastman June 22, 1869 Lorenz Jan. 5, 1892 Graham Dec. 3, 1918 Ferguson Aug. 30, 1932 Hoag Feb. 28, 1950 Smith Ian. 16, 1951

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