WO1991008148A1

WO1991008148A1 - Improvements to devices to facilitate the opening of hermetically sealed bags

Info

Publication number: WO1991008148A1
Application number: PCT/IT1990/000099
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gino Rapparini
Original assignee: Ica S.P.A.
Priority date: 1989-11-30
Filing date: 1990-11-26
Publication date: 1991-06-13
Also published as: IT8903736A0

Abstract

The invention relates to a device to allow the opening of hermetically sealed bags (1), made of flexible materials, by pulling a part (10) of the upper flap (9) by hand, without any auxiliary cutting implement. With the simple action of inserting a finger the device makes it possible to obtain a pouring spout (11) specially shaped to measure and control the partial flow of the contents. Also, provided that the flap (9) is not completely torn off and remains attached to the bag (1), its upper part stays semi-closed, giving a high degree of accuracy to the particularly difficult outflow of the contents in the not infrequent case of vacuum-sealed packages with packed-down contents coming right up to the top of the bag, nearby the own pouring spout.

Description

IMPR OVEME NTS TO DEVIC ES TO FAC ILITATE THE OPENIN G OF H ERMETICALL Y SEALED BAGS.

TEC H N IC AL FIELD: the present invention relates to the technical field of packaging/wrapping and particulary to the flexible containers generally included in the international classification B 65 B; B 65 D. STANDARD OF THE TECHNICS: there are many different kinds of heat- sealed hermetic bags made of flexible materials.

The problem wich has not been resolved yet is how to optimize the easy manual opening of bags, the gradual initial pouring out and the sure re- closing.

Another unresolved problem is how to find an easy means of forming a suitable type of spout at the outlet in the top of the opened bag. Accidental spillages often occur , especially when starting to pour and when the bag is still full to the top , with the inconvenience of wastage added to the inconvenience of dirtying the surface where the user is working.

These problems are al l completely resolved by this invention , which wi ll now be described in detail , making reference to the attached diagrammatic illustration,intended as a non binding example.

In the attached illustration fig.1 shows a hermetical ly sealed flexible bag with the upper flap folded down and attached to the own bag; fig 2 shows the hermetic bag with the flap raised up; fig 3 shows the simple manual pulling operation resulting in the partial tearing of the flap; fig. 4 shows the extremely simple operation of inserting a finger into the opening in the partially opened bag ,thus causing the opening on the characteristic shape of a pouring spout;fig 5 shows the start of the pouring operation which takes place with the bag partially closed, thus avoiding wastage and accidental spillages of the contents;fig. 6 shows how the bag can go back to its original shape after each partial emptyng operation. In an enlarged detail, fig. 7 shows the position of the cut-in wich helps the start of the manual tearing action along the line of fold 7. The study of the illustrations described above,shows that each detail is marked with following numbers:

1 is the body of the bag, made of flexible materials

2 marks the adhesive tab

3 marks the welded seam that runs along the length of the bag

4 marks the hermetically sealed zone around the cut-in 5

5 is the cut-in at the end of the fold line

6 is the weld that seals the bag hermetically

7 is the fold line of the flap

8 marks the lower part of the flap

9 marks the upper part of the flap

10 marks the part that has been torn back by hand

11 marks the spout for pouring out the contents

12 marks the contents starting to pour out gradually.

The illustration in figures provides sufficient evidence of the functionality of each of the points.

The simplicity of the cut- in 5 is self explanatory, and does not require any further clarification.

Naturally, different variants of the invention can be produced to fit practically with the structural and dimensional proportioning of the bag and the cutin for starting off the manual tearing of the part of the flap. A technician with a medium level of expertise in the field of flexible bag production, once familiar with the combination of features of the invention hereby disclosed, ilt be able to produce the variants without any particular inventive effort. We return, therefore, to the ambit of the protection in this industrial patent of all those improvements to devices to facilitate the opening of hermetically sealed bags, ease the partial pouring out of the contents and allow containers to be re-closed with a wrapping consisting of flexible materials, achieved with the tecniques substantially described, illustrated and h≥re below claimed.

Claims

1)"lmprovements to devices to facilitate the opening of hermet ical ly sealed bags , to ease the partial pouring out of the contents and al low the reclosing of containers with a wrapping consisting of flexible materials" , CHARACTERIZED B Y THE FACT THAT ,after have manual ly torn off only a part of the upper. flap along the fold line (7) up to the central seam of the longitudinal sealed line (3), with the simple insertion of a finger ,as shown in fig. , we obtain a pouring spout, wich makes the gradual partial pouring out of the contents easier.

2)lmprovements according to CLAIMS 1 , CH ARACTERI ZED B Y TH E FACT THAT the upper part of the flap (9) is not torn off completely but remains joined to the bag , by means the inctact part of line 7 , as to keep it partially closed at the top , just to allow the initial gradual outflow of contents especial ly in the case of vacuum-sealed packages with packed_down contents coming right up to the top of the bag. 3)lmprovements , according to C LAIMS 1 and 2 , C H ARACTERI Z ED B Y TH E FACT THAT the begin of the manual opening is faci litated by a special C UT-IN (5) on the fold line (7) between the two pa ts (8,9) of the flap, and by the fact that this manual tear ends against the central longitudinal seam (3) on the body of the bag (1 ).

4)lmprovements , as in C LAIMS 1 2 3 , C HARACTE RI ZED B Y TH E FACT THAT , on completion of the partial pouring out operation via the spout (1 1 ) , can easi ly be re-closed , still manually , to restore the continuity of the upper flap body , re- folding the part (9) of the flap along line 7 against the part (8) of the flap and turning them together to attach them to the body of the bag (1) by means of the adhesive tab (2) , in order to guarantee once more the stabi lity of the reclosing of the package.