Tear-open bag that remains integral after opening

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the field of avoiding disposal of small pieces of packaging material into the environment. In particular, the present invention relates to flexible bags. A flexible tear-open bag is presented that remains intact after opening. This avoids disposal of torn-off pieces of packaging into the environment after opening. Embodiments of the present invention relate to a flexible bag that is sealed with a seal and on the back of the bag with a fin seal, and the flexible bag comprises a tear initiation point positioned substantially opposite the fin seal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates generally to the field of preventing small pieces of packaging material from being discarded into the environment. Specifically, this invention relates to flexible bags. A flexible tear-open bag that remains integral after opening is proposed. This prevents small pieces of packaging from being discarded into the environment after opening. Embodiments of the invention relate to a flexible bag that is sealed with seals (wing seals) at both ends and on the back, and the flexible bag includes tear origins substantially positioned opposite the wing seals. Background Technology

[0002] Packaging waste is a key issue in the world's sustainable development. To address this, efforts are being made to increase the production of packaging materials that can be reused or recycled after use. Unfortunately, not every recyclable packaging material is actually recycled today. For example, flexible tear-open bags (such as stick packs) are frequently used in packaging, and their usage is increasing. Compared to other packaging options, they offer several advantages due to their safety, convenience, portability, suitability for single use, and material savings.

[0003] However, opening tear-off bags (such as single-piece tear-off bags) leaves consumers with small pieces of torn packaging material and an open bag filled with product. Typically, the torn pieces are then quickly discarded, while the remainder of the bag is properly disposed of after being emptied to allow for recycling. However, the torn pieces may end up in the trash and not be recyclable, or simply remain in the environment. For example, WO201789896A1 and WO2015 / 081084 disclose rod-shaped packaging that, upon opening, produces pieces of torn packaging material and an open package containing the product.

[0004] A typical tear-off stick package is made from a single piece of packaging material that is folded and sealed at the top and bottom with lateral seals, and on the back of the material, the sides are joined with wing-shaped seals. This results in a stick package with wing-shaped seals on the back. The tear originates on one side of the stick package, so when the stick package is opened, the tear stops in the middle of the package due to the wing-shaped seals, making it difficult to completely empty the stick package. To avoid this, consumers often forcibly tear through the wing-shaped seals, resulting in a separate small package that is typically discarded without properly entering the recycling process.

[0005] DE202018106857 U1 discloses a packaging bag made of a flexible plastic material, comprising at least two bag walls and having at least two side edges, wherein a defined weakening line is configured to control tearing of the packaging from a tear initiation point located within the side edges where the bag walls are attached to each other, wherein a tear-stopping component is configured to stop the tear propagation in the extension in the direction of the weakening line.

[0006] The packaging bags described in this document use tear-stopping components to stop the spread of tears. The introduction of these tear-stopping components adds complexity to the packaging bags. This results in increased packaging costs, which may prevent the packaging from being used for lower-priced products.

[0007] Therefore, it is desirable to provide a flexible bag for the prior art, for example, a rod-shaped package made of a single piece of material and sealed at the ends with seals and at the back with wing seals, which can be completely torn apart without producing two packages.

[0008] Any references to prior art documents in this specification should not be construed as an admission that such prior art is well-known or part of common knowledge in the field.

[0009] The object of the present invention is to improve upon the prior art, and in particular to provide a flexible bag that is simple and cost-effective to manufacture, tearable, produces a single piece of packaging material upon opening and avoids the tearing of small pieces of packaging, and produces a sufficiently large opening upon opening, for example, extending substantially across the entire side of the flexible bag or at least providing a useful alternative. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The inventors were surprised to find that the objective of the invention could be achieved through the subject matter of the independent claims. The dependent claims further expand the conception of the invention.

[0011] Therefore, the present invention provides a flexible bag that is sealed with a seal and with a wing seal on the back of the bag, the flexible bag including a tear origin, wherein the tear origin is substantially positioned opposite to the wing seal.

[0012] As used in this specification, the words “including,” “contains,” and similar terms should not be construed as having an exclusive or exhaustive meaning. In other words, these terms are intended to mean “including, but not limited to.”

[0013] The inventors have demonstrated that when using a flexible bag according to the invention, wherein the wing-shaped seal is positioned substantially opposite to the tear initiation point, the tearing of the flexible bag stops at the wing-shaped seal, so that no part of the packaging is torn off, while the resulting opening extends substantially across the entire side of the flexible bag, thereby allowing for convenient emptying of the product from the bag.

[0014] Therefore, the present invention relates to a flexible bag which is sealed with top and bottom seals and with a wing seal on the back of the bag, the flexible bag including a tear initiation point, characterized in that the tear initiation point is substantially positioned opposite to the wing seal. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 An embodiment of a flexible bag according to the invention, in both open and closed states, is shown.

[0016] Figure 2 The invention illustrates how a flexible bag can be manufactured.

[0017] Figure 3 An example of the difference between the flexible bag according to the invention and the currently used stick packaging is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Therefore, the present invention relates in part to a flexible bag that is sealed with a seal and with a wing-shaped seal on the back of the bag, the flexible bag including a tear initiation point, characterized in that the tear initiation point is substantially positioned opposite to the wing-shaped seal.

[0019] For example, the flexible bag can be closed with top and bottom seals and with a wing seal on the back of the bag, and the flexible bag can include a tear initiation point, characterized in that the tear initiation point is substantially positioned relative to the wing seal.

[0020] For the purposes of this invention, a flexible bag is a bag made of a flexible material. For example, a flexible material can be one that can be bent without breaking. Alternatively, such a flexible material can be one that can be bent by hand without breaking.

[0021] Bags can be containers used for products such as powders, granules, gels, or liquids, such as sacks, baglets, or other containers suitable for these purposes. Bags are typically used for smaller quantities, such as for single servings.

[0022] Flexible bags are sealed with seals. Besides wing seals for flexible bags, the bag can be sealed with any seal known in the art and is suitable for packaging the product for which the bag is intended. For example, such a seal can be a lateral seal. Lateral seals are well known in the art. For example, a lateral seal can be described as a seal performed by a bagger perpendicular to the direction of movement of the packaging material.

[0023] For example, the flexible bag according to the invention can have an elongated shape. For example, a typical embodiment of the flexible bag with an elongated shape according to the invention can have an elliptical or rectangular shape.

[0024] Therefore, in one embodiment of the invention, the flexible bag has an elongated shape and is sealed at both short ends with seals, for example with transverse seals, and on the back of the bag with wing seals.

[0025] For example, the flexible bag according to the invention is a rod-shaped package.

[0026] Fin-shaped seals are well known in the art. A fin-shaped seal can be described as a seal produced when the overlapping edges of at least one sheet are bonded together, thereby creating a bag with fin-like protrusions.

[0027] For the tear origin, any tear origin known to those skilled in the art can be used. Typically, such a tear origin can be a small weak point in the packaging material or a small hole in the packaging material covered by another easily torn material. The tear origin can also include or be composed of visual indicators on the bag. The tear origin can also be a tear notch. For example, a tear notch can be applied to the upper left corner of the bag to accommodate right-handed consumers who tear it from left to right. Such a tear notch can be a small cut. For example, such a cut can be triangular in shape. Typically, the area to be notched is first sealed, and then the notch is made in the sealed area. Therefore, the tear origin can be freely selected from the group consisting of: weak points in the packaging material, tear notches, notches, visual indicators on the bag, or combinations thereof. For example, visual indicators can be printed or embossed on the bag.

[0028] The tear initiation point is substantially positioned relative to the wing seal. This contrasts with prior art bags, where the tear initiation point is typically located at the upper left corner of the bag, whereas the wing seal is located in the center of the back of the packaging. For the purposes of this invention, "substantially relative to" the wing seal can mean that if the wing seal is located at 0° of the circular cross-section of the bag, the tear initiation point is located between 120° and 240°, for example, between 155° and 205°; for example, between 165° and 195°; further, for example, between 175° and 185° of the circular cross-section of the bag. The inventors were surprised to find that particularly good tear resistance was achieved when the wing seal was located at 0°, and the tear initiation point was located between approximately 120° and 175° or approximately 185° and 240° of the circular cross-section of the bag. If the bag is held and compressed to obtain a circular cross-section, then the circular cross-section is the cross-section of the resulting bag. The inventors were even more surprised to find that the wing-shaped seal achieved particularly good tear resistance when it was oriented opposite to the tear direction.

[0029] In one embodiment of the invention, the seal on at least one side of the flexible bag is a transverse seal, which is wider on the side of the bag opposite to the wing seal than on the side of the wing seal, and the tear initiation point is located within the transverse seal at a position where a tear is permitted to penetrate the unsealed portion of the bag. Therefore, if the tear initiation point is located at the top of the package, the tear initiation point can be located within the transverse seal substantially opposite the wing seal and below the end of the transverse seal on the wing seal side. If the tear location is located at the bottom of the package, the tear initiation point can be located within the transverse seal substantially opposite the wing seal and above the end of the transverse seal on the wing seal side.

[0030] To prevent the packaging block from being torn off when the bag of the present invention is opened, a tear-stopping position can be used. Those skilled in the art will know of typical tear-stopping positions that can be used. Such tear-stopping positions can be selected from the group consisting of: a cut that stops the tearing process substantially orthogonal to the tearing direction, an additional rigid material block in the packaging that stops the tearing process, or an additional packaging material block applied to the outside or inside of the packaging along the tearing direction that stops the tearing process.

[0031] However, one advantage of the subject matter of this invention is that no additional tear-stopping position is required. Instead, the wing seal will serve as the tear-stopping position. Therefore, in one embodiment of the invention, the flexible bag does not include an additional tear-stopping position other than the wing seal. The advantage of doing so is that the bag is easy to manufacture and requires no further modification to the packaging material except for the need for sealing. This eliminates the cost and the risk of introducing sources of error or weaknesses into the bag of the invention.

[0032] To ensure optimal protection for the product to be packaged in the bag of this invention, the bag can be made from a single piece of material. This allows for optimal protection of the packaged product by sealing the packaging material only on the top, bottom, and back sides, whereas bags made from two pieces of material typically require sealing on all four sides or, in the case of a circular shape, sealing completely around the circle. Since any seal carries a potential risk of leakage, reducing the number of seals facilitates simple and secure packaging of the product in a flexible bag. Therefore, the flexible bag according to the invention can be made from a single piece of material.

[0033] To prevent material spillage in the bags of the present invention, it may be preferable if the tear initiation point is located near the end of the bag. If the contents of the bag are to be poured out from the top, it is preferable that the tear initiation point is located near the upper end of the bag. Ideally, the tear initiation point is located above the filler line of the bag but below the upper seal, so that no product spillage occurs after the bag is opened by tearing it from the tear initiation point, and the release of the product is triggered only if the bag is tilted, so that the product can be poured out of the bag. This is particularly useful, for example, if the product packaged in the bags of the present invention is a liquid, powder, granules, or gel. Alternatively, if the product is to be released from the bag without tilting it, it may be preferable if the tear initiation point is located near the lower end of the bag. Thus, when the bag is torn, the product in the bag of the present invention will be released immediately. Therefore, in one embodiment of the invention, the tear initiation point is located near the upper or lower end of the bag, for example, within the first or last quarter of the bag's length. Additionally, for example, the tear initiation point may be located near the upper or lower end of the bag, for example, within the first or last fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth of the bag's length.

[0034] For certain applications of the bags of the present invention, it may be preferable if the tear of the bag is guided rather than freely extending from the tear origin. This ensures that the bag is always torn along the same line. Therefore, design elements on the bag can be protected during the opening operation. Additionally, it ensures that the opening always occurs along the predicted line, resulting in consistent opening of all bags. This can have advantages. For example, it ensures easy emptying of the bag, avoids unnecessary product spillage, and / or allows for a distinctive opening pattern. Therefore, in the bags of the present invention, the guiding tear line can extend at least partially across the bag from the tear origin, for example, substantially parallel to the upper and / or lower edges of the bag, ending no later than before or within the wing seal. For the purposes of the invention, the term "substantially parallel" should mean an angle of at most 25°, 20°, 15°, 10°, or 5°. The guiding tear line can be, for example, a notch line or a line along which the packaging material has a weak point, such that the tear will be guided along the guiding tear line. For example, the tear guide line can extend at least partially across the bag, such that the tear initiation point is located closer to the top of the bag than the tear end point, thus forming a nozzle at the top of the bag after tearing to expel the bag's contents. Alternatively, for example, the tear guide line can extend at least partially across the bag, such that the tear initiation point is located closer to the bottom of the bag than the tear end point, thus forming a nozzle at the bottom of the bag after tearing to expel the bag's contents. The nozzle formation is one example; the tear guide line method ensures easy emptying of the bag and avoids unnecessary product spillage.

[0035] One advantage of this invention is that no material is torn from the packaging during the operation of tearing open the flexible bag of this invention. Since the tearing begins substantially opposite the wing seal, the bag can be opened wide enough without having to tear through the wing seal as is the case with bags of the prior art. For example, the bag can be opened by tearing it without allowing the tear to reach the wing seal. Even if opened hastily and with excessive force, the wing seal will eventually stop tearing, allowing the bag to open fully, but the torn portion remains attached to the bag via the wing seal. Therefore, in one embodiment of the invention, in the flexible bag of this invention, after the bag is torn, the torn portion of the bag remains attached to the bag via the wing seal.

[0036] Preferably, the wing seal is designed to be even less likely to tear in half during the opening operation, should the bag be opened with excessive force. To achieve this, the wing seal, or a portion thereof, positioned substantially opposite to the tear initiation point, can be reinforced to prevent it from tearing in half at that location. For example, in the flexible bag of the present invention, the wing seal may include a reinforcing element that prevents the tear from accidentally extending beyond the seal on the back of the bag when the bag is torn. Such a reinforcing element may, for example, be an additional tear-resistant packaging layer incorporated into the wing seal.

[0037] The flexible bags of this invention can be made from any material known to those skilled in the art suitable for manufacturing flexible bags. For example, the bags can be made from materials selected from the group consisting of: paper, plastic, aluminum, composite materials, or combinations thereof. Such composite materials can be obtained by lamination, extrusion coating, dispersion coating, or other techniques known to those skilled in the art.

[0038] In order to ensure sustainability and protect the environment, it would be desirable if the packaging materials used today had the least possible environmental impact. Therefore, it is preferred if the bags of the present invention are made of recyclable, biodegradable, and / or compostable materials.

[0039] The shape of the flexible bag according to the invention is not particularly limited. However, the bag with the winged seal is preferably made of a single piece of material. Typically, the bag is sealed at the top and bottom, and sealed on the back with the winged seal. Typically, the top and bottom of the bag are the short ends, while the winged seal extends along the length of the bag. In one embodiment of the invention, the bag may have a substantially rectangular shape, wherein the short edge has about 10% to 70%, about 15% to 50%, or about 20% to 30% of the length of the long edge. For the purposes of this invention, the term "substantially rectangular" should mean that the angles in the substantially rectangular shape have dimensions in the range of 70° to 110°, 75° to 105°, 80° to 100°, or 85° to 95°. In one embodiment, the bag has a rectangular shape.

[0040] There are no particular limitations on the size of the flexible bags according to the invention. Larger bags are feasible, such as bags designed to refill existing packaging. The bags can contain a single or multiple portions. However, it is apparent that the problem of improper disposal of packaging components is most common in packaging containing smaller quantities of product, such as a fixed quantity of product intended for single-use operations. Therefore, for example, the bags can be designed to contain product weighing between 1g and 250g, 1g and 100g, or 1g and 50g. Additionally, for example, the bags can contain a fixed quantity of product intended for single-use, such as a single portion.

[0041] The bag of the present invention can be used to package products intended for consumption by a subject. The subject can be a human or an animal, such as a pet and / or companion animal. For example, the product intended for consumption by a subject can be a food product, pet food product, nutritional supplement, or medicine. In one embodiment, the bag is used to package a food product. For the purposes of this invention, according to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the term "food" should mean any substance intended for human consumption, whether processed, semi-processed, or raw, and includes beverages, chewing gum, and any substance used in the manufacture, preparation, or processing of "food," but excludes cosmetics, tobacco, or substances used solely as medicine.

[0042] The bags of the present invention can be used and distributed as individual bags. For example, this would allow consumers to purchase environmentally friendly packaged products in single units. Alternatively, the bags can be attached to each other via the sides of the bags. Products packaged in this way in the bags of the present invention can be provided to consumers as single units attached to each other. For example, these attached bags can form a chain. During purchase, the consumer can then tear off one or more individual bags from the bag chain. Ideally, the bags are attached to each other via the short end. This reduces the likelihood of the bags being accidentally opened when individual bags are torn from the chain. Therefore, in one embodiment, the bags are provided as a plurality of bags attached to each other at the short edge via attachment devices that allow individual bags to be torn off. Preferably, the attachment devices are easier to detach than opening the bag from the tear point to avoid accidental opening of the bag.

[0043] Those skilled in the art will understand that they are free to combine all features of the invention disclosed herein. Furthermore, features described for different embodiments of the invention may be combined.

[0044] Although the invention has been described by way of example, it should be understood that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0045] Furthermore, if known equivalents exist for a specific feature, such equivalents should be incorporated as expressly mentioned in this specification. Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent upon reference to the accompanying drawings and non-limiting embodiments.

[0046] Example:

[0047] In the case of forming elongated packages on a laboratory sealing machine (HSG-CC heat sealing machine, Brugger Feinmechanik GmbH, Munich, Germany), appropriate sealing conditions of temperature, pressure (clamping force), and time were used to obtain suitable seals when applied to different materials. All experiments used flat sealing jaws with a width of 5 mm. Figure 2 The invention illustrates how a flexible bag can be manufactured.

[0048] Material:

[0049] Paper: 60 grams per square meter, coated with a functional polymer-based dispersion coating of 8 grams per square meter, including a sealing layer.

[0050] Polymer-based laminates: Multilayer laminates consist of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer as the outer layer (12μm), an aluminum (20μm) layer, and a polyethylene (70μm) layer as the sealing layer.

[0051] Sealing conditions:

[0052] Paper Laminated components Temperature (both sides) 115℃ 130℃ Clamping force 400N 400N Clamping time 0.5 seconds 0.5 seconds

[0053] Sample preparation

[0054] Cut a rectangle from the material with the following dimensions:

[0055] =75mm×120mm

[0056] The two short edges of the film are overlapped, without marking creases, and sealed as close to the edges as possible to form a wing-shaped seal for the final package.

[0057] The resulting cylinder is then flattened, with the wing-shaped seal placed at different distances from the crease: 0mm, 5mm, 8mm, and 17mm from the edge. In some cases, the wing-shaped seal is oriented towards the center of the bag; in others, towards the edge. The cylinder is then sealed at both short ends, producing a sample resembling a rod-shaped package.

[0058] The angle between the tear initiation point and the finned seal was calculated.

[0059] The table below summarizes the prepared samples and provides their codes. Each sample was prepared in duplicate (except for Pap17 and Pap17O, which were prepared only once), and each sample was provided with two opening possibilities (one on each side).

[0060]

[0061] Open Behavioral Assessment

[0062] Using a cutter, make a 2mm notch about 5mm from the seal, facing the center of the sample, to mark the tear start point. Do this on each side of the sample.

[0063] The evaluators were instructed to tear the sample at a certain speed, taking approximately 1-2 seconds to open, without looking at the sample during the process. They were asked to stop when a significant increase in opening resistance was observed.

[0064]

[0065] From the above, we can conclude that:

[0066] This invention is effective even for materials with very low tear strength (paper).

[0067] Preferably, the finned seal should be oriented opposite to the tear direction, especially for materials with low tear strength, such as paper (Pap8O and Pap17O).

[0068] • Optimal results are achieved if the wing seal is located at 0° and the tear initiation point is located between approximately 120° and 175° or approximately 185° and 240° of the circular cross-section of the bag.

Claims

1. A flexible bag closed with a top and bottom seal and closed on the back of the bag with a fin seal, said flexible bag comprising a tear initiation point, wherein said tear initiation point is located substantially opposite said fin seal, characterized in that, The fin seal of the bag comprises a reinforcement element which, when the bag is torn open, prevents the tear from unexpectedly passing over the fin seal on the back of the bag, wherein the tear initiation point is located between 120° and 175° or between 185° and 240° of the circular cross section of the bag if the fin seal is located at 0°, and wherein the fin seal is oriented opposite the tear direction.

2. Flexible bag according to claim 1, wherein the fin seal serves as a tear stop position and the bag does not comprise an additional tear stop position other than the fin seal.

3. Flexible bag according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bag is made of one piece of material.

4. Flexible bag according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tear initiation point is located near the upper or lower end of the bag.

5. Flexible bag according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tear initiation point is within the first or last quarter of the length of the bag.

6. Flexible bag according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a tear guiding line extends at least partially across the bag from the tear initiation point, ending at the latest before or within the fin seal.

7. Flexible bag according to claim 6, wherein the tear guiding line is a score line.

8. Flexible bag according to claim 6, wherein the tear guiding line extends substantially parallel to the upper and / or lower edge of the bag.

9. Flexible bag according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bag is made of a material selected from the group consisting of paper, plastic, aluminum or combinations thereof obtained by lamination, extrusion coating or dispersion coating.

10. Flexible bag according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bag is made of a material which is recyclable, biodegradable and / or compostable.

11. Flexible bag according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tear initiation point is selected from the group consisting of a weakness in the packaging material, a tear notch, a score, a visual indication on the bag or combinations thereof.

12. Flexible bag according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bag has a substantially rectangular shape, wherein the short edges have a length of 10% to 70% of the length of the long edges.

13. Flexible bag according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bag is designed to contain a product having a weight in the range of 1 g to 250 g.

14. Flexible bag according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bag is used for packaging a food product.

15. Flexible bag according to claim 12, wherein the bags are provided attached to each other at the short edges via attachment means which allow the individual bags to be torn off.

Images