Standing pouch

Abstract

To provide a standing pouch equipped with an automatic vapor removal mechanism capable of discharging vapor generated from a content by heat-cooking, which is easy to open, has excellent linearity of a cut and is capable of holding an opening shape of an opening in a pouch which can heat-cook the content by a microwave oven and has self-standing property.SOLUTION: A pouch is composed of a plastic film laminate and can perform heat-cooking by a microwave oven. A plastic film layer on an outermost layer side of the laminate uses the polyethylene terephthalate film. An intermediate film layer of the laminate is a layer adjacent to a sealant layer, and uses a polyethylene terephthalate film having linear cutting property in a horizontal direction of a pouch trunk. A sealant layer on an innermost layer side of the laminate is a polypropylene resin layer having the linear cut property in the horizontal direction of the pouch trunk.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pouch suitable for cooking in a microwave oven, particularly to a standing pouch having a base plate and the ability to stand on its own, which is equipped with an automatic steam release mechanism that can release steam generated from the contents during cooking to the outside, is easy to open, has a straight cut edge, and is capable of maintaining the opening shape of the opening. [Background technology]

[0002] Pouches, a type of packaging material, are widely used and consist of simple or laminated plastic film base materials. They come in a variety of shapes and are used for a wide range of purposes, making them an indispensable part of people's lives.

[0003] Pouches are used as liquid containers, for example, and are widely used in the food industry, including beverages and retort foods, as well as in the fields of daily necessities and toiletries, with a variety of products lining the shelves of supermarkets, drugstores, and convenience stores. In addition to liquid containers, pouches are being used for a variety of purposes.

[0004] The advantages of pouches compared to containers such as cans and bottles include their low price, the ability to fine-tune material design to meet required quality, and their light weight and space-saving design before filling, distribution, and storage. Pouches can also be considered environmentally friendly from the perspective of reducing waste.

[0005] In addition, high-resolution printing on the layer visible from the outside of the pouch can improve the product's image and display necessary information about the contents, and printing barcodes, etc., is also a source of product distribution, inventory management, and marketing information.

[0006] Some pouches have been commercialized as self-standing pouches, which are generally called "standing pouches." In addition to being advantageous for product display and display, their self-standing nature also offers advantages in terms of ease of use, such as making it easier to remove the contents.

[0007] Furthermore, when opening a standing pouch after cooking, importance is attached to preventing burns from residual steam, making the opening easy to open, and maintaining the shape of the opening.

[0008] For example, when the contents are food, it is desirable that the opening be kept open without closing when the food is taken out of the pouch directly using tableware such as a spoon or fork and eaten. At the same time, it is also desirable that the opening cut be cut in a straight line at a predetermined position.

[0009] Patent Document 1 proposes a standing pouch that can stand on its own when filled with contents, but the emphasis is placed only on the ability to stand on its own and the ability to fill it, and no consideration is given to ease of opening, vapor permeability, the shape retention function of the opening, or the shape and linearity of the cut edge. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-96388 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a self-standing pouch that allows the contents to be cooked in a microwave oven, that has an automatic steam vent mechanism that can release steam generated from the contents during cooking to the outside, that is easy to open, that has excellent linearity of the cut edge, and that is capable of maintaining the opening shape of the opening. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] As a means for solving the above problem, the invention described in claim 1 is: A pouch made of a laminate of plastic films, which allows the contents to be heated and cooked in a microwave oven, The laminate is composed of a plastic film layer on the outermost side of the pouch, an intermediate film layer, and a sealant layer on the innermost side of the pouch, The pouch is formed by a front body portion, a rear body portion, and a bottom film disposed therebetween so as to be able to contain contents, The pouch is equipped with an automatic steam release mechanism that allows steam generated from the contents to be released outside the pouch when cooking in a microwave oven. the front body portion and the rear body portion have four sides and are arranged with the sealant layers facing each other, Of these four sides, the left and right ends of the body are sealed, and both ends of the pouch are sealed. a bottom film is folded and disposed between the front body section and the rear body section in a lower portion of the body section, and a lower end of the pouch is sealed with the body section so that the bottom film can form a bottom surface; the front body portion and the rear body portion in the upper part of the body portion are sealed at the upper end of the pouch after the contents are placed therein, thereby enabling the entire pouch to be sealed; A notch is provided in at least one of the seal portions at both ends of the body portion, and a horizontal straight line extending from the notch on the front and back of the body portion of the pouch is an intended opening line; The outermost plastic film layer of the laminate is a polyethylene terephthalate film. The intermediate film layer of the laminate is a layer adjacent to the sealant layer, and is made of a polyethylene terephthalate film having linear cuttability in the horizontal direction of the pouch body portion, The standing pouch is characterized in that the innermost sealant layer of the laminate is a polypropylene resin layer that can be cut in a straight line in the horizontal direction of the body of the pouch.

[0013] The invention described in claim 2 is as follows: The standing pouch according to claim 1, wherein the slit is provided at a position between the height of the surface of the contents and the seal at the upper end of the pouch when the pouch is in a self-standing state after the contents are placed inside.

[0014] The invention described in claim 3 is as follows: 3. The standing pouch according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sealant layer is a laminated polypropylene resin film having linear cuttability in the horizontal direction of the body of the pouch.

[0015] The invention described in claim 4 is as follows: The standing pouch according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is characterized in that the automatic steam release mechanism causes a portion of the sealed portion of the pouch to peel off and allow steam to pass through when the contents are cooked in a microwave oven due to steam generated from the contents.

[0016] The invention described in claim 5 is as follows: The standing pouch according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is characterized in that the polyethylene terephthalate film of the plastic film layer of the laminate has a surface provided with an inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating.

[0017] The invention described in claim 6 is as follows: The standing pouch according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the intermediate film layer of the laminate further includes a polyamide film capable of being cut in a straight line in the horizontal direction of the body of the pouch.

[0018] The invention described in claim 7 is as follows: The standing pouch according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is characterized in that the polyethylene terephthalate film of the intermediate film layer of the laminate has a scratched line formed along the intended opening line of the pouch body.

[0019] The invention described in claim 8 is as follows: The standing pouch according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the scratching line is provided as a perforation or a half-cut line.

[0020] The invention described in claim 9 is as follows: 9. The standing pouch according to claim 8, wherein the scratching line is provided by a perforation or a half-cut line. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a self-standing pouch that allows the contents to be cooked in a microwave oven, is equipped with an automatic steam vent mechanism that can discharge to the outside water vapor generated from the contents during cooking, is easy to open, has excellent linearity of the cut edge, and is capable of maintaining the opening shape of the opening.

[0022] The stand-up pouch is self-supporting because the bottom film is sealed to form the bottom, forming the lower part of the pouch. This allows the pouch to stand on its own, and it does not lose its self-supporting ability even after cooking, making it easy to open and remove the contents.

[0023] In addition, by having an automatic steam release mechanism, it is possible to eliminate problems such as the internal pressure inside the pouch increasing due to steam generated from the contents during cooking, which can lead to the pouch breaking or steam escaping when the pouch is opened.

[0024] A notch is provided in at least one of the sealed portions at both ends of the body portion, and the horizontal straight line on the body portion on the front and back of the pouch starting from this notch serves as the intended opening line, making it easier to start opening the pouch.

[0025] Furthermore, the intermediate film layer of the laminate is a layer adjacent to the sealant layer and is made of a polyethylene terephthalate film that can be cut in a straight line in the horizontal direction of the pouch body, and the innermost sealant layer of the laminate is a polypropylene resin layer that can be cut in a straight line in the horizontal direction of the pouch body, making it possible to realize a standing pouch that is easy to open, has excellent cut edge linearity, and is able to maintain the opening shape of the opening.

[0026] Furthermore, according to the invention described in claim 2 in particular, the slit is located at a position between the height of the surface of the contents and the seal at the upper end of the pouch when the pouch is left standing after the contents are placed inside. This means that when the pouch is torn open starting from the slit, the tearing can be carried out more smoothly without causing problems such as the contents spilling out of the pouch.

[0027] Furthermore, since the contents can be removed from the opening while maintaining the shape of the opening, it is possible to make it easier to remove the contents using tableware such as chopsticks or a spoon.

[0028] Furthermore, according to the invention described in claim 3 in particular, the sealant layer is formed by laminating a polypropylene resin film that has linear cuttability in the horizontal direction of the pouch body, and therefore the layer can be formed using a film that has already been given linear cuttability, making it possible to provide a more stable laminate, i.e., a standing pouch, that can be produced more efficiently.

[0029] Furthermore, according to the invention described in claim 4 in particular, the automatic steam release mechanism employs a mechanism in which steam generated from the contents during cooking in a microwave oven causes a portion of the pouch seal to peel off, allowing steam to pass through. This can be achieved using methods within the scope of conventional manufacturing processes, such as curving or bending part of the pouch seal shape or partially weakening the seal strength, and does not require any additional components or significantly increase costs.

[0030] Furthermore, according to the invention described in claim 5 in particular, the polyethylene terephthalate film of the plastic film layer of the laminate has an inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating on its surface, which gives it gas barrier properties, thereby improving the shelf life of the contents and eliminating the effects of the storage environment on the contents.

[0031] In particular, when an inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating is provided on the surface of a polyethylene terephthalate film as a gas barrier film, it is superior to a gas barrier layer made of a metal foil such as aluminum foil, which is not suitable for cooking using a microwave oven.

[0032] In addition, when an inorganic compound vapor deposition coating such as AlOX is used, it has transparency, so that the contents can be seen from the outside of the pouch.

[0033] Furthermore, according to the invention described in claim 6 in particular, the polyethylene terephthalate film of the plastic film layer of the laminate is a center-cut polyethylene terephthalate film, which selectively uses the part with balanced stretching, and is therefore effective in achieving more stable straight-line cutting properties even when opening by tearing.

[0034] Furthermore, according to the invention described in claim 7 in particular, by further including in the intermediate film layer of the laminate a polyamide film that has linear cuttability in the horizontal direction of the pouch body, it is possible to produce a standing pouch with excellent mechanical strength without affecting tearability.

[0035] Furthermore, according to the invention described in claim 8 in particular, the polyethylene terephthalate film of the intermediate film layer of the laminate has a scratched line provided along the intended opening line of the pouch body, which acts as a mechanism to assist in straight cutting, and is therefore effective in achieving easier and more stable straightness even when opening by tearing.

[0036] Furthermore, according to the invention described in claim 9 in particular, the scratch processing line is provided as a perforation or half-cut line, which acts as a mechanism to assist in straight cutting, and is therefore effective in achieving easier and more stable straightness even when opening by tearing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0037] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view (partially see-through) illustrating one embodiment of a standing pouch according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective (partially see-through) schematic view illustrating an opened state of one embodiment of a standing pouch according to the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the external shape and dimensions of an example of a standing pouch according to the present invention and a comparative example. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to Example 1 of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to Comparative Example 1 of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a pouch for explaining Comparative Example 2 of a standing pouch according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 9. However, the present invention is not limited to the examples shown here. The present invention is limited by the claims.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view (partially see-through) illustrating one embodiment of a standing pouch according to the present invention.

[0040] The present invention is a standing pouch (100) made of a laminate using plastic film, and the laminate is composed of a plastic film layer on the outermost side of the pouch, an intermediate film layer, and a sealant layer on the innermost side of the pouch.

[0041] The sealant layer allows two laminates to be stacked with the sealant layers facing each other and sealed together to form a pouch. For sealing, heat sealing using heat and pressure can be used, for example.

[0042] The material for the sealant layer can be a polyolefin resin among thermoplastic resins. The sealant layer can be formed by forming a film of molten resin using an extruder or the like onto the laminate. Alternatively, a sealant layer can be formed on the surface of the laminate by laminating a material that has already been formed into a film.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 1, the standing pouch (100) is made up of a front body portion (1), a rear body portion (7), and a bottom film (10) disposed between them, so that the pouch can contain contents.

[0044] That is, the front body portion (1) and the rear body portion (7) have four sides and are arranged with the sealant layers facing each other, and of these four sides, both left and right ends (2) of the body portion are sealed, and both left and right ends (2) of the pouch are hermetically sealed.

[0045] In addition, at the lower part of the body, a bottom film (10) is folded along a fold line (6) and positioned between the front body (1) and the rear body (7), and the lower end (3) of the pouch is sealed with the bottom film (10) so that the bottom surface can be formed.

[0046] The formation of this bottom surface allows the standing pouch (100) containing the contents to stand on its own, which makes it more convenient for, for example, product display and presentation, and for cooking in a microwave oven.

[0047] In addition, at the upper part of the body, the front body (1) and the rear body (7) are sealed at the upper end (4) of the pouch after the contents are placed inside, making it possible to seal the entire standing pouch (100).

[0048] The standing pouch (100) according to the present invention also includes an automatic steam release mechanism (12) that can release steam generated from the contents to the outside of the pouch when the contents are cooked in a microwave oven.

[0049] This automatic steam release mechanism (12) is effective in preventing the pouch body from suddenly rupturing due to an increase in internal pressure caused by steam generated inside the pouch during cooking in a microwave oven, and is also effective in preventing steam from escaping from the inside of the pouch when opening the pouch after cooking, which can cause burns to fingers and other injuries.

[0050] In the example shown in Figure 1, automatic steam release mechanism (12) is provided near upper end (4) on the right side as viewed from the front. In the present invention, there are no limitations on the location of automatic steam release mechanism (12), but since its purpose is to guide steam generated from the contents during microwave cooking to the outside of the pouch, it is appropriate to provide it above the surface of the contents during cooking, in a location that does not directly contact the contents and faces the space inside the pouch.

[0051] That is, in the example shown in Figure 1, when cooking with heat in a microwave oven, the space inside the standing pouch (100) is filled with steam from the contents due to heating, and the volume of the contents storage space expands, causing the entire standing pouch (100) to expand, and at the same time, the internal pressure increases.

[0052] At this time, the volume expansion occurs radially in three dimensions from the volume center of the space inside the standing pouch (100). In the example shown in Figure 1, this volume expansion applies pressure to the curved seal in the case of the automatic steam release mechanism (12), which acts as a peeling force on the curved seal against the laminate on the front and back of this part.

[0053] For example, in the example shown in Figure 1, the pouch has sealed edges, and even if volume expansion occurs due to water vapor, it is possible for the pouch to deform from the roughly rectangular shape shown in Figure 1 into a three-dimensionally expanded shape as long as the internal pressure is low.

[0054] However, this radial three-dimensional volume expansion tends to expand spherically as the internal pressure increases, resulting in a discrepancy with the expansion room of the approximately rectangular pouch.

[0055] In the example shown in Figure 1, the automatic steam release mechanism (12) is bent toward the inside of the packaging bag (100), and therefore, due to three-dimensional radial volume expansion, in the example shown in Figure 1, the pressure trying to peel it off is stronger in this part than in the sealed part at the periphery, so that stress is concentrated more severely in this part, causing the sealed part of the automatic steam release mechanism (12) to peel off.

[0056] This peeling connects the internal space of the pouch to the outside, and the water vapor inside is automatically released to the outside. Therefore, this part acts as an automatic steam release mechanism, and the internal pressure of the standing pouch (100) decreases rapidly, so this type of peeling does not occur in the other sealed parts around the periphery.

[0057] Furthermore, the means and method of the automatic steam release mechanism are not limited to the example shown here, and other methods may be used as long as they fulfill the function of releasing water vapor to the outside, such as by automatically connecting the inside and outside of the pouch by partially destroying the seal portion due to the internal pressure of the pouch increasing due to the generation of water vapor.

[0058] As an example of another method, it is possible to have a structure in which the seal strength is weaker or the seal width is narrower, or both, in the area of ​​the automatic steam release mechanism compared to the sealed area around the periphery.

[0059] For example, a sealed state in which the seal strength is weaker than other sealed areas can be achieved by selecting the type of sealant, adjusting the sealing conditions, or inserting a layer that is effective in weakening the seal in this area during sealing.

[0060] Furthermore, a portion that is sealed with a narrower seal width than other sealed portions can also be vulnerable, but in this case, this can be achieved by adjusting the shape and width of the seal bar.

[0061] In addition, in the present invention, a notch (8) is provided in at least one of the sealed portions at both the left and right ends (2) of the body portion, and an intended opening line (5) can be provided as a horizontal straight line starting from this notch (8) on the front body portion (1) of the pouch.

[0062] Starting from this slit (8), the opening line (5) is a horizontal straight line on the front body portion (1) of the pouch, and the same is true for the rear body portion (7), making it easier to start and continue opening. Furthermore, even after opening, the opening edge can be kept horizontal without tearing.

[0063] In the example shown in Figure 1, there is a slit (8) at one location on the left side edge, and a horizontal straight line starting from this slit (8) on the front and back body parts of the pouch is shown as a broken line as an intended opening line (5). However, the intended opening line on the back body part overlaps with the intended opening line on the front body part, and is not visible in Figure 1.

[0064] The cut (8) may be a V-shaped cut (8) as shown in the example of FIG. 1, or may simply be a linear cut.

[0065] Furthermore, in the standing pouch (100) according to the present invention, the outermost plastic film layer of the laminate is made of a polyethylene terephthalate film, the middle film layer of the laminate is a layer adjacent to the sealant layer and is made of a polyethylene terephthalate film that has linear cutting properties in the horizontal direction of the pouch body, and the innermost sealant layer of the laminate is a polypropylene resin layer that has linear cutting properties in the horizontal direction of the pouch body.

[0066] As a result of extensive research in the process of promoting the present invention, we have found that these material compositions make it possible to realize a standing pouch (100) that is easy to open, has excellent linearity of the cut edge, and is capable of maintaining the opening shape of the opening.

[0067] In this way, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a standing pouch (100) that is self-supporting and allows the contents to be cooked in a microwave oven, has an automatic steam release mechanism that can release steam generated from the contents during cooking to the outside, is easy to open, has excellent linearity of the cut edge, and is capable of maintaining the opening shape of the opening.

[0068] FIG. 2 is a perspective (partially see-through) schematic view illustrating an opened state of one embodiment of a standing pouch according to the present invention.

[0069] The standing pouch (100) of the present invention is suitable for microwave cooking, and when the contents are placed inside, the bottom film (10) expands between the sealed bottom ends (3) to form the bottom of the pouch, allowing the pouch to remain stable and self-standing.

[0070] After cooking, the pouch can be opened by using fingers to cut along the opening line (5) on the front body part and the opening line (11) on the rear body part, starting from the incision (8), and the upper part (90) of the pouch can be cut off and separated.

[0071] The opening (20) thus created is the area surrounded by the opening line (5) on the front body part and the opening line (11) on the rear body part, and the shape of the opening (20) is maintained when it is open.

[0072] First, the opening line (5) on the front body and the opening line (11) on the back body are cut in a straight line in the horizontal direction. This is because the outermost plastic film layer of the laminate of the pouch according to the present invention uses a polyethylene terephthalate film, the middle film layer of the laminate is the layer adjacent to the sealant layer and uses a polyethylene terephthalate film that has a straight cut property in the horizontal direction of the pouch body, and the innermost sealant layer of the pouch is a polypropylene resin layer that has a straight cut property in the horizontal direction of the pouch body.

[0073] As can be seen from the opened state of the pouch shown in Figure 2, the opening (20) is wide open, and this state is due to the internal pressure of the standing pouch (100) rising during cooking in a microwave oven, causing it to expand, and the expanded shape of the space inside the pouch remains.

[0074] In other words, the excess space for storing the contents (14), which had a relatively small volume before cooking, expands due to the generation of steam, and even after the automatic steam release mechanism (12) releases the steam, the opening remains in a state where a certain amount of volume is maintained, resulting in the opening being left open at the opening (20).

[0075] Furthermore, if the contents (14) are liquid or fluid, they will gather at the bottom of the pouch, and the bottom film will form a flat bottom. The weight of the contents will cause the opening (20) of the pouch to expand and become self-standing, allowing it to remain stable and self-standing even during microwave cooking and after opening.

[0076] Since the opening (20) is kept wide open, the contents (14) of the standing pouch (100) of the present invention can be easily removed. For example, in the case of food, it can be taken out and eaten directly using eating utensils such as chopsticks, a spoon, or a fork, which is very convenient.

[0077] Furthermore, in the present invention, the notch (8) can be provided at a position between the height of the surface of the contents and the seal at the upper end of the pouch when the pouch is in a self-standing state after the contents are placed inside. In this case, the opening operation can be started more easily and stably with the fingers starting from the notch (8).

[0078] Furthermore, the tearing of the opening line (5) on the front body part and the opening line (11) on the rear body part, which are continuous with the incision (8), is also the same, and the opening work in the horizontal direction using the opening line (5) on the front body part and the opening line (11) on the rear body part can be performed more easily and stably.

[0079] This is because in the present invention, the plastic film layer on the outermost layer side of the laminate constituting the pouch is made of a polyethylene terephthalate film, the intermediate film layer of the laminate is a layer adjacent to the sealant layer and is made of a polyethylene terephthalate film that has linear cutting properties in the horizontal direction of the pouch body, and the sealant layer on the innermost layer side of the laminate is a polypropylene resin layer that has linear cutting properties in the horizontal direction of the pouch body.

[0080] In the present invention, the sealant layer may be a laminate of a polypropylene resin film that can be cut in a straight line in the horizontal direction of the pouch body. By using a material that has been pre-formed into a film, the lamination of the sealant layer, i.e., the production of the laminate, can be carried out more easily and stably.

[0081] Furthermore, in the present invention, the automatic steam release mechanism is not particularly limited in terms of its type, but it is possible to use a type in which, for example, when cooking using a microwave oven, steam is generated from the contents, causing the internal pressure to increase and causing part of the sealed portion of the pouch to peel off, allowing steam to pass through.

[0082] In this case, this can be achieved within the scope of conventional manufacturing processes, such as by curving or bending part of the pouch seal shape or by partially weakening the seal strength, and no additional parts are required, nor is there any risk of significant cost pressure. Furthermore, the polyethylene terephthalate film of the plastic film layer of the laminate may be provided with an inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating on its surface.

[0083] This is intended to provide a gas barrier layer in the laminate that constitutes the standing pouch (10) in order to improve the shelf life of the contents, and uses a gas barrier film in which a gas barrier layer of an inorganic compound is coated on the surface of a plastic film by vapor deposition.

[0084] Incidentally, although a vapor-deposited film layer of a metal such as aluminum or a metal foil such as aluminum is also effective as a gas barrier layer, it is unsuitable for cooking in a microwave oven because high frequency waves cause sparks and the like.

[0085] In the case of a gas barrier film, the gas barrier layer can be composed of a vapor-deposited layer and a coating layer of an inorganic compound, and after providing an anchor coat on the plastic film, the vapor-deposited layer and the coating layer are provided in this order.

[0086] The anchor coat layer of the gas barrier film can be made of, for example, urethane acrylate. The anchor coat layer can be formed by a coating method that applies a printing technique such as gravure coating with a paint in which a resin is dissolved in a solvent, or by a commonly known coating method.

[0087] The method for forming the vapor-deposited film layer is to coat inorganic compounds such as SiO and AlO onto a plastic film with an anchor coat layer using the vacuum vapor deposition method, and form an inorganic compound layer by the vacuum vapor deposition method. The thickness of the vapor-deposited layer should be 15 nm to 30 nm.

[0088] The coating layer can be formed by applying a coating agent, the main component of which is an aqueous solution or a water / alcohol mixed solution containing at least one of a water-soluble polymer and (a) one or more alkoxides or their hydrolysates, or both, or (b) tin chloride, onto the film, and then heating and drying to form an inorganic compound layer by the coating method. In this case, adding a silane monomer to the coating agent can improve adhesion with the anchor coat layer.

[0089] An inorganic compound layer has gas barrier properties even when it is only a coating film formed by vacuum deposition, but a gas barrier layer can also be formed by overlaying a coating layer, which is an inorganic compound layer formed by a coating method, on a vapor deposition layer, which is an inorganic compound layer formed by vacuum deposition.

[0090] By combining these two layers, a reaction layer between the inorganic compound layer formed by vacuum deposition and the inorganic compound layer formed by coating is generated at the interface between the two layers, or the inorganic compound layer formed by coating fills and reinforces defects or micropores such as pinholes, cracks, and grain boundaries that occur in the inorganic compound layer formed by vacuum deposition, thereby forming a dense structure.

[0091] Therefore, the gas barrier film can achieve high gas barrier properties, moisture resistance, and water resistance, and also has flexibility that allows it to withstand deformation due to external forces, making it suitable for use as a packaging material.

[0092] Furthermore, when SiO is used as the gas barrier layer, for example, the coating is transparent, so the contents can be seen from the outside of the pouch. These can be used appropriately depending on the application and required quality.

[0093] The polyethylene terephthalate film in the plastic film layer of the laminate may be a center-opening polyethylene terephthalate film.

[0094] In this case, by selectively using a center-cut polyethylene terephthalate film, it is possible to use the portion with balanced stretching, which is effective in preventing problems such as so-called double tearing, in which the tearing direction is significantly off when attempting to open the package by cutting the laminated body of the package linearly along the intended opening line.

[0095] Furthermore, it is possible to further provide a polyamide film capable of being cut in a straight line in the horizontal direction of the pouch body as the intermediate film layer of the laminate.

[0096] In this case, by adding a polyamide film layer to the laminate, it is possible to reduce mechanical strength such as puncture resistance, while there is no risk of impairing the linearity of tearing.

[0097] Furthermore, the polyethylene terephthalate film of the intermediate film layer of the laminate may be provided with a scratched line along the intended opening line of the body of the pouch.

[0098] In this case, by providing a scratched line directly on the intermediate film layer, a mechanism can be created to assist in straight cutting even when opening by tearing, which is effective in achieving easier and more stable straightness.

[0099] The scratch lines can be provided by perforation or half-cutting, which can be used as a mechanism to assist in straight cutting, making it easier and more effective in achieving stable straightness, and also offering the advantage of excellent productivity in the scratching process.

[0100] In addition, if necessary, a printed layer can be provided on a layer of the laminate that is visible from the outside of the pouch, for the purpose of improving the product image, displaying necessary information about the contents, or improving the design. The printed layer may be provided on the outermost layer of the pouch.

[0101] The printed layer may be provided on a part of the pouch or may be provided over the entire surface of the pouch. Alternatively, a display portion may be provided without using a printed layer, for example, by attaching a printed sticker to the surface of the pouch.

[0102] Here, there are no particular restrictions on the printing method and printing ink, but any printing method may be appropriately selected from known printing methods taking into consideration the printability on plastic films, design properties such as color tone, adhesion, safety as a food container, and the like.

[0103] For example, a printing method can be selected from known printing methods such as gravure printing, offset printing, gravure offset printing, flexographic printing, silk screen printing, inkjet printing, etc. Among these, gravure printing is preferred in terms of productivity, suitability for printing on plastic films, and high definition of images.

[0104] In this way, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a self-standing pouch that allows the contents to be cooked in a microwave oven, is equipped with an automatic steam vent mechanism that can discharge to the outside water vapor generated from the contents during cooking, is easy to open, has excellent linearity of the cut edge, and is capable of maintaining the opening shape of the opening. [Example]

[0105] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, and with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the standing pouch according to the present invention is not limited to the examples shown here. The present invention is limited by the claims.

[0106] FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the external shape and dimensions of an example of a standing pouch according to the present invention and a comparative example.

[0107] Laminated body production pouches were produced based on the standing pouches of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, and used as evaluation samples. That is, the dimensions of the standing pouch are 158mm long x 150mm wide It was decided.

[0108] The pouch is equipped with an automatic steam release mechanism (12). This automatic steam release mechanism (12) is common to Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, and is a bent portion of the seal that is convex toward the inside of the pouch in the seal portion of the side edge (2) at the upper right in Figure 3.

[0109] The notch (8) is provided in the sealed portion of the side end (2) facing the automatic steam release mechanism (12), and a horizontal opening line (5) is provided contiguous to the notch (8). The tearing direction for opening is from left to right as viewed in Figure 3, as shown by the thick arrow in Figure 3.

[0110] The contents were placed in a standing pouch prepared for evaluation, sealed, and then cooked in a microwave oven for evaluation.

[0111] The contents contained were meatballs.

[0112] The evaluation was also carried out after cooking in a microwave oven.

[0113] The evaluation items are as follows: Suitable for microwave cooking Easy to cut when opening · Presence or absence of tearing when opening: (moderate or more is rated as ×) Appearance after opening.

[0114] Example 1 FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to Example 1 of the present invention.

[0115] The layer structure of the laminate (50) is as follows: Polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating (30) / polyethylene terephthalate film with linear cut properties (thickness 12 μm) (33) / linear cut heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm) (34).

[0116] The polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness: 12 μm) (30) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating is composed of a polyethylene terephthalate film (31) and a transparent inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating (32).

[0117] <Example 2> FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0118] The layer structure of the laminate (51) is as follows: Polyethylene terephthalate film (12 μm thick) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor deposition coating (30) / Polyethylene terephthalate film (12 μm thick) with straight cut properties and perforations (35) / Straight cut heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (60 μm thick) (34).

[0119] That is, in addition to the structure of Example 1, perforations (38) are further provided on the intermediate film layer.

[0120] Example 3 FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0121] The layer structure of the laminate (52) is as follows: Polyethylene terephthalate film with a transparent inorganic compound vapor deposition coating (thickness 12 μm) (30) / polyamide film with linear cut properties (thickness 15 μm) (40) / polyethylene terephthalate film with linear cut properties (thickness 12 μm) (33) / linear cut heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm) (34).

[0122] That is, in addition to Example 1, a polyamide film (thickness 15 μm) (40) having linear cutting properties was added between the polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) (30) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor deposition coating and the polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) (33) having linear cutting properties.

[0123] Example 4 FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0124] The layer structure of the laminate (53) is as follows: A polyethylene terephthalate film (12 μm thick) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating (36) / a polyethylene terephthalate film (12 μm thick) with linear cut properties (33) / a linear cut heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (60 μm thick) (34).

[0125] That is, the polyethylene terephthalate film (37) of the "middle cut" grade was used in addition to the polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor deposition film of Example 1.

[0126] <Comparative Example 1> FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to Comparative Example 1 of the present invention.

[0127] The layer structure of the laminate (54) is as follows: Polyethylene terephthalate film (12 μm thick) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor deposition coating (30) / polyamide film (15 μm thick) (41) / linear cut heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (60 μm thick) (34).

[0128] That is, a polyamide film (thickness 1000 .mu.m) was used as an intermediate film layer adjacent to the sealant layer. This polyamide film (thickness 15 μm) (41) does not have the ability to be cut in a straight line. Therefore, this intermediate film layer portion is a portion that deviates from the laminate configuration according to the present invention.

[0129] <Comparative Example 2> FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a pouch for explaining Comparative Example 2 of a standing pouch according to the present invention.

[0130] The layer structure of the laminate (55) is as follows: Polyethylene terephthalate film (12 μm thick) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor deposition coating (30) / polyamide film with linear cut properties (15 μm thick) (40) / heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (60 μm thick) (39).

[0131] That is, the sealant layer is a heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness: 60 μm) (39) that does not take into consideration linear cuttability. Therefore, this sealant layer portion is a portion that deviates from the laminate configuration of the present invention.

[0132] The evaluation results of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 are shown in Table 1.

[0133] [Table 1]

[0134] As can be seen from the results shown in Table 1, Examples 1 to 4, which are standing pouches according to the present invention, showed good results in terms of microwave cooking suitability and ease of cutting when opened, with no significant difference observed compared to Comparative Examples 1 and 2.

[0135] However, Examples 1 to 4, which are standing pouches according to the present invention, are clearly superior to Comparative Examples 1 and 2, which deviate from the laminate configuration of the standing pouch according to the present invention, in terms of the occurrence of tearing when opened and in terms of appearance after opening.

[0136] Therefore, according to the present invention, it has been verified that it is possible to provide a self-standing pouch that allows the contents to be cooked in a microwave oven, has an automatic steam vent mechanism that can discharge to the outside water vapor generated from the contents during cooking, is easy to open, has excellent linearity of the cut edge, and is able to maintain the opening shape of the opening.

[0137] Next, Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 will be individually discussed.

[0138] Example 1 was rated as good for all evaluation items including suitability for microwave cooking, ease of cutting when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

[0139] This is because the layer structure of the laminate (50) is as follows: It is believed that the inclusion of a polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with linear cut properties and a linear cut heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm) resulted in excellent results in terms of cuttability when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

[0140] Example 2 was rated as good for all evaluation items including suitability for microwave cooking, ease of cutting when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

[0141] This is because the layer structure of the laminate (51) is as follows: It is believed that the straight-cut polyethylene terephthalate film (12 μm thick) with perforations and the straight-cut heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (60 μm thick) provide excellent results in terms of ease of cutting when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

[0142] Furthermore, compared to Comparative Example 1, the addition of perforations is thought to be more effective in stabilizing the package against tearing and tearing when opened.

[0143] Example 3 was rated as good for all evaluation items including microwave cooking suitability, ease of cutting when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

[0144] This is because the layer structure of the laminate (52) is as follows: The film is made up of a polyamide film (15 μm thick) with linear cutting properties, a polyethylene terephthalate film (12 μm thick) with linear cutting properties, and a heat-resistant, unstretched polypropylene resin layer (60 μm thick). Because each of these films has linear cutting properties, it is believed that excellent results were obtained in terms of ease of cutting when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

[0145] There were some differences compared to Example 1 in the ease of cutting when opening and the appearance after opening, which is thought to be due to the inclusion of a polyamide film layer. However, the evaluation results were rated as good, which is within the practical range.

[0146] That is, although the addition of the polyamide film layer improves mechanical strength such as puncture resistance, the polyamide film itself has linear cuttability, and therefore it is believed that the laminate as a whole has excellent results in terms of cuttability when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

[0147] Example 4 was rated as good for all evaluation items including microwave cooking suitability, ease of cutting when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

[0148] This is because the layer structure of the laminate (53) is as follows: The polyethylene terephthalate film (12 μm thick) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor deposition coating was used, and it is believed that the effects of Example 1 were achieved by the use of the polyethylene terephthalate film (12 μm thick), which also achieved stable linear cutting properties. Therefore, it is believed that excellent results were obtained in terms of cutting properties when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

[0149] Comparative Example 1 was rated x for the tearing upon opening and appearance after opening out of the suitability for cooking in a microwave oven, the ease of cutting when opened, the tearing upon opening and the appearance after opening.

[0150] This is because the layer structure of the laminate (54) is as follows: The package contains a polyamide film (15 μm thick), and this layer is not designed to be cut in a straight line. Therefore, the entire laminate tears when opened, which is thought to be the reason for the poor appearance after opening.

[0151] Comparative Example 2 was rated x for the tearing upon opening and appearance after opening out of the suitability for cooking in a microwave oven, the ease of cutting when opened, the tearing upon opening and the appearance after opening.

[0152] This is because the layer structure of the laminate (55) is as follows: The part that corresponds to the sealant layer is made of a heat-resistant, unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm), and this layer itself does not have the ability to be cut in a straight line. Therefore, it is believed that the entire laminate tears when opened, resulting in a poor appearance after opening.

[0153] Thus, according to the present invention, in a self-supporting pouch in which the contents can be cooked by heating in a microwave oven, the steam generated from the contents by cooking is discharged to the outside. It was verified that it is possible to provide a standing pouch that is equipped with an automatic steam release mechanism that allows for easy opening, has excellent linearity of the cut edge, and is capable of maintaining the opening shape of the opening. [Explanation of symbols]

[0154] 1...Front body 2...Both ends 3...Lower end 4...Top end 5...Opening line 6...Fold line 7...Rear torso 8...Cut 10...Bottom film 11...Opening line 12...Automatic steam release mechanism 14…Contents 20...Opening 30...Transparent inorganic compound vapor-deposited polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) 31...Polyethylene terephthalate film 32…Transparent inorganic compound vapor deposition film 33... Polyethylene terephthalate film with linear cut properties (thickness 12 μm) 34...Straight-cut heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm) 35... Polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with straight cut capability and perforation 36...Transparent inorganic vapor-deposited polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) 37...Central polyethylene terephthalate film 38...Sewing 39...Heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm) 40...Polyamide film with linear cut properties (thickness 15 μm) 41...Polyamide film (thickness 15 μm) 50...Laminate 51...Laminate 52...Laminate 53...Laminate 54...Laminate 55...Laminate 90…Top of pouch 100...Standing pouch

Claims

1. A pouch made of a laminate of plastic films, which allows the contents to be heated and cooked in a microwave oven, The laminate is composed of a plastic film layer on the outermost side of the pouch, an intermediate film layer, and a sealant layer on the innermost side of the pouch, The pouch is formed by a front body portion, a rear body portion, and a bottom film disposed therebetween so as to be able to contain contents, The pouch is equipped with an automatic steam release mechanism that allows steam generated from the contents to be released outside the pouch when cooking in a microwave oven. the front body portion and the rear body portion have four sides and are arranged with the sealant layers facing each other, Of the four sides, both left and right ends of the body section are sealed, and both ends of the pouch are hermetically sealed; a bottom film is folded and disposed between the front body section and the rear body section at the lower part of the body section; and the bottom film is sealed to the body section at the lower end of the pouch so that it can form a bottom surface; the front body portion and the rear body portion in the upper part of the body portion are sealed at the upper end of the pouch after the contents are placed therein, thereby enabling the entire pouch to be sealed; A notch is provided in at least one of the seal portions at both ends of the body portion, and a horizontal straight line extending from the notch on the front and back of the body portion of the pouch is an intended opening line; A standing pouch, characterized in that the intermediate film layers in the front body portion and the rear body portion of the laminate include a polyethylene terephthalate film adjacent to the sealant layer and having linear cuttability in the horizontal direction of the pouch body portion, and a polyamide film located closer to the outermost layer of the pouch than the polyethylene terephthalate film having linear cuttability, and having linear cuttability in the horizontal direction of the pouch body portion.

2. A standing pouch as described in claim 1, characterized in that the sealant layer on the innermost layer side of the front body portion and the rear body portion of the laminate is a polypropylene resin film having linear cut properties in the horizontal direction of the pouch body portion.

3. A standing pouch as described in claim 1, characterized in that the outermost plastic film layers of the front body portion and the rear body portion of the laminate are made of polyethylene terephthalate film.

4. 2. The standing pouch according to claim 1, wherein the outermost plastic film layers of the front body portion and the rear body portion of the laminate are made of a polyethylene terephthalate film having an inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating on its surface.

5. 2. The standing pouch according to claim 1, wherein the polyethylene terephthalate film having linear cuttability in the intermediate film layers of the front body portion and the rear body portion of the laminate has a scratched line consisting of a perforation or a half-cut line along the intended opening line of the pouch body portion.

6. 2. The standing pouch according to claim 1, wherein the notch is provided at a position between the height of a surface of the contents and the seal portion at the upper end of the pouch when the pouch is in a self-standing state after the contents are placed inside.

7. 2. The standing pouch according to claim 1, wherein the automatic steam release mechanism is configured to allow steam to pass through by partially peeling off the sealed portion of the pouch when steam is generated from the contents during cooking in a microwave oven.

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