Bag with valve structure

Abstract

To provide a bag that solves both the issue of smoothly discharging fluid from the inside of the bag and the issue of reliably preventing the backflow of fluid.SOLUTION: A valve structure 20 is provided with two front and rear valve sheets arranged below the two front and rear bag sheets. A valve flow path 30 is provided with an upstream opening 31 inside the bag body and a downstream opening 32 to the outside. The upstream opening 31 is defined by an upstream seal 21, the left and right sides of the valve flow path 30 are defined by side seals 22, and the downstream opening 32 is defined by a downstream seal 23. Both the maximum flow path width m of the valve flow path 30 and the downstream opening width d of the downstream opening 32 are set larger than the upstream opening width u of the upstream opening 31, thereby suppressing bulging of the valve flow path 30 during normal flow.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to bladders, and more particularly to bladders having valve structures for controlling the flow of various fluids. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 has proposed a bag body having a valve structure that includes front and rear bag sheets made of a front bag sheet and a rear bag sheet, and front and rear valve sheets made of a front valve sheet and a rear valve sheet, the front and rear valve sheets being sandwiched between the front and rear bag sheets, and a valve flow path for discharging fluid inside the bag space defined by the front and rear bag sheets to the outside of the bag, the valve flow path having an upstream opening on the bag space side and a downstream opening on the bag exterior side, such that a forward flow is achieved in which the fluid that flows into the valve flow path from the upstream opening flows out to the outside of the bag from the outlet, while the front and rear valve sheets of the valve flow path are brought into close contact with each other to suppress backflow of fluid from the outside of the bag.

[0003] The invention of Patent Document 1 can discharge fluids such as air inside the bag to the outside through a valve flow path while functioning as a check valve that prevents fluids such as air from entering from the outside. Therefore, it can be implemented as a compression bag that can discharge air from a bag containing items such as clothing or blankets to make it compact. Such a valve structure that functions as a check valve is also applied to a bag body that discharges the liquid inside to the outside while preventing the inflow of air from the outside, as in Patent Document 2.

[0004] In the valve structures of these patent documents, the internal fluid passes through a valve flow path formed between two front and rear valve sheets and is discharged to the outside, while backflow is prevented by the two front and rear valve sheets in the valve flow path coming into close contact with each other, so side seals are formed on the left and right sides of the valve flow path and the left and right width is limited to a predetermined width. In the valve structures of these patent documents, the left and right width of the valve flow path is approximately the same in the up-down direction, and the left and right side seals are formed parallel to each other.

[0005] Patent Document 1 also proposes providing a regulating seal such as a point seal to prevent the expansion of the bag from adversely affecting the closing function of the check valve, but this regulating seal is formed not within the valve flow path but at a position away from the upstream side of the valve flow path.

[0006] This type of valve structure has two requirements that are difficult to satisfy. That is, there is a requirement to smoothly discharge the fluid from inside the bag and a requirement to reliably close the backflow of the fluid. Specifically, the wider the valve passage, the more preferable it is for the fluid to be discharged smoothly, but the wider the valve passage, the less the sheet will deform as intended by the designer, making it more difficult to discharge the fluid smoothly. On the other hand, the adhesion between the two valve sheets is poor after the fluid has been discharged, making it difficult to reliably close the backflow of the fluid. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6632109 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5050279 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a bag body equipped with a valve structure that is advantageous in satisfying both the requirement to smoothly discharge fluid from inside the bag and the requirement to reliably prevent backflow of fluid. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention relates to an improvement to a bag body having a valve structure comprising front and rear bag sheets consisting of a front bag sheet and a rear bag sheet, and front and rear valve sheets consisting of a front valve sheet and a rear valve sheet, the front and rear valve sheets being sandwiched between the front and rear bag sheets, and a valve flow path for discharging fluid inside the bag space defined by the front and rear bag sheets to the outside of the bag being formed between the front and rear valve sheets, the valve flow path having an upstream opening on the bag space side and a downstream opening on the bag exterior side, and a forward flow is achieved in which the fluid that flows into the valve flow path from the upstream opening flows out to the outside of the bag from the downstream opening, while the front and rear valve sheets of the valve flow path are in close contact with each other to suppress backflow of fluid from outside the bag. In the bag body having the valve structure of the present invention, both the left and right sides of the valve flow passage are regulated by the front and rear valve sheets and the side seals that seal the front and rear bag sheets. In a plan view of the bag body when it is not inflated, the maximum flow passage width in the left and right direction of the valve flow passage and the downstream opening width in the left and right direction of the downstream port are set larger than the upstream opening width in the left and right direction of the upstream port, thereby suppressing the expansion of the valve flow passage during the normal flow. When implementing the present invention, a point seal can be formed in the middle of the valve flow path by sealing portions of the front and rear valve sheets and the front and rear bag sheets together, thereby suppressing expansion of the valve flow path during forward flow. In addition, the shape of the upstream opening is determined by an upstream seal that seals the front and rear valve sheets and the front and rear bag sheets, and the shape of the downstream opening is determined by a downstream seal that seals the front and rear valve sheets and the front and rear bag sheets, the upstream opening has an inlet passage and an intermediate passage, the inlet passage has an opening width in the left-right direction that gradually increases toward the upstream end, and the intermediate passage is arranged downstream of the inlet passage and has a smaller change in opening width in the left-right direction than the inlet passage. In addition, the front and rear bag sheets are sealed to each other on both the left and right sides by a bag side seal, one of the side seals on the left and right sides is shared with the bag side seal, the front valve sheet is sealed to the front bag sheet at its upper part by an attachment seal, the rear valve sheet is sealed to the rear bag sheet at its upper part by an attachment seal, the front and rear valve sheets are not sealed to each other at the upstream opening, and the upstream seal that defines the intermediate path is formed on top of the attachment seal. Furthermore, the dimensions of the valve flow path can be changed as appropriate; for example, when viewed in a plan view with the bag body uninflated, the maximum flow path width of the valve flow path can be 3 to 6 times the upstream opening width of the upstream port, and the downstream opening width of the downstream port can be 2 to 4 times the upstream opening width of the upstream port, and the intermediate path can have a section in which the opening width in the left-right direction does not change over a vertical length of at least 4 mm or more. Effect of the Invention

[0010] The present invention provides a bag body equipped with a new valve structure that is advantageous in satisfying the difficult-to-reconcile requirements of smooth discharge of fluid from inside the bag and reliable prevention of backflow of fluid. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view of a main portion of a bag body provided with a valve structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2A is an explanatory diagram of the cross-sectional structure taken along line AA in FIG. 1, (B) is an explanatory diagram of the cross-sectional structure taken along line BB in FIG. 1, (C) is an explanatory diagram of the cross-sectional structure taken along line CC in FIG. 1, and (D) is an explanatory diagram of the cross-sectional structure taken along line DD in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. (Compression bag)

[0013] The bag body with the valve structure according to this embodiment is a compression bag in which various clothes, bedding such as futon blankets, and other storage items are stored by opening the fastener 12 at the opening at the top, and by pressing and pressurizing the bag from the outside after closing the fastener 12, the air inside the bag is discharged to the outside from the valve structure part 20 at the bottom, and the compressed reduced volume state can be maintained for a long time. This compression bag can be used not only for tidying up in an ordinary household, but also for stockpiling in case of disasters or emergencies. In particular, it is a compression bag that can reduce weight without tools or electricity, and is waterproof and prevents the intrusion of dust, etc. The size of the bag body is rectangular in a plan view when the bag body is not inflated, and can be implemented in various forms, as shown in FIG. 3 in this example. The bag dimensions are implemented as a relatively large bag with a left-right width of 750 mm to 1500 mm, but it can be implemented as a larger bag or a small bag with a length and width of about 100 mm.

[0014] As a method for reducing the volume, basically, the air inside the bag can be released to the outside by applying hands and body weight from outside the bag, but it is also possible to open the fastener 12 at the top opening slightly and insert the nozzle of a suction machine to suck out the air inside before closing the fastener 12. (Bag Overview)

[0015] The bag body is composed of two front and rear valve sheets 17 (front valve sheet 18 and rear valve sheet 19) sandwiched between two front and rear bag sheets 14 (front bag sheet 15 and rear bag sheet 16). These four sheets can be implemented as flexible synthetic resin sheets, with the rear bag sheet 16, rear valve sheet 19, front valve sheet 18, and front bag sheet 15 stacked in this order from the rear (left side of FIG. 2). The front and rear valve sheet 17 is preferably a thinner film than the front and rear bag sheets 14 in order to perform the valve function, but the front and rear bag sheets 14 may be a laminate of multiple synthetic resin films to give the bag body appropriate strength, or in some cases may be implemented by using different materials such as metal foil in combination. Note that each diagram in FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a cross-sectional structure, and the thickness and dimensional ratio of the sheets are different from the actual ones.

[0016] The valve structure portion 20 is arranged on both the left and right sides of the lower part of the bag, and the front and rear valve sheets 17 may be arranged only in these parts, but from the standpoint of continuous production in which the sheet is flowed in the left and right direction, it is more advantageous to implement the front and rear valve sheets 17 as being continuous in the left and right direction, like the front and rear bag sheets 14.

[0017] When air is released from the bag through the valve structure 20, the valve structure 20 expands three-dimensionally, but if the expanded shape is not as intended by the designer, the air will not escape smoothly. In particular, if the valve structure 20 is provided at both corners of the bottom of the compression bag, the corners of the bag on both sides of the bottom may bend when pressurized, and this deformation may block the valve flow path 30 of the valve structure 20, or conversely, the front and rear valve sheets 17 may not be in close contact with each other when exhaust is complete, causing a backflow of air. The valve structure 20 of this embodiment solves these problems with a new structure that has not been seen in the past. (Sealing the bag)

[0018] The four sheets are generally joined at the necessary locations by heat sealing using a mold, but other sealing means such as ultrasonic waves or other bonding means such as adhesives may also be used.

[0019] The front and rear valve sheet 17 is sealed by the mounting seal 13 while placed under the front and rear bag sheet 14 (bag bottom). The mounting seal 13 seals the upper edge of the front valve sheet 18 to the front bag sheet 15, and also seals the upper edge of the rear valve sheet 19 to the rear bag sheet 16, but the mounting seal 13 does not seal between the front valve sheet 18 and the rear valve sheet 19. Therefore, in the areas other than the valve structure parts 20 on both the left and right sides, items can be placed up to the bottom end of the bag body, and even when front and rear valve sheets 17 that are continuous in the left and right direction are used, it is possible to prevent the storage volume from being unnecessarily reduced.

[0020] In this manner, with the front and rear valve sheets 17 placed on the lower part (bag bottom) of the front and rear bag sheets 14 and the mounting seal 13 applied, the bag bottom seal 11 and the bag side seals 10 on both the left and right sides are applied, and the upper opening of the bag body is sealed with the fastener 12 placed thereon. (Valve structure 20)

[0021] The valve structure 20 has a structure in which a valve flow path 30 for discharging air inside the bag to the outside of the bag is formed between front and rear valve sheets 17 (front valve sheet 18 and rear valve sheet 19). The valve flow path 30 has an upstream port 31 on the bag space side and a point seal 24 on the bag exterior side. In the valve structure 20, air that flows into the valve flow path 30 from the upstream port 31 flows in a normal direction, flowing out of the bag from the intermediate path, while the front and rear valve sheets 17 of the valve flow path 30 are in close contact with each other, thereby suppressing the backflow of air from the outside of the bag. (Valve structure seal)

[0022] The valve structure seal is formed by four seals, namely, an upstream seal 21, a side seal 22, a downstream seal 23, and a point seal 24. Each of these seals seals four sheets, namely, the front and rear bag sheets 14 and the front and rear valve sheets 17.

[0023] The upstream seal 21 defines the shape of the upstream opening 31, the downstream seal 23 defines the shape of the downstream opening 32, and the side seal 22 connects the upstream seal 21 and the downstream seal 23, and defines the shape of the valve flow path 30. The point seal 24 is a seal formed at a point partially midway through the valve flow path 30.

[0024] These valve structure seals define, from the upstream side to the downstream side, an upstream port 31, a valve flow path 30, and a downstream port 32. Furthermore, in the following explanation, the upstream port 31 has an introduction path and an intermediate path, and the valve flow path 30 has an enlarged width path and a maximum width path, but to avoid complicating the drawings, the reference numerals for each path are omitted. (Upstream seal 21)

[0025] The upstream seal 21 is formed continuously with the side seal 22, and no clear distinction is necessary between the two. However, for convenience in this embodiment, the portion formed above the lower edge of the mounting seal 13 (inside the bag body) is called the upstream seal 21, and the portion formed below the lower edge of the mounting seal 13 (outside the bag body) is called the side seal 22.

[0026] The upstream seal 21 has, on both the left and right sides, an introduction portion 25 and an intermediate portion 26. The space between the left and right introduction portions 25 is the introduction path, and the space between the left and right intermediate portions 26 is the maximum width path.

[0027] The introduction section 25 is inclined to both the left and right sides when viewed from the central upstream port 31, and the introduction path has a gradually increasing opening width in the left and right direction as it proceeds toward the upstream end (toward the inside of the bag body). As the left and right introduction sections 25 are inclined in this manner, air inside the bag body is easily introduced to the upstream port 31 when the bag body is pressurized. The inclination angle of this introduction section 25 (the angle that the outer side of the introduction section 25 makes with respect to the horizontal line in FIG. 1) may be gentle, about 10 degrees, relatively steep, exceeding 60 degrees, or curved. In any case, as long as the shape encourages the introduction of air to the upstream port 31, various modifications can be made.

[0028] Next, the intermediate passage is disposed continuously with the lead-in passage on the downstream side in the forward flow, and in this example is a space formed between the left and right intermediate sections 26. The intermediate passage has a smaller change in opening width in the left and right direction than the lead-in passage, and in this example, the left and right opening widths of the intermediate passage do not change, and the left and right intermediate sections 26 are parallel to each other.

[0029] It is desirable that the section in which the intermediate portions 26 are parallel to each other and the left and right opening width of the upstream port 31 does not change has a vertical length of at least 4 mm. It is also desirable that the intermediate portions 26 are formed so as to overlap the mounting seal 13. With this configuration, air can be easily guided from the upstream port 31 to the valve flow path 30 during normal flow, and bending of the film is suppressed. (Side Seal 22)

[0030] The side seal 22 has an enlarged portion 27 which is continuous with the intermediate portion 26, and a maximum portion 28 which is continuous with the enlarged portion 27. The space defined by the left and right side seals 22 (the enlarged portion 27 and the maximum portion 28) is the valve flow path 30. For convenience of explanation, the space formed between the left and right enlarged portions 27 is called the enlarged width path, and the space formed between the left and right maximum portions 28 is called the maximum width path.

[0031] The expanded portion 27 is inclined to both the left and right sides when viewed from the central upstream port 31, and the opening width in the left and right direction gradually increases as the expanded width path advances downward (toward the outside of the bag body). Because the left and right expanded portions 27 are inclined in this way, air that has entered the valve flow path 30 from the upstream port 31 gradually expands during normal flow. The maximum portion 28 defines the maximum width passage and is the point where the left and right distance is the widest. After passing through this maximum width passage, air in the normal flow state flows out from the downstream port 32 to the outside.

[0032] When the normal flow of air is discharged, the pressurized air passes through the upstream port 31, so that the two front and rear valve sheets 17 separate from each other and become round and approximately cylindrical, but by widening the left and right width of the valve flow path 30, the normal flow of air can pass through without increasing the front-to-rear distance between the front and rear valve sheets 17 in the valve flow path 30. That is, in the valve flow path 30, the front and rear valve sheets 17 do not separate from each other so much that they do not become three-dimensionally cylindrical. This suppresses deformation of the front and rear valve sheets 17 and makes the two front and rear valve sheets 17 less likely to wrinkle, realizing a smooth normal flow, and at the stage when pressurization of the bag body is completed, the two front and rear valve sheets 17 tend to come into close contact with each other, preventing backflow.

[0033] The inclination of the enlarged portion 27 that defines the enlarged width passage is effective in preventing abrupt changes in the shape of the introduction passage, thereby suppressing abrupt deformation of the front and rear valve seats 17. The inclination angle of the enlarged portion 27 (the angle that the outer side of the enlarged portion 27 makes with respect to the horizontal line in FIG. 1) may be gentle, about 10 degrees, relatively steep, exceeding 60 degrees, or curved, and in any case, can be modified in various ways as long as the shape prevents abrupt changes in the introduction passage. (Downstream seal 23)

[0034] The downstream of the valve flow path 30 opens at a downstream port 32 and leads to the outside of the bag. The downstream port 32 is the space between the left and right downstream seals 23, and the forward flow of air is discharged from the downstream port 32. The side seal 22 forms a large space in the left-right direction, but if this space were open to the outside as it is, there would be a high risk of backflow from the outside, so this opening is narrowed. No bag bottom seal 11 is formed at this downstream port 32, and air flows out from between the front and rear valve sheets 17 to the outside. (Ratio of maximum flow path width, upstream opening width, downstream opening width)

[0035] In a plan view when the bag body is not inflated, the maximum flow passage width m of the left and right openings in the maximum width passage is suitably 3 to 6 times the upstream opening width u of the upstream opening 31. The downstream opening width d of the downstream opening 32 is smaller than the maximum flow passage width m, and suitably 2 to 4 times the upstream opening width u. The valve flow passage 30 is suitably long horizontally with its vertical length smaller than its left and right width, and it is more preferable that the left and right width is 2 to 6 times the vertical length. Of course, the present invention can be implemented without being limited to these numerical values. (Sharing of stickers)

[0036] The valve structure seal can be used in common with other seals. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1, when the valve structure portion 20 is provided on the left side of the bag body, the maximum portion 28 on the left side can be used in common with the left bag side seal 10. The downstream seal 23 can be used in common with the bag bottom seal 11, but no seal is formed at the downstream opening 32 between the left and right downstream seals 23, and the four sheets are not joined together, just like the valve flow path 30 and the upstream opening 31. (Point Sticker 24)

[0037] A point seal 24 is formed in the middle of the valve flow passage 30. This prevents the valve flow passage 30 from expanding three-dimensionally during normal flow, and prevents the front and rear valve seats 17 from deforming significantly during normal flow.

[0038] In this example, the point seal 24 is formed at a position that indicates the maximum flow path width m in the valve flow path 30 in the vertical position, and is approximately in the center in the left-right direction, but the shape and size of the point seal 24 can be changed as appropriate. The position at which the point seal 24 is provided can also be changed as appropriate within a range that achieves the purpose of suppressing the three-dimensional bulge of the valve flow path 30. The setting of the point seal 24 can be changed according to the type and physical properties of the material in order to achieve the above purpose, and it may be provided in two or more places, or it may be implemented without providing the point seal 24. In addition, the valve flow path 30 may be made into a labyrinth structure by providing the point seal 24 to prevent backflow, but this may cause adverse effects such as excessive obstruction of the forward flow during exhaust or the sheet becoming easily bent starting from the valve flow path 30, so it is appropriate to implement it under preferred setting conditions, judging comprehensively from the relationship of the final purpose to be achieved, which is air flow control such as forward flow and reverse flow. (Example of change)

[0039] The present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and can be modified in various ways. For example, the position where the valve structure 20 is provided may be the middle position in the left-right direction of the bottom of the bag, or may be on the left or right side of the bag. The shape of the valve structure 20 is asymmetrical, but it can also be symmetrical, for example, by changing a shape symmetrical to one of the left and right shapes in FIG. 1 to the other left or right shape. The bag is embodied as a compression bag, but it can also be embodied as a liquid outlet part of a container that stores liquid, such as in Patent Document 2, or as a device that controls the flow of various fluids other than air. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 10 Bag Side Seal 11 Bag bottom seal 12 Fastener 13 Mounting seal 14 Front and rear bag sheets 15 Front bag sheet 16 Rear bag sheet 17 Front and rear valve seats 18 Front valve seat 19 Rear valve seat 20 Valve structure 21 Upstream seal 22 Side seal 23 Downstream seal 24 Point Seal 25 Introduction 26 Middle Section 27 Enlarged section 28 Maximum part 30 Valve flow path 31 Upstream Entrance 32 Downstream Entrance d Downstream opening width m Maximum channel width u Upstream opening width

Claims

1. The bag includes a front bag sheet and a rear bag sheet, and a front valve sheet and a rear valve sheet, The front and rear valve sheets are sandwiched between the front and rear bag sheets, A valve flow passage for discharging a fluid inside a bag space defined by the front and rear bag sheets to an outside of the bag is formed between the front and rear valve sheets, The valve flow path has an upstream port on the bag space side and a downstream port on the bag exterior side, A bag body having a valve structure configured such that a forward flow of the fluid that has flowed into the valve flow path from the upstream port flows out of the bag from the downstream port, while a back flow of the fluid from outside the bag is suppressed by the front and rear valve sheets of the valve flow path being in close contact with each other, The left and right sides of the valve flow passage are restricted by side seals that seal the front and rear valve seats and the front and rear bag seats, A bag body having a valve structure, characterized in that, when viewed in a planar view when the bag body is not inflated, the maximum flow path width in the left-right direction of the valve flow path and the downstream opening width in the left-right direction of the downstream port are set larger than the upstream opening width in the left-right direction of the upstream port, thereby suppressing expansion of the valve flow path during forward flow.

2. A bag body having a valve structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that a point seal is formed in the middle of the valve flow path by sealing portions of the front and rear valve sheets and the front and rear bag sheets together, thereby suppressing expansion of the valve flow path during the forward flow.

3. the upstream seal sealing the front and rear valve seats and the front and rear bag seats defines the shape of the upstream port; a downstream seal that seals the front and rear valve seats and the front and rear bag seats defines a configuration of the downstream port; The upstream port includes an inlet passage and an intermediate passage, The introduction passage has an opening width in a left-right direction that gradually increases toward the upstream end, 3. The bag body having a valve structure according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate passage is disposed downstream of the introduction passage and has a smaller change in opening width in the left-right direction than the introduction passage.

4. The front and rear bag sheets are sealed at their left and right sides by bag side seals, and one of the side seals on the left and right sides is used in common as the bag side seal, the front valve seat is sealed at its top to the front bag seat by a mounting seal; the rear valve seat is sealed at its top to the rear bag seat by a mounting seal; The front and rear valve seats are not sealed to each other at the upstream port, 4. The bladder having a valve structure as recited in claim 3, wherein the upstream seal defining the intermediate passage is formed overlying the mounting seal.

5. 3. A bag having a valve structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, in a plan view when the bag is not inflated, the maximum flow path width of the valve flow path is 3 to 6 times the upstream opening width of the upstream port, and the downstream opening width of the downstream port is 2 to 4 times the upstream opening width of the upstream port.

6. 4. The bag body having a valve structure according to claim 3, wherein the intermediate passage has a section in which the opening width in the left-right direction does not change over a vertical length of at least 4 mm or more.

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