Microwave packaging bags
The packaging bag design with a partitioned steam vent seal and film prevents leakage and overflow by allowing steam escape, addressing the issues of existing bags.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- KYORAKU CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-13
AI Technical Summary
Existing microwave oven packaging bags suffer from steam vent seal portions that peel off during heating, leading to content leakage and liquid overflow.
A packaging bag design featuring a steam vent seal portion separated by a partition film, which peels off to form a steam passage while maintaining a partition to prevent content leakage.
The partition film effectively prevents content leakage and overflow during microwave heating by allowing steam escape without compromising the integrity of the contents.
Smart Images

Figure 2026077376000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a packaging bag for a microwave oven.
Background Art
[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a bag provided with a steam vent seal portion.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] In the bag of Patent Document 1, by providing a steam vent seal portion, when the pressure inside the bag increases due to heating the contents using a microwave oven, the steam vent seal portion peels off and steam escapes to the outside.
[0005] However, in the bag of Patent Document 1, there is a problem that the contents are likely to jump out or the liquid level of the contents rises inside the packaging bag during microwave heating, and liquid leakage easily occurs through the peeled - off steam vent seal portion.
[0006] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a packaging bag for a microwave oven in which leakage of the contents through the steam vent seal portion during microwave heating is suppressed.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0007] According to the present invention, the following inventions are provided. [1] A microwave oven packaging bag made of a flexible film formed into a bag shape, comprising a storage space, a steam vent seal portion, and a partition film, wherein the storage space is configured to accommodate contents and includes a placement portion on which the contents are placed, the steam vent seal portion is configured to peel off as the internal pressure of the storage space increases to form a steam passage through which steam can flow, and the partition film is arranged to separate the placement portion and the steam vent seal portion. A packaging bag as described in [2][1], wherein the packaging bag comprises a circumferential portion having a front portion and a back portion facing each other, and left and right side end welded portions formed by welding the front portion and the back portion, the front portion comprising a front upper portion and a front lower portion, the front upper portion and the front lower portion being welded together at a gusset portion formed by overlapping the inner surfaces of the front upper portion and the front lower portion in a folded state, the steam vent seal portion being provided at the gusset portion, and the partition film being arranged to cover the base of the gusset portion. A packaging bag according to [3][2], wherein the lower end of the partition film is fixed to the lower front portion in at least a portion of the area between the left and right side end welded portions. A packaging bag according to [4][3], wherein the region is an area that is 50% or more of the distance in the left-right direction between the left and right side end welded portions. A packaging bag according to any one of items [5][2] to [4], wherein the packaging bag is equipped with an opening and closing member that reseals the contents by engaging a front side engaging member and a rear side engaging member, the front side engaging member and the rear side engaging member are fixed to the inside of the front part and the rear part, respectively, and the upper end of the partition film is positioned so as to be sandwiched between the lower end of the front side engaging member and the upper part of the front, and is positioned above the base of the grommet part. A packaging bag according to any one of [6][2]~[4], wherein the packaging bag is equipped with an opening and closing member that reseals the contents by engaging a front side engaging member and a rear side engaging member, the front side engaging member and the rear side engaging member are fixed to the inside of the front portion and the rear portion, respectively, the lower end of the front side engaging member extends below the base of the girdle portion to form the partition film, and the lower end of the partition film is fixed to the lower front portion in at least a portion of the area between the left and right side end welded portions so as to be peelable from the lower front portion when the packaging bag expands due to heating. A packaging bag according to any one of items [7][2] to [4], wherein the upper end of the partition film is fixed to the upper front surface in at least a portion of the area between the left and right side end welds so as to be peelable when the packaging bag expands due to heating. [Effects of the Invention]
[0008] In the present invention, the packaging bag is configured such that the partition film separates the storage area from the steam vent seal area within the storage space of the packaging bag, thereby preventing the contents from leaking through the steam vent seal area when heated in a microwave oven. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1A is a perspective view of the packaging bag 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention with contents Q contained inside. Figure 1B is a perspective view of the packaging bag 1 when opened at the upper opening 25, and Figure 1C is a perspective view of the packaging bag 1 when opened at the lower opening 24. [Figure 2] This figure shows a plan view of the packaging bag 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the bottom film 20 that constitutes the bottom surface 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4A is a cross-sectional view of area AA in Figure 1A, Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view of area BB in Figure 2, and Figure 4C is an enlarged view of area X in Figure 4B. [Figure 5]Figure 5A is a side view of the peripheral wall film 40, and Figure 5B shows the state after a portion of the peripheral wall film 40 has been cut. [Figure 6] Figure 6A shows the state after inserting the V-shaped bottom film 42 between the front film 43 and the back film 44, and Figure 6B shows the state after inserting the opening / closing member 26 and the partition film 29 between the front film 43 and the back film 44. [Figure 7] Figure 7A is a plan view of the packaging bag 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] Figure 8A is a plan view of the packaging bag 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 8B is a cross-sectional view of BB in Figure 8A. [Figure 9] Figure 9A is a plan view of the packaging bag 1 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 9B is a cross-sectional view of BB in Figure 9A. [Figure 10] Figure 10A is a plan view of the packaging bag 1 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, Figure 10B is a perspective view showing the partition film 29 in the fifth embodiment, and Figure 10C is a cross-sectional view of CC in Figure 10A. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The various features shown in the embodiments below can be combined with each other. Furthermore, each feature can constitute an invention independently. In addition, any element not specified in the claims in the embodiments below is an optional element and can be omitted. Any number of zeros (for example, one or two) may be added to the end of the numerical values disclosed in the following description. For example, one or two zeros may be added after "1.4" to make it "1.40" or "1.400".
[0011] 1. First Embodiment 1-1. Packaging bag 1 As shown in FIG. 1A, the packaging bag 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention is a packaging bag for a microwave oven formed by shaping a flexible film into a bag shape. The packaging bag 1 includes a peripheral surface portion 21 having a front surface portion 3 and a back surface portion 4 that face each other and constitute the peripheral surface of the bag shape. Further, the packaging bag 1 includes a bottom surface portion 2, and the peripheral surface portion 21 is provided so as to rise from the bottom surface portion 2. Further, as partially shown in FIG. 4A, the contents Q are accommodated in the accommodation space 8 of the packaging bag 1 so as to be placed on the placement portion 9.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the packaging bag 1 in a plan view. The plan view means that the packaging bag 1 is flattened in a state where the contents Q are not included in the packaging bag 1, and is viewed from a direction perpendicular to the front surface portion 3 of the packaging bag 1 in that state. As shown in FIG. 2, the packaging bag 1 is formed to be line-symmetric with respect to the center line F in the left-right direction. In the present disclosure, the up, down, left, and right in FIG. 2 will be described as the up, down, left, and right of the packaging bag 1. Specifically, the bottom surface portion 2 side is the lower side (downward), and the front surface portion 3 (and the back surface portion 4) side with respect to the bottom surface portion 2 is the upper side (upward). Further, the left and right when the front surface portion 3 is placed in front are the left and right of the packaging bag 1. Furthermore, the front surface portion 3 side is the front side, and the back surface portion 4 side is the rear side.
[0013] The front surface portion 3 and the back surface portion 4 are welded (heat-sealed) to each other at their end portions in the left-right direction (hereinafter also referred to as side ends). The bottom surface portion 2 is welded to the front surface portion 3 and the back surface portion 4. Thus, the bottom surface portion 2, the front surface portion 3, and the back surface portion 4 are welded to each other, and the film is formed into a bag shape. Further, the packaging bag 1 can stand on its own with the bottom surface portion 2 on the lower side.
[0014] More specifically, a side-end welding portion 12 for welding the front surface portion 3 and the back surface portion 4 is provided at the side end of the packaging bag 1. Thereby, the front surface portion 3 and the back surface portion 4 are fixed in the front-rear direction. Further, a lower-end welding portion 13 for welding the bottom surface portion 2 and the front surface portion 3, and the bottom surface portion 2 and the back surface portion 4 is provided at the lower end of the packaging bag 1. The lower-end welding portion 13 is a welding portion provided on the lower end side from the center line E, and welds the bottom surface portion 2 and the front surface portion 3, and the bottom surface portion 2 and the back surface portion 4 at the side end and the lower end of the packaging bag 1.
[0015] As shown in FIG. 3, the bottom film 20 bent in a V shape at the center line E is inserted between the front part 3 and the back part 4 to manufacture the packaging bag 1. Cutouts R are formed at both ends of the bottom film 20. At the cutouts R, the front part 3 and the back part 4 are directly welded, and a fixing part 15 for fixing the front part 3 and the back part 4 in the front-rear direction is formed as shown in FIG. 2.
[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, an air pocket 14 is provided outside the gradient part 13a of the lower end welding part 13. The air pocket 14 is formed in a triangular shape and is a space where air that could not be completely discharged to the outside due to welding in the lower end welding part 13 remains. By providing the air pocket 14, the residual air in the lower end welding part 13 will gather in the air pocket 14, and the welding strength will be improved.
[0017] As shown in FIG. 1A, when the content Q is accommodated inside, the opening and closing member 26 is closed, and the upper end welding part 16 is provided at the upper end of the packaging bag 1, so that the packaging bag 1 is sealed. As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, the opening and closing member 26 includes a front side engaging member 26a and a back side engaging member 26b that can engage with each other. The base part 26a1 of the front side engaging member 26a and the base part 26b1 of the back side engaging member 26b are fixed by being welded to the inner surfaces of the front part 3 and the back part 4 respectively.
[0018] When opening the packaging bag 1, as shown in FIG. 1B, by tearing the front part 3 and the back part 4 in the left-right direction at the upper opening part 25, the opening 22 can be formed. Here, the opening and closing member 26 can be opened, necessary ingredients can be put into the content Q in the packaging bag 1, the opening and closing member 26 can be engaged to close the opening of the packaging bag 1, and the packaging bag 1 can be put into a microwave oven for heat cooking.
[0019] The packaging bag 1 comprises an upper cut-off section 5 and a lower main body section 6, with the lower opening section 24 as the boundary. By tearing the front section 3 and back section 4 in the left-right direction at the lower opening section 24 to separate the cut-off section 5, an opening 7 is formed as shown in Figure 1C. The main body section 6 can also be used as tableware when eating the contents Q inside the packaging bag 1. The upper opening section 25 and the lower opening section 24 are optional.
[0020] As shown in Figure 1A, the front section 3 is provided with a gable section 10. The gable section 10 is formed by overlapping the inner surfaces of the front upper section 3a and the front lower section 3b, which constitute the front section 3, with the front upper section 3a and the front lower section 3b folded over from each other, and the front upper section 3a and the front lower section 3b are welded together at the gable section 10.
[0021] As shown in Figure 2, the packaging bag 1 has a steam vent seal portion 11 formed at the gusset portion 10. That is, the steam vent seal portion 11 is provided at the gusset portion 10. In this embodiment, the steam vent seal portion 11 is a welded portion with lower welding strength compared to the side end weld portion 12, the lower end weld portion 13, and the upper end weld portion 16. At the steam vent seal portion 11, when the internal pressure inside the packaging bag 1 increases due to steam generated inside the packaging bag 1 by heating the bag, a steam passage is formed accordingly. The steam inside the packaging bag 1 is discharged to the outside through the steam vent seal portion 11.
[0022] The partition film 29 is a film positioned inside the packaging bag 1 so as to cover the base of the grommet portion 10. As a result, the partition film 29 separates the mounting portion 9 from the steam vent seal portion 11, thereby separating the contents Q from the steam vent seal portion 11 and preventing the contents Q from leaking out of the packaging bag 1 through the steam passage when heated. In addition, the partition film 29 is configured not to block the steam passage and to allow the release of internal pressure through the steam vent seal portion 11. The side ends of the partition film 29 are sandwiched between the front portion 3 and the back portion 4 and fixed by welding at the side end welding portion 12 to the front portion 3 and the back portion 4.
[0023] In this embodiment, the lower end of the partition film 29 is welded to the front portion 3 in at least a portion of the area between the left and right side edge welded portions 12 (i.e., within the range indicated by the inner width L5 in Figure 2 in the left-right direction of the packaging bag 1). As a result, the contents Q and the steam vent seal portion 11 are separated by the partition film 29, so even if the liquid level 50 of the contents Q rises when heated, as shown in Figure 4A, it will not reach the base of the girth portion 10 unless the liquid level 50 rises above the upper end of the partition film 29. Since the upper end of the partition film 29 is located above the base of the girth portion 10, such a packaging bag 1 has a higher effect of preventing leakage of contents Q due to a rise in the liquid level 50 compared to a packaging bag without a partition film 29.
[0024] The lower end of the partition film 29 is welded to the front portion 3 in at least a portion of the area between the left and right side end welded portions 12 to form the lower partition film welded portion 28. The ratio (i.e., L2 / L5) of the length L2 of the lower partition film welded portion 28 in the left-right direction to the inner width L5 of the packaging bag 1 (i.e., the distance in the left-right direction of the area between the left and right side end welded portions 12) is, for example, 1 to 100%, preferably 50 to 100% (in other words, an area of 50% or more of the distance in the left-right direction of the area between the left and right side end welded portions 12), and more preferably 95 to 100% (100% in this embodiment). Specifically, this ratio can be, for example, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 100%, and may also be within the range of any two of the values exemplified here. Furthermore, if there are two or more lower welded sections 28 of the partition film, L2 is defined as the sum of the lengths of each lower welded section 28 in the left-right direction.
[0025] As shown in the cross-sectional views in Figures 4B and 4C, the partition film 29 has an overlapping portion 27. The overlapping portion 27 is positioned such that the upper end of the partition film 29 is sandwiched between the lower end of the front engaging member 26a and the front upper portion 3a, and the upper end of the partition film 29 is positioned above the base of the gable portion 10, so that the partition film 29 covers the base of the gable portion 10 inside the packaging bag 1.
[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the vertical distance H1 between the upper end of the packaging bag 1 (i.e., the upper end of the upper end welded portion 16) and the lower end of the lower end of the hook portion 26a2 and the lower end of the hook portion 26b2 (in this embodiment, the lower end of the hook portion 26a2) is, for example, 25 to 45 mm (35 mm in this embodiment), specifically, for example, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 mm, and may be within the range of any two of the values exemplified here. Also, the vertical distance H2 between the upper end of the packaging bag 1 and the lower end of the gusset portion 10 is, for example, 50 to 80 mm (65 mm in this embodiment), specifically, for example, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80 mm, and may be within the range of any two of the values exemplified here. Furthermore, the vertical distance H3 between the upper end of the packaging bag 1 and the lower end of the lower welded portion 28 of the partition film is, for example, 60 to 100 mm (80 mm in this embodiment), specifically, for example, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100 mm, and may be within the range of any two of the values exemplified here.
[0027] As shown in Figure 4B, the vertical distance d1 between the upper and lower ends of the partition film 29 is, for example, 35 to 55 mm (45 mm in this embodiment), specifically, for example, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 mm, and may be within the range of any two of the values exemplified here. Furthermore, the vertical distance d2 of the lower welding portion 28 of the partition film is, for example, 5 to 15 mm (10 mm in this embodiment), specifically, for example, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 mm, and may be within the range of any two of the values exemplified here. Furthermore, the vertical distance d3 of the overlapping portion 27 is, for example, 5 to 25 mm, specifically, for example, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 mm, and may also be within the range of any two of the values exemplified here. A smaller distance d3 allows for a reduction in the amount of film used, which is advantageous in terms of cost. On the other hand, a larger distance d3 makes it easier to create the overlapping portion 27 by positioning the partition film 29 so that it is sandwiched between the front-side engaging member 26a and the front portion 3, even if there is some misalignment of the partition film 29 or the opening / closing member 26 during manufacturing.
[0028] As shown in Figure 4B, the vertical distance d4 between the base of the joint portion 10 and the lower end of the partition film 29 (the lower end of the partition film's lower welding portion 28) is, for example, 10 to 30 mm, specifically, for example, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 mm, and may also be within the range of any two of the values exemplified here.
[0029] The films constituting the front portion 3 and the back portion 4 (i.e., the front film 43 and the back film 44) and the bottom film 20 may be composed of multiple layers, for example, a laminated film in which a first base material layer, a second base material layer, and a sealant layer are laminated in this order with an adhesive layer in between. As the material for the base material layer, for example, polyamide, polyolefin, polyethylene, polyester, etc. are used. The adhesive layer is a layer for bonding the first base material layer and the second base material layer, and the second base material layer and the sealant layer to each other in a laminated manner. The sealant layer is arranged so as to be exposed on the inner surface of the packaging bag 1. The sealant layers are welded together (heat sealed) to form a welded portion.
[0030] 1-2. Manufacturing method of packaging bag 1 The following outline of the manufacturing method for packaging bag 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 5A to 6B.
[0031] The packaging bag 1 is manufactured, for example, using a single peripheral film 40. As shown in Figure 5A, the inner surfaces of the ends of a single peripheral film 40 are overlapped to form an overlapping portion 10a. At this time, the peripheral film 40 is formed so that the portion 24c on the front portion 3 side and the portion 24c on the back portion 4 side overlap in the front-to-back direction of the packaging bag 1, and the portion 25c on the front portion 3 side and the portion 25c on the back portion 4 side overlap in the front-to-back direction of the packaging bag 1. Then, as shown in Figure 5B, the overlapping portion 10a is welded to form a grommet portion 10, and the remaining portion forms an elliptical ring C. This gives the front film 43 and back film 44 that face each other. The peripheral film 40 is a long film that extends continuously in the direction perpendicular to the paper plane (conveying direction) in Figure 5A, and is supplied from a film roll. Similarly, the front film 43 and back film 44 are long films that extend continuously in the direction perpendicular to the paper plane (conveying direction) in Figure 5B. Next, as shown in Figure 5B, the lower end C1 of ring C is cut.
[0032] Alternatively, instead of processing the peripheral wall film 40 to obtain the front film 43 and back film 44, the front film 43 and back film 44 may be supplied from separate film rolls.
[0033] Next, as shown in Figure 6A, the bottom film 42 is inserted between the front film 43 and the back film 44 from the lower end C1 side. The bottom film 42 is a long film that extends continuously in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper (conveying direction) in Figure 6A. Then, the front film 43 and the back film 44 are separated at the upper end C2, and the upper end is opened. Subsequently, as shown in Figure 6B, a long partition film 29 and a long opening / closing member 26 are inserted between the front film 43 and the back film 44 from the opened upper end. Then, the lower end of the partition film 29 is welded to the inside of the front film 43 at the lower welding portion 28 of the partition film, and the partition film 29 and / or the opening / closing member 26 are positioned so that the upper end of the partition film 29 is sandwiched between the front film 43 and the lower end of the front engaging member 26a (i.e., the lower end of the base portion 26a1). Then, the base portion 26a1 is welded to the front film 43, and at the same time, the rear engaging member 26b is welded to the rear film 44, and the bottom film 42 is welded to the front film 43 and the rear film 44 respectively (not shown). Then, a lateral seal portion (not shown) is formed extending in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction so that the front film 43 and the rear film 44 are welded to each other at the same pitch as the distance L1 in Figure 2. When the lateral seal portion is formed, a part of the opening / closing member 26 that is located within the lateral seal portion is crushed and becomes part of the lateral seal portion. Similarly, a portion of the partition film 29 that is located within the lateral sealing portion is crushed and becomes part of the lateral sealing portion. Next, the front film 43, back film 44, opening / closing member 26, partition film 29, and bottom film 42 are separated along the lateral sealing portion.
[0034] The hook portions 26a2 and 26b2 of the opening / closing member 26 are disengaged, and the cooking liquid (contents Q) is filled in. Next, the hook portions 26a2 and 26b2 of the opening / closing member 26 are engaged to seal the opening / closing member 26. Then, the upper ends of the front film 43 and the back film 44 are welded together to form the upper end weld portion 16. After that, the packaging bag 1 is heated and retort sterilized. As a result, the packaging bag 1 shown in Figure 1 is obtained.
[0035] 1-3. Heating method for packaging bag 1 A method for heating and pressurizing food using packaging bag 1 will be described. First, tear packaging bag 1 in the left-right direction along the upper opening 25. Then, open the opening / closing member 26. Next, you may put the necessary ingredients such as vegetables into the contents Q inside packaging bag 1. After that, close the opening of packaging bag 1 by engaging the opening / closing member 26, and place packaging bag 1 in a microwave oven and heat for a certain period of time. At the start of heating, packaging bag 1 containing contents Q (and ingredients) is sealed (i.e., the opening / closing member 26 is closed along its entire length, and no steam passage is formed in the steam vent seal 11. It is obvious that no steam passages are formed in the other joints of packaging bag 1 (side end welded part 12, lower end welded part 13, upper end welded part 16)).
[0036] As the opening / closing member 26 is closed, the heated contents Q (and ingredients) in the packaging bag 1 become high-pressure inside and swell up. At this time, the upper end of the partition film 29 is sandwiched between the front part 3 (upper front part 3a) and the lower end of the front side engaging member 26a at the overlapping part 27, and the lower end of the partition film 29 is welded at the partition film lower welding part 28, so the packaging bag 1 swells up with the partition film 29 sticking to the front part 3. In this state, a steam passage is formed in the steam vent seal part 11. At this time, the base of the gable part 10 is covered by the partition film 29, and a steam passage is formed so that steam can escape through the upper end of the partition film 29. Therefore, even if the liquid level 50 of the contents Q rises above the base of the gable part 10, leakage of the contents Q can be suppressed while maintaining a constant pressure inside the packaging bag 1 (steam venting). This allows for heating and pressurized cooking while preventing the contents from splashing out due to the opening / closing member 26 bursting from the packaging bag 1 as the internal pressure rises during heating.
[0037] The partition film 29 in this embodiment is effective in preventing spillage of food (for example, ramen) where the liquid level 50 is high and the distance to the base of the girdle portion 10 before heating is short. As shown in Figure 4A, the vertical distance d5 along the front portion 3 between the liquid level 50 of the contents Q before heating and the base of the girdle portion 10 is, for example, 5 to 30 mm, specifically, for example, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 mm, and may be within the range of any two of the values exemplified here.
[0038] After cooking is complete, the contents Q (and ingredients) can be transferred from the packaging bag 1 to a plate or other container, or the packaging bag 1 can be used as tableware. Since it is equipped with an opening / closing member 26, it is convenient that the bag can be resealed while leaving some of the contents Q (and ingredients) inside. Furthermore, when the amount of contents Q (and ingredients) remaining is small, the packaging bag 1 can be torn along the lower opening 24 in a left-right direction to make it easier to remove the contents Q (and ingredients), or the packaging bag 1 can be used as tableware.
[0039] 2. Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the present invention will be described using Figure 7. The main difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the lower welded portion 28 of the partition film is formed only in the central part of the packaging bag 1 in the left-right direction. The differences will be explained below.
[0040] In this embodiment, in the region between the left and right side-edge welded portions 12, the lower end of the partition film 29 has a welded portion and an unwelded portion relative to the front portion 3 (i.e., the lower front portion 3b). For example, as shown in Figure 7, the lower end of the partition film 29 is welded to the front portion 3 (i.e., the lower front portion 3b) at the central portion 30 in the left-right direction of the packaging bag 1, and the portion of the lower end of the partition film 29 other than the central portion 30 is an unwelded portion. This makes it possible to easily suppress leakage of contents Q through the steam passage formed in the steam vent seal portion 11 due to splashing during heating. The ratio of the left-right distance of the central portion 30 (i.e., the left-right length of the lower partition film welded portion 28 in this embodiment) L2 to the inner width L5 of the packaging bag 1 (i.e., L2 / L5) is, for example, 1 to 50%, preferably 1 to 20% (approximately 10% in this embodiment). Specifically, this percentage can be, for example, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, or 50%, and may be within the range of any two of the values exemplified here. Here, the central portion 30 in the left-right direction of the packaging bag 1 means the region that includes the center line F in a plan view as shown in Figure 7, where L5 is the inner width of the packaging bag 1 (i.e., the left-right distance of the region between the left and right side-edge welded portions 12), and the left-right distance from the left-right edge of the region to the center line F is L5 / 4 (one-quarter of L5) or less. In other words, the center line F is included in the left-right distance L2 of the central portion 30, and L2 ≤ L5 / 2 is satisfied. In this embodiment, the central portion 30 is arranged symmetrically with respect to the center line F, but this is not necessarily required.
[0041] 3. Third Embodiment A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 8A and 8B. The main difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the lower end of the front-side engaging member 26a extends downward to cover the base of the girdle portion 10, thereby forming a partition film 29. The differences will be explained below in detail.
[0042] In this embodiment, the packaging bag 1 is equipped with a partition film 29 that is continuous with the lower end of the front-side engaging member 26a, and in at least a portion of the area between the left and right side end welded portions 12, the lower end of the partition film 29 (i.e., the lower end of the front-side engaging member 26a in this embodiment) is welded to the front portion 3 (front lower part 3b) in such a way that it can be peeled off from the front portion 3 (front lower part 3b). In other words, in this embodiment, there is no overlapping portion 27, and the lower welded portion 28 of the partition film is a weak seal portion with lower strength than the other welded portions of the packaging bag 1. A weak seal means a seal (welding) such that the peel strength according to JIS K6854 is approximately less than 10N / 15mm width. If there is no temporary fastening by a weak seal, when the packaging bag 1 expands during heating, the partition film 29 may stick to the back portion 4 side and fail to cover the base of the grommet portion 10. The temporary fastening by the weak seal allows the partition film 29 to adhere to the front portion 3 while the packaging bag 1 expands, making it possible to maintain the base of the grommet portion 10 covered by the partition film 29 during heating. Furthermore, as will be explained below, when the packaging bag 1 expands during heating, the partition film 29 peels off from the lower front portion 3b, forming a steam passage between the storage space 8 and the steam vent seal portion 11.
[0043] When the packaging bag 1 expands during heating, the front portion 3 and the back portion 4 stretch, and the partition film 29, which is continuous with the lower end of the front-side engaging member 26a, also stretches. At this time, since the welding at the lower end of the partition film 29 is a weak seal, the partition film 29 adheres to the front portion 3 side as the packaging bag 1 expands, and peels away from the front portion 3 (lower front portion 3b). As a result, the internal pressure of the containment space 8 due to heating acts on the steam vent seal portion 11 of the grommet portion 10, forming a steam passage and maintaining a constant pressure inside the packaging bag 1 (steam venting). At the same time that steam venting becomes possible, the partition film 29 is pressed against the front portion 3 so as to cover the base of the grommet portion 10, thus functioning as a partition between the mounting portion 9 and the steam vent seal portion 11, and can suppress the contents Q from splashing and leaking out of the packaging bag 1 through the steam vent seal portion 11. Furthermore, since the lower end of the front-side engaging member 26a is extended downward to form the partition film 29, there is the advantage that the cost of introducing an independent partition film 29, as in Embodiments 1 and 2, can be reduced.
[0044] 4. Fourth Embodiment A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described using Figures 9A and 9B. The main difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the packaging bag 1 does not have an opening / closing member 26. The following will focus on explaining the differences.
[0045] The packaging bag 1 of this embodiment is a packaging bag 1 that does not have an opening / closing member 26. In this embodiment, the lower end of the partition film 29 is welded at the lower partition film welding portion 28. Here, the lower partition film welding portion 28 is provided in at least a portion of the area between the left and right side end welding portions 12, and this area may be 50% or more of the left-right distance between the area between the left and right side end welding portions 12. Furthermore, the upper end of the partition film 29 is welded to the front portion 3 (upper front portion 3a) at the upper partition film welding portion 31 so as to provide a weak seal. Here, the upper partition film welding portion 31 may be provided in at least a portion of the area between the left and right side end welding portions 12. Also, in this embodiment, the upper partition film welding portion 31 is an area that extends from the end on the center line F side of the left and right side end welding portions 12 toward the center line F, but it does not have to be provided continuously with the left and right side end welding portions 12. In this embodiment, one upper welded portion 31 of the partition film is provided on each side of the center line F, but the left and right upper welded portions 31 of the partition film may be connected to form a single upper welded portion 31 of the partition film (i.e., the upper welded portion 31 of the partition film may be provided across the inner width L5 of the packaging bag 1). Furthermore, there may be one or more upper welded portions 31 of the partition film, and they may be provided on only one side or both sides of the center line F. Due to the weak seal of the upper welded portion 31 of the partition film, when the packaging bag 1 expands during heating and the partition film 29 stretches, the weak seal peels off, preventing damage to the front portion 3, and the packaging bag 1 expands while the partition film 29 adheres to the front portion 3, maintaining a state in which the base of the grommet portion 10 is covered by the partition film 29. This makes it possible to achieve steam release while suppressing leakage of contents Q from the base of the grommet portion 10. If there is no temporary fastening by a weak seal at the upper welded portion 31 of the partition film, the upper end of the partition film 29 may sag when the packaging bag 1 expands, potentially reducing the partition height relative to the rise in liquid level 50. Furthermore, if the upper welded portion 31 of the partition film is a strong seal that does not peel off when the packaging bag 1 expands, the front portion 3 may be damaged.
[0046] The ratio of the total length of the upper welded portion 31 of the partition film in the left-right direction (distance L3 + distance L4 in the embodiment shown in Figure 9A) to the inner width L5 of the packaging bag 1 (i.e., (L3 + L4) / L5) is, for example, 1 to 100% (50% in this embodiment), specifically, for example, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100%, and may be within the range of any two of the values exemplified here.
[0047] 5. Fifth Embodiment A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described using Figures 10A and 10B. The main difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the packaging bag 1 does not have an opening / closing member 26 and a gusset portion 10. The following will focus on explaining the differences.
[0048] The packaging bag 1 of this embodiment, like the packaging bag 1 of the fourth embodiment, does not have an opening / closing member 26, and also does not have a gusset portion 10. In the example shown in Figure 10A, the steam vent seal portion 11 is formed by welding the front film 43 (front portion 3) and the back film 44 (back portion 4) together and is provided so as to surround the steam vent 32. In this embodiment, for example, a partition film 29 folded in half in a triangular shape as shown in Figure 10B is arranged to partition the placement portion 9 and the steam vent seal portion 11. In the packaging bag 1 shown in Figure 10A, the partition film 29 is, for example, inserted between the front portion 3 and the back portion 4, and is welded to the front portion 3 and the back portion 4 at the side end welding portion 12. As a result, even if the contents Q approaches the upper end welding portion 16 during heating, leakage of the contents Q can be suppressed.
[0049] In the embodiment shown in Figure 10A, the steam vent seal portion 11 is provided so as to surround the steam vent 32 by being connected to the upper end welded portion 16 and / or the side end welded portion 12. However, the steam vent 32 may also be surrounded by an annular steam vent seal portion 11. Alternatively, if the steam vent 32 is not provided, the steam vent seal portion 11 may be provided on at least a part of the upper end welded portion 16 and / or the side end welded portion 12, and a partition film 29 may be provided to separate the portion where the steam vent seal portion 11 is provided from the mounting portion 9.
[0050] Other embodiments In embodiments 1 to 5, the side edges of the partition film 29 were assumed to be welded and fixed at the side edge welding portion 12 of the packaging bag 1, but this is not necessarily required. As long as at least a portion of the lower end of the partition film 29 is fixed to the lower front portion 3b and the partition film 29 is positioned to partition the placement portion 9 and the steam vent seal portion 11 (for example, to cover the base of the girdle portion 10), the side edges of the partition film 29 do not need to be fixed at the side edge welding portion 12 of the packaging bag 1. In this case, for example, before filling with contents Q, individual partition films 29 may be inserted into the packaging bag 1 and at least a portion of the lower end of the partition film 29 may be welded to the front portion 3, thereby providing the partition film 29 inside the packaging bag 1. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0051] 1: Packaging bag 2: Bottom part 3: Front part 3a: Upper front 3b: lower front 4: Back part 5: Cut-off section 6: Main body 7:Aperture 8: Containment space 9: Mounting section 10: Gassho part 10a: Overlapping section 11: Steam vent seal section 12: Side end welding part 13: Lower end welding part 13a: Sloping section 14: Air pocket 15: Fixed part 16: Upper end welding part 20: Bottom film 21: Peripheral part 22: Opening 24: Lower opening part 24c: part 25: Upper opening part 25c: part 26: Opening / closing member 26a: Front side engagement member 26a1: Base 26a2: Hook part 26b: Rear side engagement member 26b1: Base 26b2: Hook part 27: Overlapping area 28: Welded section on the lower side of the partition film 29: Partition film 30: Central part 31: Upper welding portion of partition film 32: Steam vent 40: Peripheral wall film 42: Bottom film 43: Front film 44: Back film 50:Liquid level C: ring C1: Bottom end C2:Top edge E: Chuo Line F: Center line H1: distance H2 :Distance H3: distance L1: distance L2: distance L3: Distance L4: Distance L5: Inner width Q:Contents X: area d1: distance d2: distance d3: distance d4: distance d5: distance
Claims
1. A microwave-safe packaging bag made of a flexible film formed into a bag shape, It comprises a containment space, a steam vent seal section, and a partition film. The aforementioned storage space is configured to accommodate contents and includes a mounting section on which the contents are placed. The steam vent seal portion is configured to detach as the internal pressure of the containment space increases, thereby forming a steam passage through which steam can flow. A packaging bag in which the partition film is arranged to separate the aforementioned storage portion from the steam venting seal portion.
2. A packaging bag according to claim 1, The packaging bag comprises a circumferential portion having a front portion and a back portion facing each other, and left and right side end welded portions formed by welding the front portion and the back portion together. The aforementioned front section comprises an upper front section and a lower front section, The upper front portion and the lower front portion are folded over from each other, and are welded together at the joint formed by overlapping the inner surfaces of the upper front portion and the lower front portion. The steam vent seal portion is provided in the gable portion, The aforementioned partition film is positioned to cover the base of the gable portion of the packaging bag.
3. The packaging bag according to claim 2, A packaging bag in which the lower end of the partition film is fixed to the lower front surface in at least a portion of the area between the left and right side edge welded portions.
4. The packaging bag according to claim 3, The aforementioned region is a packaging bag in which the distance in the left-right direction between the left and right side-edge welded portions is 50% or more of the region.
5. A packaging bag according to claim 3 or claim 4, The packaging bag is equipped with an opening / closing member that reseals the contents by engaging a front-side engaging member and a rear-side engaging member. The front engagement member and the rear engagement member are fixed to the inside of the front and rear portions, respectively. A packaging bag in which the upper end of the partition film is positioned so as to be sandwiched between the lower end of the front engaging member and the upper front portion, and is positioned above the base of the gable portion.
6. The packaging bag according to claim 2, The packaging bag is equipped with an opening / closing member that reseals the contents by engaging a front-side engaging member and a rear-side engaging member. The front engagement member and the rear engagement member are fixed to the inside of the front and rear portions, respectively. The lower end of the front engagement member extends below the base of the girdle portion to form the partition film. A packaging bag in which the lower end of the partition film is fixed to the lower front portion in at least a portion of the area between the left and right side end welded portions so that it can be peeled off from the lower front portion when the packaging bag expands due to heating.
7. A packaging bag according to claim 3 or claim 4, A packaging bag in which the upper end of the partition film is fixed to the upper front surface in at least a portion of the area between the left and right side end welded portions so as to be peelable when the packaging bag expands due to heating.