Pouch with spout

Abstract

To provide a spout-equipped pouch that allows for easy reduction of residual liquid content, thereby reducing environmental impact without increasing the burden on workers. [Solution] The cap portion 300 of the spout-equipped pouch 10 has a connecting portion 310 that can be connected to and separated from the dispensing cylinder 210, and a plate-like portion 320 that extends planarly along the width direction intersecting the extending direction of the dispensing cylinder. On the upper end surface of the plate-like portion, opposite to the side where the connecting portion is located, a straight portion 321a is formed that extends linearly along the width direction, and the straight portion 321a has the largest width dimension on the upper end surface 321.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a pouch with a spout.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a pouch with a spout for holding and storing a liquid content (content liquid) and enabling the pouring out (taking out) of the content has been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Pouches with spouts are generally configured to enable pouring out of the content and refilling (refilling) of the content through the spout, and can be said to contribute highly to the environment in terms of reduction (reduction of the amount of plastic used to form the pouch). However, there are the following problems in terms of recycling the plastic that is the constituent material of the pouch. <000 >

[0005] Generally, refillable pouches are composed of relatively flexible soft packaging, and at first glance, it may seem that the entire amount of the content can be squeezed out during use or refilling. However, in reality, the content adheres evenly to the inner surface of the pouch, and it is difficult to discharge the entire amount of the content through normal operations (for example, manually crushing or squeezing the pouch).

[0006] When refill pouches are collected and recycled, it is essential to wash away any contents adhering to the inner surface of the pouch. However, if the contents are highly foamy, such as laundry detergent, dish soap, or shampoo, whether the user washes them at home or a professional company washes them at a recycling plant, the remaining contents will foam up during the washing process, requiring large amounts of water to rinse away the foamy contents, which poses environmental challenges.

[0007] The present invention has been made in response to the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a spout-equipped pouch that can easily reduce the residual liquid of the contents, thereby reducing the environmental burden without increasing the burden on workers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The above objectives of the present invention are achieved by any of the following means (1) to (8).

[0009] (1) A pouch body having a storage space capable of containing contents, The spout attached to the pouch body, It has a cap part, The aforementioned spout is A dispensing tube is provided, which is arranged to connect the storage space with the outside of the pouch body and enables the dispensing of the contents. An attachment portion is located on one end of the dispensing cylinder and attached to the pouch body, It has, The cap portion is configured to be connectable to and detachable from the other end of the dispensing cylinder, which is located outside the pouch body. The dispensing cylinder and a detachable connecting part, It has a plate-like portion that extends planarly along the width direction intersecting the extending direction of the dispensing cylinder, On the upper end surface of the plate-like portion, which is located on the side opposite to the side where the connecting portion is located, a straight portion is formed that extends linearly along the width direction. The aforementioned straight section is a spout-equipped pouch with the largest dimension in the width direction among the upper end faces.

[0010] (2) The spout pouch according to (1) above, wherein the cap portion has a folding mechanism that enables the folding operation of the plate-shaped portion.

[0011] (3) The spouted pouch according to (2) above, wherein the folding mechanism includes a hinge portion that hinge-connects the connecting portion and the plate-shaped portion.

[0012] (4) A pouch body having a storage space capable of containing contents, The pouch body has a spout attached to it, The aforementioned spout is A dispensing tube is provided, which is arranged to connect the storage space with the outside of the pouch body and enables the dispensing of the contents. An attachment portion is located on one end of the dispensing cylinder and attached to the pouch body, It has a plate-shaped portion which is integrally connected to the mounting portion and arranged within the housing space, The plate-like portion has a shape that extends in a planar manner along the width direction intersecting the extending direction of the dispensing cylinder. On the lower end surface of the plate-like portion located on the side opposite to the side where the dispensing cylinder is located, a straight portion is formed that extends linearly along the width direction. The aforementioned straight section is a spout-equipped pouch with the largest dimension in the width direction among the lower end surfaces.

[0013] (5) The spout pouch according to (4) above, wherein the plate-like portion has a flow guide hole that penetrates the plate-like portion in the thickness direction and communicates with the inner cavity of the mounting portion.

[0014] (6) A pouch body having a storage space capable of containing contents, The pouch body has a spout attached to it, The spout is arranged to communicate the accommodation space with the outside of the pouch body, and is a pouring cylinder that enables pouring out of the content, a mounting part attached to the pouch body, and has a clamping part capable of clamping the pouch body from the front surface side and the back surface side of the pouch body. The pouch with a spout.

[0015] (7) The clamping part is integrally connected from the pouring cylinder and is arranged outside the pouch body or arranged to directly contact the pouch body. The pouch with a spout according to (6) above.

[0016] (8) The pouch body has an opening part that enables formation of an opening in the pouch body by breaking a part of the pouch body, The mounting part of the spout is separable from the pouch body along with the breakage of the pouch body by the opening part. The pouch with a spout according to any one of (1) to (7) above.

Advantages of the Invention

[0017] According to the pouch with a spout of the present invention, a member (plate-like part or clamping part) for assisting the pouring out of the content from the pouch body is provided in a part of the member attached to the pouch body. An operator can easily reduce the remaining liquid of the content by squeezing the pouch body using the above member. Thereby, it becomes possible to reduce the environmental load without increasing the burden on the operator.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a front view of the pouch with a spout according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view for explaining an operation when folding the plate-like part of the spout according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3]This is a perspective view illustrating the operation of folding the plate-shaped portion of the spout according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a diagram illustrating a method for dispensing contents using the plate-shaped portion of the spout according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a front view of a spouted pouch according to a modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing a modified example of the cap portion according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view illustrating a modified example of the folding mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view illustrating a modified example of the folding mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view illustrating a modified example of the folding mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view illustrating a modified example of the folding mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view illustrating a modified example of the folding mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a front view of a spouted pouch according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a perspective view of the spout according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] This figure illustrates a method for dispensing contents using the plate-shaped portion of the spout according to the second embodiment. [Figure 15] This is a front view of a spouted pouch according to a modified example of the second embodiment. [Figure 16] This is a front view showing a modified example of the plate-shaped portion of the spout according to the second embodiment. [Figure 17] This is a front view of a spouted pouch according to the third embodiment. [Figure 18] This is a perspective view of the spout according to the third embodiment. [Figure 19] This is a diagram illustrating a method for dispensing contents using the gripping portion of the spout according to the third embodiment. [Figure 20]This is a front view of a spouted pouch according to a modified example of the third embodiment. [Figure 21] This is a perspective view of the clamping portion of the spout according to a modified example of the third embodiment. [Figure 22] This is a perspective view of the clamping portion of the spout according to another modification of the third embodiment. [Figure 23] This figure shows the results of the examples and comparative examples. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The embodiments shown herein are illustrative examples to embody the technical idea of ​​the present invention and do not limit the present invention. Furthermore, all other implementable forms, examples, and operational techniques that can be conceived by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention are included in the scope and spirit of the present invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents.

[0020] Furthermore, the drawings attached to this specification may be schematically represented with changes to scale, aspect ratio, shape, etc., from the actual object for the sake of illustration and ease of understanding, but these are merely examples and do not limit the interpretation of the present invention.

[0021] Furthermore, in the following explanations, ordinal numbers such as "1st" and "2nd" are used, but unless otherwise specified, they are used for convenience and do not prescribe any particular order.

[0022] Furthermore, the term "X~Y" in this specification refers to a numerical range between X and Y.

[0023] <First Embodiment> Figures 1 to 3 are diagrams illustrating the various parts of the spouted pouch 10 according to the first embodiment. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating a method for dispensing the contents using the plate-shaped portion 320 of the cap portion 300 according to the first embodiment.

[0024] In the diagram, arrows X1-X2 indicate the width direction of the pouch body 100, arrows Y1-Y2 indicate the vertical direction perpendicular to the width direction, and arrows Z1-Z2 indicate the depth direction (thickness direction) perpendicular to both the width and vertical directions. The directions of the spout 200 are defined in the same way as the directions of the pouch body 100 described above.

[0025] (10 spout pouches) As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the spouted pouch 10 according to this embodiment includes a pouch body 100 having a storage space 101 capable of accommodating contents, a spout 200 attached to the pouch body 100, and a cap portion 300.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the pouch body 100 has an upper edge 110 to which the spout 200 is attached, a bottom edge 120 located on the opposite side of the upper edge 110 and on the bottom side of the pouch body 100, and a pair of side edges 130, 140 extending between the upper edge 110 and the bottom edge 120.

[0027] The pouch body 100 has a sealing portion 111 formed on the upper edge 110, a sealing portion 121 formed on the bottom edge 120, a sealing portion 131 formed on the first side edge 130, and a sealing portion 141 formed on the second side edge 140. The pouch body 100 has a storage space 101 partitioned on the inner surface side of the pouch body 100 by the above sealing portions 111, 121, 131, and 141.

[0028] A portion of the spout 200 (mounting portion 220) is connected (sealed) to the seal portion 111 formed on the upper edge 110 of the pouch body 100 by being sandwiched between the film that makes up the constituent material of the pouch body 100.

[0029] The pouch body 100 can reduce the amount of plastic used compared to typical plastic bottles used for storing detergents and other products. Furthermore, the spouted pouch 10 allows for multiple refills compared to single-use pouches (without a spout). Therefore, it reduces the hassle for users to purchase pouches, giving them a sense of value.

[0030] As long as the spout 200 is attached, there are no particular restrictions on the shape, structure, size, etc., of the pouch body 100. For example, there are no restrictions on the presence or absence of a bottom or gussets of the pouch body 100, and known configurations such as flat pouches, bottom gussets, side gussets, and box pouches can be adopted. However, considering the ease of dispensing the remaining liquid contents using the spout 200, as will be described later, it is preferable to have fewer gussets on the pouch body 100.

[0031] There are no particular restrictions on the constituent materials of the pouch body 100, and known materials can be used. As a specific example, a multilayer laminate film can be used, consisting of an outer layer made of biaxially oriented polyester film, biaxially oriented polyamide film, oriented nylon (hereinafter referred to as "ONY"), biaxially tractable polypropylene, biaxially oriented polyethylene, uniaxially oriented polyethylene, etc., and an inner layer made of heat-sealable resins such as low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene (hereinafter referred to as "LLDPE"), polypropylene, or metallocene polyethylene. Furthermore, if necessary, the above multilayer laminate film can be laminated with a film to which inorganic materials such as ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, aluminum foil, or silicon dioxide have been vapor-deposited (for example, a gas barrier film such as aluminum-deposited polyethylene terephthalate (hereinafter referred to as "aluminum-deposited PET")). For the constituent materials of the multilayer laminate film, environmentally friendly materials obtained by recovering and processing peeled film, or polyethylene recycled by other mechanical or chemical recycling methods may be used.

[0032] The layer configuration of the pouch body 100 can, for example, be ONY / aluminum-deposited PET / LLDPE, PET / ONY / LLDPE, ONY / LLDPE, ONY / aluminum / LLDPE, etc., but is not limited to these.

[0033] The layer configurations described above are listed in order from the outer layer downwards. For example, "ONY / aluminum-coated PET / LLDPE" means the outer layer is ONY, the inner layer is LLDPE, and the intermediate layer between the outer and inner layers is aluminum-coated PET.

[0034] The thickness range of each layer can be selected based on the volume and composition of the contents. For example, a combination of 10-30 μm for the outer layer, 10-30 μm for the intermediate layer, 80-200 μm for the inner layer, and a total thickness of 100-260 mm can be arbitrarily selected to balance cost and durability.

[0035] There are no particular restrictions on the size (external dimensions) of the pouch body 100, but the width W3 (see Figure 1) can be 100-200 mm, the height (dimension in the direction of arrows Y1-Y2) can be 170-340 mm, and the bottom depth (dimension in the direction of arrows Z1-Z2) can be 30-80 mm. When the size of the pouch body 100 is configured as described above, the storage volume of the pouch body 100 can be selected according to the application, for example, within the range of 200-2400 mL.

[0036] There are no particular restrictions on the contents to be contained in the pouch body 100, but examples include liquid compositions. Examples of liquid compositions include liquid detergent compositions, liquid fabric softener compositions, liquid bleach compositions, liquid toothpaste compositions, mouthwash compositions, liquid disinfectant compositions, and liquid seasonings. Examples of liquid detergent compositions include liquid detergent compositions for clothing, liquid detergent compositions for bathrooms, liquid detergent compositions for toilets, and liquid detergent compositions for dishes.

[0037] Among the examples given above, it is particularly preferable to use liquid detergent compositions, liquid fabric softener compositions, liquid toothpaste compositions, mouthwash compositions, bathroom liquid detergent compositions, etc., as contents. As will be described later, in the spouted pouch 10 of this embodiment, the pouch body 100 can be squeezed by the plate-shaped portion 320 of the cap portion 300, allowing any remaining liquid adhering to the inner surface of the pouch body 100 to be efficiently poured out. Therefore, for example, liquid detergent compositions, liquid fabric softener compositions, liquid toothpaste compositions, mouthwash compositions, bathroom liquid detergent compositions, etc., which tend to foam easily, can be effectively prevented from remaining inside the pouch body 100. Consequently, even when these contents are stored in the pouch body 100, the cleaning of the pouch body 100 can be performed easily and efficiently.

[0038] There are no particular restrictions on the manufacturing method of the pouch body 100. For example, if the pouch body 100 is constructed as a standing pouch, it can be manufactured in accordance with conventionally known manufacturing methods. For example, a standing pouch can be obtained by overlapping a front film and a back film, folding a film that forms the bottom between the two films, and sealing the periphery of the overlapped films to form the respective sealed portions 121, 131, and 141. When attaching the mounting portion 220 of the spout 200 to the inclined edge 150 (see Figure 5), a standing pouch can be obtained by sandwiching the mounting portion 220 between the front film and the back film at the corner cut where the inclined edge 150 is located, sealing the periphery of the overlapped films, and forming the sealed portions 121, 131, 141, and 151 other than the sealed portion 111 of the upper edge 110.

[0039] (Spout 200) As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the spout 200 has a dispensing tube 210 that is arranged to connect the storage space 101 of the pouch body 100 with the outside of the pouch body 100 and enables the dispensing of the contents, and a mounting part 220 that is located on one end of the dispensing tube 210 (the end indicated by arrow Y2) and attached to the pouch body 100.

[0040] The mounting portion 220 can be connected, for example, to the upper edge 110 of the pouch body 100. There are no particular restrictions on how the mounting portion 220 is attached to the pouch body 100, but for example, as described above, it can be connected by heat sealing the mounting portion 220 together with each film while the mounting portion 220 is positioned between the front film and the back film that make up the pouch body 100.

[0041] There are no particular restrictions on the position where the mounting portion 220 is attached to the pouch body 100. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the mounting portion 220 is positioned approximately at the center in the width direction of the upper edge 110. However, as shown in the modified example described later, the mounting portion 220 can also be positioned on the inclined edge 150 located between the upper edge 110 and the first side edge 130 (see Figure 5).

[0042] As shown in Figures 1 and 4, a flange portion 215 is positioned near one end of the dispensing cylinder 210. The flange portion 215 is positioned to create a step between it and the mounting portion 220. The flange portion 215 can be used as a guide for the mounting position of the spout 200 on the pouch body 100, or as a guide when heat sealing.

[0043] An internal lumen (flow channel) through which the contents can flow is formed inside the attachment portion 220. Similarly, an internal lumen (flow channel) through which the contents can flow is formed inside the dispensing cylinder 210. The internal lumen of the attachment portion 220 and the internal lumen of the dispensing cylinder 210 are in communication. Therefore, the containment space 101 formed inside the pouch body 100 is in communication with the outside of the pouch body 100 through the internal lumen of each portion 220 and 210. With the cap portion 300 removed from the spout 200 (see Figure 4), the user can dispensing the contents contained in the containment space 101 of the pouch body 100 to the outside of the pouch body 100 through the internal lumen of each portion 220 and 210 by deforming or squeezing the pouch body 100 in a way that crushes it.

[0044] (Cap portion 300) As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the cap portion 300 is configured to be connectable to and detachable from the other end of the dispensing cylinder 210, which is located outside the pouch body 100, and has a connecting portion 310 that is connectable to and detachable from the dispensing cylinder 210, and a plate-like portion 320 that extends planarly along the width direction (indicated by arrows X1-X2) intersecting the extending direction (indicated by arrows Y1-Y2) of the dispensing cylinder 210.

[0045] The connection portion 310 of the cap portion 300 can be configured to be connectable to and detachable from the dispensing cylinder 210, for example, by a screw mechanism. In this embodiment, a screw portion (female screw portion) that can be screwed into a screw portion 211 (male screw portion) formed on the outer surface of the dispensing cylinder 210 is formed on the inner surface of the connection portion 310. However, the structure for connecting the connection portion 310 of the cap portion 300 and the dispensing cylinder 210 is not particularly limited as long as it allows the two to be connected. For example, a male screw portion may be formed on the inner surface of the connection portion 310 and a female screw portion on the outer surface of the connection portion 310, or a mechanism that allows the two to be connected and detached by fitting or the like may be employed.

[0046] As shown in Figure 2, the plate-like portion 320 has an upper end surface (top surface) 321 located on the side opposite to the side where the connecting portion 310 is located (the side indicated by arrow Y1 in the figure).

[0047] The upper end surface 321 has a straight section 321a that extends linearly along the width direction. The straight section 321a has the largest width dimension on the upper end surface 321.

[0048] As shown in Figure 1, the straight section 321a extends in a straight line in the width direction in a plan view of the spouted pouch 10. More specifically, the straight section 321a extends perpendicular to the vertical direction (direction along arrows Y1-Y2) in which the connecting section 310 extends. Furthermore, the height of the straight section 321a from a predetermined reference position (for example, the lower end of the plate-like section 320) is approximately constant in each part of the straight section 321a. Therefore, in a front view in Figure 1, the straight section 321a extends approximately parallel to the upper edge 110 (or bottom edge 120) of the pouch body 100. Note that the straight section 321a can be formed such that each part of the straight section 321a has approximately the same thickness D11.

[0049] The upper end surface 321 is provided with a pair of curved portions 321b and 321c located at both ends of the straight portion 321a in the width direction. As described above, the straight portion 321a has the largest width dimension (dimension W11 in Figure 2) among the upper end surface 321. In other words, the width dimension of the straight portion 321a is larger than the width dimensions (dimensions W21 and W22 in the figure) of each curved portion 321b and 321c formed on the upper end surface 321.

[0050] The plate-like portion 320 includes a pair of side surfaces 330 and 340 that are continuously connected to the upper end surface 321.

[0051] The first side surface 330 includes a first portion 331 extending from the first curved portion 321b of the upper end surface 321, and a second portion 332 extending from the first portion 331 toward the connection portion 310.

[0052] The first portion 331 has a curved shape with a chamfered edge facing outward in the width direction of the plate-like portion 320. The second portion 332 has a shape that curves gently toward the connecting portion 310 so that the width of the plate-like portion 320 gradually decreases.

[0053] The second side surface 340 has a shape that is substantially symmetrical to the first side surface 330. Similar to the first side surface 330, the second side surface 340 includes a first portion 341 that connects to the second curved portion 321c of the upper end surface 321, and a second portion 342 that extends from the first portion 341 toward the connection portion 310.

[0054] The plate-shaped portion 320 is equipped with a pair of curved portions 321b and 321c located at both ends in the width direction of the straight portion 321a. Therefore, when used to squeeze the pouch body 100 (see Figure 4), it is possible to prevent both ends of the upper end surface 321 from catching on the surface of the pouch body 100. For example, if the planar shape of the plate-shaped portion 320 is a polygon with corners, the corners may catch when performing the squeezing work, potentially leading to reduced work efficiency or damage to the pouch body 100.

[0055] The shape (planar shape) of the plate-like portion 320 is not particularly limited, as long as the straight portion 321a formed on the upper end surface 321 has the largest width dimension within the upper end surface 321. For example, the plate-like portion 320 may be composed of shapes such as a rectangle, trapezoid, or sector, without the curved portions 321b and 321c formed on the upper end surface 321.

[0056] Here, Figure 4 shows the process of dispensing the contents from the pouch body 100 using the plate-shaped portion 320 of the cap portion 300.

[0057] Workers (for example, users who have finished using the contents, or specialized companies that clean spouted pouches 10) clean the contents adhering to the inner surface of the pouch body 100 when collecting and recycling the pouch body 100. Prior to cleaning the pouch body 100, workers perform the task of pouring out as much of the contents remaining in the storage space 101 of the pouch body 100 as possible. However, simply squeezing or squeezing the pouch body 100 by hand may not efficiently pour out the contents adhering to the inner surface of the pouch body 100, and some contents may remain inside the pouch body 100. For example, if the contents consist of a relatively foamy liquid composition such as dish soap or shampoo, the contents remaining in the pouch body 100 will easily foam up during the cleaning process, whether the user cleans it at home or a specialized company cleans it at a recycling plant. Therefore, a large amount of water is needed to wash away the foamy contents.

[0058] In the spouted pouch 10 according to this embodiment, the plate-shaped portion 320 provided on the cap portion 300 can reduce the amount of contents remaining attached to the pouch body 100. As shown in Figure 4, with the cap portion 300 removed from the dispensing tube 210, the worker can squeeze the pouch body 100 by pressing the straight portion 321a of the plate-shaped portion 320 against the outer surface of the pouch body 100 and moving the plate-shaped portion 320 toward the dispensing tube 210. By performing the above operation, the worker can move the contents toward the dispensing tube 210 more efficiently than if the pouch body 100 were crushed or squeezed by hand, and the contents can be pushed out to the outside through the dispensing tube 210. Therefore, the worker can easily and efficiently dispense the contents remaining inside the pouch body 100 to the outside of the pouch body 100.

[0059] Furthermore, the straight section 321a located on the upper end surface 321 of the plate-shaped section 320 has the widest width on the upper end surface 321 of the plate-shaped section 320 (see Figures 1 and 2). Therefore, as shown in Figure 4, by pressing the straight section 321a against the pouch body 100 from the bottom edge 120 towards the upper edge 110, the operator can increase the widthwise length of contact between the pouch body 100 and the straight section 321a in a single operation to move towards the upper edge 110. This allows the contents remaining in the pouch body 100 to be dispensed to the outside of the pouch body 100 more efficiently.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the plate-shaped portion 320 is composed of a part of the cap portion 300, the plate-shaped portion 320 can be integrated as a part of the spout-equipped pouch 10 during product distribution, storage, and use at home, etc. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the loss of the plate-shaped portion 320 when it is not in use (when the plate-shaped portion 320 is not used to dispense the contents from the pouch body 100), and to prevent the worker from having to prepare a separate tool like the plate-shaped portion 320 for squeezing when dispensing the contents from the pouch body 100.

[0061] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the cap portion 300 has a folding mechanism 350 that enables the folding operation of the plate-shaped portion 320.

[0062] Figure 2 shows the state before folding the plate-shaped portion 320, and Figure 3 shows the state after folding the plate-shaped portion 320.

[0063] In the spouted pouch 10 according to this embodiment, the plate-shaped portion 320 is integrally formed with the cap portion 300. Therefore, when the cap portion 300 is connected to the pouch body 100 (as shown in Figure 1), the plate-shaped portion 320 is positioned outside the pouch body 100 together with the cap portion 300. For example, when the spouted pouch 10 is distributed or displayed in stores, if the plate-shaped portion 320 is positioned to protrude excessively from the upper edge 110 side of the pouch body 100, the area occupied by the cap portion 300 will increase, potentially making handling cumbersome or requiring an expansion of the sales floor space.

[0064] To address the above-mentioned challenges, the spouted pouch 10 is equipped with a folding mechanism 350 that allows the plate-shaped portion 320 to be folded, thereby reducing the size (area) of the plate-shaped portion 320 that protrudes from the upper edge 110 of the pouch body 100 when the plate-shaped portion 320 is not in use, as shown in Figure 3.

[0065] In the spout-equipped pouch 10, the folding mechanism 350 allows the plate-shaped portion 320 to be folded so that it is closer to the connecting portion 310 side (the front or back side of the pouch body 100).

[0066] The folding mechanism 350 according to this embodiment has a configuration that allows the plate-shaped portion 320, once folded, to be reversibly returned to its pre-folded state, as shown in Figure 2, as shown in Figure 3. Therefore, when using the plate-shaped portion 320 to squeeze the pouch body 100, the operator can easily switch the plate-shaped portion 320 to the state (position) shown in Figure 2, and when not using the plate-shaped portion 320, to the state (position) shown in Figure 3.

[0067] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the folding mechanism 350 can be configured to include a hinge portion 360 (which is not shown in some drawings) that hinge-connects the connecting portion 310 and the plate-shaped portion 320.

[0068] The hinge portion 360 has an engaging projection (rotating shaft) 361 positioned near the lower end of the plate-shaped portion 320, opposite to the upper end surface 321, and an engaging hole 363 positioned in the connecting portion 310 opposite to the engaging projection 361, into which the engaging projection 361 is rotatably inserted.

[0069] As shown in Figure 1, the hinge portion 360 is arranged in pairs at opposing positions in the width direction of the connecting portion 310.

[0070] As shown in Figure 3, the operator can easily fold the plate-shaped part 320 by using the hinge part 360 to rotate the plate-shaped part 320 relative to the connecting part 310.

[0071] As shown in Figure 3, the upper end of the connecting portion 310 is provided with a support groove 315 for holding the position of the unfolded plate-shaped portion 320. By positioning the plate-shaped portion 320 so that a portion of the end face on the side opposite to the upper end face 321 is hooked into the support groove 315, the position of the plate-shaped portion 320 can be held as shown in Figure 2, thereby holding the plate-shaped portion 320 in an upright position relative to the pouch body 100.

[0072] The plate-shaped portion 320 is provided with a notch 325 that allows the plate-shaped portion 320 to rotate via the hinge portion 360. The notch 325 prevents interference between the plate-shaped portion 320 and the connecting portion 310 near the hinge portion 360 when the plate-shaped portion 320 rotates, as shown in Figure 3. This allows the operator to smoothly rotate and fold the plate-shaped portion 320.

[0073] In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the folding mechanism 350 is configured with a hinge portion 360 as described above. However, the specific configuration of the folding mechanism 350 is not particularly limited as long as it is possible to fold the plate-shaped portion 320 to reduce its area. For example, the folding mechanism 350 can be configured to allow the plate-shaped portion 320 to be folded at any position in the height direction of the plate-shaped portion 320. As an example, a hinge structure extending in the width direction that allows the plate-shaped portion 320 to be folded once or in multiple stages may be adopted, or a locking mechanism that locks the folded state may be added. Furthermore, even when the illustrated hinge portion 360 is adopted, the specific configuration of the hinge portion 360 itself is not limited. For example, it is possible to provide an engagement hole portion 363 on the plate-shaped portion 320 side and an engagement projection portion 361 on the connecting portion 310 side.

[0074] The spout 200 can be made of a molded polyolefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene. The inner diameter of the spout 200 (the diameter of the inner lumen of the dispensing cylinder 210) can be arbitrarily set according to the physical properties (e.g., viscosity) of the liquid composition to be contained, but can be set to, for example, 8.5 to 21 mm.

[0075] It is preferable that specially shaped portions such as the plate-shaped portion 320 be integrally molded with the general-shaped portion of the cap portion 300 (connecting portion 310, etc.). Furthermore, injection molding is preferred as the molding method. If the plate-shaped portion 320 cannot be integrally molded by adding a folding mechanism 350 (hinge portion 360), a configuration in which the plate-shaped portion 320 and the dispensing cylinder 210 are integrally assembled via the folding mechanism 350 can be adopted.

[0076] Each part of the plate-like portion 320 according to the first embodiment can be configured with the following dimensions, for example.

[0077] The thickness D11 of the plate-like portion 320 (see Figure 2) is preferably 0.5 to 5 mm, and more preferably 2 mm. By configuring the thickness D11 of the plate-like portion 320 to the above dimensions, the amount of plastic used can be reduced, and the plate-like portion 320 can be made less likely to break or bend when the pouch body 100 is squeezed using the plate-like portion 320.

[0078] The width W11 of the straight section 321a (see Figure 2) is preferably 30% to 60% of the width W3 of the pouch body 100 (see Figure 1), and more preferably 40% to 50%. For example, if the width W3 of the pouch body 100 is formed to be 100 to 200 mm as described above, the width W11 of the straight section 321a is preferably 30 to 120 mm, and more preferably 40 to 100 mm. If the width W11 of the straight section 321a is less than 30% of the width W3 of the pouch body 100, the number of times the pouch body 100 needs to be moved in the width direction to perform the squeezing operation increases, thus reducing efficiency. Also, if the width W11 of the straight section 321a is greater than 60% of the width of the pouch body 100, it becomes difficult to apply force when squeezing the pouch body 100, and the straight section becomes an unnatural size in relation to the pouch body 100. Furthermore, in the case where the plate-shaped portion 320 has a foldable structure, as in this embodiment, the width W11 of the straight portion 321a can be wider than the above range (for example, 60%) without being obtrusive, so such a size may be actively adopted.

[0079] The height H11 of the plate-like portion 320 (see Figure 2) is preferably 10 to 70 mm, more preferably 15 to 40 mm, and even more preferably 20 to 30 mm. If the height H11 of the plate-like portion 320 is less than 10 mm, it becomes difficult to grasp the plate-like portion 320 with your fingers and perform the squeezing operation. Also, if the height H11 of the plate-like portion 320 is greater than 70 mm, the plate-like portion 320 becomes an unnatural size in relation to the pouch body 100. Note that the width W11 of the straight portion 321a of the plate-like portion 320 can be made larger than the height H11.

[0080] As described above, the spouted pouch 10 according to this embodiment has a pouch body 100 having a storage space 101 capable of containing contents, a spout 200 attached to the pouch body 100, and a cap portion 300. The spout 200 has a dispensing tube 210 that is arranged to communicate the storage space 101 with the outside of the pouch body 100 and enables the dispensing of contents, and a mounting portion 220 that is arranged on one end of the dispensing tube 210 and attached to the pouch body 100. The cap portion 300, which is configured to be connectable and detachable to the other end of the dispensing cylinder 210 located outside 00, has a connecting portion 310 that is connectable and detachable to the dispensing cylinder 210, and a plate-like portion 320 that extends planarly along the width direction intersecting the extending direction of the dispensing cylinder 210. On the upper end surface 321 of the plate-like portion 320, which is located on the side opposite to the side where the connecting portion 310 is located, a straight portion 321a is formed that extends linearly along the width direction, and the straight portion 321a has the largest width dimension on the upper end surface 321.

[0081] According to the spouted pouch 10 of this embodiment, a member (plate-shaped part 320) for assisting the dispensing of contents from the pouch body 100 is provided on a part of the cap portion 300, which is configured to be connectable and detachable to the other end of the dispensing cylinder 210 located outside the pouch body 100. By using the plate-shaped part 320 to squeeze the pouch body 100, the worker can easily reduce the amount of remaining liquid inside. This makes it possible to reduce the environmental burden without increasing the burden on the worker.

[0082] Next, a modified example of the first embodiment described above will be explained.

[0083] Figure 5 shows a modified pouch 10A with a spout.

[0084] The modified spouted pouch 10A differs from the spouted pouch 10 according to the above embodiment in that the position where the spout 200 is attached is different.

[0085] As shown in Figure 5, the spout 200 can also be attached, for example, to an inclined edge 150 formed between the upper edge 110 and the first side edge 130. The inclined edge 150 has a sealing portion 151 formed thereon that seals the film constituting the pouch body 100. The attachment portion 220 can be attached to the portion where this sealing portion 151 is formed.

[0086] As explained in this modified example, there are no particular restrictions on the position where the spout 200 is attached to the pouch body 100, and any position on the pouch body 100 can be selected. For example, it is possible to provide an inclined edge 150 between the upper edge 110 and the second side edge 140 of the pouch body 100 and attach the spout 200 to this inclined edge 150.

[0087] Figure 6 shows a modified cap portion 300A according to the first embodiment. The cap portion 300A shown in this modified example does not have a folding mechanism 350 (hinge portion 360). As shown in this modified example, the installation of the folding mechanism 350 on the cap portion 300A can be omitted as appropriate. By not providing the folding mechanism 350 on the cap portion 300A, the cap portion 300A can be constructed more simply. Therefore, it becomes possible to simplify the manufacturing process of the cap portion 300A and reduce manufacturing costs.

[0088] Figures 7 to 11 show a cap portion 300B equipped with a folding mechanism 350 according to a modified example of the first embodiment.

[0089] As shown in Figure 7, the cap portion 300B is configured such that the plate-shaped portion 320 can be connected to and separated from the connecting portion 310.

[0090] A connecting pin 380 extending in the longitudinal direction of the plate-like portion 320 is provided on the bottom surface of the plate-like portion 320 (the end surface located on the side facing the upper end surface 321 of the plate-like portion 320). A bulge 381 of a predetermined size and shape is provided at the lower end of the connecting pin 380. In this modified example, the bulge 381 is formed in a spherical shape. However, there are no particular restrictions on the shape, size, etc., of the bulge 381.

[0091] The upper end surface of the connecting portion 310 has a first groove 316 extending in the width direction (arrow X1-X2 direction), a second groove 317 extending in a direction perpendicular to the first groove 316 (arrow Z1-Z2 direction), an insertion hole 316a formed at the intersection of the first groove 316 and the second groove 317, a notched hole 318 extending downward from the connecting portion 310, connected to the second groove 317, and an inclined wall 319 positioned near the lower end of the hole 318.

[0092] As shown in Figure 8, when connecting the plate-shaped portion 320 and the connecting portion 310, the bulging portion 381 of the connecting pin 380 is inserted into the insertion hole 316a of the connecting portion 310. Also, as shown in Figure 9, the plate-shaped portion 320 can be supported by the first groove portion 316 by fitting the bottom surface of the plate-shaped portion 320 into the first groove portion 316. This prevents the plate-shaped portion 320 from being unintentionally folded.

[0093] When folding the plate-shaped portion 320, as shown in Figure 10, the connecting pin 380 is lifted and the bulging portion 381 of the connecting pin 380 is removed from the insertion hole 316a. Next, the bulging portion 381 of the connecting pin 380 is moved along the second groove 317. By forming the width of the second groove 317 to be smaller than the outer diameter of the bulging portion 381, a frictional force can be generated between the bulging portion 381 of the connecting pin 380 and the inner wall of the second groove 317 when the bulging portion 381 of the connecting pin 380 is moved along the second groove 317. This prevents the connecting pin 380 from unintentionally coming out of the hole 318 connected to the second groove 317.

[0094] Next, as shown in Figure 11, the plate-shaped portion 320 can be folded by moving the bulging portion 381 of the connecting pin 380 downward along the inclined wall 319 located near the lower end of the hole 318. In this modified example, the bulging portion 381 of the connecting pin 380 and the inclined wall 319 provided on the connecting portion 310 work together to perform the function of a folding mechanism 350.

[0095] <Second Embodiment> Next, a spouted pouch 10B according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 12 to 14. Note that the configurations and effects already described in the first embodiment will be omitted from the description as appropriate.

[0096] In the spouted pouch 10 according to the first embodiment described above, an example was shown in which a plate-shaped portion 320 that allows squeezing the pouch body 100 is integrally formed with the cap portion 300 (see Figure 1). On the other hand, in the spouted pouch 10B according to the second embodiment, the plate-shaped portion 320 is connected to the mounting portion 220 and is located inside the pouch body 100.

[0097] As shown in Figures 12 to 14, the spouted pouch 10B according to this embodiment includes a pouch body 100 having a storage space 101 capable of accommodating contents, and a spout 200A attached to the pouch body 100.

[0098] The spout 200A is arranged to connect the storage space 101 with the outside of the pouch body 100 and includes a dispensing tube 210 that enables the dispensing of contents, a mounting portion 220 located at one end of the dispensing tube 210 (the end indicated by arrow Y2 in the figure) and attached to the pouch body 100, and a plate-shaped portion 320 integrally connected to the mounting portion 220 and located within the storage space 101.

[0099] In the spouted pouch 10B, the plate-shaped portion 320 is located within the storage space 101 of the pouch body 100 when the plate-shaped portion 320 is not in use (when the operation of dispensing contents from the pouch body 100 using the plate-shaped portion 320 is not being performed).

[0100] The spout 200A is equipped with a cap portion 230 that can be attached to the dispensing cylinder 210 of the spout 200A. When the operator does not intend to dispense the contents from the dispensing cylinder 210, they can attach the cap portion 230 to the dispensing cylinder 210 to prevent the contents from being dispensed unintentionally.

[0101] As shown in Figure 13, the plate-like portion 320 has a shape that extends in a planar manner along the width direction (direction of arrows X1-X2 in the figure) which intersects with the extending direction of the dispensing cylinder 210 (direction of arrows Y1-Y2 in the figure).

[0102] As shown in Figure 12, the straight section 323a extends in a straight line in the width direction in a plan view of the spouted pouch 10. More specifically, the straight section 323a extends perpendicular to the vertical direction (along the arrows Y1-Y2) in which the dispensing cylinder 210 extends. Furthermore, the height of the straight section 323a from a predetermined reference position (for example, the upper end surface 321 of the plate-like section 320 shown in Figure 13) is approximately constant in each part of the straight section 323a. Therefore, in a front view in Figure 12, the straight section 323a extends approximately parallel to the upper edge 110 (or bottom edge 120) of the pouch body 100. Note that the straight section 323a can be formed such that each part of the straight section 323a has approximately the same thickness D12.

[0103] On the lower end surface 323 of the plate-shaped portion 320, which is located on the side opposite to the side where the dispensing cylinder 210 is located (the side indicated by arrow Y2 in the figure), a straight portion 323a is formed that extends linearly along the width direction.

[0104] The straight section 323a of the plate-like section 320 has the largest width dimension (dimension W12 in Figure 13) among the lower end surfaces 323.

[0105] The lower end surface 323 is provided with a pair of curved portions 323b and 323c located at both ends of the straight portion 323a in the width direction. As described above, the straight portion 323a has the largest width dimension (dimension W12 in the figure) among the lower end surface 323. In other words, the width dimension of the straight portion 323a is larger than the width dimensions (dimensions W23 and W24 in the figure) of each curved portion 323b and 323c formed on the lower end surface 323.

[0106] As shown in Figure 13, the plate-like portion 320 has a pair of side surfaces 330 and 340 that are continuously connected to the lower end surface 323.

[0107] The first side surface 330 extends substantially in a straight line from the first curved portion 323b of the lower end surface 323 toward the upper end surface 321 located toward the mounting portion 220. The second side surface 340 extends substantially in a straight line from the second curved portion 323c of the lower end surface 323 toward the upper end surface 321 located toward the mounting portion 220.

[0108] Since the plate-shaped portion 320 includes a pair of curved portions 323b and 323c located at both ends in the width direction of the straight portion 323a, it is possible to prevent both ends of the lower end surface 323 from catching on the surface of the pouch body 100 when squeezing the pouch body 100 (see Figure 14), similar to the plate-shaped portion 320 according to the first embodiment described above (see Figure 4).

[0109] The shape (planar shape) of the plate-like portion 320 is not particularly limited, as long as the straight portion 323a formed on the lower end surface 323 has the longest width on the lower end surface 323. For example, the plate-like portion 320 may be made up of a rectangle, trapezoid, or sector shape, etc., without the curved portions 323b and 323c formed on the lower end surface 323, or curved portions may be provided on each side surface 330 and 340, as will be explained in the modified examples described later (see Figure 16).

[0110] As shown in Figure 13, the plate-shaped portion 320 has a flow guide hole 370 that penetrates the plate-shaped portion 320 in the thickness direction (direction indicated by arrows Z1-Z2) and communicates with the inner cavity of the mounting portion 220 (not shown).

[0111] As mentioned above, in the spouted pouch 10B, the plate-shaped portion 320 is located within the storage space 101 of the pouch body 100 when the plate-shaped portion 320 is not in use, as shown in Figure 1. In this state, if the contents are to be dispensed to the outside of the pouch body 100 through the lumen of the attachment portion 220 and the lumen of the dispensing tube 210, the flow of contents toward the dispensing tube 210 may be obstructed by the plate-shaped portion 320, potentially reducing the efficiency of the dispensing process.

[0112] As described above, the spouted pouch 10B of this embodiment is equipped with a plate-shaped portion 320 having a guide hole 370 that communicates with the lumen of the dispensing cylinder 210. Because the plate-shaped portion 320 is provided with a guide hole 370, the contents can be introduced into the lumen of the mounting portion 220 from both sides in the thickness direction of the plate-shaped portion 320 (both sides of the inner surface of the pouch body 100 that sandwiches the plate-shaped portion 320) via the guide hole 370. As a result, even when the plate-shaped portion 320 is placed in the storage space 101 of the pouch body 100, the contents can be smoothly guided towards the lumen of the mounting portion 220. Therefore, even when the plate-shaped portion 320 is placed in the storage space 101 of the pouch body 100, a decrease in the work efficiency of the dispensing operation of the contents can be prevented.

[0113] The guide hole 370 is preferably provided at a position vertically below the mounting portion 220 and the dispensing cylinder 210 (the position on the side of arrow Y2). The guide hole 370 can be configured to have a length of approximately 15 mm along the vertical direction, for example.

[0114] The specific configuration of the flow guide hole 370 is not particularly limited, as long as it has the function of guiding the contents held in the containment space 101 into the lumen of the mounting portion 220. For example, the position, size, and planar shape of the flow guide hole 370 formed in the plate-shaped portion 320 can be arbitrarily changed.

[0115] As shown in Figure 12, the pouch body 100 has an opening portion 160 that allows an opening 161 to be formed in the pouch body 100 by rupturing a part of the pouch body 100.

[0116] The attachment portion 220 attached to the pouch body 100 is configured to be detachable from the pouch body 100 when the pouch body 100 is ruptured by the opening portion 160.

[0117] When an operator uses the plate-shaped part 320 to squeeze the pouch body 100, as shown in Figure 14, the opening part 160 allows the operator to detach the spout 200A from the pouch body 100 along with a portion 100a of the pouch body 100. By separating the plate-shaped part 320, which was connected to the pouch body 100 via the attachment part 220, from the pouch body 100, the operator can then use the plate-shaped part 320 to squeeze the pouch body 100.

[0118] Furthermore, by separating the pouch body 100 at the position where the opening portion 160 is formed, an opening 161 can be formed at the original location of the opening portion 160. Therefore, by squeezing the pouch body 100 using the plate-shaped portion 320, it becomes possible to dispense the contents through the opening 161, which has a larger opening area than the dispensing tube 210 of the spout 200A. This further improves the efficiency of the dispensing operation.

[0119] Furthermore, the portion 100a of the pouch body 100 that is attached to the separated spout 200A may be removed from the spout 200A, or the pouch body 100 may be squeezed without being removed (see Figure 14).

[0120] As shown in Figure 12, the opening portion 160 can be formed at any position on the bottom edge 120 side of the position where the attachment portion 220 is attached. Furthermore, the opening portion 160 can be formed to be continuously connected along the entire circumference of the pouch body 100. The position where the opening portion 160 is provided is not particularly limited, as long as it allows the spout 200A to be separated from the pouch body 100 along with a portion 100a of the pouch body 100.

[0121] The opening portion 160 is preferably configured so that, for example, an operator can easily break the pouch body 100 by hand. One example of such a configuration is to provide a half-cut line or the like on the pouch body 100.

[0122] Half-cut lines can be formed by known methods, for example, by the following methods (a) to (d).

[0123] (a) The surface layer of the laminated film constituting the pouch body 100 is partially burned by laser irradiation to create linear or intermittent lines. (b) A uniaxially oriented film is laminated into the laminated film constituting the pouch body 100 (in this case, the uniaxially oriented film is used so that its stretching direction coincides with the opening direction). (c) Slits are made in the inner layer of the laminated film constituting the pouch body 100 (straight cut method). (d) Intermittent perforations are made in the film by alternately creating cut and non-cut sections, and then the film is laminated to form a pouch.

[0124] The opening portion 160 is more preferably formed by laser irradiation, which allows for easier creation of a free shape. Furthermore, if a half-cut line is provided, a cut may be made at the starting point of the opening. The cut may be a semicircular, I-shaped, or V-shaped notch, or a slit. A form with both a notch and a cut is also acceptable.

[0125] Figure 14 shows how the contents are dispensed from the pouch body 100 using the plate-shaped portion 320 of the spout 200A according to the second embodiment.

[0126] Similar to the use of the spout 200 according to the first embodiment described above, the worker can squeeze the pouch body 100 with the plate-shaped portion 320. Specifically, with the spout 200A separated from the pouch body 100, the worker can squeeze the pouch body 100 by pressing the straight portion 323a of the plate-shaped portion 320 against the outer surface of the pouch body 100 and moving the plate-shaped portion 320 toward the opening 161. By performing the above operation, the worker can efficiently move the contents toward the opening 161 compared to crushing or squeezing the pouch body 100 with their hands or the like. Therefore, the worker can easily and efficiently pour out any contents remaining in the pouch body 100 to the outside of the pouch body 100.

[0127] Furthermore, the straight section 323a formed on the lower end surface 323 of the plate-shaped section 320 has the widest width among the lower end surface 323 of the plate-shaped section 320 (see Figure 13). Therefore, as shown in Figure 14, by moving the straight section 323a from the bottom edge 120 side of the pouch body 100 toward the opening 161 side, the operator can increase the widthwise length of contact between the pouch body 100 and the straight section 323a in a single operation toward the opening 161 side. This makes it possible to more efficiently pour out the contents remaining in the pouch body 100 to the outside of the pouch body 100.

[0128] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the spout 200A and the plate-shaped part 320 can be connected to the pouch body 100 before performing the squeezing operation using the plate-shaped part 320. Therefore, during product distribution, storage, and use at home, the plate-shaped part 320 can be integrated as a part of the spout-equipped pouch 10A. This prevents the plate-shaped part 320 from being lost when it is not in use, and avoids the need for the operator to separately prepare a squeezing tool such as the plate-shaped part 320 when dispensing the contents from the pouch body 100.

[0129] Each part of the plate-like portion 320 according to the second embodiment can be configured with the following dimensions, for example.

[0130] The thickness D12 of the plate-like portion 320 (see Figure 13) is preferably 0.5 to 5 mm, and more preferably 2 mm. By configuring the thickness D12 of the plate-like portion 320 to the above dimensions, the amount of plastic used can be reduced, and the plate-like portion 320 can be made less likely to break or bend when the pouch body 100 is squeezed using the plate-like portion 320.

[0131] The width W12 of the straight section 323a (see Figure 13) is preferably 30% to 60% of the width W3 of the pouch body 100 (see Figure 12), and more preferably 40% to 50%. For example, if the width W3 of the pouch body 100 is formed to be 100 to 200 mm as described above, the width W12 of the straight section 323a is preferably 30 to 120 mm, and more preferably 40 to 100 mm. If the width W12 of the straight section 323a is less than 30% of the width W3 of the pouch body 100, the number of times the pouch body 100 needs to be moved in the width direction to perform the squeezing operation increases, thus reducing efficiency. Also, if the width W12 of the straight section 323a is greater than 60% of the width of the pouch body 100, it becomes difficult to apply force when squeezing the pouch body 100, and the straight section becomes an unnatural size in relation to the pouch body 100.

[0132] The height H12 of the plate-like portion 320 (see Figure 13) is preferably 10 to 100 mm, more preferably 30 to 70 mm, and even more preferably 40 to 50 mm. If the height H12 of the plate-like portion 320 is less than 10 mm, it becomes difficult to grasp the plate-like portion 320 with your fingers and perform the squeezing operation. Also, if the height H12 of the plate-like portion 320 is greater than 100 mm, it becomes difficult to apply force to the plate-like portion 320.

[0133] As described above, the spout-equipped pouch 10B according to this embodiment is provided with a member (plate-shaped part 320) on a part of the spout 200 attached to the pouch body 100 to assist in dispensing the contents from the pouch body 100. By using the plate-shaped part 320 to squeeze the pouch body 100, the worker can easily reduce the amount of remaining liquid inside. This makes it possible to reduce the environmental burden without increasing the burden on the worker.

[0134] Next, a modified example of the second embodiment described above will be explained.

[0135] Figure 15 shows a modified example of a spout-equipped pouch 10C.

[0136] The modified spout pouch 10C differs from the spout pouch 10B according to the second embodiment described above in that the position in which the spout 200A is attached is different.

[0137] As shown in Figure 15, the spout 200A can also be attached, for example, to an inclined edge 150 formed between the upper edge 110 and the first side edge 130. The inclined edge 150 has a sealing portion 151 formed thereon that seals the film constituting the pouch body 100. The attachment portion 220 can be attached to the portion where this sealing portion 151 is formed, similar to the first embodiment described above (see Figure 5). When the spout 200A is positioned in the above location, for example, the opening portion 160 can be positioned at any location that is a predetermined distance from the inclined edge 150 so as to extend substantially parallel to the inclined edge 150.

[0138] As explained in the above modified example, there are no particular restrictions on the position where the spout 200A is attached to the pouch body 100, and any position on the pouch body 100 can be selected. For example, it is possible to provide an inclined edge 150 between the upper edge 110 and the second side edge 140 of the pouch body 100, and attach the spout 200 to this inclined edge 150.

[0139] Figure 16 shows a modified spout 200A according to the second embodiment. In this modified spout 200A, each side surface 330, 340 of the plate-shaped portion 320 is provided with curved second portions 332, 342 in addition to the linearly extending first portions 331, 341.

[0140] The second portion 332 of the first side surface 330 is formed between the first portion 331, which is connected to the curved portion 323b of the lower end surface 323, and the upper end surface 321. The second portion 332 has a curved shape that approaches the mounting portion 220 side (inward).

[0141] The second portion 342 of the second side surface 340 is formed between the first portion 341, which is connected to the curved portion 323c of the lower end surface 323, and the upper end surface 321. The second portion 342 has a curved shape that approaches the mounting portion 220 side (inward).

[0142] In the modified version, the plate-shaped portion 320 is provided with curved second portions 332 and 342 in the area connected to the mounting portion 220. Therefore, when connecting the mounting portion 220 to the pouch body 100 (for example, when welding by heat sealing), it is possible to prevent the portions corresponding to each of the second portions 332 and 342 from being sandwiched by the film constituting the pouch body 100. This makes it possible to attach the spout 200A to the pouch body 100 more easily.

[0143] <Third Embodiment> Next, a spouted pouch 10D according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 17 to 19. Note that the configurations and effects already described in the first and second embodiments will be omitted as appropriate.

[0144] In the spouted pouches 10 and 10B according to the first and second embodiments described above, an example was shown in which a plate-shaped portion 320 is used as a member to assist in the work of squeezing the pouch body 100 (see Figures 4 and 14). On the other hand, in the spouted pouch 10D according to the third embodiment, the member that assists in the work of squeezing the pouch body 100 is composed of a clamping portion 400 that can hold the pouch body 100.

[0145] As shown in Figures 17 to 19, the spouted pouch 10D according to this embodiment includes a pouch body 100 having a storage space 101 capable of accommodating contents, and a spout 200B attached to the pouch body 100.

[0146] The spout 200B is arranged to connect the storage space 101 of the pouch body 100 with the outside of the pouch body 100 and includes a dispensing tube 210 that enables the dispensing of contents, a mounting portion 220 attached to the pouch body 100, and a clamping portion 400 that can clamp the pouch body from the front side (one side of the outer surface) and the back side (the other side of the outer surface) of the pouch body 100.

[0147] As shown in Figures 17 and 18, the clamping portion 400 is positioned to protrude from the dispensing cylinder 210. The clamping portion 400 can be configured, for example, to extend in a substantially straight line along the width direction of the pouch body 100 (indicated by arrows X1-X2).

[0148] The clamping portion 400 has a pair of clamping pieces 410, 420.

[0149] The first clamping piece 410 and the second clamping piece 420 are arranged facing each other, separated by a gap 430 formed along a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of each clamping piece 410, 420 (indicated by arrows Z1-Z2).

[0150] Each clamping piece 410, 420 can be configured, for example, to have a flat plate shape that is substantially the same, as shown in Figure 18. However, as will be explained in the modified examples described later, there are no particular restrictions on the shape (cross-sectional shape) or size of each clamping piece 410, 420.

[0151] As shown in Figure 17, the clamping portion 400 is integrally connected to the dispensing cylinder 210. Furthermore, the clamping portion 400 is positioned outside the pouch body 100 when the mounting portion 220 is attached to the pouch body 100 (in its unused state before the work of squeezing the pouch body 100 using the clamping portion 400 is performed). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the clamping portion 400 from coming into contact with the contents and the contents from adhering to the clamping portion 400 before the work of squeezing the pouch body 100 is performed using the clamping portion 400.

[0152] The dispensing cylinder 210 has a flange portion 215 that is located at a predetermined distance downward from the clamping portion 400.

[0153] The pouch body 100 is equipped with an opening section 160, similar to the pouch body 100 according to the second embodiment described above (see Figure 12). The opening section 160 can be positioned at any location, for example, spaced further away from the mounting section 220 towards the bottom edge 120. When the worker begins the process of squeezing the pouch body 100 using the gripping section 400, as shown in Figure 19, the spout 200B can be separated from the pouch body 100 by detaching a portion 100a of the pouch body 100 using the opening section 160.

[0154] Furthermore, similar to the second embodiment described above, the operator can create an opening 161 at the original location of the opening 160 by detaching the pouch body 100 at the position where the opening 160 was formed. In this state, by squeezing the pouch body 100 using the gripping part 400, the contents can be dispensed through the opening 161, which has a larger opening area than the dispensing tube 210 of the spout 200B. Therefore, the work efficiency of the contents dispensing operation can be further improved (see Figure 19).

[0155] Figure 19 shows how the contents are dispensed from the pouch body 100 using the clamping portion 400 of the spout 200B according to the third embodiment.

[0156] With the spout 200B separated from the pouch body 100, the worker inserts the pouch body 100 into the gap 430 between the clamping pieces 410 and 420, and clamps the pouch body 100 with the clamping pieces 410 and 420. This allows the worker to press the inner surfaces of the clamping pieces 410 and 420 against the front and back surfaces of the pouch body 100. With the clamping part 400 in contact with the pouch body 100, the worker can squeeze the pouch body 100 by moving the clamping part 400 toward the opening 161. By squeezing the pouch body 100 using the clamping part 400, the worker can efficiently move the contents toward the opening 161 compared to crushing or squeezing the pouch body 100 with their hands or other means. Therefore, the operator can easily and efficiently pour out any remaining contents from the pouch body 100 to the outside of the pouch body 100.

[0157] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the spout 200B and the clamping part 400 can be connected to the pouch body 100 before performing the squeezing operation using the clamping part 400. Therefore, during product distribution, storage, and use at home, the clamping part 400 can be integrated as a part of the spout-equipped pouch 10D. This effectively prevents the loss of the clamping part 400 when it is not in use, and avoids the extra step of the operator having to prepare a separate squeezing tool like the clamping part 400 when dispensing the contents from the pouch body 100.

[0158] Each part of the clamping portion 400 according to the third embodiment can be configured with the following dimensions, for example.

[0159] The thickness D13 of each clamping piece 410, 420 (see Figure 18) is preferably 0.5 to 5 mm, and more preferably 2 mm. By configuring the thickness D13 of each clamping piece 410, 420 to the above dimensions, the amount of plastic used can be reduced, and when the pouch body 100 is squeezed using each clamping piece 410, 420, each clamping piece 410, 420 can be made less likely to break or bend.

[0160] The width W13 of each clamping piece 410, 420 (see Figure 18) is preferably, for example, 51% or more of the width W3 of the pouch body 100 and a length that fits within the inner dimensions of the pouch body 100 (dimensions inside the sealing parts 131, 141), and more preferably 60% or more of the width W3 of the pouch body 100 and a length that fits within the inner dimensions of the pouch body 100. If the width W13 of each clamping piece 410, 420 is not 51% or more of the width W3 of the pouch body 100, it will not be possible to squeeze the area near the center in the width direction of the pouch body 100. Also, if the width W13 of each clamping piece 410, 420 is larger than the length that fits within the inner dimensions of the pouch body 100, it will be an unnatural size in relation to the pouch body 100.

[0161] The height H13 of each clamping piece 410, 420 (see Figure 18) is preferably 10 to 50 mm, more preferably 15 to 30 mm, and even more preferably 15 to 20 mm. If the height H13 of each clamping piece 410, 420 is less than 10 mm, it becomes difficult to grasp and squeeze the pouch body 100. Also, if the height H13 of each clamping piece 410, 420 is greater than 50 mm, it becomes difficult to apply force to the pouch body 100.

[0162] The size D14 of the gap 430 between each clamping piece 410, 420 (see Figure 18) is preferably, for example, at least twice the total thickness of the pouch body 100 (the total thickness of the film constituting the pouch body 100 when empty) and at least 1.5 mm. If the size D14 of the gap 430 is not at least twice the total thickness of the pouch body 100, it becomes difficult to clamp the pouch body 100. Also, if the size D14 of the gap 430 is larger than 1.5 mm, it becomes impossible to efficiently squeeze the pouch body 100.

[0163] As described above, the spout-equipped pouch 10D according to this embodiment is provided with a member (clamping part 400) on a part of the spout 200 attached to the pouch body 100 to assist in dispensing the contents from the pouch body 100. By using the clamping part 400 to squeeze the pouch body 100, the worker can easily reduce the amount of remaining liquid inside. This makes it possible to reduce the environmental burden without increasing the burden on the worker.

[0164] Next, a modified example of the third embodiment described above will be explained.

[0165] Figure 20 shows a modified pouch 10E with a spout.

[0166] The modified spout pouch 10E differs from the spout pouch 10D according to the third embodiment described above in the position where the clamping portion 400 is located.

[0167] As shown in Figure 20, the clamping portion 400 connected to the dispensing cylinder 210 can be positioned to be in direct contact with the pouch body 100. More specifically, the clamping portion 400 can be positioned to be sandwiched between the films that make up the pouch body 100.

[0168] The pouch body 100 is provided with a sealing portion 111 on its upper edge 110 and an additional sealing portion 113 formed at a predetermined distance from the sealing portion 111 toward the bottom edge 120. The clamping portion 400 can be housed in the space partitioned between the sealing portions 111 and 113. This prevents the clamping portion 400 from coming into contact with the contents and the contents from adhering to the clamping portion 400. The dispensing cylinder 210 has two flange portions 215 positioned at a predetermined distance vertically from the clamping portion 400.

[0169] An opening section 160 can be provided at a predetermined distance from the sealing section 113 toward the bottom edge 120. When the worker begins squeezing the pouch body 100 using the gripping section 400, the spout 200B and the gripping section 400 can be separated from the pouch body 100 by detaching the pouch body 100 at the opening section 160.

[0170] In the spouted pouch 10E according to this modified example, the clamping portion 400 can be housed inside the pouch body 100 when it is not in use. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the clamping portion 400 from being located outside the pouch body 100, which would make the clamping portion 400 bulky, or to prevent the user from feeling uncomfortable due to a configuration in which the clamping portion 400 is connected to the pouch body 100.

[0171] Figure 21 shows a modified clamping portion 400A. As shown in this modified example, the clamping portion 400 can also be configured to have a predetermined cross-sectional shape (for example, a W-shape) that makes it easier for the pouch body 100 to interlock between the clamping pieces 410 and 420.

[0172] Figure 22 also shows a clamping section 400B relating to another modified example. As shown in this modified example, the clamping section 400 can also be configured such that, for example, ribs 440 are provided on the outer surface of each clamping piece 410, 420 to suppress bending of each clamping piece 410, 420. By providing the ribs 440, each clamping piece 410, 420 can increase the clamping force when clamping the pouch body 100. There are no particular restrictions on the shape, size, or installation position of the ribs 440.

[0173] As shown in each of the above modifications, there are no particular restrictions on the specific shape or structure of the clamping part, as long as it is configured to allow the squeezing operation to be performed while the pouch body 100 is being clamped.

[0174] <Examples> Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0175] For the following Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples, the process of dispensing the contents from the pouch body was carried out, and the workability of the dispensing process and the amount of residual contents were compared and examined. In the Examples, the same reference numerals used in the previously described embodiments are used for clarity.

[0176] Example 1 was constructed using a spouted pouch 10A as shown in Figure 5. The plate-like portion 320 was constructed with a width W11 = 60 mm of the straight portion 321a of the upper end surface 321, a height H11 = 40 mm, and a thickness D11 = 2 mm.

[0177] Example 2 was constructed using a spouted pouch 10C as shown in Figure 15. The lower end surface 323 had a straight section 323a with a width W12 = 60 mm, a plate-like section 320 with a height H12 = 40 mm, and a thickness D12 = 2 mm.

[0178] Example 3 consisted of a spouted pouch 10D as shown in Figure 17. The clamping section 400 had a width W13 = 120 mm, a height H13 = 10 mm, and each clamping piece 410 and 420 had a thickness D13 = 2 mm.

[0179] In the comparative example, a spouted pouch 10A of Example 1 was prepared without the plate-shaped portion 320 on the cap portion 300. All other configurations were the same as those of spouted pouch 10A.

[0180] The following features were common to each of Examples 1 to 3 and the Comparative Example. • Pouch body material (100): PET12 / Ny15 / LLDPE150 • Bottom material of pouch body 100: Ny25 / LLDPE150 • Pouch body size 100 (external dimensions): Width 160mm, Height 270mm, Bottom depth 40mm • Spout material: PE • Dimensions of the spout nozzle: Inner diameter 10mm • Location of the opening in Examples 2 and 3: Below the seal formed on the pouch body (as shown in Figures 15 and 17). Method of forming the opening: Laser irradiation. • The length of the side (inclined edge 150) of the spout mounting part in Examples 1 and 2 is 70 mm. • Contents: Laundry detergent ·Initial filling amount: 1000g.

[0181] <Regarding Example 1> 1000g of laundry detergent was filled into the pouch body 100 meeting the above conditions, and the upper edge 110 was heat-sealed. The cap portion 300 of the spout 200 was opened, and the contents were discharged. The pouch body 100 was then placed horizontally on a table, and the plate-shaped portion 320 of the cap portion 300 was held with the plate-shaped portion 320 facing downwards. The plate-shaped portion 320 of the cap portion 300 was then raised and pressed against the surface of the pouch body 100, and the contents were squeezed from the bottom edge 120 towards the upper edge 110 where the dispensing cylinder 210 was located. This operation was repeated several times along the width of the pouch body 100 to minimize the amount of remaining liquid, and after guiding the contents toward the dispensing cylinder 210 and discharging them, the amount of remaining liquid was checked by weight measurement.

[0182] <Regarding Example 2> 1000g of laundry detergent was filled into the pouch body 100 meeting the above conditions, and the upper edge 110 was heat-sealed. The cap portion 230 of the spout 200 was opened, and after the contents were discharged, the pouch body 100 was torn by hand from the opening portion 160 formed near the spout 200, separating the spout 200A, which has a plate-like portion 320 at its bottom, from the pouch body 100. The pouch body 100 was placed horizontally on a table, the plate-like portion 320 of the spout 200A was held with the plate-like portion 320 facing downwards, and the plate-like portion 320 was held upright and pressed against the surface of the pouch body 100, squeezing from the bottom edge 120 towards the upper edge 110. This operation was performed several times along the width of the pouch body 100 to minimize the amount of remaining liquid, and after guiding the contents to the opening 161 and discharging them, the amount of remaining liquid was confirmed by weight measurement.

[0183] <Regarding Example 3> 1000g of laundry detergent was filled into the pouch body 100 meeting the above conditions, and the upper edge 110 was heat-sealed. The cap portion 230 of the spout 200B was opened, and after the contents were discharged, the pouch body 100 was torn by hand from the opening portion 160 formed on the pouch body 100, and the spout 200B, which is provided with the gripping portion 400, was separated from the pouch body 100. The pouch body 100 was held upside down vertically with one hand, and the gripping portion 400 of the spout 200B was held with the other hand, and the pouch body 100 was squeezed from the front and back, from the bottom edge 120 to the upper edge 110 (from top to bottom). This operation was repeated several times to minimize the amount of remaining liquid, and after guiding the contents to the opening 161 and discharging them, the amount of remaining liquid was confirmed by weight measurement.

[0184] <Comparative Example> A standard spout pouch (a spout pouch without a plate-shaped section 320 and a clamping section 400) was filled with 1000g of laundry detergent, and the top edge was heat-sealed. The spout cap was opened, the pouch body was turned upside down, and the contents were discharged from the spout's dispensing tube. The remaining liquid volume was then checked by weight measurement.

[0185] Figure 23 shows the results for each of Examples 1 to 3 and the comparative example.

[0186] As shown in Figure 23, by squeezing the pouch body 100 using the plate-shaped portion 320 or clamping portion 400 of the spout in Examples 1 to 3, the amount of residual liquid could be significantly reduced compared to when the contents were dispensed from a general spout in the comparative example. In addition, in Examples 2 and 3, since the spout was separated from the pouch body by the opening portion 160, the area around the opening 161 became flat, allowing for efficient squeezing out of the residual liquid.

[0187] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways within the scope of the claims.

[0188] For example, the opening portion 160 described in the second and third embodiments can also be provided on the pouch body 100 according to the first embodiment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0189] 10 Pouches with spouts 10A Pouch with Spout 10B Pouch with spout 10C Pouch with Spout 10D Pouch with Spout 10E Pouch with Spout 100 pouches 101 Containment Space 110 Upper edge 120 Bottom edge 130 1st side edge 140 Second side edge 150 Sloping edge 160 Opening section 161 Opening 200 Spout 200A Spout 200B Spout 210 Pour tube 220 Mounting part 300 Cap section 300A cap section 300B cap section 310 Connection part 315 Support groove 320 Plate-shaped part 321 Upper end surface 321a Straight section 321b First curved section 321c Second curve 323 Lower end surface 323a Straight section 323b First curved section 323c Second curve 325 Notch 330 1st aspect 331 Part 1 332 Part 2 340 Second aspect 341 Part 1 342 Part 2 350 Folding mechanism 360 Hinge section 361 Engagement protrusion 363 Engagement hole 370 Direction hole 400 Clamping part 400A clamping part 400B Clamping part 410 1st clamping piece 420 Second clamping piece 430 Gap 440 Rib W11 Width of the straight section on the upper end surface W12 Width of the straight section on the lower end surface

Claims

1. A pouch body having a storage space capable of containing contents, The spout attached to the pouch body, It has a cap part, The aforementioned spout is A dispensing tube is provided, which is arranged to connect the storage space with the outside of the pouch body and enables the dispensing of the contents. It has an attachment portion located on one end of the dispensing cylinder and attached to the pouch body, The cap portion is configured to be connectable to and detachable from the other end of the dispensing cylinder, which is located outside the pouch body. The dispensing cylinder and a detachable connecting part, It has a plate-like portion that extends planarly along the width direction intersecting the extending direction of the dispensing cylinder, On the upper end surface of the plate-like portion, which is located on the side opposite to the side where the connecting portion is located, a straight portion is formed that extends linearly along the width direction. The aforementioned straight section is a spout-equipped pouch with the largest dimension in the width direction among the upper end faces.

2. The spout pouch according to claim 1, wherein the cap portion has a folding mechanism that enables the folding operation of the plate-shaped portion.

3. The spout pouch according to claim 2, wherein the folding mechanism comprises a hinge portion that hinge-connects the connecting portion and the plate-shaped portion.

4. A pouch body having a storage space capable of containing contents, The pouch body has a spout attached to it, The aforementioned spout is A dispensing tube is provided, which is arranged to connect the storage space with the outside of the pouch body and enables the dispensing of the contents. An attachment portion is located on one end of the dispensing cylinder and attached to the pouch body, It has a plate-shaped portion which is integrally connected to the mounting portion and arranged within the housing space, The plate-like portion has a shape that extends in a planar manner along the width direction intersecting the extending direction of the dispensing cylinder. On the lower end surface of the plate-like portion located on the side opposite to the side where the dispensing cylinder is located, a straight portion is formed that extends linearly along the width direction. The aforementioned straight section is a spout-equipped pouch with the largest dimension in the width direction among the lower end surfaces.

5. The spout pouch according to claim 4, wherein the plate-like portion has a flow guide hole that penetrates the plate-like portion in the thickness direction and communicates with the inner cavity of the mounting portion.

6. A pouch body having a storage space capable of containing contents, The pouch body has a spout attached to it, The aforementioned spout is A dispensing tube is provided, which is arranged to connect the storage space with the outside of the pouch body and enables the dispensing of the contents. The mounting portion attached to the pouch body, A pouch with a spout, having a clamping portion that can grip the pouch body from the front side and the back side of the pouch body.

7. The spouted pouch according to claim 6, wherein the clamping portion is integrally connected to the dispensing cylinder and is located outside the pouch body or is located in direct contact with the pouch body.

8. The pouch body has an opening portion that allows an opening to be formed in the pouch body by rupturing a part of the pouch body. The spouted pouch according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the attachment portion of the spout is separable from the pouch body upon rupture of the pouch body by the opening portion.

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