Pouch

Abstract

To provide a pouch allowed to reduce an accommodation space in the case that the storage amount of a content is small.SOLUTION: A pouch 1 comprises: a packaging bag 100 including a front face sheet 101, a back face sheet 102, a bottom face sheet, and a top face sheet 104; and a spout 200. The packaging bag 100 has: a pair of side sealed portions 110 allowed to be bent, a front-side bottom sealed portion 130, a back-side bottom sealed portion 140, a front-side top sealed portion 150, and a back-side top sealed portion 160. At least one of the front-side top sealed portion 150 and the back-side top sealed portion 160 has a pair of engaging portions 170 engageable with the pair of side sealed portions 110. The side sealed portions 110 has a pair of engaged portions 112 engageable with the pair of engaging portions 170.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pouch. [Background technology]

[0002] Gusset pouches with gussets at the top and bottom have been known in the art. For example, JP 2014-193570 A discloses a spout-equipped pouch container that includes a pair of body sheet portions, a top sheet portion, a bottom sheet portion, and a spout connected to the top sheet portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-193570 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a pouch as described in JP 2014-193570 A is used as a container for multiple refills of detergent, shampoo, or other contents, for example, after the first refill, the upper part of the pouch may collapse due to a decrease in the contents, and the pouch may become bulky when stored. Alternatively, the pouch may be sold with a smaller amount of concentrated liquid contained in the pouch than the specified amount, and the user may dilute the liquid with a diluting liquid to the specified amount when using the pouch, but the same problem as described above may occur when selling the pouch in this case.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a pouch that can reduce the storage space when the amount of content that can be accommodated is small. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A pouch according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a packaging bag including a top sheet, a back sheet, a bottom sheet and a top sheet, capable of containing contents, and a spout fixed to the top sheet for pouring the contents from the packaging bag, wherein the packaging bag has an end of the top sheet and an end of the back sheet in the width direction sealed to each other, and has a pair of foldable side seal portions, a front bottom seal portion where the top sheet and the bottom sheet are sealed to each other, a back bottom seal portion where the back sheet and the bottom sheet are sealed to each other, a front top seal portion where the top sheet and the top sheet are sealed to each other, and a back top seal portion where the back sheet and the top sheet are sealed to each other, wherein at least one of the front top seal portion and the back top seal portion has a pair of locking portions engageable with the pair of side seal portions, and the side seal portions have a pair of engaged portions engageable with the pair of locking portions.

[0007] In this pouch, the locked portion of the side seal portion is engaged with the locking portion, so that the packaging bag can be maintained in a folded state, thereby reducing the storage space when the amount of content to be stored is small, such as after the first refill.

[0008] It is also preferable that the locked portion is configured with a bent portion formed by bending the side seal portion, and that the locking portion is configured with a slit into which the bent portion can be inserted.

[0009] In this embodiment, the folded portion of the side seal portion is inserted into the slit, thereby maintaining the packaging bag in a folded state.

[0010] Furthermore, it is preferable that the side seal portion has an exposed area that includes the folded portion and is exposed from the slit when inserted into the slit, and a wide portion that is located above the exposed area and connected to the top sheet, the wide portion having a width greater than the width of the exposed area, the outer edge of the top sheet in the width direction being connected to the outer edge of the wide portion in the width direction, the slit intersecting with an extension line of the inner edge of the exposed area, and the outer edge of the slit in the width direction being spaced apart from the edge of the top sheet.

[0011] In this way, the outer edge of the slit in the width direction can be brought closer to the outer edge of the top sheet in the width direction by the width of the wide portion, ensuring that the exposed area can be easily inserted into the slit and preventing the wide portion from interfering with the slit when the exposed area is inserted into the slit.

[0012] It is also preferable that the outer edge of the slit in the width direction is located between an extension line of the inner edge of the exposed area in the width direction and an extension line of the outer edge of the exposed area in the width direction.

[0013] In this way, the exposed area in the side seal portion can be easily inserted into the slit, and when the exposed area is inserted into the slit, the outer edge of the exposed area comes into contact with the outer edge of the slit, generating friction between the two and preventing the exposed area from coming out of the slit. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a pouch that can reduce the storage space when the amount of content to be stored is small. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pouch according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2]13 is a side view showing a state in which a bent portion is inserted into a slit. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a front view of the pouch with no contents and the top sheet folded over at the top edge of the side seal. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the top of the pouch shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a front view of the pouch with no contents contained, with the top sheet folded at the upper end of the side seal portion, and with the folded portion inserted into the slit. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a first modified example of a slit. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a first modified example of a slit. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the slit. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a third modified example of the slit. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a third modified example of the slit. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the side seal portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same or corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0017] 1 is a perspective view of a pouch according to one embodiment of the present invention. This pouch 1 is suitable as a container for liquids, powders, solids having flowability, etc. This pouch 1 can be refilled with contents multiple times, and after the first refill, it is possible to reduce the storage space while ensuring self-supporting.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the pouch 1 includes a packaging bag 100 and a spout 200.

[0019] The packaging bag 100 is capable of containing contents. The packaging bag 100 includes a surface sheet 101, a back sheet 102 (see FIG. 2), a bottom sheet 103, and a top sheet 104 (see FIG. 4). Each of the sheets 101 to 104 is made of a laminate including, for example, polyethylene terephthalate, aluminum, nylon, and polyethylene.

[0020] The packaging bag 100 is formed by sealing the peripheral edges of the sheets 101-104 together. Specifically, the packaging bag 100 has a pair of side seal portions 110, a front bottom seal portion 130, a back bottom seal portion 140 (see FIG. 2), a front top seal portion 150, and a back top seal portion 160. The areas inside the seal portions 110-160 of the packaging bag 100 form storage portions that store the contents.

[0021] The spout 200 is a portion for pouring out the contents from the packaging bag 100. The spout 200 has a pouring outlet. The spout 200 is fixed to the top sheet 104. A cap for closing the pouring outlet is attached to the outer periphery of the spout 200.

[0022] Various known methods can be used for sealing between the sheets that make up the packaging bag 100 and for sealing the area where the spout 200 is fixed to the packaging bag 100, such as fusion by heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing, high-frequency sealing, etc., or bonding with an adhesive.

[0023] The pair of side seal portions 110 are formed by sealing together an end of the top sheet 101 and an end of the back sheet 102 in the width direction (left-right direction in FIG. 3). Each side seal portion 110 has a shape that extends linearly in the height direction (up-down direction in FIG. 1). Each side seal portion 110 can be folded.

[0024] The front bottom seal portion 130 is formed by sealing the bottom of the top sheet 101 and the bottom sheet 103 together.

[0025] The back bottom seal portion 140 is formed by sealing the bottom of the back sheet 102 and the bottom sheet 103 together.

[0026] The front top seal portion 150 is formed by sealing the top portion of the top sheet 101 and the top sheet 104 together. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the front top seal portion 150 has a front center seal portion 152 and a front end seal portion 154.

[0027] The front central seal portion 152 is formed in the center in the width direction of the front top seal portion 150. As shown in Fig. 3, an inner edge portion 152a and an outer edge portion 152b of the front central seal portion 152 have a shape that extends linearly in the width direction.

[0028] The front end seal portion 154 has a shape extending outward in the width direction from the front central seal portion 152 .

[0029] The inner edge 154a of the front end seal portion 154 connects the inner edge 152a of the front central seal portion 152 and the upper end of the inner edge 110a of the side seal portion 110, and has a shape that gradually slopes inward in the depth direction (a direction perpendicular to both the width and height directions) as it moves outward in the width direction.

[0030] The outer edge 154b of the front end seal portion 154 connects the outer edge 152b of the front central seal portion 152 and the upper end of the outer edge 110b of the side seal portion 110, and has a shape that gradually slopes inward in the depth direction as it moves outward in the width direction.

[0031] The back top seal portion 160 is formed by sealing the top portion of the back sheet 102 and the top sheet 104 together. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the back top seal portion 160 has a back center seal portion 162 and a back end seal portion 164.

[0032] The rear central seal portion 162 is formed in the center of the rear top seal portion 160 in the width direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the inner edge portion 162a and the outer edge portion 162b of the rear central seal portion 162 have a shape that extends linearly along the width direction. In this embodiment, the rear central seal portion 162 is formed in a shape symmetrical to the front central seal portion 152 with the center line CL (see FIG. 3) connecting the upper ends 111 (see FIG. 3) of the pair of side seal portions 110 as the axis of symmetry. However, the rear central seal portion 162 may be formed in a shape different from the shape symmetrical to the front central seal portion 152 with the center line CL as the axis of symmetry. The direction connecting the rear central seal portion 162 and the front central seal portion 152 corresponds to the depth direction.

[0033] The rear end seal portion 164 has a shape that extends outward in the width direction from the rear central seal portion 162 .

[0034] The inner edge 164a of the back end seal portion 164 connects the inner edge 162a of the back central seal portion 162 and the upper end of the inner edge 110a of the side seal portion 110, and has a shape that gradually slopes inward in the depth direction as it moves outward in the width direction. This inner edge 164a is formed in a shape symmetrical to the inner edge 154a of the front end seal portion 154 with the center line CL as the axis of symmetry. However, the inner edge 164a may be formed in a shape different from the shape symmetrical to the inner edge 154a of the front end seal portion 154 with the center line CL as the axis of symmetry.

[0035] The outer edge 164b of the back end seal portion 164 connects the outer edge 162b of the back central seal portion 162 and the upper end of the outer edge 110b of the side seal portion 110. This outer edge 164b has a first straight portion 164b1 and a second straight portion 164b2.

[0036] The first straight portion 164b1 has a shape that extends straight from an end of the outer edge portion 162b of the rear central seal portion 162 in the width direction.

[0037] The second straight portion 164b2 connects the outer end of the first straight portion 164b1 and the upper end of the outer edge portion 110b of the side seal portion 110. The second straight portion 164b2 has a shape that extends linearly along a direction perpendicular to the first straight portion 164b1. The boundary portion between the first straight portion 164b1 and the second straight portion 164b2 is formed into a curved shape.

[0038] Since the rear end seal portion 164 has the first straight portion 164b1 and the second straight portion 164b2, the area of ​​the rear end seal portion 164 is larger than the area of ​​the front end seal portion 154.

[0039] At least one of the front top seal portion 150 and the back top seal portion 160 has a pair of locking portions 170 that can engage with a pair of side seal portions 110, and each side seal portion 110 has an locked portion 112 that can engage with the locking portions 170.

[0040] In this embodiment, the locking portion 170 is provided in the back end seal portion 164 having an area larger than that of the front end seal portion 154. The locking portion 170 is configured as a slit (hereinafter, referred to as "slit 170") formed in the back end seal portion 164. The slit 170 has a shape that gradually inclines toward the inside in the width direction as it approaches the outside in the depth direction. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the inner edge portion 170a and the outer edge portion 170b of the slit 170 in the width direction are separated from the edge portion of the top sheet 104. More specifically, the inner edge portion 170a is separated from the first straight portion 164b1, and the outer edge portion 170b is separated from the second straight portion 164b2.

[0041] The locked portion 112 is composed of a bent portion (hereinafter referred to as "bent portion 112") formed by bending the side seal portion 110. As shown in Fig. 2, the bent portion 112 can be inserted into a slit 170. The slit 170 may be a completely separated cut, or may be partially connected like a perforation as long as it can be easily separated when the bent portion 112 is inserted.

[0042] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, each side seal portion 110 has an exposed region 114 and a wide portion 118. Note that the exposed region 114 is hatched in Figures 3 to 5.

[0043] The exposed region 114 is a region of the side seal portion 110 that is exposed from the slit 170 when the side seal portion 110 is inserted into the slit 170. The exposed region 114 includes a bent portion 112. The bent portion 112 corresponds to the center of the exposed region 114. As shown in Fig. 4, an inner edge 114a and an outer edge 114b of the exposed region 114 in the width direction are parallel to each other and have a shape that extends along the height direction. In other words, the width of the exposed region 114 is constant throughout the entire height direction.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 4, slit 170 intersects with an extension line L1 of inner edge 114a of exposed region 114. An outer edge 170b of slit 170 is located between an extension line L1 of inner edge 114a of exposed region 114 in the width direction and an extension line L2 of outer edge 114b of exposed region 114 in the width direction. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 5, when exposed region 114 is inserted into slit 170, outer edge 114b of exposed region 114 comes into contact with outer edge 170b of slit 170.

[0045] The upper end 115 of the exposed region 114 is located below or above the upper end 111 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) of the side seal portion 110 by a distance D1 (see FIG. 4) between the upper end 111 and the outer edge 170b of the slit 170 in the width direction. In other words, the distance H1 (see FIG. 4) between the upper end 115 of the exposed region 114 and the upper end 111 of the side seal portion 110 is set to be equal to or less than the distance D1.

[0046] The wide portion 118 has a width greater than the width of the exposed region 114. The wide portion 118 is located above the exposed region 114 and is connected to the top sheet 104. The outer edge of the top sheet 104 in the width direction is connected to the outer edge of the wide portion 118 in the width direction. In other words, the upper end of the wide portion 118 constitutes the upper end 111 of the side seal portion 110, and the dimension between the outer edges of the wide portion 118 in the width direction is the same as the dimension between the outer edges of the top sheet 104 in the width direction. Therefore, the sealing area between the top sheet 101 and the top sheet 104 and the sealing area between the back sheet 102 and the top sheet 104 are effectively secured.

[0047] In this embodiment, the wide portion 118 has a shape that extends upward from the upper end 115 of the exposed region 114. In other words, the lower end of the wide portion 118 coincides with the upper end 115 of the exposed region 114. That is, the dimension of the wide portion 118 in the height direction corresponds to the distance H1, and is set to be equal to or less than the distance D1.

[0048] Furthermore, the lower end of the wide portion 118 is located higher than the upper end 115 of the exposed region 114 of the side seal portion 110, and other portions may exist between the wide portion 118 and the exposed region 114.

[0049] Next, a method for storing the above-described pouch 1 after the first refill will be described.

[0050] First, the first refill of the contents is performed through the spout 200. This reduces the volume of the contents, making the packaging bag 100 more likely to bend.

[0051] Thereafter, the top sheet 101 and the back sheet 102 are folded, and the folded portion 112 of the side seal portion 110 is inserted into the slit 170 as shown in Fig. 2. This causes the packaging bag 100 to be kept in a folded position at its top. This reduces the storage space of the pouch 1 after the first refill.

[0052] Furthermore, since the distance H1 (the dimension of the wide portion 118 in the height direction) is set to be less than or equal to the distance D1, as long as the folded portion 112 is formed in any part of the side seal portion 110 within the range in which it can be inserted into the slit 170, the wide portion 118 is prevented from interfering with the slit 170 when the exposed area 114 is inserted into the slit 170.

[0053] Furthermore, when exposed area 114 is inserted into slit 170 (as shown by the solid line in FIG. 2), outer edge 114b of exposed area 114 contacts outer edge 170b of slit 170, generating friction between the two, thereby preventing exposed area 114 from coming out of slit 170.

[0054] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and should not be considered as limiting. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not by the description of the embodiments above, and further includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0055] For example, the slit 170 may be provided in both the front top seal portion 150 and the rear top seal portion 160. In this case, the shape of the front end seal portion 154 is formed symmetrically with the rear end seal portion 164 with respect to the center line CL as the axis of symmetry.

[0056] Alternatively, a slit may be formed in the side seal portion 110 as the locked portion 112, and the back top seal portion 160 may be provided with a locking portion 170 that can be inserted into the slit.

[0057] 6 and 7, the slit 170 may have an end cut portion 172 and a central cut portion 174. The end cut portion 172 has the same shape as in the above embodiment. The central cut portion 174 connects the inner edges of the end cut portions 172 in the width direction. The central cut portion 174 has a shape that extends linearly along the width direction.

[0058] 8, the end cut portion 172 may have a shape extending linearly along the width direction so as to be continuous with the central cut portion 174. As shown in FIG.

[0059] 9 and 10, each side seal portion 110 may have a protrusion 116 including a folded portion 112, and recesses 117 formed on both sides of the protrusion 116 in the height direction. In this embodiment, after the first refill, the top sheet 101 and the back sheet 102 are folded, for example, at the center of the protrusion 116 in the height direction, and the protrusion 116 is inserted into the slit 170.

[0060] 11, the wide portion 118 may be omitted. In this case, the side seal portion 110 is formed to have a constant width over the entire height direction, and the dimension between the upper ends 111 of the side seal portion 110 in the width direction is formed to be the same as the dimension between the outer edges of the top sheet 104 in the width direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1 pouch, 100 packaging bag, 101 surface sheet, 102 back sheet, 103 bottom sheet, 104 top sheet, 110 side seal portion, 112 engaged portion (folded portion), 114 exposed area, 118 wide portion, 130 front bottom seal portion, 140 back bottom seal portion, 150 front top seal portion, 152 front center seal portion, 154 front end seal portion, 160 back top seal portion, 162 back center seal portion, 164 back end seal portion, 170 engaging portion (slit), 200 spout.

Claims

1. A packaging bag including a surface sheet, a back sheet, a bottom sheet, and a top sheet, capable of accommodating contents; A spout is fixed to the top sheet and is used to pour the contents from the packaging bag. The packaging bag is a pair of foldable side seal portions in which the ends of the top sheet and the back sheet in the width direction are sealed to each other; a front bottom seal portion where the bottom of the top sheet and the bottom sheet are sealed to each other; a back bottom seal portion at which the bottom of the back sheet and the bottom sheet are sealed to each other; a top seal portion at which the top of the top sheet and the top sheet are sealed to each other; A back top seal portion in which the top portion of the back sheet and the top sheet are sealed to each other, At least one of the front top seal portion and the back top seal portion has a pair of locking portions that can be engaged with the pair of side seal portions, the side seal portion has a pair of engaged portions engageable with the pair of engaging portions, the engaged portion is configured as a bent portion formed by bending the side seal portion, The locking portion is configured with a slit into which the bent portion can be inserted, The side seal portion is an exposed area including the bent portion and exposed from the slit when the bent portion is inserted into the slit; A wide portion is located above the exposed area, is connected to the top sheet, and has a width larger than the width of the exposed area. The outer edge of the top sheet in the width direction is connected to the outer edge of the wide portion in the width direction, the slit intersects with an extension of an inner edge of the exposed area; A pouch, wherein an outer edge of the slit in the width direction is spaced apart from an edge of the top sheet.

2. 2. The pouch according to claim 1, wherein an outer edge of the slit in the width direction is located between an extension line of an inner edge of the exposed area in the width direction and an extension line of an outer edge of the exposed area in the width direction.

3. A packaging bag including a surface sheet, a back sheet, a bottom sheet, and a top sheet, capable of accommodating contents; A spout is fixed to the top sheet and is used to pour the contents from the packaging bag. The packaging bag is a pair of foldable side seal portions in which the ends of the top sheet and the back sheet in the width direction are sealed to each other; a front bottom seal portion where the bottom of the top sheet and the bottom sheet are sealed to each other; a back bottom seal portion at which the bottom of the back sheet and the bottom sheet are sealed to each other; a top seal portion at which the top of the top sheet and the top sheet are sealed to each other; A back top seal portion in which the top portion of the back sheet and the top sheet are sealed to each other, At least one of the front top seal portion and the back top seal portion has a pair of locking portions that can be engaged with the pair of side seal portions, the side seal portion has a pair of engaged portions engageable with the pair of engaging portions, The side seal portion is A pair of recesses formed at positions spaced apart from each other in the height direction and recessed inward in the width direction; a protrusion formed between the pair of recesses and protruding outward in the width direction, the engaged portion is configured as a bent portion formed by bending the protrusion, The pouch, wherein the engaging portion is configured as a slit into which the folded portion can be inserted.

Images