Pouch container, its manufacturing method, and pouch container with pump

Abstract

To provide a pouch container in which liquid can be filled from a pouch joint to the inside at a desired filling speed, and which can be used in common with many products.SOLUTION: A tubular first member 10 that forms an opening in a pouch 30 is fixed to the pouch 30. One end of a tubular second member 20 is inserted into the first member 10 . The pouch 30 includes a sealing part 32 provided around the perimeter of a sheet 31 . A portion of the outer peripheral surface of the second member 20 that is not inserted into the first member 10 is provided with a male thread 21 for screwing a pump. The opening of the second member 20 is sealed with a sealing plate 22. The sealing plate 22 has a structure 23 that can break the sealing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pouch container that can be fitted with a pump to discharge liquid therein. [Background technology]

[0002] In pump products, bottle containers are generally used as containers for storing the liquid to be dispensed. In recent years, pouches (small bags) made of a sealed resin sheet and pouches with a fixed cylindrical spout called a pouch joint have increasingly been used as containers for refilling liquid into bottle containers. The use of a pouch with a fixed pouch joint makes it easier to transfer liquid into a bottle container than a pouch without a spout.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which a pump is inserted into a pouch through the pouch joint and screwed onto a screw thread on the outer periphery of the pouch joint, thereby discharging the liquid in the pouch directly with the pump without transferring it into a bottle.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a pouch in which a pouch joint has an improved connector structure and a pump is inserted into the center of the connector.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 also discloses a pouch with a connector structure in which a plug is attached to a pouch joint. The plug is attached to the tip of the connector on the inside of the pouch, and a pouch container is disclosed. By inserting a pump into the connector and pushing down the plug to open it, the liquid in the pouch container can be discharged from the pump. In addition, a member with a screw thread on its outer periphery is connected to the connector, and this member and the pump are screwed together.

[0006] There are two known methods for filling a pouch with a liquid (see Non-Patent Document 1): one is to fill the pouch through an opening (spout or connector) in the pouch called a pouch joint, and the other is to fill the pouch while it is still partially open, and then seal it after filling. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5285918 [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3109595 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-193103 [Non-patent literature]

[0008] [Non-Patent Document 1] https: / / www.jutenki.com / news / pouch-howto-filling / Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] As mentioned above, there are two methods for filling a pouch container with a liquid. In the method of filling through the pouch joint, the filling speed depends on the opening diameter of the pouch joint. If the opening diameter is small, the filling speed cannot be increased, and production efficiency cannot be improved. On the other hand, in the method of filling through the unsealed opening while leaving part of the pouch unsealed, the filling speed can be increased by increasing the opening diameter of the unsealed part, but a step of sealing the unsealed opening after filling is required, making the process complicated.

[0010] Furthermore, when screwing a pump directly onto a pouch joint, the diameter of the spout or connector must match the diameter of the pump's screw joint, so the opening diameter of the pouch joint depends on the diameter of the pump. On the other hand, the cylinder size of a pump varies for each discharge volume, and the diameter of the screw joint also varies, so the opening diameter of the pouch joint ultimately corresponds to the discharge volume of the pump.

[0011] Therefore, when filling a pouch with liquid through a pouch joint, the filling speed is determined by the discharge rate of the pump used at the time of use.

[0012] Furthermore, it is necessary to prepare different opening diameters for the pouch joints depending on the discharge volume of the pump used, which makes it difficult to standardize pouches for many products.

[0013] An object of the present invention is to provide a pouch container that can fill a liquid into the pouch from the pouch joint at a desired filling speed, can be used commonly with many products, and can prevent the internal liquid from coming into contact with air until immediately before the pump is attached. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] To achieve the above object, the pouch container of the present invention comprises a pouch, a tubular first member fixed to the pouch and forming an opening in the pouch, and a tubular second member one end of which is inserted into the first member. The pouch includes one or more sheets and a sealing portion provided on the periphery of the sheet. A male thread for screwing a pump is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the second member that is not inserted into the first member. The opening of the second member is sealed by a sealing plate. The sealing plate has a structure that allows the seal to be broken. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The pouch container of the present invention allows for a high speed filling of liquid into the interior, has a simple filling process, can be used in common with many products, and can prevent the internal liquid from coming into contact with air until just before the pump is attached. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1(a) to 1(c) are cross-sectional views of a pouch container according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the pouch container according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] 3(a) to 3(c) are cross-sectional views of the pouch container of the embodiment with a pump attached thereto. [Figure 4] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a second member 20 according to the embodiment, and FIG. 2B is a cutaway perspective view of a first member 10 according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] 5(a) to 5(d) are cross-sectional views showing the manufacturing process of the pouch container according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing the state in which a pump is attached to a pouch container of the embodiment and then attached to a support frame, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view after attachment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0018] Figures 1(a), (b), and (c) are all cross-sectional views of the pouch container of this embodiment, with the diameter of the second member being different. Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the pouch container. Figures 3(a), (b), and (c) are all cross-sectional views showing the pouch container of Figures 1(a) to 1(c) with a pump 40 connected. Note that in Figures 1 to 3, the cross sections are colored gray. In Figure 3(c), the cylinder 41 of the pump 40 is not shown.

[0019] The pouch container of this embodiment is filled with liquid and is capable of discharging the liquid by attaching a pump 40. The pump 40 includes a cylinder 41 that sucks up the liquid and a female screw 42 that is attached to the pouch container.

[0020] The pouch container is composed of a pouch 30, a cylindrical first member 10 that is fixed to the pouch 30 and forms an opening in the pouch 30, and a cylindrical second member 20 that has one end inserted into the first member 10.

[0021] The pouch 30 is formed into a small bag shape by sealing the peripheral edges of one or more sheets 31 together by bonding, welding, or the like to provide a sealed portion 32. The pouch 30 contains a liquid.

[0022] 1 and 2, one end of the first member 10 is inserted into the sealing portion 32 of the pouch 30, sandwiched between the sheets 31, and fixed to the pouch 30 by being in close contact with the sheets 31. One or more (here, two) flanges 11 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the portion of the first member 10 that is not inserted into the sealing portion 32. Note that the method of fixing the first member 10 to the pouch 30 is not limited to a structure in which the first member 10 is sandwiched between the sealing portion 32, and an opening may be provided in the sheet 31 and the periphery may be inserted and fixed.

[0023] One end of the second member 20 is inserted inside the first member 10, and the outer surface of the other end of the second member 20 is provided with a male thread 21 for threading onto the female thread 42 of the pump 40, as shown in Figures 3(a) to (c).

[0024] The opening of the second member 20 is sealed by a sealing plate 22. The sealing plate 22 has a structure that allows the seal to be broken. Here, as the structure that allows the seal to be broken, a thin region 23 that is thicker than the sealing plate 22 is provided at the connection between the periphery of the sealing plate 22 and the second member 20. The thin region 23 may be provided around the entire periphery of the sealing plate 22, but in this embodiment, in order to prevent the sealing plate 22 from falling off completely, a region where the thin region 23 is not provided is left in part of the periphery of the sealing plate 22.

[0025] The structure that allows the seal to be broken is not limited to providing a thin region, and other structures may be used. For example, sealing plate 22 may be a sheet that is thick enough to be broken by cylinder 41 of pump 40 or a suction tube attached to cylinder 41, or a structure in which a notch is provided in the center of sealing plate 22 may be adopted. Also, sealing plate 22 may be structured so that the user can open it by hand when using it.

[0026] In the example of Figures 1 and 2, the sealing plate 22 is placed at the end (lower end) of the second member 20 on the pouch side, but the sealing plate 22 may also be placed at the upper end of the second member 20 or between the upper end and lower end.

[0027] FIG. 4(a) shows a perspective view of the second member, and FIG. 4(b) shows a cutaway perspective view of the first member 10. As shown in FIG.

[0028] Protruding engagement portions 14, 24 that engage with each other are provided at corresponding positions on the inner peripheral surface of the first member 10 and the outer peripheral surface of the second member 20. The engagement of the engagement portions 14, 24 prevents the second member 20 from coming off the first member 10 in the axial direction. The engagement portion 14 may be a threaded engagement instead of a protrusion. The engagement portion 14 may also have a detachable structure.

[0029] Furthermore, an annular protrusion 25 is provided along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the second member 20. The tip of the annular protrusion 25 is configured to come into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the first member 10. As a result, the annular protrusion 25 functions as a seal that prevents the liquid in the pouch 30 from leaking out from the gap between the first member 10 and the second member 20. The annular protrusion 25 may also be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the first member 10.

[0030] Additionally, the outer peripheral surface of the second member 20 is provided with a ridge portion 26 having a longitudinal direction in the axial direction of the second member 20. The inner peripheral surface of the first member 10 is provided with a groove portion 16 that guides the ridge portion 26. When the second member 20 is inserted into the first member 10 during assembly, the ridge portion 26 is inserted into the groove portion 16, thereby fixing the second member 20 to the first member 10 in the circumferential direction. This prevents the second member 20 from rotating together with the first member 10 when the female thread 42 of the pump 40 is threaded onto the male thread 21 of the second member 20.

[0031] 4(b), the recessed rib portion 16 is formed as a gap sandwiched between two protruding rib portions 17. Furthermore, if the recessed rib portions 16 are provided at multiple locations in the circumferential direction, the protruding rib portion 26 can be inserted into one of the recessed rib portions 16, which is preferable because it is not necessary to select the direction in which the first member 10 of the second member 20 is inserted.

[0032] <Manufacturing method> The method for manufacturing the pouch container of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5(a) to 5(d).

[0033] <Pouch assembly process> As shown in FIG. 5(a), the periphery of the sheet 31 is overlapped, and the tip of the cylindrical first member 10 is inserted and sealed to form the pouch 30.

[0034] <Filling process> The liquid is filled into the pouch 30 through the opening of the first member 10. For example, a filling nozzle is inserted into the opening of the first member 10, and a predetermined amount of liquid is filled into the pouch 30.

[0035] <Second member mounting process> As the second member 20, multiple types are prepared, each with a different opening diameter at the portion where the male thread 21 is provided. As shown in Figures 5(b) and (c), one type is selected from the multiple types of second members 20 according to the diameter (discharge rate) of the attached pump 40, and the lower end of the selected second member 20 is inserted into the opening of the first member 10, and the engaging portions 14, 24 are engaged. This allows a pouch having a male thread 21 of the desired diameter to be manufactured, and at the same time, the opening of the first member 10 can be sealed with the sealing plate 22.

[0036] <Pump installation process> When discharging the liquid in the pouch, as shown in Figure 5(d), a pump 40 having a diameter corresponding to that of the second member 20 is inserted through the opening of the second member 20, and the internal thread 42 of the pump 40 is screwed onto the external thread 21 of the second member 20 to attach it. As a result, the lower end of the cylinder 41 of the pump 40 presses down and breaks the sealing plate 22, and the lower end of the pump is inserted into the broken portion. In this state, the pump 40 can suck up and discharge the liquid in the pouch 30.

[0037] <Support frame installation process> If necessary, the pouch container may be attached to a support frame 60 as shown in Fig. 6. In this case, the pouch container can be easily attached to the support frame 60 by hooking the flange portion 11 of the first member 10 onto the support frame 60.

[0038] Moreover, by hooking (or attaching) a hanging jig to the flange portion 11, the pouch container can be hung and used.

[0039] <Effects> In this embodiment, by preparing multiple types of second members 20 with different outer diameters of the male thread portion 21 to correspond to multiple types of pumps 40 with different discharge volumes, the pouch container can be easily manufactured according to the discharge volume of the pump 40, regardless of the diameter of the first member 10.

[0040] The diameter of the first member 10 does not depend on the diameter (discharge rate) of the pump 40, and therefore can be designed to a diameter that allows liquid to be filled at a required filling speed into the pouch 30. Therefore, liquid can be filled into the pouch container from the first member 10 (pouch joint) at a required filling speed.

[0041] Furthermore, because the diameter of the first member 10 does not depend on the diameter of the male thread portion 21 of the second member 20 (the size of the pump 40), pouches 30 to which first members 10 of the same diameter are fixed can be manufactured in advance for multiple types of second members 20. Therefore, pouches 30 to which first members 10 are fixed can be used in common regardless of the diameter of the male thread portion 21 of the second member 20 (the size of the pump 40), eliminating the need to keep an inventory of pouches 30 to which multiple types of first members 10 are fixed. Furthermore, after receiving an order, the pouch containing the first member 10 is filled with liquid from the first member 10, and the second member 20 is selected according to the specifications of the pump 40 to be used and inserted into the first member 10, thereby enabling production in a short time through a simple manufacturing process.

[0042] Furthermore, in the pouch container of this embodiment, in the step of attaching the second member 20, a second member 20 having a male thread 21 of a desired diameter is selected according to the discharge rate of the pump 40 to be attached, and the second member 20 is inserted into and engaged with the first member 10, thereby easily sealing the opening of the first member 10 with the sealing plate 22. Therefore, in the filling step, the space above the pouch 30 and the first member 10 after filling with liquid can be degassed or evacuated, or replaced with a desired inert gas, thereby maintaining a vacuum or inert gas in the space in contact with the liquid inside the pouch 30. Moreover, because the sealing plate 22 is structured so that it can be pushed down and broken by the lower end of the cylinder 41 of the pump 40, it is possible to prevent the internal liquid from coming into contact with air until just before the pump is attached. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 10 First member 11. Collar 14 Engagement portion 16 Concave section 17 Convex portion 20 Second member 21 Male thread 22 Sealing plate 23 Thin-walled area 25 Annular protrusion 26 Convex portion 30 pouches 31 seats 32 Sealing part 40 Pump 41 cylinders 42 Female thread 60 Support Frame

Claims

1. a pouch; a tubular first member fixed to the pouch and forming an opening in the pouch; and a tubular second member having one end inserted into the first member; The pouch includes one or more sheets and a sealing portion provided on a periphery of the sheet, an outer diameter of a portion of the second member that is not inserted into the first member is larger than an outer diameter of the first member; a male thread for threadably engaging a pump is provided on a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the second member that is not inserted into the first member; a diameter of the opening at the one end of the second member inserted into the first member is smaller than a diameter of the opening at the other end of the second member not inserted into the first member; A pouch container characterized in that the opening at one end of the second member is sealed by a sealing plate, and the sealing plate has a structure that can be pierced by the pump that is screwed onto a male thread on the outer surface of the second member.

2. The pouch container according to claim 1, A pouch container characterized in that the inner surface of the first member and the outer surface of the second member are provided with engagement portions at corresponding positions that engage with each other and prevent the second member from coming off the first member in the axial direction.

3. The pouch container according to claim 1 or 2, A pouch container characterized in that an annular protrusion is provided along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the second member, and the tip of the annular protrusion is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the first member.

4. The pouch container according to claim 1 or 2, A pouch container characterized in that an annular protrusion is provided along the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the first member, and the tip of the annular protrusion is in close contact with the outer surface of the second member.

5. 2. The pouch container according to claim 1, wherein the structure that allows the seal to be broken is such that a region that is thinner than the thickness of the seal is provided at the connection portion between the peripheral edge of the seal and the second member.

6. 6. A pouch container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that one of the outer peripheral surface of the first member and the inner peripheral surface of the second member is provided with a convex rib portion having a longitudinal direction in the axial direction, and the other is provided with a concave rib portion for guiding the convex rib portion.

7. 7. The pouch container according to claim 6, wherein the recessed ridge portion is a gap sandwiched between two protruding ridge portions.

8. A pouch container as described in claim 1, wherein the sealing plate has a thin-walled region on part of its periphery, and the thin-walled region is not provided on part of the periphery of the sealing plate so that the thin-walled region is broken through by the pump which is screwed onto the male thread on the outer peripheral surface of the second member, and so that the sealing plate does not fall off completely from the second member.

9. 9. The pouch container according to claim 1, wherein one end of the first member is inserted into a sealing portion provided on a periphery of the sheet of the pouch and is in close contact with the sheet, A pouch container characterized in that one or more flanges are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the portion of the first member that is not inserted into the sealing portion.

10. A method for manufacturing the pouch container according to claim 1, a first step of forming a pouch by overlapping the peripheral edges of one or more sheets and inserting a tip of a cylindrical first member into the overlapping edges and sealing the overlapping edges; a second step of filling the pouch with a liquid through the opening of the first member; and a third step of inserting the other end of a cylindrical second member, the other end of which has a male thread on the outer peripheral surface of one end side and is sealed by a sealing plate, into an opening at the rear end of the first member.

11. 11. The method for manufacturing a pouch container according to claim 10, wherein a plurality of types of the second member having different opening diameters on the one end side are prepared, The method for manufacturing a pouch container is characterized in that the third step comprises selecting one type of second member designated by a user from the plurality of types of second members and inserting the selected second member into the first member.

12. A pouch container and a pump attached to the pouch container, the pump has an internal thread; The pouch container includes a pouch, a cylindrical first member fixed to the pouch and forming an opening in the pouch, and a cylindrical second member having one end inserted into the first member, The pouch includes one or more sheets and a sealing portion provided on a periphery of the sheet, an outer diameter of a portion of the second member that is not inserted into the first member is larger than an outer diameter of the first member; a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the second member that is not inserted into the first member is provided with a male thread for threadably engaging with the female thread of the pump; a diameter of the opening at the one end of the second member inserted into the first member is smaller than a diameter of the opening at the other end of the second member not inserted into the first member; the opening at the one end of the second member is sealed by a sealing plate, the sealing plate having a structure that can be broken by the pump that is screwed onto a male thread on an outer circumferential surface of the second member; The pump-equipped pouch container is characterized in that the sealing plate is in a broken state and the lower end of the pump is inserted into the broken portion.

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