Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
21~8~6l
BACRGRO~N~ 0~ THE lNvk~rlON
~ he present inven~ion relates to improvements in and or
relating to bags of ~ultiple plies, apparatus for manufacturing
same, methods of manufacturirg sa~e, uses thereof and related
means and methods.
~ any forms of ~ag containers for~ed of multiple ~lies are
known. Many of these are in the form of a multiwall bag sometimes
with a plastics ma~erial inner liner. The present invention i5
directed to improvemen~s in such a cont~iner and is adapted to
pro~ide at least some custo~er choice in relation to containers
of that type.
A prior art form of construction is that as hereina~ter
described and the present invention is prefera~ly directed to a
form o such container where no ~ase patch is required that is
separate from the plies of the outer tube of such a container
and~or which, upon opening, will minimize loose pieces of
~aterial.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to go
at least some way to ~eet the above-mentianed objects or at least
provide the public with a use~ul choice.
8~
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first aspect the invention consists in a lie flat
container (e.g. a bag) having a tube (extruded or fabricated) of
a sealable plastics ~aterial (hereafter "the inner tube"~
disposed within an exterior tube (hereafter "t~e outer tube"),
each tube having been formed of at least one we~ of a planar
~aterial ~preferably paper or ~ultiple plies of paper), the same
end (bereafter the ~first" or "factory" end) of each of the inner
tube and outer tube being separately closed while the other end
of each of the in~er tube and outer tube is open (hereafter the
"second" or "cu~tomer" end) to allow the ~illing of the inner
tube prior to the sealing thereof, and wherein, in its lie flat,
un~illed condition, ea~h tube simply lies as a si~ple fold
connected front and back panel except at the factory end where
the outer tube at least has been conformed from factory end
regions of the front and back panels of the outer tube to a
su~stantially plana~ base region dieposed in a lie flat condition
over one or other of the front or back panels of the outer tube,
said ou~er tube at said factory end being held closed at least
primarily by overlying ~laps from the factory end extremit~ of
each of the front and ~ack panels, the flaps while adhered o~e to
the other being capable of being peel separated so that, in use,
if desired, the filled and sealed inner tube, if not pe~manently
attached to the outer tube at the customer end, can be removed
from the factory end after the peel separation of ~he flaps tc
allow opening of the outer tube at the factory end.
In a preferred ~o~ nt of the invention, the container is
in the form of a bag, ~ith the exterior tube being formed from
paper, preferably from multiple plies of paper. Preferably, the
inner tube at the c~sto~er end is adhered at leact in a tack
~anner to the outer tube at the customer end to facilitate
filling of the inner tube.
2~2826-1
Preferably one or both of the flaps is of a multiple ply
construction.
Preferably the overlying flap of the base at the factory end
is of a multiple ply and part of one ply of the overlying flap is
adhered to the factory end ~f the inner tube while the factory
end of the inner tu~e is adhesively associat~d with at least one
ply of the unde_lying flap.
Preferably the container operates such that, when lying
substantially horizontally, the overlying flap of the base can be
lifted by a person usi~g one or two hands, the container then
bein~ ~o~able t~ a condition where the ~ase is directed
downwardly and the weight of the contents in the inner tube will
allow the dropping free thereof from the outer tube or the
lifting free of the outer tube from t~e inner tube or a
combination of ~oth by breaking associations and/or adhesive
associ2tions without releasing any substantial loose pieces of
material fro~ the o~ter tube and~or inner tube.
The container is preferably substantially rectangulsr in
form.
Preferably the outer tube is substantially as hereinafter
described with reference to any one or mor2 of the ~cco~panying
drawings
In another aspect the invention is a container substantially
as hereinafter described with reference to any one or more of the
accompanying drawings other than Figures 3A, 3B and 3C.
~ n still a further aspect the in~ention consists in a method
o~ forming a lie flat container ~aving a tube of a sealable
plastics material (hereafter "the inner tube") disposed within an
exterior tube ~hereafter "the outer tube"), each tube havinq been
formed of at least one web of a planar material, the same end
(hereafter "the factory end") of each ~f the inner tube and outer
tube being separately closed while the other end of each of the
~128~6~
inner tube and outer tube ls open (hereafter "the customer end")
to allow the filling of the inner tube prior to the sealing
thereof, and wherein, in its lie flat, unfi'led condition, each
tube simply lies as a simple fold connected front and bac~ panel
ex~ept at the factory end where the outer tube at least has been
confor~ed from factory end regions of the front and back panels
of the outer tube to a substantially planar base region disposed
in a lie flat cond~tion o~er one or other of the ~ront or back
panels of the outer tube, said outer tube at said factory end
bein~ held closed at least primarily by overlying flaps fro~ the
factory end ex~re~ity cf each of the front and back panels, the
flaps while adhered one to the other being capable of being peel
separated so that, in use, if desired, the filled and sealed
inner tube, if not permanently attached to the outer tube at the
customer end, can be removed fro~ the factor~ end after the peel
separation of the flaps to a low opening of the outer tube at the
factory end, which method comprises the steps of:
advancing a feed of a inner tu~e and a outer tube, the inner
tube being within the outer tu~e,
heat sealing the factory end of the advanced inner tu~e,
spreading the factory end of the advanced outer tube out
together with part of the sealed ~actory end of the inner tube to
define a lie flat base but from which extends in opposite
directions (parallel to the locus of advancement) said flaps of
the ~ase and
thereafter adhesively inter-engaging said flaps, the
completed lie flat container structure ~eing a discrete item
after, if necessary, a cutting of the feeds o~ materi~l at the
customer end.
Preferably said method involves the use of one or several
plies of a paper from which the outer tube is to be formed, a
tubular pla~tics material from which the inner tube is formed,
~2~2G'I`
~orming the outer tube about the inne~ tubular ~aterial, ma~ing
appropriate perforations and~or cuts as ~ell as a heat ~eal to
close the inner tube of the plastics material and sequentially
adhesive closing the ~actory end cf the outer tube in the manner
determina~le by reference to any of the accompanying drawings
other than Figures 3A, 3B and 3C.
In still a further aspect the invention consists in a ~ethod
of for~ing a container substantially as hereinaftar described
when performed subs~antially as hereinbefore described with
refe~ence to any one or ~ore of the accompanying drawings.
In a further aspect the invention is any container of the
present invention when the inner tu~e has been ~illed with a
~aterial and the inner tube is sealed at the customer end and the
outer tube is also sealed at the custo~er end.
The material with which the inner tube is filled is
preferably a powder or liquid.
In a further aspect the invention consists in a ~ethod of
handling a material capable of being poured selected ~ro~ a
powder, liquid or discrete items, su~h as granules, which
involves the operative u~e of a lie flat container of the present
invention and/or one produced by a meth~d of the present
invention and/or the opening and removal of a filled inner ~ube
from the outer tube t~ereof that has been sealed at the custo~er
end.
In a further aspect the invention is a ~ethod of ~andlin~ a
material when perfor~ed substantially as hereinafter described
with referen~e to the accompanying drawings.
~ he invcntion consists in the ~oregoinq and also envisages
~onstru~tions of which the following gives exa~ples.
2~ 2~26:i
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ~RAWINGS
Fiyures lA through lE show the factory end of a preferred
bag like ~ontainer in accordance with t~e present invention;
Figure lA shows a bag, aceordinq to the present invention,
substantially lying fla~ presenting the base region for openin~;
Figure lB shows the bag according to Figure lA, in which the
outer flap o~ the base regio~ is being pulled fiO as to separate
the ~dhesively fixed o~erSlap ~rom the othe~ ~lap;
Figure lC shows the full opening of the outer flap;
Figure lD goes the next stage where the bag is about to be
lifted upright:
Figure lE shows the bag ~h~n lifted upright with the inner
tube full of a powder or liquid material fall free of the outer
tube notwithstanding any sliqht adhesive or other tac~ing of the
inner tubé to the factory end of the oute~ tube;
Figures 2A to 2c show the final folds together with adhesive
regions giving rise to the base region connecte~ by gussets to
the ~ront and rear panels of the outer tube as shown in Figure
2C, it not ~attering whether or no~ the base regions lies flat
over what ~ight be considered a ~ront or ~ack panel;
Pigures 3A to 3C are si~ilar to those of Figures 2A to 2C
~ut are in relation to a prior art arrangement whereby there is a
separate flap adhesively secu~ed to the plies of ~aterial from
which the outer tube has been ~ade;
~ igurR 4 is a view of the factory end o~ the outer tube
prior to its Gondition as in Pigure 2A but from the side as
depicted in ~igure 2A;
~ igure 5 is a ~iew of the factory end as s~own in Figure 2C
2.1~8~l
but f rom the other side;
Figure 6 is si~ilar to ~igure 4 ~ut showing the factory end
~rom the other side;
Figure ~ is a tipped over, inside ~iew of the factory end
side shown in Figure 6;
Figure B is the tipped over, inside view of the factory end
side shown in Figure 4, and
Figures 2AA to 2CC show a slightly different em~odiment to
t~e form as shown in Figures 2A to 2C, this different em~odimen~
providing for a greater glued flap overlap.
21~82~ 1
PETAI~ED D~SCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in ~any
di~erent for~s, there is shown in the drawings and will be
described herein in detail, several embodiments, with the
understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as
an exempli~ication o~ the principles of the in~ention a~d is not
intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illuctrated.
The preferred container as depicted in the enclosed drawings
is prefera~ly formed using an adaption o~ existing continuous
~ultiple ply walled ma~ufacturing apparatus. Preferably the
outer tube is formed from multiple plies of paper preferably with
staggered ends developed by appropriate cutting and~or
perfor~tion and any necessary separation procedures all of which
are known in the art.
The present in~ention differs significantly from the prior
art form of multiple ply bags with a plastic liner bag which had
a separate base patch provided on the outer tube as depicted in
~igures 3A to ~C as p~eviousl~ supplied to the New Zealand Dairy
Board, whioh adds complexity to manufacture and~or at least cost
thereto and~or minimizes the re-~se that customers of the end
product may make of the resulting bag. In this respect it should
be realized that in so~e thlrd world countries the outer tube,
once emptied, forms a ~aluable resource and, therefore, ~ini~iza-
tion of destruction upon opening is desirable. Moreover a reduc-
tion of pieces that become severed from the outer tu~e during
ope~ing desirably should also ~e minimi7ed.
Preferably the opening of the outer tube and the unloading
of the still sealed inner tube is b~ the sequence of steps as
shown in Figures lA thro~h lE, all of which are self-
explanatory.
The firs~ or factory end of the outer tube is shown in the
dra~ings with the lines ~ sho~n for clarity of ~he drawings being
2128~
those cuts A also seen in Figure 4. Likewise lines B are cuts B
of Figures 4 and 6.
In the preferred form of the present invention, the outer
tube has the gusset eonnection base region thereof fo~med from
~laps 1 and 2 with flap 2 o~erlying flap 1 (as can best be seen
ln ~igures 2A through 2C) with the gusseted regions 3 of the lie
flat base region over the front or back panel (as the case ~ay
be) as in Figure 2C.
~ igure 2A shows how the ~lap 1 has its perimeter regions
bounded by the cuts A sbown in Figure 4 provided with glue lines
4 while flap 2 includes a glue line 5. The glue lines 4 are not
normally broken as can be seen in Figures lB thrcu~h lE prior to
the use of gra~ity to assist in the re~oval of an inner tube 6
from within the outer tube ~, i.e., the tearing apart as in
Figures lB and lC leaves the ~ase region in the manner
su~stantially as it was prior to the move during forming from
Figure 2~ and 2c. There is, ~owever, the difference in that the
region 8 shown in Figure 7 has adhesive applied at positions 9
and that flap from one of the inner webs of one panel of the
outer tube is adapted to be adhered a points 10 on the sealed
inner tube 11 tsee ~iqure 8), the first or factory end of the
inner tube being heat sealed along the heat seal line 12. Prei-
erably, there is an adhesive ~ixing of the inner tube 11 to the
other ply also but in an easily releasable ~anner. This adhesion
is denoted by circles lOA and i5 under the inner tu~e 11 in
Figure 8.
Persons skilled in the ~rt, from the drawings, will
appreciate the sequential ~anner in which the multiply outer tube
and the inner tube t11, 6) is ~ormed at its fixst or factory end.
The manner in which first the inner tube and then the outer tube
or simultaneously the inner tube and outer tu~e are sealed,
prefera~ly the inner tube with heat sealinq, at the customer end
Zl282~ ~
is not relevant to an understanding of the invention but any
conventional ~eans ~ight be used. The choice of an envelope
grade adhesive capable of being opened as in Figures ~A to lE is
preferred as an appropriate adhesive can ensure total success.
Figures 2AA th~ough ZCC are very simila~ drawings to Fisures
2A through 2C ~ut sho~ing how, with the slightly different
arrangement of the staggering of the plies, a greater glued 1ap
area ca~ be provided to provide a stronger adhesive overlap ~ut
still be within the scope of the present invention.
The adhesives capable of beillq utili2ed in the forming of a
bag in accordance with the prasent inve~tion include the
following:
Liquid Adhesives Includin~: Starche~, Dextrines, Polyvinyl
Alcohol, Animal, Casein;.
Latex Adhesive Including: Natural, Synthetic;
Emulsion Po~ymers ~ncluding: Polyvinyl Acetate ~omopoly-
~ers, Ethylene/Vinyl Acetate Copolymers, Acrylate~Vinyl Acetate
Copolymers, Polyethylene, Amorphou, Polypropylene, Polyamide; and
Sol~ent sased: Po~yurethanes, Natural Poly~er, Synthetic
Polymers, T~o Pot Systems.
~ he use of a container of the present invention provides
some, i~ not all, of the advantages previously referred to.
The construction of the container of the present invention
is such that when a filled contain~r is lying s~bstantially
horizontally, the overlying flap of the base can be lifted by a
person using ome or two hands, the contAiner then being movable
to a condition where the ~ase is directed downwardly and the
weight of the contents in the inner tube will allow the dropping
free thereof from the outer tube or t~e lifting free of the outer
tube from the inner tube or combination of both by brea~ing
associations and~or adhesive associations without releasing any
substantial loose pieces of ~aterial from the outer tube and~or
2l282g~-
inner tube. This presumes that the second or customer ends o~
the inner and outer tubes have not been unreleaseably a~fixed to
one another after ~illing, by the customer. Ideally, sep~rate
sealing of the inner tube at the ~econd end, such as by he~t
sealing, followed by separate sealing of the outer tube at ~he
second end, would facilitate removal of the filled inner tube in
the ~nanner described hereinabove.
The present invention also comprises a method of handling a
liquid or granular material, or discrete items, using a container
such as described.
The foregoing description and dra~ings merely explain and
illustrate the invention and the in~ention is not limited thereto
except insofar a5 the appended claims are so limited, as those
skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be
a~le to ~ake modifications and variations therein without
departing from the scope of the invention.
12
