Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02462047 2004-03-26
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A package comprising at least two opposite walls as well as a method for
manufacturing such a package
The invention relates to a package comprising at least two
opposite walls which are bonded together along a longitudinally extending
bonding seam, each wall comprising at least two bonded-together wall
members, which are folded onto each other about a fold line.
The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing
such a package.
Such a package, which is known from US patent US-A-
2,189,174, is opened by taking hold of a first pair of two bonded-
together wall members being folded onto each other about a fold line with
one hand and taking hold of a second pair of two bonded-together wall
members being folded onto each other about a fold line with the other
hand. Subsequently, said pairs or wall members are moved apart, thus
breaking the bonding seam between the opposite walls and forming an
opening between the walls. As long as said moving apart of said pairs of
wall members is continued, the opening will increase in size until the
bonding seam between the walls is fully broken.
If the package contains a liquid, for example, it is
desi rabl a for the openi ng to be comparati vely 1 imi ted i n si ze, so as
to
avoid the risk of liquid easily flowing out of the package. Preferably,
the opening is large enough to allow easy pouring of the liquid readily
from the package, drinking the liquid from the package or gaining access
to the 1 i qui d by means of a straw, for exampl e, for sucki ng the 1 i qui d
from the package by means of said straw.
The object of the invention is to provide a package in
which opening of the package is much easier, with an opening of a
predetermined size being obtained.
Thi s object i s accompl i shed wi th the package accordi ng to
the invention in that parts of the walls positioned on either side of the
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wal 1 members can be moved away from each other i n di recti ons extendi ng
parallel to the longitudinal direction of the bonding seam, wherein the
opposite wall members can be moved apart, bounding an opening that gives
access to a space present inside the package.
By moving the comparatively large parts of the walls
posi ti oned on ei ther si de of the wal 1 members away from each other, an
opening bounded by the comparatively small wall members is obtained. Said
opening gives access to a product present inside the package.
The size of the opening is determined and also maximised by
the dimensions of the wall members. Undesirable opening of the package
further than is necessary for gaining access to the space inside the
package by exerting forces in directions extending parallel to the
longitudinal direction of the bonded bonding seam is not possible,
therefore. This is advantageous in particular when the package is used
for a consumable liquid, such as a soft drink or an alcoholic beverage.
Once the package has been opened, a person can pour the 1 i qui d di rectly
into his/her mouth by raising the package to his/her lips or insert a
straw into the opening. The comparatively limited size of the opening
practically rules out the risk of spilling the consumable liquid.
When the opening is formed, the volume of the space present
inside the package is increased. Since the volume is increased, there is
no risk of the product present inside the package, such as a fluid or
another material, undesirably spilling from the package. A user only
needs to take hold of the parts connected by the bonding seam of the
walls positioned on either side of the wall members in order to open the
package. As a result, no pressure is exerted on the package by the user
himself, so that the contents of the package are prevented from
undesirably spilling from the package.
It is noted that from US patent US-A-3,038,649 there is
known a package whi ch compri ses four wal 1 s that form a tetrahedron . At
both ends of the package, respective pairs of walls are bonded together,
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forming a bonding seam. The bonding seams extend transversely to each
other. To gai n access to a product contai ned i n the package, such as a
liquid, a corner portion located near one corner of the package is to be
depressed into the package. To that end, the package is scored near said
corner portion.
A drawback of the known package is the fact that a pressure
is exerted on the package upon depressing the corner portion. As a result
of said pressure being exerted on the package, the liquid contained in
the package may squirt from the package. This is undesirable, of course.
Unlike the package referred to in the introduction, which
is known from US patent US-A-3,038,649, the package according to the
invention does not comprise a scored portion that might lead to the
package being undesirably opened upon exertion of a force thereon.
The package according to the invention may be tetrahedron-
shaped, but it may also have any other shape, providing the package
comprises at least two opposite walls connected by a bonding seam.
When opening the package, it is preferable to take hold of
that portion of the parts of the walls positioned on either side of the
wall members on which the bonding seam is present. It is also possible,
however, to take hold of a portion of the parts positioned on either side
of the wal 1 members 1 ocated el sewhere on the package. Thi s i nvol ves the
risk of a pressure being exerted on the package, however, as a result of
which the contents of the package will undesirably spill from the package
after it has been opened.
One embodiment of the package according to the invention is
characterized in that the wall members of one wall are positioned on a
side of said one wall remote from the other wall, and vice versa.
This makes it easy to form the wall members on the walls.
Preferably, the wall members extend parallel to the walls,
so that an attractive appearance is obtained, without any projecting
parts being present on the package.
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Preferably, the wall member abutting against a wall is
bonded thereto, so that the wall members will continue to abut against
the wall.
Yet another embodiment of the package according to the
invention is characterized in that the wall members of one wall extend in
a direction opposed to the direction in which the wall members of the
other wall extend.
Since the wall members extend in opposite directions, the
number of superposed wall members and walls present at the location of
the wall members is comparatively limited, so that differences in
thickness in the package are prevented, whilst the bonding together of
the walls and the wall members can take place in a relatively simple
manner.
Yet another embodiment of the package according to the
invention is characterized in that the bonded-together wall members of a
wall extend in a direction transversely to the longitudinal direction of
the bonding seam over at least substantially the entire package.
This makes it relatively easy to bond together the wall
members. In addi ti on, the fact that the wal 1 members can be moved apart
over the entire package makes it possible to enlarge the space that is
present inside the package.
In yet another embodiment of the package according to the
invention, the walls of the package are folded double in a direction away
from the bonding seam, said folded-together walls being sealed by means
of a further bonding seam.
In this way a tetrahedron-shaped package is provided, in
which the walls of the tetrahedron present between the bonding seams need
not be provided with means that make it possible to open the tetrahedron.
It i s al so an object of the i nventi on to provi de a method
which makes it possible in a simple manner to manufacture a package which
is easy to open.
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This object is accomplished by the method according to the
invention in that longitudinal sides of a strip-shaped foil are bonded
together, at least two pairs of wall members are folded onto each other
about fold lines extending parallel to the longitudinal side, the wall
5 members of each pair are bonded together, the pairs of wall members are
posi ti oned opposi to each other, and the wal 1 s posi ti oned on ei ther si
de
of the wall members are bonded together by means of a bonding seam
extending transversely to said longitudinal sides.
The package according to the invention can thus be
manufactured fully automatically, using means that are known per se,
quickly and without additional parts being required.
The invention will be explained in more detail hereinafter
with reference to a drawing, in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a package according to the
invention;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the package that is shown in
Fig. 1, showing the package in opened condition;
Fig. 3 is a folded-open blank of the package that is shown
in Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a schematic, perspective view of a part of the
package that is shown in Fig. 1 ;
Fig. 5 is a schematic, perspective view of the part of the
package that is shown in Fig. 4, during opening of the package; and
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a part of the package that
is shown in Fig. 4, showing the package in opened condition.
In the figures, like parts are indicated by the same
numerals.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a package 1 according to
the invention, which is tetrahedron-shaped. The package 1 comprises
triangular walls 2, 3, 4, 5. The walls are made of polyethylene, for
example.
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As is shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, the package 1
comprises two pairs of wall members 6,7 and 8, 9, respectively, which are
folded onto each other about a fold line 10, 11. The wall member 7, 9 is
further fol ded, vi a a fol d 1 i ne 12, 13, onto a wal 1 member 14, 15 that
faces away from the wall member 6, 8. The walls 3, 5 abut against each
other via edges 18, 19 extending over the segment 16, 17 and are bonded
together by means of a heat sealing process, forming a bonding seam (not
shown) extending parallel to said edges. The two pairs of wall members 6,
7 and 8, 9, respectively, are positioned opposite each other, with the
wall members 6, 7 and 8, 9, respectively, extending in opposite
directions.
The walls 2, 4 are connected via edges 22, 23 extending
over a segment 20, 21 by means of a bonding seam formed by heat sealing.
Si nce the edges 18, 19 and 22, 23, respecti vely, are evenly offset wi th
respect to each other, the edges 18, 19 and 22, 23 extend transversely to
each other, and a triangular shape of the walls 2, 3, 4, 5 is
automatically obtained. Both the folded-together wall members 6, 7 and
the folded-together wall members 8, 9 are present in the edge 23.
As is clearly shown in Fig. 3, the package 1 is made of a
strip-shaped foil, wherein longitudinal sides 24, 25 are positioned in
overlapping relationship for bonding the edges 18, 19 and 22, 23,
respectively, and bonded together by means of a heat sealing process.
After a first pair of edges 22, 23 have been bonded together and before
the last pair of edges 18, 19 are bonded together, a material to be
packaged is introduced in the space bounded by the package 1. Said
material may be a liquid, for example, such as an alcoholic beverage.
A user who wishes to open the package 1 in order to use or
consume its contents will take hold of the parts 26, 27 of the edges 18,
19 positioned on either side of the wall members 6-9 and move said parts
26, 27 in directions away from each other as indicated by the arrows P1,
P2. The directions indicated by the arrows P1, P2 extend parallel to the
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longitudinal direction of the edges 18, 19 and the bonding seam formed
thereon by heat seal i ng . Whi 1 a the parts 26, 27 are bei ng moved i n the
directions indicated by the arrows P1, P2, the forces being exerted on
the wall members 6, 7, 8, 9, cause the wall members 6, 7, 8, 9 to pivot
about the fold lines 12, 13 in the directions indicated by the arrows P3,
P4, from the position that is shown in Fig. 4 to the position that is
shown in Fig. 5. When the parts 26, 27 are subsequently moved in the
directions indicated by the arrows P1, P2, the wall members 6, 7, 8, 9
will take up the positions as shown in Fig. 6, in which an opening 28 is
formed between the wall members 6, 7, 8, 9, which opening extends into
the space bounded by the package (see al so Fi g . 2) . Further movement of
the parts 26, 27 i n the di recti ons i ndi Gated by the arrows P1, P2 wi 11
result in the walls 6, 9 and 7, 8, respectively, moving into abutment
with each other, causing the opening 28 to be closed again. A small
opening 28 will remain at all times, however, from which liquid that is
present in the package 1 may spill. The size of the opening 28 is
determined and also maximised by the dimensions of the walls 6, 7, 8, 9.
It is not possible, therefore, to open the package 1 undesirably any
further than is necessary for gaining access to the space present inside
the package 1 by exerting forces in the directions indicated by the
arrows P1, P2. If a consumable liquid is present inside the package 1, a
person can pour said liquid directly into his/her mouth through the
opening 28 by raising the package 1 to his/her lips. It is also possible,
however, to insert a straw into the opening 28.
When the package 1 is being opened, the volume of the space
inside the package 1 increases as a result of the wall members 6, 7, 8, 9
being moved apart. No pressure is exerted on the package 1, therefore, so
that the contents of the package 1 will not undesirably spill from said
package.
If desired, it is also possible to have the user himself
effect the pivoting of the wall members 6, 7 and 8, 9 in the directions
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indicated by the arrows P3, P4, respectively, and only exert forces on
the package 1 in the direction indicated by the arrows P1, P2 after said
pivoting. Said forces will be smaller than in the situation in which
forces are di rectly exerted on the package 1 i n the di recti on i ndi Gated
by the arrows P1, P2 from the position that is shown in Fig. 4.
The folding together of the wall members as well as the
forming of bonding seams by heat sealing is known per se, for example
from International patent application WO 00/372445.
As already described above, the package can be manufactured
in a continuous process in a simple manner. It is also possible, of
course, to form the package of individually interconnected wall members.
A polyethylene foil may be used as the material for the package 1. It is
also possible, however, to use other strip-shaped foils from a laminate,
for example, such as metallized polyester, polypropylene/polyethylene or
polyester/polyethylene.
It is also possible to use another package shape, for
example by bonding together the edges positioned opposite the edges 18,
19, as a result of which a flat bag is obtained, as it were.
