Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DESCRIPTION
FLEXIBLE CONTAINER
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a flexible container and a method for
manufacturing the flexible container.
Background Art
[0002] Flexible containers are often used to store and transport various kinds
of
contents such as powder and granular materials, grain, vegetables, etc. There
are
various types of flexible containers, one of which is a flexible container in
which a
filling port for the contents is formed in an upper portion and a discharge
port for the
contents is formed in a lower portion (see Patent Literatures 1 to 3).
Flexible
containers of this type are opened while suspended, and the contents are let
out from the
discharge port formed in the lower portion.
[0003] Flexible containers described in Patent Literatures 1 to 3 have a
double
structure and include an inner bag to be filled with the contents and an outer
bag that
houses the inner bag. A lower opening is formed in a bottom surface portion of
the
outer bag, and except for when the lower opening is open, the lower opening is
covered
by a corolla-shaped lid that is continuous to an edge defining the lower
opening in the
bottom surface portion. Note that the corolla-shaped lid is called a lower
side outer
lid" (16) in Patent Literature 1, lid holding pieces" (16a to 16d) in Patent
Literature 2,
and a -chrysanthemum split portion" (18) in Patent Literature 3. The corolla-
shaped
lid is constituted by portions corresponding to a plurality of petals, and as
a result of a
piece of cord that is passed through centers of these portions being tied off,
these
portions are radially arranged in a corolla-like shape, in the same plane as
the bottom
surface portion, and thus the lower opening is closed. On the other hand, when
the
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lower opening is to be opened, the piece of cord is untied, whereby the
portions
corresponding to petals hang down and the lower opening is opened. Then, the
contents are let out via a discharge port portion that corresponds to a lower
portion of
the inner bag that is drawn out from the lower opening.
Citation List
Patent Literature
[0004] Patent Literature 1: JP 3191096U
Patent Literature 2: JP 2004-26202A
Patent Literature 3: JP 2016-33022A
Summary of Invention
Technical Problem
[0005] When the above-described flexible container is to be opened, it is
necessary to
perform operations such as opening the corolla-shaped lid by untying the piece
of cord
fixing the lid, drawing out the discharge port portion of the inner bag,
cutting a
heat-sealed portion at the leading end of the discharge port portion, and
untying a piece
of cord that is tied around the discharge port portion, for example. However,
the lower
opening is formed in the bottom surface portion of the outer bag, and
accordingly these
opening operations are not always easy for a worker who is standing on a side
of the
flexible container to perform. Furthermore, in most cases, a flexible
container holding
contents is heavy and difficult to tilt, and the opening operations are
particularly
difficult in such cases.
[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a flexible container
that can be
easily opened and a method for manufacturing the flexible container.
Solution to Problem
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[0007] A flexible container according to a first aspect is a flexible
container for
holding contents and includes an outer bag, an inner bag, a first binding
member, and a
lid. The outer bag includes a bottom surface portion in which a lower opening
is
formed. The inner bag is a tubular inner bag that is housed in the outer bag,
configured to be filled with the contents, and includes a discharge port
portion. The
discharge port portion forms a discharge path for discharging the contents and
extends
to a lower side of the bottom surface portion via the lower opening. The first
binding
member is configured to be tied around the discharge port portion to close the
discharge
path. The lid is configured to be attached to an outer side of the bottom
surface
portion to cover the discharge port portion. The discharge port portion is
narrowed to
close the discharge path. The first binding member is tied around the
discharge port
portion to maintain a state in which the discharge port portion is narrowed.
The lid is
attached to the outer side of the bottom surface portion to cover the
discharge port
portion tied off with the first binding member.
[0008] A flexible container according to a second aspect is the flexible
container
according to the first aspect, wherein the discharge port portion is narrowed
to close the
discharge path and then folded back in one direction, or is folded back in one
direction
to close the discharge path and then narrowed. The first binding member is
tied
around the discharge port portion to maintain a state in which the discharge
port portion
is folded back in one direction and narrowed. The lid is attached to the outer
side of
the bottom surface portion to cover the discharge port portion that is folded
after being
tied off with the first binding member.
[0009] A flexible container according to a third aspect is the flexible
container
according to the first or second aspect that is configured such that the
discharge port
portion in a state of being tied off with the first binding member hangs down
from the
bottom surface portion when the lid is removed from the bottom surface
portion.
[0010] A flexible container according to a fourth aspect is the flexible
container
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according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the lid is
configured to be
attached to the bottom surface portion using a hook-and-loop fastener.
[0011] A flexible container according to a fifth aspect is the flexible
container
according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the first binding
member is a
cord-shaped member that includes a hook-and-loop fastener.
[0012] A flexible container according to a sixth aspect is the flexible
container
according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the outer bag
further includes a
discharge port cover that surrounds the discharge port portion. The discharge
port
cover is fixed to the bottom surface portion to extend to the lower side of
the bottom
surface portion from the lower opening. The first binding member is fixed to
the
discharge port cover.
[0013] A flexible container according to a seventh aspect is the flexible
container
according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the outer bag
further includes
an upper surface portion in which an upper opening is formed. The inner bag
further
includes a filling port portion that forms an introduction path for
introducing the
contents and extends to an upper side of the upper surface portion via the
upper
opening.
[0014] A flexible container according to an eighth aspect is the flexible
container
according to the seventh aspect that further includes a second binding member
configured to be tied around the filling port portion to close the
introduction path.
[0015] A flexible container according to a ninth aspect is the flexible
container
according to the eighth aspect, wherein the outer bag further includes a
filling port cover
that surrounds the filling port portion. The filling port cover is fixed to
the upper
surface portion to extend to the upper side of the upper surface portion from
the upper
opening. The second binding member is fixed to the filling port cover.
[0016] A flexible container according to a tenth aspect is the flexible
container
according to the eighth or ninth aspect that further includes a hooking member
that is
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fixed to the second binding member or a portion in the vicinity of the center
of an upper
portion of the outer bag and can be hooked to a suspending tool that suspends
the
flexible container from above.
[0017] A flexible container according to an eleventh aspect is the flexible
container
according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein the contents are
water-absorbent resin particles.
[0018] A manufacturing method according to a twelfth aspect is a manufacturing
method for manufacturing a flexible container for holding contents and
includes the
following steps:
=providing an outer bag that includes a bottom surface portion in which a
lower opening
is formed;
=providing a tubular inner bag that is configured to be filled with the
contents and
includes a discharge port portion that forms a discharge path for discharging
the
contents;
=housing the inner bag in the outer bag such that the discharge port portion
extends to a
lower side of the bottom surface portion via the lower opening;
narrowing the discharge port portion to close the discharge path;
=tying off the discharge port portion using a first binding member to maintain
a state in
which the discharge port portion is narrowed; and
attaching a lid to an outer side of the bottom surface portion to cover the
discharge port
portion tied off with the first binding member.
[0019] A manufacturing method according to a thirteenth aspect is the
manufacturing
method according to the twelfth aspect, wherein the outer bag further includes
an upper
surface portion in which an upper opening is formed. The inner bag includes a
filling
port portion that forms an introduction path for introducing the contents.
Housing the
inner bag in the outer bag includes housing the inner bag in the outer bag
such that the
filling port portion extends to an upper side of the upper surface portion via
the upper
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opening.
[0020] A manufacturing method according to a fourteenth aspect is a
manufacturing
method for manufacturing a flexible container holding contents therein and
includes the
following steps:
.manufacturing the flexible container using the manufacturing method according
to the
thirteenth aspect;
=introducing the contents into the inner bag via the introduction path of the
flexible
container; and
=closing the introduction path after the contents are introduced.
[0021] An opening method according to a fifteenth aspect is a method for
opening a
flexible container holding contents therein and includes the following steps:
=manufacturing the flexible container holding the contents therein using the
manufacturing method according to the fourteenth aspect;
=suspending the flexible container holding the contents therein;
removing the lid from the bottom surface portion to cause the discharge port
portion
tied off with the first binding member to hang down from the bottom surface
portion;
and
=opening the discharge path by untying the first binding member from the
hanging
discharge port portion.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0022] According to the present invention, the discharge port portion of the
inner bag
extending from the bottom surface portion of the outer bag is covered by the
lid
attached to the outer side of the bottom surface portion. Therefore, it is
easy for a
worker to remove the lid while stretching out their hand from a side of the
flexible
container to its underside when opening the flexible container. Also, the
worker can
open the discharge port portion of the inner bag by untying the first binding
member
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tied around the discharge port portion, while stretching out their hand from
the side.
Therefore, the worker need not necessarily have to perform operations for
opening the
discharge port portion while standing under the flexible container, and can
open the
discharge port portion even while standing on a side of the flexible
container.
Accordingly, the flexible container can be easily opened.
[0023] Furthermore, according to the above-described second aspect, except for
when
the discharge port portion of the inner bag is opened, the discharge port
portion is folded
back in one direction and then narrowed (or narrowed and then folded back) and
tied off
with the first binding member to maintain this state, and the tied discharge
port portion
is folded and covered by the lid. The discharge port portion of the inner bag
is located
in the vicinity of the lowest end portions of the inner bag and the outer bag
and likely to
largely move to the left and the right (i.e., likely to sway) and interfere
with the lid when
the flexible container is carried while suspended. If the discharge port
portion and the
lid excessively interfere with each other, there is a risk that the lid will
be
.. unintentionally opened. However, according to the above-described second
aspect, the
discharge port portion is tied off with the first binding member in the folded
state except
for when it is opened, and accordingly the position of the lowest end of the
discharge
port portion is slightly raised, and the discharge port portion is unlikely to
interfere with
the lid. Therefore, the lid is prevented from being unintentionally opened
even if the
discharge port portion covered by the lid sways when the flexible container is
carried.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0024] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a state in which a flexible container
according to
one embodiment of the present invention is spread out;
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which a discharge port is folded back
and fixed using a binding member;
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the flexible container in a state in which a lid is
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attached;
FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the flexible container in a state in which the lid
is
about half-removed;
FIG. 5 is a plan view of an outer bag in a state in which a corolla-shaped lid
is
closed;
FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the flexible
container is suspended from above using a suspending tool;
FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the flexible
container is suspended from above using the suspending tool without a hooking
member
of a filling port being hooked to the suspending tool;
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a binding member according to a variation; and
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a method for binding the discharge port according
to a variation.
Description of Embodiments
[0025] The following describes a flexible container according to one
embodiment of
the present invention with reference to the drawings.
1. Overall Configuration of Flexible Container
[0026] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a flexible container (hereinafter may
simply be
referred to as a -container") 1 (from which a lid 5 described later is
omitted) according
to the present embodiment. The flexible container 1 is a container for holding
contents
and is used to store and transport the contents. The flexible container 1 is
constituted
by a soft material as indicated by its name. Therefore, the container 1
spreads out
three-dimensionally in a state of being filled with contents, but can be
folded to be
planar in an empty state. Although an upper portion and a lower portion of the
flexible
container 1 are folded into desired shapes in a predetermined manner described
below,
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FIG. 1 shows a state in which the upper portion and the lower portion of the
container 1
are spread out. The type of contents to be held in the container 1 is not
specifically
limited, and typical examples of the contents include powder and granular
materials,
grain, vegetables, etc., and the contents in the present embodiment are water-
absorbent
resin particles (pellets).
[0027] The flexible container 1 has a double structure and includes an outer
bag 2 and
an inner bag 3 that is housed in the outer bag 2 (see FIG. 6). The contents
are held in
the inner bag 3. The outer bag 2 includes a main body portion 20 that includes
an
upper surface portion 21, a bottom surface portion 22, and a side surface
portion 23.
In the present embodiment, the upper surface portion 21 and the bottom surface
portion
22 have a square shape. Namely, the main body portion 20 of the outer bag 2
has a
substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the side surface portion
23 includes
four rectangular side surface portions. A pocket 23a for inserting a label
etc., is
attached to the side surface portion 23. An opening (hereinafter referred to
as an
'`upper opening") 21a is formed at the center of the upper surface portion 21.
Similarly,
an opening (hereinafter referred to as a 'lower opening") 22a is formed at the
center of
the bottom surface portion 22. The openings 21a and 22a are both circular in
the
present embodiment. Note that positions of the openings 21a and 22a are
indicated by
shading in the side view shown in FIG. 1 for reference, although the openings
21a and
22a are otherwise not visible in this side view. The main body portion 20, the
upper
surface portion 21, the bottom surface portion 22, and the openings 21a and
22a are
coaxially arranged and have a common central axis, which will be denoted by a
reference numeral Al in the following description.
[0028] The inner bag 3 has a tubular shape. An upper portion of the inner bag
3
extends to the upper side of the upper surface portion 21 via the upper
opening 21a and
forms a filling port portion 31 for the contents. A lower portion of the inner
bag 3
extends to the lower side of the bottom surface portion 22 via the lower
opening 22a
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and forms a discharge port portion 32 for the contents. The contents are
introduced
into the inner bag 3 via the filling port portion 31 and discharged from the
inner bag 3
via the discharge port portion 32. Namely, the filling port portion 31 forms
an
introduction path R1 for introducing the contents into the inner bag 3, and
the discharge
port portion 32 forms a discharge path R2 for discharging the contents from
the inner
bag 3.
[0029] The outer bag 2 further includes a tubular filling port cover 25 that
extends to
the upper side of the upper surface portion 21 from the upper opening 21a and
a tubular
discharge port cover 26 that extends to the lower side from the lower opening
22a.
The filling port cover 25 covers the outer side of the filling port portion 31
of the inner
bag 3 protruding from the upper surface portion 21 via the upper opening 21a,
and the
discharge port cover 26 covers the outer side of the discharge port portion 32
of the
inner bag 3 protruding from the bottom surface portion 22 via the lower
opening 22a.
The filling port cover 25 is fixed to the upper surface portion 21 through
sewing etc.,
and arranged to protrude from the vicinity of an edge that defines the upper
opening 21a.
The filling port cover 25 has a circular cross section that has substantially
the same size
as the upper opening 21a. Similarly, the discharge port cover 26 is fixed to
the bottom
surface portion 22 through sewing etc., and arranged to protrude from the
vicinity of an
edge that defines the lower opening 22a. The discharge port cover 26 has a
circular
cross section that has substantially the same size as the lower opening 22a.
[0030] The main body portion 20 of the outer bag 2 has a larger diameter than
the
filling port cover 25 and the discharge port cover 26. The diameter of the
inner bag 3
is constant in the direction of the central axis Al and larger than diameters
of the filling
port cover 25 and the discharge port cover 26. Accordingly, when the inner bag
3 is
housed in the outer bag 2, creases are formed in the upper portion (filling
port portion
31) of the inner bag 3 and the diameter of the upper portion is reduced.
Similarly,
when the inner bag 3 is housed in the outer bag 2, creases are formed in the
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portion (discharge port portion 32) of the inner bag 3 and the diameter of the
lower
portion is reduced. As described above, the filling port portion 31 forms a
filling port
together with the filling port cover 25, and accordingly the filling port
portion 31 and
the filling port cover 25 may be collectively referred to as a 'filling port
P1" in the
following description. Similarly, the discharge port portion 32 forms a
discharge port
together with the discharge port cover 26, and accordingly the discharge port
portion 32
and the discharge port cover 26 may be collectively referred to as a -
discharge port P2"
in the following description.
1-1. Configuration of Vicinity of Discharge Port
[0031] Next, the configuration of the vicinity of the discharge port P2 will
be
described. The discharge port P2 is tied off using a binding member 40 (first
binding
member) to close the discharge path R2. In the present embodiment, the binding
member 40 is fixed to an outer surface of the discharge port cover 26 as shown
in FIG.
1. The binding member 40 is a cord-shaped member (hereinafter referred to as a
-cord") 41 that includes hook-and-loop fasteners 42 and 43. The cord 41 is
attached to
the vicinity of the center of the discharge port cover 26 in the up-down
direction
through sewing etc., such that the cord 41 horizontally extends in a state of
not being
tied around the discharge port P2. The hook-and-loop fasteners 42 and 43 are
.. configured to be fixed to each other and are arranged with a space
therebetween in a
longitudinal direction of the cord 41. Note that the position of the hook-and-
loop
fastener 43 is indicated for reference in FIGS. 1 and 2, although the hook-and-
loop
fastener 43 is arranged on the opposite side of the cord 41 and is otherwise
not visible in
these drawings.
[0032] When the discharge path R2 is to be closed, first, the discharge port
portion 32
is narrowed together with the discharge port cover 26 covering the discharge
port
portion 32, to close the discharge path R2. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2,
the
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discharge port portion 32 is folded back in one direction together with the
discharge port
cover 26, and the discharge port P2 is tied off using the binding member 40 to
maintain
the folded state. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the discharge port P2 is
folded back
and fixed using the binding member 40. At this time, the discharge port P2 is
folded
such that its lower end is oriented upward, and the cord 41 is wound around
mutually
facing portions of the folded discharge port P2. Then, the wound state of the
cord 41
is fixed using the hook-and-loop fasteners 42 and 43 fixed to the cord 41.
[0033] FIGS. 3 and 4 are bottom views of the flexible container 1. As shown in
these
drawings, the flexible container 1 includes a lid 5 that is attached to the
bottom surface
portion 22 in a detachable manner to open or close the lower opening 22a. The
lid 5 is
attached to the outer side of the bottom surface portion 22 when the lower
opening 22a
is closed. The lid 5 has a sheet-like shape, and is rectangular in the present
embodiment. Hook-and-loop fasteners 51 are fixed to an inner surface 5a of the
lid 5
that faces the bottom surface portion 22, through sewing etc., at
substantially constant
intervals along an outer peripheral portion. On the other hand, hook-and-loop
fasteners 52 are fixed through sewing etc., to portions of the bottom surface
portion 22
that face the hook-and-loop fasteners 51. As a result of these hook-and-loop
fasteners
51 and 52 being fixed to each other, the lid 5 is attached to the bottom
surface portion
22. Note that positions of the hook-and-loop fasteners 51 are indicated
for reference in
FIGS. 3 and 4, although the hook-and-loop fasteners 51 are attached to the
inner surface
of the lid 5 and are not visible from the outside.
[0034] When the lid 5 is attached to the bottom surface portion 22, the
entirety of the
discharge port P2 is covered by the lid 5 such that the discharge port P2
cannot be seen
from the outside. More specifically, the discharge port P2 is folded after
being tied off
with the binding member 40, and the lid 5 is attached to the bottom surface
portion 22
to cover the folded discharge port P2. At this time, the discharge port P2 is
housed
between the lid 5 and the bottom surface portion 22. FIG. 4 is a bottom view
of the
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flexible container 1 in a state in which the lid 5 is about half-removed. As
shown in
FIG. 4, when the lid 5 is removed from the bottom surface portion 22, the
discharge port
P2 tied off with the binding member 40 is exposed from the bottom surface
portion 22.
At this time, the discharge port P2 hangs down under gravity and enters the
state shown
.. in FIG. 2 when viewed from a side.
1-2. Configuration of Vicinity of Filling Port
[0035] Next, the structure of the vicinity of the filling port P1 will be
described. The
filling port P1 is tied off using a binding member 45 (second binding member)
to close
the introduction path Rl. In the present embodiment, the binding member 45 is
fixed
to an outer surface of the filling port cover 25 as shown in FIG. 1. The
binding
member 45 is a cord-shaped member. The binding member 45 is attached to the
vicinity of the center of the filling port cover 25 in the up-down direction
through
sewing etc., such that the binding member 45 horizontally extends in a state
of not being
tied around the filling port P1.
[0036] When the introduction path R1 is to be closed, first, the filling port
portion 31
is narrowed together with the filling port cover 25 covering the filling port
portion 31,
to close the introduction path Rl. Thereafter, the binding member 45 is wound
around
the filling port P1 to maintain the narrowed state. At this time, the binding
member 45
.. is tied into a bow etc., for example. More specifically, a configuration
may be
employed in which the filling port cover 25 and the filling port portion 31
are tied
together with a half-knot, thereafter the filling port portion 31 protruding
from the
filling port cover 25 is folded back in one direction such that the leading
end of the
filling port portion 31 is oriented downward, and then the folded portion of
the filling
port portion 31 and the filling port cover 25 are tied together with a
bowknot.
[0037] The outer bag 2 includes a corolla-shaped lid (hereinafter referred to
as a
-corolla lid") 24 for opening and closing the upper opening 21a. FIG. 5 is a
plan view
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