GB2171390A - Flexible packaging container for loose filling material - Google Patents

Abstract

A block-bottom bag (1) is, prior to filling, provided with a closed bottom end (4) and a top end (5) which is only partially closed in that the folded flap (9) is not secured to the other three flaps (6, 7 and 8) to leave an opening through which the container can be filled. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Flexible packaging container for loose filling material The invention relates to a flexible packaging container for loose filling material, in the form of a sack or bag having a filling space bounded at each of its two ends by a satchel bottom, block bottom or the like shaped end, the shaped ends each comprising folded-in corners situated opposite one another in pairs as well as an inner folded end side and an outer folded end side which in turn are situated opposite one another in pairs and in the closed state of the shaped end are stuck to one another and to the folded-in corners, one of the two shaped ends forming a bottom and the other a filling end with a closable filling opening for the filling material.

In known packaging containers of this type, the filling opening for filling the filling space is usually formed by a tubular valve insert which is placed on one of the two-folded-in corners of the filling end and is incorporated in the filling end during the formation of the end by folding and gluing the two folded end sides. In the finished end, the valve insert forms a valve tube, the longitudinal axis of which extends in the longitudinal direction of the end and hence transversely to the vertical axis of the filling space.The filling material conveyed into the interior of the packaging through the valve tube by means of the laterally applied filling nozzle of a filling machine, is thus deflected through 90 in the interior of the packaging in order to reach the bottom of the filling space and to fill the filling space increasingly upwards up to a maximum possible level. This maximum level is limited because of the lateral feed of the filling material just as limits are also imposed on a desirable increase in the filling speed by the transverse feeding of the filling material into the filling space.Finally, as a rule, in the known packaging containers in the form of satchel-bottom or block-bottom valve bags in particular, there is no possibility of introducing articles of larger dimensions, such as measuring cups, through the valve tube into the filling space in addition to the filling material.

It is true that flexible packaging containers for loose filling material are known in the form of a sack or bag which permit filling of the filling space vertically from above through a more or less large bag opening or the stiil open upper end of the bag, but these packaging containers do not have a filling space bounded by satchel bottoms, block bottoms or the like shaped ends as a result of which the packaging container assumes a parallel piped or box-like shape in the filled state which ensures satisfactory stacking and palletizing of the filled packaging containers.In the known packaging containers with vertical filling, the filling space or the packaging container, in so far as it consists of plastics sheet, is merely closed at its two ends by simple end welding or folded closures or wrapped closures are formed by folding over and bonding the tubular ends of the sack or bag. In neither case is a desirable high filling level of the filling material in the filling space possible because the upper end closure is only effected after the filling and a higher filling level would hamper the handling and processing of the bag material in order to provide the closure at the filling edge.In particular, however, because of their rather cushion-shaped form in the filled state because of the lack of end closures of their filling space formed by shaped ends, such packaging containers cannot be stacked well and are only suitable for palletizing with great difficulty.

It is the object of the invention to obviate or mitigate the aforesaid disadvantages of the prior art.

The present invention is a flexible packaging container for loose filling material, in the form of a sack or bag defining a space for filling bounded at each of its two ends by a satchel bottom, block bottom or the like shaped end, wherein the shaped ends each comprise folded-in corners which are situated opposite one another in pairs and an inner folded end side and an outer folded end side which in turn are situated opposite one another in pairs and, in the closed state of the shaped end, are stuck to one another and to the folded-in corners, one of the two shaped ends forming a bottom and the other a closable filling opening, and in which, in the empty state of the packaging container, at the opening only the inner folded end side is stuck to the two folded-in corners and the filling opening is formed by the outer folded end side which is freely hinged about its lateral fold line and which can be stuck to the end as a covering flap closing the filling opening after the filling of the filling space.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a flexible packaging container in the form of a satchel-bottom bag; and Figure 2 shows a central longitudinal section on the line ll-ll of Figure 1.

In Figure 1, a flexible packaging container is shown as an empty packaging, that is to say in the state in which it is supplied by the sack or bag manufacturer to a filling factory. In the example illustrated, it consists of a single-layer or multi-layer paper and has the shape of a sack or bag, the two side walls 1 of which lie flat against one another in the empty state of the packaging as shown and are connected to one another at the edges 2 and 3 of the bag formed by folded edges. Formed at each of the two ends of the bag walls 1, in a manner known per se, is a shaped end 4 or 5 in the form of a satchel bottom produced by manufacturing techniques known per se.

The shaped ends or satchel bottoms 4 and 5 each comprise folded-in corners 6 and 7 which are situated opposite one another in pairs and are folded inwards in triangular shape and folded end sides 8 and 9 which are likewise situated opposite one another in pairs and are folded inwards trapezoidally. The lateral fold edge of the inner folded end side 8, which is folded inwards first in the course of production of the satchel bottom 5, is designated by 10. A lateral fold line for the outer folded end side 9, which is initially still open, is illustrated in chain line at 11 and, in the closed state of the folded end side 9, bearing against the folded end side 8, defines its lateral fold edge. The break line, necessitated by manufacture in the middle of the two satchel bottoms 4 and 5, is illustrated at 12 in Figure 1.

The lower shaped end 4 forms a bottom while the packaging container is being filled and is provided with an outer bottom cover sheet 13 which is glued to the folded-in corners 6 and 7 and the folded end sides 8 and 9 by an application of adhesive 14 which is indicated by hatching in Figure 1 and by small circles in Figure 2. A further application of adhesive, whereby the folded end side 8 is stuck to the folded end side 9 of the bottom 4 is illustrated at 15 in Figure 2.

The bottom 4 is also provided with a carrying loop 16 which is separated from the bottom covering sheet 13. For this purpose, the bottom covering sheet 13 is provided with two parallel incisions bounding the carrying loop 16 at the edge and extending in the longitudinal direction of the bottom and is kept free of the application of adhesive 15 in the region of the handle 16 thus formed. By means of the carrying loop 16, the filled packaging container is carried in a position turned through 1800 in comparison with the illustration in Figure 1.

In the empty state of the packaging container illustrated in the drawing, only the inner folded end side 8 is stuck to the two folded-in corners 6 and 7 by applications of adhesive 17, as shown. The folded end side 9 is not stuck to the folded-in corners 6 and 7 or the folded end side 8 and is shown in Figures 1 and 2 in a position facing outwards away from the folded end side 8. In this folded out position, the folded end side 9 forms a filling opening 18 which affords direct access to the filling space 19 which is bounded at the ends by the shaped ends 4 and 5 and the filling of which can be carried out substantially vertically from above, in that a filling pipe or the like discharge member of a filling machine is introduced into the filling space 19 through the filling aperture 18 in order to carry out the filling operation.During this, the folded end sides 8 and 9 are spread apart while the folded-in corners 6 and 7 stuck to the folded end side 8 participate in this parting movement.

The filling opening 18 has four sides, that is to say it is bounded by the two folded-in corners 6 and 7 and the two folded end sides 8 and 9.

For such a definition of the filling opening 18 and in the interests of achieving high filling levels of the filling material in the filling space 19, an arrangement is recommended wherein the inner folded end side 8 has a width extending beyond the centre break line 12 of the end in the state in which it is stuck to the folded-in corners 6 and 7.

The inner folded end side 8 is preferably taken as far as the lateral fold line 11 of the outer folded end side 9, as the drawing shows.

After the filling of the filling space 19, the folded end side 9 is stuck to the shaped end 5 in order to close the filling oper;ng 18 as a covering flap. For this purpose, the folded end side 9 is provided, at its inside, with an application of adhesive 20 which is converted, after the filling, from a state in which it is at first ineffective into an effective adhesive state, whereupon the folded end side 9 is folded over about its lateral fold line 11 and stuck to the folded-in corners 6 and 7 and the folded end side 8 by means of the application of adhesive 20 in order to cover the filling opening 18. The application of adhesive 20 may be formed by a hot melt application which can be activated by heat or by a permanent adhesive which is covered by a cover strip which can easily be pulled off, in order to keep it in a non-adhesive state.It is also possible, however, to bring the application of adhesive 20 directly into the effectively adhesive state by means of an appropriate auxiliary device on the filling machine, during the filling operation, and to effect the adhesion of the folded end side 9 immediately following thereon.

According to the embodiment illustrated, the application of adhesive 20 is disposed on a marginal strip 21 of the folded end side 9 which is extended at the end by incisions in the associated bag wall 1 reaching as far as the diagonal folded edges 22 of the folded-in corners 6 and 7. In the example illustrated, the folded end side 8 also has an inner portion 23 extended at the ends by material incisions in the associated bag wall 1. The length of this inner portion 23 is not as great, however, as the length of the closing strip 21 so that the latter engages over the inner portion 23 of the folded end side 8 at the ends.

All suitable materials such as plastics sheeting and paper or combinations of these materials may be considered as material for the packaging container. Depending on the selection of the material, the closure of the filling opening 18 formed by the folded end side 9 may also easily be made detachable and repeatedly closable if the application of adhesive 20 is formed by a contact adhesive for example.

Claims (6)

1. A flexible packaging container for loose filling material, in the form of a sack or bag defining a space for filling bounded at each of its two ends by a satchel bottom, block bottom or the like shaped end, wherein the shaped ends each comprise folded-in corners which are situated opposite one another in pairs and an inner folded end side and an outer folded end side which in turn are situated opposite one another in pairs and, in the closed state of the shaped end, are stuck to one another and to the foided-in corners, one of the two shaped ends forming a bottom and the other a closable filling opening, and in which, in the empty state of the packaging container, at the opening only the inner folded end side is stuck to the two folded-in corners and the filling opening is formed by the outer folded end side which is freely hinged about its lateral fold line and which can be stuck to the end as a covering flap closing the filling open ing after the filling of the filling space.

2. A packaging container as claimed claim 1, in which the inner folded end side has a width extending beyond the centre break line in the end.

3. A packaging container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the inner folded end side extends in width right up to the lateral fold line of the outer folded end side.

4. A packaging container as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the outer folded end side is provided, at its inside, with an adhesive which can be activated after the filling of the filling space.

5. A packaging container as claimed in claim 4, in which the application of adhesive is disposed on a marginal strip of the outer folded end side which is extended by material incisions at the ends.

6. A packaging container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawing.