US20240228143A1

US20240228143A1 - Packaging for the storage and dispensing of liquids and fluidic materials

Info

Publication number: US20240228143A1
Application number: US18/562,220
Authority: US
Inventors: Mark Lelkes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-05-18
Filing date: 2022-05-12
Publication date: 2024-07-11
Also published as: HU5427U; WO2022243715A1

Abstract

A packaging for storing and dispensing liquids and fluidic materials with a bag-shaped body, which has a closable opening designed to remove the product stored in the packaging. Both ends of the bag-shaped body are formed as a supporting element made of the body material, holding the packaging in a standing position. Approximately in the middle region of the bag-shaped body a transversely extending perforation strip is formed for dividing the bag shaped body in two parts, comprising at least one tear tab is connected to it.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the § 371 National Stage Entry of International Application No. PCT/HU2022/050045, filed on May 12, 2022, which claims the benefit of Hungarian Patent Application No. U2100098, filed on May 18, 2021, the contents of which applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a packaging for the storage and dispensing liquids and fluidic materials, comprising a bag-shaped body, the bag-shaped body comprises a supporting element made of the body material on one side of the bag-shaped body, holding the packaging in a standing position, and a closable opening is formed in the body for removal of a product stored in the packaging.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Packaging is well known in everyday life, consisting essentially of a bag made of a material of sufficient mechanical strength, usually plastic, which is hermetically sealed after filling with the product, and on which one of the edges is most often provided with some possibility of emptying the contents of the bag. In simpler cases, this option is to design the bag so that the user can create a suitable opening for the contents of the bag by tearing off the bag or using scissors. This is appropriate in all cases where it is not necessary to prevent accidental spillage or excessive drying of the product remaining in the bag, for example in the case of refills, but does not allow the product remaining in the bag to be emptied as completely as possible after emptying, for this purpose the user needs further action, i.e., the bag must be completely torn apart, which usually does not go easily, or the top must be completely cut off with scissors to gain access to the inside.
A “more advanced” discharge solution is the design where a screw cap closure is formed at the top of the bag. This ensures that the bag is resealed, but also does not contribute to the removal and usability of the residue.
A common feature of these packagings is that one end of the bag is designed to spread slightly due to the product contained therein, thereby forming a surface on which the bag can be stored upright. In this case, this side will be the bottom of the bag and the opening for emptying will be formed at the opposite end of the bag, i.e. the top of the bag.
Packagings with this design and the indicated shortcomings are described, for example, in DE 202011106956U1, US 5,350,240, or JP 2015209233A.
A common shortcoming of these packagings is that they still contain a considerable amount of unusable product after emptying, which is a waste, on the one hand and on the other hand, it does not allow the packaging to be disposed of selectively according to the material of the packaging without further action. Less environmentally conscious users are not expected to smash each emptied bag to gain access to the material left in it, or to flush it out, which is an essential part of selective waste collection.
In the case of soap refill bags, which can be classified as conventional packaging, approx. 1-2 grams of detergent is usually taken from the dispenser during hand washing, and after emptying the bag, approx. 20 g of detergent remains in the bag, which is enough for fifteen average hand washes. In case of traditional packaging, since they are most often discarded, this results in a loss that can only be avoided by cutting the bag. There is also a significant residue in liquid foods, both in bags and rigid-walled plastic bottles.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome this shortcoming.
It has been found that the disadvantage outlined can be overcome by designing the packaging to provide easy access to the interior of the bag after the primary emptying of the bag, thereby providing the user with access to the product remaining in the bag. The design can also ensure that the packaging can be stored securely during secondary use after its primary, normal use.
Due to the recognition, the task has been solved with a packaging for storing and dispensing liquids and fluidic materials, comprising a bag-shaped body, the bag-shaped body comprises a supporting element made of the body material on one side of the bag-shaped body, which holds the packaging in a standing position, and a closable opening is formed in the body for removal of a product stored in the packaging, at the end of the bag-shaped body opposite the end containing the supporting element there is a further supporting element formed of the material of the body, holding the packaging in a standing position, on the bag-shaped body a perforation strip is formed for dividing the bag-shaped body in two parts, extending in the standing position of the body transversely to the bag-shaped body, and at least one tear tab is connected to the perforation strip on the body.
According to a preferred embodiment of the packaging the supporting elements are designed as supporting flanges made of body material.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the packaging the tear tab is formed in one piece with the perforation strip, extending beyond the body.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the packaging zip locks are formed on the body at both edges of the perforation strip along the entire width of the body.

The packaging according to the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to a possible embodiment, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a preferred embodiment of a packaging to the invention, showing the empty, flat packaging in a side view;

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the packaging of the FIG. 1 in its primary use in two states,

FIG. 4 shows both ends of the packaging of FIG. 1 in an open position in a longitudinal section, allowing the packaging to be stored in an upright position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the packaging of FIG. 1 during its secondary use, and

FIGS. 6A-6C show a possible embodiment in three different side views.

The structure of the embodiment shown only as a preferred example is substantially similar to the known and commercially available packaging shown in FIG. 1 . The packaging is essentially a bag or pouch into which a product is filled during manufacture. The material of a bag-shaped body 1 is selected depending on the particular product to be incorporated and the expected or possible mechanical stresses, most often plastic, which is known to a person skilled in the art from commonly used technologies. The size of the bag-shaped body 1 depends on the volume of the product to be marketed, and is generally suitable for 100 to 500 ml, but the solution according to the invention can be used for packaging of substantially any size. In the case of the embodiment shown, the bag-shaped body 1 is rectangular and its two shorter sides are formed during manufacture so as to serve as a supporting element 2 when opened and spread during use. The supporting element 2 is generally designed as a supporting flange made of the material of the body 1. The excess material required for this extends into the inside of the bag-shaped body 1 in the usual manner in an empty, flat state of the bag-shaped body 1, which is indicated in FIG. 1 by a dashed line 3.
FIGS. 2 and 3 show the packaging of FIG. 1 in its primary use in the same manner as currently known packagings. Since both ends 4, 5 of the bag-shaped body 1 have the same design as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 , an opening 6 for emptying the bag-shaped body 1 is formed not in the region of an end, generally in an upright position upper end 4 of the bag shaped body 1 as in the case of known solutions, but in the case of the embodiment shown the opening 6 is formed in the middle region of the bag-shaped body 1 and represents an opening 6 which can be closed with a screw cap 7. The implementation of the latter is not a problem for a person skilled in the art, given the similar packaging and technology on the market.
In the embodiment shown, the bag-shaped body 1 has a perforated strip 8 extending transversely to the upright bag-shaped body 1 in the longitudinal center of the bag-shaped body 1, and one end 9 of the perforation strip 8 extends into a small tear tab 10 which extends beyond the body 1 to facilitate gripping of the perforation strip 8 for easier rupture. The transverse design of the perforation strip 8 is only one possible solution, the perforation strip 8 can also be formed obliquely, i.e. substantially transversely, it does not mean a technical difference.
In a longitudinal section in FIG. 4 one of the main features of the sample packaging is shown: the same design of both ends 4, 5, which contributes to the achievement of the object of the invention in a simple way.
If the perforation strip 8 is torn by the tear tab 10, the bag-shaped body 1 is divided into two bag halves 11, 12 which, since the perforation strip 8 extends in the middle of the bag-shaped body 1 in the present example, are approximately of same size, and because both ends 4, 5 of the bag shaped body 1 are formed identically, each of the bag halves 11, 12 can be stand in upright, standing position by means of the part which forms the supporting element 2 by spreading slightly, as shown in FIG. 5 .
By tearing the perforation strip 8, the interior of each bag 11, 12 can be accessed without hindrance, and the product remaining in it after the primary emptying can be removed, used, and the bag halves 11, 12 can be rinsed and made suitable for selective waste-collection
Three typical side views of a preferred embodiment of the packaging are outlined in FIGS. 6A-6C.
According to a preferred embodiment the perforation strip 8 extending on both sides of the bag can be formed in such a way that, after tearing the perforation strip 8, on the edges of the bag halves 11, 12 adjacent to the removed perforation strip 8 well known zip locks 13 extending over the entire width of the bag are formed, which make the bag halves 11, 12 resealable and thus prevent the product remaining in them from drying out.
Main advantages of the packaging include material savings and environmental considerations.

Claims

1. Packaging for the storage and dispensing of liquids and fluidic materials, the packaging compising:

a bag-shaped body, a first end of the bag-shaped body being formed as a supporting element made of a material of the body, and configured to hold the packaging in a standing position, the body having a closable opening for the removal of a product stored in the packaging;

wherein, at a second end of the bag-shaped body opposite the first end, there is a further supporting element formed of the material of the body and configured to hold the packaging in the standing position;

wherein, on the bag-shaped body a perforation strip is formed extending in the standing position transversely to the bag-shaped body for dividing the bag-shaped body in two parts; and

wherein at least one tear tab is connected to the perforation strip formed on the body.

2. The packaging according to claim 1. wherein the supporting elements are supporting flanges made of the material of the body.

3. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein the tear tab is formed integrally with the perforation strip, extending beyond the body.

4. The packaging according to one of claim 1, wherein zip locks are formed on the body at both edges of the perforation strip along an entire width of the body.