Special receptacle or package – Combined or convertible – Including drinking vessel
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-18
2001-09-25
Cano, Milton I. (Department: 1761)
Special receptacle or package
Combined or convertible
Including drinking vessel
C383S040000, C383S906000, C220S707000, C220S714000, C220S715000, C426S085000, C426S115000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293394
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a pouch-shaped form of packaging featuring a drinking straw or pouring spout and an easy-open protected region providing access to the straw.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many packaging pouches for drinks feature a drinking straw attached to the outside of the pouch. The drinking straw which is attached at an angle to one side of the package is pushed through the wall of the pouch at a prescribed place. If the drinking straw is handled incorrectly e.g. by children, it can bend without penetrating the pouch. Another problem is the danger of the sloping straw causing injury, and the possibility of the contents running out due to incorrect handling.
Another flexible pouch is known in which the drinking straw is provided in the interior of the pouch i.e. in the same space as the contents. The self-standing pouch features in the region of the upper edge a notch joining up to a tear line for tearing the pouch open. The length of the drinking straw is chosen such that its lower end is situated at the lowest part of the pouch and its upper end lies above the tear line. With this arrangement the drinking straw is completely accessible after tearing the pouch open. It has however been found disadvantageous that if the pouch is torn open without due care, or if the aid to tearing does not readily function, then on opening the pouch some of its contents can run out in an uncontrolled manner.
In another known pouch for drinks featuring an integral drinking straw, the latter is contained in a kind of pocket which is separated from the actual pouch by means of a film. The straw is flexible in design in the drinking part and is hygienically packed by means of a peel-back film. After tearing off this protective film, the drinking straw is straightened out and—under the action of a small amount of pressure—the lower end pushed out of the inner pocket and into the space in the pouch filled with drinking fluid. Also this form of packaging does not provide any preventive measure against the contents running out after the straw has been pushed into the pouch.
All of the pouches for drinks available on the market at present suffer the disadvantage that, after they have been opened there is no easily manageable possibility for closing them again. This can—as mentioned above—lead to staining as a result of the contents running out of the pouch in an uncontrolled manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is therefore to design a user-friendly packaging pouch. The pouch should in particular feature an integral drinking straw and at the same time should prevent the contents from running out. A further objective of the invention is the provision of a packaging pouch for liquid or paste-like contents with re-sealable drinking straw or pouring spout.
These objectives are achieved by way of the invention in that the pouch comprises a first compartment for the contents and, to accommodate a tube, a second compartment which is separated in a fluid-tight manner from the first compartment where the tube, joined to the pouch in a fluid-tight manner in the transition region, leads from the first compartment to the second compartment, and features a valve element for opening and closing a through-flow channel.
A first version is such that the tube features a valve element which opens up a through-flow channel under the action of pressure applied sideways and closes automatically.
A second version is such that the tube features a moveable joint which—by folding or rotating the tube part projecting into the second compartment—opens and closes the tube.
A preferred variety of the first and second versions of the pouch according to the invention is such that the first compartment is separated from the second compartment by a sealing or adhesively bonded seam, and a connecting piece connecting both compartments is sealed or adhesively bonded to the pouch in a fluid-tight manner over the sealing or adhesively bonded seam. This results in the connecting piece being joined to a first tube part projecting into the first compartment and to a second tube part projecting into the second compartment.
A third version of packaging pouch according to the invention is such that the part of the tube projecting into the second compartment features a fold which in the unopened pouch is fluid-tight and prevents flow through the tube and—after opening the pouch—by straightening out the end piece of the part of the tube projecting into the second compartment permits flow of fluid through the tube.
Preferred is—in the transition region between the first and second compartment—a transition piece with a channel for fluid-tight passage of the tube whereby, in order to increase the security against fluid running out, the transition piece may additionally feature a holder part to accommodate and secure the end piece of the tube in the folded position.
A useful arrangement is such that the transition piece features at least one sealing area that at least partially delimits the second compartment. Particularly suitable is an arrangement whereby the transition piece exhibits two sealing areas that meet perpendicular to each other.
As an additional means of preventing fluid running out, the end of the part of the tube projecting into the second compartment may be provided with an easy-to-open closure which is closed in a fluid-tight manner when the pouch is in the unopened state.
Usefully, the part of the tube projecting into the first compartment, or the first part of the tube, terminates at the lowest point of the first compartment of the pouch when in use—this in order to ensure complete emptying of the pouch.
The part of the tube projecting into the first compartment, or the first part of the tube, is preferably elastically sprung, while the part of the tube projecting into the second compartment or the second part of the tube is preferably deformable and/or extendable and e.g. features an extendable, concertina-like part.
A tear line or peel-back opening is preferably provided in the region of the second compartment in order to provide access to the drinking-straw tube.
The packaging pouch according to the invention may be employed for drinks, for paste-type products such as yoghurts or fruit juices and the like. Another field of application is that of technical products e.g. motor oils, lubricants or washing agents.
The second compartment to accommodate a tube part, which is separate from the first compartment containing the fluid contents, protects the tube from contamination prior to opening, is hygienically packed and can as desired be kept aseptically clean. This is important especially when using the pouch for the packaging of foodstuffs.
Further advantages, features and details of the invention are revealed in the following description of a preferred exemplified embodiment and with the aid of the drawing which shows schematically in:
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Marbler Claude A.
Walter Juris
Ziegler Andreas
Alusuisse Technology & Management, LTD
Cano Milton I.
Fisher Christen & Sabol
Madsen Robert
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