Transport pouch, method for transporting an item, and method for manufacturing the transport pouch

Abstract

A transport pouch includes a flap portion and a body portion separated from each other by a folding portion. The transport pouch also includes a front panel and a rear panel, an adhesive closure, at least one removable cover, and a form closure. When the flap portion of the transport pouch is folded onto the body portion of the transport pouch, the flap area of the adhesive closure is adhered to the body area of the adhesive closure, and the form closure is closed, the folding portion of the transport pouch acts as a barrier that prevents billowing of the body portion of the transport pouch, caused by a relative pressure increase in the transport space due to a pressure drop in the surroundings of the transport pouch, from tearing open the form closure and thus from tearing open the adhesive closure.

Claims

1. A transport pouch, having a flap portion and a body portion separated from each other by a folding portion, the transport pouch comprising: a plastic front panel and a plastic rear panel, wherein the front panel and rear panel are connected to each other along a top side, a bottom side, a left side and a right side, and wherein the front panel and rear panel define between them an interior space, wherein the flap portion of the transport pouch comprises a flap section of the front panel and a flap section of the rear panel, and the body portion of the transport pouch comprises a body section of the front panel and a body section of the rear panel, wherein the flap section of the front panel and the flap section of the rear panel are separated from the respective body section of the front panel and body section of the rear panel by a folding section, along which folding section the flap portion of the transport pouch is foldable onto the body portion of the transport pouch, wherein the folding portion of the transport pouch divides the interior space into a transport space for holding an item, which transport space is provided in the body portion of the transport pouch, and an entry space, located in the flap portion of the transport pouch, and wherein the flap section of the front panel is provided with an entry opening for inserting the item, via the entry space, into the transport space of the transport pouch; an adhesive closure, wherein the adhesive closure comprises a flap area on the flap section of the front panel and a body area on the body section of the front panel, wherein the entry opening is located in the flap area of the adhesive closure, and wherein at least one of the flap area and the body area of the adhesive closure is provided with an adhesive to enable the flap area to be adhered to the body area such that the entry opening is sealed along its entire periphery, to seal the transport pouch during transport; at least one removable cover, wherein the at least one removable cover is provided on at least one of the flap area and the body area of the adhesive closure, to shield the adhesive prior to the flap area being adhered onto the body area, and wherein the at least one removable cover, when provided on the flap area of the adhesive closure, is provided with an opening that enables access to the entry opening in the flap section of the front panel; and a form closure, wherein the form closure is provided in the flap portion of the transport pouch, wherein the form closure comprises a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is disposed on an inside surface of the flap section of the front panel, between the entry opening and the folding section of the front panel, and extends between the left side and the right side of the front panel, wherein the second part is disposed on an inside surface of the flap section of the rear panel and extends between the left side and the right side of the rear panel, and which first part and second part of the form closure are configured to releasable mate such that the form closure, when closed, blocks passage from at least a part of the entry space to the transport space, such that, when the flap portion of the transport pouch is folded onto the body portion of the transport pouch, the flap area of the adhesive closure is adhered to the body area of the adhesive closure, and the form closure is closed, the folding portion of the transport pouch acts as a barrier that prevents billowing of the body portion of the transport pouch, caused by a relative pressure increase in the transport space due to a pressure drop in the surroundings of the transport pouch, from releasing the first part of the form closure from the second part of the form closure and thus from tearing open the form closure.

2. The transport pouch according to claim 1, wherein, in a direction perpendicular to the folding portion, the flap portion is smaller in size than the body portion, such that when the flap portion is folded onto the body portion, the flap portion only partially overlaps the body portion.

3. The transport pouch according to claim 1, wherein the front panel and rear panel are at least along at least one of their left side and their right side sealed to each other along sealing zones, the sealing zones each forming a strip that extends along at least one of the left side and the right side of the transport pouch.

4. The transport pouch according to claim 1, wherein the flap area of the adhesive closure and the body area of the adhesive closure are arranged closely next to each other, and are separated by a folding section such that the distance between the flap area and the body area is less than 2 cm.

5. The transport pouch according to claim 1, wherein the form closure is located at a distance from the folding portion, such that when the flap section is folded onto the body section and the flap area is adhered to the body area, the form closure is located at least 1 cm away from an apex of the folded rear panel.

6. The transport pouch according to claim 1, wherein the form closure is located at a distance from the folding portion, such that when the flap section is folded onto the body section and the flap area is adhered to the body area, the form closure is located at most 3 cm away from an apex of the folded rear panel.

7. The transport pouch according to claim 1, wherein the flap area or the body area of the adhesive closure is provided with an adhesive, and respectively the body section or the flap section of the front panel is provided with markings that indicate where the flap section of the transport pouch should be folded onto the body section of the transport pouch such that the flap area and the body area of the adhesive closure to seal the entry opening along the entire circumference.

8. The transport pouch according to claim 1, wherein the front panel and the rear panel are made from a flexible plastic sheet material, and wherein the plastic sheet material comprises multiple layers of different types of plastic materials.

9. The transport pouch according to claim 8, wherein the plastic sheet material has a thickness in the range of 3-7 micron.

10. The transport pouch according to claim 1, wherein the front panel and rear panel are each rectangular panels, and the entry opening is a slit in the front panel, which slit extends parallel to the top side and the bottom side of the front panel.

11. A method for transporting an item with the transport pouch according to claim 1, the method comprising: via the entry opening and the entry space inserting an item into the transport space of the transport pouch; closing the form closure; removing the at least one removable cover; and folding the transport pouch along the folding portion such that the flap area of the adhesive closure is adhered to the body area of the adhesive closure to seal the entry opening.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: transporting the transport pouch with the item; and opening the transport pouch.

13. A method for manufacturing the transport pouch according to claim 1, the method comprising: applying adhesive to at least one of the flap area and the body area of the adhesive closure on the front panel; providing an entry opening in the flap area of the front panel; between rear panel and front panel providing a form closure and fixing the form closure to the flap area of the front panel and the flap area of rear panel; and fixing the front panel to the rear panel such that the front panel and the rear panel are connected to each other along the top side, the bottom side, the left side and the right side, and the front panel and rear panel define between them an interior space.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings;

(2) FIG. 1 shows a frontal view of a transport pouch according to the claimed invention, depicted in an open configuration and with a removable cover on a flap portion of the transport pouch;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a frontal view of a transport pouch of FIG. 1, with the removable cover removed;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a frontal view of the transport pouch of FIG. 1, depicted in a closed configuration;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a frontal view of the transport pouch of FIG. 3, with the flap portion in see through; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional side view of the transport pouch of FIG. 1, depicted in a closed configuration and holding an item.

(7) FIGS. 1-5 depict a transport pouch 1 according to the invention. The transport pouch 1 according to the claimed invention has a flap portion 2 and a body portion 3 separated from each other by a folding portion 4.

(8) The transport pouch 1 comprises a plastic front panel 5 and a plastic rear panel 6. In the embodiment shown, the front panel 5 and the rear panel 6 are rectangular panels of similar size. Such a configuration is in particular suitable for manufacturing the transport pouch from long strips of plastic sheet material. It is submitted that in an alternative embodiment, the panel may be provided with rounded corners and/or an alternative contour.

(9) The front panel 5 and rear panel are 6 connected to each other along a top side 7, a bottom side 8, a left side 9 and a right side 10. The front panel 5 and rear panel 6 define between them an interior space 11, which is depicted in a cross sectional side view shown in FIG. 5.

(10) The flap portion 2 of the transport pouch 1 comprises a flap section 12 of the front panel 5 and a flap section 13 of the rear panel 6. The body portion 3 of the transport pouch 1 comprises a body section 14 of the front panel 5 a body section 15 of the rear panel 6.

(11) The flap section 12 of the front panel 5 and the flap section 13 of the rear pane 16 are separated from the respective body section 14 of the front panel 5 and body section 15 of the rear panel 6 by a folding section 16, 17. The folding section 16 of the front panel 5 and the folding section 17 of the rear panel 6 thus are comprised by the folding portion 4 of the transport pouch. Along these folding sections 16, 17 the flap portion 2 of the transport pouch 1 is foldable onto the body portion 3 of the transport pouch.

(12) In the embodiment shown, the front panel 5 of the transport pouch is made of a transparent sheet material, therefore a form closure 27 that is located on the inside of the transport pouch 1 is visible in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(13) The transport pouch 1 is shown in the folded configuration, i.e. with the flap portion 2 folded onto the body portion 3, in FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5. It is noted that FIG. 4 is in partial see through, and therefore, in contrast with FIG. 3, shows the form closure 27, the adhesive 22, and the entry opening 21.

(14) The folding portion 4 of the transport pouch 1 divides the interior space 11 into a transport space 18 for holding an item 20, which transport space is provided in the body portion 3 of the transport pouch 1, and an entry space 19, located in the flap portion 2 of the transport pouch 1.

(15) The flap section 12 of the front panel 5 is provided with an entry opening 21 for inserting the item 20, via the entry space 19, into the transport space 18 of the transport pouch 1.

(16) The transport pouch further comprises an adhesive closure 22. The adhesive closure 22 comprises a flap area 23 on the flap section 12 of the front panel 5, and a body area 24 on the body section 14 of the front panel 5. The entry opening 21 is located in the flap area 23 of the adhesive closure 22.

(17) With a transport pouch according to the invention, the flap area and/or the body area of the adhesive closure are/is provided with an adhesive to enable the flap area to be adhered to the body area such that the entry opening is sealed along its entire periphery, to seal the transport pouch during transport.

(18) In the embodiment shown, the flap area 23 of the adhesive closure 22 is provided with an adhesive to enable the flap area to be adhered to the body area 24 such that the entry opening 21 is sealed along its entire periphery, to thus seal the transport pouch during transport.

(19) Furthermore, the transport pouch 1 is provided with at least one removable cover 25. The removable cover 25 is provided on the area of the adhesive closure 22 provided with an adhesive, in the embodiment shown the flap area 23 of the adhesive closure 22, to shield the adhesive prior to the flap area 23 being adhered to the body area 24.

(20) FIG. 1 shows the transport pouch 1 with the removable cover 25 on the flap area 23 of the adhesive closure 22. FIG. 2 the transport pouch 1 with the removable cover 25 removed.

(21) In the embodiment shown, the at least one removable cover 25 is provided with an opening 26 that enables access to the entry opening 21 in the flap section 12 of the front panel 5.

(22) The transport pouch is furthermore provided with a form closure 27, for example a form closure of the zip lock or minigrip type, which form closure 27 is provided in the flap portion 2 of the transport pouch 1.

(23) The form closure 27 comprises a first part 28 and a second part 29. The first part 28 is disposed on an inside surface of the flap section 12 of the front panel 5, between the entry opening 21 and the folding section 16 of the front panel 5, and extends between the left side 9 and the right side 10 of the front panel 5.

(24) The second part 29 is disposed on an inside surface of the flap section 13 of the rear panel 6 and extends between the left side 9 and the right side 10 of the rear panel 6.

(25) The first part 28 and second part 29 of the form closure 27 are configured to releasable mate such that the form closure 27, when closed, blocks passage from at least a part of the entry space 19 to the transport space 18. Preferably, the form closure when closed blocks the full passage, preventing any fluid from passing from the transport space 18 into the entry space. Thus, the form closure prevents a pressure increase in the transport space from fully expanding into the entry space, and thus keeps the billowing of the flap portion and the pressure on the adhesive closure to a minimum.

(26) Thus, when the flap portion 2 of the transport pouch 1 is folded onto the body portion 3 of the transport pouch 1, the flap area 23 of the adhesive closure 22 is adhered to the body area 24 of the adhesive closure 22, and when the form closure 27 is closed, the folding portion 4 of the transport pouch 1 acts as a barrier that prevents billowing of the body portion 3 of the transport pouch 1, caused by a relative pressure increase in the transport space 18 due to a pressure drop in the surroundings of the transport pouch 1, from releasing the first part 28 of the form closure 27 from the second part 29 of the form closure 27 and thus from tearing open the form closure 27.

(27) FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional side view of the transport pouch 1, with the body portion of the pouch in an expanded state due to a reduced pressure in the surroundings of the transport pouch. The billowing of the body portion 3 pushes the body section 14 of the front panel 5, or at least a part thereof, against the flap section 12 of the front panel 5 front panel. Furthermore, the section, more in particular the fold, along which the flap portion 2 is folded onto the body portion 3 form a barrier between the transport space 18 and the entry space 19.

(28) With a transport pouch according to the claimed invention, the item is inserted into the transport space, moving the body section of the front panel and the rear panel away from each other. The entry space is free of items. Thus, once the item has been inserted into the transport space, the flap sections of the panels are adjacent each other.

(29) When an item is held in the transport space, the item typically spaces the body section of the front panel away from the body section of the rear panel. thus, besides the item, air will be comprised in the transport space as well. The configuration of the transport pouch is such that when it is closed the flap portion will be flattened and only a minimum of air will be comprised in the entry space. Thus, in case of a pressure drop in the surroundings of the transport pouch, the billowing of the flap portion will be little.

(30) Providing the form closure between the entry opening and the transport space, prevents the item to move from the transport space into the entry space when the transport pouch is not yet folded. Thus the entry space is free from items. The empty entry space ensures that the flap portion is relatively flat when it is folded onto the body portion to seal the entry opening.

(31) According to the claimed invention, the transport pouch 1 is a foldable transport pouch, provided with an entry opening 21 in the front panel 5, with a form closure 27 and with a folding portion 4. The form closure 27 is provided in the flap portion between the transport space and the entry opening. The folding section is provided between the transport space and the form closure. Thus, with a transport pouch according to the claimed invention, to seal the entry opening the flap section with the form closure is folded on top of the body section. It has been found that in this configuration the fold section prevents the billowing, i.e. the front sheet moving away from the rear sheet, to substantially extend beyond the folding portion.

(32) The fold keeps the front panel close to the rear panel, preventing the billowing to pass beyond the folding portion. Furthermore, because the flap portion of the transport pouch is folded onto the body portion of the transport pouch, the billowing of the body portion pushes the front panel with the first part of the form closure towards the rear panel with the second part of the form closure, and thus makes it harder for the form closure to be torn open. Thus, the transport configuration reduces the pressure on the form closure, and ultimo the pressure on the entry opening. Therefore, the transport pouch according to the claimed invention is able to withstand a significant relative pressure increase in the transport space without the sealing being broken.

(33) The invention thus provides an alternative transport pouch, more in particular the invention allows for an improved transport pouch that is able to withstand a large drop in surrounding pressure without the billowing of the pouch causing the closure of the pouch to be torn open.

(34) Furthermore, the transport pouch according to the claimed invention allows to provide a disposable transport pouch that is easy to use and/or can be obtained at low cost.

(35) In the embodiment shown, in a direction perpendicular to the folding portion 4, the flap portion 2 has a size that is smaller than the size of the body portion 3, such that when the flap portion 2 is folded onto the body portion 3, as is shown in FIGS. 3-5, the flap portion 2 only partially overlaps the bottom portion 3. This allows for holding the body portion, at the part that will not be covered by the flap portion, while folding the flap portion onto the boy portion, and thus facilitates correctly and secure adhering the flap portion to the body portion of the transport pouch.

(36) In the embodiment, the flap area 23 of the adhesive closure 22 extends from the left side of the transport pouch 1 to the right side of the transport pouch. Thus, the flap portion 2 and the body portion 3 are adhered to each other over the full width of the transport pouch 1, and thus along the entire fold 30 when the flap portion 2 is attached to the body portion 3. This ensures that the fold is optimally kept in position during a billowing of the body portion 3 of the transport pouch 1.

(37) In the embodiment shown, when the flap portion 2 is adhered to the body portion 3, i.e. when the transport pouch is in the closed configuration, the adhesive covers at least 60% of the flap portion 3 and extends over substantially the entire width of the flap portion 3. Thus, the flap portion 3 is adhered over a large area to the body portion 2, which keeps the flap portion closely adjacent the body portion 3 prior to and during a billowing of the body portion. This further prevents a billowing of the body portion 3 from pulling away part of the flap portion 2 from the body portion and is thus beneficial for keeping the fold in position and thus for an optimal barrier effect of the fold 30.

(38) Furthermore, in the embodiment shown, the front panel 5 and rear panel 6 are along their left side 9, right side 10, top side 7 and bottom side 8 sealed to each other along sealing zones 31. Thus, the sealing zone extend along the entire periphery of the transport pouch 1.

(39) The sealing zone is a strip like area that is sealed to the opposite panel. The sealing zone 31 thus forms a strip, i.e. a relatively large sealing area, and thus for a strong bond between the front panel and the rear panel. A strong bond between the front panel and the rear panel allows for a high over pressure, i.e. a high pressure in the transport space compared to the pressure in the surroundings of the transport bag, in the transport space without the front panel tearing away from the rear panel.

(40) In a further embodiment, below the body area of the adhesive closure, i.e. part of the strip along the side of the panels and extending between the bottom of the panel and the flap portion of the panel when the closed transport pouch is seen in frontal view, see FIGS. 3 and 4, at least at one side of the transport pouch is provided a recess, e.g. a V-shaped cut out. The recess is provided to initiate a tear, more in particular to enable a person to open the transport pouch by tearing open the body portion of the transport pouch.

(41) In the embodiment shown, to open the pouch 1 after transport the flap portion 2 is pulled from the body portion 3. The flap portion is, at the side opposite the folding section, provided with a pull tab, i.e. an area with no adhesive and thus not adhered to the body portion, for engaging the flap by hand and for tearing the flap portion from the body portion to provide access to the entry port after transport.

(42) It is noted that due to the folding portion forming a barrier during transport, a relative pressure increase in the transport space will not act fully, or even not at all, on the adhesive closure. Because the adhesive closure does not need to be able to withstand the full load of the relative pressure increase, the adhesive strength can be reduced. Thus the invention allows for a transport pouch comprising an adhesive closure for sealing the entry opening, that after transport can be opened by pulling the flap portion form the body portion.

(43) In the embodiment shown, only the flap area 23 of the adhesive closure 22 is provided with an adhesive, while the body area 24 of the adhesive closure 22 is free from any adhesive. Thus, the at least one removable cover 25 is provided to the flap area. In an alternative embodiment, both the flap area of the adhesive closure and the body area of the adhesive closure are provided with adhesive, and with a removable cover.

(44) Preferably, the flap area of the adhesive closure and the body area of the adhesive closure are arranged closely next to each other, for example are separated by a folding section such that the distance between the flap area and the body area is less than 2 cm, for example is 1 cm. Positioning the flap area close to the body area propagates a sharp fold, i.e. a fold with a small radius, in the transport pouch when the flap area is adhered to the body area, which is beneficial to the barrier properties of the fold.

(45) In an embodiment, the form closure is located at a distance from the folding portion of the transport pouch, preferably is located at a distance from the folding section of the rear panel, such that when the flap section is folded onto the body section and the flap area is adhered to the body area, the form closure is located at least 1 cm, preferably is located at least 1.5 cm, away from an apex of the folded rear panel, i.e. the part of the folding section of the rear panel that extends substantially perpendicular to the flap section and the body section of the rear panel.

(46) Providing distance between the form closure 27 and the folding portion 4 of the transport pouch 1, preferably the folding section 17 of the rear panel 6, allows for the form closure 27 to be located in a part of the flap portion 2 that is adjacent the body portion 3 of the transport pouch 1 when the adhesive closure 22 is closed and the flap portion 2 is folded onto and adhered to the body portion 3, as shown in FIG. 5. This in ensures that, in case of billowing of the body portion 3, the boy section 14 of the front panel 5 pushes against the flap section 12 of the front panel 5, and thus urges the first part 28 of the form closure 27, which is mounted on the inside surface of the front panel 5, towards the second part 29 of the form closure 27 mounted on the inside surface of the rear panel 6, and thus obstructs tearing open of the form closure by the billowing.

(47) In an embodiment, the form closure is located at a distance from the folding portion, preferably is located at a distance from the folding section of the rear panel, such that when the flap section is folded onto the body section and the flap area is adhered to the body area, the form closure is located at most 3 cm, preferably is located at least 2 cm, away from an apex of the folded rear panel, i.e. the part of the folding section of the rear panel that extends substantially perpendicular to the flap section and the body section of the rear panel.

(48) In the embodiment shown, the front panel 5 and the rear panel 6 are each rectangular panels, and the entry opening 21 is a slit in the front panel, which slit extends parallel to the top side 7 and the bottom side 8 of the front panel 5. Such a configuration is in particular beneficial when the transport pouch is to be opened after transport by tearing open the adhesive closure, because it allows for an optimal sealing of the entry opening, but also allows for easy pealing open starting at a corner of the rectangular sealing area.

(49) For transporting the item 20 with the transport pouch 1, the item 20 is, via the entry opening 21 and the entry space 19, inserted into the transport space 18 of the transport pouch 1. Subsequently, the form closure 27 is closed, after which the at least one removable cover 26 is removed and the transport pouch 1 is folded along the folding portion 4 such that the flap area 23 of the adhesive closure 22 is adhered to the body area 24 of the adhesive closure 22 to seal the entry opening 21.

(50) After the transport pouch 1 has thus been closed, the transport pouch can be transported, for example by air-mail. Once at the destination, the transport pouch 1 is opened, with the embodiment shown is opened by tearing flap portion 2 from the body portion 3, and thus enabling removal of the item 20 from the transport space 18 via the entry space 19 and the opening 21.

REFERENCE SIGNS

(51) 01 transport pouch 02 flap portion 03 body portion 04 folding portion 05 front panel 06 rear panel 07 top side panels 08 bottom side panels 09 left side panels 10 right side panels 11 interior space 12 flap section of the front panel 13 flap section of the rear panel 14 body section of the front panel 15 body section of the rear panel 16 folding section of the front panel 17 folding section of the rear panel 18 transport space 19 entry space 20 item 21 entry opening 22 adhesive closure 23 flap area adhesive closure 24 body area of the adhesive closure 25 removable cover 26 opening in removable cover 27 form closure 28 first part form closure 29 second part form closure 30 fold 31 sealing zone