Packaging

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for, or method of, packaging a product within a packaging bag, wherein the packaging bag includes an inner liner and an outer liner. The method including the steps of marking the inner liner with a first marking unit, filling the bag with the product, and subsequently marking the outer liner with a second marking unit. The markings may be machine readable and/or randomly generated and stored in a database. The system may further include a machine reader, which is capable of accessing the database, and which is capable of reading the markings on the inner liner and/or the outer liner, to thus determine if an outer liner subsequently removed from an inner liner is/was the same outer liner associated with the same inner liner, at the time when the bag was filled and/or packaged.

Claims

1. A method of packaging a product, said method comprising: marking an inner liner of a packaging bag with a first marking device to provide a first marking; placing the marked inner liner in an initial outer liner of the packaging bag; filling the inner liner of the bag with the product; sealing the packaging bag such that the inner liner and the initial outer liner are sealed; marking the initial outer liner with a second marking device to provide a second marking either before or after sealing the packaging bag; determining, after a specific outer liner is removed from the inner liner in a location, whether or not a marking on the specific outer liner is associated with the first marking by accessing a computer database associating the first marking and the second marking and a record associating the first marking and the second marking to determine whether or not the specific outer liner is the initial outer liner, the first marking and the second marking containing one or more differences with respect to one another such that the inner liner and the initial outer liner are configured to be unable to be matched by a person; and outputting one or more of an audio alarm and a visual alarm at the location at which the specific outer liner is removed when it is determined that the specific outer liner is not the initial outer liner.

2. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first marking made on the inner liner by the first marking device is a machine-readable marking.

3. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second marking made on the initial outer liner by the second marking device is a machine-readable marking.

4. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first marking made on the inner liner by the first marking device is a machine-readable marking, and the second marking made on the initial outer liner by the second marking device is a machine-readable marking.

5. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first and second markings made on the inner liner and the initial outer liner, by the first marking device and the second marking device respectively, are stored and associated in the database at the time of application.

6. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 5, wherein an association between the first and second markings made on the inner liner and the initial outer liner are transferred to the database, by the first and second marking devices, either directly or indirectly, by the use of wireless communication technologies.

7. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 5, further comprising determining, by a machine reader, which is configured to access the database, either directly or indirectly, and which is configured to read the first and second markings on the inner liner and/or the outer liner, whether the specific outer liner subsequently removed from the inner liner is the initial outer liner associated with the inner liner, at the time when the bag was filled and/or packaged.

8. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 7, wherein the machine reader is configured to be in communication with the database, either directly or indirectly, by the use of wireless communication technologies.

9. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 8, wherein the machine reader is in two-way communication with the database that is configured to send the one or more of the audio alarm and the visual alarm to the machine reader and/or a third party, when an outer liner removed from an inner liner is not the same outer liner associated with the same inner liner, at the time when the bag was filled and/or packaged.

10. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or both of the first marking on the inner liner and the second marking on the outer liner includes a barcode.

11. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or both of the first marking on the inner liner and the second marking on the outer liner includes a QR code.

12. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or both of the first marking device and the second marking device are laser etching machines.

13. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first marking device and the second marking device are separate machines.

14. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first marking device and the second marking device are the same machine.

15. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner liner is made of a plastics material.

16. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the initial outer liner is made of a paper material.

17. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bag is a 25 kg bag configured to package milk powder.

18. The method of packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first marking of the inner liner is formed between laminates of plastic comprising the inner liner.

Description

DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1: is a front view of a 25 kg packaging bag, used for packaging milk powder,

(2) FIG. 2: is a side view of the packaging bag illustrated in FIG. 1,

(3) FIG. 3: is a perspective view of the packaging bag illustrated in FIGS. 1-2,

(4) FIG. 4: is a front view of the packaging bag of FIGS. 1-3, incorporating one aspect of the present invention,

(5) FIG. 5: is a front view of the packaging bag of FIGS. 1-3, incorporating another aspect of the present invention, and

(6) FIG. 6: is a schematic view showing one embodiment of the packaging system, and associated apparatus and methodology.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) Having regard to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown a 25 kg bag used for the packaging of milk powder (not shown), the bag being generally indicated by arrow 1.

(8) The bag 1 is of a form which has an outer liner 2 comprised of two or three ply paper material, and an inner liner 3 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) comprised of laminated plastic. In FIGS. 4 and 5, the inner liner 3 is shown in the cutaway section 4 of the outer liner 2.

(9) The inner liner 3 is designed to be filled with 25 kg of milk powder, and the outer liner 2 is designed to provide a cover for the inner liner 3 during packaging and/or storage and/or transportation.

(10) The outer liner 2 generally serves as a sanitary and/or hygienic cover for the inner liner 3, within which is housed the milk powder.

(11) The top level of the milk powder within the bag 1 is indicated by arrow 10.

(12) The top of the inner liner 3 within the outer liner 2 is indicated by arrow 11, thus leaving a small top strip of just the outer liner 14, which is not covering or enclosing any part of the inner liner 3.

(13) The distance 12 between the top of the level of milk powder 10 and the top of the inner liner 11 is approximately 200-220 mm.

(14) The bag 1 is heat sealed during the packaging process in the region indicated by arrow 13 (FIG. 2).

(15) In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the bag 1 is also vacuum sealed during the packaging process.

(16) Examples, of packaging plants capable of packaging milk powder into the 25 kg bags 1, such as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, are those manufactured and marketed by Technopak Ltd of Auckland New Zealand.

(17) Having regard to FIG. 4, there is illustrated the packaged bag 1 of FIG. 1, wherein the inner liner 3 has been marked with a marking 6, and the outer liner 2 has been marked with a marking 5.

(18) The markings 5,6 have both been formed by laser etching machines (not shown).

(19) The markings 5,6 may be identical. Alternatively, the markings 5,6 may be different. In yet another embodiment, the markings 5,6 may contain some identical features and some different features.

(20) The markings 5,6 may include material that is readable by a person.

(21) For example, the markings 5,6 may include, but not be limited to, the date, the factory, the type of powder within the bag, the batch number, the bag number, the best before date, a unique identifier for authenticity purposes, the name of the end user, and so on.

(22) Preferably, the inner liner 3 may be marked via laser etching prior to the inner liner 3 being filled.

(23) For example, the inner liner 3 may be marked at the place where the inner liner 3 is made, that is, prior to being shipped to the milk packaging plant (for example a dairy factory).

(24) Alternatively, the inner liner 3 may be marked at the milk packaging plant after the bags 1 have been delivered, but prior to the bags 1 being filled. This could be done at a separate laser etching station contained within the overall packaging plant.

(25) The inner liner 3 may be marked before or after it has been placed within the outer liner 2.

(26) In an alternative embodiment, the inner liner 3 could be marked after the bag 1 has been filled, but before the outer liner is marked.

(27) In one embodiment, the markings 5,6 may be identical. In such an embodiment it may be appreciated that the contents or properties of the bag 1 (or information relating to the contents or properties of the bag 1) may be apparent and/or readable (by a person or a machine) even when the outer liner 2 has been removed and/or discarded. That is, the same information marked on the outer liner 2, relating to the contents or properties of the bag 1, may also be read from the inner liner 3, as provided for by the markings 5,6.

(28) An advantage of such an arrangement, and for example, would be in the situation where a small milk powder packaging factory (which, for example, packages milk powder into 1 kg tins) receives bulk-packaged milk powder in the form of the 25 kg bags 1 from a dairy factory for repackaging into the 1 kg tins. The 25 kg bags 1 arrive at the factory and are usually taken to a holding area, where they sit until they are required. When a batch of 1 kg tins are to be made, a worker usually rips off the outer liners 2 from the bags 1 (after checking that the markings 5 on the outer liner 2 are correct for the 1 kg product to be packaged).

(29) If there are a backlog of filled plastic bags (that is, filled inner liners 3 with the outer liners 2 removed) waiting to be cut and tipped into the hopper (or conveying means), the markings 6 on the filled inner liners 3 still enable the relevant information relating to the milk powder to be read by a person or machine. Hence, there is no chance of confusion as to the contents of the filled inner liners 3, and hence there is no chance of the wrong type of powder being inadvertently packaged into the wrong type of 1 kg tin. Moreover, because there will be no confusion as to the contents of each filled inner liner 3, there will be no lost production time as a worker may otherwise have to make enquiries as to the contents of each filled inner liner 3.

(30) In another embodiment, the markings 5,6 may be different, or contain one or more differences, whereby a person would be unable to match the outer liner 2 with the inner liner 3, when viewing the markings 5,6 once the outer liner 2 has been separated from the inner liner 3.

(31) In such an embodiment, and for example, the markings 5,6 may be generated randomly and automatically by a machine (such as a computer or software application) at the time that the markings 5,6 are applied to the inner liner 3 and/or outer liner 2, which further reduces the chance of a worker subsequently being able to match the two markings 5,6, and which therefore adds a further layer of security as to the authenticity of the product, as well protecting against tampering.

(32) For example, the marking 5 on the outer liner 2 may read as MATAX28395 and the marking 6 on the inner liner 3 may read as SFJMH126618. Hence, a person viewing either of the markings 5,6 once the outer liner 2 has been separated from the inner liner 3 will be unable to match the filled inner liner 3 with the outer liner 2 that previously covered it.

(33) Preferably however, the different markings 5,6 when fed into a database may be matched up whereby it can be confirmed by the database that the markings 6 on the filled inner liner 3 do in fact match the markings 5 on the outer liner 2. Hence, it may be confirmed (for example, before the milk powder is tipped into a hopper for packaging into 1 kg tins) that the markings 5,6 do in fact match, and hence the milk powder contained within the bag 1 is authentic or genuine and not a counterfeit product and/or has not been tampered with. That is, if a person removed the outer liner 2 and then entered the markings 5,6 into the database, and the database signaled that the markings 5,6 do not match, it may be assumed that the outer liner 2 and/or the inner liner 3 were not actually packaged together, and hence the milk powder contained within the bag 1 may be a counterfeit or substituted or tampered product. Hence, an advantage of such a system is that a worker will be unable to determine this by simply viewing the markings 5,6, and hence the ability of a fraudulent worker, or indeed any person, to otherwise attempt to bring in a counterfeit or substituted product is minimised or negatedbecause the determination as to authenticity is made by a secure database of the randomly assigned markings 5,6.

(34) FIG. 5 illustrates another possible embodiment of the present invention.

(35) The bag 1 illustrated in FIG. 5 is also a 25 kg bag used for the packaging of milk powder, and also comprises an outer liner 2 (comprised of two or three ply paper material), and an inner liner 3 (comprised of laminated plastic). The inner liner 3 is shown in the cutaway section 4 of the outer liner 2.

(36) The outer liner 2 is provided with a marking 7 and the inner liner 3 is provided with a marking 8.

(37) The marking 7 is a machine readable barcode applied by a laser etching machine (not shown).

(38) The marking 8 is also a machine readable barcode applied by the same laser etching machine.

(39) The barcodes 7,8 may be the same and contain the same information or they may be dissimilar and contain different information. Alternatively, the barcodes 7,8 may contain some identical information and some different information.

(40) For example, the barcodes 7,8 (when read by a machine reader such as a barcode reader) may include, but not be limited to, the date, the factory, the type of powder within the bag, the batch number, the bag number, the best before date, a unique identifier for authenticity purposes, the name of the end user, and so on.

(41) The barcodes 7,8 may be applied to the inner and/or outer liners 2,3 in substantially the same fashion as described above in relation to the various embodiments and/or alternatives described in relation to the markings 5,6 of FIG. 4.

(42) The nature of the barcodes 7,8 are stored in a database at the time of application (see FIG. 6).

(43) The nature of the barcodes 7,8 are transferred to the database directly, or indirectly, by the laser etching machine, by the use of wireless communication technologies.

(44) The laser etching machine may be in one-way communication with the database or in two-way communication, whereby data and/or instructions and/or information may travel between the laser etching machine and database in any direction.

(45) Any suitable wireless technology known in the art may be used, including Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11), LE Bluetooth, Bluetooth, other radio frequencies, Infra-Red (IR), GSM, CDMA, GPRS, 3G, 4G, W-CDMA, EDGE or DCDMA200 and similar technologies.

(46) Alternatively, any suitable wired connections or ports may also be used, including, without limitation, USB ports or any other relevant or appropriate technology known in the art.

(47) Preferably, the database may comprise a computing device or other electronic device. Examples include, without limitation, a mobile phone, a smartphone, an iPhone, an iPad, a tablet, a palmtop computer, a band or other wearable technology device, a small portable device, a laptop, a desktop computer, a cloud computing system, a remote network computer system (a public network, e.g. a website, or alternatively a private network) or to a web service.

(48) Alternatively, the laser etching machine may first wirelessly transmit the nature of the barcodes 7,8 to an intermediary computing or electronic device, examples including those mentioned above, prior to the intermediary device subsequently transmitting the data or information to the database. Other examples of an intermediary device may include a router or transmitter or Bluetooth device.

(49) Preferably, the method or system or apparatus may also include the use of a machine reader (not shown), which is capable of accessing, or being in communication with, the database, and which is also capable of reading the barcodes 7,8.

(50) In this way, the machine reader, in conjunction with the database, is able to facilitate a determination as to whether an outer liner 2 subsequently removed from an inner liner 3 is/was the same outer liner 2 associated with the same inner liner 3, at the time when the bag 1 was filled and/or packaged.

(51) In such an embodiment, the machine reader may be adapted, or able, to be in communication with the database, either directly or indirectly, by the use of wireless communication technologies, such as those aforementioned.

(52) The machine reader may be in one-way communication with the database or in two-way communication, in substantially the same fashion as for the laser etching machine described above.

(53) Preferably, the machine reader may be in two-way communication with the database, whereby the database is able to send an alert to the machine reader and/or a third party, if an outer liner 2 removed from an inner liner 3 is/was not the same outer liner 2 associated with the same inner liner 3, at the time when the bag 1 was filled and/or packaged.

(54) The third party may be a separate computing or other electronic device belonging to a factory manager or to a floor manager or foreman or the person overseeing the operation involving the separation of the outer liners 2 from the inner liners 3, and the subsequent emptying of the bags 1, for example into a hopper.

(55) The alert may also, or alternatively, trigger an audio and/or visual alarm in the vicinity of the area where the outer liners 2 are removed from the inner liners 3. Hence, and for example, the operation of removing the outer liners 2 from the inner liners 3 may be halted whilst the anomaly of why a removed outer liner did not match its inner linerpossibly implying that the product may be counterfeit or has otherwise been tampered with.

(56) The system and/or method and/or apparatus may further include the step of sealing the bag 1. The sealing step may occur either after the inner liner 3 has been marked or after the outer liner 2 has been marked.

(57) The bag 1 is sealed in the region of the seal 13 (FIG. 2).

(58) In one embodiment, the laser etching may be formed between the laminates of plastic comprising the inner liner 3. These laminates are not able to be separated without destroying the plastic material comprising the inner liner 3. Hence, the laser etching is not able to be accessed or interfered with or otherwise deformed or altered in any way. Hence, the integrity of the packaging and/or confirmation of the genuine nature of the milk powder and/or supplier is assured.

(59) The outer liner 2 may also be marked via laser etching either prior to the inner liner 3 (or bag 1) being filled, or after the inner liner 3 has been filled. If the latter, the packaging plant may contain a separate laser etching station for marking the outer liner 2 after the bag 1 has been filled.

(60) An advantage of using laser etching technology does away with having to use inkjet printers for marking the outer liner 2 of each bag 1. Hence, the disadvantages and drawbacks associated with the use of inkjet printers generally, as described previously in the specification, are overcome or addressed.

VARIATIONS

(61) While the embodiments described above are currently preferred, it will be appreciated that a wide range of other variations might also be made within the general spirit and scope of the invention, and/or as defined by the appended claims.