Container bag for liquid having a spout

Abstract

To prevent a reduction in a bending strength and a buckling strength of a container bag for fluid in which a spout is mounted on an upper end of a trunk section formed of a sheet material. Cells 9 are formed between two films of the sheet material 2 by bonding the films together along bonding lines 8, and inflated with fluid. The cells 9 positioned within a width of the spout in a width direction of the trunk section 5 extends downwardly from a site at which the spout 6 is clamped by the layers of the sheet material 2. A lower end of the spout 6 is situated lower than upper ends of the cells 9.

Claims

1. A container bag for liquid having a spout, wherein a closed trunk section is formed by folding a sheet material in which at least two films are laminated together, and bonding peripheries of layers of the sheet material overlapped on each other, the spout has a higher rigidity than a rigidity of the sheet material, and the spout is clamped by the layers of the sheet material in an upper periphery of the trunk section while communicating with an internal space of the trunk section, a plurality of cells are formed between the films of the sheet material forming a side wall of the trunk section by bonding the films together along a bonding line, and fluid is injected into the cell to inflate the cell, the spout includes a base portion that is inserted between upper peripheries of the layers of the sheet material and bonded to the sheet material at least partially, the base portion includes a skirt portion that is formed below the portion bonded to the layers of the sheet material, the cells are formed between the films of each of the layers of the sheet material, at least the cell formed within a width of the spout in a width direction of the trunk section extends downwardly from the upper peripheries of the layers of the sheet material, and the skirt portion is clamped by the cells formed between the films of each of the layers of the sheet material extending downwardly within the width of the spout in the width direction of the trunk section.

2. The container bag for liquid having the spout as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spout further includes a pump dispenser having a nozzle head that is pushed down to discharge a content.

3. The container bag for liquid having the spout as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cells clamping the skirt portion extend linearly toward a bottom of the trunk section.

4. The container bag for liquid having the spout as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cells clamping the skirt portion extend linearly toward a bottom of the trunk section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing one example of the container bag for fluid according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the container bag from which a pump dispenser is dismounted.

(3) FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged perspective view partially showing films.

(4) FIG. 4 is a front view showing one example of a spout according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the spout.

(6) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of the container bag on which the spout is mounted.

(7) FIG. 7 is a bottom view showing a bottom of the spout.

(8) FIG. 8 is a top view showing a top of the spout.

(9) FIG. 9 is a front view schematically showing another example of the container bag for fluid according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S)

(10) Embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the embodiments shown below are merely examples the present invention, and do not limit the present invention.

(11) Turning now to FIG. 1, there is schematically shown one example of a container bag for liquid (simply referred to as the container bag hereinafter) according to the present invention. The container bag 1 is formed by folding a sheet material 2 into halves along a longitudinal center, and (thermally) bonding peripheral layers overlapping each other. Consequently, a bottom section 3 having certain dimensions is formed between layers of the sheet material 2. In the container bag 1, layers of an upper periphery 4 extending on an opposite side to the bottom section 3 are (thermally) bonded to each other so that a trunk section 5 is formed between the bottom section 3 and the upper periphery 4 in the height direction of the container bag 1. A spout member 6 made of synthetic resin is attached to the center of the upper periphery 4 in the width direction. A rigidity of the spout member 6 is higher than that of the sheet material 2, and a not shown cap or an after-mentioned pump dispenser is mounted on the spout member 6. In the following explanations, the spout member 6 will be simply referred to as the spout 6.

(12) The spout 6 serves not only as an inlet from which the content is injected into the container bag 1, but also as an outlet from which the content is dispensed. Specifically, the spout 6 has a through hole communicating an internal space of the container bag 1 with outside so that the content is injected into the container bag 1 through the through hole, and the content is dispensed from the container bag 1 through the through hole. According to the embodiment, a pump dispenser 7 that dispenses the content while pressurizing is mounted on the spout 6. Although not illustrated in detail, as the conventional one, a piston is pushed down by pushing a nozzle head 7a to discharge the content from a nozzle through a cylinder, and pulled up by returning the nozzle head 7a to suck up the content held in the container bag 1 into the cylinder through a suction tube. In FIG. 2, there is shown the container bag 1 from which the pump dispenser 7 is dismounted.

(13) Here will be explained the sheet material 2. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the sheet material 2 has a two-layered structure comprising an inner film 2a and an outer film 2b. Specifically, a thickness of the inner film 2a is approximately 150 m. The inner film 2a comprises: a bonding layer 2a-1 that is thermally bonded (or laminated) to the outer film 2b; a barrier layer 2a-2 that prevents permeation of gas; and an inner layer 2a-3 as an innermost layer being in contact with the content. As the bonding layer 2a-1, it is preferable to employ a heat-sealing thermoplastic resin film. For example, a polyolefin series resin film and a polyester series resin film may be adopted as the bonding layer 2a-1, and a linear low-density polyethylene (abbreviated as LLDPE hereinafter) resin film is especially suitable for the bonding layer 2a-1.

(14) The barrier layer 2a-2 is adapted to prevent permeation of e.g., oxygen, moisture, aroma substance, and is formed of a resin film or coating whose barrier property against oxygen gas is less than that against other kinds of gas. In a case of forming the barrier layer 2a-2 using the coating, a coating material composed mainly of synthetic resin having a barrier property against oxygen and moisture is applied to the bonding layer 2a-1 or the inner layer 2a-3, and then the coating is cured. In a case of forming the barrier layer 2a-2 using the resin film, an ethylene-vinylalcohol copolymer resin film may be adopted as the barrier layer 2a-2. As the inner layer 2a-3, a heat-sealing thermoplastic resin film such as a polyolefin series resin film and a polyester series resin film may also be employed, and an LLDPE resin film is especially suitable for the inner layer 2a-3.

(15) On the other hand, a thickness of the outer film 2b is approximately 60 m. The outer film 2b comprises: a base layer 2b-1 that is thermally bonded (or laminated) to the inner film 2a; and an outer layer 2b-2 as an outermost layer in the container bag 1. As the base layer 2b-1, it is also preferable to employ a heat-sealing thermoplastic resin film. For example, a polyolefin series resin film and a polyester series resin film may also be adopted as the base layer 2b-1, and an LLDPE resin film is especially suitable for the base layer 2b-1. In a case of employing the LLDPE resin film as the base layer 2b-1, the base layer 2b-1 may be bonded easily and firmly to the bonding layer 2a-1, compared to a case of employing other kinds of resin film as the base layer 2b-1. As the outer layer 2b-2, for example, a polyamide series resin film, a polyolefin series resin film, and a polyester series resin film may be employed, and a Nylon (trademark) resin film is especially suitable for the outer layer 2b-2.

(16) The inner film 2a and the outer film 2b are not bonded together entirely, but only their peripheral area is bonded together. In the sheet material 2, a plurality of cells 9 are defined by a plurality of bonding lines 8 at which the inner film 2a and the outer film 2b are bonded together, and the cells 9 are filled with liquid. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the bonding lines 8 extends linearly. Specifically, the cells 9 are inflated with fluid at a predetermined pressure (e.g., at 0.25 MPa) so that the inner film 2a and the outer film 2b are tensioned to establish a bending strength and a buckling strength of the container bag 1.

(17) In the container bag 1 according to the present invention, rigidities of the trunk section 5 and the bottom section 3 are enhanced by the cells 9. In the container bag 1 shown in FIG. 1, the buckling strength of the container bag 1 is enhanced to bear the load applied thereto when pushing down the pump dispenser 7 to dispense the content. To this end, the bonding lines 8 extend linearly in the longitudinal direction of the sheet material 2. Consequently, the cells 9 extending in the height direction of the container bag 1 are formed substantially entirely in the trunk section 5. Whereas, in the bottom section 3, the cells 9 extends in the thickness direction of the container bag 1. In addition, as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, a width or breadth of each of the cells 9 is constant from an upper end Eu to a lower end Eb. Upper ends Eu of the cells 9 are flush with one another to form a boundary with respect to the upper periphery 4 in the width direction of the container bag 1, and lower ends Eb are flush with a boundary between the trunk section 5 and the bottom section 3. That is, each of the cells 9 serves as a thin fluid chamber individually extending linearly in the height direction of the container bag 1, and none of the bonding lines 8 intersect with the cells 9. In the trunk section 5, the cells 9 are connected to one another through a passage 10 as an air passage formed by not bonding or laminating the films 2a and 2b between the cells 9.

(18) Next, here will be explained the bottom section 3. The bottom section 3 having a predetermined width is formed across a center line of the sheet material 2 in the longitudinal direction, and the cell(s) 9 is/are formed on the center of the bottom section 3. In the situation where the cells 9 have not yet been filled with the fluid, the bottom section 3 is folded into two layers along the center line of the sheet material 2 to protrude toward an internal space of the container bag 1. Consequently, each boundary between the bottom section 3 and the trunk section 5 is folded into two layers to individually protrude toward outside of the container bag 1. Thus, as depicted in FIG. 1, the bottom section 3 is folded into an inverse V-shape. In the bottom section 3 thus folded, each pair of the layers of the inner film 2a being opposed to each other in side end of the bottom section 3 are linearly bonded together along the diagonal solid line shown in FIG. 1. In addition, each side periphery of the bottom section 3 is linearly bonded together in the height direction of the container bag 1. Consequently, a pair of flaps is formed on each bottom corner of the container bag 1. Therefore, the lower section of the container bag 1, that is, a portion of the trunk section 5 close to the bottom section 3 will not be expanded excessively even after the container bag 1 is filled with the content. In other words, an area of the bottom section 3 may be maintained to a designed area after filling the container bag 1 with the content.

(19) The liquid such as air is injected into the cells 9 from an inlet hole 11. The inlet hole 11 is formed on the sheet material 2 to be communicated with any one of the cells 9. Specifically, the inlet hole 11 is formed on any one of (a side section of) the layers of the sheet material 2 being opposed to each other to serve as the trunk section 5 so as to inject the fluid into the cells 9 formed between the inner film 2a and the outer film 2b. More specifically, in the container bag 1 shown in FIG. 1, the inlet hole 11 is formed on the outer film 2b in the vicinity of one of upper corners of the container bag 1 below the pump dispenser 7. As illustrated in FIG. 1, one of the cells 9 extending below the inlet hole 11 is joined to the inlet hole 11. After filling the cells 9 with the fluid, the cell 9 joined to the inlet hole 11 is bonded to be closed off.

(20) Next, the spout 6 will be explained hereinafter. FIG. 4 is a front view showing one example of the spout 6 according the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the spout 6. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the spout 6 comprises a cylindrical neck portion 12 on which a male thread is formed, and a base portion 13 formed below the neck portion 12. The base portion 13 is joined to the sheet material at least partially, and the pump dispenser 7 is mounted on the neck portion 12. Otherwise, a not shown cap may also be mounted on the neck portion 12 to close the container bag 1.

(21) As described, the base portion 13 is joined (e.g., bonded) to the sheet material at least partially. Specifically, the sheet material 2 is folded into two layers along the center line in the longitudinal direction so that the inner film 2a of those layers overlap on each other, and an upper portion of the base portion 13 is inserted between peripheries of the layers of the sheet material 2 overlapping on each other. Thereafter, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the upper portion of the base portion 13 is joined (e.g., bonded) to the above-mentioned peripheries as the upper peripheries 4 of the layers of the sheet material 2.

(22) Turning FIG. 6, there is shown a cross-section of the container bag 1 according to one example of the present invention. As described, the upper portion of the base portion 13 is bonded to the upper peripheries 4 of the layers of the sheet material 2. Consequently, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the upper ends Eu of the cells 9 and the upper peripheries 4 of the layers of the sheet material 2 are situated above a lower end of a skirt portion 14 formed below the base portion 13 within the width of the pump dispenser 7. In the example shown in FIG. 6, specifically, the upper ends Eu and the upper peripheries 4 are situated at an intermediate portion of the base portion 13 in the height direction. That is, the skirt portion 14 of the base portion 13 is enclosed by the upper ends Eu of the cells 9 so that the skirt portion 14 and the upper ends Eu of the cells 9 come into contact with each other in the thickness direction of the trunk section 5. The skirt portion 14 is not bonded to the upper ends Eu of the cells 9, but clamped by the cells 9 inflated with the fluid such as air.

(23) In order to secure a joint area between the base portion 13 and the sheet material 2 and to eliminate a clearance therebetween, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the base portion 13 has a streamline shape extending in the width direction of the container bag 1. In addition, a plurality of grooves 15 are formed on an outer circumferential surface of the base portion 13 to increase the contact tightness between the base portion 13 and the sheet material 2. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the grooves 15 are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the base portion 13 at regular intervals in an axial direction of the spout 6, and each of the grooves 15 expands radially outwardly.

(24) The skirt portion 14 has a substantially same shape as the upper portion of the base portion 13. In other words, an external form of the skirt portion 14 is substantially identical to that of the base portion 13 except for the grooves 15. That is, the skirt portion 14 is an extension of the upper portion of the base portion 13. FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the spout 6. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the skirt portion 14 has a rhombic or parallelogram shape. Specifically, both corners in the width direction of the container bag 1 along the upper peripheries 4 are sharp corners, and the remaining corners in the thickness direction of the container bag 1 are rounded corners each of which is curved smoothly.

(25) A through hole 16 penetrating through the neck portion 12 and the base portion 13 is formed in the center of the spout 6 so that the content is injected into the container bag 1 through the through hole 16. The pump dispenser 7 is inserted into the through hole 16 at least partially so that the content is dispensed from the pump dispenser 7 through the through hole 16. In addition, a pair of flanges 17 is formed between the neck portion 12 and the base portion 13 while maintaining a predetermined clearance therebetween in the height direction. FIG. 8 is a top view of the spout 6. As illustrated in FIG. 8, a first flange 17a is formed above the second flange 17b, and each of the flanges 17a and 17b has a rounded octagonal shape. A width of the second flange 17b is longer than that of the first flange 17a, that is, a flat area of the second flange 17b is larger than that of the first flange 17a. The flanges 17a and 17b are used to transport the spout 6 and to inject the content into the container bag 1. Specifically, the spout 6 is transported by clamping a polygonal or round cylindrical portion between the flanges 17a and 17b, and the content is injected into the container bag 1 from the through hole 16 while clamping the spout 6.

(26) Next, here will be explained an advantageous effect of the container bag 1 thus far explained. The fluid such as air is injected into the container bag 1 through the inlet hole 11, and then, a predetermined portion of the cell 9 joined directly to the inlet hole 11 is bonded linearly thereby disconnecting the cell 9 from the inlet hole 11. Consequently, the cells 9 formed in the trunk section 5 and the bottom section 3 being communicated with one another are inflated and tensioned by a pressure of the fluid injected into the cells 9. As a result, a repulsion force against an external force such as a bending force and a buckling force is established by the cells 9. In other words, a stress counteracting a bending force and a buckling force is increased. In addition, the sheet material 2 including the films 2a and 2b in which the cells 9 are formed is tensioned so that each of the cells 9 is brought into a self-sustaining condition.

(27) In this situation, if the nozzle head 7a of the pump dispenser 7 is pushed down (repeatedly), a pushing force applied to the nozzle head 7a is transmitted as a buckling load to the container bag 1. In the boundary between: the joint area between the sheet material 2 and the spout 6; and the upper periphery 4, that is, in the boundary between the joint area between the sheet material 2 and the spout 6; and the upper ends Eu of the cells 9, the joint area has a planer structure. On the other hand, each of the cells 9 has a three-dimensional structure. Thus, the structure of the container bag 1 is changed significantly at the above-mentioned boundary. That is, the stress would concentrate on the above-mentioned boundary, and hence the container bag 1 would be buckled or deformed at the above-mentioned boundary. If the spout 6 is inclined with respect to the trunk section 5 at the above-mentioned boundary, the skirt portion 14 of the spout 6 will push the cells 9 clamping the skirt portion 14. In other words, the cells 9 establish a reaction force in a direction to prevent an inclination of the spout 6. Such action is similar to an action performed by a structure in which the cells 9 or the trunk section 5 and the spout 6 are formed integrally. That is, the above-mentioned boundary that is easily to be bent or buckled by the stress concentrated thereon is reinforced by the cells 9. Thus, in the container bag 1, the lower end portion of the spout 6 extends between the layers formed of the cells 9 so that the buckling strength and the bending strength of the container bag 1 against the pushing load applied to the spout 6 are enhanced.

(28) According to the present invention, therefore, the container bag 1 will not be buckled or deformed by the buckling load and the bending load so that the nozzle head 7a is allowed to be pushed down smoothly. In addition, the buckling strength and the bending strength of the container bag 1 are enhanced without requiring additional means. Therefore, the number of parts, a cost of material, and a manufacturing cost of the container bag 1 are not increased. In other words, the rigidity of the container bag 1 may be increased only by the sheet material 2 to prevent the deformation of the container bag 1 during the pumping operation. That is, the container bag 1 may be manufactured while conserving the earth's environment and resources.

(29) The present invention should not be limited to the foregoing example, and configurations of the trunk section 5 and the cells 9 may be alters according to need. Turning to FIG. 9, there is shown a front view of the container bag 1 according another example in which the trunk section 5 is rounded and the cell 9 is formed into U-shape. In FIG. 9, common reference numerals are assigned to the elements in common with those of the foregoing example shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, and detailed explanations for the common elements will be omitted.

(30) The container bag 1 shown in FIG. 9 is also formed of the sheet material 2 comprising the inner film 2a and the outer film 2b laminated to each other. The sheet material 2 is also formed into two layers, and peripheries of those layers are thermally bonded (or laminated) to each other. Both upper corners of the trunk section 5 are rounded to be shaped into shoulder sections. Whereas, both corners of the bottom section 3 are cut into arcuate corners whose curvature radii are short. In order to round an inner space for holding the content in the bottom side, layers of the sheet material 2 in the bottom side are bonded to each other along a diagonal line. A bonding line along the diagonal line will be referred to as the compartment bonding line 18. That is, the holding space for holding the content is formed inside of the compartment bonding lines 18, and triangle flaps 19 are formed outside of the compartment bonding lines 18. Thus, the holding space in which the corners are rounded is formed in the trunk section 5 by bonding the layers of the sheet material 2 along the upper periphery 4 of the trunk section 5, side peripheries 20, and the compartment bonding lines 18. Consequently, the inner film 2a and the outer film 2b are bonded to each other in the above-explained manner so that the cell 9 is formed between the inner film 2a and the outer film 2b.

(31) The inner film 2a and the outer film 2b serving as side walls of the trunk section 5 are also bonded to each other along an annular bonding line 21 that is similar to an outline of the trunk section 5. The annular bonding line 21 is partially joined to the upper periphery 4 through a linear bonding line. Thus, the cell 9 is formed between the inner film 2a and the outer film 2b within the area between the annular bonding line 21: and the upper periphery 4; the side peripheries 20; and the compartment bonding lines 18. An area within the annular bonding line 21 is isolated liquid-tightly from the cell 9 so that the cell 9 is formed into an annular shape around the annular bonding line 21. Although the inner film 2a and the outer film 2b may be bonded together entirely within the annular bonding line 21, according to the example shown in FIG. 9, the inner film 2a and the outer film 2b are merely overlapped onto each other within the annular bonding line 21 without being bonded. After the cell 9 is inflated with the fluid such as air, a central area F within the annular bonding line 21 is tensioned by the inflation of the cell 9 to be flattened.

(32) In the container bag shown in FIG. 9, the inlet hole 11 is formed in any one of the above-mentioned flaps 19. The inlet hole 11 is connected to the cell 9 through an air passage 22 penetrating through the compartment bonding line 18. The fluid such as air is injected into the cell 9 from the inlet hole 11, and thereafter the air passage 22 is bonded to be closed.

(33) In the upper periphery 4 of the trunk section 5, the base portion 13 of the spout 6 is inserted between the layers of the sheet material 2 overlapping on each other, and bonded to the layers of the sheet material 2. Consequently, the spout 6 is fixed to the trunk section 5. The skirt portion 14 of the spout 6 as an extension of the base portion 13 extends into the internal space for holding the content. Specifically, an upper end of the annular cell 9 is located above a lower end of (the skirt portion) of the spout 6. The cell 9 is formed on each side wall of the trunk section 5, therefore, the skirt portion 14 of the spout 6 extending downwardly from the base portion 13 is clamped by the upper ends Eu of the cells 9. Thus, the container bag 1 shown in FIG. 9 also has a structure similar to the structure in which the cells 9 or the trunk section 5 and the spout 6 are formed integrally. That is, the above-mentioned boundary that is easily to be bent or buckled by the stress concentrated thereon is also reinforced by the cells 9. Specifically, the lower end portion of the spout 6 also extends between the cells 9 so that the buckling strength and the bending strength of the container bag 1 against the pushing load applied to the spout 6 are enhanced.

(34) In the foregoing examples, a width of the upper periphery 4 (in the height direction of the container bag 1) is identical to a bonding width of the layers of the sheet material 2 and a bonding width of the sheet material 2 and the spout 6. The skirt portion 14 of the spout 6 protrudes downwardly from the width of the upper periphery 4 so that the skirt portion 14 is clamped by the cells 9. However, the present invention should not be limited to such structurer. For example, the width of the layers of the sheet material 2 clamping the spout 6 may be reduced narrower than the bonding width of the upper peripheries 4 of the sheet material 2, and the upper end(s) Eu of the cell(s) 9 may be situated above the lower end of the spout 6. Consequently, the spout 6 may be overlapped partially with the cells 9 so that the lower portion of the spout 6 is clamped by the cells 9.

(35) In addition, according to the present invention, the cells 9 may be shaped individually into a matrix shape instead of the linear cells extending parallel to one another. Otherwise, a width of the cell 9 may be changed gradually from the upper end to the lower end. That is, the configuration of the cell 9 may be altered arbitrarily as long as the cell 9 may be inflated by the fluid to enhance the bending strength and the buckling strength of the trunk section 5 by a tension of the cell 9. Further, the cell(s) 9 according to the foregoing examples may be formed in the sheet material 2 only within the width of the spout 6 on which the pump dispenser 7 is mounted, and another cells (i.e., fluid chambers) having different configurations may be formed in the remaining portion of the sheet material 2.