Partially Transparent Disposable Piping Bag

Abstract

The present invention relates to a piping bag. More in particular, particular, the present invention relates to a piping bag for applying a foodstuff to a substrate, wherein the piping bag is of the disposable type. The present invention further relates to a co-extruded tubular foil from which such a piping bag can be obtained and to a method for providing artwork and/or text on such a piping bag. According to the invention, the outer layer and the inner layer of the tubular foil are transparent and the intermediate layer of the tubular foil is partially transparent through a distribution of pigment additives in the intermediate layer that is non-uniform in at least a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

Claims

1. A co-extruded multilayer tubular foil comprising an arrangement of identical foil blocks that are repeated in an axial direction of the tubular foil, each foil block comprising a welded seam that connects two opposite sides of the tubular foil thereby at least partially defining a first and second piping bag, said tubular foil comprising an outer layer, an inner layer, and an intermediate layer arranged in between the outer layer and the inner layer, wherein the outer layer and the inner layer are transparent and the intermediate layer is partially transparent through a distribution of pigment additives in the intermediate layer that is non-uniform at least in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, wherein each foil block further comprises a transverse perforation line arranged perpendicular to said axial direction, and wherein the welded seam extends obliquely across the foil block and defines, together with edges of the tubular foil, a tip region for each of said first and second piping bag, wherein the intermediate layer comprises a first region and a second region, wherein the first region and second region are mutually connected and adjacently arranged in a direction parallel to a surface of the tubular foil, wherein the second region of the intermediate layer is transparent and wherein the first region of the intermediate layer comprises at least a part of said pigment additives to provide a colored strip that extends in the axial direction, said colored strip at least partially coloring the tip region for the first or second piping bag, wherein the intermediate layer further comprises a further first region and a further second region, the further first region having one or more pigment additives to provide a further colored strip that extends in the axial direction, said further colored strip at least partially coloring the tip region for the other of the first or second piping bag, wherein the further second region of the intermediate layer is transparent, wherein the first region and the further first region are each arranged between the second region and the further second region, and wherein the second region and the further second region are aligned with each other to form a transparent window to provide a view through the tubular foil.

2. The tubular foil of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer is made from an essentially transparent polymer material, wherein the second region and the further second region are generally devoid from any pigment additives.

3. The tubular foil of claim 1, wherein the inner layer comprises a polyolefin, such as low density polyethylene (LDPE), wherein the outer layer comprises a rubber-containing composition incorporating a thermoplastic elastomer located to improve grip for a user of a piping bag obtained from said tubular foil during the application of foodstuff to a substrate, and wherein the first and/or second region comprise a polyolefin, such as low density polyethylene (LDPE).

4. The tubular foil according to claim 3, wherein thicknesses of the inner layer and outer layer each lies within a range from 20 to 50 microns, and wherein a thickness of the intermediate layer lies within a range from 10 to 30 microns.

5. The tubular foil according to claim 1, wherein the first region, the further first region, the second region, and/or the further second region comprises pigment particles for laser marking, such as mica particles, preferably mica platelets covered by TiO2, SnO2, or SbO2.

6. The tubular foil according to claim 1, wherein thicknesses of the first region, the further first region, the second region, and the further second region are identical.

7. The tubular foil of claim 1, wherein, apart from the plurality of welded seams and perforation lines, a cross section of the intermediate layer is constant along the axial direction.

8. The tubular foil of claim 1, wherein the welded seam extends between opposite edges of the tubular foil.

9. The tubular foil of claim 1, wherein the pigment additives in the intermediate layer are dyes chosen from the group consisting of natural dyes.

10. The tubular foil of claim 1, wherein the pigment additives in the intermediate layer are chosen from the group consisting of natural pigments.

11. A piping bag obtained by separating the tubular foil as defined in claim 1 along the welded seam and perforation line.

12. A method for providing a co-extruded multilayer piping bag with artwork and/or text, comprising: providing the foil as defined in claim 5; providing a source of focused light; and patterning the foil using the focused light for forming said artwork and/or text.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein all the piping bags defined on the tubular foil are patterned before separating a piping bag from the remainder of the tubular foil.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein a scale is patterned into the foil for allowing a user to determine a volume of foodstuff present in the piping bag, wherein the scale is provided in the transparent second region or transparent further second region.

15. A piping bag obtained by applying the method of claim 12.

Description

[0026] Next, the invention will be described in more detail referring to the appended figures, wherein:

[0027] FIG. 1 illustrates a cross section of a first example of a known tubular foil for piping bags;

[0028] FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of the tubular foil of FIG. 1;

[0029] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross section of a first embodiment of a tubular foil for piping bags according to the invention;

[0030] FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the tubular foil of FIG. 3;

[0031] FIG. 5 illustrates a cross section of a second embodiment of a tubular foil for piping bags according to the invention; and

[0032] FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of the tubular foil of FIG. 5.

[0033] FIG. 1 illustrates a cross section of an example of a known tubular foil 100 for piping bags and FIG. 2 illustrates a corresponding top view. Known tubular foil 100 comprises an outer layer 101, an intermediate layer 102, and an inner layer 103, which are all transparent. Due to angled welded seam 104, tubular foil 100 will attain a flattened shape allowing the identification of edges A and B.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows how angled welded seam 104 and transverse perforation line 105 define piping bags P1-P4. More in particular, identical foil blocks 106_1 and 106_2 can identified that are repeated in the axial or longitudinal direction of the foil. Angled welded seam 104 extends obliquely between edges A and B. This seam connects the opposite sides of the tubular foil to each other thereby flattening tubular foil 100. Transverse perforation line 105 extends between edges A and B in a direction that is perpendicular to the axial or longitudinal direction. Typically, this perforation line allows easy separation of adjacent piping bags P2 and P3.

[0035] Piping bag P2 can be removed from tubular foil by cutting, or tearing along seam 104, and perforation line 105. A tip region 107 of piping bag P2 can be identified. This region is cut prior to use of piping bag P2. In addition, an opening is formed at the position of perforation line 105. Through this opening, foodstuff can be introduced in piping bag P2.

[0036] In the known piping bag of FIGS. 1-2, the tip regions of the piping bags are covered with ink (not shown) to allow a severed tip region to be easily identified. In other known piping bags, the entire piping bag is colored.

[0037] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross section of a first embodiment of a tubular foil 10 for piping bags according to the invention. The corresponding top view is illustrated in FIG. 4. In this embodiment, tubular foil 10 comprises an outer layer 11, an intermediate layer 12, and an inner layer 13. Within intermediate layer 12, a first colored region 17 and a second transparent region 18 can be identified. Here, region 17 extends over edges A and B such that the tip region is colored by first region 17. Moreover, the arrangement of first region 17 and second region 18 is symmetric relative to a central axis of tubular foil 10. Similar to the foil in FIG. 2, identical foil blocks 16_1, 16_2 can be identified that are repeated in the axial or longitudinal direction as well as transverse perforation lines 15 and angled welded seams 14.

[0038] In the FIG. 3 embodiment, a transparent window is formed in the piping bags as a result of transparent second region 18. In this embodiment, the size of second region 18 is smaller than that of first region 17. In the second embodiment of a tubular foil 20 for piping bags according to the invention, also comprising an outer layer 21, an intermediate layer 22, and an outer layer 23 and shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the transparent regions of the piping bags are larger than the opaque regions. This is made possible, because tubular foil 20 now comprises a transparent second region 28 and a transparent further second region 28′, which regions are connected using a colored first region 27 and a colored further first region 27′. In this embodiment, the coloring is only applied to at least partially cover the tip region. Similar to the foil in FIG. 2, identical foil blocks 26_1, 26_2 can be identified that are repeated in the axial or longitudinal direction as well as transverse perforation lines 25 and angled welded seams 24.

[0039] Pigment particles for laser marking could be applied in the FIG. 3 or 5 embodiments in any region of intermediate layer 12, 22. The distribution of these pigment particles need not correspond to the distribution of the pigment additives used for coloring the tip region. However, the pigment particles for laser marking could equally be applied only in the first region or further first region. Such particles may also be applied in case the pigment additives are not present in the intermediate layer. In this latter case, which is outside the scope of the present as defined by the appended claims, the first region, the further first region, the second region, and the further second region are defined by the presence or absence of pigment particles for laser marking.

[0040] As an example, pigment particles may be distributed in transparent second region 18, 28 or the further transparent second region 28′. Tubular foil 10, 20 may have been subjected to a laser marking process in which a scale 30 is patterned inside at least one of (further) second regions 18, 28, 28′. Such scale, illustrated in FIG. 6, could be configured to indicate a measure of a volume of contents arranged inside the piping bag. Using this scale, a user of the piping bag may easily determine a quantity of foodstuff still present in the piping bag and/or may use the scale to precisely dispense a predefined amount of foodstuff in the piping bag.

[0041] To manufacture tubular foil 10, 20, a co-extrusion process is used. For the formation of intermediate layer 12, 22, at least two distinct flows of materials are used, e.g. one flow with pigment additives, and one flow without or with substantially less additives. Details on how to adapt the die and the co-extrusion process for the formation of different regions inside a layer are known for example from U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,530 A.

[0042] Inner layer 13, 23 and intermediate layer 12, 22 of tubular foils 10, 20 may comprise a polyolefin, such as low density polyethylene (LDPE). Outer layer 11, 21 of tubular foils 10, 20 may comprise a rubber-containing composition incorporating a thermoplastic elastomer located to improve grip for a user of a piping bag during the application of foodstuff to a substrate. Here, the rubber-containing composition may be identical to the rubber composition described in EP 1978809 B 1. Thicknesses of the inner layer and outer layer each lie within a range from 20 to 50 microns, and a thickness of the intermediate layer lies within a range from 10 to 30 microns.

[0043] The thermoplastic elastomer of the rubber composition is particularly chosen from the group of styrene-based elastomers, such as styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS) or styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene and/or styrene butylene styrene (SBS). The elastomer can also be chosen from the group of thermoplastic vulcanized or non-vulcanized material (TPV/TPO) and comparable block copolymers. SEBS in particular can be applied. The rubber compositions particularly comprise, in addition to the rubber, one or a number of polyolefins, in particular polypropylene.

[0044] The rubber composition preferably comprises 20-90% rubber ((apolar) thermoplastic elastomer) and 80-10% other materials such as polyolefins, in particular polyethylene and/or polypropylene, white oils, softeners and the like. In a particular composition the rubber compound is formed by 45-85%, in particular 60-80% rubber and 55-15%, in particular 40-20% other materials. The Shore A hardness is preferably 55-75. Compositions for the rubber compound are described for instance in WO 95/03984 and WO 93/22221.

[0045] The Applicant has found that when using a piping bag comprising the abovementioned rubber composition in outer layer 11, 21, in combination with an ink-based and/or transfer printing process to add artwork and/or text onto the piping bag, a reduction in grip at the positions where the ink is applied can be observed. According to an aspect of the invention, this reduction in grip can be prevented by applying the pigment particles used for laser marking in intermediate layer 12, 22 and to use laser marking for adding the artwork and/or text.

[0046] In the description above, various embodiments have been described to illustrate the inventive concept of the present invention. However, a skilled person will readily understand that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments but that various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention that is defined by the appended claims.