Abstract:
The invention relates to a tubular pouch having a tubular pouch body and a lid piece and, optionally, a base, especially a standing base or stand-up base, the lid piece being fixed on the tubular pouch by means of a cuff and either the cuff being formed integrally with the lid piece or the lid piece co-operating with the cuff, the cuff at least partially overlapping the lid piece and the cuff extending around the periphery of the lid piece and at least over an end portion of the tubular pouch at the lid-piece end thereof.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to and is a U.S. National Phase filing of PCT International Application Number PCT/EP2006/002475, filed on Mar. 17, 2006, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to German Patent Application Number 10 2005 016 268.1, filed on Apr. 8, 2005. The disclosures of the above-described applications are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to a tubular pouch in accordance with the preamble of patent claim 1. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Tubular pouches of the kind in question herein are generally known and are used for conserving, storing and transporting liquid, paste-form and solid contents as well as for bringing such contents into commercial availability; such tubular pouches and packagings produced therefrom have proved to be extremely advantageous inter alia on account of their being lightweight and easily shapeable and printable. A further advantage of such tubular pouches is their ease of disposal. 
         [0006]    The opening behaviour of such tubular pouches or tubular pouch packagings has proved to be problematic, however. Such packagings are usually opened by tearing open the packaging, it being usual to provide a notch in a lateral sealing seam by means of which further tearing of a foil forming the tubular pouch, generally of two side wall foils, is initiated. 
         [0007]    A further possible way of opening such a tubular pouch packaging is to pull apart two side faces forming the tubular pouch in the region of a seal, the seal breaking open. 
         [0008]    Those two variants of opening have the serious disadvantages, however, that when the packaging is torn into or torn open, the foil forming the tubular pouch tears in an undirected and uncontrolled way, so that the contents of the packaging are spilled, resulting in loss of the packaged goods. 
         [0009]    Furthermore, after such tearing-open, the interior of the tubular pouch is often poorly accessible, because torn or residual portions of the packaging make it difficult to gain access to the interior of the tubular pouch, for example with the hand or a spoon. Intentionally pouring out the contents of the packaging is also often impeded by residual portions of the packaging, so that the contents of the packaging on the one hand also come into contact with outer parts of the packaging, with the result that on the one hand the contents of the tubular pouch can be contaminated on being poured out and on the other hand can be dispensed only in an uncontrolled way. 
         [0010]    Finally, a further variant of opening comprises the use of a pair of scissors by means of which an upper portion of the closed tubular pouch is cut off and removed, so that the interior volume of the tubular pouch is then freely accessible. Although that variant enables a tubular pouch portion that closes the tubular pouch to be cleanly separated, it creates the problem firstly that it is necessary always to have a pair of scissors to hand and secondly, if the scissors used are not clean, that there is a risk that both the cut edges and the contents of the tubular pouch will be contaminated, with the result that the contents may become unusable. 
         [0011]    The problem underlying the invention is to provide a tubular pouch of the kind mentioned at the beginning which can be opened hygienically, simply and without aids, so that the interior of the tubular pouch is accessible without problems. 
         [0012]    That problem is solved by a tubular pouch according to patent claim 1. 
         [0013]    The problem is solved, in particular, by a tubular pouch having a tubular pouch body and a lid piece and, optionally, a base, especially a standing base or stand-up base, the lid piece being fixed on the tubular pouch by means of a cuff. 
         [0014]    In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the cuff is formed integrally with the lid piece, the cuff extending around the periphery of the lid piece and at least over an end portion of the tubular pouch body at the lid-piece end thereof. 
         [0015]    In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention, the lid piece co-operates with the cuff so that the cuff at least partially overlaps, especially engages over, the lid piece, and the cuff extends around the periphery of the lid piece and at least over a portion of the tubular pouch body at the lid-piece end thereof. In that case, the cuff is produced as a separate component. The cuff extends both over the periphery of the lid piece and over the periphery of the end portion of the tubular pouch body at the lid-piece end thereof and thereby holds the lid piece fixed in its position on the tubular pouch body. 
         [0016]    In the latter case, the construction of the cuff is like that of an angle profile, so that one limb of the cuff extends over the peripheral edge of the lid piece and the other limb extends over the peripheral edge of the tubular pouch body at the lid-piece end thereof. 
         [0017]    According to the invention, at least one portion of the cuff that extends over the edge portion of the tubular pouch body at the lid-piece end thereof is sealed or adhesively bonded thereto. 
         [0018]    The cuff according to the invention accordingly fulfils two functions: the first is to fix the lid piece on the tubular pouch, the lid piece either resting loosely on the tubular pouch body and being held in place by means of the cuff which in turn is sealed to the tubular pouch body. 
         [0019]    The second function of the cuff is to ensure that it is impossible to open the lid piece without removing the cuff. Accordingly, the cuff constitutes a safety measure by means of which improper opening of, for example, a reclosable lid piece is effectively prevented (closure integrity). That is expedient, for example, when the lid piece itself, with a cold-seal adhesive that is suitable for reclosure, is used for closing the tubular pouch. 
         [0020]    The cuff itself has at least one, preferably two co-operating grip region(s) in the form of opening tabs. Accordingly, for opening the cuff the grip region(s) is/are grasped and separated from the tubular pouch body by pulling, so that the seal between the tubular pouch body and the portion of the cuff in contact therewith is broken. 
         [0021]    Preferably, for attachment of the cuff there is used a sealing medium which effectively prevents reclosure of the cuff, so that there is no doubt as to whether a cuff has been opened. Optionally, the cuff can also be constructed so that after being opened it has broken sites or torn sites. 
         [0022]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the lid piece is placed over the associated peripheral edge of the tubular pouch body, so that the tubular pouch body is surrounded at least on the outside by the edge of the lid piece. In that case, the internal diameter of the edge of the lid piece is slightly larger than the external diameter of the tubular pouch body, so that the lid piece can simply be placed onto the tubular pouch body. 
         [0023]    Alternatively, the lid can be trough-shaped or dish-shaped and have a diameter that enables the lid piece to be inserted into the tubular pouch body. In that embodiment, the lid piece preferably has its edge turned over towards the outside so that in this variant the peripheral edge of the tubular pouch body at the lid-piece end thereof is surrounded by the edge of the lid piece both on the inside and on the outside. Such a lid piece is suitable in an extremely advantageous way for reclosure of the tubular pouch; the lid piece, by virtue of its surrounding the tubular pouch body on the inside and the outside, rests so firmly against the tubular pouch body that there is no risk of its unintentionally falling off the tubular pouch body. Instead, in this embodiment the lid piece can easily be removed from the tubular pouch body by hand; unless removed manually, however, the lid piece keeps the tubular pouch securely closed. 
         [0024]    In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, a desired tearing line is formed between the sealed or adhesively bonded seam of the cuff and the lid piece. That variant according to the invention is advantageous especially when the cuff is formed integrally with the lid piece, and the cuff can be at least partially separated from the lid piece in order to open the tubular pouch. 
         [0025]    In an advantageous embodiment, the cuff is formed by a foil strip the end portions of which are joined, especially sealed or adhesively bonded, so that they overlap one another, an outer end portion serving as grip tab for opening the cuff (lap-seal variant). 
         [0026]    The overlapping of the end portions can therefore be in the form of a lap seal or a fin seal. In the latter case, the cuff can be opened by gripping the end portions of the foil strip and pulling them apart, so that the fin seal breaks open and the cuff can be removed, so that the lid piece of the tubular pouch can be removed. 
         [0027]    In an extremely advantageous development of the invention, the lid piece is configured with an angled edge strip which in the longitudinal direction of the tubular pouch can face either towards or away from the latter. In the former case, the lid piece can preferably be placed over the portion of the tubular pouch body located at the lid-piece end thereof, while in the latter case, as mentioned above, insertion of the lid piece, which is accordingly of dish-like construction, into the tubular pouch comes into consideration, the angled edge strip of the lid piece preferably projecting above the rim of the peripheral edge of the tubular pouch body. 
         [0028]    In the two last-mentioned cases, according to the invention the cuff is sealed or adhesively bonded to the outside of the edge strip, so that the cuff remains on the lid piece when the lid piece is removed from the tubular pouch body. For that purpose, a strongly adhesive contact adhesive or a strong seal is preferably chosen in order to prevent the cuff from falling off the lid piece. 
         [0029]    A further variant of a cuff according to the invention has at least one grip tab extending in the longitudinal direction of the pouch, especially towards the base of the pouch, by means of which the cuff can be opened, or torn open. As mentioned above, the grip tab is free of adhesive and/or sealing medium. 
         [0030]    Otherwise, the tubular pouch body itself and, where applicable, the lid piece and/or the base of the tubular pouch is/are of relatively rigid construction. This is particularly advantageous when the tubular pouch contains liquid or paste-form contents. When the contents are solid, they can themselves impart a certain stability to the tubular pouch body. 
         [0031]    A considerable advantage of a tubular pouch according to the invention is that substantially the entire cross-sectional opening of the tubular pouch body can be opened, so that optimum access can be gained to the interior volume of the tubular pouch, including, for example, with a spoon, a fork or some other removal aid. 
         [0032]    In accordance with one embodiment, the tubular pouch body is produced from a square or rectangular foil blank, the overlapping edge regions being joined to one another by means of fin-seal and/or lap-seal sealing to form a tubular body. Alternatively, the tubular pouch body is produced as part of an extruded foil tube which is preferably of seamless construction. 
         [0033]    Furthermore, the tubular pouch body is preferably made from a laminate, especially an aluminium laminate, having at least one sealing layer and optionally at least one barrier layer. The barrier layer preferably consists of SiO 2 , ethyl vinyl alcohol (EVOH), an oriented polyolefin, preferably polypropylene (OPP), or a metal foil, for example an aluminium foil. 
         [0034]    Moreover, the lid piece and/or the base are made substantially of the same materials as the tubular pouch body. As a result, the tubular pouch can be produced very cost-effectively, because both the lid piece and the base are made of the same foil or the same laminate as the tubular pouch body itself. For that purpose, it is possible to use either the foil forming the future tubular pouch body, prior to formation of the tubular pouch body, or a length of extruded tube, which are in each case detached for forming the lid piece and the base. For example, it is possible for such a short length of tube simply to be sealed on one side to form the base and then incorporated into the tubular pouch body, with the latter optionally being stretched, and joined sealingly thereto, that is to say sealed or adhesively bonded thereto. 
         [0035]    Both the lid piece and the base and/or the tubular pouch body have a thickness in the range of from 50 μm to 1000 μm, preferably from 100 μm to 500 μm, and especially from 150 μm to 350 μm. Adhering to those dimensions on the one hand ensures that the tubular pouch is lightweight and has sufficient durability and stability, including for carbonic-acid-containing pouch contents. Furthermore, the lid piece, the base and the tubular pouch body itself is sterilisable, so that foods, beverages and stimulants can also be introduced into the tubular pouch and packaged hygienically therein. 
         [0036]    Further embodiments of the invention will be found in the subsidiary claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0037]    The invention is described below on the basis of exemplary embodiments which are explained in greater detail with reference to the Figures. 
           [0038]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic sectional view of a tubular pouch according to the invention in accordance with a first embodiment; 
           [0039]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic sectional view of a tubular pouch according to the invention in accordance with a second embodiment; 
           [0040]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic sectional view of a tubular pouch according to the invention in accordance with a third embodiment; 
           [0041]      FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic part-sectional view of a tubular pouch according to the invention in accordance with a fifth embodiment; 
           [0042]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic sectional view, from above, of a lid piece having a fin seal; and 
           [0043]      FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic sectional view, from above, of a lid piece having a lap seal. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0044]    In the description which follows, parts that are the same or have the same action have been given the same reference numerals. 
         [0045]    In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the tubular pouch  10  according to the invention has a tubular pouch body  12  which can be formed by means of lap-seal sealing. At its base end, the tubular pouch body  12  can be provided with a deep-drawn stand-up base and can be sealed tightly thereto peripherally around the edge. The tubular pouch body  12  is approximately circular both in its base region and in its lid-piece region  20 . Other cross-sectional shapes, such as oval, rectangular etc., are also possible, however. The lid piece  14  of an approximately circular-cylindrical tubular pouch body  12  consists of an approximately circular part, especially a foil part, which has a slightly greater diameter than the tubular pouch body  12 . At the edge, the lid piece  14  is placed over the tubular pouch body  12 . The lid piece  14  of the closed tubular pouch  10  is fixed on the tubular pouch body  12  by having sealed to the tubular pouch body  12  a cuff  18  which by means of a limb extends over the lid piece  14  at the top and is stretched peripherally both around the lid piece  14  and around the tubular pouch body  12 . For tearing open the cuff  18 , the latter has on two sides a tab  22 , for example in the form of a fin seal  34 , having two respective grip regions which extend away from the tubular pouch body  12  substantially at a right angle and which can each be grasped with two fingers of a hand. For opening, the two ends of the tab  22  sealed with the fin seal  34  are pulled and in that way the cuff  18  is removed from the tubular pouch body  12 . 
         [0046]    Further embodiments of the invention are shown diagrammatically in  FIGS. 1 to 6 . 
         [0047]    For example,  FIG. 1  shows a tubular pouch  10  according to the invention, consisting of a tubular pouch body  12 , a base (not shown) and a lid piece  14  which is fixed by means of a cuff  18  on the upper, lid-piece-end peripheral edge  20  of the tubular pouch body  12 . The cuff  18  is firmly joined by means of a very strong seal  36  to the outside of an edge strip  32  of the lid piece  14 , which edge strip is angled upwards in  FIG. 1 . The seal  36  extends over the periphery of the lid-piece edge  32 . 
         [0048]    By means of an adhesively bonded seam  26 , the cuff  18  is joined to the outside of the peripheral edge  20  of the tubular pouch body  12  at the lid-piece end thereof. That adhesive bond likewise extends over the periphery of the tubular pouch body. For opening the cuff  18 , a grip region in the form of tab  22  is provided. The adhesively bonded seam  26  is weaker than the seal  36  in terms of adhesive strength, which ensures that when the cuff  18  is being opened the cuff becomes detached only from the tubular pouch body  12 . 
         [0049]    In accordance with the embodiment described above, the lid piece  14  is of dish-like construction and extends into the tubular pouch body  12  to the depth of about half its angled edge strip  32 . The portion of the angled edge strip  32  projecting out of the tubular pouch body  12  is used for the join to the cuff  18 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 2  shows a diagrammatic view of a further embodiment according to the invention which is a modification of the embodiment according to  FIG. 1 . In accordance with this variant, the cuff  18  is formed integrally with the lid piece  14 . The lid piece  14  is accordingly joined to the tubular pouch body  12  via the sealed or adhesively bonded seam  26  of the cuff  18 . For opening the tubular pouch  10 , it is accordingly necessary first to open the cuff  18 , it being possible to break the sealed or adhesively bonded seam  26  between the cuff  18  and the tubular pouch body  12  by pulling on the tab  22 . For easier release of the lid piece  14 , it is also possible to provide a desired tearing line  28  along which the cuff  18  can be separated from the lid piece  14 . Such a desired tearing line  28  is located between the adhesively bonded seam  26  and the upper edge of the lid piece or pouch. 
         [0051]      FIG. 3  shows a diagrammatic view of a third embodiment of a tubular pouch  10  according to the invention in which the lid piece  14  has a downwardly angled edge strip and is placed cap-like over the peripheral edge  20  of the tubular pouch body  12  at the lid-piece end thereof. The cuff is in that case in the form of an annular angle profile, the horizontal limb of the cuff  18  extending over the peripheral edge of the lid piece  14 , while the vertical limb, or the limb extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pouch, is joined to the tubular pouch body  12  by means of the sealed or adhesively bonded seam  26  and accordingly holds the lid piece  14  on the tubular pouch body  12 . For opening such a tubular pouch variant, again the tab  22  can be grasped and the sealed or adhesively bonded seam  26  broken by pulling, so that the cuff  18 , which is in the form of a separate component, can be removed. lid piece  14  is accordingly free to be removed. 
         [0052]      FIG. 4  shows a fourth embodiment of a tubular pouch according to the invention in which the cuff  18  is again formed integrally with the lid piece  14  and can be separated therefrom along a desired tearing line  28 . In accordance with the part-sectional view of the embodiment according to  FIG. 4 , the tab  22  is used for opening the cuff  18 . Here too, the desired tearing line  28  is located between the sealed or adhesively bonded seam  26  and the upper edge of the pouch or lid piece. 
         [0053]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a lid-piece-end peripheral edge  20  of a tubular pouch body  12  according to the invention having an associated cuff  18 . The cuffs  18  are in each case in the form of foil strips and have end portions  30  that overlap one another. In the case of  FIG. 5 , those end portions  30  are in the form of a fin seal  34  and in the case of  FIG. 6  in the form of a lap seal. For opening the tab, according to  FIG. 5  the grip regions  22  of the fin-seal seal are grasped and pulled apart from one another so that the seal is broken and the cuff  18  is accordingly opened. 
         [0054]    In accordance with  FIG. 6 , a grip region  22  is provided on the outer end portion  30  of the foil strip, by means of which the cuff  18  can be broken open to open the lap-seal seal. 
         [0055]    The packagings described above are excellently suitable for storing solid items, it being emphasised that a seal or some other sealing means can likewise be provided between the lid piece and the limb of the cuff that engages over the lid piece. In that case the storage of paste-form and liquid tubular pouch contents is also possible if the cuff is not anyway firmly joined to the lid piece. 
         [0056]    It should be pointed out here that all the above-described parts, considered alone and in any combination, especially the details shown in the drawings, are claimed as being important to the invention. Modifications thereof will be familiar to the person skilled in the art. 
         [0000]    List of reference numerals 
         [0057]      10  tubular pouch 
         [0058]      12  tubular pouch body 
         [0059]      14  lid piece 
         [0060]      18  cuff 
         [0061]      20  end portion/peripheral edge at the lid-piece end 
         [0062]      22  grip region/tab 
         [0063]      24  edge of the lid piece 
         [0064]      26  sealed/adhesively bonded seam of the cuff 
         [0065]      28  desired tearing line 
         [0066]      30  end portions of the foil strip 
         [0067]      32  angled edge strip 
         [0068]      34  fin seal 
         [0069]      36  sealed/adhesively bonded seam between lid piece and cuff