Patent EA-000541-B1 (EA)
Title: Infusion package, method and device for producing thereof
Inventor: BAILEY THOMAS WILLIAM
IPC: B65D77/00
Filed: 1997-07-03
Abstract: 1. A packet containing flowable material and comprising an envelope formed of heat sealable material and a drawstring or thread for contracting the packet, said envelope enclosing an inner space within which the flowable material is held and an outer marginal pace within which an intermediate portion of the thread is contained wherein said marginal pace extends essentially in U-shaped form around a major part of the periphery of the envelope, wherein said intermediate thread portion passes through U-shaped marginal pace, further lengths of the thread continuing from the ends of said intermediate thread portion, and projecting from said marginal space, said lengths of thread being held against an external face of the envelope and being secured to tag means releasably attached to the exterior of the envelope. 2. A packet according to Claim 1 wherein said outer marginal space and intermediate thread portion extend around the periphery of the envelope to a side edge portion, said outer marginal space terminating at said side edge portion of the envelope from which it extends in a substantially U-form around the remaining periphery of the envelope. 3. A packet according to Claim 2 wherein the further portions of thread that project from said marginal space extend from said one side edge portion and around an opposite side edge portion of the envelope. 4. A method of producing packets containing a flowable material and each provided with a thread attached to a tag for contracting the packet comprising the steps of: (i) forming thread loops and attaching the ends of each loop to a respective tag, (ii) placing one face of a web of the packet envelope material against intermediate portions of the thread loops while maintaining the web spaced from the tags, and releasably attaching the web to the portions of the thread loops placed against it, (iii) bringing the tags with the remaining portions of the thread loops over the opposite face of the web and attaching them thereto, and (iv) doubling over the web to form a flattened tube with the intermediate portions of said loops located between opposed walls thereof and with said tags and remaining end portions of said loops on the exterior of the tubular form web. 5. A method according to Claim 4 wherein doses of the flowable material are contained between said opposed walls, each dose being placed to lie within with one of said intermediate loop portions, sealing the walls together to hold said doses and loop portions between them, and severing the webs to form individual packets each having a dose of the flowable material and a tag and thread-loop assembly. 6. A method of manufacturing packets containing a flowable material each provided with a length of thread for contracting the packet, comprising the steps of: (i) forming loops in a thread and attaching the ends of each loop to a respective tag, (ii) placing one face of a web of the packet envelope material against intermediate portions of thread loops while maintaining the web spaced from the tags and temporarily attaching the web to the portions of the thread loops placed against it, (iii) bringing the tags with the remaining portions of the thread loops over the opposite face of the web and attaching them temporarily thereto, (iv) locating said one web against a second web of the packet material carrying doses of the flowsble material to enclose said doses between opposed walls, said loops of thread being thereby disposed between the two webs and said tags being on the exterior face of the one web, and (v) joining said opposed walls of the two webs together to hold the doses of flowable material in sealed compartments and said loops of thread between the two webs. 7. A method according to Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein said opposed walls are sealed together to form channels for said intermediate portions of the thread loops that are discrete from said compartments. 8. A according to Claim 7 wherein each intermediate loop portion surrounds at least a greater part of the periphery of each said compartment 9. A method according to any one of Claims 4 to 8 wherein each loop intermediate portion is given its final shape after being drawn out and is held under tension during said shaping. 10. Apparatus for producing packets with tag means attached to a thread or drawstring, said apparatus comprising transport, means on which the tags and thread are brought together, means for forming loops of the thread and for attaching the ends of the loops t-o successive tags to form tag-thread assemblies, combining means for bringing the tag-thread assemblies together with a web of envelope material, characterised in that the combining means are arranged to place intermediate portions of the thread loops against one face of the web and attach them releasably thereto, said combining means being further arranged to have the tags and adjoining portions of the loops remote from said intermediate portions overlapping a side edge of the web, and that the apparatus further comprises: means for placing the tags and their associated thread portions over the opposite face of the web and attaching them thereto, means for forming the web into a tubular shape with said intermediate loop portions in the interior thereof and the tags and their associated loop end portions on the exterior, means for dosing a filling material into said tubular-shape web, and means for heat sealing between opposite faces of the web to contain the filling material and for separating the individual packets therefrom with a thread loop and tag associated with each packet. 11. Apparatus for producing packets with tag means attached to a thread or drawstring, said apparatus comprising: transport means on which the tags and thread are brought together, means for forming loops of the thread and for attaching the ends of the loops to successive tags to form tag-thread assemblies, combining means for bringing the tag-thread assemblies together with a web of envelope material, characterised in that the combining means are arranged to place the looped ends of the thread loops against one face of the web ana attach them temporarily thereto, said combining means being further arranged to have the tags and adjoining portions of the loops remote from the looped ends overlapping a side edge of the web, and that the apparatus further comprises: means for placing the tags and their associated thread portions over the opposite face of the web and attaching them thereto, means for dosing a second web with a filling material for the packets, means for bringing the two webs together with the thread looped ends between them to enclose the doses of filling material, means for securing the two webs together to seal the filling material in inner spaces, and means for separating the packet comprising the sealed doses, and each packet having a thread loop and associated tag. 12. Apparatus according to Claim 10 or Claim 11 comprising means for forming channels discrete from the filling material for said loop end portions of the thread. 13. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 10 to 12 comprising a rotary drum provided with means for forming thread loops at peripherally spaced locations, seats on the drum for the tags aligned with said locations, for each said location a member being mounted reciprocably on the drum and comprising said loop-forming means and means for bringing the tag onto the web. 14. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 10 to 13 comprising means displaceable on the drum for shaping each loop formed from the thread. 15. Apparatus according to Claim 13 together with Claim 14 wherein said loop shaping means are located intermediate the path of reciprocation of each said loop forming member. 16. Apparatus according to Claim 14 or Claim 15 wherein said shaping means comprises pivotable engagement means for broadening the form of the loops. 17. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 10 to 15 comprising suction means for applying tension to the thread loops during their shaping.