Patent Publication Number: US-2023159248-A1

Title: Spouted pouch

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a spouted pouch configured to dispense a liquid content from a spout attached to a side face of the pouch body in a state placed with the pouch bottom down. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Spouted pouches with a spout as an outlet port attached to the pouch body made up of a plurality of heat-sealed resin films are conventionally known (see, for example, Patent Literature 1) to be used as a container that contains liquid contents such as drinking water or liquid detergent. 
     Such a spouted pouch is known to be used in a manner in which the liquid content is dispensed from the spout attached to a side face of the pouch body in a state placed with the pouch bottom down as shown in  FIG.  6   . 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     
         
         [Patent Literature 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-121611 
       
    
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     One issue, however, is that, because the resin films that make up the pouch body are flexible, sometimes a phenomenon called bulging can occur in lower parts of the pouch body  120  where each of the films  130 ,  140 , and  150  expands outward by the weight of the liquid content as shown in lateral views of the pouch in the lower left and lower right diagrams of  FIG.  6   , particularly in the case where the pouch body is formed as a large size pouch such as size 6L. Such bulging sometimes results in formation of buckle-triggering points P where the films  130 ,  140 , and  150  flex inward and are dented as shown in the lower center diagram of  FIG.  6   , near lower parts of each of side seals  123   a  and  123   b.    
     Once such buckle-triggering points P are formed, the pouch body  120  tends to easily buckle at these buckle-triggering points P, which compromises the self-standing ability of the spouted pouch. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to solve these problems, and to provide a spouted pouch with a simple structure and improved self-standing ability of the pouch body. 
     Solution to Problem 
     The present invention solves the above problem by providing a spouted pouch configured to dispense a liquid content from a spout attached to a side face of a pouch body in a state placed with a pouch bottom down, the pouch body including a first film having a spout fixture portion to which a spout fixture target portion of the spout is fixed, and side films connected to the first film via first side seals formed on both left and right sides of the first film, the pouch body further including a first shape-controlling seal portion formed by heat sealing the first film and the side film together at a location on an inner side of the first side seal in a left-right direction, the first shape-controlling seal portion having an area located in a region between an upper half of the spout fixture portion and the first side seals, and not having an area located below a center in an up-down direction of the spout fixture portion. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     According to the invention set forth in claim  1 , the pouch body further includes a first shape-controlling seal portion formed by heat sealing the first film and the side film together at a location on an inner side of the first side seal in a left-right direction. The first shape-controlling seal portion has an area located in a region between an upper half of the spout fixture portion and the first side seals, and does not have an area located below the center in the up-down direction of the spout fixture portion. This allows for adjustment of the inclination of the spout fixture target portion, and this adjustment of the inclination of the spout fixture target portion can be used to minimize creation of buckle-triggering points, which tend to form near lower parts of the first side seals. 
     Namely, according to the invention set forth in claim  1 , the vicinity of the first shape-controlling seal portion of the first film is dented or caved inward of the pouch from the surrounding area. In reaction to this, the vicinity of the area below the first shape-controlling seal of the first film protrudes or bulges outward of the pouch. Utilizing this outward bulge, it is possible to adjust the inclination of the spout fixture target portion such as to shift the upper side of the spout fixture target portion inward of the pouch and to shift the lower side of the spout fixture target portion outward of the pouch. The adjustment of the inclination of the spout fixture target portion described above is utilized this way to minimize creation of buckle-triggering points, which tend to form near lower parts of the first side seals. Thus the self-standing ability of the spouted pouch can be improved. 
     According to the invention set forth in claim  3 , the first shape-controlling seal portion is formed on both left and right sides of the spout fixture target portion. The inclination of the spout fixture target portion can thus be adjusted from both left and right sides in a reliable manner, so that creation of buckle-triggering points that tend to form near lower parts of the left and right first side seals can reliably be minimized. 
     According to the invention set forth in claim  4  in which the first shape-controlling seal portion is formed continuously with the first side seal, the liquid content can be prevented from being trapped between the first side seal and the first shape-controlling seal portion, which tends to occur when the first shape-controlling seal portion is formed independently of the first side seal. 
     According to the invention set forth in claim  5 , the pouch body further includes a second shape-controlling seal portion formed by heat sealing the second film and the side film together at a location on an inner side of the second side seal in the left-right direction. The vicinity of the second shape-controlling seal portion of the second film is dented or caved inward of the pouch from the surrounding area. In reaction to this, the vicinity of the area below the second shape-controlling seal of the second film protrudes or bulges outward of the pouch. Utilizing this outward bulge, it is possible to minimize creation of buckle-triggering points, which tend to form near lower parts of the second side seals. 
     In the first film to which the spout is fixed, the outward bulging phenomenon that starts from the vicinity of the area below the first shape-controlling seal portion of the first film is stopped by the spout fixture portion where the spout is fixed and does not spread any further. In contrast, in the second film where no spout is fixed, the outward bulging phenomenon that starts from the vicinity of the area below the second shape-controlling seal portion of the second film can spread further below as compared to the first film. This allows minimization of creation of buckle-triggering points, which tend to form near lower parts of the second side seal, as well as allows the second shape-controlling seal portion to be formed at a higher position in the up-down direction than the first shape-controlling seal portion. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view illustrating a spouted pouch according to one embodiment of the present invention in use in a state placed on a placement surface. 
         FIG.  2    is an illustrative diagram illustrating each of the films making up the spouted pouch. 
         FIG.  3    is an illustrative diagram showing a first film. 
         FIG.  4    is an illustrative diagram explaining the effect achieved by formation of first shape-controlling seal portions. 
         FIG.  5    is an illustrative diagram showing a variation example of the position of the control seal heat-seated portions. 
         FIG.  6    is a diagram given for reference to explain a problem in a conventional spouted pouch. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     A spouted pouch  10  that is one embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the drawings. 
     The spouted pouch  10  contains a liquid content such as drinking water or liquid detergent.  FIG.  1    shows a perspective view of the pouch  10  viewed from the outside. As shown in  FIG.  1   , the pouch is configured to dispense the liquid content from a spout  60  attached to a side face of the pouch body  20  when in use, in a state placed with the pouch bottom  20   a  down. 
     The spouted pouch  10  includes, as shown in  FIG.  1   , a pouch body  20  that is formed by flexible films  30 ,  40 , and  50  heat-sealed along bag-making seal portions  23  into a bag shape, the spout  60  attached to the pouch body  20 , and an inner film  70  disposed inside the pouch body  20 . The spouted pouch  10  is accommodated inside an outer case (not shown) when in use, on display, or during transportation. 
     The pouch body  20  is configured as a so-called side-gusseted type pouch having a gusset  22  on both sides as shown in  FIG.  1   . The pouch body includes a first film  30  to which the spout  60  is attached, two side films  40  connected to the first film  30  via first side seals  23   a  formed on both left and right sides of the first film  30 , and a second film  50  disposed opposite the first film  30  across a liquid content accommodating portion  21  and connected to the side films  40  via second side seals  23   b  formed on both left and right sides of the second film  50 .  FIG.  1    shows only a flange  61  of the spout  60 . 
     The films  30 ,  40 , and  50  are each formed as a rectangular (or substantially rectangular) resin film having a heat-seal layer at least on one side, and are disposed such that the heat-seal layers face each other at respective positions where they are heat-sealed together. 
     The films  30 ,  40 , and  50  each have the following heat-sealed areas. The heat-sealed areas are indicated with fill patterns in the drawings such as  FIG.  2   . 
     First, the first film  30  includes, as shown in  FIG.  2   , left and right side seal heat-sealed areas  31  to be heat-sealed to the side films  40 , and a spout fixture portion  32  where the spout  60  (flange  61 ) is fixed. In this embodiment, the flange  61  is heat-sealed to a surface of the first film  30  on the inner side of the pouch. 
     Each side film  40  includes, as shown in  FIG.  2   , side seal heat-sealed areas  41  to be heat-sealed to the first film  30  or second film  50 , a top seal heat-sealed area  42  and a bottom seal heat-sealed area  43  to be heat-sealed to the other side film  40 , and inner film heat-sealed areas  44  to be heat-sealed to the inner film  70 . 
     The second film  50  includes, as shown in  FIG.  2   , left and right side seal heat-sealed areas  51  to be heat-sealed to the side films  40 . 
     The first side seals  23   a  are formed by heat sealing the side seal heat-sealed areas  31  of the first film  30  and the side seal heat-sealed areas  41  of the side films  40  together. Likewise, the second side seals  23   b  are formed by heat sealing the side seal heat-sealed areas  51  of the second film  50  and the side seal heat-sealed areas  41  of the side films  40  together. 
     The top seal  23   c  is formed by heat sealing the top seal heat-sealed areas  42  of the side films  40  together, as well as heat sealing the inner film heat-sealed areas  44  of the side films  40  and the inner film  70  together at a position corresponding to the top of the pouch body  20 . The bottom seal (not shown) is formed by heat sealing the bottom seal heat-sealed areas  43  of the side films  40  together, as well as heat sealing the inner film heat-sealed areas  44  of the side films  40  and the inner film  70  together at a position corresponding to the bottom of the pouch body  20 . 
     The first side seals  23   a , second side seals  23   b , top seal  23   c , and bottom seal (not shown) make up the bag-making seal portions  23 . 
     The pouch body  20  further includes first shape-controlling seal portions  24  formed by heat sealing the first film  30  and the side films  40  (control seal heat-seated portions  45 ) together at locations (control seal heat-sealed portions  33 ) on the inner side of the first side seals  23   a  (side seal heat-sealed areas  31 ) in the left-right direction, as shown in  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  3   . 
     The first shape-controlling seal portions  24  (control seal heat-sealed portions  33 ) are formed on both left and right sides of the spout fixture portion  32  (flange  61 ) such as to continuously extend inward in the left-right direction (by about 0.5 to 2.0 mm) from each first side seal  23   a  (side seal heat-sealed area  31 ), as shown in  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  3   . 
     The first shape-controlling seal portion  24  (control seal heat-sealed portion  33 ) has an area located in a region between an upper half of the spout fixture portion  32  (flange  61 ) and the first side seals  23   a  (side seal heat-sealed areas  31 ) as shown in  FIG.  3   . In this embodiment, the entire first shape-controlling seal portions  24  (control seal heat-sealed portions  33 ) are located in the region between the upper half of the spout fixture portion  32  (flange  61 ) and the first side seals  23   a  (side seal heat-sealed areas  31 ). 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , the first shape-controlling seal portions  24  (control seal heat-sealed portions  33 ) do not have an area located below the center in the up-down direction of the spout fixture portion  32 . 
     Likewise, the side films  40  include control seal heat-sealed portions  45  continuously extending inward in the left-right direction from each side seal heat-sealed area  41  at positions corresponding to the control seal heat-sealed portions  33  of the first film  30  as shown in  FIG.  2   . 
     The first side seals  23   a  (side seal heat-sealed areas  31  and  41 ) are band-shaped along the up-down direction with inner side edges extending straight along the up-down direction as shown in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2   , in the regions around the areas where the first shape-controlling seal portions  24  (control seal heat-sealed portions  33  and  45 ) are provided. 
     The pouch body  20  further includes second shape-controlling seal portions  25  formed by heat sealing the second film  50  and the side films  40  (control seal heat-sealed portions  46 ) together at locations (control seal heat-sealed portions  52 ) on the inner side of the second side seals  23   b  (side seal heat-sealed area  51 ) in the left-right direction, as shown in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2   . 
     The second shape-controlling seal portion  25  (control seal heat-sealed portion  52 ) is formed such as to continuously extend inward in the left-right direction (by about 0.5 to 2.0 mm) from each second side seal  23   b  (side seal heat-sealed area  51 ), as shown in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2   . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2   , the second shape-controlling seal portions  25  are formed at a higher position in the up-down direction in their entirety than the first shape-controlling seal portions  24 . 
     In this embodiment, the distance from the pouch bottom  20   a  to the lower end of the second shape-controlling seal portions  25  is about 90 mm. The distance from the pouch bottom  20   a  to the lower end of the first shape-controlling seal portions  24  is about 60 mm. 
     Likewise, the side films  40  include control seal heat-sealed portions  46  continuously extending inward from the side seal heat-sealed areas  41  at positions corresponding to the control seal heat-sealed portions  52  as shown in  FIG.  2   . 
     The second side seals  23   b  (side seal heat-sealed areas  41  and  51 ) are band-shaped along the up-down direction with inner side edges extending straight along the up-down direction as shown in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2   , in the regions around the areas where the second shape-controlling seal portions  25  (control seal heat-sealed portions  46  and  52 ) are provided. 
     The pouch body  20  has the pouch bottom  20   a , which functions as a bottom part when the pouch body  20  is placed on a placement surface (not shown), in a state in which the spouted pouch  10  being in use is able to dispense the liquid content through the spout  60  (in a ready-to-dispense state), as shown in  FIG.  1   . 
     This pouch bottom  20   a  is formed when the spouted pouch  10  is placed on a flat placement surface (horizontal surface) and the films  30 ,  40 ,  50 , and  70  are each bent by the weight of the liquid content, coming into contact with the placement surface (not shown). In this embodiment, parts of the respective films  30 ,  40 ,  50 , and  70  make up the pouch bottom  20   a .  FIG.  2    illustrates the respective expected fold lines  34 ,  47 ,  53 , and  72  of the films  30 ,  40 ,  50 , and  70 . 
     The spout  60  is made of a synthetic resin and serves as the outlet port when attached to the pouch body  20 . 
     The spout  60  has a spout body (not shown) disposed (mostly) on the outer side of the pouch body  20 , and the flange  61  as a spout fixture target portion, integrally formed to the spout body (not shown), disposed on the inner side of the pouch body  20 , and fixed to an inner side face of the first film  30  by heat sealing.  FIG.  4 ( a )  illustrates a perspective view of the flange  61  viewed from the outside of the pouch, and  FIG.  4 ( b )  is a diagram of the part where the flange  61  is located as viewed from a lateral direction of the pouch.  FIG.  4    shows only the flange  61  of the spout  60 . 
     The flange  61  is formed as a disc-shaped portion with an outlet hole  62  at the center as shown in  FIG.  1   . The first film  30  is also formed with an outlet hole  35  at the position corresponding to the outlet hole  62  as shown in  FIG.  3   . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  4   , the spout  60  (flange  61 ) is attached to a side face of the pouch body  20  at a location closer to the pouch bottom  20   a  than the center in the height direction of the pouch body (center in the longitudinal direction of the first film  30 ). Therefore, as shown in  FIG.  4   , when the first film  30  bulges out by the weight of the liquid content, the flange  61  of the spout  60  is inclined to the up-down direction such that the upper side is positioned more outward of the pouch than the lower side. 
     The inner film  70  is formed as a rectangular (or substantially rectangular) flexible resin film having a heat-seal layer at least on one side, and as can be seen from  FIG.  1    or  FIG.  2   , double-folded and disposed inside the pouch body  20  (liquid content accommodating portion  21 ), and heat-sealed at predetermined locations to the inner film heat-sealed areas  44  of the side films  40 . 
     The inner film  70  includes a plurality of film through holes  71  in the form of holes extending through the inner film in the thickness direction as shown in  FIG.  2   . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , a handle hole  26  is formed in the bag-making seal portion  23  at the top of the spouted pouch  10  where the films  40  and  70  overlap, opened through the portion where the films  40  and  70  overlap, for a user to put a hand or finger in to hold the spouted pouch  10 . 
     The spouted pouch  10  thus obtained is formed with the first shape-controlling seal portions  24 , so that the vicinities R 1  of the first shape-controlling seal portions  24  of the first film  30  are dented or caved inward of the pouch from the surrounding area as shown in  FIG.  4   . In reaction to this, the vicinities R 2  of the areas below the first shape-controlling seal portions  24  of the first film  30  protrude or bulge outward of the pouch (the first film  30  becomes tense in these areas). Utilizing this tension, it is possible to adjust the inclination of the flange (spout fixture target portion)  61  such as to shift the upper side of the flange (spout fixture target portion)  61  fixed to the first film  30  inward of the pouch and to shift the lower side of the flange (spout fixture target portion)  61  outward of the pouch. This adjustment of the inclination of the flange (spout fixture target portion)  61  can be used to shift the first film  30  outward in the area beneath the flange (spout fixture target portion)  61  to minimize creation of buckle-triggering points P, which tend to form in lower parts of the first side seals  23   a  (side seal heat-sealed areas  31 ), as shown in  FIG.  6   , which leads to a better self-standing ability of the spouted pouch  10 . 
     While one embodiment of the present invention has been described above in detail, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and may be carried out with various design changes without departing from the scope of the present invention set forth in the claims. Various features of the above-described embodiment and variation examples to be described below may be combined as desired to configure another spouted pouch  10 . 
     For example, while the spouted pouch  10  is accommodated inside an outer case (not shown) when in use, on display, or during transportation in the above-described embodiment, the spouted pouch  10  need not necessarily be accommodated inside an outer case (not shown) and may be used, or displayed, or transported as it is. 
     The films  30 ,  40 ,  50 , and  70  may each have any specific form as long as the films include a layer having heat sealability at least on one side, which may be composed of olefins such as low-density polyethylene or polypropylene, or polyesters such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate); they may either have a single heat-seal layer, or any other layers laminated on the heat-seal layer. Any materials may be used to form the laminates. Any known polyesters such as PET or PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene, aluminum foil, and so on, may be laminated in any manner. 
     While the pouch body  20  is formed from four films  30 ,  40 , and  50  in the above-described embodiment, the specifics of the pouch body  20  configuration such as the number of films etc., are not limited to the above-described embodiment. 
     The inner film  70  may not be provided. 
     While the first film  30  with the spout  60  attached thereto (or second film  50 ) is a gusset-forming film in the above-described embodiment, the first film  30  (or second film  50 ) need not necessarily be a gusset-forming film. 
     In this embodiment, the entire first shape-controlling seal portions  24  (control seal heat-sealed portions  33 ) are located in a region between an upper half of the spout fixture portion  32  (flange  61 ) and the first side seals  23   a  (side seal heat-sealed areas  31 ). Instead, as shown in  FIG.  5 ( a ) , the first shape-controlling seal portions  24  may be formed such as to be partly located in the region between the upper half of the spout fixture portion  32  (flange  61 ) and the first side seals  23   a  (side seal heat-sealed areas  31 ). In the case shown in  FIG.  5 ( a ) , too, it is preferable that parts of the first shape-controlling seal portions  24  (control seal heat-sealed portions  33 ) closest to the center in the left-right direction of the first film  30  are located in the region between the upper half of the spout fixture portion  32  (flange  61 ) and the first side seals  23   a  (side seal heat-sealed areas  31 ). 
     In the above-described embodiment, the first shape-controlling seal portions  24  (control seal heat-sealed portions  33  and  45 ) are formed continuously with the first side seals  23   a  (side seal heat-sealed areas  31  and  41 ). Instead, as shown in  FIG.  5 ( b ) , the first shape-controlling seal portions  24  (control seal heat-sealed portions  33  and  45 ) may be formed independently of (at positions away from) the first side seals  23   a  (side seal heat-sealed areas  31  and  41 ). Similarly, the second shape-controlling seal portions  25  (control seal heat-sealed portions  46  and  52 ) may be formed independently of (at positions away from) the second side seals  23   b  (side seal heat-sealed areas  41  and  51 ). 
     In the above-described embodiment, one each first shape-controlling seal portion  24  is formed on both left and right sides of the spout fixture portion  32 . Instead, the first shape-controlling seal portion  24  may be formed on one of the left and right sides of the spout fixture portion  32 . In other words, while two first shape-controlling seal portion  24  are formed in the above-described embodiment, there may be only one first shape-controlling seal portion  24 . Similarly, there may be only one second shape-controlling seal portion  25  instead of two. 
     In the above-described embodiment, the flange  61  is formed in the shape of a disc with an outlet hole  62  at the center. The flange  61  may have any other specific shapes such as a rectangular or polygonal shape, with the outlet hole  62  formed at the center. 
     While the spout fixture target portion  61  heat-sealed to the pouch body  20  is the flange  61  of the spout  60  in the above-described embodiment, the spout fixture target portion  61  need not be the flange  61 . In other words, other parts of the spout  60  than the flange  61  may be fixed to the pouch body  20 . 
     While the flange  61  as the spout fixture target portion  61  is fixed to an inner side face of the first film  30  in the above-described embodiment, the flange  61  may be fixed to an outer side face of the first film  30 . 
     The flange  61  as the spout fixture target portion may be fixed to the first film  30  by any other means than heat sealing such as bonding. 
     The terms used herein indicating vertical directions such as “top,” “bottom,” “side,” and so on are not intended to limit the orientation of the spouted pouch  10  set on display or during transportation. For example, the spouted pouch  10  may be set on a placement surface with a side or top of the spouted pouch  10  down. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
     
         
         
           
               10  Spouted pouch 
               20  Pouch body 
               20   a  Pouch bottom 
               21  Liquid content accommodating portion 
               22  Gusset 
               23  Bag-making seal portion 
               23   a  First side seal 
               23   b  Second side seal 
               23   c  Top seal 
               24  First shape-controlling seal portion 
               25  Second shape-controlling seal portion 
               26  Handle hole 
               30  First film 
               31  Side seal heat-sealed area 
               32  Spout fixture portion 
               33  Control seal heat-seated portion 
               34  Expected fold line 
               35  Outlet hole 
               40  Side film 
               41  Side seal heat-sealed area 
               42  Top seal heat-sealed area 
               43  Bottom seal heat-sealed area 
               44  Inner seal heat-sealed area 
               45  Control seal heat-seated portion 
               46  Control seal heat-seated portion 
               47  Expected fold line 
               50  Second film 
               51  Side seal heat-sealed area 
               52  Control seal heat-seated portion 
               53  Expected fold line 
               60  Spout 
               61  Flange (spout fixture target portion) 
               62  Outlet hole 
               70  Inner film 
               71  Film through hole 
               72  Expected fold line