Patent Publication Number: US-2017349332-A1

Title: Pre-folded medical self sealing pouch with a pressing mark

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a sterilized packing material used in medical institutions, especially to a medial self sealing pouch. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Large parts of product in medical institutes are sterilized when packed in single paper plastic package instead of original wrapping cloth. The paper plastic package comprises a transparent plastic film and a medical grade paper; as the paper plastic package has good visibility and strong resistance of bacteria, the validity period of the package is greatly lengthened, and therefore it becomes very popular among the users. 
     However, ordinary paper plastic bag shall be heat-sealed with a sealing machine after it is packed. In this way, on the one hand, a sealing machine is required; on the other hand, a skilled sealing operator is also required. As a result, it is tedious to use this ordinary paper plastic bag compared with wrapping cloth package. For this reason, a medical self sealing pouch is invented to replace this paper plastic bag. 
     The medical self sealing pouch provides a seal lip which is similar to an envelope seal to an ordinary paper plastic bag. A dedicated double-faced adhesive tape is pasted to the seal lip. When the bag is used, the release paper on the double-faced adhesive tape shall be removed. And then, fold it to stick one second of the double-faced adhesive tape in width to the surface of the plastic film and stick the remaining double-faced adhesive tape to the surface of the medical grade paper to stick the bag mouth. 
     However, when this traditional medical self sealing pouch is used, especially when the envelope seal is pasted with a double-faced adhesive tape, there exists a problem of improper folding position and poor firmness after the stickup, which brings a risk of air leakage or bursting due to improper sealing during the sterilization process. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to solve the existing technical problems, this invention aims at providing a pre-folded medical self sealing pouch with a pressing mark to accurately continuously and effectively seal the bag mouth. 
     This invention model describes a pre-folded medical self sealing pouch with a pressing mark, which comprises; 
     a bag body which is formed by heat-sealing a first surface layer and a second surface layer, wherein a seal lip on the second surface layer extends outwards from the bag mouth of the bag body; and 
     a double-faced adhesive tape which is provided on the surface of the seal lip directing at the first surface layer, separated with the mouth of the bag body; 
     wherein the surface of the double-faced adhesive tape directing at the first surface layer is provided with a folding pressing mark and the folding pressing mark is close to one edge of the double-faced adhesive tape which is close to the mouth of the bag body so that half part of the double-faced adhesive tape in width is pasted to the first surface layer and other half part of the double-faced adhesive tape in width is pasted to the second surface layer after the seal lip is folded along the folding pressing mark. 
     In the above mentioned medial self sealing pouch, the distance between the folding pressing mark and the edge of the double-faced adhesive tape is about 2 mm. 
     In the above mentioned medical self sealing pouch, the first surface layer is a transparent plastic composite film. 
     In the above mentioned medical self sealing pouch, the second surface layer is medical grade paper. 
     In the above mentioned medical self sealing pouch, the double-faced adhesive tape comprises a tape body, stickup layers provided on two opposite surfaces of the tape body and release paper covering on one of the stickup layer, wherein another stickup layer is pasted on the seal lip. 
     As the above mentioned technical solution is adopted, a folding pressing mark is provided at a specific position of the double-faced adhesive tape on the seal lip in this invention. In this way, the seal lip provides a positioning function when the seal lip is folded. At the moment when the seal lip is folded along the folding pressing mark, the bag mouth can be accurately sealed with the double-faced adhesive tape as per the specified requirements to make sure that the sealing is continuous and effective. Moreover, the sealing effect is better and firmer so that there are less exploded bags. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the folding pressing mark forming the pre-folded medical self sealing pouch has an improvement in making the pre-fold impression line (whereby the self sealing pouch is already partially folded) by advancing the self sealing pouch material between the two counter-rotating cam rods. The top rotating cam rod has a protruding annular ring with a circumference protrusion which mates against the second surface layer of the pouch material, squeezing it down into the concavity formed by the annular recess indented into the lower rotating cam rod to form the tiny concave linear depression. That linear pressing mark gives the pre-fold pouch flap sufficient stiffness to stay obliquely upward pivotable along small concave linearly extending pressing market indentation. After the concave pressing mark indentation is formed, formed flap is pushed and lightly pivoted, whereby it has an innate ability to stay partially folded obliquely in a pre-folded configuration. 
     In an alternate embodiment, instead of a double-faced adhesive tape, the inside portion of the flap is covered with a single surface layer of adhesive, which is then covered with a removable release liner layer. Upon removal of the release liner layer, by peeling the release liner off of the inside surface of the flap, the pre-folded flap is manually or mechanically pivoted from its springy, pre-folded configuration, extending at an angle off of the rear paper layer of the self sealing pouch material, until the flap fully covers the opening of the pouch at the top mouth opening formed by the top of the front transparent pouch and the rear paper back layer of the self sealing pouch. The single adhesive layer extends from the top of the flap down to the bottom portion of the flap adjacent to the pre-folded pressing mark. The pre-folded pressing mark is the small concave indentation in the front facing portion of the rear paper layer and its concave linearly extending indentation provides the springy pivot line of the pre-folded flap. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a medical self sealing pouch in this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a section view of a medical self sealing pouch in this invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of a medical self sealing pouch under a pre-folded status in this invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a section view of a medical self sealing pouch under a pre-folded status in this invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective diagrammatic view of the method of forming the linearly extending concave indentation of the medical pre-folded self sealing pouch between a pair of counter rotating cam rods, where the top cam has an annular circumferential protrusion and the linear cam has an annular indented recess. 
         FIG. 6  is a local enlarged, elevation view of the pinch action of the cams impinging on the pouch to form the pressing mark indentation, about which the pre-fold pouch flap pivots, taken along view line circle “ 6 ” of  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 6A  is a close-up detail side view of the mouth and flap portion of the pre-fold self sealing pouch, after the initial pinching of the pre-fold pressing mark has occurred, after being squeezed between the top and lower counter rotating cam rods shown in  FIG. 5 , and where the pre-fold flap has a single adhesive layer covered by a peel-off release linear layer. 
         FIG. 7  is a local perspective view of the end flap, shown in a closed position. 
         FIG. 8  is a local perspective view of the end flap, but showing the flap in angled condition, approximately opened to an angle, wherein the adhesive release liner paper strip is shown partially pulled to reveal the adhesive extending adjacent to the fold pressing mark line, where the pre-fold flap lip and pouch of this alternate embodiment are shown under a pre-folded status in this invention 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
     As shown in drawings  1 - 4 , the present invention, a medical self sealing pouch, comprises: 
     a bag body formed by first heat-sealing the first surface layer  1  and the second surface layer, wherein the first surface layer  1  is a transparent plastic composite film and the second surface layer  2  is medical grade paper, and a seal lip  3  is provided on the second surface layer  2 , extending outwards from the mouth of the bag body; and 
     a double-faced adhesive tape  4  is provided on the surface of the seal lip  3  directing at the first surface layer  1 , separated with the mouth of the bag body; the double-faced adhesive tape  4  further comprises: a tape body  41 , stickup layers (not shown in the figures) provided on two opposite surfaces of the tape body and release paper  42  covering on one of the stickup layer, wherein another stickup layer is pasted on the seal lip  3 . 
     In this invention, a folding pressing mark  5  is provided on the surface of the double-faced adhesive tape  4  directing at the first surface layer  1  (the folding pressing mark  5  pre-folds the seal lip  3 ). Moreover, the folding pressing mark is close to one edge of the double-faced adhesive tape which is adjacent to the mouth of bag body (in the present embodiment, the distance between the folding pressing mark  5  and the edge of the double-faced adhesive tape  4  is 2 mm) so that half part of the double-faced adhesive tape  4  in width is pasted to the first surface layer  1  and other half part of the double-faced adhesive tape in width is pasted to the second surface layer  2  after the seal lip  3  is folded along the folding pressing mark  5  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ). 
     When this invention is sealed, the pouch is pre-folded along the seal lip  3  along the folding pressing mark and then removed from the release paper  42  of the double-faced adhesive tape  4 , and finally pressed into the seal lip  3  on the bag body tightly. As the position of the folding pressing mark  5  is specified and at least part  6  of the double-faced adhesive tape  4  is folded, the bag mouth can be correctly sealed as per the specified requirements with the double-faced adhesive tape  4  on the seal lip  3  and the stickiness is increased. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the linearly extending pressing mark  25 , about which the flap  24  pivots, is formed by inserting the self sealing pouch material between two counter rotating rods  10 ,  11 , which are counter rotating “cams”. The top counter rotating rod cam includes an annular protrusion ring  12  and the lower rotating rod  11  includes a concave annular recess  13 . When the self sealing pouch material  1 ,  2  is inserted between the closely located top and lower counter rotating cam rods  10 ,  11 , the second pouch material layer  2  is squeezed to form the concave pressing mark  25  for the pre-fold, similar to the pre-fold pressing mark  5  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  whereby pressure is applied against the self sealing pouch material second layer  2 . Depending on the material thickness of layer  2 , and because of different types of materials used, the pressure exerted by the annular protrusion ring  12  varies. To avoid undesirable cracks in the fragile paper back second layer  2  of the pre-fold pouch, the protruding annular ring  12  and the concave recess  13  have to be smoothed and blunted. After the pre-fold pressing mark  5  is formed, the seal lip flap is  24  pushed up into its pre-folded state by a machine pusher (not shown) using a rotating rod without any cams. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , instead of double adhesive tape  4 , an adhesive single layer  27  of seal lip flap  24  is covered by a removable release liner  22 .  FIG. 6  shows the pinch action of the annular protrusion  12  and concave recess  13  of counter rotating cams  10 ,  11  of  FIG. 5  impinging on the pouch second layer  2  , to form a concave pressing mark indentation  25 , about which the pre-fold pouch flap  24  pivots. 
       FIG. 6A  shows the mouth and flap portion  24  of the pre-fold self sealing pouch, after the initial pinching of the pre-fold pressing mark  25  has occurred, such as after the second layer  2  has been pressed and squeezed between the top and lower counter rotating cam rods  10 ,  11  shown in  FIG. 5 , and where the pre-fold flap  24  has a single adhesive layer  27  covered by a peel-off release linear layer  22 . 
       FIG. 7  shows the end lip flap  24 , shown in a closed position of the pouch first and second layers  1 ,  2 . 
       FIG. 8  shows the flap  24  in angled condition, approximately opened to an angle, wherein the adhesive release liner paper strip is shown partially pulled to reveal the adhesive  27  to the fold line, and, where the flap  24  and pouch  1 ,  2  of this alternate embodiment are shown under a pre-folded status in this configuration. 
     Also in the alternate embodiment of  FIGS. 6-8 , instead of the pouch of  FIGS. 2 and 4 , in the pre-fold self sealing pouch of  FIGS. 6-8  the flap  24  folds and pivots right up from the concave pressing mark  25  fold line. In contrast, in the first embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , a tiny portion “ 6 ” of the adhesive layer is folded back against itself. But in the alternate embodiment of  FIGS. 6-8 , the pre-fold line is at the edge of the adhesive layer  27 , not partially in the adhesive layer of the flap, as in the first embodiment of  FIGS. 1-4 . However, the concave pressing mark  5  can be formed by the same actions depicted in drawing  FIG. 5 . 
     The alternate embodiments of  FIGS. 6-8  of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
     As shown in drawings  6 - 8 , in the alternate embodiment, the medical self sealing pouch comprises: 
     a bag body formed by heat-sealing the first surface layer and the second surface layer, wherein the first surface layer  1  is a transparent plastic composite film and the second surface layer  2  is medical grade paper, and a seal lip flap  24  is provided on the second surface layer  2 , extending outwards form the mouth of the bag body; and 
     a single adhesive layer  27  is provided on the surface of the seal lip flap  24  directing at the first layer  1 , separated with the mouth of the bag body; the single adhesive layer  27  further comprises a release liner  22  provided on one surface of the seal lip flap  24 covering the adhesive layer  27 . 
     In this alternate embodiment of  FIGS. 6-8 , a folding pressing mark  25  is provided adjacent to the single adhesive tape  27  directing at the first surface layer  1  (the folding pressing mark  25  pre-folds the seal lip flap  24 ). Moreover, the folding pressing mark  25  is close to one edge of the double-faced adhesive tape which is adjacent to the mouth of bag body, so that the single adhesive layer  27  in width is pasted to the first surface layer  1  and other half part of the double-faced adhesive tape in width is pasted to the second surface layer  2  after the seal lip  3  and is folded along the folding pressing mark  25  (as shown in  FIG. 8 ). 
     When this pouch of  FIGS. 6-8  is sealed, the pre-folded seal lip flap  24  folds partially upward along the folding pressing mark  25  and is pressed down after removal of the release paper of the single adhesive layer  27  and finally the user presses the seal lip flap  24  on the bag body tightly. As the position of the folding pressing mark  25  is specified and single adhesive layer flap  24  is folded, the bag mouth can be correctly sealed as per the specified requirements with the single adhesive layer  27  on the seal lip flap  24  and the stickiness is increased. 
     It is further noted that in the above mentioned medical self sealing pouch, the first surface layer is a transparent plastic composite film, known to those skilled in the art of sterile medical pouches. 
     It is further noted that in the above mentioned medical self sealing pouch, the second surface layer is medical grade paper, or a medical grade combination of paper pulp and plastic fibers, as known to those skilled in the art of sterile medical pouches. 
     In conclusion, the invention has the following advantages: 
     (1) The seal is smooth and beautiful; the sealing appearance will not be affected as the sealing position is inappropriate due to improper folding position; 
     (2) The sealing position is specified, safe and reliable. As part of the double-faced adhesive tape is also folded, the firmness of the seal is therefore enhanced; there will be no risk of air leakage or exploded bag due to improper sealing during the sterilization process; 
     (3) The bag mouth can be sealed more conveniently and quickly: the bag mouth can be sealed easily by removing the anti-adhesive tape on the double-faced adhesive tape and fold it along the folding pressing mark. 
     (4) In the alternate embodiment where a single adhesive layer is used, the sealing position is also reliable, because of the accurate formation of the linear concave pressing mark indentation, about which the lip flap pivots, between the counter rotating upper rod cam with a circumferential annular protrusion pushing down the pouch sealing material into the annular recess of the counter rotating lower rod cam, 
     To sum up, as a preferred unbodiment of this invention, it is not aimed to restrict the scope of this invention. There might be many variations from the above mentioned embodiment of the invention. Any simple and equivalent change and modification as per the claims and content of the description of this invention all fall to the protection scope for the claims of the invention. Content that is not described in detail in this invention is conventional technology.