Patent Publication Number: US-4318506-A

Title: Three-fold closable pouch

Description:
DESCRIPTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to disposable sterilizable pouches used in medical facilities to sterilize articles used to care for patients. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a pouch that is easy to use, is self-sealing and provides a folded closure structure that enhances the capabilities of the pouch to resist ingress of contaminants. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     There have been a substantial number of pouches, bags, and other such containers developed over the years in which the container opening is closed by folding over a portion of the container. Examples of such containers are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. Re. 28,318, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,339,304, 3,070,280, 3,245,607, 3,420,433, 3,363,828, 4,084,689, West German Offenlegungsschrift No. P 25 18 229, and Belgium Patent No. 548933. 
     It would be desirable to provide an improved self-sealing pouch that could be easily closed, and that when properly closed, provides a torturous path or barrier to the ingress of contaminants. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A pouch is provided with first and second opposing webs secured together partially around an interior portion of the webs. The first web has at least one generally straight end edge defining a portion of the pouch opening. The second web has at least one generally straight end edge oriented generally parallel to and in registry with the end edge of the first web and being generally free of the first web to provide an open mouth for the pouch. 
     An adhesive sealing strip having a strip-like configuration is provided on the first web parallel with and spaced from the first web one end edge so as to define a first fold line along the margin of the strip that is parallel to and nearest the first web one end edge. A second fold line is defined along the margin of the strip that is parallel to and furthest from the first web one end edge. 
     To close the pouch, the webs are first folded together away from the first web along the first fold line, then along the second fold line, and then along a third fold line that is in registry with the repositioned first fold line. This orients the adhesive sealing strip against an adjacent region of the second web to form a closure seal in the pouch. The folded configuration inhibits ingress of contaminants. 
     Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and of one embodiment thereof, from the claims, and from the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a completely sealed package of prior invention with the contents enclosed therein; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 2--2 in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the package of FIG. 1 being opened; 
     FIG. 4 is a front perspective view showing another type of unsealed pouch of prior invention having pressure sensitive adhesive on the flap portion of a web; 
     FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the pouch of FIG. 4 in the sealed position; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 6--6 in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, front perspective view of another type of unsealed pouch of prior invention having pressure sensitive adhesive on a body portion of a web; 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 8--8 in FIG. 7, but with the flap portion of the pouch folded and sealed; 
     FIG. 9 is a front perspective view showing an embodiment of a novel unsealed pouch having a pressure sensitive adhesive on a foldable web portion of the pouch; 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the plane 10--10 in FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of a novel unsealed pouch having a gusseted transparent web; and 
     FIGS. 12a-12d are simplified, schematic diagrams illustrating the folding of one end of a pouch to form a seal at the open end thereof. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated. 
     The precise shapes and sizes of components herein described are not essential to the invention unless otherwise indicated. 
     For ease of description, the pouch of this invention will be described in a particular orientation, and terms such as upper, lower, horizontal, etc. will be used with reference to this orientation. It will be understood, however, that the pouch of this invention may be manufactured, stored, transported, used, and sold in an orientation other than the orientation described. 
     The pouch of this invention may be fabricated from various suitable materials and it is not intended to limit the invention to the materials set forth with reference to the preferred embodiments. 
     A gusseted package or pouch of prior invention, having a heat seal closure, is illustrated in FIG. 1 and designated therein generally by numeral 10. Such a pouch 10 is fully illustrated and described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,746 and reference is directed thereto. 
     Briefly, the pouch 10 includes first and second webs of material 12 and 14, respectively, which are placed together to form the walls of the pouch having an openable end 13, a permanently heat sealed end 15, and marginal side edges 16. 
     The second web 14 has a transverse dimension between the opposite marginal side edges 16 that is greater than the transverse dimension between the marginal edges of the first web 12. The two webs 14 and 12 are interconnected along the marginal sides 16, in an area generally designated at 18 in FIG. 1, by means of three spaced-apart, parallel heat seals. The pouch is similarly heat sealed across one end at 34. 
     The second web 14 has a main body portion 20, as best illustrated in FIG. 1, that is substantially co-extensive in width to the width of the first web 12 and has two interconnecting segments 22 respectively located between the marginal edges 16 and the opposite sides of the main body portion 20. 
     As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the interconnecting segments 22 form a gusseted configuration in cross-section. Each segment 22 consists of an inwardly extending first portion 24 secured to the main body 20 along a first side fold line 26 and an outwardly extending second portion 28 in overlapping relation to the first portion 24, which outwardly extending portion 28 is located between a second side fold line 30, parallel to and spaced from the first side fold line 26, and the marginal edge 16. 
     The pouch 10 is provided to the user with the webs 14 and 12 open at the margin portions 32. These margin portions 32 may be grasped by the user to permit insertion of a medical apparatus 22 (FIG. 1) therein. Subsequently, the mouth of the package is heat sealed, as at 31. The sealed pouch 10 may later be opened to remove the medical apparatus 11 by grasping the unsecured margin portions 32 and pulling the margin portions 32 of the first and second webs 12 and 14, respectively, outwardly relative to each other to tear away the closure heat seal 31. 
     A pouch, such as that related in FIG. 10, employs the heat seal 31 for closing the pouch after a medical apparatus has been inserted in the pouch. Thus, a heat sealing device is required to form the heat seal 31. It would be desirable to provide a self-sealing pouch that would have the gusseted configuration and that, when sealed, would provide a tortuous path or barrier to prevent the ingress of contaminants. 
     Another pouch known to the inventor of the present invention is that designated generally by numeral 100 in FIG. 4. The pouch preferably comprises two opposing webs, first web 111 and second web 110. Preferably, second web 110 is a transparent, thermally stable material such as a coated or laminated polyethylene terephthalate. Preferably, first web 111 is made of a steam permeable paper to permit the pouch to undergo autoclave sterilization. 
     The pouch has a generally rectangular configuration with opposing sides 113 and 114 and a bottom portion 115. The two webs are heat sealed together along the sides and bottom of the pouch by heat seal 112. 
     Opposite the heat sealed bottom portion 115, the pouch is open and the first web 111 extends therefrom as a flap 118. An adhesive 117 is applied across the surface of the flap 118. Preferably, the adhesive 117 is a pressure sensitive adhesive. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the adhesive 117 has a width X and is spaced a distance Y from the upper unsealed lip 119 of the web 110. The distance Y and the width X are suitably related so that the width of the adhesive 117 is broad enough to cover an area adjacent each side of lip 119 to form a continuous seal to prevent contamination of the contents of the pouch after sterilization as will be explained below. 
     FIG. 5 shows the prior invention pouch of FIG. 4 in the closed or sealed position. The closure of the pouch 100 is obtained by folding the flap 118 along the fold line generally defined by the adhesive strip bottom margin or edge 120. The margin 120 is the edge of the adhesive strip that is nearest the lip 119. The flap 118 is folded over and this essentially seals the web 111 to itself and also to the area on web 110 as is illustrated best in FIGS. 5 and 6. 
     Another pouch of the prior invention, similar to the pouch 100 illustrated in FIGS. 4-6, is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. Here the pressure sensitive adhesive strip 117&#39; is disposed on the outer surface of the web 110&#39; rather than on the inner surface of the web 111&#34;. 
     The adhesive strip 117&#39; has a width X&#39; and is spaced a distance Y&#39; from the lip 119&#39; of the web 110&#39;. The distance Y&#39; and the width X&#39; of the adhesive are cooperatively selected to provide a contaminant proof seal. The closure of the pouch illustrated in FIG. 7 is made by folding along a fold line generally defined by the edge of the adhesive 117&#39; nearest the lip 119&#39;. The closed pouch is illustrated in FIG. 8 where it may be seen that the film of web 110&#39; is sealed to itself and to the flap 118&#39; of the web 111&#39; to form a contaminant proof seal. 
     It would be desirable to provide a pouch having generally planar opposed webs, similar to webs 110 (or 110&#39;) and 111 (or 111&#39;) of the pouches illustrated in FIGS. 4-8, but with an improved closure structure which would provide a tortuous path or barrier to reduce or block the ingress of contaminants into the pouch. 
     FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a first embodiment of a new closable pouch wherein the pouch is designated generally by the reference numeral 200. The pouch has an opposing web structure similar to the web structure of the prior invention pouch 100 illustrated in FIGS. 4-6 and described above. Basically, the pouch 200 has a first, or base web 211, which may be made of a steam permeable member to permit the pouch to undergo autoclave sterilization, and a second, or top web 210. 
     The second web 210 may be a transparent thermally stable material, such as a coated or laminated polyethylene terephthalate. The pouch may have a generally rectangular configuration with opposed side margins 213 and 214 and a bottom portion 215. The first and second opposing webs, 211 and 210, respectively, are secured together at least partially around an interior portion or the web, as by a heat seal 212 extending along the opposed side margins 213 and 214 and in a V-shaped configuration at the pouch bottom portion 215. 
     Opposite the bottom portion 215, the first web 211 has at least one generally straight end edge 251 defining a portion of the pouch opening. 
     The second web 210 has at least one generally straight end edge 252 oriented generally parallel to and in registry with the first web one end edge 251. The second web end edge 252 is free of the first web 211 to provide an open mouth for the pouch. 
     An adhesive 217 is provided in a strip-like configuration on the back or outer surface of first web 211 parallel with and spaced from the first web one end edge 251. 
     As best illustrated in FIG. 10, the adhesive strip 217 has a top edge 261 that defines a first fold line 1 along the margin of the strip that is parallel to and nearest the first web one end edge 251. The adhesive strip 217 has a bottom edge 262 defining a second fold line 2 along the margin of the strip that is parallel to and furthest from the first web one edge 251. 
     FIGS. 12a-12b illustrate how the pouch 200 of FIGS. 9 and 10 may be folded to form a self-sealing closure. Specifically, with the pouch 200 oriented vertically as illustrated in FIG. 8 (for purposes of this description only), the webs 210 and 211 are first folded together away from the first web 211 along the first fold line 1 to the position illustrated in FIG. 12b. Next, the webs are folded together along the second fold line 2 to the position illustrated in FIG. 12c. Finally, the webs are folded together a third time along a third fold line 3 which is defined as being generally in registration with the repositioned first fold line 1 across the pouch. 
     After the third fold, the pouch has the configuration illustrated in FIG. 12d wherein the adhesive sealing strip 217 has been oriented against an adjacent region of the second web 210 to form a closure seal of the pouch opening. The closure seal, in combination with the folded configuration of the webs, in thus seen to provide a tortuous path or barrier against the ingress of contaminants into the pouch. 
     It is to be realized that FIGS. 12a-12d are schematic representations and show the webs and folds in a simplified manner. Specifically, for purposes of illustrating the folding sequence, the webs have been shown spaced apart and each fold has been shown with a relatively large radius. It is to be realized that with an actual pouch specimen, the webs would be in face-to-face contact, at least in the region of the folds, and each fold would have a relatively small fold radius, if not an angular crease. The fold crease, and the contact between the two inner faces of the webs, would provide barriers to the ingress of contaminants. 
     A new gusseted pouch is illustrated in FIG. 11 and is designated therein by reference numeral 300. The pouch 300 is formed from two webs 311 and 310 to create a gusseted structure in much the same manner as that illustrated for the prior invention pouch 10 in FIGS. 1-3 described above. 
     The second web 310 is preferably gusseted and transparent and is heat sealed along the side margins and bottom portion of the pouch with a suitable heat seal 319. However, unlike the pouch 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the pouch 300 illustrated in FIG. 11 is not intended to be heat sealed across the open end after a medical apparatus has been inserted in the pouch 300. Rather, an adhesive strip 317 is provided on the back or outer surface of the first web 311. The adhesive strip is spaced from the first web end edge 351 and defines a first fold line 1 along the top margin 361 of the strip that is parallel to and nearest the first web one end edge 351. A second fold line 2 is defined along the bottom margin 362 of the adhesive strip 317 that is parallel to and furthest from the first web one end edge 351. 
     To close the pouch 300 illustrated in FIG. 11, the pouch is folded in the same manner as the pouch 200 illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 as described above. 
     In both of the pouches 200 and 300 described above, the adhesive strip is preferably of a conventional pressure sensitive type and may be covered with a conventional release paper (not illustrated) to avoid premature adhesion. 
     In some forms of the new pouches described above, it may be desirable to use a strip of pressure sensitive adhesive that is about 3/8 of an inch wide with the top edge of the adhesive strip located 3/8 of an inch from the pouch mouth edge. 
     Owing to the folding of the pouch (pouch 200 or 300) to effect the contaminant barrier, some shortening of the pouch occurs. Therefore, it may be desirable to increase the length of the pouch as is necessary to accommodate the selected health care products that are intended to be inserted in the pouch. 
     It is thus seen that with the novel pouch closure described herein, there is no need for special heat seal equipment to close and seal the pouch open end. Further, there is no need for a careful alignment of pressure sensitive adhesive strips with opposing surfaces. 
     Also, the novel pouch can be made from webs of a number of different materials and may be made gusseted or ungusseted. 
     Additionally, the novel pouch is easily and rapidly closed at practically any location and does not require the presence of a working surface on which to lay the pouch while closing it. 
     If desired, the adhesive comprising the adhesive strip may be a thermal setting adhesive of the non-reusable type which would prevent the closed pouch from being reopened. 
     From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concept of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific structure illustrated therein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.