Patent Grant
12338062
The present disclosure provides a shipping bag, in some cases a plastic shipping bag, for collecting and shipping, in some cases damp waste, in some cases used coffee capsules or aluminum coffee capsules. The disclosure further provides a method for collecting, in some cases damp waste, optionally, damp waste items. The disclosure also provides a method for recycling used coffee capsules, in some cases used aluminum coffee capsules. Finally, described herein is the use of a shipping bag according to the present disclosure, in some cases a plastic shipping bag, for collecting and shipping, in some cases damp waste, in some cases used coffee capsules or aluminum coffee capsules.
Coffee capsules are disposable products. They are used regularly in so-called portion coffee machines. In order to brew the coffee present in the capsules, the capsule in the coffee machine is partially destroyed while water heated under high pressure, or heated water vapor, is guided through the coffee powder for a specified period of time. The quantity of coffee powder in the coffee capsule is suitable for brewing a single cup of coffee. This is therefore a single-portion pack. Coffee capsules are still enjoying increasing popularity due to their ease of use. One advantage of this type of coffee preparation is also that a broad range of different coffee types are available without having to store larger quantities of the corresponding coffee types or beans for every coffee flavor. In order to be able to guarantee the freshness and integrity of the coffee powder used for this purpose, the coffee capsules used are generally produced from an aluminum body and an aluminum cover. After removal of the coffee capsule from the coffee machine, it generally contains residue water and damp coffee grounds.
When they are not used in cafés or coffee shops, for example, coffee capsules used are often disposed of in general household waste, and are thus not subject to recycling. In Germany alone, the waste created by used coffee capsules in 2014 was estimated as amounting to 4,000 to 5,000 tons. While it should be possible to include aluminum coffee capsules in the recycling process without additional effort and by way of separate collection when these aluminum capsules are used in cafés and are collected separately, this process is more difficult with aluminum capsules that the end user takes home with them. Due to the dampness and contamination with coffee residue or damp coffee grounds, they cannot be collected in the usual recycling waste without further processing, and require separate cleaning by the user. This individual cleaning is disadvantageous, not least due to the water consumption. This also means that used coffee capsules are added to in the regular household waste. Aside from a generally present plastic inner coating, as described above, the aluminum coffee capsules are essentially made entirely of aluminum and are therefore of a single type of material, as it were, and it would therefore be desirable to make used coffee capsules made of aluminum accessible for the recycling process on as large a scale as possible. No adequate solution has been provided so far.
Hence, there is a need to be able to add used coffee capsules, in some cases coffee aluminum capsules, to a recycling process in a simple, reliable manner, and to the largest possible extent.
Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a bag such as a shipping bag with an essentially closed bottom end and an opposite opening, comprising a front wall with an inner and an outer side and a rear wall with an inner and an outer side, which in the area of their side edges and bottom edges are connected to each other at least in sections directly or via side walls and/or side folds and/or a bottom fold, and wherein the opening edge of the front wall being present below the opening edge of the rear wall, so that the rear wall forms a protruding, fold-over closing area, in some cases a closing flap. In various embodiments, the closing area has an adhesive agent A, in some cases an adhesive strip A, on the inner side or on the outer side, in some cases on the inner side, of the rear wall, and/or the front wall comprises on the outer side in the overlapping area with the closing area folded over along the opening edge of the front wall, an adhesive agent A′, in some cases an adhesive strip A′. In various embodiments, the front wall has an adhesive agent B, in some cases a third adhesive strip B, on the outer side beyond the overlapping area with the folded over closing area.
Further features and advantages of the present disclosure are indicated by the following description, in which exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are explained by way of example using schematic drawings, without thereby restricting the present disclosure. These schematic drawings show as follows:
The bag, such as a shipping bag, of the present disclosure is closable such that water residues, damp coffee grounds residues, and/or damp coffee grounds therein cannot leak out of the bag via the original filling opening during storage and transportation. Accordingly, in one advantageous embodiment, the bags of the present disclosure are produced in such a manner that water or damp material cannot leak out, either through the wall materials on the front and rear wall, or through the side walls, if present, or through the connection sections or seams of the respective interconnected wall sections. The exit of damp material or residual water or damp coffee grounds from the original filling opening can surprisingly already be achieved with the bags of the present disclosure in that in the closing area provides an adhesive agent A or A′ for closing the bag in the overlapping area and that in addition, beyond of the overlapping area, an adhesive agent B is provided on the front side, so that following folding over, in some cases multiple folding over, of the closed closing area, renewed adhesion of this folded-over closing area occurs with the adhesive agent B. With the bags of the present disclosure, both coffee capsules which still contain the complete damp coffee grounds as well as those in which these damp coffee grounds have been removed through simple tipping out, for example, after tearing open the aluminum foil, so that only damp coffee grounds residues are to be found there, can be collected and transported in a damp-protected or damp-proof manner.
The bags of the present disclosure can, according to at least one embodiment, be made ready for shipping in a simple manner. The materials forming the bags of the present disclosure are in one embodiment made of a flexible material and are accordingly deformable. It is therefore assumed with the additional embodiments that the description relates to an unfilled, non-deformed state of the bag of the present disclosure, wherein said bag such as shipping bag, should essentially be regarded as extended flat. In this form, the bag of the present disclosure is also advantageously provided before filling with damp waste, in some cases used coffee capsules. The use of the term “front wall” and “rear wall” has been selected for the purpose of easier comprehension. Of course, the bag wall of which the opening edge ends above the opening edge of the opposite wall can, when actually being used, also be designed in the sense of a front wall and can have the main product designation and/or logos, for example, while the opposite wall contains no imprint.
In at least one embodiment, the shipping bag of the present disclosure is characterized in that the adhesive agent A or A′, in some cases adhesive strip A or A′, essentially extends from the one side edge of the rear wall essentially through to the opposite side edge of the rear wall, in some cases continuously. In a further embodiment the adhesive agent B, in some cases adhesive strip B, can additionally essentially extend from the one side edge of the front wall essentially through to the opposite side edge of the front wall, in some cases continuously. As a result of the measures described above, damp-proof bags according to the present disclosure are obtained, which in a highly reliable manner are suitable for dry transportation of damp waste collected with the bags of the present disclosure, in some cases of used coffee capsules.
In another embodiment, it is provided that the adhesive agent A or A′, in some cases adhesive strip A or A′, run essentially parallel to the edge on the opening side of the front wall and/or of the rear wall of the bag, in some cases of the front wall. Alternatively or in addition, here, the adhesive agent B, in some cases adhesive strip B, can run parallel to the edge on the opening side of the front wall and/or of the rear wall of the bag, in some cases of the front wall. With the arrangement of the adhesive agent or adhesive strip described above, in general, a highly efficient, reliable production of the bag according to the present disclosure is achieved.
The adhesive agent B and in some cases the adhesive strip B optionally is present in a section on the outer side of the front wall beyond the overlapping area and this side of the lower third, in some cases on the half of the front wall or this side on the half of the front wall. As a result, above all, a multiple folding over of the closed closing area can also be ensured. In some cases, such an embodiment of the bag according to the present disclosure contributes to this in which the adhesive agent B, in some cases the third adhesive strip B, is present at a distance on the outer side of the front wall on the other side of the overlapping area, which is designed and installed in order to fold over the folded and closed closing area, in some cases a closing flap, at least one, two, three or four times, in some cases at least two or at least three times, before this folded over closing area comes into contact with and can be adhered or is adhered with the adhesive agent B, in some cases an adhesive strip B.
Optionally the adhesive agent A, in some cases the adhesive strip A, is essentially attached directly on the upper opening edge of the rear wall. In this manner, a sufficient closing area can be created in a highly space-saving manner.
In another embodiment, the adhesive agent A or A′, in some cases the adhesive strip A or A′, ends at a distance, in some other cases a maximum 20 mm, and in some further cases a maximum 10 mm, from the one side edge and/or at a distance, in some cases a maximum 20 mm and in some further cases a maximum 10 mm, from the opposite side edge of the rear wall. Alternatively or in addition, the adhesive agent B, in some cases the adhesive strip B, can end at a distance, in some cases a maximum 20 mm, and in some further cases a maximum 10 mm, from the one side edge and/or at a distance, in some cases maximum a 20 mm and in some further cases a maximum 10 mm, from the opposite side edge of the front wall. In this manner, too, in some cases liquid-tight bags are already obtained, which can be used for dry transportation of damp waste, in some cases used coffee capsules. Further, it can be provided that the adhesive agent B, in some cases the adhesive strip B, extends, in some cases continuously, from the one side edge to the opposite side edge of the front wall.
The bags of the present disclosure also include those that have the first and/or second side wall elements between the opposite side edges of the front and rear wall. Here, the side wall elements can also be or contain side folds, which in some cases extend from the bottom end of the front and rear wall.
The front wall and the rear wall, and in some cases also the side walls, of the bag of the present disclosure such as a shipping bag, comprise or are made of polyolefins, in some cases polyethylene and/or polyesters. In another embodiment, the bags of the present disclosure can also be made of a paper material, in some cases a laminated or hydrophobic paper material.
In an advantageous embodiment, the bags of the present disclosure are essentially configured in one piece. This can be achieved, for example, by folding over the foil strip of the bottom end to form a fold. Then, only the side edges of the front and rear wall that are in contact with each other are adhered or welded to each other. Alternatively, it is of course also possible to fold-over the foil strip along a side wall. In this case, the respective remaining side wall of the front and rear wall and the edges on the bottom end that are in contact with each other would have to be adhered or welded to each other.
In general, the bag of the present disclosure can be designed in many ways in order to consistently attain the benefits of the present disclosure. For example, such bags are also suitable in which the transverse expansion of the rear wall and of the front wall, measured from the one side edge to the opposite side edge of the bag, is smaller than the longitudinal expansion of the front wall or of the rear wall, measured from the bottom end to the opening end. Alternatively, it can be provided that the transverse expansion of the rear wall and of the front wall, measured from the one side edge to the opposite side edge of the bag, is larger than the longitudinal expansion of the front wall or of the rear wall, measured from the bottom end to the opening end.
Additionally, recourse can be made to such bags of the present disclosure in which the longitudinal expansion of the rear wall, measured from the bottom end to the opening end, is greater than the longitudinal expansion of the front wall, measured from the bottom end to the opening end.
In order to achieve bags of the present disclosure with a greater transportation volume, alternatively or in addition to the provision of side walls and side folds, a bottom fold can be disposed between the bottom edges of the front and rear wall.
In an advantageous embodiment, the adhesive agents A and/or A′ and/or B, in some cases the adhesive strips A and/or A′ and/or B, comprise or are double-sided adhesive agents, in some cases double-sided adhesive strips. Here, it can also be provided that at least one, in some cases each, of the adhesive agents A and/or A′ and/or B, in some cases the adhesive strips A and/or A′ and/or B, comprises at least one detachable protective foil, wherein the protective foil can prevent a connection between the front wall and the rear wall.
A high degree of humidity and/or transport safety can also be achieved by designing the front wall and/or the rear wall and optionally the side walls, in some cases the front wall and the rear wall, with multiple layers, such as with two or three layers, for example, in the form of an in some cases dual or multi-layered bubble wrap foil.
In at least one embodiment, the front wall has a first outer layer, essentially consisting or comprising at least one polymer material, in some cases polyethylene, and an opposite first inner layer, essentially consisting of or comprising at least one polymer material, in some cases polyethylene, and in which the rear wall has a second outer layer, essentially consisting of or comprising at least one polymer material, in some cases polyethylene, and an opposite second inner layer, essentially consisting of or comprising at least one polymer material, in some cases polyethylene. In at least one embodiment, between the first outer layer and the first inner layer, numerous first hollow spaces are present that are separated from each other, through first walls, in some cases essentially consisting of or comprising at least one polymer material, in some cases polyethylene, and between the second outer layer and the second inner layer, second hollow spaces are present that are separated from each other, through second walls, in some cases essentially consisting of or comprising at least one polymer material, in some cases polyethylene. In an advantageous embodiment, the first hollow spaces parallel to the first outer layer and the second hollow spaces parallel to the second outer layer have at least one profile respectively, in which the walls of the hollow spaces respectively describe an oval shape, in some cases a circular shape.
The above embodiment of a bag of the present disclosure is also characterized in at least one embodiment in that the hollow spaces have a middle longitudinal extension and, in some cases orthogonally to it, a middle transverse extension, wherein the middle longitudinal extension is larger than the middle transverse extension, and wherein the middle longitudinal extension is a maximum of five times the middle transverse extension. Here, the middle longitudinal extension is, in some cases, in a range of 0.01 mm to 50 mm, in some other cases in the range of 0.1 to 25 mm, and in some further cases in the range from 3 to 15 mm. Alternatively or in addition, the middle transverse extension is, in some cases, in a range of 0.005 mm to 30 mm, in some other cases in the range of 0.5 to 10 mm, and in some further cases in the range from 1 to 5 mm.
In another embodiment of a multi-layered bag of the present disclosure, it is provided that the front wall and/or the rear wall have at least three layers 40, 42, 44, e.g., as illustrated in
For the embodiment of the bag of the present disclosure described above, it is, in at least some embodiments, provided that the first layer (inner layer) of the front and/or rear wall, in some cases the first and second layer of the front and/or rear wall, respectively comprise or consist of at least one plastic foil, in some cases a polyolefin foil, and/or that the third layer (outer layer) of the front and/or rear wall comprises or consists of at least one plastic foil, in some cases a polyolefin foil.
With the embodiment described above, those bags of the present disclosure are suited in which the front wall and the rear wall are at least three-layered and respectively comprise the first, second, and third layer, wherein in some cases, the first and second layer and if appropriate also the third layer of the front or rear wall respectively comprise or consist of at least one plastic foil, in some cases a polyethylene foil.
Here, as an alternative or additionally, it can be provided that in profile, the piled strip-shaped longitudinal areas 52 in cross-section are areas of the second layer 42, in some cases essentially groove-shaped protrusions, comprising an opening and a depression, or that in profile, the folded, strip-shaped longitudinal areas 52 in cross-section are essentially Z-shaped folds of areas of the second layer 42. With some further embodiments, it is provided that the depression of the protrusions of the piled strip-shaped longitudinal areas 52 faces towards the first layer 40, and that the opening of the piled strip-shaped longitudinal areas 52 faces towards the third layer 44.
The bags of the present disclosure are in some cases a shipping bag, in some other cases a liquid-tight shipping bag, for waste, in some cases damp waste, and in some further cases waste items. These damp waste items are in some cases used coffee capsules, such as used aluminum coffee capsules.
With the present disclosure comes the surprising finding that bags, such as shipping bags, can be obtained in a relatively practical manner, which can be simply and reliably closed in a liquid-tight manner such that they can be used for collecting and transporting damp waste, in some cases used coffee capsules such as used aluminum coffee capsules. In addition, it has surprisingly been shown that with the bags, in some cases shipping bags, of the present disclosure, highly efficient metal recycling is possible. In at least one embodiment, it is provided that the quantity of bag material in relation to the quantity of recyclable metal is negligible, so that it does not interfere with the melting process and must not be separated in advance. Here, the bags can therefore be added to the metal molten together with the used aluminum coffee capsules contained therein.
The present disclosure further provides a method for collecting waste, in some cases damp waste, and in some further cases waste items, comprising the steps of:
In an advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the closing area, in some cases the closing flap, is folded over at the height of the opening edge of the front wall onto the outer side of the front wall, and then adhered there. Here, in order to adhere the adhered closing area that has been turned over multiple times or rolled in, with the adhesive agent B, this third adhesive agent B, in some cases adhesive strip B, in an advantageous embodiment essentially extends from the one side edge of the front wall to the opposite side edge of the front wall, in some cases continuously. For many applications, it has however been shown to be advantageous that not only the adhesive agent A or A′, in some cases the adhesive strip A or A′, ends at a distance, in some cases a maximum 20 mm and in some other cases a maximum 10 mm from the one side edge and/or at a distance, in some cases a maximum 20 mm and in some other cases a maximum 10 mm from the opposite side edge of the rear wall, but that also, the adhesive agent B, in some cases the adhesive strip B, ends at a distance, in some cases a maximum 20 mm and in some other cases a maximum 10 mm from the one side edge and/or at a distance, in some cases a maximum 20 mm and some other cases a maximum 10 mm from the opposite side edge of the front wall. In this manner, the protective foils or protective strips can be attached to the adhesive agents or adhesive strips A and/or A′ and/or B, which protrude at the side over these adhesive agent or adhesive strip areas and which are thus not connected to them, although they do not protrude over the side edge or side edges and end flush, for example, with these side edges. In this manner, the protective foil or the protective strip can be easily grasped and removed from the adhesive agent or adhesive strip A and/or A′ and/or B.
Furthermore, with the method of the present disclosure, it can very reliably be achieved that the damp waste, in some cases the used coffee capsules, are in the section of the bag that has not been folded over or rolled in. In this manner, a highly reliable, complete closure of the bag of the present disclosure can be ensured.
With the method of the present disclosure, the bags of the present disclosure are, in some cases, filled with used coffee capsules, such as used aluminum coffee capsules.
In a further development of the method of the present disclosure, this also comprises the shipping of the bag that is closed, e.g., according to step f) above, to a collecting point.
Additionally, the present disclosure includes a method for recycling used coffee capsules, comprising:
Here, in at least one advantageous embodiment, the used aluminum coffee capsules are subject to the melting process together with the bag.
Finally, with the present disclosure, the use of the bag of the present disclosure for collecting waste, in some cases damp waste, and in some cases used aluminum coffee capsules, was found. The use of the bags of the present disclosure for the shipping of waste, in some cases damp waste, and in some cases used aluminum coffee capsules, to a collecting point for this waste, was also found.
In
Due to the flexible material properties, the closing flap 9 can easily be folded over along the opening edge 16 of the front wall 5 onto the outer side of the front wall 5 and hereby forms the overlapping area 19 together with the corresponding section of the front wall. For easier handling, the first adhesive strip 11 is regularly equipped with a protective foil 23′ as shown in
In the embodiment shown in
According to
In an advantageous embodiment, the shipping bags of the present disclosure already have all the necessary address details and other information for shipping on the front and/or rear side, and if appropriate also sufficient stamps, in order to transport them to a collecting point after they are left by the user. Alternatively, it is possible to decentrally collect the shipping bags of the present disclosure, that have been filled with used coffee capsules and closed, for example, in drug stores, supermarkets, or pharmacies, and from there to take them to the recycling depot. In other words, in one advantageous embodiment, the shipping bag of the present disclosure is pre-labeled such that return by the end user cannot go wrong.
The features of the present disclosure in the above description, in the claims and in the drawings, can be essential both individually and in any combination required for the realization of the present disclosure in its different embodiments.
The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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| 18191277 | Aug 2018 | EP | regional |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20200071072 A1 | Mar 2020 | US |
