The present application is based on International Application PCT/JP2003/003152, filed Mar. 17, 2003, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to a fastener bag of gusset-type structure which can be easily opened and is provided with a fastener to be freely opened or closed.
In these days, there is high requirement of producing a packaging bag provided with an easily opening mechanism and a mechanism for freely opening and closing an opening of the opened packaging bag. Specifically, it is required to provide a fastener bag having both functions in a technical field of an automatic filling and packaging bag capable of simultaneously filling a content in the bag and packing the bag.
The applicant of the subject application has provided, in order to satisfy the above requirement, an invention relating to a flat-bag-type fastener bag which is formed with a cut-open portion along an extending direction of a fastener of this fastener bag so as to tear the flat bag in this direction to thereby open the same (Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-302725).
However, in the case of this flat-bag-type fastener bag, a portion from which a content filling hopper is inserted into a bag body is not widened so much, and this matter constitutes an obstacle for improvement of working efficiency. In addition, there may cause a case such that a cutting-starting portion of the cut-open portion, from which the bag is torn and opened, is not well formed.
On the other hand, it has also highly been required to provide a packaging bag having an opening suitably in accordance with kinds of contents to be filled up.
Then, an object of the present invention is to provide a fastener bag surely formed with a cutting-starting portion with an improved working efficiency.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a fastener bag which comprises a pair of opposed flat surface portions and a pair of side surface portions disposed between both side edges of the flat surface portions, the side surface portions being folded inward so as to provide a gusset-type bag, and in which a fastener for opening or closing the packaging bag is provided to the inner surface thereof, wherein
the fastener comprises a male portion having a base portion on one surface side of which a projected thread is formed so as to extend in a longitudinal direction thereof and a female portion having a base portion on one surface side of which an engaging groove detachably engaged with the projected thread is formed so as to extend in a longitudinal direction thereof,
the male portion and the female portion are bonded so that the projected thread and the engaging groove face each other in a manner that the one side surface of one of the base portions and the other one side surface of the other one of the base portions are bonded to the one of the flat surface side portions or the one of the side surface portions, and
a cut-tape for separating the one of the flat surface portions or the one of the side surface portions to the male portion side and the female portion side is provided between the projected thread and the engaging groove.
According to the present invention mentioned above, the fastener bag can be extremely easily opened by merely pulling the cut-tape with fingers. In addition, in an occasion that inner content filling the faster bag is gradually consumed, the opening portion of the fastener bag can be freely opened and closed, so that the opening portion of the fastener bag, which has once been opened, can be again closed, thus preventing the inner content from being oxidized or like.
On the other hand, when the inner content fills the fastener bag, after a hopper or like is inserted into the upper opening of the bag, the inner content fills, before fusing the upper portion of the fastener bag. According to the fastener bag of the present invention, since the gusset-type packaging bag is employed, the upper opening can be opened widely, thus improving the content filling efficiency.
Moreover, in the fastener bag mentioned above, a pair of the flat surface portions and a pair of the side surface portions constitute a tubular bag body having both ends opened as end openings, one of the end openings of the bag body is closed by a bottom surface portion, and the bottom surface portion provides a flat shape. According to this example, by making flat the bottom surface of the bag, there can be provided a fastener bag having high self-standing performance.
Furthermore, the fastener and the cut-tape mentioned above may be provided so as to extend in a horizontal direction of the fastener bag, in an obliquely inclined direction with respect to an end edge of the flat surface portion or side surface portion to which the fastener and the cut-tape are bonded, or in a vertical direction of the fastener bag. According to such arrangement, the attaching direction of the fastener and the cut-tape can be optionally selected in accordance with the kinds or like of the inner content filling the bag, thus providing a fastener bag in conformity with an object to be utilized.
Furthermore, at the time of attaching the cut-tape, a tab portion for opening the bag at a position corresponding to at least one end in an axial direction of the cut-tape by forming cut-in portions with the end of the cut-tape being the center thereof so as to separate a portion of the cut-tape from the flat surface portion or side surface portion. Therefore, the opening of the fastener bag can be surely started.
Furthermore, in such fastener bag, it may be adopted that the flat surface portion and the side surface portion have boundary portions therebetween, to which fused portions formed by bonding the flat surface portion and the side surface portion are formed, the cut-tape is disposed so that the axial end of the cut-tape reaches the fused portion, and a non-fused portion is formed to the fused portion at a position corresponding to the end of the cut-tape so that a boundary portion between the fused portion and the non-fused portion surround the tab portion.
Still furthermore, in such fastener bag, it may be adopted that the bag body and the bottom surface portion have a boundary portion therebetween, to which fused portions formed by bonding the bag body and the bottom surface portion are formed, the cut-tape is disposed so that the axial end of the cut-tape reaches the fused portion, and a non-fused portion is formed to the fused portion at a position corresponding to the end of the cut-tape so that a boundary portion between the fused portion and the non-fused portion surround the tab portion.
As mentioned above, by forming the boundary portion between the fused portion and the non-fused portion so as to surround the tab portion, it becomes possible to prevent the communication between the inside and the outside of the bag at the tab portion forming portion. In addition, the tab portion is itself not fused, it can be easily thumbed.
Further, the tab portion may be formed in the following two modes.
First, the fused portion is formed such that the non-fused portion surround the periphery of the tab portion, and a portion corresponding to this tab portion is formed as non-fused portion. Then, both side portions of the cut-tape in the width direction are formed so that the positions outside the side edge of the cut-tape from the end edge of the flat surface portion or side surface portion is directed side edge of the cut-tape.
Second, the tab portion may be formed by forming the cut-in portions to the non-fused portion so as to surround the end portion of the cut-tape at the non-fused portion.
Hereunder, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The fastener bag 1 is formed to have a rectangular shape having a pair of opposing flat surface portions 2, 2, side surface portions 3, 3 positioned at side edge portions 2a, 2a of the flat surface portions 2, 2, and a bottom surface portion 4 closing a bottom of the fastener bag 1. The fastener bag 1 is formed as a gusset-type packaging bag in which the side surface portions 3, 3 are folded inside along folding lines 3a, 3a in form of gusset.
In this fastener bag 1, the side edge portions 2a, 2a of the flat surface portions 2, 2 and side edge portions 3b, 3b of the side surface portions 3, 3 are fused together, and also, lower end edges 2b, 2b of the flat surface portion 2, 2 and lower end edge portions 3c, 3c of the side surface portions 3, 3 are fused to a peripheral edge portion 4a of the bottom portion 4. Further, at an upper end of the fastener bag 1, upper end edge portions 2c, 2c of the flat surface portions 2, 2 are fused together so as to sandwich the inwardly folded side surface portions 3, 3 with the side edge portions 2a, 2a on both sides of the flat surface portions 2, 2, thus closing an upper portion 1A of the fastener bag 1.
Furthermore, the fastener bag 1 is provided with a fastener 10 for freely re-closing or re-opening, after once opened, the opened portion of the fastener bag 1, and a cut-tape 14 is also provided for the fastener bag 1 so as to be easily opened. The fastener 10 and the cut-tape 14 are attached to one of the flat surface portions 2, thus constituting the fastener bag 1.
The fastener 10 has a finely elongated male portion (or member) 11 and female portion (or member) 12 which can be separated from each other. The male portion 11 has a belt-shaped base portion 11a and a linearly projected portion 11b, which is hereinafter called “projected thread”, projecting from one side surface of the base portion 11a. The projected thread 11b extends along the longitudinal direction of the base portion 11a at the central portion in the width direction thereof. The projected thread 11b has a front end (i.e., top end edge) having a circular shape in cross-section as shown in
The base portion 12a of the female portion 12 has a width considerably wider than the width of the base portion 11a of the male portion 11. The groove 12b has two portions 12c, 12c forming side wall portions of the groove 12b so that the two portions 12c, 12c project from the surface of the base portion 12a and extend in the longitudinal direction thereof at its side end portion. The groove 12b has an inner surface having substantially a circular-shape in section so that the front end of the projected thread 11b of the male portion 11 is smoothly and surely fitted to the groove 12b. The projected thread 11 may have wedge-shape, arrowed-shape or like shape, and in such case, the groove 12 may be formed so as to have its sectional shape in conformity with that of the projected thread 11b, such as hook-shape.
The male portion 11 is fused to an upper portion of the fastener bag 1 in a manner such that the base portion 11a of the male portion 11 is fused to the inner surface of one of the flat surface portion 2 so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the base portion 11a, i.e., the lateral direction of the fastener bag 1, and the projected thread 11b formed to the base portion 11a projects toward the inner surface of the other one of the flat surface portion 2. On the other hand, the female portion 12 is attached to the inner surface of the one of the flat surface portion 2 at a portion slightly apart above, by a predetermined distance, from the attaching position of the male portion 11 so as to be in parallel therewith. The female portion 12 is fused to the inner surface of the one flat surface portion 2 so that the groove 12b formed to one end side of the base portion 12a is opposed to the projected thread 11b of the male portion 11.
The cut-tape 14 for opening the fastener bag 1 is bonded to the inner surfaces of one of the flat surface portions 2, 2, on which the fastener 10 is fused, to be in parallel with both the portions 11 and 12 between the fused portion of the base portion 11a of the male portion 11 and the fused portion of the base portion 12a of the female portion 12. The cut-tape 14 is provided for cutting the flat surface portions 2, 2 so as to separate them to the male and female portion sides, and for this purpose, the cut-tape is formed of a fine elongated belt-shaped material.
When it is required to open the fastener bag 1, the tab portion 16 is thumbed together with the end portion 14a of the cut-tape 14, and then, the cut-tape 14 is pulled toward the other end side of the fastener bag 1 or in a direction apart from the fastener bag 1. In this operation, the cut-tape serves as bag cutting means, the flat surface portion 2 is cut along the cut-tape 14, and the attached side of the male portion 11 and the attached side of the female portion 12 are separated from each other.
As mentioned above, the tab portion 16 serves as the seal-opening starting portion to make easy the opening of the fastener bag 1.
In order to open the sealing of the fastener bag 1, as like as the case of the tab portion 16 shown in
In either one of the examples shown in
The film material for forming the body of the fastener bag 1 and the cut-tape 14 may be formed of material or materials which are explained hereunder.
In a case where the fastener bag 1 having transparency is formed, the following laminate films may be adopted as the film material: a laminated film formed by laminating a biaxial oriented polypropylene film having thickness of 20 to 50 μm and a non-oriented polypropylene film having thickness of 20 to 60 μm with a dry bonding layer having thickness of 2 to 3 μm; a laminated film formed by laminating a polyester film having thickness of 9 to 25 μm and a straight chain low-density polyethylene film having thickness of 25 to 120 μm with a dry bonding layer having thickness of 2 to 3 μm; and a laminated film formed by laminating a biaxial oriented nylon film having thickness of 9 to 20 μm and a polyethylene film having thickness of 25 to 120 μm with a dry bonding layer having thickness of 2 to 3 μm. Further, the bonding layer is not limited to the dry bonding layer, and a polyethylene extruded layer having thickness of 12 to 20 μm may be employed.
On the other hand, in a case where the fastener bag 1 having opacity is formed, the following laminate films may be adopted as the film material: a laminated film formed by laminating a polyester film having thickness of 9 to 25 μm, an aluminium foil having thickness of 6 to 30 μm, and a straight chain low-density polyethylene film having thickness of 25 to 120 μm with a dry bonding layer having thickness of 2 to 3 μm; and a laminated film formed by laminating a polyester film having thickness of 9 to 25 μm, an evaporated polyester film having thickness of 12 μm and a non-oriented polypropylene film having thickness of 20 to 60 μm with a dry bonding layer having thickness of 2 to 3 μm. Further, the bonding layer is not limited to the dry bonding layer, and a polyethylene extruded layer having thickness of 12 to 20 μm may be employed.
In the meantime, the cut-tape 14 employs a three-layer structure of a straight chain polyethylene layer, a polyester layer and an release layer. The release layer is formed from a chlorinated polypropylene, an EVA or hot-melt layer so as to provide a peel strength of about 200 g/cm. Further, as the packaging material forming the packaging bag body of the fastener bag 1, a material having a cut strength higher than the peel strength of the release layer of the cut-tape 14 will be employed.
The cut-tape 14 may employ: a four-layer structure of low-density polyethylene layer, polyester layer, low-density polyester layer and release layer; a four-layer structure of straight chain low-density polyethylene layer, polyester layer, straight chain low-density polyethylene layer and release layer; a four-layer structure of ultra low-density polyethylene layer, polyester layer, ultra low-density polyester layer and release layer; and a four-layer structure of cast polypropylene layer, polyester layer, cast polypropylene layer and release layer.
According to the fastener bag 1 having the structures mentioned above, when it is required to fill a content in the fastener bag 1, the opening portion of the packaging bag can be widely opened to thereby effectively fill the content. Moreover, since the gusset-type packaging bag is adopted, the fastener bag 1 can be provided with widened width in its thickness direction (i.e., a width direction between the front and back surfaces) to thereby increase an inner volume for the content to be filled therein.
In addition, since the gusset-type packaging bag is adopted, it is possible to fold the fastener bag 1 in its thickness direction when the inner content is consumed and remains in less amount, and hence, it is possible to accommodate the fastener bag 1 in a narrow space.
Hereunder, there will be explained a manufacturing method of one example of the fastener bag 1 in which the packaging materials for respectively forming the flat surface portions 2, 2 and the side surface portions 3, 3 are prepared separately, which are then fused together to form a packaging bag, to which a tab portion 16 is formed as shown in
As shown in
Next, as shown in
In addition, the cut-tape 14 for opening the packaging bag is bonded at substantially the central position between the portion to which the base portion 11a of the male portion 11 and the portion to which the base portion 12a of the female portion 12 is fused. In this operation, the cut-tape 14 is bonded so as to extend in the width direction of the flat surface portion 2 in parallel with the male portion 11 and the female portion 12.
After the completion of the above-mentioned process, two sheets of packaging material constituting the side surface portions 3, 3, one sheet of packaging material constituting one of the flat surface portions 2 to which the fastener 10 and the cut-tape 14 are attached, and one sheet of packaging material constituting the other one of the flat surface portions 2 to which any other member or like is not attached are fused together to thereby form a tubular body. During the step for forming such tubular body, the folding lines 3a, 3a are positioned to be directed inward the tubular body so that the packaging material constituting the side surface portions 3, 3 are to be folded inward toward the center of the tubular body, and both side edges thereof are respectively fused to the side edges of both the packaging material constituting the flat surface portions 2, 2. According to such forming processes, there is provided the tubular body having a pair of flat surface portions 2, 2 opposed to each other and a pair of side surface portions 3, 3 folded inward along the folding lines 3a, 3a, respectively.
Further, in the case of fusing the packaging materials together, the other one flat surface portion 2 to which any one of members or like is not attached and the side surface portions 3, 3 are continuously fused linearly along with the side edges thereof 2a and 3a. On the other hand, the one flat surface portion 2 to which the fastener 10 and the cut-tape 14 are attached is fused to the side surface portions 3, 3 in a manner such that both the end portions 14a, 14a of the cut-tape 14 are fused in the circular-arc shape so that non-fused portions 15 remain to portions at which both end portions of the cut-tape 14 are positioned. As a result, both end portions 14a, 14a of the cut-tape 14 are surrounded at their peripheral portions by the fused portions each in the circular arc shape.
In the next step, both side portions in these non-fused portions 15 in the width direction of the cut-tape 14 are cut in by a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the cut-tape 14. These cut-in portions constitute the tab portions 16 for the seal-opening starting portion.
Hereinabove, there was described the case in which the tubular body is formed by using the packaging materials, preliminarily cut in predetermined dimensions, forming the fastener bag 1 of the present invention. When mass-production of the fastener bag 1 is required, belt-shaped packaging materials 31 and 32 shown in
A set of male and female portions 11 and 12 forming the fastener 10 is subsequently conveyed from its side portion toward the surface side of the packaging material 31 constituting the one flat surface portion 2 opposing to the other one flat surface portion 2 and then fused at every predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material 31. This fusing is performed, as mentioned above, such that the base portions 11a and 12a of both the male and female portions 11 and 12 are arranged to be parallel with each other at the portions with the predetermined space in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material. Likely, the cut-tape 14 is also conveyed toward the packaging material 31 from the side portion thereof, and the cut-tape 14 is then bonded to substantially the central position between the fused portions of both the base portions 11a and 12a of the male and female portions 11 and 12 to be parallel with these parts 11 and 12.
Thereafter, the both side edge portions 31a, 31a of the packaging materials 31, 31 constituting the flat surface portions 2, 2 are respectively fused to both side edge portions 32a, 32a of the packaging materials 32, 32 constituting the side surface portions 3, 3, thus forming the tubular body. When the packaging materials 31 and 32 together, the cut-tape 14 is fused by avoiding in circular-arc shape so that both the end portions thereof remain as non-fused portion 15. Thereafter, the cut-in portion having a predetermined length is formed in this non-fused portion 15 from the side of the tubular body.
Then, the position apart, by a predetermined distance, from the portion, to which the base portion 12a of the female portion 12 is fused, is cut subsequently in the direction normal to the longitudinal direction of the tubular body, thus forming the tubular body having the length corresponding to the one fastener bag 1.
As seen in
Thereafter, as shown in
The fastener bag 50 shown in
The bag body 50a has a tubular structure which is formed by fusing the side edges of the flat surface portions 51, 51 and the side edges of the side surface portions 52, 52, resulting in fused edges 55. The flat surface portions 51, 51 are formed from rectangular films, respectively, and the side surface portions 52, 52 have folding lines 53, 53 formed at the central portion in the thickness direction (i.e., width direction of the side surface portion) toward the inside of the bag body 51a.
The fastener bag 50 has a flat bottom surface portion 54 formed by closing one of the end openings of the bag body 51a. This bottom surface portion 54 is formed from a rectangular film material, and a peripheral edge portion of the bottom surface portion 54 is fused to this one of the openings, resulting in fused edge 56.
A fastener 60 is attached to the inner surface of one of the flat surface portions 51 constituting the fastener bag 60 so as to extend vertically of the bag body 51a. This fastener 60 is composed of a male portion 61 and a female portion 62 to be separable from each other. Furthermore, a cut-tape 63 in form of belt is bonded to the flat surface portion 51 between the male and female portions 61 and 62 to be parallel with the fastener 60.
The male portion 61 is composed of a belt-shaped base portion 61a and a projected thread 61b projecting from one surface side of the base portion 61a, and on the other hand, the female portion 62 has a belt-shaped base portion 62a and a groove 62b formed to the surface of the base portion 62a so that the projected thread 61b of the male portion 61 is freely engaged with this groove 62b. The projected thread 61b is formed, so as to extend along the longitudinal direction of the base portion 61a at substantially the central portion in the width direction of the base portion 61a. The projected thread 61b has a front end, i.e., top end edge, providing a circular-arc shape in cross section.
On the other hand, the base portion 62a of the female portion 62 is formed from a material having a width wider than that of the base portion of the male portion 61. The groove 62b has two portions 62c, 62c constituting side walls of the groove 62 in a manner projecting over the surface of the base portion 62a so as to extend in the longitudinal direction at a portion near the side end of the base portion 62a. The groove 62b has an inner surface in form of circular-arc shape in cross section, and the front end of the projected thread 61b formed to the male portion 61 is smoothly and surely engaged with the groove 62b of the female portion 62.
The male portion 61 is attached in a manner such that a surface of its base portion 61a opposite a surface on which the projected thread 61b is formed, is fused to one of the flat surface portions 51 so as to extend in the vertical direction of the fastener bag 50 and so that the projected thread 61b formed to the base portion 61a projects toward the other flat surface portion 51. On the other hand, the female portion 62 is attached to the inner surface of the one flat surface portion 51 separated by a predetermined distance from the attaching position of the male portion 61 to be parallel therewith. This female portion 62 is fused to the inner surface of the flat surface portion 51, so that the groove 62b formed to one end side in the width direction of the base portion 62a is opposed to the projected thread 61b of the male portion 61, at the other end side in the width direction of the same surface as that on which the groove 62b is formed.
The cut-tape 63 for opening the fastener bag 50 is bonded to the inner surface of the one flat surface portion 51 on which the fastener 60 is fused, to be parallel with both the parts 61 and 62 between the fused portions of the base portions 61a and 62a of the male and female portions 61 and 62. The cut-tape 63 is a tape for cutting the flat surface portion 51 into male side portion 61 and female side portion 62, and is formed from a fine belt-shaped material.
Further, as shown in
Although
A fastener 90 is attached to the inner surface of one of the flat surface portions 81 constituting the fastener bag 80 so as to extend in a diagonal direction on the flat surface portion 81 of the bag body 81a. This fastener 90 is composed of a male portion (not shown) and a female portion (not shown) to be separable from each other. Furthermore, a cut-tape 93 in form of belt is bonded to the flat surface portion 81 between the male and female portions to be parallel with the fastener 90. The structure of the fastener 90 is substantially identical to that shown in
As shown in
Although
The side surface portions 102 and flat surface portions 101 may be fused at fused portion 105. The side surface portions 102 and flat surface portions 101 may be fused to the flat bottom surface portion 104 at fused portions 106.
A fastener 110, composed of a male portion and a female portion, is attached to the inner surface of one of the side surface portions 102 constituting the fastener bag 100 so as to extend vertically along the folding line 103 at the central portion of the side surface portion 102. The structure of the fastener 110 is substantially identical to that shown in
In the fastener bag 100 of this embodiment, a tab portion 117 is formed to the lower end of the side surface portion 102. The fused portion 106 of the side surface portion 102 and the bottom surface portion 104 are not partially fused together as non-fused portion 115 at the position forming the tab portion 117. The tab portion 117 at this non-fused portion 115 is formed by forming cut-in portions 114, 114 to the side surface portion 102 at the outward portion from the side edge thereof. Further, in the case where the fastener and the cut-tape are formed to the side surface portion 102, the present invention is not limited to the example in which they extend vertically as shown in
At the position to which this tab portion 137 is formed, a non-fused portion 135 is formed to the fused portion 125 so as to provide a circular-arc shape, and cut-in portions 134, 134 are formed at the outside portions of the side edge of the side surface portion 122 so as to correspond to the end of the cut-tape 133. The tab portion 137 is positioned between these cut-in portions 134, 134.
Hereinabove, although embodiments or examples of the fastener bags which are formed by fusing the flat surface portions, side surface portions and bottom surface portion which are separately prepared, the present invention may be applied to various embodiments or examples other than the above, which will be explained hereunder.
Packaging bags shown in
One example thereof is shown in
This packaging bag 140 is formed by steps shown in
The other packaging bag 150B shown in
A fused portion 162 is formed by bonding end edge portions of a sheet of film, so as to project outward, to a back surface portion 161 forming one of the flat surface portions 161, 161. The lower portions of the flat surface portions 161, 161 are formed into a hexagonal shape so as to provide a downward tapered shape. Both the side edges thereof extend vertically of the packaging bag in parallel with each other, and on the other hand, the upper and lower end edges thereof extend horizontally in parallel with each other. The lower corner portions of the flat surface portions 161, 161 are tapered downward, and oblique (downward inclined) portions 166, 166 connect the side edges and the lower edge, respectively. Furthermore, folding lines 164, 164 are formed to the vertically central portions of the side surface portions 163, 163 so as to fold the side surface portions 163, 163 inward of the packaging bag 160 along the folding lines 164, 164. The flat surface portions 161, 161 and the side surface portions 163, 163 are fused at their lower edges 165 and oblique portions 166, 166, thus closing the bottom surface portion of the packaging bag 160.
The manufacturing method of this packaging bag 160 is substantially the same as the manufacturing method of the packaging bag 140 shown in
The packaging bag 170A shown in
The other packaging bag 170B shown in
Although there are described, with reference to
Hereinabove, the embodiments in which the packaging bag is formed from a single sheet of film. As shown in
As mentioned above, according to the present invention, there can be obtained a gusset-type fastener bag which can be easily opened and re-closed. In addition, the fastener can be attached so as to extend in an optional direction in accordance with the kinds of content to be filled up. Moreover, since the position of an opening through which the content fills the packaging bag and the position at which the fastener is attached are made different, the opening can be made large or wide. Thus, the content can be effectively filled up with increased amount.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP03/03152 | 3/17/2003 | WO | 00 | 11/10/2005 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2004/083065 | 9/30/2004 | WO | A |
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