“Not Applicable”
“Not Applicable”
This invention relates to methods of making flexible packages and the packages themselves and more particularly to flexible packages for holding at least two flowable components in separate compartments for simultaneous dispensing from the package.
Various flexible packages are available commercially for holding flowable materials in the separate compartments to keep them from mingling. Some of those packages include tearably openable outlets through which the materials may be dispensed when desired. Heretofore, such packages have not been constructed to ensure that when the outlet is torn open the materials are dispensed simultaneously. Moreover, the construction of those packages makes their manufacture, filling and sealing by automated somewhat complex and difficult. Thus, a need exists for a flexible package for holding flowable materials in separate compartments of the package and which can be torn open to simultaneously dispense the contents of those compartments. In addition a need exists for a method of readily filling and sealing such packages on automated equipment. The subject invention addresses those needs.
One aspect of this invention is directed to a flexible package for holding flowable materials in separate compartments isolated from each other. The package basically comprises a first panel of flexible material, a second panel of flexible material, and a third panel of flexible material. The first, second and third panels are fixedly secured to one another along a portion of the periphery of each of the panels to form a pair of compartments. A first one of those compartments is located between the first and second panel. A second one of the compartments is located between the second panel and the third panel. A portion of the first panel and the second panel are free from each other to form a first mouth to enable a flowable material to be introduced into the first compartment. A portion of the second panel and the third panel are free from each other to form a second mouth to enable a flowable material to be introduced into the second compartment. The first and second mouths are unaligned, e.g., longitudinally spaced from each other. The first and second mouths are sealable, e.g., heat sealable, after the flowable materials have been introduced into the first and second compartments.
In accordance with one aspect of this invention the package includes a nozzle through which the flowable contents of the package can be simultaneously dispensed. To that end, the first and second panels are fixedly secured to each other to form the first compartment and to form a first passageway in communication with the first compartment. The second and third panels are fixedly secured to each other to form the second compartment and to form a second passageway in communication with the second compartment. The first and second passageways are located immediately adjacent each other to form the nozzle. The nozzle arranged to be opened, e.g., torn open, to simultaneously open the first and second passageways to enable the simultaneous dispensing of the flowable materials through the nozzle. The size of both passageways may be the same or different, depending upon the desired ratio for the two flowable materials to flow out of the package.
Another aspect of this invention entails the method of filling and sealing a multi-compartment package, like those described above. To that end, the method includes providing a first panel of flexible film material, a second panel of flexible film material, and a third panel of flexible film material, with the first, second and third panels being fixedly secured to one another along a portion of the periphery of each of the panels to form a pair of compartments. A first one of those compartments is located between the first and second panel. The second one of the compartments is located between the second panel and the third panel. A portion of the first panel and the second panel are free from (unsecured to) each other to form a first mouth to enable a flowable material to be introduced into the first compartment. A portion of the second panel and the third panel are free from (unsecured to) each other to form a second mouth to enable a flowable material to be introduced into the second compartment. The first and second mouths are unaligned, e.g., located longitudinally spaced from each other. Portions of the first and second panels at the first mouth are then grasped to open the first mouth. A flowable material is then through the first open mouth into the first compartment. The first mouth is then sealed to hold the flowable material in said the first compartment. Portions of the second and third panels at the second mouth are also grasped to open the second mouth. After that a flowable material is introduced through the second open mouth into the second compartment and then the second mouth is sealed to hold the flowable material in the second compartment.
Referring now to the various figures of the drawing wherein like reference characters refer to like parts, there is shown in
Irrespective of the number of compartments that the package has, each of those compartments is arranged to hold any type of flowable material therein. The flowable materials can be granulated solids, liquids, foams, slurries or any other material that is able to flow through a passageway. The flowable materials held in the respective compartments typically will be such that mixing or mingling of them before desired use is to be precluded. For example, one compartment may hold foam or some other inert flowable carrier material, while the other compartment includes a flowable active ingredient for an insecticide. In that example the simultaneous dispensing of the two components enables them to be mixed to result in the activation and application of the insecticide.
It must be pointed out at this juncture that any type of flowable materials, e.g., foodstuffs, drinks, chemicals, medicines, biologics, adhesives, which are desired to be isolated from each other until they are dispensed, can be used in the subject package. In the interest of simplicity and economy the nozzle portion of the package is formed of the same materials, e.g., flexible film panels (to be described later) forming the package's compartments. That nozzle is arranged to be opened, e.g., torn, to enable the contents of the two compartments to simultaneously flow out of the package.
In the exemplary embodiment shown the package 20 the two compartments 22 and 24 are formed by three flexible sheets or panels 28, 30 and 32. Each of the sheets or panels comprises any suitable flexible packaging material, e.g., a film. The use of three panels enables the package to include two compartments. If three compartments are required of the package an additional sheet can be provide. In any case each sheet can by of a single ply or multiple plies (e.g., a laminate, co-extrusion or any other construction).
As can be seen in
In the embodiment of the multi-compartment package 20 shown in
Turning now to
As seen in
In the embodiment shown in
As should be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the size of each passageway can be chosen to produce a desired amount of the flowable materials that will flow out of the package when the nozzle is opened and also the desired ratio of the two materials to each other.
In
A pair of elongated thin channels 138 extends inward from the respective side edges of the package into the seal 34 at the bottom of the package to form a tear strip. The tear strip is represented by the broken line 140 in
It should be evident that the width of the recess forming the two passageways for the nozzle 126 can be selected so that those passageways can be of the same size or one of the passageways can be larger than the other. In the former case the same amount of material will flow out of the two compartments simultaneously, whereas in the latter arrangement more of one material will flow out of the compartment associated with the larger passageway than that which will flow out of the compartment associated with the smaller passageway.
As mentioned earlier, it the subject packages can be filled and sealed on an automated apparatus or machine, e.g., a “form, fill and seal” machine. One such machine is the GL-90 machine sold by Fres-co System USA, Inc., the assignee of the subject invention. That machine, or any other prior art apparatus for filling and sealing a flexible package, is preferably configured to include at least one pair of film-grasping jaws (e.g., suction cups) and at least one pair of heat-sealing (e.g., thermal welding) jaws. The film-grasping jaws are arranged to grasp portions of the package's panels to open the package's mouths so that the flowable materials can be introduced into the associated compartments of the package. The heat-sealing jaws serve to seal the mouths of the package after the flowable materials have been introduced into the package's compartments. The GL90 machine can also be used to form the packages to the state at which they are ready to be filled and sealed. That state is shown in
The method of filling and sealing of the compartments 22 and 24 of the exemplary packages 20 and 120 from the state shown in
The second (and smaller) compartment 22 is now ready to be filled and sealed. To that end, if the filling and sealing machine is a G90 machine which makes use of two pairs of film-grasping jaws, the film-grasping jaw 40B′ of the second pair of film-grasping jaws is constructed and arranged to grasp the outer surface of the panel 28 adjacent its top end 28A as shown in
Once the flowable material FM1 has been introduced into the compartment 22, the package is indexed to a position adjacent a second pair of heat sealing jaws 42A′ and 42B′ (assuming that the machine is a G90 machine which has two pairs of heat-sealing jaws). That second pair of heat-sealing jaws is then moved into confronting position with respect to the top edge of the film panel forming the mouth of the compartment 22. In particular heat-sealing jaw 42A′ is brought into engagement with the outer surface of the panel 32 adjacent its top end 32A and heat-sealing jaw 42B′ is brought into engagement with the outer surface of the panel 28 at a position which is aligned with the heat-sealing jaw 42A′. The two jaws 42A′ and 42B′ are then brought together in the direction of the arrows shown in
It should be noted at this juncture that the automated apparatus for filling and sealing the packages as described above need not make use of two pairs of film-grasping jaws and two pairs of heat-sealing jaws. For example, the filling and sealing apparatus may make use of a single pair of film-grasping jaws, e.g., jaws 40A and 40B, and a single pair of heat-sealing jaws (e.g., jaws 42A and 42B). In such a case the film-grasping jaws will have to be movable between two positions, i.e., the position shown in
Without further elaboration the foregoing will so fully illustrate my invention that others may, by applying current or future knowledge, adopt the same for use under various conditions of service.
This application claims priority from Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/437,155, filed on Jan. 28, 2011, entitled Multi-Compartment Pouch With Single Nozzle And Method Of Making The Same, which application is assigned to the same assignee as this application and whose disclosure is incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61437155 | Jan 2011 | US |