STAND-UP PACKAGE OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL, PARTICULARLY FOR GRANULAR OR POWDERY PRODUCTS

Abstract

A package (1) of the stand-up type is described, of flexible material, to contain granular or powdery products, comprising a supporting base (2) from which two opposite side walls (3) are erected, joined to the perimeter of said base (2) and joined to each other along the side edges up to a certain height, so as to leave free upper areas (7) of the side walls, coinciding with which a perforated sheet (9) fixed permanently along its edge (5′, 20) on the inside of said side walls of the package is applied, and closed peelably on itself along its edge (5″, 20′) when said upper areas (7) of the side walls are brought together, so as to leave free top flaps (12) which are pulled to bring about the opening of said peelable closure (5″, 20′) and thus the exposure of said perforated sheet (9), through which the product contained in the package (1) can be dispensed.

Description

The present invention refers to a stand-up package of flexible material, particularly for granular or powdery products, provided with a system that allows an easy dispensing of the product, but also an easy and secure re-closure of the package.

Packages of the above mentioned type, known by the name of stand-up packages in that they are self-supporting when filled with the product, are normally made of flexible single-ply or multi-ply material, with one or both sides heat-sealable, for example of polyethylene, and are obtained by successive folding and sealing, normally from a double film. They normally have a reinforced supporting base, from which are erected two side walls heat-sealed along the side and top edges.

For practical reasons, stand-up packages for granular or powdery products are increasingly in demand, in particular in the food sector, for example to contain cocoa, icing sugar, flour, grated cheese and the like, such as to allow a direct dispensing of the product.

Some of these packages present drawbacks from the point of view of the opening thereof, requiring, for example, the use of scissors to cut the heat-sealed top edges of the package.

Other packages present drawbacks from the point of view of the dispensing of the product, which must be taken from the package, for example, with a spoon.

Other packages still present drawbacks from the point of view of the closure of the package, which practically remains exposed to foreign agents.

Naturally, one or more of the above drawbacks may be present at the same time in the packages of the prior art.

Object of the invention is just to overcome the abovementioned drawbacks by providing a stand-up package that is easy to open, does not require the use of scissors or of other implements, allows a direct sprinkling of the product and allows an easy and secure re-closure of the package after each use thereof for a partial removal of its contents.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a package that is practical to use, versatile, and simple and cheap to make.

These objects are achieved by the package according to the invention, which has the characteristics set forth in the appended independent claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims.

Essentially, the package of flexible material according to the invention, to contain granular or powdery products, has a substantially rectangular or ovoid supporting base, from which are erected two opposite side walls, each joined to a half-perimeter of the base and joined to each other along the side edges, which can be suitably shaped in order to customise the package or to make it easier to grip. In particular, respective semicircular recesses to facilitate the gripping of the package are provided on said side edges.

Said side edges are sealed to each other for less than the whole length of the package, so as to leave open an upper area, on which is applied a sheet of perforated film, which is disposed astride the inner surfaces of the two walls of the package and which closes like a book on itself when said walls are coupled.

Said perforated sheet has a heat-sealable surface, so as to be fixed permanently to the walls of the package, and the other surface made of a peelable material, so as to bring about a peelable closure of the package.

In this manner, the package can be opened easily by gripping the two top flaps thereof and by exerting a traction to cause the separation of the peelable heat-seal and the exposure of the perforated sheet, through which the product can be sprinkled by shaking and tilting the package.

After the use, the top flaps of the side walls of the package are brought together, inserting a tongue formed in one of them into a corresponding cut or slot formed in the other top flap, so as to avoid the accidental separation of said flaps. According to an alternative embodiment, the top flaps, brought together, are folded and inserted into a transverse band provided on one of the side walls of the package.

Further characteristics of the invention will be made clearer by the detailed description that follows, referring to a purely exemplifying and therefore non limiting embodiment thereof, illustrated in the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an axonometric view of a package according to the invention, shown in the closed and upright state;

FIG. 2 is a view like that of FIG. 1, in which the package is shown in the open state, ready for use;

FIG. 3 is an axonometric view like that of FIG. 2, in which the perforated sheet for the delivery of the product is shown separated from the package;

FIG. 4 is a view like that of FIG. 1, showing the package re-closed after a use;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are two axonometric views of the upper part of the package, showing a variant embodiment of the re-closing means.

With reference to these figures, the package according to the invention is denoted as a whole with the reference numeral 1. It is a package designed in particular to contain granular or powdery products—also known by the name of stand-up package in that it is capable of supporting itself—made from a single-ply or multi-ply film of a flexible material, heat-sealable on at least one side.

The package 1 has a supporting base 2, from which two opposite side walls 3 are erected, each sealed to a respective half-perimeter 4 of the base 2 and sealed to each other at the side edges 5 up to a certain height, so as to leave at the top respective free areas 7 of the walls (see in particular FIG. 3) not sealed to each other.

Each bottom seal 4 is joined to the side edges 5 by means of respective pairs of inclined portions 6 to allow the widening of the supporting base 2 of the package. The package thus structured takes on a tapered shape towards the top and, after being filled with the product, can be closed at the top in the manner that will be described hereunder.

Said side edges 5 of the package, to a short distance from said base 2, have respective recesses 8, substantially semicircular in shape, adapted to facilitate the gripping of the package.

As shown in FIG. 3, a sheet or strip 9, substantially rectangular in shape and provided with a plurality of holes or microholes 10, sized according to the type of product contained in the package 1, is applied to coincide with the upper free areas 7 of the walls, opened so as to be arranged flat.

The sheet 9 is advantageously multi-ply, so as to have a surface (the lower or the inside one with reference to FIG. 3) of the same material (for example, polyethylene) as the inner layer of the package 1 so as to be able to be sealed permanently to the package, and the other surface (the upper one on view in the drawings) of a different material that does not allow a permanent heat-sealing but a peelable one.

In this manner, the sheet 9 can be heat-sealed permanently along its border to the inner surface of the package, causing vertical seals 5′ (when the package is closed), which form extensions of the seals of the side edges 5 of the package, and horizontal seals 20, which close the walls 3 of the package at the top. The upper areas 7 of the wall with the sheet 9 applied thereto, are brought together by folding them along the fold line 11, thus causing the sheet 9 to fold over on itself like a book.

Peelable seals 5″ and 20′ are then made along the superimposed vertical and horizontal edges of the sheet 9, as schematised in FIG. 1.

In practice, the sheet 9 is disposed, as shown in FIG. 2, on the upper areas 7 of the walls, which are folded to be brought together, causing a folding like a book of the sheet 9 interposed therebetween, after which a single heat-seal is made along the side and the top edges of the folded sheet 9, thus causing the permanent sealing of the sheet 9 to the package 1 along the above mentioned portions 5′ and 20, and the peelable sealing of the sheet 9 to itself along the above mentioned portions 5″ and 20′.

As shown in the figures, the upper horizontal heat-seals 20 and 20′ are disposed at a certain distance from the top edge of the package, so as to determine on each side wall 3 of the package a respective free top flap 12, from which a tongue 13 with a convex profile protrudes centrally.

A cut or slot 14 with a curved profile is formed on one of the flaps 12, whilst a tongue 15 destined to be inserted in the cut 14 is formed on the other flap 12.

The closed and seated package appears as shown in FIG. 1.

To bring about the opening thereof, it is sufficient to grip the protruding tongues 13 of the free top flaps 12 with the fingers and to exert a traction thereon, so as to cause a separation of the peelable heat-seals 20′ and 5″ and thus the opening of the package, as shown in FIG. 2.

At this point, the package can be gripped with one hand at its base 4 and at the gripping recesses 8 on the side edges 5, possibly shaken and suitably tipped or turned upside down to cause the sprinkling of the granular or powdery product contained therein.

After the use, the package is brought into the original upright position, the top flaps 12 are brought together again and the tongue 15 is inserted into the cut 14, thus ensuring that the abovementioned flaps 12 are retained and thus that the package is securely re-closed.

From what has been described, the advantages of the package according to the invention are obvious in that it allows an easy opening thereof without having to resort to implements such as scissors, an easy direct distribution of the product thanks to the provision of the suitably sized holes 10 on the sheet 9 and a reliable re-closure which safeguards the hygiene of the package.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment previously described and illustrated in the appended drawings, but numerous changes of detail within the reach of a person skilled in the art can be made thereto, without departing from the scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

According to the variant embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a transverse or horizontal band 30, fixed at its ends to the side edges 5 of the package, is provided on a side wall 3 of the package, in proximity to the above mentioned horizontal seal 20 or 20′.

To re-close the package, the top flaps 12 are brought together, folded downwards onto the side wall 3 having the band 30 and inserted into said band, as shown in FIG. 6.

According to this embodiment, the top flap 12 coincident with the side wall bearing the band 30 could even not be provided.

Claims

1. A package (1) of the stand-up type, of flexible material, to contain granular or powdery products, comprises a supporting base (2) wherefrom two opposite facing side walls (3) are erected, each seated to a respective half-perimeter of the base (2) and sealed to each other along the side edges (5), characterised in that said side seals (5) do not extend for the entire height of the package (1) so as to leave free upper areas (7) of the side walls inside which is applied a perforated sheet (9) permanently sealed along its edge (5′, 20) to said walls of the package and peelably sealed to itself along its edge (5″, 20′) when said upper areas (7) of the walls are brought together, leaving free respective top flaps of wall (12), the whole so that on exerting a traction on said flaps (12) said peelable seals (5″, 2′″) are caused to separate, exposing said perforated sheet (9) though which the granular or powdery product contained in the package (1) can be dispensed.

2. A package according to claim 1, characterised in that said perforated sheet (9) is substantially rectangular in shape, said permanent seal (5′) and said peelable seal (5″) constituting an extension of said seals of the side edges (5) of the package, whereas said permanent seal (20) and said peelable seal (20′) close the package at the top.

3. A package according to claim 1, characterised in that said free top flaps (12) of the side walls (3) of the package (1) have at the centre respective protruding tongues (13) with a convex profile, adapted to facilitate the gripping during the opening of the package.

4. A package according to claim 1, characterized in that a cut (14) is provided on one of the free top flaps (12), whilst a tongue (15) is provided on the other flap (12), designed to be inserted in said cut (14) during the re-closure step of the package (1) to keep said flaps (12) together.

5. A package according to claim 1, characterised in that a transverse band (30), into which the top flaps (12) are inserted during the re-closure step of the package, is provided on one of said side walls (3).

6. A package according to claim 1, characterised in that respective recesses (8) adapted to facilitate the gripping of the package by the user are provided on said side edges (5) at a short distance from said base (2) of the package.

7. A package according to claim 1, characterised in that said perforated sheet (9) has a plurality of holes or microholes (10) sized according to the product to be delivered, contained in the package (1).

8. A package according to claim 1, characterised in that said perforated sheet (9) is a multi-ply sheet, so as to have one side of a material compatible with that of the inner surface of the package (1) to be able to be permanently sealed thereto, and the other side of a peelably heat-sealable material.

9. A package according to claim 1 in which said peelable seal (5″, 20′) is obtained by using fugitive glues or lacquers.