AU5946100A - A free standing pack, material useful for making such a pack and related methods - Google Patents

Description

1 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT, 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for service in Australia: Invention Title: INDUSTRIAL PLANT AND TECHNICS LIMITED Andre Kramer A J PARK, Level 11, 60 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra ACT 2601 A Free Standing Pack, Material Useful for Making Such a Pack and Related Methods The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us The present invention relates to free standing bags or packs, material suitable for making such packs and related methods. In particular although not solely the present invention relates to free standing packs which have a gusseted base capable of being deployed to provide a stable base region, and relates to sheet material which allow for such packs to be manufactured preferably by a form, fill and seal machine and the present invention also relates to the methods of taking the preferred configuration of sheet material through the steps to providing a self standing pack.

Self standing packs have been know for several years. Such packs are detailed in for example US4353497, US4954124 and US5181363. Such packages are provided to customers in a preformed condition where the customer then subsequently fills and seals the preformed packages. To provide the pack with an ability to be self supporting in an upright condition the prior art packs are normally provided with a gusseted base region where the internal faces of the pack of each gusset portion are heat sealed substantially in a dome shape. Such a dome shaped heat sealing of plies of the gusset allow for the gusset to be deployed in such a way to provide a substantially stable base portion which is able to support the pack in a vertical condition. The disadvantage of packs of this nature is that they are preformed and supplied to customers who must then **have machinery to manipulate the preformed discrete packages, present them to a filling station, allow the filling of the packs and then seal the packs in an appropriate 20 manner. Such preformed packs do not render themselves to be useful in form, fill and seal machines which for example produce manufactures are now preferring to utilise in packaging their produce. Such form, fill and seal machines as is commonly known .00O "take normally a roll feed sheet material, form a tube then fill the tube to a suitable level.

They then seal the bottom region of the tube slightly above the level of fill to form and separate that sealed portion of the tube to form a discrete bag.

S0" It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a free standing bag 0*00o0 0 or pack, material useful for making such a pack and related methods which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

In a first aspect the present invention consists in a method of making a self standing bag comprising: a) taking a longitudinal sheet of film having two parallel longitudinal sides and having a first (preferably heat sealable) major surface and a second (preferably substantially non-heat sealable) major surface, b) reducing the width (side to side) of said longitudinal sheet by creating a 5 fold longitudinal extending pleat in said sheet material -3c) optionally longitudinally sealing together the facing surfaces of said first major surface at or adjacent the apex folds of said pleat d) optionally transverse sealing together (preferably heat sealing) at substantially bag width intervals, each of the facing surfaces of said first major surface from the apex folds to or at least towards the base of said pleat e) ensuring, by manipulating if necessary, said pleated sheet material is in a substantial non-upstanding form at least immediately prior to; f) forming said sheet material into a tube by bringing together said first major surface of said film at or immediately adjacent said parallel edges of said film, said tube having an advanced most edge g) transverse sealing said first major surface of said film together along said advanced most edge of said tube to form what will be one closed side of the bag in its upright condition, h) transverse sealing said first major surface of said film together along a bag width distance from the advanced most edge of said tube, to form what will be the other closed side of the pack in its upright condition, said transverse sealing including or followed by cutting said tube a bag width from said bottom to form a discrete bag.

20 Preferably said method includes between steps g) and h) the filling with a material (such as a food material) of said tube to a level not extending above a bag width from said bottom of said tube.

"Preferably said pleat is generated longitudinally within said sheet substantially S"centrally between said parallel edges.

Preferably said longitudinal sheet is of a co-extruded kind of at least 2 (and "integrally bonded) plies of material, wherein said ply defining said first major surface oooo** is heat sealable and said ply defining said second major surface is preferably substantially non heat sealable.

Preferably said second major surface is preferably substantially non heat sealable save for regions of or applied onto said second major surface of a heat sealable material to allow joining at steps and at least the apex of said pleat at 1) said one and said other closed sides, or 2) substantially immediately bag side of said one and said other closed sides.

Preferably said second major surface is preferably substantially non heat sealable save for regions of or patches applied onto said second major surface of a heat -4sealable material, to join by heat sealing of the second major surface between at least part of each apex fold and the mid base fold of said pleat in a transverse direction 1) along said one and said other closed sides, or 2) substantially immediately bag side of said one and said other closed sides.

Preferably said regions are pre-provided on said longitudinal sheet of film or alternatively applied prior to steps and above. Independent claims.

Preferably said regions of applied onto said second major surface of a heat sealable material are present in the feed stock of said sheet material and require where said option(l) provides the joining of said regions, providing during step steps and the an insert between said regions when step and is performed to prevent said regions becoming sealed together prior to steps and Preferably said steps above are progressive steps.

Preferably said sheet material prior to step 1) is dispensed from a roll of material provided with a plurality of said regions in locations corresponding to where said joining of steps and is to occur.

Alternatively said sheet material is provided as a pre-pleated roll of film material.

:...Preferably said tube is manipulated to a general flat condition prior to the transverse sealing of said bottom of said tube.

20 Preferably said pleat is deployed from the said non-upstanding form position to extend away (and preferably lie in the same plane) from the remainder of said film prior to the tube being transverse sealed.

Preferably said transverse seals are across the entire width of said tube Preferably said bringing together of said edges includes a longitudinally sealing together (preferably heat sealing and whether continuous or not) of the first major surfaces of said film at or immediately inwardly of the parallel edges.

SPreferably said sealing of said parallel edges is continuos.

Alternatively said sealing of said parallel edges is discontinuous to provide a mouth region to allow as an alternative to the preferred filling direction, filling through said mouth region.

Preferably said method may also include providing (preferably subsequent to step f) an interlocking reclose means and/or perforating at or immediately inwardly of the two parallel edges to provide a reclosable or severable means of accessing.

7, 1, In a second aspect the present invention consists in a method of forming a standable pouch pack from a web of sheet material heat sealable on at least (and preferably only one) side thereof, said method comprising or including forming by pinching and/or folding and heat sealing a lie flat double peak pleat, or providing or taking a feed of such a lie flat double peak pleated web, forming and sealing (preferably progressively) the lie flat web with the opening of the pleat inwards into a tube the peaks extend away) so that the pleat runs parallel to the tube axis, sealing a length of said tube by means of seals transverse to the tube axis to provide a sealed part, the arrangement being that the pleat (optionally its self fixed one part to another substantially along the line of said transverse seals) deploys as a gusseted base of said pouch.

15 Preferably a first of said transverse seals are formed below the discharge zone of a filling horn or funnel and a second of said seals above the contents discharged into the pouch pack being formed.

Preferably said forming said lie flat double peak pleat includes sealing longitudinally of the web at and/or adjacent the distal regions of the pleat to provide a 20 fixed extremity of the pleat on either side of the opening of the pleat.

o Preferably said forming of said lie flat pleat also includes the provision of heat seals transverse to the pleat axis which will provide connection between parts of said material in the line of said subsequently provided seals transverse to the tube axis.

Preferably said forming of the tube is about a mandrel or tube forming shape into which at least in part said filling horn or funnel extends.

Preferably said sheet material is heat sealable on one side only.

"Preferably said optional fixing of one part to another of said pleat substantially along the line of said transverse seals preferably involves either heat sealing using a melt adhesive patched or otherwise provided on otherwise non heat sealable faces of the sheet material.

In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in a longitudinal sheet material for forming a plurality of discrete bag of a kind having a gusseted bottom form, and a top region, and substantially parallel sides defining said bag width, said sheet material being of a co-extruded kind having at least two integrally bonded plies of material wherein a ply of material defining a first major surface of said sheet is of a heat sealable kind and a ply of material defining the other major surface -6of said sheet is of a non heat sealable kind save for or applied thereon a series of heat sealable regions at substantially bag width intervals on said sheet located inwardly from the parallel edges thereof and at intervals to, when said bag is formed from said sheet material, be positioned within said gusseted form at or immediately inwardly of said edges of said discrete bags.

Preferably said series of regions consist of two pairs of patches, a first of said pair located to be positioned in said gusseted form at or immediately adjacent one side of said bag and the second of said pair to be located at or immediately adjacent the other of said side of said bag wherein each patch of each said pair is to be positioned in said gusseted form inwardly facing each other at or immediately adjacent said sides of said bag.

Preferably each said pair of patches is of a longitudinal shape and of a length which when said discrete bags are formed, corresponds to the depth of said gusset.

In a further aspect the present invention consists in a form fill and seal machine 15 for forming the packs in accordance to the methods as herein defined from a rolled feed stock of material as herein defined (either of a pre-pleated kind or of a kind capable of being pleated to form said gusset) to form discrete and product filled bags of a kind having a gusseted base portion capable of being deployed to provide a stable base for the packs to be self standing and supportable by said gusseted base.

20 In yet a further aspect the present invention consist in a self standing pack of a *go*..kind having a gusseted base capable of deploying to form a stable base region said pack being made in accordance to the steps as herein defined or made from the sheet material as herein defined.

S. This invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of said parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.

The invention consists in the foregoing and also envisages constructions of which the following gives examples.

One preferred form of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of the sheet material of the present invention illustrating the formation of the preferred 5 fold or shaped pleat being

I;

-7formed substantially parallel to the machine direction of the sheet material advancing, the pleat preferably being formed midway between the parallel sides of the sheet material, Figure 2 is a partial view of the sheet material of the present invention wherein the pleat is shown in a partially expanded form having a substantially "M" configuration, Figure 3 illustrates the preferred optional longitudinal sealing and preferred transverse sealing of some of the surfaces of the plies of material at the M shape pleat such sealing able to be achieved by either momentarily holding the advancement of the sheet stationary in respect of the sealing station or moving part of the sealing station with the sheet material such that there is no relative speed between the two, Figure 4 illustrates the changing of the configuration of the pleated sheet to a substantially non-upstanding form wherein in this instance the pleat is folded to a "dove-tail" configuration, 15 Figure 5 illustrates a part of the folded pleat as in figure 2 wherein there is *"*shown a heat sealable patch(s) which in this preferred instance are located at least in part between the peaks of the pleat substantially immediately adjacent the transverse seals in positions such that when a pack of the sheet material is formed such patches are located at the sides of the pack between the gusseted bottom form, 20 Figure 6 illustrates in a perspective view at least some of the components of the preferred form of the present invention for forming, filling and sealing a pack of the present invention wherein the feed stock is of a rolled and pre-pleated sheet material, however in the alternative the feed stock may be of a substantially planar (and preferably rolled) sheet wherein the forming of said bag also includes subsequent to the rolling of sheet material from the roll a forming of the pleat, Figure 7 is a perspective view of part of the tube formed from the sheet material of the present invention wherein the tube is substantially closed by a longitudinal seal and the pleat is illustrated to still be in a substantially non-upstanding condition, Figure 8 is a perspective view of part of the tube of sheet material wherein the pleat is shown between a non-upstanding condition and a condition suitable for heat seal and separation of discrete bags from the tube, Figure 9 is a perspective view of part of the tube of sheet material advancing through a preferred heat seal and separation station in a preferred lie flat condition to allow a convenient means of heat seal and separation to be applied to form discrete bags from the tube, -8- Figure 10 illustrates and alternative configuration of sheet material as shown in figure 4 wherein the heat sealable patches or patch is provided at the region where the preferred transverse seal is applied, Figure 10 Oa illustrates a view in section at the sheet material as shown, Figure 11 illustrates in more detail a preferred configuration of such a patch where the preferred and optional transverse seal is applied, Figure 12 illustrates that portion of figure 3 but where the sheet material is substantially of a kind as shown in figures 10 and 11 wherein a spacer element is required to be provided where the optionally transverse and longitudinal seal is applied to ensure that at this point the patch as substantially shown in figures 10 and 11 is not heat sealed together to allow for the sheet material to assume the substantially nonupstanding form as shown in figure Figure 13 illustrates an alternative to the non-upstanding configurations as shown in figures 4 and 10 wherein the pleat is folded such that both peaks are displaced 0:0'i 15 towards the same side of the base portions of the plate and not separated as is figures 4 and Figure 14 is a perspective view towards the bottom of the stand up pack formed from the and by the sheet and method of the preferred form of the present invention.

Figure 15 is a side view of a preferred form of a pack of the present invention, Figure 16 is an end view ofa pack of the preferred form of the present invention, •Figure 17 is a sectional view through section AA of figure The preferred form of the present invention there is provided a bag which in essence is shown in figures 14-17 with either material present inside it or as an empty package ready for being filled with a material such as a food product or the like. The packaging 1 is of a kind which is able to be free standing in a substantially upright condition (top to bottom) utilising a base 2 at the bottom. The base can be deployed to a configuration which will provide stability for the pack to be presented in a free standing and substantially upright condition. The base is of a gusseted kind. The gusseted formation is preferably of a single gusset and this can be seen more clearly in figure 17 which is a cross section, top to bottom of the preferred form of the packaging of the present invention. In its upright condition the packaging 1 defines a top region 3, side regions 4, 5 and a bottom region at the base 2 thereof. Although as shown in the accompanying representations the packaging is substantially of a rectangular form many alternative shapes and configuration utilising a substantially similar base region -9or a base region formed in accordance to their preferred form of the method of the invention can be employed.

Preferably the side regions of the packaging are substantially parallel however the configuration of the packaging of the present invention or even indeed the method by which such packaging is formed need not provide such parallel side regions.

The packaging provides an interior containment region which is able to contain material such as a food product or the like (whether a liquid or of a solid). Furthermore convenient opening and/or reclosable elements may be provided for access to be gained to the exterior of the packaging for the removal and/or insertion of such product. Such means may be provided along or adjacent the top region 3 or even along the side regions 4, 5 or anywhere there between. Indeed the packaging of the present invention may be provided in a form where at least part of it perimeter region provides a mouth region for accessing the interior of the packaging to allow subsequent filling thereof.

Furthermore where there is reference herein to or preferred heat sealing it is 15 envisaged by the inventor of the present invention that alternative such as adhesive sealing may also be provided for solely or in addition to any heat sealing and therefore the invention is not necessarily particularly limited to heat sealing techniques.

seThe packs of the present invention are preferably formed from a bulk supply of sheet material which may be provided in either a pre-pleated form or in a substantially 20 non-pleated form. Where the sheet material which in the normal course of events is °provided in a roll form it of a non-pleated variety the method of the present invention includes the creation of a said shaped pleat which will subsequently become part of the gusset base form of the discrete packs formed by the method of the present invention. The sheet material for the present invention is preferably of a plastic film material. In the preferred form the plastics film material is of a co-extruded kind of at least two layers wherein a first layer is preferably of a heat sealable material and the other exterior layer is preferably of a non heat sealable material. Where the sheet material is provided in a non-pre-pleated condition the steps in the method of the present invention will require the provision in the sheet material of such a pleat. As the steps in the method are preferably progressive the sheet material advanced through each step to provide to the next step the advancing sheet in an appropriate condition) the first step in the present invention is the provision of a pleat to extend substantially longitudinally in respect of the machine direction. With reference to figure 1 the pleat 6 is formed between the substantially parallel edges 6 of the elongate sheet material 7.

The formation of the pleat draws together the edges 6 such that once at least a portion of the pleat is formed the width of the sheet material is smaller than in its unpleated form. Where herein referred to as the longitudinal direction it is meant that this direction is substantially parallel to the machine direction and advance direction of the sheet material. With reference to figure 2 the pleat is preferably of a form which is substantially or inverted form and may be defined by two apex folds 8 a base fold 9 and base regions 10. This pleated region provides for the gusseted bottom form of the pack of the present invention wherein the gusset depth is defined by distance 11.

The formation of the pleat in the advancing sheet material is preferably substantially mid way between the parallel edges 6. The pleat is preferably defined by the folds at at least points 8 and 9 and preferably also by a fold at the base 10. To reinforce the structural integrity of the folds particularly during the forming of the tube as well as subsequent to the pack being formed, there is preferably provided a longitudinal seal at or substantially immediately inwardly from the apex folds 8. This can be seen with reference to figure 3 wherein for example a heat sealing station is 15 adapted to provide such a longitudinal seal between each ply of material extending from the apex fold 8 to the base 10 and to the base fold 9. However at this point in time *it undesirable for the two apex folds to also be heat sealed together as with reference to figures 4 or 10 the pleat must be able to be manipulated to a substantially nonupstanding condition to allow the sheet material to be manipulated for the forming of 20 the packs of the present invention. Therefore in a preferred form the sheet material oo used in the present invention is of a co-extruded form wherein a first surface 13 is of a heat sealable surface and a second surface 14 is of a non-heat sealable surface.

The pleat in the sheet material of the present invention is hence formed such that S during at at least the preferred longitudinal sealing as shown in figure 3 no sealing together of the two apex folds is able to occur due to the non-heat sealable nature of that surface of the sheet where such longitudinal folds are provided. Alternatively however to ensure that the apex folds are not sealed together and where that surface which preferably is non-heat sealable is heat sealable, an insert between the apex folds can be provided to prevent these from being sealed together at this point in time.

Preferably at the same heat sealing station (or prior or subsequent thereto) when the pleat is still in substantially the same condition there may also be provided a transverse seal(s) 15 which will extend between each apex fold 8 and the base and base fold 9 of each part of the pleat 6. Again should the material of surface 14 be heat sealable then a separation means can be provided at points where such transverse sealing may occur to prevent the surface between the base fold 9 and the apex fold 8 -11from being sealed together although with reference to figure 13 where the nonupstanding condition of the sheet material is provided as shown this may not be an issue.

With reference to figure 4 the pleat of the sheet material is then preferably moved to a condition which is substantially non-upstanding from the general plane or surface of the remainder of the sheet material. With reference to figure 4 the configuration assumed by the pleat is substantially "dove-tail" in shape. As however mentioned before an alternative to such a non-upstanding condition is as shown in figure 13 wherein all the overlying plies of the pleat are folded towards one side.

The manipulation of the pleat to a substantially non-upstanding condition is essential for allowing the sheet material to advance through the tube forming region of for example a form, fill and seal machine as shown in figure 6. The former 16, and the advancing of the sheet material there over requires, for there to be no up stands to allow for the tube formation as desired. It can be seen from this point of view that the 15 preferred longitudinal and transverse seals are present in the pleat of the present invention as these provide some structural integrity to the pleat in moving from a preferred lie flat condition to a tube formed condition. However it is envisaged such o. -longitudinal and transverse seals are not necessarily present and that a material of sufficient rigidity and fold retaining integrity may also provide suitable functional and formability aspects of the operations of the present invention.

The formation of the tube is achieve by bring together the substantially parallel o• edges 6 of the longitudinal sheet by manipulating the sheet over a former 16. Although S•the preferred form of the present invention the parallel edges are then sealed together G .o by a sealing station 17 it is envisaged that such preferred continuous and longitudinal seal may alternatively be a discontinuous or even a seal or may not even be present at all. Where such a discontinuous sealing of the parallel edges 6 occurs may for example be suitable where the packaging of the present invention is provided for subsequent filing. The discontinuous nature hence leaves a mouth region which can subsequent to the filling be closed by appropriate steps or processes. However in the preferred form, the sealing station 17 continuously seals the advancing tube as substantially shown in figure 6.

In the preferred form where the packaging of the present invention is filled and sealed by the apparatus, the formation of the bottom 18 of the tube occurs. This is preferably achieved by a sealing station 19. Preferably prior to reaching the sealing station 19 the pleated region 6 is manipulated to be deployed from its substantially non- -12upstanding condition such that the entire tube and the pleat is preferably co-planar. The sealing station at least provides the transverse seal 18 to define the bottom of the tube.

The tube is then advanced relative to the sealing station by a distance substantially a bag width from the bottom where a transverse seal to define a further transverse seal is provided to define a containment region. Preferably the second transverse seal also separates and forms a discrete bag. As the process of the present invention is particularly suitable for adaptation in a form, fill and seal machine, prior to the forming of the second transverse seal to form the discrete bag there is a filling of the bottom of the tube to a level no higher than the bag width from the bottom. Filling is preferably achieved in the machine direction by a filling horn or funnel 22. Then the formation of the second transverse seal to define the seal 20 encloses the contents within the discrete bag. The transverse seal is preferably across the entire transverse seal of the tube and hence also applies across the pleat form from its base 10 to its apex folds 8.

To provide a suitable strength gusseted base form to the pack it is preferably that the 15 facing surfaces between the apex folds and the base fold of the pleat are also sealed 0* 0 together. This region 21 as shown in figures 14 and 16 ensures that preferably the entire length of the sides 4 and 5 of the pack are sealed together. If such seals 21 were not present it would allow for the gusseted base form to splay apart. This is undesirable for a free standing pack. The regions 21 are preferably sealed together by the sealing station 19.

oo. Where the sheet material of the present invention has a non-heat sealable surface 14 there is required to be a provision of a region of heat sealablity or patches of a heat S° sealable material where the regions 21 are to be formed. In for example figures 4 and 5 such patches or regions of the non-heat sealable surface which are heat sealable which are provided at areas which will lie inwardly from the sides 4 and 5 of the pack.

With reference to figure 9 the heat sealing station is provided with sealing bars which are adapted to allow in the example as shown in figure 9 the sealing bars are of a L shape configuration such that when sealing of the edges 18 and 20 occurs that portion of the L shaped sealing bars also seals the patches of substantial of configuration as shown in figures 4 and 5. Alternatively and preferably however the patches of heat sealable material may be of a kind as shown in figures 10 and 11 where such patches are provided at (in the formed pack) the edges 4 and 5. In such a configuration of pack the sealing bars of sealing station 19 need not have this L shape configuration and may instead be of a preferred straight configuration. Then when the sealing bars do heat seal the pack the sealed sealing patches at the edges 4 and 5 are heat sealed together in -13the pleated form. During the preferred longitudinal sealing of the pleat 4 sheet material where such patches are provided to be at the edges 4 and 5 of the formed pack, there is required to be provided a separator or spacer 22 as shown in figure 12 which separates the inwardly facing surfaces of the pleat where such patches are provided to ensure that no heat sealing of the pleat at such points occurs at the longitudinal sealing process. This space merely acts as a separator between the heat seal patches to ensure that at this point the patches are not heat sealed together.

The station 21 preferably also includes a means to sever the tube a bag width from the bottom at a point where or adjacent the seal 20 is provided to form discrete packs.

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Claims (29)

1. A method of making a self standing bag comprising: a) taking a longitudinal sheet of film having two parallel longitudinal sides and having a first (preferably heat sealable) major surface and a second (preferably substantially non-heat sealable) major surface, b) reducing the width (side to side) of said longitudinal sheet by creating a fold longitudinal extending pleat in said sheet material c) optionally longitudinally sealing together the facing surfaces of said first major surface at or adjacent the apex folds of said pleat d) optionally transverse sealing together (preferably heat sealing) at substantially bag width intervals, each of the facing surfaces of said first major surface from the apex folds to or at least towards the base of said pleat e) ensuring, by manipulating if necessary, said pleated sheet material is in a substantial non-upstanding form at least immediately prior to; f) forming said sheet material into a tube by bringing together said first major surface of said film at or immediately adjacent said parallel edges of said film, said tube having an advanced most edge g) transverse sealing said first major surface of said film together along said advanced most edge of said tube to form what will be one closed side of the bag in its upright condition, h) transverse sealing said first major surface of said film together along a bag width distance from the advanced most edge of said tube, to form what will be the other closed side of the pack in its upright condition, said transverse sealing including or followed by cutting said tube a bag width from said bottom to form a discrete bag.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said method includes between steps g and h) the filling with a material (such as a food material) of said tube to a level not extending above a bag width from said bottom of said tube.

3. A method as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein said pleat is generated longitudinally within said sheet substantially centrally between said parallel edges.

4. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said longitudinal sheet is of a co-extruded kind of at least 2 (and integrally bonded) plies of material, wherein said ply defining said first major surface is heat sealable and said ply defining said second major surface is preferably substantially non heat sealable.

S* S. S A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said second major surface is substantially non heat sealable save for regions of or applied onto said second major surface of a sealable (preferably heat sealable material) to allow joining at steps and of at least the apex of said pleat at 1) said one and said other closed sides, or 2) substantially immediately bag side of said one and said other closed sides.

6. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said second major surface is preferably substantially non heat sealable save for regions of or patches applied onto said second major surface of a heat sealable material, to join by heat sealing of the second major surface between at least part of each apex fold and the mid base fold of said pleat in a transverse direction along said one and said other closed sides, or 2) substantially immediately bag side of said one and said other closed sides.

7. A method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 6 wherein said regions are pre- S: 15 provided on said longitudinal sheet of film or alternatively applied prior to steps and

8. A method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein said regions are applied onto said second major surface ofa heat sealable material and are present in the feed stock of said sheet material and requires, where said option(l) of claims 5 or 6 provides the joining of said regions, providing during step steps and the an insert •between said regions when step and is performed to prevent said regions becoming sealed together prior to steps and

9. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein said steps above are as said sheet material advances, progressive steps.

10. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein said sheet material prior to step a) is dispensed from a roll of material provided with a plurality of mutually sealable regions in locations corresponding to where said joining of steps and (h) is to occur.

11. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein said pleat is deployed from the said non-upstanding form position to extend away and to lie in the same plane from the remainder of said film prior to the tube being transverse sealed.

12. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein said transverse seals are line seals and are across the entire width of said tube.

13. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein said sealing of said parallel edges together is continuos. -16-

14. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein said method may also include providing (preferably subsequent to step f) an interlocking reclose means and/or perforating at or immediately inwardly of the two parallel edges to provide a reclosable or severable means of accessing.

15. A method of forming a standable pouch pack from a longitudinal web of sheet material heat sealable on at least (and preferably only) one side thereof, said method comprising or including forming by pinching and/or folding said sheet longitudinally to define a lie flat double peak pleat, forming and sealing (preferably progressively) the lie flat web with the opening of the pleat inwards into a tube the peaks are outside of said tube) so that the pleat runs parallel to the tube axis, line sealing the advance most edge of said tube and then line sealing at a pack width of said tube from said advanced most edge transverse to the tube axis to provide 15 a sealed part, the arrangement being that the pleat its self fixed one part to another substantially along the line of said transverse seals is in a deployed as a gusseted base of said pouch, where at the pack sides the two plies defining the gusset form are sealed together.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein a first of said transverse seals are formed below the discharge zone of a filling horn or funnel and a second of said seals above the contents discharged into the pouch pack being formed.

17. A method as claimed in claims 15 or 16 wherein said forming each said lie flat double peak pleat includes sealing longitudinally of the web the peak of the pleat to provide a fixed extremity of the pleat on either side of the opening of the pleat.

18. A method as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 17 wherein said forming of said lie flat pleat also includes the provision of heat seals transverse to the pleat axis which will provide connection between parts of said sheet in the line of said subsequently provided seals transverse to the tube axis.

19. A method as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 18 wherein said forming of the tube is about a mandrel or tube forming shape into which at least in part said filling horn or funnel extends.

A method as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 19 wherein said sheet material is heat sealable on one side only. -17-

21. A method as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 20 wherein said fixing of one part to another of said pleat substantially along the line of said transverse seals preferably involves either heat sealing using a melt adhesive patched or otherwise provided on otherwise non heat sealable faces of the sheet material.

22. A longitudinal sheet material for forming a plurality of discrete bag of a kind having a gusseted bottom form, and a top region, and substantially parallel sides defining said bag width, said sheet material being of a co-extruded kind having at least two integrally bonded plies of material wherein a ply of material defining a first major surface of said sheet is of a heat sealable kind and a ply of material defining the other major surface of said sheet is of a non heat sealable kind save for or applied thereon a series of heat sealable regions at substantially bag width intervals on said sheet located inwardly from the parallel edges thereof and at intervals to, when said bag is formed from said sheet material, be positioned within said gusseted form at or immediately inwardly of said 15 edges of said discrete bags, wherein when in a formed bag, these regions provided on each inwardly facing surface of the gusset form, are sealed together.

23. A sheet material as claimed in claim 22 wherein said series of regions consist of two pairs of patches, a first of said pair located to be positioned in said gusseted form at or immediately adjacent one side of said bag and the second of said pair to be located at or immediately adjacent the other of said side of said bag wherein each patch of each said pair is to be positioned in said gusseted form inwardly facing each other at or immediately adjacent said sides of said bag.

24. A sheet material as claimed in claims 22 or 23 wherein each said pair of patches is of a longitudinal shape and of a length which when said discrete bags are formed, corresponds to the depth of said gusset.

A form fill and seal machine for forming the packs in accordance to the methods of any one of claims 1 to 21 formed from a rolled feed stock of material as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 24 (either of a pre-pleated kind or of a kind capable of being pleated to form said gusset) to form discrete and product filled bags of a kind having a gusseted base portion capable of being deployed to provide a stable base for the packs to be self standing and supportable by said gusseted base.

26. A self standing pack of a kind having a gusseted base capable of deploying to form a stable base region said pack being made in accordance to the steps as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 21 or made from the sheet material as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 24. -18-

27. A self standing bag comprising a rectangular front and rear panel each sealed to each other along the side edges said panels also each having a top edge and a bottom edge, a gusset form between said panels to define a sealed bottom at said bottom edges of said panels, wherein each ply of the gusset form is sealed to an immediately adjacent of said front and rear panels at least along the side edges of said front and rear panel, and wherein the plies of the gusset form are also sealed to each other along only the side edges of the front and rear panels, or immediately inwardly therefrom.

28. A bag as claimed in claim 27 wherein each ply of the gusset form is also sealed to the immediately adjacent front and back panels transverse to the bottom/mouth direction along the bottom edge of the front and back panels.

29. A bag in accordance with any one or more of figures 14 to 17. 15 Dated: 15 September 2000 INDUSTRIAL PLAN AND TEC CS LIMITED AJPARK Patent Attorneys for the Applicant i *.e