WO1999054219A1

WO1999054219A1 - Airtight sanitized valvular bag and method

Info

Publication number: WO1999054219A1
Application number: PCT/BR1998/000028
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paulo Roberto Jannotti Newlands
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-04-16
Filing date: 1998-05-27
Publication date: 1999-10-28
Anticipated expiration: 2000-10-16
Also published as: BR9800470A

Abstract

A sanitized, airtight valvular plastic bag and method, which production is performed simultaneously both to the fitting of the exhaustion valve destined to the controlled exhaustion of its contents and, if desired, to the filling of the selected product.

Description

"AIRTIGHT SANITIZED VALVULAR BAG AND METHOD "

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present patent relates to the art of making a sanitized, airtight valvular plastic bag and method, which production is performed simultaneously to the fitting of the exhaustion valve destined to the controlled exhaustion of its contents and, if desired, with the filling of the selected product.

Human demand for bigger quantities of relied goods loaded to cheaper packages is daily increasing. In certain fields, the massive use of plastic materials for packaging of a variety of substances have almost replaced all the application of glass recipients.

Such is the case on the medical segment where plastic bottles and bags are in common use and enteral and parenteral solutions, for example, are being supplied to patients through this system. Another field of application is in the food and beverage market where mineral water, for example, is being heavily bottled to plastic recipients.

One of the advantages of plastic bags when compared to rigid bottles is the collapsibility of its flexible w^ralls that allows the exhaustion of bag's content only by the force of gravity whilst in rigid bottles the internal pressure that prevents free flow of its contents must be compensated by the admission through a diaphragm with filter, of a n ot-alw ays-reliable external air.

The present bag of the art and its production method that can also be used for many other applications, have incorporated additional advantages such as low production costs, non-hazardous sterilizing process, full automatization of the assembling line both at the vertical or horizontal form -fill-seal machines and many others such as the use of friendly polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester films instead of the undesirable PVC, for instance.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved bag and method for m aking the bag that incorporates the above mentioned advantages.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide through a non-hazardous method, a sanitized bag suitable even for the medical use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sanitized, empty or loaded bag with an exhaustion valve and an injection pad for the introduction of liquids inside the bag, both automatically fitted to the sanitized bag during its production process. It is still a further object of the present invention to provide such a bag and method for its production which bag and method are less expensive than the prior art.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide such a bag and method for m aking the same either through a vertical or horizontal fully automated form -fill-seal machine specifically conceived for that purpose.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a suitable box for the transportation and final use of the bag^'s contents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A sanitized, airtight valvular plastic bag and method, which production is performed simultaneously both to the fitting of the exhaustion valve destined to the controlled exhaustion of its contents and, if desired, to the filling of the selected product. The present bag of the art and its production method that can also be used as a container for many other applications, have incorporated additional advantages such as low production costs, non-hazardous sterilizing process, full automatization of the assembling line both at the vertical or horizontal form -fill-seal machines and many others such as the use of friendly polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester films instead of the undesirable PVC, for instance.

The bag is particularly useful in the medical segment due to its low production cost, non-hazardous sterilization production system and reduced cubic space to store both unused or dispensed units.

It also bears an injection pad for the introduction of liquids inside the bag and an exhaustion valve, both automatically fitted during the production process that allows the continuos and controlled flow of its contents. The steps to get the final product include the use of a vertical or horizontal form -fill-seal machine dully adapted for the formation of a plastic tube from a plastic film , internal and external sterilization of the bag's walls, welding, fitting of the exhaustion valve, loading of the selected product and hermetically closing of the bag, being all of the described operations performed simultaneously.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figs, la and lb show a front view of the bag of the art, made up empty in this case, for further loading. Fig. lc shows an exhaustion valve and its seal. Fig. 1 d shows a type of cap for medical use.

Fig. le shows an injection pad for introduction of liquids inside the bag. Fig. 2 is a general view of a vertical form-fill-seal machine of the art Fig. 2a is an enlarged view of the transferring cylinder of the film with a middle aperture for the free passage of the exhaustion valve.

Fig. 3 is a general view of a horizontal form-fill-seal machine of the art.

Figs, from 3a to 3d represent the sequence performed by the horizontal machine for the welding of the exhaustion valve, loading of the selected good and closing of the bag.

Figs. 4 and 4a reproduce a pneumatic piston bearing either a welding element for the fixture of the exhaustion valve 1 and/or an injection pad of

Fig. le for the introduction of liquids inside the bag, as shown in the figures, or a drill to perforate the film.

Fig. 5 shows the welding element for the lateral and diagonal closing of the bag.

Fig. 6a to 6e shows an optional welding element for the fixture of the exhaustion valve and/or an injection pad, directly over the forming tube in the vertical machine.

Fig. 7 shows an optional location of the exhaustion valve.

Figs, from 8a to 8c shows a box of the art destined to accommodate the valve bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As shown in Figs, la and lb. a bag shaped container generally formed from the folding of a piece of plastic film extracted from a coil in two identical halves and the welding of the three loose edges 2 of that piece of plastic, such bag holding an exhaustion valve 1 located at its not welded edge 3 lower end, is disclosed. The container also includes isolated portions 4 defined by the diagonal welding line 5 and horizontal 6 where apertures 7 have been inserted to permit handling the bag during its transportation and use. The container at this particular sequence was produced empty for further loading, as in the case for enteral use. for which a seal 8 has been inserted in the end of the valve's tube of Fig. lc to guarantee the integrity and hermeticity of its interior. Between the valve^'s tube and base, there is a groove 9a for reception of the segmented portion of the cap.

After the rem oval of the seal, it is attached the cap of the Fig. Id with a segmented line 10 that defines the portion 11 to be inserted in the groove 9a existing at the exhaustion valve 1, portion 11 that is detached whenever the cap is removed, as well as an elongated tube 12 as from the cap ^'s ceiling with an internal diaphragm to be pierced at the mom ent of final use of the container's content.

The injection pad of Fig. le is conceived for the introduction of medicine liquids to the interior of the bag through a needle at any tim e desired. Made of atoxic plastic, rubber or any other cicatπzable m aterial, the pad is welded right over the bag^'s wall by a welding band 13, being the thick central portion 14 of the pad m ade up of a self-recover material that after has been penetrated by the needle's injection is able to recover the previous shape and condition avoiding so any leakage possibility.

Through Figs. 2 and 3 we have a general view of a vertical and horizontal form -fill-seal machine of the art, fitted for the production of the airtight sanitized valvular bag due to the incorporation of the following items:

- pneum atic piston with drill 15 to perforate the film right at the point where the exhaustion valve 1 will be fixed - pneumatic piston with a circular welding element 16 for the fixture of the exhaustion valve 1 and/or the injection pad of Fig. le;

- exhaustion valve^'s feeder 17, linked to a conveyor and a positioner ofpieces; - Fig. 5 welding element for diagonal 5 and lateral 5a weldings;

- optional injection pad feeder for specific bags;

- ventilator 18 with filter and electrode destined to warm the air blown to the interior of the machine in order either to dry the rem aining of the liquid that sanitizes the film and to create a positive pressure inner chamber;

- vented pipe 19 through which the warm air is pressed against part or the whole film 's circuit, after the sanitizing bath and welding of the exhaustion valve 1 has been done;

- electric m otor 20 for the exhaustion of the warm air blown by the ventilator;

- bath container 21 to store sanitizing liquids such as hydrogen peroxide which is warm ed by an electrode located either in an inner container 22 loaded with liquids such as destilled water, or close to an outer wall of the container; - supplying container 23 of sanitizing liquid connected from its low level to the operational level of the bath container 21 by a tube 24;

- transferring cylinder of the film of Fig. 2a with a middle aperture for the free passage of the exhaustion valve 1.

The horizontal machine of Fig. 3 has additionally incorporated a folding elem ent 26 to get each half of the film in vertical position to perm it the use of a traction element 27 against a separator 28 and consequently the easy handling for the welding of the bag^'s edges, filling of the selected content, up to the discharge at the end of the assembling line of the ready - for-use airtight sanitized valvular bag. The vertical and horizontal welding system , filling of the selected product, cut of the bag's edges and traction system at the horizontal machine are described through the Figs. 3a to 3d: a) on fig. 3a, after filling of the welded edges' bag, the filling pipe 29 is raised to permit the horizontal movement of the horizontal welding element 30 for the bottom closing of the filled bag. b) on Fig. 3b the horizontal welding element 30 has been descended and closed against the welding point at the bag' s bottom;

-d) on Fig. 3c, still in the closing position, the horizontal welding element 30 is horizontally displaced simultaneously to the traction of the film by the traction element 27 up to the cutting point and discharge of the ready-for-use airtight sanitized valvular bag, as shown in Fig. 3d. An alternative system for welding the exhaustion valve 1 and/or the injection pad of Fig. le right over the forming tube 31 on a vertical form- fill-seal machine whenever the sanitizing of the bag is not required, is represented by the sequence of Figs. 6a to 6e that shows a longitudinal flat portion 32 against which the exhaustion valve 1 is compressed by a piston 33 with a welding element, the whole set being connected to a feeder 34, linked to a conveyor and aposiotioner of pieces.

Fig. 7 shows how the exhaustion valve 1 can be welded in a extreme position over the folded edge 3 especially for the case of bag-in-box products, as represented by Figs. 8a to 8c that disclose a preferably rectangular box made up of carton.

Fig. 8a is an upper view of the open box with apertures 35 either at the upper side 36 to create a handle 36a for transportation and at the bottom 37 of the box creating a window 37a to expose the exhaustion valve 1, after the bag has been inserted, as shown in Figs. 8b and 8c. To strength the box^'s mechanical resistance, the lateral portion 38 has been elongated and stick together the box structure.

Claims

"CLAIMS"

1. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method, the bag bearing an exhaustion valve and being form ed by folding in two halves a piece of plastic film and welding the three rem aining loose edges of the s folded piece, such folding and welding being done by either a vertical or horizontal form -fill-seal machine, characterized in that the production of the bag is performed simultaneously to the welding, sanitation, fitting of the exhaustion valve destined to the controlled exhaustion of its contents and. if desired, with the filling of the selected product. o 2. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to

Claim 1 wherein the production of the bag performed simultaneously to the welding, sanitation, fitting of the exhaustion valve with or without a seal, destined to the controlled exhaustion of its contents and. if desired, with the filling of the selected product which is perm itted due to the incorporation of s specific components to the existing vertical and horizontal form -fill-seal machines.

3. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any one of Claim s 1 and 2 wherein an exhaustion valve with a welding band 9 and an optional seal 8 that keeps the bag^'s interior sanitized up to the 0 mom ent of final use and that can be optionally closed with the cap of the Fig. Id with a segmented line 10 that defines the portion 11 to be inserted in the groove 9a existing at the exhaustion valve 1, portion 11 that is detached whenever the cap is removed, as well as an elongated tube 12 as from the cap ^'s ceiling with an internal diaphragm to be pierced at the 5 moment of final use of the container's content have been incorporated.

4. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any one of Claim s 1-3 wherein a pneum atic piston with drill 15 to perforate the film right at the point where the exhaustion valve 1 will be fixed has been incorporated.

5. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any one of Claim s 1-4 wherein a pneum atic piston with a circular welding elem ent 16 for the fixture of the exhaustion valve 1 and/or the injection pad of Fig. le has been incorporated.

6. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any one of Claim s 1-5 wherein an exhaustion valve's feeder 17. linked to a conveyor and a positioner of pieces have been incorporated.

7. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any one of Claim s 1-6 wherein a welding elem ent of Fig. 5, for the diagonal 5 and lateral 5a closing of the bag has been incorporated.

8. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to Claim s 1-7 wherein apertures 7 at the isolated portions 4 defined by the diagonal welding line 5 and horizontal 6 have been incorporated.

9. An Airtight Sanitized Valvu lar Bag and Method according any one of Claim s 1-8 wherein an option al injection pad feeder welded right over the bag^'s wall for specific bags such as m edical bags has been incorporated, bearing such a pad a central welding band 13 and thick central portion 14 of the pad made up of a self-recover atoxic material.

10. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any one of Claim s 1-9 wherein a ventilator 18 with filter and electrode destined to warm the air blown to the interior of the m achine in order either to dry the rem aining of the liquid that san itizes the film and to create a positive pressure chamber inside the machine have been incorporated.

11. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any one of Claim s 1-10 wherein a vented pipe 19 through which the warm air is pressed against part or the whole film 's circuit, after the sanitizing bath and welding of the exhaustion valve 1 has been incorporated.

12. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any one of Claim s 1-11 wherein an electric m otor 20 for the exhaustion of the s warm air blown by the ventilator has been incorporated.

13. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any one of Claims 1-12 wherein a bath container 21 to store sanitizing liquids such as hydrogen peroxide which is warm ed by an electrode located either in an inner container 22 loaded with liquids such as destilled water, or close o to an outer wall of the container has been incorporated.

14. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any one of Claims 1-13 wherein a supplying container 23 of sanitizing liquid connected from its low level to the operational level of the bath container 21 by a tube 24 has been incorporated 5

15. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any one of Claims 1-14 wherein a transferring cylinder for the film of Fig. 2a with a middle aperture for the free passage of the exhaustion valve 1 has been incorporated.

16. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any 0 one of Claims 1-15 wherein a folding element 26 to get each half of the film in a vertical position to perm it the use of a traction elem ent 27 against a separator 28 have been incorporated.

17. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any one of Claims 1-16 wherein an alternative system on a vertical form -fill-seal 5 machine for welding the exhaustion valve 1 and/or the injection pad of Fig. le right over the form ing tube 31 comprising a longitudinal flat portion 32 against which the exhaustion valve 1 is compressed bv a piston 33 with a welding elem ent, the whole set being connected to a feeder 34. linked to a conveyor and a positioner of pieces have been incorporated..

18. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any one of Claims 1-16 wherein the exhaustion valve 1 is welded in a extreme position over the folded edge 3 especially for the case of bag-in-box products, as represented by Figs. 7 and 8a to 8c.

19. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any one of Claim s 1-18 wherein a preferably rectangular box made up of carton as in Figs. 7 and 8a to 8c, with apertures 35 either at the upper side 56 to create a handle 36a for transportation and at the bottom 37 of the box to create a window 37a to expose the exhaustion valve 1.

20. An Airtight Sanitized Valvular Bag and Method according to any one of Claim s 1-19 wherein the lateral portion 38 has been elongated and stick together the box structure.