NL2012050C2

NL2012050C2 - A collapsible pouch and a method for metered dispensing from said pouch.

Info

Publication number: NL2012050C2
Application number: NL2012050A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Laurens Last; Dhandutt Shah
Original assignee: Ipn Ip Bv
Priority date: 2014-01-06
Filing date: 2014-01-06
Publication date: 2015-07-07
Also published as: WO2015102494A1

Abstract

A collapsible pouch (1) has a chamber (2) that is filled or is to be filled with a flowable product. The pouch is provided with a fitment (10) for dispensing the product from the chamber of the pouch, which fitment has a base body (11) that is secured to the pouch. The base body of the fitment has a bore therein. The fitment further comprises a rotary metering member (20) that is adapted to dispense a metered volume portion of the flowable product from the pouch. This rotary metering member has a tubular body (21) with an inner portion that is journaled within the bore in the base body and with an outer portion that extends beyond the bore to a dispensing end of the tubular body. The tubular body of the rotary metering member forms a product passage (22) therein which extends to a dispensing mouth (23). A screw cap (40) is mounted on the outer portion of the rotary metering member, so as to close the dispensing mouth and so that a metering volume is defined in the product passage when closed by the screw cap.

Description

A COLLAPSIBLE POUCH AND A METHOD FOR METERED DISPENSING FROM SAID POUCH

The present invention relates to a collapsible pouch having a chamber that is filled or to be filled with a flowable product, e.g. a liquid product, wherein the pouch is provided with a fitment for dispensing the product from the chamber of the pouch, which fitment has a base body that is secured to the pouch, wherein the base body of the fitment has a bore therein, and wherein a screw cap is mounted on the fitment.

In a commonly known design a collapsible pouch is provided with a fitment having a base body that is secured, e.g. by heat-sealing, to the pouch. This base body is provided with a tubular neck and a product dispensing bore extends through the base body to a dispensing mouth at the free end of the neck. A screw cap is mounted on the neck allowing a user to open the pouch when desired and to dispense product from the pouch.

Many pouches are designed to be hand-held when dispensing product from the pouch. As the pouch is collapsible, e.g. made of foil material as is known in the art, accurate dispensing from the hand-held pouch may be perceived as somewhat problematic as the user may squeeze the pouch inappropriately leading to the dispensing of more product than was intended. This is for example of relevance for liquid products like liquid detergent, e.g. for clothing, e.g. for in a washing machine, or for other liquid detergents, e.g. to be mixed with water in a bucket for cleaning, for concentrated liquid detergents, liquid hand wash products, for cosmetic products, food products, lubricants, pharmaceutical products, etc., but also for products like pesticides, plant growth enhancing products, or any other liquid or powdery products where dispensing in more or less accurate dosage is desired.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above mentioned problem by providing an improved collapsible pouch and related fitment that allows for more accurate dispensing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved collapsible pouch and related fitment that allows for metered dispensing having a simple and cost effective structure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved collapsible pouch and related fitment that allows for metered dispensing allowing for a simple manual operation.

The present invention achieves one or more of the aims addressed above by providing a collapsible pouch according to the preamble of claim 1 which is characterized in that the fitment comprises a rotary metering member that is adapted to dispense a metered volume portion of the flowable product from the pouch, which rotary metering member has a tubular body with an inner portion that is journaled within the bore in the base body of the fitment and with an outer portion that extends beyond the bore in the base body of the fitment to a dispensing end of the tubular body, wherein the tubular body of the rotary metering member forms a product passage therein which extends to a dispensing mouth at the dispensing end, wherein the inner portion of the tubular body of the rotary metering member is provided with one or more ports that are in communication with the product passage, wherein the base body of the fitment is provided with one or more ports in communication with the chamber of the pouch, wherein the rotary metering member and the base body of the fitment have cooperating closed position index portions which define a closed position of the rotary metering member relative to the base body of the fitment, in which closed position the one or more ports of the inner portion of the rotary metering member are out of alignment with the one or more ports of the base body of the fitment so that the chamber of the pouch is closed, and wherein - in an opened position of the rotary metering member relative to the body of the fitment - the one or more ports of the inner portion of the rotary metering member are aligned with the one or more ports of the base body of the fitment so that the chamber of the pouch is opened to the product passage, wherein the outer portion of the rotary metering member is provided with an actuation portion that is adapted to be engaged by a user or by a dispensing device in order to move the rotary metering member between the closed position and the opened position thereof, and wherein the screw cap is mounted on the outer portion of the rotary metering member, so as to close the dispensing mouth and so that a metering volume is defined in the product passage when closed by the screw cap, and wherein the screw cap is provided with screw thread that mates with screw thread on the outer portion of the rotary metering member, which screw threads are embodied such that the direction of unscrewing of the cap from the outer portion of the rotary metering member is the same as the direction of rotation of the rotary metering member to the closed position thereof.

The inventive collapsible pouch with fitment allows for metered dispensing of product from the pouch. Yet it is also possible to achieve a continuous dispensing from the pouch of greater volume than the metered volume by bringing the rotary metering member it is opened position such that - with the screw cap removed - any desired volume can be dispensed from the pouch.

The collapsible pouch preferably is embodied to be handheld, e.g. having a chamber filled or to be filled with volume between 50ml and 2 litres of the product, e.g. between 50 ml and 500 ml.

In an embodiment the metering volume is between 1ml and 20ml, e.g. between 2ml and 10ml.

In a practical embodiment the pouch is a stand-up pouch having a stand-up bottom with the fitment arranged at an upper end of the stand-up pouch. For example the pouch has two side walls joined by vertical side seams and by a top seam, with the fitment arranged in the top seam, and the pouch has a bottom panel transverse to the side walls and joined to said side walls, wherein lower margins of the side walls extend below the bottom panel.

In a practical embodiment the base body is a monolithic plastic injection molded base body.

In a practical embodiment the rotary metering member is a monolithic plastic injection molded rotary metering member.

In a practical embodiment the screw cap, preferably including any tamper-evident structure, is a monolithic plastic injection molded screw cap.

In an embodiment the base body has a bottom wall closing the bore at a bottom end thereof.

In an embodiment the base body has a bottom wall closing the bore at a bottom end thereof, wherein the base body further has a peripheral wall surrounding at least an axial section of the inner portion of the rotary metering member, with said one of more ports being provided in said peripheral wall, e.g. two ports at diametrically opposite positions.

In an embodiment the rotary metering member is provided with a snap-fit member engaging the base body in the manner of a snap fit so as to retain the metering member in the bore of the base body. For example the base body has a bottom wall closing the bore at a bottom end thereof with said bottom wall being provided with a first snap fit portion and with the rotary metering member being provided with a mating second snap fit portion.

For example the rotary metering member has a projecting connecting head that extends into or through a snap fit opening in a bottom wall closing the bore at a bottom end thereof such that the rotary metering member is retained.

In an embodiment the actuation portion that is adapted to be engaged by the user or by a dispensing device in order to move the rotary metering member between the closed position and the opened position is formed as or with an annular flange portion extending around the product passage, e.g. with one or more sections of said annular flange portion being provided with grip enhancing features, e.g. being ribbed or roughened to enhance the grip of the users fingers thereon.

In an embodiment the annular flange portion is provided with one or more elements of a tamper-evident structure to evidence the first time removal of the screw cap from the fitment.

In an embodiment the screw cap has a circumferential skirt surrounding the outer portion of the rotary metering member and has a transverse wall extending across the product passage to close said passage. In an embodiment the transverse wall forms a top wall of the screw cap and spans the top edge of the circumferential skirt so as to be resting on the dispensing mouth. In another embodiment the transverse wall is located deeper into the product passage, so inwardly recessed with regard to the top edge of the circumferential skirt. The latter embodiment is for example attractive if a smaller metered volume is desired and allows for the manufacturing of fitments having different metered volumes by provided one base body and corresponding rotary metering member in combination with differently embodied screw caps so as to vary the effective metered volume.

The inventive collapsible pouch for example allows for the following method for metered dispensing of a portion of a product: - with the rotary metering member in its opened position and with the screw cap screwed onto the rotary metering member such that it closes the product passage, the metering volume can be filled with product from the chamber of the pouch (e.g. by inverting a handheld pouch provided with the fitment or by squeezing the pouch); once the metering volume is filled, the actuation portion is actuated so that the rotary metering member is brought into its closed position, - with the metering member in its closed position the screw cap is unscrewed and the metered volume of product is dispensed via the dispensing mouth of the outer portion of the rotary metering member.

The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing collapsible pouches with metered dispensing fitments according to claim 1, wherein the method involves the manufacture of multiple identical fitments and the manufacture of multiple distinct screw caps which each are placed onto the outer portion of the rotary metering member of one of said fitments so that the dispensing opening thereof is closed and then define distinct metering volumes in the product passages of said fitments.

This method allows for the manufacturing of pouches with fitments having a desired metering volume merely by selecting the appropriate screw cap and placing said cap on the fitment, with caps having distinct design leading to distinct metering volumes being manufactured.

It is primarily envisaged that the invention is beneficial in combination with collapsible pouch containers, e.g. stand-up pouches. It is however also envisaged that the fitment is arranged on another type of product container, e.g. a bottle, e.g. a squeeze bottle that can be squeezed by the user, e.g. a hand-held container. For example, in an embodiment, the container is provided with a neck, e.g. as on a (plastic) bottle, and the base body is secured to the neck of the container, e.g. by a snap-fit or by a screw connection.

The present invention also relates to a system comprising a collapsible pouch or other container as described herein in combination with a dispenser device.

The invention will now be explained with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows an example of a collapsible pouch according to the invention that is filled with a liquid product, wherein the pouch is provided with a fitment for metered dispensing the product from the pouch,

Fig. 2 shows the fitment of figure 1,

Fig. 3 shows the parts of the fitment of figure 2,

Figs. 4a, b show the pouch of figure 1 and the fitment thereof, with the rotary metering member in opened position,

Figs. 5a, b show the pouch of figure 1 and the fitment thereof, with the rotary metering member in closed position,

Fig. 6 shows the fitment of figure 1 with the rotary metering member in opened position and with the screw cap closing the dispensing mouth and intact tamper-evident structure,

Fig. 7 shows the fitment of figure 6 in inverted position,

Fig. 8 shows the fitment of figure 7 with the rotary metering member moved to its closed position,

Fig. 9 shows the fitment of figure 8 when the pouch is in upright position,

Fig. 10 illustrates the dispensing of the metered volume from the fitment after removal of the screw cap,

Fig. 11 illustrates the fitment of figure 1 from below.

With reference to the drawings an example of a collapsible pouch with a metered dispensing fitment according to the invention.

The pouch 1 has a chamber 2 that is filled with a flowable product, for example a concentrated liquid detergent.

The pouch 1 is a stand-up pouch having a stand-up bottom. As can be seen, see also other figures, the pouch has two side walls 3, 4 joined by vertical side seams 5, 6 and by a top seam 7. A fitment 10 is arranged in the top seam 7.

The pouch 1 has a bottom panel 8 transverse to the side walls 3, 4 and joined to these side walls. As can be seen lower margins of the side walls 3, 4 extend below the bottom panel 8 so that the pouches effectively stands on said lower margins of the side walls as is known in the art.

For example the pouch 1 has a volume between 50 ml and 500 ml.

The fitment 10 has a base body 11 that is secured to the pouch, here between the opposed side walls 3, 4 of the pouch.

The base body 11 is a monolithic injection molded plastic part. It is envisaged, as is common, that the base body is heat-sealed to the pouch. If desired other securing techniques may be applied, e.g. using an adhesive, etc.

The base body 11 has a bore 12 therein that circular in cross-section. The bore 12 extends from an opening at the outward face of the base body, here to a blind end at the inner end of the bore 12.

In this example the base body 12 has a peripheral wall 13 embodied as a cylindrical wall and at the inward end thereof a bottom wall 14 closing the bore 12 at a bottom end thereof.

In this example the base body has - in top view - a boat shape. Here two planar and vertical webs 15 extend in opposite directions away from the central cylindrical wall and multiple planar transverse webs 16 are integral in the base body to form a boat shape. Other designs leading to such a boat shape are known in the art, e.g. with a single transverse web from which sealing walls depend that delimited the boat shape.

The fitment 10 further comprises a rotary metering member 20 that is adapted to dispense a metered volume portion of the flowable product from the pouch.

The metering member 20 is generally tubular and has a tubular body 21 with an inner portion that is journaled within the bore 12 in the base body 11 of the fitment 10 and with an outer portion that extends beyond the bore 12 in the base body of the fitment to a dispensing end of the tubular body.

Internally the tubular body 21 of the rotary metering member 20 forms a product passage 22 which extends to a dispensing mouth 23 at the dispensing end.

As can be seen the inner portion of the tubular body 21 of the rotary metering member 20 is provided with one or more ports, here two ports 24 at diametrically opposite positions, that are in communication with the product passage 22.

The base body 11 of the fitment 10 is provided with one or more ports 17, here two at diametrically opposite positions in the cylinder wall 13, which are in communication with the chamber of the pouch 1.

As is illustrated in figure 11 the rotary metering member 20 and the base body 11 of the fitment have cooperating index portions 25, 18 which define a closed position - and in this example also an opened position as shown in figure 11 - of the rotary metering member 20 relative to the base body 11 of the fitment. In the closed position the one or more ports 24 of the inner portion of the rotary metering member are out of alignment with the one or more ports 17 of the base body of the fitment so that the chamber of the pouch is closed from the product passage.

In the opened position of the rotary metering member 20 relative to the base body 11 of the fitment - the one or more ports 24 of the inner portion of the rotary metering member are aligned with the one or more ports 17 of the base body of the fitment so that the chamber of the pouch is opened to the product passage. This is shown in figure 11.

As can be seen the outer portion of the rotary metering member 20 is provided with an actuation portion 30 that is adapted to be engaged by a user or by a dispensing device in order to move the rotary metering member 20 between the closed position and the opened position thereof.

It can further be seen that a screw cap 40 is mounted on the outer portion of the rotary metering member 20, so as to close the dispensing mouth and so that a metering volume is defined in the product passage when closed by the screw cap and with the rotary metering member 20 in closed position thereof relative to the base body 11.

The screw cap 40 is provided with screw thread that mates with screw thread 29 on the outer portion of the rotary metering member 20, which screw threads are embodied such that the direction of unscrewing of the cap 40 from the outer portion of the rotary metering member 20 is the same as the direction of rotation of the rotary metering member 20 to the closed position thereof.

The rotary metering member 20 is retained in the base body so that it only can revolve between the opened and closed position thereof; no axial motion of the member 20 is provided for.

The rotary metering member 20 here is provided with a snap-fit member 27 engaging the base body 11 in the manner of a snap fit so as to retain the metering member in the bore of the base body. In this example the rotary metering member 20 has a projecting connecting head 27 that extends through a snap fit opening 19 in the bottom wall at the inner end of the bore 12 such that the rotary metering member is retained in axial direction.

It is illustrated here that the rotary metering member has one or more axially extending indexing projections 25 at its inner end, which each extend into an arctuate slot 18 in the bottom wall, which slots define at least one limit position for each projection and thereby an indexed opened and/or closed position of the member 20 relative to the base body.

In an embodiment the function of axial retention of the member 20 as well as the indexing function are combined into one mechanism, e.g. the head 27 being dispensed with and one or more of the projections 25 also being embodied with a snap-fit head end to perform the axial retention function.

In an embodiment - as shown here - the actuation portion 30 that is adapted to be engaged by the user or by a dispensing device in order to move the rotary metering member 20 between the closed position and the opened position is formed as an annular flange portion 30 extending around the product passage and as an outward peripheral flange on the outer portion. As is preferred one or more sections of this annular flange portion 30 are provided with grip enhancing features 32, here with ribs to enhance the grip of the user’s fingers thereon and to provide a visual indication of the actual position of the member 20.

As is preferred the cap 40 is provided with a tamper-evident structure, here a ring 41 snap-fitted over a corresponding collar 42 of the outer portion tubular body. One or more breakable bridges 43 are present between said ring 41 and a circumferential skirt 44 of the cap 40. In the event of first-time opening of the cap 40, the one or more bridges 43 will break evidencing said first-time opening.

The screw cap 40 has a transverse wall 45 extending across the product passage to close said passage. In this embodiment the transverse wall forms a top wall 45 of the screw cap and spans the top edge of the circumferential skirt 44 so as to be resting on the dispensing mouth. In another embodiment the transverse wall 45 is located deeper into the product passage, so inwardly recessed with regard to the top edge of the circumferential skirt 44 of the cap. The latter embodiment is for example attractive if a smaller metered volume is desired and allows for the manufacturing of fitments having different metered volumes by provided one base body and corresponding rotary metering member in combination with differently embodied screw caps so as to vary the effective metered volume.

It is noted that a greater metering volume may be achieved by lengthening the bore 12 of the base body 11, e.g. by lengthening the cylinder wall 13 so as to extend further into the chamber of pouch, and/or by increasing the diameter of the bore 12. Of course the metering member 20 is then varied in accordance with the changes to the bore 12.

In an embodiment - not shown here - the annular flange portion 30 is provided with one or more elements of a tamper-evident structure to evidence the first time removal of the screw cap from the fitment.

The pouch 1 with fitment 10 can be used for metered dispensing of the product from the pouch, e.g. in the following manner.

In a first step the user takes the filled pouch 1 with the fitment being provided with the non-opened screw cap 40 and with the member 20 in its opened position, e.g. as shown in figures 4a, b, and 6. If the member 20 is in its closed position the user can bring it into the opened position by grasping the flange 30 and turning the member 30.

Then the user holds the pouch upside down, inverts the pouch, so that product streams into the product passage via the aligned ports in the base body 11 and the member 20. As the cap 40 is present on the tubular body, no product is dispensed. See figure 5a.

The passage is now filled with a metered volume of the product. By moving the member 20 to its closed position, using the flange 30, the user locks this liquid volume in the product passage as the passage is now closed from the chamber of the pouch. This is shown in figures 5b and 8.

Now the user can bring the pouch 1 in upright position as shown in figure 9. The member 20 is maintained in closed position thereof, so the product does not stream back into the chamber of the pouch.

Finally the user can unscrew the cap 40 and then tilt the pouch to dispense the metered volume from the fitment, e.g. into a washing machine. It is noted that the unscrewing of the cap 40 does not cause a displacement of the member 20 to its opened position, but instead only cause a force on the member 20 that actually urges the member to its closed position.

If the cap 40 is unscrewed for the first time this is evidenced, e.g. visually and/or audible, by the tamper-evident structure. In figure 10 it is not shown that ring 41 stays on the member 20.

The same sequence can be repeated by the user in order to dispense further metered volumes of product from the pouch.

In the user does not desired to dispense the product in this metered manner, the fitment allows the user to dispense in the usual manner by positioning the member 20 in its open position. With the cap 40 removed this creates an opened flow path through the fitment, so that the user can dispense any desired volume from the pouch without metering.

It will be appreciated that the pouch 1 can also be placed in a dispensing device, wherein an actuator operates the motion of the rotary member 20 between its opened and closed position.

Instead of inverting the pouch to fill the metering volume one can also envisage that the pouch is squeezed to push the product upward into the metering volume.

The actuation portion 30 can also be embodied with a lever or the like, allowing a simple operation and visual indication of the position of the member 20.

Claims

A collapsible bag (1) with a chamber (2) that is filled or can be filled with a flowable product, the bag being provided with an accessory (10) for dispensing the product from the chamber (2) of the bag, which accessory (10) has a base body (11) fixed to the bag, the accessory base body having a bore therein, and wherein a screw cap is placed on the accessory, characterized in that the accessory (10) ) has a rotatable dispenser (20) adapted to dispense a metered volume portion of the flowable product from the bag, the rotatable dispenser having a tubular body with an inner portion rotatable in the bore in the base body (11) of the fitting (10) and with an outer portion extending beyond the bore in the basic body of the fitting to a dispensing end of the tubular body, the tubular body (21) of the rotatable dosing member being a product forming ssage (22) extending to a dispensing mouth (23) at the dispensing end, the inner portion of the tubular body of the rotary dosing member being provided with one or more ports (24) communicating with the product passage, wherein the basic body of the accessory is provided with one or more ports (17) communicating with the pocket of the bag, the rotary dosing member and the basic body of the accessory having cooperating indexing portions (25,18) for the closed position define a closed position of the rotary dosing member relative to the basic body of the accessory, in which closed position the one or more ports of the inner portion of the rotary dosing member are not aligned with the one or more ports of the basic body of the accessory so that the chamber of the bag is closed, and wherein - in an open position of the rotary dosing member relative to the body m of the accessory - the one or more ports of the inner portion of the rotary dosing member are aligned with respect to the one or more ports of the base body of the accessory so that the chamber of the bag is opened to the product passage, the outer portion of the rotatable dosing member is provided with an operating portion (30) adapted to be engaged by a user or by a dispensing device to move the rotatable dosing member between its closed and open positions, and wherein the screw cap (40) is placed on the outer portion of the rotary dosing member to close off the dispensing mouth and so that a dosing volume is defined in the product passage when it is closed by the screw cap, and wherein the screw cap is provided with screw thread cooperating with screw thread (29) on the outer portion of the rotating dosing member, which threads are designed such that d The direction of unscrewing the cap from the outer portion of the rotary dosing device is the same as the direction of rotation of the rotary dosing device to its closed position.

A bag according to claim 1, wherein the bag (1) has a chamber filled or to be filled with a volume between 50 ml and 2 liters of the product, for example between 50 ml and 500 ml.

A bag according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dosage volume is between 1 ml and 20 ml, for example between 2 ml and 10 ml.

A bag according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bag (1) is a standing bag with a standing bottom, the fitting being arranged at an upper end of the standing bag, for example wherein the bag has two side walls which vertical side seams are connected and through a top seam, the fitting being arranged in the top seam, and the bag having a bottom panel extending transversely to the side walls and connected to those side walls, bottom edges of the side walls extending below the bottom panel .

A bag according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base body (11) has a bottom wall (14) at a bottom end of the bore.

The bag of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base body has a bottom wall (14) at the bottom end of the bore, and wherein the base body further has a circumferential wall (13) that has at least one axial section of the inner portion of the rotatable dosing member surrounds, said one or more ports (17) being arranged in said circumferential wall, for example two ports at diametrically opposite positions.

A bag according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rotatable dosing member is provided with a snap connection member (27) engaging the base body in the manner of a snap connection to hold the dosing member in the bore of the base body, wherein, for example, the base body has a bottom wall that closes the bore at a bottom end thereof wherein the bottom wall is provided with a first snap connection portion and wherein the rotatable dosing member is provided with a cooperating second snap connection portion.

A bag according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating portion (30) adapted to be engaged by the user or by a dispensing device to move the rotatable dosing member between the closed position and the open position is formed as or with an annular flange portion extending around the product passage, for example with one or more sections of said annular flange portion provided with grip-improving moldings (32), for example ribbed or roughened to improve the grip of the user's fingers thereon.

A method for dispensing a metered volume of product from a collapsible bag, wherein use is made of a bag according to one or more of the preceding claims.

Method according to claim 9, wherein: - with the rotary dosing member (20) in its open position and with the screw cap (40) screwed onto the rotatable dosing member so that it closes the product passage, the dosing volume is filled with product from the chamber of the bag (for example, by turning over a bag to be held with the accessory or by squeezing the bag together); as soon as the dosing volume is filled, the operating part (30) is operated so that the rotatable dosing member (20) is brought into its closed position, - with the dosing member in its closed position, the screw cap (40) is unscrewed (e.g. after the bag in an upright position) and the metered volume of product is dispensed through the delivery mouth of the outer portion of the rotary dosing member.

A method for manufacturing collapsible bags with metered-release fittings as claimed in one or more of the foregoing claims, wherein the method comprises the manufacture of a plurality of identical fittings and the manufacture of a plurality of different screw caps each on the outer portion of the rotatable dispenser of one of those appendages are screwed so that the dispensing opening thereof is closed and that different dosing volumes form in the product passages of those appendages.