EP1247749A2 - Packaging bag for aseptic filling of flowable or pourable products - Google Patents

Abstract

The food/beverage is packed into a flexible film pouch with fill opening having a closure cap. The cap can be moved between first and second closing positions. In first position, the cap can be removed without causing damage. The interior of the empty mainly flat pouch, with cap in first position, is sterilized; the pouch is transferred to a filling station; the pouch exterior is sterilized; the cap is removed; the pouch is filled with the product; the cap is replaced and sealed by being moved into the second position.

Description

The invention relates to a packaging bag made of film material for an essentially germ-free packaging of flowable or pourable products, especially food or drinks, in bottling plants.

It is known to dispense liquid or pasty cleaning agents in flexible refill bags to keep the amount of packaging material as low as possible for environmental reasons to keep possible. Such refill bags can be designed as slicing bags or have a welded part with a closure cap, so that repeated opening and Closing the refill bag is possible. More flexible in this area of application Packaging bags naturally do not have sterilization problems. For health reasons However, reasons and to achieve a sufficiently long shelf life occur Problems with packaging food and drink for human consumption in the foreground. Such products have so far been easy to sterilize mainly stored in rigid containers made of glass or sheet metal. Although these can be Recycle the container well. But is with collecting the emptied containers and their Return to the recycling center is associated with a not inconsiderable environmental impact. In addition, the heavy, voluminous containers cause difficulties during transportation and warehousing. There is therefore a need for packaging for food and Drinks in flexible packaging bags that are easy to dispose of, similar to the known ones Refill bags for detergents without reducing the shelf life of the food or drinks experience a significant loss. Although in EP-A-0 661 208, the a Process for producing a flexible packaging bag with a closure cap and its Filling in a bottling plant revealed that the known Procedure for packaging products such as milk, cooking oil and the like is suitable, however, there is no mention of a sufficient shelf life, as with such packaging can be guaranteed, even if the production of the packaging bag in one largely sterile environment and the products before filling would be pre-sterilized. Add to that the tendency in the food industry germicidal treatment of food for various reasons (receipt of Recyclable materials such as vitamins, no loss of aroma, etc.) without prolonged exposure to high Make temperatures so that the product is not completely sterile can be guaranteed and therefore higher demands on the packaging sterility must be provided. Also known (EP-A-731 037) is a system for Maintaining sterile conditions in the area of a pouring opening by clicking on an in conventionally by means of a stopper which can be closed with a pouring opening, a cap or Protective hood put on before radiation with γ-rays and immediately before filling can be removed again

The object of the invention is to provide a flexible packaging bag of the type mentioned at the beginning create the requirements of the food industry for automatic filling systems does justice by making it possible, in particular food and beverages in economical, environmentally friendly manner without significant restriction of Keep shelf life.

The packaging bag according to the invention that solves this problem is characterized by Features of claim 1. The starting material is a fully sealed, e.g. heat-sealed flexible packaging bag with one permanently welded to it fixed pouring insert, hereinafter referred to as a welded part, onto one Cap can be assembled by bouncing to one through the weld-in part tightly seal the defined filling opening, which creates access to the inside of the bag. The packaging bag can, for example, have a holding volume between 0.3 and 5.0 l have, without being to be seen as a limitation of the invention.

The empty flat-lying packaging bag with in a first of two closing positions both seal the filler opening, the cap is first, i.e. before one further treatment in a bottling plant, a germicidal treatment, preferably with germicidal γ-radiation in an irradiation station, which is basically a can have a known structure and therefore need not be described in detail. The germicidal treatment can be obtained from the manufacturer of the packaging bag or, if desired, immediately before inserting the packaging bag into the filling system. goal of Treatment is to put the inside of the packaging bag in a sterile or at least to put aseptically as possible largely. Because the one in the first closed position Sealing cap hermetically seals the inside of the packaging bag, the germ-free Maintain condition for further treatment of the packaging bag even if between the germicidal and further treatment a longer period of e.g. some Days to several months.

A number of packaging bags pretreated as described above can be combined into one Transport package can be summarized and will then be in a storage magazine Filling system used, with a ring collar on the weld-in part offers an abutment by means of that of the packaging bag in a rail-like receptacle of the magazine of the filling plant with the welding part pointing upwards, pushed in by hand or in any other way can be. The packaging bags are opened one after the other from the magazine of the filling system given a transport device, the collar for supporting the packaging bag During transport, the packaging bag is used in succession along a variety to move from stations where further treatment is carried out.

The transport device is preferably a rotary table with a A large number of treatment stations arranged thereon. In a first Treatment station is the packaging bag with the still in the first position The cap is subjected to a germicidal external treatment by at least on the area of the packaging bag that includes the sealing cap and the weld-in part, a liquid disinfectant is sprayed on using a spray nozzle. At the Disinfectant can be any known in the food industry Act substance, so that a further explanation in this regard is unnecessary.

Following the germicidal treatment of the outside of the packaging bag a drying step in a drying station in which hot air or steam is applied to the Packaging bag is left to act.

The packaging bag pretreated in this way is then transported to a station at which Grasp the cap and remove it from the weld-in part. The removed one The sealing cap is led to a bypass transport path and temporarily stored there to be placed on the packaging bag again later.

The packaging bag then comes in with the cap removed a filling station at which a product to be filled, e.g. a food or drink into the interior of the packaging bag via the filler opening exposed on the weld-in part is introduced.

Then, before putting the cap back on, the inside of the filled Packaging bag an inert gas, e.g. Nitrogen, or steam, in another station introduced to expel residual air in the packaging bag and thereby one counteract undesired oxidation or other aging of the filling.

After this treatment, the closure cap is removed from the bypass transport path in a closing station taken by means of a gripping device and on the filled Put the packaging bag back on and fasten it so that the sealing cap is in the second sealing position comes to rest, in which it does not or only from the weld-in part removed again with considerable effort, possibly by destroying the welded-in part can be.

If desired, the last treatment step is followed by a drying treatment Hot air or steam in a drying station before being filled and hermetic sealed packaging bags leave the bottling plant for further use.

It is preferred that treatment at least in the wards that remove the Sealing cap from the packaging bag, its filling with a product and the renewed Place the cap on the filled packaging bag, in one largely aseptic environment is made by these treatment stations be kept largely shielded from the outside environment. The transport of the Packaging bags along the individual treatment stations and the ones made in them Treatments can be done automatically under the control of a process control device. When setting up such a filling system with the treatment stations mentioned, the Those skilled in the art generally use known means, so that there is a more detailed explanation unnecessary.

Fig. 1

in fragmentarischer geschnittener Ansicht einen Verpackungsbeutel nach der Erfindung mit einer in einer ersten Position befindlichen Verschlusskappe, und

Fig. 2

in einer Ansicht ähnlich Fig. 1 den Verpackungsbeutel mit der Verschlusskappe in einer zweiten Position.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

in a fragmentary sectional view a packaging bag according to the invention with a closure cap in a first position, and

Fig. 2

in a view similar to FIG. 1, the packaging bag with the closure cap in a second position.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 there is a bag base part of the packaging bag with the reference number 1 provided and only shown in fragments. The bag base part 1 can be any suitable one Outline configuration and made of any suitable germ-proof film material exist, which is a film made of plastic or metal foil e.g. Aluminum foil, or can be a composite film made of plastic and metal. In the empty initial state the packaging bag is basically a substantially flat structure that with Advertising notices can be printed.

At a suitable location along the outer circumference of the bag base part 1, preferably at a corner area, is a dimensionally stable insert or weld-in part 2 in a slot-shaped Opening (not shown) of the bag base part 1 inserted and by welding with the Bag base part 1 hermetically sealed. Although other types of connection are provided the weld-in part 2 is preferably through on the bag base part 1 Ultrasound welding attached. Weld-on ribs (not shown) can be attached to the weld-in part 2 be provided, which can be designed according to WO96 / 38349, to which therefore reference can be taken.

The weld-in part 2 comprises a tubular, from the bag base part 1 to the outside protruding neck region 3, which defines a passage passage 4, which connects between creates the inside of the bag base part 1 and the outside environment. On the neck area 3 For example, a closure cap 5 can be placed around the inlet opening of the neck area 3 hermetically sealed from the outside environment. On the cap 5 can a cover part 6 may be articulated via a film hinge 7. A sealing cone 8 stands from the cover part 7 and can be sealed in a funnel-shaped passage 9 in a bottom wall of the Insert the cap 5 when the cover part 6 is in the closed position. A Tear-off tab 11 can be provided around the cover part 6 in the shown in the drawing To fix the closed position, so that only after the tear-off tab 11 has a movement of the Cover part can be made from the closed to the open position (not shown). Another sealing cone 10 can be provided on the closure cap, which in the Inlet opening of the neck area 3 engages sealingly when the cap is in the 1 and 2 position is located relative to the neck area 3.

At the peripheral edge 12 of the closure cap 5 is near the free end of an inward radial somewhat protruding collar 13 provided.

The closure cap 5 can be positioned in two positions relative to the neck area 3, wherein in both positions the passage 4 through the cap 5 opposite the Outside environment is sealed. The two positions are due to the intervention of the cap-side ring collar 13 with first and second rear engagement areas on the neck area 3 of the welding part 2 defined. In particular, along the outer circumference of the Neck region 3 a plurality of rear gripping cams 14 projecting radially outwards provided (only two diametrically opposed rear gripping cams 14 are shown in the drawing to see), which are arranged at the same angular distance from each other. Every rear grip cam 14 has a rear gripping surface pointing in the direction of the bag base part 1. As in Fig. 1 is shown, the cap-side ring collar 13 is in the first position of the closure cap 5 in Engagement with the rear gripping surfaces of the rear gripping cams 14.

On the neck area 3 there is also a radially outwardly projecting near the rear gripping cams 14 Rear gripping collar 15 is provided which is gripped by the ring collar 13 on the cap side when the closure cap 5 is in the second position, as shown in FIG. 2.

In both positions of the closure cap 5, the interior of the bag base part 1 is hermetic sealed from the outside environment. In the first position shown in FIG The sealing cap 5 promotes the sealing in that the ring collar 13 on the cap side abuts the rear grip collar 15 by being arranged near the rear grip cams 14. In the cap-side engages under the second position of the closure cap 5 shown in FIG. 2 Ring collar 13 the rear gripping collar 15 along the entire circumference, whereby the desired Sealing is created. In the second position, the closure cap 5 can no longer can be easily removed from the neck area 3. In contrast is the backward one Relationship between closure cap 5 and neck area 3 in the first position so that the Cap 5 without destruction with little effort from the neck area 3 can be removed by the cap-side collar 13 out of engagement with the Rear gripping cam 14 is brought.

At an axial point between the bag base part 1 and the rear grip collar 15 is also a radially outwardly protruding ring collar 16 is provided on the neck area 3, which as Holding means for the transport of the packaging bag by means of a transport device in one Filling system (not shown) is used. The annular collar 16 can be continuous or interrupted. Instead of a collar, a large number of lugs distributed over the circumference could also be used as holding means be provided.

The invention was previously based on a preferred embodiment and a preferred embodiment of a packaging bag described. However, it is understood that this is not to be seen as a limitation of the invention, but rather modifications that are offer the specialist based on the given teaching are included. This applies in particular to the omission of individual treatment steps provided the aseptic packaging of the Food and beverages are not affected or only marginally affected.

Claims (5)

Packaging bags made of film material for essentially germ-free packaging of flowable or pourable products, in particular food or beverages in filling systems, with a dimensionally stable insert part (2) hermetically sealed in a slot-shaped opening of a circumferentially sealed bag base part (1) with a passage passage (4 ) defining neck area (3) with engagement means which can be brought into engagement with adapted engagement means on a closure cap (5) in order to mount the closure cap for closing the passage passage on the neck area of the insert part, characterized in that the engagement means on one of the neck areas ( 3) and parts of the closure cap (5) comprise first and second rear engaging areas (14, 15) which can be brought into engagement with the respective rear engaging means (13) on the other part in succession, in such a way that the closure cap is in a first and second n sealing position can be mounted on the neck area, the closure cap being removable from the neck area at least in the first sealing position without being destroyed. Packaging bag according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear gripping areas have a plurality of circumferentially spaced rear gripping cams (14) and a rear gripping collar (15) on the neck area (3) of the insert part (2) and the rear gripping means on the closure cap ( 5) comprise an annular collar (13), the annular collar being held in the first sealing position of the closure cap in engaging engagement with the rear gripping cams while at the same time sealingly engaging the rear gripping collar. Packaging bag according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that means (16) are provided on the neck region (3) for temporarily holding the packaging bag in a transport device of a filling system. Packaging bag according to claim 3, characterized in that the holding means comprise a continuous or discontinuous ring collar (13) on the neck region (3). Packaging bag according to claim 3, characterized in that the holding means comprise a plurality of lugs projecting from the neck region (3).

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