US3385024A - Method of forming a multiple-unit package - Google Patents

Description

T. E. PIAZZE ET AL METHOD OF FORMING A MULTIPLE-UNIT PACKAGE I May 28, 1968 Original Filed May 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l Waller 6. Car

May 28, 1968 T. E. PIAZZE ET AL METHOD OF FORMING A MULTIPLE-UNIT PACKAGE Original Filed May 10. 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 33 Walier 6 C rim, E3 M (W5- United States Patent 3,385,024 METHOD OF FORMING A MULTIPLE-UNIT PACKAGE Thomas E. Piazza and Walter C. Curtis, Mount Vernon, Ohio, assignors to (lontinental Can Company, Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Original application May 10, 196.5, Ser. No. 454,606, new Patent No. 3,332,548, dated July 25, 1967. Divided and this application Feb. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 526,886 Qlaims. (Cl. 5329) This application is a division of application Ser. No. 454,606, filed May 10, 1965, now Patent No. 3,332,548.

This invention relates to packaging and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a package and a method of forming the same wherein relatively small packaged product units are enclosed in separate compartments of an outer container which is substantially larger than the individual packages of the product.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved package and a method of forming the same which comprises a pair of packaged product portions enclosed in separate compartments in an outer container of flexible package forming material having a tearing line between the individual compartments so that the container may be readily separated into two units each containing a packaged product portion whereby either unit may be torn open and the enclosed package made available for use or consumption while the package in the other unit remains fully enclosed therein.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a multi-unit, flexible package and a method of forming the same wherein an outer bag-type container of flexible plastic film material is divided into two or more sealed compartments with perforations or like severance lines between the same and with product portions in a sealed bag in each of the compartments so that each unit may be readily separated from an adjoining unit without breaking the seals of either the inner package containing the product or the outer package unit which encloses the same.

It is another object of the invention to provide a flexible plastic bag for a double unit package which is of tubular shape with one end open and with the other end closed by a gusset formation, and which is flattened and provided with a short seal extending in the axial direction across the infolded gusset bottom and intermediate the side edge forming folds of the bag.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the package and the method of forming the same which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an outer bag which is adapted to be used in forming a package in accordance with the invention, the bag being shown in flattened and empty condition;

FIGURE 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, to an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, to an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a completed twinunit package after the bag of FIGURE 1 has been filled, closed and sealed;

FIGURE 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4, to an enlarged scale;

FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 are plan views illustrating the successive operations performed in producing the package of FIGURE 4;

FIGURES 9 to 12 illustrate, more or less schematically, the steps involved in forming the longitudinal seals and the center perforation line in the outer bag after the latter is filled and closed; and

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of FIGURE 12, to a still larger scale.

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Referring first to FIGURES 1 to 3, there is illustrated an outer bag construction which is adapted to be employed in forming the twin-unit package which is illustrated in FIGURE 4. The outer bag 10 may be formed from a sheet of flexible plastic film, for example, polyethylene, Pliofilrn, cellulose acetate or other suitable plastic film. In forming the bag 10 as shown, an elongate rectangular sheet of the film material is folded upon itself on parallel, transverse fold lines so as to provide for the gusset 11 and with the end edges spaced so as to provide the lip 12 at the open mouth of the bag. The side edges 13 and 14 are each connected or closed by a suitable heat seal, for example, a conventional bead seal. The gusset end of the bag thus formed constitutes the bottom of the bag and a relatively short heat seal is applied on the line 15 so that it extends across the full width of the gusset 11 and welds the folds in collapsed condition at this point. Preferably, the heat seal 15 is on a line extending along the longitudinal center or axis of the bag, so as to divide the bag, at least at the bottom end, into two equal sections or compartments.

In using the bag It to form the package 16 of FIGURE 4, the mouth of the bag is held open and two filled and closed bags 17 and 17' of the product to be packaged are inserted as shown in FIGURE 6. The packages 17 and 17' may be identical and each comprises a quantity of a product, such as, for example, cereal, potato chips, pretzels, or the like, enclosed in a conventional bag of suitable packaging material with the product being completely enclosed and preferably sealed in the inner bag. The inner bags are of a material suitable for enclosing the particular product. In the case of a cereal, for example, it may be 'wax paper, glassine, cellophane or the like. The two bags or packages of the product 17 and 17 may be inserted in the outer bag 10, while the mouth is held open by spreader members 18, 18', as indicated in FIGURE 6, and the mouth of the bag is then closed by a heat seal 19. There after, the lip 12 and associated portions indicated at 20 outside the seal line 19 are cut off and discarded. The outer bag is then divided into separate compartments by sealing along longitudinally spaced lines to provide the seals 21 and 22 which extend from one end of the outer bag to the other so as to completely enclose the inner packages 17 and 17', in compartments 23 and 24, which are separated by the longitudinal seals 21 and 22. The package is then completed by perforating along the axial line 25 midway between the seals 21 and 22 and in alignment with the initial seal 15. The completed package has the form illustrated in FIGURE 4 with the inner packages or filled bags 17 and 17 completely enclosed each in a sealed compartment, and with the two compartments 23 and 24 adjoining each other and separated by a perforation line 25 extending between the same so as to permit ready separation of the outer bag into two parts or units. Separation of the two sections or units of the outer bag enables each of the inner bags or packages 17 and 17 to be opened and used separately with the remaining package fully enclosed and completely protected against deterioration while the other package is being consumed or used.

In FIGURES 9 to 13, there is illustrated a method of forming the longitudinal seals 21 and 22 and providing the perforated tearing line 25. Referring first to FIGURE 9, outer bag 10, as shown, has received the inner packages 17 and 17 and the seal 19 has been applied with the waste section 20 trimmed off. The package assembly is placed on an elongate supporting bar member 26 either by hand or by an appropriate mechanical means, the bar member 25 being carried on a conveyor or other moving support (not shown) and the package assembly being positioned as shown in FIGURE 10 so that a longitudinal center strip or section between the inner packages 17 and 17 overlies the top face 27 of the bar member 26, the latter forming a cushion or anvil for the sealing operation which is performed after the bar member 26 and the associated package assembly are moved beneath a sealing bar, indicated at 28 in FIGURE 11. The sealing bar 28 has a center groove cut in the working face thereof so as to provide two spaced, relatively narrow sealing surfaces 29 and 29 for pressure engagement with the package assembly. The supporting bar member 26 and the sealing bar 28 are moved toward each other to press the two walls of the outer bag between them so as to form the seals 21 and 22 in the area between the inner packages 17 and 17'. The bar member 26 is provided with a perforating knife or blade 30 which is mounted in the slot 31 in the top 27 of the bar member 26 with its cutting edge slightly above the uppermost surface of the bar member 26. To accomplish the perforating of the bag material on the line 25, a pressure roller 32 (FIGURES 12 and 13), which is mounted in a suitable support 33, is moved along the top surface 27 of the bar member 26 above the blade 30 so as to press the material against the cutting edge of the blade and form the perforating line 25. This completes the formation of the package which may then be removed from the bar member. The final package is in the condition shown in FIGURE 4.

While the perforation line 25 is employed in the package, as shown, to facilitate separation of the package units, it will be understood that any other equivalent weakening line may be substituted for the perforation line in forming the package, it being necessary only to cut or to weaken the material sufiiciently to insure tearing along the line 25 when the package units are separated without the tearing line wandering into the seal line of the remaining package unit.

While particular materials and specific structural details have been referred to in describing the illustrated form of the invention, it will be understood that other materials and equivalent structural details may be resorted to within the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A method of forming a multi-unit package which comprises folding a rectangular sheet of plastic film upon itself and sealing along opposite sides to provide a tubular section open at one end thereof and closed at the other end by a gusset-type fold, placing in the tubular section a pair of inner bags in which product portions are completely enclosed and sealed so that the inner bags are in longitudinally extending, laterally spaced relation within the outer bag, sealing across the mouth of the outer bag and trimming away the waste material outside of the seal line, applying a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced seals in the center portion of the outer bag while the inner bags are held in spaced relation so as to enclose the same in separate compartments, and providing a weakened severance line between the two center longitudinal seals so as to enable the outer bag to be readily torn 4 into two units with each unit completely enclosing an inner bag and its associated product portion.

2. A method of forming a multi-unit package which comprises providing an outer bag having opposite side walls connected by side edge seals and an integral gusset fold in the bottom forming end thereof, placing in the outer bag a pair of inner bags which have a product enclosed in sealed relation therein, sealing across the mouth of the outer bag, applying a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced seals in the center portion of the outer bag so as to separate the inner packages and enclose the same in separate compartments, and placing a weakened severance line between the two longitudinal seals so to enable the outer bag to be readily torn along said severance line to divide the same into two units with each unit completely enclosing in sealed relation an inner bag having a product enclosed therein.

3. A method of forming a twin package which comprises folding a rectangular sheet of plastic film upon itself so as to provide a gusset at the fold line and sealing along adjacent side edges to provide a tubular bag which is open at one end and closed at the other end by a gusset integral with the side walls, placing a pair of inner bags which have product portions each enclosed and sealed therein in longitudinally extending, laterally spaced relation within the outer bag, sealing across the mouth of the outer bag, applying a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced seals in the center portion of the outer bag so as to separate the inner bags and enclose each one thereof in a separate sealed compartment, and perforating the bag material on a line between the two longitudinal seals so as to enable the outer bag to be readily torn along the perforated line to divide the same into two separate package units with each unit completely enclosing an inner bag which in turn encloses a product.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, and forming the outer bag with a short seal along the longitudinal center line of the bag and extending across the gusset at the closed end thereof so as to provide a guide line for locating the laterally spaced center seals.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, and applying the laterally spaced center seals and perforating on a line between the two seals simultaneously by means of relatively movable combination sealing and perforating devices with the perforating line being located in accordance with said short seal line.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,182,430 5/1965 Hoeppner 5329 TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner. E. F. DESMOND, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A METHOD OF FORMING A MULTI-UNIT PACKAGE WHICH COMPRISES FOLDING A RECTANGULAR SHEET OF PLASTIC FILM UPON ITSELF AND SEALING ALONG OPPOSITE SIDES TO PROVIDE A TUBULAR SECTION OPEN AT ONE END THEREOF AND CLOSED AT THE OTHER END BY A GUSSET-TYPE FOLD, PLACING IN THE TUBULAR SECTION A PAIR OF INNER BAGS IN WHICH PRODUCT PORTIONS ARE COMPLETELY ENCLOSED AND SEALED SO THAT THE INNER BAGS ARE IN LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING, LATERALLY SPACED RELATION WITHIN THE OUTER BAG, SEALING ACROSS THE MOUTH OF THE OUTER BAG AND TRIMMING AWAY THE WASTE MATERIAL OUTSIDE OF THE SEAL

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