Discharging Device for a Packaging Container

The present invention relates to a discharging device for a packaging container and more precisely to a discharging device of the docking type. The connection or docking of a packaging container to for instance a hose having an orifice frequently represents a need. Within the medical care, there are consumed a huge amount of pouches of flexible material for nutrition solutions of different types and there is a need for handling such packages in a more rational manner.

Besides, there is a high degree of aseptics necessary when parental nutrition solutions are involved, for instance infusion solutions, etc.

The prior art within the field of discharging devices for flexible pouches comprises pouches having specific orifices welded to the poach before filling and sealing, said orifices having tearable closures or needles or other puncturing tools for penetrating a membrane of the closure.

The prior art discharging or docking devices do meet reasonable hygiene and aseptic standards but from a production point of view the known constructions imply higher cost due to an irrational manufacturing procedure needing for instance separate welding of orifice details.

Previously, pouches of the actual type have been manufactured in the traditional manner, i.e. pouches have been manufactured individually from blanks.

The use of a "hose" techniques for manufacturing pouches having an aseptic contents is for instance enclosed in Swedish Patent No. 455 044. Such techniques, however, makes use of a separate connector men%her for docking to the interior of the pouch.

The object of the present invention is to provide a packaging container having an integral docking device or discharging device, for instance formed directly from a hose forming procedure, and allowing an aseptic type of docking or assembling to a discharge conduit. The docking device according to the present invention may, with advantage, be used in an application where a product containing package is formed from a filled hose, but of course there are other fields of application.

Thus, the invention provides a packaging container having a channel formed of a flexible material intended for connecting the interior of the container to a discharging device, for instance a hose having an orifice.

The container is characterized in that the channel is terminated by a grip flap for opening the channel, and the grip flap is such that it exposes a portion of the inside of the channel when opening up the channel.

In a preferred embodiment there is arranged a denotation for initially tearing off the grip flap at the edge region of the channel, said tearing denotation joining a circumferential weakening line cross-wise the channel, and the circumferential denotation defining at least a section projecting from the opened up channel and acting as an entering surface for the discharging device.

In a specific embodiment the channel is terminated by a weakened welding portion and free grip flaps are arranged outside said welded portion.

In still another embodiment, the grip flap is arranged as a termination of a tearable end portion of a channel having a curved cross-section.

FIG. 1 shows a certain type of flexible pouch having a tearing arrangement according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a partial view of a first embodiment of a channel having a grip flap,

FIG. 3 shows the channel in FIG. 2 exposed after the removal of the grip flap,

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of a channel having a grip flap,

FIG. 5 shows still one more embodiment of a channel and a grip flap,

FIG. 6 shows the channel in FIG. 5 opened up,

FIG. 7 shows one version of a channel having an accompanying grip, and

FIG. 8 shows the channel in FIG. 7 opened up and exposed.

The pouch 10 in FIG. 1 is a two-sided, alternatively three-sided welded pouch. In the first case, there are lateral welds 11, 12 obtained by folding one single planar blank of a flexible plastics or laminate material to the shape in FIG. 1 or by flattening a hose along the regions of the lateral welds 11, 12. In the latter case, the welds 11, 12 preferably are made in a hose filled by a product, meaning that said product, in a manner now per se, is pressed away from the locations for the welds before such welds are made.

At the same time as the welds are made, welds are also made for forming a channel 13 at the corner region of the rhomboidic, filled pouch 10 in FIG. 1. Additionally, a weld is made at a diagonally opposite corner for forming a suspension hole 23.

In FIG. 2 there is shown in a partial view, in a first embodiment a channel 13', defining two parallel welds 14, 15 and terminated by a grip flap 16. A pair of denotations 17, 17' for initial tearing off the grip flap are arranged in a respective one of the welds 14, 15. The channel 13', which in the actual case may be formed by two plastics toils, laminates or webs, is terminated in an unopened condition along the curved line 18 in FIG. 2. Outside such line the grip flap is welded as indicated by the hatched areas. In the upper web in FIG. 2 forming the channel 13' there is a first curved weakening 19, and in the lower web in FIG. 2 there is a second curved weakening 20 shown hatched. As appears from FIG. 2 and as more precisely shown in FIG. 3, there will be obtained a docking or entering portion 21 of the channel after tearing off the grip flap along the weakenings 19, 20. This portion 21 exposes part of the inside of the channel directly after tearing and allows a quick insertion of the orifice of the discharge device. The aseptics will be interrupted only shortly and the contents of the inner packaging container will not be disturbed at all by an entering or docking operation.

In FIG. 4 it is shown how there is obtained more than one entering surface. Also here, the channel 13" is terminated by a grip 16'. In welds 14', 15' there are initial denotations 17", 17'" and in the upper foil web there is a S-shaped weakening 19', and in a corresponding manner as in FIG. 2, there is weakening 20', in this case S-shaped in the lower foil web.

In FIG. 5 the grip has a pair of free flaps 16". The channel 13'" is defined by two parallel welds 14", 15", and is terminated by a weakened transverse weld 22. This weld 22 may be formed as a so called peelable weld by means of prior art techniques. The entering surface obtained for the aseptic docking has been denoted 21'" in FIG. 6.

In FIG. 7, 8 there is a channel 13"" defined by two parallel welds 14"", 15"" The two foils which form a channel in FIG. 7, 8 have been welded together as appears from FIG. 7, i.e. having a curved cross section, contrary to the prior "planar" cross-section. The grip portion 16'" in FIG. 7 is removed by means of tearing denotations and weakenings and as a result the configuration according to FIG. 8 is obtained. The entering surface has been denoted 21"".

Although a few embodiments of the invention have been described, it is realized that modifications and alternatives are possible within the scope of the inventive idea. For instance, which is common, the channels 13--13" may be formed with decreasing cross-section in a direction towards the interior of the packaging container. Instead of having a flexible pouch 10 having an integral channel, it is possible to form separate channel units for mounting to containers of different kinds. However, the integral manufacturing procedure according to the present embodiments is preferable in the present context.