DRENNOW, Sten (Östervångsvägen 4, Lund, S-224 60, SE)
| Claims
1 A method for providing a package (1 ) for liquid products (2), e g food products such as readily flowing salad dressing, with a throughflow portion (14) through which product (2) can, under the influence of an applied pressure, be caused to flow out from said package (1 ), the package (1 ) having walls (3, 4) made of flexible material and opposite portions (5, 6) of the walls (3, 4) of the package being fastened tightly to one another so that said opposite portions (5, 6) constitute a throughflow portion (14) made of flexible material 2 A method according to claim 1 , in which the opposite portions (5, 6) of the walls
(3, 4) of the package (1 ) consist of weldable plastic material, e g polythene or polypropylene, and are fastened to one another by welding
3 A method according to claim 2, in which opposite portions (5, 6) of the walls (3 4) of the package (1 ) are fastened to one another by thermal welding 4 A method according to any one of the above claims, in which opposite portions
(5, 6) of the walls (3, 4) of the package (1 ) are fastened tightly to one another so that they constitute at least one throughflow portion (14) in the form of a hoselike nozzle (18) or equivalent
5 A method according to claim 4, in which the hoselike nozzle (18) is formed by opposite portions (5, 6) of the walls (3, 4) of the package (1 ) being fastened tightly to one another along at least one weld seam (13 and/or 15) in order to constitute along it or them at least portions of the hoselike nozzle (18)
6 A method according to claim 4 or 5, in which the hoselike nozzle (18) is formed at such portions of the package (1) which extend along an edge (10) of the package (1 ) 7 A method according to any one of claims 4-6, in which the weld seam (15) is disposed along such an edge (10) of the package (1 ) which is directed substantially vertically when the package (1 ) is disposed in a container (26) at a location at which the product (2) is to be fed out from it, so that the hoselike nozzle (18) is formed between the weld seam (15) and said edge (10), in which the weld seam (15) at the bottom is caused to begin slightly above a lower edge (8) of the package (1 ) so that the hoselike nozzle (18) at the bottom has connection with lower portions (20) of the package (1 ), and in which the weld seam (15) at the top is preferably caused to extend to upper portions (21 ) of the package (1 ) so that the hoselike nozzle (18) extends upwards to said upper portions (21 )
8 A method according to any one of claims 4-7, in which the hoselike nozzle (18) is cut at a cutting line (22) so placed in a weld seam (15) that first portions (15a) of the weld seam (15) will be on one side of the cutting line (22) and seal the package (1 ) along it, and so that second portions (15b) of the weld seam (15) will be on the other side of the cutting line (22) and seal one side of the hoselike nozzle (18).
9. A method according to any one of claims 4-8, in which the hoselike nozzle (18) has a curved shape.
10. A method according to any one of claims 4-9, in which upper portions (23) of the hoselike nozzle (18) have a shape directed outwards relative to the package (1 )
11. A method according to any one of claims 4-10, in which portions (23) directed outwards of the hoselike nozzle (18) are closed by a weld seam and said portions (23) directed outwards are opened when feeding of product (2) out from the package (1 ) is to take place.
12. A method according to any one of the above claims, in which a check valve (24) is disposed in a throughflow portion (14), which check valve (24) allows product (2) to flow from the package (1) into the throughflow portion (14) but closes the throughflow portion (14) thereafter.
13. A method according to any one of the above claims, in which a check valve (25) is disposed at an orifice of the throughflow portion (14) to close it when product (2) has passed out through it.
14. A method according to any one of the above claims, in which the package (1 ) is placed in a container (28) which comprises an element (29, 30) for retaining the package (1 ) and another element (42, 43) for retaining the throughflow portion (14).
15. A method according to any one of the above claims, in which the package (1 ) has fastening seams applied to it in the form of weld seams (11 , 12, 13, 15) along the throughflow portion (14) and along the edges (7, 8, 9, 10) of the package (1 ), and these weld seams (11 , 12, 13, 15) are made by the same or similar welding procedures.
16. A method according to any one of the above claims, in which the package (1 ) takes the form of a plastic bag with opposite walls (3, 4) made of at least one plastic sheet.
17. A package for liquid products (2), e.g. food products such as readily flowing salad dressing, the package (1 ) having at least one throughflow portion (14) through which product (2) can, under the influence of an applied pressure, be caused to flow out from said package (1 ), the package (1 ) having walls (3, 4) made of flexible material, and opposite portions (5, 6) of the walls (3, 4) of the package being fastened tightly to one another so that said opposite portions (5, 6) constitute a throughflow portion (14) made of flexible material
18. A package according to claim 17, in which the opposite portions (5, 6) of the walls (3, 4) of the package (1 ) consist of weldable plastic material, e.g. polythene or polypropylene, and are fastened to one another by welding.
19. A package according to claim 18, in which opposite portions (5, 6) of the walls (3, 4) of the package (1 ) are fastened to one another by thermal welding.
20. A package according to any one of claims 17-19, in which opposite portions (5, 6) of the walls (3, 4) of the package (1 ) are fastened tightly to one another so that they constitute at least one throughflow portion (14) in the form of a hoselike nozzle (18) or equivalent.
21. A package according to claim 20, in which the hoselike nozzle (18) is formed by opposite portions (5, 6) of the walls (3, 4) of the package (1 ) being fastened tightly to one another along at least one weld seam (13 and/or 15) in order to constitute along it or them at least portions of the hoselike nozzle (18).
22. A method according to claim 20 or 21 , in which the hoselike nozzle (18) is formed at such portions of the package (1) which extend along an edge (10) of the package
(1 ).
23. A package according to any one of claims 20-22, in which the weld seam (15) is disposed along such an edge (10) of the package (1 ) which is directed substantially vertically when the package (1 ) is disposed in a container (26) at a location at which the product (2) is to be fed out from it, so that the hoselike nozzle (18) is formed between the weld seam (15) and said edge (10), in which the weld seam (15) at the bottom begins slightly above a lower edge (8) of the package (1 ) so that the hoselike nozzle (18) at the bottom has connection with lower portions (20) of the package (1 ), and in which the weld seam (15) at the top preferably extends to upper portions (21 ) of the package (1 ) so that the hoselike nozzle (18) extends upwards to said upper portions (21 )
24. A package according to any one of claims 21-23, in which the hoselike nozzle (18) is cut up at a cutting line (22) so placed in a weld seam (15) that first portions (15a) of the weld seam (15) will be on one side the cutting line (22) and seal the package (1 ) along it, and so that second portions (15b) of the weld seam (15) be on the other side of the cutting line (22) and seal one side of the hoselike nozzle (18).
25. A package according to any one of claims 20-24, in which the hoselike nozzle (18) has a curved shape.
26. A package according to any one of claims 20-25, in which upper portions (23) of the hoselike nozzle (18) have a shape directed outwards relative to the package (1 )
27. A package according to any one of claims 20-26, in which portions (23) directed outwards of the hoselike nozzle (18) are closed by a weld seam and said portions (23) directed outwards can be opened when feeding of product (2) out from the package (1 ) is to take place.
28. A package according to any one of claims 17-27, in which a check valve (24) is disposed in a throughflow portion (14), which check valve (24) allows product (2) to flow from the package (1 ) into the throughflow portion (14) but closes the throughflow portion (14) thereafter. 29. A package according to any one of claims 17-28, in which a check valve (25) is disposed at an orifice of the throughflow portion (14) to close it when product (2) has passed out through it.
30. A package according to any one of claims 17-29, in which the package (1 ) is placed in a container (28) which comprises an element (29, 30) for retaining the package (1 ) and another element (42, 43) for retaining the throughflow portion (14).
31. A package according to any one of claims 17-30, in which the package (1 ) has fastening seams in the form of weld seams (11 , 12, 13, 15) made by the same or similar welding procedures.
32. A package according to any one of claims 17-31 , in which the package (1 ) is a plastic bag with opposite walls (3, 4) consisting of at least one plastic sheet.
33. A device for feeding out liquid products (2), e.g. food products such as readily flowing salad dressing, from a package according to any one of claims 17-32, in which a pump device (27, 44) is adapted to pumping product (2) out from the package (1 ) through said throughflow portion (14). 34. A device according to claim 33, in which the pump device (27) has at least one rotatable pumping means (32) which in its rotation cooperates with at least one of the opposite portions (5, 6) of the walls (3, 4) of the package (1) in order to pump product (2) out from the lower portions (20) of the package (1 ) into and through the throughflow portion (14)
35. A device according to claim 33 or 34, in which the pumping means (32) is adapted to causing the opposite portions (5, 6) of the walls (3, 4) of the package (1) to abut tightly against one another in order to close the connection between lower portions (20) of the package (1 ) from which product (2) is to be pumped out and upper portions (21 ) of the package (1 ).
36. A device according to any one of claims 33-35, in which the pumping means (32) and/or portions (36) thereof is/are resilient so that it/they can be temporarily pushed aside by one of the wall portions (5 or 6) of the package (1 ) during pumping
37. A device according to any one of claims 33-36, in which the pumping means (32) of the pump device (27) is/are adapted partly to acting upon at least one of opposite portions (5, 6) of the walls (3, 4) of the package (1 ) at lower portions (20) thereof and partly upon at least one of opposite wall portions (16,17) of lower portions (20) of the throughflow portion (14) through which product (2) is to be pumped out. 38 A device according to any one of claims 33-37, in which the rotatable pumping means (32) has a rotatable shaft (33) and the package (1 ) has a hole (41 ) for said shaft (33)
39 A device according to claim 38, in which the opposite portions (5, 6) of the walls (3, 4) of the package (1) are tightly fastened to one another round the hole (41 ) for the shaft (33) of the pumping means (32)
40 A device according to claim 38 or 39, in which at least one retainer (34) is disposed on, and substantially radially relative to, said shaft (33), in which the retainer (34) has a plurality of mutually adjacent pump runners (36) intended to cooperate with one of the opposite portions (5, 6) of the walls (3, 4) of the package (1 ), and in which said pump runners (36) are adapted to rotating individually in cooperation with said portions (5, 6)
41 A device according to claim 39, in which the shaft (33) of the pumping means (32) has at least two retainers (34, 35) with pump runners (36), which retainers (34, 35) point outwards from the shaft (33) in opposite directions
42 A device according to any one of claims 33-41 , in which the package (1 ) can be placed in a container (28) which is provided with the pumping means (32) and a dolly (40) in such a way that it will be situated between the pumping means (32) and the dolly (40), and in which one of the opposite portions (5, 6) of the walls (3, 4) of the package (1 ) is installable against the dolly (40) and the other of said portions (5, 6) can be acted upon by the pumping means (32) to move towards the dolly (40) and said other portion (5 or 6)
43 A device according to claim 42, in which the container (28) has a hand-operable manoeuvring device (37) in the form of a pump handle (38) and a link device (39) adapted to transmitting the pumping movements of the pump handle (38) to the pumping means (32) in order to apply continuous or intermittent pumping movements to the latter until a desired amount of product (2) has been pumped out from the package (1 )
44 A device according to claim 33, in which the pump device (44) has at least one pumping means (45 and/or 46) movable to and from the package (1 ) and adapted to clamping lower portions (20) of the package (1) together in order to pump product (2) out from them, and in which a closing device (47) is adapted to closing the package (1 ) between these lower and upper portions (20, 21) before said pumping 45 A device according to claim 44, in which the closing device (47) is movable relative to the package (1 ) or vice versa, and/or closure means (48, 49) forming part of the closing device (47) are movable different distances relative to the package (1 )
46. A method for processing of packages (1) in relation to filling them with liquid products (2), e.g. food products such as readily flowing salad dressing, in which each package (1 ) has opposite walls (3, 4) made of flexible material, in which a first (3) of the opposite walls (3, 4) is caused to assume a position at a distance from a second (4) of the opposite waiis (3, 4), in which a hole (53) is made in the first (3) of the walls (3, 4), and portions (55, 56, 57) arising from the holing of the first (3) of the walls (3, 4) are caused to remain hanging from the first (3) of the opposite walls (3, 4), in which the package (1 ) is filled with product (2) through the hole (53), and in which the package (1) is sealed round the hole (53) by the opposite walls (3, 4) being fastened tightly to one another.
47. A method according to claim 46, in which the first (3) of the opposite walls (3, 4) is caused to assume a position at a distance from the second (4) of said walls (3, 4) in order to prevent the second (4) of said walls (3, 4) from being damaged during the holing 48. A method according to claim 46 or 47, in which portions (55, 56, 57) arising during the holing of the first (3) of said walls (3, 4) are caused partly to remain at said first wall (3) in order to prevent said portions (55, 56 57) from being able to intrude between the opposite walls (3, 4) round the hole (53) and thereby prevent or counteract a tight fastening of these to one another. 49. A method according to claim 48, in which said portions (55, 56 57) are shaped such that a first portion (55) thereof remains at the first (3) of the opposite walls (3, 4) while second and third portions (56, 57) thereof on opposite sides of said first portion (55) may hang out from said first portion (55).
50. A method according to any one of claims 46-49, in which the opposite walls (3, 4) are fastened tightly to one another round the hole (53) by being welded together.
51. A method according to any one of claims 46-50, in which a grippable element (50) intended to allow a lifting device (51 ) or equivalent to engage in it in order to move the first (3) of said opposite walls (3, 4) relative to the second (4) of them is attached to the first (3) of said opposite walls (3, 4). 52. A method according to any one of claims 46-51 , in which opposite walls (3, 4) are formed for a plurality of packages (1 ), at least one hole (53) is made in one (3) of the opposite walls (3, 4) for all of these packages (1), and all of them are filled simultaneously through said hole (53).
53. A method according to any one of claims 46-52, in which feeding of product (2) into the package (1 ) takes place through at least one hole (53) at a first portion of the package (1 ), while feeding of product (2) out from the package (1 ) takes place at another portion of the package (1). 54 A method according to claim 53, in which at least one throughflow portion (14) through which product (2) can be fed out from the package (1 ) is formed at said second portion of the package (1 ) by opposite portions (5, 6) of the opposite walls (3, 4) being fastened tightly to one another 55 A device for processing of packages (1 ) in relation to their being filled with liquid products (2), e g food products such as readily flowing salad dressing, in which each package (1 ) has opposite walls (3, 4) made of flexible material, in which a lifting device (51 ) or equivalent is adapted to causing a first (3) of the opposite walls (3, 4) to assume a position at a distance from a second (4) of the opposite walls (3, 4), in which a stamping device (54) or equivalent is adapted to making a hole (53) in the first (3) of the walls (3, 4) so that portions (55, 56, 57) arising during the holing of the first (3) of the walls (3, 4) are caused to remain hanging from the first (3) of the opposite walls (3, 4) in which a filling device (58) is adapted to filling the package (1 ) with product (2) through the hole (53), and in which a welding device (59) or equivalent is adapted to sealing the package (1 ) round the hole (53) by fastening the opposite walls (3, 4) tightly to one another
56 A device according to claim 55, in which it is adapted to providing said opposite walls (3, 4) with at least one hole (53) for a plurality of packages (1 ) and to filling these packages (1 ) simultaneously with product (2) through said hole (53)
57 A device according to claim 55 or 56, in which it is adapted to placing a hole (53) for feeding product (2) into the package (1 ) through such a first portion of the package which is separate from such a second portion thereof through which feeding of product (2) out from the package (1 ) takes place 58 A device according to claim 57, in which it is adapted to providing at said second portion of the package (1) at least one throughflow portion (14) through which product (2) can be fed out from the package (1 ), by opposite portions (5, 6) of the opposite walls (3, 4) being fastened tightly to one another |
A PASSAGE FOR FLUIDS IN A METHOD FOR MAKING A PACKAGE AND
SUCH A PACKAGE
Background to the invention
The present invention relates to a method for providing a package for liquid products, e.g. food products such as readily flowing salad dressing, with a throughflow portion through which the products can, under the influence of an applied pressure, be caused to flow out from said package, which package has walls made of flexible material. The invention also relates to such a package, a device for feeding products out from said package, and a method and a device for processing a package.
Packages with flexible walls have nozzles through which products are intended to flow out from the package. Such nozzles and packages are originally separate items and the nozzles are fastened at suitable locations on the walls of the package. Disadvantages of such nozzles are that they have to be manufactured as separate items which have thereafter to be fastened to the package.
There are also packages with integrated nozzles made of some other material than the package material, i.e. nozzles which also take the form of separate items but which together with the package form an ensemble.
Brief summary of the invention
The object of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages of separate nozzles. This is achieved according to the invention by a method which substantially has the features indicated by claim 1 below, a package which substantially has the features indicated by claim 17 below, and a feed-out device, a processing method and a processing device according to claims 33, 46 and 55.
Fastening opposite portions of the walls of the package tightly to one another to constitute a throughflow portion through which a product can be caused to flow, i.e. using only the actual raw material of the packages to constitute said throughflow portion, saves having to fasten or integrate separate nozzles on the packages and may reduce the amount of work involved in manufacturing them.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art who examines the attached drawings and the following detailed description of preferred embodiments.
Brief description of the drawings
Fig. 1 depicts a side view of a package according to the invention.
Fig. 2 depicts a section H-Il of the package according to Fig. 1 on a larger scale.
Fig. 3 depicts a side view of a package according to Fig. 1 with a throughflow portion which is partly cut away and swung out. Fig. 4 depicts a section IV-IV of the package according to Fig. 3 on a larger scale.
Fig. 5 depicts a container for the package according to Fig. 1 in an open state and with a pump device.
Fig. 6 depicts a side of the container according to Fig. 5 with a package according to Fig. 1 placed thereon. Fig. 7 depicts a section of portions of the container according to Fig. 5 and a package placed therein during pumping with the pump device.
Fig. 8 depicts an outside of the container according to Fig. 5 with a handle and lever device for manoeuvring the pump device according to Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 depicts the package according to Fig. 1 with lower portions in section and with a schematically depicted alternative pump device.
Fig. 10 depicts a section of portions of the package according to Fig. 1 in conjunction with a device for preparing for the filling thereof.
Fig. 1 1 depicts a section of said portions of the package according to Fig. 10 in conjunction with another device for preparing for the filling thereof. Fig. 12 depicts a section of portions of the package according to Figs. 10 and 1 1 at the time of the filling thereof.
Fig. 13 depicts a section of portions of the package according to Figs. 10-12 with a device for sealing the package after the filling thereof.
Fig. 14 depicts a plan view of four packages in which a filling hole is accommodated for their simultaneous filling.
Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention
The package 1 depicted in the drawings is intended for liquid products 2, e.g. food products such as, for example, salad dressing. The package 1 has opposite walls 3, 4 made of flexible material which may be a weldable plastic material, e.g. polythene or polypropylene, making it possible for opposite portions 5, 6 of the walls 3, 4 to be fastened tightly to one another by welding, preferably thermal welding.
In the depicted version of the package 1 chosen by way of example, its walls 3, 4 are folded double at an edge 7 and sealed to one another along the other three edges 8, 9 and 10 by weld seams 11 , 12 and 13 to constitute a totally closed package 1.
The package 1 has at least one throughflow portion 14 intended to make it possible for liquid product 2 to be caused to flow out from the package 1 This may be done by a pressure being applied to said liquid product 2 The product 2 is thus fed, e g by being pressed or pushed, through the throughflow portion 14 The pressure may be applied to said product 2 by, for example, a pump device The throughflow portion 14 is formed entirely of the walls 3, 4 of the package 1 by the opposite portions 5, 6 thereof being fastened tightly to one another, e g by said welding which may be so situated that it forms a weld seam 15 or equivalent along the edge 10 of the package 1 Product 2 in the package 1 can, as a result of the pressure applied to it, move and keep apart said opposite portions 5, 6 where they are not fastened to one another The weld seam 15 may be disposed at such a distance from the edge 10 or from the weld seam 13 at the edge 10 that opposite wall portions 16, 17 between said weld seams 13, 15 together constitute a throughflow portion 14 in the form of a hoselike nozzle 18
The weld seam 15 may begin slightly above the edge 8 which constitutes the lower edge of the package 1 The hoselike nozzle 18 thus has at the bottom a connection 19 to lower portions 20 of the package 1 The weld seam 15 may extend to upper portions 21 of the package 1 so that the hoselike nozzle 18 extends to said upper portions 21 of the package 1
A cutting line 22 (see Figs 3 and 4) may be placed in and along the weld seam 15 so that first portions 15a of the weld seam 15 will be on one side of the cutting line 22 and seal the package 1 along it, and so that second portions 15b of the weld seam 15 will be on the other side of the cutting line 22 and seal one side of the hoselike nozzle 18
As illustrated in Fig 6 the hoselike nozzle 18 (see Fig 1 ) may have portions 23 directed outwards from the package 1 The portions 23 directed outwards may initially be closed by a weld seam or equivalent and be openable by being cut or sheared when feeding of product 2 out from the package 1 is to take place
The hoselike nozzle 18 may also have a curved shape, in which case the end of the nozzle 18 may be directed downwards (see Figs 1 and 3)
The hoselike nozzle 18 may have a check valve 24 which may be situated at the connection 19 (see Fig 1 ) This check valve 24 is adapted to allowing product 2 to flow from the package 1 into the hoselike nozzle 18, but thereafter closes the hoselike nozzle 18 There may of course also be a corresponding check valve in the upper portions 23 of the hoselike nozzle 18 to close this orifice when product 2 has passed out through it
All of the weld seams 1 1 , 12, 13, 15 or equivalents may be made by the same welding method or similar welding methods
The package 1 may be a plastic bag and the weld seams may be replaced by other fastening seams, e g adhesively bonded seams
Pumping of product 2 from the package 1 may be effected by a pump device 27 which may take various forms and be situated at various locations A version of the pump device 27 is depicted in Figs 1 , 5, 6 and 7 According to this version, the pump device 27 is disposed in a container 28 in which the package 1 can be placed The container 28 may comprise two sides 29, 30 connected to one another by a joint 31 which functions according to the hinge principle The pump device 27 has at least one pumping means 32 which may comprise a shaft 33 supported for rotation on the side 29 and provided with two or some other suitable number of retainers 34, 35 which run in opposite radial directions from it and may be configured as shafts A number of pump runners 36 are supported for individual rotation on each retainer 34, 35 The pump runners 36 are intended to cooperate with one of the opposite portions 5 and 6 of the walls 3, 4 of the package 1 , and if a number of them are disposed alongside one another and supported for rotation they can rotate when they have contact with said portions 5 or 6 of the walls 3, 4 of the package 1 , and the pump runners 36 situated outermost on each retainer 34, 35 may rotate faster than pump runners 36 situated further in on each retainer 34, 35
A manually operable manoeuvring device 37 (see Fig 8) may be disposed on the side 29 of the container 28 to rotate the pump device 27 It may take the form of a pump handle 38 supported for pivoting at the top of the side 29 and connected via a link device 39 to the shaft 33 of the pumping means 32 When the pump handle 38 is pressed downwards (arrow A), i e a pumping motion is imparted, portions of the link device 39 are drawn upwards (arrow B) and a rotary pumping motion (arrow C) is imparted to the shaft 33 and hence to the pumping means 32 Continuous or possibly intermittent pumping movements can thus be applied to the pumping means 32 by hand until a desired amount of product 2 has been pumped out from the package 1 The side 30 of the container 28 may constitute or be provided with a dolly 40 intended to bear against one of the opposite portions 5, 6 of the walls 3, 4 of the package 1 when product 2 is to be pumped out from a package 1 placed in the container 28
As illustrated in Fig 6, the package 1 is placed in the container 28 by being, for example, placed on and fixed to the side 29 of the container 28 The package 1 may have a hole 41 for the shaft 33 of the pumping means 32 so that the package 1 can be slid onto the shaft 33 The container 28 may have tube-like portions 42, 43 directed outwards in which protruding portions 23 of the hoselike nozzle 18 can be placed and fixed
When the package 1 has been placed on the side 29 of the container 28 in this manner, the container 28 is closed and the package 1 will thus be inside it with one opposite portion 5 of the walls 3, 4 of the package 1 partly abutting against the dolly 40, and the other portion 6 of the walls 3, 4 facing towards the pumping means 32 so that the latter can, via its pump runners 36, cooperate with said second portion 6 The pump runners 36 will thus
press the portion 6 of the walls 3, 4 against the edge 7 so that they abut tightly against one another and hence the pumping means 32 will close the connection between the lower portions 20 of the package 1 from which product 2 is to be pumped out and upper portions 21 of the package 1. The pumping means 32 thus prevents backflow of product 2 from the lower portions 20 of the package 1 to its upper portions 21 during pumping.
The pumping means 32 of the pump device 27 is/are preferably so arranged that it/they can act partly on at least one of the opposite portions 5, 6 of the walls 3, 4 of the package 1 and partly on at least one of the opposite wall portions 16, 17 of lower portions 14a of the throughflow portion 14 through which product 2 is to be fed out. This may be accomplished by the possibility of the package 1 being placed in a certain relationship to the pumping means 32 and/or by the retainers 34, 35 and/or the pump runners 36 of the pumping means 32 having a certain length. Said version enables the pump device 27 to pump product 2 out from the lower portions 20 of the package 1 into the lower portions 14a of the throughflow portion 14 and therefrom further upwards and on out through the outlet of the throughflow portion 14.
The pumping means 32 and/or portions of it, e.g. the pump runners 36, may be resilient in such a way that it or they can be temporarily pushed aside by one of the two opposite portions 5, 6 of the walls 3, 4 of the package 1. The wall portions 5, 6 of the package 1 are thus prevented from being damaged by coarse particles which pass through the pump device 27 during pumping.
Fig. 9 depicts an alternative pump device 44 which may have at least one pumping means 45 and/or 46 movable to and from the package 1 to clamp together the lower portions 20 of the package 1 in order to pump product 2 out therefrom. In this version there may also be with advantage a closing device 47 for closing the package 1 between its lower and upper portions 20, 21 to prevent product 2 from flowing back from the lower portions 20 to the upper portions 21 when it is pumped out from the lower portions 20.
The closing device 47 may have one or more closure means 48 and/or 49 movable to and from the package 1 to close the latter's portions above its lower portion 20.
The closing device 47 may be movable in the height direction relative to the package 1 or vice versa to make it possible to vary the size of the latter's lower portions 20 and hence the amount or volume of product 2 pumped out at each pump stroke.
Alternatively or in combination with this version, the pumping means 45 and/or 46 may be moved different distances towards the package 1 to vary the amount or volume of product 2 which is to be fed out. Figs. 10-13 depict sections of portions of the opposite walls 3, 4 together with schematically depicted devices for preparing to fill the package 1 , for filling it and for handling it after filling.
Thus Fig. 10 shows a grippable element 50, which may be annular, attached, e.g. by welding, to the wall 3. A lifting device 51 is adapted to engaging in the grippable element 50 so that the wall 3 can be lifted or otherwise moved relative to the wall 4. The lifting device 51 may be configured in various ways and may for example have lifting arms or lifting nozzles to provide a suction effect. The latter may be maintained by a firm holding device 52, e.g. a suction device. The wall 3 is lifted so high relative to the wall 4 that subsequent holing of the wall 3 will not damage the wall 4. This creation of a hole 53 for filling the lower portion of the package 1 with product 2 is carried out by means of a stamping device 54 or equivalent, so configured that a first portion 55 of the wall 3 will remain associated with the wall 3 and extend, for example, across the hole 53, while second and third portions 56, 57 may hang out from the first portion 55. The portions 56, 57 stamped out from the wall 3 are thus prevented from being able to come in between such portions of the walls 3, 4 as have thereafter to be fastened to one another in order to effect sealing of the package 1 round the hole 53. Feeding product 2 into the package 1 through the hole 53 is thereafter effected by a filling device 58, followed by the package 1 being sealed round the hole 53 by the walls 3, 4 being fastened to one another round it. The seal may be made by a welding device 59.
The package 1 is thus sealed round the hole 53 so that feeding product 2 out from the package 1 takes place not through said hole but through the throughflow portion 14. The hole 53 may be made in a plurality of packages 1 simultaneously (see Fig. 14) by common sheets being shaped to constitute, for example, four such packages. These four packages 1 can thereafter be filled simultaneously through the common hole 53.
In the abovementioned example the opposite walls 3, 4 consist of one or more plastic sheets. Throughflow portion 14 means a portion for letting product 2 out from the package 1 , which portion may be configured in various ways.
The pump device 27 or 44 may be used in conjunction with the package 1 having at least one throughflow portion 14 of the type indicated or at least one throughflow portion of a completely different type. This also applies to the feed-in device, which may also be used in conjunction with some other feed-out device than that described above. By way of alternative to the version of the throughflow portions 14 depicted in the drawings, it may be mentioned that these may extend within and along the edge 10 of the package without being "cut away" as depicted in Fig. 1. Such throughflow portions 14 may have at the top a portion which extends further out from the package 1 than is depicted in Fig. 1. The product 2 may be a non-food liquid product, e.g. liquid adhesive, and the pump device 27 or 44 may be powered other than by hand.
Next Patent: DUST SEPARATOR WITH CLEAN BLOWING DEVICE FOR FILTER OR FILTERS