PRIOR ART Portion packages for liquid foods are often sold with a straw that is releasable attached to one side of said package, wherein said straw is enclosed within a pouch consisting of two films, which is attached to the package. Said package also comprises a closed opening for the straw, i. e. an opening hole having a diameter, which is slightly larger than that of, said straw. The closure for the opening hole normally comprises one or more layers provided on the inside of a package material from which said package is manufactured. For example, said package material can be composed of a package laminate, wherein the internal gas-barrier layer (e. g. aluminium foil) of the package laminate and the liquid-tight layers (e. g. polyethylene) on the inside of the package cover the opening hole which is cut through the base layer (usually of paperboard) and outer liquid-tight layers of the package laminate.

When the package is to be opened, the pouch is drawn off from the package and then opened, where after the so released straw is forced to penetrate the cover layer by means of its sharp edge at one end.

In the design of the opening hole as described above the packaging laminate, more precisely the base layer of the packaging laminate, will display a free exposed edge around the periphery of the opening hole. Furthermore, said opening hole will form a recess in the packaging material. During transport and storing of the portion package, this will lead to the risks that moisture or impure liquid is sucked into the free edge of the base layer entailing a growth of bacteria, and that dirt and bacteria are collected in the recess, said dirt and bacteria are introduced into the liquid food when the straw is forced to penetrate the opening hole.

Another drawback of the conventional design of portion packages provided with a straw is that the pouch for the straw can be difficult to open, that the pouch at

loosening form a separate item that can pollute the environment, and that the design of the pouch entails an added consumption of material for the package with accompanied increased costs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided a portion package for liquid food, which is designed so as to reduce the above-described problems. More particularly, the invention intends to provide a portion package for liquid food, which package is provided with a straw that is releasably attached to one side of the package and a covered opening hole for said straw, said opening hole being protected from moisture, dirt and bacteria during transport and storing, preferably at reduced consumption of material, costs and number of involved steps of manufacturing. The invention also intends make the straw more accessible as compared to conventional solutions, and preferably also to keep the amount of waste low after consumption of the food.

In accordance with the invention these and other objects and intentions of the portion package are achieved through the features as set forth in the appending claims.

The invention is based on the concept that the same piece of material that is used to keep the straw enclosed and attached to the package can be used also to cover the opening hole for the straw, whereby the opening hole will be protected from moisture, dirt and bacteria during transport and storing. Thus, in accordance with the invention said straw is releasably attached to one side of the package by means of one or two films, which are attached to the package, wherein one of said films covers at least substantially the straw and the other one covers the opening hole. Use can be made of one film covering both the straw and the opening hole, or of different films forming a package for the straw.

In a first preferred embodiment of the invention use is thus made of only one, preferably rectangular and/or extended film covering the straw as well as the opening hole. The straw is in direct contact with the package and is immediately released

when said film is at least partly drawn off from the package. At the same time the opening hole is exposed so that the straw can be forced to penetrate the covering.

In an another embodiment of the invention use is made of a rectangular and/or an extended pouch of conventional type for the packaging of the straw, said pouch comprises two films which are sealed to each other around the periphery. In this case either the whole pouch, the lower film (in direct contact with the package) or the outer film extend upwardly over the opening hole which of course is provided in an upper part of the package. The pouch or one of said films is thereby substantially longer than the straw. The other one of said films need only be slightly longer than the straw. When the pouch is drawn off from the package said opening hole is exposed, so that the straw can be forced to penetrate the covering after removing from the pouch.

According to a preferred modification of this second embodiment it is the outer film of the pouch that extends upwardly over the opening hole, wherein said film being provided to be drawn off from its position over the opening hole as well as from the lower film, whereby the pouch thus is opened and the straw is directly released.

In one aspect of the invention said film or films can be designed and attached to the package in a manner such that it or they are still attached to the package at one end after release of the straw and the opening hole, whereby the amount of wastes is reduced.

In another aspect of the invention said film or films can be designed and attached to the package so that it or they enable that the opening hole is opened at the same time as the straw is released when said film or films at least partly are drawn off form the package. Said film or films form thereby a sealing of the opening hole of pull-tab type, whereby the straw needs not to be used to penetrate the sealing. Instead said film or films entrain the adjacent inner layer of the packaging laminate at the opening hole.

Besides the advantage that the opening hole is protected, the invention also offers the advantages of reduced consumption of material for the straw package (in the

embodiment embodying only one film), that the straw becomes more accessible and that the amount of loose wastes is reduced. Furthermore it is an advantage from manufacturing point of view that both the straw and the opening hole can be covered in one and same manufacturing step.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 a shows a portion package according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, comprising an opening hole, a straw and a film covering said hole and straw, Figure 1 b shows the portion package of figure 1 a at a time when said film is being drawn away, Figure 2a shows a portion package according to a second embodiment of the invention, comprising an opening hole, a straw and a pouch for the straw, said pouch comprising a film covering the opening hole, and Figure 2b shows the portion package of figure 2a at a time when said film is being drawn away.

The portion package according to the invention is designated with the general reference number 10 in figures 1 a and 1 b. The shown package is a brick-shaped package (e. g. TETRA BRIK) and contains typically 100-350 ml. A sealed opening hole 12 is provided on the upper short-end side 14 of the package 10. To one side 16 of the package, which side is angled with respect to said upper short-end side 14, a straw 18 is releasable attached by means of a film 20 attached to said side 16 of the package. The film 20 also extends over the angled passage between side 16 of the package and the short-end side 14 and further over the opening hole 12 while protecting said hole from moisture, dirt and bacteria. Thus in this embodiment only

one film 20 is used to cover the straw 18, to keep the straw attached to the package 10 and to protect the opening hole 12.

In figure 1b is shown how the film 20 is drawn off from the package 10, starting at the upper end adjacent the to the opening hole, whereby the opening hole 12 as well as the straw 18 are released. Said film 20 needs not be drawn off completely, but can still be adhering to the lower part of the package 10.

In figures 2a and 2b the same reference numbers are used as in figures 1 a and 1 b to designate like details.

In the embodiment according to figures 2a and 2b the straw 18 is placed within a pouch 22, which in a per se known manner is formed by two, preferably rectangular and/or extended films 24,26. Said straw 18 is located between these films 24,26.

The lower film 26 is only slightly longer than the straw 18 and is attached directly to the side 16 of the package. The outer film 24 is substantially longer than both the film 26 and the straw 18 and is sealed to the lower film 26 by means of a seal 28 around the periphery of the later. The outer film 24 extends over the angled passage between the short-end side 14 and the side 16 of the package and further over the opening hole 12 while protecting it from moisture, dirt and bacteria. Thus, in this embodiment two films 24,26 form the package for the straw 18 and keep it attached to the package 10, while only the outer film 24 protects the opening hole 12. The outer film 24 is preferably sealed to the lower film 26 and attached to the package 10 in a manner such that it is pelable from these, wherein the lower film 26 in its entirety stays on the package while the outer film 24 is drawn off (peeled away) from the package at least in its upper part while it can still being adhered in its lower part.

Irrespective of embodiment, said film or films can be attached to the package in a number of different ways. For example, they can suitably be attached by means of heat-sealing or glue. In the case of glue, this can be applied either separately or be provided on said film/films such that this/these become self-adhering. The film or films are furthermore comprised of polymeric material and comprises preferably a polyolefin (e. g. polyethylene or polypropylene) and/or polyethylene terephthalat. The or these can be formed either as a film of only one material or as a laminate of

different materials and/or qualities to obtain desired properties, comprising for example glue or sealing layers.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein, but can be varied within the scoop of the accompanying claims. The shown shape of package is not limited to the shown one, but other shapes are conceivable, such as for example tetrahedron packages (e. g. TETRA CLASSIC) where the straw can be attached to the same side of the package as the opening hole. Partly depending on the shape of package, the straw can be vertically or diagonally oriented on the side of the package. The straw can be of a simple design or of a telescopic design or have a flexible bellows shape. In the embodiment comprising a pouch of two films, it is of course possible that the entire pouch, or at least the entire upper part thereof, being provided to be drawn off from the package and after that to be opened in conventional way to release the straw.