SACHET

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a sachet and relates particularly but not exclusively to a sachet for holding contents such as particulate contents such as herbs or spices.

Background Art

It has been known to provide herbs and/or spices or other contents such as liquids or particulate materials in generally flat envelope like sachets. The contents of the sachets can be dispensed by either cutting open one end of a sachet or by releasing a seal at one end of the sachet. In some cases, the seal may be a resealable seal so that the sachet can be closed after opening.

A problem with such sachets is that the sachet is opened to such an extent that a greater quantity of the contents is usually discharged than required.

Object and Statement of the Invention

There is a need for an alternative sachet that is economical to produce and which can mitigate the aforementioned problem.

Therefore, according to a first broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a sachet for holding contents, said sachet having a body that is sleeve like and having one end closed, and the other end closed, said sachet comprising a perforated membrane extending across said other end so that when contents of the sachet are to be dispensed therefrom the sachet can be opened at the other end and the contents allowed to pass

through the perforations in the perforated membrane.

Most preferably the other end is closed by an openable and closable resealable seal.

Most preferably, the perforated membrane extends across the other end of the sachet at a position that will be within a contents part of the sachet that will be sealed by said resealable seal.

In an alternative embodiment/ the perforated membrane extends across the other end of the sachet at a position that will be external of a contents parts of the sachet that will be sealed by said resealable seal.

In a further embodiment/ the perforated membrane is formed in a wall of said body, and wherein said resealable seal is in a flap fixedly attached to said body over part of a circumferential region of said flap and so said flap can be lifted away from said body to open said resealable seal by swinging about said part of said circumferential region.

Brief Description of Drawings

In order that the invention can be more clearly ascertained examples of preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of an example of a preferred embodiment of a sachet showing the sachet in a sealed closed condition,

Figure 2 is a side cross sectional view of the sachet shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a top perspective view, similar to that shown in Figure 1, showing a seal opened so that the contents can be discharged,

Figure 4 is a close-up view showing how the contents of the sachet shown in Figures 1 - 3 can be discharged,

Figure 5 is a top perspective view of an alternative example of a sachet in another embodiment of the invention,

Figure 6 is a side cross sectional view of the sachet shown in Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a top perspective view of the sachet shown in Figures 5 and 6, showing the sachet in an open condition,

Figure 8 is a close-up view showing how the contents of the sachet of the example of Figures 5, 6, and 7 can be discharged,

Figure 9 is a top perspective view of a still further example of a sachet of an alternative embodiment of the invention,

Figure 10 is a side cross sectional view of the sachet shown in Figure 9,

Figure 11 is top perspective view showing the sachet of Figures 9 and 10 in an open condition, and

Figure 12 is a close-up view showing how the contents of the sachet of the example of Figures 9, 10 and 11 can be discharged.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

Referring firstly to the example shown in Figures 1 - 4, it can be seen that a sachet 1 has a body 3 that is sleeve like. The sachet 1 can hold any desired contents such as liquids or particulate material. In one case the particulate material may be herbs or spices or similar. The sachet has one end 5 closed, and the other end 7 openable and closable. A resealable seal 9 is provided in this example, however, a resealable seal 9 may not be used. The sachet may be openable by simply opening one end of the sachet, such as the other end 7. The sachet 1 includes a perforated membrane 11 that extends across the other end 7. The perforated membrane extends across the other end 7 of the sachet 1 at a position that will be within a contents part 13 of the sachet that will be sealed by the resealable seal 9.

The sachet 1 is formed from a suitable material such as a flexible plastics material sheet. The sleeve may be formed as a tubular part that is sealed at the one end 5 along seal line 15 (see Figure 2) , and permanently sealed at the other end 7 along seal line 17. The side edges of the sachet 1 may be sealed along seal lines 19. The exact way in which the sachet body 3 is formed may be varied according to particular material choices and fabrication techniques . One particularly suitable plastics material for the material of the body 3 is a polyethylene sheet. This material lends itself to ultrasonic and/or thermo sealing techniques. In addition, the resealable seal 9 may be thermo formed into the material itself. In the example shown in Figure 1, the resealable seal 9 is a zip type seal that has two mutually co-operable zip bead and socket parts 21 and 23. These bead and socket parts 21 and 23 are formed on the internal wall surfaces of the body 3 and extend completely across the other end 7 of the sachet 1 to the seal lines 19.

Typically/ and as shown, the sachet has a generally flat envelope configuration.

The perforated membrane 11 is preferably of a similar material to that of the body 3 and is sealed relative to the body 3 along seal line 25. The seal line 25 extends completely across the other end 7 of the body 3 and therefore extends across the contents parts 13. The perforations are typically of a size marginally larger than the size of individual particles of the particulate material contents although this is not essential. This size inhibits excessive passage of the contents such as individual particles passing unwanted from the sachet. If the perforations are smaller than the average size of the particulate contents of the sachet, there will be some filtering of the dispensed contents as only the particulate contents that can pass through the perforations will be dispensed.

In this example, the contents of the sachet 1 can be dispensed by severing the sachet at the other end 7 along a severing line 27. This can be formed into the sachet 1 by a thinning of the wall thickness of the sachet 1 along severing line 27 by a pressing, heating or other forming process. The sachet 1 can then be opened by opening the resealable seal 9 and flexing the side walls of the body 3 open as shown in Figure 3 and in Figure 4. Thus, the contents such as herbs and spices, salt and pepper and other condiments of a particulate material nature can be dispensed from the sachet 1 by shaking the sachet 1 and allowing the contents to pass through the perforations in the perforated membrane 11 as particularly shown in Figure 4. If the contents are liquid then the liquid can flow through the perforations.

In the example shown in Figures 5 - 8, like components to those in the example of Figures 1 - 4 have

been identified with the same numerical designations and will not be described again. In this example, the sachet is generally similar to that in the previous example, however the resealable seal 9 and the perforated membrane 11 are such that the perforated membrane 11 extends across the other end 7 of the sachet 1 at a position that will be external of the contents part 13 of the sachet that will be sealed by the resealable seal 9. In this example, two tabs 29 are provided at the resealable seal 9 to facilitate opening and spreading apart of the side walls of the body 3.

Figures 9 - 12 show a still further example where the sachet 1 has a body part 3 formed in the same way as in the previous examples. Accordingly, like components will be provided with the same numerical designations and will not be described again. In this example, the perforated membrane, now identified by numeral 31, is formed in a wall of the body 3. The resealable seal is formed in a flap 33 that is attached to the body 3 over a part 35 of the circumferential region of the flap 33. The flap 33, and the body 3 around the perforated membrane 31, contain a zip type resealable seal 37 that has a bead part 21 and a socket part 23. In this case, the socket part 23 is formed on the outside of the body 3, and the bead part 21 is formed on the inside face of the flap 33. Thus, the bead and socket parts 21 and 23 form two mutually co- operable zip bead and socket parts. The flap 33 may have a tab 39 to facilitate easy opening.

The contents of the sachet may be dispensed from the body 3 by opening the flap 33 and shaking the contents so that the contents pass through the perforations in membrane 31, as shown in Figure 12. The sachet 1 can be resealed by folding down the flap 33 and resealing the zip seal 37. This example also shows that the body 3 contains a similar resealable seal 9 to the seal 9 shown in the

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previous examples. In this case, if a substantial quantity of the contents of the sachet 1 are to be dispensed, then the resealable seal 9 may be opened to allow a person to insert a spoon or other object into the body 3, or to simply allow the contents to be shaken through the opening provided by the severing of the other end 7 along the seal line 17 to thereby open the sachet 1.

Whilst the flap 33 has been shown extending only part way across the body 3, it may be configured to extend completely across the body 3.

In all examples, the material of the sachet 1 may be transparent so the contents can be clearly seen.

Modifications may be made to the invention as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art of producing containers such as sachets. For example, the sachet 1 may be produced by suitable folding of an elongate strip of plastics material over itself and then welding along seal lines 19 and 17. In that case, the one end 5 that has been previously described as being sealed by seal line 15 may be simply a folded-over end of the elongate strip of a material. In addition, the membrane 11 itself may be rupturable, or have a rupture line or seal, to enable the membrane to be rendered open, so the contents can be dispensed without passing through the openings in the membrane.

In addition, a further openable and/or reclosable seal could be provided at the one end 5, so the contents can be dispensed without passing through the openings in the membrane.

In addition, the membrane could be made of material different to the material of the sachet 3, and the size of the openings could be chosen to suit the

required discharge rate of the contents.

The resealable seal 9 could be formed by a peelable adhesive applied to one or both of the overlapping parts of the body 3. Thus, after opening, the sachet could be resealed by overlapping those parts and pressing them together so the peelable adhesive reseals. The flap 33 described in the third example herein could be resealably sealed in this way. In addition, the flap need not be permanently secured to the sachet along the part previously referred to. The flap may be completely removable from the sachet, and then, after the contents have been dispersed, the flap could be resealed to close the membrane.

In addition, the sachet could be produced with two membranes 11, one being at one end 5, and the other being at the other end 7. Both ends 5 and 7 can be openable so the contents can be dispensed from each end. This would be convenient if the perforations of the membrane 11, were of different size at each end of the sachet, so that there could be appropriate size, and or volume filtering of the contents during discharge. A resealable seal 9 may be provided at each end 5 and 7 to permit opening and releasing. The contents part 13, may be divided into two parts, so that different contents can be provided in one part to the other. Thus, the desired contents could be discharged by opening the appropriate end of the sachet .

Other modifications may be made without departing from the ambit of the invention the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part

of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.