The invention especially relates to a tea bag package wherein the first and second opposite flaps are not joined along the third side of the triangle and the triangular envelope comprises a third flap joined to the first flap at the third side and foldable via a first folding line between a first position in which the third side is open and a second position in which this side is closed.

Such a tea bag is known from the applicant's European Patent No. 0 807 079 Bl which is incorporated by reference in the present patent application.

In this case, the tea bag is well protected in the closed envelope. When the tea bag is to be used, the third flap is unfolded to the first position whereby the third side of the triangular envelope is opened so that the tea bag can exit the envelope and be lowered down into e. g. a tea cup which then is filled or is already full of mainly boiling hot water.

When the tea has drawn, the wet tea bag is drawn up into the open envelope by means of the string, the envelope can then be closed again by folding the third flap back to the second position. This process takes place easily and effortlessly due to the triangular shape of the envelope, which forms a kind of

funnel that easily catches the tea bag. The envelope will now prevent liquid from running out from the tea bag and soiling the surroundings.

The free end of the string is provided with a tab on to which the user will hold when the used tea bag is to be drawn up into the envelope in the above manner. The tab is detached from the envelope and is somewhat in the way if a number of tea bag packages are packed in one package.

From WO patent publication no. 9601773 is known a tea bag package with a tab, which is integrated with the envelope and detached from this envelope at use.

In a first embodiment, the tab of this known tea bag package consists of a tab torn out of one of flaps of the envelope.

When the user with his fingers squeezes the envelope together around the used tea bag which has been drawn up into the envelope, there is a considerable risk of getting the fingers scalded because they will come into contact with the wet and scalding hot tea bag via the opening formed in the envelope.

In other embodiments the tab is torn off the envelope along a transverse tear-off line. However, this operation is rather difficult as the string is extending across the tear-off line and precisely is not to follow the tearing-off operation.

Another disadvantage is that the string is taken round the tear-off line via an opening in the envelope. This opening constitutes a permanent connection between open air and the tea bag whereby the tea eventually will loose its aroma and flavour to a greater or smaller extent.

The envelope of this known tea bag package furthermore lacks a third flap for being able to guide the tea bag in place in the envelope after use in an easy and secure manner.

The object of the invention is to provide a tea bag package of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph, which has an envelope with a tab which is integrated with the envelope and can be separated from this envelope quickly and easily without thereby leaving an opening which more or less will expose the tea bag, and which simultaneously forms a tight package for this.

The improvement is that the free end of the string is anchored to a tab in form of a anchor tab connected to the first flap at one side of the triangle via a preferably perforated folding line extending up to or towards the point in which the closed sides of the triangle join each other, and that the anchor tab is folded in over a second flap and detachably joined to this flap by means of a means for joining.

Thereby, the anchor tab can conveniently be disposed inside the area of the triangle and especially when the tap forms a triangle that is congruent with the triangle formed by the envelope and this triangle is equilateral whereby the tap will coincide with the corner of the triangle that includes the point or eye in an aesthetically beautiful manner.

When the tea bag package is to be used, the anchor tab is easily freed from the joining means, after which it is torn off the envelope at the perforated folding line. This operation takes place effortlessly because the string does not, as in the tea bag from WO patent publication no. 9601773, interfere with the tearing-off operation, and the envelope is furthermore not left with openings that could constitute a risk to the user's safety.

Another advantage is that the string is not taken through permanent openings in the envelope as is the case with the tea bag package known from the above patent publication. This means that the envelope will form an impermeable package to

the tea, which therefore can maintain its aroma and flavour until it is to be used.

According to the invention, an adhesive can be located on the second tab for detachably keeping the free end of the third tab in second position. This adhesive can also be used for securing the anchor tab in a completely or partly detachable manner.

Alternatively or simultaneously, the second tab can be formed as a flap for securing the free end of the third tab.

As mentioned above, the third tab is folded back to the second position after the wet tea bag has been drawn up into the envelope. Said flap can then advantageously be used for securing the third tab in second position.

In an advantageous embodiment, the flap can be cut out of the material of the second tab in a cut in the shape of e. g. a circular arc, a U or a V.

The folding lines can be single lines but also double lines according to the invention. In the last case, the advantage is obtained in that the chamber of the envelope easier will provide space for accommodating the tea bag and that the envelope is given a more plane shape when the bag is in the chamber.

In an advantageous embodiment the first flap can be formed with at least one transverse folding line extending from at least an area at the point in which the closed sides of the triangle join each other and in a direction crosswise to the first folding line and continuing in the third flap, whereas the second flap can be formed with at least one second transverse folding line extending from at least an area at the point in which the sides of the triangle join each other and

in a direction crosswise to the opposite side, whereby the at least one first and second transverse folding lines respectively are bent each their way in the envelope.

The transverse folding lines can be formed with a pre-stress which will try to bend the first and second flaps away from each other when the third flap is opened, or they can be bent away from each other with a light touch on the opposite sides of the envelope. When the two flaps thus have been bent away from each other, the tea bag will fall easily and surely out of the envelope when it is opened and is drawn up again after use just as easily and surely.

To easily be able to close the envelope containing the used tea bag, the spacing at least along a central area between the side of the second flap at the first side of the triangle and the opposite triangle point can be smaller than the spacing between the folding line and said triangle point.

The invention will be explained in greater details below, describing further advantageous characteristics and technical functions and an only exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing, in which Fig. 1 shows an envelope according to the invention in unfolded state, Fig. 2 is the envelope in fig. l containing a tea bag, Fig. 3 is the envelope in fig. 2 in partly folded state, Fig. 4 is the envelope in fig. 2 in completely folded state, Fig. 5 shows the use of the tea bag package in a first stage of operation,

Fig. 6 shows the use in a second stage of operation, Fig. 7 shows the use in a third stage of operation, Fig. 8 shows the use in a fourth stage of operation, Fig. 9 shows the use in a fifth stage of operation, and Fig. 10 shows the use in a sixth stage of operation.

The tea bag package according to the invention is mainly composed of an envelope 1 and a tea bag 2. The envelope, seen in fig. 1 in unfolded state, is preferably made of a moisture- absorbent, but only partly moisture-impermeable material and is composed of first, second and third triangular flaps 3,4 and 5. In the case shown, the triangles are equilateral and the point of the third flap 5 is cut along a cutting line 6.

In the case shown, the first and third flaps 3,5 are connected to each other along a first folding line 7', whereas the first and second flaps 3,4 are connected to each other along a second folding line 8'. In addition, the first flap 3 is connected to a longitudinal joining tab 10 along a third folding line 9'.

On the back, the joining tab 10 is provided with an adhesive designated by a signature in form of closely spaced dots. At folding of the envelope, the joining tab is folded around the third folding line 9'so that the adhesive will face inwards in the envelope.

In the case shown, a section 11 on the inside of the second flap 4 is provided with an adhesive designated by a fine- chequered signature. In folded state, this section corresponds to the adhesive of the joining tab, whereby a strong connection between the first-and second flaps is obtained

along the joint side. One of these adhesive sections can possibly be excluded.

Alternatively, the envelope can be without the joining tab 10, and the first and second flaps be joined or stuck together along their joint side without this tab.

It is to be noted that the first and second tabs 3 and 4 also can be joined to each other in any other suitable manner that will close the envelope along two of its sides.

In continuation of the third folding line 9'is a perforated folding line 12 forming one of the sides of a tab in form of an anchor tab 13 extending outwards from the dotted folding line 12. The triangular anchor tab 13 is congruent with the triangle formed by the envelope.

In this case, a fixing tab 24 is furthermore formed on the anchor tab 13, said fixing tab being connected to the anchor tab 13 along a folding line 15. The anchor tab 13 and the fixing tab 14 are provided with an adhesive designated by a fine-chequered signature.

A flap 17 has been cut free of the material of the second flap 4 along a cut 16.

In fig. 2, the tea bag is now placed on top of the first flap 3 of the unfolded envelope. A string 18 is in this case attached to the tea bag in the corner closest to the anchor tab 13 by means of a clip 19. The free end of the string is attached to the anchor tab 13 by means of for example an adhesive, and in the case shown with the fixing tab 14 folded around the string 18 and stuck to the anchor tab 13.

It is to be noted that the string 18 can be attached to the tea bag 2 and the anchor tab 13 respectively in any other way

than the above-mentioned examples, and that the tea bag need not be positioned in exactly the operation stage in fig. 2 but according to the invention also can be positioned in a later operation stage.

In fig. 3, the second flap 4 is folded around the second folding line 8'and connected to the first flap 3, the adhesive on the second flap being joined to the adhesive on the folded joining tab 10.

An adhesive 20 is furthermore applied on the exterior of the second flap 4 in the area at the flap 17. Alternatively, the adhesive can be applied on the anchor tab.

In fig. 4, the anchor tab 13 is folded in over the exterior of the second flap 2 and stuck to the adhesive 20 in the area at the flap 17. The third flap 5 is also folded in over the second flap 4 with an area at the cutting line 6 pushed in under the flap 17. Thereby and by means of the adhesive 20, the flap 5 is kept in position.

The adhesive 20 is preferably of the kind that allows said connections to be easily freed.

The tea bag package is now complete. As can be seen, the anchor tab fits perfectly in the configuration of the envelope in this state, two of the sides of the anchor tab coinciding with two closed sides of the envelope.

When the tea bag package is to be used, the anchor tab 13 is freed from the second flap 4, after which it is torn off the envelope along the perforated folding line 12. By means of the now free anchor tab, the string 18 can easily be pulled out through a slit or an eye 21 that is automatically formed between the first-and second flaps 3 and 4 at the point in

which the second folding line 8'and the perforated folding line 12 join each other.

Figs. 5-10 shows how the tea bag package is used.

In fig. 5, the envelope is opened, the third flap being unfolded from its second-to its first position so that the user, as shown in fig. 6, can take the bag out of the envelope and place it in a tea cup 22 which, as shown in fig. 7, is filled with preferably boiling hot water from e. g. a kettle 23.

When the tea is brewed after typically three minutes, the user draws, as shown in figs. 8 and 9, by means of the now detached anchor tab and the affixed string the wet tea back into the envelope which is open at the bottom, the envelope functioning as a funnel easily catching the triangular bag which furthermore is guided safely in place in the envelope by the unfolded third flap functioning as a slide to the used tea bag in this connection.

In fig. 10, the wet tea bag is in place in the envelope. The user will now squeeze the envelope with his fingers and thereby the tea bag so that it will release a large part of its content of liquid in form of tea which is utilised by the user letting the tea drip into the tea cup 22.

After the wet tea bag has been drained in this way, the third flap is folded back to second position. Thereby, the envelope is closed and the user can now put it down without risk of liquid running out of the tea bag and soiling the surroundings (not shown).

During the entire above-mentioned process, the user's fingers are spared from getting soiled or scalded by direct contact

with the tea bag which normally will be wet and scalding hot to touch after use.

To guide the tea bag into and out of the open envelope more easily, the first flap 3 is formed with a transverse folding line 24 extending from the triangle point opposite the first folding line 7'and crosswise of this and continuing into the third flap 5, whereas the second flap 4 is formed with at least one second transverse folding line 25 extending from the same triangle point and crosswise of the opposite side of the flap.

When the envelope is opened, the first-and second flaps are advantageously bent away from each other by means of a pre- stress in the transverse folding lines and/or by a touch on the closed sides of the envelope. Thereby, plenty of room is provided for the tea bag to easily fall out of the envelope and easily be drawn up into this envelope after use.

The spacing between the side of the second flap 4 located at the first side 7 of the triangle and the opposite triangle point is furthermore smaller (not shown) than the spacing between the folding line 7'and said triangle point at least along a central area, whereby the third flap 5 can be folded in over the second flap 4 more easily via the first folding line 7'after use.