AU597130B2

AU597130B2 - Improvements in packages

Info

Publication number: AU597130B2
Application number: AU82273/87A
Authority: AU
Inventors: David Graham Ellis; Pamela Ellis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-12-23
Filing date: 1987-12-09
Publication date: 1990-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 2007-12-09
Also published as: AU8227387A

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class Application Number: Lodged: Int. Class Co c

C

e o o o o a o C PO e "e 0 C C c o C c c Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: This document conta n amendments made uncd. r Section -19 and is correci f i, pri'nting.

APPLICANT'S REF.: CAP OF PH9650 Name(s) of Applicant(s): DAVID GRAHAM ELLIS PAMELA ELLIS Address(es) of Applicant(s): Actual Inventor(s): 4 William Street, Mount Waverley, Victoria 3149 DAVID GRAHAM ELLIS PAMELA ELLIS Address for Service is: PHILLIPS, ORMONDE AND FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne, Australia, 3000 Complete Specification for the invention entitled: IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKAGES The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): P19/3/84 U L i IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKAGES The present invention relates to packages. In particular the present invention relates to packages suitable for products which are to be maintained in a relatively uncontaminated state. Such products may include pharmaceuticals, medical or electronic devices, optical components, foodstuffs etc.

It is common to store certain pharmaceutical products such as blood plasma or saline solution in flexible plastics containers or bags. To provide a moisture barrier and to ensure that the containers or bags maintain sterility of contents the containers or bags may be wrapped in an overpouch or overwrap package. The present invention is more specifically concerned with such overpouch or overwrap packages, although it is not necessarily limited to such applications.

Overpouch or overwrap packages of the above kind are typically made of plastics material. The plastics material may comprise polymers such as co-extruded polymers, laminated polymers or laminates thereof. The polymers may comprise mono-polymers or co-polymers.

Desirable properties for overpouch or overwrap packages include relatively low oxygen and moisture permeability. The packages also should possess acceptable emechanical strength. Mechanical strength is desirable because the packages must withstand sterilizing procedures such as autoclaving, the latter typically being performed at elevated temperatures and/or pressures.

o Acceptable mechanical strength may be obtained by suitable choice of material for the packages. One problem associated with mechanical strength of the packages is that they are subsequently more difficult to open. This is typically done by tearing the package. However the material of the package exhibits some resistance to tearing. As mechanical strength of the package increases resistance to tearing also increases.

One solution is to provide weakening or score lines in the material of the package, i.e. regions of reduced thickness in the material of the package, along which the 1255L MR package may be torn more easily. However a disadvantage of weakening or score lines is that they reduce mechanical strength of the package in the vicinity of the weakening/score line. This increases risk of accidential rupture during autoclaving and/or handling of the package and for this reason weakening/score lines may not be used except in 'low risk' applications.

A further solution has been to provide an access assisting formation on the outer perimeter of the package in the form of a nick, notch, slit or the like. In view of the above noted mechanical strength requirements, access assisting formations of the above kind are generally t er, provided such that they do not intrude into the sealed q J region of the package. Sudh formations when provided are f typically located in those portions of the package which lie outside of the sealed region or seam of the package.

This avoids deterioration of mechanical strength. However because the seam of the package must be breached to access Jthe contents of the package, access assisting formations which are located outside of the seam are less effective in assisting opening of the package.

An object of the present invention is to alleviate the abovementioned disadvantages.

CC, a package of the abovementioned kind including at lea one region in which contents may be sealed, said pack incorporating an access assisting formation, d formation comprising: a weakened portion extending a east partly into said region; and an isolating portion w h at least partly isolates the weakened portion from id region.

In packages wh the seam forming the package extends around th erimeter of the package the access assisting for ion may be located at least partly within the regio f the package enclosed by the seam. This is the r ion of the package in which contents are or may be -o T A 1255L MR -3- &1M55L MR -3- According to the present invention there is provided a package of the abovementioned kind in the form of a bag or pouch comprising opposed walls joined at their periphery and having at least one region in which contents may be sealed, said package incorporating an access assisting formation including a weakened portion formed adjacent said periphery in at least one of said walls and C wherein sealing means joining said opposed walls is formed around said weakened portion, whereby isolating said I 10 weakened portion from said region.

In packages where the seam forming the package €extends around the perimeter of the package the access assisting formation may be located at least partly within the region of the package enclosed by the seam. This is the region of the package in which contents are or may be sealed and is herein referred to as "the sealed region".

tee' tr o 0 t 0 4 MJP -3a- _I i The weakened portion may include a weakening or score line. The weakening or score line preferably is substantially linear. The weakening or score line may extend or penetrate into the sealed region of the package a sufficient distance to enable the package to be conveniently grasped when opening the package by a tearing or similar action. In one form the weakening or score line may extend approximately 10mm into the sealed region of the package.

According to the present invention the access formation includes an isolating portion which at least partly isolates the weakening or score line from the sealed region of the package. The isolating portion may comprise a seam formed by a welding process such as heat welding or ultrasonic welding. The isolating portion may at least 0 4a partly surround the weakening or score line. The isolating portion preferably is continuous. In one form the isolating portion may be in the shape of a U. One leg of I' the U may commence on the outer edge of the package at a point spaced from the weakening/score line. The isolating portion may then follow the weakening/score line, spaced C approximately parallel thereto, to its end. At the end of the score line the isolating portion may swing around the weakening/score line with a radius of curvature which is approximately equal to one-half the distance between the 4* legs of the U.

The isolating portion may then follow the weakening/ score line, spaced approximately parallel thereto and return to the outer edge of the package. The isolating portion may terminate at a point on the edge of the package which is substantially opposite, relative to the weakening or score line, the point at which it commences.

It is preferable that the isolating portion is smoothly curved as this helps to minimize concentration of stress points in the seam of the isolating portion.

However the advantages of the present invention may also be observed if the isolating portion is not curved e.g. where it follows the shape of a rectangle or a triangle.

1255L MR -4- 1; It may be appreciated that if the isolating portion is continuous and substantially or fully isolates the weakening/score line from the sealed region of the package, the weakening/score line may be much deeper. The weakening/score line may be up to 100% of the thickness of the material of the package or in other words the weakening/ score line may comprise a slit in the package. Preferably the slit does not extend fully to the edge of the package but stops just short of the edge forming a web portion along the edge.

j The access assisting formation may be located along the perimeter of the package. Preferably the formation is 94 ,located adjacent a corner of the package but this is not essential. The access assisting formation preferably is spaced from a corner of the package sufficiently to enable the package to be conveniently grasped when opening the package.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying 20 drawings wherein:- Fig. 1 shows a package incorporating one form of access assisting formation according to the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a detailed view of the access assisting formation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the package and formation through III III of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 shows an alternative form of access assisting Sformation according to the present invention; Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the package and formation through V-V of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 shows a further form of access assisting formation according to the present invention; and Fig. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the package and formation through VII-VII of Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. 1 the access assisting formation is shown generally at 10. The formation 10 is located towards one corner of the package 11. The package 11 is supplied for use with edges 12, 13, 14 normally sealed.

1255L MR 4 i l Where the package 11 is formed from tubular material edges 12, 14 are continuous and may not be seamed.

Edges 12, 13, 14 may be sealed in any convenient manner such as via a seam formed by application of heat.

Package 11 preferably comprises a polymer material.

Referring to Fig. 2, the access formation comprises a weakening/score line 20 extending approximately from edge 14 towards the sealed region of the package 11.

Weakening/score line 20 extends 100% through the Fmaterial of package 11, i.e. line 20 comprises a slit.

Weakening/score line 20 is spaced from edge 14 by a web portion 21. Web portion 21 may be approximately imm. Web S' portion 21 assists i.n maintaining integrity of the package i.e. it reduces risk of accident tearing or opening of the package.

Access formation 10 includes an isolating 22.

Isolating portion 22 isolates weakening/score line 20 from t the sealed region of the package. Isolating portion 22 20 comprises linear segments 22a, 22b joined by curved segment 22c. Isolating portion 22 is formed by a heating process which results in local fusion of the walls of package 11 in the area of isolating portion 22. The fused walls which make up isolating portion 22 are best seen in Fig. 3 which show a cross-sectional view of the package through III-III 0* of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows an access formation comprising slit Slit 40 is spaced from the edge of the package by a web portion 41. Slit 40 is isolated from the contents area of the package via a rectangular isolating portion 42.

Isolating portion 42 comprises linear segments 42a, 42b joined by linear segment 42c substantially at right angles thereto. Fig. 5 corresponds to Fig. 3 and shows a cross-section of the package through V-V of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 shows an access formation comprising a slit Slit 60 is spaced from the edge of the package by a web portion 61. Slit 60 is isolated froin the contents area of the package via a triangular isolating portion 62.

Isolating portion 62 comprises a pair of linear segments 1255L MR -6i I .i -I IL~^YL _LL LILII 62a, 62b. Fig. 7 corresponds to Figs. 3 and 5 and shows a cross-section of the package through VII-VII of Fig. 6.

Package 14 may, after it is filled with contents, be sealed in any conventional or convenient manner. Because the isolating portion (22, 42, 62) isolates the slit 60) from the sealed region or 'contents area' of the bag, the package of the present invention may be subjected to autoclaving and similar sterilizing procedures with substantially reduced risk of breaching the integrity of the package.

The contents of the package may be readily accessed ,iII by applying a tearing action to the access formation r r r off The tearing action may be commenced by grasping the package with one hand on each side of the slit (20, 40, 60) and •applying forces with the hands in substantially opposite directions.

It will be appreciated that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the 2 constructions and arrangements of parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the r r invention.

S,

at 4 t 1255L MR -7t L

Claims

2. A package according to claim 1 wherein said weakened portion includes a score line in said at least one of said walls.
3. A package according to claim 2 wherein said score line penetrates substantially 100% thickness of said at least one of said walls.
4. A package according to claim 2 or 3 wherein said score line is linear and is substantially 10mm long.
5. A package according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said weakened portion is separated from said periphery by a web portion.
6. A package according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said sealing means comprises a seam formed by local fusion of material of said package.
7. A package according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said sealing means is substantially U-shaped.
8. A package according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said package comprises a polymer.
9. A package according to claim 1 substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1-3 or 4-5 or 6-7 of the accompanying drawings. DATED: 30 January, 1990. PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: DAVID GRAHAM ELLIS PAMELA ELLIS 0~-i4 MJP