JP7633764B2 - Pillow pouch and its manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a pillow pouch and a method for manufacturing the same.

Pillow pouches capable of containing frozen foods and other contents have been widely used. Some of these pillow pouches are equipped with a steam vent mechanism that automatically releases steam generated during heating in a microwave oven to the outside of the pillow pouch. Various types of steam vent mechanisms are known, including, for example, one that is equipped with a thermosoftening resin layer (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

When the steam release mechanism includes a heat-softening resin layer, the heat-softening resin layer softens when heated, and the reduction in strength of the heat-softening resin layer causes partial destruction of the heat-softening resin layer and part of the sealant layer, allowing steam to escape from inside the pillow pouch.

Patent No. 4501019

In pillow pouches equipped with such a steam release mechanism, the contents are transferred from the pillow pouch to a plate after cooking in a microwave oven, and then eaten. However, there is currently a demand for the contents to be eaten using the pillow pouch as a container without transferring the contents from the pillow pouch to a plate after cooking.

The present invention was made to solve the above problems. That is, the objective is to provide a pillow pouch that allows steam to be released and allows the contents to be eaten without transferring them to a plate after cooking, and a method for manufacturing such a pillow pouch.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pillow pouch formed of a packaging material having at least a base layer and a sealant layer in this order, and having a front surface, a back surface, and a storage space for storing contents between the front surface and the back surface, the pillow pouch comprising a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a third end and a fourth end extending between the first end and the second end, a first end seal portion formed at the first end, a second end seal portion formed at the second end, a joint seal portion formed spanning from the first end seal portion to the second end seal portion, a first gusset fold portion formed on the third end side, and a steam release mechanism for automatically releasing steam from the storage space when the contents are cooked.

The pillow pouch may further include an opening initiation means provided on at least one of the first end seal portion and the second end seal portion, and the opening initiation means may be provided at a position such that the distance from the outer edge of the third end to the opening initiation means is within 2/3 of the length of the pillow pouch from the outer edge of the third end to the outer edge of the fourth end, and the opening initiation means is located closer to the fourth end than the first gusset fold portion.

The pillow pouch may further include an opening initiation means provided on at least one of the first end seal portion and the second end seal portion, and the opening initiation means may be provided at a position 10 mm to 200 mm away from the first gusset fold portion toward the fourth end portion.

The pillow pouch may further include a second gusset fold portion formed on the fourth end side, and the opening start means may be provided at a position closer to the third end side than the second gusset fold portion.

In the pillow pouch, the steam release mechanism may include a heat-softening resin layer partially laminated between the base layer and the sealant layer, and the heat-softening resin layer may be formed so as to extend from the outer edge to the inner edge of at least one of the first end seal portion and the second seal end portion, or so as to extend from the outer edge to the inner edge of the joint seal portion.

The pillow pouch may further include an opening guide portion provided in contact with or adjacent to the opening initiation means.

In the pillow pouch, the opening guide portion may be provided along the direction in which the joint seal portion extends.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the present invention includes a process for preparing a raw roll of a packaging material including at least a base layer, a sealant layer, and a heat-softening resin layer partially laminated between the base layer and the sealant layer, a process for unwinding the packaging material from the raw roll, and a process for heat-sealing the ends of the packaging material extending in the flow direction of the packaging material so that the sealant layer is on the inside to form a first seal portion and obtain a cylindrical body, a process for folding a part of the cylindrical body inward in the width direction of the cylindrical body to form a folded portion, and a process for folding the part of the cylindrical body inward in the width direction of the cylindrical body after forming the folded portion. The method for manufacturing a pillow pouch includes the steps of: heat-sealing the packaging material together in the width direction of the cylindrical body to form a second seal portion and obtain a bag body with one side open; filling the bag body with contents; and, after filling with the contents, heat-sealing the packaging material together in the width direction of the bag body to form a third seal portion and obtain a sealed bag body, in which the heat-softening resin layer of the packaging material wound around the original roll is formed in at least one of the areas where the second seal portion is to be formed and the area where the third seal portion is to be formed.

According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a pillow pouch that allows steam to be released and allows the contents to be eaten without transferring them to a plate after cooking.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a pillow pouch according to a first embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II of the pillow pouch shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a plan view for explaining the dimensions of each component of the pillow pouch shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a front view of another pillow pouch according to the first embodiment. 6A to 6C are diagrams showing another steam release mechanism according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a packaging material used in the pillow pouch according to the first embodiment. 1 is a diagram showing the pillow pouch according to the first embodiment being opened in a self-supporting state. FIG. FIG. 11 is a front view of a pillow pouch according to a second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a plan view for explaining the dimensions of each component of the pillow pouch shown in FIG. 8 . FIG. 13 is a front view of a pillow pouch according to a third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a plan view for explaining the dimensions of each component of the pillow pouch shown in FIG. 10. 13 is a diagram showing the pillow pouch according to the third embodiment being opened in a self-supporting state. FIG.

[First embodiment]
Hereinafter, a pillow pouch according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this specification, the terms "film", "sheet", and the like are not distinguished from each other based only on the difference in name. Therefore, for example, "film" is used to mean a member also called a sheet. FIG. 1 is a front view of a pillow pouch according to this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the pillow pouch shown in FIG. 1 taken along line II, and FIG. 3 is a plan view for explaining the dimensions of each component of the pillow pouch shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a front view of another pillow pouch according to this embodiment, FIG. 5 is a view showing another steam release mechanism according to this embodiment, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a packaging material used in the pillow pouch according to this embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a view of the pillow pouch according to this embodiment opened while standing upright.

<<Pillow pouch>>
The pillow pouch 10-1 shown in Fig. 1 has a storage space for storing contents. The contents are not particularly limited, but include food and the like. Specific contents include frozen foods, prepared foods, snacks, and the like. However, the contents are not limited to these.

Frozen foods include frozen noodles (frozen pasta, frozen yakisoba, frozen udon, frozen ramen, frozen glass noodles, etc.), frozen prepared dishes (frozen boiled hijiki, frozen boiled dried daikon strips, frozen meat and potatoes, frozen boiled butterbur, frozen chikuzenni, frozen boiled greens, frozen vegetables with sesame dressing, etc.), frozen rice (frozen fried rice, frozen pilaf, frozen chicken rice, frozen dry curry, frozen rice with thickened sauce, frozen fried rice with thickened sauce, frozen rice porridge, etc.), etc.

Examples of prepared foods include takoyaki, french fries, fried chicken, Chinese steamed buns, hamburger steaks, meatballs, minced meat cutlets, croquettes, chicken nuggets, shumai, gyoza dumplings, sausages, tonkatsu, fried chicken, meatballs, tempura, and edamame.

Snack foods include rice crackers such as rice crackers and arare, direct puff snacks, potato chips, corn chips, nuts, pretzels, popcorn, and other snacks made primarily from starchy agricultural products such as potatoes, wheat flour, corn, and rice. Snack foods made from these ingredients may or may not be fried.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pillow pouch 10-1 has a front surface 11, a back surface 12, and a side surface 13. The front surface 11 and the back surface 12 have a rectangular outline. The pillow pouch 10-1 has a first end 10A, a second end 10B opposite the first end 10A, a third end 10C and a fourth end 10D extending between the first end 10A and the second end 10B, and a joint portion 10E formed across the first end 10A and the second end 10B. The fourth end 10D is the end opposite the third end 10C. In the pillow pouch 10-1, the first end 10A and the second end 10B extend in the vertical direction DR2, and the third end 10C and the fourth end 10D extend in the horizontal direction DR1.

It is preferable that the ratio (L1/W1) of the length L1 (see FIG. 3) of the pillow pouch 10-1 to the width W1 (see FIG. 3) of the pillow pouch 10-1 is 1/4 or more and 3/2 or less. If L1/W1 is 1/4 or more, more contents can be accommodated, and if L1/W1 is 3/2 or less, the pillow pouch 10-1 can stably stand on its own after cooking in a microwave oven and before opening. The width W1 of the pillow pouch 10-1 is the length in the horizontal direction DR1 of the pillow pouch 10-1. Specifically, it is the length from the outer edge 10F of the first end 10A to the outer edge 10G of the second end 10B. If the width W1 of the pillow pouch is not constant, the width of the pillow pouch is set to the shortest value. The length L1 of the pillow pouch 10-1 is the length of the pillow pouch 10-1 in the vertical direction DR2. Specifically, it is the length from the outer edge 10H of the third end 10C to the outer edge 10I of the fourth end 10D. If the length of the pillow pouch is not constant, the length of the pillow pouch is the shortest value. In this specification, the dimensions of the pillow pouch and the dimensions of each component that constitutes the pillow pouch are all values measured when the gusset fold of the pillow pouch is not unfolded and the pillow pouch is made substantially flat. It is more preferable that the lower limit of the above L1/W1 is 1/2 or more, and it is more preferable that the upper limit of the above L1/W1 is 1 or less.

The width W1 of the pillow pouch 10-1 may be 70 mm or more and 300 mm or less, and the length L1 of the pillow pouch 10-1 may be 40 mm or more and 450 mm or less.

As shown in FIG. 1, the pillow pouch 10-1 has a first end seal portion 14 formed at the first end portion 10A, a second end seal portion 15 formed at the second end portion 10B, and a joint seal portion 16 formed across the first end seal portion 14 and the second end seal portion 15. The joint seal portion 16 is provided at the joint portion 10E as shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the third end 10C of the pillow pouch 10-1 has a gusset fold-in portion 17 (first gusset fold-in portion) that is folded in a gusset manner.

<Gusset fold-in section>
The gusset fold-in portion 17 is formed by folding the side surface 13 in half. By providing the gusset fold-in portion 17 at the third end portion 10C, the pillow pouch 10-1 can stand on its own after cooking in a microwave oven. In addition, the storage space can be enlarged, so that a larger content can be stored. The gusset fold-in portion 17 is formed along the direction in which the joint seal portion 16 extends.

The ratio (W2/W1) of the width W2 of the gusset fold 17 (see FIG. 3) to the width W1 of the pillow pouch 10-1 is preferably 1/7 or more and 4/7 or less. If the above W2/W1 is 1/7 or more, more contents can be accommodated, and when the pillow pouch 10-1 is made to stand on its own after opening, the pillow pouch can be made to stand stably. If W2/W1 is 4/7 or less, the contents can be easily removed. The width W2 of the gusset fold 17 is the length of the gusset fold 17 in the vertical direction DR2. Specifically, it is the length from the outer edge 10H of the third end 10C to the fold line 17A. If the width of the gusset fold is not constant, the width of the gusset fold is the shortest value. The width W2 of the gusset fold 17 may be 10 mm or more and 170 mm or less.

<First and second end seal portions>
The first end seal portion 14 is a portion at the first end 10A that seals between the front surface 11 and the back surface 12, between the front surface 11 and the side surface 13, and between the back surface 12 and the side surface 13, and the second end seal portion 15 is a portion at the second end 10B that seals between the front surface 11 and the back surface 12, between the front surface 11 and the side surface 13, and between the back surface 12 and the side surface 13. The first end seal portion 14 and the second end seal portion 15 are formed by heat sealing packaging materials 40 described below together.

The first end seal portion 14 and the second end seal portion 15 are formed from the outer edge 10H of the third end portion 10C to the outer edge 10I of the fourth end portion 10D. The outer edge 14A of the first end seal portion 14 is the outer edge 10F, and the outer edge 15A of the second end seal portion 15 is the outer edge 10G.

The width W3 of the first end seal portion 14 (see FIG. 3) and the width W4 of the second end seal portion 15 (see FIG. 3) are preferably, for example, 5 mm or more and 15 mm or less. If the width W3 of the first end seal portion 14 and the width W4 of the second end seal portion 15 are 5 mm or more, the first end seal portion 14 and the second end seal portion 15 can be reliably sealed, and if they are 15 mm or less, a larger storage space can be secured. In this specification, the "width" of each seal portion means the length in the direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the seal portion. Note that if the width of the seal portion is not constant, the width of the seal portion is the shortest value among the lengths in the direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the seal portion.

<Glove seal part>
The palm-to-palm seal portion 16 is a portion that seals between the ends of the packaging material 40 that constitutes the pillow pouch 10-1 and extends in the lateral direction DR1 on the front surface 11. The palm-to-palm seal portion 16 is formed by heat-sealing the ends of the packaging material 40.

The joint seal portion 16 is formed across the first end seal portion 14 and the second end seal portion 15. As shown in FIG. 1, the joint seal portion 16 is formed from the outer edge 10F of the first end portion 10A to the outer edge 10G of the second end portion 10B. The width W5 of the joint seal portion 16 (see FIG. 3) is preferably, for example, 5 mm to 15 mm. If the width W5 of the joint seal portion 16 is 5 mm or more, the joint seal portion 16 can be reliably sealed, and if it is 15 mm or less, a larger storage space can be secured.

It is preferable that the seam seal portion 16 is located on the fourth end portion 10D side. That is, the distance from the outer edge 10I of the fourth end portion 10D to the seam seal portion 16 is shorter than the distance from the outer edge 10H of the third end portion 10C to the seam seal portion 16. By having the seam seal portion 16 located on the fourth end portion 10D side, when the pillow pouch 10-1 is opened and allowed to stand on its own, the opening is larger and more stable, making it easier to eat.
can.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first end seal portion 14 and the second end seal portion 15 are provided with a steam release mechanism 18 that automatically releases steam from within the storage space when the contents are cooked.

<Steam release mechanism>
The steam release mechanism 18 is composed of thermosoftening resin layers 19, 20. By providing the thermosoftening resin layers 19, 20 between a base layer 41 and a sealant layer 42, which will be described later, the thermosoftening resin layers 19, 20 soften during cooking, and the reduction in strength of the thermosoftening resin layers 19, 20 triggers partial destruction of the thermosoftening resin layers 19, 20 and parts of the sealant layer 42, thereby allowing steam to be released from within the pillow pouch 10-1.

In the pillow pouch 10-1 shown in FIG. 1, the heat-softening resin layer 19 is partially provided on the first end seal portion 14, and the heat-softening resin layer 20 is partially provided on the second end seal portion 15, but the heat-softening resin layer may be partially provided only on the first end seal portion or only on the second end seal portion.

The thermosoftening resin layer 19 extends from the outer edge 14A to the inner edge 14B of the first end seal portion 14, and the thermosoftening resin layer 20 extends from the outer edge 15A to the inner edge 15B of the second end seal portion 15. Because the thermosoftening resin layer 19 extends from the outer edge 14A to the inner edge 14B of the first end seal portion 14, and the thermosoftening resin layer 20 extends from the outer edge 15A to the inner edge 15B of the second end seal portion 15, the softening of the thermosoftening resin layers 19, 20 during cooking connects the storage space of the pillow pouch 10-1 to the outside in the horizontal direction DR1, allowing steam to escape from the storage space of the pillow pouch 10-1.

The width W6 of the thermosoftening resin layer 19 (see FIG. 3) is set to be larger than the width W3 of the first end seal portion 14, and the width W7 of the thermosoftening resin layer 20 (see FIG. 3) is set to be larger than the width W4 of the second end seal portion 15. That is, the thermosoftening resin layer 19 protrudes from the first end seal portion 14, and the thermosoftening resin layer 20 protrudes from the second end seal portion 15. By setting the widths W6 and W7 of the thermosoftening resin layers 19 and 20 to such widths, even if the sealing positions of the first end seal portion 14 and the second end seal portion 15 are slightly shifted, the thermosoftening resin layers 19 and 20 can be reliably arranged from the outer edges 14A and 15A to the inner edges 14B and 14B of the first end seal portion 14 and the second end seal portion 15. The widths W6 and W7 of the thermosoftening resin layers 19 and 20 are preferably, for example, 6 mm or more and 50 mm or less.

The strength is weak at the location where the joint seal portion exists in the first end seal portion and at the location where the joint seal portion exists in the second end seal portion. For this reason, when the thermosoftening resin layer 19 is partially provided in the first end seal portion 14 and the thermosoftening resin layer 20 is partially provided in the second end seal portion 15 as shown in FIG. 1, from the viewpoint of improving the strength of the location where the joint seal portion 16 exists in the first end seal portion 14 and the location where the joint seal portion 16 exists in the second end seal portion 15, and from the viewpoint of facilitating the release of steam during cooking, it is preferable that the thermosoftening resin layers 19, 20 are provided so as to include the location where the joint seal portion 16 exists in the first end seal portion 14 and the second end seal portion 15.

The heat-softening resin layer 19 shown in FIG. 1 is partially provided in the first end seal portion 14, and the heat-softening resin layer 20 is partially provided in the second end seal portion 15, but the heat-softening resin layer 31 may be partially provided in the joint seal portion 16 as in the pillow pouch 10-2 shown in FIG. 4. If a heat-softening resin layer is present in the first end seal portion or the second end seal portion, when vertical filling is performed to fill the contents with either the first end seal portion or the second end seal portion facing down, the first end seal portion or the second end seal portion may not be able to withstand the weight of the contents and may open. However, if the heat-softening resin layer 31 is provided in the joint seal portion 16, there is no heat-softening resin layer in the first end seal portion 14 or the second end seal portion 15, so there is no risk of the first end seal portion 14 or the second end seal portion 15 opening even when vertical filling is performed. The heat-softening resin layer 31 is provided in the center of the joint seal portion 16.

For the same reasons as above, in the pillow pouch 10-2 shown in FIG. 4, the heat-softening resin layer 31 extends from the outer edge 16A to the inner edge 16B of the joint seal portion 16, and the width W8 (see FIG. 4) of the heat-softening resin layer 31 is set to be larger than the width W5 (see FIG. 4) of the joint seal portion 16.

The steam release mechanism 18 shown in FIG. 1 is composed of the thermosoftening resin layers 19 and 20, but it can also be composed of the seal portion. In this case, it is not necessary to provide the thermosoftening resin layer. When the steam release mechanism 18 is composed of the joint seal portion, as shown in FIG. 5(A), a joint seal portion 16 having a protruding portion 16C that protrudes partially toward the base portion 10J side of the joint portion 10E may be used. In this case, the width of the protruding portion 16C and the width of the portion of the joint seal portion 16 other than the protruding portion are almost uniform. Since the protruding portion 16C protrudes toward the storage space side more than the other portions of the joint seal portion 16, when the pressure inside the pillow pouch 10-1 increases due to heating in a microwave oven, stress tends to concentrate on the protruding portion 16C. As a result, the seal retreats from the protruding portion 16C, allowing steam to be released. In this specification, the "base portion of the joint portion" means the portion located on the storage space side of the joint portion.

As shown in FIG. 5(B), a notch 16D may be provided on the tip 10K side of the joint 10E in the joint seal portion 16. In a joint seal portion 16 provided with such a notch 16D, the portion with the notch 16D has a smaller seal width than other portions, so that when the pressure inside the pillow pouch 10-1 increases due to heating in a microwave oven, the joint seal portion 16 retracts the seal from the base 10J side of the joint 10E, and when it reaches the notch 16D, steam can be released from the notch 16D.

As shown in FIG. 5(C), a through hole 16E may be provided in the joint seal portion 16. In a joint seal portion 16 provided with such a through hole 16E, the portion with the through hole 16E has a smaller seal width than other portions, so that when the pressure inside the pillow pouch 10-1 increases due to heating in a microwave oven, the joint seal portion 16 retracts the seal from the base 10J side of the joint portion 10E, and when it reaches the through hole 16E, steam can be released from the through hole 16E.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first end seal portion 14 and the second end seal portion 15 are provided with opening initiation means 21, 22 that can serve as the starting point for opening. The opening initiation means may be provided in either the first end seal portion or the second end seal portion.

<Method of starting opening>
The opening initiation means 21, 22 are provided at positions where distances D1, D2 from outer edge 10H of third end 10C to the opening initiation means 21, 22 are within 2/3 of length L1 of pillow pouch 10-1 and are closer to fourth end 10D than gusset fold-in portion 17. By providing opening initiation means 21, 22 at such positions, the contents are not too deep when eaten after opening, making them easy to eat, and they do not overlap with gusset fold-in portion 17, making it easy to open pillow pouch 10-1. Specifically, opening initiation means 21, 22 are preferably provided at a position 10 mm to 200 mm away from gusset fold-in portion 17 on the fourth end 10D side.

It is preferable that the ratio (D1/W2, D2/W2) of the distance D1, D2 (see FIG. 3) from the outer edge 10H of the third end 10C to the opening start means 21, 22 to the width W2 of the gusset fold is more than 1 and not more than 20. If the pouch is opened at the gusset fold, it is difficult to open because four layers of packaging material must be opened at the overlapping position. However, if the above D1/W2 or D2/W2 exceeds 1, it is easy to open because two layers of packaging material are opened at the overlapping position. Also, if the above D1/W2 or D2/W2 exceeds 1, it is possible to prevent the contents from spilling out when opening. Also, if the above D1/W2 or D2/W2 is 20 or less, the pillow pouch 10-1 can be stably self-supported after opening, and the contents can be easily taken out. The above distances D1, D2 may be, for example, 30 mm or more and 300 mm or less.

The ratios (D1/W1, D2/W1) of the distances D1, D2 from the third end 10C to the opening initiation means 21, 22 to the width W1 of the pillow pouch 10-1 are preferably 1 or more and 20 or less. If the above D1/W2 or D2/W2 is 1 or more, a larger amount of contents can be accommodated, and if the above D1/W2 or D2/W2 is 20 or less, the pillow pouch 10-1 can stably stand on its own after cooking in a microwave oven and opening.

The opening initiation means 21, 22 are notches. The opening initiation means is not limited to notches and may be cut-outs.

As shown in FIG. 1, an opening induction section 23 is provided between the opening initiation means 21 and the opening initiation means 22. By providing the opening induction section 23, the pillow pouch 10-1 can be opened along the opening induction section 23 when opening is started from the opening initiation means 21 or the opening initiation means 22. The opening induction section 23 shown in FIG. 1 is in contact with the opening initiation means 21, 22, but it may be located in close proximity, for example, within 2 mm of the tip of the opening initiation means 21, 22, even if it is not in contact.

<Opening guidance section>
The opening induction portion 23 is a continuous linear half-cut line that penetrates the base material layer 41 described below but does not penetrate the sealant layer 42. The opening induction portion may be an intermittent line instead of a continuous line. The opening induction portion 23 can be formed, for example, by a laser or a blade.

The opening guidance section 23 may be made of a straight-cut film. The straight-cut film is a film that can be torn linearly in one direction. The straight-cut film has a tensile strength in the MD direction (film flow direction) greater than the tensile strength in the TD direction (direction perpendicular to the MD direction). When the opening guidance section is made of a straight-cut film, a straight-cut film is used for at least one of the base layer and the sealant layer. When a straight-cut film is used for the base layer, for example, Emblet (registered trademark) PC or Emblem (registered trademark) NC manufactured by Unitika Co., Ltd. can be used as the base layer. The tensile strength of Emblet (registered trademark) PC in the MD direction is 200 MPa, and the tensile strength in the TD direction is 180 MPa. When a straight-cut film is used for the sealant layer, for example, ZK500R manufactured by Toray Film Processing Co., Ltd. can be used as the sealant layer.

As shown in FIG. 6, the pillow pouch 10-1 is composed of a packaging material 40 having at least a base layer 41 and a sealant layer 42 in this order. The packaging material 40 shown in FIG. 6 further has a printing layer 43, a thermosoftening resin layer 19, and a bonding layer 44 between the base layer 41 and the sealant layer 42.

<Base layer>
Since the pillow pouch 10-1 is heated in a microwave oven, it is preferable that the base layer 41 is made of a heat-resistant material. For example, a stretched polyethylene terephthalate film, a silica-deposited stretched polyethylene terephthalate film, an alumina-deposited stretched polyethylene terephthalate film, a stretched nylon film, a stretched polypropylene film, a polypropylene/ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer co-extruded co-stretched film, or a composite film in which two or more of these films are laminated can be used as the base layer 41.

It is preferable that the base layer 41 is biaxially stretched. This causes the molecules that make up the base layer 41 to align in the stretching direction, and the base layer 41 exhibits excellent dimensional stability.

The thickness of the base layer 41 can be, for example, 10 μm or more and 30 μm or less. If the thickness of the base layer 41 is 10 μm or more, the heat resistance required for the pouch 10 can be satisfied, and if it is 30 μm or less, the production cost can be reduced. The thickness of the base layer 41 is determined by measuring the thickness at 10 random locations on a cross-sectional photograph of the base layer taken with an optical microscope, and taking the arithmetic average of the measured thicknesses. In the pillow pouch, the base layer 41 is positioned so that it is the outermost layer.

<Sealant Layer>
The sealant layer 42 is provided to seal the storage space of the pillow pouch 10-1 by overlapping two sheets of packaging material 40 and heat sealing their ends together. For this reason, in the pillow pouch 10-1, the sealant layer 42 is disposed so as to be closest to the storage space.

The sealant layer 42 may be a heat-resistant film made of a polyolefin resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, or ethylene-propylene block copolymer, or an easy-peel film. The sealant layer 42 may have a single layer structure or a multilayer structure. Since the pillow pouch 10-1 is heated in a microwave oven, the sealant layer 42 is preferably a low-density polyethylene layer (LDPE layer) that mainly contains low-density polyethylene (LDPE).

The thickness of the sealant layer 42 is preferably 20 μm or more and 80 μm or less. If the thickness of the sealant layer 42 is 20 μm or more, the pillow pouch 10-1 has excellent impact resistance against dropping that may occur during distribution, and if the thickness is 80 μm or less, the pillow pouch 10-1 has excellent handleability, such as ease of filling with contents. The thickness of the sealant layer 42 can be measured by the same method as that for the thickness of the base layer 41.

<Printed layer>
The printed layer 43 can be composed of a plurality of ink layers. Specifically, for example, the printed layers are formed in the following order from the base material layer toward the sealant layer: black ink layer/indigo ink layer/red ink layer/yellow ink layer/white ink layer. The printed layer 43 can be formed by printing such as gravure printing.

<Thermosoftening Resin Layer>
The heat-softening resin layer 19 is a layer that contains a resin and is softened by heating. The heat-softening resin layer 19 can be formed using a resin material having a melting point of 60 to 110° C., for example, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, a resin containing polyamide and soluble nitrocellulose, or a resin containing polyamide, soluble nitrocellulose, and polyethylene wax. As the resin containing polyamide, soluble nitrocellulose, and polyethylene wax, MWOP varnish (softening point: 105° C.) manufactured by DIC Graphics Corporation can be used.

The thickness of the thermosoftening resin layer 19 is preferably 1 μm or more and 5 μm or less. If the thickness of the thermosoftening resin layer 19 is 1 μm or more, destruction can occur between the thermosoftening resin layer 19 and the sealant layer 42 when heated in a microwave oven. If the thickness of the thermosoftening resin layer is too thick, depending on the pattern of the thermosoftening resin layer, when the obtained film-like packaging material is wound into a roll, there is a risk that a part of the packaging material will rise and stretch in that part. However, if the thickness of the thermosoftening resin layer 19 is 5 μm or less, such stretching of the packaging material 40 can be suppressed. The thickness of the thermosoftening resin layer 19 can be measured by the same method as the thickness of the base layer 41.

The above describes the thermosoftening resin layer 19, but the thermosoftening resin layers 20 and 31 are similar to the thermosoftening resin layer 19, so a description of them will be omitted here.

<Bonding layer>
For example, an adhesive that is generally used in a known dry lamination method can be used as the bonding layer 44, such as a polyvinyl acetate adhesive, a polyacrylic ester adhesive, a cyanoacrylate adhesive, an ethylene copolymer adhesive, a cellulose adhesive, a polyester adhesive, a polyamide adhesive, an amino resin adhesive, an epoxy adhesive, a polyurethane adhesive, etc. The polyurethane adhesive is a hardened product of a polyol compound and an isocyanate compound.

<<Manufacturing method of pillow pouch>>
Such a pillow pouch 10-1 can be manufactured as follows: In the following, an example of continuously manufacturing a plurality of pillow pouches 10-1 will be shown.

First, a raw roll of packaging material 40 is prepared. In the raw roll, the widths of the thermosoftening resin layers 19, 20 are formed in a part of the region in which the second and third seal portions are to be formed in the packaging material 40, which will be described later, so that they are larger than the widths of the second and third end seal portions. When forming multiple pillow pouches continuously, in any one pillow pouch, the second seal portion is a connection between the second end seal portion of the pillow pouch and the first end seal portion of the adjacent pillow pouch on the downstream side, and the third seal portion is a connection between the third end seal portion of the pillow pouch and the second end seal portion of the adjacent pillow pouch on the upstream side. In addition, an opening guide portion is formed in the packaging material at a predetermined position along the flow direction of the packaging material using a laser or a blade.

Then, the packaging material 40 is unwound from the original roll, and both ends of the packaging material 40 extending in the flow direction are heat-sealed with the sealant layers 42 facing inwards to form a first seal portion extending along the flow direction of the packaging material 40, thereby obtaining a cylindrical body. In the pouch 10-1, the first seal portion is the portion that becomes the joint seal portion 16. After obtaining the cylindrical body, a portion of the cylindrical body is folded inward in the width direction of the cylindrical body, which is perpendicular to the flow direction, by a predetermined width, to form a folded portion.

After forming the folded portion, the packaging material 40 is heat-sealed to each other in the width direction of the cylinder to form a second seal portion, resulting in a bag body that is open on one side. The second seal portion is formed so that the portion of the first seal portion in the second seal portion is included within the formation area of the thermosoftening resin layer 19. The second seal portion is the portion that becomes the second end seal portion 15 in the pouch 10-1.

Then, the contents are filled through the opening of the bag body. Then, the packaging material 40 is heat-sealed to each other in the width direction of the bag body to form a third seal section, and a sealed bag body is obtained. The third seal section is the part that becomes the first end seal section 14 in the pouch 10-1. The third seal section is formed so that the first seal section in the third seal section is included in the formation area of the thermosoftening resin layer 20. Then, through holes or cuts are formed at the positions of the opening guide section 23 in the second seal section and the third seal section. The through holes or cuts become the opening start means 21, 22 after the bag body is cut. Then, the bag body is cut in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the packaging material 40 at a position that divides the through holes or cuts. This results in the pillow pouch 10-1 shown in Figure 1.

In this embodiment, since the pouch is provided with a steam release mechanism 18, steam can be released from the storage space during cooking in a microwave oven. In addition, since the pouch is provided with a gusset fold-in portion 17, the pillow pouch 10-1 can stand on its own after cooking. This allows the contents to be eaten after opening in the state shown in FIG. 7 without transferring them to a plate after cooking.

In the pillow pouch 10-2 shown in FIG. 4, the joint seal portion 16 is provided with a heat-softening resin layer 31 as a steam release mechanism, so that steam escapes from the joint seal portion 16 during cooking in a microwave oven. For this reason, the pillow pouch 10-2 needs to be arranged so that the joint seal portion 16 is on the upper side during cooking in a microwave oven. Therefore, in this case, the pattern is often formed mainly on the front surface 11 where the joint seal portion 16, which is visible during cooking, is present. In contrast, in the pillow pouch 10-1 shown in FIG. 1, the first end seal portion 14 and the second end seal portion 15 are provided with a steam release mechanism 18, so that steam escapes from the lateral direction DR1 of the pillow pouch 10-1 during cooking in a microwave oven. For this reason, the joint seal portion 16 of the pillow pouch 10-1 may be arranged to be on either the upper side or the lower side. Therefore, a pattern can be formed on either the front surface 11 or the back surface 12, which increases the freedom of choice for the pattern surface.

[Second embodiment]
A pillow pouch according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 8 is a front view of the pillow pouch according to this embodiment, and Fig. 9 is a plan view for explaining the dimensions of each component of the pillow pouch shown in Fig. 8. In Figs. 8 and 9, the members denoted with the same reference numerals as those in Fig. 1 etc. are the same as those shown in Fig. 1 etc., and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

The pillow pouch 10-3 shown in FIG. 8 has not only a gusset fold 17 on the third end 10C side, but also a gusset fold 51 (second gusset fold) on the fourth end 10D side. By providing gusset folds 17, 51 on both sides of the pillow pouch 10-3, the storage space can be made larger, allowing even larger contents to be stored.

<Gusset fold-in section>
The gusset fold-in portion 51 is formed by folding the side surface on the fourth end portion 10D side in half. The gusset fold-in portion 51 is formed along the direction in which the joint seal portion 16 extends.

The ratio (W9/W1) of the width W9 (see FIG. 9) of the gusset fold 51 to the width W1 of the pillow pouch 10-3 is preferably 1/7 or more and 4/7 or less. If the above W9/W1 is 1/7 or more, more contents can be accommodated. If the W9/W1 is 4/7 or less, the contents can be easily removed. The width W9 of the gusset fold 51 is the length of the gusset fold 51 in the vertical direction DR2. Specifically, it is the length from the outer edge 10I of the fourth end 10D to the fold line 51A. If the width of the gusset fold is not constant, the width of the gusset fold is the shortest value. The width W9 of the gusset fold 51 may be 10 mm or more and 170 mm or less. The ratios of the widths W2 to W7, the length L1, and L1/W1 are the same as those in the first embodiment, so the description will be omitted here.

<Method of starting opening>
The opening start means 21, 22 are provided at a position where the distance D1, D2 (see FIG. 9) from the outer edge 10H of the third end 10C to the opening start means 21, 22 is within 2/3 of the length L1 of the pillow pouch 10-1 and is closer to the fourth end 10D than the gusset folding portion 17, but the opening start means 21, 22 are provided at a position closer to the third end 10C than the gusset folding portion 51. By providing the opening start means 21, 22 at such a position, the contents are not too deep when eating after opening, making it easy to eat, and the pillow pouch can be easily opened because the contents do not overlap with the gusset folding portions 17, 51. Specifically, the opening start means 21, 22 are preferably provided at a position 10 mm or more and 200 mm or less away from the gusset folding portion 17 toward the fourth end 10D, and 10 mm or more away from the gusset folding portion 51 toward the third end 10C.

As with the first embodiment, this embodiment is provided with a steam release mechanism 18, which allows steam to be released from the storage space during cooking in a microwave oven. In addition, the pillow pouch 10-1 is provided with a gusset fold-in section 17, which allows the pillow pouch 10-1 to stand on its own after cooking. This allows the contents to be eaten after opening without transferring them to a plate after cooking.

Since the pillow pouch 10-3 has gusset folds 17, 51 on both sides, the pillow pouch 10-3 can accommodate a larger amount of contents. If a larger amount of contents is accommodated, there is a risk of spillage when the pouch is opened, so this type of pillow pouch 10-3 is particularly suitable for accommodating contents whose volume after cooking is smaller than the volume before cooking (e.g., frozen fried rice).

[Third embodiment]
A pillow pouch according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 10 is a front view of the pillow pouch according to this embodiment, Fig. 11 is a plan view for explaining the dimensions of each component of the pillow pouch shown in Fig. 10, and Fig. 12 is a view of the pillow pouch according to the third embodiment when it is opened and stands on its own. In Figs. 10 to 12, members denoted with the same reference numerals as those in Fig. 1 etc. are the same as those shown in Fig. 1 etc., and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

The pillow pouch 10-4 shown in FIG. 10 has a first end 10A, a second end 10B, a third end 10C, and a fourth end 10D, similar to the pillow pouch 10-1, but in the pillow pouch 10-4, the first end 10A and the second end 10B extend in the horizontal direction DR1, and the third end 10C and the fourth end 10D extend in the vertical direction DR2.

The ratio (L2/W10) of the length L2 (see FIG. 11) of the pillow pouch 10-4 to the width W10 (see FIG. 11) of the pillow pouch 10-4 is preferably 1/6 or more and 2 or less. If L2/W10 is 1/6 or more, a larger amount of contents can be accommodated, and if L2/W10 is 2 or less, the pillow pouch 10-4 can stably stand on its own after cooking in a microwave oven and before opening. It is more preferable that the lower limit of L2/W10 is 1/4 or more, and the upper limit of L2/W10 is 1 or less.

The width W10 of the pillow pouch 10-4 may be 50 mm or more and 300 mm or less, and the length L2 of the pillow pouch 10-4 may be 50 mm or more and 200 mm or less.

The pillow pouch 10-4 includes a first end seal portion 61, a second end seal portion 62, a joint seal portion 63, gusset fold portions 64 and 65, and a steam release mechanism 66. Note that the pouch 10-4 is not provided with an opening start means.

<First and second end seal portions>
The first end seal portion 61 is formed at the first end portion 10A, and the second end seal portion 62 is formed at the second end portion 10B. The first end seal portion 61 and the second end seal portion 62 are similar to the first end seal portion 14 and the second end seal portion 15 except that they extend in the lateral direction DR1, so a description thereof will be omitted here. The widths W11 and W12 of the first end seal portions 61 and 62 are also similar to the widths W3 and W4 of the first end seal portions 14 and 15.

<Glove seal part>
The joint seal portion 63 is formed across the first end seal portion 61 and the second end seal portion 62. The joint seal portion 63 is similar to the joint seal portion 16 except that it extends in the vertical direction DR2, so a description thereof will be omitted here. The width W13 of the joint seal portion 63 is also similar to the width W5 of the joint seal portion 16.

<Gusset fold-in section>
The gusset folding portion (first gusset folding portion) 64 is provided on the third end portion 10C side, and the gusset folding portion (second gusset folding portion) 65 is provided on the fourth end portion 10D side. The gusset folding portions 61, 62 are located on both sides of the pouch 10-4 in the lateral direction DR1.

The ratios (W14/W10, W15/W10) of the widths W14, W15 (see FIG. 11) of the gusset folds 64, 65 to the width W10 of the pillow pouch 10-4 are preferably 1/20 or more and 3/7 or less. If the above W14/W10 and W15/W10 are 1/20 or more, more contents can be accommodated and the pouch 10-4 can be stably self-supported. Furthermore, if W14/W10 and W15/W10 are 3/7 or less, the contents can be easily removed. The width W14 of the gusset fold 64 is the length in the horizontal direction DR1 of the gusset fold 64. Specifically, it is the length from the outer edge 10H of the third end 10C to the fold line 64A. The width W15 of the gusset fold 65 is the length in the horizontal direction DR1 of the gusset fold 65. Specifically, it is the length from the outer edge 10I of the fourth end 10D to the fold line 65A. If the width of the gusset fold-in portion is not constant, the width of the gusset fold-in portion is set to the shortest value. The widths W14 and W15 of the gusset fold-in portions 64 and 65 may be 10 mm or more and 170 mm or less.

<Steam release mechanism>
The steam release mechanism 66 is composed of a thermosoftening resin layer 67. The thermosoftening resin layer 67 is partially provided in the first end seal portion 61. In the pillow pouch 10-4 shown in Fig. 10, the thermosoftening resin layer 67 is provided at the position of the fold line 64A in the first end seal portion 61, but it may also be provided at the position of the fold line 65A in the first end seal portion 61, or may be provided at both the positions of the fold lines 64A and 65A in the first end seal portion 61.

The thermosoftening resin layer 67 extends from the outer edge 61A to the inner edge 61B of the first end seal portion 61. Because the thermosoftening resin layer 67 extends from the outer edge 61A to the inner edge 61B of the first end seal portion 61, the storage space of the pillow pouch 10-4 is connected to the outside in the vertical direction DR2 by softening the thermosoftening resin layer 67 during cooking, so steam can be released from the storage space of the pillow pouch 10-4.

The width W16 of the thermosoftening resin layer 67 (see FIG. 11) is set to be larger than the width W11 of the first end seal portion 61 for the same reasons as those described for the width W6 of the thermosoftening resin layer 19. It is preferable that the width W16 of the thermosoftening resin layer 67 is, for example, 6 mm or more and 50 mm or less.

The area where the fold line of the gusset fold portion in the first end seal portion is present has low strength. For this reason, when the thermosoftening resin layer 67 is partially provided in the first end seal portion 61 as shown in FIG. 10, it is preferable that the thermosoftening resin layer 67 is provided so as to include the fold line 64A of the gusset fold portion 64 in the first end seal portion 61, from the viewpoint of improving the strength of the area where the fold line of the gusset fold portion in the first end seal portion is present, and from the viewpoint of facilitating the release of steam during cooking.

The steam vent mechanism 66 shown in FIG. 10 is composed of a thermosoftening resin layer 67, but as described in the first embodiment, the steam vent mechanism can also be composed of a seal portion. In this case, there is no need to provide a thermosoftening resin layer.

Since the pouch 10-4 does not have an opening initiation means as described above, when opening the pouch 10-4, the joint seal portion 63 and the back surface 12 at the top of the pouch 10-4 are pinched, and the first end seal portion 61 is peeled off. The pouch 10-4 can be opened as shown in FIG. 12.

According to this embodiment, since it is provided with a steam release mechanism 66, it is possible to release steam from the storage space during cooking in a microwave oven, as in the first embodiment. In addition, since it is provided with gusset fold-in portions 64, 65, it is possible to position a large amount of contents on the second end portion 10B side, and the pillow pouch 10-4 can stand on its own even without providing a gusset fold-in portion at the bottom. This allows the contents to be eaten after opening and cooking without transferring them to a plate.

Since the pillow pouch 10-4 has gusset folds 64, 65 on both sides, more contents can be accommodated in the pillow pouch 10-1. Storing more contents may result in spillage when the pouch is opened, so this type of pillow pouch 10-4 is particularly suitable for storing contents whose volume after cooking is smaller than the volume before cooking (e.g., frozen fried rice).

To explain the present invention in detail, the following examples are given, but the present invention is not limited to these descriptions.

Example 1
In Example 1, a pillow pouch shown in Fig. 1 was produced. Specifically, first, a packaging material wound in a roll shape and having a width of 330 mm was prepared.

The packaging material had a base layer made of a 12 μm-thick biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film, a 3 μm-thick bonding layer made of a polyurethane adhesive, and a 40 μm-thick sealant layer made of an unstretched polyethylene film, in that order. In addition, in a part of the region between the base layer and the bonding layer where the second and third seal parts described below are to be formed, a heat-softening resin layer made of MWOP varnish manufactured by DIC Graphics Corporation, measuring 20 mm in length, 35 mm in width, and 2 μm in thickness, was provided so that the width of the heat-softening resin layer was larger than that of the second and third seal parts. In addition, a continuous linear half-cut line was formed by a laser at a predetermined position along the flow direction of the packaging material, which was an opening guide portion that penetrated the base layer but did not penetrate the sealant layer.

Next, both ends extending in the flow direction of the packaging material were heat sealed with the sealant layers facing inwards to form a first seal portion extending along the flow direction of the packaging material, thereby obtaining a cylindrical body. After obtaining the cylindrical body, one side of the cylindrical body was folded inward in the width direction of the cylindrical body by a predetermined width to form a folded portion on one side.

After forming the folded portion, the packaging material was heat-sealed to each other in the width direction of the cylinder to form a second sealed portion, resulting in a bag with an opening on one side. The second sealed portion was formed so that the portion of the first sealed portion in the second sealed portion was included within the formation area of the heat-softening resin layer.

Then, 170g of fried rice was filled into the bag through the opening. The packaging materials were then heat-sealed together in the width direction of the bag to form a third seal section, resulting in a sealed bag. The third seal section was formed so that the portion of the first seal section in the third seal section was included within the area where the heat-softening resin layer was formed.

After that, through holes that would become notches after cutting were formed at the positions of the half-cut lines in the first end seal portion and the second end seal portion, and then the bag was cut in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the packaging material at a position that divides the through holes. In this way, a pillow pouch having a structure similar to that shown in Figure 1 was produced. The produced pillow pouch had a vertical length L1 of 120 mm and a horizontal width W1 of 180 mm. In addition, in the produced pillow pouch, the width W2 of the gusset fold-in portion was 40 mm, and the widths W3 and W4 of the first end seal portion and the second end seal portion of the pillow pouch were each 10 mm. In addition, the width W5 of the joint seal portion was 10 mm. The distance D1 from the outer edge of the third end portion to the notch was 70 mm. The dimensions of L1, W1 to W4, D1, etc. were as shown in Figure 3.

The obtained pillow pouch was then placed flat in a microwave oven (model number "RE-T3", manufactured by SHARPE Corporation) and heated at 600 W for 3 minutes, during which steam was automatically released from the steam release mechanism. After heating, the pillow pouch was removed from the microwave oven and placed on a table with the gusset fold-in portion facing down, whereupon the pillow pouch became self-supporting. When the pillow pouch was then opened from the notch, it was able to maintain its self-supporting state, allowing the fried rice to be eaten.

Example 2
In Example 2, a pillow pouch was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 60 g of potato chips were filled as the contents. The pouch according to Example 2 was placed flat in a microwave oven (model number "RE-T3", manufactured by SHARPE Corporation) and heated at 600 W for 30 seconds, during which steam was automatically released from the steam release mechanism. After heating, the pillow pouch was removed from the microwave oven and placed on a table with the gusset fold-in portion facing down, whereupon the pillow pouch became self-supporting. The pillow pouch was then opened from the notch, whereupon it was able to maintain its self-supporting state, allowing the potato chips to be eaten.

Example 3
In Example 3, a pillow pouch shown in Fig. 10 was produced. Specifically, first, a packaging material wound in a roll shape and having a width of 360 mm was prepared.

The packaging material was provided with a base layer made of a 12 μm-thick biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film, a 3 μm-thick bonding layer made of a polyurethane adhesive, and a 40 μm-thick sealant layer made of an unoriented polyethylene film, in that order. In addition, in a part of the region between the base layer and the bonding layer where the third seal portion described below is to be formed, a heat-softening resin layer made of MWOP varnish manufactured by DIC Graphics Corporation, measuring 20 mm in length, 35 mm in width, and 2 μm in thickness, was provided so that the width of the heat-softening resin layer was larger than the width of the third seal portion.

Next, both ends extending in the flow direction of the packaging material were heat-sealed with the sealant layers facing inwards to form a first seal portion extending along the flow direction of the packaging material, thereby obtaining a cylindrical body. After obtaining the cylindrical body, both sides of the cylindrical body were folded inward in the width direction of the cylindrical body by a specified width, forming folded portions on both sides.

After forming the folded portion, the packaging material was heat-sealed to each other in the width direction of the cylinder to form a second seal portion, resulting in a bag with an opening on one side.

Then, 170g of fried rice was filled into the bag through the opening. The packaging materials were then heat-sealed in the width direction of the bag to form a third seal, resulting in a sealed bag. The third seal was formed so that the fold line of the gusset fold in the third seal was included within the area where the heat-softening resin layer was formed.

After that, through holes that would become notches after cutting were formed at the positions of the half-cut lines in the first end seal portion and the second end seal portion, and then the bag was cut in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the packaging material at a position that divides the through holes. In this way, a pillow pouch having a structure similar to that shown in FIG. 10 was produced. The pillow pouch produced had a vertical length L2 of 150 mm and a horizontal width W10 of 170 mm. In addition, in the pillow pouch produced, the widths W11 and W12 of the first end seal portion and the second end seal portion were each 10 mm, and the width W13 of the joint seal portion was 10 mm. The widths W14 and W15 of the gusset fold-in portions were 30 mm. The dimensions of L2, W10 to W15, etc. were as shown in FIG. 11.

The obtained pillow pouch was then placed in a microwave oven (model number "RE-T3", manufactured by SHARPE Corporation) with the second end facing down and standing upright, and heated at 600 W for 3 minutes; steam automatically escaped from the steam release mechanism during heating. After heating, the pillow pouch was removed from the microwave oven and placed on a stand with the second end facing down, and the pillow pouch stood upright. The pillow pouch was then opened by pinching the joint seal and the back surface and peeling off the first end seal; the pouch was able to maintain its self-supporting state, making it possible to eat fried rice.

Example 4
In Example 4, a pillow pouch was obtained in the same manner as in Example 3, except that 60 g of potato chips were filled as the contents. The pouch according to Example 4 was placed in a microwave oven (model number "RE-T3", manufactured by SHARPE Corporation) with the second end facing down and in a self-supporting state, and heated at 600 W for 30 seconds. During heating, steam was automatically released from the steam release mechanism. After heating, the pillow pouch was removed from the microwave oven and placed on a table with the second end facing down, and the pillow pouch became self-supporting. Thereafter, the pillow pouch was opened by pinching the joint seal and the back surface and peeling off the first end seal, and the self-supporting state was maintained, so the potato chips could be eaten.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, 10-4... Pillow pouch 10A... First end 10B... Second end 10C... Third end 10D... Fourth end 10E... Joint portions 10F to 10I... Outer edge 11... Front surface 12... Back surface 13... Side surface 14, 61... First end seal portion 15, 62... Second end seal portion 16, 63... Joint seal portion 17, 51, 64, 65... Gusset fold-in portion 18, 66... Steam vent mechanism 19, 20, 31, 67... Thermosoftening resin layer 21, 22... Opening initiation means 23... Opening induction portion 40... Packaging material 41... Base material layer 42... Sealant layer

Claims (5)

A pillow pouch formed from a packaging material having at least a base layer and a sealant layer in this order, and having a front surface, a back surface, and a storage space for storing contents between the front surface and the back surface,
A first end portion;
a second end opposite the first end;
a third end and a fourth end extending between the first end and the second end;
a first end seal portion formed at the first end;
a second end seal portion formed at the second end;
a joint seal portion formed across the first end seal portion and the second end seal portion;
A first gusset fold-in portion formed on the third end portion side;
a steam release mechanism for automatically releasing steam from within the storage space when the contents are cooked;
an opening start means provided in at least one of the first end seal portion and the second end seal portion;
An opening guide portion provided in contact with or adjacent to the opening start means ,
the opening start means and the opening guide portion are provided at a position such that a distance from an outer edge of the third end to the opening start means and a distance from the outer edge of the third end to the opening guide portion are within 2/3 of a length of the pillow pouch from the outer edge of the third end to the outer edge of the fourth end, and the opening start means and the opening guide portion are located closer to the fourth end than the first gusset folding portion,
A pillow pouch, wherein no seal is formed at the third end and the fourth end. The pillow pouch according to claim 1, wherein the opening initiation means is provided at a position 10 mm to 200 mm away from the first gusset fold toward the fourth end. The pillow pouch according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a second gusset fold portion formed on the fourth end side, and the opening start means is provided at a position closer to the third end side than the second gusset fold portion. The pillow pouch according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the steam release mechanism includes a heat-softening resin layer partially laminated between the base layer and the sealant layer, and the heat-softening resin layer is formed so as to extend from the outer edge to the inner edge of at least one of the first end seal portion and the second end seal portion, or from the outer edge to the inner edge of the joint seal portion. The pillow pouch according to claim 1 , wherein the opening guide portion is provided along a direction in which the joint seal portion extends.

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