JP7778464B2 - Standing Pouch - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a pouch suitable for cooking in a microwave oven. In particular, it relates to a type of pouch known as a standing pouch, which has a bottom plate and is self-supporting. It is equipped with an automatic steam release mechanism that can release steam generated from the contents during cooking to the outside, is easy to open, has excellent linearity of the cut edge, and is able to maintain the opening shape of the opening.

Pouches, a type of packaging material, are widely used in a variety of forms, consisting of simple or laminated plastic film base materials, and are used for a wide range of purposes, becoming an indispensable part of people's lives.

Pouches are used, for example, as liquid containers, and are widely used in the food sector, including beverages and retort foods. They are also used in the everyday necessities and toiletries sectors, with a wide variety of products lining the shelves of supermarkets, drugstores, and convenience stores. In addition to liquid containers, pouches are being used for a variety of purposes.

The advantages of pouches compared to containers such as cans and bottles include their low cost, the ability to fine-tune material design to meet required quality, and the fact that they are lightweight and space-saving before filling, as well as during distribution and storage. Pouches can also be considered environmentally friendly from the perspective of reducing waste.

In addition, high-resolution printing on the layer visible from the outside of the pouch can improve the product's image and display necessary information about the contents, and printing barcodes, etc., also serves as a source of product distribution, inventory management, and marketing information.

Some pouches have been commercialized that are able to stand on their own, and are generally called standing pouches. In addition to being advantageous for product display and presentation, their ability to stand on their own also makes them easier to use, for example, making it easier to remove the contents.

Furthermore, when opening a standing pouch after cooking, it is important to prevent burns from residual steam, ensure the opening is easy to open, and maintain its shape.

When the contents are food, for example, it is desirable for the opening to remain open and not close when the contents are taken directly from the pouch using tableware such as a spoon or fork and eaten. At the same time, it is also desirable for the opening to be cut in a straight line at a predetermined position.

Patent Document 1 proposes a standing pouch that can stand on its own when filled with contents, but the emphasis is placed only on the ability to stand on its own and the ease of filling, and no consideration is given to ease of opening, vapor permeability, the shape retention function of the opening, or the shape and linearity of the cut edge.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-96388

The present invention was made in light of these circumstances, and aims to provide a free-standing pouch that allows the contents to be cooked in a microwave oven, is equipped with an automatic steam release mechanism that can release steam generated from the contents during cooking to the outside, is easy to open, has excellent linearity of the cut edge, and is able to maintain the opening shape of the opening.

As a means for solving the above problems, the invention described in claim 1 is a pouch made of a laminate of plastic films, which allows the contents to be heated and cooked in a microwave oven,
The laminate is composed of a plastic film layer on the outermost side of the pouch, an intermediate film layer, and a sealant layer on the innermost side of the pouch,
The pouch is formed by a front body portion, a rear body portion, and a bottom film disposed therebetween so as to be able to contain contents,
The pouch is equipped with an automatic steam release mechanism that allows steam generated from the contents to be released outside the pouch when cooking in a microwave oven.
the front body portion and the rear body portion have four sides and are arranged with the sealant layers facing each other,
Of the four sides, both left and right ends of the body section are sealed, and both ends of the pouch are hermetically sealed; a bottom film is folded and disposed between the front body section and the rear body section at the lower part of the body section; and the bottom film is sealed to the body section at the lower end of the pouch so that it can form a bottom surface;
the front body portion and the rear body portion in the upper part of the body portion are sealed at the upper end of the pouch after the contents are placed therein, thereby enabling the entire pouch to be sealed;
A notch is provided in at least one of the seal portions at both ends of the body portion, and a horizontal straight line extending from the notch on the front and back of the body portion of the pouch is an intended opening line;
The outermost plastic film layer of the laminate is a polyethylene terephthalate film.
The intermediate film layer of the laminate is a layer adjacent to the sealant layer, and is made of a polyethylene terephthalate film having linear cuttability in the horizontal direction of the pouch body portion,
The polyethylene terephthalate film having linear cuttability of the intermediate film layer of the laminate has a scratched line consisting of a perforation or a half-cut line provided along the intended opening line of the pouch body,
The laminate is a standing pouch characterized in that the innermost sealant layer is a polypropylene resin film that can be cut in a straight line in the horizontal direction of the body of the pouch.

The invention described in claim 2 is as follows:
2. The standing pouch according to claim 1, wherein the notch is provided at a position between the height of the surface of the contents and the seal at the upper end of the pouch when the pouch is in a self-standing state after the contents are placed inside.

The invention described in claim 3 is the standing pouch described in claim 1, wherein the automatic steam release mechanism causes a portion of the sealed portion of the pouch to peel off and allow steam to pass through when the contents are heated and cooked in a microwave oven due to steam generated from the contents .

The invention described in claim 4 is a standing pouch described in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the polyethylene terephthalate film of the plastic film layer of the laminate has a vapor-deposited coating of an inorganic compound on its surface.

Furthermore, the invention described in claim 5 is the standing pouch described in claim 1 or claim 3, characterized in that the intermediate film layer of the laminate includes a polyethylene terephthalate film having the linear cuttability and a polyamide film having a linear cuttability in the horizontal direction of the pouch body portion.

This invention provides a free-standing pouch that can be used to heat and cook the contents in a microwave oven. The pouch is equipped with an automatic steam release mechanism that can release steam generated from the contents during cooking to the outside, and is easy to open, has excellent cut lineality, and is able to maintain the shape of the opening at the opening.

The pouch is self-standing because the bottom film is sealed to form the bottom, allowing it to stand on its own. It maintains its self-standing ability even after cooking, making it easy to open and remove the contents.

In addition, the automatic steam release mechanism eliminates problems such as the internal pressure of the pouch increasing due to steam generated from the contents during cooking, which can lead to the pouch rupturing, or steam escaping when the pouch is opened.

A slit is provided on at least one of the sealed ends of the body, and the opening line is a horizontal straight line on the front and back of the body of the pouch, starting from this slit, making it easier to start opening.

Furthermore, the intermediate film layer of the laminate is adjacent to the sealant layer and is made of a polyethylene terephthalate film that can be cut in a straight line horizontally along the body of the pouch, while the innermost sealant layer of the laminate is a polypropylene resin layer that can be cut in a straight line horizontally along the body of the pouch. This makes it possible to create a standing pouch that is easy to open, has excellent cut edge linearity, and is able to maintain the opening shape of the opening.

In particular, according to the invention described in claim 2, the slit is located between the height of the surface of the contents and the seal at the top end of the pouch when the pouch is in a self-standing state after the contents are placed inside. This allows for smoother tearing when opening the pouch by ripping it from the slit, without causing problems such as the contents spilling out of the pouch.

In addition, the contents can be removed from the opening without losing their shape, making it easier to use eating utensils such as chopsticks or a spoon.

In particular, according to the invention described in claim 3, the sealant layer is formed by laminating a polypropylene resin film that has linear cut properties in the horizontal direction of the pouch body. This allows the layer to be formed using a film that has already been given linear cut properties, making it possible to provide a more stable laminate, i.e., a standing pouch, with improved production efficiency.

In particular, according to the invention described in claim 4, the automatic steam release mechanism employs a mechanism in which steam generated from the contents during cooking in a microwave oven causes a portion of the pouch seal to peel off, allowing steam to pass through. This can be achieved using methods within the scope of conventional manufacturing processes, such as curving or bending part of the pouch seal or partially weakening the seal strength, and does not require additional components or significantly increase costs.

In particular, according to the invention described in claim 5, the polyethylene terephthalate film of the plastic film layer of the laminate has a vapor-deposited inorganic compound coating on its surface, which gives it gas barrier properties, thereby improving the shelf life of the contents and eliminating the effects of the storage environment on the contents.

In particular, when a gas barrier film is formed by depositing an inorganic compound coating on the surface of polyethylene terephthalate film, it is superior to gas barrier layers made of metal foil such as aluminum foil, which are not suitable for cooking in a microwave oven.

In addition, when an inorganic compound vapor deposition coating such as AlO ₂ is used, it has transparency, so that the contents can be seen from the outside of the pouch.

In particular, according to the invention described in claim 6, the polyethylene terephthalate film in the plastic film layer of the laminate is a center-opening polyethylene terephthalate film, which allows selective use of portions with balanced stretching, effectively achieving more stable straight-line cutting even when opening by tearing.

In particular, according to the invention described in claim 7, the intermediate film layer of the laminate further includes a polyamide film that can be cut in a straight line in the horizontal direction of the pouch body, thereby creating a standing pouch with excellent mechanical strength without affecting tearability.

In particular, according to the invention described in claim 8, the polyethylene terephthalate film of the intermediate film layer of the laminate has a scratched line along the intended opening line of the pouch body, which acts as a mechanism to assist in straight cutting, effectively achieving easier and more stable straightness even when opening by tearing.

In particular, according to the invention described in claim 9, the scratched lines are perforations or half-cut lines, which act as a mechanism to assist in straight cutting, effectively achieving easier and more stable straightness even when opening by tearing.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view (partially see-through) illustrating one embodiment of a standing pouch according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective (partially see-through) schematic view illustrating an opened state of one embodiment of a standing pouch according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the external shape and dimensions of an example of a standing pouch according to the present invention and a comparative example. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a pouch for explaining Comparative Example 1 of a standing pouch according to the present invention. FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a pouch for explaining Comparative Example 2 of a standing pouch according to the present invention.

The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to Figures 1 to 9. However, the present invention is not limited to the examples shown here. The present invention is limited by the claims.

Figure 1 is a plan view (partially see-through) schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a standing pouch according to the present invention.

The present invention relates to a standing pouch (100) made of a laminate using plastic film. The laminate is composed of a plastic film layer on the outermost side of the pouch, an intermediate film layer, and a sealant layer on the innermost side of the pouch.

The sealant layer allows two laminates to be stacked with the sealant layers facing each other and sealed together to form a pouch. Sealing can be achieved, for example, by heat sealing using heat and pressure.

The sealant layer can be made from a polyolefin-based thermoplastic resin. The sealant layer can be formed by using an extruder or other device to form a film from molten resin onto the laminate. Alternatively, a sealant layer can be formed on the surface of the laminate by laminating a material that has already been formed into a film.

As shown in Figure 1, the standing pouch (100) is made up of a front body portion (1), a rear body portion (7), and a bottom film (10) positioned between them, allowing it to contain contents.

In other words, the front body portion (1) and the rear body portion (7) have four sides and are arranged with the sealant layers facing each other. Of these four sides, both the left and right ends (2) of the body portion are sealed, and both the left and right ends (2) of the pouch are hermetically sealed.

In addition, a bottom film (10) is folded along the fold line (6) and positioned between the front body section (1) and the rear body section (7) at the lower part of the body, and the bottom end (3) of the pouch is sealed with the bottom film (10) to form the bottom surface.

The formation of this bottom allows the standing pouch (100) containing the contents to stand on its own. This ability to stand on its own makes it more convenient, for example, for displaying and showcasing products, or for cooking in a microwave oven.

In addition, at the upper part of the body, the front body section (1) and rear body section (7) are sealed at the upper end (4) of the pouch after the contents are placed inside, allowing the entire standing pouch (100) to be sealed.

The standing pouch (100) according to the present invention also includes an automatic steam release mechanism (12) that can release steam generated from the contents to the outside of the pouch when the contents are cooked in a microwave oven.

This automatic steam release mechanism (12) is effective in preventing the pouch from suddenly rupturing due to an increase in internal pressure caused by steam generated inside the pouch during cooking in a microwave oven. It is also effective in preventing steam from escaping from the inside of the pouch when opening the pouch after cooking, which can cause burns to fingers and other injuries.

In the example shown in Figure 1, the automatic steam release mechanism (12) is located near the upper end (4) on the right side as viewed from the front. There are no limitations on the location of the automatic steam release mechanism (12) in the present invention, but since its purpose is to guide steam generated from the contents during microwave cooking to the outside of the pouch, it is appropriate to locate it above the surface of the contents during cooking, in a location that does not directly touch the contents and faces the space inside the pouch.

In other words, in the example shown in Figure 1, when cooking in a microwave oven, the space inside the standing pouch (100) is filled with steam from the contents due to heating, and the volume of the contents storage space expands, causing the entire standing pouch (100) to expand, and at the same time, the internal pressure increases.

At this time, the volume expansion occurs radially in three dimensions from the volume center of the space inside the standing pouch (100). In the example shown in Figure 1, this volume expansion applies pressure to the curved seal in the case of the automatic steam release mechanism (12), which acts as a peeling force on the curved seal against the laminate on the front and back of this area.

For example, in the example shown in Figure 1, the pouch has sealed edges, and even if volume expansion occurs due to water vapor, it is possible for the pouch to deform from the roughly rectangular shape shown in Figure 1 into a three-dimensionally expanded shape as long as the internal pressure is low.

However, this radial three-dimensional volume expansion tends to expand spherically as the internal pressure increases, resulting in a discrepancy with the expansion room of the approximately rectangular pouch.

In the example shown in Figure 1, the automatic steam release mechanism (12) is bent toward the inside of the packaging bag (100), and so due to three-dimensional radial volume expansion, in the example shown in Figure 1, the pressure attempting to peel it off is stronger in this area than in the sealed area around the periphery, resulting in a more severe concentration of stress in this area, causing the sealed area of the automatic steam release mechanism (12) to peel off.

This peeling connects the internal space of the pouch to the outside, automatically releasing the water vapor inside to the outside. This part acts as an automatic steam release mechanism, causing the internal pressure of the standing pouch (100) to decrease rapidly, preventing such peeling from occurring in the other peripheral seals.

Furthermore, the means and method of the automatic steam release mechanism are not limited to the examples shown here, and other methods may be used as long as they fulfill the function of releasing water vapor to the outside, such as by automatically connecting the inside and outside of the pouch by partially destroying the seal when the internal pressure of the pouch increases due to the generation of water vapor.

Another example of a possible method would be to have a structure in which the seal strength is weaker or the seal width is narrower, or both, in the area around the automatic steam release mechanism compared to the sealed area around the periphery.

For example, a sealed area with weaker seal strength than other sealed areas can be achieved by selecting the type of sealant, adjusting the sealing conditions, or inserting a layer that is effective in weakening the seal in that area during sealing.

Furthermore, compared to other sealed areas, the seal width is narrow and the sealed area can become weak, but in this case, this can be achieved by adjusting the shape and width of the seal bar.

In addition, in the present invention, a notch (8) is provided in at least one of the sealed portions at both the left and right ends (2) of the body portion, and an intended opening line (5) can be provided as a horizontal straight line starting from this notch (8) on the front body portion (1) of the pouch.

The intended opening line (5) is a horizontal straight line on the front body portion (1) of the pouch, starting from this incision (8), and the same is true for the rear body portion (7), making it easier to start and continue opening. Furthermore, even after opening, the cut edge can remain horizontal without tearing.

In the example shown in Figure 1, there is a single notch (8) on the left side edge, and a horizontal straight line starting from this notch (8) on the front and back body parts of the pouch is shown as a dashed line as the opening line (5). However, the opening line on the back body part overlaps with the opening line on the front body part, and is not visible in Figure 1.

The notch (8) may be V-shaped, as shown in the example in Figure 1, or may simply be a linear notch.

Furthermore, in the standing pouch (100) according to the present invention, the plastic film layer on the outermost layer side of the laminate is made of a polyethylene terephthalate film, the intermediate film layer of the laminate is a layer adjacent to the sealant layer and is made of a polyethylene terephthalate film that has linear cutting properties in the horizontal direction of the pouch body, and the sealant layer on the innermost layer side of the laminate is a polypropylene resin layer that has linear cutting properties in the horizontal direction of the pouch body.

As a result of extensive research conducted in the course of promoting this invention, we have discovered that these material configurations make it possible to create a standing pouch (100) that is easy to open, has excellent linearity of the cut edge, and is capable of maintaining the opening shape of the opening.

In this way, the present invention makes it possible to provide a standing pouch (100) that is self-standing and allows the contents to be cooked in a microwave oven. The pouch is equipped with an automatic steam release mechanism that can release steam generated from the contents during cooking to the outside, is easy to open, has excellent linearity of the cut edge, and is capable of maintaining the opening shape of the opening.

Figure 2 is a perspective (partially see-through) schematic diagram illustrating the opened state of one embodiment of a standing pouch according to the present invention.

The standing pouch (100) of the present invention is suitable for microwave cooking, and when filled with contents, the bottom film (10) expands between the sealed bottom edges (3) to form the bottom of the pouch, allowing the pouch to remain stable and self-standing.

After cooking, the pouch can be opened by using fingers to cut along the opening line (5) on the front body and the opening line (11) on the rear body, starting from the incision (8), and then the top part of the pouch (90) can be cut off and separated.

The opening (20) created in this way is the area surrounded by the intended opening line (5) on the front body section and the intended opening line (11) on the rear body section, and the shape of the opening (20) is maintained when open.

First, the intended opening line (5) on the front body section and the intended opening line (11) on the back body section are horizontally cut in a straight line. This is because the outermost plastic film layer of the laminate of the pouch according to the present invention is made of polyethylene terephthalate film, the middle film layer of the laminate is the layer adjacent to the sealant layer and is made of polyethylene terephthalate film that has a linear cut ability in the horizontal direction of the pouch body, and the innermost sealant layer of the pouch is a polypropylene resin layer that has a linear cut ability in the horizontal direction of the pouch body.

As can be seen from the opened state of the pouch shown in Figure 2, the opening (20) is wide open, and this state is due to the internal pressure of the standing pouch (100) rising during cooking in a microwave oven, causing it to expand, leaving the expanded shape of the space inside the pouch.

In other words, the excess space for the contents (14), which had a relatively small volume before cooking, expands due to the generation of steam, and even after the automatic steam release mechanism (12) releases steam, the opening remains in a state where a certain amount of volume is maintained, resulting in the opening being left open.

Furthermore, if the contents (14) are liquid or fluid, they will collect at the bottom of the pouch, allowing the bottom film to form a flat bottom, and the pouch opening (20) will expand under its own weight, allowing it to stand on its own, and it will remain stable and self-standing even during microwave cooking and after opening.

Since the opening (20) is maintained in a wide-open state, the contents (14) of the standing pouch (100) according to the present invention can be easily removed. For example, in the case of food, it can be directly removed and eaten using eating utensils such as chopsticks, a spoon, or a fork, making it highly convenient.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the notch (8) can be positioned between the height of the surface of the contents and the seal at the top end of the pouch when the pouch is in a self-standing state after the contents are placed inside. In this case, the opening operation with fingers can be started more easily and stably starting from the notch (8).

Furthermore, the tearing along the opening line (5) on the front body section and the opening line (11) on the rear body section, which are continuous with the incision (8), is also similar, making it easier and more stable to open the package horizontally using the opening line (5) on the front body section and the opening line (11) on the rear body section.

This is because, in the present invention, the outermost plastic film layer of the laminate constituting the pouch is made of polyethylene terephthalate film, the middle film layer of the laminate is adjacent to the sealant layer and is made of polyethylene terephthalate film that can be cut in a straight line in the horizontal direction of the pouch body, and the innermost sealant layer of the laminate is a polypropylene resin layer that can be cut in a straight line in the horizontal direction of the pouch body.

In addition, in the present invention, the sealant layer may be a laminate of a polypropylene resin film that can be cut in a straight line in the horizontal direction of the pouch body. By using a material that has been pre-formed into a film, lamination of the sealant layer, i.e., production of the laminate, can be carried out more easily and stably.

In addition, the present invention does not impose any particular limitations on the type of automatic steam release mechanism. For example, when cooking using a microwave oven, steam is generated from the contents, causing the internal pressure to increase and part of the pouch seal to peel off, allowing steam to pass through.

In this case, it is possible to achieve this within the scope of conventional manufacturing processes, such as by curving or bending part of the pouch seal shape or by partially weakening the seal strength, and there is no need for additional components or the risk of significantly increasing costs.In addition, it is possible to provide an inorganic compound vapor deposition coating on the surface of the polyethylene terephthalate film of the plastic film layer of the laminate.

This is intended to provide a gas barrier layer in the laminate that makes up the standing pouch (10) in order to improve the shelf life of the contents, and uses a gas barrier film in which a gas barrier layer made of an inorganic compound is coated on the surface of a plastic film by vapor deposition.

Incidentally, although a vapor-deposited film layer of a metal such as aluminum or a metal foil such as aluminum is also effective as a gas barrier layer, it is unsuitable for cooking in a microwave oven because high frequency waves cause sparks and the like.

In the case of gas barrier films, the gas barrier layer can be composed of a vapor-deposited layer and a coating layer of an inorganic compound; after an anchor coat is applied to the plastic film, the vapor-deposited layer and the coating layer are applied in that order.

The anchor coat layer of the gas barrier film can be made of, for example, urethane acrylate. The anchor coat layer can be formed by applying a coating method that applies a printing technique, such as gravure coating, to a paint in which a resin is dissolved in a solvent, or by using commonly known coating methods to form a coating film.

The vapor deposition layer can be formed by using vacuum deposition to coat an inorganic compound such as SiO or AlO onto a plastic film with an anchor coat layer, forming an inorganic compound layer using vacuum deposition. The thickness of the vapor deposition layer should be between 15 nm and 30 nm.

The coating layer can be formed by applying a coating agent, the main component of which is an aqueous solution or a water/alcohol mixed solution containing a water-soluble polymer and at least one of (a) one or more alkoxides or their hydrolysates, or both, or (b) tin chloride, to the film, and then heating and drying to form an inorganic compound layer. Adding a silane monomer to the coating agent can improve adhesion with the anchor coat layer.

An inorganic compound layer has gas barrier properties even when it is just a coating film formed by vacuum deposition, but a gas barrier layer can also be formed by overlaying a coating layer, which is an inorganic compound layer formed by coating, on a deposition layer, which is an inorganic compound layer formed by vacuum deposition.

By combining these two layers, a reaction layer is formed between the inorganic compound layer formed by vacuum deposition and the inorganic compound layer formed by coating at the interface between the two layers, or the inorganic compound layer formed by coating fills and reinforces defects or micropores such as pinholes, cracks, and grain boundaries that occur in the inorganic compound layer formed by vacuum deposition, forming a dense structure.

As a result, it not only achieves high gas barrier properties, moisture resistance, and water resistance as a gas barrier film, but also has the flexibility to withstand deformation caused by external forces, making it suitable for use as a packaging material.

Furthermore, if SiO, for example, is used as the gas barrier layer, the coating will be transparent, allowing the contents to be seen from the outside of the pouch. These can be used appropriately depending on the application and required quality.

In addition, the polyethylene terephthalate film in the plastic film layer of the laminate can be a center-opening polyethylene terephthalate film.

In this case, selectively using a center-cut polyethylene terephthalate film allows for the use of a portion with balanced stretching, which is effective in preventing problems such as repeated tearing, where the tearing direction is significantly off when attempting to open the package by cutting the laminated body in a straight line along the intended opening line.

Furthermore, it is possible to further provide a polyamide film capable of being cut in a straight line in the horizontal direction of the pouch body as the intermediate film layer of the laminate.

In this case, adding a polyamide film layer to the laminate can reduce mechanical strength such as puncture resistance, without impairing the linearity of tearing.

In addition, the polyethylene terephthalate film of the intermediate film layer of the laminate can be provided with a scratched line along the intended opening line on the body of the pouch.

In this case, by providing a scratched line directly on the intermediate film layer, a mechanism can be created to assist in straight cutting even when opening by tearing, which is effective in achieving easier and more stable straightness.

Furthermore, the scratch lines can be created by perforation or half-cutting. This allows for a mechanism to assist in straight cutting, making it easier and more effective in achieving stable straightness, and also offers the advantage of excellent productivity in the scratching process.

In addition, if necessary, a printed layer can be provided on a layer of the laminate that is visible from the outside of the pouch, in order to improve the product's image, display necessary information about the contents, or enhance the design. The printed layer may also be provided on the outermost layer of the pouch.

The printed layer may be provided on a portion of the pouch, or it may be provided over the entire surface of the pouch. Alternatively, a display section may be provided without using a printed layer, for example by attaching a printed sticker to the surface of the pouch.

Here, there are no particular restrictions on the printing method or printing ink, but any known printing method may be selected as appropriate, taking into consideration factors such as printability on plastic film, design such as color tone, adhesion, and safety as a food container.

For example, a printing method can be selected from known printing methods such as gravure printing, offset printing, gravure offset printing, flexographic printing, silk screen printing, and inkjet printing. Among these, gravure printing is preferred for its productivity, suitability for printing on plastic film, and high image resolution.

In this way, the present invention makes it possible to provide a free-standing pouch that can be used to heat and cook the contents in a microwave oven, that is equipped with an automatic steam release mechanism that can release steam generated from the contents during cooking to the outside, that is easy to open, has excellent straightness of the cut edge, and is able to maintain the opening shape of the opening.

The present invention will now be described in more detail using Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, as well as figures. However, the stand-up pouch according to the present invention is not limited to the examples shown here. The present invention is limited by the claims.

Figure 3 is a schematic plan view showing the external shape and dimensions of an example of a standing pouch according to the present invention and a comparative example.

Laminated pouches were produced based on the standing pouches of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, and used as evaluation samples.
That is, the dimensions of the standing pouch are 158 mm long x 150 mm wide.
It was decided.

The pouch is equipped with an automatic steam release mechanism (12). This automatic steam release mechanism (12) is common to Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, and is a bent portion of the seal at the side edge (2) at the top right of Figure 3, which is convex toward the inside of the pouch.

The notch (8) is provided in the sealed portion of the side end (2) facing the automatic steam release mechanism (12), and a horizontal opening line (5) is provided contiguous to the notch. The tearing direction for opening is from left to right as viewed in Figure 3, as indicated by the thick arrow in Figure 3.

The contents were placed in a standing pouch created for the evaluation, sealed, and then cooked in a microwave oven before evaluation.

The contents contained were meatballs.

Evaluations were also conducted after cooking in a microwave oven.

The evaluation items are as follows:
-Suitability for microwave cooking -Ease of cutting when opening -Presence or absence of tearing when opening: (medium or higher was rated as ×)
・Appearance after opening.

Example 1
FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

The layer structure of the laminate (50) is as follows:
Polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating (30) / polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with linear cut properties (33) / linear cut heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm) (34).

The polyethylene terephthalate film (12 μm thick) (30) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating consists of a polyethylene terephthalate film (31) and a transparent inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating (32).

Example 2
FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

The layer structure of the laminate (51) is as follows:
Polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor deposition coating (30) / polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with linear cut properties and perforation (35) / linear cut heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm) (34).

In other words, in addition to Example 1, perforations (38) are added to the intermediate film layer.

Example 3
FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

The layer structure of the laminate (52) is as follows:
Polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor deposition coating (30) / polyamide film (thickness 15 μm) with linear cutting properties (40) / polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with linear cutting properties (33) / linear cutting heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm) (34).

In other words, in addition to Example 1, a polyamide film (thickness 15 μm) (40) with linear cutting properties was added between the polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating (30) and the polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with linear cutting properties (33).

Example 4
FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a standing pouch according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

The layer structure of the laminate (53) is as follows:
A polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating (36) / a polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with linear cut properties (33) / a linear cut heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm) (34).

That is, the polyethylene terephthalate film (37), which is a "middle cut" grade, was used in addition to the polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor deposition coating of Example 1.

<Comparative Example 1>
FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a pouch for explaining Comparative Example 1 of a standing pouch according to the present invention.

The layer structure of the laminate (54) is as follows:
Polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor deposition coating (30) / polyamide film (thickness 15 μm) (41) / linear cut heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm) (34).

In other words, a polyamide film (15 μm thick) (41) is used as the intermediate film layer adjacent to the sealant layer. This polyamide film (15 μm thick) (41) does not have the ability to be cut in a straight line. Therefore, this intermediate film layer portion is a portion that deviates from the laminate configuration of the present invention.

<Comparative Example 2>
FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a laminate constituting a pouch for explaining Comparative Example 2 of a standing pouch according to the present invention.

The layer structure of the laminate (55) is as follows:
Polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor deposition coating (30) / polyamide film (thickness 15 μm) with linear cutting properties (40) / heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm) (39).

In other words, the sealant layer is a heat-resistant, unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness: 60 μm) (39) that does not take linear cutability into consideration. Therefore, this sealant layer portion is a portion that deviates from the laminate configuration of the present invention.

The evaluation results for Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 are shown in Table 1.

As can be seen from the results shown in Table 1, Examples 1 to 4, which are standing pouches according to the present invention, showed good results in terms of microwave cooking suitability and ease of cutting when opened, with no significant differences observed compared to Comparative Examples 1 and 2.

However, Examples 1 to 4, which are stand-up pouches according to the present invention, are clearly superior to Comparative Examples 1 and 2, which deviate from the laminate structure of the stand-up pouch according to the present invention, in terms of the occurrence of tearing when opened and in appearance after opening.

Accordingly, the present invention has demonstrated that it is possible to provide a free-standing pouch that allows the contents to be cooked in a microwave oven, is equipped with an automatic steam release mechanism that can release steam generated from the contents during cooking to the outside, is easy to open, has excellent linearity of the cut edge, and is able to maintain the opening shape of the opening.

Next, Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 will be individually discussed.

Example 1 received a rating of 〇 in all evaluation categories: suitability for microwave cooking, ease of cutting when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

This is because the layer structure of the laminate (50) is
It is believed that the inclusion of a polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with linear cut properties and a linear cut heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm) resulted in excellent results in terms of cuttability when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

Example 2 received a rating of 〇 in all evaluation categories: suitability for microwave cooking, ease of cutting when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

This is because the layer structure of the laminate (51) is as follows:
It is believed that the inclusion of a polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with linear cuttability and a perforated/linear cuttability heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm) resulted in excellent results in terms of cuttability when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

In addition, compared to Comparative Example 1, the addition of perforations is thought to be more effective in stabilizing the package against tearing and tearing when opened.

Example 3 received a rating of 〇 in all evaluation categories: suitability for microwave cooking, ease of cutting when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

This is because the layer structure of the laminate (52) is as follows:
The film comprises a polyamide film (thickness 15 μm) with linear cutting properties, a polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with linear cutting properties, and a heat-resistant, unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm) with linear cutting properties. Because each of these films has linear cutting properties, it is believed that excellent results were obtained in terms of cuttability when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

Slight differences were observed compared to Example 1 in terms of ease of cutting when opening and appearance after opening, which is thought to be due to the inclusion of a polyamide film layer. However, the evaluation results were rated good, which is within the practical range.

In other words, although the addition of the polyamide film layer improves mechanical strength such as puncture resistance, the polyamide film itself has the ability to be cut in a straight line, which is thought to have resulted in excellent results for the laminate as a whole in terms of cuttability when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

Example 4 received a rating of 0 in all evaluation categories: microwave cooking suitability, ease of cutting when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

This is because the layer structure of the laminate (53) is as follows:
The polyethylene terephthalate film (12 μm thick) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating was used, and it is believed that the effect of the polyethylene terephthalate film (12 μm thick) achieved stable linear cutting in addition to the effects of Example 1. Therefore, it is believed that excellent results were obtained in terms of cutting ability when opening, tearing when opening, and appearance after opening.

Comparative Example 1 was rated x for microwave cooking suitability, ease of cutting when opened, tearing when opened, and appearance after opening, among others.

This is because the layer structure of the laminate (54) is as follows:
The laminate contained a polyamide film (thickness: 15 μm), and this layer was not given linear cut properties, so it is believed that the entire laminate tore when opened, resulting in a poor appearance after opening.

Comparative Example 2 was rated x for microwave cooking suitability, ease of cutting when opened, tearing when opened, and appearance after opening, among others.

This is because the layer structure of the laminate (55) is as follows:
The part that corresponds to the sealant layer is made of a heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm), and this layer itself is not given linear cut properties, so it is thought that the entire laminate would tear when opened, resulting in a poor appearance after opening.

In this way, it has been verified that the present invention can provide a self-standing pouch that allows the contents to be cooked in a microwave oven, has an automatic steam vent mechanism that can release water vapor generated from the contents during cooking to the outside, is easy to open, has excellent linearity of the cut edge, and is able to maintain the opening shape of the opening.

1... Front body portion 2... Both ends 3... Lower end portion 4... Upper end portion 5... Opening line 6... Folding line 7... Rear body portion 8... Incision 10... Bottom film 11... Opening line 12... Automatic steam release mechanism 14... Contents 20... Opening 30... Polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness 12 μm) with a transparent inorganic compound vapor deposition coating
31: Polyethylene terephthalate film 32: Transparent inorganic compound vapor deposition coating 33: Polyethylene terephthalate film having linear cutting properties (thickness 12 μm) 34: Linear cutting heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm)
35: Polyethylene terephthalate film with straight cut properties (thickness 12 μm) with perforations 36: Polyethylene terephthalate film with transparent inorganic vapor deposition coating (thickness 12 μm)
37: Polyethylene terephthalate film with core 38: Perforated 39: Heat-resistant unstretched polypropylene resin layer (thickness 60 μm)
40: Polyamide film with linear cutting properties (thickness 15 μm)
41... Polyamide film (thickness 15 μm)
50: Laminate 51: Laminate 52: Laminate 53: Laminate 54: Laminate 55: Laminate 90: Upper portion of pouch 100: Standing pouch

Claims (3)

A pouch made of a laminate of plastic films, which allows the contents to be heated and cooked in a microwave oven,
The laminate is composed of a plastic film layer on the outermost side of the pouch, an intermediate film layer, and a sealant layer on the innermost side of the pouch,
The pouch is formed by a front body portion, a rear body portion, and a bottom film disposed therebetween so as to be able to contain contents,
The pouch is equipped with an automatic steam release mechanism that allows steam generated from the contents to be released outside the pouch when cooking in a microwave oven.
the front body portion and the rear body portion have four sides and are arranged with the sealant layers facing each other,
Of the four sides, both left and right ends of the body section are sealed, and both ends of the pouch are hermetically sealed; a bottom film is folded and disposed between the front body section and the rear body section at the lower part of the body section; and the bottom film is sealed to the body section at the lower end of the pouch so that it can form a bottom surface;
the front body portion and the rear body portion in the upper part of the body portion are sealed at the upper end of the pouch after the contents are placed therein, thereby enabling the entire pouch to be sealed;
A notch is provided in at least one of the seal portions at both ends of the body portion, and a horizontal straight line extending from the notch on the front and back of the body portion of the pouch is an intended opening line;
The outermost plastic film layer of the laminate is a polyethylene terephthalate film having an inorganic compound vapor-deposited coating on its surface .
the intermediate film layer of the laminate includes a polyethylene terephthalate film adjacent to the sealant layer and having linear cuttability in the horizontal direction of the pouch body , and a polyamide film located closer to the outermost layer of the pouch than the polyethylene terephthalate film having linear cuttability and having linear cuttability in the horizontal direction of the pouch body ;
The polyethylene terephthalate film having linear cuttability of the intermediate film layer of the laminate has a scratched line consisting of a perforation or a half-cut line provided along the intended opening line of the pouch body,
A standing pouch characterized in that the innermost sealant layer of the laminate is a polypropylene resin film that can be cut in a straight line in the horizontal direction of the pouch body. The standing pouch according to claim 1, characterized in that the notch is provided at a position between the height of the surface of the contents and the seal at the top end of the pouch when the pouch is in a self-standing state after the contents are placed inside. 2. The standing pouch according to claim 1, wherein the automatic steam release mechanism is configured to allow steam to pass through by partially peeling off the sealed portion of the pouch when steam is generated from the contents during cooking in a microwave oven.