Film for flexible bags

Abstract

Embodiments relate to a film used to form a flexible bag including an inner sealant layer capable of providing a hermetic seal; an oxygen barrier layer capable of extending the shelf life of a food product; and an outer layer capable of providing abrasion and puncture resistance and tacking to the specialized tacky polymer strip mounted on the dispensing device.

Description

[0001]This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61 / 709,018 filed Oct. 2, 2012 titled “Film for Flexible Bags” the complete subject matter of each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF INVENTION[0002]The invention generally relates to films. More particularly, embodiments relate to flexible packaging films used to form flexible bags and containers using such flexible bags.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]The ability to dispense a controlled quantity of a condiment, such as ketchup, mustard, relish, salad dressings, hot wings sauce, spaghetti sauce, tartar sauce or other sauces, in an efficient manner has been important in the food service industry for many years. This is especially true for large volume food handling operations such as fast food restaurants, where employees and customers desire the ability to dispense condiments quickly and conveniently, and where even a marginal reduction in the waste of, or time requ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes various films, bags, and dispensers. The technical effects of these patents include improved sealing of food products, increased shelf life, and better protection from puncture and abrasion. Additionally, the patent explains how the dispensers work to prevent leakage and how the flexible bag is designed to be torn open only in a specific direction. Overall, this patent provides innovations and improvements for the food service industry.

Problems solved by technology

While tin cans offer good shelf life performance, tin cans contribute to waste of product that clings to the side of cans.

Further, tin cans are heavy to ship, store, and are heavy and voluminous for disposal.

Additionally, tin cans require can openers to open—retrieving the opener reduces operational speed, and the opener may be difficult to locate, further reducing efficiency.

Opening tin cans may also result in sharp edges that may tear garbage bags and pose a laceration risk.

However, gallon jugs contribute to waste in the same fashion as tin cans, and share many of the negative attributes of tin cans.

Caulk cartridge type cans leave less product in the canister, but require priming of each can and may also generate significant wasted product.

For example, a 25-ounce cartridge delivering a one-ounce payload may waste 4% of the product due to priming.

However, caulk cartridge type cans may not be hermetically sealed, may be more expensive and may take up more room in a landfill.

Devices that use gravity actuated rollers or gears are complicated to manufacture and may involve manipulating the rollers in non-intuitive ways.

Other devices that utilize more complex means for releasing condiment from the bags require that the bags incorporate specially designed fittings, including tubes and couplings, which increase the cost and complexity of the packaging and add to product waste during cleanup.

Yet other devices use motorized pumps that require electricity and possibly pressurized gases to operate, which adds to the cost and size of the dispensers, increasing manufacturing costs and adding complexity during cleaning.

Further, pumps may result in undesired splatter, which both wastes product, as well as work effort to clean the splatter.

If a pump in the front of the store splatters, customers may become unhappy.

Motorized devices often require long tubes that contribute to waste of the condiment and complicate clean up.

Furthermore, existing types of dispensers have a single outlet for the condiment, which reduces efficiency at workstations where multiple outlets can be accommodated.

Additionally, tubes reduce the range of movement and freedom of motion of the applicator device.

Additionally, devices using pressurized gas rely on the gas, and in event of gas malfunction, or lack of gas supply, the device is non-functional.

Other devices utilize fitments that require significant expense, and contribute to waste if the fitment is improperly fitted.

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