Flexible container and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A container of a collapsible type for liquid or pulverulent contents, comprising a compartment ( 3 ) which is defined by flexible walls and whose volume depends on the relative position of the walls, said walls comprising two opposite side walls ( 2 ) with edge portions ( 4 ) which engage each other and along which the side walls ( 2 ) are joined in a common connecting portion ( 5 ). The compartment ( 3 ) is sealed in the empty state of the container before filling. The container is characterised by a duct-defining portion ( 6 ), which is arranged inside said connecting portion and along which said side walls ( 2 ) are joined with each other. The duct-defining portion ( 6 ) comprises two mutually separated weld joints ( 11 ) which define a duct ( 7 ) extended between the side walls ( 2 ), which at a first end communicates with said compartment ( 3 ) and at a second end connects to and is sealed by a duct-sealing part ( 10 ) of said connecting portion ( 5 ). The present invention also concerns a method for manufacturing such a container.

1 . A container of a collapsible type, adapted to be filled with liquid or pulverulent contents, comprising 
 a compartment ( 3 ) which is defined by flexible walls and whose volume depends on the relative position of the walls,    said walls comprising two opposite side walls ( 2 ) with edge portions ( 4 ) which engage each other and along which the side walls ( 2 )are joined in a common connecting portion ( 5 ),    the compartment ( 3 ) being sealed,    characterised by    a duct-defining portion ( 6 ), which is arranged inside said connecting portion ( 5 ) and along which side walls ( 2 ) are joined with each other,    said duct-defining portion ( 6 ) comprising two mutually separated weld joints ( 11 ) defining a duct ( 7 ) extended between the side walls ( 2 ),    which at a first end communicates with said compartment ( 3 ), and    which at a second end connects to and is sealed by a duct-sealing part ( 10 ) of said connecting portion ( 5 ),    wherein a filling means, after removal of said ductsealing part ( 10 ), is insertable into said duct ( 7 ) for filling the compartment ( 3 ) with said contents.    
     
     
         2 . A container as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the duct ( 7 ) defined by the duct-defining portion ( 6 ) has a shape tapering towards the compartment ( 3 ).  
     
     
         3 . A container as claimed in  claim 1  or  2 , in which the duct-sealing part ( 10 ) has a boundary line ( 14 ) which faces the compartment ( 3 ) and which relative to boundary lines ( 15 ) of the parts ( 16 ) of the connecting portion ( 5 ), which connect to said duct-sealing part ( 10 ), is displaced away from the compartment ( 3 ).  
     
     
         4 . A container as claimed in  claim 1  in which said weld joints ( 11 ) are symmetrically arranged one on each side of a longitudinal centre line ( 12 ) of the container, the weld joints ( 11 ) connecting to the connecting portion ( 5 ) on an upper side ( 13 ) of the container.  
     
     
         5 . A container as claimed in  claim 1  in which said duct-defining portion ( 6 ) defines a second duct ( 17 ) extended between the side walls ( 2 ), said second duct ( 7 ) being able to be opened for pouring out contents introduced into the compartment through the duct ( 6 ) defined by said weld joints ( 11 ).  
     
     
         6 . A container as claimed in  claim 5 , in which said duct-defining portion ( 6 ) comprises two further mutually separated weld joints ( 21 ) which have parallel boundary lines ( 22 ) facing each other.  
     
     
         7 . A container as claimed in  claim 6 , in which said further weld joints ( 21 ) are arranged in a spout-forming portion ( 18 ) of the container, said spout-forming portion ( 18 ) being positioned in a corner portion ( 19 ) between a first side ( 20 ) of the container and an upper side ( 13 ) of the container.  
     
     
         8 . A container as claimed in  claim 1  in which a carrier means ( 23 ) is formed in said connecting portion ( 5 ) on a second side ( 24 ) of the container.  
     
     
         9 . A method for manufacturing a container ( 1 ) of a collapsible type to be filled with liquid or pulverulent contents, said container ( 1 ) comprising a sealed compartment ( 3 ) which is defined by flexible walls and whose volume depends on the relative position of the walls, the walls comprising two opposite side walls ( 2 ), comprising the step of 
 connecting edge portions ( 4 ), engaging each other, of the side walls ( 2 ) in a common connecting portion ( 5 ),    characterised by    arranging a duct-defining portion ( 6 ) inside said connecting portion ( 5 ) along which duct-defining portion ( 6 ) said side walls ( 2 ) are joined with each other,    providing the duct-defining portion ( 5 ) with two mutually separated weld joints ( 11 ) which define a duct ( 7 ) extended between the side walls ( 2 ),    said weld joints ( 11 ) being arranged so as to define a duct ( 7 ) extended between the side walls ( 2 ), which at a first end communicates with said compartment ( 3 ) and at a second end connects to and is sealed by a duct-sealing part ( 10 ) of said connecting portion ( 5 ),    said duct ( 7 ) being so formed as to allow insertion of a filling means, after removal of said duct-sealing part ( 10 ), into said duct ( 7 ) for filling the compartment ( 3 ) with said contents.