US20180334301A1

US20180334301A1 - Delivery pouch and delivery box containing said delivery pouch

Info

Publication number: US20180334301A1
Application number: US15/598,202
Authority: US
Inventors: Patrick Eberhard
Original assignee: Mettler Packaging Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Mettler Packaging Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2017-05-17
Filing date: 2017-05-17
Publication date: 2018-11-22

Abstract

A delivery pouch, in particular for perishable goods, includes a front wall comprising an inner layer having opposing first and second side edges and an outer layer having opposing first and second side edges that are connected to each other. The inner layer of the front wall of the pouch comprises a foamed polymer layer and the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch comprises a foamed or non-foamed polymer layer. The rear wall of the pouch comprises, at least in that section of the rear wall of the pouch that does not protrude over the front wall of the pouch, an inner layer having opposing first and second side edges and an outer layer having opposing first and second side edges that are connected to each other. The inner layer of the rear wall of the pouch comprises a foamed polymer layer and the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch comprises a foamed or non-foamed polymer layer. The front wall of the pouch or the rear wall of the pouch comprises at least one fastening component on the upper end of the pouch, wherein the fastening component is designed to close the closable opening on the upper end of the pouch after the protruding section of the rear wall of the pouch is folded over the front wall of the pouch. Also disclosed is a delivery box comprising a delivery container and a lid and containing a multitude of delivery pouches, and a method of transporting goods for delivery, in particular for perishable goods, by use of the delivery pouches or by use of the delivery box described herein.

Description

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a delivery pouch, in particular a delivery pouch for trading such as online trading, and more in particular for trading, in particular online trading, perishable goods. The present disclosure also relates to a delivery box containing a multitude of delivery pouches according to the present disclosure. The present disclosure further relates to a method of transporting goods, in particular perishable goods, for delivery by use of such a delivery pouch for transporting goods or by use of such a delivery box.

Description of the Related Art

Delivery pouches are used in widely differing forms for delivery purposes. In contrast to the standard shopping pouches, such delivery pouches frequently comprise a closable or even re-closable opening. The intention in connection with using delivery pouches is that goods for dispatch should not be seen during transportation.
Delivery pouches are usually provided in large piece numbers. Here, the front wall of the pouch and the rear wall of the pouch are usually produced from a thin material in order to reduce costs and protect the environment. In some cases care is taken that delivery pouches are protected against the weather in order to be able to withstand heavy rain.
The aforementioned delivery pouches are generally exclusively used for the transport and delivery of non-perishable items.
There has been a need prior to the present disclosure to extend the application spectrum of common delivery pouches.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In at least one embodiment, described herein is a delivery pouch comprising an upper end of the pouch, an opposite lower end of the pouch, a first side edge of the pouch and an opposite second side edge of the pouch, together with a pouch front wall and an opposite pouch rear wall. The pouch front wall and the pouch rear wall respectively comprise an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge and a second side edge. The lower end of the pouch is closed. The upper end of the pouch comprises a closable opening for introducing articles into the pouch for delivery. The front wall of the pouch has a first length which corresponds to an average distance between the upper edge and the lower edge of the front wall of the pouch, and the rear wall of the pouch has a second length which corresponds to an average distance between the upper edge and the lower edge of the rear wall of the pouch. The first length is shorter than the second length so that the rear wall of the pouch protrudes over the front wall of the pouch on the upper end of the pouch, and the section of the rear wall of the pouch that protrudes over the front wall of the pouch can be folded onto the front wall of the pouch. The front wall of the pouch comprises an inner layer having opposing first and second side edges and an outer layer having opposing first and second side edges where the inner and outer layers are connected to each other. The inner layer of the front wall of the pouch is a foamed or non-foamed polymer layer and the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch is a foamed or non-foamed polymer layer. The rear wall of the pouch comprises at least in that section of the rear wall of the pouch that does not protrude over the front wall of the pouch an inner layer having opposing first and second side edges and an outer layer having opposing first and second side edges where the inner and outer layers are connected to each other. The inner layer of the rear wall of the pouch is a foamed or non-foamed polymer layer and the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch is a foamed or non-foamed polymer layer. The front wall of the pouch or the rear wall of the pouch comprises at least one fastening component on the upper end of the pouch, wherein said at least one fastening component is designed to close the closable opening on the upper end of the pouch after said protruding section of the rear wall of the pouch is folded over the front wall of the pouch.
It should be apparent for the skilled practitioner that the terms “front wall” and “rear wall” do not represent limitations but have been chosen for the sake of clarity. That is, depending on the individual usage of these terms can also be exchanged with each other.
By use of the delivery pouch of the present disclosure, it is possible to safely and reliably deliver perishable goods such as frozen or non-frozen food items.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present disclosure are presented in the description below, in which preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are explained as examples with reference to schematic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic front view of an embodiment of the delivery pouch of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the delivery pouch according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to a rather advantageous embodiment of the delivery pouch of the present disclosure, the inner layer of the front wall of the pouch comprises a foamed polymer layer and the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch comprises a non-foamed polymer layer, and the inner layer of the rear wall of the pouch comprises a foamed polymer layer and the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch comprises a non-foamed polymer layer. By use of foamed polymer layers both for the inner layer of the front wall and the inner layer of the rear wall, rather sufficient insulating properties can be ensured which, for example, allow the delivery pouch to transport even frozen goods such as frozen food items over an extended period of time without risking to spoil the quality of the transported item. The average thickness of the non-foamed and foamed polymer layers can, for example, be in the range from 15 to 300 μm and in some other cases in the range from 35 to 200 μm.
It has surprisingly been found that, for proper usage of the delivery pouch of the present disclosure, it is not absolutely necessary to make use of both the inner layer and the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch in that section that protrudes over the front wall of the pouch. Accordingly, in at least one embodiment said section of the rear wall of the pouch protruding over the front wall of the pouch is an extension of only the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch. According to another embodiment said section of the rear wall of the pouch protruding out of the front wall of the pouch is an extension of only the inner layer of the rear wall of the pouch.
A delivery pouch in the sense of the present disclosure is a pouch that is provided for transporting goods, in particular perishable delivery goods. A delivery pouch of this type is usually closable, preferably in such a manner that no opening remains unclosed. The delivery pouch usually comprises at least one goods holding area, in particular an interior space for holding goods or articles for delivery, which can essentially be fully closed. Pouches which comprise unclosable openings, which permit articles for delivery to fall out unintentionally during transportation, are as a rule unsuitable for use as delivery pouches. It is fundamentally feasible to deform a delivery pouch in such a manner that a precise description of the geometry is no longer possible. It should therefore be stated in advance with regard to the further embodiments that the description of the delivery pouch according to the present disclosure in the first place relates to an unfilled, non-deformed state of the delivery pouch, wherein the delivery pouch should preferably be regarded as being extended flat. This is usually the form in which the delivery pouch is provided prior to being filled with articles for delivery.
In some rather suitable embodiments of the delivery pouch of the present disclosure, the inner layer and the outer layer of the front wall are connected along or adjacent their respective first and second side edges and along or adjacent the lower and the upper end of the front wall thereby forming a defined space, and/or the inner layer and the outer layer of the rear wall are connected along or adjacent their respective first and second side edges and along or adjacent the lower and the upper end of the rear wall or of the front wall thereby forming a defined space. Said defined space formed by the inner and outer layer of the front wall and by the inner and outer layer of the rear wall usually is a closed, confined space which contains a gas such as air. In some cases the inner and outer layer of the front wall and/or of the rear wall are connected to each other in such a manner that a gastight space is formed. Here, such a connection of the inner and outer layer can, for example, be accomplished by a circumferential adhesive or welding seam. The gas kept in the space between the inner and the outer layer of the front wall and/or the rear wall aids in increasing the thermal insulation properties of the delivery pouch of the present disclosure, not only in those cases in which at least one of the inner and the outer layer is a foamed polymer layer, but also in those cases in which both the inner and the outer layer of the front or the rear wall, in some cases the front and the rear wall, are non-foamed polymer layers.
In some cases, the delivery pouch according to the present disclosure can further comprise a first side wall between the front wall and the rear wall and a second side wall between the front wall and the rear wall opposite said first sidewall, wherein the first side wall of the pouch comprises an inner layer and an outer layer that are connected to each other, in some cases by a circumferential adhesive or welding seam which creates a defined, gas-containing space. The inner layer of the first side wall of the pouch is a foamed or non-foamed polymer layer, in some cases a foamed polymer layer, and the outer layer of the first side wall of the pouch is a foamed or non-foamed polymer layer, in some cases a non-foamed polymer layer. The second side wall of the pouch comprises an inner layer and an outer layer that are connected to each other, in some cases by a circumferential adhesive or welding seam which creates a defined, gas-containing space. The inner layer of the second side wall of the pouch is a foamed or non-foamed polymer layer, in some cases a foamed polymer layer, and the outer layer of the second side wall of the pouch is a foamed or non-foamed polymer layer, in some cases a non-foamed polymer layer.
In most cases, the pouch of the present disclosure does not contain any side walls. In some further cases, the pouch of the present disclosure also does not contain any side gussets.
According to a suitable embodiment, the inner layer and the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch, and the inner layer and the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch, and optionally, that is if present, also the floor wall of the pouch, and optionally, that is, if present, the side walls of the pouch according to the present disclosure, comprise at least one thermoplastic polymer material. In another suitable embodiment, the inner layer and the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch and the inner layer and the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch, and optionally, that is if present, also inner and the outer layer of the floor wall of the pouch and optionally, that is if present, the inner and the outer layer of the side walls of the pouch of the present disclosure are essentially made of at least one thermoplastic polymer material. Here, it can be provided that an imprint, such as an advertising imprint, can be easily applied to the thermoplastic polymer material, e.g., of the inner or the outer layer of the front or rear wall of the pouch.
Thermoplastic synthetic materials stand out for their advantageous processability for the delivery pouch according to the present disclosure. With thermoplastic polymer materials, welded seams in the sense of the present disclosure can be reliably created by heating or melting (on) a narrow film area of a thermoplastic polymer material, in most cases to a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature. By application of pressure, a connection is thus obtained between the now welded parts following cooling. Experience has shown that thermoplastic polymer materials such as polyesters, such as polyethylene terephthalate, and/or polyolefins, such as polyethylene, are particularly suited for this purpose. In some embodiments, the inner layer of the front wall and the inner layer of the rear wall of the pouch and optionally, that is if present, also the inner layer of the sidewalls and optionally, that is if present, the inner layer of the floor wall of the pouch are comprising or essentially made of the same thermoplastic polymer material. According to another embodiment, the outer layer of the front wall and the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch and optionally also the outer layer of the sidewalls and, optionally, the outer layer of the floor wall of the pouch are comprising or are essentially made of the same thermoplastic polymer material. In some other embodiments the inner and the outer layer of the front wall and the inner and the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch, and optionally also the inner and the outer layer of the sidewalls and, optionally, the inner and the outer layers of the floor wall of the pouch are comprising or essentially made of the same thermoplastic polymer material. However, with the pouches of the present disclosure, the inner layer of the front wall and the inner layer of the rear wall of the pouch and, optionally, that is if present, also the inner layer of the sidewalls and, optionally, that is if present, the inner layer of the floor wall, is a foamed polymer layer such as made from foamed thermoplastic polymer material. According to another embodiment, it is also possible that the outer layer of the front wall and the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch and, optionally, that is if present, also the outer layer of the sidewalls and, optionally, that is if present, the outer layer of the floor wall is a foamed polymer layer such as made from foamed thermoplastic polymer material.
In some embodiments, the same foamed polymer layer material is used for all inner layers and only optionally also for all outer layers of the pouch according to the present disclosure.
Methods of preparing a foamed polymer material, e.g., in the form of a foamed layer or sheet, are known to the person skilled in the art. In most cases, propellants such as citric acid are used together with the molten polymer material such as the molten thermoplastic polymer material in order to prepare foamed polymer materials, for example in the form of layers or sheets.
In some cases, the average thickness of the non-foamed polymer layer is in the range from 15 to 200 μm, in further cases below about 180 μm or 120 μm, and in some other cases below about 100 μm. In some rather suitable cases, the average thickness of said non-foamed polymer layers is in the range from 35 to 65 μm and in some further cases in the range from 40 to 60 μm. And, in some cases, the average thickness of the foamed polymer layer is above about 50 μm or 70 μm, for example in the range from 50 to 300 μm, in further cases in the range from 110 μm to 250 μm, and in some other cases in the range from 100 to 200 μm. In some rather suitable cases, the average thickness of said foamed polymer layers is in the range from 150 to 180 μm.
In some rather advantageous cases, at least the outer layer of the front wall or the outer layer of the rear wall, in particular the outer layer of the front wall and of the rear wall, are provided in the form of a smooth layer. Here, it has been found to be sufficient in some cases that the interior side of the outer layer of the pouch wall which forms said protruding section of the rear wall of the pouch and/or the outer side of the outer layer of the front wall has a smooth surface. In this manner, a fastener can be reliably and tightly attached to these parts of the pouch. Such fastening means is in most cases located on the smooth surface of the outer layer of the front wall.
According to another embodiment, the inner layer of the front wall and the inner layer of the rear wall of the pouch and, optionally, that is if present, the inner layer of the sidewalls and, optionally, that is if present, the inner layer of the floor wall are made of thermoplastic polymer material that is watertight. The water tightness serves to protect the articles for delivery, in particular against weather-related influences such as rain, snow, or air humidity.
It is rather suitable when the inner layer of the front wall of the pouch and inner layer of the rear wall of the pouch are based on one continuous section of a continuous material strip, preferably consisting of a single piece, in particular of a continuous polymer material film. In some further cases, the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch and the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch are based on one continuous section of a continuous material strip, preferably consisting of a single piece, particular of a continuous polymer material film. Here, it has been found to be advantageous that sections of the continuous material strip can be placed on top of each other and welded along its side edges. The described structure has the advantage that production can be considerably simplified, and production costs can be reduced. In some further embodiment, no welded seams are required in order to connect the inner layer of the front wall of the pouch and the inner layer the rear wall of the pouch to each other apart from the aforementioned welding seams along the respective opposing side edges. It is also possible in another embodiment to join the respective opposing side edges of the inner and the outer layer of the front wall and the inner and the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch each in a single welding step.
According to another embodiment, the lower end of the pouch comprises a fold with a W- or V-profile, wherein this is intended to describe the type of fold edge arrangement and not the angles between the fold edges. In the present document, the folds on the lower end of the pouch are designated as being W- or V-shaped folds, or also as W- or V-folds. Preferably, these should always be understood as being the fold from which the floor wall of the pouch is at least partially formed. Preferably, the different surfaces of the W- or V-fold lie in contact with each other in a folded state. With the V-shaped fold, a pouch floor wall is usually not included. In this case, the V-shaped fold is formed from the front wall of the pouch and the rear wall of the pouch. The W-shaped fold is formed by the front wall of the pouch and the rear wall of the pouch, as well as the floor wall of the pouch. The floor wall of the pouch can thus be integrated into the fold, and only requires a small amount of space, in particular when the delivery pouches are stored.
The different pouch walls (that is, the front wall of the pouch, the rear wall of the pouch, and if appropriate, the floor wall of the pouch) can be separated from each other by folds. According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the W-fold described above is suitable for separating the floor wall of the pouch from the front wall of the pouch and the rear wall of the pouch. Here, the floor wall of the pouch comprises a, preferably central, W-shaped fold which is part of the floor wall of the pouch.
As the pouch of the present disclosure is designed for delivering perishable goods such as food items, in some cases frozen items, it has been found to be advantageous that the inner layer and the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch or the inner layer and the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch are a transparent or translucent plastic film. It is also possible that the inner layer of the front wall and the inner layer of the pouch wall rear wall of the pouch is transparent while the outer layer of the front wall and the outer layer of the rear wall is translucent. However, in some rather practical embodiments the inner layer of the front wall and the inner layer of the rear wall is translucent while the outer layer of the front wall and/or the outer layer of the rear wall is transparent.
By use of transparent or translucent and/or translucent inner and outer layers the article to be delivered with said pouch, for example its general state and freshness, can be inspected from the outside by the purchaser without having to open said pouch. With said embodiment there is no need to destroy the delivery pouch in order to obtain a first assessment of the article to be delivered.
In some cases the transparent or translucent plastic film comprises a polyolefin film such as a polyethylene film.
It has also been found to be advantageous that the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch or the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch is a non-foamed, single- or multi-layer polyethylene film in monoaxially or biaxially oriented form.
According to at least one embodiment, the lower end of the pouch comprises a pouch floor. In a particularly preferred manner, the pouch floor is arranged at a distance of less than 3 cm, in particular less than 2 cm, preferably less than 1 cm from the lower edge of the front wall of the pouch. Here, the floor of the pouch preferably restricts a goods holding area for articles for delivery in the direction of the lower end of the pouch. This has the advantage that goods can, if necessary, have more space in the goods holding area for articles for delivery in the unfolded pouch, or that more articles for delivery can be accommodated there.
The floor of the pouch can in some cases be formed by a pouch floor wall and/or by at least one welded seam and/or at least one fold. The welded seam preferably runs at a distance from or along the lower edge of the rear wall of the pouch and the front wall of the pouch, in particular with an average distance of less than 3 cm, in particular less than 2 cm, and preferably less than 1 cm. The lower edges of the rear wall of the pouch and the front wall of the pouch are preferably fold edges of the at least one fold, in particular a W- or V-shaped fold.
According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the floor of the pouch is formed by a floor wall of the pouch, in particular in the form of a folding floor. It is advantageous that as the front wall and the rear wall of the pouch of the present disclosure, also if present the floor wall of the pouch, comprises an inner layer and an outer layer wherein the inner layer comprises or is made of a foamed material. The floor wall of the pouch considerably increases the size of the goods holding area for articles to be delivered, enabling more articles to be delivered to be accommodated there.
However, a folding floor in the sense of the present disclosure usually comprises at least one fold edge, along which the floor can be folded together.
According to the present disclosure, the first edge of the pouch is preferably formed by welding the first side edges of the front wall of the pouch and the rear wall of the pouch to a first welded seam and the second edge of the pouch is formed by welding the second side edges of the front wall of the pouch and the rear wall of the pouch to a second welded seam. Here, the side edges are thus directly welded. This is advantageous in that, in this manner, the area for holding the goods for articles to be delivered can be maximized.
In an alternative embodiment, the welded seams do not coincide with the first and second side edges, but are at a distance from these. Here, it is possible that the first edge of the pouch comprises a first welded seam which runs at a first average distance from the first side edges of the front wall of the pouch and the rear wall of the pouch, and the second edge of the pouch comprises a second welded seam which runs at a second average distance from the second side edges of the front wall of the pouch and the rear wall of the pouch. In some embodiments, the first average distance and the second average distance are equal. Further, it is preferred that the first average distance and/or the second average distance is less than 3 cm, in particular less than 2 cm, and preferably less than 1 cm. Welded seams that are not located directly on the side edges frequently have increased stability.
In further embodiments according to the present disclosure, the front wall of the pouch and the rear wall of the pouch are connected at the first or second edge of the pouch at a distance from the corresponding side edges, in particular by way of welded seams, and that the corresponding side edges are directly connected to each other, in particular welded, on the opposite second or first edge of the pouch. In this case, increased stability is achieved on one side, while on the opposite side, the area for holding goods is not restricted, or is only restricted to an insignificant degree.
In some cases, all welded seams have the same orientation. Preferably, the pouch here comprises two welded seams, which weld the front wall of the pouch, the rear wall of the pouch, and in particular also the floor of the pouch, to each other. Since this embodiment comprises only an orientation of the welded seams, the production process is particularly simple. Additionally, the stability of the pouch is increased.
In some embodiments, the front wall of the pouch has a first length which corresponds to the average distance between the upper edge and the lower edge of the front wall of the pouch, and the rear wall of the pouch has a second length which corresponds to the average distance between the upper edge and the lower edge of the rear wall of the pouch, wherein the first length is shorter than the second length, so that the rear wall of the pouch protrudes over the front wall of the pouch on the upper end of the pouch. The portion of the rear wall of the pouch that protrudes over the front wall of the pouch can preferably be folded over in order to close the first opening on the upper end of the pouch.
The front wall of the pouch in some embodiments also has a first width that corresponds to the average distance between the first and second side edge of the front wall of the pouch, and the rear wall of the pouch in some further embodiments has a second width that corresponds to the average distance between the first and second side edge of the rear wall of the pouch. It has been found to be advantageous that the first and second widths are equal in size. According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the width of the front wall of the pouch is less than the length of the front wall of the pouch, and the width of the rear wall of the pouch is less than the length of the rear wall of the pouch.
The rear wall of the pouch comprises, in at least one embodiment, at least one fastening component on the upper end of the pouch of the delivery pouch. After a section of the rear wall of the pouch has been folded over onto the front wall of the pouch, the fastening component is designed to close the opening on the upper end of the pouch. The section folded over is the section of the rear wall of the pouch the protrudes on the upper end of the pouch over the front wall of the pouch. Alternatively or in addition, the outer side of the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch can also comprise a fastener or other fastening component in order to close the opening. By folding over, the pouch is not deformed, or is only deformed to a slight degree, so that items inside said pouch are not affected.
In at least one embodiment, the at least one fastening component is at least one adhesive strip. This adhesive strip in most cases usually extends substantially from the first side edge of the pouch to the second side edge of the pouch.
In most cases, the opening can be closed with at least one adhesive strip. This strip in most cases extends along the upper end of the pouch, in particular along (and if appropriate, at a distance from) the upper edge of the front wall of the pouch and/or the rear wall of the pouch. It has been found to be rather suitable that the fastening component such as the adhesive strip extends along the upper end of the rear wall of the pouch. Adhesive strips enable rapid, secure sealing. In a preferred embodiment, the opening can be closed using a fastening component, such as at least one adhesive strip, wherein the rear wall of the pouch on the inside and/or the front wall of the pouch on the outside comprises said fastening component, in particular in such a manner that they come into contact with the front wall of the pouch or the rear wall of the pouch if a section of the rear wall of the pouch is folded onto the front wall of the pouch.
The adhesive strips preferably have a width of between 0.3 cm and 3 cm, in particular between 0.5 cm and 2 cm. Due to the suitable width, secure closure of the opening is ensured, wherein in particular, unintentional opening of the delivery pouch is avoided. In a further embodiment, the adhesive strips irreversibly adhere opposite film layers. Here, irreversible means that the adhesion does not allow at least one, in particular adjacent, partial area of the film to be opened again without destruction. This is advantageous since, in this manner, it is ensured that the opening cannot be unintentionally opened during transportation. Also, in this manner, unauthorized opening can be determined.
In an advantageous embodiment, the opening has a length that is less than the length of the upper edges of the front wall of the pouch and/or the rear wall of the pouch, which is however preferably greater than 70% of the length of the upper edges, in particular 90% of the length of said upper edges.
In a further embodiment, the delivery pouch of the present disclosure further comprises at least one destructible zone in that section of the rear wall of the pouch that protrudes over the front wall of the pouch and that is located with respect to the at least one fastening component opposite the upper edge of the rear wall of the pouch. That is, the destructible zone such as the weakening line is, in some advantageous cases, located in said protruding section of the rear wall between the upper edge of the front wall and the fastening component. The destructible zone, such as the weakening line, in most cases extends from the first side edge to the opposing second side edge of said protruding section of the rear wall. The destructible zone can, in some embodiments, be a weakened line such as a perforation line. The weakened zone can be a weakened line that is curved or, preferably, linear.
In one embodiment, the delivery pouch comprises only one opening, so that the area for holding goods for articles for delivery is enclosed when the opening is closed, and no humidity/contamination/dirt can enter through further openings. It should be noted that a weakened zone, in particular weakened lines in the form of perforation lines, still do not constitute an opening for inserting and removing goods in the sense of the present disclosure, but is simply an area in which, if appropriate, an opening can be particularly easily created by destroying said weakened zones.
The present disclosure also provides a delivery box comprising a delivery container and a lid and containing one or a multitude of delivery pouches according to the present disclosure.
In some cases, the delivery container is an insulated container and the lid is an insulated lid. In some further cases, the walls of the delivery container are provided with cushioning on the inside and/or the lid is provided with cushioning on the inside. In this manner, goods inside the delivery pouches which are kept in the delivery box can be protected against mechanical damage, e.g., during transport.
The container and/or the lid can in some cases be made of cardboard. In some rather advantageous cases, the delivery box according to the present disclosure further comprises at least one cooler pack.
The present disclosure also provides a method for transporting goods for delivery, comprising providing at least one delivery pouch, in particular at least two delivery pouches according to the present disclosure, introducing one or more articles into each said delivery pouch through the closable opening of said pouch, closing said opening of the delivery pouch, and transporting the one or more articles by transfer of said delivery pouch.
In a further embodiment, the method of the present disclosure further comprises introducing said closed pouch or pouches into a delivery box thereby providing the delivery box according to the present disclosure and, transporting the articles by transfer of said delivery box.
That is, the method can comprise providing at least two delivery pouches according to the present disclosure, introducing one or more articles, in some cases frozen food items, into each of said delivery pouches through the closable opening of said pouch, closing said openings of the delivery pouches, introducing said closed pouches into a delivery box thereby providing the delivery box according to the present disclosure, and transporting the articles by transfer of said delivery box.
Due to the delivery pouch according to the present disclosure, excellent protection is provided against environmental conditions, particularly against rain and snow.
Thus, due to the measures described above, it is possible to also transfer perishable goods such as food items and even frozen food items by use of dispatch delivery. In such a manner, perishable articles can be ordered by online trading and can thus be delivered to the purchaser without affecting the quality of said perishable items. Further, the delivery pouch should enable simple, accident-free, protected transportation of the content, and good storability of the delivery pouch. Finally, the contents of the delivery pouch should be protected against unauthorized access by third parties. Moreover, the delivery pouches of the present disclosure allow for easy inspection of the quality of perishable items provided therewith without the need to open said delivery pouches.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the delivery pouch 1 of the present disclosure. Said delivery pouch 1 has an upper end 2 and a lower end 3, a first side edge 11 and an opposite, second side edge 13. With the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the front wall 7 is depicted as lying above the rear wall 9. Accordingly, only that part 15 of the rear wall 9 is also depicted in FIG. 1 which protrudes or extends over the upper edge 8 of the front wall 7. The upper end of the rear wall 9 is limited by the upper edge 5. Furthermore, on the interior side of said part 15 of the rear wall 9 that is protruding over the upper edge 8 of the front wall 7, a fastening component 17 in the form of an adhesive strip is provided. This adhesive strip extends from the first side edge 11 to the opposite, second side edge 13 in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, that part 15 of the rear wall 9 which is protruding over the upper edge 8 of the front wall 7 also comprises a weakening zone 19 in the form of a perforation line which extends from the first side edge 11 to the opposite second side edge 13.
In FIG. 2, a schematic cross-sectional view along axis A-A of the pouch according to FIG. 1 is depicted. The front wall 7 comprises an outer non-foamed polymer layer 107 and an inner foamed polymer layer 123. Similarly, the rear wall 9 comprises an outer non-foamed polymer layer 135 and an inner foamed polymer layer 125. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the inner layer 125 of the rear wall 9 does not extend to the upper edge 5 of said rear wall, but only up to the upper edge 8 of the front wall 7. Accordingly, it is the outer layer 135 which extends beyond the upper edge 8 and which forms section 15 of the rear wall 9 that protrudes over the front wall 7 of the pouch 1 and can be folded onto said front wall 7. As can also be derived from FIG. 2, the adhesive strip 17 is placed on the interior side of that portion 15 of the rear wall 9 which extends over the upper edge 8 of the front wall 7, that is that side which faces towards the viewer.
The cross-sectional representation of FIG. 2 also shows that the inner layer 123 and the outer layer 107 of the front wall 7 and the inner layer 125 and the outer layer 135 of the rear wall 9 are connected to each other along a welding seam 127 at the lower edge 3 of the pouch and along a welding seam 121 at the upper edge 8 of the front wall 7 as far as the front wall is concerned, and along a welding seam 131 at the extension of the upper edge of the front wall as far as the rear wall 9 is concerned, respectively. Furthermore, as can be also derived from FIG. 1, the inner and the outer layer 123, 107 of the front wall 7 and the inner and the outer layer 125, 135 of the rear wall 9 are in addition connected along the respective side edges 11 and 13 by respective welding seams. Accordingly, there is on the one hand air confined in that space defined by the circumferential welding seams which connect the inner and the outer layer of the front wall and on the other hand there is also a confined in that space defined by the circumferential welding seams which connect the inner and the outer layer of the rear wall to each other. The portion 15 of the rear wall 9 is designed to be folded over to onto the outer side of the outer layer of the front wall so that the opening 119 can be closed. To open the pouch according to FIGS. 1 and 2, it is not necessary to tear open the adhesive strip 17, but the weakening zone 19 in the form of a perforation line can be used instead.
The features of the present disclosure disclosed in the above description, in the claims and in the drawings can be essential both individually and in any combination required for the realization of the present disclosure in its different embodiments.

Claims

1. A delivery pouch comprising:

an upper end of the pouch, an opposite lower end of the pouch, a first side edge of the pouch, and an opposite second side edge of the pouch; and

a pouch front wall and an opposite pouch rear wall, wherein the pouch front wall and the pouch rear wall respectively comprise an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge and a second side edge,

wherein:

the lower end of the pouch is closed,

the upper end of the pouch comprises a closable opening for introducing articles into the pouch for delivery,

the front wall of the pouch has a first length which corresponds to an average distance between the upper edge and the lower edge of the front wall of the pouch, and the rear wall of the pouch has a second length which corresponds to an average distance between the upper edge and the lower edge of the rear wall of the pouch,

the first length is shorter than the second length so that the rear wall of the pouch protrudes over the front wall of the pouch on the upper end of the pouch, and the section of the rear wall of the pouch that protrudes over the front wall of the pouch is foldable onto the front wall of the pouch,

the front wall of the pouch comprises an inner layer having opposing first and second side edges and an outer layer having opposing first and second side edges which inner and outer layer are connected to each other,

the inner layer of the front wall of the pouch comprises a non-foamed or foamed polymer layer and the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch comprises a non-foamed or foamed polymer layer,

the rear wall of the pouch comprises, at least in that section of the rear wall of the pouch that does not protrude over the front wall of the pouch, an inner layer having opposing first and second side edges and an outer layer having opposing first and second side edges where the inner and outer layers are connected to each other,

said inner layer of the rear wall of the pouch comprises a non-foamed or foamed polymer layer and said outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch comprises a non-foamed or foamed polymer layer,

the front wall of the pouch or the rear wall of the pouch comprises at least one fastening component on the upper end of the pouch, and

said at least one fastening component is designed to close the closable opening on the upper end of the pouch after said protruding section of the rear wall of the pouch is folded over the front wall of the pouch.

2. The delivery pouch according to claim 1, wherein said section of the rear wall of the pouch protruding over the front wall of the pouch is an extension of the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch.

3. The delivery pouch of claim 1, wherein the inner layer and the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch or wherein the inner layer and the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch are a transparent or translucent plastic film.

4. The delivery pouch of claim 3, wherein the transparent or translucent plastic film comprises a polyethylene film.

5. The delivery pouch of claim 1, wherein the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch or the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch is a non-foamed single- or multi-layer polyethylene film in monoaxially or biaxially oriented form.

6. The delivery pouch according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fastening component is at least one first adhesive strip which in particular extends substantially from the first side edge of the pouch to the second side edge of the pouch.

7. The delivery pouch according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the pouch is formed by a pouch floor wall or by at least one welded or adhesive seam between the front wall and the rear wall or by at least one fold forming the transition from the front wall to the rear wall.

8. The delivery pouch according to claim 1, wherein a pouch floor is at the lower end of the pouch which is formed by at least one welded or adhesive seam between the inner layer of the front wall and the inner layer of the rear wall or by at least one fold forming the transition from the inner layer of the front wall to the inner layer of the rear wall or by a pouch floor wall.

9. The delivery pouch according to claim 8, wherein the at least one welded or adhesive seam runs at a distance from or along the lower edge of the rear wall of the pouch and the front wall of the pouch.

10. The delivery pouch according to claim 1, wherein the inner layer and the outer layer of the front wall are connected along or adjacent their respective first and second side edges and along or adjacent the lower and the upper end of the front wall thereby forming a defined space and/or wherein the inner layer and the outer layer of the rear wall are connected along or adjacent their respective first and second side edges and along or adjacent the lower and the upper end of the rear wall or of the front wall thereby forming a defined space.

11. The delivery pouch according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the pouch comprises a W- or V-shaped fold in profile.

12. The delivery pouch according to claim 1, wherein the inner layer of the front wall of the pouch and the inner layer of the rear wall of the pouch are based on a continuous section of a continuous material strip and/or wherein the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch and the outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch are based on a continuous section of a continuous material strip.

13. The delivery pouch according to claim 12, wherein a floor wall of the inner or outer layer of the pouch is a component of said continuous section of a continuous material strip.

14. The delivery pouch according to claim 1, wherein the first side edge of the pouch is formed by welding the first side edges of the inner layer and the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch and the rear wall of the pouch using a first welded seam, and wherein the second side edge of the pouch is formed by welding the second side edges of the inner layer and the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch and the rear wall of the pouch using a second welded seam.

15. The delivery pouch according to claim 1, wherein the front wall of the pouch and the rear wall of the pouch are connected at the first or second edge of the pouch at a distance from the corresponding side edges of the front and rear walls of the pouch.

16. The delivery pouch according to claim 1, further comprising at least one destructible zone in that section of the rear wall of the pouch that protrudes over the front wall of the pouch and being located with respect to the at least one fastening component opposite the upper edge of the rear wall of the pouch.

17. The delivery pouch according to claim 16, wherein the destructible zone is a weakened line.

18. The delivery pouch according to claim 17, wherein the weakened line is a perforation line.

19. The delivery pouch according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first side wall between the front wall and the rear wall and a second side wall between the front wall and the rear wall opposite said first sidewall,

wherein the first side wall of the pouch comprises an inner layer and an outer layer that are connected to each other,

wherein the inner layer of the first side wall of the pouch is a foamed or non-foamed polymer layer and the outer layer of the first side wall of the pouch is a foamed or non-foamed polymer layer, and wherein the second side wall of the pouch comprises an inner layer and an outer layer that are connected to each other, and

wherein the inner layer of the second side wall of the pouch is a foamed or non-foamed polymer layer and the outer layer of the second side wall of the pouch is a foamed or non-foamed polymer layer.

20. The delivery pouch according to claim 1 further comprising packaged inside said pouch at least one perishable good.

21. The delivery pouch according to claim 20, wherein the at least one perishable good is a food item.

22. The delivery pouch according to claim 20, wherein the at least one perishable good is a frozen item.

23. The delivery pouch according to claim 1, wherein the inner layer of the front wall of the pouch comprises a foamed polymer layer and the outer layer of the front wall of the pouch comprises a non-foamed polymer layer, and wherein said inner layer of the rear wall of the pouch comprises a foamed polymer layer and said outer layer of the rear wall of the pouch comprises a non-foamed polymer layer.

24. A delivery box comprising a delivery container and a lid and containing at least one delivery pouch according to claim 1.

25. A delivery box comprising a delivery container and a lid and containing a multitude of delivery pouches according to claim 20.

26. The delivery box according to claim 24, wherein the delivery container is an insulated container and wherein the lid is an insulated lid or wherein the walls and/or the delivery container are provided with cushioning means on the inside and/or wherein the lid is provided with cushioning means on the inside.

27. The delivery box according to claim 24, wherein the delivery container is made of cardboard and/or wherein the lid is made of cardboard.

28. The delivery box according to claim 24, further comprising at least one cooler pack.

29. The delivery box according to claim 25, wherein the at least one perishable good is a frozen item.

30. A method of transporting goods for delivery, the method comprising:

providing at least one delivery pouch according to claim 1;

introducing one or more articles into each said delivery pouch through the closable opening of said pouch;

closing said opening of the delivery pouch; and

transporting the articles by transfer of said delivery pouch.

31. The method of according to claim 30, further comprising:

introducing said closed pouch or pouches into a delivery box comprising a delivery container and a lid and containing a multitude of delivery pouches; and

transporting the articles by transfer of said delivery box.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein at least one of the articles is a perishable good.

33. The method according to claim 30, wherein at least one of the articles is a food item.

34. The method according to claim 30, wherein at least one of the articles is a frozen item.