PL191463B1 - Ice cube bag and a method of producing ice cube bags - Google Patents

Abstract

1. An ice cube bag containing two sheet layers of foil having substantially identical geometric form and defining an outer contour, a circumferential seam, extending along most of the outer circumference of the layers foil, except for the circumferential region constituting the entry opening of the bag, the circumferential seam joining the foil layers together, primarily through the overlay, and defining an inner chamber within the bag, wherein the inner chamber is divided into a series of compartments defined in interdependence by the separate seams of these foil layers, an inlet channel defined by the seams of these foil layers and running from the inlet opening to the inner chamber of the bag, thus enabling access from the environment to the internal chamber of the bag through the inlet channel, characterized in that ……………….. 31. An ice cube bag containing two sheet layers of foil having an essentially identical geometric form, a and defining the outer contour, a circumferential seam, extending along most of the outer circumference of these foil layers, except for the area of the perimeter constituting the bag inlet opening, the circumferential seam joining the foil layers together………… …… PL PL PL

Description

Description of the invention

The present invention relates to an ice cube pouch comprising two sheet-like foil layers having substantially identical geometrical form and defining the outer contour, a perimeter seam running along most of the outer periphery of these foil layers, except for the perimeter area constituting the inlet opening of the pouch, the perimeter seam being connects the foil layers together, principally through the overlay, and defines an inner chamber within the bag interior, the inner chamber being divided into a series of compartments defined interdependently by separate welds of these foil layers, an inlet channel defined by the welds of these foil layers and extending from the opening into the inner chamber of the bag, thereby allowing ambient access to the inner chamber of the bag through the inlet passage.

The invention also relates to a method of making an ice cube pouch or corresponding pouches from a heat sealable plastic film, comprising adding two or more plastic films as overlapping plastic film layers from the plastic film storage; combining a plastic film with at least one strip of a heat-resistant material such as Teflon, preferably a strip made of woven or non-woven Teflon fibers or Teflon yarns, so that a multilayer structure is formed from a strip of heat-resistant material and these films made of plastic; transfer of the multilayer structure to a pressing or welding station in which the multilayer structure is subjected to a stamping or welding operation, the multilayer structure being subjected to stamping or welding operations by means of stamping or welding tools providing pressure and heat to the outwardly facing strip of heat-resistant material in specific areas corresponding to the planned embossed or sealed areas of the finished ice cube bag or the corresponding bag, the strip of heat-resistant material serving as a pressure and heat transfer tape, and the pressure and heat input cause at least partial melting the facing surfaces of the plastic film in these specific areas and in the same areas presses and connects the strip to the plastic film; transporting the multilayer structure from the stamping and welding station, the strip of heat-resistant material remaining bonded to the plastic film to support the softened and at least partially melted plastic films, to prevent the plastic film from stretching during carrying; detaching the strip of the heat-resistant material from the bonding state with the plastic films after cooling the plastic film to such an appropriately low temperature that the plastic films are not subjected to deformation during the handling of the plastic film; cutting the cooled and finished ice cube bag or corresponding bag from a cooled plastic film.

Numerous ice cube pouches are known having various closing means, including knot closure, self-closing etc. It is well known in the art that ice cube pouches can be either glued or sealed, Danish Patent Specification No. 172,066 and the corresponding European patent application No. 0795393 disclose an industrial method of making ice cube pouches having intermittent or continuous welds.

It is well known that ice cube pouches can be produced with very strong seams, in particular seams or glued connections, ensuring the safe and secure retention of ice cubes made with ice cube pouches. Likewise, it is well known that it can often be a very difficult matter for the user to open an ice cube bag that holds the ice cubes, as the foil used thereon, in particular polyethylene foil commonly used and substantially strong seams, make peeling or tearing open. ice cube bag quite a difficult operation. International Patent Application No. WO87 / 01183 and the corresponding European Patent No. 0248817 disclose an ice cube bag structure which preferably uses gluing to form joints within the ice cube bag. The joints are later relatively easy to separate again, allowing an ice cube bag to be divided into an ice cube bag without compartments to be converted. It is stated in the European patent specification that the joints enabling the transformation of an ice cube bag divided into compartments into an ice cube bag without compartments can be made as welds or alternatively glued joints as they should

It may be possible for one skilled in the art to develop a technique for creating weak joints that allows the joints to be torn in such a way as to convert the ice cube bag from compartmented form to compartmentless form. Accordingly, it is stated in the European patent specification in particular that tearing the joints, in particular the glued joints, must not damage the walls of the ice cube bag, i.e. cause a proper tearing of the ice cube bag, but only the separation of previously made joints.

From Danish Patent No. 172,066 and corresponding published European Patent Application No. 0795393, a method is known for producing ice cube pouches or the corresponding pouches from a heat seal plastic film. In the industry, this method has proved to be very advantageous as the method has made it possible to produce ice cube pouches or corresponding pouches from a very thin plastic film with an error rate of practically zero, i.e. less than one error per million pouches.

European Patent No. 0248817 discloses corresponding surface welds made of micro-joints that can be separated according to the technical effect desired in the subject European patent specification.

U.S. Patent No. Re 31,890 discloses and illustrates an ice cube bag having two closure flaps that form a check valve in a self-closing ice cube bag.

EP 0574496 discloses an ice cube bag of the type mentioned in the introduction. In this prior art ice cube bag, the closing valve flaps are preferably designed such that the closing valve flaps extend to the center of the second section of the inlet channel, but according to the alternative embodiments described in this European patent, the closing valve flaps can stretch. to either the inner end of the inlet passage, i.e. substantially the entire length of the inlet passage, or to a location immediately downstream of the constriction. In any event, the ice cube bag described in this European patent is constructed in such a way that the closing valve flaps extend beyond the constriction. Moreover, the ice cube bag described in European Patent No. 0574496 is constructed in such a way that not only does the interior of the ice cube bag static shut off due to the flaps of the closing valve, but also the dynamic closing function by means of the Venturi effect is ensured because of the form of Due to the geometry of the second inlet channel section, dynamic closure of the interior of the ice cube bag is ensured by reliably filling the closure pockets defined downstream of the closure valve flaps, even when these pockets are partially filled with air and hence insufficiently filled with water.

EP 0264407 likewise discloses an ice cube bag in which the inlet channel is defined by a first seam forming a substantially funnel-shaped inlet channel, from which additional seams facing each other are led inward from below the center of the inlet channel, the seams forming the blades face each other to create a constriction in the inlet channel. The closure valve flaps of the ice cube bag of this European patent extend from the inlet opening substantially the entire length of the inlet channel, but not beyond the inlet channel and thus into the ice cube bag.

A common feature of these ice cube pouches is that the achievement of a safe and reliable closure, in particular the static closure of the interior of the ice cube bag, i.e. the closure when completely filled with liquid or preferably with water, of the closing pockets defined behind the flaps of the closing valve are considered to be caused by the flaps. a closure valve having a considerable length compared to that of the inlet conduit, and in accordance with European Patent No. 0264407 having a length substantially the same as that of the inlet conduit.

According to alternative embodiments disclosed in EP 0574496, the closing valve flaps may have a reduced length compared to the length of the inlet passage, but in any case the closing valve flaps have a length that determines the extension of the closing valve flaps beyond the constriction. Thus, it has been found necessary in order to obtain a safe and reliable closure of the static ice cube bag that the flaps of the closing valve should extend beyond the constriction.

In the above European patents, especially in EP 0264407, it is stated that it is essential for a reliable closing function that the constriction is well defined and that in the described and illustrated embodiments it is triangular,

There are additional welds directed towards each other, forming blades directed towards each other and defining a narrowing of the inlet channel. Correspondingly, EP 0574496 illustrates two embodiments, one of which has the constriction defined by blades facing each other, and the other of which the welds defining the constriction are reinforced with circular reinforcements at the ends of the welds defining the constriction.

The invention aims to provide an ice cube bag of the type mentioned in the introduction in which it is possible to easily ensure that the ice cube bag is torn open after it has produced a certain number of ice cubes by introducing water into the ice cube bag which is then frozen by placing it in the ice cube bag. an ice cube bag containing water in a freezer, domestic freezer, refrigerator, etc. This problem or purpose is an organic contradiction, as on the one hand a reliable seal of the ice cube bag is ensured to avoid unintentional leakage due to poor joints in the ice cube bag. ice cubes, including welded or glued joints, which may break in the wrong moment so that leakage occurs. On the other hand, the desire to provide an ice cube bag in which a user can easily get in to remove the ice cubes therein indicates that the seams should be weak and thus facilitate the tearing of the ice cube bag.

The invention is based on the finding that by means of a suitable geometrical construction of the joints, which divides the inner chamber of the ice cube bag into a plurality of ice cube compartments, it is possible to construct these joints in such a way that the joints which are preferably made with the same techniques having the same strength as other joints in the ice cube bag can provide for the ice cube bag to open after the formation of ice cubes or pieces by freezing the water in the inner chamber of the ice cube bag.

The above-mentioned object is achieved with the ice cube bag according to the invention, characterized in that each of the separate joints defining two adjacent ice cube compartments consists of a series of individual joints, each of the individual joints constituting a connection between the two sheet-like film layers, wherein, when loaded by the separating force of these film layers, the strength of the low surface area weld is greater than the failure strength and less than the tear and perforation strength in one of the film layers along the circumference of these individual seams.

One embodiment of the ice cube bag according to the invention is characterized by seams forming the outline of the ice cube compartments within the interior of the ice cube bag, which is formed by a series of individual seams, each of which establishes such a seam between the two sheet-like foil layers of the ice cube bag. that the seam cannot tear or break by itself, but at the same time, due to the small surface area of the seam concerned, allows the seam to peel or perforate one of the foil layers in the ice cube bag when the two sheets of foil of the ice cube bag are pulled together. direction away from each other in order to separate them. In this regard, it should first be noted that this tearing or perforation is not as such determined by any particular force direction, but according to the disclosure of the invention it has been found advantageous that freezing the water inside the ice cube bag into pieces of ice causes the foil layers to stretch so that a simple bending of the ice cube bag may by itself cause a deliberate tear or perforation of one of the foil layers of the ice cube bag, since the stretched foil layers thus create significant tensile forces in one of the foil sheet layers where tearing or tearing respectively occurs or perforation.

Secondly, it should be noted that, according to the invention, actual tearing or perforation of one and / or the other sheet film layer occurs when the ice cube bag according to the invention is to be opened or torn.

In addition, it should be noted that the form of the joints separating the ice cube compartments, characteristic of the invention, due to the very small surface area of the ice cube compartments, is adapted to better utilize the compartments of an ice cube bag compared to known commercially available ice cube pouches, since the The ice cubes described in the example below can hold a total amount of liquid of 480 g, and commercial ice cube pouches typically hold a liquid amount of 280-370 g.

According to the invention, a characteristic advantage is further achieved in that the individual ice cube compartments can be filled via corner connections between the individual ice cube compartments. Thus, easier and faster filling of the interior is achieved

The amount of the ice cube bag is greater than that of the ice cube bag, as well as the larger internal volume, i.e., the volume of liquid in the ice cube bag.

The single welds characteristic of the invention form the outline of the ice cube compartments in the inner chamber of the ice cube bag, as will be described later, typically arranged in rectangular rows in the ice cube bag, so that the minimum surface area of both sheets is used. foil layers to establish the compartments forming the joints and at the same time a well-defined demarcation of the final ice cubes or pieces of ice contained in the ice cube bag, as the ice cubes will typically be defined by straight lines according to said rectangular pattern.

In order to increase the technical effect of tearing or perforating in the film layers of the ice cube bag according to the invention, when the ice cube bag is to be torn or opened, it is preferable that in a state of tearing or perforation of one of the film layers, the arrangement of individual seams arranged in mutual at intervals, it provides a direction for the perforation lines in one of these film layers, whereby an extremely simple tearing or tearing effect is achieved.

In connection with the films which are currently commonly used in the industry, in particular with polyethylene films, it has been found according to the invention that the characteristic effect of the invention, i.e. the tearing or perforation effect by breaking or opening the ice cube bag, is obtained when the coefficient calculated as the area the area of these individual welds in square millimeters divided by the circumference of the same weld in millimeters is 0.025mm-0.5mm, preferably 0.125mm-0.375mm, e.g. about 0.25mm.

With regard to films used in the industry, tests have shown that the technical effect characteristic of the invention can be obtained when each of these individual welds has a surface area corresponding to the area of a circle having a diameter of 0.1 mm - 5 mm, e.g. 0.5 mm - 1, 5mm, preferably 0.9mm - 1.0mm, e.g. 0.5 - 0.8mm, 0.8mm - 1mm, 1mm - 1.2mm or 1.2mm - 1.5mm .

Although, in connection with the development of the embodiment based on the invention, the inventor has only made trials of welding the sheet layers for the production of ice cube pouches, it should also be taken into account that the technical effect characteristic of the invention of providing an opening or tearing of the ice cube bag by tearing or perforating one from the foil layers, can also be obtained using gluing techniques. It is a characteristic of the invention, as already described above, that all the seams in the ice cube bag can advantageously be made with only one technique, preferably one and only one process, e.g. a welding process, resulting in a substantially lower cost. production versus a process in which the internal welds separating the compartments are made using one technique and the circumferential welds are made using a different technique. Thus, according to the invention, a preferred form of an ice cube bag has the property that the seams constituting the circumferential seam, the seams defining the inlet channel and the single seam are formed by gluing or, preferably, welding. The above-mentioned individual seams which are characteristic of the invention for producing the above-mentioned tearing or perforation of one of the foil layers, the other foil layers or both foil layers along the circumference of the respective seam, may of course have an imposed shape of a geometrical figure, preferably this one. the geometric figure is a circle, ellipse, line segment, triangle, rectangle, square, polygon, a shape defining any convex contour, a shape defining any concave contour, or any combination of these shapes.

According to two alternative embodiments of the ice cube bag according to the invention, the ice cube bag in one embodiment is a self-closing bag in which the two sheet foil layers have projections in the form of two closing valve flaps located at the inlet channel and extending from the inlet channel to the inlet channel. the inside of the bag towards its inner chamber along the inlet channel, the flaps being joined by seams delimiting the inlet channel to form two closing pockets open towards the bag's inner chamber, while the ice cube bag of a second embodiment is a bag closed with a knot closure wherein the two sheet-like foil layers outside the seams defining the inlet channel are provided with perforations or cuts to allow the foil to be tied on both sides of the inlet channel to form a closing knot for closing the inlet channel.

As mentioned above, preferably the two sheet layers of the ice cube bag foil are made of polyethylene, preferably polyethylene LDPE or HDPE or other heat sealable or

A tacky foil material, preferably a plastic foil including a polymer, or aluminum foil, or a combination of such foil materials.

The ice cube pouch according to the invention may, according to alternative embodiments, be provided with either a large or a small number of ice cube compartments, i.e. it may contain two or more ice cube compartments. In some embodiments, the ice cube bag may have a very limited number of individual ice cube compartments, e.g. two, three, or four ice cube compartments, thereby obtaining, with a given size, two sheet film layers from which the ice cube bag is made. , relatively large ice cubes or pieces for industrial use or in utility appliances.

In preferred embodiments of the ice cube bag according to the invention, the number of ice cube compartments in the inner compartment of the ice cube bag is more than 2, preferably 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 30. , 36 or 48 and more preferably 24. However, embodiments having an odd number of ice cube compartments, e.g. 15 or 21 ice cube compartments, are possible. Further, in special situations, an ice cube bag having one ice cube compartment defined inside the ice cube bag may be introduced.

The individual ice cube compartments in the ice cube bag can be defined individually by the individual welds characteristic of the invention. Alternatively, the ice cube compartments in the inner compartment of the ice cube bag are grouped into separate compartments, thus allowing the ice cube bag to be opened or torn open only to remove a limited number of ice cubes from the ice cube bag, instead of removing all ice cubes from the ice cube bag. ice cubes.

As will be explained in more detail below, the configuration, orientation, position and spacing of the individual joints defining the ice cube compartments within the ice cube bag determine a greater or lesser degree of tendency to use the tearing or perforation technique characteristic of the invention. Preferably the number of these individual welds defining two adjacent ice cube compartments is an odd number, more preferably an even number.

Although the ice cube pouch according to the invention can be made from virtually arbitrarily shaped sheet foil layers of various shapes, including shapes deviating from a rectangular form, e.g. elliptical, polygonal or triangular shapes of foil sheets, however, preferably the two sheet foil layers are substantially rectangular.

According to particular additional features of the ice cube bag according to the invention, the inner chamber of the ice cube bag has at least one connection to the expansion chambers situated on one side of the inlet duct or on both sides of the inlet duct, one or more connections being formed from the inner chamber. an ice cube bag into the respective expansion chamber or chambers.

In order to further facilitate the tearing or opening of the ice-cube bag according to the invention, perforations are provided on the outside of the inlet channel in these two sheet-like foil layers for the tearing directions of the ice-cube bag, as will also be explained hereinafter, thus allowing for the weld using the tearing or perforation characteristic of the invention of one of the foil layers in the ice cube bag and at the same time tearing the ice cube bag with the above-mentioned perforations defining the tearing direction.

In a particular embodiment, the invention relates to an ice cube pouch comprising two sheet foil layers having substantially identical geometrical form and defining the outer contour, a circumferential seam extending along most of the outer periphery of the foil layers, except for the periphery area constituting the inlet opening of the pouch. a circumferential seam joining the foil layers together, principally via a liner, and defining an inner chamber within the bag interior, the inner chamber being at least one ice cube compartment, preferably a series of ice cube compartments connected to each other and defined by separate seams of the layers of the foil, an inlet channel defined by separate welds of these foil layers and extending from the inner chamber of the bag to the inlet opening thus allowing access from the environment to the inner chamber of the bag through the inlet channel, two closing valve flaps connected to these foil layers at the inlet and expansion opening extending from the inlet opening into the bag along the inlet channel, the flaps of the closing valve being connected to each other and connected to the foils by separate seams defining the inlet channel so as to form

There are two closing pockets that open towards the inner chamber of the bag, an inlet channel having first and second sections, the first section being located immediately downstream of the inlet opening, and the second section connecting the first section to the block compartment or compartments the first ice segment has a configuration predominantly converging towards the ice cube compartment or compartments, wherein a constriction is provided between the first and second segments, the inlet channel defining a first direction being the longitudinal direction of the channel and a second direction being the direction in the plane. not parallel to the two foil layers and perpendicular to the first direction.

This aspect of the invention is based on the assumption that both dynamic and static, safe sealing of the interior of the ice cube bag can be achieved in this type of ice cube bag, even if the closing valve flaps are shorter in length compared to the criteria which have been realized so far and are decisive. important for a safe and reliable closure of the interior of the ice cube bag. Thus, by reducing the length of the closing valve flaps, a number of substantial advantages are obtained. First, less material consumption for the ice cube bag compared to an ice cube bag where the closing valve flaps extend e.g. over the entire length of the inlet channel; second, for the same material consumption, a greater net internal volume is achieved inside the ice cube bag; and thirdly, savings in source material such as less water or liquid consumption, since the volume of liquid or water trapped in the closing pockets is reduced in proportion to the length of the closing valve flaps, and furthermore energy is saved as the volume of liquid or water trapped in the closing pockets defined by flaps of the closing valve, just like the volume of liquid or water inside the ice cube bag must be frozen and thus requires cooling energy, so reducing the volume of the closing valve pocket reduces the cooling energy needed to freeze the amount of liquid or water contained in the ice cube bag accordingly. ice cube bag.

Thus, according to this particular embodiment of the invention, it has surprisingly been found that, in order to obtain a safe and reliable closure of the interior of the ice cube bag, both static and dynamic, it suffices to be provided with a closing valve flap extending along the entire length from the inlet opening. in a first direction, the first inlet channel section and a narrowing at the transition between the first and second inlet channel section, but not beyond the constriction, and to a second inlet channel section.

According to this particular aspect of the invention, a safe and reliable closure of the interior of the ice cube bag is achieved when the flaps of the closing valve defining the closing pockets extend to the position opposite the constriction, but not beyond the constriction and into the second section of the inlet channel.

In accordance with this particular embodiment of the invention, it has been found that, in order to obtain a safe and reliable closure of an ice cube bag of this kind both dynamically and statically, it is not necessary for the constriction to be defined by blade-shaped or circular welds, which may in some cases involve with the technical difficulties of producing such sharply shaped joints, especially when the joints are formed by welding. According to a preferred embodiment of the ice cube bag according to the invention, the ice cube bag according to a further feature is characterized in that the constriction at the transition between the first and second inlet channel sections is formed by geometrically continuous welds which are an extension of the welds defining the first inlet channel section and the defining welds. the second section of the inlet channel.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned first characteristic of this particular aspect of the invention, i.e. the feature that the closing valve flaps extend only from the inlet opening to the constriction, i.e. to the transition between the first and second inlet conduit section, but not beyond the narrowing and into the second section of the inlet channel, the ice cube bag according to the preferred embodiments of the invention is further preferably characterized in that the closing valve flaps extend to a central position with respect to the narrowing defined by the welds. When producing ice cube pouches of the type described above, which production is preferably carried out by joining the continuous foil strips and then cutting the connected strips, the positioning of the two sheet foil pieces and closing valve tabs with respect to the two sheet foil pieces will inevitably be under normal production conditions. vary minimally, which in practice is irrelevant to the function or appearance of the ice cube bag, but may make it difficult to meet the above-described characteristic of this particular

According to an embodiment of the invention, i.e. the positioning of the inner ends of the closing valve flaps opposite the constriction when the constriction is very short, viewed in the above-mentioned first direction, i.e. in the longitudinal direction of the inlet channel. Thus, it has been found that the welds defining the constriction can be constructed in a geometrical form free of sharp angles or circular curves, especially in a configuration free of geometrical discontinuities, but can furthermore be constructed in such a way that separate constriction welds exhibit elongation in the above-mentioned first direction. i.e. in the longitudinal direction of the inlet channel. According to the above-defined characteristic, i.e. in a design without geometric discontinuities, these welds define, viewed from the inside of the constriction, a convex constriction or a concave constriction or a rectilinear constriction.

Preferably, the separate welds defining the groove have a length of 0.25 - 1.2, preferably 0.3 - 0.8, and preferably approximately 0.5 times the maximum width, viewed from the other direction, between the groove defining welds.

The term "geometric discontinuity", according to the rules of geometry, here means a curve, in particular a boundary curve of a weld, defining a geometric contour or the course of a curve. This course of the curve determines a tangent at any point in the curve, and in this context, a geometrically continuous curve means a curve whose tangent changes its slope continuously along the curve. Thus, a geometric discontinuity means that at a given point there is no continuity of the tangent to the curve, but there is a shift or jump from one direction of the tangent to another direction of the tangent.

According to a preferred embodiment of the ice cube bag according to this particular embodiment of the invention, and in order to ensure that the amount of water trapped in the sealing pockets must be minimized for the reasons described above, the first and second inlet channel sections are substantially the same length in the first direction defining the direction. the longitudinal channel, i.e. in this preferred embodiment the constriction, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the inlet channel, is situated approximately in the center or preferably in the center of the inlet channel.

In one embodiment of the ice cube bag according to this particular embodiment of the invention, the inlet channel is substantially symmetrical with respect to the centerline of the constriction in the second direction extending in a plane parallel to the two foil layers, namely to obtain the above-mentioned characteristic that the first the inlet conduit section and the second first inlet conduit section have substantially the same length as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the inlet conduit.

Preferably, the inlet channel is substantially symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the channel.

The flaps of the ice cube bag closing valve according to this particular embodiment of the invention may be separate flap-shaped portions, which may be made of the same material as the foil pieces of the ice cube bag, or other material having more or less flexibility. In a preferred embodiment of the ice cube bag according to this particular embodiment of the invention, the flaps of the closing valve are folded portions of the sheet layers of the foil. Thus, according to a preferred embodiment of the ice cube bag according to this particular embodiment of the invention, the flaps of the closing valve are formed of integral components or portions of the foil strip of the ice cube bag. If the closing valve flaps are formed of separate components or parts, the closing valve flaps can be attached to the film strip sections by a weld which, depending on the materials used for the film strip sections and the closing valve flap, can be made by gluing or welding.

The ice cube bag according to this particular embodiment of the invention can furthermore be manufactured in such a way that the second section is a chamber which is defined by welds touching the constriction and extending substantially in the second direction, and which is connected by side welds to further butt joints. coinciding with the ice cube compartment or compartments and converging in a second direction towards at least one channel leading into the ice cube bag.

Moreover, according to a preferred embodiment of the ice cube bag according to this particular embodiment of the invention, it is preferred that the second section has a maximum dimension in the second direction equal to at least twice that of the throat in the same direction in order to form a liquid or water reservoir from which the liquid is can flow freely towards the inlet opening through the restriction, after filling the ice cube bag with liquid or water through the inlet opening in the first

In a position with the inlet facing upward, and then the ice cube bag is inverted to a second position with the inlet facing downward.

The ice cube bag according to the invention can be manufactured with a dynamic self-closing feature, which is referred to as a venturi closure. Accordingly, preferably, the ice cube bag can be manufactured such that the constriction in the transition between the first and second sections has the shape of a Venturi throat, serving to create a Venturi effect to produce a relative pressure drop in the throat for the constriction. closing the channel at the constriction as liquid flows from the second section towards the first section so as to create a self-closing effect.

According to a preferred embodiment of the ice cube bag according to this particular embodiment of the invention, it is furthermore preferred that the maximum dimension of the second section in the second direction of the inlet channel is 2-7 times the size of the constriction, preferably 2.4-5 times the size of the constriction, e.g. 3.4 times the throat size.

First of all, the first inlet channel section provides a safe supply of water to the interior of the ice cube bag, e.g. supplied from a tap end, and thus preferably forms a funnel-shaped inlet section in the first inlet channel section. In order to form such a funnel-shaped inlet formed by the first inlet channel section, it is preferred that the dimension of the first channel section along the second inlet channel section at the inlet opening is approximately twice the size of the constriction in the second direction.

In order to form such a funnel-shaped first inlet channel section, the first channel section is defined by welds constituting straight lines or curved lines which form a convex first channel section or curved lines which form a concave first channel section. Alternatively, the first conduit section may be a non-funnel-shaped part, but only the inlet tube, or even a configuration or the form of an inverse funnel.

Similar to the first section, preferably formed by welds consisting of straight lines or curves, the second section of the inlet duct is preferably delimited by welds consisting partly of straight lines, partly curved lines, such as sections of circles, defining a second section having a concave or convex configuration or having a concave or convex configuration. a symmetrical form with respect to the first inlet passage section in the above-described inversely symmetrical form.

According to a particular embodiment, the above-described ice cube bag according to the invention can be made only with spot welds or with sectional line welds, circumferential welds and other welds, which in the known ice cube bags are made in the form of line welds instead of according to the invention. as welds consisting of spot welds or section welds.

Such an ice cube bag, having only spot welds or segmented line welds, makes it possible to shorten the time during which the softened or at least partially melted plastic film is on the strip of heat-resistant material after the stamping or welding operation, because it is precisely the welds consisting of dots or straight sections form between them areas of an unheated and therefore unmelted foil which provides reinforcement and stiffening of the plastic foil during the transfer of the foil after the stamping or welding operation, compared to known ice cube pouches having linear seams.

Accordingly, the method according to the invention is characterized in that a stamping or welding operation is performed in which the deliberately embossed or sealed areas of the finished ice cube bag or of the corresponding bag represent the welds formed by the individual welds in the form of points or line segments in which there is an unheated material. between the welds in the shape of dots and line segments, constituting coherent areas of non-heated material, the strip of heat-resistant material being torn off from the connection with the plastic film immediately after the pressing or welding operation.

Preferably, the multilayer structure in the step of transferring the multilayer structure to the stamping or welding station is pressed all the way during the stamping and welding operation, the stamping and welding tools being pressed against the heat-resistant material strip on the side of the multilayer structure opposite the resistance.

Preferably, in the process of joining the plastic film with at least one strip of heat-resistant material, two strips of heat-resistant material are used, between which the plastic films are inserted to form a multilayer structure having the uppermost and uppermost layers. the lowest, consisting of tapes made of resistant material

Heat-resistant and intermediate layers consisting of plastic films, whereby two strips of heat-resistant material during the transfer of the multilayer structure to the pressing or welding station are pressed against the opposite sides of the plastic film and joined to them , wherein the two strips of heat-resistant material remain attached to the opposite sides of the plastic film in the process of transferring the multilayer structure from the stamping and welding station to support the softened and at least partially melted plastic film on opposite sides of the plastic film. plastic, the two strips of heat-resistant material being detached from the bonding state with the plastic films either simultaneously or sequentially in the peeling off of the strip of heat-resistant material.

Preferably, the transfer of the multilayer structure to the stamping and welding station and the transfer of the multilayer structure from the stamping and welding station takes place continuously.

Preferably, the stamping and welding are carried out by means of stamping and welding tools constituting one or more rotating embossing and welding rolls.

Preferably, two embossing and welding rollers that are opposed and rotating in opposite directions are used as embossing and welding tools.

Preferably, the transfer of the multilayer structure to the stamping and welding station and the transfer of the multilayer structure from the stamping and welding station are carried out intermittently, with the stamping and welding operations being performed while the multilayer structure is at rest in the stamping and welding station.

Preferably, a vertically moving stamping and welding piston is used as stamping and welding tools, having a stamping and welding die with contours corresponding to the planned stamped and welded areas of the finished ice cube bag.

Preferably, the stamping and welding tools are also a stationary or perpendicularly moving stamping and welding die, made with outlines representing the reflected image of the outlines of the stamping and welding die and a vertically moving stamping and welding piston.

Preferably, the at least one strip of heat-resistant material is closed loops carried by the plastic films during the transfer of the multilayer structure to the stamping and welding station and the transfer of the multilayer structure from the stamping and welding station.

Preferably, two layers of plastic film are used as plastic films, made of the same or different polyolefins, preferably of the same polyolefin, such as polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, preferably LDPE or HDPE.

Preferably, two plastic films with flaps are used to form closing pockets for a self-closing type ice cube bag.

Preferably, homogeneous plastic films, coextruded multilayer plastic films or aluminum-coated plastic films are used as plastic films.

Preferably, on the surfaces facing each other, plastic films are used with surface coatings of a hot-melt material having a lower melting point than the backing film of the plastic film.

Preferably, the stamping and sealing tools are heated to a temperature between 150 ° and 200 ° C, e.g. 160 ° - 190 ° C, e.g. around 170 ° C in combination with LDPE films and around 180 - 190 ° C in combination with films made of HDPE.

The subject matter of the invention is shown in the drawings in which Fig. 1a shows a schematic view of a first preferred embodiment of an ice cube bag according to the invention, Fig. 1b shows, in partial sectional view, the upper part of the first preferred embodiment of an ice cube bag. ice cubes according to the invention shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the ice cube bag according to the invention as shown in Figs. 1a and 1b, after the ice cube bag has been filled with water and the water has been frozen until the water has been frozen. forms of ice to produce ice cubes enclosed in an ice cube bag, Figs. 3a and 3b show, in schematic perspective views, two steps in the process during which the ice cube bag shown in Fig. 2 and containing the ice cubes is torn apart. to remove the ice cubes enclosed in the ice cube bag, figures 4a and 4b show, in 3a and 3b schematically illustrated in Figs. 3a and 3b, Fig. 5 is a schematic view corresponding to

In the view in Fig. 1a, the upper part of the second form of the ice cube bag according to the invention, Figs. 6a and 6b are drawings corresponding to Figs. 4a and 4b, respectively, showing the result of folding the second form of ice-cube bag according to the invention. of the invention shown in Fig. 5, respectively transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ice cube bag and longitudinally, to respectively tear or rip the ice cube bag and damage the partitions between the ice cubes enclosed in the ice cube bag, Fig. 7a shows, in Fig. 1a and Fig. 5, a third embodiment of the ice cube bag according to the invention, Fig. 7b shows, in schematic view, a detail of the side seam modified from the embodiment of the ice cube bag of the invention shown in Fig. 7a. Fig. 8 shows, in a schematic view corresponding to Fig. 1, Fig. 5 and Fig. 7a, a fourth embodiment of a cube bag 1 of the invention, fig. 9 is a schematic view corresponding to fig. 1a, fig. 5, fig. 7a and fig. 8, a fifth form of an ice cube bag according to the invention, fig. 10 is a schematic and perspective view. , the tearing process of the fifth form of the ice cube bag according to the invention shown in Fig. 9 after freezing the water inside the ice cube bag to form ice cubes, Fig. 11 is a schematic view corresponding to Fig. 1, Fig. 5, Figures 7a, 8 and 9, a sixth form of an ice cube bag according to the invention, Figure 12 is a schematic view corresponding to Figure 1a, Figure 5, Figure 7a, Figure 8, Figure 9 and Fig. 11, a seventh embodiment of the ice cube bag according to the invention, Fig. 13 is a schematic view corresponding to Fig. la, fig. 5, fig. 7a, fig. 8, fig. 9, fig. 11 and fig. 12, an eighth embodiment of an ice cube bag according to the invention, Fig. 14 shows Fig In the schematic view corresponding to Fig. 1a, Fig. 5, Fig. 7a, Fig. 8, Fig. 9, Fig. 11, Fig. 12 and Fig. 13, a ninth embodiment of the ice cube bag according to the invention, this ninth embodiment differs from the previous eight embodiments in that it is not a self-closing ice cube bag, but an ice cube bag having a bonded closure, Fig. 15 is a schematic perspective view of a third embodiment of the ice cube bag according to the invention. shown in Fig. 7a after filling with water and freezing, then by means of a physical action corresponding to the process illustrated in Figs. 6a and 6b, the ice cube bag can be torn or alternatively converted into a bag without compartments, Fig. 16 is a schematic view of In perspective, the third embodiment of the ice cube bag according to the invention shown in Fig. 7a, after the ice cube bag schematically in Fig. 15 has been converted into for an ice cube bag without compartments, with ice cubes lying freely inside the bag, fig. 17 is a schematic view corresponding to fig. 1a, fig. 5, fig. 7a, fig. 8, fig. 9, fig. Fig. 11, Fig. 12, Fig. 13 and Fig. 14, a tenth embodiment of the ice cube bag according to the invention, Fig. 18 is a schematic view corresponding to Fig. 1a, Fig. 5, Fig. 7a, Fig. 8, Fig. Fig. 9, Fig. 11, Fig. 12, Fig. 13, Fig. 14 and Fig. 17, an eleventh embodiment of the ice cube bag according to the invention, Figs. 19a and 19b are schematic perspective views corresponding to Fig. 18, respectively. a twelfth and thirteenth embodiment of the ice cube bag according to the invention, Figures 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d show, in the form of schematic perspective views corresponding to Figures 1a, 5, 7a, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17 and 18, the fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth forms of the ice cube bag according to the invention, respectively, Figures 21 and 22 show a, in the form of schematic perspective views, two alternative embodiments of an apparatus for the production by welding an ice cube bag according to the invention, Fig. 23 is schematic perspective views corresponding to Figs. 1a, 5, 7a, 8, 9, 11, 12. , 13, 14, 17, 18 and 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d, an eighteenth embodiment of an ice cube bag according to the invention.

1a and 1b show, respectively, a view and a sectional view of an ice cube bag in a first embodiment according to the invention. The ice cube bag 10 consists of two identical plastic films 12 and 14, preferably 25 µm thick LD polyethylene foil, or alternatively 18 µm HD polyethylene foil. Each foil has flaps 16 and 18 in folded portions extending inwardly into the ice cube bag 10 and forming inwardly open edges 17 and 19, respectively. The foils 12 and 14 are generally rectangular in shape and are positioned overlapping each other. flaps 16 and 18, as already mentioned above, extending inwardly into the ice cube bag 10, the foils 12 and 14 being connected by two side seams 20, a bottom weld 21 and two top welds 21a and 21b, together forming a circumferential a continuous seam extending along the periphery of the films 12 and 14, except for a line segment defining the inlet channel into the ice cube bag between the two top seams 21a and 21b. The inside of the bag 10

Ice cubes, i.e. lying inside this continuous circumferential weld defined by two side welds 20, bottom weld 21 and two top welds 21a and 21b, can be considered as consisting of two parts, an inlet channel situated at the upper end of the bag for ice cubes and the interior divided into ice cube compartments.

At this stage, it should be noted that expressions such as "up", "down", "top", "bottom", "horizontal", "perpendicular" etc. refer to the orientation of the ice cube bag with respect to the vertical direction determined by force. gravity and are to be used as expressions solely for the purpose of describing the general, customary position of the ice cube bag during its use, in particular when filling it with water, since most or less of the ice cube bag may of course be folded in a certain direction, such as a vertical direction, or the ice cube bag may be entirely held inclined with respect to a certain direction, e.g., relative to the vertical direction.

The inlet portion located at the upper end of the ice cube bag is defined by two sets of mirror image symmetrical welds defining an inlet channel leading from this inlet port defined between the two upper welds 21a and 21b and into the ice cube inner compartment of the cube bag 10. ice. The inlet channel is defined by welds 30 converging from the inner opening towards the inner chamber of the ice cube bag, which, in the narrowing of the inlet channel, extend as two symmetrically spaced essentially semicircular welds 32, the transition between welds 30 and 32 being the aforementioned narrowing. in the inlet channel, the constriction being further delimited by two parallel straight welds 34. The lower portions of the semicircular welds 32 extend in the form of two outwardly sloping and divergent welds 27 connected to two side welds 20, the outwardly sloping and the divergent welds 27 are broken to form two upwardly directed channels symmetrically spaced with respect to the inlet channel, the upwardly facing channels individually defined by two parallel welds 36 and 37 and extending into respective expansion chambers 40 formed by substantially elliptical welds 38. pr extending into side seam 20 associated therewith and positioned downstream of the respective rectilinear seams 34. The expansion chambers 40 and the sets of parallel seams 36 and 37 connected thereto are not necessary.

The welds 30 tapering towards each other delimit the first part of the inlet conduit, while the semicircular welds 32 delimit the second part of the inlet conduit. As shown in Fig. 1a, the flaps 16 and 18 of the films 12 and 14 extend downwardly to a position directly opposite the center of the second portion defined by these elliptical-shaped seams 38. It should be noted that other positions of the lower edges 17 and 19 of the tabs 16 and 18, respectively, with respect to the semicircular welds are also possible. Furthermore, it should be noted that the flaps 16 and 18 of the films 12 and 14, respectively, may be cut so that the folded film only occurs in the inlet channel itself and directly outside the inlet channel, but is cut along the outer sides of the inlet channel, where, respectively, instead of the welds and 37 and the expansion chambers 40, there may be further ice cube compartments in accordance with the disclosure of the invention as will be described hereinafter.

As is evident from Fig. 1a, the compartmentalized inner compartment of the ice cube bag is further divided into three sub-compartments, which will be referred to below as upper, middle and lower sub-compartment, respectively, the two line welds 26 extending from each of the two side seams 20 inward toward the centerline of the ice cube bag. These four seams 26 in total have a length that is less than half the internal free width between the side seams 20 so that an opening is formed between each pair of seams 26 that are collinear between adjacent sub-compartments to allow water to flow from the upper sub-compartment. , further down to the middle sub-compartment and still further to the lower sub-compartment.

The individual sub-compartments, i.e. these three sub-compartments, are further subdivided into eight ice cube compartments, each with spot welds, with each sub-compartment having four sets of horizontal spot welds and three double sets of perpendicular spot welds. In this context, the term "horizontal spot welds" should not be used for single spot welds as the spot welds are circular or approximately circular in shape, but should express that a line or other curve on which the spot welds are located runs in a horizontal or substantially horizontal direction. Accordingly, the term "vertical spot welds" should be understood in such a way that the respective spot welds are

PL 191 463 B1 is situated on a curve, preferably on a line, running in a perpendicular or approximately perpendicular direction. Three double sets of perpendicular spot welds and four sets of horizontal spot welds in each sub-compartment meet in the areas constituting the connection areas between the ice cube compartments where there are no welds connecting the two foils 12 and 14 to each other.

The spot welds in the four sets of horizontal spot welds and, respectively, the spot welds in the three double sets of orthogonal spot welds adjacent to these joint areas are made as wider welds than other spot welds. Each of the four sets of horizontal spot welds comprises five spot welds 22, which spot welds are typically 0.1-5mm in size, such as 0.1-1mm, e.g. 0.6-0.9, preferably around 0. 9 mm, and the two sets of horizontal spot welds 20 are the sixth spot weld 22. Each of the two sets of spot welds 20 are two spot welds 23, the spot welds having a larger diameter compared to the spot welds 22, typically a diameter greater than 0.5mm, such as greater than 1mm, e.g. a diameter of 1-1.5m, e.g. a diameter of 1.1-1.3mm, preferably a diameter of 1.1mm. Each of the two middle sets of horizontal spot welds is, as will be apparent from the description below, five spot welds 22 and two spot welds 23. Each of the three double sets of orthogonal spot welds includes, respectively, the two middle sets of horizontal spot welds 5, spot welds 24 corresponding to 22 spot welds and two 25 spot welds corresponding to 23 spot welds.

The above-described first preferred embodiment of the ice cube bag 10 is shown in a flat state, in which the two foils 12 and 14 are placed flat on top of each other, the internal ice cube compartments of the ice cube bag and the inlet channel and expansion chambers respectively are partially filled with air, but shown unfilled, i.e. in a state in which water does not yet fill the inside of the bag.

Fig. 1b shows the top of the ice cube bag 10 as a sectional view along line I-I in Fig. 1a showing the two films 12 and 14, the two flaps 16 and 18 of the film, and the lower edges 17 and 19 of the flaps 16 and 18 of the film.

In addition, Fig. 1b shows all seven welds in the upper set of perpendicular spot welds, including two spot welds 25 and five spot welds 24 located between the two spot welds 25.

The dimensional differences between the spot welds 22 and 23 and the spot welds 24 and 25, respectively, are determined by the desire not to introduce directly adjacent spot welds, i.e. spot welds 23 and 25 are not torn during filling with water and during freezing of water, and it should be recalled that water cooled below 4 ° C expands and this expansion continues as it freezes, causing a given amount of liquid inside the ice cube bag to expand when it freezes, thus exerting a high pressure inside the bag, thus creating a high-stretching state in the ice cube bag. the joints delimiting the interior of the ice cube bag and dividing the interior of the ice cube bag into individual ice cube compartments.

Figure 2 shows the first and preferred embodiment of the ice cube bag 10 shown in Figures 1a and 1b after the ice cube bag 10 has been filled with water, closed with a self-closing effect and finally after freezing the water inside the ice cube bag and in the closing pockets. behind the flaps 16 and 18 of the films 12 and 14. When filling with water, the individual ice cube compartments in the three sub-compartments of the ice cube bag fill with water and the water fills the inside of the inlet channel and flows into these closure pockets when the bag is inverted " upside down". When filling the ice cube bag with water, water will not normally flow into the two expansion chambers which are not vented, after which small air pockets will remain trapped in these expansion chambers. When the ice cube bag is then turned upside down to perform the self-closing function, the air in these chambers is pushed out and spreads around the interior of the ice cube bag, causing water to flow into the expansion chambers 40 accordingly. the cavity of the three ice cube bag becomes smaller. Upon freezing, the water expands as explained above, causing the ice cube bag film to hang as the films do not break due to water expansion as a result of the reduction in pressure provided by the expansion chambers 40, see explanation above. In Fig. 2, pieces of ice formed from the water that has entered the expansion chambers and frozen there into ice 42, and over these pieces

Particularly small airspace is depicted in the PL 191 463 B1. Thus, it should be recalled that in normal use, which also involves the frozen bag shown in Fig. 2, the ice cube bag is placed in a freezer or refrigerator, resting on one of the foil walls, or rather on the topmost foil wall. the back and the invisible foil wall in Fig. 2.

After the water freezes in the manner described above, the individual ice cube compartments will be strongly stretched by the ice cubes trapped in these compartments. In addition to the individual ice cube compartments, the areas between the spot welds 23 and 25 are filled with ice, stretching the intermediate foil, and through the foil exerting a tensile action in these spot welds and intermediate spot welds 22 and 24, and likewise, the stretching of the foil determines the stretching in the closing welds, respectively. spot welds, i.e. in two side welds 20, bottom weld 21, outwardly sloping and diverging welds 27 and line welds 26 between the compartments. Thus, in accordance with the disclosure of the invention, it has surprisingly been found that the stretching of the film in the joint with the small area of the spot joints 22, 23, 24 and 25 shown in Fig. 1a enables simple and predictable tearing of the films 12 and 14 possible. to remove the ice cubes from inside the ice cube bag.

Figures 3a and 3b illustrate this phenomenon. In Fig. 3a, the central sub-compartment of the ice cube bag 10 shown in Fig. 2 is folded around a default line through the most centrally located horizontal spot welds in the ice cube bag, which causes the outer film, i.e. the film 12, to stretch over the cubes. of ice 42 trapped behind the foil 12. Thereby there is stretching in the foil 12 which is actually concentrated in the spot welds on the fold line and thus the bending of the ice cube bag tears these spot welds as the foil 12 breaks away from the spot welds so that a series of perforations 44 are formed in the film where the spot welds were originally and until the ice cube bag was folded. Thus, as shown in Figure 3a, the spot weld material will detach from the film 12 and then contact the underlying film 14.

On further bending, stretching of the film 12 further stretches the resulting perforations 44 which eventually, as shown in Figure 3b, completely tear the film 12 along the line through the perforations 44 described above with respect to Figure 3a. Figure 3b shows the broken edges 46 of one of the film halves 12. Then, eight ice cubes 48, previously trapped in the central sub-compartment of the ice cube bag 10, have become available and can be immediately removed from the broken ice cube bag 10. In this regard, it should be noted that when the ice cube bag is bent, it is possible with very little force to exert an extremely great force in the areas of the foil in contact with the horizontal spot welds, as when bending the ice cube bag a large arm of force is generally used compared to with a force arm transmitting tension to the spot welds located locally opposite the individual spot welds.

Figure 4a is a sectional view and in more detail of the tearing of the spot welds of Figure 3a during the first portion of tearing or opening the ice cube bag 10, with Figure 4a illustrating how stretching the top film 12 and stretching the film over the ice cubes causes the film to peel off. 12 from the spot weld areas and causes perforations 44 in the film 12. Further bending of the ice cube bag 10 as shown in Figure 4b causes the film 12 to continue to stretch, which eventually breaks along a line 46 passing through the perforations 44 in Figure 4a.

Figure 5 is an illustration of a second embodiment of the bag 10 ^{and the} ice cube invention. This second embodiment differs from the form of bag 10 described above with reference to Figures 1a, 1b and 2 in the drawing in that the line welds 26 are omitted and instead a total of five transverse or horizontal sets of welds are introduced, each consisting of from thirty-nine spot welds 22, spaced at identical short distances from each other, and differs in that each of the orthogonal sets of spot welds consists of four spot welds 25. Thus, in accordance with the disclosure of the invention, it has been found that not only the specific dimension of the spot welds is with respect to the thickness of the foil and the specific material of the foil, it determines the tear function, including the first perforation as described above with reference to Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b, but also other factors, including the distance between the spot welds and their distance from other welds or welds point or line welds are significant and decisive in whether a spot weld is filled and inside the ice cube bag with water and freezing the water into ice - can fulfill the perforation function illustrated in Fig. 4a as well as the tearing function illustrated in Fig. 4b.

PL 191 463 B1

In Figure 5, the short distance between the relatively small spot welds 22 in the five transverse sets of spot welds 22 ensures that flexing the ice cube bag about a line through the relatively small spot welds 22 at a short distance from each other will cause the bag to tear in a manner. illustrated in Fig. 6a and corresponding functionally to the above description with reference to Figs. 4a and 4b.

Correspondingly, the relatively large distance between the relatively large spot welds 25 in the vertical division into the compartments of the bag 10 ^and the ice cubes determines that if the bag is not subjected to extremely strong bending, these spot welds 25 will and will only allow perforation of the foil wall as illustrated in FIG. 6b corresponding to the above description with reference to Fig. 4a, allowing manipulation of the bag 10 ^{and the} ice cube of FIG. 5 in such a manner that the first bag 10 ^{and the} ice cube consist of either bend along a line passing by straight spot welds 25, causing these spot welds to tear to create perforation and eliminate vertical compartmentalization, then bending the ice cube bag along a line through the spot welds 22 will tear the foil walls as shown in Fig. 6a and allow gives you immediate access to eight disconnected ice cubes inside the Ro Line scrapes.

Figure 7a is an illustration of a third embodiment of an ^{ice cube bag 10 ii} according to the invention. This third embodiment differs from the above first and preferred embodiment described with reference to Figures 1a, 1b and 2 in the drawing in that the four horizontal line welds 26 will be omitted and replaced with two further sets of horizontal spot welds corresponding to three sets of horizontal welds. The point-like points described above with reference to Fig. 1a and made in three sub-compartments in the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1a. The third embodiment of the ice cube bag according to the invention shown in Fig. 7a further differs from the embodiment described with reference to Fig. 1a in that the number of spot welds in the set of horizontal and perpendicular spot welds differs from the above-described number. Thus, the tests carried out have shown that also the number of spot welds can be of importance, firstly, for the pressure resistance of the ice cube bag, since the stretching of the foil in the individual ice cube compartments creates a greater force component or greater tension in the center of the side edge of the individual cube compartments. ice. If, accordingly, there is a spot weld in the center of the side edge of the ice cube compartment, this spot weld will be exposed to the greatest stress, and consequently the pressure resistance of the ice cube bag can be increased by avoiding any spot welds at that midpoint, and suitably produce an even number of horizontal and perpendicular spot welds, e.g. four, six or as shown in Fig. 7a, eight spot welds in sets of both horizontal and perpendicular spot welds. Additionally, this third embodiment differs from the two previous embodiments described in that the outwardly sloping and diverging seams 27 shown in Figures 1a and 5 are replaced by straight line seams 27 '.

The third embodiment shown in Fig. 7a may, in accordance with the disclosure of the invention, be manipulated in a number of alternative ways, whereby the horizontal sets of spot welds allow the ice cube bag to be torn along a line passing through the set, and the orthogonal sets of dot welds allow the bag to be torn along a perpendicular line. passing through such a set of perpendicular spot welds. Alternatively, by twisting the ice cube bag as will be described below with reference to Fig. 15, it is possible to tear the spot welds without tearing the foil simultaneously, thereby converting an ice cube bag divided into an ice cube bag without compartments. the individual spot welds in horizontal as well as perpendicular spot welds are therefore only exposed to stresses causing the perforation of one of the foil walls as described above with reference to Fig. 4a in the drawing.

Figure 7b is an illustration of a detail of a third modified form of the ice cube bag according to the invention in connection with that described with reference to Fig. 7a. The above-described line welds, i.e. side welds 20, bottom weld 21, top welds 21a and 21b and welds 27 ', 30, 32, 34 and 38, may according to the disclosure of the invention be made as continuous line welds or alternatively may be made as a combination of tightly spaced spot welds arranged in one line or in a series of sets of lines as shown in Figure 7b. Fig. 7b is an illustration of the lower right corner of a modified form of the third form of ^{ice cube bag 10 ii} according to the invention in which the side seam 20 and bottom seam 21 are replaced by two series of staggered spot welds of the same geometry as the spot welds 22 and 24 described above. 20 'spot welds

The two series of spot welds together form the side weld in the inner and outer rows of the two series of spot welds, respectively. The two series of staggered spot joints cause the film to stretch when the ice cube bag is filled with water so that the films are pressed together and held stretched under the pressure of the water which is created by the water column inside the ice cube bag.

Figure 8 is an illustration of a fourth embodiment of an ^{ice cube bag 10 iii} according to the invention. This fourth ice cube bag according to the invention differs from the first and third preferred embodiments described above in that two cross seams 26 'are inserted centrally in the ice cube bag in a pattern of two line segments to divide the interior of the ice cube bag into two parts. In addition, this fourth form of the ^{ice cube bag 10 iii} allows the ice cube bag to be manipulated after the ice cubes have been frozen according to the manipulation described with reference to Fig. 2 or, alternatively, the manipulation as described above with reference to Fig. 7a, i.e. either removed by tearing ice cubes from one of the halves of the interior of the ice cube bag, either by eliminating the compartmentalisation in one of the half compartments or both halves within the interior of the ice cube bag.

Figure 9 is an illustration of a fifth embodiment of an ^iv ice cube bag 10 according to the invention. Like the ice cube bag figures described previously, the 10 ^IV bag is called the ice cube bag. a self-closing bag and consists of the above-described two films 12 and 14 with interconnected flaps 16 and 18 (not shown in Fig. 9). Correspondingly, the fifth embodiment illustrated in Fig. 9 is formed by two side welds 20, a bottom weld 21, two top welds 21a and 21b, and sets of welds 30, 32 and 34 defining the inlet channel. In addition, ^{ice cube bag iv} has two horizontal line welds 27 'corresponding to the extensions of the semicircular welds 32 described above with reference to Fig. 7a, the welds 27' being broken to form two expansion chambers 40 'on each side of the channel. inlet. The ice cube compartments inside the ice cube bag are divided into four columnar sub-compartments by means of three sets of perpendicular welds 29 extending from above the bottom weld 21, not shown in Fig. 9, to positions immediately below the transverse welds 27. 'each formed by a plurality of oblique individual welds in the form of line segments that together constitute a linear weld in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The perpendicular welds 29 may alternatively consist of spot welds or line segments. Like the four embodiments described so far, the ^iv ice cube bag 10 is an ice cube bag for making twenty-four ice cubes, and each of the four columnar-shaped sub-compartments is appropriately divided, by means of four individual sets of horizontal spot welds 22, into six compartments. on ice cubes. These sets of horizontal spot welds are made and configured identically to the horizontal spot welds 22 described with reference to Fig. 1a in the first embodiment of the ice cube bag of the invention shown in Fig. 1a.

The fifth form ^iv bag 10 is characterized in that it is provided with tear pointers which are arranged as a perforation 52 extending from the top of the ice cube bag through the top seams 21a and 21b and down to the seams 27 ', the seams being so to speak, closed between two sets of parallel line seams 49 and 50, which are simultaneously intended to prevent water from penetrating from the expansion chambers 40 through the perforations 52. The fifth embodiment of the ice cube bag according to the invention, shown in Fig. 9, is filled in such a manner the same way as the four characters described above and closes using the self-closing function.

Upon freezing, the ^iv ice cube bag 10 can be torn open immediately as shown in Figure 10, with the ice cube bag tearing at the perforation area 52 causing the tear to continue downward through the respective seams 29. Access to twelve the ice cubes enclosed in one of the ice cube bag halves are obtained by tearing the ice cube bag on one side, i.e. the left or right side of the inlet channel, and then down through the weld 29 lying on the extension of the perforation 52. These the twelve ice cubes can be immediately removed using the foil tearing technique as described above with reference to Figs. 4a and 6b in the drawing in order to release the individual ice cubes. It should be noted that this breakdown of the individual ice cubes, or the separation of the ice cubes from each other by tearing one of the films, e.g. the film 12 as shown in Figures 4a and 6b, can instead be used to separate the individual ice cubes together before tearing the cube bag. ice by using these perforations 52.

Figure 11 is an illustration of a sixth embodiment of the bag 10 ^v ice cube invention. This embodiment corresponds substantially to the third form of the bag 10 ⁱⁱⁱ described above with reference to Fig. 7a in the drawing, the spot welds 22, 23, 24 and 25 in the sixth form of the bag 10 ^v illustrated in the drawing.

GB 191 463 B1 FIG. 11 is replaced by small rectangular weldings having substantially the same surface as provided with the above-described spot-welds 22 and 24. Forming the weld in the bag compartments 10 ^v and ice constitute a set of joints 22 'of rectangular shape, arranged in a horizontal line with the horizontal axis of a single rectangle perpendicular to the relevant horizontal line. The weld perpendicular compartments for ice cubes in the bag 10 ^v and ice cubes are, however, positioned with the individual rectangles in the joints 24 'having a rectangular shape set in the direction of the division into compartments, ie. The individual joints 24' of rectangular shape arranged one behind the other . In accordance with the disclosure of the invention, this different orientation of the rectangular welds 22 'and 24' provides, as described above with reference to Fig. 5 in the drawing, respectively, a difference in the tendency to allow tearing according to the rectangular welds, the 10 ^{V bag being} for ice cubes, illustrated in Fig. 11, showing a greater tendency to tear in accordance with the rectangular-shaped seams 24 'placed one after the other and thus having smaller mutual distances than the horizontal rectangular-shaped seams 22', preferably being indications for eliminating splitting to the compartments of the ice cube bag according to the technique described above with reference to Figs. 4a and 6 in the drawing.

Figures 12 and 13 are illustrations of a seventh and eighth bag form ^vii and ^{vii respectively} for ice cubes according to the invention. Like the above-described embodiments, these embodiments are made of the above-described films 12 and 14 and are joined by the side seams 20 already described, the bottom seam 21, and the two top seams 21a and 21b. The two ^{ice cube pouches 10 vi} and 10 ^vii are provided with the two outwardly inclined and divergent seams 27 described above, but unlike the embodiments described above, they are not interrupted.

The internal ice cube compartments of the seventh and eighth bag forms 10 ^vi and 10 ^vii , respectively, are also produced essentially according to the compartmentalisation shown in Figure 7a in the drawing with horizontal and perpendicular spot welds 22, 23 and 24, respectively, 25, the seventh embodiment shown in Fig. 12 is made with one orthogonal line seam, while the eighth form pouch ^10vii shown in Fig. 13, in addition to the central orthogonal line seam 28, is provided with a horizontal line seam 26 crossing the perpendicular line seam. 28, but without connecting to the side welds 20 and thereby establishing a connection from the upper half of the inner ice cube compartment, i.e., from the half of the inner ice cube compartment located above the line joints 26 to the lower half located below the line joint 26.

The inlet portions of the seventh and eighth forms of the ice cube bag according to the invention, illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13 respectively in the drawing, are provided with an inlet channel having a configuration substantially corresponding to the inlet channel configuration described above with reference to Fig. 1a of the drawing. The inlet channel in the ^{ice cube bags 10 vi} and 10 ^vii is thus defined by two welds 30 converging from the inlet channel towards the inner ice cube compartment of the ice cube bag, extending in the form of two quadrant-shaped welds 32 'in a narrowing determined by these welds. The taper also includes two rectilinear welds 34 'which, compared to the above-described rectilinear welds 34 shown in FIG. 1a, only extend inwardly from the throat towards the inner ice cube compartment of the ice cube bag. Above the constriction there are two spot welds 35 to keep the foil together in the inlet channel. In the two embodiments of bag 10 ^vi and 10 ^vii shown in Figures 12 and 13 in the drawing, respectively, the right seam 30 is broken to establish connection with an "S" shaped expansion chamber 40 to form an expansion chamber corresponding to the above described chambers. Similarly, the left quarter-circle weld 32 'is broken to establish communication with another expansion chamber 40 that likewise is provided with a plurality of spot welds 54 to limit the volume of fluid that can expand into the expansion chambers.

The bag embodiments 10 ^vi and 10 ^vii shown in Figures 12 and 13, respectively, are further adapted to be torn open by tearing the inlet channel of the ice cube bag after the water in the ice cube bag has been frozen to ice. Corresponding to the perforations 52 described above, perforations 52 'are provided for this tearing function, extending from the side seals 20 inwards towards the quadrant-shaped seams 32', the perforations not extending beyond these line seams and the like. in order to constrain the perforations 52 'corresponding to the line welds 49 and 50 shown in Fig. 9, line welds 56 and 58 are provided joining the line side welds 18

They are provided with quadrant-shaped welds 32 'and in addition to reinforce the film behind or in direct contact with the perforation 52'.

The self-closing bags shown in Figures 12 and 13 are filled with water and sealed as described above, and then the water contained in the inner ice cube compartments of the present ice cube bag is frozen by placing the subject ice cube bag in a freezer, cupboard cooling room or other room below freezing. After freezing to ice water in each compartment for ice cubes, the entire inlet portion, ie. The area above the perforations 52 'in bags 10 ^vi and 10 ^vii ice cube can tear off so as to allow access to the ice cubes inside the bag to the ankles through the torn second segment of the inlet channel, whereby the individual ice cubes can be manipulated and can be removed from the bag by using the separating and tearing properties of the film, which are determined by the horizontal and perpendicular spot welds in the inner ice cube compartments of the ice cube bag .

All the characters described above are called self-closing pouches and are also pouches for 24 ice cubes. It should be emphasized, however, that the invention is not limited to self-closing bags, nor is it limited to a specific number of ice cubes, as an arbitrarily chosen number of ice cube compartments, e.g. smaller or greater than 24, e.g. 12, 16, 18, 30 and 36. Accordingly, the inlet portion of the ice cube bag can be made without a self-closing function, e.g. with a funnel portion for closing by a hose closure or alternatively by a closure knot. It should further be noted that a combination of a self-closing bag and a knot bag can be realized. By combining the self-closing and the knot-closure in one ice cube bag, a particular advantage can be obtained in that in the self-closing bag it becomes possible to increase the internal pressure of the liquid by the knot-closure.

Figure 14 illustrates a ninth embodiment of the ^{ice cube bag 10 viii} according to the invention. This ice cube bag differs from the above described ice cube bags in that the ice cube bag is a knot bag, i.e. an ice cube bag which, unlike the self-closing bags described above, is closed by tying the knot with the flaps provided. in the inlet channel of the ice cube bag. Thus, the ^{ice cube bag 10 viii} is, unlike the self-closing bags described above, made of two films, only one of which, i.e. the film 12 'lying on top, is not provided with folded parts corresponding to the flaps 16 described above. and 18 shown in Fig. 14. The foils in the ^{ice cube bag 10 viii} are welded together by means of two side seams 20, a bottom seam 21 and two top seams 21a and 21b. The interior of the ice cube bag is further limited to two rectilinear welds 27 'which, unlike the rectilinear welds 27' shown in Fig. 7a, are not broken to form an expansion chamber. Conversely, rectilinear welds 27 'connect the side welds 20 with two rectilinear welds 30' connecting the top welds 21a and 21b with these rectilinear welds 27 '. Above the rectilinear seams 27 ', on both sides of the ice cube bag cuts 52 or perforations corresponding to the perforations 52' shown in Figures 12 and 13 are provided, extending directly to the inwardly converging rectilinear seams 30 'which together constitute the funnel-shaped inlet channel. The ice cube compartment of the ice cube bag shown in Fig. 14 is divided into three perpendicular sub-compartments by two orthogonal line welds 28 corresponding to the orthogonal line welds 28 described above with reference to Figures 12 and 13 of the drawing. Each of the individual three column sub-compartments in the ^{ice cube bag 10 viii} is further subdivided into six ice cube compartments by sets of horizontal spot welds, each set having a total of ten spot welds 22.

Thus, the ^{ice cube bag 10 viii} shown in Fig. 14 serves to produce 18 ice cubes, which, with the same external film dimensions as in the embodiments described above, determine the production of larger ice cubes. The 10 ^viii ice cube bag is used as follows. Water is poured through a funnel formed by rectilinear seams 30 ', thereby filling the three columnar sub-compartments with water. After tearing the perforation 52, two flap portions are formed at the upper end of the ice cube bag, and the flap portions are knotted to close the interior of the ice cube bag. The ice cube bag is frozen to make ice cubes and, in accordance with the disclosure of the invention, the ice cube compartments inside the ice cube bag can be converted to an ice cube compartment not compartmentalized and then preferably torn open. by means of the spot welds 22 characteristic of the invention.

Perpendicular line welds may be replaced by spot welds, e.g., such as the spot welds 25 described above.

In addition, the ^{ice cube bag 10 viii} can be converted immediately into a self-closing bag by replacing the film 12 'and the underlying film, respectively, with the films 12 and 14 described above, the flaps of these films being brought downwardly facing the perforation 52. which were omitted. At the same time, the inlet funnel can be transformed into a different configuration, e.g. by replacing the inlet funnel with a two-piece inlet funnel having the same oblique configuration as the funnel configuration shown in Fig. 14, and another inlet part formed by welds perpendicular or slightly inclined inwards or outwards.

As mentioned before, Fig. 15 is an illustration of the third embodiment of the bag 10 ⁱⁱ shown in Fig. 3 after the ice cubes have been frozen in the ice cube bag and the ice cube bag has been manipulated, i.e. twisted, bent or manipulated into both. these methods can either be converted to a compartmentless bag or alternatively torn using the tearing technique of the invention using the tearing directions defined by the spot welds 22, 23, 24 and 25 of the invention. The inlet or filling part shown on the right of Fig. 15 can advantageously be used after freezing to hold the ice cube bag and thus manipulate the ice cube bag, and furthermore, as described above with reference to Figs. 12 and 13, can be advantageously used for peeling off the top or filling portion of the ice cube bag in conjunction with removing ice cubes or pieces from inside the ice cube bag.

Figure 16 is an illustration of a third form of bag 10 ⁱⁱ also shown in Figures 3 and 15 in the drawing, after the ice cube bag has been converted during the manipulations described above with reference to Figure 15, from an ice cube bag compartmentalized into an ice cube bag without compartments. Fig. 16 shows the bag lying on a plane, e.g. on a table top, the perforations 44 in the film 12 are provided in the right part or half of the inner chamber of the ice cube bag as described above, while in the left part or the half of Fig. 16, perforations were made in the opposite film by turning or twisting the film in the left half in the opposite direction compared to the right portion or half. The spot welds 22 and 24 shown on the left side or half of the ^{ice cube bag 10 ii} thus include tears in the opposing foil material that are perforated correspondingly with the perforations 44 shown in the foil 12 in the right half of the interior of the ice cube bag.

Figure 17 is an illustration of a tenth embodiment of an ^{ice cube bag 10 x} according to the invention. This tenth form of ice cube bag is largely similar to the third form of the ice cube bag according to the invention shown in Fig. 7a and is a self-closing bag. The tenth embodiment consists of the two films 12 and 14 described above, of which only the film 12 is shown in Fig. 17, these films being welded together by side seams 20, a bottom seam 21 and two top seams 21a and 21b. From the top seams 21a and 21b, two seams 30 curving towards the inside of the channel extend towards the inside of the ice cube bag, continuing as upwardly sloping side seams 27 corresponding to the downwardly sloping side seals 27 shown in Fig. 7a. Like the side seams 27, the upward sloping side seams 27 are broken to establish a connection by seams 36 and 37 to the expansion chambers 40. The inner ice cube compartment of the ice cube bag 10 and ^x is divided into twenty-four individual ice cube compartments per by means of the above-described spot welds 22 and 24 which are characteristic of the invention. As is apparent from Figure 17, the top spot weld in the most in-between row of perpendicular spot welds is made as the larger spot weld 25, the spot weld immediately below the inlet duct being subjected to the greatest water pressure of all the spot welds during the process. filling the ice cube bag. The configuration of the inlet channel shown in Fig. 17 is intended to speed up filling compared to the inlet channels described and illustrated above.

Figure 18 is an illustration of an eleventh embodiment of a 10 ^x ice cube bag according to the invention. This eleventh embodiment exhibits a number of features previously described with reference to Figs. 1-17 in the drawing, this eleventh embodiment being a self-closing bag like the series of embodiments described above with side seams 20, modified bottom seam 20 'composed of three semicircular portions.

PL 191 463 B1 corresponding to the division of the interior of the ice cube bag into three sub-compartments and with the upper joints 21a and 21b. The inlet channel of the ice cube bag is made to correspond to the inlet channel described above with reference to Figure 1a in the drawing, albeit modified by replacing the straight welds 34 with the straight welds 34 'shown in Figures 12 and 13. In addition, this eleventh embodiment shows these the downwardly sloping side seams 27 themselves alone, as described above, with associated perforations for establishing connection with the expansion chambers 40 through channels defined by rectilinear seams 36 and 37. The inner ice cube compartment of the ice cube bag is divided into three individual compartments into ice cubes bounded by three sets of perpendicular spot welds, each containing a plurality of spot welds 25, e.g., 84 spot welds. Accordingly, with this eleventh embodiment, three large ice cubes or pieces can be produced, which can be removed according to the tearing technique characteristic of the invention, by means of spot welds as described above.

In addition, the disclosure of the invention makes it possible to provide ice cube bags with a very large number of individual ice cube compartments as is evident from Figures 19a and 19b illustrating a twelfth and thirteenth bag form 10 ^xi and 10 ^xii , respectively, according to invention. Both of these bag forms 10 ^xi and 10 ^xii are self-closing pouches, bounded by side seals 20, bottom seam 21 and top seams 21a and 21b. In addition, the two bag forms 10 ^xi and 10 ^xii are made with an inlet channel corresponding to one described above with reference to Fig. 17 in the drawing, forming two seams 30 extending in an arcuate inward direction towards the interior of the channel, passing directly into a sloping direction. the bottom of the weld 27, described above with reference to Fig. 1a of the drawing. Perforation lines 52 are introduced under the edges 17 and 19 defined by the flaps 16 and 18 of the film, respectively (in Fig. 17 only one of the flaps 16 with the bound edge 17 is shown), or to establish a knot closure as mentioned above, i.e. a combined self-closing and closing the interior of the ice cube bag with a knot, or alternatively to tear off the top of the ice cube bag after the column of water inside the ice cube bag has been frozen. The two ^{ice cube pouches 10 xi} and 10 ^xii are divided into a large number of individual ice cube compartments, delimited only by corner spot welds 23 according to the disclosure of the invention and with the same configuration as described above with reference to Fig. 1a in the drawing. In Fig. 19a, the spot welds 23 are positioned at the corners or corner points of the rectangular array, while the spot welds in the thirteenth form of the bag 10 ^xii shown in Fig. 19 are arranged in a pattern in which the spot welds are arranged in horizontal lines at each point. every second line are shifted to the side by half the grid or the distance between the spot welds, which causes the ice cubes or pieces of ice produced in the ice cube bag shown in Figure 19b to have a diamond shape, while the ice cubes or pieces of ice produced in the bag for the ice cubes shown in Fig. 19a will be substantially square. Even an unusually large number of individual ice cubes or pieces of ice, and in the forms shown in the figures, more than two hundred individual ice cubes or pieces of ice, can be produced with the forms shown in Figs. 19a and 19b.

Figure 20a is an illustration of a fourteenth embodiment of an ^{ice cube bag 10 xiii} according to the invention. This fourteenth embodiment is a knot bag of the same type as illustrated and described above with reference to Figs. 14, 19a and 19b, and additionally is an embodiment that is - like a fragment of a modification of the third embodiment of Fig. 7a shown in Fig. 7b - made with spot welds and line segments only and does not contain consistent circumferential welds. Moreover, this fourteenth embodiment exhibits a number of features previously described with reference to Figs. 1-19b of the drawing. The ice cube bag 10 ^xiii is provided with welds 20 'formed of line segments partially forming a substantially circumferential weld defining a compartmentalized ice cube compartment and partially in extensions forming side welds connected to the folded top welds 21a' and 21b ' from numerous single, parallel line sections. The current inlet channel of the ice cube bag is constructed as a single funnel, also formed of individual welds in the form of line segments forming straight line welds converging towards each other and forming this funnel, and which connect the top welds 21a and 21b formed by the line segments with side welds 27 connecting the funnel of the inlet channel to the welds 20 'formed of line segments.

The interior of the ice cube bag is divided into four perpendicular compartments by spot welds 24 'and 25', the four perpendicular inner compartments again divided into a number of sub-compartments by horizontal welds formed by spot welds 22 'and 23'. The spot welds 22 ', 23', 24 'and 25' shown in Fig. 20a correspond to the spot welds

As described previously, the spot welds 22 'and 24', however, are preferably designed as elongated welds rather than circular welds, and likewise welds 22 ', 23', 24 'and 25' may be constructed as single massive welds or they may also be contour joints, the interior of which is not the joint of two opposing foil layers of the ice cube bag. As with the ice cube bags described above, the interior of the ice cube bag may be designed as an ice cube bag having 16, 20 or preferably 24 compartments.

Figure 20b is an illustration of a modified ice cube bag compared to the fourteenth ice cube bag form shown in Fig. 20a or rather the lowest part of this modified or fifteenth form 10 ^xiv ice cube bag according to the invention. Similar to the fourteenth embodiment shown in Fig. 20a, the fifteenth embodiment shown in Fig. 20b is characterized by circumferential welds, including side and bottom welds, replaced by line segment welds. Contrary to the fourteenth embodiment shown in Fig. 20a, in which the welds 20 "" formed by the line segments are primarily perpendicular to the overall pattern of the welds and thus radially or perpendicular to the circumferential weld formed by the line segments. Corresponding seams 20 "" formed by the line segments forming the side seams in the fifteenth embodiment shown in Figure 20b are angled with respect to the overall position aligned with the longitudinal axis of the ice cube bag. In Fig. 20b, these welds 20 "" formed of the line segments extend in a direction oblique to the horizontal or perpendicular direction. In addition, the fifteenth form of pouch 10 ^xiv shown in Fig. 20b includes a bottom seam composed of a plurality of individual seams 21 "" formed of line segments all of the same span, i.e., the same length and width, but which may alternatively be of variable length, the welds 21 "" formed by the line segments being arranged in total in six parallel rows, the two adjacent rows being offset by half the length of a single weld 21 'formed of the line segment.

According to Fig. 20a, Fig. 20c is an illustration of a sixteenth embodiment of an ^{ice cube bag 10 xv} according to the invention, and similar to the fourteenth embodiment shown in Fig. 20a, this sixteenth embodiment is so-called tied bag. In addition, the sixteenth embodiment shown in Fig. 20c differs from the fourteenth embodiment shown in Fig. 20a in that the welds formed by the line segments shown in Fig. 20a being a circumferential weld, side welds 27, top welds 21a 'and 21b' and welds. The 30 forming the inlet channel has been replaced by stripes of smaller spot welds, arranged in a tight pattern in the shape of a photographic raster pattern, in which the individual spot welds are, compared to the welds 22 ', 23', 24 'and 25', substantially smaller in size or diameter. typically sizes less than 50% of the largest dimension of the 22 ', 23', 24 'and 25' spot welds. The individual spot welds in the photo raster pattern forming the spot weld 20 ^iv are spaced from adjacent welds substantially corresponding to the diameter of a single spot weld ^iv . Of course, within the scope of the invention, the embodiments shown with reference to Figs. 20a, 20b and 20c in the drawing may be modified according to the above-described embodiments and, moreover, obviously be combined with alternative configurations of side welds, bottom welds and inlet channel.

Figure 20d is a schematic illustration of a seventeenth embodiment of an ^{ice cube bag 10 xvi} according to the invention. Similar to the embodiments described above, the ^{ice cube bag 10 xvi} consists of two identical plastic films 12, preferably a 25 µm thick LD polyethylene foil or alternatively an 18 µm thick HD polyethylene foil. Both films 12 have a flap 16. The flaps extend inwardly into the interior of the ^{ice cube bag 10 xvi} and define internal exposed edges. The foils have a substantially rectangular configuration and overlap with the flaps protruding inwardly into the ^{ice cube bag 10 xvi} as the foils are joined by a substantially circumferential seam ^iv , with two line seams extending in and toward each other from the substantially circumferential a weld 20 ^iv located at the upper end of the ^{ice cube bag 10 xvi} shown in Fig. 20d and the linear top welds 21a and 21b.

There is an opening between the line seals 21a and 21b leading from the surroundings to the interior of the ice cube ^{bag 10 xvi.} From the edge described above, straight seams 30 ^iv converge to form a funnel-shaped first portion of the inlet channel of the ice cube bag. At the inner end of the seams, i.e. in the narrowing of the inlet funnel formed, the rectilinear seams 30 ^iv converging towards each other extend into two parallel rectilinear seams 33, forming a first constriction in the inlet channel and forming a transition between the first section of this ice cube bag inlet channel. and a second bag inlet channel section to

Of ice cubes, the second segment being defined by two opposing arcuate welds 32 connecting the above-described parallel straight welds 33 with the above-described welds 27, constituting two reinforcements of the straight welds 33 which form a second constriction at the end of the inlet channel , i.e. in the transition between the inlet channel and the interior of the ice cube bag, which is divided into a number of individual compartments as mentioned above. The arcuate welds 32 form two concave welds to form a second section of the inlet conduit, the second section having - viewed perpendicular to the orientation of the inlet conduit - substantially larger than the first constriction formed by the two parallel straight welds 33, as well as the second constriction formed by these two reinforcements of straight welds 33.

In the seventeenth embodiment shown in Fig. 20d, the inner, exposed edges of the flaps of the two films extend the entire length of the first inlet channel section, but not the second inlet channel section, and precisely to align with two parallel straight welds, see flap 16 for parallel straight welds 33. In accordance with the disclosure of the invention, the exposed edges may be located anywhere along the two parallel straight welds 33, i.e., at any position within the constriction defined by the two parallel welds. Thus, these edges are situated, viewed over the entire length of the inlet channel, in the center of the inlet channel and at the same time extend perpendicularly in the center of the two parallel straight welds 33. By positioning the bent edges in the center of the inlet channel in a weld with parallel straight welds 33, a an ice cube bag that provides a safe and reliable self-closing function and uses a minimum amount of water to fill the self-closing closing pockets formed behind the flaps. At the same time, unlike prior art self-sealing pouches, the two parallel rectilinear seams 33 form a throat area with a tubular configuration to provide a self-closing function not previously thought possible as the two parallel rectilinear seams 33 serve an additional purpose in addition to creating a constriction with a self-closing function, namely to compensate for production changes, i.e. when the foil flaps are folded and connected to the surrounding foil by means of welds. In order to achieve a safe self-closing function, it is critical that the internal exposed edges forming the closing pockets inside the straight welds 33 lie below the lower limit of the funnel-shaped first section of the inlet channel, see Fig. 20d, to ensure that the closing pockets are filled with water in foolproof when the ice cube bag is turned upside down after filling with water.

In Figure 20d, the two films of the ice cube bag lie flat on top of each other, although entrapped air may be present and form air pockets within the ice cube bag 10. In Fig. 20d, the ^{ice cube bag 10 xvi is} shown with the inlet facing upward, which inlet is intended to face upward when the ice cube bag is filled with a liquid, in particular with water. It should be noted at this stage that expressions such as 'upwards', 'downwards' etc. relating to the positioning of the ice cube bag in relation to the direction of gravity should be interpreted as expressing solely the purpose of describing the normal overall position of the ice cube bag during use as of course a larger or smaller part of the ice cube bag may be folded relative to the up / down direction and similarly, the bag 10 ^xvi ice cube as a whole can be held in a sloping position relative to the up / down direction.

Figure 21 is a schematic view of a manufacturing device for producing ice cube pouches or similar sealed pouches in an intermittent production process. The production device includes a stamping and welding station 74. As will be seen from the following description, depending on the product in question, the production device may also comprise further stations, such as e.g. a film unwinding station, a cutting and separating station, and a conveyor station.

The actual production process of the ice cube pouches at the stamping and sealing station 74 is one pressing and sealing operation, which produces ice cube pouches from a double layer foil web 76, thereby producing two ice cube pouches in a single pressing and sealing operation. . The stamping and welding operation performed in the stamping and welding station 74 takes place discontinuously or intermittently, the film strips being transferred in stages to the stamping and welding device 70, the stamping and welding operation being carried out by keeping the two double-layer film strips in place. resting under the device 70

PL 191 463 B1 for stamping and welding. The jump-like transfer of the two double-layer film tapes is achieved by means of rollers driven by a system of gears and belts.

As shown in Fig. 21, the pressing and welding device 70 comprises a bottom support plate 130 provided with two vertical upward bars 132 and 134 which in turn are connected by an upper beam 136 and a crossbeam 138 which together with a support plate 130 keep the bars 132, 134 in a vertical and mutually parallel position. The crossbeam 138 carries two sets of actuator cylinders 140, 142 and 144, 146 which are moved by a working fluid within hoses connected thereto and are preferably in the form of pneumatic cylinders. Two sets of actuator cylinders 140, 142, 144, and 146 are designed to position the pressing and sealing devices in a two-step process. In a first step, the stamping and seal dies 148 and 150 located in the heated stamping and sealing devices remain raised in the initial position at the maximum distance of the axis above the double-layer film tapes passing through the stamping and welding station, so as to prevent the foil material from melting by heat. radiating from the stamping and sealing devices, and in a second step, the stamping and seal dies 148 and 150 move from a raised position some distance above the double layer film web to an operating position where they are pressed against the double layer film web as described below under by actuation of the actuating cylinders 142 and 146. Thus, the actuating cylinders 140 and 144 are intended to position the stamping and seal dies in the starting or working position, and as a result of actuation of the actuating cylinders 142 and 146, the stamping and seal dies are lowered towards the double-layer film webs. The stamping and sealing dies 148 and 150 are provided with bottom surfaces having protruding, i.e. downwardly projecting, protrusions corresponding to the desired embossing and seams in the ice cube bag extruded and welded by means of a stamping and welding device 70 in a stamping and welding station.

The stamping and seal dies 148 and 150 are electrically heated and thus include a plurality of electric units powered by a plurality of connection cables 152 and 154. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, stamping and seal dies 148 and 150 are thermoregulated, i.e. rolling and seal dies. is kept at a certain temperature by a thermostat. The suspensions of the pressing and sealing dies are cooled by the supply and discharge water of the cooling water supply and drain hoses 156 and 157, respectively. In addition to a water cooling system for cooling the suspension of the pressing and sealing dies 148 and 150, the production device shown in Fig. 21 is provided with a hose 158. cooling air mounted on - and as viewed in the conveying direction of the double layer film web - behind additional stamping and sealing dies, the cooling air hose supplying cooling air supplied from a plurality of air supply openings in air tube 160.

As will appear from Fig. 21, the double-layer film web is inserted under vertically moving stamping and seal dies 148 and 150, but not in direct contact with the surfaces of the double-layer film webs, or two heat-resistant heat-conducting films 162 and 164 are interposed between the upper surface of the two double layer film strips and the lower surface of the stamping and seal dies 148 and 150, and the lower surface of the two double layer films and a silicon rubber sheet film resiliently attached to the support plate 130, the thermally conductive films 162 and 164 forming closed loop-shaped tapes. The upper closed loop formed by the heat conductive foil 162 is guided over a total of four loose rollers 168, 170, 172 and 174 and, respectively, the closed loop formed by the heat resistant carrier foil 164 is guided over four loose rolls 176, 178, 180 and 182 .

The stamping and welding station is controlled by a central control unit, which is not shown in the figure, and which also controls the regulators for regulating the temperature of the heating units in the pressing and sealing dies, e.g. pressing and sealing dies 148 and 150, the volume of compressed air supplied, etc. Double-layer foil tape is fed in one step at the stamping and welding station, whereupon the stamping and sealing dies 148 and 150, moved by the working cylinders 140 and 144, are lowered onto the two-layer film tapes supported on the backing plate 130 while keeping the double-layer film web in a resting position, the two-layer the foil web is sandwiched together between the two heat-resistant and heat-conducting foils 162 and 164. The heat-resistant and heat-conducting foils, which are preferably woven Teflon foils, are designed to transfer heat to the upper and lower counters. removes the double-layer film strips during the turning process

And welding to provide the two double-layer film strips with embossing and welds corresponding to those embossed on the stamping dies, without causing weak embossing and welds and without cutting the film due to excessive local heating of the area.

By squeezing together the entire multilayer system composed of the two Teflon tapes 162 and 164 and the overlying double layer film tape, the woven Teflon tapes are pressed and fused into the melted double layer film tapes, thereby joining the woven Teflon tapes to partially melted, compressed and of welded double-layer foil tapes. Surprisingly and importantly, due to the pressing operation to connect the woven Teflon tapes to the stamped and heat sealed double layer film tapes, the double layer film tapes will not deform in the next step in which the double layer film web is conveyed after the stamping and seal dies 148 and 150 are lifted. because by means of this staged transfer, the transfer of the sealed double layer film web takes place over a distance exactly corresponding to the width of the embossed and sealed ice cube pouches. Thus, Fig. 21 is a schematic view of a situation where the double layer film tapes move from the completed stamping and sealing operation resulting in an ice cube bag, which is not obvious from the drawing, and Fig. 21 shows additional pouches 186 and 188. for ice cubes performed in the previous two stages of pressing and welding.

When transferring embossed and welded ice cube pouches, e.g., ice cube pouches 186 and 188, the woven Teflon tapes support the molten and softened foil adhering to the surface of the Teflon tapes, with cooling air supplied from the air tube 160 cooling the heated foil tapes and causing that the partially melted foil in the extrusions and joints of the ice cube bags solidifies. After the double-layer foil web is released from the stamping and welding operations, the upper woven Teflon web is torn from the top surface of the sealed ice cube pouches, i.e., ice cube bag 186, while the lower woven Teflon web 164 is not torn from the sealed double-layer foil web. e.g. ice cube bag 188, before proceeding to the next step.

The form of ice cube pouches 186 and 188 as ice cube pouches, in which not only the joints defining the compartments but also the perimeter welds as spot welds have been made, allow the sealed ice cube pouches to be left without support immediately after the pressing and welding operation, as thanks to the design having spot welds not only in the joints delimiting the compartments but also in the circumferential joints, the construction of an ice cube bag is obtained, in which there are areas that are not melted directly during the pressing and welding operations and thus constitute a coherent, unmelted and only partially heated two-layer tape foil.

In addition, the form of the ice cube pouches 188 and 186 with the point welds constituting the compartmental joints as well as the circumferential seams allow the ice cube pouches to be arranged in tight contact with each other and thus, unlike Fig. 21, where the pouches are 186 and 188 for ice cubes are shown separately for clarity, may even be positioned directly abutting each other or overlapping each other, resulting in a circumferential or edge seam of one ice cube bag, e.g., left circumferential seam of ice cube bag 186 coincides with or coincides with the opposite seam, ie, the right seam of the ice cube bag 188.

Figure 22 illustrates a second embodiment of a production apparatus for producing ice cube pouches or corresponding heat seal pouches, the apparatus differs from the production apparatus described above with reference to Fig. 21 in that the ice cube pouches or the like sealed pouches are produced by continuously in the production device shown in Figure 22, while the stamping and sealing operation itself in the production device described with reference to Figure 21 takes place intermittently as explained above. Furthermore, the production apparatus shown in Fig. 22 differs from the apparatus described above with reference to Fig. 21 in that the ice cube pouches are produced from two separate films 73 and 75, and not from a double layer film web as shown in Fig. 21. The second embodiment of the production device according to the invention shown in Fig. 22 comprises, similar to the production apparatus described above with reference to Fig. 21, preferably also a film unwinding station and a cutting and separating station.

As explained above, the two-layer film web 76 'of the films 73 and 75 passes through the stamping and sealing station 74' at a constant or unvarying speed, rather than in a stepwise fashion as in the manufacturing apparatus described above with reference to Fig. 21. moving

When the stamping and sealing device 70 is vertically positioned, the stamping and welding station 74 'includes two rotating rollers 157 and 159 which are driven by the same motor 145 via a drive system or gear 147, of which roller 157 is an embossing roller and sealing roll, while roll 159 is the support roll. At its outer periphery, cylinder 157 is provided with curved, heated stamping and sealing dies. Fig. 22 shows three stamping and sealing dies 167 of a rotating embossing and sealing roll 157. Similar to the stamping and seal dies 148 and 150 described above with reference to Fig. 21, the stamping and seal dies 167 are electrically heated and are supplied with electricity by an electrical conductor 153, electrical energy being transmitted via suitable sliding connections 161 to the heating units. , built into pressing and sealing rollers 157.

Like the production apparatus described above with reference to Fig. 21, the stamping and welding station 74 'shown in Fig. 22 is provided with woven Teflon tapes, the Teflon tapes forming two opposing closed loops and intended to transmit uniform pressing pressure and welding from rolls 157 and 159 to a two-layer film strip 76 sandwiched between two horizontally extending Teflon films 162 and 164, but also serve to provide carrier films that, when the Teflon films are pressed and bonded to the fused areas of the extruded and welded two-layer film strip, prevent stretching of the molten soft film when the finished double layer film web is withdrawn from the stamping and welding station 74 ', substantially as described above with reference to Fig. 21.

The stamping and welding of a double-layer foil strip in a continuous stamping and sealing operation for the production of ice cube pouches performed at a stamping and sealing station 74 'results in a combined ribbon of male ice cube pouches containing areas corresponding to individual pre-made pouches 193, 195 and 197 to ice cubes. As in the production apparatus described above with reference to Fig. 21, in the production apparatus of Fig. 22, the upper Teflon tape film 162 only contacts the double layer film web 76 during the actual stamping and welding operation and then does not support the double layer film web. 76 'after the stamping and welding operation, since the produced ice cube pouches 193, 195 and 197, similar to the ice cube pouches 186 and 188 shown in Fig. 21, are ice cube pouches in which the seams defining the y-compartment as also the girth welds are spot welds which increase the mechanical strength and resistance of the freshly sealed ice cube bag to tensile or deformation due to softened plastic compared to the known ice cube bag in which the girth seams are coherent line welds.

Figure 23 is an illustration of an eighteenth embodiment ^{self-closing bag 10 xvii} according to the invention. This eighteenth embodiment differs from the above-described seventeenth embodiment of the bag 10 ^xvi shown in Fig. 20d in that the seams 32 "" defining the second section of the inlet conduit are formed by two rectilinear seams extending from two parallel rectilinear seams 33 ', which with respect to the folded edge 17 are reversed symmetrical in relation to the joints 30 ^v which corresponding to spoinom 30 ^iv illustrated in fig. 20d form a funnel-shaped first section of the inlet channel. The inlet channel formed by the welds ^30v , 33 'and 32''in the form shown in Fig. 23 forms a figure that is inverted symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis as well as the center line of the inlet channel corresponding to the folded edge 17.

It should be noted that the eighteenth embodiment illustrated in FIG. 23 differs from the seventeenth embodiment illustrated in fig. 20d in that the joints 20, 21a, 21b, 30 ^v, 31 'and 32''' all constitute coherent weld line as opposed to the circumferential welds shown in Fig. 20d made of single points. Moreover, the ^{ice cube bag 10 xvii} differs from the embodiments shown in Figs. 1-20d in the drawing in that the spot welds defining the compartments form hexagonal compartments for ice cubes arranged in a honeycomb pattern, unlike square compartments for ice cubes. in the forms previously described. The hexagonal ice cube compartments shown in Fig. 23 are defined by a plurality of spot welds 23 and 24 where each side edge of the hexagonal ice cube compartment is defined by four individual spot welds.

Although the ice cube pouches described above are designed to freeze water to make ice cubes or pieces of ice, the ice cube pouches as such or modified forms of ice cube pouches can be used to freeze other materials, such as foodstuffs or supplies intended for ice cubes. freeze in small, single portions.

PL 191 463 B1

Preferably, the above-described ice cube pouches are produced industrially using continuous or intermittent sealing techniques.

P r z k ł a d

The prototype of the presently preferred embodiment of the ice cube bag according to the invention, shown in Figures 1, 1a and w, was produced from a 25 µm thick LD polyethylene film. The 25 μm thick polyethylene LD films 12 and 14 each had a width of 18 cm and a total length of 38.5 cm, each of the flaps 16 and 18 had an overlap of 4.5 cm of each of the film layers 12 and 14 with a total length of 38 , 5 cm. Thus, the total length of the ice cube bag was 34 cm. Each of the ice cube compartments, 24 ice cube compartments in total, was 4.5 cm wide and 4.8 cm long. The delimiting compartments of the spot welds were circular spot welds with a diameter of 0.9 mm, while the spot welds 23 and 25, also being circular welds, had a diameter of 1.1 mm.

When testing this prototype of the presently preferred form of the ice cube bag according to the invention, it was found that the ice cube bag functioned properly when used for its intended purpose.

These tests have shown that the ice cube bag prototype introduced in accordance with the disclosure of the invention achieved the desired tearing function and further planned transformation of the ice cube bag compartmentalized into an ice cube bag free of compartments.

During further tests performed in the laboratory on another of the above-described forms, excellent results were obtained with respect to the tearing function and the possibility of converting an ice cube bag divided into compartments without compartments. In particular, these tests showed that the ice cube bag made with six horizontal and perpendicular spot welds corresponding to the third form of the ice cube bag according to the invention shown in Fig. 7a was able to withstand a pressure of 0.9 meters of water, while the ice cube bag was ice cubes otherwise identical to the form shown in Fig. 7a and with eight perpendicular and horizontal spot welds in each set, was able to withstand an internal pressure of 1.3 m water column. On the other hand, an ice cube bag having five or seven spot welds in each set was unable to withstand such pressures. This is interpreted as evidence that the stretching of the film in the center of a single set of horizontal and perpendicular spot welds when filling the ice cube bag produces maximum tension at the exact center of the imaginary line between the ice cubes and thus an odd number of spot welds in horizontal and perpendicular sets. spot welds causes that the closest to the center of all the spot welds in a single set of spot welds is exposed to this maximum force effect or this maximum tension, which does not occur when the number of spot welds in the horizontal and perpendicular sets is even and thus the concentration of force or the maximum stress is thus distributed over two spot welds instead of a single spot weld as in the case of an odd number of spot welds.

Although the above invention has been described with reference to a number of preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications and additions can be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

It should be particularly noted that the above-described embodiments may be combined in such a way that the properties of one described form may be combined with other specific forms described, and similarly compartmentalized forms described in connection with a plurality of self-closing ice cube pouches may be suitably used in non-self-closing ice cube pouches, i.e., in tied pouches, the principles of the invention are not limited to self-closing pouches or tied pouches, but may also be used in conjunction with other ice cube pouches having other types of closures.

It should be noted that the invention is not limited to welding the plastic film, but that the forms of the tear seams characteristic of the invention can be realized by gluing the plastic film. Regardless of the use of gluing or welding a plastic film, it has been found that compared to known ice cube pouches, which use coherent seams separating the individual ice cube compartments, the form of the welds delimiting the compartments as spot welds characteristic of the invention provides substantially better results. use of materials, measured in the form of a larger net volume of ice cubes produced from a specific surface of the ice cube bag, interpreted as the area determined by the external

The outline of the ice cube bag. Due to the precise form of the final product, the use of gluing or welding as alternative manufacturing techniques further allows for the positioning of individual ice cube pouches in tight contact with each other in the manufacturing process and thus a better utilization of the amount of raw material used, compared to known manufacturing techniques. In addition, in individual ice cube pouches, guidance may be provided for tearing the pouch by gluing or welding as described above with reference to Figures 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 in the drawing as well as, additionally, by the adhesive application techniques used. or the welding technique used, indications may be introduced in the foil material in the form of a hint or instruction regarding the intended use of the ice cube bag.

It should further be noted that the invention is not limited to the above-mentioned types of film, LDPE and HDPE, or the previously adopted film thickness, as according to the disclosure of the invention, any polymer or plastic film thickness less than the above 18 μπ can be used e.g. up to 12 μπ or less, and similar, the same or different types of films and / or films of the same or different thickness may be used in the ice cube bag. In addition, coextruded or laminated films can be used in conjunction with the ice cube pouches of the invention.

Claims (69)

Patent claims 1.A ice cube bag comprising two sheet-like foil layers having substantially identical geometrical form and defining an outer contour, a perimeter seam extending along most of the outer periphery of these foil layers, except for the perimeter area constituting the inlet opening of the pouch, the perimeter seam joining the film layers together, principally through the overlay, and defines an inner chamber within the bag interior, the inner chamber being divided into a series of compartments defined interdependently by separate seams of the film layers, an inlet channel defined by the seams of these film layers and extending from the inlet opening to of the inner chamber of the bag, thus allowing access from the environment to the inner chamber of the bag through the inlet channel, characterized in that each of the separate seams (22, 23, 24, 25, 29) defining two adjacent compartments for ice cubes consists of a series of individual welds (22, 23, 24, 25, 29), each with of these individual seams (22, 23, 24, 25, 29) are formed by the connection between the two sheet-like film layers (12, 14, 12 ', 14'), under the load of the separating force of these film layers (12, 14, 12) ', 14'), the strength of the weld with a small surface area is greater than the failure strength and less than the tear and perforation strength (44) in one of these film layers (12, 14, 12 ', 14') along the circumference of these individual welds. 2. The bag according to claim The method of claim 1, characterized in that in a condition of tearing or perforation (44) of one of the foil layers (12, 14, 12 ', 14'), the arrangement of individual welds spaced apart from one another creates a direction for the perforation line in one of the foil layers (12). , 14, 12 ', 14'). 3. The bag according to claim The method of claim 1, characterized in that the coefficient calculated as the area of the individual welds (22, 23, 24, 25, 29) expressed in square millimeters divided by the perimeter of the weld itself measured in millimeters is 0.025 mm - 0.5 mm, preferably 0.125 mm - 0.375mm, e.g. about 0.25mm. 4. The bag according to claim 1 3. The method of claim 1 or 3, characterized in that each of the individual welds (22, 23, 24, 25, 29) has an area corresponding to the area of a circle having a diameter of 0.1 mm - 5 mm, e.g. 0.5 mm - 1.5 mm preferably 0.9mm-1.0mm, e.g. 0.5-0.8mm, 0.8mm-1mm, 1mm-1.2mm or 1.2mm-1.5mm. 5. The bag according to claim 1 The method of claim 1, characterized in that the welds (20, 21, 21a, 21b) constituting the circumferential weld, the welds (30, 32, 34, 35) defining the inlet channel and the single weld (22, 23, 24, 25, 26) are formed by gluing or, preferably, welding. 6. The bag according to claim 1 3. The method of claim 1, 3 or 5, characterized in that the individual welds have the shape of a geometric figure. 7. The bag according to claim 1 4. The method of claim 4, characterized in that the individual welds have the shape of a geometric figure. 8. The pouch according to claim 1 6. A method as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the geometric figure is a circle. 9. The pouch according to claim 1 6. A method as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the geometric figure is an ellipse. 10. The bag according to claim 1 6. The process of claim 6, characterized in that the geometric figure is a line segment. 11. The bag according to claim 1 6. A method as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the geometric figure is a triangle. PL 191 463 B1 12. The pouch according to claim 1 6. A method as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the geometric figure is a rectangle. 13. The pouch according to claim 1 6. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that the geometric figure is a square. 14. The pouch according to claim 14 6. A method as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the geometric figure is a polygon. 15. The pouch according to claim 15 6. A method as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the geometric figure is a shape defining any convex contour. 16. The pouch according to claim 16 6. A method as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the geometric figure is a shape defining any concave contour. 17. The pouch according to claim 17 8 or 9 or 10 or 11 or 12 or 13 or 14 or 15 or 16, characterized in that the geometric figure is any combination of these shapes. 18. The pouch according to claim 18 The ice cube bag as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the ice cube bag is a self-closing bag in which the two sheet foil layers (12, 14) have protrusions in the form of two closing valve flaps located at the inlet channel and extending from the inlet channel to the inside of the bag towards it. an inner chamber along the inlet channel, the flaps being connected by seals (30, 32, 34, 35) delimiting the inlet channel to form two closing pockets open towards the inner chamber of the bag. 19. The bag according to claim 1 The ice cube bag according to claim 1, characterized in that the ice cube bag is a bag closed with a knot, the two sheet film layers (12 ', 14') outside the seams (30, 32, 34, 35) defining the inlet channel being provided with perforations in to allow the foil to be tied on both sides of the inlet channel to form a closure knot, to close the inlet channel. 20. The bag according to claim 1 The ice cube bag according to claim 1, characterized in that the ice cube bag is a bag closed with a knot, the two sheet film layers (12 ', 14') outside the seams (30, 32, 34, 35) defining the inlet channel being provided with cuts in to allow the foil to be tied on both sides of the inlet channel to form a closure knot, to close the inlet channel. 21. The bag according to claim 1 3. The ice cube bag as claimed in claim 1, 18, 19 or 20, characterized in that the two sheet film layers (12, 14, 12 ', 14') of the ice cube bag are made of polyethylene, preferably LDPE or HDPE polyethylene or other heat sealable or suitable for bonding a foil material, preferably a plastic foil including a polymer or aluminum foil, or a combination of such foil materials. 22. The bag according to claim 1 The method of claim 1, characterized in that the number of ice cube compartments in the inner chamber of the ice cube bag is greater than 2, preferably 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 30, 36 or 48 and more preferably 24. 23. The bag according to claim 1 The method of claim 22, characterized in that the ice cube compartments in the inner compartment of the ice cube bag are grouped into separate sub compartments. 24. The pouch according to claim 24 The method of claim 1, 22 or 23, characterized in that the number of the individual welds (22, 23, 24, 25, 29) defining two adjacent ice cube compartments is an odd number. 25. The pouch according to claim 25 The method of claim 1, 22 or 23, characterized in that the number of the individual welds (22, 23, 24, 25, 29) defining two adjacent ice cube compartments in relation to one another is an even number. 26. The pouch of claim 1 The method of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two sheet-like foil layers (12, 14, 12 ', 14') are substantially rectangular. 27. The pouch of claim 1 The process of claim 21, characterized in that the two sheet-like foil layers (12, 14, 12 ', 14') are substantially rectangular. The pouch of claim 28 The ice cube bag according to claim 1, 18, 22 or 23, characterized in that the inner chamber of the ice cube bag has at least one connection to expansion chambers (40, 40 ', 40) situated on one side of the inlet channel. 29. The pouch of claim 1 The ice cube bag according to claim 1, 18, 22 or 23, characterized in that the inner chamber of the ice cube bag has at least one connection to expansion chambers (40, 40 ', 40) situated on both sides of the inlet channel. 30. The pouch of claim 1 The method of claim 1, characterized in that perforations are provided on the outside of the inlet channel in the two sheet-like foil layers (12, 14, 12 ', 14') for the directions of tearing of the ice cube bag. 31. An ice cube bag containing two sheet layers of foil having substantially identical geometrical form and defining the outer contour, a circumferential seam, running along Along the greater part of the outer periphery of these foil layers, with the exception of the periphery area constituting the inlet opening of the pouch, the peripheral seam joining the foil layers together, mainly via the overlay, and defining an interior cavity within the interior of the pouch, the interior compartment being one ice cube compartment, preferably a series of ice cube compartments connected to each other and defined by separate seams of these foil layers, an inlet channel defined by separate welds of these foil layers and extending from the inner chamber of the bag to the inlet opening thus allowing access from the surroundings to the chamber inner bag through the inlet channel, two closing valve flaps connected to these film layers at the inlet port and extending from the inlet port to the bag interior along the inlet channel, the closing valve flaps being connected to each other and connected to the films by separate seams defining the channel inlet y so as to form two closing pockets that open towards the inner chamber of the bag, an inlet passage having first and second sections, the first section being located immediately downstream of the inlet opening, and the second section connecting the first section to the compartment or compartments on the pouch. ice cubes, the first section having a configuration predominantly converging towards the ice cube compartment or compartments, wherein a constriction is provided between the first and second sections, the inlet channel defining a first direction being the longitudinal direction of the channel and a second direction being the direction in a plane parallel to the two foil layers and perpendicular to the first direction, characterized in that the closing valve flaps (16, 18) extend from the inlet opening along the entire length, viewed from the first direction, of the first inlet channel section and up to the narrowing in the passage between the first and the second section of the inlet duct, but not pos a constriction i to a second section of the inlet conduit. 32. The pouch of claim 1; 31, characterized in that the constriction at the transition between the first and second inlet conduit section is formed by geometrically continuous welds (33) extending the welds (30) defining the first inlet conduit section and the welds (32) defining the second inlet conduit section. 33. The pouch of claim 33; 31, characterized in that the closing valve flaps (16, 18) extend to a central position with respect to the constriction defined by the welds (33). 34. The pouch of claim 1; 31, 32 or 33, characterized in that the welds (33) define, viewed from the inside of the constriction, a convex constriction. 35. The pouch according to claim 35 31, 32 or 33, characterized in that the welds (33) define, viewed from the inside of the constriction, a concave constriction. The pouch of claim 36 31, 32 or 33, characterized in that the welds (33) define, viewed from the inside of the constriction, a rectilinear constriction. 37. The pouch of claim 1; 31, 32 or 33, characterized in that the separate welds (33) defining the constriction have a length of 0.25-1.2, preferably 0.3-0.8, and preferably approximately 0.5 times the maximum width when viewed in the other direction, between the welds (33) defining the constriction. 38. The pouch of claim 1; The method of claim 31, characterized in that the first and second inlet conduit sections have substantially the same length in the first direction defining the longitudinal direction of the conduit. 39. The pouch of claim 1 38, characterized in that the inlet channel is substantially symmetrical with respect to the centerline of the constriction in the second direction extending in a plane parallel to the two foil layers. 40. The pouch of claim 40 31, characterized in that the inlet conduit is substantially symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the conduit. 41. The pouch of claim 41 31, characterized in that the closing valve flaps (16, 18) are folded portions of the sheet layers of the foil (12, 14). 42. The pouch of claim 1; 31 or 38, characterized in that the second section is a chamber which is defined by welds abutting the constriction and extending substantially in the second direction, and which is connected by side welds to further welds abutting the ice cube compartment or compartments, and tapering in a second direction towards at least one channel leading into the ice cube bag. 43. The pouch of claim 1 42, characterized in that the second section has a maximum dimension in the second direction equal to at least twice the size of a throat in the same direction to form a liquid or water reservoir from which liquid can flow freely towards the inlet through the constriction after the bag is filled ( 10) for ice cubes with liquid or water The ice cube bag (10) is inverted to a second position with the inlet facing downward through the inlet port (26). 44. The pouch of claim 44 31, 32 or 33, characterized in that the constriction in the transition between the first and second sections is in the form of a Venturi tube. The pouch of claim 45 The method of claim 43, characterized in that the maximum dimension of the second section in the second direction of the inlet channel is 2-7 times the size of the throat, preferably 2.4-5 times the size of the throat, e.g. 2.6-3.4 times the size of the throat. The pouch of claim 46 38, characterized in that the dimension of the first duct section along the second inlet duct section at the inlet opening is approximately twice the size of the constriction in the second direction. 47. The pouch of claim 1 46, characterized in that the first duct section is defined by welds (28) which constitute straight lines. 48. The pouch of claim 1 46, characterized in that the first channel section is defined by welds (28) which constitute curved lines which form a convex first channel section. 49. The pouch of claim 49 46, characterized in that the first channel section is defined by welds (28) which constitute curved lines which form the concave first channel section. 50. The pouch of claim 50 14. A method as claimed in claim 31, characterized in that the second section is delimited by welds (32) partly straight lines, partly curved lines, such as sections of circles, defining a second section having a concave configuration. 51. The pouch of claim 1 14. A method as claimed in claim 31, characterized in that the second section is delimited by welds (32) partly straight lines, partly curved lines, such as sections of circles, defining a second section having a convex configuration. 52. A method of making an ice cube pouch or corresponding pouches from a heat sealable plastic film, comprising adding two or more plastic films as stacked plastic film layers from the plastic film storage; combining a plastic film with at least one strip of a heat-resistant material such as Teflon, preferably a strip made of woven or non-woven Teflon fibers or Teflon yarns, so that a multilayer structure is formed from a strip of heat-resistant material and these films made of plastic; transfer of the multilayer structure to a stamping or welding station in which the multilayer structure is subjected to a stamping or welding operation, this multilayer structure being subjected to stamping or welding operations by means of stamping or welding tools providing pressure and heat to the outer-facing strip of resistant material to heat in specific areas corresponding to the intended embossed or sealed areas of the finished ice cube bag or the corresponding bag, the tape of heat-resistant material serving as a pressure and heat-transmitting tape, and the pressure and heat input cause at least partial melting of the returned the surfaces of the plastic film against each other in these specific areas and in the same areas press against and bond the strip to the plastic film; transporting the multilayer structure from the stamping and welding station, the strip of heat-resistant material remaining bonded to the plastic film to support the softened and at least partially melted plastic films, to prevent the plastic film from stretching during carrying; detaching the strip of the heat-resistant material from the bonding state with the plastic films after cooling the plastic film to such an appropriately low temperature that the plastic films are not subjected to deformation during the transfer of the plastic film; cutting out a cooled and finished ice cube bag or a corresponding bag from a cooled plastic film, characterized in that a stamping or welding operation is performed in which the deliberately embossed or welded areas of the finished ice cube bag or the corresponding bag are represented by the joints formed by the individual seams in the form of points or line segments, where there is unheated material between the point-shaped and line segment joints, constituting coherent areas of unheated material, the strip of heat-resistant material being torn off from the bonding state with the plastic film immediately after the operation stamping or welding. PL 191 463 B1 53. The method of p. 52, characterized in that the multilayer structure in the operation of transferring the multilayer structure to the stamping or welding station is pressed down to a stop during the stamping and welding operation, the stamping and welding tools being pressed against the strip of heat-resistant material from the side of the multilayer structure opposite to the resistance. 54. The method of p. 52 or 53, characterized in that in the process of joining the plastic film with at least one strip of heat-resistant material, two strips of heat-resistant material are used, between which the plastic films are inserted to form a multilayer structure having the highest and lowest layers, consisting of strips of heat-resistant material and intermediate layers of plastic films, whereby two strips of heat-resistant material during the operation of transferring the multilayer structure to the pressing or welding station are pressed against opposite sides of the plastic film and joined thereto, the two strips of heat-resistant material remaining attached to the opposite sides of the plastic film in the process of transferring the multilayer structure from the stamping and welding station to support the softened and thus the least part of melted plastic films on opposite sides of the plastic film, whereby the two tapes of heat-resistant material are torn off the heat-resistant material in the process of tearing off the bond with the plastic films or at the same time , be in turn. 55. The method of p. A process as claimed in claim 53, characterized in that the transfer of the multilayer structure to the stamping and welding station and the transfer of the multilayer structure from the stamping and welding station takes place continuously. 56. The method of p. A process as claimed in 54, characterized in that the stamping and welding are carried out by means of stamping and welding tools constituting one or more rotating embossing and welding rollers. 57. The method of p. 56, characterized in that the embossing and sealing tools are two opposing and rotating in opposite directions for embossing and sealing. 58. The method of p. 52 or 53, characterized in that the transfer of the multilayer structure to the pressing and welding station and the transfer of the multilayer structure from the pressing and welding station are carried out intermittently, with the stamping and welding operations being performed while the multilayer structure is at rest in the pressing station and welding. 59. The method of p. 58, characterized in that a vertically moving stamping and welding piston having a stamping and welding die with contours corresponding to the planned stamped and welded areas of the finished ice cube bag is used as the stamping and welding tools. 60. The method of p. The method of claim 59, characterized in that a stationary stamping and welding die is also used as the stamping and welding tools, made with outlines representing the reflected image of the outlines of the stamping and welding die of a vertically moving stamping and welding piston. 61. The method of p. 59, characterized in that the stamping and welding tools are furthermore a perpendicularly moving stamping and welding die, made with outlines representing a reflected image of the outlines of the stamping and welding die and a vertically moving stamping and welding piston. 62. The method of p. The process of claim 54, wherein the at least one strip of heat-resistant material is closed loops carried by the plastic films during the transfer of the multilayer structure to the stamping and welding station and the transfer of the multilayer structure from the stamping and welding station. 63. The method of p. 52. The process according to claim 52, characterized in that the plastic films are two layers of plastic film of the same or different polyolefins, preferably of the same polyolefin, such as polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, preferably LDPE or HDPE. 64. The method of 63. The method of claim 63, wherein two plastic films are used with flaps to form closing pockets in self-closing type ice cube pouches. 65. The method of p. The process of claim 52, characterized in that homogeneous plastic films are used as the plastic foils. PL 191 463 B1 66. The method of p. The process of claim 52, wherein the plastic films are coextruded multi-layer plastic films. 67. The method of p. The process of claim 52, wherein the plastic films are aluminum coated plastic films. 68. The method of p. 65, 66 or 67, characterized in that plastic films with surface coatings of a meltable material having a lower melting point than the substrate film of the plastic film are used on the surfaces facing each other. 69. The method of p. 52, 56, or 57, or 59, or 60, or 61, characterized in that the stamping and welding tools are heated to a temperature between 150 ° and 200 ° C, e.g. 160 ° - 190 ° C, e.g. about 170 ° C in combination with LDPE films and approximately 180-190 ° C in combination with HDPE films.