METHOD FOR MAKING ANTI-EXPLOSION BREATHABLE COOKED TAPIOCA PEARL BAG AND PRODUCT MADE BY THE METHOD

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method for making a cooked tapioca pearl bag and a product made by the method.

Description of the Related Art

In the early days, raw tapioca pearls are placed in a plastic bag. The consumer buys the raw tapioca pearls which are mixed with sugar or other additives and are heated and boiled in the water. Then, the consumer can eat the raw tapioca pearls after they are cooled.

Recently, raw tapioca pearls are cooked previously. Then, the cooked tapioca pearls and syrup are filled into a plastic bag by a manual labor. Then, the opening of the plastic bag is sealed by heat pressing. Then, the plastic bag is stored in the freezer. Thus, the user only needs to place the plastic bag into boiling water to thaw and soften the cooked tapioca pearls for eating. However, it is necessary to prepare and heat a pot of water, thereby wasting the time, and thereby causing inconvenience to the user. In addition, it is difficult to control the heating time optimally, so that the cooked tapioca pearls may not be thawed and softened completely when the heating time is not controlled properly, thereby affecting the taste of the cooked tapioca pearls.

The plastic bag containing the cooked tapioca pearls can be heated and thawed by a microwave oven. However, the temperature in the plastic bag is increased rapidly during the heating process, and the steam will produce a great pressure that easily causes explosion of the plastic bag, thereby causing danger to the user.

A conventional microwave package containing cooked tapioca pearls was disclosed in the applicant's Taiwan Patent No. M554901, and comprises multiple exhaust holes. Thus, when the microwave package is heated in a microwave oven, the high pressure steam is introduced outward from the exhaust holes to prevent the microwave package from being exploded. However, such a microwave package is filled by a manual labor and is then adhered by heat pressing, so that the filling speed is slow, and the filling amount of cooked tapioca pearls cannot be kept constant.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a method for making an anti-explosion breathable cooked tapioca pearl bag and a product made by the method.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method for making a cooked tapioca pearl bag, comprising placing a filling bag film and a breathable bag film on a bag making machine so that the filling bag film overlaps the breathable bag film, forming multiple vent holes in the breathable bag film, conveying the filling bag film and the breathable bag film to a die of the bag making machine, adhering an end edge of the filling bag film with an end edge of the breathable bag film and adhering a top and two sides of the end edge of the breathable bag film simultaneously, forming a breathable zone on a periphery of the breathable bag film around the vent holes, combining the filling bag film and the breathable bag film to form a tapioca pearl bag film, operating a filling machine to fold the tapioca pearl bag film right and left, adhering two sides of the tapioca pearl bag film by heat pressing so that the tapioca pearl bag film has a strip shape with a hollow interior, moving the tapioca pearl bag film to a first predetermined position, adhering and cutting a bottom of the tapioca pearl bag film so that the tapioca pearl bag film forms a U-shaped bag, automatically filling a predetermined amount of cooked tapioca pearl into the tapioca pearl bag film from a tapioca pearl filling tube, automatically filling a predetermined amount of syrup into the tapioca pearl bag film from a syrup tube, moving the tapioca pearl bag film to a second predetermined position, and adhering and cutting a top of the tapioca pearl bag film to form a final product of a cooked tapioca pearl bag. The vent holes are formed in the breathable bag film by punching and are equally spaced from each other. The end edge of the filling bag film and the end edge of the breathable bag film are adhered by heat pressing. The top and the two sides of the end edge of the breathable bag film are adhered by heat pressing. The breathable zone has a triangular shape. The bottom of the tapioca pearl bag film is adhered by heat pressing. The top of the tapioca pearl bag film is adhered by heat pressing. The final product of the cooked tapioca pearl bag has a periphery that is sealed closely.

In accordance with the present invention, there is further provided a cooked tapioca pearl bag comprising a filling bag film and a breathable bag film combined with the filling bag film. The filling bag film constructs a filling bag. The filling bag film has four end edges that are closed and sealed. The breathable bag film constructs a breathable bag. The breathable bag film is connected with an end face of the filling bag film. The breathable bag film has two sides and a top that are closed and sealed by heat pressing. The breathable bag film has a bottom connected to the filling bag film. The breathable bag film has a periphery formed with a breathable zone. The breathable zone has a bottom formed with an adhesive section by heat pressing. The breathable bag film is formed with multiple vent holes arranged in the breathable zone.

According to the primary advantages of the present invention, the method includes a series of procedures, including bag making, filling, adhering, sealing, and cutting, to make a cooked tapioca pearl bag so that the cooked tapioca pearl bag is produced automatically, thereby saving the cost of fabrication, and thereby preventing from incurring a sanitary problem.

According to another advantage of the present invention, the cooked tapioca pearl bag has explosion-proof and breathable functions by provision of the breathable bag film.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method for making a cooked tapioca pearl bag in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a roll of filling bag film and a roll of breathable bag film are placed on a bag making machine.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the filling bag film overlaps the breathable bag film.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a die of the bag making machine.

FIG. 5 is a locally enlarged perspective view showing vent holes are punched.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the filling bag film and the breathable bag film are adhered to form a tapioca pearl bag film.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the tapioca pearl bag film passes through a printing device.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the tapioca pearl bag film is folded by a folding device.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the tapioca pearl bag film is filled automatically by a filling device.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a cooked tapioca pearl bag in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-9, a method for making a cooked tapioca pearl bag (or package or parcel) in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises placing a filling bag film 11 and a breathable bag film 12 on a bag making machine 1 so that the filling bag film 11 overlaps (or fits or superposes) the breathable bag film 12, forming multiple vent holes 121 in the breathable bag film 12, conveying the filling bag film 11 and the breathable bag film 12 to a die 15 of the bag making machine 1, adhering an end edge 110 of the filling bag film 11 with an end edge 120 of the breathable bag film 12 and adhering a top and two sides of the end edge 120 of the breathable bag film 12 simultaneously, forming a breathable zone 12a (see FIG. 10) on a periphery of the breathable bag film 12 around the vent holes 121, combining the filling bag film 11 and the breathable bag film 12 to form a tapioca pearl bag film 16, operating a filling machine 2 to fold the tapioca pearl bag film 16 right and left, adhering two sides of the tapioca pearl bag film 16 by heat pressing so that the tapioca pearl bag film 16 has a strip shape with a hollow interior, moving the tapioca pearl bag film 16 to a first predetermined position, adhering and cutting a bottom of the tapioca pearl bag film 16 so that the tapioca pearl bag film 16 forms a U-shaped bag, automatically filling a predetermined amount of cooked tapioca pearl into the tapioca pearl bag film 16 from a tapioca pearl filling tube 231, automatically filling a predetermined amount of syrup into the tapioca pearl bag film 16 from a syrup tube 232, moving the tapioca pearl bag film 16 to a second predetermined position, and adhering and cutting a top of the tapioca pearl bag film 16 to form a final product 25 of a cooked tapioca pearl bag.

The vent holes 121 are formed in the breathable bag film 12 by punching and are equally spaced from each other. The end edge 110 of the filling bag film 11 and the end edge 120 of the breathable bag film 12 are adhered by heat pressing (or hot pressing) that is performed by a heat pressing device. The top and the two sides of the end edge 120 of the breathable bag film 12 are adhered by heat pressing. The breathable zone 12a has a triangular shape. The bottom of the tapioca pearl bag film 16 is adhered by heat pressing. The top of the tapioca pearl bag film 16 is adhered by heat pressing. The final product 25 of the cooked tapioca pearl bag has a periphery that is sealed closely.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, when the filling bag film 11 and the breathable bag film 12 are combined to form the tapioca pearl bag film 16, the tapioca pearl bag film 16 is rolled into a roll or directly cut into multiple bags.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the end edge 110 of the filling bag film 11 aligns with the end edge 120 of the breathable bag film 12. After the filling bag film 11 and the breathable bag film 12 are conveyed to the die 15 of the bag making machine 1, the filling bag film 11 and the breathable bag film 12 are adhered by heat pressing to form the tapioca pearl bag film 16, and the breathable zone 12a is formed on the breathable bag film 12 simultaneously.

In practice, referring to FIG. 1 with reference to FIGS. 2-10, the filling bag film 11 and the breathable bag film 12 are initially placed on the bag making machine 1 as shown in FIG. 2. At this time, the filling bag film 11 has a width more than that of the breathable bag film 12. When the bag making machine 1 is started, the filling bag film 11 and the breathable bag film 12 are pulled, and the bag making machine 1 performs an overlapping (or fitting or superposing) step 13 so that the filling bag film 11 overlaps the breathable bag film 12, and the end edge 110 of the filling bag film 11 aligns with the end edge 120 of the breathable bag film 12 as shown in FIG. 3. When the filling bag film 11 and the breathable bag film 12 are moved forward, the breathable bag film 12 is punched and formed with the vent holes 121 by a punching device 14 as shown in FIG. 3. Then, the filling bag film 11 and the breathable bag film 12 are delivered to the die 15 of the bag making machine 1 as shown in FIG. 4. Then, the upper part and the lower part of the die 15 are closed to perform a heat pressing process, so that the filling bag film 11 and the breathable bag film 12 are combined together. At this time, the end edge 110 of the filling bag film 11 and the end edge 120 of the breathable bag film 12 are adhered by heat pressing as shown in FIG. 5, and the top and the two sides of the end edge 120 of the breathable bag film 12 are adhered by heat pressing simultaneously. It is noted that, the bottom of the end edge 120 of the breathable bag film 12 is not stuck.

At the same time, the periphery of the breathable bag film 12 is heat pressed by the die 15 and formed with the breathable zone 12a around the vent holes 121, and the breathable zone 12a is formed with an adhesive section 122 by heat pressing. At this time, the vent holes 121 are not connected to a space defined between the filling bag film 11 and the breathable bag film 12. After the filling bag film 11 and the breathable bag film 12 are pressed by the die 15, the breathable bag film 12 with the bottom that is not adhered will be lifted and correspond to the filling bag film 11 with ends that are not adhered. Then, the filling bag film 11 and the breathable bag film 12 are further moved and combined by heat pressing to form the tapioca pearl bag film 16. Subsequently, the tapioca pearl bag film 16 is rolled into a roll as shown in FIG. 6. Alternatively, the tapioca pearl bag film 16 is directly cut into multiple bags.

Then, the tapioca pearl bag film 16 is placed on the filling machine 2. When the filling machine 2 is started, the tapioca pearl bag film 16 is moved forward and delivered to a printing device 21 of the filling machine 2 as shown in FIG. 7, so that the printing device 21 prints an information, such as the manufacturing date, the expiration date or the like, on the tapioca pearl bag film 16. Then, the tapioca pearl bag film 16 is delivered to a folding device 22 of the filling machine 2 as shown in FIG. 8, so that the folding device 22 folds the tapioca pearl bag film 16 right and left. Thus, the two sides of the tapioca pearl bag film 16 are folded from the center of the tapioca pearl bag film 16.

It is noted that, when the tapioca pearl bag film 16 is moved to the heat pressing device, the two sides of the tapioca pearl bag film 16 are adhered by hot pressing, so that the filling bag film 11 has a strip shape, and the breathable bag film 12 also has a strip shape and is located outside of the filling bag film 11. At the same time, the two sides of the tapioca pearl bag film 16 are stuck and sealed by heat pressing so that the tapioca pearl bag film 16 has a strip shape with a hollow interior that is connected from top to down.

When the tapioca pearl bag film 16 is moved to the first predetermined position, the bottom of the tapioca pearl bag film 16 is stuck by heat pressing and cut so that the tapioca pearl bag film 16 forms a U-shaped bag whose three ends are sealed. Thus, the two sides and the bottom of the tapioca pearl bag film 16 are sealed, and only the top of the tapioca pearl bag film 16 is open.

It is noted that the tapioca pearl filling tube 231 and the syrup tube 232 are located at the first predetermined position of the tapioca pearl bag film 16 and extend into the tapioca pearl bag film 16. Then, the filling machine 2 performs a filling process 23 on the tapioca pearl bag film 16. At this time, the tapioca pearl filling tube 231 automatically feeds a predetermined amount of cooked tapioca pearl into the tapioca pearl bag film 16, and the syrup tube 232 automatically feeds a predetermined amount of syrup into the tapioca pearl bag film 16.

Afterward, the tapioca pearl bag film 16 is moved successively and detached from the tapioca pearl filling tube 231 and the syrup tube 232. When the tapioca pearl bag film 16 is further moved to the second predetermined position, the filling machine 2 performs a cutting process 24 on the tapioca pearl bag film 16, so that the top of the tapioca pearl bag film 16 is stuck by heat pressing and then cut from the center to form the final product 25 of the cooked tapioca pearl bag. The above procedures are repeated so that multiple cooked tapioca pearl bags are produced. Then, the cooked tapioca pearl bags are gathered and conveyed to a freezer for storage.

Now, referring to FIG. 10, a cooked tapioca pearl bag comprises a filling bag film 11 and a breathable bag film 12 combined with the filling bag film 11. The filling bag film 11 constructs a filling bag for receiving a predetermined amount of cooked tapioca pearl and a predetermined amount of syrup. The filling bag film 11 has four end edges that are adhered, closed, and sealed by heat pressing. The breathable bag film 12 constructs a breathable bag. The breathable bag film 12 is connected with an end face of the filling bag film 11. The breathable bag film 12 has two sides and a top that are closed and sealed by heat pressing. The breathable bag film 12 has a bottom connected to the filling bag film 11. The breathable bag film 12 has a periphery formed with a triangular breathable zone 12a which is situated at the top of the breathable bag film 12. The breathable zone 12a has a bottom formed with an adhesive section 122 by heat pressing. The breathable bag film 12 is formed with multiple vent holes 121 (only one vent hole 121 is shown) arranged in the breathable zone 12a. It is noted that, the top of the breathable bag film 12 is adhered by heat pressing, and only the breathable zone 12a is not adhered. In addition, after the filling bag film 11 and the breathable bag film 12 are combined, the breathable bag film 12 is perpendicular to the breathable bag film 12. At this time, the bottom of the breathable bag film 12 is connected to the breathable bag film 12, and the top and the two sides of the breathable bag film 12 are closed.

In use, the cooked tapioca pearl bag is thrown into boiling water and is heated for a period of time. Thus, the cooked tapioca pearl bag can be opened for eating after it is thawed and softened. When the cooked tapioca pearl bag is heated in a microwave oven, the air is heated and expanded rapidly, and the moisture turns into water vapor, thereby producing great pressure. At this time, the steam and pressure generated in the cooked tapioca pearl bag will rush upward into the breathable bag film 12. When the pressure exceeds a determined limit, the adhesive section 122 at the bottom of the breathable zone 12a is torn and broken, so that the pressured air flow is guided into the breathable zone 12a and drained outward through the vent holes 121, thereby preventing the filling bag film 11 from being exploded due to an excessive pressure.

Accordingly, the method of the present invention includes a series of procedures, including bag making, filling, adhering, sealing, and cutting, to make a cooked tapioca pearl bag so that the cooked tapioca pearl bag is produced automatically, thereby saving the cost of fabrication, and thereby preventing from incurring a sanitary problem. In addition, the cooked tapioca pearl bag has explosion-proof and breathable functions by provision of the breathable bag film 12.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the invention.