Flexible containers and methods of forming the same

• US 10,131,468 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2014
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Ishihara, Tadayoshi, Lester, Joseph Craig, Bourgeois, Marc Richard, McGuire, Kenneth Stephen, Clare, Benjamin Jacob, Stanley, Scott Kendyl, Arent, Lee Mathew, You, Jun, Rapach, Andrew Paul, Berg, Jr., Charles John, Gunnerson, Kory Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Tawfik, Sameh
• Application Number:
  US14/534,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20150125099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 493214
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2155/00 Flexible containers made from webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2155/0014 having their openings facing transversally to the direction of movement
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2160/20 with structural provision for thickness of contents
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2160/30 pointed or tapered
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/26 Folding sheets, blanks or webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/81 Forming or attaching accessories, e.g. opening devices, closures or tear strings
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/008 Stiffening or reinforcing B31B70/876 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/266 involving gusset-forming
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/02 Machines characterised by the incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/30 by grippers engaging opposed walls, e.g. suction-operated
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2205/02 Venting holes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 31/10 with gusseted sides
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 31/16 of special shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/004 Information or decoration elements, e.g. level indicators, detachable tabs or coupons
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/02 Local reinforcements or stiffening inserts, e.g. wires, strings, strips or frames B65D33/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/008 Standing pouches, i.e. "Standbeutel"
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/20 in sheets or blanks doubled around contents and having their opposed free margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/525 External rigid or semi-rigid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/54 Cards, coupons, or other inserts or accessories opening devices B65D75/70
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/566 Hand holes or suspension apertures
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5866 : Integral spouts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5877 : connected to a planar surface of the package wall
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5883 : connected to the package at the sealed junction of two package walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/03 : Wrappers or envelopes with shock-absorbing properties, e.g. bubble films for thermal insulating purposes B65D81/3888

Abstract

A method of forming a flexible container can include folding a web or sheet to define one or more gussets in one or more regions of the flexible container. The gusset can be a continuous gusset or can be an interrupted gusset, having a seal disposed in the gusset.

Claims

1. A method of forming a flexible container from at least two webs, a first web having opposed first and second surfaces and a second web having opposed third and fourth surfaces, the first web and the second web each having a first edge and a second edge, a container first side edge region and a container second side edge region, the flexible container comprising a product volume, at least one expandable structural support volume, and at least two gussets, including a top gusset and a bottom gusset, the method comprising:

providing the first surface of the first web in a facing relationship to the third surface of the second web;

joining at least a portion of the first surface of the first web to at least a portion of the third surface of the second web to form the at least one expandable structural support volume;

folding the joined sheets, wherein two gussets z-folds are formed between the first edge and the second edge of the first and second webs, a first z-fold adjacent the first edge of the first and second webs and a second z-fold spaced apart from the first z-fold toward the second edge;

folding the joined first and second webs to dispose the first edge of the first and second webs adjacent the second edge of the first and second webs, wherein the second surface of the first web is folded upon itself; and

joining the container first side edge region and the container second side edge region of the folded first and second webs to form the top gusset from the first z-fold, the bottom gusset from the second z-fold, and a perimeter of the flexible container, wherein the product volume is formed by the unjoined area between of the second surface of the first web that is folded upon itself and wherein the product volume is separate from the structural support volume formed between the first web and the second webs.

2. The method of claim 1, further including forming a product dispensing opening at the adjacent first and second edges.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the product dispensing opening is defined by forming one or more seals that join facing portions of first and second webs at the first and second edges to define one or more boundaries of the product dispensing opening.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the container first side edge region and the container second side edge region are joined by one or more side edge seals and the method further comprises cutting the one or more side edge seals to define a perimeter shape of the flexible container.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more side seals are formed and cut in a single unit operation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining a product dispensing opening in the sheet at the first fold, wherein the product dispensing opening is disposed in the bottom of the container.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the product dispensing opening is defined at the first fold before forming the second fold.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the product dispensing opening is defined by forming one or more seals that join the facing portions of the first surface at the first fold to define one or more boundaries of the product dispensing opening, and cutting a portion of the first fold between the boundaries of the product dispensing opening to provide an opening through which product can flow.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising defining a product filling port at the first and second edges after forming the third fold.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein defining the product filling port comprises forming at least one seal that joins the facing portions of the first surface at the first and second edges, the at least one seal defining at least a portion of a boundary of the product filling port.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising defining a structural support volume expansion port at the first and second edges.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the flexible container has a top and a bottom and the method further comprises forming a product dispensing opening in the top of said flexible container.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the structural support volume is a fillable space configured to be at least partially filled with one or more expansion materials to form an expanded structural support volume.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising filling said structural support volume with one or more expansion materials to form an expanded structural support volume.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said expansion materials are selected from the group consisting of:

liquids, gases, fluent products, foams, co-reactive materials that produce gas, phase change materials that can be added in solid or liquid form, but which turn into a gas, and combinations of any of these.