Flexible material for flexible package

• US 10,399,746 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2014
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PrimaPak, LLC
• Original Assignee: PrimaPak, LLC
• Inventors: Sanfilippo, James J., Sanfilippo, John E., Skaggs, Jeanne M., Soria, Francisco Javier, Radenovic, Milorad, Wyslotsky, Bohdan, Georgelos, Paul, Montefusco, Pat, Speer, Roy, Forowycz, Roman
• Primary Examiner(s): Battisti, Derek J
• Application Number:
  US14/194,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20140301674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2155/00 Flexible containers made from webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2160/20 with structural provision for thickness of contents
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2170/20 having multi-layered walls, e.g. laminated or lined
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/00 Making flexible containers, e.g. envelopes or bags
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/60 Uniting opposed surfaces or edges; Taping
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/184 by applying tabs over discharge openings, e.g. over discharge openings defined by tear or score lines
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 9/22 Forming shoulders; Tube formers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/16 End- or aperture-closing arrangements or devices valves of valve bags B65D31/14 ; removable stoppers or caps B65D39/00, B65D41/00; closures of filled bags B65D77/10; closing filled bags in association with packaging B65B7/00, B65B51/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4266 Folding lines, score lines, crease lines
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5838 combined with separate fixed tearing means, e.g. tabs

Abstract

A flexible, stackable, recloseable container for storing a quantity of products comprising a plurality of walls defined by a first sheet and a second sheet attached to at least a portion of the first sheet. The second sheet extends over at least three of the walls. The opposing container walls each have a sealed portion and one or more tucks, the tucks comprising a portion of the first sheet tucked toward the interior volume. A portion of the second sheet defines a recloseable feature located over an opening for reclosing the container. The second sheet includes a line of reduced strength at or adjacent at least a boundary adjacent the tucks and disposed between the opposing container walls each having the sealed portion and an adjacent container wall. The second sheet can include a hinge about which the recloseable feature pivots from closed position to open position.

Claims

1. A flexible package, comprising:

a plurality of panels that cooperate to define an interior volume of the package, the plurality of panels being defined by a main package sheet and comprising;

a first panel disposed between and adjacent to second and third panels disposed transverse to the first panel;

a first boundary line defined by an intersection between the first and second panels; and

a second boundary line defined by an intersection between the first and third panels;

one or more corners defined at terminal ends of the first boundary line and/or the second boundary line;

an opening defined in at least the first panel;

a stiffening sheet attached to the main package sheet in at least a portion of the first panel and at least a portion of the second panel, wherein the opening is defined in the main package sheet and the stiffening sheet, and the stiffening sheet comprises one or more corner reliefs disposed at the corners, such that the portion of the main package sheet defining the corners extends through one or more corner reliefs;

a flap containing sheet having a reclosable flap defined therein, the flap containing sheet being attached to the main package sheet in at least a portion of the third panel and attached to the main package sheet or the stiffening sheet in at least a portion of the first panel, wherein

the reclosable flap is pivotable between a first position in which the reclosable flap overlies the opening and a second position in which the reclosable flap is disposed away from the opening such that the opening is exposed.

2. The flexible package of claim 1, wherein a portion of the stiffening sheet is attached to a portion of the main package sheet in the third panel and the flap containing sheet is attached to the portion of the stiffening sheet in the third panel and to a portion of the main package sheet in the third panel.

3. The flexible package of claim 1, wherein the flap containing sheet is attached to the sheet in the first panel.

4. The flexible package of claim 1, wherein the stiffening sheet has a thickness of about 5 mils to about 15 mils, and the flap containing sheet has a thickness of about 1 mils to about 5 mils.

5. A flexible package, comprising:

a first panel disposed between second and third panels that are transverse to the first panel;

an opening defined in at least the first panel;

a first boundary line defined by an intersection between the first and second panels;

a second boundary line defined by an intersection between the first and third panels;

fourth and fifth panels disposed adjacent to opposite ends of the first panel and extending between the second and third panels, wherein the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth panels are formed from a main package sheet;

a third boundary line defined by an intersection between the first and fourth panels;

a fourth boundary line defined by an intersection between the first and fifth panels;

first and second tuck folds disposed adjacent to the third and fourth boundary lines, respectively, the first and second tuck folds defined by portions of the main package sheet that are tucked inwardly towards an interior of the package and disposed behind the fourth and fifth panels, respectively;

a stiffening sheet comprising a first portion attached to at least a portion of the first panel and at least one second portion attached to at least a portion of at least one of the first and second tuck folds, wherein the at least one second portion has a first end disposed adjacent to a boundary between the first panel and the at least one of the fourth and fifth panels and a second end opposite the first end, wherein a width of the at least one second portion at the first end is wider than a width of the at least one second portion at the second end;

a flap containing sheet having a reclosable flap defined therein, the flap containing sheet being attached to the main package sheet in at least a portion of the third panel and attached to the main package sheet or the stiffening sheet in at least a portion of the first panel, wherein

the reclosable flap is pivotable between a first position in which the reclosable flap overlies the opening and a second position in which the reclosable flap is disposed away from the opening such that the opening is exposed.

6. The flexible package of claim 5, wherein the stiffening sheet further comprises a third portion attached to the main package sheet in at least a portion of the second panel.

7. The flexible package of claim 5, wherein the at least one second portion has a tapered shape, converging from the first end to the second end.

8. The flexible package of claim 5, wherein the flap containing sheet is attached to the stiffening sheet in the first panel.

9. The flexible material of claim 5, wherein the package comprises one or more corners defined by the main package sheet at one or more terminal ends of at least one of the first boundary line and the second boundary line;

and one or more corner reliefs defined by the stiffening sheet, each of the one or more corner reliefs receiving the one or more corners.

10. The flexible package of claim 5, wherein the stiffening sheet has a thickness of about 5 mils to about 15 mils, and the flap containing sheet has a thickness of about 1 mils to about 5 mils.