Flexible material for flexible package

• US 10,532,855 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2014
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• 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:
  US14/333,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20140328552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,008 Days
• Field of Search: 383203, 383207, 383200, 383205, 383208, 383210, 383 47, 383 48, 3832101, 383211
• 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, reclosable 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 reclosable 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 reclosable feature pivots from closed position to open position.

Claims

1. A flexible material for a flexible package, comprising:

a first sheet comprising a plurality of panel regions comprising a first panel region disposed between second and third panel regions, wherein the first sheet comprises an opening region disposed in at least one of the first, second, or third panel regions, and the opening region is defined by a line of reduced strength in the first sheet; and

a second sheet directly attached to the first sheet in each (i) at least a portion of the at least one of the first, second, and third panel regions in which the opening region is defined, and (ii) at least a portion of a panel region adjacent to the at least one of the first, second or third panel region such that the second sheet crosses a boundary between the at least a portion of the at least one of the first, second, and third panel regions in which the opening region is defined,

wherein;

the boundary extends between two corner regions of the first sheet, the corner regions defining corners of the package when the flexible material is configured into the package,

the second sheet comprises apertures extending over the corner regions, such that when the flexible material is configured into the package, the corners extend through the apertures in the second sheet,

a portion of the second sheet overlies the opening region and comprises a line of reduced strength in the second sheet that defines a reclosable flap that is configured to partially detach from a remaining portion of the second sheet along the line of reduced strength in the second sheet to expose the opening region,

the reclosable flap is integral with the remaining portion from which it partially detaches,

the opening region of the first sheet is configured to separate from a remaining portion of the first sheet along the line of reduced strength in the first sheet and adhere to the reclosable flap to define an opening when the package is first opened, and

the line of reduced strength in the second sheet is arranged outbound of the line of reduced strength in the first sheet such that the reclosable flap has width that is wider than the opening region, and

the second sheet has a width that is wider than a width of the reclosable flap, and the second sheet is attached to less than an entirety of the first sheet even prior to detachment of the reclosable flap to expose the opening region.

2. The flexible material of claim 1, wherein the second sheet comprises one or more lines of reduced strength disposed at or adjacent to a boundary between the at least one of the first second, and third panel regions and the adjacent panel region.

3. The flexible material of claim 1, wherein the second sheet is attached to the first sheet in at least a portion of the first panel region, the second panel region, and the third panel region.

4. The flexible material of claim 3, wherein the second sheet comprises one or more lines of reduced strength disposed at or adjacent to a boundary between the first panel region and the second panel region.

5. The flexible material of claim 4, wherein the second sheet comprises one or more lines of reduced strength disposed at or adjacent to a boundary between the first panel region and the third panel region.

6. The flexible material of claim 1, wherein the second sheet further comprises one or more projections extending from an end of the flap and configured to detach from a remaining portion of the second sheet and pivot from a first position in which the one or more projections are in the same plane as the first sheet and a second position in which the one or more projections are angled relative to the first sheet.

7. The flexible material of claim 1, wherein the reclosable flap is resealably attached to the first sheet.

8. The flexible material of claim 1, wherein the flexible material comprising the first and second sheets is substantially flat and adapted to be folded into a package configuration.