Shaped Flexible Pouch With Elongated Neck And Method Of Manufacture

• US 20090056281A1
• Filed: 08/27/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pouch Pac Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: Pouch Pac Innovations, LLC
• Inventors: Murray, R. Charles
• Application Number:
  US12/199,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20090056281A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/455
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/02 Machines characterised by the incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles from flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material B65B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/02 Machines characterised by the incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 31/042 the nozzles being arranged for insertion into, and withdrawal from, the container or wrapper
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/60 rotatable
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 53/00 Shrinking wrappers, containers, or container covers during or after packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/16 Forming suspension apertures in packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/18 for making package-opening or unpacking elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/186 by applying or incorporating rigid fittings, e.g. discharge spouts
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/20 for adding cards, coupons or other inserts to package contents adding unpacking elements B65B61/18
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/205 for adding drinking straws to a container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/008 Standing pouches, i.e. "Standbeutel"
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/563 Integral handles or suspension means B65D75/566 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5805 for tearing a side strip parallel and next to the edge, e.g. by means of a line of weakness
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5811 and defining, after tearing, a small dispensing spout, a small orifice or the like
• 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

Abstract

Accordingly, the present invention is an improved flexible pouch for a product and an improved apparatus and method for manufacturing the pouch. The flexible pouch, apparatus and methodology for a pouch includes an upper edge and side edges extending therefrom. The upper edge includes an elongated spout portion extending therefrom. The elongated spout portion can have shape representative of a bottle cap attached to a top of bottle throat. In addition, the elongated spout portion can have an opening element that affords for tearing off the bottle cap shaped portion and allow access to the product.

Claims

1. A flexible container for packaging a product, said container comprising:

a flexible pouch having an elongated spout portion extending therefrom; and

an opening element located at least partially within said elongated spout portion, said opening element operable to create an opening across said elongated spout portion so that a product contained in said flexible pouch can be removed.

2. The flexible container of claim 1, wherein said elongated spout portion has the shape of a bottle cap portion attached to a top of a bottle throat portion.

3. The flexible container of claim 1, wherein said opening element is a notch located at least partially within said elongated spout portion.

4. The flexible container of claim 3, wherein said elongated spout portion has a pair of side edges extending from said flexible pouch.

5. The flexible container of claim 4, wherein said notch is located in at least one of said pair of side edges.

6. The flexible container of claim 1, wherein said flexible pouch has a front panel and a back panel, said front panel and said back panel each having an upper edge and a pair of side edges extending from said upper edge, said elongated spout portion extending from said upper edge in a direction generally away from said pair of side edges.

7. The flexible container of claim 6, wherein a side seam joins one of said pair of side edges of said front panel to one of said pair of side edges of said back panel, said side seam extending to and joining a predetermined distance of said upper edge of said front panel to said upper edge of said back panel.

8. The flexible container of claim 7, wherein a closing seam overlaps said side seam and joins at least part of said upper edge and at least part of said elongated spout portion of said front panel to at least part of said upper edge and at least part of said elongated spout portion of said back panel.

9. A flexible pouch for packaging a product, said pouch comprising:

a front panel and a back panel, said front panel and said back panel each having an inner surface, an upper edge, a pair of side edges extending from said upper edge and an elongated spout portion extending from said upper edge in a direction generally away from said pair of side edges;

a side seam joining one of said pair of side edges of said front panel to one of said pair of side edges of said back panel, said side seam extending to and joining a predetermined distance of said upper edge of said front panel to said upper edge of said back panel;

a closing seam overlapping said side seam and joining at least part of said upper edge of said front panel to said upper edge of said back panel, said closing seam also joining at least part of said elongated spout portion of said front panel to at least part of said elongated spout portion of said back panel;

an opening element located at least partially within said elongated spout portion of said front and back panels.

10. The flexible container of claim 9, wherein said elongated spout portion has a top edge.

11. The flexible pouch of claim 10, wherein said closing seam joins at least part of said elongated spout portion of said front panel to at least part of said elongated spout portion of said back panel along said top edge.

12. The flexible pouch of claim 9, wherein said opening element is a notch located at least partially within said elongated spout portion, for the purpose of providing a tear-off top.

13. The flexible pouch of claim 12, wherein said notch is spaced apart from said top edge.

14. The flexible pouch of claim 12, wherein said notch is spaced apart from said closing seam.

15. The flexible pouch of claim 9, further comprising an aperture located at least partially within said front panel and said back panel, said aperture operable to hang the flexible pouch from a member extending through said aperture.

16. The flexible pouch of claim 15, wherein said aperture is located at least partially within said elongated spout portion.

17. The flexible pouch of claim 15, wherein said aperture is located at least partially within said side seam.

18. A process of making a flexible pouch containing a product, the method comprising:

providing a roll of flexible material;

unrolling the flexible material from the roll;

cutting a section from the flexible material, the section having a front panel and a back panel, each panel having an inner surface, an upper edge, a pair of side edges extending from said upper edge and an elongated spout portion extending from said upper edge in a direction generally away from said pair of side edges;

arranging the front panel and the back panel such that the inner surface of the front panel is facing the inner surface of the back panel;

forming a pair of side seams by joining the pair of side edges of the front panel to the pair side edges of the back panel, the side seams extending to and joining a predetermined distance of the upper edge of the front panel to the upper edge of the back panel, the side seam also leaving an opening between the upper edge and the elongated spout portion of the front panel and the upper edge and the elongated spout portion of the back panel;

blowing hot air onto the elongated spout portion of the front panel and the elongated spout portion of the back panel, the blowing of hot air curling a top edge of at least one of the elongated spout portions;

inserting a tube within the opening;

passing a product through the tube into a container formed by the front panel and the back panel;

removing the tube from the container;

sealing the container by joining at least part of said upper edge and at least part of said elongated spout portion of said front panel to at least part of said upper edge and at least part of said elongated spout portion of said back panel; and

forming an opening element for opening the container and allowing access to the product contained in the flexible pouch.

19. The process of forming a flexible pouch of claim 18, wherein the opening element is a notch cut into the elongated spout, the notch operable to create a tear across said elongated spout and allow the product to exit the flexible pouch.

20. The process of forming a flexible pouch of claim 19, wherein the elongated spout portion has a bottle cap shaped portion extending from a bottle top shaped portion.

21. The process of forming a flexible pouch of claim 20, wherein the notch is located within the bottle top shaped portion and is spaced apart from the bottle cap shaped portion of the elongated spout portion.