Flexible stand-up pouch container for flowable products

Abstract

A flexible thermoformed stand-up dispensing package for a flowable material is mass produced using dies that provide a container portion, optionally with a dispensing tube, the package having in use a base wall of relatively large area for stably supporting the opened package on a horizontal surface without loss of the flowable contents in either an up-right configuration with a relatively narrower upper region or a low profile package. which optionally includes a dispensing tube.

Claims

1. A highly flexible thermoformed low profile stand-up dispensing package for a flowable material, the package produced in a shape-defining die from one or more heat-sealable polymeric sheets and comprising: a. a highly flexible bottom sheet thermoformed into a container portion that includes a recessed chamber having a bottom surface and integrally formed opposing side walls, a top wall and a base wall and bounded by a peripheral area, the chamber configured and arranged to receive the flowable material, and b. a highly flexible top cover sheet superposed on, and heat-sealed to the periphery of the bottom sheet wherein the opposing sidewalls are generally trapezoidal and the wide end of the trapezoid defines the depth of the top wall of the recessed chamber, and the opposite end of each of the sidewalls defines the base wall, a predetermined depth of the top wall defining a free air space above the surface of the flowable material in the sealed package when the exterior of the bottom surface of the package is in contact with a horizontal surface, the bottom surface being dimensioned to maintain the center of gravity of the flowable material in the package over the bottom surface, and where the inherent flexibility of each of the one or more polymeric sheets comprising the dispensing package results in the deformation of the surfaces of the base wall, opposing side walls, and top wall in response to the movement of the flowable material when the filled package is removed from the die, which flexibility of the sealed dispensing package results in its deformation to lower its resulting center of gravity when the exterior of the bottom surface of the filled package is in contact with a horizontal surface.

2. The package of claim 1, further comprising a dispensing tube integrally formed with, and projecting from the top wall of the container portion and bounded by a contiguous peripheral seal, the dispensing tube defining a dispensing channel configured and dimensioned for passing the flowable material from the chamber, the base of the dispensing tube channel being in fluid communication with the chamber, the integral dispensing tube being formed from the highly flexible bottom sheet and heat-sealed in co-planar relation to the top cover sheet, whereby the end of the dispensing tube is vertically displaced from the surface of the flowable material when the exterior of the bottom surface is in contact with a horizontal surface.

3. A highly flexible thermoformed stand-up dispensing package for a flowable material, the package produced in a shape-defining die from one or more heat-sealable polymeric sheets and comprising: a. a highly flexible bottom sheet thermoformed into a container portion that includes a recessed chamber having a bottom surface and integrally formed opposing side walls, a top wall and a base wall and bounded by a peripheral area, the chamber configured and arranged to receive a flowable material, and b. a highly flexible top cover sheet superposed on, and heat-sealed to the periphery of the bottom sheet, wherein the bottom surface of the recessed chamber is convexly curved from the top wall outwardly to the base wall and the contour of the adjoining sidewalls are defined by the curved surface, the base wall being dimensioned to maintain the center of gravity of the flowable material in the sealed package over the base wall when the base wall of the filled package is in contact with a horizontal surface, and where the inherent flexibility of each of the one or more polymeric sheets comprising the dispensing package results in the outward deformation of the opposing side walls, bottom surface and top cover sheet in response to the movement of the flowable material when the filled package is removed from the die, which flexibility of the sealed dispensing package results in its deformation to lower its resulting center of gravity when the exterior of the base wall of the filled package is in contact with a horizontal surface.

4. The package of claim 3, wherein the end of the bottom surface opposite the base wall is spaced-apart a predetermined distance from the top cover sheet to define a rectilinear top wall.

5. The package of claim 3, wherein the end of the bottom surface opposite the base wall intersects the top cover sheet at the periphery of the recessed chamber, whereby the top wall of the package is defined by a line.

6. The package of claim 3, wherein the ends of each of the opposing side walls opposite the base wall terminate in a triangular configuration and the top wall of the package is a linear seam defined by the intersection of the cover sheet and the end of the bottom surface opposite the base wall.

7. The package of claim 3, further comprising a dispensing tube integrally formed with, and projecting from the top wall of the container portion and bounded by a contiguous peripheral seal, the dispensing tube defining a dispensing channel configured and dimensioned for passing the flowable material from the chamber, the base of the dispensing tube channel being in fluid communication with the chamber, the integral dispensing tube being formed from the highly flexible bottom sheet and heat-sealed in co-planar relation to the top cover sheet, whereby the end of the dispensing tube is vertically displaced from the surface of the flowable material when the package is in contact with a horizontal surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be described in further detail below and with reference to the attached drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flexible thermoformed stand-up package of the prior art with a bottom gusset;

(3) FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a flexible thermoformed stand-up package oriented vertically having a wide base wall in accordance with the present invention as formed and supported in the thermoforming die;

(4) FIG. 2B is a simplified schematic cross-sectional side elevation of a thermoforming die configured and dimensioned to produce the embodiment of the flexible package of FIG. 2A in which the top wall is defined by a thermosealed line, and the base wall forms a right angle with the top cover sheet;

(5) FIG. 2C is a perspective view of a flexible thermoformed dispensing package that is configured and dimensioned similarly to the package of FIG. 2A that includes an integrally formed dispensing tube having an internal extension;

(6) FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a flexible thermoformed stand-up package oriented vertically having a wide base wall in accordance with the present invention as formed and supported in the thermoforming die;

(7) FIG. 3B is a simplified schematic cross-sectional side elevation of a thermoforming die configured and dimensioned to produce the embodiment of the flexible package of FIG. 3A in which the top wall is defined by a thermosealed line, and the base wall forms a right angle with the bottom surface of the die;

(8) FIG. 3C is a perspective view of a flexible thermoformed dispensing package that is configured and dimensioned similarly to the package of FIG. 3A that includes an integrally formed dispensing tube having an internal extension;

(9) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a flexible thermoformed dispensing package oriented vertically that has a planar top wall and that includes an integrally formed dispensing tube having an internal extension, where the bottom surface is formed with a concave configuration;

(10) FIG. 5 is a simplified schematic cross-sectional side elevation of a thermoforming die configured and dimensioned to produce the embodiment of the flexible package of FIG. 4 having a planar top wall, where the base wall forms a right angle with the top cover sheet and the bottom surface is formed with a convex configuration;

(11) FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a flexible thermoformed dispensing package that is configured and dimensioned similarly to the package of FIG. 4 that includes an integrally formed dispensing tube having an internal extension, where the bottom surface is formed with a concave configuration;

(12) FIG. 6B is a simplified cross-sectional side elevation of a thermoforming die similar to that of FIG. 5 in which the bottom surface of the die is convexly curved from its intersection with the base wall to form the package of FIG. 6A;

(13) FIG. 7A is a top and side perspective view of a thermoformed package with a dispensing tube and having a low profile defined by the narrow ends of the trapezoidal side walls that define the base wall;

(14) FIG. 7B is a simplified schematic cross-section side elevation of a thermoforming die configured and dimensioned to form the embodiment of FIG. 7A with a dispensing tube and trapezoidal side walls, where the planar bottom surface of the die forms the support for the package in use;

(15) FIG. 7C is a right side elevation of the package of FIG. 7A illustrating the deformation of the walls to lower the center of gravity of the package when it is filled with a flowable product;

(16) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the flexible thermoformed package of the invention that is configured for vertical suspension on a retail display rack;

(17) FIG. 9 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 12 schematically illustrating another configuration of the package adapted for vertical suspension on retail display rack supports;

(18) FIG. 10 is a left side front perspective view of a flexible thermoformed package of FIG. 11 that has been filled with flowable contents illustrating the deformation and lowered center of gravity; and

(19) FIG. 11 is the same perspective view of the package of FIG. 10 as formed in the die shown in the vertically oriented stand-up position on a horizontal surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(20) Referring first to FIG. 2A, there is schematically illustrated a thermoformed package in accordance with the invention in which the opposing sidewalls 212A are triangular and the base wall 214A intersects the top cover sheet at right angles.

(21) A cross-sectional elevation view of the mold in FIG. 2B used to thermoform the package of FIG. 2A illustrates this relationship. The bottom surface of the die 218A as shown is planar and the apex of the triangular sidewalls results in a top wall that is defined by the heat sealing of the top cover sheets and the bottom sheet along line 216. A similar arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 2C, where the package 200C includes a dispensing tube 240, but is otherwise of the same configuration.

(22) Referring to FIG. 3A, an embodiment is illustrated where the bottom surface 318A and the base wall 314A form a right triangle which is best shown in the side elevation of the die in FIG. 3B. FIG. 3C illustrates a similar configuration of the planar bottom surface and base wall where the package is provided with a dispensing tube 340 that extends into the recessed chamber containing the typically liquid beverage.

(23) FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of an up-right package in which the recessed chamber is formed with a top wall 416 and the bottom surface 518 of the die 500, as illustrated in FIG. 5 is convex, thereby producing a corresponding concave configuration of the surface 418 of the thermoformed package 400. In this configuration, the base wall 414 forms a right angle with the top cover sheet and the concave wall 418 forms a vertical wall when the package is in use. Note that the die 500 has opposing sidewalls 512 that are generally trapezoidal as defined by parallel base wall 514 and top wall 516, although the bottom surface 518 is curved.

(24) The orientation of the die in FIG. 4 represents the production stage where the horizontal top line corresponds to the bed of the HTFFS machine. The package as illustrate in FIG. 4 is configured with one end of side wall 412 much deeper resulting in a deeper draw than the opposite end from which the dispensing tube projects. When filled, the package will assume the self-supporting stand-up orientation on the base. As will be described below, maintaining the position or orientation shown in FIG. 4 is assisted by the material filling the package, whether it is a liquid or a dry flowable material. A flowable solid product will also move under the force of gravity to settle into the wider lower region to expand the packaging material, so that the center of gravity is shifted to the larger portion creating a weighted bottom region which permits the otherwise flexible pouch to stand in a generally vertical position on a horizontal surface between uses.

(25) Referring now to FIG. 6A, a similar configuration to FIG. 4 is illustrated where the top wall 616A of the package formed by the corresponding top wall 616B of the die as shown in FIG. 6B. Here also the bottom surface 618A of the thermoformed package assumes a concave configuration as formed by the convex surface 618B of the die as shown in FIG. 6B and the package top wall 616A correspondingly formed by the top wall of the die 616B.

(26) The low profile flexible dispensing package will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7C. Referring first to FIG. 7A, the package 700 includes a dispensing tube 740 having end seal 746 and tear line 744. In this embodiment, the trapezoidal sidewalls 712A are configured to provide a relatively narrower base wall 714A and a wider or deeper top wall 716A.

(27) The configuration of the die is illustrated in FIG. 7B where the dimensions of the relatively shallow base wall 714B as configured to the top wall 716B are clear. In this embodiment, the bottom surface 718A of the package as formed by the planar bottom surface of the die 718B serves as the supporting surface when the package is placed on a horizontal surface as shown in FIG. 7C. It is noted that the top wall and base wall expand outwardly due to the internal pressure of the liquid L inside of the container. This expansion of the top wall 716C has the desirable effect of lifting the dispensing tube 740 which is opened by removal of the end seal 746 above the surface of the liquid L which is parallel to the horizontal surface supporting the opened package 700. Since the package is highly flexible, the user can easily grasp the portion of the package above the free or air space to sip the liquid from the open end of the dispensing tube 740.

(28) Both the up-right and low profile embodiments produce a flexible stand-up pouch container, thereby allowing the user to open and dispense or consume a portion of the product, place the flexible pouch down on a horizontal surface without loss of the product from the open container, and then, at a later time, dispense or consume the balance of the product.

(29) It will be understood that the product labeling will take into account the orientation of the surface that will be displayed when the package is placed on a horizontal surface at the point of retail sale, or on a table by a consumer during use. In the embodiment where the height of the package is relatively small, a trademark or other identifier can be prominently displayed on the edge as viewed by the consumer when the package is shelved.

(30) The flexible stand-up pouch containers of the present invention provide the capability of forming single-use and securely resealable liquid containers that take advantage of the inherent flexibility of the packaging material that enables it to deform and effectively lower its center of gravity over the supporting wall predetermined when the opened package is in contact with a horizontal supporting surface.

(31) In an embodiment, the upper portion of the package is provided with a zipper and slide recloseable opening at the time of manufacture. Suitable polymer zipper devices are commercially available, e.g., from Zip-Pak in Manteno, Ill. This type of closure can be incorporated on the top cover sheet. The cover sheet is slit or otherwise provided with a narrow opening and the closure heat-sealed to the sheet so that it is in the sealed position when the bottom sheet and top cover sheet are heat sealed after filling. Alternatively, the zipper and slide closure can be purchased from the manufacturer on a continuous web that serves as the top sheet. Another advantage of this configuration is the ability to reuse, i.e., refill, the package once the original contents have been dispensed.

(32) In an embodiment of the invention, the top portion or a corner opposite the supporting base or bottom surface can be provided with a laser or heat-scored tear line for the manual removal of a portion of the sealed package and its periphery in order to dispense the contents. Placement of the line of separation of the portion of the package to be removed will necessarily take into account the volume of the contents and the amount of free air space when the package is positioned on a horizontal surface. This determination is well within the skill of the art.

(33) In an embodiment, the package can be formed at the time of manufacture with an extension of the periphery that is provided with one or more openings to receive retail display supports, e.g., for stocking the product or for point of purchase display.

(34) Reference is now made to FIG. 8 which illustrates a filled heat sealed flexible stand-up pouch container 800 that is provided with a dispensing tube 840. This embodiment of the invention is also configured for placement on a retail sale display rack. In this configuration, the improved dispensing package is produced with a wide peripheral seal 860 at the top adjacent the dispensing tube 840. One or more openings 862, 864 are provided in a sealed area that are configured and dimensioned to receive a conventional horizontal support of the type used by retail establishments to display packaged snacks and the like. The openings can be die cut, punched or produced by heat deformation. Reinforced openings 862, 864 permit display of the package for sale without taking up valuable shelf space and allows placement at the check out station, e.g. at convenience stores, to encourage impulse purchases.

(35) Referring now to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9, the sealed package 900 includes an extended heat sealed peripheral portion 960 opposite the dispensing tube 940. The extended peripheral portion 960 is provided with at least one, but preferably at least two, or as illustrated here, four openings 962 to permit the finished package to be positioned on a display rack at the point of sale or other retail location. Due to the flexibility of the polymer films forming the bottom and top sheets which are heat sealed at this location, the projecting suspension portion 960 will not interfere with the stability of the package when it is placed on the base surface. It will also be understood that the projecting portion can extend from the opposite top wall 916 adjacent the dispensing tube 940 of the package.

(36) Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the former illustrates the thermoformed package shown in the up-right position as contained in the thermoforming die that has been filled partially with a flowable material, thereby causing the expansion of the sidewalls and the front panel which corresponds to the bottom surface of the die as previously described. As will be appreciated from the illustration of FIG. 10, the ability of the highly flexible packaging material to be easily deformed, but without rupturing or tearing of the heat-sealed peripheral seams, enables the package to present a lower center of gravity and thereby stabilize the open package. This effect is achieved whether the package is provided with the dispensing tube as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, or if the dispensing tube is omitted and the upper portion of the package is fitted with a zipper and slide closure or with a weakened corner-tear line.

(37) It is to be understood that the relative dimensions depicted in the schematic illustrations of the several embodiments disclosed are not meant to be limiting and that the figures are not intended to be drawn to any particular scale. Rather the specific configurations and orientations of the packaging are meant to be illustrative and informative of the scope of the invention as will readily be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. It will also be understood that the inclusion of dispensing tubes in any one or the other of the various embodiments depicted is optional and that the package will have utility when provided with other dispensing means, including weakened tear lines and recloseable polymeric zipper closures known to the art.

(38) The dimensions for the width and depth of the base wall when used in the upright configuration are not critical and, as will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, can readily be determined based upon the volumetric fill or contents of the weight to be placed in the dispensing package in order to achieve stability when the open package is on a horizontal supporting surface. Suitable dimensions for a flexible thermoformed package with a dispensing tube and internal extension containing 8 fl. oz. of a beverage, are as follows, all measurements being in millimeters (mm): base wall 6565; top opening 1565; length of dispensing tube 70; width of dispensing channel 15; overall width to periphery of dispensing tube including seal 28; narrow end of trapezoidal side wall at top wall 11; and angle of bottom surface to top cover sheet 28. Dimensions (in mm) for a package without a dispensing tube internal extension for a 42 fl. oz. fill are a width of 105 and a length of 150.

(39) While various exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described above, and in the attached drawings, further modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from these examples and these descriptions. The scope of the invention is to be determined with reference to the claims that follow.