CUBOID POUCHES OR PACKAGING AND METHODS FOR MAKING AND USING THE SAME

Abstract

Cuboid pouches or packaging, specifically pouches or packaging having a cuboid shape such as pouches or packaging having, roughly, six sides and roughly in the shape of a cube, a rectangular prism, or other similar shape, are provided. The cuboid pouches or packaging preferably include an extended lip or seal, providing an opening and/or a hanging element. Preferably, the cuboid packaging may be made from plastic film, although other materials may also be used, such as coated paper, paperboard, flexible cardstock, or combinations of the same. Methods for making and using the same are further provided.

Claims

1. A cuboid-shaped pouch or package comprising: a front side surface, a rear side surface, a left side surface, a right side surface, a top side surface, and a bottom side surface; an interior volume within the cuboid pouch or package; and an opening in a top surface thereof, wherein the opening comprises a pathway for adding materials to or removing materials from the interior volume of the cuboid pouch or package, wherein the right side surface and the left side surface each comprise a heat seal extending from corners thereof toward the center of the right and left side surfaces.

2. The cuboid-shaped pouch or package of claim 1 wherein the cuboid pouch or package is made from a material comprising a thermoplastic film, a coated paper, or a paperboard.

3. The cuboid-shaped pouch or package of claim 2 wherein the material comprises a heat sealable layer.

4. The cuboid-shaped pouch or package of claim 1 wherein the opening extends from the right side surface and the left side surface across the top side surface.

5. The cuboid-shaped pouch or package of claim 1 wherein the opening comprises a closure.

6. The cuboid-shaped pouch or package of claim 1 wherein the heat seal in right side surface and the left side surface, respectively, each comprise a V-shaped seal extending from the top corners and further wherein each comprise an upside-down V-shaped seal extending from the bottom corners.

7. The cuboid-shaped pouch or package of claim 6 further comprising a linear seal extending from the V-shaped seal and the upside down V-shaped seal.

8. The cuboid shaped pouch or package of claim 1 further comprising a first lip or flap extending from the top side surface.

9. The cuboid shaped pouch or package of claim 8 wherein the first lip or flap extends from a corner between the rear side surface and the top surface thereof.

10. The cuboid shaped pouch or package of claim 8 wherein the first lip or flap extends from a corner between the front side surface and the top surface thereof.

11. The cuboid shaped pouch or package of claim 8 further comprising a second lip or flap extending from the top side surface.

12. The cuboid shaped pouch or package of claim 11 wherein the first lip or flap extends from a first corner between the rear side surface and the top surface thereof and wherein the second lip or flap extends from a second corner between the front side surface and the top surface thereof.

13. A method of making a cuboid pouch or package, the method comprising the step of: forming a multilayer film by folding a first film over itself or sealing a first film to a second film, wherein the multilayer film comprises a sealed first side and an open second side; folding first and second sides of the multilayer film inwardly to form first and second gussets within the first and second sides of the multilayer film forming a film structure; attaching a closure to the open second side of the two layer film; applying heat seal bars across the film structure to form heat seals across the film structure to form sealed ends of the film structure; cutting across the film structure near or adjacent the heat seals to form a plurality of lay flat film structure configurations in a side-by-side arrangement; expanding the gussets and pushing the sealed ends inwardly to form the cuboid pouch or package.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of: extending a lip or flap from the open second side of the multilayer film.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the closure is adjacent the lip or flap.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the closure is a plastic zipper, a tape, an adhesive, a hook and loop fastener, or a magnetic fastener.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the heat seals of each film structure configuration is in the shape of an X pattern.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the heat seals of each film structure configuration is in the shape of a V on a top of the sealed end of the film structure, an upside down V on a bottom of the sealed end of the film structure, and a line between the V and the upside down V.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of; filling the cuboid pouch with material.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of: printing indicia on at least one face of the cuboid pouch or package.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord with the present concepts, by way of example only, not by way of limitations. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.

[0047] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a cuboid-shaped package in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] FIG. 2 illustrates a planar view of a cuboid-shaped package in a lay-flat configuration in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a cuboid-shaped package in an additional embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] FIG. 4 illustrates a planar view of a cuboid-shaped package in a lay-flat configuration in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a cuboid-shaped package in yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] FIG. 6 illustrates a step-by-step manufacturing process flow chart in an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0053] The present invention comprises cuboid pouches or packaging, specifically pouches or packaging having a cuboid shape such as packaging having, roughly, six sides and roughly in the shape of a cube, a rectangular prism, or other similar shape. The cuboid pouches or packaging preferably includes one or more extended lips, flaps, or seals, providing an opening and/or a hanging element. Preferably, the cuboid pouches or packaging may be made from plastic film, although other materials may also be used, such as paper, flexible cardstock, or combinations of the same. Methods for making and using the same are further provided.

[0054] Now referring to the figures, wherein like numerals refer to like parts, FIG. 1 illustrates a cuboid pouch or package 10 in an embodiment of the present invention. The cuboid pouch 10 may comprise a front side surface 12, a back side surface 14, a right side surface 16, a left side surface 18, a top side surface 20, and a bottom side surface 22, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Specifically, the cuboid pouch 10 comprises, generally, six side surfaces or faces, thereby forming the cuboid structure. The cuboid pouch 10 is illustrated as a rectangular prism, but it should be noted that the cuboid pouch may be a cube, wherein all faces are the same area. In addition, the various sides and faces may be various lengths, thereby forming pouches or packaging having different volumes therein, as necessary for filling with objects or other material.

[0055] Preferably, the cuboid pouch 10 may be formed from a single layer of film, such as film that is manipulated via folding and sealing to form the cuboid pouch 10, as described below with reference to FIG. 6. However, it should be noted that the cuboid pouch 10 may be constructed from any number of separate films via sealing of the films together or through a combination of folding, sealing, and cutting. As such, the films used for manufacturing the cuboid pouch 10 may preferably be thermoplastic films having one or more layers useful for holding products therein. For example, the films may have functional layers, such as oxygen barriers, layers for strength, rigidity, or other like physical characteristics, or other like functionalities. Preferably, the films described herein and used for the manufacture of the cuboid pouch 10 and other structures described below may be heat sealable, such as via a heat sealable layer within the film structure, such that application of heat, such as heat from a sealing bar or the like, may cause the film to seal to itself.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 1, the cuboid pouch 10 may have a plurality of folds or creases 24 forming the tubular structure of the cuboid pouch 10. Likewise, through seals 26, the left and right sides 16, 18, may enclose and encapsulate the volume 30 disposed within the cuboid pouch 10. The seals 26 may be formed having a cross-seal pattern, which may be imparted through the application of heat sealing bars when disposed in a lay-flat configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and as described with respect to FIG. 6. The seals 26 may extend roughly at 45 degrees from the sides thereof, extending from the four corners of the left and right sides 16, 18. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the cross-seal pattern may be in the form of an X or, as shown in FIGS. 3-5, the cross-seal pattern may include an extended vertically or horizontally disposed seal portion 132 between the top V portion and the bottom upside down V portion of the cross-seal. The extended vertically or horizontally disposed seal portion 132 may allow the height or width of the pouches described herein to vary, thereby allowing for differently shaped cubes and/or rectangular prisms.

[0057] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a lip or flap 40 may extend from the back side 14 of the cuboid pouch 10, which may be formed from a plurality of layers, either part of a single film folded over itself or two separate films sealed together. The lip or flap 40 may operate as a handle for holding the packaging (such as, for example, via apertures or holes applied therein), which may be useful during transport or display of the cuboid pouch, such as display on a retail store shelf or the like. The lip or flap may further serve as a mouth or opening for accessing and/or obtaining objects or material contained within the cuboid pouch 10. It should be noted that the lip or flap 40, while shown extending from the back side 14 of the cuboid pouch 10, may extend from any side disclosed herein, such as from the front side 12. Likewise, while the cuboid pouch 10 shows a single lip or flap 40 extending therefrom, a plurality of lips or flaps may extend from the pouch, such as shown in FIG. 5 illustrating a first lip or flap 240 extending from a back side 214 and a second lip or flap 242 extending from a front side 212 of the cuboid pouch 200 disclosed therein. The lips or flaps 40, 140, 240, 242, as described herein, may include apertures or the like for a user to extend his or her hand therethrough for grasping the same or for hanging on a display or for other like purposes.

[0058] Within or disposed near or adjacent the lip or flap 40, or other lips or flaps, may be a closure 50, such as a reclosing mechanism at or adjacent to the mouth or opening thereof. Specifically, the closure 50 may preferably seal or close off access to the interior of the cuboid pouch 10 when closed but may allow access to the volume 30 disposed therein when opened. Preferably, the closure 50 may be a plastic zipper, or other like closure mechanism that may be repeatedly opened and closed for accessing, filling, and or retrieving objects or material from the cuboid pouch 10. The closure 50 may, of course, be made from other materials as well, such as hook-and-loop fasteners, such as Velcro, tapes, adhesives, magnetic fasteners or closures, or other like materials or mechanisms. Alternatively, the closure 50 may further utilize permanent one-time use seals, such as curable adhesives, tape, heat seals, or other like materials or mechanisms. In addition, combinations of closures may be used, such as one-time heat seals to prevent premature access to the interior of the cuboid pouch 10 and the contents thereof in addition to repeatably openable and closeable mechanisms, such as plastic zippers, tapes or adhesives, hook-and-loop materials, magnetic fasteners or closures, or other like materials or mechanisms. A heat seal 52 may further be applied across the lip or flap 40 for providing an additional closure until a consumer opens the pouch 10 to obtain the material therein.

[0059] As detailed and described below with reference to the process detailed in FIG. 6, the cuboid pouch 10 may be formed by utilizing one or more heat sealable films, folding the heat sealable films in such a way as to form a first gusset 60 on a bottom end and a second gusset 62 on a top end of the cuboid pouch when the cuboid pouch is in a lay-flat configuration, as shown in FIG. 2. The gussets 60, 62 may extend from edges thereof toward the center of the lay-flat configuration of the cuboid pouch. Upon sealing the ends of the cuboid pouch 10 in the lay-flat configuration, thereby forming the cross-seals, the cuboid pouch may be utilized as needed.

[0060] FIGS. 3-4 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present invention, showing a cuboid pouch 100 having front and back sides 112, 114, left and right sides 116, 118, and top and bottom sides, 120, 122, thereby forming the cuboid pouch from the creases 124 and seals 126, 132 applied thereto via gussets 160, 162. Because of the extended vertical seal portion 132, the height of the cuboid pouch may be controlled during the manufacture process. Further, while a lip or flap 140 extends from the back side 114 thereof, it may also optionally extend from the front side 112 thereof instead and the position of the lip or flap 140 may be changed as desired. As with the cuboid pouch 10, described above with reference to FIGS. 1-2, the cuboid pouch 100 may include a closure 150 at or near the lip or flap 140 and a heat seal 152 extending across the lip or flap 140.

[0061] Likewise, FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present invention of a cuboid pouch 200 having the first lip or flap 240 extending from the back side 214 of the cuboid pouch 200 and the second lip or flap 242 extending from the front side 216 thereof. The two lips or flaps 240, 242 may allow a user to grasp both to use as handles, thereby providing additional strength and prevent tearing of the film when in use, especially when heavy objects or material are contained within the cuboid pouch 200. For example, a material such as cat litter or another pourable solid, gel, or liquid may be contained within the cuboid pouch 200. The two lips or flaps 240, 242 may be grasped and held by a user thereof for picking up and transporting the same, and/or for opening the same to pour the material therefrom. One or both of the lips or flaps 240, 242 may contain a closure 250 for opening and accessing an interior of the cuboid pouch 200.

[0062] FIG. 6 illustrates a preferred and exemplary step-by-step manufacturing process flow chart 300 for forming a cuboid pouch, such as a cuboid pouch or package described above with reference to FIGS. 1-5, in an embodiment of the present invention. In a first step 302, a single heat sealable film may be laid out, such as via stretching from a roll over roll bars or the like for maintaining a flat configuration without slack in a packaging machine, and then folded over from one side to another via folding means. In step 304, the film may further be folded over inwardly on a first side and a second side thereof, forming first and second gussets on opposite sides thereof, to produce, essentially, a lay-flat tube having a bottom layer and top layer with sides folded inwardly. When made from a single film, a first side may comprise a fold (from when the film is folded over itself in step 302) and a second side may comprise an opening to the interior of the lay flat tube.

[0063] On the side of the lay-flat tube having an opening, one or both of the bottom layer and the top layer may extend to form one or more lips or seals extending past the gusset and opening on that side by folding over additional film material and sealing the same together via step 306. In step 308, a closure, such as a plastic zipper or other like closure mechanism may be applied between the top and bottom layers of the lay-flat tube, thereby providing the closure over the opening, allowing the interior space within the pouch to be accessed for adding material thereto and/or removing material therefrom. The closure may be heat sealed to the interior heat sealable surfaces of the top and bottom layers of the lay-flat pouch.

[0064] In step 310, cross heat sealing bars may be applied to the lay-flat tube, thereby sealing the top layer together and the bottom layer together across the gussets. Upon cooling and curing of the heat sealable layers together, the lay-flat pouch may be cut, punched, or otherwise separated from adjacent pouch units at or near the cross heat seals via step 312. Individual pouch units may thereby be collected and utilized for holding items therein.

[0065] When in use, the volumes of the individual pouch units may be expanded, thereby expanding the gussets open to from the top and bottom side surfaces and forcing the cross-heat sealed right side and left side surfaces inwardly, thereby forming the cuboid pouch or package. The cuboid pouch or package may thereby be filled with objects or material, the closure closed, and the opening further optionally heat-sealed for holding the objects or material therein for storage and/or sale in retail stores or the like.

[0066] It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. Further, references throughout the specification to the invention are nonlimiting, and it should be noted that claim limitations presented herein are not meant to describe the invention as a whole. Moreover, the invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein.