Abstract: A convertible package having an interior for holding a flowable product, e.g., a powder or granular material. The package includes at a front panel, a rear panel, and a removable covering. The front and rear panels are formed of a flexible sheets having a peripheral edge along which the panels are heat sealed to form the package's hollow interior. The removable cover is made up of a front cover sheet and a rear cover sheet, which are formed of a flexible material and are of a sufficient extent to encompass the entire area of the front panel and rear panels, respectively. The cover sheets are releasably secured along their periphery to respective ones of the packages front and rear panels to effectively isolate those panels from the ambient surroundings. The two cover sheets are arranged to be peeled off the panels, leaving the front and rear panels secured together with the product sealed within the hollow interior of the package.

Abstract: Flexible packages for holding a product, e.g., dry cereal, which are arranged to be opened to form a bowl to enable the product to prepared therein and/or eaten therefrom. The packages each basically comprises a front panel, a rear panel, and a bottom panel, all formed of a flexible sheet material. The front and rear panels each include a top edge, a pair of opposed side edges, and a bottom edge. The front and rear panels are fixedly secured together along the side edges. The peripheral edge of the bottom panel is fixedly secured to the inside surface of the front and rear panels above their bottom edges to form a hollow pocket for receipt of the product. The front and rear panels of each package are sealed along their top edges to isolate the product in the pocket from the ambient atmosphere, but are separable, e.g., can be severed, adjacent their top edges to enable the front and rear panels to separate to convert the pocket into a bowl. The product can then be prepared, e.g.

Abstract: An interlocking pour-spout closure for a flexible, gusseted package and a flexible gusseted package including such a closure. The package is formed of a flexible material and includes a front panel, a rear panel, and a pair of opposed side gussets. The package is initially sealed, e.g., by a peelable seal line. The panels and gussets each include a top portion. The package also includes a pour-through mouth, e.g., a portion of the panels and one side gusset is arranged to be removed from the remainder of the package. The pour-through mouth is located at the top of the package at one of the side gussets and is arranged to be opened by the pour-spout closure to provide access to the contents of the package. The closure includes a pair of closure sections hingedly secured to each other and each section includes a cut-away portion.

Abstract: Flexible packages for holding a product, e.g., dry cereal, which are arranged to be opened to form a bowl to enable the product to prepared therein and/or eaten therefrom. The packages each basically comprises a front panel, a rear panel, and a bottom panel, all formed of a flexible sheet material. The front and rear panels each include a top edge, a pair of opposed side edges, and a bottom edge. The front and rear panels are fixedly secured together along the side edges. The peripheral edge of the bottom panel is fixedly secured to the inside surface of the front and rear panels above their bottom edges to form a hollow pocket for receipt of the product. The front and rear panels of each package are sealed along their top edges to isolate the product in the pocket from the ambient atmosphere, but are separable, e.g., can be severed, adjacent their top edges to enable the front and rear panels to separate to convert the pocket into a bowl. The product can then be prepared, e.g.

Abstract: A snap closure for a flexible, gusseted package and a flexible gusseted packing including the closure. The package includes a mouth portion arranged to be opened to provide access to the contents of the package. The package is formed of a flexible material and includes a front panel, a rear panel, and a pair of opposed side gussets. The panels and gussets each include a top portion, which between them define the package's mouth. The package's mouth is initially sealed but arranged to be opened, e.g., peeled apart. The snap closure enables the resealing of the mouth of the package and is made up of a pair of elongated elements, one of which includes a tongue extending along the length of it. The other element includes an undercut groove extending along the length of it. The elements are arranged to be pressed together, whereupon the tongue of the one element enters the groove of the other element with portions of the panels and side gussets tightly interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A snap closure for a flexible, gusseted package and a flexible gusseted packing including the closure. The package includes a mouth portion arranged to be opened to provide access to the contents of the package. The package is formed of a flexible material and includes a front panel, a rear panel, and a pair of opposed side gussets. The panels and gussets each include a top portion, which between them define the package's mouth. The package's mouth is initially sealed but arranged to be opened, e.g., peeled apart. The snap closure enables the resealing of the mouth of the package and is made up of a pair of elongated elements, one of which includes a tongue extending along the length of it. The other element includes an undercut groove extending along the length of it. The elements are arranged to be pressed together, whereupon the tongue of the one element enters the groove of the other element with portions of the panels and side gussets tightly interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A package fabricated from a flexible sheet material capable of being sealed for closing off the interior of the package from ambient atmosphere is disclosed. The package has two or more side walls and a like number of side seams. The package has an open upper end portion terminating in a free edge. The inner surface of the side walls has a releasably securable adhesive adjacent the upper end portion in a pattern wherein the adhesive does not extend into the area of the side seams, thus increasing the structural integrity of the package.

Abstract: A dispensing package formed of a flexible material, e.g., a plastic film or laminate, and having two separate compartments for holding paste-like materials therein until they are to be dispensed together from the package. The package also includes an outlet in the form of a fitment having a removable cap coupled to the two compartments. The first compartment is formed by an outer panel of the package and one section of a gusset panel which forms a first inner panel. The second compartment is formed by another outer panel of the package an another section of the gusset panel which forms a second inner panel. One outer panel and its immediately adjacent inner panel are secured together along their bottom marginal edges. The other outer panel and its immediately adjacent outer panel are welded together along their bottom marginal edges.

Abstract: An interlocking pour-spout closure for a flexible, gusseted package and a flexible gusseted package including such a closure. The package is formed of a flexible material and includes a front panel, a rear panel, and a pair of opposed side gussets. The package is initially sealed, e.g., by a peelable seal line. The panels and gussets each include a top portion. The package also includes a pour-through mouth, e.g., a portion of the panels and one side gusset is arranged to be removed from the remainder of the package. The pour-through mouth is located at the top of the package at one of the side gussets and is arranged to be opened by the pour-spout closure to provide access to the contents of the package. The closure includes a pair of closure sections hingedly secured to each other and each section includes a cut-away portion.

Abstract: A snap closure for a flexible, gusseted package and a flexible gusseted packing including the closure. The package includes a mouth portion arranged to be opened to provide access to the contents of the package. The package is formed of a flexible material and includes a front panel, a rear panel, and a pair of opposed side gussets. The panels and gussets each include a top portion, which between them define the package's mouth. The package's mouth is initially sealed but arranged to be opened, e.g., peeled apart. The snap closure enables the resealing of the mouth of the package and is made up of a pair of elongated elements, one of which includes a tongue extending along the length of it. The other element includes an undercut groove extending along the length of it. The elements are arranged to be pressed together, whereupon the tongue of the one element enters the groove of the other element with portions of the panels and side gussets tightly interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A snap closure for a flexible, gusseted package and a flexible gusseted packing including the closure. The package includes a mouth portion arranged to be opened to provide access to the contents of the package. The package is formed of a flexible material and includes a front panel, a rear panel, and a pair of opposed side gussets. The panels and gussets each include a top portion, which between them define the package's mouth. The package's mouth is initially sealed but arranged to be opened, e.g., peeled apart. The snap closure enables the resealing of the mouth of the package and is made up of a pair of elongated elements, one of which includes a tongue extending along the length of it. The other element includes an undercut groove extending along the length of it. The elements are arranged to be pressed together, whereupon the tongue of the one element enters the groove of the other element with portions of the panels and side gussets tightly interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A hermetic package for fine particulate material. The package is arranged to be filled and vacuumized to hold the fine particulate material therein and isolated from the ambient atmosphere. The package, which may be in the form of a pouch or a gussetted packages, is formed of a flexible material to have at least a front and a rear panel. At least one degassing valve is mounted in at least one of the panels to enable gas within the interior of the package to vent to the ambient atmosphere. A filter sheet, e.g., a spun-bonded plastic, such as Tyvek.RTM., is secured to the interior of the package over the valve to prevent the fine particulate material within the package from entering into the valve and clogging it. The filter sheet may cover only a small portion of one of the panels of the package or may cover a major portion of that panel, or even cover substantially the entire interior of the package. The package includes a top portion forming a mouth, which is arranged to be opened, e.g.

Abstract: A package including a degassing valve for holding a material, e.g., a particulate material, within the package isolated from the ambient atmosphere. The degassing valve is mounted on the wall panel and basically comprises a cap, a base, and a flexible disk. The cap is a hollow cylindrical member from which three peripheral portions are cut away to form three equidistantly spaced peripheral outlet ports disposed above an uninterrupted ring-like portion of the cap. The base is a generally cup-shaped member having first portion arranged to be located and snap-fit within the cap member and which forms a valve seat. An inlet port extends to the valve. The disk is located on the valve seat and covering the inlet port but is movable with respect thereto.

Abstract: A package, e.g., carton or box, for a flowable product, e.g., dry cereal. The carton/box has a planar front panel, a planar rear panel, a planar top panel, a planar bottom panel, a pair of planar side panels, and a closure assembly. The upper panel merges with the front panel at a front corner and merges with the rear panel at a rear corner. The upper panel includes two sections, pivotably connected to each other, with one of the sections located contiguous with the front corner and the other contiguous with the rear corner. The upper panel also has a first, e.g., U-shaped, portion arranged to be removed, e.g., torn away, adjacent one of the side panels to form a pouring spout. The closure assembly comprises a first releasably securable connector located adjacent the front corner, and a second releasably securable connector located adjacent the rear corner. The side panels of the package include plural preformed, e.g., weakened, lines located contiguous with the top panel.

Abstract: A package for holding abrasive, greasy or oily material, such as dry pet food. The package is formed of a web of flexible material and has an outer surface and an inner surface. The web comprising plural layers adhesively secured to one another. The layers are in sequence from the outer surface of the package to the inner surface thereof. The sequence of layers is a first film layer formed of a heat resistant and temperature resistant material, e.g., polyester film, a second layer formed of a shock-absorbing and heat resistant paper, e.g., Kraft paper, a third film layer formed of a puncture resistant, heat resistant barrier material, e.g., nylon, which also forms a gas and chemical barrier, and a fourth film layer formed of a moisture resistant sealable film material, polyethylene. The outer layer is transparent and indicia is provided between it and the paper layer so that the indicia is visible through the outer layer.

Abstract: A flexible, gussetted package having an interior for holding some particulate material product, e.g., food stuffs, under vacuum, and which includes a mouth to be opened to provide access to the contents of the package. The package is formed of a flexible material and includes a front panel, a rear panel, a pair of opposed side gussets and a pressure equalizing valve. The valve includes a displaceable slitted-aperture disk located on a valve seat and is arranged to operate in a first mode of operation wherein any gasses within the package are allowed to vent to the exterior of the package, by passing through the interface between the disk and the valve seat while the ambient atmosphere is precluded from entering into the interior of the package. The valve also operates in a second, transitory, mode wherein the slitted aperture in the disk allows a small amount of the ambient atmosphere to gain ingress into the interior so that the package's walls give a smooth appearance.

Abstract: A package for a folded inner tube for a pneumatic tire, e.g., a bicycle inner tube. The package is formed of a flexible material, and is in the form of a gussetted bag, defining a hollow interior in which the inner tube is located. The package includes plural panels or walls and a mouth which is arranged to be readily peeled open to provide access to the inner tube. When the vacuum is applied, this causes the material forming the package to closely conform to the exterior shape of the inner tube located within the package's hollow interior. This close conformance hardens the package, e.g., makes it resistant to injury. The close conformance of the walls of the package with the inner tube also causes the exterior surface of the package to assume an uneven, e.g., dimpled, state.

Abstract: A flexible, gussetted package having an interior for holding some particulate material product, under vacuum, and which includes a mouth to be opened to provide access to the contents of the package. The package is formed of a flexible material and includes a front panel, a rear panel, and a pair of opposed side gussets and a pressure equalizing valve. The valve is arranged to operate in a first mode of operation wherein any gasses within the package are allowed to vent to the exterior of the package, while the ambient atmosphere is precluded from entering into the interior of the package. The valve also operates in a second, transitory, mode wherein it allows a small amount of the ambient atmosphere to gain ingress into the interior so that the package's walls give a smooth appearance. The valve then enters into its third mode of operation wherein it isolates the interior of the package from the exterior.

Abstract: A flexible, gussetted package and method of making it. The package has an interior for initially holding some product, e.g., whole coffee bean or ground coffee, under vacuum, and which includes a mouth portion arranged to be peeled open to provide access to the contents of the package. The package is formed of a flexible material and includes a front panel, a rear panel, and a pair of opposed side gussets. The panels and gussets each include a top portion, which between them define the package's mouth. A peelable closure is provided within the mouth. A snap closure is provided above the peelable closure. The package is arranged to be sealed under vacuum, with the peelable closure maintaining the vacuum within the package until it is peeled open. The snap closure comprises a pair of snap strip members secured to respective portions of the front and rear panel.

Abstract: Flexible packages, each having a hollow interior including a pair of compartments for holding respective granular or powdered products isolated from each other. The packages are formed of flexible sheet material and comprises a front panel, a rear panel, and an intermediate panel. The front and rear panels each have a top edge portion, a bottom edge portion, and a pair of sides which are connected together. The bottom edge portions of the front and rear panels are sealed together. The intermediate panel has a pair of side edges and a bottom edge portion, with one of the side edges sealed to the package along one of the sides, and the other of the side edges is peelably sealed to the rear panel in one embodiment and to the front panel in another embodiment. The top edge portion of the intermediate panel is permanently sealed to the top edge portion of one panel and is peelably sealed to the top edge portion of the other panel.