Abstract: A container for packaging a particulate product under pressure or vacuum conditions with an easy opening closure structure which allows venting prior to uncovering of the product opening. In one form, an easy peel flexible lid covers a shelf area and a product opening in the top of the can. Peeling back the lid first uncovers the vent opening, permitting the flow of gases but preventing the flow of particulate product, and then uncovers the product opening. Alternatively, the closure structure may be formed by multiple layers of a flexible material, the lower layer of which has the vent opening which is uncovered by peeling back the top layer, after which the product opening is uncovered.

Abstract: An easy open tabbed package made of a flexible laminate material comprises a product enclosure having side walls, a bottom portion and an overlapping top portion. The overlapping top portion includes opposing flaps having a sealable region wherein a hand-peelable heat seal can be applied and a raised grippable tab means integral with the sealable region of each flap. The package is designed to enclose a product such as roast and ground coffee which can be vacuum-packed and peelably sealed inside the flexible laminate enclosure. The tab means, which preferably comprises a wave-shaped raised tab, is constructed integrally with the peel-seal region and greatly facilitates opening of the package by pulling outwardly from the center.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing infusion coffee filter packs in which a first strip of filter paper is placed adjacent to a mold having a cylindrical mold pocket, and the strip of filter paper is caused, either mechanically or by a vacuum, to conform to the cylindrical mold pocket. The conforming step causes the surface area of the first strip of filter paper to stretch and increase by at least three percent relative to its area prior to the conforming step. A measured quantity of ground coffee is then deposited into the mold pocket over the filter paper conformed thereto. A second strip of filter paper is placed over the first strip of filter paper and the ground coffee in the mold pocket. The first and second strips of filter paper are then sealed together around the coffee filled mold pocket, as by a heat sealing press pressing and sealing the strips together. The filter paper is then trimmed as by die cutting to produce a half inch wide flange area extending around the mold pocket.