RECLOSABLE PACKAGE
A flexible package has a reclosing function. The package has a first panel and a second panel sealed to each other along their perimeters to form a sealed perimeter surrounding an interior storage space. The sealed perimeter has an upper seal, a bottom seal, a first side seal, and a second side seal opposite the first side seal. The first side seal and the second side seal both connect to the upper seal and the bottom seal. A spout is formed in the sealed perimeter when the package is open along at least a portion of the upper seal. A discharge channel leads from the spout through the upper seal to the interior storage space. A first recess is along the second side seal; and a second recess is along the upper seal opposite the discharge channel from the first recess. The first recess can engage the second recess such that a fold line is formed that intersects the discharge channel to close the discharge channel.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/245,699, filed Sep. 25, 2009.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to a reclosable flexible package that is designed to contain products such as liquid and granules.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONFlexible packages are used to contain a wide variety of consumer products including liquid and granules, such as shampoos, hair conditioners, laundry detergents, dish detergents, fabric enhancers, liquid soaps, beverages and the like. Some of these flexible packages are made of polymeric film materials such as polyethylene and/or polypropylene. The perimeters of the packages are typically sealed so as to contain the contents.
Some flexible packages, i.e., refill flexible packages, are thrown away after the whole contents are transferred to another package such as a jar and a bottle. Such flexible packages are normally provided with no reclosing function because they are neither designed nor intended to be reclosed after initial opening. Therefore, such disposable flexible packages are not suitable for storage, carrying or repeated use after initial opening. If current flexible packages are designed for repeated use, then they need a reclosing function such as a cap and a lid.
When the spout of a flexible package is left open without a reclosing function, the contents may leak or spill from the spout if the package falls or is tipped over. Sometimes flexible material for the package is too soft to keep the package standing up. Leaking and/or spilling may cause the outside of the package to be dirty and/or slippery. Thus, there is a need for reclosable flexible packages which control, reduce and/or minimize leakage.
Some flexible packages are provided with a reclosing function like a screw cap. However, a separate material like a screw cap is sometimes difficult to use. For example, it is usually not easy to open the package by rotating the screw cap with only one hand. The package typically needs to be held with the other hand. Thus, it would be beneficial if a consumer could open the package with one hand.
Further, when the package is opened by releasing the screw cap, the screw cap is typically separated from the package main body. The consumers may drop the screw cap or even lose it, especially when handling the package with wet hands. Therefore, a simple, connected structure is desirable. In addition, reclosable mechanisms such as screw caps and snap-fit caps are not made of the film material itself, but require the use of a separately-formed structure which is then connected to the pouch. This adds undesirable manufacturing complexity as well as cost.
There remains a need for a flexible package having a simple, identifiable reclosing mechanism. There is also a need for a flexible package having a reclosing function without using an extra material. The cost requirement in the consumer products is often so severe that addition of another material and/or structure may significantly increase the cost and complexity of the package.
Thus, it is one of the objectives of the present invention to achieve a flexible package that is easily reclosable and reopenable, which prevents leakage after opening and reclosing, and/or which can be produced easily and at a reasonable cost. Another objective of the invention is to create a method which enables packages to be reclosed after initial opening. The present invention may control, reduce and/or minimize the leakage of the remaining package contents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a flexible package with a reclosing function. The package has a first panel and a second panel sealed to each other along their perimeters to form a sealed perimeter surrounding an interior storage space. The sealed perimeter has an upper seal, a bottom seal, a first side seal, and a second side seal opposite the first side seal. The first side seal and the second side seal both connect to the upper seal and the bottom seal. The package also has a spout formed in the sealed perimeter when the package is open along at least a portion of the upper seal. The package further has a discharge channel leading from the spout through the upper seal to the interior storage space. The package has a first recess along the second side seal and a second recess along the upper seal opposite the discharge channel from the first recess. The first recess can engage the second recess such that a fold line is formed that intersects the discharge channel.
Without wishing to be bound by theory, the reclosing function provided for the package may be beneficial to the consumers because the consumers can easily reclose/reopen the package with one hand. Further, the consumers can handle the package easily with a wet hand. Further, the package herein can be realized by a simple structure of a flexible material with a combination of recesses. As it does not require other special material than the flexible material, the structure can be manufactured at a very low cost. The package herein serves to control, reduce and/or minimize the leakage and spillage of the remaining contents in the package.
Herein, “comprise” means that other elements and/or other steps which do not affect the end result can be added. This term encompasses the terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of”.
Herein, “thermoplastic” means any polymeric material that will repeatedly soften when contacted with heat and harden when cooled which can be extruded, casted or otherwise formed into a film or sheet material.
The present invention relates to a flexible package with a reclosing function. The package has a first panel and a second panel sealed to each other along their perimeters to form a sealed perimeter surrounding an interior storage space. The sealed perimeter has an upper seal, a bottom seal, a first side seal, and a second side seal opposite the first side seal. The first side seal and the second side seal both connect to the upper seal and the bottom seal. The package has a spout formed in an end of the sealed perimeter when the package is open along at least a portion of the upper seal. The package has a discharge channel leading from the spout through the upper seal to the interior storage space. The package has a first recess along the second side seal, and a second recess along the upper seal opposite the discharge channel from the first recess. The first recess can engage the second recess such that a fold line is formed that intersects the discharge channel to close the discharge channel.
The package may further have a bottom so as to form a self-standing package. Such a self-standing package may serve to store the package at home, such as on the shelf and on the floor without further support. The bottom may have a material comprising a fold and the bottom connects the first panel to the second panel.
The package may have a reinforced area in a location such as adjacent to the first recess, and/or the second recess. The reinforced area may help the flexible package less deteriorated even if reclosing and reopening are repeated.
The sealed perimeter may further have a tearing notch in the sealed perimeter, e.g., in the second side perimeter or in the upper perimeter. The tearing notch serves to open the spout easily without using a cutting device such as a pair of scissors and a knife.
The package may have a plurality of second recesses. Then, consumers can choose the appropriate position of the second recess, e.g., according to the volume of the product in the interior storage space.
The first recess may be formed by a slit in the first panel and the second panel. The combination of slits can be helpful for the closure of the discharge channel because the consumers can engage the slits intuitively without being annoyed.
The first recess and the second recess may be a perforation and/or a series of perforation. The perforation may be torn to form the recess when used to engage.
The package may have a flow enhancing mechanism such as an embossment and a rigid material, in the discharge channel. The flow enhancing mechanism assists the consumers to dispense the product out of the package easily.
The first panel and the second panel may be formed by a single sheet of material. Alternatively, the first panel may be a different material from the second panel.
The present invention is more readily understood by the attached non-limiting drawings.
Suitable thermoplastic materials include, but are not limited to, polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutadiene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamides, polyesters, polyvinylchloride derivatives, co-polymers thereof, and mixtures thereof. The thermoplastic film may include polyethylene, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate, 1,2-polybutadiene, and mixtures thereof. The thermoplastic film may be mono-extruded or co-extruded. The thermoplastic film may have one or more layers or coatings of thermoplastic film material which are laminated together.
The flexible film may have a thickness of from about 10 ♀m to about 400 ♀m, or from about 20 ♀m to about 200 ♀m, or from about 38 ♀m to about 150 ♀m. Suitable materials for use have a film forming polymers having a melting point from about 90° C. to about 300° C., or from about 100° C. to about 200° C. Further, suitable sheet forming polymers for use with the present invention may have a glass transition temperature from about 85° C. to about 300° C., or from about 100° C. to about 150° C.
The package when filled may be slacked such that a volume of air is present in the package. The package may comprise from about 5% to about 80%, from about 10% to about 70%, or from about 20% to about 60% of air by volume.
The first panel, 22, and the second panel, 26, are sealed to each other along their perimeters, 24 and 28, to form a sealed perimeter, 30, surrounding an interior storage space, 32. The package, 20, contains a product, 33, such as a liquid fabric enhancer in the interior storage space, 32. The sealing of the perimeters, 24 and 28, may be carried out by heat-bonding, ultrasonic sealing, adhesive sealing, pressure sealing, etc. In
The package, 20, has a first recess, 46, along the second side seal, 40, and a second recess, 48, along the upper seal, 34, opposite the discharge channel, 44, from the first recess, 46. Herein, “recess” refers to a slit or an incision having a narrow cut whose one end is open and the other end is closed. The shape of the first recess, 46, and the second recess, 48, may be a linear slit or a curved slit, but it is not limited to them. The first recess, 46, is capable of engaging the second recess, 48, such that a fold line, 50, is formed therebetween. The fold line, 50, intersects the discharge channel, 44, to at least partially, or entirely, close the discharge channel, 44. The first recess, 46, is a slit in the first panel 22 and the second panel 26.
The package, 20, has a tearing notch, 47, which enables consumers to open the spout, 42. With a notch, consumers need not bother to use a cutting device such as a pair of scissors and a knife. After tearing the tearing notch, 47, the product, 33, contained in the interior storage space, 32, can be dispensed. The tearing notch 47 can be a line of weakness wherein the thermoplastic film is cut or otherwise deformed in a pattern to provide a weaken section of the package, can be an indicator showing the consumer where to cut the package or can be a recess formed by a die cut. See e.g. U.S. Patent Publ. No. 2003/0019780 A1 to Camargo et al. and WO 93/18988 A1 to Scholz et al.
In
When the first recess, 46, and the second recess, 48, are engaged (see
To reopen the package, 20, of
The package, 20, has a discharge channel, 44, which has a flow enhancing mechanism, i.e., an embossment, 58, therein. The embossment, 58, extends along the discharge channel, 44, from the spout, 42, toward the interior storage space, 32, to help prevent the discharge channel, 44, from collapsing and/or closing when the product, 33, is poured out. The embossment, 58, may be formed on the first panel, 22, and/or on the second panel, 26. The embossment may include a circle, a straight line, a wavy line, an oval, a square, a rectangle, etc. may be preferably employed. The embossment may extend along the discharge channel from the interior storage surface toward the spout. The embossment may be formed parallel, obliquely or perpendicular to the product communication direction. The embossment, 58, forms an indentation (or alternatively a protrusion, a more rigid or a more resilient part) in the pathway of the product, 33. The embossment, 58, may prevent the sides of the discharge channel, 44, from sticking to each other and serves to improved handling of the package, 20, when the product, 33, is dispensed.
After filling the interior storage space, 32, of the package, 20, with the product, 33, the package, 20, is sealed. When the consumer dispenses the product out of the package, 20, the tearing notch 47 (see
Apart from the features of first/second recesses of the invention, such packages may be of any shape and size and may serve as containers for liquid and granular products.
The package, 20, may contain a product, 33, in the interior storage space 32, such as a laundry detergent composition, a fabric softening composition, a hard surface cleaning composition, a shampoo composition, a hair conditioning composition, a skin care composition, a bleach and a mixture thereof. The product, 32, contained in the package, 20, typically has a physical form such as liquid, a granule, a tablet, a paste, a gel and a mixture thereof. The package herein may contain, by weight, from about 10 g to about 5000 g, or from about 100 g to about 4000 g, or from about 500 g to about 3000 g of product therein. The package herein may contain, by volume, from about 10 ml to about 5000 ml, or from about 100 ml to about 4000 ml, or from about 500 ml to about 3000 ml of product therein.
The reclosing function provided for the package is beneficial to the consumers because the consumers can easily reclose and reopen the package with one hand. Further, the consumers can handle the package easily with a wet hand. Further, the package herein can be realized by a simple structure of a flexible material with a combination of recesses. As it does not require other special material than the flexible material, the structure can be manufactured at a very low cost. The package herein serves to control, reduce and/or minimize the leakage and spillage of the remaining product in the package.
It is understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purpose only and that various modifications or changes will be suggested to one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm”.
Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.
Claims
1. A reclosable flexible package comprising:
- A. a first panel comprising a perimeter;
- B. a second panel comprising a perimeter, the second panel sealed to the first panel along their perimeters to form a sealed perimeter surrounding an interior storage space, the sealed perimeter comprising: i. an upper seal, a bottom seal opposite the upper seal, and a first side seal connected to the upper seal and the bottom seal, and ii. a second side seal opposite the first side seal, the second seal connected to the upper seal and the bottom seal;
- C. a spout formed in the sealed perimeter when the package is open along at least a portion of the upper seal;
- D. a discharge channel leading from the spout through the upper seal to the interior storage space;
- E. a first recess positioned along the second side seal; and
- F. a second recess positioned along the upper seal opposite the discharge channel from the first recess, the first recess being capable of engaging the second recess such that a fold line is formed that intersects the discharge channel.
2. The package according to claim 1 further comprising a bottom so as to form a self-standing package.
3. The package according to claim 2, wherein the bottom comprises a material comprising a fold connecting the first panel to the second panel.
4. The package according to claim 1 additionally comprising a reinforced area, wherein the reinforced area's position is selected from adjacent to the first recess, adjacent to the second recess, and a mixture thereof.
5. The package according to claim 1 wherein the sealed perimeter further comprises a tearing notch in the sealed perimeter.
6. The package according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of second recesses.
7. The package according to claim 1 wherein the first recess is formed by a slit in the first panel and the second panel.
8. The package according to claim 1 wherein the package comprises a perforation, and wherein the perforation is torn to form a recess selected from the group consisting of the first recess and the second recess.
9. The package according to claim 1, wherein the package comprises a flow enhancing mechanism.
10. The package according to claim 9, wherein the flow enhancing mechanism is selected from a group consisting of an embossment and a rigid material.
11. The package according to claim 1 comprising a product in the interior storage space, the product selected from the group consisting of a laundry detergent composition, a fabric softening composition, a hard surface cleaning composition, a shampoo composition, a hair conditioning composition, a skin care composition, a bleach and a mixture thereof.
12. The package according to claim 11 wherein the product comprises a physical form selected from the group consisting of a liquid, a granule, a tablet, a paste, a gel and a mixture thereof.
13. The package according to claim 1 wherein the first panel and the second panel comprise a single sheet of material.
14. The package according to claim 1 wherein the first panel is a different material from the second panel.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 21, 2010
Publication Date: Mar 31, 2011
Inventors: Vinod KUMAR (Bangalore), Lakshminarayana GIRIDHAR (Bangalore)
Application Number: 12/886,603
International Classification: B65D 33/00 (20060101); B65D 30/16 (20060101); B65D 33/02 (20060101);