Claims
- 1. A flexible pouch comprising:
- a first sheet having a first edge and a second edge;
- a second sheet having a first edge and a second edge, the first edges of the first and second sheets being sealed together by a seal and the second edges of the first and second sheets being sealed together by a seal;
- a compartment being formed in part by the first and second sheets between the sealed first and second edges thereof, the compartment having a bottom;
- a frangible element defining a pocket and a portion of the compartment, a drink opening to the compartment being readily formable in the frangible element;
- a rim formed around the bottom of the compartment, the rim being spaced from and extending outwardly from the bottom of the compartment and including a first section and a second rim section, each rim section including a middle portion and two beveled end portions; and
- at least three coplanar points of contact projecting from the rim for stabilizing the pouch when the pouch is resting on the points of contact, the at least three coplanar points of contact each being engageable with a support surface when the pouch is resting on the rim, each of the middle portions having at least one of the coplanar points of contact thereon, the coplanar points extending beyond the beveled end portions when the pouch is in an expanded condition such that the beveled end portions are out of contact with the support surface on which the pouch rests.
- 2. The flexible pouch according to claim 1, wherein an opening to the pocket extends from and between the seals at the edges of the first and second sheets.
- 3. The flexible pouch according to claim 1, wherein outer edges of the beveled end portions are angled relative to an adjacent middle portion at an angle between 4.degree. and 25.degree. when the pouch is in a flattened condition.
- 4. The flexible pouch according to claim 1, wherein the pouch is generally symmetrical about a medial plane intersecting the two seals and the bottom of the compartment and wherein at least one of the coplanar points of contact are provided on each side of the medial plane.
- 5. The flexible pouch according to claim 1, wherein the frangible element is a flexible gusset provided between the first and second sheets.
- 6. The flexible pouch according to claim 1, wherein the pouch has at least one side edge which forms an angle of greater than 90.degree. with an adjacent one of the beveled end portions.
- 7. A flexible pouch comprising:
- a first sheet having a first edge and a second edge;
- a second sheet having a first edge and a second edge, the first edges of the first and second sheets being sealed together by a first side seal and the second edges of the first and second sheets being sealed together by a second side seal, the first and second side seals extending continuously across from an outermost edge, which extends coterminously with the first and second edges of the first and second sheets, to an innermost edge;
- a compartment being formed in part by the first and second sheets between the sealed first and second edges thereof, the compartment having a bottom;
- a frangible element defining a pocket having a mouth opening and an access area extending from and between the first and second side seals at the edges of the first and second sheets, the frangible element defining a portion of the compartment and configured to allow an opening device to form a drink opening to the compartment when the opening device is placed within the pocket, each of the seals having a thickness measured from the edges of the sheets in a direction toward the compartment, the thicknesses of each of the seals varying at least in an area adjacent to the pocket, the seals configured for moving between first and second positions in the area adjacent to the pocket, the seals being closer to one another in the second position than in the first position, the edges of the first and second sheets at the mouth opening to the pocket being separated and bowed outward from one another to expand the mouth opening and the access area so as to receive the opening device therein when the seals are in the second position; and
- a rim formed around the bottom of the compartment, the rim being spaced from and extending outwardly from the bottom of the compartment.
- 8. A flexible pouch comprising:
- a front wall having first and second edges;
- a rear wall having first and second edges respectively sealed to the first and second edges of the front wall by at least one seam; and
- a membrane defining a pocket and an access area configured to selectively seal a compartment of the pouch, the membrane including:
- a first end portion sealed to an uppermost portion of the front wall by a first uppermost seam;
- a second end portion sealed to an uppermost portion of the rear wall by a second uppermost seam and offset from the first end portion so as to form an outer portion exposed outside the pocket and an inner portion extending inside the pocket when the first end portion and the second end portion are moved together, the inner portion being exposed when the first end portion and the second end portion are moved apart;
- a frangible portion located within the inner portion of the pocket penetrable by an opening device to form a drink opening to the pouch compartment when the opening device is placed within the pocket; and
- an identifying device extending from the outer portion to the inner portion of the pocket defined by the membrane and indicating to a consumer the location of the access area, wherein the identifying device comprises a color of the outer portion of the second end portion of the membrane that is different from an outer surface color of the front wall.
- 9. The flexible pouch of claim 8, wherein the at least one seam defines a seam area extending between an outermost side substantially coterminous with the first and second edges of the front and rear walls and an innermost side.
- 10. The flexible pouch of claim 8, wherein the at least one seam has an outermost edge and extends continuously across from the first and second edges of the first and second sheets to innermost edges.
- 11. The flexible pouch of claim 8, wherein the identifying device comprises at least one ridge pattern protruding from a surface of the membrane.
- 12. The flexible pouch of claim 11, wherein the at least one ridge pattern extends across a width of the outer and inner portions of the second end portion of the membrane so as to indicate where the access area is located when the first end portion and the second end portion are moved apart.
- 13. The flexible pouch of claim 8, wherein the membrane includes a crease extending between first and second side edges of the membrane.
- 14. The flexible pouch of claim 13, wherein the access area of the pocket has a width extending from and between the first and second side edges of the membrane and the identifying device is configured to extend across the width of the access area.
- 15. A flexible pouch comprising:
- a front wall having first and second edges;
- a rear wall having first and second edges respectively sealed to the first and second edges of the front wall by at least one seam; and
- a membrane defining a pocket and an access area configured to selectively seal a compartment of the pouch, the membrane including:
- a first end portion sealed to an uppermost portion of the front wall by a first uppermost seam;
- a second end portion sealed to an uppermost portion of the rear wall by a second uppermost seam and offset from the first end portion so as to form an outer portion exposed outside the pocket and an inner portion extending inside the pocket when the first end portion and the second end portion are moved together, the inner portion being exposed when the first end portion and the second end portion are moved apart;
- a frangible portion located within the inner portion of the pocket penetrable by an opening device to form a drink opening to the pouch compartment when the opening device is placed within the pocket; and
- an identifying device extending from the outer portion to the inner portion of the pocket defined by the membrane and indicating to a consumer the location of the access area, wherein the identifying device comprises a color within the pocket that is different from an outer surface color of the front wall.
- 16. A flexible pouch comprising:
- a front wall having first and second edges;
- a rear wall having first and second edges respectively sealed to the first and second edges of the front wall by at least one seam; and
- a membrane defining a pocket and an access area configured to selectively seal a compartment of the pouch, the membrane including:
- a first end portion sealed to an uppermost portion of the front wall by a first uppermost seam;
- a second end portion sealed to an uppermost portion of the rear wall by a second uppermost seam and offset from the first end portion so as to form an outer portion exposed outside the pocket and an inner portion extending inside the pocket when the first end portion and the second end portion are moved together, the inner portion being exposed when the first end portion and the second end portion are moved apart;
- a frangible portion located within the inner portion of the pocket penetrable by an opening device to form a drink opening to the pouch compartment when the opening device is placed within the pocket; and
- an identifying device extending from the outer portion to the inner portion of the pocket defined by the membrane and indicating to a consumer the location of the access area, wherein the identifying device comprises a material of the outer portion of the second end portion of the membrane that is different from an outer surface material of the front wall.
- 17. A flexible pouch comprising:
- a front wall having first and second edges;
- a rear wall having first and second edges respectively sealed to the first and second edges of the front wall by at least one seam; and
- a membrane defining a pocket and an access area configured to selectively seal a compartment of the pouch, the membrane including:
- a first end portion sealed to an uppermost portion of the front wall by a first uppermost seam;
- a second end portion sealed to an uppermost portion of the rear wall by a second uppermost seam and offset from the first end portion so as to form an outer portion exposed outside the pocket and an inner portion extending inside the pocket when the first end portion and the second end portion are moved together, the inner portion being exposed when the first end portion and the second end portion are moved apart;
- a frangible portion located within the inner portion of the pocket penetrable by an opening device to form a drink opening to the pouch compartment when the opening device is placed within the pocket; and
- an identifying device extending from the outer portion to the inner portion of the pocket defined by the membrane and indicating to a consumer the location of the access area, wherein the identifying device comprises a material within the pocket that is different from an outer surface material of the front wall.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/756,528 filed on Nov. 26, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,968, and of application Ser. No. 08/757,822 filed on Nov. 27, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,743, the entire contents of both applications are hereby incorporated by reference.
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Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
756528 |
Nov 1996 |
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Parent |
757822 |
Nov 1996 |
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