Pouch with flexible self-sealing dispensing valve

The present invention is directed to fluid-dispensing flexible pouches having at least a first wall portion, a second wall portion and a means to manually discharge a fluid product from inside the pouch. The means to manually discharge a fluid from inside the pouch comprises an orifice formed in either one of the first or second wall portions or a patch, and a flexible self-sealing dispensing valve having at least two intersecting lines of weakness formed in either one of the first or second wall portions or the patch.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to primary packaging for fluid or viscous products and the like, and in particular to pouches having a flexible self-sealing dispensing valve.

Many different types of packages or containers are presently available for packaging non-solid products of the type which are capable of flowing, such as fluid or fluidized materials, including liquids, pastes, powders, and the like, which substances are collectively and generically referred to herein as “fluids”. Fluid material also includes viscous food products like pancake batter, syrups and various types of condiments that include mayonnaise, guacamole, ketchup and mustard. Such foods are often provided to restaurants and food service providers in rigid or flexible plastic tubes. Some such packages include a dispenser which permits a selected amount of fluid to be discharged from the package, and then reseals to close the package. Typically, these self-sealing dispensing values are formed rigid plastic fitments heat fused or adhesively sealed to a flexible tube or pouch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to flexible fluid-dispensing pouches having at least a first wall portion, a second wall portion and a means to manually discharge a fluid product from inside the pouch. The means to manually discharge a fluid from inside the pouch comprises an orifice formed in either one of the first or second wall portions or a patch, and a flexible self-sealing dispensing valve having at least two intersecting lines of weakness formed in either one of the first or second wall portions or the patch. The means to manually discharge a fluid from inside the pouch may be configured such that either: (i) the orifice is formed in one of the first or second wall portions, and the flexible self-sealing dispensing valve is formed in the patch and the patch is superimposed over the orifice; or (ii) the flexible self-sealing dispensing valve is formed in one of the first or second wall portions, and the orifice is formed in the patch and the patch is superimposed over the flexible self-sealing dispensing valve.

As used herein, the phrase “flexible self-sealing dispensing valve” refers to a frangible discharge area formed in either one of the first, second or third wall portions of the pouch or a patch applied to the pouch. The valve is created by at least two intersecting lines of weakness that define three of more sections in the wall portion or in the patch which open in response to an applied force supplied by a fluid product contained therein and close themselves when the deflection force is removed. The efficacy of the self-sealing dispensing valve, i.e., the tightness of the discharge area, will depend on the resilience or stiffness of the material surrounding the valve and the material from which the valve is made.

Surprisingly, it was discovered that this resilience or stiffness can be controlled more effectively by the combination of an orifice and a flexible self-sealing dispensing valve when each is superimposed over the other in the construction of the pouch. When a fluid product inside the pouch is urged against the combined orifice and valve by manually squeezing the pouch, the sections formed by the intersecting lines of weakness of the valve must bend outwardly to permit the product to flow out of the pouch. The orifice provides additional bending resistance to the sections of the valve and limits the amount of the fluid product passing through the valve. Typically, the higher the viscosity of the product, the more force is required to bend the flexible sections outwardly. Generally, it is easier to manually control larger amounts of force than smaller amounts of force. It becomes more difficult to control the amount of low viscosity products exiting the pouch because the valve sections require a relatively weak force to bend outwardly with these products. With the combined orifice and valve of the present invention, the amount of force required to bend valve sections can be augmented for low viscosity products. The bending force of the valve sections can be readily controlled for both low and high viscosity products by one or more of the following stiffness parameters: the material used to form the orifice, the thickness of the material and the size of the orifice, and the material used to form the valve and its thickness, and the size of valve sections formed by the at least two lines of weakness. When the force used to deflect the valve sections is removed, the sections return to their original position and close the opening in the pouch.

Thus, the present invention advantageously provides a pouch having a means to manually discharge a fluid product from inside the pouch that can be tailored to permit its use with products of various viscosities. The option of configuring the means to manually discharge a fluid by either: (i) an orifice formed in one of the first or second wall portions and a flexible self-sealing dispensing valve formed in the patch which is superimposed over the orifice: or (ii) a flexible self-sealing dispensing valve formed in one of the first or second wall portions and an orifice formed in the patch with the patch superimposed over the flexible self-sealing dispensing valve adds more flexibility to adjust the stiffness parameters to meet the needs of a particular desired application.

In some preferred embodiments, the first wall portion forms a front panel of the pouch, and the second wall portion forms a rear panel of the pouch.

In other preferred embodiments, the pouch further comprises a third wall portion. In such embodiments, the first wall portion forms a front panel of the pouch, the third wall portion forms a rear panel of the pouch, and the second wall portion forms a bottom gusset which is disposed between the front and rear panels of the pouch.

In some preferred embodiments, the first and third wall portions are formed from a first film and the second wall portion is formed from a second film.

In other preferred embodiments, the first film is flexible and the second film is rigid or semi-rigid.

In still other preferred embodiments, the first, second and third wall portions are formed from a single film. In such embodiments, the single film may be flexible.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One preferred embodiment of flexible fluid-dispensing pouch10of the present invention is illustrated inFIG. 1. In this particular embodiment, pouch10is configured as a pillow pouch. It should be understood that pouch10may be of any shape desired, such as, for example, rectangular, square, and circular or polygon and may have any internal volume depending on both functional and aesthetic requirements of a particular packaging application. Generally, pouch10includes at least a first side edge11, an opposing second side edge12, a top edge13and an opposing bottom edge14, an inner surface15(not shown) and an opposing outer surface16; a first wall portion17, a second wall portion18, and a discharge means20to manually discharge a fluid product26(not shown) from inside the pouch10. Pouch10further includes heat seals adjacent to first side edge11, opposing second side edge12, and top edge13. The discharge means20is a two component system which includes an orifice21(shown inFIGS. 2-5) in either one of the first or second wall portions17,18or a patch23(shown inFIGS. 2-5), and a flexible self-sealing dispensing valve22(shown inFIGS. 2-5) in either one of the first or second wall portions17,18or the patch23whichever does not include orifice21. The discharge means20may be positioned anywhere on the pouch. The first and second wall portions1718of the pouch may be made from any conventional film or film laminate known to those skilled in the art. For example, in some preferred embodiments, the first and second wall portions17,18are formed from a single film laminate having the structure: oriented polyethylene terephthalate (OPET)//adhesive/polyethylene (PE)/anhydride-modified polyethylene (tie)/ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH)/anhydride-modified polyethylene (tie)/polyethylene (PE). The total thickness of such preferred embodiments of films and film laminates may vary from about 19.1 μm (0.75 mil) to about 254 μm (10 mil), most typically from about 63.5 μm (2.5 mil) to about 127 μm (5.0 mil).

FIG. 2is an enlarged view of a discharge means20having a flexible self-sealing dispensing valve22in a “closed” state. Valve22may be created by at least two intersecting lines of weakness24aand24bin either one the first or second wall portions17,18or the patch23. The lines of weakness,24aand24b, are made by cutting or slitting one or more layers used to construct the first or second wall portion17or18or patch23such that the first or second wall portion17or18or patch23may be ruptured with a controlled manual force. In a preferred embodiment, the lines of weakness24aand24bare cuts or slits which do not penetrate through the entire thickness of the first or second wall portion17or18or patch23. In this preferred embodiment, lines of weakness,24aand24bcreate valve sections,25a,25b,25c, and25d. Orifice21may be created in either one of the first or second wall portions17and18or the patch whichever does not include valve22.

FIG. 3is a cross-sectional view of discharge means20depicted inFIG. 2in an “open” state. When force is applied to valve22by manually squeezing the pouch10, the lines of weakness24aand24bfacilitate the rupturing of valve sections,25a,25b,25c, and25dwhich break apart from each other and bend outwardly to release a fluid product26. In another preferred embodiment, the lines of weakness24aand24bcan be arranged such that there are three valve sections.

To illustrate the discharge means20in greater detail, attention should be drawn toFIGS. 4 and 5. The discharge means20may be configured in two different ways. The first configuration shown inFIG. 4includes an orifice21aformed in first wall portion17and a flexible self-sealing dispensing valve22aformed in a patch23a. To better clarify this configuration,FIG. 4depicts an isolated close-up exploded view of pouch10with the orifice21aformed in first wall portion17and the flexible self-sealing dispensing valve22aformed in patch23athat has been separated from the pouch. In use, the patch23ais applied to either the inner surface15or outer surface16of the pouch. In this particular preferred embodiment, the orifice21ais considered to be an integral part of the first wall portion17formed by creating an opening through the first wall portion17. The opening may be sized and shaped to any dimension depending upon the particular fluid product26to be dispensed from the pouch10. Orifice21ashould be considered surrounded by patch23a.

Alternatively, an orifice21bmay be formed in a patch23band a flexible self-sealing dispensing valve22bformed in in first wall portion17. To better illustrate this second configuration, attention should be drawn toFIG. 5which that shows an isolated close-up exploded view of pouch10with the flexible self-sealing dispensing valve22bformed in first wall portion17and the orifice21bformed in a patch23bwhich has been separated from the pouch10. In use, patch23bis applied to either the inner surface15or outer surface16of the pouch10.

In one preferred embodiment, patch23has a multilayer construction of at least a first layer having the lines of weakness formed therein and a second layer of an adhesive, preferably a pressure sensitive adhesive coated onto the first layer. The first layer may include a multilayer film having any number of layers, including but not limited to one or more of the following: a moisture barrier layer, an oxygen barrier layer, and an abuse layer. In another preferred embodiment, patch23may include a multilayer construction having a heat sealable layer which permits patch23to be heat sealed to either the inner or outer surface of the pouch. In one preferred embodiment, the wall portions of pouch10may be formed the single film laminate described above with the patch heat sealed on the polyethylene (PE) exterior face of the wall portion. In this embodiment, the patch may be formed from a collapsed bubble film having the structure: polyethylene (PE)/anhydride-modified polyethylene (tie)nylon/ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH)/nylon/anhydride-modified polyethylene (tie)/ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)/anhydride-modified polyethylene (tie)/nylon/ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH)/nylon/anhydride-modified polyethylene (tie)/polyethylene (PE). The total thickness of some preferred embodiments of suitable films and film laminates for use as patches may vary from about 191 μm (0/5 mil) to about 254 μm (10 mil), most typically from about 63.5 μm (2.5 mil) to about 127 μm (5.0 mil).

In an alternative embodiment, pouch10of the present invention may further comprise a third wall portion19as illustrated inFIGS. 6-1O. In such preferred embodiments, the third wall portion19forms a bottom gusset33disposed between the first wall portion17and the second wall portion18. The pouches of the present invention may include any number of wall portions and gussets as desired. Gussets are known in the art and can be fabricated using any conventional technique known to those skilled in the art and may be formed from either a flexible or a rigid/semi-rigid film. As is illustrated inFIGS. 6-8, the discharge means20is formed in the third wall portion19. With reference toFIG. 6, the third wall portion19is shown in an unfolded (expanded) configuration. The third wall portion19may comprise a first outermost fold34, an innermost fold35and a second outermost fold36. The innermost fold35is a line that demarcates the first outermost fold34and the second outermost fold36. The first outermost fold34is a first portion of the third wall portion19and the second outermost fold36is a second portion of the third wall portion19. The innermost fold35is a line upon which the third wall portion19may be folded or bent. Turning now toFIG. 7, there is shown a side view of pouch10ofFIG. 6that includes the third wall portion19folded along the innermost fold35in a partially folded (unexpanded) configuration. In this configuration, the innermost fold35is oriented towards the top edge13of the pouch10and is disposed between the first and second outermost folds34and36. The first and second outermost folds34and36are each oriented towards the opposing bottom edge14of the pouch10in a “W” configuration where the innermost fold35is comparable to the central peak of the “W” and the lowermost points of the “W” are comparable to where the bottom edge14of the pouch10joins to the first and second outermost folds34and36. In such embodiments folded configurations of the third wall portion19, the discharge means20is located at the vertex (e.g., central peak of “W”) of the innermost fold35. In some preferred embodiments, the pouches of the present invention may further include a first transverse heat seal37disposed adjacent to the bottom edge14of the first wall portion17and extending between the first and opposing second side edges,11and12to form an inner bottom end margin of the first wall portion39front panel. In these embodiments, there is also a second transverse heat seal38disposed adjacent to the bottom edge of the second wall portion18extending between the first and opposing second side edges11and12of the pouch10to form an inner bottom end margin of the second wall portion40. In other embodiments that include the third wall portion19, the discharge means20may be located in the first wall portion17, shown inFIGS. 9 and 10, or in the second wall portion18(not shown).

In yet further preferred embodiments as illustrated inFIGS. 8 and 10, the pouches of the present invention may also include a first closure member41affixed to the inner bottom end margin of the first wall portion39, and a second closure member42affixed to the inner bottom end margin of the second wall portion40. Such closure members have an interlocking rib and groove mechanism which is well-known in the art. Various examples of this type of reclosable fastener have been described in the literature, such as for examples in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,780,781; 3,827,472; 3,853,671; and U.S. RE28,969, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

With reference toFIGS. 11A-B, in other embodiments the pouch10may include an adhesive label50. The adhesive label50can be applied to the outer surface16of the first wall portion17as shown, or the second or third wall portions18or19(not shown). In an exemplary embodiment shown inFIG. 11A, the adhesive label50directly covers an orifice21in the first wall portion17and a patch23including lines of weakness24is applied to the inner surface of the first wall portion17. In another exemplary embodiment shown inFIG. 11B, the adhesive label50covers lines of weakness24in the first wall portion17and a patch23including an orifice21is applied to the inner surface15of the first wall portion17.

The above description and examples illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention and are not to be interpreted as limiting. Selection of particular embodiments, combinations thereof, modifications, and adaptations of the various embodiments, conditions and parameters normally encountered in the art will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are deemed to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention.