Patent Abstract:
A pouch, designed to be attached, either directly or indirectly, to a container, is provided with two end portions, each of which is formed with an elongated slit. When the pouch is directly attached atop a container, the end portions are pulled over the lid and catch a rim portion of the container. When the pouch is placed upon a lid covered container, the end portions of the pouch can catch or engage the lid. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a pair of spaced slits extends from each elongated slit, thereby creating a tab or flap in each end portion. The flap is configured to either directly catch a rim of the container or be tucked under the lid, i.e., between the lid and the container, to attach the pouch to the lid and, indirectly, the container.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention pertains to the art of packaging and, more particularly, to a packaging arrangement wherein a pouch is configured to be conveniently and easily attached, either directly or indirectly, to a container. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In connection with packaging certain food items intended to be consumed together, it can be desirable to maintain the food items separate until it is time to consume the food. The separation of the food items can be particularly important when the items are to be combined prior to consumption and one of the items has a high moisture content while the other item has a low moisture content. A common example would be cereal and milk wherein it may be highly desirable to maintain the crunchy characteristic of the cereal by not combining the cereal with the milk until just prior to consuming the cereal. In this example, the cereal and the milk are separately packaged and simply combined in a bowl or other container. In certain circumstances, an overall packaging can include two separately packaged food items which are meant to be combined prior to consumption, with the two packaged food items being attached to one another for ease of transport or sale of the overall packaging. A good example of such an overall packaging is fruit/yogurt parfaits, wherein granola is provided with the parfait in the overall packaging, but maintained separate until combined by the consumer right before consumption. 
     One known packaging arrangement of this type is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . As shown, a packaging arrangement  2  includes a container or cup  5  adapted to house a first food item, a lid  7  for sealing container  5 , and a pouch  9  housing a second food item which is meant to be mixed with the first food item prior to being consumed. For consumption purposes, packaging arrangement  2  also includes a utensil  12 . More specifically, as shown, container  5  includes a base  18 , as well as a sidewall  19  extending from base  18  and leading to an upper flared portion  20  having an associated annular rim  21 . Lid  7  as shown includes a side wall  30  having a lower edge  31 , and an upper ledge or top portion  33 . Like many known lid and container arrangements, lid  7  is adapted to be attached to container  5  with lower edge  31  extending about annular rim  21  and side wall  30  snap-fittingly engaging rim  21 . As depicted, lid  7  is integrally formed with a flange  45  projecting from lower edge  31 , with flange  45  being provided with an enlarged opening  46 . 
     As also shown in these figures, pouch  9  has a first sidewall  52  and a second sidewall  53  which are joined along side edge  55 , side edge  56  and bottom edge  57 , as well as a sealed region  60  having a top edge  61 . Formed in sealed region  60 , spaced from top edge  61 , is a slit  63 . In attaching pouch  9  to lid  7  and, indirectly, container  5 , pouch  9  is positioned such that flange  45  projects through slit  63 . More specifically, slit  63  of pouch  9  receives flange  45  and pouch  9  is moved beyond opening  46  so as to be directly adjacent side wall  30 , thereby exposing opening  46  radially outward of pouch  9  as clearly shown in  FIG. 2 . In a final assembly stage, utensil  12  is slid into opening  46 . More specifically, utensil  12  takes the form of a spoon including a handle  67  and a scoop portion  68 . With this arrangement, handle  67  is pushed into opening  46 , until scoop portion  68  reaches opening  46  in order to attach utensil  12  to lid  7  as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Although the above discussion certainly outlines one way in which two different items, particularly food items such as yogurt/parfait and granola, can be separately packaged and attached together, there are seen to be various drawbacks to this arrangement. For instance, forming the lid with the specialty flange is somewhat costly. In addition, assembling this known arrangement is considered to be particularly time consuming. Furthermore, this overall packaging is seen to be quite limited in its potential use. For at least these reasons, there is a need for a packaging arrangement for attaching a pouch to a container which will enable two items, such as a high moisture level food product and a low moisture level food product, to be individually packaged and then attached together in a manner which enables the items to be readily separated and, if desired, consumed together. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is directed to the construction of a pouch, as well as a packaging arrangement wherein the pouch is configured to be conveniently and easily attached to a container. More specifically, the pouch is provided with two end portions, each of which is formed with an elongated slit from which extend a pair of spaced, substantially perpendicular slits, thereby creating a cantilevered tab or flap in each end portion. When the pouch is placed upon a lid-covered container so as to extend across an internal storage region of the container, the end portions of the pouch can be pulled over the lid and each flap tucked under the lid, i.e., between the lid and the container, to attach the pouch to the lid and, indirectly, the container. The pouch can also be attached directly to a container. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the pouch still extends across the internal storage region of the container with the end portions of the pouch being pulled beyond a rim of the container, while each flap engages the rim to hold the pouch in place. Although employable to interconnect a wide variety of items together for storage, transport or the like, the invention is considered to be particularly advantageous in attaching a pouch housing a low moisture food product to a container storing a high moisture food product, thereby isolating the two food products and enabling the food products to be mixed just prior to consumption. 
     Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a known packaging arrangement including separately contained food items which are attached to each other and intended to be mixed just before consumption. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the known packaging arrangement of  FIG. 1  fully assembled. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a pouch constructed in accordance with the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the pouch of  FIG. 3  in combination with a container, as well as a lid for the container. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the packaging arrangement of the invention partially assembled, illustrating the lid of  FIG. 4  attached to the container of  FIG. 4 , with the pouch shown resting atop the lid. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view, similar to that of  FIG. 5 , but with end portions of the pouch being partially pulled down about the lid. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view, similar to that of  FIG. 6 , but with end portions of the pouch being fully pulled down about the lid and tab portions of the pouch extending between the lid and container. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of the pouch attached to a soda container. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     With initial reference to  FIG. 3 , a pouch constructed in accordance with the present invention is generally indicated at  101 . As shown, pouch  101  includes a first side wall  103  and a second side wall  104  defining an interior cavity  106  therebetween. First side wall  103  and second side wall  104  are preferably formed of a flexible plastic material and sealed to each other, such as by heat sealing, cold sealing, utilizing adhesive or any other means known in the art, along a first or lower sealed region  109  and a second or upper sealed region  110  in order to enclose interior cavity  106 . At this point, it should be noted that interior cavity  106  can house a wide range of items, with one embodiment including a food product. As the overall structure associated with both upper and lower sealed regions  109  and  110  are the same, a detailed description will now be made of lower sealed region  109  and it should be readily understood that corresponding numbers indicated with primes in  FIG. 3  for upper sealed region  110  refer to corresponding structure. 
     As depicted, lower sealed region  109  is provided with an elongated slit  112 , as well as a pair of spaced slits  113  and  114  which extend substantially perpendicularly from elongated slit  112  in the embodiment shown. More specifically, lower sealed region  109  is defined by an inner edge  115 , side edges  116  and  117 , and an outer edge  118 . Elongated slit  112  is provided in lower sealed region  109  within the confines of inner, side and outer edges  115 - 118 . Therefore, elongated slit  112  has a first end portion  119  which is spaced from side edge  116 , as well as a second end portion  120  which is spaced from side edge  117 . As shown, elongated slit  112  has an intermediate portion  122  that is located closer to inner edge  115  than outer edge  118 . With the inclusion of spaced slits  113  and  114  which extend from elongated slit  112  at positions between intermediate portion  122  and end portions  119  and  120  respectively, a cantilevered tab or flap  124  is defined in lower sealed region  109 . As shown, flap  124  includes free edges  125 ,  126  and  127 , with free edge  126  defining part of elongated slit  112  and being located closer to inner edge  115  than outer edge  118 . Again, upper sealed region  110  has corresponding structure so as to define a flap  124 ′ based on the inclusion of an elongated slit  112 ′ and spaced slits  113 ′ and  114 ′. 
     Reference will now be made to  FIG. 4  in illustrating the manner in which pouch  101  is employed in connection with a combination container and lid based on the invention. As shown, there is provided a container in the form of a cup  129  having a base  130  and an annular, upstanding side portion or wall  131  which leads to an upper flared portion  133  and an annular rim  135 . This overall arrangement establishes an internal storage region  137  within cup  129 . Internal storage region  137  is adapted to house a distinct item, such as a second food item which can be selectively mixed with the food item within pouch  101  just prior to consumption. That is, it is desired to maintain the food item stored in pouch  101  separate from the food item in cup  129  until just prior to consumption as will be discussed more fully below. Associated with cup  129  is a lid  140  having a body portion defined, in part, by a side wall  142  that terminates in a peripheral lip  143 . Side wall  142  leads to an upper ledge  145  that is shown to be located radially outwardly of a recessed annular region  147  and a central plateau portion  149 . At this point, it should be recognized that the particular construction of cup  129  and lid  140  can greatly vary in accordance with the present invention. It is merely important in accordance with certain aspects of the invention that lid  140  have an associated side wall  142  which is adapted to extend about annular rim  135  and to be snapped or otherwise connected to cup  129  in order to close internal storage region  137 . Certainly, there are various known cup and lid arrangements of this type commonly found in the market today, particularly thermoformed drinking cups, soft ice cream containers, yogurt/parfait containers and the like. 
     The particular construction of pouch  101  advantageously enables the same to be connected to cup  129  and lid  140  in a manner which does not require known cups and lids of this type to be varied in construction. To further explain this aspect of the invention, reference will be made to  FIGS. 5-7 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , pouch  101  rests upon lid  140  which, in turn, is attached to rim  135  of cup  129 . Pouch  101  is sized such that sealed regions  109  and  110  extend beyond lid  140 . Prior to this attachment sequence, it is assumed that internal storage region  137  of cup  129  has already been pre-filled with an item to be stored, and interior cavity  106  of pouch  101  also houses another item. Although various items could be stored in each of cup  129  and pouch  101 , one particularly advantageous use of the present invention is to provide a high moisture content food item within internal storage region  137  of cup  129  and a rather low moisture level food item in interior cavity  106  of pouch  101 . For instance, the high moisture food item could be a yogurt or parfait, while the low moisture food item is constituted by granola. In such an arrangement, it would be highly desirable to maintain the granola separately packaged and apart from the yogurt/parfait in order that the granola can maintain its crunchiness until just prior to consumption when the granola is mixed with the yogurt/parfait. 
     Regardless of the particular items contained within pouch  101  and cup  129 ,  FIG. 6  illustrates a second stage in connection with attaching pouch  101  to cup  129  and lid  140 . As shown, each sealed region  109  and  110  is pulled downward around side wall  142  of lid  140  until a respective flap  124 ,  124 ′ extends about lid  140  and below lip  143 . At this time, each sealed region  109 ,  110  is slightly released with flap  124 ,  124 ′ slipping between side wall  142  of lid  140  and cup  129  as clearly shown in  FIG. 7 . Preferably, this overall sequence is performed manually by a user simply grasping and pulling on sealed regions  109  and  110  while directing each flap  124 ,  124 ′ behind side wall  142  of lid  140  to indirectly attach pouch  101  to cup  129 . Certainly, a requisite amount of tension is placed on side walls  103  and  104  of pouch  101  during this process and, even when sealed regions  109  and  110  are released, side walls  103  and  104  still have some tension placed thereon, with the flaps  124  and  124 ′ engaging the peripheral lip  143 , as represented by the enlargement of elongated slit  112  in  FIG. 7 . With this arrangement, pouch  101  is firmly retained upon lid  140  until manually removed by again grasping at least one of sealed regions  109  and  110  to force a respective flap  124 ,  124 ′ from behind side wall  142  of lid  140 . Once pouch  101  is removed, lid  140  can be taken from atop cup  129  in a standard fashion and then, if desired, the contents of pouch  101  can be added to the contents of cup  129  prior to overall consumption. Otherwise, the contents of cup  129  and pouch  101  can be consumed separately, assuming each is used to store a food item. 
     At this point, it should be understood that pouch  101  could be directly attached to cup  129 , or even various other containers. For instance, pouch  101  can be used with cup  129  without the presence of lid  140 . In a manner corresponding to that set forth above, pouch  101  would extend across internal storage region  137  with a user grasping and pulling on sealed regions  109  and  110  until each flap  124 ,  124 ′ engages rim  135 . It has been found advantageous to reduce the length of slits  113 ,  114  and  113 ′,  114 ′ to further stiffen the flap when attaching pouch  101  directly to a container.  FIG. 8  exemplifies this direct attachment aspect wherein a pouch  101 ′, having elongated slit  112  and spaced slits  113 ″ and  114 ″ defining a flap or tab  124 ″, is directly attached to a soft drink can  150 . As depicted, can  150  takes a form widely known in the art, such as an aluminum can including a base  152 , an upstanding annular side wall  154 , a top  156  and a rim  158 . For use in attaching pouch  101 ′ to can  150 , it is preferred to provide a stiffer flap  124 ″ versus flaps  124  or  124 ′. 
     In exemplary embodiments, and not intended to limit the scope of the invention, slits  113 ,  114  and  113 ′,  114 ′ can extend from a respective elongated slit  112 ,  112 ′ approximately ¼ inches (about 0.6 cm) when pouch  101  is attached to a cup  129  having a lid  140 , and ⅛ inches (about 0.3 cm) when attaching directly to cup  129  or can  150  in order to increase the rigidity or stiffness of flaps  124 ″ for this embodiment. In any case, as clearly shown in this figure, pouch  101 ′ is attached to can  150  by extending across an internal storage region (not labeled) located beneath top  156 , with the opposing end regions of pouch  101 ′ extending about can  150  and the opposing flaps  124 ″ catching rim  158 . In this embodiment, pouch  101 ′ can house various items, including a wide range of snack items, such as peanuts, candy, cereal or the like, to be consumed with the soft drink in can  150 . When employing the direct attachment arrangement, the container could certainly take other advantageous forms to aid the pouch in being directed attached thereto, such as being formed with an undercut or enlarged rim for enhanced engagement by the flaps of the pouch. Depending on the configuration of the container, the pouch could actually be formed with just the elongated slits for attachment to the container rim. In the embodiments employing a lid, assuming the lid was made fairly stiff, the pouch could even be pre-attached to the lid prior to attachment of the lid to the container. 
     Based on the above, it should be readily apparent that the construction of the pouch in accordance with the invention enables the pouch to be readily attached to a combination container and lid, or a container without a lid, in a simple and time efficient manner, and without the need for any custom lid configurations including flanges and the like. In addition, the construction enables the pouch to be attached to a wide range of existing containers, including cups, soda cans, vegetable or fruit cans, jars or the like. Certainly, it should be understood that the invention is not limited for use with round containers and lids as the pouch could also be attached to various polygonal shaped containers. Furthermore, although considerable attention has been paid to having food items in the pouch and/or container, this need not be the case. Instead, a wide variety of items could be stored and packaged together in accordance with the invention. Therefore, although described with reference to certain embodiments of the invention, it should be readily understood that various changes and/or modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. In general, the invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1