Abstract:
A flexible pouch is having a lenticular image is provided. The lenticular image may be used to add depth or an animated effect to the aesthetic design of the flexible pouch. The lenticular layer is incorporated into the laminate of the flexible pouch. A lenticular patch is also applied to a surface of the flexible pouch. The lenticular image may be visible about the sealed portions of the flexible pouch. Since the appearance of the lenticular image will be distorted if the lenticular lens is bent or stretched, the lenticular image may be used as a stress indicator to signify portions of the flexible pouch that have been structurally compromised.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 61/783,049 filed on Mar. 14, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a flexible pouch. More particularly, the invention relates to a flexible pouch having a lenticular image. The lenticular image is incorporated into the aesthetic design of the flexible pouch and also serves as a stress indicator to signify if the flexible pouch has been compromised. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Various types of disposable portable containers are known in the art for storing a fluid or dry product such as a liquid, granular material, powder, or the like. One example of such a container is a flexible pouch. Many consumers prefer the convenience of flexible pouches due to their shape, size, and shelf life. 
         [0004]    Flexible pouches can be made from a flexible material, preferably a laminate composed of sheets of plastic, aluminum, or the like. The sheets are folded together and sealed along the side edges so as to form a pouch body. The opening typically can be a perforated tear-off portion of the pouch or it may be a plastic fitment sealed to the flexible pouch that optionally may allow sealing of the pouch after it has been opened. 
         [0005]    Rather than having a label, flexible pouches can have product designs and information incorporated directly into the laminate used to form the flexible pouch. This allows the product design used in the laminate to be easily changed according to the manufacturer&#39;s needs. 
         [0006]    Many commercial packages to draw consumers&#39; attention to their packages. Lenticular images produce printed images with an illusion of depth or additionally the ability to change or move the image as it is viewed from different angles. Lenticular images may also appear as three dimensional (3D) or have an animated effect. It would therefore be beneficial to incorporate the lenticular imaging into a laminate to form a flexible pouch with a more eye-catching design. 
         [0007]    Unfortunately, lenticular images require precise alignment to function properly and are easily subject to distortion. To prevent this distortion, lenticular images are not often used in applications where the lenticular image could potentially be subjected to bending, stretching, or other physical manipulation. 
         [0008]    A benefit of using flexible pouches instead of rigid packaging, such as cans or boxes, is that flexible pouches can withstand minor physical contact without suffering noticeable damage to the aesthetic appearance of the flexible pouch. In comparison, cans or boxes may become dented, torn, or otherwise physically damaged. However, while a dented can or a torn box may indicate a damaged product, it is not always readily apparent if a flexible pouch has been structurally compromised beyond a tolerable level. 
         [0009]    Flexible pouches are often used to accommodate fluids such as juice, wine, or other beverages and may leak if the seals around the flexible pouch become weakened. Extreme pressure applied to the exterior of the pouch or expansion of the liquid contained therein may weaken the seals of the flexible pouch without visually damaging the flexible pouch itself. It would therefore be beneficial for a manufacturer or consumer to be able to visually ascertain whether the seals of a flexible pouch have been compromised. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    According to one aspect of the invention, a flexible pouch is provided having a lenticular image incorporated into the laminate. The lenticular image may be used to add depth or an animated effect to the aesthetic design of the flexible pouch. The lenticular image is also incorporated into the laminate so as to be visible about the sealed portions of the flexible pouch. Since the appearance of the lenticular image will be distorted if the image is bent or stretched, the lenticular image may be used as a stress indicator to signify portions of the flexible pouch that have been structurally compromised. 
         [0011]    In a second aspect of the invention, a lenticular patch having an adhesive backing is applied to an exterior surface of a flexible pouch. The lenticular patch provides the same aesthetic and stress indicator benefits of the previous aspect of the invention, but is not incorporated directly in the laminate of the flexible pouch. 
         [0012]    In this way, the use of lenticular images in the laminate of a flexible pouch or applied on an exterior surface of a flexible pouch allows for an improved aesthetic design that can also be used to determine the structural integrity of the flexible pouch. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    Advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompany drawings, wherein: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a filled embodiment of a flexible pouch having a lenticular image; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is an elevational view of the front of the filled embodiment of the flexible pouch from  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a an elevational view of the side of the filled embodiment of the flexible pouch from  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a plan top view of the filled embodiment of the flexible pouch of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is an elevational view of the side of the flexible pouch having a lenticular patch; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of a panel of the flexible pouch of  FIG. 1  along the line  6 - 6 ; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of the lenticular patch with an adhesive backing. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    The present invention involves a flexible pouch  10  formed from a laminate  20  having a lenticular image  50 . In a first preferred embodiment, a lenticular layer  51  is incorporated into the laminate  20  that forms the pouch body  70 . In a second preferred embodiment, a lenticular patch  100  having an adhesive backing  120  is applied to an exterior surface of the flexible pouch  10 . Embodiments of the lenticular image  50  add 3D, flip, or animated effects to the aesthetic design of the flexible pouch  10 . The lenticular layer  51  is also used in the pouch body  70  and along the sealed edges  40  of the flexible pouch  10  to visibly identify portions of the flexible pouch  10  that have been structurally compromised. 
         [0022]    A first preferred embodiment of a flexible pouch  10  having a lenticular layer  51  disposed within the laminate  20  is generally shown in  FIG. 1 . The flexible pouch  10  is formed by folding together sheets of flexible material  22 ,  24  and sealing the sheets around the edges  40  to form a pouch body  70 . The sheets of flexible material  22 ,  24  are preferably laminates composed of plastic, aluminum, or the like. Using laminates allows for the flexible pouches  10  to have labels, designs, and other product information incorporated directly into the flexible pouch  10 . In a preferred embodiment, the flexible pouch has a fitment  80 , a clip hole  82 , and a scalloped edge  84 . 
         [0023]    A cross sectional view of the laminate  20  of the first preferred embodiment along line  6 - 6  is shown in  FIG. 6 . In the first preferred embodiment, a lenticular layer  51  is disposed between two sheets of flexible material  22 ,  24  to form the laminate  20 . The lenticular image  50  is a printed image that produces a visible effect. Examples of the visible effect include a flip effect, a 3D effect, and an animated effect. In a preferred embodiment, the lenticular layer  51  has a lens layer  52  and an image layer  54 . The image layer  54  has a plurality of sequentially interlaced images  56   a,    56   b  that form the lenticular image. The lens layer  52  has a plurality of ridges  53  that are aligned with the interlaced images  56   a,    56   b.    
         [0024]    In an exemplary embodiment, the image layer  54  has two interlaced images. In this embodiment, two sequentially interlaced images  56   a,    56   b  are aligned with each ridge  53  of the lens layer  52 . One skilled in the art will appreciate that different arrangements and configurations of the image layer  54  and the lens layer  52  of the lenticular layer  50  are used to produce various visual effects such as a flip effect, a 3D effect, and an animated effect. The arrangement depicted in  FIG. 6  is merely exemplary and the invention should not be limited to the embodiment shown. 
         [0025]    The lenticular layer  50  is disposed between at least two sheets of flexible material  22 ,  24  to create the laminate  20 . In the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 6 , the lenticular layer  51  is disposed between a first layer of flexible material  22  and a second layer of flexible material  24 . However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that additional layers may be incorporated into the laminate  20 . For instance, the laminate  20  may be composed of various combinations of lenticular image layers  51 , conventional product design layers, and flexible material layers  22 ,  24 . One skilled in the art will also appreciate that the opacity, thickness, and other physical properties of the flexible materials  22 ,  24  may be adjusted according to the intended use of the flexible pouch  10 . 
         [0026]    In the first preferred embodiment, the first layer of flexible material  22  forms the exterior surface of the pouch  10  and the second layer of flexible material  24  forms the interior surface of the pouch  10 . The lenticular layer  51  is disposed between the first and second layers of material  22 ,  24  so that the lens layer  52  is between the first layer  22  and the image layer  54 . In this embodiment, the first layer  22  is transparent and the lenticular image  50  is visible through the first layer  22 . 
         [0027]    In alternative embodiments, the lenticular image  50  is visible through various transparent portions of the pouch  10 . For example, a front panel  72  of the pouch  10  is transparent and the lenticular image  50  disposed in a rear panel  74  of the pouch  10 . In this configuration, the lenticular image  50  is visible through the front panel  72  and the fluid contained in the pouch  10 . One skilled in the art will appreciate that the position visibility of the lenticular image  50  on the pouch  10  may be modified without departing from the sprit of the present application. 
         [0028]    The lenticular image  50  also functions as a stress indicator for the flexible pouch  10 . Flexible pouches  10  are often used to contain liquids such as juice, wine, or other beverage within the sealed pouch  10 . External and internal pressure applied to the pouch during shipping or storage may compromise the seals  40  around the perimeter of the pouch  10 . However, unlike cans or cardboard boxes which permanently deform or show visible signs of wear, the physical condition of a flexible pouch  10  is not always ascertainable from its appearance. 
         [0029]    Lenticular images  50  that are subjected to bending, stretching, or other deformations appear visibly distorted. An additional benefit of incorporating lenticular images  50  into flexible pouches  10  is to identify portions of the flexible pouch  10  that have been stressed or structurally compromised. Accordingly, a distortion of the lenticular image  50  is indicative of deformed portion of the pouch  10 . 
         [0030]    For example, in the first preferred embodiment a portion of the lenticular layer  50  used throughout the flexible pouch  10  has sequentially interlaced colors  56   a,    56   b.  When an area of the pouch  10  is deformed or stressed, particularly a seal  40 , the lenticular image  50  in the deformed area appears distorted in comparison to a normal or unstressed area of the pouch  10 . The disparity between a normal state of the lenticular image  50  and a stressed state of the lenticular image  50  can be enhanced using interlaced images  56   a,    56   b  that are contrasting or that will draw attention to a stressed area of the pouch  10 . 
         [0031]    The lenticular image  50  also functions as a structural reinforcement for the flexible pouch  10 . An advantageous feature of flexible pouches  10  relative to plastic bottles, metal cans, and preassembled cardboard containers is that empty pouches  10  may be flattened for shipping or disposal. In this way, empty flexible pouches  10  take up less space than other conventional fluid containers. However, as flexible pouches  10  are not entirely rigid structures, the pouch body  70  may collapse or lose shape as fluid is emptied from the pouch  10 . 
         [0032]    An additional benefit of the lenticular image  50  is that the ridges  53  of the lens layer  52  provide structural reinforcement to the laminate  20 . In a preferred embodiment, the pouch  10  stands in an upright position. The lenticular image  50  disposed within the laminate  20  prevents the pouch body  70  from collapsing as the fluid is emptied from the pouch. However, in this arrangement the lenticular image  50  does not prevent an empty pouch  10  from being flattened for shipping or disposal. As such, the lenticular image  50  allows the flexible pouch  10  to retain the advantage of flat packaging when empty while adding structural reinforcement when the pouch  10  is partially filled. 
         [0033]    In a second preferred embodiment, depicted in  FIG. 5 , a lenticular patch  100  having an adhesive backing  120  is applied to a surface of the pouch body  70 . A cross sectional view of the lenticular patch  100  is shown in detail in  FIG. 7 . Similar to the lenticular layer  50 , the lenticular patch  100  has a lens layer  130  and an image layer  110 . The adhesive backing  120  allows the lenticular patch  100  to be applied to a surface of the pouch body  70 . 
         [0034]    In an exemplary embodiment, the image layer  110  has two interlaced images. In this embodiment, two sequentially interlaced images  110   a,    110   h  are aligned with each ridge  131  of the lens layer  130 . One skilled in the art will appreciate that different arrangements and configurations of the image layer  110  and the lens layer  130  of the lenticular patch  100  are used to produce various visual effects such as a flip effect, a 3D effect, and an animated effect. The arrangement depicted in  FIG. 7  is merely exemplary and the invention should not be limited to the embodiment shown. 
         [0035]    The lenticular patch  100  allows the previously discussed benefits of the lenticular image  50  to be applied to select portions of the pouch body  70 . The lenticular patch  100  produces visual effects, functions as a stress indicator for the flexible pouch  10 , and provides targeted reinforcement to portions of the pouch body  70 . 
         [0036]    As seen from the foregoing, the lenticular layer  51  disposed within the laminate  20  and the lenticular patch  100  are used as both a design feature and a functional component of the flexible pouch  10 . The lenticular image  50  produces a visual effect on the flexible pouch  10  while also serving as a stress indicator and a structural reinforcement. The visible distortions of the lenticular image  50  indicate areas where the flexible pouch  10  is physically compromised. 
         [0037]    However, the design and shape of the flexible pouch is merely exemplary and the invention should not be limited to the embodiments disclosed herein. The invention is not to be limited to the described embodiments herein, but it should be appreciated that one skilled in the art would make various changes, modifications, etc. and still fall within the scope of the invention. Therefore, the application should be interpreted broadly.