Patent ID: 7313899

Claim:
A method of forming, filling, and sealing a flexible pouch for packaging a product, said method comprising the steps of: forming a front panel and a back panel, wherein each panel is rectangular and includes an upper edge, a lower edge opposite the upper edge, and a side edge extending therebetween the upper edge and lower edge; forming a crease in each panel, wherein the crease in each panel projects outwardly and extends longitudinally from the upper edge of each panel, tapering towards the lower edge of each panel; joining the front panel to the back panel by sealing together the side edge and lower edge of each panel, wherein the crease in the front panel opposes the crease in the back panel, to form a guide pocket between the front panel and the back panel; opening the pouch by blowing a stream of gas at the guide pocket to separate the front panel upper edge from the back panel upper edge; filling the pouch with the product through the separated front panel upper edge and back panel upper edge; and closing the pouch by sealing together the upper edge of each panel transversely through the guide pocket, wherein the crease in each panel is eliminated as the upper edge of each panel is sealed.