Methods of making flexible containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10040581-B2
Application number	US-201313957158-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2013
Priority date	Aug 6, 2012
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

Methods of making non-durable self-supporting flexible containers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a flexible container, the method comprising:
providing one or more flexible materials, which comprise one or more films;
joining together at least a portion of the one or more flexible materials to form:
a product volume;
a first nonstructural panel, which overlays the product volume;
a second nonstructural panel, which overlays the product volume; and
a plurality of structural support members, each of which includes a structural support volume, that are configured to be formed into a structural support frame, which supports the product volume, wherein said joining step simultaneously forms said product volume, said nonstructural panels, and said plurality of structural support members, and wherein said plurality of structural support members includes:
a first middle structural support member, oriented about vertically, extending from a top of the container, through a middle of the container, and into a bottom of the container;
a second middle structural support member, oriented about vertically, extending from the top of the container, through the middle of the container, and into the bottom of the container;
a third middle structural support member, oriented about vertically, extending from the top of the container, through the middle of the container, and into the bottom of the container; and
a fourth middle structural support member, oriented about vertically, extending from the top of the container, through the middle of the container, and into the bottom of the container; and

filling the product volume so that the product volume directly contains a fluent product;
closing the product volume; and
expanding the structural support volumes, to form the structural support frame;
wherein, when the structural support volumes are expanded, the container has:
the first middle structural support member, on the left side of the container, adjacent to the first panel;
the second middle structural support member, on the right side of the container, adjacent to the first panel;
the third middle structural support member, on the right side of the container, adjacent to the second panel, and in contact with the second middle structural support member along at least parts of their overall lengths; and
the fourth middle structural support member, on the left side of the container, adjacent to the second panel, and in contact with the first middle structural support member along at least parts of their overall lengths; and

providing a dispenser that is configured to dispense the fluent product from the product volume, wherein the dispenser is formed from the one or more films.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the structural support volumes are expanded, the first middle structural support member and the fourth middle structural support member are in contact with each other along about all of their overall lengths.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Stanley Scott Kendyl
• Mcguire Kenneth Stephen
• Berg Charles John
• Arent Lee Mathew
• Rapach Andrew Paul
• You Jun

Classifications

• B65D75/5883

  connected to the package at the sealed junction of two package walls · CPC title

• B65D75/525

  External rigid or semi-rigid supports · CPC title

• B65B3/04

  Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles · CPC title

• B65D81/3261

  Flexible containers having several compartments · CPC title

• B65B3/02 Primary

  Machines characterised by the incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles · CPC title