Flexible package and method of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11345532-B2
Application number	US-201916515331-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2019
Priority date	Jul 20, 2018
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

Package having a flexible inner sheet having a first surface and a second surface. The package has an article reservoir for accepting an article to be shipped. The expansion chambers can be inflated or otherwise expanded to provide structure to the package and to protect the article in the article reservoir. The inner sheet of the package includes a shrinkable material that can be activated to immobilize articles disposed in the article reservoir.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A package for one or more articles, comprising:
a. a flexible inner sheet having a first surface and a second surface, an inner sheet first portion and an inner sheet second portion;
b. a flexible outer sheet having an outer sheet first portion, an outer sheet second portion, an outer sheet inner surface and an outer sheet outer surface, at least a portion of the inner surface of the outer sheet first portion being joined to the first surface of the inner sheet first portion to form one or more first primary expansion chambers therebetween, and at least a portion of the inner surface of the outer sheet second portion being joined to the first surface of the inner sheet second portion to form one or more second primary expansion chambers therebetween; at least a portion of the second surface of the inner sheet first portion disposed in face-to-face relationship with and joined to a portion of the second surface of the second portion of the inner sheet forming an article reservoir therebetween;
c. a secondary outer sheet disposed adjacent the outer surface of at least a portion of the outer sheet and joined thereto to form two or more discrete secondary expansion chambers, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the two or more discrete secondary expansion chambers is disposed adjacent another of the two or more discrete secondary expansion chambers, and the two or more discrete secondary expansion chambers provides structural rigidity and/or shape to the package when in an expanded configuration, where at least one of the first primary expansion chambers or the second primary expansion chambers is in fluid communication with at least one of the two or more discrete secondary expansion chambers, the one or more first primary expansion chambers or the one or more second primary expansion chambers and the two or more discrete secondary expansion chambers positioned to provide at least one relatively flat portion on an outer surface of the package; and
d. a closeable opening into which one or more articles may be inserted.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein the adjacent discrete two or more discrete secondary expansion chambers are configured to provide redundancy for each other if one of the adjacent two or more discrete secondary expansion chambers is deflated during use.

3. The package of claim 1 wherein the adjacent portions of the two or more discrete secondary expansion chambers form at least a part of a frame-like structure for the package.

4. The package of claim 1 wherein the package has a top portion and a bottom portion and the two or more discrete secondary expansion chambers form a frame-like structure disposed in at least the top portion and the bottom portion.

5. The package of claim 1 wherein the package is generally parallelepiped in shape when formed and the two or more discrete secondary expansion chambers are expanded and has a top portion, a bottom portion, a first end portion disposed between the top portion and the bottom portion, a second end portion disposed between the top and bottom portion opposite of the first end portion and two side edges disposed on opposite sides of the package between the top and bottom portions and the first and second end portion, and wherein a first discrete secondary expansion chambers is disposed adjacent at least a portion of a first perimeter of the top portion or a second perimeter of the bottom portion and a second discrete secondary expansion chambers is disposed adjacent at least a portion of a second perimeter of at least one of the side edges adjacent the first perimeter.

6. The package of claim 5 wherein the first discrete secondary expansion member disposed adjacent at least a portion of the first perimeter or second perimeter extends along at least two sides of the top or bottom portion.

7. The package of claim 6 wherein the first discrete secondary expansion chamber is generally symmetrical about a centerline of the top portion or bottom portion.

8. The package of claim 6 wherein the second discrete secondary expansion member extends along the entirety of the first or second perimeter of the top or bottom portion adjacent the first discrete secondary expansion member.

9. The package of claim 8 wherein the first discrete secondary expansion chamber extends along two opposing sides of the top portion, the bottom portion and the first end portion.

10. The package of claim 9 wherein the second discrete secondary expansion chamber extends through the side edges, the first end portion and the second end portion adjacent the first discrete secondary expansion chamber.

11. The package of claim 10 further including a third discrete secondary expansion chamber disposed in a central region of the top and/or bottom portion.

12. The package of claim 11 wherein the third discrete secondary expansion chamber extends through the top portion, the first end portion and at least part of the bottom portion.

13. The package of claim 5 wherein the first discrete secondary expansion chamber extends through the second end, the bottom portion, the first end and at least a portion of the top portion and the second discrete secondary expansion chambers extends through the second end, the bottom portion, the first end and at least a part of a central region of the top portion, wherein the first discrete secondary expansion chambers is disposed adjacent opposite sides of the first perimeter and the second perimeter and the second discrete secondary expansion chambers is disposed adjacent the first discrete secondary expansion chamber.

14. The package of claim 13 further including a third discrete secondary expansion chamber extending through the second end, the bottom portion and the first end and is disposed inward of the first discrete secondary expansion chamber.

15. The package of claim 14 further including a fourth discrete secondary expansion chamber extending through the second end and at least a part of a central region of the bottom portion, the fourth expansion chamber being disposed inwardly of the third secondary expansion chamber.

16. The package of claim 15 further including a fifth discrete secondary expansion chamber extending through at least a portion of the second end, the fifth discrete secondary expansion chamber being disposed inwardly of the fourth expansion chamber.

17. The package of claim 1 wherein at least two of the two or more discrete secondary expansion chambers are separated by a one-way valve.

18. The package of claim 1 wherein the two or more discrete secondary expansion chambers are each in fluid communication with an expansion port.

19. The package of claim 18 wherein two or more expansion ports are in fluid communication with a manifold.

20. The package of claim 1 further including an article retrieval feature that allows a user to open the package and retrieve the one or more articles from the article reservoir.

21. The package of claim 20 wherein the article retrieval feature, when activated, both opens the package and deflates one or more of the one or more primary expansion chambers and/or one or more secondary expansion chambers.

22. The package of claim 1 wherein the package comprises a flexible material.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Borrero Susana E
• Hesford Benjamin G
• You Jun
• Earl Jason M
• Ogg Anthony
• Truesdell Stephen Michael
• Lester Joseph Craig
• Arent Lee Mathew
• Mcguire Kenneth Stephen

Classifications

• B65B43/08

  Forming three-dimensional [3D] containers from sheet material · CPC title

• B65D81/052

  filled with fluid, e.g. inflatable elements · CPC title

• B65B31/04

  Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied · CPC title

• B65D75/56

  Handles or other suspension means · CPC title

• B65D77/0406

  Rigid containers in preformed flexible containers · CPC title