Inflatable produce packaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016137355-A1
Application number	US-201514937869-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 10, 2015
Priority date	Nov 10, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A packaged produce product is provided herein. The packaged produce product comprises first and second film plies sealed to each other by a seal to cooperatively form a flexible structure. The seal defines an inflation chamber between the first and second plies that is inflatable with and configured to contain a fluid. A plurality of apertures extends through both plies, thereby providing a vent across the flexible structure. An agricultural produce is located adjacent to the flexible structure, cushioned by the inflation chamber, and vented by the apertures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A packaged produce product, comprising:
first and second film plies sealed to each other by a seal to cooperatively form a flexible structure, wherein:
the seal defines an inflation chamber between the first and second plies that is inflatable with and configured to contain a fluid, and
a plurality of apertures extend through both plies, thereby providing a vent across the flexible structure; and
an agricultural produce located adjacent to the flexible structure, cushioned by the inflation chamber, and vented by the apertures.

2 . The packaged produce product of claim 1 , wherein the inflation chamber comprises a plurality of inflation chambers.

3 . The packaged produce product of claim 2 , wherein the seal connecting the first and second plies defines an inflation region that is in fluid communication with the inflation chambers, wherein the inflation region is configured to receive an inflation nozzle and direct the fluid from the inflation nozzle into the inflation chambers.

4 . The packaged produce product of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures extend through both the first and second plies.

5 . The packaged produce product of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures are located outside of the inflation chamber.

6 . The packaged produce product of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures are configured to reduce stress at the seal.

7 . The packaged produce product of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures are of sufficient size to vent gases from one side of the flexible structure to another.

8 . The packaged produce product of claim 1 , wherein:
the flexible structure is a first wall, and the packaged product further comprises a second wall connected to the first wall to define a bag having a bag interior; and the agricultural produce is located within the bag interior.

9 . The packaged produce product of claim 8 , wherein the first and second walls are connected on three sides to define the bag interior.

10 . The packaged produce product of claim 9 , wherein the first and second walls are connected on the fourth side to enclose the bag interior.

11 . The packaged produce product of claim 8 , wherein the second wall is defined by third and fourth film plies connected to each other at another seal that defines therebetween another inflation chamber that is inflatable with and operable to contain the fluid.

12 . The packaged produce product of claim 8 , wherein the first and second film plies form a continuous wall, and wherein the first wall and the second wall are formed by folding the continuous wall in a c-fold.

13 . The packaged produce product of claim 8 , wherein the first wall comprises an access panel, the access panel being separable from a remainder of the first wall to provide access to the bag interior.

14 . The packaged produce product of claim 13 , wherein the access panel is separable from the remainder of the first wall at a boundary that is defined by a perforated or a resealable edge.

15 . The packaged produce product of claim 13 , wherein the inflation chamber fluidly connects a region of the cushion that is within the access panel to a region of the cushion that is outside of the access panel.

16 . The packaged produce product of claim 8 , wherein the agricultural produce comprises grapes.

17 . The packaged produce product of claim 8 , wherein the first and second film plies are connected to one another with an adhesive.

Assignees

• Pregis Innovative Packaging Llc

Inventors

• Wetsch Thomas D
• Caratan Anton George
• Speechley Richard Edward

Classifications

• B29L2031/7128

  Bags, sacks, sachets (tea bags B29L2031/7122; medical bags B29L2031/7148) · CPC title

• B65D33/06

  Handles {(forming part of the closing arrangement B65D33/16)} · CPC title

• B65D33/01 Primary

  Ventilation or drainage of bags · CPC title

• B65D81/263

  for ventilating the contents (B65D5/4295, B65D51/1605 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65D33/008

  Individual filled bags or pouches connected together (B65D33/001, B65D33/002 take precedence) · CPC title