# US 11,299,325 B2 · Packages with raised portions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,299,325 B2 - Document ID: US11299325B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/451,446 - Filed: 2017-03-07 - Published: 2017-09-14 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-10 - Assignees: The Procter & Gamble Company - Applicants: The Procter & Gamble Company - Inventors: Hugh Joseph O'Donnell; Edward Daniel Theiss, III - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299325B2 ## CPC - B65D 33/004: {Information or decoration elements, e.g. level indicators, detachable tabs or coupons} - B65D 31/08: {with block bottoms} - B65D 33/04: Windows or other apertures, e.g. for viewing contents {(ventilation apertures B65D33/01; windows for level indication B65D33/004)} - B65D 75/52: Details - B65D 65/22: Details - B65D 67/00: Kinds or types of packaging elements not otherwise provided for {(B65D5/425 takes precedence)} - B65D 2203/00: Decoration means, markings, information elements, contents indicators - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES ## Abstract Packages having raised portions that provide improvements in displaying graphics, such as images and branding. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flexible package for retail sale of discrete articles of a consumer product, the package comprising: a flexible film panel, wherein the flexible film panel is formed only of a film; external artwork that comprises an image of the discrete article form of the consumer product; a raised area having an overall height of 40-5000 microns disposed on an outside of the flexible film panel, wherein the raised area comprises a different material than a material of the flexible film panel, and wherein at least part of the image of the consumer product is disposed on the raised area; a plurality of raised reinforcing lines disposed on the flexible film panel, wherein: the plurality of raised reinforcing lines are separate elements from the flexible film panel; at least some of the plurality of raised reinforcing lines have an overall height of about 40 microns to about 5,000 microns; at least some of the raised reinforcing lines have an overall width of about 25 microns to about 25,000 microns; the plurality of raised reinforcing lines surround about 50% to about 100% of an outer perimeter of the raised area; the plurality of raised reinforcing lines extend over a reinforcing area that is about 35% to about 100% of a total area of the flexible film panel; and the plurality of raised reinforcing lines cover a total line area on the flexible film panel, and the total line area is about 1% to about 35% of the reinforcing area; and the discrete articles of the consumer product are contained within the package; wherein at least part of the flexible package is opaque, such that an entire discrete article of the consumer product cannot be seen from outside of the flexible package when the flexible package is standing upright on a horizontal support surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The flexible package of claim 1, wherein substantially all of the image of the consumer product is disposed on the raised area. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The flexible package of claim 1, wherein at least part of an overall shape of the raised area is geometrically similar to at least part of an overall shape of the image of the consumer product. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The flexible package of claim 1, wherein substantially all of an overall shape of the raised area is geometrically similar to substantially all of an overall shape of the image of the consumer product. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The flexible package of claim 1, wherein: the external artwork comprises branding; the raised area is a first raised area; the flexible package comprises a second raised area having an overall height of about 40 microns to about 5000 microns, disposed on an outside of the package; and at least a portion of the branding is disposed on the second raised area. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The flexible package of claim 5, wherein substantially all of the branding is disposed on the second raised area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The flexible package of claim 6, wherein: the external artwork comprises an image of an object intended for treatment by the consumer product; the flexible package comprises a third raised area having an overall height of about 40 microns to about 5000 microns, disposed on an outside of the flexible package; and substantially all of the image of the object intended for treatment by the consumer product is disposed on the third raised area. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The flexible package of claim 6, wherein: the external artwork comprises an image of an appliance that uses the consumer product; the flexible package comprises a third raised area having an overall height of about 40 microns to about 5000 microns, disposed on an outside of the flexible package; and substantially all of the image of the appliance that uses the consumer product is disposed on the third raised area. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The flexible package of claim 6, wherein: the external artwork comprises an image of a benefit provided by the consumer product; the flexible package comprises a third raised area having an overall height of about 40 microns to about 5000 microns, disposed on an outside of the flexible package; and substantially all of the image of the benefit provided by the consumer product is disposed on the third raised area. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The flexible package of claim 5, wherein all of the branding is disposed on the second raised area. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The flexible package of claim 1, wherein the consumer product has the form of unit dose articles. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The flexible package of claim 11, wherein: at least some of the unit dose articles have a three-dimensional shape comprising a protrusion; the image of the consumer product comprises a visual representation of the protrusion; substantially all of the visual representation of the protrusion is disposed on the raised area; and substantially all of an overall shape of the raised area conforms to substantially all of an overall shape of the visual representation of the protrusion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The flexible package of claim 11, wherein: substantially all of the image of the consumer product is disposed on a first portion of the raised area that has a first particular overall height; at least some of the unit dose articles have a three-dimensional shape comprising a protrusion; the image of the consumer product comprises a visual representation of the protrusion; substantially all of the visual representation of the protrusion is disposed on a second portion of the raised area that has a second particular overall height that is greater than the first particular overall height; and substantially all of an overall shape of the second portion of the raised area conforms to substantially all of an overall shape of the visual representation of the protrusion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The flexible package of claim 11, wherein: substantially all of the image of the consumer product is disposed on a first portion of the raised area that has a first particular overall height; at least some of the unit dose articles have a three-dimensional shape comprising a recessed portion; the image of the consumer product comprises a visual representation of the recessed portion; substantially all of the visual representation of the recessed portion is disposed on a second portion of the raised area that has a second particular overall height that is less than the first particular overall height; and substantially all of an overall shape of the second portion of the raised area conforms to substantially all of an overall shape of the visual representation of the recessed area. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The flexible package of claim 11, wherein: at least some of the unit dose articles have a three-dimensional shape comprising a recessed portion; the image of the consumer product comprises a visual representation of the recessed portion; and substantially all of the image of the consumer product is disposed on the raised area, except that substantially all of the visual representation of the recessed portion is disposed off of the raised area. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The flexible package of claim 11, wherein: at least some of the unit dose articles have at least a portion with an article texture; the image of the consumer product comprises a visual representation of the article texture; and substantially all of the visual representation of the article texture is disposed on a portion of the raised area that has a raised area texture that represents the article texture. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The flexible package of claim 1, wherein the raised area is printed on the package. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The flexible package of claim 1, wherein the raised area comprises one or more curable coatings, and wherein the one or more curable coatings comprise the different material than the material of the flexible package. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The flexible package of claim 1, wherein the raised area comprises a photopolymer. ### Claim 20 A flexible package for retail sale of discrete articles of a consumer product, the package comprising: a flexible film panel, wherein the flexible film panel is formed only of a film, and wherein the flexible film panel has a flexibility factor of about 1,000 N/m to about 250,900 N/m; external artwork that comprises an image of the discrete article form of the consumer product; a raised area having an overall height of 40-5000 microns disposed on an outside of the flexible film panel, wherein the raised area comprises a different material than a material of the flexible film panel, and wherein at least part of the image of the consumer product is disposed on the raised area; a plurality of raised reinforcing lines disposed on the flexible film panel, wherein: the plurality of raised reinforcing lines comprise a curable coating and a photoinitiator; at least some of the plurality of raised reinforcing lines have an overall height of about 40 microns to about 5,000 microns; at least some of the raised reinforcing lines have an overall width of about 25 microns to about 25,000 microns; the plurality of raised reinforcing lines surround about 50% to about 100% of an outer perimeter of the raised area; the plurality of raised reinforcing lines extend over a reinforcing area that is about 35% to about 100% of a total area of the flexible film panel; and the plurality of raised reinforcing lines cover a total line area on the flexible film panel, and the total line area is about 1% to about 35% of the reinforcing area; and the discrete articles of the consumer product are contained within the package; wherein at least part of the flexible package is opaque, such that an entire discrete article of the consumer product cannot be seen from outside of the flexible package when the flexible package is standing upright on a horizontal support surface.