Flexible package having multiple opening feature
AssigneeKraft Foods Global Brands LLC
InventorsJean Elizabeth Leathersich, Glenn Stanley Gruskin, Gladys O. Sierra-Gomez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flexible package with a multiple-opening feature is suitable for retail sale of food products and is comprised of a film material. The flexible package includes two areas of weakness defining two removable top portions. Removal of the first top portion exposes an opening in the flexible package allowing egress of the product through a first opening. Removal of the second top portion exposes a second opening in the flexible package, which, by one approach, is larger than the first opening and thereby permits increased access to the food product.
Claims26
1) A packaged food product for commercial mass production comprising:
- a flexible pouch having a fin seal, a top seal at least partially extending along a width of the flexible pouch, and a bottom seal;
- a food product disposed within the flexible pouch;
- the flexible pouch including:
- a first removable top portion;
- a first area of weakness extending across the width of the flexible pouch to facilitate removal of the first top portion;
- a second removable top portion;
- a second area of weakness extending across the width of the flexible pouch to facilitate removal of the second top portion;
- wherein the first removable top portion is configured and arranged such that upon removal of the first removable top portion, a first aperture extending partially across the flexible pouch permits a user to pourably dispense the food product;
- and
- wherein the second removable top portion is configured and arranged such that upon removal of the second removable top portion, a second aperture extending partially across the flexible pouch permits dispensing the food product.
14) A packaging product comprising:
- a flexible pouch defining an interior space, the flexible pouch comprising:
- a fin seal;
- a bottom seal;
- a top seal located along a top edge portion of the flexible pouch;
- and
- a first and a second area of weakness extending from the first edge portion to the second edge portion substantially parallel to the top edge portion, wherein the first area of weakness partially overlaps the top seal disposed along the top edge portion and wherein the second area of weakness is a vertical distance from the seal along the top edge portion.
21) A method for mass producing a packaged food product in high-speed form-fill-seal equipment comprising:
- forming a series of pouches having a bottom seal and a fin seal, each of the pouches having a cavity formed therein;
- filling the cavities of the pouches;
- sealing the pouches forming a top seal along a width of the pouches;
- forming a first removable top portion on each pouch defined by a first area of weakness extending across the width of the pouch configured such that upon removal of the first removable top portion a first aperture in the pouch having width less than the pouch is exposed;
- forming a second removable top portion on each pouch defined by a second area of weakness extending across the width of the pouch configured such that upon removal of the second removable top portion a second aperture in the pouch having width less than the pouch is exposed;
- and
- separating the pouches from one another.
26) An apparatus for mass producing a packaged food product in high-speed form-fill-seal equipment comprising:
- means for forming a series of pouches with front panels, back panels, and widths;
- means for filling the cavities of the pouches;
- means for sealing the pouches;
- means for forming a first removable top portion on each pouch defined by a first area of weakness extending across the width of the pouch configured such that upon removal of the first removable top portion a first aperture in the pouch having width less than the pouch is exposed;
- means for forming a second removable top portion on each pouch defined by a second area of weakness extending across the width of the pouch configured such that upon removal of the second removable top portion a second aperture in the pouch having width less than the pouch is exposed;
- and
- means for separating the pouches from one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.