# US 2012/0237643 A1 · Flexible tubular package for edible product > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2012/0237643 A1 - Document ID: US20120237643A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/065,227 - Filed: 2011-03-17 - Published: 2012-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-03-17 - Assignees: The Jel Sert Company - Inventors: Kenneth E. Wegner; Anthony Simon Richards; Andrew J. Rush - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120237643A1 ## CPC - B65D 75/42: Chains of interconnected packages - B65B 9/023: {Packaging fluent material (B65B9/04 takes precedence)} - B65B 9/10: Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs - B65B 9/12: Subdividing filled tubes to form two or more packages by sealing or securing involving displacement of contents - B65B 9/20: the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles - B65B 25/005: {packaging of confectionery} - B65B 25/007: {packaging of ice-cream} - B65D 81/32: for packaging two or more different materials which must be maintained separate prior to use in admixture - B65D 81/3261: {Flexible containers having several compartments} - B65D 85/72: for edible or potable liquids, semiliquids, or plastic or pasty materials - 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 - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) ## Abstract A squeezable, flexible tubular package for an edible product is compartmented to simultaneously hold a first edible product in one compartment separate from a second edible product in another juxtaposed compartment. The package includes an elongated enclosure defined by a pair of transparent, flexible film strips bonded to one another around the periphery thereof by a liquid tight seal; and a membrane situated between the film strips, bonded to the periphery of the film strips by a liquid tight seal, partitioning the enclosure into a pair of juxtaposed, liquid tight compartments. An extrudable, edible product is separately contained in each of the compartments. Apparatus for continuously and successively forming, filling and sealing articulated arrays of such packaged products is also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A squeezable, flexible tubular package for an edible product which comprises: an elongated enclosure defined by a pair of transparent, flexible film strips bonded to one another around the periphery thereof by a liquid tight seal; a membrane situated between the film strips, bonded to the periphery of the film strips by a liquid tight seal, and partitioning the enclosure into a pair of juxtaposed, liquid tight compartments; and an edible product contained in each of the compartments. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The squeezable, flexible tubular package in accordance with claim 1 wherein the membrane is opaque. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The squeezable, flexible tubular package in accordance with claim 1 wherein the membrane is transparent. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The squeezable, flexible tubular package in accordance with claim 1 wherein the membrane bears markings visible through the film strips that define the enclosure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The squeezable, flexible tubular package in accordance with claim 1 wherein the edible product in each compartment has a different flavor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The squeezable, flexible tubular package in accordance with claim 5 wherein the flavors complement one another. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The squeezable, flexible tubular package in accordance with claim 1 wherein the edible product in each compartment has a different color. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The squeezable, flexible tubular package in accordance with claim 7 wherein the color of the edible product in one compartment is red and the color of the edible product in the juxtaposed, compartment is blue. ### Claim 9 An array of squeezable, flexible, tubular packages for an edible product which comprises: a plurality of elongated enclosures defined by a pair of transparent, flexible film sheets bonded to one another around the periphery thereof by liquid tight seals and by longitudinal, liquid tight bonding bands at spaced intervals within the periphery; a sheet-form membrane situated between the film sheets, bonded to the periphery of the film sheets and by said longitudinal bonding bands partitioning each said enclosure into a pair of juxtaposed, liquid tight compartments; and an extrudable, edible product in each of the compartments. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The array in accordance with claim 9 wherein each longitudinal bonding band between adjacent enclosures is provided with a line of weakening for separating individual enclosures from the array. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The array in accordance with claim 10 wherein the line of weakening comprises a string of spaced perforations defined by said longitudinal bonding bands. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The array in accordance with claim 9 wherein the edible product in each of the compartments has a different flavor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The array in accordance with claim 9 wherein the edible product in each of the compartments has a different color. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The array in accordance with claim 13 wherein the color of the edible product in each of the compartments and in each of the juxtaposed compartments, respectively, is red and blue. ### Claim 15 A packaging apparatus for a flexible, tubular, compartmented package which comprises: a substantially vertical frame; a pair of driven, parallel, grooved heat sealing rolls rotatably mounted to the frame, each heat sealing roll defining at least one opposed circumferential groove and the rolls together defining at least one open passageway between respective opposed grooves; a membrane sheet supply mounted to the frame above the heat sealing rolls and positioned to feed a membrane sheet between the heat sealing rolls; an outer film sheet supply mounted to the frame on each side of the membrane sheet supply and positioned to feed a substantially co-extensive outer film sheet between the heat sealing rolls on each side of the membrane; sheet; at least one product dispensing nozzle on each side of the membrane sheet between the membrane sheet and adjacent outer film sheet; and a transverse heat sealing device mounted to the frame a predetermined distance below the heat sealing rolls adapted to fuse together a portions of the membrane sheet and the outer film sheets contiguous therewith; said parallel, grooved sealing rolls being spaced from one another at a distance sufficient to pinch therebetween and heat-seal to one another the membrane sheet and the outer film sheet at pinch sites to form at least one tube having two adjacent longitudinal compartments; and said dispensing nozzles being positioned to dispense a product into the adjacent longitudinal compartments. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The packaging apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein each heat-sealing roll defines a plurality of opposed circumferential grooves. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The packaging apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein the transverse heat sealing device comprises a reciprocable heat sealing head and an opposed stationary anvil. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The packaging apparatus in accordance with claim 15 further including cutting wheel assemblies between the heat sealing rolls and the transverse heat sealing device and spaced for contact with longitudinal seams defining the tubular compartmented package. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The packaging apparatus in accordance with claim 15 further including a knife assembly below the transverse heat sealing device.