Squeezable dispensing package and method
AssigneeMaxPax LLC
InventorBill Nathan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid dispensing container is provided. The container includes a container body formed from a first flexible material defining an interior cavity. The container includes a membrane formed from a second flexible material and a seal coupling the membrane to the inner surface of the container body. The membrane divides the interior cavity into a contents chamber and a dispensing chamber, and the membrane and the seal are configured to be fluid tight to maintain fluid within the contents chamber prior to rupture of the membrane. The rupture stress of the second flexible material is less than the rupture stress of the first flexible material such that, as fluid pressure within the contents chamber increases, the membrane is configured to rupture without the container body rupturing.
Claims20
A heat-sealed squeezable dispensing pouch comprising:
- an outer sheet having a front wall, a rear wall and a folded edge located between the front wall and the rear wall, wherein the outer sheet is folded along the folded edge such that an inner surface of the front wall faces an inner surface of the rear wall;
- a first heat seal coupling the inner surface of a peripheral section of the front wall to a peripheral section of the inner surface of the rear wall such that the inner surfaces of the front and rear walls define an interior chamber;
- a rupturable inner membrane formed from a contiguous, single monolayer of thermoplastic material, the rupturable inner membrane located within the interior chamber, wherein the rupturable inner membrane divides the interior chamber into a contents compartment and a dispensing channel, wherein the first heat seal defines an edge of the contents compartment and the folded edge defines an edge of the dispensing channel;
- a second heat seal coupling the rupturable inner membrane to the inner surface of the front wall;
- a third heat seal coupling the rupturable inner membrane to the inner surface of the rear wall;
- and
- a score line formed in both the front and rear walls, between the folded edge and the rupturable inner membrane, the score line configured such that the portion of the outer sheet between the score line and the folded edge can be removed to create a dispensing opening in the dispensing channel;
- wherein the rupturable inner membrane is configured to break when the pressure within the contents compartment is greater than a rupture threshold, wherein the first, second and third heat seals are configured to remain sealed when the inner membrane breaks.
A fluid dispensing container comprising:
- a container body formed from a first flexible material, the container body having an outer surface, an inner surface, a filling end and a dispensing end, the inner surface of the container body defining an interior cavity;
- a membrane formed from a second flexible material;
- and
- a seal coupling the membrane to the inner surface of the container body at a position located between the filling end and the dispensing end such that the membrane divides the interior cavity into a contents chamber and a dispensing chamber, the membrane and the seal are configured to be fluid tight to maintain fluid within the contents chamber prior to rupture of the membrane;
- wherein the rupture stress of the second flexible material is less than the rupture stress of the first flexible material such that, as fluid pressure within the contents chamber increases, the membrane is configured to rupture without the container body rupturing.
A method of forming a container comprising:
- providing a first sheet of first flexible material and a second sheet of second flexible material;
- folding the first sheet creating a folded edge that divides the first sheet into a front wall and a rear wall, the front wall and the rear wall each having an upper edge opposite the folded edge;
- positioning the second sheet between front wall and the rear wall of the folded first sheet;
- creating a first heat seal attaching a front surface of the second sheet to an inner surface of the front wall of the first sheet;
- creating a second heat seal attaching a rear surface of the second sheet to an inner surface of the rear wall of the first sheet;
- creating a third heat seal attaching a left side of the front wall to a left side of the rear wall to seal the left side of the container;
- creating a fourth heat seal attaching a right side of the front wall to a right side of the rear wall to seal the right side of the container;
- filling the container through a filling opening defined by the upper edges of the front and rear walls of the first sheet;
- and
- creating a fifth heat seal attaching the upper edge of the front wall to the upper edge of the rear wall sealing the filling opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.