Pouch with smooth sides
AssigneePouch Pac Innovations, LLC
InventorR. Charles Murray
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a container having consumer friendly sides. The container has a front panel and a back panel, each having an exterior surface. A side sealed portion of the container is folded over and secured to the exterior surface of container. Securing the side sealed portion to the exterior surface of the container forms a smooth side with the portion of the container that is folded over, or flexed, to allow the side sealed portion to be secured to the front or back panel. A method for forming the container assembly, and a machine for manufacturing the container assembly are also disclosed.
Claims12
A flexible container assembly comprising:
- a front panel having an exterior surface;
- a back panel having an exterior surface, the back panel sealed to the front panel to form a first side sealed portion;
- the first side sealed portion secured to the exterior surface of the front panel or the exterior surface of the back panel to form a first smooth side.
A method of forming a container assembly comprising:
- providing a flexible pouch having a front panel having an exterior surface, a back panel having an exterior surface, and a side sealed portion;
- applying an adhesive to the flexible pouch in an area where the side sealed portion will abut the front panel or back panel when the flexible pouch is folded along a predetermined fold line;
- folding the flexible pouch along the predetermined fold line;
- and
- pressing the side sealed portion to abut the exterior surface of the front or back panel, so as to secure the sealed side portion to the front or back panel with the adhesive.
A machine for making a container assembly comprising:
- a pouch transport mechanism having a direction of travel;
- a first rail disposed above the pouch transport mechanism, the rail running parallel to the direction of travel of the pouch transport mechanism, and positioned above the transport mechanism so as to align with a first desired fold line on the pouch transported by the pouch transport mechanism;
- a first progressive side plow having a staring end and a finish end, the first progressive side plow being disposed along adjacent the pouch transport mechanism, and running parallel to the direction of travel of the pouch transport mechanism, the start end of the first side plow having a generally flat top surface, the top surface changing in angle and curvature towards the finish end so as to fold the pouch being transported by the pouch transport mechanism over the first rail;
- a first glue dispensing mechanism disposed above the pouch transport mechanism, on a side of the first rail opposite the first progressive side plow;
- and
- a press mechanism disposed above the pouch transport mechanism at the finish end of the first progressive side plow, the press mechanism operable to move between a first position and a second position, the first position begin such that the pouch transported by the pouch transport mechanism can be aligned under the press mechanism, second position being such that the press mechanism urges the side sealed edge to abut the front or back panel in the area glue from the first glue dispensing mechanism would be deposited.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.