Flexible package with audio tract

Abstract

A flexible container comprising an audio tract. The audio tract is incorporated into the container as the container is made. The audio tract produces an audible sound when a stylus is moved across the surface of the tract. A method of producing a flexible container comprising forming an audio tract on a sheet of flexible packaging material.

What we claim:  
     
         1 . A flexible container comprising: 
 an enclosure formed of flexible sheet material;    a closure for sealing the enclosure; and    an audio tract on the flexible sheet material comprising a series of grooves for producing an audible sound when a stylus is moved across the surface of the grooves.    
     
     
         2 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the audio tract is located on or adjacent the closure.  
     
     
         3 . The flexible container of  claim 2 , wherein the closure is a seam, zipper, snap closure, slide closure, lap seal or fin seal.  
     
     
         4 . The flexible container of  claim 3 , wherein the closure is a seam.  
     
     
         5 . The flexible container of  claim 2 , wherein the enclosure has a top, a side and a bottom and the closure is located on the top, side or bottom of the enclosure.  
     
     
         6 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible sheet material is a thermoplastic film.  
     
     
         7 . The flexible container of  claim 6 , wherein the flexible sheet material is a polyester, polyethylene or polypropylene film.  
     
     
         8 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the audible sound is in the form of musical notes or spoken words.  
     
     
         9 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the audio tract is incorporated into the flexible sheet material as the enclosure is formed.  
     
     
         10 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the closure is a zipper including a zipper slider for opening and closing the zipper and a stylus connected to the zipper slider such that the stylus moves across the audio tract when the zipper slider is moved.  
     
     
         11 . A method of producing a flexible container comprising: 
 forming flexible sheet material into an enclosure;    sealing the enclosure with at least one closure; and    forming an audio tract on the flexible sheet material, the audio tract comprising a series of grooves for producing an audible sound when a stylus is moved across the surface of the grooves.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of forming the audio tract comprises embossing the audio tract onto the flexible sheet material.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the audio tract is formed on the flexible sheet material so that the audio tract is located on the at least one closure.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the enclosure has a top, a side and a bottom and the at least one closure is located on the top, side or bottom of the enclosure.  
     
     
         15 . The method  claim 13 , wherein the at least one closure is a seam, zipper, snap closure, slide closure, lap seal, or fin seal.  
     
     
         16 . The method  claim 13 , wherein the at least one closure is a seam.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the audio tract and seam are formed simultaneously, and the audio tract is part of the seam.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the flexible sheet material is a thermoplastic film.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the flexible sheet material is a polyester, polyethylene or polypropylene film.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the method is continuous.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the audio tract is formed by: 
 applying a softened thermoplastic polymer to the flexible sheet material; and    embossing the audio tract into the thermoplastic polymer with an engraved disc.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the thermoplastic resin is polyolefin, nylon, vinyl, EVA copolymer, styrene butadiene block copolymer, or wax.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the audio tract is formed by: 
 applying a curable resin to a first side of the flexible sheet material;    embossing the audio tract into the resin with an engraved roller; and    curing the resin so that the audio tract is adhered to the packaging material.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the resin is cured while it is in contact with the engraved roller.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the resin is cured with ultraviolet radiation.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the embossing step comprises bringing a heated engraved disk into rolling contact with the flexible sheet material.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the embossing step comprises bringing an embossing die into contact with the flexible sheet material.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , the embossing die simultaneously forms the audio tract and closure, and wherein the audio tract is part of the closure.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of forming the enclosure comprises: 
 forming the flexible sheet material into a flexible pouch comprising at least two layers, a top edge, two side edges, and a bottom edge; and    forming a first closure at the bottom edge, a second closure at the first side edge, and a third closure at the second side edge.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising forming a fourth closure at the top edge.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the audio tract is formed on the flexible sheet material so that the audio tract is located on the first, second, third or fourth closure.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the closure comprising the audio tract is a seam, zipper, snap closure, slide closure, lap seal or fin seal.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the audio tract and the closure are formed simultaneously, and the audio tract is part of the closure.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising folding the sheet of flexible material to form a bottom folded edge and the at least two layers.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the first closure is formed by the bottom folded edge.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising: 
 prior to forming the structure, forming the second and third closure on the flexible material wherein the closures are spaced apart and are perpendicular to the bottom folded edge.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the audio tract is formed by: 
 applying a softened thermoplastic polymer to the flexible sheet material; and    embossing the audio tract into the thermoplastic polymer with an engraved disc.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the audio tract is formed by: 
 applying a curable resin to a first side of the flexible sheet material;    embossing the audio tract into the resin with an engraved roller; and    curing the resin so that the audio tract is adhered to the packaging material.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the audio tract is formed by embossing the audio tract into the flexible sheet material with a heated engraved disk.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the audio tract is formed by bringing an embossing die into contact with the flexible sheet material wherein the audio tract is embossed into the flexible sheet material.  
     
     
         41 . The method of claim  40 , the embossing die simultaneously forms the audio tract and closure, and wherein the audio tract is part of the closure.