Standup flexible pouch and method for making a standup flexible pouch

Abstract

A standup flexible pouch having an asymmetrical shape includes a front wall, a back wall, and a gusset having a back gusset panel and a front gusset panel that is offset from the back gusset panel. The standup flexible pouch is formed from a sheet of flexible packaging material, and, when the pouch is filled, the front wall and the front gusset panel protrude outwardly from the back wall, forming a skull shape. The lower portion of the front wall and the front gusset panel of the gusset are sealed together along opposing miter gusset regions to further effect the skull shape of the pouch. The difference in length between the front wall and the back wall is directly proportional to the offset, the relationship of the gusset width to the pouch height is approximately one-to-one and the relationship of the pouch width to the gusset width is approximately two-to-one. The standup flexible pouch has opposing gusset seal flaps which can be used to add further dimension to the skull shape of the pouch, such as by cutting them to resemble cat whiskers. A method of making the standup flexible pouch is also disclosed.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A standup flexible pouch, comprising 
 a back wall;    a front wall longer than the back wall and having an upper portion connected to an upper portion of the back wall; and    a gusset connecting a lower portion of the back wall to a lower portion of the front wall, the gusset comprising a back gusset panel and a front gusset panel connected to the back gusset panel, the back gusset panel attached to the lower portion of the back wall, the front gusset panel attached to the lower portion of the front wall, the front gusset panel being offset from the back gusset panel, and the back wall, the front wall, and the gusset made of flexible sheet material.    
     
     
         2 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 1  wherein the back wall, the front wall and the gusset are integrally connected end-to-end and are formed from a continuous sheet of flexible packaging material.  
     
     
         3 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 2  wherein the continuous sheet of flexible packaging material is selected from the group consisting of paper, foil, polypropylene, nylon, vinyl, and polyethylene.  
     
     
         4 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 3  wherein the continuous sheet of flexible packaging material a polyester polyethylene lamination.  
     
     
         5 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 2  wherein the back wall, the front wall and the gusset are heat sealed to one another.  
     
     
         6 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 5  wherein the back wall, the front wall and the gusset are peripherally heat sealed to one another.  
     
     
         7 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 1  wherein the offset is between about 1% to about 99% the gusset width.  
     
     
         8 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 7  wherein the offset is between about 10% to about 80% the gusset width.  
     
     
         9 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 8  wherein the offset is between about 20% to about 60% the gusset width.  
     
     
         10 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 1  wherein the difference in length between the front wall and the back wall is approximately directly proportional to the offset, the relationship of the gusset width to the pouch height is a ratio between about 100:1 and about 1:100, and the relationship-of the pouch width to the gusset width is a ratio between about 100:1 and about 1:10.  
     
     
         11 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 10  wherein the relationship of the gusset width to the pouch height is a ratio between about 10:1 and about 1:10.  
     
     
         12 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 11  wherein the relationship of the gusset width to the pouch height is 1:1.  
     
     
         13 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 10  wherein the relationship of the pouch width to the gusset width is a ratio between about 10:1 to about 1.1:1.  
     
     
         14 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 13  wherein the relationship of the pouch width to the gusset width is 2:1.  
     
     
         15 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 1  wherein the back wall, the front wall and the gusset are sealed to one another such that, when the pouch is filled with product, the front wall and the front gusset panel protrude outwardly from the back wall and form jaws, a chin and a face.  
     
     
         16 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 1  wherein the front wall is decorated with a printed design.  
     
     
         17 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 16  wherein the printed design is a face of a character.  
     
     
         18 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 1  wherein the front gusset panel and the front wall are sealed to one another across first opposing gusset seal regions and the back gusset panel and the back wall are sealed to one another across second opposing gusset seal regions, the first opposing gusset seal regions being larger than the second opposing gusset seal regions.  
     
     
         19 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 18  wherein the first opposing gusset regions are larger than the second opposing regions in direct proportion to the difference between the length of the front gusset panel and the back gusset panel.  
     
     
         20 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 18  wherein the first opposing gusset seal regions and the second opposing gusset seal regions have a shape selected from the group comprising elliptical, parabolic, doyne, and mitered.  
     
     
         21 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 20  wherein the first opposing gusset seal regions and the second opposing gusset seal regions have a mitered shape.  
     
     
         22 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 18  wherein the front gusset panel and the front wall are sealed to one another across first opposing gusset seal regions to form opposing gusset seal flaps.  
     
     
         23 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 22  wherein the opposing gusset seal flaps are cut to resemble animal whiskers.  
     
     
         24 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 22  wherein the opposing gusset seal flaps are heat sealed so as to curl the opposing gusset seal flaps underneath the standup flexible pouch.  
     
     
         25 . A method of making a standup flexible pouch, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a sheet of flexible material having a length and a width;    folding the sheet of flexible material so as to form a back wall having an upper portion and a lower portion, a front wall longer than the back wall and having an upper portion and a lower portion, and a gusset connecting a lower portion of the back wall to the lower portion of the front wall, the gusset comprising a back gusset panel and a front gusset panel connected to the back gusset panel, the back gusset panel attached to the lower portion of the back wall, the front gusset panel attached to the lower portion of the front wall, and the front gusset panel being offset from the back gusset panel; and    sealing portions of the front wall, back wall and gusset together such that the upper portion of the front wall is connected to the upper portion of the back wall, the back gusset panel is attached to the lower portion of the back wall, and the front gusset panel is attached to the lower portion of the front wall.    
     
     
         26 . A method as in  claim 25  wherein the sheet of flexible material is selected from the group consisting of paper, foil, polyester, polypropylene, nylon, vinyl, and polyethylene.  
     
     
         27 . A method as in  claim 26  wherein the sheet of flexible material is a polyester polyethylene lamination.  
     
     
         28 . A method as in  claim 25  wherein the step of sealing includes heat sealing the back wall, the front wall and the gusset to one another.  
     
     
         29 . A method as in  claim 25  wherein the offset is between about 1% to about 99% the gusset width.  
     
     
         30 . A method as in  claim 29  wherein the offset is between about 10% to about 80% the gusset width.  
     
     
         31 . A method as in  claim 30  wherein the offset is between about 20% to about 60% the gusset width.  
     
     
         32 . A method as in  claim 25  wherein the difference in length between the front wall and the back wall is approximately directly proportional to the offset, A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 1  wherein the difference in length between the front wall and the back wall is approximately directly proportional to the offset, the relationship of the gusset width to the pouch height is a ratio between about 100:1 and about 1:100, and the relationship of the pouch width to the gusset width is a ratio between about 100:1 and about 1:10.  
     
     
         33 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 32  wherein the relationship of the gusset width to the pouch height is a ratio between about 10:1 and about 1:10.  
     
     
         34 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 33  wherein the relationship of the gusset width to the pouch height is 1:1.  
     
     
         35 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 32  wherein the relationship of the pouch width to the gusset width is a ratio between about 10:1 to about 1.1:1.  
     
     
         36 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 35  wherein the relationship of the pouch width to the gusset width is 2:1.  
     
     
         37 . A method as in  claim 25  wherein the back wall, the front wall and the gusset are sealed to one another such that, when the pouch is filled with product, the front wall and the front gusset panel of the gusset protrude outwardly from the back wall and form jaws, a chin and a face.  
     
     
         38 . A method as in  claim 25  further comprising decorating the front gusset panel with a printed design.  
     
     
         39 . A method as in  claim 38  wherein the printed design is a face of a character.  
     
     
         40 . A method as in  claim 38  wherein the front gusset panel is decorated with a printed design prior to folding the sheet of flexible material.  
     
     
         41 . A method as in  claim 25  wherein the front gusset panel of the gusset and the front wall are sealed to one another across first opposing gusset seal regions and the back gusset panel of the gusset and the back wall are sealed to one another across second opposing gusset seal regions, the first opposing gusset seal regions being larger than the second opposing gusset seal regions.  
     
     
         42 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 41  wherein the first opposing gusset regions are larger than the second opposing regions in direct proportion to the difference between the length of the front gusset panel and the back gusset panel.  
     
     
         43 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 41  wherein the first opposing gusset seal regions and the second opposing gusset seal regions have a shape selected from the group comprising elliptical, parabolic, doyne, and mitered.  
     
     
         44 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 43  wherein the first opposing gusset seal regions and the second opposing gusset seal regions have a mitered shape.  
     
     
         45 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 41  wherein the front gusset panel and the front wall are sealed to one another across first opposing gusset seal regions to form opposing gusset seal flaps.  
     
     
         46 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 45  wherein the opposing gusset seal flaps are cut to resemble animal whiskers.  
     
     
         47 . A standup flexible pouch as in  claim 45  wherein the opposing gusset seal flaps are heat sealed so as to curl the opposing gusset seal flaps underneath the standup flexible pouch.  
     
     
         48 . A method as in  claim 25  wherein the folding step comprises folding the sheet of flexible polymer film along a first fold line, a second fold lines and a third fold line each extending across the width of the flexible sheet and spaced from one another, the first fold line delineating a boundary between the front wall and the front gusset panel, the second fold line delineating a boundary between the back wall and the back gusset panel, and the third fold line delineating a boundary between the front gusset panel and the back gusset panel, the difference between the distance between the first fold line and the second fold line and the distance between the second fold line and the third line comprising the offset of the front gusset panel from the back gusset panel.  
     
     
         49 . A method as in  claim 48  wherein the first fold line, the second fold line and the third fold line are all parallel to one another.  
     
     
         50 . A method as in  claim 48  wherein the first fold line bisects first opposing miter gusset seal regions and the third fold line bisects second opposing miter gusset seal regions, wherein the first opposing miter gusset seal regions are larger than the second opposing miter gusset seal regions.  
     
     
         51 . A standup flexible pouch as in claim  50  wherein the first opposing miter gusset regions are larger than the second opposing miter regions in direct proportion to the difference between the length of the front gusset panel and the back gusset panel.  
     
     
         52 . A method as in  claim 48  wherein the distance between the first fold line and the second fold line is greater than the distance between the second fold line and the third fold line by a ratio of between about 1% to about 99% the gusset width.  
     
     
         53 . A method as in claim  52  wherein the distance between the first fold line and the second fold line is greater than the distance between the second fold line and the third fold line by a ratio of between about 10% to about 80% the gusset width.  
     
     
         54 . A method as in claim  53  wherein the distance between the first fold line and the second fold line is greater than the distance between the second fold line and the third fold line by a ratio of between about 20% to about 60% the gusset width.