Flexible-round stand-up pouch

Abstract

A thin, heat-sealable packaging material is formed into an open cylindrical pouch having a recessed, round or oval base, similar to the base on paper cups. After filling, the opening of the pouch can be sealed to itself with heat and pressure using known techniques. The innovative design utilizes known technologies to form a stand-up heat-sealable pouch.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A package containing a product, said package comprising: 
 a sidewall formed from a flexible packaging material that is heat sealable to itself; and    a substantially round or oval shaped base formed from said flexible packaging material, said base being attached to a first edge of said sidewall;    wherein said sidewall is sealed to itself at a first seal that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the base and at a second seal that is remote from said base and substantially perpendicular to said first seal.    
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein said base is recessed from a lower edge of said sidewall.  
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of said base is enclosed between two layers of said flexible packaging material that form said sidewall.  
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein said flexible packaging material comprises polypropylene, polyester, paper, polyolefin extrusions, adhesive laminates, metalized layers or a layered combination of the above.  
     
     
         5 . A method of packaging a product, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a pouch having a substantially round or oval base and sidewalls, wherein a rim of said base is sealed to said sidewalls;    filling said pouch with the product;    after said filling step, sealing opposite sides of said sidewalls together using heat and pressure.    
     
     
         6 . A package, comprising: 
 a substantially round or oval base, wherein said base is formed from a non-paperboard packaging material that is heat sealable to itself; and    sidewalls formed from said non-paperboard packaging material;    wherein said base and said sidewalls are heat sealed to each other along a rim of said base.    
     
     
         7 . The pouch of  claim 6 , wherein said flexible packaging material comprises polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, paper, polyolefin extrusions, adhesive laminates, or a layered combination of the above.  
     
     
         8 . The pouch of  claim 6 , wherein a portion of said base is enclosed between first and second layers of said sidewalls.  
     
     
         9 . The pouch of  claim 6 , wherein said sidewalls meet said base at a substantially normal angle.  
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising the steps of: 
 cutting a base piece and a sidewall piece from a non-paperboard packaging material that is heat sealable to itself;    forming and scaling said sidewall piece into a tube;    forming a rim on said base piece that projects substantially  90  degrees from the remainder of said base piece; and    sealing said rim of said base piece to an end of said tube to form an open package.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said step of forming a rim comprises forcing said base piece through an opening that is small in diameter than said base piece.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said cutting step cuts a base piece having a circular or oval shape.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of: 
 filling said open package with a product; and    sealing an opening of said open package using heat and pressure.    
     
     
         14 . A bag made according to the method of  claim 10.