Sealed beverage container

Abstract

A sealed beverage container having a container body with a front wall joined to a rear wall defining a substance receiving compartment with an interior surface and an exterior surface with one of the walls including an aperture having a first axis for accessing the compartment and a seal covering the aperture with an unsealed region and a sealed region with said sealed region forming an asymmetrical sealing pattern about the first axis.

1 . A sealed container comprising: 
 a container body including a front wall joined to a rear wall defining a substance receiving compartment with an interior surface and an exterior surface, at least one of said walls including an aperture for accessing said compartment and defining a first axis disposed in a plane passing through said at least one of said walls; and    a seal including an unsealed region at least partially covering said aperture and a sealed region attached to said interior surface of said container body with at least one of said regions being asymmetrical about said first axis.    
   
   
       2 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said rear wall includes said aperture and said seal is attached to said interior surface of said rear wall over said aperture.    
   
   
       3 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said first axis is a horizontal centerline relative to a bottom edge of said container body.    
   
   
       4 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said seal includes a second axis as a vertical centerline relative to said first axis and said unsealed region and said sealed region are symmetrical oriented relative to said second axis.    
   
   
       5 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said seal is circular and includes an outer ring, an inner ring, and a center region, said outer ring being completely sealed to said interior surface of said container body, said center region disposed within said unsealed region and covering said aperture, and said inner ring including a portion of said unsealed region and a portion said sealed region.    
   
   
       6 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 5  wherein: 
 said seal includes a unsealed fringe region circumferentially disposed about said outer ring.    
   
   
       7 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 5  wherein: 
 said first axis is a horizontal centerline and said inner ring includes said unsealed region disposed beneath and abutting said horizontal centerline.    
   
   
       8 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 5  wherein: 
 said axis is a horizontal centerline and said inner ring includes said unsealed region with a first portion disposed partially above said horizontal centerline and a second portion disposed completely below said horizontal centerline.    
   
   
       9 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 5  wherein: 
 said axis is a horizontal centerline and said inner ring includes said unsealed region that extends beneath said centerline.    
   
   
       10 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said walls are flexible.    
   
   
       11 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said aperture is circular.    
   
   
       12 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said seal is heat welded to said interior surface of said container body.    
   
   
       13 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said seal is sonically welded to said interior surface of said container body.    
   
   
       14 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said seal is adhered to said interior surface of said container body.    
   
   
       15 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said unsealed region defines a piercing tool receiving pouch below said first axis.    
   
   
       16 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said walls are welded together at their respective margins to form said compartment.    
   
   
       17 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said seal includes an arch-shaped sealing pattern above said first axis.    
   
   
       18 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said seal includes an inner ring concentrically disposed about said aperture and including an unsealed region extending a distance greater than 180 degrees about a center point of said aperture.    
   
   
       19 . The sealed container as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said seal includes an inner ring concentrically disposed about said aperture and including an unsealed region extending a distance less 180 degrees about a center point of said aperture and below said first axis.    
   
   
       20 . A sealed container comprising: 
 a container body including a front wall joined to a rear wall defining a substance receiving compartment with an interior surface and an exterior surface, one of said walls including an aperture for accessing said compartment, said aperture having a first axis; and    means for asymmetrical sealing said aperture about said first axis.    
   
   
       21 . A sealed container comprising: 
 a flexible standup pouch body including an upright front wall joined to an upright rear wall;    a bottom wall joined to a lower edge of said front and rear walls, said walls cooperating to define a fluid receiving compartment with said rear wall including a straw hole disposed near the top of said pouch body for accessing said compartment, said hole having a horizontal centerline passing therethrough; and    a substantially circular patch overlying said hole on said interior surface of said rear wall and including a sealed region attaching said patch to said interior surface and an unsealed region, said sealed region including an outer ring sealed to said interior surface and concentrically disposed about said hole, said unsealed region including a center registered with said hole, said patch including an inner ring also concentrically disposed about said hole and interior to said outer ring, said inner ring defining an asymmetrical sealing pattern about said centerline with a portion of said ring including a portion of said sealed region and a portion of said unsealed region.