Pouch with widened seal for elongated diagonal cut

Abstract

A pouch-style containment package for containing and dispensing products is provided, comprising a front film and a back film sealed to the front film along a series of edge seals. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the pouch-style containment package comprises a widened seal portion extending inwardly from a first edge seal of the series of edge seals and an elongated diagonal cut extending substantially across the first edge seal and into the widened seal portion. The widened seal portion and elongated diagonal cut facilitate simple, directionally controlled tearing. In an embodiment of the invention, the pouch-style containment package has a preformed bulge, a widened seal portion extends inwardly from two edge seals adjacent the corner where the two edge seals meet, and two elongated diagonal cuts extend into the widened seal portion, facilitating tearing off a generally triangular corner portion.

1 . A pouch-style containment package for containing and dispensing products comprising: 
 a front film; and    a back film sealed to the front film along a series of edge seals;    characterized in that the pouch-style containment package further comprises a widened seal portion extending inwardly from a first edge seal of said series of edge seals and an elongated diagonal cut extending substantially across said first edge seal and into said widened seal portion.    
   
   
       2 . A pouch-style containment package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said series of edge seals comprises edge seals at two side edges and top and bottom edges of the pouch-style containment package.  
   
   
       3 . A pouch-style containment package as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said edge seals at the two side edges of the pouch-style containment package are substantially uniform in width and substantially the same width as each other.  
   
   
       4 . A pouch-style containment package as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said edge seals at the top and bottom edges of the pouch-style containment package are substantially uniform in width and substantially the same width as each other.  
   
   
       5 . A pouch-style containment package as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said edge seals at the two side edges and the top and bottom edges of the pouch-style containment package are substantially uniform in width and substantially the same width as each other.  
   
   
       6 . A pouch-style containment package as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said first edge seal is at one of said side edges.  
   
   
       7 . A pouch-style containment package as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said first edge seal is at said top edge or said bottom edge.  
   
   
       8 . A pouch-style containment package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a width of the widened edge seal is substantially the same as a width of the first edge seal.  
   
   
       9 . A pouch-style containment package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a width of the widened edge seal is greater than a width of the first edge seal.  
   
   
       10 . A pouch-style containment package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a width of the widened edge seal is less than a width of the first edge seal.  
   
   
       11 . A pouch-style containment package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the pouch-style containment package is rectangular and the series of edge seals comprises four edge seals, with one edge seal extending along each side of the rectangular pouch-style containment package.  
   
   
       12 . A pouch-style containment package for containing and dispensing products comprising: 
 a front film;    a back film sealed to the front film along a series of edge seals;    a preformed bulge in at least the front film;    a widened seal portion extending inwardly from a corner where two edge seals of said series of edge seals meet; and    an elongated diagonal cut extending substantially into said widened seal portion from a first edge seal of said two edge seals.    
   
   
       13 . A pouch-style containment package as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising a second elongated diagonal cut extending substantially into said widened seal portion from a second edge seal of said two edge seals.  
   
   
       14 . A pouch-style containment package as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the widened seal portion forms a generally triangular shape.  
   
   
       15 . A pouch-style containment package as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising an unsealed channel extending into said widened seal area.  
   
   
       16 . A pouch-style containment package as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said elongated diagonal cut extends in a direction for creation of a tear, said direction for said tear extending across said channel.  
   
   
       17 . A pouch-style containment package as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising a second elongated diagonal cut extending substantially into said widened seal portion from a second edge seal of said two edge seals, said second elongated diagonal cut extending in the same general direction as said direction for said tear.