Flexible package having an automatic closure feature

Abstract

A reclosable flexible package is suitable for retail sale of food products and is comprised of a film material. The reclosable flexible packages are suitable for mass production on high-speed form-fill-seal equipment. The flexible package includes a pair of semi-rigid strips attached to the walls of the flexible pouch and positioned parallel to the package opening. The semi-rigid strips are configured and arranged to nest together and bias toward one another. Upon opening of the package, the semi-rigid strips are moveable between a closed position and an open position. Further, the semi-rigid strips are configured such that they automatically reclose the package when the strips are released from the open position.

1 . A method of mass producing a packaged food product in high-speed form-fill-seal equipment comprising:
 forming a series of disposable pouches having front and back panels made of film material, each of the disposable pouches defining a cavity therein;   filling the cavity of the disposable pouches with a food product;   hermetically sealing the disposable pouches;   attaching a first semi-rigid strip to the front panel and a second semi-rigid strip to the back panel with each of the semi-rigid strips having a profile aligned with the profile of the adjacent semi-rigid strip such that the strips align, the first and second semi-rigid strips being biased toward one another; and   separating the disposable pouches from one another.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising forming a removable top portion in the disposable pouches defined by an area of weakness. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first and second semi-rigid strips are attached to inside surfaces of the front and the back panels. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first and second semi-rigid strips are attached to outside surfaces of the front and back panels. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first and second semi-rigid strips are pre-cut. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein strip material from which the first and second semi-rigid strips are produced dispensed from a reel. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the strip material is wound on the reel in flat form such that the profile of the first and second semi-rigid strips is imparted by a thermal forming tool when the material is unwound from the reel. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein attaching the first and second semi-rigid strips comprises at least one of:
 heat sealing the first and second semi-rigid strips to the inside surface of the front and back panels;   heat sealing the first and second semi-rigid strips to the outside surface of the front and back panels;   adhesive bonding the first and second semi-rigid strips to the inside surface of the front and back panels;   adhesive bonding the first and second semi-rigid strips to the outside surface of the front and back panels.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein heat sealing the first and second semi-rigid strips comprises having an external heat seal layer compatible on the first and second semi-rigid strips that is compatible with a sealant on the front and back panels. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first and second semi-rigid strips are attached in an orientation parallel to the machine direction. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first and second semi-rigid strips are attached in an orientation perpendicular to the machine direction via a strip applicator module configured and arranged to cut and heat-seal the first and second semi-rigid strips to the disposable pouch. 
     
     
         12 . A method for mass producing a packaged food product in a horizontal thermoform-fill-seal equipment comprising:
 thermoforming a series product cavities from a thermoformable flexible plastic bottom film;   filling the thermoformed series of product cavities;   securing the first semi-rigid strip to the bottom film;   securing the second semi-rigid strip to a flexible top film;   heat sealing the flexible top film to the bottom film, the films defining a pouch wherein the first and second semi-rigid strips significantly overlap one another and the first and second semi-rigid strips have profiles that align in the same direction such that the strips nest together in a closed position.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein securing the first semi-rigid strip to the bottom film comprises heat sealing. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein securing the first semi-rigid strip to the bottom film comprises adhesive bonding. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the first and second semi-rigid strips are attached to inside surfaces of the front and the back panels. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the first and second semi-rigid strips are attached to outside surfaces of the front and the back panels. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the first and second semi-rigid strips are pre-cut. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  wherein strip material from which the first and second semi-rigid strips are dispensed from wound on a reel. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the strip material is wound on the reel in flat form such that the profile of the first and second semi-rigid strips is imparted by a thermal forming tool when the material is unwound from the reel. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the first and second semi-rigid strips are attached in an orientation parallel to the machine direction. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the first and second semi-rigid strips are attached in an orientation perpendicular to the machine direction via a strip applicator module configured and arranged to cut and heat-seal the first and second semi-rigid strips to the disposable pouch. 
     
     
         22 . A method for mass producing a packaged food product in a vertical form-fill-seal equipment comprising:
 forming a flexible plastic tube from a roll of flexible plastic film, the plastic tube having a sealed edge and having a pair of semi-rigid strips secured to the flexible film wherein the pair of semi-rigid strips significantly overlap one another once the semi-rigid strips are secured to the flexible film;   forming a first side seal in the plastic tube to create a flexible pouch from the flexible plastic tube;   filling the flexible pouch with a food product;   forming a second side seal in the flexible pouch to seal the food product within the flexible pouch; and   separating a filled flexible pouch from the plastic tube.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the semi-rigid strips have formed profiles that align in the same direction such that the semi-rigid strips nest together when the flexible pouch is in a closed position. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein forming a flexible plastic tube from a roll of flexible plastic film further includes forming the flexible film over a forming collar to create the plastic tube. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the plastic tube having a sealed edge and securing a pair of semi-rigid strips to the flexible film includes forming a top seal in the flexible film having a front and a back panels, the front and back panels each having one of the pair of semi-rigid strips attached thereto.