Flexible container and method of making the same

Abstract

A flexible container comprising at least two flexible walls sealed together at one or more seal areas to form a container compartment and a handle portion is provided. The handle portion includes an aperture and an unsealed edge adjacent the aperture and distal the container compartment. The aperture and the unsealed edge are surrounded by a first seal area of the one or more seal areas. A method of making a flexible container is also provided.

1 . A flexible container comprising:
 at least two walls sealed together at one or more seal areas to form a container compartment; and   a handle portion comprising,
 an aperture; and 
 an unsealed edge adjacent the aperture and distal the container compartment, wherein the aperture and the unsealed edge are surrounded by a first seal area of the one or more seal areas. 
   
     
     
         2 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the first seal area has a first Gurley Stiffness and the unsealed edge has a second Gurley Stiffness less than the first Gurley Stiffness. 
     
     
         3 . The flexible container of  claim 2 , wherein the second Gurley Stiffness is about 30% to about 95% less than the first Gurley Stiffness. 
     
     
         4 . The flexible container of  claim 2 , wherein the second Gurley Stiffness is about 40% to about 85% less than the first Gurley Stiffness. 
     
     
         5 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the first seal area extends at least about 0.75 inches from the aperture in a direction away from the container compartment. 
     
     
         6 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the first seal area extends at least about 1 inch from the aperture in a direction away from the container compartment. 
     
     
         7 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the container compartment is capable of holding from about 0.75 gallons to about 1.5 gallons of a liquid. 
     
     
         8 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the container compartment is capable of holding at least about 1 gallon of a liquid. 
     
     
         6 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the at least two walls comprises a nylon layer. 
     
     
         7 . The flexible container of  claim 6 , wherein the nylon layer has a thickness ranging from about 0.4 mils to about 2.0 mils. 
     
     
         8 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the at least two walls comprises a multilayer polymer film. 
     
     
         9 . The flexible container of  claim 8 , wherein the multilayer polymer film comprises an adhesive laminated film. 
     
     
         10 . The flexible container of  claim 9 , wherein the multilayer polymer film comprises a first layer including a blend of high density polyethylene and linear low density polyethylene, a second layer including nylon, and a third layer including polyethylene terephthalate, and wherein the second layer is disposed between the first layer and the third layer. 
     
     
         11 . The flexible container of  claim 10 , wherein the first layer further comprises metallocene linear low density polyethylene. 
     
     
         12 . The flexible container of  claim 10 , wherein the nylon comprises biaxially oriented nylon. 
     
     
         13 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two walls comprises two side walls and a bottom wall, and wherein the bottom wall comprises a gusset joining the two side walls. 
     
     
         14 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two walls are heat sealed together at the one or more seal areas. 
     
     
         15 . A method for making a flexible container comprising:
 providing a first film portion comprising a first aperture;   providing a second film portion comprising a second aperture;   positioning the first film portion adjacent to the second film portion such that the first aperture and the second aperture are in registry; and   sealing the first film portion to the second film portion at one or more seal areas to form a container compartment and a handle portion, the handle portion comprising,
 an aperture comprising the first aperture and the second aperture, and 
 an unsealed edge adjacent the aperture and distal the container compartment, wherein the aperture and the unsealed edge are surrounded by a first seal area of the one or more seal areas. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first seal area has a first Gurley Stiffness and the unsealed edge has a second Gurley Stiffness less than the first Gurley Stiffness. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second Gurley Stiffness is about 30% to about 95% less than the first Gurley Stiffness. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first seal area extends at least about 1 inch from the unsealed edge in a direction away from the aperture. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the container compartment is capable of holding at least about  1  gallon of a liquid. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of first film portion and the second film portion is a multilayer polymer film comprises a first layer including a blend of high density polyethylene and linear low density polyethylene, a second layer including nylon, and a third layer including polyethylene terephthalate, and wherein the second layer is disposed between the first layer and the third layer. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first film portion and the second film portion are integral on a film sheet, and wherein the step of positioning comprises folding the film sheet such the first film portion is adjacent to the second film portion and the first aperture and the second aperture are in registry. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising providing a third film portion, the third film portion comprising a gusset, and sealing the first film portion and the second film portion at the gusset to form a bottom wall of the flexible container. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first film portion, the second film portion, and the gusset are integral on a film sheet such that the gusset is positioned between the first film portion and the second film portion distal the first aperture and the second aperture, and wherein the step of positioning comprises folding the film sheet such the first film portion is adjacent to the second film portion and the first aperture and the second aperture are in registry. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of sealing comprises heat sealing.