Flexible Pouch With Easy-Opening Features

Abstract

A flexible pouch is formed from a laminate having built-in opening features. The laminate is wrapped/folded into a generally tubular configuration and sealed at top and bottom ends and along a longitudinal fin. A tear initiation feature is provided in the form of a hole extending through the laminate and located within a top seal of the pouch. The tear initiation feature is located at one longitudinal edge of the pouch when the laminate is wrapped and sealed to form the pouch. A fin tear-propagating feature is also provided in the form of two tear areas formed respectively in the side edges of the laminate such that the tear areas substantially coincide on the fin so as to form the fin tear-propagating feature, the fin tear-propagating feature being substantially in transverse alignment with the tear initiation feature. In another embodiment, the tear initiation feature is provided as a score line extending across the pouch.

1 . A flexible pouch for containing a product, the flexible pouch comprising:
 a flexible laminate having a top edge, a bottom edge, and two opposite longitudinally extending side edges, the laminate being wrapped about a longitudinal axis and portions of the laminate adjacent the opposite side edges being sealed together to form a fin extending longitudinally along the pouch, two facing portions of the laminate adjacent the top edge being sealed together to form a top seal, and two facing portions of the laminate adjacent the bottom edge being sealed together to form a bottom seal;   a tear initiation feature comprising a hole formed through the laminate and located within the top seal, wherein the tear initiation feature is located at one longitudinal edge of the pouch when the laminate is wrapped and sealed to form the pouch; and   a fin tear-propagating feature comprising two tear areas formed respectively in the side edges of the laminate such that the tear areas substantially coincide on the fin so as to form the fin tear-propagating feature, the fin tear-propagating feature being substantially in transverse alignment with the tear initiation feature.   
     
     
         2 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the top seal is configured such that an unsealed area of the laminate is in transverse alignment with the tear initiation and fin tear-propagating features, such that when the pouch is torn open beginning at the tear initiation feature and proceeding along a tear line transversely across the pouch, the tear line intersects the unsealed area so as to form an opening into the pouch. 
     
     
         3 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the hole is a laser-formed hole. 
     
     
         4 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the two tear areas are laser-formed notches in the side edges of the laminate. 
     
     
         5 . The flexible pouch of  claim 4 , wherein the laminate comprises an outer structure laminated to an inner structure, the outer structure forming an outer surface of the pouch and the inner structure forming an inner product-contacting surface of the pouch. 
     
     
         6 . The flexible pouch of  claim 5 , wherein the outer structure includes a barrier layer and the inner structure includes a sealant layer that forms the product-contacting surface. 
     
     
         7 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein except for the tear initiation feature and the fin tear-propagating feature, the laminate is free of any further tear-facilitating features. 
     
     
         8 . A flexible pouch for containing a product, the flexible pouch comprising:
 a flexible laminate having a top edge, a bottom edge, and two opposite longitudinally extending side edges, the laminate being wrapped about a longitudinal axis and portions of the laminate adjacent the opposite side edges being sealed together to form a fin extending longitudinally along the pouch, two facing portions of the laminate adjacent the top edge being sealed together to form a top seal, and two facing portions of the laminate adjacent the bottom edge being sealed together to form a bottom seal;   a fin tear-propagating feature comprising two tear areas formed respectively in the side edges of the laminate such that the tear areas substantially coincide on the fin so as to form the fin tear-propagating feature; and   a score line extending across the laminate and substantially in transverse alignment with the fin tear-propagating feature.   
     
     
         9 . The flexible pouch of  claim 8 , wherein the top seal is configured such that an unsealed area of the laminate is in transverse alignment with the score line and fin tear-propagating feature, such that when the pouch is torn along a tear line beginning at one end of the score line and proceeding along the score line transversely across the pouch, the tear line intersects the unsealed area so as to form an opening into the pouch. 
     
     
         10 . The flexible pouch of  claim 8 , wherein the laminate comprises an outer structure laminated to an inner structure, the outer structure forming an exterior surface of the pouch, the inner structure forming an interior product-contacting surface of the pouch. 
     
     
         11 . The flexible pouch of  claim 10 , wherein the score line is formed in the outer structure but not in the inner structure. 
     
     
         12 . The flexible pouch of  claim 8 , wherein the fin tear-propagating feature and the score line are formed by a laser.