Bag having both permanent and resealable seals

Abstract

A flexible pouch including first and second flexible sheets and first and second seal arrangements is provided. The first and second flexible sheets are permanently sealed to one another along less than the entire periphery thereof and define a storage compartment therebetween. The first seal arrangement has a first portion on the first flexible sheet and a second portion on the second flexible sheet. The first and second portions extend across the un-sealed portion of the periphery. When the first and second portions are mechanically locked, a permanent seal is around the entire periphery preventing access to the storage compartment absent visible destruction of the flexible pouch. The second seal arrangement has a third portion on the first flexible sheet and a fourth portion on the second flexible sheet. When the third and fourth portions are mechanically locked, a reclosable seal is provided preventing access to the storage compartment.

1 . A flexible pouch comprising:
 first and second flexible sheets permanently sealed to one another along less than the entire periphery thereof and defining a storage compartment therebetween, the un-sealed portion of the entire periphery defining an opening to the storage compartment;   a first seal arrangement having a first portion on the first flexible sheet and a second portion on the second flexible sheet, the first and second portions extending across the un-sealed portion of the periphery between sealed portions of the periphery, wherein when the first and second portions are mechanically locked, a permanent seal is provided preventing access to the storage compartment; and   a second seal arrangement having a third portion on the first flexible sheet and a fourth portion on the second flexible sheet, the third and fourth portions extending across the un-sealed portion of the periphery between sealed portions of the periphery, wherein when the third and fourth portions are mechanically locked, a reclosable seal is provided releasably sealing the storage compartment.   
     
     
         2 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the second seal arrangement is positioned inward from the first seal arrangement and the first seal arrangement may be removed from the first and second flexible sheets to provide access to the second seal arrangement. 
     
     
         3 . The flexible pouch of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second flexible sheets are generally rectangular with first and second opposed sides and third and fourth opposed sides extending between the first and second opposed sides, the first, second and third sides being permanently sealed and the first and second seal arrangements being proximate the fourth side and extending laterally between the first and second sides. 
     
     
         4 . The flexible pouch of  claim 3 , wherein the second seal arrangement is positioned closer to the third side than the first seal arrangement. 
     
     
         5 . The flexible pouch of  claim 4 , wherein the first seal arrangement is spaced apart from and generally parallel to the second seal arrangement. 
     
     
         6 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions are substantially identical in cross-section to one another, but oriented at 180 degrees from one another. 
     
     
         7 . The flexible pouch of  claim 6 , wherein the first portion includes a first pair of hook portions and a first support wall, the first pair of hook portions both extending towards the first support wall, the second portion includes a second pair of hook portions and a second support wall, the second pair of hook portions both extending towards the second support wall. 
     
     
         8 . The flexible pouch of  claim 7 , wherein in an engaged condition permanently sealing the storage compartment with the first seal arrangement, the first and second pairs of hook portions are laterally interposed and bounded by the first and second support walls, the first support wall being closer to the fourth side than the first and second pairs of hook portions and the second support wall and the second support wall being closer to the third side than the first and second pairs of hook portions and the first support wall. 
     
     
         9 . The flexible pouch of  claim 8 , wherein the first seal arrangement cannot be disengaged, when in an engaged position, by pulling by a person using their fingers. 
     
     
         10 . The flexible pouch of  claim 9 , wherein the second seal arrangement can be disengaged, when in an engaged position by pulling by a person using their fingers. 
     
     
         11 . The flexible pouch of  claim 10 , wherein the third portion is a female portion that receives the fourth portion being in the form of a male portion, the female portion defining a channel having opposed hook portions that extend toward one another, the male portion having a head portion that engages the pair of opposed hook portions. 
     
     
         12 . The flexible pouch of  claim 5 , further comprising a tear notch in at least one of the first and second sides being interposed between the first and second seal arrangements such that a user may initiate permanently removing the first seal arrangement from the pouch to provide access to the second seal arrangement. 
     
     
         13 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth portions are extruded and then subsequently permanently affixed to corresponding ones of the first and second flexible sheets. 
     
     
         14 . The flexible package of  claim 1 , wherein the first seal arrangement prevents access to the storage compartment absent destruction of the flexible pouch. 
     
     
         15 . The flexible package of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions provide an engagement of at least 3 kgf/15 mm width of the first seal arrangement. 
     
     
         16 . The flexible package of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second portions provide an engagement of at least 3.5 kgf/15 mm width of the first seal arrangement and the third and fourth portions provide an engagement of no more than 0.3 kgf/15 mm width of the second seal arrangement. 
     
     
         17 . The flexible package of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions provide a first engagement that is at least 10 times greater than a second engagement provided between the third and fourth portions. 
     
     
         18 . The flexible package of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second portions provide a first engagement that is at least 15 times greater than a second engagement provided between the third and fourth portions. 
     
     
         19 . A method of packaging a product comprising:
 inserting a product into storage compartment of a pouch;   closing a first seal arrangement of the pouch to permanently secure the product in the storage compartment;   removing the first seal arrangement after being closed to provide access to the storage compartment; and   closing a second seal arrangement providing a non-permanent reclosable seal.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising opening the second seal arrangement with out damaging the pouch to provide access to the storage compartment. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of removing the first seal arrangement includes tearing the pouch between the first and second seal arrangements. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of closing a first seal arrangement includes mechanically engaging a first portion of the first seal arrangement with a second portion of the seal arrangement. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of closing a first seal arrangement is performed free of heat sealing. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of closing a first seal arrangement of the pouch to permanently secure the product in the storage compartment includes engaging the first and second portions of the first seal arrangement such that a force of greater than 3 kgf/15 mm width of the first seal arrangement is required to disengage the first and second portions. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of closing a first seal arrangement of the pouch to permanently secure the product in the storage compartment includes engaging the first and second portions of the first seal arrangement such that a force at least 10 times greater than a force to disengage the second seal arrangement is provided. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of closing a first seal arrangement of the pouch to permanently secure the product in the storage compartment includes engaging the first and second portions of the first seal arrangement such that the first and second portions can not be disengaged absent destruction of a portion of the pouch. 
     
     
         27 . A flexible pouch comprising:
 first and second flexible sheets permanently sealed to one another along less than the entire periphery thereof and defining a storage compartment therebetween, the un-sealed portion of the entire periphery defining an opening to the storage compartment between the first and second flexible sheets;   a first seal arrangement having a first portion on the first flexible sheet and a second portion on the second flexible sheet, the first and second portions extending across the un-sealed portion of the periphery between sealed portions of the periphery, wherein when the first and second portions are mechanically locked, a permanent seal is provided preventing access to the storage compartment.   
     
     
         28 . The flexible pouch of  claim 27 , wherein the first and second portions provide an engagement of at least 3 kgf/15 mm width of the first seal arrangement. 
     
     
         29 . The flexible pouch of  claim 27 , wherein the first portion includes:
 a base portion and at least one hook member attached thereto, and a first tear notch formed therein, the first tear notch being axially interposed between the at least one hook member and a bottom edge of the flexible sheets, the bottom edge being opposite the opening to the storage compartment; and   wherein the second portion includes a base portion and at least one hook member attached thereto, and a second tear notch formed therein, the second tear notch being axially interposed between the at least one hook member and a bottom edge of the flexible sheets, the bottom edge being opposite the opening to the storage compartment.   
     
     
         30 . The flexible pouch of  claim 29 , wherein the first and second tear notches of the first and second portions extend the entire length of the base portions thereof, the length being aligned with the opening to the storage compartment. 
     
     
         31 . The flexible pouch of  claim 30 , wherein the base portions of the first and second portions have a thickness, the thickness being greater than thicknesses of the first and second flexible sheets. 
     
     
         32 . The flexible pouch of  claim 31 , wherein the tear notches have a depth is at least 15 percent of the thicknesses of the base portions of the first and second portions. 
     
     
         33 . The flexible pouch of  claim 31 , wherein the tear notches have a depth is at least 25 percent of the thicknesses of the base portions of the first and second portions.