Flexible pouch with arcuate inner seal

Abstract

A flexible pouch is provided having arcuate shaped gusset seals sealed to the top and/or bottom of the inner surface wall of the pouch body. The arcuate shaped gussets provide a more durable seam than that of the axially sealed gussets of the prior art. The arcuate shaped gusset seals also allow for greater expansion of the gusset relative to the axially sealed gussets of the prior art. The flexible pouch may further include a plurality of elongated baffles disposed on the skirt. The elongated baffles are operable to provide support for the weight of a filled flexible pouch so as to help the pouch remain upright when placed on its bottom surface. The flexible pouch further includes a gas pocket disposed axially along the side portions of the pouch.

1 . A flexible pouch comprising:
 a pouch body having a front portion opposite a back portion, a pair of opposing side portions defining the front portion from the back portion, and a bottom end opposite a top end;   a gusset disposed between the front and back portions of the pouch body;   the gusset sealed to the front and back portions of the pouch body so as to form a gusset seal, the end portions of the gusset seal extending arcuately from one of the pair of opposing side portions to the other of the pair of opposing side portions.   
     
     
         2 . The flexible pouch as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the gusset seal extend arcuately from one of the opposing side portions of the pouch to the other of the opposing side portions of the pouch. 
     
     
         3 . The flexible pouch as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the gusset is a pair of gussets, one of the pair of gussets disposed adjacent the bottom end of the pouch body, and the other of the pair of gussets disposed adjacent the top end of the pouch body, wherein the gusset seal of the gusset disposed adjacent the bottom end of the pouch body extends arcuately towards the bottom end of the pouch body, the gusset seal of the gusset disposed adjacent the top end of the pouch body extends arcuately towards the top end of the pouch body. 
     
     
         4 . The flexible pouch as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein one of the pair of gussets is generally symmetrical to the other of the pair of gussets. 
     
     
         5 . The flexible pouch as set forth in  claim 1 , further including a first sheet and a second sheet, each having a pair of side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge, the edges of the first sheet are sealed to the edges of the second sheet, so as to form the pouch body. 
     
     
         6 . The flexible pouch as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the gusset includes a first gusset portion, a second gusset portion and a fold separating the first gusset portion from the second gusset portion, the first gusset portion sealed to the first sheet so as to form a first panel of material, the second gusset portion sealed to the second sheet so as to form a second panel of material, the fold spaced apart respective first and second panels of material. 
     
     
         7 . The flexible pouch as set forth in  claim 6 , further including at least one aperture configured to accommodate the grip of a user, the at least one aperture formed on one of either the first or second panel of material. 
     
     
         8 . The flexible pouch as set forth in  claim 6 , including a pair of apertures, each of the pair of apertures configured to accommodate the grip of a user, each of the pair of apertures formed on respective first and second panel of materials, one of the pair of apertures opposite the other of the pair of apertures. 
     
     
         9 . The flexible pouch as set forth in  claim 1  further including a skirt, the skirt formed along the bottom edge of the pouch body, the skirt including a panel of material extending along the bottom edge, the panel of material including at least one elongated baffle, the elongated baffle extending axially along a portion of the length of the skirt. 
     
     
         10 . The flexible pouch as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the skirt includes an inner surface opposite an outer surface, the at least one elongated baffle is a plurality of elongated baffles formed on both the inner and outer surfaces of the skirt. 
     
     
         11 . The flexible pouch as set forth in  claim 1 , further including a gas pocket disposed on one of the opposing side portions. 
     
     
         12 . The flexible pouch as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the gas pocket extends along an axis, the axis extending from the top of the pouch to the bottom of the pouch. 
     
     
         13 . The flexible pouch as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the gas pocket is filled with air and has a predetermined amount of pressure operable to sustain the pouch in an upright manner. 
     
     
         14 . The flexible pouch as set forth in  claim 1 , further including a rib disposed on the outer surface of the pouch body. 
     
     
         15 . The flexible pouch as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the rib extends axially from the top to the bottom of the pouch body, the rib formed from a portion of the pouch body folded and sealed together. 
     
     
         16 . The flexible pouch as set forth in  claim 15 , including two pairs of ribs, each of the pair of ribs spaced apart from each other, one of the two pairs of ribs formed on the front portion of the pouch body, the other of the two pairs of ribs formed on the back portion of the pouch body.