Stretch blow-molded or thermoformed pouch and a method for making such pouch

Abstract

A stretch blow-molded or thermoformed pouch ( 10 ) comprising a neck with an opening, and a process for making and handling a pouch, comprising—blow molding a preform or thermoforming a sheet or film into a mold to create a pouch with a neck ( 20 ) comprising opening ( 30 ),—removing the pouch from the mold,—transporting the pouch at the neck,—filling the pouch with a product,—closing the pouch.

1 . A stretch blow-molded or thermoformed pouch comprising a neck with an opening, and a wall. 
     
     
         2 . A pouch according to  claim 1 , wherein the wall of the pouch has an average thickness of from 25 micrometer to 250 micrometer. 
     
     
         3 . A pouch according to  claim 1 , wherein the average thickness of the wall is less than 75 micrometer. 
     
     
         4 . A pouch according to  claim 1 , wherein said pouch is a self-supporting stand-up pouch. 
     
     
         5 . A pouch according to  claim 1 , wherein said pouch has an internal volume of from 25 ml to 25 l. 
     
     
         6 . A pouch according to  claim 1 , wherein said pouch is a single unit-dose pouch. 
     
     
         7 . A pouch according to  claim 1 , comprising a product selected from a food product, a beverage, or a non-food product. 
     
     
         8 . A pouch according to  claim 7 , wherein said product is a liquid, a paste, a gel, a flowable powder or a solid product. 
     
     
         9 . A pouch according to  claim 1  further comprising an integrated grip or handle. 
     
     
         10 . A pouch according to  claim 1 , wherein said pouch is a stretch-blow molded pouch, and wherein the stretch ratio of total volume of preform to the total volume of pouch is higher than about 25. 
     
     
         11 . A pouch according to  claim 10 , wherein said stretch ratio is higher than about 30 and wherein the average wall thickness is less than 75 micrometers. 
     
     
         12 . A process for making and handling a pouch, comprising
 a. blow molding a preform or thermoforming a sheet or film into a mold to create a pouch with a neck comprising an opening, then   b. removing the pouch from the mold, then   c. transporting the pouch at the neck, then   d. filling the pouch with a product, and   e. closing the pouch   
     
     
         13 . A process according to  claim 12 , further comprising the step of transporting the pouch at the neck to a packaging unit. 
     
     
         14 . A process according to  claim 12 , further comprising a sanitization, sterilisation or pasteurisation step. 
     
     
         15 . A process according to  claim 12 , further comprising a decoration step.