Flexible, Stackable Container and Method and System for Manufacturing Same

Abstract

A flexible, stackable container for storing a quantity of a product may include a package formed from a single sheet of a lid fitment attached to a top side of the package. The top side of the package may have an outer first surface of the film and outwardly extending corner seals formed in the film at the edges of the top side and surrounding the top side of the package. The lid fitment may include a base having a central opening and a lid having a complimentary shape to the base to form a seal therebetween when the lid is closed down onto the base. The base may be sealed to one of the top surface of the top side, to the corner seals surrounding the top side, or to both, such that a portion of the top surface is accessible from the exterior of the container when the lid is separated from the base of the lid fitment. In other embodiments, the lid fitment may be attached at an open top end of the package, either directly or by a reinforcement ring, and may further include a cover attached to the lid fitment or the reinforcement ring to retain a quantity of a product in the container when the lid of the lid fitment is opened until the cover is punctured or removed.

1 . A flexible, stackable container for storing a quantity of a product, comprising:
 a sealed package formed from a single sheet of film having oppositely disposed lateral edges, the film sheet being wrapped with the lateral edges disposed proximate each other, wherein one side of the sheet of film is the inner surface of the package and the opposite side of the sheet of film is the outer surface of the package, the package comprising:   a first side having an outer first surface of the film and outwardly extending first corner seals formed in the film at the edges of the first side and surrounding the first side of the package;   a second side disposed opposite the first side and having an end seal; and   four lateral sides disposed between the first and second sides,   wherein the second side is formed by tucking portions of a first pair of oppositely disposed lateral sides proximate the lateral edges inwardly, bringing together portions of a second pair of oppositely disposed lateral sides proximate the lateral edges to form the end seal, and folding the end seal over towards a corresponding portion of the outer surface of the package.   
     
     
         2 . The flexible, stackable container of  claim 1 , wherein the package is hermetically sealed to retain the product disposed therein. 
     
     
         3 . The flexible, stackable container of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface comprises a flap defined by a line of reduced strength in the film forming the first surface such that the line of reduced strength yields to separate the flap from the first surface when a force is applied to the first surface. 
     
     
         4 . The flexible, stackable container of  claim 3 , comprising a pull tab attached to the outer surface of the flap and having a gripping portion that is grasped by a user, wherein the pull tab is attached to the flap such that the flap detaches from the film along the line of reduced strength before the pull tab detaches from the flap when the gripping portion is pulled by a user. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The flexible, stackable container of  claim 1 , wherein the second side is substantially flat. 
     
     
         8 . A flexible, stackable container for storing a quantity of a product, comprising:
 a sealed package formed from a single sheet of film having oppositely disposed lateral edges and oppositely disposed leading and trailing edges, the sheet of film being wrapped inwardly with the lateral edges being disposed proximate each other with one side of the sheet of film being the inner surface of the package and the opposite side of the sheet of film being the outer surface of the package, at least two folds being formed in the sheet of film parallel to the lateral edges of the sheet of film to form corners defining a top side and oppositely disposed front and rear sides of the package, folds parallel to the folds defining the top side of the package being formed on the top side of the package, each fold being made proximate a corresponding one of the folds defining the top side and bringing the inner surface of the corresponding portion of the top side into contact with a corresponding portion of the inner surface of the adjacent side of the package, with the contacting inner surfaces being sealed to form corner seals, the front and rear side portions of the leading edge of the sheet of film being brought together with the inner surfaces of the sheet of film proximate thereto being sealed together to form a leading seal of the package, the front and rear side portions of the trailing edge of the sheet of film being brought together and the inner surfaces of the sheet of film proximate thereto being sealed together to form a trailing seal of the package, wherein the leading and trailing seals are folded over toward corresponding portions of the outer surface of the package and attached thereto such that the leading and trailing seals and portions of the front and rear sides of the package form lateral sides of the container, with the corner seals at the top side extending outwardly from and surrounding a top surface of the top side, wherein portions of the lateral sides proximate the lateral edges are tucked inwardly and portions of the lateral edges at the front and rear sides are brought together with the inner surfaces of the sheet of film proximate the lateral edges being sealed together to form an end seal such that the package is sealed once the end seal, the leading seal, and the trailing seal are formed, and wherein the end seal is folded over towards a corresponding portion of the outer surface of the package forming the bottom side of the package.   
     
     
         9 . The flexible, stackable container of  claim 8 , wherein the corner seals extend outwardly perpendicular to the top surface of the top side of the package. 
     
     
         10 . The flexible, stackable container of  claim 8 , wherein the top surface comprises a flap defined by a line of reduced strength in the film forming the top surface such that the line of reduced strength yields to separate the flap from the top surface when a force is applied to the top surface. 
     
     
         11 . The flexible, stackable container of  claim 10 , comprising a pull tab attached to the outer surface of the flap and having a gripping portion that is grasped by a user, wherein the pull tab is attached to the flap such that the flap detaches from the film along the line of reduced strength before the pull tab detaches from the flap when the gripping portion is pulled by a user. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The flexible, stackable container of  claim 8 , wherein the bottom side is substantially flat. 
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing a flexible, stackable container for storing a quantity of a product, the container including a sealed package formed from a single sheet of film and a lid fitment attached thereto, the sheet of film having oppositely disposed lateral edges and oppositely disposed leading and trailing edges, the method comprising:
 wrapping the sheet of film inwardly with the lateral edges being disposed proximate each other with one side of the sheet of film being the inner surface of the package and the opposite side of the sheet of film being the outer surface of the package;   forming at least two folds in the sheet of film parallel to the lateral edges of the sheet of film to form corners defining a first side and oppositely disposed first and second lateral sides of the package;   forming folds parallel to the folds defining the first side of the package on the first side of the package, each fold being made proximate a corresponding one of the folds defining the first side and bringing the inner surface of the corresponding portion of the first side into contact with a corresponding portion of the inner surface of the adjacent side of the package, and sealing the contacting inner surfaces to form corner seals;   bringing the first and second lateral side portions of the leading edge of the sheet of film together and sealing the inner surfaces of the sheet of film proximate thereto together to form a leading seal of the package;   bringing the first and second lateral side portions of the trailing edge of the sheet of film together and sealing the inner surfaces of the sheet of film proximate thereto together to form a trailing seal of the package;   folding the leading and trailing seals over toward corresponding portions of the outer surface of the package and attaching the leading and trailing seals thereto such that the leading and trailing seals and portions of the first and second lateral sides of the package form third and fourth lateral sides of the container, and the corner seals at the first side extend outwardly from and surround a first surface of the first side;   inwardly tucking the portions of one of the first and second and the third and fourth lateral sides proximate to the lateral edges;   bringing together the portions of the others of the first and second and third and fourth lateral sides proximate to the lateral edges and sealing the corresponding inner surfaces of the sheet of film proximate to the lateral edges to form an end seal, such that the package is sealed once the end seal, leading seal, and trailing seal are formed;   folding the end seal over towards a corresponding portion of the outer surface of the package and attaching the end seal thereto to form a second side of the package disposed opposite the first side.   
     
     
         18 . The method of manufacturing a flexible, stackable container of  claim 17 , comprising attaching a lid fitment to the first side of the package after forming the corner seals and prior to folding over and attaching the leading and trailing seals. 
     
     
         19 . The method of manufacturing a flexible, stackable container of  claim 17 , comprising attaching a lid fitment to the first side of the package after folding over and attaching the leading and trailing seals 
     
     
         20 . The method of manufacturing a flexible, stackable container of  claim 17 , comprising defining a flap on the first surface of the first side of the package with a line of reduced strength in the film forming the first surface such that the line of reduced strength yields first to separate the flap from the first surface when a force is applied to the first surface. 
     
     
         21 . The method of manufacturing a flexible, stackable container of  claim 20 , comprising attaching a pull tab having a gripping portion to the outer surface of the flap such that the flap detaches from the first surface along the line of reduced strength before the pull tab detaches from the flap when the gripping portion is pulled away from the package 
     
     
         22 . The method of manufacturing a flexible, stackable container of  claim 21 , comprising depositing the quantity of the product to be stored in the container into the package after forming the leading seal and the trailing seal, and before forming the end seal. 
     
     
         23 . The method of manufacturing a flexible, stackable container of  claim 22 , comprising folding the end seal over towards a corresponding portion of the outer surface of the package and attaching the end seal thereto to form a second side of the package that is substantially flat.