Disposable Flexible Container

Abstract

A disposable flexible container for a fluent product comprises a product volume at least partially defined by a nonstructural panel. A structural support volume is arranged to generate and maintain tension in the nonstructural panel when the structural support volume is expanded. Additionally, the disposable flexible container includes a dispenser for dispensing the fluent product from the product volume.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A disposable flexible container for a fluent product, comprising:
 a product volume at least partially defined by a nonstructural panel;   a structural support volume arranged to generate and maintain tension in the nonstructural panel when expanded; and   a dispenser for dispensing the fluent product from the product volume.   
     
     
         2 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the nonstructural panel has opposed fixed sides and the structural support volume is disposed intermediate the fixed sides of the nonstructural panel. 
     
     
         3 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the nonstructural panel has opposed fixed sides and the structural support volume is associated with one of the fixed sides of the nonstructural panel. 
     
     
         4 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 3 , including a second structural support volume associated with the other of the fixed sides of the nonstructural panel. 
     
     
         5 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 1 , including a second structural support volume and wherein the structural support volumes are associated with the nonstructural panel in spaced apart relation at a distance from one another. 
     
     
         6 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the nonstructural panel includes a perimeter and the structural support volume surrounds at least 50% of the nonstructural panel in association with, or proximity to, the perimeter of the nonstructural panel. 
     
     
         7 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the nonstructural panel has first and second pairs of opposed sides and the structural support volume surrounds the nonstructural panel in association with, or proximity to, the first pair of opposed sides and at least one of the second pair of opposed sides. 
     
     
         8 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 7 , wherein the structural support volume substantially entirely surrounds the nonstructural panel in association with, or proximity to, the first and second pairs of opposed sides to impart tension to the nonstructural panel at least between one of the first and second pairs of opposed sides. 
     
     
         9 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 8 , wherein the structural support volume comprises a first pair of opposed structural support volumes in proximity to the first pair of opposed sides to impart tension to the nonstructural panel and a second pair of opposed structural support volumes in proximity to the second pair of opposed sides to maintain the first pair of structural support volumes a distance apart. 
     
     
         10 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 8 , wherein the structural support volume comprises a single continuous structural support volume substantially surrounding the nonstructural panel to impart tension through both of the first and second pairs of opposed sides. 
     
     
         11 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 1 , including at least two flexible panels wherein at least one of the flexible panels is a nonstructural panel, wherein the nonstructural panel has opposed sides, and including a structural support volume associated with each of the opposed sides of the nonstructural panel. 
     
     
         12 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 11 , wherein the structural support volumes associated with the opposed sides of the nonstructural panel have at least some curvature and are disposed in generally concave spaced relation to one another. 
     
     
         13 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 11 , wherein the structural support volumes associated with the opposed sides of the nonstructural panel are generally straight and are disposed in generally parallel relation to one another. 
     
     
         14 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 11 , wherein the structural support volumes associated with the opposed sides of the nonstructural panel are generally straight and are disposed generally at an angle to one another. 
     
     
         15 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 5 , wherein the nonstructural panel comprises a flexible squeeze panel having a dimensionless tensile stress at least at some point or for some portion of the nonstructural panel in the range of about 1E-6 to about 20. 
     
     
         16 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 5 , wherein the nonstructural panel comprises a flexible squeeze panel having a dimensionless stiffness index at least at some point or for some portion of the nonstructural panel in the range of about 2E-5 to about 1.5E3. 
     
     
         17 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 5 , wherein the nonstructural panel comprises a flexible squeeze panel having a dimensionless structure index at least at some point or for some portion of the nonstructural panel in the range of about 0.01 to about 10. 
     
     
         18 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 5 , wherein the nonstructural panel comprises a flexible squeeze panel having a dimensionless squeeze force at least at some point or for some portion of the nonstructural panel in the range of about 5E-9 to about 30. 
     
     
         19 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 5 , wherein the nonstructural panel comprises a flexible squeeze panel having a dimensionless squeeze force to mass ratio at least at some point or for some portion of the nonstructural panel in the range of about 1E-10 to about 30 g-1. 
     
     
         20 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 5 , wherein the nonstructural panel comprises a flexible squeeze panel having a dimensionless squeeze force to thickness ratio at least at some point or for some portion of the nonstructural panel in the range of about 1E-11 to about 6 (μm-1).