Pouch with flat valve

Abstract

A thin film valve including a flexible thin film front panel, a flexible thin film rear panel sealed to the front panel along two opposite sides thereof to form a normally closed, self-sealing thin film valve having an openable duct, the duct having first and second open ends, the first end of the duct being openable into a container sealingly affixed to the valve, and a frangible seal sealing the second end of the duct between the two sealed side edges.

1 . A thin film valve comprising:
 a flexible thin film front panel;   a flexible thin film rear panel sealed to the front panel along two opposite sides thereof to form a normally closed, self-sealing thin film valve having an openable duct;   the valve being sealingly affixable to a pouch;   the duct having first and second open ends;   the first end of the duct being openable into a pouch sealingly affixed to the valve; and   a frangible seal sealing the second end of the duct between the two sealed side edges.   
     
     
         2 . The valve according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one crease across the duct. 
     
     
         3 . The valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve is sealingly affixable asymmetrically to a pouch. 
     
     
         4 . A flexible pouch having at least one sealed edge, the pouch comprising:
 a normally closed self-sealing thin film valve sealingly affixed in said sealed edge;   said valve formed of a flexible thin film front panel and a flexible thin film back panel sealed on two opposite sides to define an openable duct between them providing flow communication from outside the pouch to an internal space in the pouch;   at least one edge of the valve inside the pouch being unsealed, so as to provide flow communication between the duct and an internal space inside the pouch;   a first sealing line including at least two portions, a first portion wherein the front and back panels of the pouch are sealed to each other, and a second portion, collinear with the first portion of the sealing line, along which the front panel of the valve is sealed to an inside wall of the front panel of the pouch and the back panel of the valve is sealed to an inside wall of the sealed edge of the pouch; and   a second sealing line wherein a portion of only one of the front and back panels of the valve is sealed to an inside wall of the pouch and the other panel is not sealed to the pouch.   
     
     
         5 . The pouch according to  claim 4 , wherein the valve further includes a frangible sealed third edge extending between the two side edges, sealing the outer opening of the duct and the valve. 
     
     
         6 . The pouch according to  claim 4 , wherein the valve is creased in at least one place across the duct, to provide an improved seal for the duct, thus preventing leakage through the duct. 
     
     
         7 . The pouch according to  claim 4 , wherein one of said front panel and said back panel of the valve is longer than the other and both extend beyond the sealed edge of the pouch. 
     
     
         8 . The pouch according to  claim 4 , including a plurality of said thin film flexible valves sealed in a single pouch. 
     
     
         9 . The pouch according to  claim 4 , including at least two individual internal compartments contained within the pouch and separated by an additional seal inside the pouch. 
     
     
         10 . The pouch according to  claim 9 , further comprising a normally closed thin film valve in each said internal compartment. 
     
     
         11 . The pouch according to  claim 10 , wherein said additional seal is configured to be broken so as to allow flow communication between adjacent internal compartments. 
     
     
         12 . A method of forming a pouch having a sealed edge, the method comprising:
 sealingly affixing a normally closed self-sealing thin film valve in said sealed edge;   said valve formed of a flexible thin film front panel and a flexible thin film back panel sealed on two opposite sides to define an openable duct between them providing flow communication from outside the pouch to an internal space in the pouch;   at least one edge of the valve inside the pouch being unsealed, so as to provide flow communication between the duct and an internal space inside the pouch;   sealing said pouch and said valve along a first sealing line including at least two portions, a first portion wherein the front and back panels of the pouch are sealed to each other, and a second portion, collinear with the first portion of the sealing line, along which the front panel of the valve is sealed to an inside wall of the front panel of the pouch and the back panel of the valve is sealed to an inside wall of the sealed edge of the pouch; and   sealing said pouch and said valve along a second sealing line wherein a portion of only one of the front and back panels of the valve is sealed to an inside wall of the pouch and the other panel is not sealed to the pouch.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 forming at least one internal seal in said plastic pouch, thereby creating at least two individual internal compartments in the pouch.   
     
     
         14 . A container having a frangible top opening, the container comprising:
 a flexible pouch sealingly coupled to the top opening;   a normally closed, self-sealing thin film valve having an openable duct sealingly affixed to the pouch, the valve including
 a flexible thin film front panel; 
 a flexible thin film rear panel sealed to the front panel along two opposite sides thereof to form the duct; 
 the duct having first and second open ends; 
 the first end of the duct being openable into the pouch; 
   at least one edge of the pouch inside the container being unsealed, so as to permit flow communication between the duct and an internal space inside the container.   
     
     
         15 . The valve according to  claim 2 , wherein the valve is sealingly affixable asymmetrically to a pouch. 
     
     
         16 . The pouch according to  claim 5 , wherein the valve is creased in at least one place across the duct, to provide an improved seal for the duct, thus preventing leakage through the duct. 
     
     
         17 . The pouch according to  claim 5 , wherein one of said front panel and said back panel of the valve is longer than the other and both extend beyond the sealed edge of the pouch. 
     
     
         18 . The pouch according to  claim 5 , including a plurality of said thin film flexible valves sealed in a single pouch. 
     
     
         19 . The pouch according to  claim 5 , including at least two individual internal compartments contained within the pouch and separated by an additional seal inside the pouch. 
     
     
         20 . The pouch according to  claim 19 , further comprising a normally closed thin film valve in each said internal compartment.