Method of Performing a Task in Registration With a Seal In Materials and Flexible Containers Made By Method

Abstract

A method for performing a task in registration with a discrete seal in at least one material is described herein. The method involves simultaneously forming a discrete seal and a fiducial/eye mark in the at least one material. The method includes providing a detection device; providing a unit operation mechanism; and performing an operation on the material(s) in registration with the discrete seal. The task performed in registration with the discrete seal is based upon the location of the eye mark that was simultaneously formed with the discrete seal. A method of making flexible containers using cutting to form the outer periphery of the packages is described herein. Also described herein are flexible containers and container blanks made by such a method.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for performing a task in registration with a seal in at least one thermoplastic material having a discrete seal therein, said method comprising the steps of:
 a. providing at least one thermoplastic material;   b. providing a sealing mechanism;   c. simultaneously forming:
 i. a discrete seal in said at least one thermoplastic material with said sealing mechanism; and 
 ii. an eye mark in said at least one thermoplastic material, wherein said eye mark has edges that are sufficiently well-defined so that they can be located with a detection device, wherein said eye mark is registered with said discrete seal; 
   d. providing a detection device, and locating said eye mark with said detection device; and   e. providing a unit operation mechanism;   f. transmitting information relating to the location of the eye mark at least indirectly to said unit operation mechanism; and   g. performing an operation on said at least one thermoplastic material relative to said seal at a location on said at least one thermoplastic material that is determined based upon the location of the eye mark, with said unit operation mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of providing at least one thermoplastic material comprises providing at least two thermoplastic materials comprising a first thermoplastic material and a second thermoplastic material; said method further comprising bringing said first and second thermoplastic materials into proximity with one another so that at least a portion of said first and second thermoplastic materials overlap at an overlapping region, and said discrete seal seals together said first and second thermoplastic materials in at least a portion of said overlapping region. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the seal has edges, and the edges of the eye mark are more well-defined for detection by said detection system than the edges of said seal. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said discrete seal and said eye mark are both formed by said sealing mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said discrete seal is formed by said sealing mechanism, and said eye mark is formed by a separate eye mark-forming mechanism that is adjacent to said sealing mechanism and travels with said sealing mechanism to form said eye mark simultaneously with said discrete seal. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said unit operation mechanism performs at least one of the following steps: at least partially separating one or more materials into different portions; sealing; embossing; punching; piercing; decorating; labeling; bar coding; transferring the materials or articles created therefrom between stations or pieces of equipment; opening and/or closing portions of structures formed by the materials; filling structures formed by the materials; dosing; and, adhering to another article or material. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said unit operation mechanism is a cutting mechanism. 
     
     
         8 . A method for precisely cutting relative to a seal through materials having a discrete seal therebetween, said method comprising the steps of:
 a. providing at least two thermoplastic materials comprising a first thermoplastic material and a second thermoplastic material;   b. providing a sealing mechanism;   c. bringing said first and second thermoplastic materials into proximity with one another so that at least a portion of said first and second thermoplastic materials overlap at an overlapping region;   d. simultaneously forming:
 i. a discrete seal between said first and second thermoplastic materials in said overlapping region with said sealing mechanism; and 
 ii. an eye mark in at least one of said first and second thermoplastic materials, wherein said eye mark has edges that are sufficiently well-defined so that they can be located with a detection device, wherein said eye mark is registered with said discrete seal; 
   e. providing a detection device, and locating said eye mark with said detection device; and   f. providing a cutting mechanism;   g. transmitting information relating to the location of the eye mark at least indirectly to said cutting mechanism; and   h. at least partially separating at least one of said thermoplastic materials relative to said seal at a location that is determined based upon the location of the eye mark.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said cutting mechanism is a die cutter. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said cutting mechanism is a laser. 
     
     
         11 . A method of making a plurality of flexible packages, each package having a periphery, said method comprising the steps of:
 a. providing a plurality of flexible container blanks joined together in the form of a web, said container blanks comprising a film structure that includes:
 i. a first side with a first outer film laminate and a first inner film laminate; and 
 ii. a second side with a second inner film laminate and a second outer film laminate; 
   b. forming a seal between the first side and the second side for each container blank, wherein said seal will be located adjacent the periphery of each flexible package, and wherein adjacent container blanks have a non-contiguous boundary therein which requires removal of a trim piece therebetween; and   c. separating adjacent container blanks by removing a trim piece between the same by laser cutting outboard of the seal along the periphery of each flexible container blank while said web is moving.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein:
 the method further comprises forming an eye mark on a portion of the container blanks prior to the step of separating adjacent container blanks by removing a trim piece between the adjacent container blanks by laser cutting, and 
 the step of separating adjacent container blanks comprises using the eye mark on a portion of the container blanks to adjust the laser to compensate for any misalignment of one or more of the flexible container blanks. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the step of forming a seal further comprises simultaneously forming the eye mark on a portion of the container blanks by a seal-forming mechanism when forming the seal between the first and second sides of each container blank. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said web has a first edge and a second edge, and the step of forming an eye mark on a portion of the container blanks comprises forming at least two eye marks on a portion of at least one of the container blanks, wherein said eye marks are separated by a distance, and one of said eye marks is located closer to said first edge and one of said eye marks is located closer to said second edge. 
     
     
         15 . A flexible container blank comprising:
 a. a first layer of flexible thermoplastic material; and   b. a second layer of flexible thermoplastic material joined to said first layer of flexible thermoplastic material,   wherein said first layer and said second layer:
 are configured to form a structure that defines a product volume therein; 
 are sealed along at least a portion of their periphery by a discrete autogenous seal; and 
 at least one of said first and second layers has an eye mark formed therein that is sufficiently well-defined so that said eye mark can be located with a detection device, wherein said eye mark is registered with said discrete autogenous seal. 
   
     
     
         16 . The flexible container blank of  claim 15  wherein said eye mark comprises a melted, deformed feature in the at least one of said first and second layers. 
     
     
         17 . The flexible container blank of  claim 15  wherein said first layer and said second layer are further configured to form an inflatable structural support frame, wherein at least a portion of said structural support frame is disposed laterally outward of said product volume, and wherein said discrete autogenous seal is disposed laterally outward of at least a portion of said structural support frame to form at least a portion of a peripheral edge of a container.