Closure system for pouch or container

Abstract

A container or pouch includes a body having a front wall and a rear wall that is connected to the front wall along a peripheral edge, and a closure system that includes a front side having a front sealing profile and a rear side having a rear sealing profile that includes a female closure element that includes an inner portion and an outer portion. The inner portion includes a cavity that extends to an innermost point of the inner portion. The cavity is defined by a first vertical plane that extends through the innermost point and is spaced from an outer surface of the rear wall in a first direction away from a longitudinal plane that extends through the peripheral edge.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A container or pouch, comprising:
 a body, comprising:
 a front wall; and 
 a rear wall that is connected to the front wall along a peripheral edge, the container defining a longitudinal plane that extends through the peripheral edge and includes a longitudinal axis that extends vertically between a top side of the body and a bottom side of the body opposite the top side; and 
   a closure system, comprising:
 a front side having a front sealing profile that includes a male closure element comprising a stem and a head portion that extends from the stem; and 
 a rear side having a rear sealing profile that includes a female closure element having an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion including a cavity that extends to an innermost point of the inner portion, the cavity being defined by a first vertical plane that extends through the innermost point and that is spaced from an outer surface of the rear wall in a first direction away from the longitudinal plane. 
   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the front sealing profile extends along an inner side of the front side and the rear sealing profile extends along an inner surface of the rear side. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the inner portion includes the entire cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the outer portion extends above the first vertical plane in the first direction away from the longitudinal plane. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the rear side includes a lip that extends upwardly from the female closure element in a second direction that is parallel with respect to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the rear side includes an upper strip that extends above the female closure element and a lower strip that extends below the female closure element in a second direction that is parallel with respect to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein the first vertical plane is spaced from the upper strip and the lower strip in the first direction away from the longitudinal plane. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein, when the closure system is in a closed configuration, a gap exists between the head portion and the innermost point. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein, when the closure system is in a closed configuration, the head portion is spaced from the first vertical plane. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container is made entirely from an elastomer. 
     
     
         11 . A container or pouch, comprising:
 a body, comprising:
 a front wall, and 
 a rear wall that is connected to the front wall along a peripheral edge, the container defining a longitudinal plane that extends through the peripheral edge; and 
   a closure system, comprising:
 a front side having a front sealing profile that includes a male closure element having a stem and a head portion that extends from the stem, and 
 a rear side having a rear sealing profile that includes a female closure element having an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion including a cavity that extends to an innermost point of the inner portion, 
   wherein a second vertical plane extends through the cavity and the inner portion, the second vertical plane being spaced from an outer surface of the rear wall in a first direction away from the longitudinal plane.   
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein, when the container is in a closed configuration, a gap exists between the head portion and the innermost point. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein, when the container is in a closed configuration, the head portion is spaced from the second vertical plane. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein the cavity is defined by a first vertical plane that extends through the innermost point and that is spaced from the second vertical plane in the first direction away from the longitudinal plane. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein the container is made entirely from an elastomer. 
     
     
         16 . A container or pouch, comprising:
 a body, comprising:
 a front wall; and 
 a rear wall that is connected to the front wall along a peripheral edge, the container defining a longitudinal plane that extends through the peripheral edge and includes a longitudinal axis that extends vertically between a top side of the body and a bottom side of the body opposite the top side; and 
   a closure system, comprising:
 a front side having a front sealing profile that includes a male closure element comprising a stem and a head portion that extends from the stem; and 
 a rear side having a rear sealing profile that includes a female closure element having an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion including a cavity that extends to an innermost point of the inner portion, the rear side further including an upper strip that extends above the female closure element and a lower strip that extends below the female closure element in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, 
   wherein the upper strip includes an outer surface that includes an upper point that is tangent to the outer surface of the upper strip, and the lower strip includes an outer surface that includes a lower point that is tangent to the outer surface of the lower strip, and   wherein a third vertical plane extends through the upper point, the inner portion, the cavity, and the lower point.   
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein, when the container is in a closed configuration, the third vertical plane extends through the head portion. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein the cavity is defined by a first vertical plane that extends through the innermost point and that is spaced from the upper point and the lower point. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 18 , wherein the first vertical plane is spaced from the third vertical plane in a first direction away from the longitudinal plane. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein, when the container is in a closed configuration, a gap exists between the head portion and the innermost point.