U.S. patent application number 12/655986 was filed with the patent office on 2011-07-14 for slide dispensing sealed pouch.
Invention is credited to Marc Mamiye.
Application Number | 20110170804 12/655986 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44258576 |
Filed Date | 2011-07-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110170804 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mamiye; Marc |
July 14, 2011 |
Slide dispensing sealed pouch
Abstract
A double sided or two-chamber pouch having a finger ring and a
slider for simultaneously dispensing the same flowable or different
liquid product contents through a tear-open top or uncapped nozzle
by which the mixed product contents can be sipped or sucked from
the pouch or applied as a spread by an alternative user.
Inventors: |
Mamiye; Marc; (Old Bridge,
NJ) |
Family ID: |
44258576 |
Appl. No.: |
12/655986 |
Filed: |
January 13, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/38 ; 383/105;
383/207; 383/41 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 35/28 20130101;
B65D 85/60 20130101; B65D 81/3261 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/38 ; 383/207;
383/105; 383/41 |
International
Class: |
B65D 30/22 20060101
B65D030/22; B65D 33/00 20060101 B65D033/00 |
Claims
1. A double sided pouch comprising: separated first and second
chambers, each filled with flowable product content and each having
a top end and a bottom end; means for grasping the bottom end of
each chamber; means encircling the chambers for squeezing their
product contents from the respective bottom ends of each chamber
toward through the respective top ends of each chamber; and means
for dispensing the flowable product contents simultaneously out
through the top end of each chamber; with each chamber including
top, middle and bottom overlying panels, with each panel having a
moisture barrier inner layer separating top and bottom flexible
plastic layers, and with all plastic layers being heat sealed
together along edge surfaces thereof.
2. The double sided pouch of claim 1 wherein the flexible plastic
layers of each panel are of polyethylene.
3. The double sided pouch of claim 1 wherein the moisture barrier
layer of the top and bottom panels is of nylon and wherein the
moisture barrier layer of the middle panel is of aluminum foil.
4. The double sided pouch of claim 1 wherein the flexible plastic
layers of each panel are of polyethylene, wherein the moisture
barrier layer of the top and bottom panels is of nylon, and wherein
the moisture barrier layer of the middle panel is of aluminum
foil.
5. The double sided pouch of claim 1 wherein said dispensing means
includes a tear line extending from a first tear point to a second
tear point in each of the top, middle and bottom overlying
panels.
6. The double sided pouch of claim 1 wherein the separated first
and second chambers are filled with different flowable product
contents.
7. The double sided pouch of claim 6 wherein each chamber is filled
with candy or confectionery product contents.
8. The double sided pouch of claim 1 wherein each of said overlying
panels includes an opening adjacent the bottom end of the
respective chamber formed thereof, and wherein said grasping means
includes a finger ring inserted through each of said openings.
9. The double sided pouch of claim 8 wherein said finger ring
includes an inner ring and an outer ring, with a top portion of the
inner ring inserted through the opening of the top panel, with a
bottom portion of the inner ring inserted through the openings of
the middle and bottom panels, and with the outer ring permanently
sealed between the top and middle panels.
10. The double sided pouch of claim 9 wherein said finger ring is
composed of low density polyethylene.
11. The double sided pouch of claim 1 wherein said squeezing means
includes a slider having a wide opening at a forward end thereof
that gradually narrows to a fine opening at a rearward end
thereof.
12. The double sided pouch of claim 11 wherein each of said
overlying panels includes an opening adjacent the bottom end of the
respective chamber formed thereof, wherein said grasping means
includes a finger ring inserted through each of said openings,
wherein said finger ring includes an inner ring and an outer ring,
with a top portion of the inner ring inserted through the opening
of the top panel, with a bottom portion of the inner ring inserted
through the openings of the middle and bottom panels, and with the
outer ring permanently sealed between the top and middle panels,
wherein the top portion of the inner ring extends above the opening
of the top panel and wherein the bottom portion of the inner ring
extends below the opening of the bottom panel.
13. The double sided pouch of claim 12 wherein the slider is
composed of low density polyethylene.
14. A two-chamber pouch comprising: first, second and third
overlying panels, with each panel having a moisture barrier middle
layer separating pairs of top and bottom flexible plastic film
layers; with each pair of flexible plastic film layers of each
panel being heat sealed together in forming a first and second
chamber; with each panel and layer having an opening forwardly of a
rear end thereof in aligned relationship with one another; a finger
ring inserted through each of said openings, permanently sealed
between said first and second panels or between said second and
third panels; a dry, liquid or flowable product content between
said first and second panels, and between said second and third
panels; a slider movable along said first, second and third panels
for squeezing both product contents simultaneously forward from the
rear ends of said panels toward the front ends thereof; and means
for simultaneously dispensing said first and second product
contents from the front ends of each of said first and second
chambers.
15. The two-chamber pouch of claim 14 wherein the flexible plastic
film layers of each panel are of polyethylene.
16. The two-chamber pouch of claim 15 wherein the moisture barrier
middle layer of the first and third panels is of nylon and wherein
the moisture barrier layer of the second panel is of aluminum
foil.
17. The two-chamber pouch of claim 16 wherein said dispensing means
includes a tear line extending from a first tear point to a second
tear point in each of the first, second and third overlying panels.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] NONE
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Research and development of this invention and Application
have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under
any Federal program.
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX NOT APPLICABLE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] 1. Field of the Invention
[0004] This invention relates to disposable pouches containing
flowable candy or confectionery product contents, in general, and
to such disposable pouches of enhanced appeal to a prospective
purchaser.
[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0006] Disposable, flexible, plastic pouches containing flowable
candy or confectionery product contents are regularly sold in
retail stores. Typically, the candy or confection is accessed by
tearing off a top corner of the pouch, through which the product
content is sipped or sucked out. Alternatively, a nozzle may be
built into the top, which when uncapped allows the
candy/confection, to flow into one's mouth. An arrangement would be
welcomed by the consumer which would allow multiple product
contents to be sipped or sucked out of the pouch simultaneously at
the same time, either entirely or to whatever amount is
desired.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to
provide a new and improved disposable, flexible plastic pouch for
use in the liquid and flowable candy industries, for example, where
multiple product contents can be sipped or sucked out, mixed
together in whatever amount desired by the consumer.
[0008] It is another object of the invention to provide such a
disposable, flexible plastic pouch which would allow individual
product contents to react with one another at the time of mixing
that would otherwise cause one to break down the other over time if
they were in contact with one another sitting on a retail store
shelf or hanging from a shopkeeper's display awaiting purchase.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention, first, is of a double sided or
two-chamber sealed pouch in a preferred embodiment, with each
chamber being provided with its own liquid or flowable candy or
confectionery--either of the same or different composition. Second,
the pouch is provided with a single finger ring for the grasping of
the pouch, and a slider to be used by the consumer's other hand to
move the product contents from the chambers, out through their top
openings. As will be described, the body of each pouch is
fabricated of panels of flexible multi-layered laminated film that
are heat-sealed together. In the preferred two-chamber pouch: three
panels of 3 layers each are employed. The top and bottom layer of
each panel is composed of polyethylene; the middle layer of the top
and bottom panels is of nylon, and the middle layer of the inner
panel is of an aluminum foil. As will also be described, access to
sip or suck the mixed product contents simultaneously from the two
chambers is had by tearing off the end of the sealed pouch remote
from the finger ring.
[0010] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a nozzle
might be employed at such remote end instead, to allow the
candy/confection to flow into the user's mouth when uncapped.
Likewise, the candy or confectionery product content may be
replaced by other flowable contents--as with different medications,
for example, required to be kept separate because of possible
interaction until mixed together at the time of taking. (In this
respect, and as an illustration, a gelatin type content might need
to be separated from others of high acid propensity which might
break down the gelatin if mixed together over time, but which are
desired to be mixed at the time of ingestion to arrive at a taste
that one might want to obtain.) As will also be appreciated, the
teachings of the invention would be applicable where pouches of
three or more chambers are desired for the joint mixing of their
individual product contents, as long as panels of flexible
multi-layered laminated films are employed that are all heat-sealed
together, with top and bottom layers of polyethylene separated by
nylon, aluminum foil, or even paper to serve as a moisture barrier
layer.
[0011] In any arrangement of the invention, grasping the finger
ring in one hand then, and moving the slider towards the tear-away
top or nozzle allows a dispensing of all or any desired amount of
mixed product content out and into a consumer's mouth or onto any
product as a spread. A small fine opening at the bottom of the
slider allows the chambers to be squeezed to the limit to
facilitate the dispensing. Such squeezing and slider movement
enables substantially all of the mixed contents of the chambers to
be removed, or a lesser amount, whichever is desired.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] These and other features of the invention will be more
clearly understood from a consideration of the following
description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is an illustration helpful in understanding the
arrangement of layered lamination panels in fabricating the double
sided or two-chamber sealed pouch of the invention;
[0014] FIGS. 2a and 2b are views of opposite sides of a filled
pouch according to the invention;
[0015] FIGS. 3a-3d are views helpful in an understanding of the
finger ring of the invention, with FIGS. 3e-3g being views helpful
in understanding the assembly of the finger ring with respect to
the panels employed;
[0016] FIGS. 4a-4e are illustrations helpful in an understanding of
the slider of the invention, with FIG. 4f helpful in understanding
the attachment of the slider with the pouch;
[0017] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the various parts of the slide
dispensing sealed double sided or two-chamber pouch of the
invention; and
[0018] FIGS. 6a-6c are assembly views helpful in understanding how
the sealed pouch is configured.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates the double sided pouch as having three
panels 10, 12 and 14 of three layers each--the panels being heat
sealed together to form two chambers. In a preferred embodiment,
this allows two different products or two different flavors/colors
of the same product to be filled in the same two-chamber pouch.
Each panel is comprised of a top layer, a middle layer, and a
bottom layer. For the panel 10, these are illustrated by the
reference numerals 16, 18 and 20; by the reference numerals 22, 24
and 26 for the panel 12; and by reference numerals 28, 30 and 32
for the panel 14. The top and bottom layers of each panel are
fabricated of the same plastic material so as to be heat sealable
together along their edge surfaces--for example, of polyethylene.
The middle layers 18 and 30 of the panels 10 and 14 are of a nylon
composition, while the middle layer 24 of the panel 12 is of an
aluminum foil. Reference numeral 34 in each layer identifies a die
cut hole or opening, to be employed in assembling the finger ring
of the invention, while reference numeral 36 in each layer
identifies tear points that allow a user to open the panels and
both chambers simultaneously along a tear line 37 in mixing their
respective product contents as the contents are sipped or sucked
from the pouch.
[0020] In FIGS. 2a and 2b, the opposite sides of the filled pouch
formed from the panels 10, 12 and 14 are illustrated. The die cut
hole 34 is shown, along with the oppositely positioned tear points
36. As will be understood, the individual product contents of each
chamber are sipped or sucked in the direction shown by the arrow
after the removal of the torn off closure 38. The different
shadings at 42 in FIG. 2a and at 44 in FIG. 2b indicate different
product contents enclosed in each chamber, for example. As will be
understood, the product content for each chamber is first
introduced into the chambers at 46, 48, before heat sealing
together the edge surfaces of the layers 16, 20, 22, 26, 28 and
32.
[0021] FIG. 3a represents a perspective view of the finger ring 50
of the pouch, with FIGS. 3b, 3c and 3d illustrating side, sectional
and top views of the ring 50, respectively. The finger ring 50 is
preferably of a low density polyethylene so as to be semi-rigid, in
having an inner ring 52 and an outer ring 54. The outer ring 54 is
centered, thin and flat making it easy to seal into the pouch as
the ring 50 passes through the panels 10, 12 and 14 as illustrated
in FIG. 3e. The consuming purchaser or other user places the index
finger of one hand inside the ring 50, and places the thumb and
index finger of the other hand under the slider 58 illustrated in
the various views of FIGS. 4 and 6.
[0022] FIGS. 3f and 3g are side views helpful in an understanding
of the positioning of the finger ring 50 with respect to the panels
10, 12 and 14. In particular, FIG. 3f illustrates the side view of
the finger ring and panels prior to the panels being sealed
together, while FIG. 3g shows the side view and its magnified view
once the panels and finger ring are sealed. As FIG. 3f illustrates,
the top portion of the finger ring 50 passes through the die cut
hole of panel 10, while the bottom portion of the finger ring
passes through the die cut holes 34 of both panels 12 and 14. The
assembly employed follows the placement of the top portion 51 of
the inner ring 52 through the underside of the die cut hole 34 of
panel 10, the insertion of the bottom portion 53 of the inner ring
52 through the top side of the die cut holes of panels 12 and 14,
and the sealing together of the panels with the inner and outer
rings 52, 54 in forming a solid seal. As FIG. 3g illustrates, the
outer ring 54 is permanently sealed between the panels 10 and 12,
while the inner ring passes through all three panels.
[0023] FIG. 4a is a 3D view of the slider 58, with FIGS. 4b, 4c, 4d
and 4e respectively being a side view, a top view, a perspective
view and a sectional view. As with the finger ring 52, the slider
58 is fabricated of a low density polyethylene so as to be
semi-rigid--and able, because of its compositional non-stick
surface, to glide up along the twin-chambered pouch in squeezing
out their respective contents simultaneously in the arrow direction
of FIG. 2a. Shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b in its initial or bottom
position 100, the slider 58 cannot be removed from the pouch at
that position as it is blocked there by the top portion 51 of
finger ring 52 extending above panel 10 and by the bottom portion
53 extending below panel 14 (FIGS. 3f and 3g). In particular, and
as will be understood, the slider 58 can be removed only from the
opposite or top end of the pouch 102, once the product content from
each chamber is sipped or sucked out.
[0024] With respect to the specific slider construction, FIG. 4c
illustrates the top opening of the slider 60 as narrowing from top
to bottom in allowing it to move the product contents easily
through the individual chambers and out the top end 102. The
perspective view of FIG. 4d illustrates the slider's small fine
opening 62 at its bottom to allow the chambers to be squeezed to
the limit in facilitating substantially all of their contents to be
removed. The top inner flange 64 of the slider 58 allows for easy
gripping and leverage, with reference numeral 66 identifying
contour finger grips usable as an alternative in moving the slider
58 upwards along the pouch. Such finger grips 66 can be used
together with the inner flange 64 to enable the consuming purchaser
or other user to have a solid grip in moving the slider towards the
ends of the chambers, or only partway, where desired. Reference
numeral 68 identifies a cut out area of the slider allowing it to
sit on the top curvature of the finger ring 50. Such positioning of
the finger ring 50 and the slider 58 establishes the initial
configuration of the pouch as it is being transported and on a
storekeeper's shelves. FIG. 4f illustrates the slider 58 being
attached from the top, or pouch end 102 prior to the filling of the
pouch with the product but after the assembly of the finger ring
50--the slider 58 then being moved all the way down from right to
left to lock with the finger ring.
[0025] FIG. 5 illustrates the exploded views of the ring, the
slider, and the two-chamber pouch, with FIG. 6c illustrating a
sectional view of the assembled pouch to simultaneously dispense
the product contents from its two chambers.
[0026] While there has been described what is considered to be a
preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be readily
appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be
made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. For
example, the orientation of the inner ring 50 as depicted in FIGS.
3e and 3f can be reversed so that the top portion of the ring
passes through the die cut hole of panel 14 while the bottom
portion of the ring passes through the die cut holes 34 of both
panels 12 and 10--in which event the outer ring 54 is permanently
sealed between the panels 12 and 14, the assembly of the invention
being otherwise unchanged. For at least such reason, therefore,
resort should be had to the claims appended hereto for a true
understanding of the scope of the invention.
* * * * *