GB2550878A

GB2550878A - A multi-pocket pouch

Info

Publication number: GB2550878A
Application number: GB1609323.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dranfield Sandy
Original assignee: EXCELSIOR TECHNOLOGIES Ltd; Excelsior Tech Ltd
Current assignee: EXCELSIOR TECHNOLOGIES Ltd; Excelsior Tech Ltd
Priority date: 2016-05-26
Filing date: 2016-05-26
Publication date: 2017-12-06
Also published as: WO2017203024A1; GB201609323D0

Abstract

A plastic film pouch comprising a main compartment 2 sealed on three sides, and an additional compartment 2 overlapping and sharing at least a portion of two sealed sides 4,5 with the main compartment, each compartment having a separate access opening 7,9. Preferably, the additional compartment overlaps the entire width and length of the main compartment. Preferably, there is a second additional compartment. Preferably, additional compartments are located internally or externally. Preferably, the pouch is free standing; and comprises a tear line 11, releasable seal and/or a pressure release valve below the additional compartment. Preferably, main compartment contains food and additional compartment contains cutlery, serviettes or sanitary wipes. Preferably, the additional compartment is formed by folding unsealed end of main compartment over itself, sealing the overlap and trimming, or alternatively by sandwiching a piece of film between two outer sheets. Products are then inserted into compartments and end is sealed.

Description

A MULTI-POCKET POUCH

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to packaging for consumable products, such as foodstuffs, made from plastic based films. In particular the invention relates to plastic film pouches capable of separately receiving two or more distinct items.

Background of the Invention

Plastic film pouches are a common form of packaging for foodstuffs and other consumables. These pouches provide strong, yet lightweight packaging for a wide range of products.

The pouches are generally formed from one or more sheets of plastic film that are sealed together around the perimeter thereof to form an enclosed area within which a foodstuff, for example, can be protected and preserved until the consumer wants to eat the food.

While the pouches generally tend to have a single compartment for storing a foodstuff, it is also known for pouches to be provided with more than one separate compartment so that two distinct items can be received separately within the pouch.

The most common arrangement of such dual item pouches involves two compartments positioned side-by-side. However, such an arrangement means that the storage capacity of the compartments provided by these pouches is limited. That is to say, in order to increase the storage capacity of a compartment either the other compartment must be reduced in size or the size of the pouch itself must be increased.

In the case of most side-by side arrangements, the access opening (through which consumable products can be introduced into the compartments) of both compartments is separate.

However in some dual item pouch arrangements the compartments can share a single access opening. In these arrangements a first item (e.g. foodstuff) is inserted into the pouch via the access opening and then sealed to form the first compartment enclosing the first item. After the first item is enclosed a second, distinct item can be placed into the second compartment via the same access opening and then the second compartment is closed.

This use of a common access opening can lead to cross-contamination between the first item and the second item, with extracts of the first item finding its way into the second compartment.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides an improved plastic film pouch for use in the packaging of distinct but associated consumer products in a single packaging solution.

To this end the present invention provides a plastic film pouch for consumer products in accordance with claim 1.

By providing two overlapping, but isolated compartments, the pouch can have a main compartment that is the full size of the pouch for receiving the main consumer item (e.g. foodstuff) without having an impact on the size of the at least one additional compartment.

In addition, by providing each of the isolated compartments with a distinct and separate access opening, the pouch can avoid any cross contamination between the consumer item placed in the main compartment and the consumer item placed in the at least one additional compartment.

Preferably the at least one additional compartment may overlap with the main compartment across the entire width of the pouch and at least a portion of the length of the pouch. For the avoidance of any doubt the length of the pouch is considered to run from the end of the pouch with the access openings to the opposite sealed end of the pouch.

Preferably the at least one additional compartment may overlap with the main compartment across the entire width and length of the pouch. In this way the additional compartment can have a similar capacity to the main compartment.

Preferably the pouch may further comprise a second additional compartment sealed on three sides to form a container for receiving a third consumer product in isolation from the first and second consumer products, whereby at least a portion of two of the sealed sides of the main compartment are shared with the second additional compartment. In this way the pouch can receive three distinct consumer items.

Further preferably the second additional compartment may overlap with the main compartment across the entire width of the pouch and at least a portion of the length of the pouch. The second additional compartment may or may not be the same size as the first additional compartment.

Alternatively the second additional compartment may overlap with the main compartment across the entire width and length of the pouch.

Preferably the at least one additional compartment may be located within the main compartment. Alternatively the at least one additional compartment may be located outside of the main compartment.

Advantageously the pouch may further comprise a free-standing base. In this way the pouch can stand upright (e.g. during display in a shop).

Preferably the pouch may further comprise a tear-line (or other weakened region) extending between two opposing sealed sides of the main compartment. Further preferably the tear-line (i.e. weakened region) is positioned below the non-shared seal of said at least one additional compartment.

In this way the additional compartment of the pouch can be detached from the main compartment of the pouch.

Preferably the pouch may further comprise a pressure release valve located below the non-shared seal of said at least one additional compartment.

Preferably the pouch may further comprise a resealable closure means located below the non-shared seal of said at least one additional compartment.

The provision of the pressure release valve and/or the resealable closure means adds further functionality to the main compartment of the pouch. For instance it is envisaged that the main compartment, once separated from the additional compartment, could be cooked in an oven/microwave.

In addition to the pouch, the present invention also provides a consumer packaging according to claim 12.

Preferably the consumer product contained in the main compartment may be a food based product and the consumer product or products contained in said additional compartments may be non-food based products. Further preferably the non-food based products are selected from: cutlery, serviettes, sanitary wipes and combinations thereof.

Alternatively it is envisaged that the main compartment may contain paint and the additional container may house a paint brush. In view of this it will be appreciated that the packaging of the claimed invention is not necessary limited to use with food-based consumer products.

In accordance with claim 15 the present invention also provides a method of manufacturing a plastic film pouch with at least two self-contained and separately accessible compartments.

Preferably the at least one additional compartment may be provided by: i) folding the unsealed end of the main compartment into or around the main compartment so as to provide a region of overlapping plastic film; and ii) sealing at least two sheets of overlapping plastic film and then trimming the fold from the pouch to form the at least one additional compartment with an unsealed end.

Alternatively the at least one additional compartment may be provided by: i) aligning a further piece of plastic film in overlap with said one or more sheets of plastic film before the lamination step; and ii) forming a seal between said the further piece of plastic film and either the front face or the back face of the pouch to form the at least one additional compartment with an unsealed end.

Preferably the further piece of plastic film is sandwiched between said one or more sheets of plastic film.

Preferably the method may further comprise providing the pouch with a free-standing base.

Preferably the method may further comprise providing the pouch with a tear-line, wherein further preferably the tear-line is provided below the additional compartment.

Preferably the method may further comprise providing the pouch with more than one additional compartment.

Preferably the additional compartment or compartments may be provided within the main compartment. Alternatively the additional compartment or compartments may be provided outside of the main compartment.

The present invention also provides a method of packaging a consumer product in accordance with claim 24.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The various aspects of the present invention will be described with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the plastic film pouch of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a top down view of the pouch of figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a cut-through side view of the pouch of figure 1;

Figure 4 shows a top down view of an alternative embodiment of the plastic film pouch of the present invention;

Figure 5 shows a cut-through side view of the pouch of figure 4;

Figure 6 shows a further alternative preferred embodiment of the plastic pouch of the present invention;

Figure 7 shows a top down view of the pouch of figure 6;

Figure 8 is a flow diagram showing the steps of a preferred method of manufacturing the plastic film pouch of the present invention; and

Figure 9 is a flow diagram showing the steps of an alternative preferred method of manufacturing the plastic film pouch of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

The present invention provides a plastic film pouch with two or more separate compartments or pockets. By providing the pouch with more than one distinct compartment it is possible to store two separate consumer items in isolation from one another.

It is envisaged that, while the described pouches are particularly appropriate for the packaging of foodstuffs, the packaging of the present invention can be used for nonfoodstuffs and combinations of foodstuffs and non-food stuffs.

In one particularly preferred arrangement the main compartment of the pouch will receive a food item and the additional compartment will receive non-food items in the form of cutlery and a serviette. When used in combination with the free-standing base and the tear-line features, this arrangement can provide for an ‘on the go’ dining option.

It is envisaged that a number of variations can be usefully applied to the core inventive concept of the present invention. With a view to describing the present invention Figures 1 to 9 are provided. Figures 1 to 7 relate to various embodiments of the pouch, whereas Figures 8 and 9 provide detail of the pouch manufacturing process.

Figure 1 shows a pouch 1 having a main compartment 2 and an additional compartment 3, which overlaps with at least a portion of the main compartment across the entire width of the pouch 1.

Because the additional compartment extends across the entire width of the pouch 1 common seals 4, 5 can be used to form the sides of both the main compartment 2 and the additional compartment 3.

The base of the main compartment 2 is shown as 6 and the base of the additional compartment is formed by seal 8. It is important to understand that seal 8 connects an inserted sheet of plastic film 42 with only one of the plastic film sheets 41 that makes up the main compartment 2. This arrangement can be better appreciated from Figures 3 and 8, for example.

The main compartment 2 is provided with an access opening 7 and the additional compartment 3 is provided with a separate access opening 9. Both openings 7, 9 are co-located at the top of the pouch 1.

Providing access to the two compartments 2,3 via separate openings 7, 9 is essential to the present invention because it enables the pouch 1 to be filed with distinct consumer items (e.g. food/cutlery, paint/brush) without any crosscontamination between the items.

At the end of the pouch 1 opposite to the openings 7, 9 is a free-standing base arrangement 10. This arrangement 10, which will be well appreciated by the skilled person, allows the pouch 1 to stand upright without support. This is considered beneficial for the display of the products within the final packaging. A further benefit of the free-standing base feature can be realised in combination with the tear-line 11, which is provided on the main compartment below the additional compartment base seal 8.

The tear-line 11, and cutaways 12, allows a user to quickly and easily separate the main compartment 2 from the additional compartment 3. The skilled person will appreciate that the weakened region of the tear-line can be achieved in a range of ways without departing from the general concept of the present invention.

In preferred example of the use of the pouch of the present invention, and in particular that shown in Figure 1, the main compartment 2 contains a food stuff and the additional compartment 3 contains an article of cutlery and a napkin.

During the filling and storage part of the package’s life the food and the non-food items are kept completely separate. This is highly advantageous because otherwise any moisture in the food would be absorbed into the napkin, which renders the napkin less effective when it is finally used.

When a consumer is ready to eat the food they can tear along the tear-line 11 and separate the additional compartment 3, with the non-food items, from the main food containing compartment 2. The free-standing base arrangement 10 of the main compartment can then be stood up and used as a ‘bowl’. This enables the consumer to eat the food within the pouch ‘on the go’. A further advantage of this particularly preferred embodiment is that the flexible nature of the main compartment 2 allows the consumer to grip the ‘bowl’ while they extract the food using the cutlery that was stored in the additional compartment 3. A yet further advantage of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 is that having the pocket of the additional compartment 3 only covering a portion of the main compartment means that the contents of the main compartment can be clearly displayed in a retail environment, for example.

It will be appreciated that the pouch shown in Figure 1 (as well as Figures 2 and 3) can be manufactured using the process shown in Figure 8, which will be described below.

The pouches of the present invention, including that shown in Figure 1, are made from plastics materials using sealing methods that known to the skilled person.

Suitable plastics materials for use in the manufacture of the pouch of the present invention include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP). These materials can be used in combination paper or they can be metallised. It is also envisaged that combinations of these materials can be used.

Turning now to Figures 2 and 3 provide additional views of the pouch shown in Figure 1, from which the overlapping relationship of the main and additional compartments 2, 3 can be appreciated.

Although the pouch shown in Figures 1 to 3 has only one additional compartment, it is envisioned that the pouch of the present invention might alternatively be provided with more than one additional compartment. This alternative arrangement is demonstrated in the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5.

The top down view of Figure 4, which corresponds to the top down view of the first embodiment shown in Figure 2, shows an alternative pouch 20.

The pouch 20 is provided with a main compartment 2, with access opening 7, a first additional compartment 3, with access opening 9, and a second additional compartment 21, with access opening 22. As with pouch 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3, the sides of the compartments are defined by common seals 4 and 5.

Once again, the additional compartments 3, 21 are provided on the inside of the main compartment 2. However it is envisaged that they could be provided on the outside of main compartment instead. Indeed it is envisaged that the additional compartment or compartments can be positioned inside of the main compartment, outside the main compartment or both inside and outside the main compartment without departing from the general concept of the present invention.

Figures 6 and 7 show a further alternative embodiment of the pouch of the present invention, which is mainly distinguished from the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 5 by virtue of the fact that both the main compartment 31 and the additional compartment 32 extend the entire width and length of the pouch 30.

The pouch 30 is defined around its perimeter by seals 33, 34, 35, 36 and 37. The two compartments 31, 32 are separated by a gusset 38 that extends between seal 34 and 36. The gusset 38 is held at the base of the pouch by seal 37 so as to complete the two distinct compartments.

It is envisaged that the pouches of the present invention can be manufactured using two alternative methods. The key steps of the first manufacturing process are shown diagrammatically in Figure 8. Figure 9 shows the key steps of the second manufacturing process.

Figure 8 shows three steps of a manufacturing process according to a first preferred embodiment. In the first step three sheets of suitable plastics material are brought together.

Two of the sheets 41, 43 have similar dimensions (and preferably are of the same material) whereas the third sheet 42 has the same width of the other sheets but is not necessarily the same length.

Although the three sheets are shown as being separate in the first step it is envisaged that a single sheet may be folded once to form two sheets (with the third sheet being separate) or even twice to form all three sheets.

From Figure 8 it will be appreciated that the third sheet is at least half the length of the other two sheets of plastics material.

The third sheet 42 may or may not be of the same plastics material as the other two sheets 41,43.

It should be noted that whilst Figure 8 shows the smaller third sheet 42 sandwiched between the other two sheets 41,43 the third sheet might alternatively be place in an similar overlapping alignment but on the outside of one of the sheets.

Once in the required overlapping alignment the sheets 41, 42, 43 are sealed together around the perimeter of the pouch by seals 44. The seals 44 serves to both fully define the main compartment and also retain the third sheet 42 in position with respect to the other sheets 41,43.

The third sheet 42 is then sealed to one of the sheets 41 by seal 45 to form the additional compartment. Seal 45 is not formed between the all three sheets so as to avoid sealing off access to the main compartment.

The sheets 41, 43 that make define the majority of the main compartment are provided with a tear-line and cutaways to facilitate the detachment of the additional compartment from the main compartment.

The key steps of the second manufacturing process are shown diagrammatically in Figure 9. A plastic film pouch 50 is formed using known methodology.

The open-ended pouch is formed by folding the plastic film material appropriately. The open-end is then folded over so that there is an overlap or a hem 51 at the top of the pouch 50. The three sides of the pouch are them sealed. Alternatively the three sides of the pouch may be sealed before open end of the pouch is folded over.

Although Figure 9 shows the pouch being folded outwards it is envisioned that the pouch might be folded such that the overlap/hem 51 is within the pouch.

The bottom region of the overlap/hem 51 is then sealed to a sidewall of the pouch using conventional means to form seal 53. Seal 53 provides the base of the additional compartment, which may be formed on the inside or the outside of the pouch depending on how the pouch was initially folded.

Once seal 53 has been formed, the fold 52 located at the top of the pouch is trimmed off using suitable trimming means 54. Trimming the fold reveals the separate access openings to both the main compartment and the additional compartment.

It will be appreciated that the manufacturing methods shown in Figures 8 and 9 can be readily adapted to provide a pouch with more than one additional compartment located either inside or outside of the main compartment.

Although not shown in the Figures, it is envisioned that the pouches of the present invention may be further enhanced by providing the pouch with additional features such as pressure release valves and resealable closure means. Such additional features would preferably be provided on the main compartment portion of the pouch and thus should ideally be located below any tear-line.

Claims

1. A plastic film pouch for consumer products, said pouch comprising: a main compartment sealed on three sides to form a container for receiving a first consumer product; at least one additional compartment sealed on three sides to form a container for receiving a second consumer product in isolation from the first consumer product, whereby the compartments overlap and at least a portion of two of the sealed sides of the main compartment are shared with the additional compartment; and wherein each compartment has a separate access opening such that the first and second consumer products can be introduced into the pouch via separate pathways.

2. The pouch of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional compartment overlaps with the main compartment across the entire width of the pouch and at least a portion of the length of the pouch.

3. The pouch of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional compartment overlaps with the main compartment across the entire width and length of the pouch.

4. The pouch of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a second additional compartment sealed on three sides to form a container for receiving a third consumer product in isolation from the first and second consumer products, whereby at least a portion of two of the sealed sides of the main compartment are shared with the second additional compartment.

5. The pouch of claim 1,2, 3 or 4, wherein said at least one additional compartment is located within the main compartment.

6. The pouch of claim 1,2, 3 or 4, wherein said at least one additional compartment is located outside of the main compartment.

7. The pouch of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a free-standing base.

8. The pouch of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a tear-line extending between two opposing sealed sides of the main compartment.

9. The pouch of claim 8, wherein the tear-line is positioned below the non-shared seal of said at least one additional compartment.

10. The pouch of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a pressure release valve located below the non-shared seal of said at least one additional compartment.

11. The pouch of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a resealable closure means located below the non-shared seal of said at least one additional compartment.

12. A consumer packaging comprising a pouch according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the main compartment contains a first consumer product and the additional compartment or compartments contain consumer products distinct from the first consumer product; and wherein the access openings of the main compartment and the additional compartment or compartments are sealed by a common closure seal.

13. The consumer packaging of claim 12, wherein the consumer product contained in the main compartment is a food based product and the consumer product or products contained in said additional compartments are non-food based products.

14. The consumer packaging of claim 13, wherein the non-food based products are selected from: cutlery, serviettes, sanitary wipes and combinations thereof.

15. A method of manufacturing a plastic film pouch with at least two self-contained and separately accessible compartments, said method comprising: a) laminating one or more sheets of plastic film along three sides to form a pouch with a front face and a back face and a main compartment with an unsealed end; b) providing at least one additional compartment that is sealed on three sides and has an unsealed end, wherein at least two of the sealed sides of said additional compartment are shared with two of the sealed sides of the main compartment.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one additional compartment is provided by: i) folding the unsealed end of the main compartment into or around the main compartment so as to provide a region of overlapping plastic film; ii) sealing at least two sheets of overlapping plastic film and then trimming the fold from the pouch to form the at least one additional compartment with an unsealed end.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one additional compartment is provided by: i) aligning a further piece of plastic film in overlap with said one or more sheets of plastic film before the lamination step; and ii) forming a seal between said the further piece of plastic film and either the front face or the back face of the pouch to form the at least one additional compartment with an unsealed end.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the further piece of plastic film is sandwiched between said one or more sheets of plastic film.

19. The method of any of claims 15 to 18, further comprising providing the pouch with a free-standing base.

20. The method of any of claims 15 to 19, further comprising providing the pouch with a tear-line, wherein preferably the tear-line is provided below the additional compartment.

21. The method of any of claims 15 to 20, wherein the pouch is provided with more than one additional compartment.

22. The method of any of claims 15 to 21, wherein the additional compartment or compartments are provided within the main compartment.

23. The method of any of claims 15 to 21, wherein the additional compartment or compartments are provided on the outside of the main compartment.

24. A method of packaging a consumer product, said method comprising: a) manufacturing a plastic film pouch in accordance with the method of any of claims 15 to 23; b) inserting a first consumer product in the main compartment via the unsealed end of the main compartment; c) inserting a second consumer product in the additional compartment via the unsealed end of the additional compartment; d) sealing the unsealed ends of the main and additional compartments using a common seal.