MXPA99011068A - Flexible compartmented package that stands upright having side wall and rupturable seal - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a compartmented flexible package (10) that stands upright. The package includes a substantially rigid side wall (16) that enables the package to stand in an upright position. Such a package can be viewed by a consumer on a store shelf, without the need to pick the package up in order to read the information printed on the packages'label. Also included in the package are at least two compartments (12, 14) separated by a rupturable seal (20). The rupturable seal is rupturable in order for the products contained within the compartments to be mixed prior to dispensing the product from the compartmented package.

Description

FLEXIBLE PACKAGE DIVIDED IN COMPARTMENTS THAT CAN PUT VERTICALLY. WITH SIDE WALL AND BREAKABLE SEAL / FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a package with several compartments. More particularly, the present invention relates to packages of this type having an easily breakable seal. . BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Multi-compartment flexible packages having frangible seals are typically employed to separate compounds that should not be mixed until ready for use. For example, US Patent No. 3,074,544 issued to Bollmeier and colleagues presents a combination package and US Patent No. 5,287,961 issued to Herran presents a multi-compartment package having an improved dividing strip. When the breakable seals of such packages are broken, the compounds in the separate compartments are mixed. Thus, packages divided into compartments are very convenient for storing several products ready to be mixed and used. Such multi-compartment packages are in various shapes and sizes. Such packages are relatively bulky and often difficult to handle since they are relatively flexible and may have an irregular shape. However, most of these packages are substantially flat and pillow-shaped. Such packages are typically stored simply by placing the flat pack on a shelf or surface. The multiple packets are typically stacked one on top of the other so that the label of the packets can not be seen. Thus, packages of this type generally do not attract the attention of customers or consumers when the latter move into stores, retail outlets, and the like. This causes "many products not to be seen by buyers especially due to the fact that store shelves are replete with many" attention-grabbing "package labels and presentation arrangements of this type, in addition, for the purpose of visually identifying the contents of these relatively flat packages or to read the label that is in these packages, the consumer must take the package.Thus, it is uncomfortable for the consumer who may have to take several packages of this type before finding the brand, flavor, color, type, etc., that you are looking for, and since the competition for shelf spaces is often strong, it is desirable to have a package that offers a "catchy" or visible presentation. , there has been the desire to offer a compartmentalized, flexible package, which allows a consumer to easily identify the package, read its label, or bi in identifying the product contained within the package. There is also a need for a package of this type to be comfortable and easy to use with products ready to be mixed. COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION We present here a package divided into compartments for / storing a product ready to be mixed. The package includes a first compartment having a first volume and a second compartment having a second volume. The first compartment and the second compartment are substantially flexible and hermetically sealed. At least one breakable seal is included in the first compartment or in the second compartment. The breakable seal allows fluid communication from the first or second compartment. Preferably, the breakable seal connects the first compartment with the second compartment. More preferably, rupture of the breakable seal allows fluid communication between the first volume and the second volume in order to form a fluid product. A substantially rigid side wall is fixed on at least one of the compartments. This side wall allows the compartmentalized package to remain in a vertical position. The breakable seal is preferably flexible and allows the first compartment to be bent over the second compartment. When the package divided into compartments is folded around the axis of the breakable seal, the hydraulic forces within the first, volume and second volume of the first compartment and the second compartment are balanced between them and through the breakable seal, thus preventing a premature rupture of the breakable seal. The / divided package in compartments is unfolded in order to allow rupture of the breakable seal. Preferably, the substantially rigid side wall comprises a material in the form of a cardboard or paper-resin sheet, or it can be. a thermoformed plastic material. More preferably, the first compartment and the second compartment are formed of a flexible plastic film and the first volume and the second volume are partially visible through the first compartment and the second compartment. When the first compartment is folded over the second compartment, the package_ resembles an A-shaped structure, which preferably has the breakable seal placed either at the base or at the apex of the structure. In a preferred configuration, the substantially rigid side wall has an external surface that provides a suitable area for printing a label or other visual markings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS While the specification ends with the claims that present particularly and clearly claim the present invention, it is considered that said invention will be better understood starting from the following detailed description together with the attached drawings in which like reference numbers indicate the same element in the views, and in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a package divided into compartments of the present invention before folding; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the compartmentalized package of the present invention along the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the package divided into compartments in the present invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a package divided into compartments before folding; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the package divided into compartments along the section line 5-5 of Figure 4; and Figure 6 is a side elevation view of an alternative embodiment of the package divided into compartments after folding.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to Figure 1, the compartmentalized package, generally indicated as 10, is shown before being folded. The package . divided into compartments 10 has a first compartment 12 with a first volume 22 and a second compartment 14 with a second volume 24. Preferably, the first compartment 12 and "the second; / compartment 14 are substantially flexible." As such, the divided package in compartments 10 it can be manufactured in various sizes, shapes For example, a package divided into compartments 10 can be constructed in accordance with that indicated in US Pat. No. 3,074,544 issued to Bollmeier and colleagues, on January 22, 1963, and transferred to Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, US Patent No. 4,227,614 granted to Hollander, Jr., on October 14, 1980, and transferred to John P. Glass, and US Patent No. 5,287,961 granted to Herran on February 22, 1994, and transferred to WR Grace and Co., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.A substantially rigid side wall 16 is fixed on the divided into compartments 10. The side wall 16 is fixed on at least one of the first compartment 12 and second compartment 14 substantially continuously, and preferably the side wall 16 is fixed on both compartments 12 and 14. Preferably, the wall side 16 extends substantially throughout the length of the compartmentalized pack 10. The expression "substantially rigid", as used herein, indicates a stiffness or softness with a value greater than about 100 grams per 4 inches long in both the direction of the machine as in the transverse direction and more preferably, greater than / approximately 150 grams by 4 inches in length both in the machine direction and in the transverse direction and less than 250 grams by 4 'inches in length both in the direction of the machine as in the transverse direction. Stiffness is measured using the Fried-Lay design modifications of the Noli Instron Apparatus described in the M-450A method of the ANC (American National Can) standard. An Instron constant tension rate tester equipped with a pressure gauge of 2000 grams with modified fixings for the 4-inch sample is also used. The substantially rigid side wall 16 can be made, for example, of cardboard, paper, plastic, thermoformed plastic, corrugated material, paper-resin sheet, fiber board, sheet, and the like, as well as combinations thereof. For example, the substantially rigid side wall will consist of a plastic layer and a paper layer. Accordingly, the layer placed adjacent to the product must be compatible with the object of maintaining the integrity of the product. Various materials that make up a rigid rigid wall 16 can be fixed by any mechanical method commonly known to those skilled in the art including, for example, glue, bonding, heat sealing, lamination, adhesive bonding, welding, or the like. A substantially rigid side wall 16 can be fixed on the first compartment 12 and the second; / compartment 14 by any mechanical method commonly known to those skilled in the art including, for example, glue, adhesion, heat sealing, lamination, adhesive bonding, welding, or the like. A side wall 16 can also be constructed integrally with at least one of the first compartment 12 and second compartment 14. The compartmentalized package 10 can be constructed or manufactured of several sheets of plastic film or of a single sheet of plastic film fixed on herself. A package divided into compartments 10 can also be thermoformed, injection molded, blow molded, extruded, or similar, from, any plastic material. Preferably, the plastic material is a heat-sealable material for sealing the contents within the compartmentalized package 10. More preferably, the plastic material can be hermetically sealed which means that the package divided into compartments 10 when in sealed state, is substantially airtight to air and liquids, or has important oxygen barrier properties.

Particularly, the transmission property of O2 has a value which is 'preferably between' about 1 to 0.001 cc / 100 square inches / 24 hours at a temperature of 23 ° C (dry), more preferably between about 0.1 to 0.01 cc / 100 square inches / 24 hours / at a temperature of 23 ° C (dry), and with special preference a high value of approximately 0.08 and a low value of approximately 0.05cc / 100 square inches / 24 hours at a temperature of 23 ° C (dry) The transmission property of H20"of the film has a value which is preferably between about 0.9 and 0.2 g / 100 square inches / 24 hours at a temperature of 100 ° F and 90% humidity relative, more preferably a high value of about 0.8 and a low value of about 0.3, and more preferably a value of about 0.36 g / 100 square inches / 24 hours at a temperature of 100 ° F and a relative humidity of 90 %. Such materials can be multi-layered structures or single layers of plastic materials or they can be plastic films having several layers, mixtures and elaborated extrusions, for example, from one of the following: polyamide, nylon, polyethylene, ethylene / vinyl acetate, ionomer, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, vinyl, polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride, polybutylene, ethylene vinyl alcohol, or oxide-coated polymers A preferred film for the construction of the compartmentalized package 10 of the present invention has a high-strength nylon base, "and a barrier layer of ethylene vinyl alcohol, with a Surlyn sealant and is known in the trade as OMNIFLEX C44® which is a film commercially available from Printpac Inc. In a preferred embodiment of a compartmentalized package 10, the periphery is formed by a first edge 32, a second edge 34, and deformable edges 36, 38. The periphery of the package divided into compartments 10 can be sealed using the same methods by which the side wall 16 can be fixed. The periphery is sealed substantially permanently insofar as manipulation of the package divided into compartments 10 manually will not break or cause a separation in the periphery. Referring now to Figure 2, a breakable seal 20 separates a first compartment 12 from a second compartment 14. A breakable seal 20 can be made by various methods insofar as the package divided into compartments can be broken or opened when being handled. 10 manually after the unfolding of the divided package in compartment 10. For example, a breakable seal can be manufactured in the form of a thin-walled section, weakened zone, fragile thermal seal, welded zone having interruptions or discontinuities, or the like, or good combinations of them. Alternatively, the first edge 32 and the second edge 34 can also be manufactured as frangible seals allowing delivery of the first volume 22 from the first compartment 12 independently of the second volume 24 of the second compartment 14. The preferred thickness of the film is between approximately 0.003 and 0.011 inches. A preferred frangible seal 20, which may be OMNIFLEX C44® sheet, is produced by the use of a VERTROD® pulse thermal sealer at a temperature between about 230 ° F and about 250 ° F with a residence time of about 2 to 3 seconds, more preferably approximately 2.2 to 2.5 seconds, and at a pressure of approximately 20 to 40 psi. It will be understood that the conditions for the production of the breakable seal vary according to the construction materials. As shown in Figure 3, a breakable seal 20 is flexible such that the first compartment 12 can be bent over the second compartment 14 about the axis of the breakable seal 20. When the divided compartment package 10 is folded around a seal breakable 20, the hydraulic forces are balanced within each compartment and through the breakable seal 20 in order to avoid a failure or premature rupture of the breakable seal 20. In this folded configuration, a pocket divided in compartments 10 forms an A-shaped structure. Preferably, a breakable seal 20 is placed at the apex but said breakable seal can also be placed at the base of the A-shaped structure. The substantially rigid side wall L6 can be deformed by bending which causes the edges of formables 36 and 38 form triangular shaped portions of the A-shaped structure. The side wall 16 keeps the configuration bent and allows the divided compartment pack 10 to remain upright. The vertical position as used herein indicates that the side wall 16 of the compartmentalized package 10 is in a substantially vertical or oblique orientation relative to a horizontal surface. The external surface of the side wall 16 has a visual indication in which the compartmentalized package 10 is viewed from a higher point. More particularly, the external surface of the side wall 16 can be used for fixing visual marks, labels, or other printed or pictorial information. Thus, the outer surface of the side wall 16 can be used to provide a visual display that "draws attention" in order to attract consumers towards the compartmentalised package 10 and its contents. Preferably, the package divided into compartments 10 contains a complete product, ready to be mixed, made of one or several components that must remain separate until they are about to be used. Typically, such components can flow and can be fluid, but also solids, powders, liquids or combinations thereof. For example, a ready-to-mix product may have a lipid or oil component that must be kept separate from an aqueous component. A particularly preferred product for use in the compartmentalized package 10 is a ready-to-mix complete food product such as the shelf stable dough mixture presented in U.S. Patent No. 5,409,720 issued to Kent and colleagues on April 25. from 1995 and transferred to Day Day, Inc. Other food products and complete beverages, ready to be mixed can be, for example: mixtures, doughs, pastries, breads, chocolate and nut biscuits, cakes, cookies, corn bread, beverages, glazes, buns, pancakes, salad dressings, soups, sauces, almonds, wafers, yoghurts as well as other food products and flavored or sweet drinks.

In order to mix the separated compounds, the compartmentalized pack 10 is divided and the breakable seal 20 is broken by manual manipulation of the compartmentalized package 10. Preferably, said manipulation is by means of tightening, twisting, pulling or pressing. on the first compartment 12 and / or the second compartment 14 of the package divided into compartments 10 in order to create a pressure sufficient to break, cut, separate, break or open the breakable seal 20. The opening of the breakable seal 20 allows the components contained in the separate compartments 12 and 14 are placed in communication with each other for mixing. The mixing of these components can be accelerated by further manipulation of the package divided into compartments 10 in order to form the particular product to be supplied. Preferably, a part of the first compartment 12 or of the second compartment 14 is transparent or translucent and, more preferably, a first volume 22 or a second volume 24 are at least partially visible through the first compartment 12 or second compartment 14 corresponding. This allows the user to observe the product as it is being mixed. In order to supply the product from the package divided into compartments 10, the periphery can be cut, torn and opened by the use of scissors, or the like. Alternatively, an easy or perforated opening mechanism can be provided. Alternatively, an attachment, for example, a pressure closure or a screw cap may be attached to the compartment 12, compartment 14 or side wall 16, which would facilitate the opening and delivery of said product. After the opening of the periphery of the divided package in compartments 10, the product can be supplied by squeezing the divided package into compartments 10. In an alternative embodiment, as shown in Figures 4-6, several flexible compartments 112 can be provided, 114 and 118 with corresponding volumes 122, 124 and 128. A substantially rigid side wall 16 can be fixed on the compartments 112, 114 and 118. A first edge 132 and a second edge 134 deformable edges 136 and 138, and seals 120 and 121 they can be constructed as breakable seals or substantially permanent seals. In addition, breakable seals can be made to break at different pressures by changing seal characteristics. For example, the time, temperature, pressure, amount of impurities, surface area and the like, employed when each of the frangible seals is constructed can be increased and / or decreased. Said arrangement allows a compartmentalized package 110 to be designed specifically for the particular intended use. In addition, as shown in Figure 6, when the compartments 112, 114, 118 are folded over one another, the first edge 132 and the second edge 134 of the compartmentalized package 110 can be connected together by the use of a mechanical mechanism of attachment or fixation. While particular embodiments of the present invention were illustrated and described, numerous modifications can be made to this package divided into compartments without departing from the teachings of the present invention. The terms used in describing the invention are used in their descriptive sense and not as limiting terms, it being understood that all equivalents are included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS A compartmentalized package comprising a first compartment having a first volume and a second compartment having a second volume, the first compartment and the second compartment being connected to each other, the first compartment and the second compartment being also substantially flexible and Hermetically sealed, at least one breakable seal is included in the first compartment and in the second compartment, the compartmentalized package is characterized by: a substantially rigid side wall is fixed over at least one of the compartments, the side wall allows the Package divided into compartments can remain upright. The package divided into compartments according to claim 1 wherein the rupture of the breakable seal allows the supply of the first volume of the first compartment independently of the second volume of the second compartment. The package divided into compartments according to claim 1 wherein the breaking of the breakable seal allows communication between the first compartment and the second compartment in such a way that the first volume and the second volume are mixed. The pagúete divided into compartments according to any of the preceding claims wherein, the breakable seal is flexible and allows the first compartment to be folded over the second compartment in order to prevent a premature rupture of the breakable seal, the package divided into compartment is unfolds to allow rupture of the breakable seal. The package divided into compartments according to any of the preceding claims wherein the side wall is made of a paper material. The package divided into compartments according to any of the preceding claims wherein the side wall is made of a sheet of paper-resin. The package divided into compartments according to any of the preceding claims wherein, the first compartment and the second compartment are thermoformed by the use of a plastic material. The package divided into compartments according to any of the preceding claims wherein the first volume and the second volume are at least partially visible through the first compartment and the second compartment. The payment divided into compartments according to any of the preceding claims wherein the breakable seal is broken by manipulation of at least one of the compartments. The package divided into compartments according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the compartments contain a complete food product, ready to be mixed.