Flexible container

Abstract

A flexible container includes a pouch having flexible sidewalls defining therebetween a volume to contain content, the pouch having a fill opening for placing the content in the pouch. The sidewalls are joined to form a side edge of the pouch and a fin flange extends along the side edge. A reclosable seal is disposed below the fill opening for sealing the pouch, with the flexible sidewalls extending above the seal at a side edge opposite the fin flange to form a pour spout.

1 . A flexible container suitable for holding and pouring content, the container comprising: 
 a pouch having flexible sidewalls defining therebetween a volume to contain content, the pouch defining a bottom and a fill opening for placing the content in the pouch, the sidewalls being joined to form a side edge of the pouch;    a fin flange extending along the side edge of the pouch; and    a reclosable seal disposed adjacent the opening for sealing the pouch;    wherein the fin flange extends outward to define a graspable region for lifting and tilting the pouch to pour content from an opposite side edge of the pouch, the graspable region disposed to allow grasping of the graspable region at an elevation along the pouch that is at most half a height measured between the bottom of the pouch and the reclosable seal.    
     
     
         2 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the fin flange extends outwardly along the entire length of the associated side edge.  
     
     
         3 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the fin flange is disposed along the side edge of the pouch between the reclosable seal and the bottom of the pouch.  
     
     
         4 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the fin flange includes a texturized surface disposed in the graspable region.  
     
     
         5 . The flexible container of  claim 4  comprising an array of projections extending outwardly from a surface of the fin flange.  
     
     
         6 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the pouch is configured to support the pouch in an upright, standing position when content is placed within the pouch.  
     
     
         7 . The flexible container of  claim 1  further comprising a gusset extending between the sidewalls, the gusset being disposed at the bottom of the pouch.  
     
     
         8 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls form a pour spout disposed at a side edge opposite the fin flange.  
     
     
         9 . The flexible container of  claim 8 , wherein the spout is sealed to inhibit egress of content from the pouch through the spout.  
     
     
         10 . The flexible container of  claim 9 , wherein the spout includes a frangible region for tearing and opening the spout.  
     
     
         11 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls include a frangible region for tearing the sidewalls.  
     
     
         12 . The flexible container of  claim 11 , wherein the frangible region extends between the side edges of the pouch.  
     
     
         13 . The flexible container of  claim 12 , wherein the frangible region is disposed between the fill opening and the reclosable seal.  
     
     
         14 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the reclosable seal comprises an interlocking rib and groove.  
     
     
         15 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the fin flange includes a frangible region extending along a length of the fin flange for tearing the fin flange.  
     
     
         16 . The flexible container of  claim 15 , wherein the frangible region extends along the entire length of the fin flange for tearing the fin flange from the associated side edge of the pouch.  
     
     
         17 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein at least one sidewall includes a surface configured to be written on by a writing instrument.  
     
     
         18 . The flexible container of  claim 17 , wherein the surface is disposed between the reclosable seal and the opening.  
     
     
         19 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein at least one sidewall includes an array of removable tabs.  
     
     
         20 . The flexible container of  claim 19 , wherein the tabs are disposed between the reclosable seal and the opening.  
     
     
         21 . The flexible container of  claim 19 , wherein each tab includes a value corresponding to one of a month and a date.  
     
     
         22 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein at least one sidewall includes an array of ordered marks disposed at fixed intervals for use as a reference for measuring an amount of content placed in the pouch.  
     
     
         23 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls comprise a food grade material.  
     
     
         24 . The flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the fin flange has a rounded periphery.  
     
     
         25 . A flexible container suitable for holding and pouring content, the container comprising: 
 a pouch having flexible sidewalls defining therebetween a volume to contain content, the pouch defining a bottom and a fill opening for placing the content in the pouch, the sidewalls being joined to form a side edge of the pouch;    a fin flange extending along the side edge of the pouch; and    a reclosable seal disposed below the fill opening for sealing the pouch;    wherein the flexible sidewalls extend above the seal at a side edge opposite the fin flange to form a pour spout.    
     
     
         26 . The flexible container of  claim 25 , wherein the graspable region is disposed to allow grasping of the graspable region at an elevation along the pouch that is at most half a height measured between the bottom of the pouch to the reclosable seal.  
     
     
         27 . The flexible container of  claim 25 , wherein the fin flange extends outwardly along the entire length of the associated side edge.  
     
     
         28 . The flexible container of  claim 25 , wherein the fin flange is disposed along the side edge of the pouch between the reclosable seal and the bottom of the pouch.  
     
     
         29 . The flexible container of  claim 25 , wherein the fin flange includes a texturized surface disposed in the graspable region.  
     
     
         30 . The flexible container of  claim 29  comprising an array of projections extending outwardly from a surface of the fin flange.  
     
     
         31 . The flexible container of  claim 25 , wherein the bottom of the pouch is configured to support the pouch in an upright, standing position when content is placed within the pouch.  
     
     
         32 . The flexible container of  claim 1  further comprising a gusset extending between the sidewalls, the gusset being disposed at the bottom of the pouch.  
     
     
         33 . The flexible container of  claim 25 , wherein the sidewalls include a frangible region for tearing the sidewalls.  
     
     
         34 . The flexible container of  claim 33 , wherein the frangible region extends between the side edges of the pouch.  
     
     
         35 . The flexible container of  claim 34 , wherein the frangible region is disposed above the reclosable seal.  
     
     
         36 . The flexible container of  claim 25 , wherein the reclosable seal comprises an interlocking rib and groove.  
     
     
         37 . The flexible container of  claim 25 , wherein the fin flange includes a frangible region extending along a length of the fin flange for tearing the fin flange.  
     
     
         38 . The flexible container of  claim 37  wherein the frangible region extend along the entire length of the fin flange for tearing the fin flange from the associated side edge of the pouch.  
     
     
         39 . The flexible container of  claim 25 , wherein at least one sidewall includes a surface configured to be written on by a writing instrument.  
     
     
         40 . The flexible container of  claim 39 , wherein the surface is disposed above the reclosable seal.  
     
     
         41 . The flexible container of  claim 25 , wherein the sidewalls include a texturized region disposed above the reclosable seal.  
     
     
         42 . The flexible container of  claim 41  comprising an array of projections extending outwardly from a surface of the sidewalls within the texturized region.  
     
     
         43 . The flexible container of  claim 25  wherein at least one sidewall includes an array of removable tabs.  
     
     
         44 . The flexible container of  claim 43 , wherein the tabs are disposed above the reclosable seal.  
     
     
         45 . The flexible container of  claim 44 , wherein each tab includes a value corresponding to one of a month and a date.  
     
     
         46 . The flexible container of  claim 25 , wherein at least one sidewall includes an array of ordered marks disposed at fixed intervals for use as a reference for measuring an amount of content placed in the pouch.  
     
     
         47 . The flexible container of  claim 25 , wherein the sidewalls comprise a food grade material.  
     
     
         48 . The flexible container of  claim 25 , wherein the fin flange has a rounded periphery.  
     
     
         49 . A flexible container suitable for holding and pouring content, the container comprising: 
 a pouch having flexible sidewalls defining therebetween a volume to contain content, the pouch having a bottom and a fill opening opposite the bottom for placing the content in the pouch, the sidewalls being joined along a side edge of the pouch; and    a first seal disposed adjacent the opening for sealing the pouch; and    a second, reclosable seal disposed between the first seal and the bottom of the pouch, the second seal configured to seal the pouch to define first and second chambers disposed within the volume.    
     
     
         50 . The flexible container of  claim 49 , wherein the sidewalls include a frangible region disposed between the first and second seals for tearing the sidewalls, the frangible region extending between opposite side edges of the pouch.  
     
     
         51 . The flexible container of  claim 49  further comprising content disposed within at least one of the first and second chambers.  
     
     
         52 . The flexible container of  claim 51 , wherein content is disposed within each of the first and second chambers.  
     
     
         53 . The flexible container of  claim 52 , wherein a powder is disposed within one of the first and second chambers and a liquid is disposed within the other of the first and second chambers.  
     
     
         54 . The flexible container of  claim 49 , wherein the first seal is a reclosable seal.  
     
     
         55 . The flexible container of  claim 54 , wherein the reclosable seal comprises an interlocking rib and groove.  
     
     
         56 . The flexible container of  claim 1  further comprising a fin flange extending along the side edge to define a graspable region for lifting and tilting the pouch to pour content from an opposite side edge of the pouch.  
     
     
         57 . A method of placing content in a container, the method comprising: 
 providing a flexible liner comprising a pouch having flexible sidewalls defining therebetween a volume to contain content, the pouch defining a fill opening for placing the content in the pouch, the sidewalls being joined to form a side edge of the pouch, the liner including a fin flange extending along the side edge;    placing content within the pouch;    adjusting a position of the fin flange;    placing the liner including the content within the container through a container opening;    folding the sidewalls of the liner over an outer surface of the container; and    covering the container opening with a cap, the sidewalls being sandwiched between the cap and the container.    
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57  further comprising tearing the sidewalls along a frangible region extending between the side edges of the pouch, the frangible region being exposed outside the container during tearing.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the frangible region is disposed outside the container while the sidewalls are torn.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 57  further comprising tearing the fin flange along a frangible region extending along a length of the fin flange to separate the fin flange from the pouch.