Pouch having at least one pleat

Abstract

A pouch includes first and second opposing walls, a closure mechanism disposed between the opposing walls and at least one pleat disposed laterally across the pouch between the first and second side portions of the pouch, wherein the pleat is adapted to expand the pouch in a direction transverse to an axis of the opposing walls.

1 . A pouch, comprising: 
 first and second opposing walls;    a closure mechanism disposed between the opposing walls; and    at least one extruded pleat disposed laterally across the pouch between first and second side portions of the pouch, wherein the pleat is adapted to expand the pouch in a direction transverse to an axis of the opposing walls.    
   
   
       2 . The pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the extruded pleat is disposed laterally across a bottom portion of the pouch between the first and second side portions.  
   
   
       3 . The pouch of  claim 1 , wherein two extruded pleats are disposed laterally across the pouch between the first and second side portions of the pouch.  
   
   
       4 . The pouch of  claim 3 , wherein one of the extruded pleats is disposed in the first wall and the other of the extruded pleats is disposed in the second wall.  
   
   
       5 . The pouch of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the extruded pleats has at least one fold therein that has a cross-sectional shape that is rectangular.  
   
   
       6 . The pouch of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the extruded pleats has at least one fold therein that has a cross-sectional shape that is triangular.  
   
   
       7 . The pouch of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the extruded pleats has at least one fold therein that has a cross-sectional shape that is hyperbolic.  
   
   
       8 . The pouch of  claim 8 , wherein the extruded pleats expand to hold an item(s) therein and contract when the item(s) is removed.  
   
   
       9 . The pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the extruded pleat includes folds extending between the first and second side portions of the pouch and wherein the pleat makes up the first side wall, a bottom portion of the pouch, and the second side wall of the pouch.  
   
   
       10 . The pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the extruded pleat is disposed adjacent the closure mechanism.  
   
   
       11 . The pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the extruded pleat is disposed adjacent a bottom portion of the pouch.  
   
   
       12 . A pouch, comprising: 
 first and second opposing walls;    a first extruded pleat disposed in the first wall; and    a second extruded pleat disposed in the second wall, wherein each of the first and second pleats includes at least one fold and wherein the folds extend laterally across the pouch walls between first and second side portions of the pouch and wherein the pleats expand, thereby expanding the pouch in a direction transverse to an axis of the opposing walls when an item(s) is placed in the pouch and the pleats contract when the item(s) is removed.    
   
   
       13 . The pouch of  claim 12 , wherein the first pleat has a first number of folds therein that have a first cross-sectional shape and the second pleat has a second number of folds therein that have a second cross-sectional shape.  
   
   
       14 . The pouch of  claim 13 , wherein the first number of folds and the second number of folds are different.  
   
   
       15 . The pouch of  claim 13 , wherein the first cross-sectional shape and the second-cross-sectional shape are different.  
   
   
       16 . The pouch of  claim 12 , wherein the first pleat is disposed in the first wall a first distance from a top portion of the pouch and the second pleat is disposed in the second wall a second distance from the top portion of the pouch.  
   
   
       17 . The pouch of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second distances are different.  
   
   
       18 . A pouch, comprising: 
 first and second opposing walls;    an extruded pleat disposed in the first wall;    wherein the pleat extends laterally across the pouch between first and second side portions of the pouch and wherein the pleat is welded at first and second side portions of the pouch to the opposing pouch wall, thereby only allowing the pleat to expand along portions of the pouch that are not adjacent the first and second side portions of the pouch to expand the pouch in directions transverse to an axis of the opposing walls.    
   
   
       19 . The pouch of  claim 18 , further including a second extruded pleat disposed in and extending laterally across the second wall between the first and second side portions of the pouch.  
   
   
       20 . The pouch of  claim 19 , wherein the first pleat has a first number of folds therein and a first cross-sectional shape and the second pleat has a second number of folds therein and has a second cross-sectional shape and wherein the first and second numbers of folds are different and the first and second cross-sectional shapes are the same.