Easy-opening flexible container

Abstract

A flexible container including a flexible pouch having a dispensing aperture through which an interior space is accessible from outside the flexible pouch, a flexible sealing member releasably attached to the flexible pouch and covering the dispensing aperture, and a rigid closure element surrounding the dispensing aperture. The flexible sealing member has at least two lifting tabs for lifting the flexible sealing member and thereby exposing the dispensing aperture. The rigid closure element has a base permanently attached to the flexible pouch and lid connected to the base by a hinge. At least one of the lifting tabs is likely to not be obstructed by the rigid closure element when the lid is in an open condition, thereby remaining usable for lifting the flexible sealing member to expose the dispensing aperture, even if another lifting tab is obstructed by the rigid closure element.

1 . A flexible container comprising:
 a flexible pouch formed of a flexible sheet material and having walls defining and enclosing an interior space, the flexible pouch comprising a dispensing aperture formed in at least one of the walls, through which the interior space is accessible from outside the flexible pouch;   a flexible sealing member releasably attached to the flexible pouch and overlying and extending beyond the dispensing aperture so as to cover the entirety of the dispensing aperture, the flexible sealing member comprising at least two lifting tabs adapted to be used for lifting the flexible sealing member to thereby expose the dispensing aperture, the lifting tabs being either unattached to the flexible pouch or attached to the flexible pouch relatively more weakly than the remainder of the flexible sealing member; and   a rigid closure element comprising a base attached to the flexible pouch and disposed so as to surround the dispensing aperture at a distance from it, and a lid connected to the base by a hinge such that the lid may be swung from an open condition, in which the flexible sealing member and the dispensing aperture are accessible from outside the flexible pouch, to a closed condition, in which the lid is engaged with the base and obstructs access to the flexible sealing member and the dispensing aperture from outside the flexible pouch,   wherein at least one of the lifting tabs is not obstructed by the rigid closure element when the lid is in the open condition, thereby remaining usable for lifting the flexible sealing member to expose the dispensing aperture.   
   
   
       2 . The flexible container of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the lifting tabs is free of attachment to the flexible pouch. 
   
   
       3 . The flexible container of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the lifting tabs is attached to the flexible pouch by a first adhesive having a lower peel force than a second adhesive by which the remainder of the flexible sealing member is attached to the flexible pouch. 
   
   
       4 . The flexible container of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the lifting tabs is attached to the flexible pouch by a lighter coverage of adhesive than the remainder of the flexible sealing member. 
   
   
       5 . The flexible container of  claim 1  wherein the dispensing aperture is defined by perforation but is not cut out and the flexible sealing member is attached to the portion of the flexible sheet material surrounded by the perforation, such that lifting the flexible sealing member completes the formation of the dispensing aperture by tearing the flexible sheet material at the perforation. 
   
   
       6 . The flexible container of  claim 1  wherein the lifting tabs are disposed at opposing portions of the flexible sealing member. 
   
   
       7 . The flexible container of  claim 1  wherein the lifting tabs are disposed at adjacent portions of the flexible sealing member. 
   
   
       8 . The flexible container of  claim 1  wherein the flexible sealing member has a substantially oval shape. 
   
   
       9 . The flexible container of  claim 1  wherein the flexible sealing member has a substantially rectangular shape. 
   
   
       10 . The flexible container of  claim 1  wherein the rigid closure element has a substantially oval shape. 
   
   
       11 . The flexible container of  claim 1  wherein the rigid closure element has a substantially rectangular shape.