Pouch having concavely-curved corners

Abstract

A pouch has a sheet containing at least one layer of a film material. The sheet forms a tube that is closed with a seal to form a volume. The seal contains a first edge and the sheet contains a second edge in connected relation to the first edge. A curved seal joins the first edge with the second edge. A sealing jaw and a method for forming such a pouch is also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pouch comprising:
 a. a sheet comprising at least one layer of a film material, the sheet forming a tube; and   b. a seal forming the tube into a volume,   wherein the seal comprises a first edge, wherein the sheet comprises a second edge in connected relation to the first edge, and wherein a curved seal joins the first edge with the second edge.   
     
     
         2 . The pouch according to  claim 1 , wherein the curved seal forms a volume corner, and wherein the pouch comprises a plurality of volume corners. 
     
     
         3 . The pouch according to  claim 1 , wherein the pouch is formed by an autopacking machine. 
     
     
         4 . The pouch according to  claim 1 , comprising a granular product therein. 
     
     
         5 . The pouch according to  claim 1 , comprising a liquid product therein. 
     
     
         6 . The pouch according to  claim 1 , wherein the film material is from about 15 μm to about 220 μm thick. 
     
     
         7 . The pouch according to  claim 1 , wherein the curved seal has a radius of curvature of greater than about 3 mm, preferably from about 10 mm to about 30 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The pouch according to  claim 1 , wherein the volume is substantially airtight. 
     
     
         9 . The pouch according to  claim 4 , wherein the granular product is a granular laundry detergent. 
     
     
         10 . A sealing jaw comprising:
 a. a sealing arm comprising a sealing area, the sealing area comprising:
 i. a first edge-forming element; and 
 ii. a curved seal-forming element adjoining the first edge forming element; and 
   b. a receiving arm,   wherein the sealing arm and the receiving arm are complementary and wherein the sealing arm and the receiving arm may interact to seal a sheet therebetween.   
     
     
         11 . The sealing jaw of  claim 10 , wherein the sealing arm comprises a heating element. 
     
     
         12 . The sealing jaw of  claim 10 , wherein the receiving arm comprises a heating element. 
     
     
         13 . An autopacking machine comprising the sealing jaw according to  claim 10 . 
     
     
         14 . A method for sealing a pouch comprising the steps of:
 a. providing a sheet;   b. forming a tube from the sheet having a leading edge;   c. sealing the leading edge to form a leading edge seal;   d. filling the tube with a predetermined amount of a product;   e. sealing the tube to form a trailing edge seal; and   f. cutting the tube after the trailing edge seal to form a pouch comprising a volume between the leading edge seal and the trailing edge seal, wherein the volume comprises the product,   wherein at least one of the first seal or the second seal comprises a first edge and a curved seal adjoining the first edge.