Stand-Up Pouch

Abstract

An improved stand-up pouch and blank for constructing the same. The stand-up pouch comprises a front panel, a back panel, and a bottom gusset provide between the front panel and the back panel. The bottom side of each panel may comprise a left curved section and a right curved section. The front panel, back panel, and bottom gusset are sealed to one another such that the stand-up pouch is configured to move between a substantially flat state and a stand-up state. According to some aspects, the stand-up pouch is configured such that, when in the stand-up state, a portion of the pouch where the left curved sections of the bottom sides of each panel are sealed together and a portion of the pouch where the right curved sections of the bottom sides of each panel are sealed together do not contact a support surface, thus providing increased stability.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A stand-up pouch for a consumable product comprising:
 a front panel and a back panel, each panel comprising:
 a top side; 
 a left side; 
 a right side; and 
 a bottom side, wherein the bottom side comprises a substantially straight section, a left curved section, and a right curved section,
 wherein the left curved section connects a left end of the substantially straight section with the left side of the panel, and 
 wherein the right curved section connects a right end of the substantially straight section with the right side of the panel; and 
 
   a bottom gusset provided between the front panel and the back panel.   
     
     
         2 . The stand-up pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the stand-up pouch is configured to move between a first state and a second state,
 wherein when the stand-up pouch is in the first state the stand-up pouch is configured to lie substantially flat, and   wherein when the stand-up pouch is in the second state the stand-up pouch is configured to stand on a support surface.   
     
     
         3 . The stand-up pouch of  claim 2 , wherein the bottom gusset is folded along a center of the bottom gusset when the stand-up pouch is in the first state. 
     
     
         4 . The stand-up pouch of  claim 2 , wherein a first portion of the left side of the front panel is sealed to a first portion of the left side the back panel,
 wherein a second portion of the left side of the front panel is sealed to a second portion of the left side of the back panel and at least part of a left side of the bottom gusset,   wherein a first portion of the right side of the front panel is sealed to a first portion of the right side the back panel, and   wherein a second portion of the right side of the front panel is sealed to a second portion of the right side of the back panel and at least part of a right side of the bottom gusset.   
     
     
         5 . The stand-up pouch of  claim 4 , wherein each of the left and right sides of the bottom gusset comprises a substantially straight section and two curved sections. 
     
     
         6 . The stand-up pouch of  claim 5 , wherein at least a part of the left curved section of the bottom side of the front panel is sealed to at least a part of the left curved portion of the bottom side of the back panel and at least a part of each of the two curved sections of the left side of the bottom gusset forming a first curved corner, and
 wherein at least a part of the right curved section of the bottom side of the front panel is sealed to at least a part of the right curved section of the bottom side of the back panel and at least a part of each of the two curved sections of the right side of the bottom gusset forming a second curved corner.   
     
     
         7 . The stand-up pouch of  claim 6 , wherein the stand-up pouch is configured to stand in the second state such that the first curved corner and the second curved corner do not contact the support surface. 
     
     
         8 . The stand-up pouch of  claim 7 , further comprising a consumable product. 
     
     
         9 . The stand-up pouch of  claim 8 , wherein the consumable product comprises multiple, solid consumable products. 
     
     
         10 . The stand-up pouch of  claim 9 , wherein the multiple, solid consumable products are stacked in the stand-up pouch such that the stand-up pouch keeps the stack of multiple, solid consumable products in an upright position when in the second state. 
     
     
         11 . A blank for a stand-up pouch, the blank comprising:
 a front panel and a back panel, each panel comprising:
 a top side; 
 a left side; 
 a right side; and 
 a bottom side, wherein the bottom side comprises a substantially straight section, a left curved section, and a right curved section,
 wherein the left curved section connects a left end of the substantially straight section with the left side of the panel, and 
 wherein the right curved section connects a right end of the substantially straight section with the right side of the panel; and 
 
   a bottom gusset provided between the front panel and the back panel and integrally formed with each of the front panel and the back panel along the substantially straight section of each panel's respective bottom side.   
     
     
         12 . The blank of  claim 11 , wherein the bottom gusset comprises a left side and a right side, and wherein each of the left side and the right side of the bottom gusset comprises a substantially straight section and two curved sections. 
     
     
         13 . The blank of  claim 11 , wherein the blank is constructed of a continuous piece of material. 
     
     
         14 . The blank of  claim 13 , wherein the continuous piece of material comprises one of polyester and polyethylene. 
     
     
         15 . The blank of  claim 13 , wherein the blank is configured to be folded along a center of the bottom gusset and along the substantially straight section of the bottom side of each of the front panel and the back panel. 
     
     
         16 . A stand-up pouch comprising:
 a front panel and a back panel, each panel comprising:
 a top side; 
 a left side; 
 a right side; and 
 a bottom side, wherein the bottom side comprises a substantially straight section, a left curved section, and a right curved section,
 wherein the left curved section connects a left end of the substantially straight section with the left side of the panel, and 
 wherein the right curved section connects a right end of the substantially straight section with the right side of the panel; and 
 
   a bottom gusset integrally formed with the front panel and the back panel and provided between the front panel and the back panel.   
     
     
         17 . The stand-up pouch of  claim 16 , wherein the bottom gusset is integrally fanned at the substantially straight section of the bottom side of each of the front panel and the back panel, and
 wherein the stand-up pouch comprises a fold along the substantially straight section of the bottom side of each of the front panel and the back panel.   
     
     
         18 . The stand-up pouch of  claim 17 , wherein the stand-up pouch is configured to move between a first state and a second state,
 wherein when the stand-up pouch is in the first state the stand-up pouch is configured to lie substantially flat, and   wherein when the stand-up pouch is in the second state the stand-up pouch is configured to stand on a support surface.   
     
     
         19 . The stand-up pouch of  claim 18 , further comprising a fold along a center of the bottom gusset when the stand-up pouch is in the first state. 
     
     
         20 . The stand-up pouch of  claim 18 , wherein the bottom gusset comprises a left side and a right side with each of the left side and the right side comprising a substantially straight section and two curved sections,
 wherein at least a part of each of the two curved sections of the left side of the bottom gusset are sealed to at least a part of the left curved section of the bottom side of the front panel and at least a part of the left curved section of the bottom side of the back panel forming a first curved corner,   wherein at least a part of each of the two curved sections of the right side of the bottom gusset are sealed to at least a part of the right curved section of the bottom side of the front panel and at least a part of the right curved section of the bottom side of the back panel forming a second curved corner, and   wherein the stand-up pouch is configured to stand in the second state such that the first curved corner and the second curved corner do not contact the support surface.