Flexible film container and manufacturing method

Abstract

A self-supporting flexible film container is disclosed that includes a container base and a flexible film attached to the container base that forms a container wall and defines a packing region within the container. The container wall has at least one support column, such as a tubular support column, integrally formed therein. A method of conforming the container includes providing a web of flexible film, forming tubular support columns in the web of flexible film and forming a container from the web of flexible film containing the support columns. The support columns can be formed by ploughing and forming the web of flexible film.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container, comprising:
 a container base; and   a flexible film attached to the container base forming a container wall and defining a packing region within the container, the container wall having at least one support column integrally formed therein.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the support column is a tubular support column. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the support column comprises one or more overlapping folds. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the support column is oriented perpendicular to the container base. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4 , wherein the support column extends from a bottom of the container to a top of the container. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the support column is a flattened support column. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container wall is a polygon having at least three sides. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the support column is formed in a corner of the container wall. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8 , comprising support columns in each corner of the container wall. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the container wall has four wall portions and four corners. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the support column encloses a fluid material, the support column being welded at opposing ends. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein the support column encloses a gas. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene, polypropylene, polyalkene (polyolefin), polylactic acid (PLA), cellophane, bioplastic-based film, metallized film, paper and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein the flexible film comprises polypropylene and wherein the polypropylene is oriented polypropylene or cast polypropylene. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible film has a Gurley stiffness of 80 to 140 mg. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container base is a flexible film material. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein a portion of the flexible film container base is configured to be a plane parallel to a portion of the container wall. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising a container cover attached to the container wall at an opposite end of the container as the container base. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 18 , wherein the container cover comprises a handle. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 18 , wherein the container cover comprises a spout. 
     
     
         21 . The container of  claim 18 , wherein the container comprises a vent. 
     
     
         22 . The container of  claim 18 , wherein the container has a pressurized interior. 
     
     
         23 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container wall is cylindrical, triangular, rectangular or square. 
     
     
         24 . A manufacturing process, comprising:
 providing a web of flexible film;   forming support columns in the web of flexible film; and   forming a container from the web of flexible film containing the support columns.   
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein forming support columns further comprises forming at least two substantially parallel rows of support columns in the web of flexible film. 
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein the support columns are formed by ploughing and forming the web of flexible film. 
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein forming support columns further comprises forming tubular support columns. 
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 27 , further comprising enclosing a fluid material within the tubular support columns. 
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 28 , comprising enclosing air as the fluid material within the tubular support columns. 
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 28 , further comprising enclosing the fluid material by welding the support columns at opposing ends. 
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 30 , wherein the welding is accomplished by ultrasonic welding. 
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein forming support columns further comprises flattening the support columns against the web of flexible film. 
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein forming a container further comprises transforming the web of flexible film into a polygon to form a container wall and attaching a container base to the container wall. 
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 33 , wherein attaching the container base comprises welding a flexible film container base to the container wall. 
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 33 , further comprising attaching a container cover to the container wall an opposite end of the container wall from the container base. 
     
     
         36 . The process of  claim 33 , wherein the transforming of the web into a polygon comprises transforming the flexible film using a vacuum plenum to temporarily hold the container wall in position during welding operations.