Stick pack design

Abstract

A stick pack having a top sealed portion with a top edge, a horizontal notch parallel with the top edge and passing through the stick pack, and further including a horizontal perforation line parallel with the top edge. The stick pack also has a bottom edge portion with a bottom sealed edge, a longitudinal seal extending from the top sealed edge to the bottom edge; and a spout formed at least partially in the top sealed portion but not extending past the top sealed edge. The stick pack is configured to be folded along its longitudinal axis to fold the notch, and only when the notch is folded can a user easily tear the top sealed edge along the horizontal perforation line to expose the spout.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stick pack comprising:
 a top sealed portion comprising a top edge, a horizontal notch parallel with the top edge and passing through the stick pack, and further comprising a horizontal perforation line parallel with the top edge;   a bottom edge portion, wherein the bottom edge portion comprises an elongated sealed portion proximate a central compartment of the stick pack;   a longitudinal seal extending from the top sealed edge to the bottom edge; and   a spout formed at least partially in the top sealed portion but not extending past the top sealed edge;   wherein the stick pack is configured to be folded along its longitudinal axis to fold the notch, wherein only when the notch is folded can a user easily tear the top sealed edge along the horizontal perforation line to expose the spout.   
     
     
         2 . The stick pack of  claim 1 , wherein the stick pack packaging comprises a foil laminate. 
     
     
         3 . The stick pack of  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal perforation line is a laser-scored perforation line. 
     
     
         4 . The stick pack of  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal perforation line is intermittent. 
     
     
         5 . The stick pack of  claim 1 , wherein the central compartment comprises an inert gas. 
     
     
         6 . The stick pack of  claim 1 , wherein the stick pack packaging comprises a polyethylene terephthalate layer. 
     
     
         7 . The stick pack of  claim 1 , further comprising a security feature. 
     
     
         8 . The stick pack of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of central sealed portions formed in the central compartment, wherein the plurality of central sealed portions are configured to impart a complex flow pattern on the contents within the central compartment when a user squeezes the central compartment. 
     
     
         9 . The stick pack of  claim 1 , wherein the spout comprises a plurality of channels. 
     
     
         10 . The stick pack of  claim 9 , wherein the spout is bifurcated along at least a portion of its length, the bifurcation defined at least in part by a central sealed region. 
     
     
         11 . The stick pack of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom edge portion comprises an outer wall that extends downwardly from the sealed portion to a bottom edge to define a central cylindrical space configured to receive at least a portion of a user's finger. 
     
     
         12 . A stick pack comprising:
 a central compartment;   a top sealed portion comprising a top edge, a horizontal notch parallel with the top edge and passing through the foil laminate, and further comprising a horizontal perforation line parallel with the top edge;   a bottom sealed portion comprising a bottom sealed edge;   a spout extending from the central compartment and formed at least partially in the top sealed portion;   a plurality of central sealed portions formed in the central compartment, wherein the plurality of central sealed portions are configured to impart a complex flow pattern on the contents within the central compartment when a user squeezes the central compartment   wherein the stick pack is configured to be folded along its longitudinal axis to fold the notch, wherein only when the notch is folded can a user easily tear the top sealed edge along the horizontal perforation line to expose the spout.   
     
     
         13 . The stick pack of  claim 12 , wherein the stick pack packaging comprises a foil laminate. 
     
     
         14 . The stick pack of  claim 12 , wherein the horizontal perforation line is formed in the outermost layer of the foil laminate. 
     
     
         15 . The stick pack of  claim 12 , wherein the horizontal perforation line is a laser-scored perforation line. 
     
     
         16 . The stick pack of  claim 12 , wherein the horizontal perforation line is intermittent. 
     
     
         17 . The stick pack of  claim 12 , wherein the central compartment comprises an inert gas. 
     
     
         18 . The stick pack of  claim 12 , wherein the stick pack packaging comprises a polyethylene terephthalate layer. 
     
     
         19 . The stick pack of  claim 12 , further comprising a security feature. 
     
     
         20 . The stick pack of  claim 12 , wherein the bottom sealed edge is proximate the central compartment of the stick pack, and wherein the bottom sealed portion further comprises an outer wall that extends downwardly from the sealed portion to a bottom edge to define a central cylindrical space configured to receive at least a portion of a user's finger. 
     
     
         21 . The stick pack of  claim 12 , wherein the spout comprises a plurality of channels. 
     
     
         22 . The stick pack of  claim 21 , wherein the spout is bifurcated along at least a portion of its length, the bifurcation defined at least in part by a central sealed region. 
     
     
         23 . A stick pack comprising:
 a central compartment;   a top sealed portion comprising a top edge, a horizontal notch parallel with the top edge and passing through the foil laminate, and further comprising a horizontal perforation line parallel with the top edge;   a bottom sealed portion comprising a bottom sealed edge; and   a spout extending from the central compartment and formed at least partially in the top sealed portion, wherein the spout is bifurcated along at least a portion of its length, the bifurcation defined at least in part by a central sealed region;   wherein the stick pack is configured to be folded along its longitudinal axis to fold the notch, wherein only when the notch is folded can a user easily tear the top sealed edge along the horizontal perforation line to expose the spout.   
     
     
         24 . The stick pack of  claim 23 , wherein the stick pack packaging comprises a foil laminate. 
     
     
         25 . The stick pack of  claim 23 , wherein the horizontal perforation line is formed in the outermost layer of the foil laminate. 
     
     
         26 . The stick pack of  claim 23 , wherein the horizontal perforation line is intermittent. 
     
     
         27 . The stick pack of  claim 23 , wherein the central compartment comprises an insert gas. 
     
     
         28 . The stick pack of  claim 23 , wherein the stick pack packaging comprises a polyethylene terephthalate layer. 
     
     
         29 . The stick pack of  claim 23 , further comprising a security feature. 
     
     
         30 . The stick pack of  claim 23 , further comprising a plurality of central sealed portions formed in the central compartment, wherein the plurality of central sealed portions are configured to impart a complex flow pattern on the contents within the central compartment when a user squeezes the central compartment. 
     
     
         31 . The stick pack of  claim 23 , wherein the bottom sealed edge is proximate the central compartment of the stick pack, and wherein the bottom sealed portion further comprises an outer wall that extends downwardly from the sealed portion to a bottom edge to define a central cylindrical space configured to receive at least a portion of a user's finger. 
     
     
         32 . A method of manufacturing a stick pack, the method comprising the steps of:
 cutting a stick pack out of a laminate material, wherein the stick pack comprises a top edge, a bottom edge, and two opposing longitudinal edges;   scoring, using a laser, a horizontal perforation line into the outermost layer of the laminate material from one longitudinal edge to the other longitudinal edge;   creating a horizontal notch through the laminate material near the top edge, wherein the horizontal notch is aligned along the horizontal perforation line;   sealing the two opposing longitudinal edges together to form a longitudinal sealed edge;   sealing the bottom edge of the stick pack to form a central compartment which is open at the top edge;   filling, through the top edge, the central compartment at least partially with a content; and   sealing the top edge to enclose the contents within the central compartment, wherein a spout is formed in the top region near the top edge.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising the step of filling, through the top edge, the central compartment at least partially with an inert gas. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising the step of forming a plurality of central sealed elements in the central compartment, wherein the plurality of central sealed portions are configured to impart a complex flow pattern on the contents within the central compartment when a user squeezes the central compartment. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the bottom edge of the stick pack is sealed to comprise a sealed portion proximate a central compartment of the stick pack, and to further comprise an outer wall that extends downwardly from the sealed portion to a bottom edge to define a central cylindrical space configured to receive at least a portion of a user's finger. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the spout comprises a plurality of channels. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the spout is bifurcated along at least a portion of its length.