Gusset style pouch, in particular for food product, containing a measuring device

Abstract

A gusset style pouch is provided with a resealable closure system configured to selectively define a top opening of the pouch, at the opposite from a bottom, at least one strip of this system being adapted for locking an open configuration, by engaging locking elements that pivot and cause interengagement between the strips of the closure system. The locking elements are integrally formed with at least one strip of the system and made of a semi rigid plastic material, less flexible than material of the pouch sidewall. An elongated predetermined measuring utensil of shorter length than height of an interior pouch volume can be stored along the sidewall by use of a holding part formed on the strip as a lower extension. A leveling can also be performed using a free edge below the interlocking area.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A gusset style pouch for a food product comprising:
 a flexible bag having a front wall and a rear wall made of a sheet material and extending from a bottom;   a closure system comprising a fitment device secured to the front wall and the rear wall, the closure system comprising:
 a first strip having an outer surface sealed to one of the front wall and the rear wall, and 
 a second strip having an outer surface sealed to the other one of the front wall and the rear wall; 
   the flexible bag defining an interior volume for the food product, the interior volume having a determined height measured between the bottom and a single opening of the flexible bag;   wherein at least one of the first strip and the second strip is made of a determined semi rigid plastic material and comprises:   an upper edge;   a lower edge;   a protruding contact part adapted to be used in combination with a measuring utensil, the protruding contact part extending entirely below an interlocking area of the closure system;   and wherein the protruding contact part extends between at least one base portion proximal with respect to the interlocking area and at least one free edge distal from the interlocking area, wherein the protruding contact part:   belongs to a strip portion not bonded to the flexible bag,   and defines at least one of a leveling element and a retaining element for retaining an end of an elongated measuring utensil of shorter length than the determined height.   
     
     
         15 . The gusset style pouch according to  claim 14 , wherein the free edge extends parallel to a length of the interlocking area. 
     
     
         16 . The gusset style pouch according to  claim 14 , further comprising an elongated predetermined measuring utensil that comprises a first end having a cup and a second end, the predetermined measuring utensil extending between the first end and the second end, the cup being provided with an open side, the length of the predetermined measuring utensil being inferior to the determined height. 
     
     
         17 . The gusset style pouch according to  claim 16 , wherein the protruding contact part has a substantially constant thickness and/or is made of strip material and configured to maintain the predetermined measuring utensil in a storage position by a retaining contact at the second end of the predetermined measuring utensil. 
     
     
         18 . The gusset style pouch according to  claim 16 , wherein the second end of the predetermined measuring utensil comprises a clamping slit configured to match the free edge of the protruding contact part, the predetermined measuring utensil being oriented in a direction transverse to the interlocking area when the free edge is inserted into the clamping slit. 
     
     
         19 . The gusset style pouch according to  claim 16 , wherein the second end of the predetermined measuring utensil comprises at least one sliding projection configured to slide and be retained into a slot of the protruding contact part, the predetermined measuring utensil being oriented in a direction transverse to the interlocking area when said sliding projection is inserted into the slot. 
     
     
         20 . The gusset style pouch according to  claim 16 , wherein the protruding contact part at least partly delimits a hole and the second end of the predetermined measuring utensil comprises a clip element defining a slit where the protruding contact part can be inserted when the clip element is inserted through the hole, the predetermined measuring utensil being oriented in a direction transverse to the interlocking area when the protruding contact part is inserted into the slit. 
     
     
         21 . The gusset style pouch according to  claim 14 , wherein the first strip and the second strip are interlockable strips for resealable attachment at the interlocking area in a closed configuration of the closure system after an initial opening of the closure system,
 and wherein:   the upper edge extends above the interlocking area;   the lower edge extends below the interlocking area;   at least two predetermined flexing lines are provided in the closure system so that the strips are movable from a first flat configuration obtained when the closure system is in the closed configuration to a second flexed configuration when the closure system is open.   
     
     
         22 . The gusset style pouch according to  claim 14 , wherein the flexible bag contains:
 edible material, and   a measuring utensil provided with a cup and a handle, the measuring utensil being adapted to be stored in the interior volume, entirely below anchoring elements of the closure system in a storage position of the measuring utensil, and wherein the anchoring elements are defined in the first strip and in the second strip,   the protruding contact part being made of strip material and configured to maintain the measuring utensil in the storage position by a retaining contact at an end of the handle.   
     
     
         23 . The gusset style pouch according to  claim 22 , wherein the handle of the measuring utensil (is provided with an insertion housing and the retaining contact is obtained by clamping of the protruding contact part into the insertion housing. 
     
     
         24 . The gusset style pouch according to  claim 22 , wherein the free edge defines a leveling element. 
     
     
         25 . The gusset style pouch according to  claim 14 , wherein the protruding contact part is coupled to the lower edge at the base portion. 
     
     
         26 . The gusset style pouch according to  claim 14 , wherein the protruding contact part is made of strip material as thin as the first strip and the second strip. 
     
     
         27 . A method of using a closure system of a gusset style pouch, the closure system comprising a semi rigid fitment device secured to the flexible front wall and the flexible rear wall and configured to define a top opening of the pouch in an open configuration, at the opposite to a bottom, the method comprising:
 providing an elongated predetermined measuring utensil of shorter length than height of an interior volume defined by the pouch, the measuring utensil having a handle free end opposite to a cup,   fixing the predetermined measuring utensil to the fitment device when the closure system is in a open configuration, by connecting a holding part of the fitment device to a retaining element provided at the handle free end of the measuring utensil, the holding part extending entirely below the opening,   whereby the handle free end extends above a food content of the pouch and a substantially vertical storage position for the measuring utensil is obtained in a closed configuration of the closure system when the pouch stands in a upright position where the bottom defines bearing means of the pouch.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the holding part that belongs to the closure system is engaged by the cup of the measuring utensil in a leveling step, in which an open side of the cup of the measuring device slides against a rectilinear free edge of the holding part, the rectilinear free edge extending parallel to an interlocking area defined by the closure system in the closed configuration, which is a substantially flat configuration of the fitment device.