Flexible containers with graphics of rigid containers

Abstract

Flexible containers with graphics illustrating rigid containers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A disposable flexible container for retail sale, the disposable flexible container comprising:
 a product volume, which directly contains a fluent product;   a dispenser for dispensing the fluent product from the product volume;   a front, which has:
 a first particular overall front profile; and 
 an outer surface that includes a picture, which:
 depicts at least a portion of a rigid container having a second particular overall front profile that differs from the first particular overall front profile; 
 depicts at least a portion of a dispenser for the rigid container; and 
 covers 15-95% of the front; and 
 
   wherein the container, apart from the fluent product, has an overall mass, and 80-100% of the overall mass is made from one or more flexible materials.   
     
     
         2 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the picture depicts at least the portion of the dispenser for the rigid container in a closed state. 
     
     
         3 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the picture depicts at least the portion of the dispenser for the rigid container in a partially opened state. 
     
     
         4 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the picture depicts at least the portion of the dispenser for the rigid container in a fully opened state. 
     
     
         5 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the picture depicts about all of the dispenser for the rigid container. 
     
     
         6 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein the picture depicts at least the portion of the dispenser for the rigid container, which differs from the dispenser for the flexible container. 
     
     
         7 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the dispenser for the flexible container includes a dispenser made from one or more flexible materials; and   the picture depicts at least the portion of the dispenser for the rigid container, which is made from one or more rigid materials.   
     
     
         8 . A line-up of containers for retail sale of the fluent product, the line-up comprising:
 the disposable flexible container of  claim 1 ; and   the rigid container depicted by the picture in  claim 1 .   
     
     
         9 . The line-up of  claim 8 , wherein the rigid container directly contains the same fluent product contained within the flexible container. 
     
     
         10 . The line-up of  claim 8 , wherein the picture on the flexible container is 70-130% of an actual size of the rigid container. 
     
     
         11 . A disposable flexible container for retail sale, the disposable flexible container comprising:
 a product volume, which directly contains a fluent product;   a dispenser for dispensing the fluent product from the product volume, wherein the dispenser includes a removable portion, and a dispenser which is opened when the removable portion is removed;   a front, which has:
 a first particular overall front profile; and 
 an outer surface that includes a graphic, which:
 illustrates at least a portion of a rigid container having a second particular overall front profile that differs from the first particular overall front profile; 
 illustrates at least a portion of a dispenser for the rigid container, wherein at least a portion of the illustration of the dispenser for the rigid container is disposed on the removable portion of the flexible container; and 
 covers 15-95% of the front; and 
 
   wherein the container, apart from the fluent product, has an overall mass, and 80-100% of the overall mass is made from one or more flexible materials.   
     
     
         12 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 11 , wherein the graphic illustrates the dispenser of the rigid container having an openable portion, which is at least partially disposed on the removable portion of the flexible container. 
     
     
         13 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 12 , wherein the graphic illustrates the openable portion, which is fully disposed on the removable portion of the flexible container. 
     
     
         14 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 11 , wherein the graphic illustrates the dispenser of the rigid container having a removable portion, which is at least partially disposed on the removable portion of the flexible container. 
     
     
         15 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 14 , wherein the graphic illustrates the removable portion, which is fully disposed on the removable portion of the flexible container. 
     
     
         16 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the graphic illustrates the dispenser of the rigid container; and   the graphic is disposed on the outer surface of the front of the flexible container such that the portion of the graphic which illustrates the dispenser is proximate to the dispenser of the flexible container.   
     
     
         17 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the dispenser of the flexible container has a first overall dispensing direction;   the graphic illustrates the dispenser of the rigid container having a second overall dispensing direction; and   the graphic is disposed on the outer surface of the front of the flexible container such that the second overall dispensing direction of the illustrated rigid container is within 0-30° of being aligned with the first overall dispensing direction of the flexible container.   
     
     
         18 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 11 , wherein the graphic illustrating at least the portion of the dispenser for the rigid container is a picture depicting at least the portion of the dispenser for the rigid container. 
     
     
         19 . A line-up of containers for retail sale of the fluent product, the line-up comprising:
 the flexible container of  claim 11 ; and   the rigid container depicted by the picture in  claim 11 , wherein the rigid container directly contains the same fluent product contained within the flexible container.   
     
     
         20 . The line-up of  claim 19 , wherein the picture on the flexible container is 70-130% of an actual size of the rigid container. 
     
     
         21 . A disposable flexible container for retail sale, the disposable flexible container comprising:
 a product volume, which directly contains a fluent product;   a front, which has:
 a first particular overall front profile; and 
 an outer surface that includes a graphic, which:
 illustrates at least about all of a rigid container having a second particular overall front profile that differs from the first particular overall front profile; and 
 covers 15-95% of the front; and 
 
   wherein the container, apart from the fluent product, has an overall mass, and 80-100% of the overall mass is made from one or more flexible materials.   
     
     
         22 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 21 , wherein the graphic illustrating at least about all of the rigid container includes all of a dispenser for the rigid container. 
     
     
         23 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 21 , wherein the graphic illustrating at least about all of the rigid container includes all of a top portion of the rigid container. 
     
     
         24 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 21 , wherein the graphic illustrating at least about all of the rigid container includes all of a middle portion of the rigid container. 
     
     
         25 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 21 , wherein the graphic illustrating at least about all of the rigid container includes all of a bottom portion of the rigid container. 
     
     
         26 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 21 , wherein the graphic illustrates all of the rigid container. 
     
     
         27 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the flexible container is a stand up container;   the graphic illustrates the rigid container being a stand up container; and   the graphic is disposed on the outer surface of the front of the flexible container such that when the flexible container is standing upright, the illustrated rigid container appears to be standing upright.   
     
     
         28 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 21 , wherein the graphic illustrating about all of the rigid container is a picture depicting about all of the rigid container. 
     
     
         29 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 21 , wherein the graphic illustrating the rigid container includes branding for the flexible container, and the branding within the graphic is the only branding on the outer surface of the front of the flexible container. 
     
     
         30 . A line-up of containers for retail sale of the fluent product, the line-up comprising:
 the flexible container of  claim 21 ; and   the rigid container depicted by the picture in  claim 21 , wherein the rigid container directly contains the same fluent product contained within the flexible container.   
     
     
         31 . A disposable flexible container for retail sale, the disposable flexible container comprising:
 a product volume, which directly contains a fluent product;   a front, which has:
 a first particular overall front profile; and 
 an outer surface that includes a graphic, which:
 illustrates at least a portion of a rigid container having a second particular overall front profile that differs from the first particular overall front profile; 
 illustrates one or more surface features on the rigid container; and 
 covers 15-95% of the front; and 
 
   wherein the container, apart from the fluent product, has an overall mass, and 80-100% of the overall mass is made from one or more flexible materials.   
     
     
         32 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 31 , wherein the graphic illustrates one or more recessed surface features on the rigid container. 
     
     
         33 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 31 , wherein the graphic illustrates one or more protruding surface features on the rigid container. 
     
     
         34 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 31 , wherein the graphic illustrates variation in lighting on the one or more surface features on the rigid container. 
     
     
         35 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 31 , wherein the graphic illustrates the second particular overall profile, which includes one or more non-linear shapes. 
     
     
         36 . The disposable flexible container of  claim 31 , wherein the graphic illustrating the one or more surface features on the rigid container is a picture depicting the one or more surface features on the rigid container. 
     
     
         37 . A line-up of containers for retail sale of the fluent product, the line-up comprising:
 the disposable flexible container of  claim 31 ; and   the rigid container depicted by the picture in  claim 31 .   
     
     
         38 . The line-up of  claim 37 , wherein the rigid container directly contains the same fluent product contained within the flexible container. 
     
     
         39 . The line-up of  claim 37 , wherein the picture on the flexible container is 70-130% of an actual size of the rigid container.