Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
SINGLE SERVE DISPLAY BAG
[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to product displays and
more particularly
to a product display for foodstuffs.
BACKGROUND
[0003] This section provides background information related to the present
disclosure
which is not necessarily prior art.
[0004] Marketing and advertising play a significant role in selling
products. Accordingly,
product manufacturers go to great lengths to package products in an
aesthetically pleasing
fashion that attracts consumers. Further, manufacturers and retailers often
cooperate to create
product displays that not only support and display the particular product but,
also, attract
consumers by providing a unique display and/or by facilitating the purchase of
the product.
For example, hygiene products such as shaving cream and deodorant are often
displayed in
brand-specific containers that bias the product toward the front of the
display. That way,
when a product is removed from the display, the next product in the display is
immediately
brought to the front with the signage located on the front of the packaging
properly oriented
and prominently displayed.
[0005] In addition to providing an advertising and marketing advantage,
packaging is
particularly useful if the packaging itself provides a particular benefit to
the consumer. Such
packaging may provide a consumer with the ability to use the product in an
environment or in
a different way simply because the packaging allows for such use. For example,
it is typically
not practical to pack large bags of snacks such as popcorn or chips when
traveling. Further,
such large bags are not useful for individuals or small families, as the
foodstuff contained
within the bag may go stale before the product is consumed. Providing smaller
bags of such
snacks allows for smaller quantities to easily be packed when traveling and
maintains the
1
DateRecue/DateReceived 2022-06-27
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
freshness of the foodstuffs contained therein when only a small quantity of
foodstuff is
required.
[0006] .. While unique packaging provides advantages to consumers, such
packaging may
be problematic to manufacturers and retailers. For example, packaging snacks
in smaller bags
requires manufacturers to package such smaller bags in larger boxes and/or
larger bags to
bundle the smaller bags together for shipment to retailers. In some instances,
the larger
packaging does not create a problem for the retailer, as the retailer may
simply maintain the
smaller bags in the larger packaging to sell the smaller bags in bulk (i.e.,
in a warehouse-type
store). However, if a retailer sells such smaller bags individually, the
smaller bags are
typically removed from the larger packaging prior to sale. In this scenario,
the larger
packaging is discarded and the smaller bags are sold individually.
[0007] Retailers typically display smaller packages on a rack or other
stand that advertises
the particular product being sold. For the snack bag example above, individual
bags may be
removed from a larger box and may be hung from a rack or other support device
that allows
the bags to be individually removed and purchased. This process not only
creates unnecessary
waste due to the larger box being discarded but also results in the retailer
having to incur the
expense of removing and hanging each individual bag and maintaining each
display. Further,
as products are removed and product is replenished, the retailer is charged
with rotating the
bags so that old product is moved to the front of the display and new product
is moved to the
back. In short, while unique packaging¨such as smaller packages¨provides a
benefit to the
consumer, such unique packaging typically adds to the cost and complexity of
manufacturing
and selling the product contained therein.
SUMMARY
[0008] .. A display bag is provided and may include a housing formed from a
flexible
material and having a first end, a second end, and an inner volume extending
between the
first end and the second end. The display bag may also include a hanging
device disposed
proximate to the first end and a first panel disposed proximate to the second
end and movable
from a closed state closing a first opening formed in the housing and
restricting access to the
inner volume and an open state permitting access to the inner volume via the
first opening.
[0009] In one configuration, the first panel is formed from the flexible
material, whereby
the flexible material includes perforations that define a shape of the first
panel and the first
opening. The first panel may be integrally formed with the flexible material.
In this
2
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
configuration, the flexible material includes perforations that define a shape
of the first panel
and the first opening.
[0010] A second panel may be disposed proximate to the first end and may be
movable
from a closed state closing a second opening formed in the housing and
restricting access to
the inner volume and an open state permitting access to the inner volume via
the second
opening. The second panel and the second opening may be disposed on an
opposite side of
the housing than the first panel and the first opening.
[0011] As with the first panel, the second panel may be formed from the
flexible material.
In this configuration, the flexible material includes perforations that define
a shape of the
second panel and the second opening. The second panel may be integrally formed
with the
flexible material. In this configuration, the flexible material includes
perforations that define
a shape of the second panel and the second opening. Regardless of the
particular construction
of the second panel, the second opening is disposed proximate to the hanging
device.
[0012] In one configuration, the first end is closed by a first seal and
the second end is
closed by a second seal. A portion of the flexible material extends between
the second seal
and the first opening. The hanging device includes an aperture formed through
the first seal.
[0013] In one configuration, the hanging device includes an aperture formed
through the
flexible material and a reinforcement member at least partially surrounds the
first opening.
[0014] In another configuration, a display bag is provided and may include
a housing
formed from a flexible material. The housing may include a first end, a second
end, and an
inner volume extending between the first end and the second end. The display
bag may also
include a first panel disposed proximate to the second end and movable from a
closed state
closing a first opening formed in the housing and restricting access to the
inner volume and
an open state permitting access to the inner volume via the first opening. A
second panel may
be disposed proximate to the first end and may be movable from a closed state
closing a
second opening formed in the housing and restricting access to the inner
volume and an open
state permitting access to the inner volume via the second opening.
[0015] In one configuration, the first panel and the first opening are
disposed on an
opposite side of the housing than the second panel and the second opening.
[0016] The first panel and the second panel may be formed from the flexible
material. A
first series of perforations are formed in the flexible material and a second
series of
perforations are formed in the flexible material, whereby the first series of
perforations define
a shape of the first panel and the first opening and the second series of
perforations define a
3
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
shape of the second panel and the second opening. The first panel and the
second panel may
be integrally formed with the flexible material. In this configuration, a
first series of
perforations are formed in the flexible material and a second series of
perforations are formed
in the flexible material, whereby the first series of perforations define a
shape of the first
panel and the first opening and the second series of perforations define a
shape of the second
panel and the second opening.
[0017] In one configuration, a hanging device is disposed proximate to the
first end. The
second opening is disposed proximate to the hanging device. Further, the
hanging device
includes an aperture formed through the flexible material.
[0018] The first end is closed by a first seal and the second end is closed
by a second seal.
A portion of the flexible material extends between the second seal and the
first opening.
[0019] In one configuration, a first reinforcement member at least
partially surrounds the
first opening and a second reinforcement member at least partially surrounds
the second
opening.
[0020] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the
description provided
herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for
purposes of
illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present
disclosure.
DRAWINGS
[0021] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of
selected
configurations and are not intended to limit the scope of the present
disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a display bag in accordance
with the
principles of the present disclosure.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the display bag of FIG. 1 showing an
access panel
in a closed state.
[0024] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the display bag of FIG. 1 showing an
access panel
in an open state.
[0025] FIG. 4 is a partial side view of the display bag of FIG. 1 showing
an access panel
in a closed state.
[0026] FIG. 5 is a partial side view of the display bag of FIG. 1 showing
an access panel
in an open state.
[0027] FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of a top portion of the display
bag of FIG. 1
showing an access panel in a closed state.
4
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296 PCT/US2016/013326
[0028] FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of a top portion of the display
bag of FIG. 1
showing an access panel is an open state.
[0029] FIG. 8 is a front view of a hanging device of the display bag of
FIG. 1.
[0030] FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of a display bag in accordance
with the
principles of the present disclosure.
[0031] FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of the display bag of FIG. 9
showing an
access panel in a closed state.
[0032] FIG. 11 is a partial perspective view of the display bag of FIG. 9
showing an
access panel in an open state.
[0033] FIG. 12 is a partial side view of the display bag of FIG. 9 showing
an access panel
in an open state.
[0034] FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view of a machine used to form a
display bag in
accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.
[0035] FIG. 14 is a partial perspective view of a machine used to form a
display bag in
accordance with the principles of the present disclosure showing a filling
apparatus.
[0036] FIG. 15 is a partial perspective view of a machine used to form a
display bag in
accordance with the principles of the present disclosure showing a sealing and
cutting
apparatus.
[0037] Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts
throughout the
drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] Example configurations will now be described more fully with
reference to the
accompanying drawings. Example configurations are provided so that this
disclosure will be
thorough, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those of
ordinary skill in the art.
Specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components,
devices, and methods,
to provide a thorough understanding of configurations of the present
disclosure. It will be
apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that specific details need not
be employed, that
example configurations may be embodied in many different forms, and that the
specific
details and the example configurations should not be construed to limit the
scope of the
disclosure.
[0039] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular exemplary
configurations only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the
singular articles "a,"
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
"an," and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless
the context clearly
indicates otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," "including," and
"having," are
inclusive and therefore specify the presence of features, steps, operations,
elements, and/or
components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other
features, steps,
operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps,
processes, and
operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring
their performance
in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically
identified as an order of
performance. Additional or alternative steps may be employed.
100401 When an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "engaged to,"
"connected to,"
"attached to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly
on, engaged,
connected, attached, or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening
elements or
layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being
"directly on,"
"directly engaged to," "directly connected to," "directly attached to," or
"directly coupled to"
another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers
present. Other words
used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a
like fashion
(e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly
adjacent," etc.). As
used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or
more of the
associated listed items.
[0041] The terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe
various elements,
components, regions, layers, and/or sections. These elements, components,
regions, layers
and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only
used to
distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another
region, layer, or
section. Terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms do not
imply a sequence
or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element,
component, region,
layer, or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component,
region, layer,
or section without departing from the teachings of the example configurations.
100421 With reference to the Figures, a display bag 10 is provided and may
include a
flexible housing 12, a hanging device 14, and a first or dispensing panel 16.
As will be
described in greater detail below, the hanging device 14 allows the flexible
housing 12 to be
attached to an external structure (not shown) to allow items contained within
the flexible
housing 12 to be supported by the external structure via the display bag 10
and to be
selectively dispensed from the flexible housing 12 upon removal of the
dispensing panel 16.
6
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
100431 The flexible housing 12 may be formed from a flexible material. For
example, the
flexible housing 12 may be formed from a sheet of metalized film that is
folded into the
shape shown in FIG. 1. While the flexible housing 12 is described as being
form from a
metalized film, the flexible housing 12 may be form from virtually any
material.
100441 The flexible housing 12 includes a first end 18, a second end 20,
and a main body
22 extending between the first end 18 and the second end 20. The first end 18
includes a first
seal 24 that extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to a
longitudinal axis 26 of the
housing 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the first seal 24 may include a first portion
28 that is
disposed between the hanging device 14 and the second end 20 and a second
portion 30 that
is disposed between the hanging device 14 and the first end 18. As shown and
described, the
first seal 24 essentially includes a pair of seals 28, 30 that are
respectively disposed on
opposite sides of the hanging device 14. While the first seal 24 is described
as including a
pair of seals 28, 30 that are disposed on opposite sides of the hanging device
14, the first seal
24 could include only a single seal or, alternatively, could include a pair of
seals that are
disposed on the same side of the hanging device 14. For example, the first
seal 24 may
include a pair of seals 28, 30 that are disposed between the hanging device 14
and the first
end 18 of the housing 12 or, alternatively, may include a pair of seals 28, 30
that are disposed
between the hanging device 14 and the second end 20 of the housing 12.
[00451 A second seal 32 is disposed on an opposite end of the flexible
housing 12 than the
first seal 24 and is disposed proximate to the second end 20. The second seal
32 extends
substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 26 of the housing 12 and
is substantially
parallel to the first seal 24.
10046] The first seal 24 and the second seal 32 respectively seal the first
end 18 and the
second end 20 of the flexible housing 12. In so doing, the first seal 24 and
the second seal 32
cooperate with the main body 22 to provide the housing 12 with an interior or
inner volume
34 extending between the first end 18 and the second end 20.
100471 The first seal 24 and the second seal 32 seal the interior volume 34
by attaching an
inner surface 36 of the housing 12 to itself at the first end 18 and at the
second end 20. For
example, once the material of the flexible housing 12 is formed into the shape
shown in FIG.
1, a portion of the inner surface 36 of the housing 12 opposes another portion
of the inner
surface 36 at the first end 18 and at the second end 20. The inner surfaces 36
are attached to
one another at the first end 18 and at the second end 20, thereby creating the
first seal 24 and
the second seal 32. The surfaces 36 may be attached to one another via an
adhesive and/or a
7
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
weld. For example, the surfaces 36 may be attached to one another by an
ultrasonic weld. The
ultrasonic weld is created by applying vibration and pressure to an outer
surface 38 of the
housing 12 at the location of the first seal 24 and the second seal 32.
Applying vibration and
pressure at the first end 18 and at the second end 20 generates sufficient
heat due to friction
such that the material of the flexible housing 12 is joined at the opposed
inner surfaces 36 at
the first end 18 and the second end 20.
[0048]
Joining the inner surfaces 36 at the first end 18 and at the second end 20
creates the
first seal 24 and the second seal 32, thereby sealing the interior volume 34
of the housing 12
at the first end 18 and the second end 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the first seal
24 and the second
seal 32 extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal
axis 26 of the
housing 12 and may extend across an entire width of the housing 12 to ensure
that the first
end 18 and the second end 20 are completely sealed by the first seal 24 and
the second seal
32.
[0049] The main body 22 extends between the first end 18 and the second end 20
and
includes a front panel 40, a rear panel 42, and a pair of side panels 44. Each
side panel 44
extends substantially along the length of the main body 22 and between the
front panel 40
and the rear panel 42. The front panel 40 extends between the first end 18 and
the second end
20 and includes the dispensing panel 16 disposed proximate to the second end
20. The front
panel 40 may additionally include one or more display portions 46 (FIG. 1)
that identifies the
contents of the display bag 10 by way of text, graphics, or other indicia.
[0050] The
dispensing panel 16 is disposed proximate to the second end 20 and is formed
in a portion of the front panel 40 and, in some configurations, extends into
each of the side
panels 44. The dispensing panel 16 is movable from a closed state closing a
first or
dispensing opening 50 formed in the housing 12 and restricting access to the
interior volume
34 and an open state permitting access to the inner volume 34 via the first or
dispensing
opening 50. The dispensing panel 16 may be formed from the material of the
flexible housing
12 and may be formed by providing the material of the flexible housing 12 with
a series of
perforations 48. In some embodiments, the perforations 48 define a shape of
the first or
dispensing panel 16 and the first or dispensing opening 50. The perforations
48 locally
weaken the material of the housing 12 at the dispensing panel 16, thereby
allowing the
dispensing panel 16 to be removed from the housing 12 by tearing the material
of the housing
12 along the perforations 48. In short, the perforations 48 locally weaken the
material of the
housing 12 at the dispensing panel 16 to ensure that the dispensing panel 16
is removable
8
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
from the front panel 40 and portions of the side panel 44 when an appropriate
force is applied,
to the dispensing panel 16 without concurrently causing adjacent portions of
the front panel
40 and the side panels 44 to tear.
[0051] While the display panel 16 is described as being formed by providing
the front
panel 40 and the side panel 44 with a series of perforations 48, the
dispensing panel 16 could
alternatively be formed in the material of the flexible housing 12 via any
suitable process that
locally weakens the material of the flexible housing 12 at a periphery of the
dispensing panel
16. For example, the dispensing panel 16 may be formed in a material of the
flexible housing
12 at the front panel 40 and the side panels 44 by laser scoring the material
of the housing 12
at the front panel 40 and the side panels 44.
[0052] As shown in FIG. I, the dispensing panel 16 includes a substantially
rectangular
shape. Further, the dispensing panel 16 is shown and described as extending
across an entire
width of the front panel 40 and into the side portions 44 such that a width of
the dispensing
panel 16 is greater than a width of the front panel 40. While the dispensing
panel 16 is shown
and described as including a substantially rectangular shape that extends
across an entire
width of the front panel 40 and into the side panels 44, the dispensing panel
16 could include
a different shape that is entirely contained within the front panel 40. For
example, the
dispensing panel 16 may include a substantially square shape that extends only
across a
portion of the width of the front panel 40 and is spaced apart and separated
from the side
panels 44. As will be described below, the shape of the dispensing panel 16 is
largely
dependent on the contents stored within the flexible housing 12.
[0053] When a sufficient force is applied to the dispensing panel 16, the
material of the
flexible housing 12 is torn along the perimeter of the dispensing panel 16 as
defined by the
perforations 48. Accordingly, the dispensing panel 16 is separated from the
housing 12. Upon
separation of the dispensing panel 16 from the flexible housing 12, a
dispensing opening 50
(FIG. 3) is provided in the housing 12. The dispensing opening 50 includes a
shape defined
by the perforations 48 and is in fluid communication with the interior volume
34 of the
flexible housing 12. Accordingly, when the dispensing panel 16 is removed from
the housing
12, the interior volume 34 of the flexible housing 12 is accessible via the
dispensing opening
50.
100541 The dispensing opening 50 includes a top edge 52, a bottom 54 edge,
and pair of
side edges 56 that extend between the top edge 52 and the bottom edge 54. As
shown in FIGS.
3 and 5, the top edge 52 is substantially parallel to the bottom edge 54 and
the side edges 56
9
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
are substantially parallel to one another. Accordingly, the side edges 56 are
substantially
perpendicular to each of the top edge 52 and the bottom edge 54 and cooperate
with the top
edge 52 and the bottom edge 54 to define the overall shape of the dispensing
opening 50.
100551 As described above, a portion of the dispensing panel 16 may extend
across the
entire front panel 40 and into the side panels 44. In this configuration, the
side edges 56 of the
dispensing opening 50 are respectively associated with and are formed along
the side panels
44, as shown in FIG. 5. The side edges 56 terminate at the top edge 52 and
bottom edge 54,
which likewise extend partially into the respective side panels 44.
100561 The top edge 52 of the dispensing opening 50 is disposed generally
between the
bottom edge 54 and the first end 18 of the flexible housing 12 while the
bottom edge 54 is
disposed between the top edge 52 of the dispensing opening 50 and the second
end 20 of the
flexible housing 12. The bottom edge 54 may be spaced apart and separated from
the second
seal 32 such that a portion 58 of the front panel 40 extends between the
bottom edge 54 of the
dispensing opening 50 and the second seal 32. As will be described below, the
portion 58 of
the front panel 40 that extends between the bottom edge 54 of the display
dispensing opening
50 and the second seal 32 serves to inhibit items stored within the interior
volume 34 of the
housing 12 from inadvertently falling out of the housing 12 at the dispensing
opening 50
when the dispensing panel 16 is removed from the front panel 40.
[0057] The rear panel 42 of the main body 22 is formed on an opposite side of
the housing
12 then the front panel 40. The rear panel 42 may include a longitudinal fin
seal 59 created by
joining longitudinal ends of the sheet of material used in forming the housing
12. For
example, when the sheet of material is formed into the shape of the housing
12, longitudinal
edges of the sheet may be joined to one another via a suitable adhesive and/or
by welding the
longitudinal edges together. For example, the longitudinal edges of the sheet
of material may
be welded to one another at the inner surface 36 of the housing 12 along the
entire length of
the housing 12 at the rear panel 42. By joining the opposed, inner surfaces 36
of the housing
12 at the rear panel 42 via a weld, the inner surfaces 36 are sealed to one
another and
cooperate with first seal 24 and the second seal 32 to seal the interior
volume 34 of the
housing 12. As with the first seal 24 and the second seal 32, the longitudinal
fin seal 59 may
be created by ultrasonically welding the longitudinal edges of the sheet of
material to one
another along the entire length of the rear panel 42. Ultrasonically welding
the longitudinal
edges of the sheet of material together at the rear panel 42 joins the edges
of the sheet to one
another, thereby providing the housing 12 with the generally tubular shape
shown in Figure 1.
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
[0058] The side panels 44 may each include a gusset 60 that causes a
portion of the side
panels 44 to extend toward one another within the interior volume 34. The
gussets 60 may
crease the side panels 44 along a portion of each side panel 44 to provide the
main body 22
with the shape shown in Figure 1. Providing the side panels 44 with gussets 60
allows the
side panels 44 to extend into the interior volume 34 of the housing 12,
thereby providing the
main body 22 with a degree of rigidity at the side panels 44 by restricting
the side panels 44
from extending laterally from the front panel 40 in a direction away from one
another.
Additionally, the gussets 60 provide the main body 22 with a substantially
compact shape by
causing the side panels 44 to extend into the interior volume 34 rather than
in a direction
away from one another.
[0059] The rear panel 42 may additional include a second or refill panel 62
that is
selectively removable from the rear panel 42 in a similar fashion as the
dispensing panel 16 is
selectively removable from the front panel 40. The refill panel 62 is disposed
on an opposite
side of the housing 12 then the dispensing panel 16 and is disposed proximate
to the first end
18 of the housing 12. As shown in FIG. 6, the refill panel 62 is formed from
the same
material as the flexible housing 12 and may be formed by providing the
material of the
flexible housing 12 with perforations 64 around a perimeter of the refill
panel 62. As with the
dispensing panel 16, perforating or laser-scoring the material of the flexible
housing 12 at the
rear panel 42 to define the refill panel 62 allows the refill panel 62 to be
removed from the
rear panel 42 along the perforations 64 without tearing adjacent portions of
the rear panel 42
and/or the side panels 44.
[0060] As shown in FIG. 6, the refill panel 62 includes a substantially
rectangular shape
and extends across an entire width of the rear panel 42 and into the side
panels 44. As such,
when the refill panel 62 is removed, a refill opening 66 (FIG. 7) having a
substantially
rectangular shape is formed. The refill opening 66 includes a top edge a 68, a
bottom edge 70,
and a pair of side edges 72 that extend between and substantially
perpendicular to the top
edge 68 and the bottom edge 70. The second or refill panel 62 is movable from
a closed state
closing the second or refill opening 66 formed in the housing and restricting
access to the
inner volume 34 and an open state permitting access to the inner volume 34 via
the second or
refill opening 66.
[0061] As shown in FIG. 7, the top edge 68 is substantially parallel to the
bottom edge 70
and is disposed between the bottom edge 70 and the first end 18 of the housing
12 while the
bottom edge 70 is disposed between the top edge 68 and the second end 20 of
the housing 12.
11
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
The top edge 68 and the bottom edge 70 extend across and sever the fin seal 59
at the refill
opening 66 when the refill panel 62 is removed from the rear panel 42. The
side edges 72
extend substantially parallel to one another and are substantially
perpendicular to the top edge
68 and the bottom edge 70.
[0062] As shown and described, a portion 74 of the rear panel 42 extends
between the first
end 18 and the top edge 68 of the refill opening 66. While the a portion 74 of
the rear panel
42 extends between the first end 18 of the housing 12 and the top edge 68 of
the refill
opening 66, the top edge 68 of the refill opening 66 could alternatively be
disposed adjacent
to and/or abutting a bottom edge of the first seal 24. For example, the top
edge 68 of the refill
opening 66 may abut a bottom edge of the first portion 28 of the first seal 24
such that the
refill opening 66 is disposed at the very top of the rear panel 42.
[0063] Each of the dispensing opening 50 and the refill opening 66 may
include a
reinforcement member 76. The reinforcement member 76 may be formed from a
relatively
rigid material such as, for example, paperboard, and/or plastic and may be
attached to the
main body 22 at the inner surface 36. A reinforcement member 76 may be
associated with the
dispensing opening 50 and also may be associated with the refill opening 66
such that each
opening 50, 66 includes a reinforcement member 76. Alternatively, a
reinforcement member
76 may only be associated with one of the openings 50, 66. For example, the
refill opening 66
may not include a reinforcement member 76 while the dispensing opening 50
includes a
reinforcement member 76. Regardless of whether one or both of the openings 50,
66 includes
a reinforcement member 76, the reinforcement member 76 surrounds at least a
portion of the
opening 50, 66¨and in some instances the entire opening 50, 66 to reduce
the likelihood
that the material of the housing 12 will tear in the area of the openings 50,
66 when the panels
16, 62 are removed from the housing 12.
[0064] The reinforcement member 76 may be attached to the interior surface
36 of the
housing 12 via a suitable adhesive. Alternatively or additionally, the
reinforcement member
76 may be welded to the inner surface 36 of the housing 12 if the
reinforcement member 76 is
formed from a material that permits the reinforcement member 76 to be attached
to the
material of the housing 12 via an ultrasonic weld, for example. Regardless of
how the
reinforcement member 76 is attached to the inner surface 36, the reinforcement
member 76 is
disposed within the interior volume 34 and extends at least around a portion
of the respective
openings 50, 66 in an effort to locally strengthen the main body 22 in the
areas of the
openings 50, 66.
12
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
[0065] With particular reference to FIGS. 1, 6, and 7, the hanging device
14 is shown as
being disposed proximate to the first end 18 of the housing 12 and as
including an aperture 78.
The aperture 78 is formed through the sheet of material that forms the front
panel 40 and
extends through the material that forms the rear panel 42 such that the
aperture 78 extends
completely through the first end 18 of the housing 12. In one configuration,
the aperture 78
extends through the first seal 24. In another configuration, the aperture 78
is disposed
between the first portion 28 and the second portion 30 of the first seal 24.
Positioning the
aperture 78 proximate to or through a portion of the first seal 24 strengthens
the area of the
housing 12 at the aperture 78 and reduces the likelihood that the housing 12
will tear in an
area of the aperture 78.
[0066] Forming the aperture 78 through the first end 18 of the housing 12
at or proximate
to the first seal 24 allows the display bag 10 to be attached to an external
structure such as,
for example, a rack or other fixture (none shown) of a retail store, for
example. The aperture
78 is permitted to receive a peg, screw, or other projection (none shown),
which, in turn,
allows the display bag 10 to be attached to the external structure via the
first end 18.
Interaction between the aperture 78 of the hanging device 14 and the external
structure allows
the display bag 10 to be attached to and hang from the external structure.
[0067] In some embodiments, a display bag 10 is provided. The display bag
10 comprises
a housing 12 formed from a flexible material having a first end 18, a second
end 20, and an
inner volume 34 extending between the first end 18 and the second end 20. The
display bag
further comprises a hanging device 14 disposed proximate to the first end 18
and a first
panel 16 disposed proximate to the second end 20 and movable from a closed
state closing a
first opening 50 formed in the housing 12 and restricting access to the inner
volume 34 and
an open state permitting access to the inner volume 34 via the first opening
50.
[0068] In some embodiments, the display bag 10 further includes a housing
12 formed
from a flexible material and having front panel 40, a rear panel 42, and a
pair of side panels
44. In some embodiments, the display bag 10 includes a first panel 16 disposed
on the front
panel 40 of the housing 12. In other embodiments, the display bag 10 includes
a first panel 16
disposed on one of the side panels 44 of the housing 12.
[0069] In some embodiments, the first panel 16 is formed from the flexible
material. In
some embodiments, the display bag 10 further comprises perforations 48 formed
from the
flexible material, where the perforations 48 define a shape of the first panel
16 and the first
13
opening 50. In still other embodiments, the first panel 16 is integrally
formed with the
flexible material.
[0070] In some embodiments, the display bag 10 further includes a second
panel 62
disposed proximate to the first end 18 and movable from a closed state closing
the second
opening 66 formed in the housing 12 and restricting access to the inner volume
34 and an
open state permitting access to the inner volume 34 via the second opening 66.
[0071] In some embodiments, the second panel 62 of the display bag 10 and the
second
opening 66 are disposed on an opposite side of the housing 12 than the first
panel 16 and the
first opening 50. In some embodiments, the second panel 62 is formed from the
flexible
material. In some embodiments, the display bag 10 also includes perforations
64 formed in
the flexible material that define a shape of the second panel 62 and the
second opening 66. In
still other embodiments, the second panel 62 is integrally formed with the
flexible material.
In some embodiments, the second opening 62 is disposed proximate to the
hanging device 14.
[0072] In some embodiments, the first end 18 is closed by a first seal 24
and the second
end 20 is closed by a second seal 32. In some embodiments, a portion of the
flexible material
extends between the second seal 32 and the first opening 50. In some
embodiments, the
hanging 14 device includes an aperture 78 formed through the first seal 24. In
some
embodiments, the hanging device 14 includes an aperture 78 formed through the
flexible
material. In some embodiments, the display bag 10 further includes a
reinforcement member
76 that at least partially surrounds the first opening 50.
[0073] In some embodiments, another display bag 10 is provided. The display
bag 10
comprises a housing 12 formed from a flexible material having a first end 18,
a second end
20, and an inner volume 34 extending between the first end 18 and the second
end 20. The
display bag 10 further comprises a first panel 16 disposed proximate to the
second end 20 and
movable from a closed state closing a first opening 50 formed in the housing
12 and
restricting access to the inner volume 34 and an open state permitting access
to the inner
volume 34 via the first opening 50. The display bag 10 also comprises a second
panel 62
disposed proximate to the first end 18 and movable from a closed state closing
a second
opening 66 formed in the housing 12 and restricting access to the inner volume
34 and an
open state permitting access to the inner volume 34 via the second opening 66.
[0074] In some embodiments, the first panel 16 and first opening 50 are
disposed on an
opposite side of the housing 12 than the second panel 62 and the second
opening 66.
14
DateRecue/DateReceived 2022-06-27
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
[0075] In some embodiments, the first panel 16 and the second panel 62 are
formed from
the flexible material. In some embodiments, the display bag 10 further
comprises a first series
of perforations 48 and a second series of perforations 64 formed in the
flexible material,
where the first series of perforations 48 define a shape of the first panel 16
and the first
opening 50 and the second series of perforations 64 define a shape of the
second panel 62 and
the second opening 66. In still other embodiments, the first panel 16 and the
second panel 62
are integrally formed with the flexible material.
[0076] In some embodiments, the display bag 10 further includes a hanging
device 14
disposed proximate to the first end 18. In some embodiments, the second
opening 66 is
disposed proximate to the hanging device 14. In some embodiments, the hanging
device 14
includes an aperture 78 formed through the flexible material.
[0077] In some embodiments, the first end 18 is closed by a first seal 24
and the second
end 20 is closed by a second seal 32. In some embodiments, a portion of the
flexible material
extends between the second seal 32 and the first opening 50.
[0078] In some embodiments, the display bag 10 further includes a first
reinforcement
member 76 that at least partially surrounds the first opening 50. In some
embodiments, the
display bag 10 further includes a second reinforcement member 76 that at least
partially
surrounds the second opening 66.
[0079] With particular reference to FIGS. 9-12, a display bag 10a is
provided. In view of
the substantial similarity in structure and function of the components
associated with the
display bag 10 with respect to the display bag 10a, like reference numerals
are used
hereinafter and in the drawings to identify like components while like
reference numerals
containing letter extensions are used to identify those components that have
been modified.
[0080] The display bag 10a includes a flexible housing 12a having a main
body 22a. As
with the main body 22 of the display bag 10, the main body 22a includes a
front panel 40a, a
rear panel 42a, and a pair of side panels 44a. The display bag 10a is
virtually identical to the
display bag 10 with the exception of the position of the dispensing panel 16a.
Namely, the
dispensing panel 16a of the display bag 10a is offset from the position of the
dispensing panel
16 of the display bag 10 by approximately ninety degrees (90 ). As shown in
FIGS. 9 and 10,
the dispensing panel 16a is moved from the front panel 40 onto one of the side
panels 44a. In
so doing, the dispensing panel 16a extends across the entire width of one of
the side panels
44a and at least partially into the front panel 40a and into the rear panel
42a. As with the
dispensing panel 16 of the display bag 10, the dispensing panel 16a of the
display bag 10a
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
may include a different shape and may only partially extend across the side
panel 44a.
Accordingly, the dispensing panel 16a may be spaced apart and separated from
the front
panel 40a and the rear panel 42a and may therefore be entirely contained
within the particular
side panel 44a. As will be described below, positioning the dispensing panel
16a in the
foregoing manner allows the display bag 10a to contain different articles when
compared to
the display bag 10.
100811 Moving the dispensing panel 16 to the side panel 44a, as shown in
FIGS. 9-12
allows the interior volume 34 of the housing 12a to be accessible at the side
panel 44a. While
a position of the refill panel 62 may likewise be moved to the side panel 44a,
the refill panel
62 may also be maintained in the same position on the display bag 10a, as
shown and
described above with respect to the display bag 10. Accordingly, a description
of the refill
panel 62 being disposed on one of the side panels 44a is foregone. If the
refill panel 62 were
moved from the rear panel 42a and onto one of the side panels 44a, the refill
panel 62 could
be positioned on the same side panel 44a as the dispensing panel 16a or,
alternatively, could
be positioned on the other side panel 44a located on an opposite side of the
housing 12 than
the dispensing panel 16a.
[0082] With particular reference to FIGS. 1-12, operation of the display
bag 10 will be
described in detail. In one configuration, the display bag 10 contains a
quantity of
individually packaged items such as, for example, bags of food product 80. The
bags 80 may
contain food product such as, for example, chips, pretzels, or other snacks
and may be
stacked on one another within the interior volume 34 of the display bag 10, as
shown in FIGS.
2 and 3. When the bags 80 are initially stacked and received within the
interior volume 34,
the bags 80 are prevented from being removed from the interior volume 34 due
to the
dispensing panel 16 being attached to the housing 12.
[0083] A force may be applied to the dispensing panel 16 to remove the
dispensing panel
16 from the housing 12, as described above. When the dispensing panel 16 is
removed from
the housing 12, the bags 80 may be individually removed from the interior
volume 34 of the
housing 12 via the dispensing opening 50, which is sized and shaped to
accommodate the
particulate bags 80. The bags 80 are restricted from inadvertently being
removed from the
dispensing opening 50 due to interaction of the portion 58 of the front panel
40 and the
individual bags 80. Specifically, gravity causes the bags 80 to collect
proximate to the second
end 20 of the housing 12. Accordingly, the bottommost bag 80 engages the inner
surface 36
16
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
of the housing 12 at the portion 58 of the front panel 40, thereby restricting
the bag 80 from
inadvertently falling out of the housing 12 at the dispensing opening 50.
[0084] The bottommost bag 80 may be removed from the interior volume 34 of the
housing 12 by applying a force on the bag 80 (i.e. by a hand of a consumer,
for example) and
removing the bag 80 from the interior volume 34 via the dispensing opening 50.
When the
bottommost bag 80 is removed from the interior volume 34, gravity once again
causes the
adjacent, upstream bag to drop to the bottom of the interior volume 34
proximate to the
second end 20 of the housing 12 and engage the interior surface 36 of the
housing 12 at the
portion 58 of the front panel 40. The bags 80 disposed within the interior
volume 34 remain
in this position until another bag 80 is removed from the interior volume 34
and the process is
repeated.
[0085] When a predetermined number of bags 80 are removed from the interior
volume 34,
the refill panel 62 may be removed from the rear panel 42 along the
perforations 64 to permit
access to the interior volume 34 at the refill opening 66. Permitting access
to the interior
volume 34 at the refill opening 66 allows a store clerk or other retail
personnel to refill the
display bag 10 at the refill opening 66 with additional bags 80, thereby
allowing the display
bag 10 to be reused once the individual bags 80 are partially or wholly
removed from the
interior volume 34. Further, allowing the display bag 10 to be refilled allows
the bag 10 to be
used with bags 80 containing different product once the original product is
consumed (i.e., a
bag 10 originally containing individual bags 80 of potato chips may be used to
dispense
similarly sized bags 80 containing cereal or pretzels). In short, allowing the
bag 10 to be
refilled allows the bag 10 to be reused with the same or different products
contained within
the individual bags 80 and, thus, reduces the costs associated with displaying
individual bags
80 and reduces the impact on the environment, as the original bag 10 is
reused.
[0086] The display bag 10 may be hung from an external structure such as a
rack or a
shelving unit of a retail store, for example, such that the refill opening 66
faces the rack and
the dispensing opening 50 faces a consumer. Accordingly, the display portion
46 of the front
panel 40 may be located approximate to the dispensing opening 50 to permit a
consumer to
readily identify the contents of the individuals bags 80 disposed within the
display bag 10
when shopping.
[0087] The display bag 10a may be used in an identical fashion but may
receive different
contents than the bags 80 of the display bag 10. For example, the display bag
10a may
receive cylindrical items such as cans that are stacked on top of one another
within the
17
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
interior volume 34 of the housing 12. As shown in FIGS. 10-12, the cans 82 are
received
within the interior volume 34 and are stacked on top of one another such that
a cylindrical
end portion 84 of the bottommost can 82 is exposed at the dispensing opening
50a (FIG.11)
when the dispensing panel 16a is removed from the side panel 44a.
[0088] As with the individual bags 80, the bottommost can 82 is prevented
from
inadvertently falling out of the interior volume 34 of the housing 12a due to
interaction
between the bottommost can 82 and a portion 86 of the sidewall 44a. The
portion 86 of the
sidewall 44a that engages the bottommost can 82 extends between the bottom
edge 54a of the
dispensing opening 50a and the second end 20 of the housing 12a in a similar
fashion as the
portion 58 of the display bag 10.
[0089] When a predetermined number of cans 82 are removed from the interior
volume 34
of the housing 12a, new cans 82 may be inserted into the interior volume 34 at
the refill
opening 66. Namely, the refill panel 62 may be removed from the rear panel 42a
of the
housing 12a, thereby providing access to the interior volume 34 at the refill
opening 66.
[0090] With particular reference to FIGS. 13-15, formation of the display
bag 10 will be
described in detail. A description of the formation of the display bag 10a is
foregone, as
formation of the display bag 10a is virtually identical to the formation of
the display bag 10
with the exception of the location of the dispensing panels 16, 16a.
[0091] In another embodiment, a method of forming a display bag 10 is
provided. In some
embodiments, the method of forming a display bag 10 comprises feeding a sheet
of material
110 comprising a pair of longitudinal edges through a series of rollers 104
and onto a forming
tube 102, wrapping the sheet of material 110 around an outer perimeter of the
forming tube
102 and imparting a substantially tubular shape to the sheet of material 110,
sealing the
longitudinal edges together using a vertical sealing mechanism 106 to create a
fin seal 59,
forming a second seal 32 with a cut/seal mechanism to create a partially
formed display bag
1 Oug from the sheet of material 110, dispensing bulk goods 80 into the
partially formed
display bag lOuB via a funnel 116 of the forming tube 102, and creating a
first seal 24 after
filling the partially formed display bag lOuB to form the display bag 10, the
cut/sealing
mechanism 108 simultaneously creating the first seal 24 and forming a seal 32
at a second
end 20 of an upstream display bag bun.
[0092] The display bag 10 may be formed using a vertical form, fill, and
seal system
(VFFS) 100. The VFFS system 100 includes a forming tube 102, a series of
rollers 104, a
vertical sealing mechanism 106, and an integrated cut/sealing mechanism 108.
In operation, a
18
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
sheet of material 110 that forms the material of the display bag 10 is fed
through a series of
rollers 112 prior to encountering the forming tube 102. Once the sheet of
material 110
encounters the forming tube 102, the material 110 is wrapped around an outer
perimeter of
the forming tube 102. In so doing, the material 110 surrounds the outer
perimeter of the
forming tube 102 and takes a substantially tubular shape. At this point,
longitudinal edges of
the sheet of material 110 are brought into close proximity to one another. In
one
configuration, the inner surfaces 36 of each longitudinal edge oppose one
another and are
brought into contact with one another. In another configuration, the inner
surface 36 of one
longitudinal edge opposes the outer surface 38 of the other longitudinal edge
and is brought
into contact with the outer surface 38. Regardless of the relationship between
the longitudinal
edges, the longitudinal edges and are sealed together by the vertical sealing
mechanism 106
through a suitable process such as, for example, ultrasonic welding. Sealing
the longitudinal
edges of the sheet of material 110 by the vertical sealing mechanism 106
creates the fin seal
59 that extends along the length of the rear panel 42.
[0093] The rollers 104 exert a force on the sheet of material 110 via a
pair of belts 105
driven by the rollers 104, thereby causing the sheet of material 110 to move
along the
forming tube 102 and through the vertical sealing mechanism 106. In so doing,
the vertical
sealing mechanism 106 creates the fin seal 59 and causes the material 110 to
encounter the
cut/sealing mechanism 108.
[0094] The cut/sealing mechanism 108 includes a pair of jaws 114 that are
selectively
brought toward one another to clamp a portion of the material 110
therebetween. In so doing,
the cut/sealing mechanism 108 simultaneously severs a formed display bag 10
from the sheet
of material 110 and creates the second seal 32 of the display bag 1 OuB
disposed upstream of
the formed display bag 10. As shown in FIG. 14, the formed display bag 10 is
shown as being
severed from the cut/sealing mechanism 108 by the jaws 114 and, thus, from the
sheet of
material 110, while the partially formed, upstream display bag 1 OuB is
concurrently sealed to
form the second seal 32 of the partially formed display bag lOuB.
[0095] As the material 110 advances along the forming tube 102 and the
cut/sealing
mechanism 108 creates the second seal 32, the contents of the display bag 10
may be inserted
into a partially formed display bag 1 OuB via a funnel 116 of the forming tube
102.
Specifically, the individual bags 80, for example, may be stacked and
sequenced prior to the
bags 80 being inserted into the display bag 1 OuB via the funnel 116. The bags
80 travel
through an interior portion of the forming tube 102 prior to engaging the
sealed, second end
19
CA 02972980 2017-07-04
WO 2016/115296
PCT/US2016/013326
20 of a display bag 1 Oug being formed. Once the bags 80 are disposed within
the interior
volume 34 of the housing 12, the jaws 114 of the cut/sealing mechanism 108 are
brought
toward one another to clamp the material 110 therebetween. The jaws 114
simultaneously
seal the first end 18 of the housing 12 by creating the first seal 24, thereby
finalizing the
display bag 10. In so doing, the jaws 114 sever the formed display bag 10 from
the next
partially formed, upstream display bag 1 Oug and concurrently form the seal 32
of the second
end 20 of the upstream display bag 1 OuB. Utilizing the VFFS 100 to form the
display bags 10
allows the display bags 10 to be simultaneously formed and filled.
[0096] As shown in FIGS. 13-15, the perforations 48, 64 that respectively
define the shape,
size, and location of the dispensing panel 16 and the refill panel 62 may be
formed in the
sheet of material 110 prior to the sheet of material encountering the forming
tube 102.
Alternatively, the VFFS 100 may include a station (not shown) that forms the
perforations 48,
64 in the sheet of material 110, as the sheet of material 110 passes through
the VFFS 100.
[0097] The foregoing description is provided for purposes of illustration
and description.
It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual
elements or features of
a particular configuration are generally not limited to that particular
configuration, but, where
applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected configuration,
even if not
specifically shown or described. Variations are not to be regarded as a
departure from the
disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the
scope of the
disclosure.
