Apparatus for Interactive Multi-chamber Pouch

This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-provisional application Ser. No. 17/965,597 filed Oct. 13, 2022.

Many individuals, such as children, enjoy juice or other beverage from a pouch. One popular drink pouch is the commercially available CAPRIS SUN drink pouch available from Capri Sun Gmbh Limited Liability Company, Fed. Rep. Germany, Rudolf-Wild-Strasse 86-98 Eppelheim, Fed. Rep. Germany, 69214. Other drink pouches include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,664 or 3,380,646, which are herein incorporated by reference to the extent they are not incompatible with the present disclosure.

These individuals, however, may not enjoy various school-related activities, such as homework or studying. Typically, younger individuals may not have a developed appreciation for their academic development or education. It is generally known that students who study will perform better than students who choose not to study. It is also generally known that students will retain information more easily if they are interested in the information. Many teachers and parents have tried to develop innovative and interesting ways to capture the attention of students and children, however, many methods are time-intensive or are simply ineffective.

Therefore, there is a defined need amongst the known art for a device that will stimulate students and children in a manner that will entice them to be more interested in learning. The device should utilize a system that provides a reward for a student that is able to correctly identify an answer to a question.

The present invention provides a multi-chamber pouch. More specifically, the present invention provides a system with which a user can engage in a knowledge-testing activity while eating food or consuming liquids.

An exemplary embodiment pouch includes a bottom wall and front and back panels that extend upwardly from the bottom wall. A plurality of chambers are internally defined in the pouch. The plurality of chambers includes a primary chamber and at least one secondary chamber. The primary chamber includes a primary opening, such that the primary chamber can be accessed by a user via the primary opening. Each secondary chamber individually includes a secondary opening, such that each secondary chamber can be individually accessed by a user via the specific secondary opening. As such, the user can access each chamber of the plurality of the chambers from the outside of the housing.

A particular enhancement of the invention is the incorporation of an educational function into the pouch. A user is presented with a question, either displayed on the pouch or on a tag or packaging thereof, or on a mobile device. The user is also provided with multiple answers displayed in like manner as the question. The answers have indicia associated with each answer, such as A, B, C, D and the primary and secondary openings on the pouch have the same corresponding indicia A, B, C, D displayed adjacent to or on each opening. The indicia for the correct answer will be displayed adjacent to or on the primary opening while the incorrect answers will be displayed adjacent to, or on the secondary openings. Depending on the questions, the correct answer could be any of answer choices A, B, C, or D and the correct answer choice corresponds to the primary opening.

The primary and secondary openings are indistinguishable by a user from an outside of the pouch. If the user picks the correct answer and opens the opening associated with the same indicia as his or her answer, the user will be opening the primary opening and will gain access to the contents of the primary chamber. If the user selects an incorrect answer and opens the opening of the pouch having the same indicia as his or her answer, the user will open the secondary opening and will access the secondary chamber. According to the exemplary embodiment, the primary chamber holds the desired contents of the pouch while the secondary chamber is empty or contains a secondary fluid or material.

The disclosure provides a multi-chamber pouch with an educational function in that the primary chamber stores a desired liquid or solid material and the secondary chamber can be empty. The primary and secondary openings are indistinguishable to the consumer until opened from a closed state. The selection of the primary opening corresponds to a correct answer to a question displayed on, or associated with, the pouch.

Some of the exemplary embodiments described herein provide an efficient way of making or manufacturing a multi-chamber pouch that can be made from pure recyclable material and can be compatible towards being in compliance with the Aseptic filling system used by juice filling companies in order to preserve quality and promote longer shelf life.

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the multi-chamber pouch. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

This application incorporates by reference U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 62/833,160, filed Apr. 12, 2019; U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 63/247,126, filed Sep. 22, 2021; U.S. Non-provisional application Ser. No. 16/817,362 filed Mar. 12, 2020; and U.S. Non-provisional application Ser. No. 17/965,597 filed Oct. 13, 2022.

illustrates a pouchwhich comprises a front panel, a back paneland a floor panel. The front panel, the back paneland the floor panelmay be of a multi-layer construction as is known for flexible pouches containing a beverage. The front panel and the back panel are sealed together along vertical seal bands,and across a top seal band. The front and back panels,are sealed along inside bottom bands, forming a continuous bandall around to the floor panel.

On the front panel, near the top, are two ports, a left front portand a right front port. The ports,are circular and can be areas having weakened perimeters that allow for a straw to be forcefully inserted into the pouch through the front panel.

is a rear perspective view that illustrates the internal construction of the pouch. The back panelis a substantially planar sheet. The front panelis connected to or formed with a right folded paneland a left folded panel. The folded panels each include a respective portthat are in registry with the respective ports,. The portscan be circular areas that have weakened perimeters, such that a straw forced through the portwill also penetrate through the portand a straw penetrating the portwould also penetrate through the portThe front paneland the folded panels,are sealed together around the respective port pairs,and,to prevent a straw penetrating the outside port,but not penetrating the inside portrespectively and instead the straw penetrating between the front paneland the respective folded panel,.

The right folded panelis sealed along a top edge bandthereof to the top seal bandof the pouch, and sealed at a bottom edge bandthereof to the surrounding bottom seal bandof the pouch. The left folded panelis sealed along a top edge seal bandto the top seal bandof the pouch, and sealed at a bottom seal bandthereof to the surrounding bottom seal bandof the pouch. The right folded panelhas a front vertical seal bandthat is sealed with the right vertical seal bandof the pouch, and a back vertical seal bandthat is sealed to the right vertical seal bandof the pouch. The left folded edge panelhas a front vertical seal bandthat is sealed with the left vertical seal bandof the pouch, and a back vertical seal bandthat is sealed to the left vertical seal bandof the pouch.

Once the pouch is formed and all seal bands are sealed, the right folded panelforms a right side chamberand the left folded panel forms a left side chamber. The pouch between the right side chamberand the left side chamberforms a central chamber. The right side chamberis substantially sealed. A straw penetrating the ports,will not have access to the contents of the central chamber. The left folded panelincludes an aperturenear to a bottom thereof. When the seals of the pouch are sealed, the left side chamberwill be in communication with the contents of the central chamberthrough the aperture. A straw penetrating the ports,will deliver beverage from the central chamberinto the left side chamberand out the straw.

As shown in, a labelis applied to the pouchwith a questionand two answer choices “A” and “B”. The answer choice “A” corresponds to the portand the answer choice “B” corresponds to the port. According to the illustrated embodiment, answer choice “A” would be the correct answer to the question and corresponds to the “primary” opening, and a straw pushed through portwould deliver liquid from the central chamberthrough the apertureand into the chamberwould deliver beverage to the user sipping through the straw. The answer choice “B” would be the incorrect answer and corresponds to the “secondary” opening, and a straw pushed through the portwould access the closed chamberand no liquid would be delivered through the straw. The manufacturing of the pouch would assure that the correct answer would alternately be “A” or “B” requiring the user to make a correct selection to access an open channel. In other words, the aperture would be placed in either chamber,and would correspond to the correct answer “A” or “B.”

show a modified, alternate embodiment pouchto that shown in. Like items between the two embodiments are given the same reference numbers.

The pouchcomprises the front panel, the back paneland the floor panel. The front panel, the back paneland the floor panelmay be of a multi-layer construction as is known for flexible pouches containing a beverage. The front panel and the back panel are sealed together along the vertical seal bands,and across the top seal band. The front and back panels,are sealed along inside bottom bands, forming the continuous bandall around to the floor panel.

On the front panel, near the top, are two ports, the left front portand the right front port. The back panelincludes a right back portand a left back port. The ports,,,are circular and can be areas with weakened perimeters that allow for a straw to be forcefully inserted into the pouch through the respective panel.

illustrates the internal construction of the pouch. The back panelis a substantially planar sheet. The front panelis connected to, or formed with, the right folded paneland the left folded panel. The folded panels,include the respective portand the right back panel includes a port

The portand the portare in registry with the front ports,respectively, and the portis in registry with the right back port. The portscan be circular areas that have weakened perimeters, such that a straw forced through the portwill also penetrate through the porta straw penetrating the portwould also penetrate through the portand a straw penetrating the back portwould also penetrate the front portThe front paneland the folded panels,are sealed together around the respective port pairs,and,and the back paneland the folded panelare sealed around the port pair,to prevent a straw penetrating the outside port,,but not penetrating the respective inside portand instead the straw penetrating between the front paneland the respective folded panel,or the back paneland the folded panel.

The right folded panelis sealed along the top edge bandthereof to the top seal bandof the pouch, and sealed at the bottom edge bandthereof to the surrounding bottom seal bandof the pouch. The left folded panelis sealed along a top edge seal bandto the top seal bandof the pouch, and sealed at a bottom seal bandthereof to the surrounding bottom seal bandof the pouch. The right folded panelhaving the front vertical seal bandis sealed with the right vertical seal bandof the pouch, and the back vertical seal bandis sealed to the right vertical seal bandof the pouch. Th left folded edge panelhaving the front vertical seal bandis sealed with the left vertical seal bandof the pouch, and the back vertical seal bandis sealed to the left vertical seal bandof the pouch.

Once the pouch is formed and all seal bands are sealed, the right folded panelforms the right side chamberand the left folded panel forms the left side chamber. The pouch between the right side chamberand the left side chamberforms the central chamber. The right side chamberis substantially sealed. A straw penetrating the portor the portwill not have access to the contents of the central chamber. The left folded panelin this embodiment is also substantially sealed and has no bottom aperture (such as the apertureof the embodiment of). When the seals of the pouch are sealed neither the left side chambernor the right chamberwill be in communication with the contents of the central chamber. A straw penetrating the portwill access the chamber. However, a straw penetrating the left back portwill not penetrate the left chamber, the porthaving no inside port in registry with the left back port, and will communicate directly into the central chamber, which will deliver beverage from the central chamberand out the straw.

The labelis applied to the pouchwith the questionand four answers, choices “A”, “B”, “C” and “D”. The answer choice “A” corresponds to the port, the answer choice “B” corresponds to the port, the answer choice “C” corresponds to the portand the answer choice D corresponds to the port.

According to the illustrated embodiment, answer choice “D” would be the correct answer to the question and corresponds to the “primary” opening, and a straw pushed through portwould deliver beverage from the central chamberto the user sipping through the straw. The answer choices “B” and “C” would be the incorrect answer and corresponds to “secondary” openings, and a straw pushed through the portor the portwould access the closed chamberand no liquid would be delivered through the straw. The answer choice “A” would also be the incorrect answer and also corresponds to a “secondary” opening, and a straw pushed through the portwould access the closed chamberand no liquid would be delivered through the straw. The manufacturing of the pouch would assure that the correct answer would alternately be “A”, “B”, “C” or “D” requiring the user to make a correct selection to access the central chamber.

Although the exemplary embodiment can be advantageously configured for the game or educational purpose, it is also encompassed by the invention that a multi-chamber pouch is provided that can have different chambers holding different products, liquid or solid.

As an alternate to the label, an electronically readable tag, such as a bar code, can be used that can be scanned by an electronic device that reveals the question and answer choices. The tag may be of any suitable configuration to be scanned by a device, such as a traditional bar code, a QR code, or any similar representation.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in various embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.