Shaped flexible shipping package and method of making
A flexible package having an inner sheet having a first surface and a second surface. The flexible package has an article reservoir for accepting an article to be shipped and one or more expansion chambers. The expansion chambers can be inflated or otherwise expanded to provide structure to the flexible package and to protect the article in the article reservoir.
1. A flexible package for one or more articles, comprising:
a. an inner sheet having a first surface and a second surface, an inner sheet first portion and an inner sheet second portion;
b. an outer sheet having an outer sheet first portion and an outer sheet second portion, at least a part of the outer sheet first portion being connected to the first surface of the inner sheet to form one or more primary expansion chambers therebetween, the inner sheet second portion extending from the inner sheet first portion and being folded back onto the second surface of the inner sheet first portion to form an article reservoir between the inner sheet second portion and the inner sheet first portion;
c. an expansion port in fluid connection with the one or more primary expansion chambers through which an expansion material can be introduced into the one or more expansion chambers
d. a closeable opening into which the one or more articles may be inserted
wherein the inner sheet and outer sheet consist of a multi-layered polypropylene film having two or more polypropylene layers.
2. The flexible package of claim 1 , wherein the multi-layered polypropylene film comprises an inner layer and at least one of a first outer layer or second outer layer.
3. The flexible package of claim 2 , wherein the inner sheet or outer sheet further comprise one or more intermediate layers.
4. The flexible package of claim 3 , wherein the inner sheet or outer sheet comprises between 1 to about 20 intermediate layers.
5. The flexible package of claim 1 , wherein the average thickness of the multi-layered polypropylene film ranges from about 50 microns to about 250 microns.
6. The flexible package of claim 5 , wherein the multi-layered polypropylene film comprises an inner layer and at least one of a first outer layer or second outer layer, wherein at least one of the outer layers has an average thickness of about 5% to about 10% of the multi-layered polypropylene film.
7. The flexible package of claim 6 , wherein the inner layer has an average thickness of about 2% to about 60% of the multi-layered polypropylene film.
8. The flexible package of claim 6 , wherein the multi-layered polypropylene film further comprises one or more intermediate layers having an average total thickness of about 20% to about 60% of the multi-layered polypropylene film.
9. The flexible package of claim 1 further including a vent disposed in fluid communication with the article reservoir.
10. The flexible package of claim 1 wherein the outer sheet has an inner surface facing the inner sheet and an outer surface opposite of the inner surface and wherein the flexible package further includes a secondary outer sheet disposed adjacent the outer surface of the outer sheet and is at least partially joined thereto, the secondary outer sheet and the outer sheet forming one or more secondary expansion chambers.
11. The flexible package of claim 10 wherein the one or more secondary expansion chambers provides structural rigidity and/or shape to the flexible package when in an expanded configuration.
12. The flexible package of claim 10 , wherein the one or more secondary expansion chambers comprise two or more secondary expansion chambers, wherein at least some of the secondary expansion chambers are independent from each other.
13. The flexible package of claim 10 wherein at least one of the inner sheet, the outer and/or the secondary outer sheet is made of a material different than at least one other of the inner sheet, the outer and/or the secondary outer sheet.
14. The flexible package of claim 1 wherein the inner sheet is in contact with the one or more articles when the one or more articles are disposed in the article reservoir.
15. The flexible package of claim 1 wherein the inner sheet at least partially immobilizes the one or more articles within the article reservoir when the one or more primary expansion chambers are in an expanded configuration.
16. The flexible package of claim 1 having no structural support feature other than the primary and/or secondary expansion chambers.
17. The flexible package of claim 1 , wherein the one or more primary expansion chambers comprise two or more primary expansion chambers, wherein at least some of the two or more primary expansion chambers are independent from each other.
18. The flexible package of claim 1 , comprising an external wrap surrounding at least a portion of the package and providing at least one relatively planar outwardly-facing surface for the package.
19. The flexible package of claim 10 , further including an article retrieval feature that allows a user to open the flexible package and retrieve the one or more articles from the article reservoir.
20. The flexible package of claim 19 , wherein the article retrieval feature, when activated, both opens the flexible package and deflates the one or more primary expansion chambers and the one or more secondary expansion chambers.
21. A flexible package for one or more articles, comprising an article reservoir, a top surface and a bottom surface;
an inner sheet and a flexible secondary inner sheet, the inner sheet and secondary inner sheet joined together at an outer seam and forming one or more primary expansion chambers adapted to receive a primary expansion material; and
a flexible secondary outer sheet and an outer sheet, the secondary outer sheet and the outer sheet joined together at an outer seam and forming one or more secondary expansion chambers adapted to receive a secondary expansion material and;
wherein one or more non-expansion chambers are provided on the top surface over the one or more primary expansion chambers;
wherein the inner sheet and outer sheet consist of a multi-layered polypropylene film having three or more polypropylene layers.
22. The flexible package of claim 21 , wherein the one or more non-expansion chambers is a label surface.
23. The flexible package of claim 21 , wherein the flexible package has one or more expansion ports and the one or more primary expansion chambers and one or more secondary expansion chambers are in fluid communication with the one or more expansion ports.