Patent attributes
A flexible container (10) has a base (12) that includes a bottom (20), side walls (22, 24, 26, 28) and an interior (30), the bottom defining a substantially flat planar surface when the container houses product and the container rests thereon, an upper panel portion (14), that is adapted to be received within the interior of the base portion and includes side panels that define a closure member (60, 62). The upper panel is constructed and arranged to define a substantially flat surface (72) when the closure member is closed and portions of the upper panel are folded over. The upper panel includes a portion that is sealed to the base portion. A pair of handles (16, 18) may be secured to the base portion. The flat top and flat bottom allow for vertical stacking of the filled containers. The container may be manufactured from a flat sheet of plastic material having a width substantially equal to a length of the base portion, by indexing the flat sheet in intervals equal to a width or more of the base portion; bonding handles at one end to the sheet; applying closure means to a free end of each of the pair of panels; and forming the flat sheet, panels and pair of handles into the flexible container.
