Therefore what is claimed is:
1. A flexible pouch, comprising:
a) opposed sheets of flexible polymeric film material sealed together around a peripheral edge of each enclosing a storage chamber there between for a foodstuff to be stored therein, the flexible polymeric film material having a pre-selected film suppleness; and
b) at least one pressure relief valve formed directly in the flexible polymeric film material, the at least pressure relief valve including at least one valve entrance, and at least one channel passageway terminating in a valve outlet which define a passageway from the storage chamber to the exterior of the pouch, the at least one channel passageway having an effective tortuosity which, in combination with the pre-selected film suppleness, results in opening of the at least one pressure relief valve when a threshold pressure is surpassed in the storage chamber to permit an excess of gas generated by the food stuff to be vented through the pressure relief valve and when the pressure drops below the threshold pressure the channel passageway closes at one or more points along its length thus substantially inhibiting back-flow of air back into the storage chamber.
2. The flexible pouch according to claim 1 wherein the effective tortuosity and the pre-selected film suppleness are chosen to maintain an internal pressure in the chamber below an amount that can bloat the pouch to the extent that the seals can rupture and permit oxygen penetration or spilling of the contents outside the pouch.
3. The flexible pouch according to claim 1 wherein said at least one valve entrance is one valve entrance and wherein said at least one channel passageway is one channel passageway having at least one 90 degree, or greater, turn between the one valve entrance and the valve outlet.
4. The flexible pouch according to claim 3 wherein the at least one channel passageway is one channel passageway, and wherein the at least one valve entrance is one valve entrance which narrows down to the one channel passageway.
5. The flexible pouch according to claim 1 wherein the at least one valve entrance is two valve entrances spaced apart from each other, and wherein the at least one channel passageways is two channel passageways each being in flow communication with one of the two valve entrances, the two channel passageways merging into a common outlet passageway which terminates at the valve outlet and each of the two channel passageways having at least one 90 degree, or greater, turn between its associated valve entrance and the common outlet passageway.
6. The flexible pouch according to claim 1 wherein the at least one valve entrance is two valve entrances spaced apart from each other, and wherein the at least one channel passageways is two channel passageways each being in flow communication with one of the two valve entrances, the two channel passageways merging into a common outlet passageway which terminates at the valve outlet and each of the two channel passageways having a plurality of 90 degree, or greater, turns between its associated valve entrance and the common outlet passageway.
7. The flexible pouch according to claim 1 wherein the pouch encloses fresh roasted ground or whole bean coffee.
8. A flexible pouch for containing food products, comprising:
a) flexible sheets sealed together around a peripheral edge of the flexible sheets and defining therebetween a storage compartment for containing therein a food product; and
b) a pressure relief valve integrally formed in a peripheral edge portion of the flexible sheets, the pressure relief valve having an effective torturous channel and geometry so that it remains closed when an internal pressure inside the storage compartment is below a pre-selected pressure but opens when the pre-selected pressure is exceeded and when the pressure drops below the threshold pressure the channel passageway closes at one or more points along its length thus substantially inhibiting back-flow of air back into the storage chamber.
9. The flexible pouch according to claim 8 wherein the pressure relief valve is a one-way valve including at least one valve entrance, and at least one channel passageway terminating in a valve outlet which defines a passageway from the storage compartment to the exterior of the pouch.
10. The flexible pouch according to claim 9 wherein the flexible sheets include flexible polymeric film material.
11. The flexible pouch according to claim 10 wherein the at least one valve entrance is two valve entrances spaced apart from each other, and wherein the at least one channel passageways is two channel passageways each being in flow communication with one of the two valve entrances, the two channel passageways merging into a common outlet passageway which terminates at the valve outlet and each of the two channel passageways having a plurality of 90 degree, or greater, turns between its associated valve entrance and the common outlet passageway.
12. The flexible pouch according to claim 9 wherein the pouch encloses fresh roasted ground or whole bean coffee.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-24. (canceled)
25. A catheter assembly comprising:
a catheter shaft having an axial length, a proximal end, a distal end, an outer layer of a first material, and an inner reinforcing layer;
an outer jacket segment of a second material having an axial length, a proximal end, and a distal end, the second material being different from the first material;
said catheter shaft operatively connected at its distal end to the proximal end of said outer jacket segment;
said inner reinforcing layer of the catheter shaft extending throughout the entire axial length of the catheter shaft and the outer jacket segment.
26. The catheter shaft of claim 25, wherein the axial length of the outer jacket segment further comprises materials of different durometer hardness.
27. The catheter shaft of claim 25, wherein the axial length of the outer jacket segment has an arcuate shape.
28. The catheter shaft of claim 27, wherein the arcuate shape of the outer jacket segment is fixed.
29. The catheter shaft of claim 27, wherein the arcuate shape of the outer jacket segment is flexible.
30-34. (canceled)
35. A catheter assembly comprising:
a catheter shaft having an axial length, a proximal end, a distal end, an outer layer of a first material and an inner reinforcing layer, at least a portion of the outer layer having been removed from the distal end of the catheter shaft in order to expose a distal segment of the catheter shaft; and
an outer jacket segment of a second material having an axial length, a proximal end, and a distal end, the second material being different from the first material;
wherein the catheter shaft is operatively connected at its distal segment to the outer jacket segment such that the outer jacket segment substantially replaces the portion of the outer layer that has been removed from the distal end of the catheter shaft in order to form a substantially unitary catheter shaft;
wherein the inner reinforcing layer of the catheter shaft extends throughout the entire axial length of the catheter shaft and the outer jacket segment.
36. The catheter shaft of claim 35, wherein the first material and the second material have different durometer hardness values.
37. The catheter shaft of claim 35, wherein the first material is a melt processable polymer and the second material is another melt processable polymer.
38. The catheter shaft of claim 35, wherein the catheter shaft includes an inner layer of a third material, the inner reinforcing layer being sandwiched between the outer layer and the inner layer, and further comprising an inner jacket segment of a fourth material having an axial length, a proximal end, and a distal end, the inner jacket segment being bonded to the inner layer at the distal segment of the catheter shaft.
39. The catheter shaft of claim 35, wherein the catheter shaft includes an inner layer of a third material, the inner reinforcing layer being sandwiched between the outer layer and the inner layer, at least a portion of the inner layer having been removed from the distal end of the catheter shaft at the distal segment of the catheter shaft, and further comprising:
an inner jacket segment of a fourth material having an axial length, a proximal end, and a distal end;
wherein the catheter shaft is operatively connected at its distal segment to the inner jacket segment such that the inner jacket segment substantially replaces the portion of the inner layer that has been removed from the distal end of the catheter shaft in order to form a substantially unitary catheter shaft.
40. The catheter shaft of claim 39, wherein the third material and the fourth material have different durometer hardness values.
41. A catheter assembly comprising:
a catheter shaft having an axial length, a proximal end, a distal end, an outer layer of a first material, and an inner reinforcing layer;
an outer jacket comprising a second material and including an axial length, a proximal end, and a distal end, the second material being different from the first material, and wherein the outer jacket comprises a plurality of segments arranged along the axial length of the outer jacket such that the proximal end of one segment abuts the distal end of an adjacent segment;
the catheter shaft operatively connected at its distal end to the proximal end of the most proximal segment of the outer jacket;
the inner reinforcing layer of the catheter shaft extending throughout the entire axial length of the catheter shaft and the plurality of segments of the outer jacket.
42. The catheter assembly of claim 41, wherein the outer layer comprises surface etching.
43. The catheter assembly of claim 41, wherein the plurality of segments of the outer jacket comprise varying durometers.
44. The catheter assembly of claim 41, wherein the first material and the second material have different durometer hardness values.
45. The catheter assembly of claim 41, wherein the first material is a melt processable polymer and the second material is another melt processable polymer.
46. The catheter assembly of claim 41, wherein the catheter shaft includes an inner layer of a third material, the inner reinforcing layer being sandwiched between the outer layer and the inner layer, and further comprising an inner jacket segment of a fourth material having an axial length, a proximal end, and a distal end, the inner jacket segment being bonded to the inner layer at the distal segment of the catheter shaft.