AU617861B2

AU617861B2 - Reusable packaging

Info

Publication number: AU617861B2
Application number: AU41100/89A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jurgen Karsten
Original assignee: AARONHILL PLASTICS Pty Ltd
Current assignee: AARONHILL PLASTICS Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1988-10-06
Filing date: 1989-09-05
Publication date: 1991-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 2009-09-05
Also published as: AU4110089A

Description

5805/2 61 86 2 S F Ref: 73625 FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: Class Int. Class 5S@@

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Application Number: Lodged: Priority: Related Art: PJ0789 6 September 1988 Accepted: Published: Name and Address of Applicant: Aaronhill Plastics Pty Limited 73 Powers Road Seven Hills New South Wales 2147

AUSTRALIA

S 0** 0 0* 0 S 5 Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Jurgen Karsten Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys, Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Complete Specification for the invention entitled: Reusable Packaging The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us 4 05 /C S9/9 5815/4 The present invention relates to reusable packaging and, in particular, to reusable packaging made from plastics materials.

Various forms of reusable envelopes, packages and the like are known. Such packaging typically comprises a generally envelope shaped portion having a flap which covers a mouth portion of the generally enveloped shaped package. The flap can be bent over in order to seal the mouth of the package.

Sealing of the flap against the package is effected by the use of "tacky" gums, reusable metal fasteners, double sided tape and the like.

Some of these sealing systems result in a product with a very short life as far as effecting resealing of the package is concerned.

Other forms of reusable seal have a relatively long life span but are relatively complex to manufacture in the first place.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a reusable, resealable package, envelope or the like which has a relatively long oooo S. lifetime and yet is also relatively simple to manufacture.

In one broad form there is provided a reusable, resealable plastics packaging comprising an envelope portion adapted to enclose an S .:i o item, said packaging having a mouth at at least one end adapted to receive said item, said packaging further including a flap portion attached to said mouth; said flap portion placed and adapted so as to be folded over said mouth portion and against an outer surface of said envelope portion whereby said mouth is sealed; either said flap or said outer surface including an electrostatic portion arranged to attract one to the other whereby said flap and said outer surface are maintained in sealed relation when they are brought into contact with each other.

Preferably said envelope portion is made entirely from planar, plastics material and said flap is made from an electrostatic plastics material and sealing of said flap against said planar plastics material is achieved by electrostatic attraction.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the present nvention, Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a pouch or envelope 1 comprising an envelope portion 2 and having a flap extending the full length of one side of the lip of the envelope portion 2. The flap 3 is

-I-

HRF/0091z i arranged to be foldable over the mouth 4 of the envelope portion 2 so as to seal the mouth 4.

In this embodiment the envelope portion 2 of the pouch 1 is made from planar, clear or opaque plastics material. The flap 3 is made from a relatively thinner electrostatic plastics material which, when folded against an outer surface of the envelope portion 2 adheres to the envelope portion through electrostatic action.

In use an item to be packaged is passed through the mouth 4 into the envelope portion 2 of the pouch 1. The flap 3 is then folded over the mouth 4 and down against the opposed outer surface of the envelope portion 2. The pouch is thus sealed. Removal of the packaged item from the pouch is effected by lifting the flap 3 (finger pressure will be enough to break the electrostatic seal between the flap and the surface of the envelope) and the item removed through the mouth of the pouch.

In one form the envelope 2 is manufactured by heat sealing the edges of two face to face, planar plastics sheets. One edge is left unsealed to form the mouth 4. The flap 3, made from electrostatic plastics S material, is welded to the lip portion ofone of the sheets making up the envelope 2.

Referring to Figure 2 a second embodiment of the invention is shown wherein the packet or envelope portion comprises two facing planar plastics sheets 5 which are heat sealed along only two edges, 6, 7 as indicated. Flaps 8, 9 are placed along the open portions 10, 11 for the S purpose of closing over those open portions. The flaps 8, 9 remain in closed position by means of electrostatic attraction as previously descrbed.

1 The above describes only two embodiments of the present invention and modifications obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

For example the flap can be made an integral portion of one of the two sheets making up the envelope. The other envelope sheet, at least at it's lip at the mouth 4, can be rendered electrostatic so that the flap -2- HRF/0091z *1 will be electrostatically attracted to this portion of the envelope when the flap is brought against it.

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3 0 3 I HRF/0091 z

Claims

1. A reusable, resealable plastics packaging comprising an envelope portion adapted to enclose an item, said packaging having a mouth at at least one end adapted to receive said item, said packaging further including a flap portion attached to said mouth; said flap portion placed and adapted so as to be folded over said mouth portion and against an outer surface of said envelope portion whereby said mouth is sealed; either said flap or said outer surface including an electrostatic portion arranged to attract one to the other whereby said flap and said outer surface are maintained in sealed relation when they are brought into contact with each S, other.

2. The packaging of claim 1 wherein said envelope portion is made entirely from planar, plastics material and said flap is made from an electrostatic plastics material and sealing of said flap against said planar plastics material is achieved by electrostatic attraction.

3. A reusable, resealable plastics packaging as herein before particularly described with reference to what is shown in Figure 1.

4. A reusable, resealable plastics packaging as herein before particularly described with reference to what is shown in Figure 2. V' DATED this NINTH day of AUGUST 1989 Aaronhill Plastics Pty Limited 0* Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON -4- HRF/0091z