CA2036324A1 - Access reclosable package - Google Patents
Access reclosable packageInfo
- Publication number
- CA2036324A1 CA2036324A1 CA002036324A CA2036324A CA2036324A1 CA 2036324 A1 CA2036324 A1 CA 2036324A1 CA 002036324 A CA002036324 A CA 002036324A CA 2036324 A CA2036324 A CA 2036324A CA 2036324 A1 CA2036324 A1 CA 2036324A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- package
- reclosable
- openable
- adhesive strip
- heat seal
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes, or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
- B65D75/52—Details
- B65D75/58—Opening or contents-removing devices added or incorporated during package manufacture
- B65D75/5855—Peelable seals
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2575/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
- B65D2575/52—Details
- B65D2575/58—Opening or contents-removing devices added or incorporated during package manufacture
- B65D2575/586—Opening or contents-removing devices added or incorporated during package manufacture with means for reclosing
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes, or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
- B65D75/04—Articles or materials wholly enclosed in single sheets or wrapper blanks
- B65D75/20—Articles or materials wholly enclosed in single sheets or wrapper blanks in sheets or blanks doubled around contents and having their opposed free margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Packages (AREA)
Abstract
Abstract of the Disclosure An improved access reclosable package includes an openable and reclosable adhesive strip located along two, three or four sides of a package made from a single film or two films, and enclosing a product such as luncheon meat.
Peelable and unpeelable heat seals, adhesive strips, combina-tion seals and intermittent seals may be used in conjunction with the openable and reclosable adhesive strips. Single films may be folded and include an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along one side of the package, opposite the fold.
4/890726.1A/PROSLB
Peelable and unpeelable heat seals, adhesive strips, combina-tion seals and intermittent seals may be used in conjunction with the openable and reclosable adhesive strips. Single films may be folded and include an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along one side of the package, opposite the fold.
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Description
Improved Access Reclosable Package Field of the Invention The present invention relates to reclosable packag-ing, and more particularly to reclosable packaging for food products wherein the package is sealed and also includes an adhesive openable/reclosable strip along at least two sides of the package or improved access to the contained food product.
Background of the Invention Many products, especially food products, are pack-aged in flexible or semi-rigid packaging materials made from polymeric films or laminates. In the case of food products such as luncheon meats t frankfurters, and the like, it is often desirable to use a portion of the contents and store the remainder in the refrigerator for later use.
Hermetic sealing of packaging materials for ood applications is well known in the art. Because these packag-es are typically opened by a knife or other implement, they are not easily opened and are not reclosable.
Much effort has been directed towards the produc-tion of easy open packages where incompatible sealants or other systems are used to produce a package which can be opened without the use of a knife or other implement. Howev-er, such packages often are too easily opened, and the 4/890726.lA/PROSLB
structural integrity and safety of the contained food product is therefore jeopardized.
Even in the case of many easy open packages, these packages are often not reclosable and therefore do not pro-vide the possîbility of use of a portion of the contained product, and reclosure and storage of the remainder of the product in the same package without the need for separate reclosure means.
It is therefore desirable to provide the combina-tion of package integrity and product safety associated with a hermetic seal, and a reclosable feature which allows the end user to store unused portions of the package, once opened, in the same package for later use.
Efforts have been made even in this area to provide such a combination. U. S. Patent No. 4,782,951 ~Griesbach et al) discloses a reclosable package having interlocking clo-sure strips positioned outside of a hermetic seal or seal area. The hermetic seal is of the easy open type so as not to destroy the integrity of the package or closure strips on opening.
Such a combination requires the use of interlocking closure strips which require either an extrusion of the clo-sure strips during production of the package material, or the separate step of applying the strips as discrete components to the packaging material prior to or during the final packag-ing operation. Additionally, such closure strips add an additional expense to the cost of producing such a package.
It is therefore also desirable to provide a reclosable package which preferably is hermetically sealed, and a means of opening and reclosing the package to preserve unused portions of the contained product, but without the necessity of utiliziny interlocking closure strips, or compli-4/890726.lA/PROSLB
cating the extrusion process by incorporating closure stripsinto the extrusion steps.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reclosable package in which access along more than one side of the package by means of the openable/reclosable feature is availa~le.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a reclosable package which is tamper evident so that the package changes in appearance after it has bcen opened and reclosed.
Summary of the Invention In one aspect of the present invention, a reclosable package having four sides comprises a first film web; a second film web; a means for connecting the film webs at a first side of the package; a product placed between the two film webs; an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bonded to and disposed between the first and second film webs, along a second and third side of the package; and a seal located along a fourth side of the package~
In another aspect of the present invention, a reclosable package havin~ four sides comprises a first film web; a second film web; a means for connecting the film webs at a first side of the package; a product placed between the two film webs; and an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bonded to and disposed between the first and second film webs, along the second, third and fourth sides of the pack-age.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a reclosable package having four sides comprises a first film web; a second film web; a product placed between the two film webs; and an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bonded to 4/890726.lA/PROSLB
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~nd disposed between the first and second film webs along each side of the package.
In still another aspect of the presen-t invention, a reclosable package having four sides comprises a first film web; a second film web; an integral fold at a first side of the package, the webs having been formed from a single film;
a product placed between the two film webs; an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bonded to and disposed between the first and second ~ilm we~s, along the side of the package opposite the first side; and a seal located along the third and fourth sides of the package.
In another aspect of the inventi~n, a method for making a reclosable package comprises applying an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along at least two sides of a first film web, on an interior surface thereof; placing a product on the first film web; covering the product and first film web with a second film web; and sealing the first and second film webs together to form the finished package.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method of making a reclosa~le package comprises folding a single film to form an integral fold at a first side of the package, and a first film web and second film web; applying an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along the side of the first film web opposite the integxal fold, on an interior surface of the first film web; placing a product on the first film web; covering the product and first f ilm web With the second film web and sealin~ the first and second film webs together to form the finished package.
In still another aspect of the invention, a method of making a reclosable package comprised folding a single film to form an integral fold at a first side of the package, and a first film web and a second film web; applying an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along -the side of the first film web opposite the integral fold, on an exterior 4/890726.1A/PRoSLs ~3~
surface of -the first film web; placing a product on the first film web; covering the product and Eirst film web with the second film web which overlaps the side of the first web at which the openable and reclosable adhesive strip has been applied; folding the second film web so that an interior surface thereof comes in contact with the adhesive strip; and sealing the first and second film webs together to form the finished package. This last method avoids any food contact with the adhesive strip.
Brief Description of the Drawlngs Figure 1 is a plan view of a reclosable package in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 2 is a partially schematic cross-sectional view of the package of Figure 1.
Figures 3-4 are plan views of alternative embodi-ments of the inventive package.
Figure 5 is a partially schematic cross-sectlonal view of the package of Figure 4.
Figures 6, 7 and 8 are plan views of other alterna-tive embodiments of the inventive package.
Figure 9 is a partially schematic cross-sectional view of the alternative embodiment of Figure 8.
Figures 10, 11 and 12 are plan views of still other embodiments of the invention.
Figures 13A, B through Figures l9A, B are elevational end views of various combination seals that may be used as part of the present invention.
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Figures 20 and 21 are cross-sectional views of packages with an overlapping web in accordance with -th~
present invention.
Figures 22 and 23 are perspective views of a thermoforming system in connection with the present inven-tion.
Figure ~4 is a perspective view of a vertical form/fill/seal system in connection with the present inven-tion.
Figure 25 is a partially schematic cross sectional view of an easy open mechanism in connection with the present invention.
Definitions The term "heat seal" is used herein to mean a sPal bonding together two film webs which may or may not be dis-crete films, by the application oE a heated seal bar or other device at sufficient temperature, pressure and dwell time to xesult in a bond between the respective film webs in the heat seal area. Such a bond would not be easily peelable under normal usage, and would normally result in a hermetic seal.
The term "film" is used both in a stricter sense to denote a relatîve thin monolayer ox multilayer thermoplastic or cross-linked thermoplastic structure useful as packaging material, and also in a broader sense to include thermoformable materials such as laminates wherein convention-al adhesives, corona treating, flame treating, and like pro-cesses are used to bond together discrete films or layers into a final multilayer packaging material.
The term "folded film" is used herein to describe a single iilm or film web that has been folded upon itself to 4/890726.lA/PROSLB
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provide in effect two xesulting film webs ~hich can be sealed together in various ways described in more detail below.
The term "adhesive strip" is used herein to de-scribe adhesives which can be applied by nozzles or other dispensing means to a film web to promote adhesion between contacting surfaces of the film web and the adhesive. This term implies that the adhesive strip is not a true reclosable strip, although it may be one which can be easily peeled.
The term "peelable heat seal" is used herein to describe a heat seal as discussed above which is made under such conditions of temperature, pressure and dwell time that the resulting heat seal has an opening force of between one pound and about six pounds. Peelable heat seals are there-fore heat seals which can be made by for e~ample seal bars or other such devices, but which can be peeled open by manually pulling apart a package. The use of a knife or other imple-ment to open the package by puncturing or tearing is not needed if a peelable heat seal is part of the package in accordance with the present invention.
The term "openable/reclosable adhesive stripl' is used herein to describe a strip of a green i.e. uncured hot melt adhesive or similar material preferably applied by a nozzle or like dispensing means to a film during a packaging process. These adhesives have the property of providing a peelable seal which can be reclosed after the package has been opened by pressing the film webs together in the vicini-ty of the adhesive strip.
The term 'lintermittent heat seal" means a heat seal as described above, but one which is discontinuous along its length so that periodic alternating portions of the seal are actually defined by thermally unsealed areas.
The term "combination seal" is used to describe various alternative embodiments in which an 4/890726.lA/PROSLB
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openable/reclosable adhesive strip is used in combination with intermittent heat seals either in a superimposed fashion or in a juxtaposed fashion to provide a seal which is peel able and reclosable.
The legend beneath Figure 1 of the drawings graphi-cally depicts the various types of seals defined above.
Terms such as "second side of the package" and "third side of the package" mean generally the peripheral area around a typical four sided package at which one or more seals of the various types discussed herein is present. The relative location of these "sides" can best be determined by reference to the plan views of for example Figures 1, Figures 3 and 4, and so on. Thus, the terms "side" or "sicles" are to be distinguished from the terms "surface" or "surfaces" which refer to the two major surfaces or external faces of a film web.
Of course~ those skilled in the art will understand that although the invention is descri~ed in some detail below with reference to a ~our sided package, packages with less or more than four sides, may be made using the seals and combina-tions of seals described herein for the present invention.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figure 1 a packag~ 10 includes a Eirst film web 12 (see Figure 2) and a second film web 14. Packag-ing films especially for food applications are well known in the art, and vary according to the desired end use properties including heat sealability, abuse resistance, shrinkability, optics, and other considerations.
When a suitable film is selected, it may be used in various processes such as thermoforming or vertical form/fill/seal operations, in connection with the present invention, to provide a package having a reclosable feature 4/890726.lA/PROSLB
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~nd preferably a hermetic seal. As indicated above, the term "film" here includes laminates such as thermoformable multilayer thermoplastic constructions made by coextrusion, extrusion coating, conventional lamination, corona treating and like processes. Figure 1 shows a food product 16 pack-aged within film webs 12 and 14.
Although the packages of the present invention are preferably hermetic, as required in many end-use applica-tions, this is not required in all applications and the present invention is broad enough to include non-hermetic packaging made using the various combinations of seals de-scribed in more detail below.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, film webs 12 and 14 are actually a part of a single film which is folded at fold 18 upon itself to form the two film webs. Between them is trapped the product such as a food product 16. Depending on the equipment used, film types, and processing conditions, portions of the first and second film webs 12 and 14 may self-weld or otherwise be in close contact along some portion 20 of the package.
Product 16 is typically a food product, and the present invention is especially useful for packaging luncheon meats and franks.
An adhesive strip 22 is located on one side of films 12 and 14 i.e. towards one side or end of the final package, and in the case of Figure 1 is located between a relevant peripheral portion 24 of the film web 14, and the food product 16.
It will be noticed throughout the drawings that in typical conventional apparatus for thermoforming thermoplastic materials, placing the product in the cavity, covering the product and ~irst material with a second web and applying the appropriate seals some peripheral material will 4/890726.1A/PROSLB
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~e outside the bounds of the final Einished and cut package.
This material is depicted throughout as reference numeral 24. The extent of this peripheral film will vary depending on the process and equipment used.
An openable and closable adhesive strip 26 is de-fined along two adjoining sides of the package of Figure 1.
Upon opening the package, the openable and reclosable adhesive strip 26 can ~e peeled back to gain ac-cess to food product 16.
Food product 16 is depicted in Figure 1 in general fashion, but can be for example luncheon meats, frankfurters, and other food products, often in discrete portions, which may be used in part with the remainder resealed by closing the package back along openable/reclosable adhesive strip 26.
Figure 3 shows an alternative em~odiment of the invention in which heat seal 28 is located along one side of the package.
The openable/reclosable adhesive strip 26 may be applied by various means and in various ways to either the first film 12 or second film 14, or both. It is preferably applied in a substantially straight line along a relatively narrow portion of one side of the film 12 or 14, or both.
Also preferably, the openable/reclosable adhesive strip 26 will be suhstantially parallel to a relevant side of the finished package.
The adhesive used in the openable/reclosable adhe-sive strip 26 is preferably a green, l.e. uncured hot melt adhesive. Such adhesives are well known in the art. The adhesive is preferably applied by a nozzle or like dispensing means to the film during the packaging process. In this way, roll stock ~Ised in the packaging process will not be compli-4/890726.lA/PROSLB
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~ated by the presence of the adhesive before the packagingsteps are initiated. However, the adhesive may also be ap-plied as a discrete strip of material, for example a thermoplastic polymeric material to which a hot melt or simi-lar material has been appliedO The adhesi~e may be applied as a hot melt spray, cold glue spray, hot melt coating, or cold glue coating to a film web as it is fed from a rollstock to create longitudinal adhesive strips. Transverse adhesive strips may be applied by intermittently spraying a hot melt or cold glue. These processes may be combined to produce any combination of one, two, three or four side openable/reclosable adhesive strip seals in the finished package.
Apparatus conventional in the art can be used to install a heat seals or other seals described herein parallel to or superimposed on any or all of the openable/reclosable adhesive strips to produce various seal arrangements on one or more sides of the finished package. Figures 22 and 23 graphically illustrate methods of applying the adhesive mate-rial to a film web.
Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view of the pack-age of Figure 1, and the relationships among the various components of the package.
The films 12 and 14 of the drawings are depicted as monolayer films, and preferably comprise a heat sealable material when needed to produce a finished package having a heat seal, peelable heat seal, or combination or intermittent seal. Other types of films having for example radiation frequency sealability may also be used when needed. Also, multilayer thermoplastic constructions are included within the scope of this invention.
Referring to Figure 3, an alternative embodiment includes the use of a heat seal 28 along one side of the 4/890726.lA/PROSLB
3~
package with the package otherwlse resembling that of Figure 1.
Referring to Figures 4 and 5, an alternative embodi-ment of the invention includes the use of an openable and reclosable adhesive strip 26 on two sides of the package, and a peelable heat seal 30 bonding together the first and second film webs along a portion of the package substantially paral-lel to the openable and reclosable adhesive strips, and he-tween such strips and the food product 16.
Figures 6 and 7 show two additional alternative embodiments. In Figure 6, an intermittent heat seal is dis-posed between and substantially parallel to the respective openable and reclosable adhesive strips 26 and the food prod-uct 16 in a manner similar to the seal arrangement of Figure 4. One side of the package has a continuous heat seal 28.
In Figure 7 a package is depicted similar to that of Figure 6, but having a combination heat seal 34 , and an adhesive strip 22 along the fourth side of the package.
Figures 8 and 9 show another alternative embodiment in which the openable and reclosable adhesive strip is locat-ed along two adjacent sides of the package, but this time inboard of i.e. closer to the food product than the intermit-tent heat seal 32. Unlike the previous figures, Figure 8 shows that the remaining two sides of the package are heat seals, so that instead of a folded ~ilm folded at 18, heat seals 28 are used for the third and fourth sides of the pack-age.
Figure 10 depicts a package in accordance with the invention in which openable and reclosable adhesive strips are used along two sides of the package and then another set of openable and reclosable adhesive strips are positioned substantially parallel to respective outer strips. An adhe-sive strip bonds a third side of the package, and a heat seal bonds a fourth side of the package.
4/890726.1A/PROSLB
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It should be n~ted that various combinations of the different seal types utilized in this invention are inter-changeable, so that for example in Figure 8 the openable and reclosable adhesive strips are located between the intermit-tent heat seal and the food product. The reverse is also possible. Either a fold 18 or one of the seal types dis-cussed herein is suitable for a third side of the package, and a fourth side of the package may include any of the seal types discussed. These seal types may be produced by conven-tional apparatus and processes well known in the art.
Several functions are served by these different seal arrangements.
First, by providing peelable access along more than one side of the package, easier access to the contained prod-uct is provided.
Secondly, by including an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along at least two sides of the package, not only is access to the package improved, but the package can be more easily reclosed in a way to provide the same improved access on reopening the package a second and third time.
Using a folded film with a fold 18 along one side of the package, only one film ls necessary to produce the finished package rather than two discrete rollstocks. This is especially useful in vertical form-fill-seal applications as depicted for example in Figure 24.
A third important function of these seal arrange-ments is that in the case of the intermittent heat seals and combination seals, once the package is opened, reclosing the package will produce a package with a different appearance.
This makes the package a tamper evident package and allows the consumer to determine whether the package has been opened before sale.
4/890726.lA/PROSLB
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A four~h fea~ure of the present invention is -that the package can be made hermetic by the use of peelable heat seals, adhesive strips and heat seals as depicted in the drawings, so that a packa~e with extended shelf life and freshness can be obtained. The openable and reclosable adhe-sive strip can itself be made hermetic or not hermetic depend-in~ on the process and desired end-use, and the manner in which the adhesive is applied to the film.
Figures 1-10 describe a package in which two sides include an openable and reclosable adhesive strip. Figure 11 discloses a similar package but one in which three sides of the package include the openable and reclosable adhesive strip 26. In Figure 11, a peelable heat seal 30 runs paral-lel to the openable and reclosable strip along each of the three respective sides. A fold 18 along the fourth side of the package completes the sealing arrangement.
In Figure 12, the openable and reclosable adhesive strips 28 surround the food product along all four sides, as does the peelable heat seal 30.
As in the case of the package configurations with openable and reclosable adhesive strips along two sides, the packages of Figures 11 and 12 can be modified in the various ways described above. For example, the positions of the o~enable and reclosable adhesive strips 26 and peelable heat seals 30 can be reversed , so that the peelable heat seals are peripheral to the openable and reclosable adhesive strips. In the case of the package disclosed in Figure 11, an adhesive strip or heat seal may be substituted for the fold 18 on the fourth side of the package.
In addition, a third seal of the various types described above may be included along any side of the package so that for example in the package of Figure 11 an additional openable and reclosable adhesive strip 28 may ~e disposed substantially parallel to the peelable heat seal and between 4/890726.lA/PROSLB
Background of the Invention Many products, especially food products, are pack-aged in flexible or semi-rigid packaging materials made from polymeric films or laminates. In the case of food products such as luncheon meats t frankfurters, and the like, it is often desirable to use a portion of the contents and store the remainder in the refrigerator for later use.
Hermetic sealing of packaging materials for ood applications is well known in the art. Because these packag-es are typically opened by a knife or other implement, they are not easily opened and are not reclosable.
Much effort has been directed towards the produc-tion of easy open packages where incompatible sealants or other systems are used to produce a package which can be opened without the use of a knife or other implement. Howev-er, such packages often are too easily opened, and the 4/890726.lA/PROSLB
structural integrity and safety of the contained food product is therefore jeopardized.
Even in the case of many easy open packages, these packages are often not reclosable and therefore do not pro-vide the possîbility of use of a portion of the contained product, and reclosure and storage of the remainder of the product in the same package without the need for separate reclosure means.
It is therefore desirable to provide the combina-tion of package integrity and product safety associated with a hermetic seal, and a reclosable feature which allows the end user to store unused portions of the package, once opened, in the same package for later use.
Efforts have been made even in this area to provide such a combination. U. S. Patent No. 4,782,951 ~Griesbach et al) discloses a reclosable package having interlocking clo-sure strips positioned outside of a hermetic seal or seal area. The hermetic seal is of the easy open type so as not to destroy the integrity of the package or closure strips on opening.
Such a combination requires the use of interlocking closure strips which require either an extrusion of the clo-sure strips during production of the package material, or the separate step of applying the strips as discrete components to the packaging material prior to or during the final packag-ing operation. Additionally, such closure strips add an additional expense to the cost of producing such a package.
It is therefore also desirable to provide a reclosable package which preferably is hermetically sealed, and a means of opening and reclosing the package to preserve unused portions of the contained product, but without the necessity of utiliziny interlocking closure strips, or compli-4/890726.lA/PROSLB
cating the extrusion process by incorporating closure stripsinto the extrusion steps.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reclosable package in which access along more than one side of the package by means of the openable/reclosable feature is availa~le.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a reclosable package which is tamper evident so that the package changes in appearance after it has bcen opened and reclosed.
Summary of the Invention In one aspect of the present invention, a reclosable package having four sides comprises a first film web; a second film web; a means for connecting the film webs at a first side of the package; a product placed between the two film webs; an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bonded to and disposed between the first and second film webs, along a second and third side of the package; and a seal located along a fourth side of the package~
In another aspect of the present invention, a reclosable package havin~ four sides comprises a first film web; a second film web; a means for connecting the film webs at a first side of the package; a product placed between the two film webs; and an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bonded to and disposed between the first and second film webs, along the second, third and fourth sides of the pack-age.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a reclosable package having four sides comprises a first film web; a second film web; a product placed between the two film webs; and an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bonded to 4/890726.lA/PROSLB
;32~
~nd disposed between the first and second film webs along each side of the package.
In still another aspect of the presen-t invention, a reclosable package having four sides comprises a first film web; a second film web; an integral fold at a first side of the package, the webs having been formed from a single film;
a product placed between the two film webs; an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bonded to and disposed between the first and second ~ilm we~s, along the side of the package opposite the first side; and a seal located along the third and fourth sides of the package.
In another aspect of the inventi~n, a method for making a reclosable package comprises applying an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along at least two sides of a first film web, on an interior surface thereof; placing a product on the first film web; covering the product and first film web with a second film web; and sealing the first and second film webs together to form the finished package.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method of making a reclosa~le package comprises folding a single film to form an integral fold at a first side of the package, and a first film web and second film web; applying an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along the side of the first film web opposite the integxal fold, on an interior surface of the first film web; placing a product on the first film web; covering the product and first f ilm web With the second film web and sealin~ the first and second film webs together to form the finished package.
In still another aspect of the invention, a method of making a reclosable package comprised folding a single film to form an integral fold at a first side of the package, and a first film web and a second film web; applying an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along -the side of the first film web opposite the integral fold, on an exterior 4/890726.1A/PRoSLs ~3~
surface of -the first film web; placing a product on the first film web; covering the product and Eirst film web with the second film web which overlaps the side of the first web at which the openable and reclosable adhesive strip has been applied; folding the second film web so that an interior surface thereof comes in contact with the adhesive strip; and sealing the first and second film webs together to form the finished package. This last method avoids any food contact with the adhesive strip.
Brief Description of the Drawlngs Figure 1 is a plan view of a reclosable package in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 2 is a partially schematic cross-sectional view of the package of Figure 1.
Figures 3-4 are plan views of alternative embodi-ments of the inventive package.
Figure 5 is a partially schematic cross-sectlonal view of the package of Figure 4.
Figures 6, 7 and 8 are plan views of other alterna-tive embodiments of the inventive package.
Figure 9 is a partially schematic cross-sectional view of the alternative embodiment of Figure 8.
Figures 10, 11 and 12 are plan views of still other embodiments of the invention.
Figures 13A, B through Figures l9A, B are elevational end views of various combination seals that may be used as part of the present invention.
4/890726. lA/PROSLB
Figures 20 and 21 are cross-sectional views of packages with an overlapping web in accordance with -th~
present invention.
Figures 22 and 23 are perspective views of a thermoforming system in connection with the present inven-tion.
Figure ~4 is a perspective view of a vertical form/fill/seal system in connection with the present inven-tion.
Figure 25 is a partially schematic cross sectional view of an easy open mechanism in connection with the present invention.
Definitions The term "heat seal" is used herein to mean a sPal bonding together two film webs which may or may not be dis-crete films, by the application oE a heated seal bar or other device at sufficient temperature, pressure and dwell time to xesult in a bond between the respective film webs in the heat seal area. Such a bond would not be easily peelable under normal usage, and would normally result in a hermetic seal.
The term "film" is used both in a stricter sense to denote a relatîve thin monolayer ox multilayer thermoplastic or cross-linked thermoplastic structure useful as packaging material, and also in a broader sense to include thermoformable materials such as laminates wherein convention-al adhesives, corona treating, flame treating, and like pro-cesses are used to bond together discrete films or layers into a final multilayer packaging material.
The term "folded film" is used herein to describe a single iilm or film web that has been folded upon itself to 4/890726.lA/PROSLB
l2~
provide in effect two xesulting film webs ~hich can be sealed together in various ways described in more detail below.
The term "adhesive strip" is used herein to de-scribe adhesives which can be applied by nozzles or other dispensing means to a film web to promote adhesion between contacting surfaces of the film web and the adhesive. This term implies that the adhesive strip is not a true reclosable strip, although it may be one which can be easily peeled.
The term "peelable heat seal" is used herein to describe a heat seal as discussed above which is made under such conditions of temperature, pressure and dwell time that the resulting heat seal has an opening force of between one pound and about six pounds. Peelable heat seals are there-fore heat seals which can be made by for e~ample seal bars or other such devices, but which can be peeled open by manually pulling apart a package. The use of a knife or other imple-ment to open the package by puncturing or tearing is not needed if a peelable heat seal is part of the package in accordance with the present invention.
The term "openable/reclosable adhesive stripl' is used herein to describe a strip of a green i.e. uncured hot melt adhesive or similar material preferably applied by a nozzle or like dispensing means to a film during a packaging process. These adhesives have the property of providing a peelable seal which can be reclosed after the package has been opened by pressing the film webs together in the vicini-ty of the adhesive strip.
The term 'lintermittent heat seal" means a heat seal as described above, but one which is discontinuous along its length so that periodic alternating portions of the seal are actually defined by thermally unsealed areas.
The term "combination seal" is used to describe various alternative embodiments in which an 4/890726.lA/PROSLB
3~2~
openable/reclosable adhesive strip is used in combination with intermittent heat seals either in a superimposed fashion or in a juxtaposed fashion to provide a seal which is peel able and reclosable.
The legend beneath Figure 1 of the drawings graphi-cally depicts the various types of seals defined above.
Terms such as "second side of the package" and "third side of the package" mean generally the peripheral area around a typical four sided package at which one or more seals of the various types discussed herein is present. The relative location of these "sides" can best be determined by reference to the plan views of for example Figures 1, Figures 3 and 4, and so on. Thus, the terms "side" or "sicles" are to be distinguished from the terms "surface" or "surfaces" which refer to the two major surfaces or external faces of a film web.
Of course~ those skilled in the art will understand that although the invention is descri~ed in some detail below with reference to a ~our sided package, packages with less or more than four sides, may be made using the seals and combina-tions of seals described herein for the present invention.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figure 1 a packag~ 10 includes a Eirst film web 12 (see Figure 2) and a second film web 14. Packag-ing films especially for food applications are well known in the art, and vary according to the desired end use properties including heat sealability, abuse resistance, shrinkability, optics, and other considerations.
When a suitable film is selected, it may be used in various processes such as thermoforming or vertical form/fill/seal operations, in connection with the present invention, to provide a package having a reclosable feature 4/890726.lA/PROSLB
~3~
~nd preferably a hermetic seal. As indicated above, the term "film" here includes laminates such as thermoformable multilayer thermoplastic constructions made by coextrusion, extrusion coating, conventional lamination, corona treating and like processes. Figure 1 shows a food product 16 pack-aged within film webs 12 and 14.
Although the packages of the present invention are preferably hermetic, as required in many end-use applica-tions, this is not required in all applications and the present invention is broad enough to include non-hermetic packaging made using the various combinations of seals de-scribed in more detail below.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, film webs 12 and 14 are actually a part of a single film which is folded at fold 18 upon itself to form the two film webs. Between them is trapped the product such as a food product 16. Depending on the equipment used, film types, and processing conditions, portions of the first and second film webs 12 and 14 may self-weld or otherwise be in close contact along some portion 20 of the package.
Product 16 is typically a food product, and the present invention is especially useful for packaging luncheon meats and franks.
An adhesive strip 22 is located on one side of films 12 and 14 i.e. towards one side or end of the final package, and in the case of Figure 1 is located between a relevant peripheral portion 24 of the film web 14, and the food product 16.
It will be noticed throughout the drawings that in typical conventional apparatus for thermoforming thermoplastic materials, placing the product in the cavity, covering the product and ~irst material with a second web and applying the appropriate seals some peripheral material will 4/890726.1A/PROSLB
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~e outside the bounds of the final Einished and cut package.
This material is depicted throughout as reference numeral 24. The extent of this peripheral film will vary depending on the process and equipment used.
An openable and closable adhesive strip 26 is de-fined along two adjoining sides of the package of Figure 1.
Upon opening the package, the openable and reclosable adhesive strip 26 can ~e peeled back to gain ac-cess to food product 16.
Food product 16 is depicted in Figure 1 in general fashion, but can be for example luncheon meats, frankfurters, and other food products, often in discrete portions, which may be used in part with the remainder resealed by closing the package back along openable/reclosable adhesive strip 26.
Figure 3 shows an alternative em~odiment of the invention in which heat seal 28 is located along one side of the package.
The openable/reclosable adhesive strip 26 may be applied by various means and in various ways to either the first film 12 or second film 14, or both. It is preferably applied in a substantially straight line along a relatively narrow portion of one side of the film 12 or 14, or both.
Also preferably, the openable/reclosable adhesive strip 26 will be suhstantially parallel to a relevant side of the finished package.
The adhesive used in the openable/reclosable adhe-sive strip 26 is preferably a green, l.e. uncured hot melt adhesive. Such adhesives are well known in the art. The adhesive is preferably applied by a nozzle or like dispensing means to the film during the packaging process. In this way, roll stock ~Ised in the packaging process will not be compli-4/890726.lA/PROSLB
~2~3~
~ated by the presence of the adhesive before the packagingsteps are initiated. However, the adhesive may also be ap-plied as a discrete strip of material, for example a thermoplastic polymeric material to which a hot melt or simi-lar material has been appliedO The adhesi~e may be applied as a hot melt spray, cold glue spray, hot melt coating, or cold glue coating to a film web as it is fed from a rollstock to create longitudinal adhesive strips. Transverse adhesive strips may be applied by intermittently spraying a hot melt or cold glue. These processes may be combined to produce any combination of one, two, three or four side openable/reclosable adhesive strip seals in the finished package.
Apparatus conventional in the art can be used to install a heat seals or other seals described herein parallel to or superimposed on any or all of the openable/reclosable adhesive strips to produce various seal arrangements on one or more sides of the finished package. Figures 22 and 23 graphically illustrate methods of applying the adhesive mate-rial to a film web.
Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view of the pack-age of Figure 1, and the relationships among the various components of the package.
The films 12 and 14 of the drawings are depicted as monolayer films, and preferably comprise a heat sealable material when needed to produce a finished package having a heat seal, peelable heat seal, or combination or intermittent seal. Other types of films having for example radiation frequency sealability may also be used when needed. Also, multilayer thermoplastic constructions are included within the scope of this invention.
Referring to Figure 3, an alternative embodiment includes the use of a heat seal 28 along one side of the 4/890726.lA/PROSLB
3~
package with the package otherwlse resembling that of Figure 1.
Referring to Figures 4 and 5, an alternative embodi-ment of the invention includes the use of an openable and reclosable adhesive strip 26 on two sides of the package, and a peelable heat seal 30 bonding together the first and second film webs along a portion of the package substantially paral-lel to the openable and reclosable adhesive strips, and he-tween such strips and the food product 16.
Figures 6 and 7 show two additional alternative embodiments. In Figure 6, an intermittent heat seal is dis-posed between and substantially parallel to the respective openable and reclosable adhesive strips 26 and the food prod-uct 16 in a manner similar to the seal arrangement of Figure 4. One side of the package has a continuous heat seal 28.
In Figure 7 a package is depicted similar to that of Figure 6, but having a combination heat seal 34 , and an adhesive strip 22 along the fourth side of the package.
Figures 8 and 9 show another alternative embodiment in which the openable and reclosable adhesive strip is locat-ed along two adjacent sides of the package, but this time inboard of i.e. closer to the food product than the intermit-tent heat seal 32. Unlike the previous figures, Figure 8 shows that the remaining two sides of the package are heat seals, so that instead of a folded ~ilm folded at 18, heat seals 28 are used for the third and fourth sides of the pack-age.
Figure 10 depicts a package in accordance with the invention in which openable and reclosable adhesive strips are used along two sides of the package and then another set of openable and reclosable adhesive strips are positioned substantially parallel to respective outer strips. An adhe-sive strip bonds a third side of the package, and a heat seal bonds a fourth side of the package.
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;32~!~
It should be n~ted that various combinations of the different seal types utilized in this invention are inter-changeable, so that for example in Figure 8 the openable and reclosable adhesive strips are located between the intermit-tent heat seal and the food product. The reverse is also possible. Either a fold 18 or one of the seal types dis-cussed herein is suitable for a third side of the package, and a fourth side of the package may include any of the seal types discussed. These seal types may be produced by conven-tional apparatus and processes well known in the art.
Several functions are served by these different seal arrangements.
First, by providing peelable access along more than one side of the package, easier access to the contained prod-uct is provided.
Secondly, by including an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along at least two sides of the package, not only is access to the package improved, but the package can be more easily reclosed in a way to provide the same improved access on reopening the package a second and third time.
Using a folded film with a fold 18 along one side of the package, only one film ls necessary to produce the finished package rather than two discrete rollstocks. This is especially useful in vertical form-fill-seal applications as depicted for example in Figure 24.
A third important function of these seal arrange-ments is that in the case of the intermittent heat seals and combination seals, once the package is opened, reclosing the package will produce a package with a different appearance.
This makes the package a tamper evident package and allows the consumer to determine whether the package has been opened before sale.
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~3~
A four~h fea~ure of the present invention is -that the package can be made hermetic by the use of peelable heat seals, adhesive strips and heat seals as depicted in the drawings, so that a packa~e with extended shelf life and freshness can be obtained. The openable and reclosable adhe-sive strip can itself be made hermetic or not hermetic depend-in~ on the process and desired end-use, and the manner in which the adhesive is applied to the film.
Figures 1-10 describe a package in which two sides include an openable and reclosable adhesive strip. Figure 11 discloses a similar package but one in which three sides of the package include the openable and reclosable adhesive strip 26. In Figure 11, a peelable heat seal 30 runs paral-lel to the openable and reclosable strip along each of the three respective sides. A fold 18 along the fourth side of the package completes the sealing arrangement.
In Figure 12, the openable and reclosable adhesive strips 28 surround the food product along all four sides, as does the peelable heat seal 30.
As in the case of the package configurations with openable and reclosable adhesive strips along two sides, the packages of Figures 11 and 12 can be modified in the various ways described above. For example, the positions of the o~enable and reclosable adhesive strips 26 and peelable heat seals 30 can be reversed , so that the peelable heat seals are peripheral to the openable and reclosable adhesive strips. In the case of the package disclosed in Figure 11, an adhesive strip or heat seal may be substituted for the fold 18 on the fourth side of the package.
In addition, a third seal of the various types described above may be included along any side of the package so that for example in the package of Figure 11 an additional openable and reclosable adhesive strip 28 may ~e disposed substantially parallel to the peelable heat seal and between 4/890726.lA/PROSLB
2~i3~
tne peelable heat seal 30 and the food product 16 so that in effect thre~ discrete seals are located substantially paral-lel to one another along at least one side of the package.
The choice of the number, type and positioning of the various seal types described will depend on the end-use application, types of films, process, apparatus, need for tamper evidence, and need for improved access to the prod-uct.
With respect to the combination seal depicted in the legend beneath Figure 1, and in Figure 7, several seals of this type can be produced in accordance with the inven-tion. Figures 13A through l9A disclose elevational end views of an openable and reclosable adhesive strip at one side of the package of the invention. The thicknesses of the strip in relation to the wid~h of the package are somewhat exagger-ated for clarity. As can be seen in Figure 13A through l9A, the openable and reclosable adhesive is applied in the vari-ous ways described above along certain portions of a side of the package depending on the desired combination seal to be produced. The portions of the space between film webs 12 and 14 within which the openable and reclosable adhesive material will be located is indicated at reference numeral 36 in Fig-ure 13A through 19A. The portions of the space between the respective film webs where the adhesive is not applied is indicated at reference numeral 38 in the same figures.
A fragmentary view of seal bars 4G of various con-figurations is shown in the upper portion of each o~ figures 13B through l9B. Each of these figures corresponds to a like numbered figure depictin~ the position of the adhesive within the openable and reclosable adhesive strips at a side of the package. By applying the seal bar to a side of the package in which the adhesive is so positioned, various combination seals can be produced as shown in Figures 13B through l9B.
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02/o~/91 15 ~3~3;~
For example, in Figure 13B a heat seal is applied in a discontinuous manner across the one side oE the film along which the adhesive has been applied as shown in Figure 13A. The result is a combination seal in which some portions 42 are heat sealed and some portions 44 are held together by the openable and reclosable adhesive. One advantage of such a seal is the tamper evidence produced by opening and then reclosing the seal. In addition, the seal is itself reclosable so that tamper evidence, peelability and reclosability are all combined in one combination seal. The remaining Figures 14B through l9B show various ways in which a heat seal can be applied to a portion of but not the entire length of the openable and reclosable adhesive strip 26 repre-sented by Figures 14A through 19A. These seals are all re-ferred to as combination seals in -the ~ense that an uncured hot melt adhesive or similar material which provides openability and reclosability is combined at discontinuous portions with a heat seal created by the application of a seal bar or similar device to the respective film webs.
Referring to Figure 22, a thermoforming system is shown in a fragmentary perspective view. The system 60 in~
cludes a thermoforming machine 62 and cavities 64 formed within a film 12 fed from a roll 68. As film 12 proceeds from right to left, cavities 64 are formed in the film. A
source 70 of a hot melt uncured adhesive delivers the adhe~
sive to noz~les 72 which apply the adhesive in a strip pat-tern 74 along the film 12 as it is advanced. A food product may then be placed in the formed cavities in film 12 and covered with a second film to produce a package like that depicted in e.g. Figures 1 and 2, but with a formed cavity in the lower film.
O course, the ilm 14 depicted in for example Figures 1 and 2 may itself be thermoformed according to the process and using the apparatus described in Figure 22.
Thus, one or both of the first and second film webs may be thermoformed.
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02/0~/91 ~13~3~
Figure 23 shows a variation of the process shown in Figure 22, in which transverse adhesive strips are applied by a similar process using a spray nozzle system 76 to apply the adhesive in transverse strip patterns 78~
A combination of both longitudinal and transverse openable/reclosable adhesive strips may b~ applied using the combination of the process shown in Figure 22 and 23.
Figure 24 shows the use of the present invention in a vertical form/fill/seal system 80 in which film 82 is in-dexed around a mandrel 84 and a food product is introduced through a tube 86 in a sequence well known in the art. A
source of hot melt adhesive 88 introduces the adhesive to the interior of the tubular film as it is being formed. The tubular film is longitudinally sealed at 90 and transversely sealed at 92 to produce a package having a longitudinal seal, two transverse seals (top and bottom of the finished packa~e~
and an adhesive strip located substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the longitudinal seal 90.
To improve the consistency of openability, one web can be corona treated to obtain greater adhesion of the adhe-sive strip to that web than to the second web. Other methods can also be used to achieve this difference in adhesion.
These include the use of different surface (sealant3 materi-als for the two webs; manipulating the conditions under which the hot melt is applied; and applying a coating to one or both of the webs to either improve release or improve adhe~
sionO
Figure 25 shows a partially opened package in which, because of dissimilar adhesion as described above, the openable and reclosable adhesive strip 26 remains bonded to web 12 rather than web 14 as the package is opened.
While the present invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will 4/89o726.lAJpRosLB
2IC~3~i3~
understand that mod.ifications may be made after review of the speci~ication and drawings. Such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the claims that follow.
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tne peelable heat seal 30 and the food product 16 so that in effect thre~ discrete seals are located substantially paral-lel to one another along at least one side of the package.
The choice of the number, type and positioning of the various seal types described will depend on the end-use application, types of films, process, apparatus, need for tamper evidence, and need for improved access to the prod-uct.
With respect to the combination seal depicted in the legend beneath Figure 1, and in Figure 7, several seals of this type can be produced in accordance with the inven-tion. Figures 13A through l9A disclose elevational end views of an openable and reclosable adhesive strip at one side of the package of the invention. The thicknesses of the strip in relation to the wid~h of the package are somewhat exagger-ated for clarity. As can be seen in Figure 13A through l9A, the openable and reclosable adhesive is applied in the vari-ous ways described above along certain portions of a side of the package depending on the desired combination seal to be produced. The portions of the space between film webs 12 and 14 within which the openable and reclosable adhesive material will be located is indicated at reference numeral 36 in Fig-ure 13A through 19A. The portions of the space between the respective film webs where the adhesive is not applied is indicated at reference numeral 38 in the same figures.
A fragmentary view of seal bars 4G of various con-figurations is shown in the upper portion of each o~ figures 13B through l9B. Each of these figures corresponds to a like numbered figure depictin~ the position of the adhesive within the openable and reclosable adhesive strips at a side of the package. By applying the seal bar to a side of the package in which the adhesive is so positioned, various combination seals can be produced as shown in Figures 13B through l9B.
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02/o~/91 15 ~3~3;~
For example, in Figure 13B a heat seal is applied in a discontinuous manner across the one side oE the film along which the adhesive has been applied as shown in Figure 13A. The result is a combination seal in which some portions 42 are heat sealed and some portions 44 are held together by the openable and reclosable adhesive. One advantage of such a seal is the tamper evidence produced by opening and then reclosing the seal. In addition, the seal is itself reclosable so that tamper evidence, peelability and reclosability are all combined in one combination seal. The remaining Figures 14B through l9B show various ways in which a heat seal can be applied to a portion of but not the entire length of the openable and reclosable adhesive strip 26 repre-sented by Figures 14A through 19A. These seals are all re-ferred to as combination seals in -the ~ense that an uncured hot melt adhesive or similar material which provides openability and reclosability is combined at discontinuous portions with a heat seal created by the application of a seal bar or similar device to the respective film webs.
Referring to Figure 22, a thermoforming system is shown in a fragmentary perspective view. The system 60 in~
cludes a thermoforming machine 62 and cavities 64 formed within a film 12 fed from a roll 68. As film 12 proceeds from right to left, cavities 64 are formed in the film. A
source 70 of a hot melt uncured adhesive delivers the adhe~
sive to noz~les 72 which apply the adhesive in a strip pat-tern 74 along the film 12 as it is advanced. A food product may then be placed in the formed cavities in film 12 and covered with a second film to produce a package like that depicted in e.g. Figures 1 and 2, but with a formed cavity in the lower film.
O course, the ilm 14 depicted in for example Figures 1 and 2 may itself be thermoformed according to the process and using the apparatus described in Figure 22.
Thus, one or both of the first and second film webs may be thermoformed.
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02/0~/91 ~13~3~
Figure 23 shows a variation of the process shown in Figure 22, in which transverse adhesive strips are applied by a similar process using a spray nozzle system 76 to apply the adhesive in transverse strip patterns 78~
A combination of both longitudinal and transverse openable/reclosable adhesive strips may b~ applied using the combination of the process shown in Figure 22 and 23.
Figure 24 shows the use of the present invention in a vertical form/fill/seal system 80 in which film 82 is in-dexed around a mandrel 84 and a food product is introduced through a tube 86 in a sequence well known in the art. A
source of hot melt adhesive 88 introduces the adhesive to the interior of the tubular film as it is being formed. The tubular film is longitudinally sealed at 90 and transversely sealed at 92 to produce a package having a longitudinal seal, two transverse seals (top and bottom of the finished packa~e~
and an adhesive strip located substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the longitudinal seal 90.
To improve the consistency of openability, one web can be corona treated to obtain greater adhesion of the adhe-sive strip to that web than to the second web. Other methods can also be used to achieve this difference in adhesion.
These include the use of different surface (sealant3 materi-als for the two webs; manipulating the conditions under which the hot melt is applied; and applying a coating to one or both of the webs to either improve release or improve adhe~
sionO
Figure 25 shows a partially opened package in which, because of dissimilar adhesion as described above, the openable and reclosable adhesive strip 26 remains bonded to web 12 rather than web 14 as the package is opened.
While the present invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will 4/89o726.lAJpRosLB
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understand that mod.ifications may be made after review of the speci~ication and drawings. Such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the claims that follow.
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Claims (65)
1. A reclosable package having four sides compris-ing:
a) a first film web;
b) a second film web;
c) a means for connecting the film webs at a first side of the package;
d) a product placed between the two film webs;
e) an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bonded to and disposed between the first and second film webs, along a second and third side of the package; and f) a seal located along a fourth side of the package.
a) a first film web;
b) a second film web;
c) a means for connecting the film webs at a first side of the package;
d) a product placed between the two film webs;
e) an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bonded to and disposed between the first and second film webs, along a second and third side of the package; and f) a seal located along a fourth side of the package.
2. The reclosable package of claim 1 wherein the means for connecting the film webs is an integral fold, the webs having been formed from a single film.
3. The reclosable package of claim 1 wherein the means for connecting the film webs is a heat seal.
4. The reclosable package of claim 3 wherein the heat seal is a peelable heat seal.
5. The reclosable package of claim 1 wherein the means for connecting the film webs is an adhesive strip.
6. The reclosable package of claim 5 wherein the adhesive strip is an openable and reclosable adhesive strip.
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7. The reclosable package of claim 1 wherein the film webs are made from a thermoplastic material.
8. The reclosable package of claim 1 wherein the product is a food product.
9. The reclosable package of claim 1 wherein the seal located along the fourth side of the package is a heat seal.
10. The reclosable package of claim 1 wherein the seal located along the fourth side of the package is an adhe-sive strip.
11. The reclosable package of claim 1 wherein a peelable heat seal is located along the same sides of the package as, and substantially parallel to, the respective openable and reclosable adhesive strips.
12. The reclosable package of claim 11 wherein the peelable heat seals are intermittent peelable seals.
13. The reclosable package of claim 11 wherein the openable and reclosable adhesive strips are located between the respective peelable heat seals and the product.
14. the reclosable package of claim 13 wherein a second peelable heat seal is located between each openable and reclosable adhesive strip and the product.
15. The reclosable package of claim 11 wherein the peelable heat seals are located between the respective openable and reclosable adhesive strips and the product.
16. The reclosable package of claim 15 wherein a second openable and reclosable adhesive strip is located between each peelable heat seal and the product.
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17. The reclosable package of claim 11 wherein each peelable heat seal has an opening force of between about 1/2 pound and about 6 pounds.
18. The reclosable package of claim 1 wherein the openable and reclosable adhesive strips further include an intermittent peelable heat seal disposed along portions of each openable and reclosable adhesive strip, to form a combi-nation seal.
19. The reclosable package of claim 18 wherein an openable and reclosable adhesive strip is located along the same sides of the package as, and substantially parallel to, the combination seal.
20. The reclosable package of claim 18 wherein a peelable heat seal is located along the same sides of the package as, and substantially parallel to, the combination seal.
21. A reclosable package having four sides compris-ing:
a) a first film web;
b) a second film web;
c) a means for connecting the film webs at a first side of the package;
d) a product placed between the two film webs; and e) an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bonded to and disposed between the first and second film webs, along the second, third and fourth sides of the package.
4/890726.1A/PROSLB
a) a first film web;
b) a second film web;
c) a means for connecting the film webs at a first side of the package;
d) a product placed between the two film webs; and e) an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bonded to and disposed between the first and second film webs, along the second, third and fourth sides of the package.
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22. The reclosable package of claim 21 wherein the means for connecting the film webs is an integral fold, the webs having been formed from a single film .
23. The reclosable package of claim 21 wherein the means for connecting the film webs is a heat seal.
24. The reclosable package of claim 23 wherein the heat seal is a peelable heat seal.
25. The reclosable package of claim 21 wherein the means for connecting the film webs is an adhesive strip.
26. The reclosable package of claim 25 wherein the adhesive strip is an openable and reclosable adhesive strip.
27. The reclosable package of claim 21 wherein a peelable heat seal is located along the same sides of the package as, and substantially parallel to, the respective openable and reclosable adhesive strips.
28. The reclosable package of claim 27 wherein the peelable heat seals are intermittent peelable seals.
29. The reclosable package of claim 27 wherein the openable and reclosable adhesive strips are located between the respective peelable heat seals and the product.
30. The reclosable package of claim 29 wherein a second peelable heat seal is located between each openable and reclosable adhesive strip and the product.
31. The reclosable package of claim 27 wherein the peelable heat seals are located between the respective openable and reclosable adhesive strips and the product.
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32. The reclosable package of claim 31 wherein a second openable and reclosable adhesive strip is located between each peelable heat seal and the product.
33. The reclosable package of claim 27 wherein each peelable heat seal has an opening force of between about 1/2 pound and about 6 pounds.
34. The reclosable package of claim 21 wherein the openable and reclosable adhesive strips further include an intermittent peelable heat seal disposed along portions of each openable and reclosable adhesive strip, to form a combi-nation seal.
35. The reclosable package of claim 34 wherein an openable and reclosable adhesive strip is located along the same sides of the package as, and substantially parallel to, the combination seal.
36. The reclosable package of claim 34 wherein a peelable heat seal is located along the same sides of the package as, and substantially parallel to, the combination seal.
37. A reclosable package having four sides compris-ing:
a) a first film web;
b) a second film web;
c) a product placed between the two film webs; and d) an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bond-ed to and disposed between the first and second film webs along each side of the package.
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a) a first film web;
b) a second film web;
c) a product placed between the two film webs; and d) an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bond-ed to and disposed between the first and second film webs along each side of the package.
4/890726.1A/PROSLB
38. The reclosable package of claim 37 wherein a peelable heat seal is located along the same sides of the package as, and substantially parallel to, the respective openable and reclosable adhesive strips.
39. The reclosable package of claim 38 wherein the peelable heat seals are intermittent peelable seals.
40. The reclosable package of claim 38 wherein the openable and reclosable adhesive strips are located between the respective peelable heat seals and the product.
41. The reclosable package of claim 40 wherein a second peelable heat seal is located between each openable and reclosable adhesive strip and the product.
42. The reclosable package of claim 38 wherein the peelable heat seal is located between the respective openable and reclosable adhesive strips and the product.
43. The reclosable package of claim 42 wherein a second openable and reclosable adhesive strip is located between each peelable heat seal and the product.
44. The reclosable package of claim 38 wherein each peelable heat seal has an opening force of between about 1/2 pound and about 6 pounds.
45. The reclosable package of claim 37 wherein the openable and reclosable adhesive strips further include an intermittent peelable heat seal disposed along portions of each openable and reclosable adhesive strip, to form a combi-nation seal.
46. The reclosable package of claim 45 wherein an openable and reclosable adhesive strip is located along the same sides of the package as, and substantially parallel to, the combination seal.
4/890726.1A/PROSLB
4/890726.1A/PROSLB
47. The reclosable package of claim 45 wherein a peelable heat seal is located along the same sides of the package as, and substantially parallel to, the combination seal.
48. A reclosable package having four sides compris-ing:
a) a first film web;
b) a second film web;
c) an integral fold at a first side of the pack-age, the webs having been formed from a single film;
d) a product placed between the two film webs;
e) an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bond-ed to and disposed between the first and second film webs, along the side of the package oppo-site the first side; and f) a seal located along the third and fourth sides of the package.
a) a first film web;
b) a second film web;
c) an integral fold at a first side of the pack-age, the webs having been formed from a single film;
d) a product placed between the two film webs;
e) an openable and reclosable adhesive strip bond-ed to and disposed between the first and second film webs, along the side of the package oppo-site the first side; and f) a seal located along the third and fourth sides of the package.
49. The reclosable package of claim 48 wherein the seal located along the third and fourth sides of the package is a heat seal.
50. The reclosable package of claim 48 wherein the seal located along the third and fourth sides of the package is an adhesive strip.
51. The reclosable package of claim 48 wherein a peelable heat seal is located along the same side of the package as, and substantially parallel to, the openable and reclosable adhesive strip.
4/890726.1A/PROSLB
4/890726.1A/PROSLB
52. The reclosable package of claim 51 wherein the peelable heat seal is an intermittent peelable seal.
53. The reclosable package of claim 51 wherein the openable and reclosable adhesive strip is located between the peelable heat seal and the product.
54. The reclosable package of claim 53 wherein a second peelable heat seal is located between the openable and reclosable adhesive strip and the product.
55. The reclosable package of claim 51 wherein the peelable heat seal is located between the openable and reclosable adhesive strip and the product.
56. The reclosable package of claim 55 wherein a second openable and reclosable adhesive strip is located between the peelable heat seal and the product.
57. The reclosable package of claim 51 wherein the openable and reclosable adhesive strip further includes an intermittent peelable heat seal disposed along portions of the openable and reclosable adhesive strip, to form a combina-tion seal.
58. The reclosable package of claim 57 wherein an openable and reclosable adhesive strip is located along the same side of the package as, and substantially parallel to, the combination seal.
59. The reclosable package of claim 57 wherein a peelable heat seal is located along the same side of the package as, and substantially parallel to, the combination seal.
4/890726.1A/PROSLB
4/890726.1A/PROSLB
60. A method for making a reclosable package com-prising:
a) applying an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along a least two sides of a first film web, on an interior surface thereof;
b) placing a product on the first film web;
c) covering the product and first film web with a second film web; and d) sealing the first and second film webs together to form the finished package.
a) applying an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along a least two sides of a first film web, on an interior surface thereof;
b) placing a product on the first film web;
c) covering the product and first film web with a second film web; and d) sealing the first and second film webs together to form the finished package.
61. The method according to claim 60 wherein at least one peelable heat seal is made along the same sides of the package as, and substantially parallel to, the respective openable and reclosable adhesive strips.
62. A method of making a reclosable package compris-ing:
a) folding a single film to form an integral fold at a first side of the package, and a first film web and second film web;
b) applying an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along the side of the first film web opposite the integral fold, on an interior surface of the first film web;
c) placing a product on the first film web;
d) covering the product and first film web with a second film web; and 4/890726.1A/PROSLB
e) sealing the first and second film webs together to form the finished package.
a) folding a single film to form an integral fold at a first side of the package, and a first film web and second film web;
b) applying an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along the side of the first film web opposite the integral fold, on an interior surface of the first film web;
c) placing a product on the first film web;
d) covering the product and first film web with a second film web; and 4/890726.1A/PROSLB
e) sealing the first and second film webs together to form the finished package.
63. The method according to claim 62 wherein at least one peelable heat seal is made along the same side of the package as, and substantially parallel to, the openable and reclosable adhesive strip.
64. A method of making a reclosable package compris-ing:
a) folding a single film to form an integral fold at a first side of the package, and a first film web and a second film web;
b) applying an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along the side of the first film web opposite the integral fold, on an exterior surface of the first film web;
c) placing a product on the first film web;
d) covering the product and first film web with a second film web which overlaps the side of the first web at which the openable and reclosable adhesive strip has been applied;
e) folding the second film web so that an interior surface thereof comes in contact with the adhe-sive strip; and f) sealing the first and second film webs together to form the finished package.
a) folding a single film to form an integral fold at a first side of the package, and a first film web and a second film web;
b) applying an openable and reclosable adhesive strip along the side of the first film web opposite the integral fold, on an exterior surface of the first film web;
c) placing a product on the first film web;
d) covering the product and first film web with a second film web which overlaps the side of the first web at which the openable and reclosable adhesive strip has been applied;
e) folding the second film web so that an interior surface thereof comes in contact with the adhe-sive strip; and f) sealing the first and second film webs together to form the finished package.
65. The method of claim 64 wherein at least one peelable heat seal is made along the same side of the package as, and substantially parallel to, the openable and reclosable adhesive strip.
4/890726.1A/PROSLB
4/890726.1A/PROSLB
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US48758090A | 1990-03-02 | 1990-03-02 | |
| US487,580 | 1990-03-02 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2036324A1 true CA2036324A1 (en) | 1991-09-03 |
Family
ID=23936319
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002036324A Abandoned CA2036324A1 (en) | 1990-03-02 | 1991-02-14 | Access reclosable package |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0446005A1 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU652142B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2036324A1 (en) |
| NZ (1) | NZ237152A (en) |
| ZA (1) | ZA911501B (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US11214422B2 (en) | 2014-08-13 | 2022-01-04 | Amcor Flexibles North America, Inc. | Easy-open flow-wrap package |
Families Citing this family (11)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2738226A1 (en) * | 1995-08-29 | 1997-03-07 | Grace Sa | Resealable vacuum packaging for food prods. |
| NL1001292C2 (en) * | 1995-09-26 | 1996-08-23 | Meester B V | Plastics foil wrapping for food products - has adhesive strip within flange of hot seal package to allow resealing |
| NL1002585C2 (en) * | 1996-03-12 | 1997-09-15 | Campina Melkunie B V Divisie K | Foodstuffs-package of folded sheet material |
| CN1615252A (en) | 2001-12-14 | 2005-05-11 | 胡赫塔迈基德国有限及两合公司胡赫塔迈基龙斯贝格分公司 | Packaging and sealing tool for production thereof |
| US7364047B2 (en) | 2004-05-27 | 2008-04-29 | Zweigniederlassung Der Huhtamaki Deutschaland, Gmbh & Co. Kg | Tubular, especially can-shaped, receptacle for the accommodation of fluids, a method of manufacture, and use |
| DE102005006827A1 (en) | 2004-11-04 | 2006-05-24 | Huhtamaki Ronsberg, Zweigniederlassung Der Huhtamaki Deutschland Gmbh & Co. Kg | Process for producing a bottle-like or hose-like container, in particular a tubular bag, with a sealed bottom and a correspondingly produced tubular bag |
| DE202004021343U1 (en) | 2005-04-18 | 2007-10-25 | Huhtamaki Ronsberg, Zweigniederlassung Der Huhtamaki Deutschland Gmbh & Co. Kg | Printed carrier substrate |
| US20090247981A1 (en) * | 2008-03-28 | 2009-10-01 | Playtex Products, Inc. | Tampon package and method for making the same |
| US8814430B2 (en) | 2010-02-23 | 2014-08-26 | Kraft Foods R&D, Inc. | Food package having opening feature |
| US8650843B2 (en) | 2011-02-04 | 2014-02-18 | Alpma Alpenland Maschinenbau Gmbh | Method of packaging products |
| CA2900414C (en) * | 2013-03-15 | 2019-01-15 | Intercontinental Great Brands Llc | Sheet material capable of being formed into a resealable package |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3454210A (en) * | 1968-05-23 | 1969-07-08 | Standard Packaging Corp | Easy opening and reclosable package,film therefor and process |
| US4498588A (en) * | 1984-05-03 | 1985-02-12 | Champion International Corporation | Reclosable packaging system and method for forming same |
-
1991
- 1991-02-14 CA CA002036324A patent/CA2036324A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1991-02-19 NZ NZ237152A patent/NZ237152A/en unknown
- 1991-02-27 AU AU71938/91A patent/AU652142B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1991-02-28 ZA ZA911501A patent/ZA911501B/en unknown
- 1991-03-04 EP EP91301791A patent/EP0446005A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US11214422B2 (en) | 2014-08-13 | 2022-01-04 | Amcor Flexibles North America, Inc. | Easy-open flow-wrap package |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| NZ237152A (en) | 1993-02-25 |
| EP0446005A1 (en) | 1991-09-11 |
| AU652142B2 (en) | 1994-08-18 |
| AU7193891A (en) | 1991-10-31 |
| ZA911501B (en) | 1991-12-24 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Dead |