CA2100435A1 - Easy opening package - Google Patents

Easy opening package

Info

Publication number
CA2100435A1
CA2100435A1 CA002100435A CA2100435A CA2100435A1 CA 2100435 A1 CA2100435 A1 CA 2100435A1 CA 002100435 A CA002100435 A CA 002100435A CA 2100435 A CA2100435 A CA 2100435A CA 2100435 A1 CA2100435 A1 CA 2100435A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
notch
bar
package according
covering film
packaging material
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
Application number
CA002100435A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Bernard Jeannin
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Societe des Produits Nestle SA
Original Assignee
Societe des Produits Nestle SA
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Societe des Produits Nestle SA filed Critical Societe des Produits Nestle SA
Publication of CA2100435A1 publication Critical patent/CA2100435A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS 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
    • B65D75/00Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes, or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
    • B65D75/52Details
    • B65D75/58Opening or contents-removing devices added or incorporated during package manufacture

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
  • Packging For Living Organisms, Food Or Medicinal Products That Are Sensitive To Environmental Conditiond (AREA)
  • Wrappers (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Easy opening package A package for a bar of a rigid or semi-rigid food product comprising a double layer, one layer being a packaging material having a notch adapted to lie substantially parallel to an edge of the bar and having peelably sealed to its outer surface a covering film provided with a plurality of lines of weakness arranged in two rows, one row on either side of and parallel to the notch.

Description

2 ~
Ea~y opening pac~age The present invention relates to an easy-opening package for a rigid or semi-rigid food product.
Easy-opening packages for bars of swe~t and confection-ery products such as chocola~e are well known. Examples are systems comprising a zig-zag cut at each end of the package surrounding ~he bar, single notches or tear tabs on the sealed ends of the package and a tear tape that can be positioned lengthwise or widthwise on the packa-ge. There are three disadvantages of current widthwise tear tape systems:

1) The tear tape is positioned at the bacX of th*
product and thexefore is not immediately apparent to the consumer.

2) The tear tape system has a limitation in source reduction action as it is necessary to create two ; notches and a zone with no sealing to enable a tab ~ to be seized.

; 3 ) on a wrapping machine working continuously, the tear tape is applied discont:inuously. Consequently, while the equipment ic very sophisticated, the speed is limited.

In our co-pending EP-A-90111507.1, there is described and claimed a package for a bar of a rigid or semi rigid food product comprising a packaging material enclosing a food product, the packaging material having a notch substantially parallel to an edge of thP bar. We found : that by realising a notch in the packaging filmsubstantially parallel and relatively near to one edge of the bar, the packaging film can be torn off at that '~
end of the bar by holding the major part of the bar beyond the notch in one hand and bending or folding the packaging film with the o~her hand. The notch may be ; covered by an adhesive memher which may or may not be attached to the packaging material.

We have now devised an improved modification of the package claimed in EP-A-90111507.1 wherein the notch is covered by a transparent film which is peelably sealed ~o the top of the basic packaging film, the transparent film being provided with two rows of cuts one row on either side of and parallel to the notch.

Accordingly the present invention provides a package for a bar of a rigid or semi-rigid food pro~uct comprising a double layer, one layer beiny a packaging material having a notch adapted to lie substantially parallel to an edge of the bar and having peelably sealed to its outer surface a covering film provided with a plurality of lines of weakne~s arranged in two rows, one row on either side of and parallel to the notch.

The covering film may be made of any material used to make films in the packaging industry e.g. polypropylene, ; 25 expanded polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, paper, papex laminate or aluminium. However~
the covering film is conveniently transparent~ The lines of weakness may be ~corelines, cuts or holes.

Although not essential, each scoreline or cut in the covering film is advantageously at an acute angle to the notch and may be from 10 to 80, conveniently form 30 to 60 e.g. "herring bone" slits.

Preferably, at least one edge of the covering film orthogonal to ~he notch of the packaging material is ', :

, ~ 3 - 2 ~

provi.ded with two continuous cuts~ each continuous cut extending from the edge towards one of the rows of the plurality of lines of weakness, to form a tab which may be gripped and pulled by the consumer to tear the covering film along the two rows of ~he plurality of lines of weakness on either side of the notch to expose the notch. The width of the covering film is preferably at least as wide as the leng~h of ~he notch in the packaging material.
1 1) The packaging material may be made of any conventional wrapping material which can be torn easily e.g. polypro-pylene, expanded polypropylene, pape.r, complexed film.
The packaging material may be cold sealed.
The notch is conveniPntly a simple slit in the packaging material and may have a curved, triangular or zig-zag shape but is preferably linear. It is also possible that the notch could be a small hole in the packaging mate-rial with slits on opposite sides of the hole. The length of the notch may vary depending upon the size or shape of the food product. Although the notch could ex-tend over three sides of the bar i.e. to cover the width and twice the height, preferably the length of the notch ` 25 is less than the width of one side of the bar parallel : to the notch. For example, the length of the notch may be as little as 2 or 3 millimetres on a mlni bar or may be up to 5 cms or more on a more conventionally sized bar. In terms of co~t~ it is advantageous to make the ; 30 notch as small as possible and on a conventionally sized .
bar a notch length of 2 to 3 cms is sufficient.

Normally the notch i5 eccentrically positioned towards an edge of the bar. The position of the notch on the bar is preferably vexy close to the edge of the bar parallel ~o it so that only a very small length of the bar i5 - 4 - 21~4~

present on one side of the notch. However, if ~he bar comprises two food products e.g. two mini-bars, then the notch could be in the middle between the products.

When the bar of food product is rectangular in shape the notch advantageously extends transversely in the packa-ging material on the upper longitudinal side of the bar a few millimetres from a short edge.

$0ur system using a transparent film provided with a plurality of cuts arrange~ in two rows has the following advantages over current systems using tear tape:

a~ Our system provides an easy opening device well ide~tified on the visible part of the bar, b) It is quicker to open a wrapper than using tear tape, c) There will be less risk of leakage, which can occur using tear tape, d) As the wrapping system may be working continuously, the current high wrapping speeds can be achieved and, e3 Owing to the system itself, source reduction of wrapping material can be realised.

The food product may be, for example, a chocolate bar or an iced bar. It may be of various shapes, for example square, oval, circular or rectangular.

The present invention will now be further illustrated by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which . , ' . ! .

': :
' ' ' ' , ~ ~', , ' ' ~' '. ; ', . : ' ~ 5 ~ 2~ 3~

Figure 1 r~presents part of a transparen~ film with "herring bone" slits, Figure 2 represents part of a wrapper with a notch, Figure 3 represents a chocolate bar enclosed by a wrapper of Figure 2 to which is sealed a transparent film of Figure 1, Figure 4 repre~ents part of a wrapping machine.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 3 shows a bar of chocolate generally de ignated 10 enclosed by a packaging ma~erial made of pol~ypropylene 11 part of whlch is shown in Figure 2 cold sealed at each end 12 and having positioned 0.5 cm f:rom the edge of the bar, a notch 13 of length 3 cm. A transparent film 14 with herring bone slits 15 and a tab 16, part of which is shown in Figure 1, is peelably sealed by a hea~ sealing method to the external surface of the packaging material so that the notch 13 lies between the two rows of slits 15. To open the package, the consumer first pulls the tab 16 to tear the ~ransparent film along the two row~
of slits 15 thus exposing the notch 13, and then tears off the packaging material 11 by holding the major part of the bar beyond the notch in one hand and bendin~ or folding the packaging material with the other hand.

. ~

:

- 6 - ~

Figure 4 shows a reel of packaging film 17, a pair of rollers 18 one of which is pxovided with circumferential knives 19 for cutting notches 13 at intervals in the packaging material 11 and a reel 20 of transparent polypropylene film 14, coated with a low tempera~ure heat sealing coating in a cross-patterned manner, a pair of rollers 21 one of which is provided with circumferential knives 22 for cutting the herring bone slits 15 and the tab 16 at intervals along the transparent film 14: a hot air flow device 23 is is positioned just before a roller 24 whera the coated transparent film 14 is to be sealed to what will be the external surface of the packaging material 11 when it encloses the chocolate bar. The transparent film 14 is sealed in such a way ~o ensure that the herring bone slits are arranged so that one row is on each side of the notch 13. When the transparent film 14 has been sealed to the packaging material 11 after passing beneath the roller 24, the double layer of packaging 25 passes to a folding box (not shown) where it is folded around the chocolate bar.

It is possible to achieve a transparent film speed of from 100 to 120 meters/minute using this system.

~ ,

Claims (12)

1. A package for a bar of a rigid or semi-rigid food product comprising a double layer, one layer being a packaging material having a notch adapted to lie substantially parallel to an edge of the bar and having peelably sealed to its outer surface a covering film provided with a plurality of lines of weakness arranged in two rows, one row on either side of and parallel to the notch.
2. A package according to claim 1 wherein the covering film is transparent.
3. A package according to claim 1 wherein the lines of weakness are scorelines, cuts or holes.
4. A package according to claim 3 wherein each cut or scoreline in the covering film is at an angle of from 10° to 80° to the notch.
5. A package according to claim 3 wherein each cut in the covering film is at an angle of from 30° to 60° to the notch.
6. A package according to claim 1 wherein at least one edge of the covering film orthogonal to the notch of the packaging material is provided with two continuous cuts each continuous cut extending from the edge towards one of the rows of the plurality of lines of weakness, to form a tab which may be gripped and pulled by the consumer to tear the covering film along the two rows of the plurality of the lines of weakness on either side of the notch to expose the notch.
7. A package according to claim 1 wherein the width of the covering film is at least as wide as the length of the notch in the packaging material.
8. A package according to claim 1 characterised in that the notch is a simple slit.
9. A package according to claim 1 characterised in that the notch is linear in shape.
10. A package according to claim 1 characterised in that the notch is eccentrically positioned towards an edge of the bar.
11. A package according to claim 1 where the bar is rectangular characterised in that the notch extends transversely on the upper longitudinal side of the bar a few millimetres from a short edge.
12. A process of producing a package suitable for packaging a rigid or semi-rigid food product according to claim 1 which comprises sealing the covering film to the external surface of the packaging material so that one row of the plurality of lines of weakness of the covering film lies on either side of and parallel to the notch of he packaging material.
CA002100435A 1992-07-14 1993-07-13 Easy opening package Abandoned CA2100435A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9214908A GB2268723A (en) 1992-07-14 1992-07-14 Easy opening package
GB9214908.7 1992-07-14

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2100435A1 true CA2100435A1 (en) 1994-01-15

Family

ID=10718663

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002100435A Abandoned CA2100435A1 (en) 1992-07-14 1993-07-13 Easy opening package

Country Status (13)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0579030A3 (en)
JP (1) JPH06171669A (en)
AU (1) AU659946B2 (en)
BR (1) BR9302845A (en)
CA (1) CA2100435A1 (en)
CZ (1) CZ138893A3 (en)
FI (1) FI933099A (en)
GB (1) GB2268723A (en)
MX (1) MX9304203A (en)
MY (1) MY109245A (en)
NO (1) NO932500L (en)
NZ (1) NZ248124A (en)
ZA (1) ZA934784B (en)

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2735451B1 (en) * 1995-06-14 1997-07-25 Bongrain DEVICE FOR EASILY OPENING A PACKAGING; PACKAGE CONSISTING OF CONTENT AND SUCH A PACKAGE AND ITS MANUFACTURING METHOD
ATE208332T1 (en) * 1995-08-25 2001-11-15 Nestle Sa FOOD PACKAGING
WO2001060306A1 (en) * 2000-02-18 2001-08-23 Angelo Dotta Sealed package for adhesive wound dressing, and apparatus therefore
US20120000968A1 (en) * 2010-07-01 2012-01-05 Kraft Foods Global Brands Llc Method and apparatus for a package with an easy open feature
DE102010032944B4 (en) * 2010-07-30 2012-04-19 Zahoransky Ag Blister packaging machine and blister packaging
CA2956327C (en) 2014-10-09 2020-01-07 Intercontinental Great Brands Llc Packages containing a food product and methods of opening

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2679349A (en) * 1948-09-30 1954-05-25 Charles D Mullinix Tear strip package and blank therefor
US3369709A (en) * 1966-06-24 1968-02-20 Gordon J. Clauss Dispensing container having discharge openings with variable closure means
FR2267680A5 (en) * 1973-03-30 1975-11-07 Leigh Mardon Pty Ltd Re-useable sachet for e.g. food, tobacco etc. - has longitudinal slit covered by adhesive tape
DK151005C (en) * 1983-12-14 1988-03-07 Bar Pak V S Bareket CONTAINER OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL AND WITH EXHAUST OPENING
AT384410B (en) * 1984-03-27 1987-11-10 Neusiedler Ag PACKING FOR A STACK OF PAPER SHEETS AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF
EP0406613B1 (en) * 1989-07-01 1995-03-15 Societe Des Produits Nestle S.A. Package for food product

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0579030A2 (en) 1994-01-19
MY109245A (en) 1996-12-31
GB2268723A (en) 1994-01-19
ZA934784B (en) 1994-01-24
EP0579030A3 (en) 1995-03-29
CZ138893A3 (en) 1994-02-16
JPH06171669A (en) 1994-06-21
AU4182193A (en) 1994-01-20
BR9302845A (en) 1994-02-22
AU659946B2 (en) 1995-06-01
FI933099A (en) 1994-01-15
NZ248124A (en) 1995-04-27
NO932500D0 (en) 1993-07-08
FI933099A0 (en) 1993-07-06
NO932500L (en) 1994-01-17
GB9214908D0 (en) 1992-08-26
MX9304203A (en) 1994-06-30

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
FZDE Discontinued