CA2162932A1 - Method for opening packages - Google Patents

Abstract

Closure foils for packages which are separated or removed for opening have opening means in the form of a thread inserted into the bonded joint between foil and package, one end of which projects outwards and can be gripped with the hand and torn open, the other end of which leads inside the foil and is secured thereto. A bend line and/or stiffenings make it possible to draw the foil to one side with precision.

Description

10 NOV. '95 16:25 ~.KERR ~G +41 61 7017925 P.2~10 PAT~NT

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~ ~U~ FOR O~ ~ PACXU~GES

This is a Continuation-In-Part Applicat~on of U.S. Serial No. 08/339,065, filed November 1~, 1995.

Field of the In~ention The invention relates to package clos~re foils with means for the opening thereof.

Bac~o~l~d of the Invention Package closure foils are used in packaging technology for many different products when tightness against the leakage of liquid contents or againQt the penetration of harmful pathogens, or optionally both, is desired. A typical example is the aluminum closure foil of yogurt beakers or si~ilar pac~ages for dairy products. Closure foils of this type are also known for othcr foodstu~fs. Other products for which they are used are cosmetics, mineral oll productQ and medicaments.
~nown closure foils generally consist of aluminum, plastic, paper or paperlike materials.
They are bonded or welded to the pac~age rim when the package is sealed after filling.
To simplify the opening of a foil-sealed package, a thread has been proposed that lead~ around under the ~oil along the connecting rim of the foil with the package, one end of which leads-outwards at a point of the circumference and projects by a length long enough ;o ~e ~ripped while its other end close -to the stated point leads inside the package and to the opposite rim of the foil where it is secured to the foil. The thread can be of natural fibre, NOU l0 '95 11:26 41 6l 7217925 P~GE.002 10 NOV. '95 16:25 R.KERR ~G +41 61 7017925 P.3~10 2 1 ~2932 ..

plastic or metal as described in Swi3~ patent 682 142.
The closure fo~l is indeed, removed ~ery precisely by mean9 of the thread. The drawing to one side of the ~ev~L-d foil does not, however, always occur without difficulties. Depending on where the foil accidentally bends or is able to fold, it can dip into thc contents of the package before being completely Le.~.Jved. Thi~ is undesirable.
It is an object of the invention to solve this problem.
This is achie~ed in accordance with the invention by means of a package closure foil having the features defined in the claims.
Brief De~cri~tion of the Drawin~s Fig. l is a pe~.~ecLive vicw of a package utilizi~g one embodiment of a package clo~uxe according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a packa~e utilizing an alternative c- ~o~'m~nt of a pac~age closure according to the prcsent invention.

Detailed DescriDtion An emho~;ment of the invention will now be described with reference to Fig. 1 of thc ~p~n~ed drawing. A typical package, such as con~entionally used for yogurt and the like, is taken as an example.
An alternative embodiment of the invention is ~hown in F~g. 2.
A package l of plastic is covered with a closure foil 2 which is hnn~ with the packa~e alcng an outwardly projecting rim 3 thcreo~.

NOU I0 ~ss 1l:26 4l 61 70l7925 P~GE.003 10 NOV. '95 16:26 ~.KERR ~G +41 61 701792S P.4~10 PATENT
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A thread 4 of pla~tic is secured around the inside of the foil along the bonded connection. One end 5 of the thread is guided to the outside and hangs on the outQide of thc closed package. The end S is long enough to be ea~ily gripped by the fingers of one hand. The other end 6 of the thread leads inside the package 1 close to the exit point of the fi~st end 5 at a penetration point 7 in the bonded connection between package 1 and closure foil ~ and is secured, e.g. bonded there to a point 8 o~ the underside of the foil opposite the opening 7.
A bending line 11 i5 provided at right angles to the course of the end of the thread 6 in about the middle of the foil which consists of a specific, lS substantially linear we~k n;ng 0~ the foil. The wcakening i9 for example achieved by an embossed line. Because of the b~n~;ng line, the foil falls downwards along this line after its separation and consequently does not dip into the contents of the pac~age. To ~nh~nce this effect still more, or as an altcrnaeive, stiffeners 10 are provided on koth sides of the bend line along the end of the thread 6.
These prevent the foil from folding at any o~ther site than at the bend lina The stiffeners can, for 2S example, be pro~llce~ by coating or also emboasing.
The package described is opened as follow~. The package 1 is held with one hand, the end o~ the ~~
thread 5 is gripped with the other hand and the thread is pulled upwards in the direction of the arrow 9. In so doing, the thread cuts the foil along the pac~age rim up to the point at which the thread 4 extends through the opening 7 in the inside of the package. A small bridge of foil ~e~i n.c attached to NOU 10 ' 95 1 I: 27 41 61 701 79ZS PRGE . 004 10 NOV. '95 16:27 ~.KERR FIG +41 61 7017925 P.5~10 2 1 62~32 _ 4 PATEN~
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the package rim. With further pullin~, the foi1 cut cff from the package rim i9 completely pulled over to the side of the penetration point 7 so that the package i9 ultimately not orly opened cleanly, but S the foil is also pulled to the ~ide. In so doing, the foil can thus be li,ted upwards cleanly a.~ a result of the bending line 11 and the stiffening lO.
As an alternative to the version described, the end of the thread 6 can lead through an opening-in the package wall (see opening 7A of ~ig. 2).
According to another ~ersion, the thread 4 can lead a full 360 around the package opening 90 tha~
the two ends of the thread touch each other before the one end 5 is dirccted outwards and the second end 6 is directed towards the securing point a. In this version, the foil is fully cut off from ~he package on opening and, since the thread is secured at the point 8, totally Le~"ov~d therewith.
As already mentioned, the package closure foil 2 can consist of the conventional materials plastic, metal (notably aln~jnllm) or paper.
The pac~age closure foil according to the invention is suitable for all types of liqui~s, but also for semi-solid or solid substances, such as crea~s, pastes, powders, etc.

NOU 10 ' 95 1 1:2e 41 61 7017925 P~GE.005

Claims (6)

1. A package closure foil with a thread that leads around under the foil along the connecting rim of the foil with the package, one end of which leads outwards at one point of the circumference and projects by a length long enough to be gripped whereas the other end of the thread close to the stated point leads inside the package to the opposite side of the foil where it is secured to the foil which has a bend line in the closure foil disposed at right angles to the end of the thread running in the inside.

2. A package closure foil with a thread that leads around und?r the foil along the connecting rim of the foil with the package, one end of which leads outwards at one point of the circumference and projects by a length long enough to be gripped whereas the other end of the thread close to the stated point leads inside the package to the opposite side of the foil where it is secured to the foil, wherein the closure foil is stiffened along the end of the thread running in the inside.

3. A package closure foil according to Claim 1 wherein the second end of the thread leads inside the package through an opening in the package wall.

4. A package closure foil according to Claim 1, wherein the two ends of the thread touch each other at the point at which they lead inside or outside.

5. A package closure foil according to Claim 2 wherein the second end of the thread leads inside the package through an opening in the package wall.

6. A package closure foil according to Claim 2, wherein the two ends of the thread touch each other at the point at which they lead inside or outside.