MX2008005841A - Easy open thermoformed package - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention is directed to the problem of opening packages and in particular thermoformed packages. The package (10) is comprised of a first section (12) and a second section (14). Each section (12, 14) has a peripheral edge that extends substantially around each section. On at least one area, the peripheral edge (16, 18) of each section is extended, the extensions including an aperture (20). The peripheral edge of the first section and the second section are bonded together except for the extensions of the peripheral edges, in order to open the package a finger is placed through the aperture of each extended peripheral edge and pulled in opposite directions. The peripheral edge of each section yields to open the package. Essentially any item can be packaged in the package, with soap bars being a preferred item.

Description

PACKAGING THERMOFORMED FROM EASY OPENING CROSS REFERENCE TO PREVIOUS REQUESTS This application claims priority of United States serial number 11 / 263,099 filed on November 8, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a thermoformed package that can be easily opened. More particularly, this invention relates to a thermoformed package that can be easily opened without the aid of some similar tools or auxiliaries.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many products are packaged in thermoformed packaging. Such packaging provides significant security against theft of the packaged item since it is difficult to remove the packaged item without the use of tools such as scissors or knives. Consequently the theft of goods at the retail level is considerably reduced. In addition, such thermoformed packaging can be deployed in many ways. This includes sitting on a shelf or staying on a hook. It can also be closed on top of a hook. This allows them to exhibit themselves but still make sure. However, the downside is that the buyer has a difficult time opening the package to remove the purchased item. You need a tool such as scissors or a razor. Then, the thermoformed packaging must be cut and destroyed carefully to remove the article. This in its entirety assumes that the buyer has the strength and skill to use the tools to open the package. Consequently, the problem to be solved is how to provide a safe thermoformed packaging for the item but not to frustrate the buyer when opening the package.

This problem has been addressed in the prior art. In U.S. Patent 5,180,599 and U.S. Patent 6,436,499, an adhesive is used that breaks off between the two thermoformed layers. The adhesive will give way when the sections of the thermoformed packaging are separated. United States of America patent 6, 135,304 and United States of America patent 6,276,529 describe packages where there is a weakened area which will be affected by the application of force. Once the weakened area is affected, the package can be opened. U.S. Patent 5,018,622 describes a thermoformed package having a front bubble, a back bubble and a head. The head has a front layer and a back layer with the front layer attached to the front bubble and the back layer attached to the back bubble. There is a slot in the back layer that allows a person to hold the back layer to help detach it from the front layer. The fingers of one hand hold the front layer and those in the other hand hold the groove of the back layer to exert a detachment force. However, this does not provide sufficient support to open the package. The person's fingers will slide on the plastic of the package.

The current packaging solves the problem and provides a convenient way to open a thermoformed package. This is particularly useful in environments where a person's hands are moist or may have a coating of a friction-reducing substance such as a soap. The present packaging provides a positive hold of the thermoformed layers or sections so that they can be separated.

SYNTHESIS OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises a package comprising the portion of a body having a first section and a second section, a peripheral edge on the first section and the second section and substantially surrounding the body portion, and an extension of the peripheral edge of the body. first section and the second section on at least a part of it. The extension of the peripheral edge of the first section and the second section having an opening therein, the opening of the first section and the second section are preferably in alignment. The openings are more conveniently of a size and shape to accept a person's fingers. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the extension of the peripheral edge of the first section and of the second section are separated and do not join together. Still in a further preferred embodiment, the peripheral edge of the first section and the second section extend in opposite directions.

The first section and the second section may have a similar or a different shape. The shape of the first section and the second section will be determined by the items to be packed. The preferred items to pack are jónón bars.

The packages are preferably produced by using a thermoforming process where the first section and the second section are molded separately. Then the two sections are filled with the items to be packaged and the package is sealed along the peripheral edge. When the packaged article is a liquid that is fixed to a solid or other form, the first section and second section are sealed together and the liquid is inserted through a filling opening which is subsequently sealed. The packing extension of the peripheral edge of the first section and the second section are not sealed together. To open the package, one finger is placed through the opening in the first section and in the second section and the punched sections are thrown from one another. Once the package is opened, the stamped article is removed and the package can be discarded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 is a front elevation view of the current package.

Figure 2A is a side elevational view of the package of Figure 1.

Figure 2B is a side elevational view of the package of Figure 2 showing the extension of the peripheral edges in an unfolded orientation.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the package opening.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the partially open package and a partially exposed soap bar.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the package of Figure 4 completely open.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention will now be described in greater detail in its preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. The present invention is susceptible to modifications of the incorporated concepts, all of which are within the present invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation view of the gasket 10 showing the first section 12, peripheral edge 16 and the extension 18 of the front peripheral edge 16. Figures 2A and 2B are side elevation views of the gasket of Figure 1. opening 20 is through the extension 18 of the first peripheral edge 16 and through the extension 19 of the second peripheral edge 15 as seen in Figures 2A and 2B. The second section 14 and the peripheral edge of the second section 15 are shown in Figures 2A and 2B. The peripheral edge extensions 18 and 19 are not joined together. The rest of the peripheral edges 15 and 16 are joined together to form the package.

The incorporation of Figure 2B has several advantages over that of Figure 2 A. The expanded extensions 18 and 19 make it very evident that the package opens as shown in Figure 3. In addition, since in many cases the package will be contained in a small carton, the expansion of the extensions will allow the cardboard to be of a smaller size, which allows them to stack more on top of a shelf, and save packaging material from the carton.

Figure 3 shows the package 10 ready to be opened. The fingers of a person are placed through the opening 20 in the extension 18 of the first peripheral edge 16 and the extension 19 of the second peripheral edge 15. The opening 20 in each of the extensions of the peripheral edges 15 and 16 provides the positive clamping in order to detach the first section 12 of the second section 14 to open the package. The package is shown as partially open in Figure 4 and completely open in Figure 5. The part packed here is a bar of soap 22 which can be seen in both Figures 4 and 5. However, items other than Soap bars can be packed using this packaging concept.

The packaging material for the first section and the second section can be essentially any thermoplastic. These include polymers and olefinic ethylene copolymers, propylene, butenes and butadiene. An additional class of useful thermoplastics are polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate. In addition, styrenic polymers and copolymers can be used. These can be laminated or simple films. The first section 12 and the second section 14, each together with their respective peripheral edges 16 and 15, are molded separately. At this point, if the article to be packaged is a solid it can be placed inside the first section 12 or the second section 14 and the peripheral edges 16, 15 of the first section 12 and the second section 14 are sealed to form the packing around from the article. If the article to be packaged is a liquid, the peripheral edges 15, 16 are sealed with a small filling opening that is left open. The packing is then filled and the filling opening sealed. The liquid in the package can remain as a liquid, be converted to a gel, or be converted to a solid. In a preferred process of packaging soap bars, the package is formed leaving a filling opening. A liquid soap composition that will be fixed to a solid is filled into the package and the filling opening is sealed. Over a period of several hours, the liquid soap composition is converted to a solid. In this embodiment, the package serves as both a mold and the inal packaging for the soap bar.

Claims (18)

1. CLAIMS 1. A package for an article comprising a portion of a body having a first section and a second section, a peripheral edge over the first section and the second section and substantially surrounding the body portion, an extension of the peripheral edge of the first section. section and the second section on at least a part thereof, the extension of the peripheral edge of the first section and the second section having an opening therein.
2. 2. The package as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the opening in the extension of the peripheral edge of the first section and the opening in the extension of the peripheral edge of the second section are in alignment.
3. 3. The package as claimed in clause 2, characterized in that the extension of the peripheral edge of the first section and the extension of the peripheral edge of the second section are separated.
4. 4. The package as claimed in clause 2, characterized in that the extension of the peripheral edge of the first section and the extension of the peripheral edge of the second section extend in opposite directions.
5. 5. The package as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the extension of the peripheral edge of the first section and the extension of the peripheral edge of the second section are separated.
6. 6. The package as claimed in clause 5, characterized in that the extension of the peripheral edge of the first section and the extension of the peripheral edge of the second section extend in opposite directions.
7. 7. The package as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the first section and the second section have similar shapes.
8. 8. The package as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the first section and the second section are thermoformed sections joined together at the peripheral edge of the first section and the second section, except for the extension of the peripheral edge of the first section. section and the second section.
9. 9. The package as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the opening in the extension of the first section and the second section are of a size to accept the fingers of a person.
10. 10. The package as claimed in clause 2, characterized in that the opening in the extension of the first section and the second section are of a size to accept the fingers of a person.
11. 11. The package as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the article is a j-bar.
12. 12. The packaging as claimed in clause 4, characterized in that the article is a j-bar.
13. 13. The package as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the first section and the second section comprise a thermoplastic.
14. 14. A thermoformed package for an article comprising a portion of the body having a first section and a second section, a peripheral edge over the first section and the second section and substantially surrounding the body portion, an extension of the peripheral edge of the first section. section and the second section on at least a part thereof, the extension of the peripheral edge of the first section and the second section having an opening therein.
15. 15. The thermoformed package as claimed in clause 14, characterized in that the opening in the extension of the peripheral edge of the first section and the opening in the extension of the peripheral edge of the second section are in alignment.
16. 16. The thermoformed package as claimed in clause 15, characterized in that the extension of the peripheral edge of the first section and the extension of the peripheral edge of the second section are separated.
17. 17. The package as claimed in clause 15, characterized in that the opening in the extension of the first section and the second section are of a size to accept the fingers of a person.
18. 18. The package as claimed in clause 16, characterized in that the extension of the peripheral edge of the first section and the extension of the peripheral edge of the second section extend in opposite directions. 20. The package as claimed in clause 15, characterized in that the article is a j-bar.