WO1995001286A1

WO1995001286A1 - Flexible package with dual closure, for the display and transport of objects

Info

Publication number: WO1995001286A1
Application number: PCT/FR1994/000765
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jacques Thibault
Original assignee: Jacques Thibault
Priority date: 1993-07-01
Filing date: 1994-06-24
Publication date: 1995-01-12
Also published as: FR2707956A1; FR2707956B1

Abstract

Flexible package (1) including at least one pocket defined by a first wall and a second wall (2, 3), said walls respectively comprising an inner face (4, 5) and an outer face (6, 7) and at least one first sealing region (8, 208, 308, 408) providing a first closure of said pocket. Said package (1) further includes at least one second sealing region (9, 209, 309, 409) providing a second closure, wherein one of the sealing regions (8, 208, 308, 408; 9, 209, 309, 409) is closer to the central portion of the package (1) than the other (8, 208, 308, 408; 9, 209, 309, 409), and at least one tear line (10, 210, 310, 410) is arranged in the vicinity of at least one sealing region for detaching a portion of at least one of said walls (2, 3) after the initial closure of the package. This package is useful for the display and transport of objects.

Description

Flexible double-closure packaging, especially for the presentation and shipment of objects

The invention relates to flexible packaging with double closure, in particular for the presentation and shipment of objects.

The technical field of the invention is that of flexible packaging, such as envelopes of the envelope type, intended for postal dispatch or reshipment. We already know, by patent applications FR-A-2 40 920 and EP-A-7 388, mailing equipment comprising a front sheet, a back sheet attached to this front sheet, so as to form with that -this a closed pouch, as well as at least one envelope or postal resending document placed in the pouch. However, this shipping material thus includes two packages and does not allow two successive uses of a single package. In addition, this shipping material is not suitable for any purpose other than shipping or forwarding.

The present invention relates to a flexible packaging comprising at least one pocket delimited by a first and a second wall, said walls respectively comprising an inner face and an outer face, and at least a first sealing zone intended for a first closure of said pocket.

The present invention aims to provide a flexible packaging of the type mentioned above, not having the aforementioned drawbacks, which allows repeated reuse, and which is suitable for other purposes than the packaging after being emptied, having a reduced manufacturing cost.

According to the invention, this objective is achieved by the fact that the flexible packaging of the type mentioned above further comprises at least one second sealing zone intended for a second closure, one of said sealing zones being closer to the central part of the packaging than the other sealing zone, and at least one tear line arranged in the vicinity of at least one sealing zone and intended for the separation of a part of at least one of said walls after the first closure.

A flexible package designed in accordance with the invention has a number of advantages. Since the flexible packaging according to the invention further comprises a second sealing zone, a first use for presentation and a second use for shipping are permitted. Consequently, the recovery of an element placed inside the packaging, such as a used battery or an expired medicine, is facilitated.

In addition, the packaging according to the invention avoids using a second packaging during the second use, in particular in the field of processing photographic films during their direct shipment to the laboratory. Advantageously, the packaging is recoverable from the factory.

Since a tear line is disposed in the vicinity of a sealing zone, the packaging according to the invention is simple to open after the first closure and has a presentable appearance during shipping.

The following advantageous arrangements are also preferably adopted: said second sealing zone is arranged on the inner face of the second wall; said first sealing zone is arranged on the inner face of said second wall, said second sealing zone being closest to the central part of the packaging and said tear line being interposed between said first and second sealing zones; said second wall is provided with a tab intended to be folded, which tab has an interior face, said first sealing zone being disposed on said interior face of the tab; said first sealing zone is arranged on the external face of said first wall of the envelope, and in that said second wall is provided with a tab intended to be folded so as to cooperate with said first sealing zone; said second sealing zone is closest to the central part of the packaging, said tear line being interposed between said first and second sealing zones; said second sealing zone is disposed on said tab intended to be folded, said tear line also being disposed on said tab intended to be folded, and further from the central part of the envelope than said second sealing zone; said first and second sealing zones are arranged so as to cooperate during said second closure; said envelope further comprises at least one means for signaling an unauthorized opening of the first and / or of the second sealing zones; said means for signaling an unauthorized opening, is arranged on said tab intended to be folded so as to cooperate with said first sealing zone; said envelope further comprises at least one suspension means, in particular a perforation; said suspension means is arranged at said first sealing zone; at least one sealing zone is formed by an adhesive strip, which adhesive strip comprises a protective strip.

The preferred embodiments of the invention provide packaging that is both easy to open and has a guarantee of inviolability. A large presentation area on the front and a space reserved for shipping on the back, possibly addressed and prepaid, are also permitted.

The invention will be better understood and other characteristics and their advantages will appear on reading the description of the embodiments given below by way of example.

Reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is a plan view of the interior of a first embodiment of a flexible package according to the invention in the deployed position; - Figure 2 is a plan view of the interior of a second embodiment of the flexible packaging according to the invention in the deployed position;

- Figure 3 is a plan view of the interior of a third embodiment of the flexible packaging according to the invention in the deployed position;

- Figure 4 is a plan view of the interior of a fourth embodiment of the flexible packaging according to the invention in deployed position.

Reference is first made to FIG. 1 of the drawings; the flexible packaging 1 which is shown there in the deployed position, is constituted by an envelope comprising a first wall 2 and a second wall 3. said walls 2, 3 respectively comprising an internal face 4, 5 and an external face 6, 7 - According to the embodiment shown, the walls 2 and 3 are contiguous, so as to be folded over one another to form the envelope 1, the wall 3 forming the front wall and the wall 2 forming the back wall. According to another embodiment not shown, the walls 2 and 3 are separate.

According to a known type of envelope manufacturing process, the walls 2 and 3 are provided with adhesive along their periphery on their inner face 4, 5 and / or their outer face 6, 7. at least one tab not shown being disposed on at least one edge of said walls 2, 3. so as to form a pocket by gluing.

Advantageously, the walls 2 and 3 are cut from the same sheet of a material, such as paper, cardboard, plastic sheets, laminated materials or metal sheets, worked in a manner analogous to that used for the paper, woven materials or non-woven materials. Preferably, the material that is found in the industry under the brand Tyvek is used. The material used is both light and strong.

The front wall 3 has a window 15, so as to allow the object placed inside the package 1 to be seen. According to another embodiment, the front wall 3 will be provided with prints on its external face 7 so as to reproduce the object placed inside the packaging 1. Advantageously, the outer face 6 of the wall of the back 2 is also printed, so as to provide a packaging 1 pre-addressed and / or pre- prepaid for shipping or reship.

The packaging 1 comprises a first sealing zone 8 intended for a first closure of the pouch and a second sealing zone 9 intended for a second closure of the pouch. The second sealing zone 9 is closer to the central part of the package 1 than the first sealing zone 8. The two sealing zones 8, 9 each consist of an adhesive strip which has a protective strip which can be removed, which adhesive strips are arranged in the vicinity of an edge of the inner face 5 of the front wall 3> Said adhesive strips 8, 9 are parallel to each other and s 'extend substantially over the entire length of said edge of the inner face 5 of the wall 3-

A tear line 10 intended for the separation of the part of the walls 2, 3 corresponding to the first sealing zone 8 after the first closure, is interposed between the first and second sealing zones 8, 9. parallel to these and extending over the entire length of said walls 2,3. Each wall 2, 3 respectively has a perforation 11a, 11b centered and disposed on the edge corresponding to the first sealing zone 8, which perforations 11a, 11b cooperate so as to form a suspension means for display of known type. Alternatively, the suspension means will for example consist of a loop or a hook.

Reference is now made more precisely to FIG. 2 of the drawings; compared to the embodiment of Figure 1, it should be noted that the second wall 3. that is to say the front wall, is provided with a tab 212 intended to be folded over the outer face 6 of the first wall 2, which tab 212 has an interior face 213, said first sealing zone 208 being disposed on the interior face 213 of tab 212. Thus, the edge of the assembly of the two walls 2, 3 corresponding to the first region of sealing is free of any adhesive strip 208, 209, the tear line 210 being disposed in the vicinity of the second sealing area 209 and parallel to it as indicated above, three perforations 211a, 211c cooperate so as to constitute the folded state a suspension means centered on said edge.

Reference is then made to FIG. 3 of the drawings; the flexible packaging 1 which is shown there in the deployed position comprises a first sealing zone 308, such as an adhesive strip provided with a protective strip or a glued strip, extending in the vicinity of an edge of the face exterior 6 of the first wall 2, that is to say of the back wall, and substantially over the entire length of said edge. The second wall 3 is provided with a tab 312 intended to be folded so as to cooperate with the first sealing zone 308. A second sealing zone 30 is arranged parallel to the first sealing zone 308 and it also substantially over the entire length of the inner face 5 of the front wall 3 "said second sealing zone 3 9 being closer to the central part of the package 1 than the first sealing zone 308. A tear line 310 is interposed between the first 308 and second 309 sealing zones, parallel to said sealing zones, and extends over the entire length of the assembly of the first 2 and second 3 walls. As indicated above, three perforations 3H, 3Hb _> 3Hc cooperate so as to constitute a suspension means.

Finally, reference is made to FIG. 4 of the drawings; with respect to the embodiment of FIG. 3, it should be noted that the second sealing zone 409 is disposed on the tab 412 intended to be folded up during the first closure, the tear line 410 also being disposed on said tab 412, parallel to the outer edge of the second sealing area 409 and in the vicinity thereof. Said first and second sealing zones 408, 409 are arranged so as to cooperate during the second closure and to reinforce said second closure. The tab 412 includes a means 4l4 intended to signal an unauthorized opening and arranged so as to cooperate with the first sealing zone 4θ8. Preferably, the means 4l4 intended to signal an unauthorized opening, consists of a sheet covered with a partially removable pigment when tearing off an adhesive strip and after contact with it. According to other embodiments not shown, the means for signaling an unauthorized opening is arranged differently so as to cooperate with the first sealing zone 8, 208, 308, 4θ8 and / or with the second sealing zone 9. 209, 309, 409. A preferred method of using the flexible packaging according to the invention is described below.

The flexible packaging 1, such as an envelope or a pocket is used for the presentation and / or the shipment or the re-shipment according to the following stages: introduction of an object or a document inside the flexible packaging 1, first closing of the flexible packaging 1 using the first sealing zone 8, 208, 308, 408 after possible removal of a protective strip; presentation of the packaging 1 on a display or shipping of the packaging; tearing off of a part corresponding to the first sealing zone of at least one of the walls 2, 3 along the tear line 10, 210, 310, 410, possibly after removal of the fold-back tab 412; removal of the object placed inside the flexible packaging 1; introduction of the object to be shipped or redirected in the same flexible packaging 1; closing the second sealing zone 9, 209, 309, 409 after possible removal of a protective strip; dispatch or re-dispatch of the flexible packaging 1. Although the flexible packaging according to the invention has been described in its application to a closure along an edge, it should be noted that the invention has more general applications . The sealing areas of the flexible packaging according to the invention can for example be arranged along two or more edges. Of course various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art to the flexible packaging which has just been described by way of nonlimiting example, without departing from the protective framework defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. Flexible packaging (1) comprising at least one pocket delimited by first and second walls (2, 3), said walls (2, 3) respectively comprising an inner face (4, 5) and an outer face (6, 7), and at least a first sealing zone (8, 208, 308, 408) intended for a first closure of said pocket, characterized in that said packaging (1) further comprises at least a second sealing zone (9 , 209, 309, 409) intended for a second closure, one of said sealing zones (8, 208, 308, 408; 9, 209, 309, 409) being closer to the central part of the package (1 ) that the other sealing zone (8, 208, 308, 408; 9, 209, 309, 409), and at least one tear line (10, 210, 310, 410) disposed in the vicinity of at least one sealing zone and intended for the separation of a part of at least one of said walls (2, 3) after the first closure.

2. Flexible packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that said second sealing zone (9, 209) is disposed on the inner face (5) of the second wall (3).

3. Flexible packaging according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said first sealing zone (8,

208) is arranged on the inner face (5) of said second wall (3), said second sealing zone (9, 209) being closest to the central part of the package (1) and said tear line ( 10, 210) being interposed between said first (8, 208) and second (9, 209) sealing zones.

4. Flexible packaging according to claim 3, characterized in that said second wall (3) is provided with a tab (212) intended to be folded, which tab (212) has an inner face (213), said first zone of sealing (208) being disposed on said inner face (213) of the tab (212).

5. Flexible packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that said first sealing zone (308, 4θ8) is disposed on the outer face (6) of said first wall (2) of the envelope (1), and in that that said second wall (3) is provided with a tab (312, 412) intended to be folded so as to cooperate with said first sealing zone (308, 408).

6. Flexible packaging according to claim 5, characterized in that said second sealing zone (309) is closest to the central part of the package (1), said tear line (310) being interposed between said first (308) and second (309) sealing zones.

7- flexible packaging according to claim 5, characterized in that said second sealing zone (409) is disposed on said tab (412) intended to be folded, said tear line (410) also being disposed on said tab (412) intended to be folded, and further from the central part of the envelope (1) than said second sealing zone (409).

8. Flexible packaging according to claim 7, characterized in that said first and second sealing zones (4θ8, 409) are arranged so as to cooperate during said second closure.

9- flexible packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said envelope (1) further comprises at least one means (4l4) intended to signal an unauthorized opening of the first (8, 208, 308 , 408) and / or the second (9, 209, 309, 409) sealing zones.

10. Flexible packaging according to claim 9 and any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that said means (4l4) intended to signal an unauthorized opening, is arranged on said tab (412) intended to be folded so to cooperate with said first sealing zone (4θ8).

11. Flexible packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that said envelope (1) further comprises at least one suspension means (lia, 11b; 211a, 211b, 211c; 3Ha, 311b, 311c) , including a perforation.

12. Flexible packaging according to claim 11, characterized in that said suspension means is disposed at said first sealing zone (8, 208, 308, 4θ8).

13. Flexible packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that at least one sealing zone (8, 208, 308, 408; 9, 209, 309, 409) is constituted by an adhesive strip, which adhesive strip has a protective strip.