US 2006/0032775 A1 · Easy-open packages

Abstract

A novel package wrapper made of plastic film with a line of package-opening perforations through the film positioned in one face of the package and being overlaid by a piece of plastic tape which seals the perforations, the tape having a dry edge. The perforations and overlying tape are spaced inward from the edges of the package and extend substantially linearly, but have the tape ends terminate short of any package seal so that they are not bound into the seals. In one embodiment the package wrapper is made of air and moisture non-permeable shrink wrap film, and the tear down tape is made of a non-permeable non-shrink plastic which has been processed to exhibit the same shrink characteristics as those of the shrink wrap film, so that when the wrap film is shrunk during packaging the tape shrinks the same amount as the film and does not itself pucker or wrinkle the film. The package is completely sealed but does not require the use of any tool to open it. Package opening is accomplished by grasping the tape dry edge and pulling it toward the line of perforations. The tape peels from the wrapper film until it reaches the perforations, where continued pulling of the tape ruptures the film through the perforations and permits the film to be further torn to open the package. Tapes with several variant configurations are disclosed. Apparatus and methods for making the novel package and wrapper are shown and described.

Claims57

Dependent claims

An easy-open package comprising in combination,

a) a packaged product wrapped in packaging film, said package having opposite faces joined by opposite sides and opposite ends, and said film having defined rupture characteristics,
b) at least one perforation disposed in one of said package faces, said at least one perforation having defined ends spaced away from said package opposite sides and opposite ends,
c) a piece of tape extending lengthwise of said package but non-contiguous to said package sides and ends, said tape having length and width and upper and lower faces and being adhered to said package film in overlying sealing relationship to said at least one perforation, said tape having a lengthwise extending dry edge and an adhesive coating on said lower face except in the region of said dry edge, said adhesive coated lower face portion of said tape overlying and being both longer and wider than the extent of said at least one perforation, and said adhesive coating having defined adhesive characteristics with respect to said film,
whereby, said defined rupture characteristics of said film and said defined adhesive characteristics of said adhesive interact, so that when said tape dry edge is grasped and pulled toward said tape adhesive overlying said at least one perforation, said tape separates from said film until it reaches said at least one perforation and then ruptures said at least one perforation to enable the package film to be torn open to open the package.

1 more element

A composite packaging material for making easy-open packages, comprising in combination,

a) a running length of packaging film having defined equal package lengths of packaging film along the length of said film, said film having defined rupture characteristics,
b) a sequence of at least one perforation in said film separated from one another at the same fixed interval between adjacent ones of said sequence along the length of said film, each said at least one perforation being associated with a different discrete one of said defined equal package lengths of packaging film and positioned the same with respect thereto,
c) discrete pieces of tape extending lengthwise of and spaced along the length of said film, said tape pieces having length and width and upper and lower faces and each being adhered to said packaging film in overlying sealing relationship to one of said sequence of at least one perforation, each said piece of tape having a lengthwise extending dry edge and an adhesive coated lower face portion, each of said pieces of tape overlying and being both longer and wider than the extent of said at least one perforation which it overlies, and said adhesive coating having defined adhesive characteristics with respect to said film,
whereby, said defined rupture characteristics of said film and said defined adhesive characteristics of said adhesive interact, so that in a finished package made from said composite packaging material when said tape dry edge is grasped and pulled toward said tape adhesive overlying said at least one perforation, said tape separates from said film until it reaches said at least one perforation and then ruptures said at least one perforation to enable the package film to be torn open to open the package.

1 more element

Apparatus for making a composite packaging material for making easy-open packages, comprising in combination,

a) pulling means for pulling a running length of packaging film, said film having defined rupture characteristics,
b) perforating means for perforating said packaging film with a sequence of spaced apart at least one perforation separated from one another at a substantially constant fixed interval between adjacent ones of said sequence along the length of said film,
c) tape forming means for forming a continuously extending dry edge tape from a continuous supply of tape having length and width, an upper face, and a lower adhesive coated face except in the region of said dry edge, said adhesive coating having defined adhesive characteristics with respect to said film,
d) tape pieces forming means for forming from said continuous dry edge tape discrete pieces of tape extending lengthwise of and spaced apart along the length of said film,
e) tape adhering means for adhering successive ones of said discrete pieces of tape to said packaging film in overlying sealing relationship to successive ones of said sequence of at least one perforation, said adhesive coated lower face portion of each of said pieces of tape overlying and being both longer and wider than the extent of said at least one perforation which it overlies.

2 more elements

A method of making a running length of composite packaging material for making easy-open packages, consisting of the steps of,

a) pulling a running length of packaging film, said film having defined rupture characteristics,
b) perforating said packaging film with a sequence of spaced apart discrete at least one perforation separated from one another at a substantially constant fixed interval between adjacent ones of said sequence along the length of said film,
c) forming a continuously extending dry edge tape from a continuous supply of tape having length and width, an upper face, and a lower adhesive coated face except in the region of said dry edge, said adhesive coating having defined adhesive characteristics with respect to said film,
d) forming discrete pieces of tape from said continuous dry edge tape extending lengthwise of and spaced along the length of said film,
e) adhering successive ones of said discrete pieces of tape to said packaging film in overlying sealing relationship to successive ones of said sequence of at least one perforation, said adhesive coated lower face portion of each of said pieces of tape overlying and being both longer and wider than the extent of said at least one perforation which it overlies.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Easy-open packages

Life of this patent

Easy-open packages

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims57