Method and Apparatus Pertaining to a Flexible Wrapping Material Having Laser-Formed Crease Lines

Abstract

One or more lasers (80, 100) form one or more crease lines (140, 150, 151) in a flexible wrapping material (60). The flexible wrapping material is then folded about the one or more crease lines when encapsulating an item to be wrapped within the flexible wrapping material. The flexible wrapping material may have poor dead-fold characteristics and can comprise a flow-wrapping material. A single laser or multiple lasers can serve to form the one or more crease lines. The crease lines can be formed on a same side of the flexible wrapping material or on both sides thereof. By one approach, folding the flexible wrapping material about the one or more crease lines forms, at least in part, a form-factor conformal pocket to accommodate the aforementioned item. By another approach, folding the flexible wrapping material about the one or more crease lines forms, at least in part, a gusset.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.