Double guide strip opening device

Abstract

A tear strip opening device for containers, packages, letters, etc. which comprises opposed, preferably mirror image guide strip structures, mounted externally and internally of the panel to be opened. Each of the structures is constructed to be tearable in a longitudinal direction along opposed lines of weakness, when the external and internal structures are mounted directly opposite to and longitudinally coextensive with each other. A strip section of the external structure forms a guide strip, while a strip section of the internal structure forms a tear strip. Typically, the external structure will form two spaced-apart guide strip elements, while a central section of the internal structure will form a single tear strip element cooperating with the spaced-apart external guide strip elements. The guide strip structures include materials which are relatively non-tearable, at least in the width direction, and which have either pre-defined lines of weakness or lines of weakness sufficiently numerous that their exact location is not important. A starting pull tab, formed at the ends of both internal and external structures, enables a longitudinally confined tear strip to be initiated. The subsequent tearing action is confined by edges of the external guide strip elements, whether pre-defined or defined at the time of starting to pull the tear strip. The use of mirror image elements is preferred, as it simplifies the manufacture of the openable container, by minimizing the materials required and facilitating their accurate alignment.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.