Laser scoring of packaging substrates
AssigneeAmerican National Can Company
InventorAnthony Guckenberger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Packaging machinery alignment, and a package having tear initiation and tear control, result from laser scoring of the package substrate, particularly, by providing at least two substantially parallel, substantially straight or linear, laser scores across the entire width of such package substrate.
Claims25
A method for making an easy-open tear control pouch comprising:
- (i) forming a face-to-face structure having a front outer surface and a rear outer surface, each outer surface having an inner surface;
- (ii) sealing three sides of said face-to face structure so as to form an open pouch;
- (iii) laser scoring the front outer surface, the rear outer surface, or both front and rear outer surfaces from one side to the opposite side of said pouch, subsequent to sealing said three sides of said face-to-face structure, at an isolated area which is a full width of said pouch so as to provide at least two substantially parallel, substantially straight or linear laser scores;
- wherein said laser scores are continuous and wherein said laser scores are spaced from about 1/16 to 3/16 inches apart, forming said pouches on a manufacturing machine with a side-to-side weave.
A method of making an easy open pouch, comprising forming said pouch on a manufacturing machine with side-to-side weave, comprising forming a tube of polymeric material, said pouch having a horizontal and a vertical width, laser scoring a circumferential area of said tube at least at one end thereof so as to provide at least two substantially parallel, substantially straight or linear laser scores, wherein said laser scores are continuous and wherein said laser scores are spaced from about 1/16 to 3/16 inches apart, said circumferential area corresponding to the horizontal width of the pouch to be formed by sealing one end of the tube, sealing one end of said tube to make an open pouch, and sealing the other end to make a closed pouch.
A method of making a package, comprising forming said package on a manufacturing machine with side-to-side weave, having an easy open tear feature comprising:
- (i) forming a sheet of structure;
- (ii) laser scoring said structure so as to impart said structure with at least two substantially parallel, substantially straight or linear laser scores along a full horizontal width of said structure so as to form said easy open tear feature which comprises a tear strip, wherein said laser scores are continuous and wherein said laser scores are spaced from about 1/16 to 3/16 inches apart;
- and
- (iii) folding and sealing said structure into said package.
A method of making an easy-open tear control pouch, comprising forming said pouch on a manufacturing machine with side-to-side weave, comprising the steps of:
- (i) superimposing a first polymeric film having an inner and an outer surface on a second polymeric film having an inner and outer surface each film having parallel longitudinal sides and front and rear edges;
- (ii) sealing said longitudinal sides and one of said edges to form an open pouch;
- and
- (iii) forming a tear strip by laser scoring one or both of said polymer films to form at least two substantially parallel score lines running from one longitudinal side to the other, wherein said laser scores are continuous and wherein said laser score lines are spaced from about 1/16 to 3/16 inches apart.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.