Food packet and method for forming a packet for a food product

A chewing gum package comprising:

• (a) an outer wrap including an inside surface having first and second opposite edges, and folded into an elongated regular hexahedron shaped packet forming an interior having longitudinal, transverse and depth dimensions, said longitudinal dimension being longer than both the transverse and depth dimensions, said packet including
• i) opposing and parallel top and bottom panels, said top and bottom panels being spaced apart and defining said longitudinal dimension,
• ii) opposing and parallel left and right side panels connected to and extending between the top and bottom panels, said left and right side panels being spaced apart and defining the transverse dimension, and
• iii) opposing and parallel front and back panels connected to and extending between the left and right side panels and connected to and extending between the top and bottom panels, said front and back panels being spaced apart and defining the depth dimension,
• wherein the top, bottom, left side, right side, front and back panels define and enclose the interior of the outer wrap;
• (b) a multitude of sticks of chewing gum disposed in the interior of the outer wrap, each of the chewing gum sticks including
• i) opposing and parallel top and bottom edges,
• ii) opposing and parallel left and right edges connected to and longitudinally extending between the top and bottom edges, and
• iii) opposing and parallel front and back sides connected to and transversely extending between the left and right edges and connected to and longitudinally extending between the top and bottom edges,
• wherein the chewing gum sticks are parallel to each other and are positioned one behind another;
• and wherein the front and back sides of the chewing gum sticks are parallel to the front and back panels of the outer wrap, the bottom edges of the chewing gum sticks are adjacent and parallel to the bottom panel, and the chewing gum sticks longitudinally extend upward from said bottom panel to a position adjacent the top panel;
• wherein the top panel of the outer wrap is removable to form a top opening, opposite the bottom panel, to provide access to the interior of the outer wrap and the chewing gum sticks located therein;
• and
• (c) a substantially continuous adhesive strip extending along substantially the complete length of the inside surface of the outer wrap, between said first and second edges thereof, and forming an adhesive strip section on the bottom panel;
• and
• wherein each of the chewing gum sticks transversely extends across the interior of the outer wrap, between the left and right side panels thereof, and the bottom edge of each of the chewing gum sticks laterally extends across and engages the adhesive strip section on the bottom panel to hold the chewing gums sticks releasably in the interior of the outer wrap after the top panel of the packet is removed.

A method of forming a food package, comprising the steps of:

• providing a supply of a wrapping material, said wrapping material including a first side having first and second opposite edges;
• applying an adhesive to the first side of the wrapping material to form a substantially continuous adhesive strip along the complete length of the first side, between said first and second opposite edges;
• positioning a plurality of food products on the first side of the wrapping material, said food products including opposing and parallel top and bottom edges, opposing and parallel left and right edges longitudinally extending between the top and bottom edges, and opposing and parallel front and back sides transversely extending between the left and right edges and longitudinally extending between the top and bottom edges;
• folding the wrapping material about the food products to form a packet enclosing the food products, said folding step including the steps of
• i) folding the wrapping material into an elongated regular hexahedron shaped packet forming an interior having longitudinal, transverse and depth dimensions, with said longitudinal dimension being longer than the transverse and depth dimensions, said packet including (1) opposing and parallel top and bottom panels, said top and bottom panels being spaced apart and defining the longitudinal dimension, (2) opposing and parallel left and right side panels being spaced apart and defining the transverse dimension, and (3) opposing and parallel front and back panels, said front and back panels being spaced apart and defining the depth dimension,
• wherein the top, bottom, left side, right side, front and back panels define and enclose the interior of the packet and enclose the food products therein, and
• ii) forming the adhesive strip into an adhesive strip section on said bottom panel;
• wherein the food products are parallel to each other and are positioned one behind another;
• and wherein the front and back sides of the food products are parallel to the front and back panels of the packet, the bottom edges of the food products are adjacent and parallel to the bottom panel, and the food products longitudinally extend upward from said bottom panel to a position adjacent the top panel;
• wherein the top panel of the packet is removable to form a top opening, opposite the bottom panel, to provide access to the interior of the packet and the food products located therein;
• and
• wherein each of the food products transversely extends across the interior of the packet, between the left and right side panels thereof, and the bottom edges of each of the food products laterally extends across and engages the adhesive strip section on the bottom panel to hold the food products releasably in the interior of the wrapping material after the top panel of the packet is removed.