US 7,516,596 B2Granted

Bandolier format packaging

AssigneeFrito-Lay North America, Inc.

InventorsEric Thomas Henderson, Garrett William Kohl, Steven Kenneth Tucker

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A product and method for producing a string of individual sealed, filled packages separated by perforations. A string of separate packages optionally may be enclosed in a cardboard or other container designed to sit in a pantry or other location for dispensing of individual units. Perforations in the packaging film between separate packages provide a tear point to aid in separating one package from the next. There are several advantages to this format including easy placement of the string of packages into a carton for shipping or dispensing, and the ability to hang a string of packages in locations without the need to attach the packages to a backing strip. The perforations between packages facilitate the packaging and transportation of the entire string or bandolier, and facilitate the removal and use of a separate package.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A method for forming, packaging, and dispensing a string of sealed food product packages using a vertical form, fill and seal machine, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) guiding a packaging material into a position such that said packaging material is wrapped around a delivery tube of said form, fill and seal machine, wherein said packaging material comprises oriented graphics which appear sideways as the packaging material is fed through a vertical form, fill and seal machine;
(b) sealing adjacent portions of said packaging material to form a tube of packaging material;
(c) for each of said packages:
(1) forming a first transverse seal across said tube of packaging material;
(2) delivering a product into said tube of packaging material above said first transverse seal;
and,
(3) forming a second transverse seal across said tube of packaging material using a heat-sealing jaw assembly to create a sealed package filled with said product;
(d) creating a transverse line of perforations along said second transverse seal using a knife positioned within said heat-sealing jaw assembly;
and,
(e) placing said string of sealed food product packages in a package dispenser having a closeable opening via said closeable opening, such that said dispenser holds two or more sealed food packages;
(f) dispensing a loose end of said string of sealed food product packages from a dispensing opening, wherein said oriented graphics are properly viewable when said transverse seals are vertically oriented.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/103,770Filed 12 Apr 2005 · continuation in part
Priority: 18 Mar 2002
Published: US 2005/0238766 A127 Oct 2005
Granted: 14 Apr 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification35 codes

B26F 1/14
Perforating by punching, e.g. with relatively-reciprocating punch and bed: punching tools; Punching dies
B26F 1/44
Cutting-out; Stamping-out: cutters therefor; Dies therefor
B29C 65/18
By heating, with or without pressure: using heated tools
B29C 65/7457
Using a single unit having both a severing tool and a welding tool: comprising a perforating tool

Family

Application10/100,370Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 18 Mar 2002
Application10/721,953Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 25 Nov 2003
US 2005/0238766 A1Pre-grant publication · published 27 Oct 2005
US 6,935,086 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 6,722,106 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2003/0172624 A1Published application
US 2004/0226849 A1Published application
US 7,516,596 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.