US20160046400A1 - Easy to Open Package - Google Patents

Easy to Open Package Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20160046400A1
US20160046400A1 US14/812,953 US201514812953A US2016046400A1 US 20160046400 A1 US20160046400 A1 US 20160046400A1 US 201514812953 A US201514812953 A US 201514812953A US 2016046400 A1 US2016046400 A1 US 2016046400A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
package
perforation
tube
sheet
flap
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US14/812,953
Inventor
Torkild Hofman
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Beanstalk ApS
Original Assignee
Beanstalk ApS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Beanstalk ApS filed Critical Beanstalk ApS
Priority to US14/812,953 priority Critical patent/US20160046400A1/en
Assigned to BEANSTALK APS reassignment BEANSTALK APS ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: HOFMAN, TORKILD
Publication of US20160046400A1 publication Critical patent/US20160046400A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65BMACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B61/00Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
    • B65B61/04Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for severing webs, or for separating joined packages
    • B65B61/12Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for severing webs, or for separating joined packages by tearing along perforations or lines of weakness
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65BMACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B61/00Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
    • B65B61/02Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for perforating, scoring, slitting, or applying code or date marks on material prior to packaging
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65BMACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B9/00Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
    • B65B9/10Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs
    • B65B9/20Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles
    • B65B9/2056Machines for packages of special type or form
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D75/00Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes, or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
    • B65D75/40Packages formed by enclosing successive articles, or increments of material, in webs, e.g. folded or tubular webs, or by subdividing tubes filled with liquid, semi-liquid, or plastic materials
    • B65D75/44Individual packages cut from webs or tubes
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D75/00Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes, or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
    • B65D75/52Details
    • B65D75/58Opening or contents-removing devices added or incorporated during package manufacture
    • B65D75/5827Tear-lines provided in a wall portion
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65BMACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B9/00Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
    • B65B9/10Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs
    • B65B9/20Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a package of the type formed from a single-layer or multi-layer material sheet as well as a form, fill and seal machine (FFS machine) and further a package produced on such an FFS machine according to the present invention.
  • FFS machine form, fill and seal machine
  • an FFS machine operates by being fed a material sheet which by a former in the machine is shaped into a tube by attaching the two side edges of the sheet to each other continuously as the sheet is fed into the machine.
  • Means for creating end seals, within this application referred to as cross seals are provided further downstream in the machine such that the tube is delimited laterally to the tube's longitudinal direction after which the so delimited tube is filled with the object to be packaged and again provided with and end seal laterally to the tube's longitudinal direction.
  • the material sheets are usually polymer-based and may be provided with printing such that information about the object inside the package is conveyed to the user.
  • a material web is shaped into a V-shape or trough shape.
  • cross seals are made, i.e. the sides of the web are united in order to form pockets, which are then filled with the material or goods is placed in the package.
  • the material or goods is placed in the bottom of the V or trough on the web, after which the free side edges of the web are joined/sealed to form a tube. A folding of the free ends extending from the seal forming the tube, is performed. Finally cross, seals, delimiting each package from the next are formed.
  • the tube is shaped about a VFF filler tube, such that the tube forming seal uniting the webs side edges is formed together with a cross seal, at such a rate that the tube relative to the filler tube will be open upwards, but limited by a cross seal downwards.
  • This document does not provide any means for easing the opening of the package.
  • foils for use in wrapping/packaging items such as candy usually have a plurality of layers. Typically a layer on which pictures, text and the like is printed, will be covered by a thin protective layer. Layer thicknesses are typically in the range of 5-60 ⁇ , such that the overall foil is the sum of the different layer thicknesses. Other layers such as layers exhibiting uni-direction tearing and/or barrier layers etc may be added. These layers all exhibits different characteristics and together provides the foil with the desired characteristics, also when it comes to welding/fusion.
  • One such solution is to provide a small cut, through all material layers, said cut being arranged in the end seal in the longitudinal direction but limited to a few millimetres into the end seal such that a tear initiator is created whereby e.g. a corner of the package may relatively easily be torn off.
  • a tear initiator is created whereby e.g. a corner of the package may relatively easily be torn off.
  • JP 10250764 JP 2003191965, WO 9216431 and JP2004182267.
  • the tearing action is helped along by further providing a tear line in the shape of a cut going partly through a foil layer along where the opening is intended to be, or providing a tape, see for example JP 10250764 such that as the tape is pulled it will tear the foil.
  • the invention addresses this by providing a method of manufacturing a package of the type formed from a single-layer or multi-layer material sheet, where said package has an easy to open feature, where the sheet is shaped into the finished package having an inner side suitable to be in contact with the matter to be packaged and an outer side, comprising the following method steps:
  • the filling stage of the package has been left out as it is well-known in the art depending on the make of the machine to introduce products into this type of packages during the process of forming the package.
  • the present invention is independent of the type of device used to fill the packages and is only concerned with providing novel features for opening of the finished package.
  • the perforation will extend from the edge of the perforation line and a small distance towards or into the cross seal, parallel to the side flap such that as a user holds the package in one hand and pulls the side flap at the edge with the other hand, the perforation will provide a weak spot which will initiate the tearing of the material such that it is very easy to tear open the material and thereby gain access to the interior of the package without destroying said package.
  • Repeated tests have clearly shown that a very easy opening is provided, and that the opening is well defined, and limited to the desired section of the package.
  • the manner in which the seals are made which are created during the formation of the sheet material into a package distinction is made between two main types: lap seals and fin seals.
  • Lap seals are created by simply overlaying one sheet over the other and welding, gluing or otherwise connect the two sheets. In this manner two different sides of the sheet will be connected—what is to be the inner side of the package with what will be the outer side of the package.
  • fin seals the sides of the sheets are connected, inner side to inner side whereby a flap or fin is created.
  • the manner of sealing has no effect on the invention, as long as a fin or flap is provided.
  • the flap may be created by a former tool, or may be provided as a separate piece of sheet material adhesively or welded onto the outside of the tube.
  • the orientation of the perforation i.e. between parallel to the flap up to and including an angle of 60°, will, depending on the sheet construction, facilitate the desired effect. This is due to the fact that the perforation when exposed to tearing by pulling the flap, will guide the crack forming towards the flap, which will be welded and thereby constitute a stronger construction than the sheet material. When the crack encounters the flap, even from an angle of 60°, the crack will follow the flap, and thereby provide the desired inventive effect.
  • the perforation By limiting the perforation to be situated in a cross seal, the free sheet ends or a combination, the volume in which the goods inside the package are contained is still sealed off and thereby not exposed to the ambient.
  • the material sheet is a polymer material sheet where seals and connections are created by heat fusing or welding.
  • This is the most common type of materials used for the vast majority of packages manufactured from sheet materials.
  • the heat fusing or welding provides reliable and strong seals such that a good, firm package is provided naturally depending on the choice of sheet material, but usually the welded portions will be stronger than the sheet material as such.
  • the material is a non-weldable or non heat-fusionable material, where seals and connections are created by applying adhesives between material surfaces to be joined in order to create the seals, where the material is selected from one or more of the following: coated or uncoated cellulose based materials, polymeric films, aluminium based sheets.
  • the material is selected from one or more of the following: coated or uncoated cellulose based materials, polymeric films, aluminium based sheets.
  • the material is selected from one or more of the following: coated or uncoated cellulose based materials, polymeric films, aluminium based sheets.
  • paper sheet material which on one side, namely the side intended to be in contact with the products to be packaged, is provided with a polymer coating such that in theory a seal could be created by welding, but due to the nature of the over-all sheet material, namely paper, it is necessary to use an adhesive in order to create the seals.
  • the sheet material is formed into a tube around a pipe or former, which pipe at the same time is used for filling the material to be packaged into the package.
  • the edge sections of the material sheet are overlaid and depending on the type of sheet material, welded or glued together where the filling pipe may be used as a land, i. e. as a back support for the welding wheel.
  • the invention in a further advantageous embodiment is provided with two rollers such that, as the side flap, created by having passed the fin in the alternative embodiment mentioned above the side flap is exposed to heat or heat and/or pressure exerted by two rollers arranged on either side of the side flap and biased towards said side flap.
  • a side flap is created although the traditional manufacturing of packages of this type does not require a side fin, but due to the advantageous opening procedure incorporating the perforation according to the present invention a side flap is desirable, and therefore the fin on the filling pipe is provided in cooperation with the side rollers.
  • a perforation tool is provided where the perforation tool may be selected between one or more of the following:
  • a laser device for either cutting or engraving the perforations is a well-known technology. It is known in the art to operate lasers such that they only penetrate a certain, very small distance into a material. This may further be enhanced by providing a coating on the inside of the materials, such that the laser device will detect different material characteristics and thereby delimit the depth of the penetration of the laser to that particular material layer, whereby it becomes possible to very efficiently perforate only one layer of the package material at the cross seals.
  • the package material is usually provided with indications intended to be present on each package such as e. g. bar codes, printing, print markers or the like. These markers may be used as detection points for e. g. a photo cell such that the recognition of the marker passing the photo cell will be used as input for the perforation tool which may be arranged downstream from the photo cell and activated in response to the detection of a marker. In this manner very well-proven technology which in some cases are already present in the machine may be further utilized in order to be used as input for the perforation tool thereby providing the perforation in the exact, correct positions relative to the separating lines.
  • indications intended to be present on each package such as e. g. bar codes, printing, print markers or the like.
  • markers may be used as detection points for e. g. a photo cell such that the recognition of the marker passing the photo cell will be used as input for the perforation tool which may be arranged downstream from the photo cell and activated in response to the detection of a marker.
  • the invention also discloses a form, fill and seal machine for forming packages, where said machine comprises means to convey a continuous sheet material through the machine. and where said machine comprises means for creating at least one side flap on the package and where said machine further comprises means for establishing sealed cross zones extending substantially laterally to the side flap and means for establishing separating lines, where said separating lines are established in said cross zones wherein the sealed cross zones have at least a two material layer thickness, characterised in that the machine comprises a perforation tool which perforation tool perforates one of the two material layers adjacent and parallel to said side flap, and where the perforation extends inside said sealed cross zone, and that the perforation at least extends to the separating lines.
  • In-line implies that the packaging material is feed into a packaging machine in one end and that a finished package containing the goods to be packaged is being ejected in the other end. This is of course a rational and possible use of the invention.
  • the invention is however also suitable for being used such that the packaging material is shaped more or less into a finished package, for example leaving an end open. At a later stage or even at another location the package is thereafter filled with the goods to be packaged and sealed.
  • FIG. 1- 5 illustrates various embodiments of a package according to the invention
  • FIG. 6 illustrates the perforator tool adjacent a side flap former
  • FIG. 7 illustrates the last step in the production process
  • FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate the fin and rollers creating the side flap
  • FIG. 10 illustrates a string of finished packages according to the invention.
  • FIG. 11 is substantially identical to FIG. 7 , illustrating a further embodiment.
  • FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment where the flap is a separate member.
  • FIGS. 1-5 is illustrated various examples of a package provided with the perforation and thereby the easy opening feature according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 the package generally indicated by number 1 is in its most basic configuration.
  • the material sheet 2 has been formed into a package which package 1 is delimited by cross seals 3 , 4 in either end of the package 1 .
  • cross seals 3 , 4 in either end of the package 1 .
  • FIGS. 7 and 10 the definition of cross seals and the overall direction of the package are determined according to the manner in which the package is produced.
  • the packages are formed from an in theory endless material sheet 1 which by means of a former not illustrated shapes the sheet into a tube.
  • the tube is created for example by welding together sheet material adjacent the two edges 5 , 6 of the sheet material thereby creating a tube and at the same time creating a side flap 10 , see FIG. 1 .
  • the tube will be sealed with the cross seals 3 , 4 in order to create a space limited by the formed tube and the cross seals 3 , 4 .
  • perforations or cut-outs 7 are provided.
  • perforations 7 are provided at both ends of the side flap 10 , but the same advantages are achievable with only one perforation 7 provided at either end of the side flap.
  • the perforations 7 are provided parallel to and adjacent the side flap 10 and has an extent in the longitudinal direction of the package indicated by the arrow 50 such that the entire perforation is maintained within the limits of the cross seal 3 such that no opening is provided from the interior of the package 1 to the ambient.
  • FIG. 4 is indicated a situation where the corner 11 of the side flap 10 has been lifted relative to the package whereby a tear 8 initiated by the perforation 7 makes it possible to create an easy and substantially straight opening of the package.
  • these types of packages are typically manufactured on a so-called horizontal form, fill and seal machine (FFS) whereas the package 9 illustrated with reference to FIG. 2 typically will be manufactured on a vertical FFS machine where the edges 5 ′, 6 ′ will be mutually overlapping and creating a connection seal 20 , such that the formation of the tube from the material sheet 2 does not provide a side flap 10 .
  • the side flap may be provided by installing a side flap former as illustrated with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 .
  • FIG. 8 a former/filling pipe 14 is illustrated.
  • the material sheet (not illustrated) will at this point be surrounding the former pipe and has been provided with the connection seal 20 (see FIG. 2 ) such that the material sheet at this stage will be in the shape of a tube.
  • the tube is arranged outside the former/filling pipe 14 and as the tube advances downwards in FIG. 8 the tube will engage the fin 15 such that a fold will be created in the sheet material. As the material advances further the fold will be squeezed between the two rollers 16 , 17 which are biased towards each other.
  • the fold may be sealed either by providing an adhesive nozzle just downstream of the fin 15 before the rollers 16 , 17 such that the rollers squeeze together the fold and thereby the adhesive coated inner portions of the material sheet (here shaped into a tube) thereby creating the side flap 10 .
  • the rollers 16 , 17 may be welding rollers such that by heating the rollers the fold will be fused together in a welding process thereby creating the side flap 10 .
  • FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the combination of different techniques illustrated.
  • the cross seals 3 , 4 are manufactured in the same manner as the embodiments described above which will be further described with reference to FIG. 6 and a longitudinal seal 18 is furthermore provided in order to connect the edges 5 ′′, 6 ′′ such that a sealed package 2 is created.
  • a longitudinal seal 18 is furthermore provided in order to connect the edges 5 ′′, 6 ′′ such that a sealed package 2 is created.
  • the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 so far corresponds completely to the embodiment illustrated with reference to FIG. 1 .
  • the longitudinal seal 18 may further be fastened to the surface of the package material and fastened to the cross seals 3 , 4 such that a user may not mistakenly try to open the package by pulling on the edge seal 18 .
  • a further embodiment is illustrated with reference to FIG. 5 where a package has been opened by tearing at the side flap 10 thereby providing access to the interior of the package.
  • the perforation 7 has been divided such that half the perforation is present on the side flap 10 and half the perforation 7 is present of the package itself.
  • This package has furthermore been provided with a resealing strip 20 arranged at what is now the bottom part of the side flap and parallel to the longitudinal direction 50 (see FIG. 1 ).
  • the type of material used for the resealable seal 20 may be chosen according to the circumstances depending on the sheet material and the quality of the resealing properties which it is desired to achieve.
  • the seal 20 may be selected from the so-called peelable materials or may simply be a double-sided, adhesive tape or the like as long as it fulfills the requirement of being able to hold down the side flap 10 in relation to the surface 19 of the package.
  • FIG. 6 a schematic illustration of how the perforation 7 is manufactured is illustrated.
  • the package material 2 has, prior to the method step illustrated with reference to FIG. 6 been arranged around the former such that a tube is created.
  • the tube has an interior space 21 delimited by the package material 2 .
  • the two edges of the package material 5 , 6 is arranged to be introduced between two rollers 22 , 23 .
  • the rollers may be heated such that they will weld the package material 2 together forming the side flap 10 as already described above.
  • a nozzle providing adhesive material to the inside of the edges 5 , 6 may be provided just upstream of the rollers 22 , 23 such that the rollers 22 , 23 which are biased towards each other, will press the two edge portions together thereby creating the side flap 10 .
  • the package material moves in the direction 51 indicated by the arrow, and the directions “up-stream”, “downstream” are defined relatively to this direction of movement of the package material 2 .
  • Markers may be provided on the surface of the package material 2 such that as a detection unit detects/registers a marker this registration will be used as input for the perforation tool of which only the cutting blade 24 actually carrying out the cutting of the perforation is illustrated. These markers are usually present on printed sheets materials, in order to locate the print correctly to the cutting zone. separating two packages.
  • the input from the marker registration means is used in order to activate the perforation tool such that the cutting blade 24 may be moved up and down repeatedly as indicated by the arrow 52 whereby the cutting blade cuts a perforation 7 at predetermined positions. These predetermined positions are decided relative to the marker such that the perforation as indicated on the lower side of the side flap 10 , crosses the separating line 25 .
  • the separating lines are provided as shear lines where the different packages may be separated into individual packages such that as two packages 1 ′, 1 ′′ are separated, the perforation 7 will be present parallel to the side flap 10 and extending from the edge of the package, which edge is created by the separating line 25 and into the cross seal (not illustrated).
  • FIG. 6 it has been chosen not to illustrate the cross seals in order to clarify the position of the perforations in relation to the separating lines.
  • the packages created by the method described with reference to FIG. 6 will have a general appearance as illustrated with reference to FIGS. 1-5 and as described above.
  • the perforation may also be one-sided, i.e. such that a perforation 7 ′ as illustrated above the side-flap 10 is only present on one side of the separation line and thereby only in one place on the finished package.
  • the package material 2 has been turned into a tube on which tube's surface a side-flap 10 is provided and perforations 7 are established parallel to the longitudinal direction of the side-flap adjacent or crossing the separating lines 25 where it is intended to separate the packages 1 ′, 1 ′′.
  • the material sheet formed into a tube by the method step in FIG. 6 proceeds towards a sealing apparatus 30 .
  • the sealing apparatus will only be described very broadly, but any type of apparatus which is able to create the cross seals 3 , 4 may be used with the present application.
  • the means for sealing 30 furthermore comprises means for separating the packages such that separate packages 1 ′, 1 ′′ provided with cross seals 3 , 4 , a side-flap 10 and perforations 7 result from the action of the novel and inventive method and apparatus according to the present invention.
  • the operation of the means for sealing 30 is carried out in response to the presence of the separating lines 25 such that the means for sealing 30 is activated in the direction indicated by the arrow 53 such that the cross seals 3 , 4 and the separation of the packages 1 ′, 1 ′′ is established in the correct positions in relation to the perforation 7 and the overall package size.
  • the sealing means 30 may also be provided without means for separating the packages whereby a string of packages as illustrated with a reference to FIG. 10 is the result such that a continuous array of packages 1 ′, 1 ′′ separated by cross seals will be the result.
  • the separating lines 25 indicated between the cross seals 3 , 4 may for example be perforations such that it is easy for a user to detach one package from an adjacent package or maybe partly cut such that it is easy to detach one package from the next.
  • FIG. 11 is illustrated a further embodiment, where a plurality of perforations 60 , 60 ′, 60 ′′ are indicated.
  • three substantially parallel perforations are illustrated, but any number depending on the size of the package, the materials etc may be used.
  • the perforations are identical to the perforations discussed above.
  • the perforations are illustrated as arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal flap 10 , but may also be arranged at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the flap. Angles up to approx. 60° have proven to achieve the inventive effect.
  • the flap 10 When the package, for example as indicated by 1 ′′ or 1 ′ is to be opened, the flap 10 shall be pulled away from the plane of the package, for example by gripping the flap in the area indicated by 56 , and pulling in the direction indicated by the arrow 62 .
  • the material from which the package 1 ′′, 1 ′ is made will then easily tear initiating the tear at one of the perforations 60 , 60 ′, or 60 ′′.
  • the tear will propagate towards the weld in the flap 10 , where after the tear will follow the intersection between the flap 10 and the face 54 of the package.
  • FIG. 12 is illustrated an embodiment where the flap 10 is welded onto the sheet material 2 , by the weld 26 .
  • the flap 10 is placed adjacent the perforation 60 .
  • the flap could have been attached by means of an adhesive.
  • the connection between the flap 10 and the sheet 2 shall be such that by pulling in the flap 10 the perforation 60 will initiate a tear, without the flap 10 being pulled off.
  • the seals are created either by heating thereby welding or fusing the material layers together, or applying adhesives in order to create the seals.
  • the adhesive solution is used for a number of purposes, but of particular interest are applications where the objects or material to be package are not suitable to be heated, or that there may be a risk that an adhesive spray may have a detrimental effect on the characteristics of the object/material.
  • This sealing technology may also be used within the present invention in order to establish the seals.

Abstract

Method of manufacturing a package of the type formed from a single-layer or multilayer material sheet, where said package has an easy to open feature, where the sheet is shaped into the finished package having an inner side suitable to be in contact with the matter to be packaged and an outer side, comprising the following method steps: forming the film into a tube, by connecting the two side edges of the sheet longitudinally; where the connection creates a side flap on the outside of the tube or where the tube is passed over a former having a projecting fin, whereby a side flap is formed on the outside of the tube; where cross seals are provided across the tube, thereby delimiting each package between two cross seals; that perforation lines are established in said cross seals, for detaching/separating two adjacent packages; that a perforation of one material layer is established, parallel to and adjacent the side flap, extending from the perforation line towards or into the cross seal.

Description

    CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
  • The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/735,850, filed Oct. 1, 2010, which is a National Stage entry of PCT/DK2009/000045 filed Feb. 20, 2009, which claims priority from Danish Application No. PA 2008 00247 filed Feb. 22, 2008, and Danish Application No. PA 2008 01386 filed Oct. 3, 2008, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
  • FIELD OF THE INVENTION
  • The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a package of the type formed from a single-layer or multi-layer material sheet as well as a form, fill and seal machine (FFS machine) and further a package produced on such an FFS machine according to the present invention.
  • BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • In the art FFS machines are widely used in connection with packaging of a wide variety of goods, in particular food stuffs, candy and a host of other objects. Basically, an FFS machine operates by being fed a material sheet which by a former in the machine is shaped into a tube by attaching the two side edges of the sheet to each other continuously as the sheet is fed into the machine. Means for creating end seals, within this application referred to as cross seals are provided further downstream in the machine such that the tube is delimited laterally to the tube's longitudinal direction after which the so delimited tube is filled with the object to be packaged and again provided with and end seal laterally to the tube's longitudinal direction. In this manner a very cheap expedient and reliable package is created at a minimum cost. The material sheets are usually polymer-based and may be provided with printing such that information about the object inside the package is conveyed to the user.
  • These types of packages are well-known in the art and are used everyday by most consumers. Examples on various embodiments and machines used in the production process are disclosed in WO 03045816, US2007269146, EP176908, EP1746043, EP 1026077, WO 2007/106916, JP10305806, WO 2004002835 and numerous others.
  • An example of a method to manufacture such packages is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,539. According to the disclosed method, a material web is shaped into a V-shape or trough shape. At this stage three different embodiments are disclosed. In a first embodiment, cross seals are made, i.e. the sides of the web are united in order to form pockets, which are then filled with the material or goods is placed in the package. In the second embodiment, the material or goods is placed in the bottom of the V or trough on the web, after which the free side edges of the web are joined/sealed to form a tube. A folding of the free ends extending from the seal forming the tube, is performed. Finally cross, seals, delimiting each package from the next are formed. In the third embodiment the tube is shaped about a VFF filler tube, such that the tube forming seal uniting the webs side edges is formed together with a cross seal, at such a rate that the tube relative to the filler tube will be open upwards, but limited by a cross seal downwards. This document does not provide any means for easing the opening of the package.
  • One problem arising with this type of well-known packaging is the situation where the consumer or user has to open the package. Usually, the longitudinal connection between the two side edges of the material seat are welded together whereby a side flap is created, and where the side flap coincides with the end seals it becomes a natural point where a consumer will attempt to open the package in order to gain access to the interior. The seals are usually created by welding the polymer materials together such that a relatively strong connection is created both in the end seal and the side flap which when attempting to open the package requires a substantial force such that during opening the user may tear the package apart and spill the contents.
  • In this connection attempts has been made to design the welds such that a desired opening force is required. This in turn requires that the surfaces to be welded together have certain characteristics, allowing welding/fusion. For example foils for use in wrapping/packaging items such as candy usually have a plurality of layers. Typically a layer on which pictures, text and the like is printed, will be covered by a thin protective layer. Layer thicknesses are typically in the range of 5-60μ, such that the overall foil is the sum of the different layer thicknesses. Other layers such as layers exhibiting uni-direction tearing and/or barrier layers etc may be added. These layers all exhibits different characteristics and together provides the foil with the desired characteristics, also when it comes to welding/fusion. When these types of multilayered foils are used in FFS machines (both horizontal and vertical) it is often the outer side which has to be united with the inner side. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,985 these aspects are disclosed. Therefore in addition to have the desired qualities (barrier, print etc) the foils shall also be mutually weldable/fusionable.
  • In order to avoid this, different solutions have been proposed. One such solution is to provide a small cut, through all material layers, said cut being arranged in the end seal in the longitudinal direction but limited to a few millimetres into the end seal such that a tear initiator is created whereby e.g. a corner of the package may relatively easily be torn off. See various examples in JP 10250764, JP 2003191965, WO 9216431 and JP2004182267. In some of these examples the tearing action is helped along by further providing a tear line in the shape of a cut going partly through a foil layer along where the opening is intended to be, or providing a tape, see for example JP 10250764 such that as the tape is pulled it will tear the foil. This in turn creates, in most cases a relatively limited opening, but also in some cases depending on the manner in which the corner is torn off and the material from which the package is manufactured a situation which may ruin the package in the same manner as already described above, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,985.
  • Common for these two types of openings is the fact that once the package has been torn apart it is impossible to reseal the package if the entire content is not to be used.
  • For these purposes a number of solutions have been proposed, e. g. by incorporating resealable zippers into the material adjacent the end seal. This, however, is a relatively costly process and also requires that the size of the package remains relatively constant even after part of the content has been removed.
  • OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
  • It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus and a package alleviating the problems mentioned above and providing further advantages particularly relating to a cheap, reliable manner of providing an opening in a package of the type mentioned above where the package may be opened without having to use so much force that the user risks destroying the entire package in the process.
  • DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
  • The invention addresses this by providing a method of manufacturing a package of the type formed from a single-layer or multi-layer material sheet, where said package has an easy to open feature, where the sheet is shaped into the finished package having an inner side suitable to be in contact with the matter to be packaged and an outer side, comprising the following method steps:
      • forming the sheet into a tube, by connecting the two side edges of the sheet longitudinally;
      • where the connection creates a side flap on the outside of the tube or where the tube is passed over a former having a projecting fin, whereby a side flap is formed on the outside of the tube;
      • where cross seals are provided across the tube, thereby delimiting each package between two cross seals;
      • that perforation lines are established in or in between said cross seals, for detaching/separating two adjacent packages;
      • that a perforation of one sheet or one or more layers making up the sheet, is established adjacent side flap or fin, extending from the perforation line and parallel to, or at an angle up to 60° relative to the side flap or fin, and extending towards or into the cross seal.
  • Initially, it should be noted that the filling stage of the package has been left out as it is well-known in the art depending on the make of the machine to introduce products into this type of packages during the process of forming the package. The present invention is independent of the type of device used to fill the packages and is only concerned with providing novel features for opening of the finished package.
  • This is achieved by particularly the last method step, namely the perforation of one material layer adjacent the side flap. The perforation will extend from the edge of the perforation line and a small distance towards or into the cross seal, parallel to the side flap such that as a user holds the package in one hand and pulls the side flap at the edge with the other hand, the perforation will provide a weak spot which will initiate the tearing of the material such that it is very easy to tear open the material and thereby gain access to the interior of the package without destroying said package. Repeated tests have clearly shown that a very easy opening is provided, and that the opening is well defined, and limited to the desired section of the package.
  • The perforation of one material layer only is distinctly different from the solution proposed above where a cut through all material layers in the cross seal in that had the perforation gone through the material layers, the package material on both sides of the package would have been torn at the same time thereby risking destroying the package altogether. By limiting the perforation to only penetrate one material layer the tearing action by a user on the side flap will create a relatively clean tear opening in the package without destroying the package altogether.
  • In the art distinction is made between the manner in which this type of packages are manufactured. If the contents are inserted in the package as it is being shaped in a vertical position, it is known as a vertical form, fill and seal machine. Consequently when the contents are introduced horizontally it is known as a horizontal form, fill and seal machine. For the purposes of the present invention, both types of machines may be used, and has so with equal success.
  • Furthermore, the manner in which the seals are made which are created during the formation of the sheet material into a package, distinction is made between two main types: lap seals and fin seals. Lap seals are created by simply overlaying one sheet over the other and welding, gluing or otherwise connect the two sheets. In this manner two different sides of the sheet will be connected—what is to be the inner side of the package with what will be the outer side of the package. When using fin seals, the sides of the sheets are connected, inner side to inner side whereby a flap or fin is created. Within the scope of the present invention the manner of sealing has no effect on the invention, as long as a fin or flap is provided. For these reasons it is foreseen that means are provided in situations where laps seals are used, or where the fin seal creates a fin/flap in a position where it is not desirable to open the package. The flap may be created by a former tool, or may be provided as a separate piece of sheet material adhesively or welded onto the outside of the tube.
  • In this connection it is also important to realise what is meant with the formulation “a single-layer or multi-layer material sheet”. In the art, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,985 it is common to use sheets made up of a number of different layers, each layer having unique characteristics, such that the finished sheet, has been created in order to possess specific features for the designated purpose. As examples of layers can be mentioned layers which may only be ripped in one direction, layers with a special coating, for example metal in order to render the layer vapour tight, UV protective layers, barriers etc. etc. With respect to the present invention the composition of the sheet is not important, but in some embodiments of the invention it may be sufficient in order to achieve the desired effect, that the perforation extends through some of the material layers making up the sheet material.
  • Particularly when lasers are used in combination with PE, CPP or PP containing material layers, it is important to realise that it is only necessary to perforate some layers. This is due to the fact that in order to laser cut these materials relatively high energy lasers are required, whereas other sheet material requires substantially less laser energy. As the same rip-effect is achieved, as described above, it is advantageous only to perforate layers not requiring high intensity lasers, both for energy consumption reasons, cost of lasers, and also production speed which is lower when sufficient energy has to be conveyed to PE, CPP and PP materials in order to perforate these.
  • The orientation of the perforation, i.e. between parallel to the flap up to and including an angle of 60°, will, depending on the sheet construction, facilitate the desired effect. This is due to the fact that the perforation when exposed to tearing by pulling the flap, will guide the crack forming towards the flap, which will be welded and thereby constitute a stronger construction than the sheet material. When the crack encounters the flap, even from an angle of 60°, the crack will follow the flap, and thereby provide the desired inventive effect.
  • In a further advantageous embodiment of the novel and inventive method the perforation of the one sheet material layer is made either in:
      • an un-sealed part of one sheet material projecting between the cross seal and the perforation line separating two adjacent packages;
      • or in the unsealed part and part of the cross seal;
      • or where the cross seal is immediately adjacent the perforation line between two adjacent packages, only in the cross seal.
  • By limiting the perforation to be situated in a cross seal, the free sheet ends or a combination, the volume in which the goods inside the package are contained is still sealed off and thereby not exposed to the ambient.
  • In a further advantageous embodiment the material sheet is a polymer material sheet where seals and connections are created by heat fusing or welding. This is the most common type of materials used for the vast majority of packages manufactured from sheet materials. The heat fusing or welding provides reliable and strong seals such that a good, firm package is provided naturally depending on the choice of sheet material, but usually the welded portions will be stronger than the sheet material as such.
  • Alternative sheet materials are addressed in the further advantageous embodiment wherein the material is a non-weldable or non heat-fusionable material, where seals and connections are created by applying adhesives between material surfaces to be joined in order to create the seals, where the material is selected from one or more of the following: coated or uncoated cellulose based materials, polymeric films, aluminium based sheets. In this connection it is known to use e. g. paper sheet material which on one side, namely the side intended to be in contact with the products to be packaged, is provided with a polymer coating such that in theory a seal could be created by welding, but due to the nature of the over-all sheet material, namely paper, it is necessary to use an adhesive in order to create the seals.
  • When this process is used in e. g. so-called vertical FPS-machines the sheet material is formed into a tube around a pipe or former, which pipe at the same time is used for filling the material to be packaged into the package. Here the edge sections of the material sheet are overlaid and depending on the type of sheet material, welded or glued together where the filling pipe may be used as a land, i. e. as a back support for the welding wheel. In these instances no side flap is created and therefore the invention in a further advantageous embodiment is provided with two rollers such that, as the side flap, created by having passed the fin in the alternative embodiment mentioned above the side flap is exposed to heat or heat and/or pressure exerted by two rollers arranged on either side of the side flap and biased towards said side flap. In this manner a side flap is created although the traditional manufacturing of packages of this type does not require a side fin, but due to the advantageous opening procedure incorporating the perforation according to the present invention a side flap is desirable, and therefore the fin on the filling pipe is provided in cooperation with the side rollers.
  • In order to create the perforation a perforation tool is provided where the perforation tool may be selected between one or more of the following:
      • a cutter or a rotating cutter head, controlled in relation to the production speed, where the cutter head has a plurality of spaced cutting edges, cooperating with a land, where the land is placed such that the material passes between the cutter and the land, whereby activation of the cutter establishes the perforation in the material, which material during cutting is in contact with said land;
      • a laser device;
      • where the positioning of the perforation is located relative to markers provided on the sheet material, corresponding to the desired package size, where means are provided for detecting said markers and using this information as input for activating the perforation tool.
  • In this connection it is vital that only one material layer is cut as already explained above such that the easy and reliable tear open of the package may be achieved without ruining the package and therefore the land is provided in cooperation with the cutter such that the land is placed behind the material and the cutter on the opposite side such that when the cutter is operated. The land will hinder it from going further into the materials.
  • Using a laser device for either cutting or engraving the perforations is a well-known technology. It is known in the art to operate lasers such that they only penetrate a certain, very small distance into a material. This may further be enhanced by providing a coating on the inside of the materials, such that the laser device will detect different material characteristics and thereby delimit the depth of the penetration of the laser to that particular material layer, whereby it becomes possible to very efficiently perforate only one layer of the package material at the cross seals.
  • In order to locate the perforations in the cross seals at relatively high production speeds the package material is usually provided with indications intended to be present on each package such as e. g. bar codes, printing, print markers or the like. These markers may be used as detection points for e. g. a photo cell such that the recognition of the marker passing the photo cell will be used as input for the perforation tool which may be arranged downstream from the photo cell and activated in response to the detection of a marker. In this manner very well-proven technology which in some cases are already present in the machine may be further utilized in order to be used as input for the perforation tool thereby providing the perforation in the exact, correct positions relative to the separating lines.
  • In order to be able to perform the inventive method according to the present invention the invention also discloses a form, fill and seal machine for forming packages, where said machine comprises means to convey a continuous sheet material through the machine. and where said machine comprises means for creating at least one side flap on the package and where said machine further comprises means for establishing sealed cross zones extending substantially laterally to the side flap and means for establishing separating lines, where said separating lines are established in said cross zones wherein the sealed cross zones have at least a two material layer thickness, characterised in that the machine comprises a perforation tool which perforation tool perforates one of the two material layers adjacent and parallel to said side flap, and where the perforation extends inside said sealed cross zone, and that the perforation at least extends to the separating lines.
  • Although the invention will be described for a so-called in-line production method, the invention is also suitable for batch wise productions.
  • In-line implies that the packaging material is feed into a packaging machine in one end and that a finished package containing the goods to be packaged is being ejected in the other end. This is of course a rational and possible use of the invention. The invention is however also suitable for being used such that the packaging material is shaped more or less into a finished package, for example leaving an end open. At a later stage or even at another location the package is thereafter filled with the goods to be packaged and sealed.
  • The inventive features for being able to carry out the inventive method as discussed above are set out in the dependent embodiments
  • DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
  • FIG. 1- 5 illustrates various embodiments of a package according to the invention;
  • FIG. 6 illustrates the perforator tool adjacent a side flap former;
  • FIG. 7 illustrates the last step in the production process;
  • FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate the fin and rollers creating the side flap;
  • FIG. 10 illustrates a string of finished packages according to the invention.
  • FIG. 11 is substantially identical to FIG. 7, illustrating a further embodiment.
  • FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment where the flap is a separate member.
  • DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
  • In FIGS. 1-5 is illustrated various examples of a package provided with the perforation and thereby the easy opening feature according to the present invention.
  • In FIG. 1 the package generally indicated by number 1 is in its most basic configuration. The material sheet 2 has been formed into a package which package 1 is delimited by cross seals 3, 4 in either end of the package 1. With reference to FIGS. 7 and 10 the definition of cross seals and the overall direction of the package are determined according to the manner in which the package is produced.
  • As is evident from FIGS. 7 and 10 the packages are formed from an in theory endless material sheet 1 which by means of a former not illustrated shapes the sheet into a tube. The tube is created for example by welding together sheet material adjacent the two edges 5, 6 of the sheet material thereby creating a tube and at the same time creating a side flap 10, see FIG. 1.
  • After the side flap 10 has been created the tube will be sealed with the cross seals 3, 4 in order to create a space limited by the formed tube and the cross seals 3, 4.
  • In order to be able to easily open the package, perforations or cut-outs 7 are provided. In the embodiment illustrated with reference to FIG. 1 perforations 7 are provided at both ends of the side flap 10, but the same advantages are achievable with only one perforation 7 provided at either end of the side flap.
  • The perforations 7 are provided parallel to and adjacent the side flap 10 and has an extent in the longitudinal direction of the package indicated by the arrow 50 such that the entire perforation is maintained within the limits of the cross seal 3 such that no opening is provided from the interior of the package 1 to the ambient.
  • In FIG. 4 is indicated a situation where the corner 11 of the side flap 10 has been lifted relative to the package whereby a tear 8 initiated by the perforation 7 makes it possible to create an easy and substantially straight opening of the package.
  • As indicated by reference number 12 the lower material layer remains intact and only the top surface material sheet 13 is ruptured.
  • In the embodiment illustrated with reference to FIG. 1 these types of packages are typically manufactured on a so-called horizontal form, fill and seal machine (FFS) whereas the package 9 illustrated with reference to FIG. 2 typically will be manufactured on a vertical FFS machine where the edges 5′, 6′ will be mutually overlapping and creating a connection seal 20, such that the formation of the tube from the material sheet 2 does not provide a side flap 10. In this case the side flap may be provided by installing a side flap former as illustrated with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.
  • Turning to FIG. 8 a former/filling pipe 14 is illustrated. The material sheet (not illustrated) will at this point be surrounding the former pipe and has been provided with the connection seal 20 (see FIG. 2) such that the material sheet at this stage will be in the shape of a tube. The tube is arranged outside the former/filling pipe 14 and as the tube advances downwards in FIG. 8 the tube will engage the fin 15 such that a fold will be created in the sheet material. As the material advances further the fold will be squeezed between the two rollers 16, 17 which are biased towards each other. Depending on the type of material used to form the package, the fold may be sealed either by providing an adhesive nozzle just downstream of the fin 15 before the rollers 16, 17 such that the rollers squeeze together the fold and thereby the adhesive coated inner portions of the material sheet (here shaped into a tube) thereby creating the side flap 10. Alternatively, where the sheet material is suitable to be welded the rollers 16, 17 may be welding rollers such that by heating the rollers the fold will be fused together in a welding process thereby creating the side flap 10.
  • Consequently, returning to FIG. 2 a side flap 10 as well as perforations 7 are provided exactly corresponding to the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 1.
  • In FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the combination of different techniques illustrated. The cross seals 3, 4 are manufactured in the same manner as the embodiments described above which will be further described with reference to FIG. 6 and a longitudinal seal 18 is furthermore provided in order to connect the edges 5″, 6″ such that a sealed package 2 is created. In this manner the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 so far corresponds completely to the embodiment illustrated with reference to FIG. 1.
  • In some instances, however, it is desirable to be able to position the longitudinal seal 18 independently of the position where it is desirable to open the package, and therefore a side flap 10 manufactured as described with reference to FIG. 2 is provided at a different location, where the side flap 10 is provided adjacent the perforations 7 thereby providing the novel and inventive easy tear open feature of this type of packages. For practical purposes the seal 18 may further be fastened to the surface of the package material and fastened to the cross seals 3, 4 such that a user may not mistakenly try to open the package by pulling on the edge seal 18.
  • A further embodiment is illustrated with reference to FIG. 5 where a package has been opened by tearing at the side flap 10 thereby providing access to the interior of the package. The perforation 7 has been divided such that half the perforation is present on the side flap 10 and half the perforation 7 is present of the package itself. This package has furthermore been provided with a resealing strip 20 arranged at what is now the bottom part of the side flap and parallel to the longitudinal direction 50 (see FIG. 1). By overlapping the side flap 10 with the front of the package 19 it is possible by pressing the resealable seal 20 against the surface 19 to reseal the package and thereby maintain the remainder of the content of the package inside the package.
  • The type of material used for the resealable seal 20 may be chosen according to the circumstances depending on the sheet material and the quality of the resealing properties which it is desired to achieve. The seal 20 may be selected from the so-called peelable materials or may simply be a double-sided, adhesive tape or the like as long as it fulfills the requirement of being able to hold down the side flap 10 in relation to the surface 19 of the package.
  • In these embodiments it is possible to create stronger and more robust packages with the present technology, than what is otherwise achievable with conventional peel-technology. By providing the peel strips to the material sheet, where the peel material has less peel ability, the perforation (easy open facility) will make it easier to open the package. In this manner the weak peel connection may be made stronger as the perforation will aid in opening the package, whereby stronger and more robust packages may be produced, without sacrificing the peelability.
  • Turning to FIG. 6 a schematic illustration of how the perforation 7 is manufactured is illustrated. The package material 2 has, prior to the method step illustrated with reference to FIG. 6 been arranged around the former such that a tube is created. The tube has an interior space 21 delimited by the package material 2. Furthermore the two edges of the package material 5, 6 is arranged to be introduced between two rollers 22, 23. The rollers may be heated such that they will weld the package material 2 together forming the side flap 10 as already described above. Alternatively, a nozzle providing adhesive material to the inside of the edges 5, 6 may be provided just upstream of the rollers 22, 23 such that the rollers 22, 23 which are biased towards each other, will press the two edge portions together thereby creating the side flap 10. The package material moves in the direction 51 indicated by the arrow, and the directions “up-stream”, “downstream” are defined relatively to this direction of movement of the package material 2.
  • Markers (not illustrated) may be provided on the surface of the package material 2 such that as a detection unit detects/registers a marker this registration will be used as input for the perforation tool of which only the cutting blade 24 actually carrying out the cutting of the perforation is illustrated. These markers are usually present on printed sheets materials, in order to locate the print correctly to the cutting zone. separating two packages. The input from the marker registration means is used in order to activate the perforation tool such that the cutting blade 24 may be moved up and down repeatedly as indicated by the arrow 52 whereby the cutting blade cuts a perforation 7 at predetermined positions. These predetermined positions are decided relative to the marker such that the perforation as indicated on the lower side of the side flap 10, crosses the separating line 25. The separating lines are provided as shear lines where the different packages may be separated into individual packages such that as two packages 1′, 1″ are separated, the perforation 7 will be present parallel to the side flap 10 and extending from the edge of the package, which edge is created by the separating line 25 and into the cross seal (not illustrated). In FIG. 6 it has been chosen not to illustrate the cross seals in order to clarify the position of the perforations in relation to the separating lines. The packages created by the method described with reference to FIG. 6 will have a general appearance as illustrated with reference to FIGS. 1-5 and as described above.
  • The perforation may also be one-sided, i.e. such that a perforation 7′ as illustrated above the side-flap 10 is only present on one side of the separation line and thereby only in one place on the finished package.
  • As the package material proceeds from the method step illustrated with reference to FIG. 6 the package material 2 has been turned into a tube on which tube's surface a side-flap 10 is provided and perforations 7 are established parallel to the longitudinal direction of the side-flap adjacent or crossing the separating lines 25 where it is intended to separate the packages 1′, 1″.
  • As the tube proceeds it will be subjected to method steps described with reference to FIG. 7. The material sheet formed into a tube by the method step in FIG. 6 proceeds towards a sealing apparatus 30. The sealing apparatus will only be described very broadly, but any type of apparatus which is able to create the cross seals 3, 4 may be used with the present application. Furthermore, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 the means for sealing 30 furthermore comprises means for separating the packages such that separate packages 1′, 1″ provided with cross seals 3, 4, a side-flap 10 and perforations 7 result from the action of the novel and inventive method and apparatus according to the present invention. The operation of the means for sealing 30 is carried out in response to the presence of the separating lines 25 such that the means for sealing 30 is activated in the direction indicated by the arrow 53 such that the cross seals 3, 4 and the separation of the packages 1′, 1″ is established in the correct positions in relation to the perforation 7 and the overall package size.
  • The sealing means 30 may also be provided without means for separating the packages whereby a string of packages as illustrated with a reference to FIG. 10 is the result such that a continuous array of packages 1′, 1″ separated by cross seals will be the result. The separating lines 25 indicated between the cross seals 3, 4 may for example be perforations such that it is easy for a user to detach one package from an adjacent package or maybe partly cut such that it is easy to detach one package from the next.
  • In FIG. 11 is illustrated a further embodiment, where a plurality of perforations 60, 60′, 60″ are indicated. In the illustrated embodiment three substantially parallel perforations are illustrated, but any number depending on the size of the package, the materials etc may be used. The perforations are identical to the perforations discussed above. The perforations are illustrated as arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal flap 10, but may also be arranged at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the flap. Angles up to approx. 60° have proven to achieve the inventive effect. When the package, for example as indicated by 1″ or 1′ is to be opened, the flap 10 shall be pulled away from the plane of the package, for example by gripping the flap in the area indicated by 56, and pulling in the direction indicated by the arrow 62. The material from which the package 1″, 1′ is made will then easily tear initiating the tear at one of the perforations 60, 60′, or 60″. The tear will propagate towards the weld in the flap 10, where after the tear will follow the intersection between the flap 10 and the face 54 of the package.
  • In FIG. 12 is illustrated an embodiment where the flap 10 is welded onto the sheet material 2, by the weld 26. The flap 10 is placed adjacent the perforation 60. Alternatively the flap could have been attached by means of an adhesive. The connection between the flap 10 and the sheet 2 shall be such that by pulling in the flap 10 the perforation 60 will initiate a tear, without the flap 10 being pulled off.
  • Above the invention has been described in embodiments where the seals are created either by heating thereby welding or fusing the material layers together, or applying adhesives in order to create the seals. Particularly the latter, i.e. the adhesive solution is used for a number of purposes, but of particular interest are applications where the objects or material to be package are not suitable to be heated, or that there may be a risk that an adhesive spray may have a detrimental effect on the characteristics of the object/material.
  • One such example is chocolates. For these applications a cold seal technique has been developed, where an adhesive is applied to the edges to be joined prior to arranging the sheet material in the packaging machine. The surface of the adhesive is dry and non-stick. However when the areas coated with the cold seal adhesive are placed facing each other and subjected to pressure, for example by being placed between two rollers biased towards each other, an adhesive seal is formed. In addition to pressure heat may be applied, but much less than in a welding process.
  • This sealing technology may also be used within the present invention in order to establish the seals.
  • Although the invention is described with reference to particular embodiments, the scope of protection is only to be limited by the appended claims.

Claims (8)

1-15. (canceled)
16. Method of manufacturing a package of the type formed from a single-layer or multi-layer material sheet, where said package has an easy to open feature, where the material sheet is shaped into the finished package having an inner side suitable to be in contact with the matter to be packaged and an outer side, where said method comprises the following method steps:
forming the material sheet into a tube, by connecting the two side edges of the sheet longitudinally;
where the connection creates a side flap on the outside of the tube or where the tube is passed over a former having a projecting fin, whereby a side flap is formed on the outside of the tube, or where a fin is attached longitudinally to the outside of the tube;
where cross seals are provided across the tube, thereby delimiting each package between two cross seals;
that perforation lines are established in said cross seals, for detaching/separating two adjacent packages;
that a perforation of only one material sheet layer or only one or more layers making up the sheet, is established adjacent the side flap or fin, extending from the perforation line and parallel to, or at an angle up to 60° relative to the side flap or fin, and extending towards or into the cross seal.
17. Method according to claim 16, wherein the perforation of the one sheet material layer is made either in:
an un-sealed part of one sheet material projecting between the cross seal and the perforation line separating two adjacent packages;
or in the unsealed part and part of the cross seal;
or where the cross seal is immediately adjacent the perforation line between two adjacent packages, only in the cross seal.
18. Method according to claim 16, wherein the perforation of the one sheet material layer is established by a perforation tool selected from one or more of the following:
a cutter or a rotating cutter head, controlled in relation to the production speed, where the cutter head has a plurality of spaced cutting edges, cooperating with a land, where the land is placed such that the material passes between the cutter and the land, whereby activation of the cutter establishes the perforation in the material, which material during cutting is in contact with said land;
a laser device, where the positioning of the perforation is located relative to markers provided on the sheet material, corresponding to the desired package size, where means are provided for detecting said markers and using this information as input for activating the perforation tool.
19. Method according to claim 16, wherein two separate material sheets are formed into a tube, by superposing the sheets and connecting the edges of the superposed sheets, such that a tube is formed having side seals along the longitudinal edges.
20. Method according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of substantially parallel perforations of one sheet material layer or one or more material layers making up the sheet material, is established in the cross seal adjacent the perforation line and parallel to or at an angle up to 60° relative to the side flap.
21. Method according to claim 16, wherein cross seals are only provided in one end of each package, such that as the packages are separated into separate packages along the perforation lines, each package will be open in one end.
22. Method according to claim 16, where the flap is a separate piece of sheet material attached to the outside of the tube, where the flap is fastened by means such that the connection between the flap and the tube is stronger than the tearing strength needed when initiating a tear with the perforation.
US14/812,953 2008-02-22 2015-07-29 Easy to Open Package Abandoned US20160046400A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US14/812,953 US20160046400A1 (en) 2008-02-22 2015-07-29 Easy to Open Package

Applications Claiming Priority (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DKPA200800247 2008-02-22
DKPA200800247 2008-02-22
DKPA200801386 2008-10-03
DKPA200801386 2008-10-03
PCT/DK2009/000045 WO2009103296A1 (en) 2008-02-22 2009-02-20 Easy to open package
US73585010A 2010-10-01 2010-10-01
US14/812,953 US20160046400A1 (en) 2008-02-22 2015-07-29 Easy to Open Package

Related Parent Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/DK2009/000045 Division WO2009103296A1 (en) 2008-02-22 2009-02-20 Easy to open package
US12/735,850 Division US20110011864A1 (en) 2008-02-22 2009-02-20 Easy to open package

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20160046400A1 true US20160046400A1 (en) 2016-02-18

Family

ID=40589603

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/735,850 Abandoned US20110011864A1 (en) 2008-02-22 2009-02-20 Easy to open package
US14/812,953 Abandoned US20160046400A1 (en) 2008-02-22 2015-07-29 Easy to Open Package

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/735,850 Abandoned US20110011864A1 (en) 2008-02-22 2009-02-20 Easy to open package

Country Status (16)

Country Link
US (2) US20110011864A1 (en)
EP (1) EP2250095B1 (en)
JP (1) JP2011512301A (en)
KR (1) KR20110014134A (en)
CN (1) CN102089213B (en)
AU (1) AU2009217118B2 (en)
BR (1) BRPI0908123A2 (en)
CA (1) CA2716211C (en)
DK (1) DK2250095T3 (en)
EA (1) EA020919B1 (en)
ES (1) ES2502240T3 (en)
IL (1) IL207714A0 (en)
MX (1) MX2010009176A (en)
PL (1) PL2250095T3 (en)
WO (1) WO2009103296A1 (en)
ZA (1) ZA201006658B (en)

Families Citing this family (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP5112279B2 (en) * 2008-12-22 2013-01-09 株式会社フジキカイ Incision forming device for opening
DE102010004440B3 (en) 2009-04-23 2010-12-16 Manfred Haiss Tubular bag packaging and method for its production
CN102712406B (en) * 2009-11-27 2015-05-27 莱雅公司 Cosmetic sheet package
JP5984845B2 (en) 2011-01-11 2016-09-06 コーニンクレッカ フィリップス エヌ ヴェKoninklijke Philips N.V. Lighting device
ES2632466T3 (en) 2013-02-15 2017-09-13 Intercontinental Great Brands Llc Containers that have separable sealing characteristics and manufacturing methods
BR112015021303A2 (en) * 2013-03-15 2017-07-18 Mars Inc easy-to-open, resealable food packaging, systems and methods
GB2516890A (en) * 2013-08-05 2015-02-11 Kraft Foods R & D Inc A package for a plurality of articles
DE102016102691A1 (en) * 2016-02-16 2017-08-17 Mondi Ag Film packaging and method for packaging a product in a foil packaging
JP6926670B2 (en) * 2017-05-19 2021-08-25 大日本印刷株式会社 bag
US10604283B2 (en) 2017-05-26 2020-03-31 Frito-Lay North America, Inc. Former assembly with improved center of gravity
KR102103024B1 (en) * 2018-09-05 2020-04-21 주식회사 우성팩 warm and cold keeping pack improved the usability of opening and closing wings
KR102077683B1 (en) * 2018-09-10 2020-02-14 주식회사 우성팩 Easy-to-carry-warm and cold keeping pack for horizontally stored items

Citations (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3259303A (en) * 1964-10-02 1966-07-05 Dow Chemical Co Resealable flexible container
US3291377A (en) * 1966-02-07 1966-12-13 Nat Dairy Prod Corp Packaging
US3761013A (en) * 1972-03-20 1973-09-25 S Schuster Double wall package for storing items in bacteria-free condition
US4638911A (en) * 1980-06-19 1987-01-27 Folienwalzwerk Brueder Teich Akitenesellschaft Pack and process for the manufacture thereof
DE3618765A1 (en) * 1986-06-04 1987-12-10 Scheuch Folien Papier Kg Tubular bag package for slab-shaped or bar-shaped products, for example chocolate products
DE3927668A1 (en) * 1989-08-22 1991-02-28 Manfred Haiss Carton produced by sealing along one edge and two short edges - has small cut in the root of the long seam which facilitates easy opening and allows reclosure
US5417035A (en) * 1988-09-06 1995-05-23 Kcl Corporation Apparatus and method for manufacture flexible reclosable containers
US6060095A (en) * 1997-10-14 2000-05-09 Hunt-Wesson, Inc. Microwave popcorn serving package
US6173554B1 (en) * 1996-05-15 2001-01-16 Alusuisse Technology & Management Ltd. Pouch of flexible packaging material with integrated weakness for opening
US20040173492A1 (en) * 2003-03-05 2004-09-09 Kane James P. Reclosable packages and method for forming, filling and sealing such packages
US20060188182A1 (en) * 2001-10-26 2006-08-24 Hosokawa Yoko Co., Ltd. Packaging member with easy-opening means
US20090074333A1 (en) * 2007-09-18 2009-03-19 Martin Griebel Packaging Bag with Tearing Aid
US20090100803A1 (en) * 2007-10-23 2009-04-23 H.J. Heinz Co. Method of making a tetrahedron package
US20090161995A1 (en) * 2007-12-21 2009-06-25 Eric Henderson Flexible film plate-mat bag

Family Cites Families (105)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3061169A (en) * 1960-01-08 1962-10-30 Gen Foods Corp Package opener
US3373926A (en) * 1965-05-14 1968-03-19 Continental Can Co Seamed container with easy opening feature
US3650461A (en) * 1970-02-16 1972-03-21 Reynolds Metals Co Easy open pouch construction
US3873735A (en) * 1971-05-04 1975-03-25 Nabisco Inc Food package for heating and venting
US3809220A (en) * 1972-07-24 1974-05-07 Becton Dickinson Co Child safety package
JPS5363188A (en) * 1976-11-17 1978-06-06 Sanwa Jidoki Seisakusho Fourrway seal packing machine
US4254601A (en) * 1979-02-23 1981-03-10 Keebler Company Packaging machine having a slitter for forming slits in ends of packages
JPS58151510U (en) * 1982-04-07 1983-10-11 茨木精機株式会社 packaging machine
US4682976A (en) * 1984-04-16 1987-07-28 Andrew McG. Martin Apparatus for making easy open and reclosable bags
US4609107A (en) * 1984-04-16 1986-09-02 Andrew McG. Martin Easy open and reclosable bag having a separable reclosure tie
EP0176908B1 (en) 1984-09-24 1990-01-24 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft And gate for ecl circuits
US4725329A (en) * 1985-12-26 1988-02-16 Kazuhiro Itoh Apparatus for manufacturing easy-to open synthetic resin bag
ATA197486A (en) * 1986-07-22 2001-05-15 Teich Ag PACKAGE WITH PIECE PACKAGING GOODS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SUCH PACKAGES
US4768411A (en) * 1986-11-07 1988-09-06 W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div. Easy-open bag and apparatus and method for making same
US5088603A (en) * 1987-04-21 1992-02-18 Sharp Packaging Tear-opening caplet blister foil package
ATE104237T1 (en) * 1989-10-27 1994-04-15 Teich Ag PACK FOR UNIT PACK GOODS.
DE4109605A1 (en) * 1991-03-23 1992-09-24 Lohmann Gmbh & Co Kg TUBE PACKAGING
US5229180A (en) * 1991-10-02 1993-07-20 American National Can Company Laser scored package
US5255497A (en) * 1991-11-04 1993-10-26 Triangle Package Machinery Co. Flat sided forming tube for a form-fill-seal machine
US5337539A (en) * 1992-08-25 1994-08-16 Drake & Dipello, Inc. Method of producing flexible suspendible pouches and pouch produced therefrom
DK170114B1 (en) * 1993-05-05 1995-05-29 Raackmanns Fab As Bag packaging made of flexible packaging material and method of making it
US5984088A (en) * 1993-06-11 1999-11-16 3M Innovative Properties Company Easy open package and method of making same
USD354906S (en) * 1993-11-12 1995-01-31 W. A. Lane, Inc. Collapsible dispenser pouch
US5412924A (en) * 1994-04-11 1995-05-09 Minigrip, Inc. Method of making reclosable plastic bags on a form, fill and seal machine
US5511665A (en) * 1994-10-31 1996-04-30 G. D. Searle & Co. Child-resistant package
JP3325747B2 (en) * 1995-06-02 2002-09-17 株式会社細川洋行 Packaging bag and sliced cheese package
US5806280A (en) * 1995-06-16 1998-09-15 W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn. Easy open method, package, and apparatus
US5826985A (en) * 1995-07-10 1998-10-27 Olin Corporation Child-resistant tear-open synthetic resin bag
US5810706A (en) * 1995-08-31 1998-09-22 W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn. bag with an access hole in one panel
JPH0986547A (en) * 1995-09-25 1997-03-31 Kishimoto Akira Easily openable pillow packaging pouch
US5770839A (en) * 1996-06-20 1998-06-23 Union Camp Corporation Microwaveable bag for cooking and serving food
US6164825A (en) * 1996-11-26 2000-12-26 The Coca-Cola Company Stable, flexible, easy open pouch
US6076968A (en) * 1996-11-26 2000-06-20 The Coca-Cola Company Easy open flexible pouch
JPH10250764A (en) * 1997-03-07 1998-09-22 Dainippon Printing Co Ltd Bag for pillow-type package
US5934048A (en) * 1997-04-29 1999-08-10 Cryovac, Inc. Seal assembly for easy open pouch
JP3969786B2 (en) 1997-05-01 2007-09-05 株式会社川島製作所 Cylindrical sheet forming device
JP3810035B2 (en) * 1997-09-08 2006-08-16 日本精機株式会社 Easy-open packaging bag and manufacturing apparatus thereof
FR2770489B1 (en) * 1997-11-06 2000-02-04 Flexico France Sarl PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING BAGS AND PACKAGING
US6138436A (en) 1998-01-28 2000-10-31 Illinois Tool Works, Inc. Feeding of horizontal form-fill-and-seal zipper machine
JP4138070B2 (en) * 1998-03-25 2008-08-20 松下電器産業株式会社 Easy-open packaging bag
US6195967B1 (en) * 1998-11-03 2001-03-06 Klockner Bartelt, Inc. Packaging machine having continuous and intermittent modes
US6241390B1 (en) * 1998-12-07 2001-06-05 Southern Bag Corporation, Ltd. Recloseable easy-open industrial bag and tab for use therewith
CH692980A5 (en) * 1999-01-21 2003-01-15 Alcan Tech & Man Ag Packaging.
USD423923S (en) * 1999-02-11 2000-05-02 Recot, Inc. Flexible package for snackfoods or the like
US6149302A (en) * 1999-05-05 2000-11-21 Taheri; Nossi Plastic bag with tamper-evident closure
DE60009418T2 (en) * 1999-10-21 2005-03-10 Tsukasa Kasei Kogyo K.K. Shock absorbing packaging material
US6213645B1 (en) * 2000-03-14 2001-04-10 Fres-Co System Usa, Inc. Flexible package with sealed edges and easy to open mouth
US6871473B1 (en) * 2000-08-10 2005-03-29 Pactiv Corporation Method and apparatus for making reclosable plastic bags using a pre-applied slider-operated fastener
US20050148979A1 (en) * 2003-12-30 2005-07-07 Palma Joseph D. Packaging component with sensory cue for opening
US20060025739A1 (en) * 2003-12-30 2006-02-02 Dipalma Joseph Wrapper component for personal care articles having a sensory cue for opening
US6769229B2 (en) * 2001-08-30 2004-08-03 Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc. Method for manufacturing flexible packages having slide closures
AU148317S (en) * 2001-05-18 2002-07-01 Pepsico Food & Beverages International Ltd Package for snack food product
FR2832698B1 (en) 2001-11-28 2004-07-09 Soplaril Sa PACKAGING, TYPICALLY A BAG, WITH ORIENTED TEAR OPENING
JP2003191965A (en) 2001-12-21 2003-07-09 Howa Sangyo Kk Packaging bag
USD470405S1 (en) * 2002-02-27 2003-02-18 Recot, Inc. Folding flexible bag
ITPD20020141A1 (en) * 2002-05-28 2003-11-28 Bp Europack Spa FLEXIBLE CONTAINER WITH FACILITATED AND FOLDABLE OPENING
US6913388B2 (en) * 2002-06-07 2005-07-05 Vonco Products, Inc. Flexible container
JP3901592B2 (en) * 2002-06-24 2007-04-04 株式会社フジキカイ Resealable packaging bag and bag making and filling machine
CA2490889C (en) 2002-06-27 2009-04-14 Pliant Corporation Lap sealable film with a peel layer
US6585197B1 (en) * 2002-07-19 2003-07-01 Mark E. Daniels Produce bags and dispensers for same providing easy open features
US6910995B2 (en) * 2002-08-07 2005-06-28 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Easy open feature for reclosable bags having a longitudinal fin seal
US7481581B2 (en) * 2002-09-25 2009-01-27 Hosokawa Yoko Co., Ltd. Packaging bag
US6889483B2 (en) * 2002-10-31 2005-05-10 Cryovac, Inc. Easy-opening feature for flexible packages and process and apparatus for forming same
JP3845797B2 (en) 2002-12-02 2006-11-15 ソントン食品工業株式会社 Commercial packaging bag
EP1464587A1 (en) * 2003-03-28 2004-10-06 Alcan Packaging Italia S.r.l. Packaging of the stickpack type with improved opening and method for manufacturing the same
US6971794B2 (en) * 2003-04-15 2005-12-06 Innoflex Incorporated Package having reclosable pour spout and method of forming same
CA2533065C (en) * 2003-07-24 2011-10-11 Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. Packaging bag with steam venting function and package using the packaging bag
EP1508530A1 (en) 2003-08-18 2005-02-23 Nestec S.A. Flexible packaging and method of manufacture
CN1839069A (en) * 2003-08-20 2006-09-27 日本精机株式会社 Vertical filling-packaging device, and method of making bag by the device
US7178713B2 (en) * 2003-08-28 2007-02-20 Michael Stude Easy open envelope
USD519037S1 (en) * 2003-09-09 2006-04-18 Cargill, Inc. Portion of a multi-handled bag
US8562216B2 (en) * 2004-04-13 2013-10-22 Pac Worldwide Corporation Tear away opening for multi-layer plastic pack
USD525144S1 (en) * 2004-04-27 2006-07-18 Pakerman S.A. Flexible packaging
US7717620B2 (en) * 2004-06-11 2010-05-18 Sonoco Development, Inc. Flexible packaging structure with a built-in opening and reclose feature, and method for making same
JP4456943B2 (en) * 2004-06-23 2010-04-28 ユニ・チャーム株式会社 Easy-open packaging
US7866473B2 (en) * 2004-07-29 2011-01-11 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Flexible package having an easy opening feature
US7216764B2 (en) * 2004-08-16 2007-05-15 Sealstrip Corporation Easy-open packages
US8419277B2 (en) * 2005-01-28 2013-04-16 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Easy open slider package
US7325378B2 (en) * 2005-03-15 2008-02-05 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Vertical form fill and seal method for producing reclosable packages from two sheets of web
DE602005011572D1 (en) * 2005-04-15 2009-01-22 Regath Hb Flexible packaging and process for its production
US7604828B2 (en) * 2005-05-02 2009-10-20 Conagra Foods Rdm, Inc. Easy-open sausage package
EP1746043A1 (en) 2005-07-18 2007-01-24 Mars, Incorporated Easy-open package made of two-or-more ply laminate including adhesive-free lines
US7305805B2 (en) * 2005-09-22 2007-12-11 Frito-Lay North America, Inc. Method for making a flexible reclosable package
WO2007106916A1 (en) 2006-03-15 2007-09-20 August Egli Continuous motion vertical form, fill and seal machine
CR9359S (en) * 2007-03-01 2008-11-24 Philip Morris Prod CIGARETTE BOX
US10189621B2 (en) * 2007-05-21 2019-01-29 Cryovac, Inc. Bag made from high-strength heat-shrinkable film exhibiting directional tear, and process utilizing same
US7866537B1 (en) * 2007-06-27 2011-01-11 Duhon David T Easy-open wrapper
USD620372S1 (en) * 2008-05-22 2010-07-27 The Dannon Company, Inc. Dual pack wrapper
US7789291B2 (en) * 2008-06-10 2010-09-07 Printpack Illinois, Inc. Packaging article and method with particular tearing slit arrangement
US8230664B2 (en) * 2008-07-28 2012-07-31 Sonoco Development, Inc. Pouch opening feature and method for making the same
USD620373S1 (en) * 2008-08-29 2010-07-27 Fresh Express Incorporated Paper bag with transparent vertical windows for salad ingredients
DK200801389A (en) * 2008-10-03 2010-04-04 Beanstalk Aps Path-shaped packaging material with longitudinal slots
GB0819200D0 (en) * 2008-10-20 2008-11-26 Cadbury Holdings Ltd Packaging
USD612743S1 (en) * 2009-02-17 2010-03-30 Amcor Flexibles, Inc. Panorama window bag
CA133303S (en) * 2009-06-26 2010-07-22 Unilever Plc Two-compartment food package
GB0911823D0 (en) * 2009-07-08 2009-08-19 Cadbury Uk Ltd Packaging
US8167487B2 (en) * 2009-07-30 2012-05-01 Milprint, Inc. Secure access easy opening tamper evident feature for sealable bags
US20110038569A1 (en) * 2009-08-13 2011-02-17 Scott Huffer Easy-open resealable package
US8622618B2 (en) * 2009-08-14 2014-01-07 Cryovac, Inc. Easy open and reclosable package with discrete laminate having panel section with easy-open sealant
US8814430B2 (en) * 2010-02-23 2014-08-26 Kraft Foods R&D, Inc. Food package having opening feature
USD634644S1 (en) * 2010-03-18 2011-03-22 Beanstalk Aps Bag
USD626861S1 (en) * 2010-03-18 2010-11-09 Beanstalk Aps Bag
US20120000968A1 (en) * 2010-07-01 2012-01-05 Kraft Foods Global Brands Llc Method and apparatus for a package with an easy open feature
SE535525C2 (en) * 2010-10-05 2012-09-11 Gunnar Backman Packaging for butter and margarine, sheets and ways to make a sheet
US20140000219A1 (en) * 2012-06-29 2014-01-02 Paul Pezzoli Resealable packaging container with interior mounted pressure sensitive coated collar

Patent Citations (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3259303A (en) * 1964-10-02 1966-07-05 Dow Chemical Co Resealable flexible container
US3291377A (en) * 1966-02-07 1966-12-13 Nat Dairy Prod Corp Packaging
US3761013A (en) * 1972-03-20 1973-09-25 S Schuster Double wall package for storing items in bacteria-free condition
US4638911A (en) * 1980-06-19 1987-01-27 Folienwalzwerk Brueder Teich Akitenesellschaft Pack and process for the manufacture thereof
DE3618765A1 (en) * 1986-06-04 1987-12-10 Scheuch Folien Papier Kg Tubular bag package for slab-shaped or bar-shaped products, for example chocolate products
US5417035A (en) * 1988-09-06 1995-05-23 Kcl Corporation Apparatus and method for manufacture flexible reclosable containers
DE3927668A1 (en) * 1989-08-22 1991-02-28 Manfred Haiss Carton produced by sealing along one edge and two short edges - has small cut in the root of the long seam which facilitates easy opening and allows reclosure
DE3927668C2 (en) * 1989-08-22 1995-06-29 Manfred Haiss packaging
US6173554B1 (en) * 1996-05-15 2001-01-16 Alusuisse Technology & Management Ltd. Pouch of flexible packaging material with integrated weakness for opening
US6060095A (en) * 1997-10-14 2000-05-09 Hunt-Wesson, Inc. Microwave popcorn serving package
US20060188182A1 (en) * 2001-10-26 2006-08-24 Hosokawa Yoko Co., Ltd. Packaging member with easy-opening means
US20040173492A1 (en) * 2003-03-05 2004-09-09 Kane James P. Reclosable packages and method for forming, filling and sealing such packages
US20090074333A1 (en) * 2007-09-18 2009-03-19 Martin Griebel Packaging Bag with Tearing Aid
US20090100803A1 (en) * 2007-10-23 2009-04-23 H.J. Heinz Co. Method of making a tetrahedron package
US20090161995A1 (en) * 2007-12-21 2009-06-25 Eric Henderson Flexible film plate-mat bag

Non-Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
EPO machine translation of DE 3618765, retrieved 4 May 2016, 5 pages. *
EPO machine translation of DE 3927668 A1, retrieved 4 May 2016, 5 pages. *
EPO machine translation of DE 3927668 C2, retrieved 5 May 2016, 3 pages. *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2009217118B2 (en) 2013-10-31
EA020919B1 (en) 2015-02-27
KR20110014134A (en) 2011-02-10
IL207714A0 (en) 2010-12-30
US20110011864A1 (en) 2011-01-20
CA2716211A1 (en) 2009-08-27
EP2250095A1 (en) 2010-11-17
CA2716211C (en) 2015-11-24
MX2010009176A (en) 2011-04-11
CN102089213B (en) 2013-07-31
JP2011512301A (en) 2011-04-21
EP2250095B1 (en) 2014-05-28
WO2009103296A1 (en) 2009-08-27
BRPI0908123A2 (en) 2015-08-04
EA201001337A1 (en) 2011-04-29
ES2502240T3 (en) 2014-10-03
PL2250095T3 (en) 2014-12-31
ZA201006658B (en) 2011-11-30
CN102089213A (en) 2011-06-08
DK2250095T3 (en) 2014-09-01
AU2009217118A1 (en) 2009-08-27

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP2250095B1 (en) Easy to open package
RU2561894C2 (en) Easy-open and re-sealed flexible film packages and methods of manufacturing
RU2516477C2 (en) Easy-open and reclosable package with discrete strip and web with die-cut element
EP2571782B1 (en) Easy open flexible film packaging products and methods of manufacture
US6659645B1 (en) Stand-up bag
US8167487B2 (en) Secure access easy opening tamper evident feature for sealable bags
US20160016714A1 (en) Package opening feature and methods of manufacturing same
US10427851B2 (en) Package with heat score
AU2012211147B2 (en) Easy open and reclosable package with discrete strip and die-cut web
MX2012013363A (en) Reclosable flexible packaging and methods for manufacturing same.
US5366295A (en) Flexible easy-opening pack
US20170233157A1 (en) Film packaging and method of using same
US20100104793A1 (en) Oriented tear zone for a plastic film
US10329065B2 (en) Easy open flow wrappers
WO2004078607A1 (en) A packaging container and packaging blank
WO2019075170A1 (en) Method of forming bottom-gusseted package with tape elements
GB2332899A (en) Easy tear bag
CA2608559A1 (en) Method and device for the production of film bags
GB2609401A (en) Book-opening carton
JP2008273545A (en) Ship bottom shaped gusset packaging bag
JPS63317403A (en) Good packing method for apparatus
JP2006021781A (en) Tape for re-sealing bag and re-sealing bag
NZ612834B2 (en) Easy open and reclosable package with discrete strip and die-cut web

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: BEANSTALK APS, DENMARK

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:HOFMAN, TORKILD;REEL/FRAME:036332/0249

Effective date: 20100908

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION