EP0074161A2 - Leicht zu öffnender Verschluss - Google Patents

Leicht zu öffnender Verschluss Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0074161A2
EP0074161A2 EP82303165A EP82303165A EP0074161A2 EP 0074161 A2 EP0074161 A2 EP 0074161A2 EP 82303165 A EP82303165 A EP 82303165A EP 82303165 A EP82303165 A EP 82303165A EP 0074161 A2 EP0074161 A2 EP 0074161A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
seal
fold
film
bag
layer
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP82303165A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0074161A3 (de
Inventor
Milton A. Howe
Stephen F. Compton
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.)
WR Grace and Co
Original Assignee
WR Grace and Co
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
Priority claimed from US06/295,157 external-priority patent/US4638913A/en
Application filed by WR Grace and Co filed Critical WR Grace and Co
Publication of EP0074161A2 publication Critical patent/EP0074161A2/de
Publication of EP0074161A3 publication Critical patent/EP0074161A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS 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
    • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
    • B65D75/52—Details
    • B65D75/58—Opening or contents-removing devices added or incorporated during package manufacture
    • B65D75/5855—Peelable seals
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS 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
    • B65D2575/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
    • B65D2575/52—Details
    • B65D2575/58—Opening or contents-removing devices added or incorporated during package manufacture
    • B65D2575/586—Opening or contents-removing devices added or incorporated during package manufacture with means for reclosing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS 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
    • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
    • B65D75/04—Articles or materials wholly enclosed in single sheets or wrapper blanks
    • B65D75/06—Articles or materials wholly enclosed in single sheets or wrapper blanks in sheets or blanks initially folded to form tubes
    • B65D75/12—Articles or materials wholly enclosed in single sheets or wrapper blanks in sheets or blanks initially folded to form tubes with the ends of the tube closed by flattening and heat-sealing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS 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
    • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
    • B65D75/26—Articles or materials wholly enclosed in laminated sheets or wrapper blanks

Definitions

  • This invention concerns packages, for example for food items such as cheese or luncheon meat, and relates to an easy open seal for such packages and to a method of making such a seal.
  • the invention further relates to means to close such packages once they have been opened.
  • U.S. Patent 2,968,396 shows an opening-and- separating feature for a thermoplastic film package wherein a gusset type fold provides grippable pull-apart tabs.
  • U.S. Patent No. 3,536,501 shows a package in which the edge of the closure flap is folded over so that the outer film layer is sealed to itself.
  • French Patent No. 1,331,100 shows a package with a closure seal in which the edges of the mouth of the receptacle are folded outwardly and then has a heat seal placed through the four layers of film.
  • U.S. Patent No. 3,655,503 shows a package closure seal in which multilayer films are sealed together so that, when pulled apart to open the package, the outer layer of one film ruptures and delaminates only in the seal area.
  • one aspect of the present invention provides an easy open seal for an opening in a receptacle of thermoplastic film, said film having at least two layers,characterised in that the tensile or rupture strength of the outer surface layer is greater than the bond strength between the outer layer and its adjacent layer;in that there is at least one fold in said film, said fold being adjacent a film edge, said fold providing direct contact between two surface areas of said outer layer; in that a seal bonds said two surface areas, said seal being located between said fold and said film edge; and in that said fold provides a tab which may be pulled to rupture one of said outer layers at said seal and to cause said outer layer to delaminate from its adjacent layer to the edge of the film thereby opening said receptacle.
  • said folds there are two of said folds providing respective said tabs each having an outer layer bonded at said seal such that pulling said tabs apart will cause the outer layer of one of them to rupture and to delaminate from its adjacent layer. This provides for easy closing where the package is a bag.
  • the material of the outer surface layer is polyethylene or an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and the material of the adjacent layer is nylon, a vinylidene chloride copolymer, a propylene homopolymer or copolymer, or a cross-linked copolymer of polyethylene and ethylene-vinyl acetate.
  • nylon a vinylidene chloride copolymer
  • propylene homopolymer or copolymer or a cross-linked copolymer of polyethylene and ethylene-vinyl acetate.
  • said film comprises three layers of which the outer layer is an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, the middle layer is a copolymer of vinylidene chloride, and the outer layer is a cross-linked copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate.
  • a second aspect of the invention provides a package comprising a product within a receptacle of flexible film having at least two layers, in which one side of the receptacle is closed by a seal of the double-tabbed type, just disclosed above, said seal being formed by opposed ends of said receptacle inwardly folded over at coinciding fold lines so that all of said surface-to-surface seals are being in-line within the same seal area located between the fold lines and product whereby the folded over edges provide said tabs.
  • Such a package hermetically encloses the product and also allows easy gripping of the tabs for opening the seal.
  • a strip-like dead fold element is enclosed by at least one of said folds whereby after said bag is opened it may be closed by bending said dead fold element.
  • This dead fold element allows the package to be reclosed, after opening, by flattening the mouth of the package, rolling the dead fold element once or twice towards the product remaining in the package, and then folding the ends of the dead fold element in towards its centre. More advantageously, for optimum folding, the strip-like dead fold element extends along only one half of the mouth of the receptacle. Removal of film portions at the fold lines from near the ends of the fold line, reduces stresses on the side seals of a receptacle with the seal, upon opening.
  • a third aspect of the invention provides a method of making an easy open closure seal for an opening in a flexible receptacle of thermoplastic film, said film having at least two layers,characterised in that the tensile strength of the outer surface layer is greater than the bond strength between the outer layer and its adjacent layer;in that the film is folded along a fold line adjacent an edge which forms said opening so that surface areas of said outer layers are in direct contact; and in that said surface areas are then heat sealed together along a seal located between said film edge and fold line to form a pull tab by said film folded at the fold line whereby when said tab is pulled the outer layer will rupture and delaminate from the adjacent layer, said delamination continuing to said edge of said film to open said package.
  • the method is further characterised by the steps of: providing a receptacle in the form of a side seal bag constructed of flexible thermoplastic film having at least two layers; removing corner portions of said bag adjacent to the end opening of the bag so that two extended lip portions are formed; placing a strip-like dead fold element on an inner surface of at least one of said extended lip portions; folding said extended lip portions into said end opening so as to surround and encompass said dead fold element within the fold of the lip portion on which the element was placed, said folds bringing portions.of the outer surface of the bag into direct contact; and then flattening and heat sealing said folded lip portions to enclose said dead fold element within its respective fold and to close said bag, said heat seal being transverse across the width of the bag and being located between the fold line and the edge of each of the inwardly folded lips, said folds providing grippable tabs for pulling said folds apart to open said bag; and further characterised by filling said bag with a product prior to said application of the heat seal whereby an easy open package with a reclos
  • the method is further characterised by the step of punching a hole through the tab between the fold line and the seal to allow a strip-like dead fold element to be introduced into the interior of the fold of the tab, for reclosing of the package after opening of the easy open seal.
  • This hole allows the consumer to insert a suitable dead fold element through the hole before reclosing.
  • the receptacle R made from the multilayer film F can be formed in several different manners and may be called a bag, pouch or package, but will be referred to herein by the generic term "receptacle”.
  • a seamless tube of the three-layer film F is closed at one end by an end seal 13 which forms the bottom of the receptacle R.
  • the receptacle is then loaded with the product 6 and, to close the loaded receptacle, an inward fold is made at its open end or mouth along line 12 wherein edges El and E2 are folded under so that they mate or coincide when the mouth of the receptacle is flattened.
  • a heat seal is applied by compressing the four layers of material in the seal region A. All of the surfaces in contact in seal region A will be sealed to each other. This configuration leaves separable tabs 4 and 5 which may be gripped by the fingers to pull the seal apart. This causesthe rupture and delamination shown in Figure 1.
  • region A represents the seal between film portions Fl and F2 of the film F, which seal actually closes the opening to the receptacle R.
  • the actual seal is designated S in Figures 1 and 2.
  • the film F from which the receptacle is formed is a three-layer film having an inner layer 1, a middle or adjacent layer 2 and an outer layer 3. (In Figure 2 it can be seen that the outer layer 3 is on the outside of the receptacle).
  • a preferred three-layer film is that disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,278,738.
  • the inner layer 1 is an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer which has been cross linked by irradiation and has a thickness of approximately 38 microns; middle layer 2 is a copolymer of vinylidene chloride having a thickness of approximately 5 microns; and oute " layer 3 is a crosslinked ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer having a thickness of approximately 18 microns.
  • the vinyl acetate content in the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer is approximately 10% and the vinylidene chloride copolymer is a copolymer of vinylidene chloride and vinyl chloride in a mixture of 10% suspension-polymerized and 90% emulsion-polymerized copolymers.
  • the emulsion-polymerized copolymer consists of about 70% vinylidene chloride and 30% vinyl chloride and the suspension-polymerized copolymer consists of about 80% vinylidene chloride and 20% vinyl chloride.
  • the top of the bag when folded in a configuration shown in Figure 2 has the appearance shown in Figure 3 when laid flat.
  • a heat seal can be applied across the width of the bag in region A.
  • the width of the seal is 3mm to 6mm in'width and can be applied by a sealing unit such as those made by the Vertrod Corporation of Brooklyn, New York or by any other heat seal. unit as these are well known in the art.
  • a pressure of approximately twelve kg/cm is preferred and the sealing unit is set such that the temperature at the interfaces where sealing occurs is in the range of 107°C to 149°C.
  • the total sealing time consists of approximately 0.6 seconds for preheating the seal bars, 0.3 seconds for the heated welding time as the pressure is applied to the region A, and approximately 0.1 seconds for release time.
  • the seal bars do not have time to cool and the preheat time will drop to approximately 0.1 second for a total sealing time of approximately 0.5 seconds.
  • a seal according to the foregoing will keep the package intact and will resist abuse yet the seal can be readily opened by grasping the tabs 4 and 5 of Figure 2 and pulling them apart whereupon one of the layers 3 as in Figure 1 ruptures and delaminates to film edge El or E2. Delamination is observed to occur rather than rerupture of the outer layer 3.
  • a reclosure feature is provided which can be a "twist-tie" strip or any piece of wire or other material which has dead-fold characteristics, i.e. it is substantially non-resiliently deformable.
  • Strip 7 is located within one of the end folds as shown in cross section in Figure 2 or in the top view in Figure 3. Insertion of the dead-fold strip 7, for example by the consumer,can be facilitated by simply punching a hole as indicated by the dotted lines 21 in Figure 2 and inserting the dead-fold strip 7 into the hole.
  • the receptacle After the receptacle has been opened, it can be readily closed by rolling up the said receptacle material in the mouth area by rolling the dead fold strip 7 towards the product 6, as one rolls up the used end of a tube of toothpaste, and then crimping or bending the dead-fold strip to hold the roll of film material secure.
  • FIG. 4 Another method of providing a reclosure feature is shown in Figures 4 and 5.
  • a receptacle R in the form of a side sealed bag is shown which has been formed by folding a sheet of film in its centre and sealing it along its sides by heat seals 26. At the open end of the bag the corners are removed by cutting along the dotted lines 27. When the corners are removed two opposed lips Fl and F2 ( Figure 1) are formed which may readily be.folded inside the bag. When the upper lip Fl is folded in, the dead fold strip 7 is laid upon and may be secured to the upper surface of the lower lip for example by the strip 7 having an adhesive surface.
  • the receptacle has the configuration shown in Figure 5 with the edges El, E2 of the lips Fl, F2 coinciding inside the receptacle, the lips having been folded along fold lines 12.
  • the receptacle is now ready to receive a product and, when filled, has a transverse heat seal applied in the region A which closes and seals the receptacle with portions of the outer surface of the receptacle sealed to itself in the region A.
  • Film segments may be removed at 24 by punching or cutting. The removal of these segments tends to relieve the stress on the side seals when the fold tabs 4,5 are pulled apart and they direct the stress to seal region A to open the package.
  • polyethylene and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers in general for the outer layer and the material of the adjacent layer can be selected from nylon, vinylidene chloride copolymers, propylene homopolymers and copolymers; and cross-linked polyethylene and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers.
  • the chief criterion is that the tensile strength or rupture strength of the outer layer 3 is greater than the bond strength between layers 2 and 3. Likewise, the bond strength between layers 2 and 3 has to be less than the rupture or tensile strength of the adjacent layer 2 alone or of the combination of layers 1 and 2.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
EP82303165A 1981-08-21 1982-06-17 Leicht zu öffnender Verschluss Withdrawn EP0074161A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US29515881A 1981-08-21 1981-08-21
US06/295,157 US4638913A (en) 1981-08-21 1981-08-21 Multiply package having delaminating easy open seal
US295158 1981-08-21
US295157 1999-04-20

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0074161A2 true EP0074161A2 (de) 1983-03-16
EP0074161A3 EP0074161A3 (de) 1983-12-28

Family

ID=26968955

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP82303165A Withdrawn EP0074161A3 (de) 1981-08-21 1982-06-17 Leicht zu öffnender Verschluss

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0074161A3 (de)
DK (1) DK375082A (de)
FI (1) FI822893A7 (de)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4546882A (en) * 1983-02-07 1985-10-15 American Can Company Package having oil-containing product
US7565987B2 (en) 2005-08-31 2009-07-28 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Pull tab activated sealed packet
US7575384B2 (en) 2005-08-31 2009-08-18 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Fluid applicator with a pull tab activated pouch
US7604623B2 (en) 2005-08-30 2009-10-20 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Fluid applicator with a press activated pouch
US7651290B2 (en) 2005-05-09 2010-01-26 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Device with pull tab activation
US7950864B2 (en) 2005-12-13 2011-05-31 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Device with internal pull tab activation
WO2017116453A1 (en) * 2015-12-31 2017-07-06 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Gusseted dispenser package for wet wipes
CN113195374A (zh) * 2018-10-04 2021-07-30 里奇产品有限公司 裱花袋及其制造方法

Family Cites Families (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2997166A (en) * 1959-06-16 1961-08-22 Pratt Mfg Corp Packages for flat articles such as surgical supplies and method of wrapping such articles
US3119549A (en) * 1959-08-24 1964-01-28 Milprint Inc Reclosable commodity bag
US2968396A (en) * 1959-12-07 1961-01-17 Laukhuff Pratt Mfg Corp Article separating packages for flat articles such as surgical supplies
US3256981A (en) * 1962-11-01 1966-06-21 Leonard D Kurtz Strippable package for sutures
US3623653A (en) * 1968-09-25 1971-11-30 American Can Co Food package construction
US3655503A (en) * 1969-01-13 1972-04-11 Crown Zellerbach Corp Package of composite film with peelable, heatsealable surfaces
US4126085A (en) * 1977-02-22 1978-11-21 Mowli John C Method of producing a reclosable bag
US4117934A (en) * 1977-02-22 1978-10-03 Mowli John C Reclosable bag
US4138932A (en) * 1977-04-19 1979-02-13 Mowli John C Process for producing reclosable bags
US4278738A (en) * 1978-03-10 1981-07-14 W. R. Grace & Co. Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer film laminate
US4174597A (en) * 1978-04-07 1979-11-20 Harry Bala Process for wrapping articles and providing reclosable container

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4546882A (en) * 1983-02-07 1985-10-15 American Can Company Package having oil-containing product
US7651290B2 (en) 2005-05-09 2010-01-26 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Device with pull tab activation
US7604623B2 (en) 2005-08-30 2009-10-20 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Fluid applicator with a press activated pouch
US7565987B2 (en) 2005-08-31 2009-07-28 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Pull tab activated sealed packet
US7575384B2 (en) 2005-08-31 2009-08-18 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Fluid applicator with a pull tab activated pouch
US7950864B2 (en) 2005-12-13 2011-05-31 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Device with internal pull tab activation
WO2017116453A1 (en) * 2015-12-31 2017-07-06 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Gusseted dispenser package for wet wipes
GB2556858A (en) * 2015-12-31 2018-06-06 Kimberly Clark Co Gusseted dispenser package for wet wipes
US10875701B2 (en) 2015-12-31 2020-12-29 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Gusseted dispenser package for wet wipes
GB2556858B (en) * 2015-12-31 2021-11-10 Kimberly Clark Co Gusseted dispenser package for wet wipes
CN113195374A (zh) * 2018-10-04 2021-07-30 里奇产品有限公司 裱花袋及其制造方法
US12168540B2 (en) 2018-10-04 2024-12-17 Rich Products Corporation Pastry bag and method of manufacturing thereof

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FI822893A0 (fi) 1982-08-19
FI822893L (fi) 1983-02-22
EP0074161A3 (de) 1983-12-28
DK375082A (da) 1983-02-22
FI822893A7 (fi) 1983-02-22

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Inventor name: COMPTON, STEPHEN F.

Inventor name: HOWE, MILTON A.