U.S. patent application number 11/139822 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-08 for food wrap.
This patent application is currently assigned to Packaging Dynamics Operating Company. Invention is credited to Arnce, Charles, Fisher, Mauro, Sanders, Danny D., Tosh, Darrin.
Application Number | 20050269386 11/139822 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35452344 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050269386 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fisher, Mauro ; et
al. |
December 8, 2005 |
Food wrap
Abstract
A food wrap comprising a transparent sheet that has a viewing
portion. The viewing portion allows portions of a plurality of
sides of a wrapped food product to be visible therethrough. The
food wrap also has at least one opaque sheet having a wrapping
portion. The wrapping portion provides a surface for indicia
separate from the viewing portion.
Inventors: |
Fisher, Mauro; (Chicago,
IL) ; Arnce, Charles; (Baxter Springs, KS) ;
Tosh, Darrin; (Baxter Springs, KS) ; Sanders, Danny
D.; (Galena, KS) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FITCH EVEN TABIN AND FLANNERY
120 SOUTH LA SALLE STREET
SUITE 1600
CHICAGO
IL
60603-3406
US
|
Assignee: |
Packaging Dynamics Operating
Company
|
Family ID: |
35452344 |
Appl. No.: |
11/139822 |
Filed: |
May 27, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60575222 |
May 28, 2004 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/87.06 ;
229/87.08 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 65/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/087.06 ;
229/087.08 |
International
Class: |
B65D 065/16 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A food wrap comprising: a flexible transparent sheet having a
viewing portion and at least one peripheral edge portion, the
viewing portion sized to display a plurality of sides of a wrapped
food product visible therethrough; at least one sheet of a
foldable, opaque material, the sheet defining a wrapping portion
disposed and sized to provide a surface for informational indicia
separate from the viewing portion; and the opaque sheet defining an
overlap mounting portion secured to the peripheral edge portion of
the transparent sheet.
2. The food wrap of claim 1, further comprising: first and second
opaque sheets each having the outer overlap portion; the
transparent sheet having a pair of peripheral edge portions;
wherein the transparent sheet is substantially coplanar with and
interposed between the first and second sheets; and the outer
overlap portions of each opaque sheet secured to one of the
peripheral edge portions of the transparent sheet.
3. The food wrap of claim 1, wherein a surface area of the wrapping
portion being greater than a surface area of the viewing portion
providing a gripping surface sufficient to maintain the wrapped
food product substantially fixed to the viewing portion.
4. The food wrap of claim 2, wherein the opaque sheet is selected
from the group consisting of paper, foil, and film.
5. The food wrap of claim 4, wherein the opaque sheet comprises
perforations sized to permit the migration of heated moisture from
a wrapped food product to an exterior of the wrap in amounts which
prevent substantial fogging of the viewing portion.
6. The food wrap of claim 4, wherein the opaque sheet is quilted
paper.
7. The food wrap of claim 4, wherein the opaque sheet comprises a
laminate of paper and film.
8. The food wrap of claim 4, wherein the opaque sheet is grease and
water resistant.
9. The food wrap of claim 2, wherein the transparent sheet is
selected from the group consisting of polyester, polypropylene, and
cellophane.
10. The food wrap of claim 9, wherein the transparent sheet is
anti-fog polyester.
11. The food wrap of claim 9, wherein the transparent sheet
comprises perforations sized to permit the migration of heated
moisture from a wrapped food product to an exterior of the wrap in
amounts which prevent substantial fogging of the viewing
portion.
12. The food wrap of claim 2, wherein the first and second opaque
sheets each have a width and wherein the width of the first opaque
sheet is greater than the width of the second opaque sheet such
that the viewing portion is off-center on a wrapped food
product.
13. A method of making a food wrap comprising: providing an input
web comprising substantially coplanar and transversely alternating
separate transparent webs and separate relatively thicker and
stiffer opaque webs; securing peripheral portions of each
transparent web to outer portions of each opaque web to form a
laminated web; slitting an opaque portion of the laminated web
longitudinally to form at least two intermediate webs each
comprising two opaque webs and an interposed transparent web; and
cutting each intermediate web to form the food wrap.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein a tension on the transparent
web is different than a tension on the opaque web.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein a roll of the transparent web
is positioned a first predetermined distance to a laminator and a
roll of the opaque web is positioned a second predetermined
distance to the laminator, wherein the first predetermined distance
is less than the second predetermined distance such that the
tension on the transparent web is different than the tension on the
opaque web.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the method forms a food wrap
comprising: a flexible transparent sheet having a viewing portion
and at least one peripheral edge portion, the viewing portion sized
to display a plurality of sides of a wrapped food product visible
therethrough; at least one sheet of a foldable, opaque material,
the sheet defining a wrapping portion disposed and sized to provide
a surface for informational indicia separate from the viewing
portion; and the opaque sheet defining an overlap mounting portion
secured to the peripheral edge portion of the transparent
sheet.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the food wrap further
comprising: first and second opaque sheets each having the outer
overlap portion; the transparent sheet having a pair of peripheral
edge portions; wherein the transparent sheet is substantially
coplanar with and interposed between the first and second sheets;
and the outer overlap portions of each opaque sheet secured to one
of the peripheral edge portions of the transparent sheet.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein a surface area of the wrapping
portion being greater than a surface area of the viewing portion
providing a gripping surface sufficient to maintain the wrapped
food product substantially fixed to the viewing portion.
19. A food wrap produced from a process comprising: providing an
input web comprising substantially coplanar and transversely
alternating separate transparent webs and separate relatively
thicker and stiffer opaque webs; securing peripheral portions of
each transparent web to outer portions of each opaque web to form a
laminated web; slitting an opaque portion of the laminated web
longitudinally to form at least two intermediate webs each
comprising two opaque webs and an interposed transparent web; and
cutting each intermediate web to form the food wrap.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/575,222, filed May 28, 2004, which is hereby
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention is generally directed to food wraps, and
particularly to food wraps where a wrapped food is visible, at
least in part, in the package.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Carry-out and convenience stores often sell "grab & go"
food items designed for little or no preparation by the consumer
before consumption. The secure packaging of the food item and the
capability for microwave heating of the packaged item, without
unacceptable adverse effects, often are important considerations
for packaging materials and procedures. Desired characteristics for
such packaging include product visibility, cost effectiveness,
packaging efficiency, and convenience of use for the end customer.
The product visibility and presentation can be important
characteristics to enhance the product appeal and improve product
merchandising in retail displays.
[0004] To address such issues, many containers have been created to
package and display convenience foods at various quick-service
restaurants, convenience stores, and carry-out food stores. Paper
and foil wraps are one type of such packaging; however, such wraps
typically limit product visibility and product presentation because
the consumer is unable to view the food item through the wraps once
it is packaged. Many wraps, in addition, can not be used in
microwave heating as they contain metal foil. Conventional wraps
also may trap unacceptable amounts of moisture in the package
during heating affecting the quality of the packaged food item.
[0005] Hinged or clam-shell containers, which may be manufactured
out of paper, foam, or plastic, also may be used to package such
foods. While it is possible to fabricate either the cover of the
clam-shell container or the entire container out of clear plastic,
thereby improving product visibility, these containers typically
are bulky and inefficient in terms of their use of store shelf
space and warehouse space. In addition, the clam-shell or hinged
container can be more costly, can deform during heating, and
typically do not vent moisture effectively during microwave heating
of the packaged food prior to consumption. Moreover, the use of
such containers with a variety of different sized food items can be
limiting or expensive because the fabrication of a different sized
container requires a new mold for each sized container.
[0006] Bags also can be used for packaging of such food items.
While bags may be an improvement because the consumer can open the
bag to vent moisture during microwave heating, such bags often are
limited because they do not allow product visibility, are often
more costly, and generally are less efficient during food packaging
procedures. Bags, in addition, typically require extensive labor or
machining to fabricate and fill with food items.
[0007] Window bags, which typically include a die cut window or
aperture in the front panel of the bag, also are used in some
instances for packing foods. However, a typical die cut window
limits the presentation of the food because only a small portion or
only one side of the packaged food is visible. As a result, more
effort is required during packaging to orient the food in the
container so that the desired image is presented through the
limited window space. Such bags also typically have the same
disadvantages as the non-window bags discussed above regarding
costs, efficiency, machining, and labor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The invention is directed in one aspect to a food wrap made
from at least one web of a transparent material and at least one
web of a substantially opaque or semi-opaque material. The webs are
joined to provide a wrap with a viewing section that extends a
substantial portion of the wrap and at least one opaque or
semi-opaque section. The opaque or semi-opaque section may be made
of a printable material, and may be pre-printed if desired.
[0009] In this aspect, the transparent material provides a viewing
portion and at least one peripheral edge portion for joining the
transparent material to a portion of the opaque or semi-opaque
material. The opaque or semi-opaque material may be relatively
thicker and stiffer than the transparent material, with a wrapping
portion and an outer overlap portion. The outer overlap portion is
laminated or otherwise secured to the edge portion of the
transparent material to form a web that can be supplied as a
continuous roll, as a perforated roll, or as individual sheets.
[0010] In another aspect, the transparent material may be fog
resistant or perforated to permit the migration of moisture from
the interior to the exterior of the wrap. The substantially opaque
or semi-opaque material may also be perforated to permit the
migration of moisture from the interior of the wrap. The
transparent material and the perforation pattern and size generally
are selected to let water vapor to exit a package formed by the
wrap without producing unacceptable loss of packaging
integrity.
[0011] In another aspect, the invention is directed to a method of
making such food wraps. The method comprises providing an input web
that consists of a substantially coplanar and transversely
alternating (i.e., alternating in the machine cross-web direction)
separate transparent webs and separate opaque webs. The peripheral
edge portions of the transparent webs are joined to the
corresponding peripheral edge portions of the adjacent opaque webs
to form a composite web. Slitting one or more of the opaque
portions of the composite web longitudinally will form at least two
intermediate webs each comprising opaque webs with an interposed
transparent web. These webs then may be rolled, perforated and
rolled, cut, stamped, or sheeted to form individual wraps.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an individual sheet of the food
wrap of one aspect of the invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the food wrap through
lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an exemplary food product
in position for wrapping on a sheet of the wrap of the
invention.
[0015] FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the wrapped food product
shown in FIG. 3A.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a web of the wrap of the
invention before slitting into separate webs of the food wrap of
the invention.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a flow chart describing an exemplary method for
making the food wrap of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a food wrap 10
illustrating one aspect of the present invention. In this aspect,
the food wrap 10 comprises a transparent sheet 12 and two
substantially opaque or semi-opaque sheets 14, which are both
joined to transparent sheet 12. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in this
aspect, the transparent sheet 12 and opaque sheets 14 are joined
together at their peripheral edge portions. The degree of overlap
of the transparent 12 and opaque or semi-opaque 14 sheets will
depend on the particular application.
[0019] Once joined, the transparent sheet 12 and opaque or
semi-opaque sheets 14 form food wrap 10 and provide a viewing area
16 such that a packaged or wrapped food item is viewable through
the viewing area 16. Food wrap 10 is flexible or foldable allowing
the wrap to package a variety of different sized or shaped food
items. In addition, food wrap 10 conveniently allows the packaged
item to be heated while still packaged.
[0020] More specifically, in the aspect as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
the transparent sheet 12 is a clear or transparent film consisting
of viewing area 16 and peripheral edge portions 18. When a portion
of transparent sheet 12 is joined to a portion of opaque or
semi-opaque sheets 14 the viewing area 16 is formed, which provides
a viewing window or viewing space that extends a substantial length
of wrap 10 and may extend the entire length of the wrap. Once a
food item is packaged in the food wrap 10, the viewing area 16
preferably permits viewing of more than one side of the wrapped
product for easy identification of the food product and effective
visual display of the product (FIG. 3B). In one aspect of food wrap
10, transparent sheet 12 may be 3.5 to 5 inches wide and the
viewing area 16 may be 2 to 3 inches wide; however, other sheet and
viewing area widths also may be used. Similarly, the viewing area
16 may be offset from the centerline of the wrap. The size of the
viewing area 16 area can be modified by providing a different sized
web of transparent material, and by providing opaque or semi-opaque
sheets that, when joined to the transparent sheets, show more or
less of the food product. An acceptable size of the viewing area 16
typically are dimensions that balance product strength, provide
appropriate product viewing, and is cost efficient.
[0021] As mentioned above, transparent sheet 12 contains peripheral
edge portions 18 that generally extend the entire length of
transparent sheet 12 in this aspect of the invention and are
adjacent to and disposed on either side the viewing area 16. In one
aspect, edge portions 18 may be 1 to 1.5 inches wide; however, the
dimensions may also be adapted for specific uses requiring a
greater or less relative area. In this aspect, edge portions 18
provide a surface area sufficient for laminating or otherwise
securing the transparent sheet 12 to the opaque or semi-opaque
sheets 14, which will be described in more detail below.
[0022] The transparent sheet 12 may be formed from any clear or
translucent material. In one aspect, sheet 12 may be ovenable,
microwaveable, freezable, or afford moisture, oil, or aroma
barriers. In other aspects, sheet 12 may be heat-sealable, or may
be breathable so as to be anti-fogging or fog resistant.
Transparent sheet 12 can be any suitable polyester, polypropylene,
cellophane film or other film material that provides an acceptable
viewing area in the completed wrap. One example of suitable film
for sheet 12 is a polyester material of the type commercially
available as MYLAR. In another form, transparent sheet 12 or the
viewing window 16 may optionally be colored or printed to provide
decoration, ornamentation, or product identification. The coloring
or printing can be transparent, translucent, or opaque and can
cover the entire viewing window 16 or only a small portion of the
viewing window 16.
[0023] Optionally, transparent sheet 12 may be micro-perforated or
have small pinholes or punctures 17 to allow steam and moisture to
escape from a wrapped product during microwave heating. These
micro-perforations typically are sized to help vent steam and
moisture during heating, but do not allow unacceptable amounts of
moisture to penetrate the wrap from the outside to cause
unacceptable losses to the integrity or quality of a wrapped food
item.
[0024] Again referring to the aspect of the invention shown in
FIGS. 1-2, a portion of opaque or semi-opaque sheet 14 is joined to
the peripheral edge portions 18 of transparent sheet 12. In this
aspect, the food wrap 10 consists of a single transparent sheet 12
laminated or otherwise secured with two opaque or semi-opaque
sheets 14.
[0025] The opaque or semi-opaque sheets 14 are generally thicker
and stiffer than the transparent sheet 12 and comprise a wrapping
portion 20 and an integral edge overlap portion 22. In one aspect,
the wrapping portion 20 consists of an area having a greater length
than a width, and comprises most of the opaque or semi-opaque sheet
14. For instance, portion 20 spans from a first longitudinal edge
21 of opaque or semi-opaque sheet 14 over to edge overlap portion
22 and preferably extends the entire length of sheet 14. In other
aspects, the opaque or semi-opaque sheet 14 may be 4.5 to 6 inches
wide and the wrapping portion 20 may be 3.5 to 5 inches wide;
however, other widths are acceptable depending on the-food item to
be packaged, the amount of overlap necessary to secure the food
item, or the type of packaging method utilized.
[0026] The opaque or semi-opaque sheet 14 also includes integral
edge overlap portions 22, which consists of an area disposed
between a second longitudinal edge 23 of sheet 14 and wrapping
portion 20. Typically, the overlap portion 22 extends the entire
length of sheet 14. In one aspect, edge overlap portion 22 provides
a surface for joining or fixing sheet 14 to transparent sheet 12.
For instance, in this aspect, edge overlap portion 22 may be
laminated or otherwise secured to edge portion 18; consequently,
edge overlap portion 22 typically will be similar is size and shape
as edge portion 18. The overlap portion 22, in addition, can be
expanded or reduced depending on the needs of specific
applications, including those requiring greater or lesser strength
and moisture control needs of the wrap.
[0027] The opaque or semi-opaque sheet 14 often provides a surface
for product identification and printing, and may also include die
cast patterns or other decorative or informational indicia. Many
substrates are suitable for sheet 14, such as a foil, paper, film,
or other sheet material that is flexible or otherwise suitable for
wrapping, packaging, or securing a food item therein. In addition,
sheet 14 may optionally consist of a waxed paper or a multi-layer
paper-film laminate. In another aspect, the substrate comprising
sheet 14 may also include grease and water resistant materials or
may be a film, paper, foil, or other sheet material with a coating
of a grease or water resistant layer. In yet another aspect, opaque
or semi-opaque sheet 14 may include micro-perforations 17, as
described above with respect to the transparent sheet 12, or may be
quilted 19 to provide bulk and stiffness.
[0028] The food wrap 10 is formed by joining a portion of
transparent sheet 12 to a portion of the opaque or semi-opaque
sheet 14. In one aspect, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of
the peripheral edge portions 18 of transparent sheet 12 are
laminated or otherwise secured to one of the edge overlap portions
22 of two opaque or semi-opaque sheets 14. To secure the sheets
together, any suitable securing method for joining the above
described substrates may be acceptable if the joining method
provides a composite sheet having strength sufficient to package
and secure a food item. In one aspect, a band of laminating
adhesive 24 is used to adhere the edge overlap portions 22 together
with peripheral edge portions 18. One example of a suitable
adhesive is a 200-245 poly glue; however, other adhesives may be
used if they securely join the materials as previously described.
In one form, the sheets are adhered together by about a half-inch
band of adhesive that is spaced approximately about a half-inch
from the second longitudinal edge 23 of opaque or semi-opaque sheet
14. In another aspect, the sheets may be secured together by heat
sealing, crimping, spot sealing, or the like.
[0029] While in one aspect the transparent sheet 12 is generally
centrally located in food wrap 10 because both opaque and
semi-opaque sheets 14 are identical in width, it is also acceptable
for transparent sheet 12 to be off center with one opaque or
semi-opaque sheet 14 wider than the second sheet 14. Once joined
together, one form of food wrap 10 may range from about 12 inches
by 14 inches to about 14 inches by 14 inches; however, other sizes
of food wrap 10 also are acceptable based on various combinations
of different sized opaque or semi-opaque sheets 14 and transparent
sheets 12 depending on the application of use, the food item to be
packaged, and the method of packaging. Optionally, food wrap 10 may
consist of different shaped transparent or opaque or semi-opaque
sheets as well as sheets with non-linear edges. Such different
shapes may be used for decoration, ornamentation, or product
differentiation.
[0030] Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, one exemplary use of food wrap
10 is illustrated. In this example, a food item 5, such as a
hamburger, is packaged with the food wrap 10 illustrating the
advantages of one aspect of the invention. The food item 5 packaged
with the food wrap 10 has the sheet material folded or wrapped
around all sides of the food item 5 to completely enclose the
product. Once wrapped, the viewing area 16 provides a window for
the packaged food item 5 to be visible on multiple sides and
wrapping portions 20 provides a surface for product identification
or other information.
[0031] To package such a food item with this exemplary aspect, the
food item 5 is generally placed in approximately the center of the
food wrap 10 as indicated in FIG. 3A. Then the surrounding sheet
material is folded or wrapped around the food item to form the
wrapped food item illustrated in FIG. 3B. More specifically, in
this aspect, the food item 5 is packaged manually by folding,
overlapping, or wrapping the portions of the wrap 10 that initially
surround the food item 5 in the unwrapped state. For instance,
opposed edges 21 or corners 23 may be folded inward and then
over-lapped on the top surface of the food item 5. In one aspect,
the folded, overlapped edges 21 may be secured through the
resiliency of the wrap material or, in other aspects, by a securing
device such as adhesives, adhesive tape, labels, pins, tacks, or
other securing methods that prevent the folded package from
unwrapping. In another aspect, the food item may be packaged in any
automatic food wrapping equipment known in the art that currently
uses sheet or wrap material to package food.
[0032] Once wrapped, multiple sides or portions of the food item 5
are still visible through the viewing area. The food item 5, in the
wrapped form as illustrated in FIG. 3B, can be placed in a
microwave oven or conventional oven for heating. As described
above, the optional micro-perforations in either transparent sheet
12 and/or opaque or semi-opaque sheet 14 aid in the venting of
moisture and steam generated from the warming or cooking of the
food product.
[0033] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, one exemplary method of making
the food wrap 10 is illustrated. In one aspect, the food wrap 10 is
manufactured from a plurality of continuous webs having a portion
of each web joined together. The joined webs are then slit and cut
to the desired size or shape. In one form of the method, a portion
of at least five separate continuous webs of material are laminated
or otherwise secured together on any suitable equipment known in
the art, such as a nip roll laminator. To achieve food wrap 10, the
input to the process may be five separate rolls of material as
shown in FIG. 5. These input rolls are either a roll of transparent
sheet material or a roll of opaque or semi-opaque sheet material.
In order to form the food wrap 10 (i.e., a substantially coplanar
structure comprising a transparent sheet 12 between two opaque or
semi-opaque sheets 14), the input rolls must be alternated and
staggered appropriate distances on an unwind station(s) of the
laminator in the machine cross-web direction so that when the webs
are wound through the laminator, the configuration illustrated in
FIG. 4 is obtained at the laminator's nip rolls.
[0034] More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 5, three input
rolls of opaque or semi-opaque material 30 are alternated in the
machine cross-web direction on the unwind station(s) with two input
rolls of transparent material 32. While the example method of FIG.
5 is shown with five total input rolls, any combination of opaque
rolls 30 alternated with transparent rolls 32 is also acceptable
depending on the size of the equipment, the size of food wrap
produced, and throughput desired.
[0035] In order to join a portion of the opaque or semi-opaque
material to the transparent material, in one aspect, the input
rolls 30 and 32 are unwound and advanced through a plurality of
rollers to an adhesive coating station. At the adhesive coating
station, a band of adhesive, as described above, is applied onto
either edge overlap portion 22 of the opaque or semi-opaque sheet
material or peripheral edge portions 18 of the transparent sheet
material. Any suitable adhesive coating method that applies
acceptable amounts of adhesive to the material to sufficiently
adhere them together may be used. For instance, roll coating, die
coating, spray coating, and the like may be used to apply adhesive.
In this aspect, after adhesive coating, the webs are joined or
combined to form the input web 34 to the laminator. Input web 34
consists of a substantially coplanar and a transversely or machine
cross-web direction alternating web of transparent material and
opaque or semi-opaque material. More specifically, input web 34
comprises separate transparent webs joined and alternated between
separate opaque or semi-opaque webs. The webs are substantially
coplanar in that the edge overlap portions 22 and the peripheral
edge portions 18 are superimposed.
[0036] As previously described, in other aspects, different methods
may be used to secure the opaque or semi-opaque material to the
transparent material. Consequently, similar approaches would be
utilized, which are appropriate to the selected securing method and
equipment (such as heat sealing, bonding, or tacking, etc.).
[0037] If securing the webs using lamination and adhesive, in one
aspect, the five separate webs are pulled through the laminator nip
rolls at the same time. The nip rolls apply a predetermined
pressure for a predetermined amount of time to the superimposed
peripheral edge portions and edge overlap portions having the band
of adhesive between them sufficient to adhere them together. After
lamination, the five separate webs now comprise one integral
composite, laminated web 36. In this aspect, the composite,
laminated web 36 comprises a continuous web that alternates in the
machine cross-web direction a first outer opaque web, a first
transparent web, a central opaque web, a second transparent web,
and a second outer opaque web as also illustrated in FIG. 4.
[0038] In another aspect, the web may optionally be processed
through a plurality of printing stations where identification or
other markings may be added to the opaque or semi-opaque or
transparent material. Printing on either the transparent or opaque
webs may be accomplished prior to or subsequent to the sheets being
joined together. In a preferred aspect, the webs are printed after
being laminated. Printing may be completed with any equipment that
is known in the art capable of printing on the substrates described
above for transparent sheet 12 and opaque or semi-opaque sheet
14.
[0039] The composite web may be slit at least once after the
joining or securing of the materials. For instance, in one aspect,
an opaque web may be slit to form two intermediate webs. Slitting
may be accomplished by any suitable slitting equipment known in the
art to cleanly cut a moving web into separate webs. For example, in
one aspect, a slotted blade angled at 20.degree. to the web that is
slideably attached to a circular mount may be used to slit the web.
In one form, the center opaque web may be twice as wide as the
outer two opaque webs. This configuration produces a food wrap 10
having the viewing area 16 approximately centered in the wrap. In
another form, the center opaque web may be narrower or identical in
width to the outer two opaque webs. This alternative form produces
a food wrap 10 having the viewing area 16 off center as previously
described. In addition, the method to produce food wrap 10 can
easily and cost efficiently produce a variety of different sized
wraps by simply relocating the position of the slitter knife. There
is no need to fabricate a new, expensive mold or retool complicated
bag forming equipment.
[0040] After slitting, the intermediate webs may be wound onto a
continuous roll, perforated to from a sheet pattern and then wound
onto a continuous roll, sheeted, or cut into various shapes. During
sheeting, in one aspect, the intermediate webs are cut in the
cross-web direction to form the food wrap 10. Any type of sheeting
equipment known in the art is suitable to sheet the slit webs.
During sheeting, the webs are cut in the cross web direction to the
desired length of food wrap 10. In other aspects, the intermediate
webs may be cut, die cut stamped, or the like into various shapes
or configurations depending on the specific use of the wrap.
[0041] In some aspects, the location of each input roll 30 or 32
may be adjusted such that the distances from the input roll to the
laminator may be different than other input rolls in order to
compensate for differential web stretching or different tension
profiles between the webs. For instance, in one aspect, the
transparent input rolls 32 may be positioned closer to the nip
rolls than the opaque or semi-opaque rolls 30; the web of
transparent material may be unwound over fewer rollers than the
opaque or semi-opaque material and/or the tension profiles at the
webs may be adjusted using other methods. In other aspects, the
tension control equipment may be located in different locations for
each type of web to compensate for varying tension profiles. In yet
another aspect, the correct tensions generally must be applied to
the webs at the slitting station; accordingly, the tension control
may be altered for each web such that the tension between the
transparent and opaque or semi-opaque webs are sufficiently
equalized to permit proper slitting of the web.
[0042] It will be understood that various changes in the details,
materials, and arrangement of the parts and components that have
been herein described and claimed in order to explain the nature of
the invention may be made by those skilled in the art within the
principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended
claims.
* * * * *