U.S. patent application number 11/041730 was filed with the patent office on 2006-02-09 for easy-open moisture resistant packages.
Invention is credited to Rachel P. Conrad, Josephine A. Forman.
Application Number | 20060027637 11/041730 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35851907 |
Filed Date | 2006-02-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060027637 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Conrad; Rachel P. ; et
al. |
February 9, 2006 |
Easy-open moisture resistant packages
Abstract
Novel package wrappers made of humidity resistant plastic,
utilizing a teartape disposed proximate to, but spaced inward from,
one edge of the package, extending substantially linearly
continuously about three adjacent sides. The teartape in one form
of the invention is a separate tape adhered to the package wrapper,
and in another form of the invention is integral with and formed
from the package wrapper itself. The package is completely sealed
but does not require the use of any tool to open it. After the
teartape has been removed, fingers or a thumb may be inserted
beneath the revealed torn edge of the wrapper and the wrapper torn
downward through slits in the then exposed portions of the ends of
the package wrapper which had been previously overlaid by the
teartape ends, such slits being concealingly disposed and sealed
beneath the overlying ends of the intact wrapper before removal of
the teartape. By locating the teartape fairly closely to one edge
of the package and providing the underlying tear down slits in the
package wrapper ends, the intact upper corners of the opened
package are able to slide smoothly over and down around the corners
of the contained product without exerting any substantial pressure
thereon, so that no corner curling force is exerted on the sheets
sufficient to cause corner distortion. The wrapper is quickly and
easily removable from the contents, so that the dry undistorted
paper may be quickly loaded into a copy machine.
Inventors: |
Conrad; Rachel P.;
(Gilbertsville, PA) ; Forman; Josephine A.;
(Pennsburg, PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SEALSTRIP CORPORATION
200 N. WASHINGTON STREET
BOYERTOWN
PA
19512
US
|
Family ID: |
35851907 |
Appl. No.: |
11/041730 |
Filed: |
January 25, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10911591 |
Aug 5, 2004 |
|
|
|
11041730 |
Jan 25, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/87.05 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 75/5844
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/087.05 |
International
Class: |
B65D 65/26 20060101
B65D065/26 |
Claims
1. A package wrapper, comprising in combination, a) a substantially
rectangular flexible sheet of humidity resistant package wrapper
material having a first pair of parallel sides and a second pair of
parallel sides, b) at least one pair of spaced apart slits through
said wrapper material extending for a short distance inward from
one of said second pair of parallel sides of said wrapper material
and spaced away from both of said first pair of parallel sides, c)
at least one slit through said wrapper material extending for a
short distance inward from the same one of said second pair of
parallel sides of said wrapper material as the aforesaid pair of
slits, said at least one slit being spaced away from and between
said pair of slits and one of said first pair of parallel
sides.
2. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 1 wherein the slits of
said at least one pair of slits are substantially parallel to one
another.
3. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least
one slit through said wrapper material comprises a plurality of
substantially parallel slits.
4. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least
one slit through said wrapper material comprises a plurality of
substantially parallel slits substantially parallel to said at
least one pair of slits.
5. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least
one slit through said wrapper material comprises a plurality of
substantially parallel slits each of which is formed with two
connected segments disposed at an obtuse angle to one another.
6. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least
one slit is spaced away from said pair of slits a distance such
that in a package wrapped in said package wrapper said at least one
slit is overlaid by and disposed immediately beneath the wrapper
material lying between said at least one pair of slits.
7. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 1 further including a
visible indicia on said wrapper extending between said at least one
pair of slits to provide a visual locator for the end of a lift tab
defined by said at least one pair of slits.
8. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 1 further including a
second pair of slits through said wrapper material extending for a
short distance inward from the other of said second pair of
parallel sides of said wrapper material and disposed in substantial
alignment with said at least one pair of slits.
9. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 1 further including a
second at least one slit through said wrapper material extending
for a short distance inward from the other of said second pair of
parallel sides of said wrapper material and positioned in
substantial alignment with said at least one slit.
10. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 1 further including, a)
a second pair of spaced apart slits through said wrapper material
extending for a short distance inward from the other of said second
pair of parallel sides of said wrapper material and disposed in
substantial alignment with said at least one pair of slits to
provide a visual locator for the end of a second lift tab defined
by said second pair of slits, and b) a second at least one slit
through said wrapper material extending for a short distance inward
from the other of said second pair of parallel sides of said
wrapper material and positioned in substantial alignment with said
at least one slit.
11. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 1 further including a
teartape adhered to said wrapper material, said teartape having
side edges and first and second opposite ends and being affixed to
said wrapper material substantially parallel to and displaced from
said first pair of parallel sides of said sheet of wrapper
material, and extending substantially entirely between said second
pair of parallel sides, the sides of one of said first and second
opposite ends of said teartape being disposed between said at least
one pair of spaced apart slits,
12. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 1 wherein said package
wrapper material is made of bi-axially oriented polypropylene
coated with a heat seal coating of ethyl vinyl acetate.
13. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 1 wherein said package
wrapper material is a composite film made of one layer of
bi-axially oriented polypropylene laminated to a layer of
mono-oriented polypropylene.
14. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 10 further including a
first visible indicia on said wrapper extending between said at
least one pair of slits and a second visible indicia on said
wrapper extending between said second pair of slits.
15. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 10 wherein said at
least one slit and said second at least one slit are spaced away
from said pair of slits and said second pair of slits a distance
such that in a package wrapped in said package wrapper said at
least one slit and said second at least one slit are respectively
overlaid by and disposed immediately beneath the package wrapper
material between said pair of spaced apart slits and said second
pair of spaced apart slits.
16. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 11 wherein said
teartape is between 4 mm and 20 mm in width, is between 1.5 mils
and 4 mils thick, and is made of one of polyester or polypropylene
coated with an ultraviolet resistant pressure sensitive acrylic
adhesive, and wherein said package wrapper material is made of
bi-axially oriented polypropylene coated with a heat seal coating
of ethyl vinyl acetate.
17. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 11 wherein said at
least one slit is spaced away from said teartape a distance such
that in a package wrapped in said package wrapper said at least one
slit is overlaid by and disposed immediately beneath one end of
said teartape.
18. A package wrapper as set forth in claim 11 further including a
first visible indicia on said wrapper extending between said at
least one pair of slits and a second visible indicia on said
wrapper extending between said second pair of slits, said first and
second visible indicia respectively overlying different ends of
said teartape to provide a visual locator for each of said teartape
ends.
19. In a substantially rectangular parallelepiped package
consisting of a flexible package wrapper made of humidity resistant
material with a product enclosed therein, said package having top
and bottom faces, a pair of opposite side faces, a pair of opposite
ends, a package seal extending the length of one of said top and
bottom package faces and into both ends, and said ends each having,
(1) a pair of in-turned end flaps turned inward toward one another
from said opposite side faces, (2) an upturned end flap partially
overlying and sealed to both of said in-turned end flaps, and (3) a
down-turned end flap partially overlying and sealed to both of said
in-turned end flaps and to said upturned end flap, the combination
comprising, a) at least one pair of spaced apart slits through said
package wrapper extending for a short distance upward from the
bottom edge of one of said down-turned end flaps to form a first
graspable tab, and b) at least one slit through said package
wrapper material extending for a short distance downward from the
upper edge of the said upturned end flap which is disposed as
aforesaid in underlying relationship to said one of said
down-turned end flaps, said at least one slit underlying said first
graspable tab.
20. In a substantially rectangular parallelepiped package as set
forth in claim 19 further including a visible indicia on said first
graspable tab to provide a visual locator for said tab.
21. In a substantially rectangular parallelepiped package as set
forth in claim 19 wherein said at least one slit through said
package wrapper material comprises a plurality of substantially
parallel closely spaced slits
22. In a substantially rectangular parallelepiped package as set
forth in claim 19 further including a second pair of slits
extending for a short distance upward from the bottom edge of the
other of said down-turned end flaps to form a second graspable
tab.
23. In a substantially rectangular parallelepiped package as set
forth in claim 19 further including, a) a second pair of slits
extending for a short distance upward from the bottom edge of the
other of said down-turned end flaps to form a second graspable tab,
b) a second at least one slit through said package wrapper material
extending for a short distance downward from the upper edge of the
said upturned end flap which is disposed in underlying relationship
to the other one of said down-turned end flaps, said second at
least one slit underlying said second graspable tab.
24. In a substantially rectangular parallelepiped package as set
forth in claim 19, the combination further including a teartape
having length, side edges and first and second opposite ends, said
teartape being extended and adhered to the inside of said wrapper
and being affixed to the latter substantially parallel to and
displaced from said package side faces and extending continuously
the length of one of said package top and bottom faces and to the
bottom edges of both of said package ends down-turned end flaps,
one end of said teartape underlying and being adhered to said first
graspable tab,
25. In a substantially rectangular parallelepiped package as set
forth in claim 22 the combination further including a teartape
having length, side edges and first and second opposite ends, said
teartape being extended and adhered to the inside of said wrapper
and being affixed to the latter substantially parallel to and
displaced from said package side faces and extending continuously
the length of one of said package top and bottom faces and to the
bottom edges of both of said package ends down-turned end flaps,
said first and second opposite ends of said teartape underlying and
being respectively adhered to said first and second graspable
tabs,
26. In a substantially rectangular parallelepiped package as set
forth in claim 23 further including visible indicia on said first
and second graspable tabs to provide visual locators for both of
said graspable tabs.
27. In a substantially rectangular parallelepiped package as set
forth in claim 23 wherein said at least one slit and said second at
least one slit each comprise a plurality of substantially parallel
slits each of which is formed with two connected segments disposed
at an obtuse angle to one another.
28. In a substantially rectangular parallelepiped package as set
forth in claim 23 wherein said at least one slit and said second at
least one slit through said package wrapper material comprise a
plurality of substantially parallel closely spaced slits.
29. Apparatus for making a package wrapper in the form of a
substantially rectangular flexible sheet of package wrapper
material having slits for selectively directionally tearing the
package wrapper when the package is to be opened, comprising, a)
web feeding means for continuously feeding a web of constant width
packaging wrapper material from a supply roll, b) first slitting
means for slitting the wrapper material at predetermined intervals
along the length of the wrapper material with a pair of spaced
apart first slits of fixed predetermined length, the slits lengths
being oriented parallel to the running length of the web, c) second
slitting means for slitting the wrapper material at locations on
said wrapper material displaced laterally widthwise away from said
first slits with at least one second slit of fixed predetermined
length, said locations being at predetermined intervals along the
length of the wrapper material, and d) web cutting means for
transversely cutting said web of packaging material at desired
fixed interval lengths.
30. Apparatus for making a package wrapper as set forth in claim 29
wherein said web cutting means cuts said web transversely through
both of said first slits and said at least one second slit at
substantially the mid-points of the lengths of all of said
slits.
31. Apparatus for making a package wrapper as set forth in claim 29
wherein said first slits made by said first slitting means are
disposed substantially finger-width apart.
32. Apparatus for making a package wrapper as set forth in claim 29
wherein said first slits made by said first slitting means are
substantially parallel to said at least one second slit.
33. Apparatus for making a package wrapper as set forth in claim 29
wherein said at least one second slit is a plurality of closely
spaced parallel slits.
34. Apparatus for making a package wrapper as set forth in claim 29
wherein said first slitting means comprises a pair of parallel
spaced apart slitting blades, and wherein said second slitting
means comprises at least one slitting blade parallel to said first
slitting means slitting blades, and further including actuatable
mounting means carrying both of said first and second slitting
means slitting blades, and means for actuating said mounting means
to slit said web of package wrapper material and simultaneously
form said first and at least one second slits.
35. Apparatus for making a package wrapper as set forth in claim 29
further including a) tape feeding means for continuously feeding
teartape from a supply roll, said teartape having substantially
parallel side edges, and b) sealing means for continuously sealing
the teartape to the wrapper material longitudinally in the running
direction of the web of wrapper material,
36. Apparatus for making a package wrapper as set forth in claim 34
wherein said web cutting means cuts said web transversely through
both of said first slits and said at least one second slit at
substantially the mid-points of the lengths of all of said
slits.
37. Apparatus for making a package wrapper as set forth in claim 35
wherein said web cutting means cuts said web transversely through
said teartape and both of said first slits and said at least one
second slit at substantially the mid-points of the lengths of all
of said slits.
38. Apparatus for making a package wrapper as set forth in claim 35
wherein said first slits made by said first slitting means are
substantially parallel to one another and to the said substantially
parallel side edges of said teartape, and wherein said at least one
second slit is substantially parallel to said first slits.
39. A method for making a package wrapper in the form of a
substantially rectangular flexible sheet of package wrapper
material having visible tear ends lift tabs, and slits for
selectively directionally tearing the package wrapper when the
package is to be opened, consisting of the steps of, a)
continuously feeding a web of constant width packaging wrapper
material from a supply roll, b) slitting the wrapper material at
predetermined intervals along the length of the wrapper material
with first slits of fixed predetermined length, c) slitting the
wrapper material at locations on said wrapper material displaced
laterally widthwise away from said first slits with at least one
second slit of fixed predetermined length, said locations being at
predetermined intervals along the length of the wrapper material,
and d) transversely cutting said web of packaging material at
desired fixed interval lengths.
40. A method for making a package wrapper as set forth in claim 39
wherein said step of transversely cutting said web of packaging
material cuts said web transversely through both of said first
slits and said at least one second slit at substantially the
mid-points of the lengths of all of said slits.
41. A method for making a package wrapper as set forth in claim 39
wherein the step of slitting the wrapper material at predetermined
intervals along the length of the wrapper material forms said first
slits substantially parallel to one another, said first slits being
disposed at finger-width spacing.
42. A method for making a package wrapper as set forth in claim 39
wherein said step of slitting the wrapper material at predetermined
intervals along the length of the wrapper material with first slits
of fixed predetermined length, and said step of slitting the
wrapper material at locations on said wrapper material displaced
laterally widthwise away from said first slits with at least one
second slit of fixed predetermined length, are performed
simultaneously
43. A method for making a package wrapper as set forth in claim 39,
in which after the step of continuously feeding a web of constant
width packaging wrapper material from a supply roll, performing the
further steps of, a) continuously feeding teartape from a supply
roll, said teartape having substantially parallel side edges, b)
continuously sealing the teartape to the wrapper material
longitudinally in the running direction of the web of wrapper
material, and wherein the subsequent step of slitting the wrapper
material at predetermined intervals along the length of the wrapper
material with first slits of fixed predetermined length consists of
slitting the wrapper material on opposite sides of the
teartape.
44. The method for making a package wrapper as set forth in claim
43 wherein said step of continuously sealing the teartape to the
wrapper material seals said teartape to said web at a fixed
selected distance from an edge of said web.
45. The method for making a package wrapper as set forth in claim
43 wherein said step of transversely cutting said web of packaging
material cuts said web transversely through said teartape and both
of said first slits and said at least one second slit at
substantially the mid-points of the lengths of all of said slits.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/911,591, filed Aug. 8,
2004.
[0002] This invention relates to packages, and more particularly to
quickly openable moisture resistant packaging for products
adversely affected by humidity, as for example, packages of copy
paper used in photocopy machines. The invention is also useful for
other products having similar humidity resistance packaging
requirements.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Conventionally, in the past, photocopy paper has been
packaged in adhesively sealed paper wrappers. Such wrappers are not
humidity proof, and during shipping and storage, over time, some
moisture penetrates the wrapper and the sheets of paper within.
Such moisture causes clumping of the adjacent sheets of paper so
that they do not slide easily over one another when the package has
been opened. With the advent of ubiquitous high volume
photocopiers, which feed paper at high speed, two problems arose in
connection with the supply paper.
[0004] The first problem was that the humidity, which causes
variable adherence of adjacent sheets of the supply paper to one
another, causes erratic simultaneous feeding of multiple sheets of
paper, resulting in numerous paper jams. The occurrences of such
jams require shutting down the copier, clearing the jams, and
restarting the machine. Apart from the waste of paper due to
wrinkling, which renders the paper non-feedable, the production
time lost is sufficiently high to be unacceptably costly.
Accordingly, a demand has arisen for packages of substantially
humidity free supply paper. The solution to this first problem was
to package the stacked copy paper in sealed humidity resistant
plastic wrapping instead of in paper wrapping. Unfortunately, while
this solved the first problem, it created a second problem.
[0005] The second problem is that, while the formerly used paper
wrapping was easily torn open and quickly removed so that little
time was lost in reloading the copier with a new paper supply, the
new plastic wrappers can not be easily and speedily removed because
the wrappers do not tear easily, cleanly, or in a directionally
controllable way. They have to be cut with a knife, razor cutter,
or other sharp implement. This is time consuming and can nick the
paper edges, again giving rise to misfeeds and jams in the copier.
If care is not taken when removing the wrapper to insure that the
corners of the paper stack are clear of the wrapper, and excessive
pulling force is used, the corners of the paper stack can be bent,
again resulting in subsequent misfeeds and paper jams. These
factors have combined to uneconomically substantially extend the
time needed to open a plastic wrapped package of paper and load it
into the copier. The novel wrappers according to the invention
economically solve all of these problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The novel package wrappers according to the invention are
made of humidity resistant plastic. The package is completely
sealed but does not require the use of any tool to open it. One
embodiment utilizes a strip of teartape disposed proximate to, but
spaced inward from, one edge of the package, and which, in a
generally rectangular package, extends substantially linearly
continuously about three adjacent sides. Other package
configurations will determine other teartape dispositions A second
embodiment does not utilize a separate physical teartape, but forms
a teartape from a portion of the package wrapper material itself.
Which form of package wrapper is used will normally be determined
by cost and transparency considerations In the embodiment utilizing
a physically separate teartape the package wrapper material could
be a single layer or multiple layer bi-axially oriented
polypropylene film between 1.75 and 3.25 mils thick, typically 2
mils thick, with a heat seal coating such as ethyl vinyl acetate.
This material is crystal clear and is typically used where maximum
transparency is desired, as for example to disclose graphics on the
packaged item. The teartape typically could be of 1.5 to 4 mils
thick polypropylene or polyester between 4 mm and 20 mm in width,
coated with an ultraviolet resistant pressure sensitive acrylic
adhesive.
[0007] In the embodiment not including a separate additional piece
of teartape material, the package wrapper material could be a
composite of a bi-axially oriented polypropylene film laminated to
a mono-oriented polypropylene film, in which in package formation
the mono-oriented film is the inner layer disposed next to the
packaged item. The mono-oriented film is quite strong and the
integrally formed teartape will tear along the direction of the
film orientation and through the bi-axially oriented outer film
layer. As an alternative to the mono-oriented polypropylene film
there could be used a mono-oriented polyethylene film. The
composite packaging wrapper film could typically be about 3 mils
thick with the mono-oriented film being 30% to 70% of the thickness
and with the bi-axially oriented film comprising the remainder.
[0008] After the teartape, of whatever form, has been removed,
fingers or a thumb may be inserted beneath the revealed torn edge
of the wrapper and the wrapper then torn downward through tear-down
slits in the then exposed portions of the ends of the package
wrapper which had been previously overlaid by the teartape ends,
such slits being concealingly disposed and sealed beneath the
overlying ends of the intact wrapper before removal of the
teartape. When the composite wrapper material is used, the
tear-down slits lengths are aligned with the orientation of the
mono-oriented laminate.
[0009] By locating the teartape fairly closely to one edge of the
package and providing the underlying tear-down slits in the package
wrapper ends, the intact upper corners of the opened package are
able to slide smoothly over and down around the corners of the
contained product without exerting any substantial pressure
thereon. Accordingly, in the typical case of a ream of copy paper
there is no corner curling force exerted on the sheets sufficient
to cause corner distortion. The package is quickly openable and the
wrapper quickly and easily removable from the contents, so that the
dry undistorted paper may be quickly loaded into the copier.
[0010] It is a primary object of the invention to provide a novel,
quickly openable and removable, humidity resistant package
wrapping.
[0011] It is another object of the invention to provide a novel,
quickly openable and removable, humidity resistant package wrapping
as aforesaid which utilizes a novel teartape structure in
conjunction with aligned slits in the wrapper to provide an easily
and cleanly openable and removable package wrapper.
[0012] It is still another object of the invention to provide a
novel, quickly openable and removable, humidity resistant package
wrapping as aforesaid which utilizes a novel teartape structure in
conjunction with aligned slits in the wrapper to provide an easily
and cleanly openable and removable package wrapper, the teartape in
one form being a separate piece of material adhered to the package
wrapper, and in another form being a teartape integral with and
formed from a portion of the package wrapper material itself.
[0013] It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel
package wrapping as aforesaid that may be removed without causing
distortion of the corners of the contents during package
opening.
[0014] It is a still further object of the invention to provide
novel methods of making novel wrapped packages according to the
invention as aforesaid.
[0015] It is yet another object of the invention to provide novel
apparatus for making novel wrapped packages according to the
invention as aforesaid.
[0016] The foregoing and other objects of the invention will appear
more fully hereinafter as disclosed by the following description
and accompanying drawings, wherein:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a typical sealed plastic package of copy
paper according to the prior art;
[0018] FIG. 2 is an isometric diagrammatic view from below of
apparatus for making a novel package according to the invention,
showing the application of a discrete teartape to the packaging
film, and the film slitting devices;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the
apparatus seen in FIG. 2;
[0020] FIG. 3A is an enlarged elevational end view of the packaging
film slitting devices as would be seen when viewed along lines
3A-3A on FIG. 3;
[0021] FIG. 4 is a plan view as would be seen when looking downward
on a formed package wrapper positioned above a paper stack and
about to enter the packaging machine;
[0022] FIG. 5 is an isometric view from above of a packaged paper
ream made according to the invention, with several breakaways and a
phantom circle to disclose details of the construction;
[0023] FIG. 5A is an enlarged detail of one end of the teartape as
seen from the phantom circle designated 5A on FIG. 5;
[0024] FIG. 5B is a fragmentary end detail of the package of FIG. 5
with the upper end flap turned up to disclose underlying
details;
[0025] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary end detail of the package of FIG. 5
with the end of the tear tape lifted as in starting to open the
package;
[0026] FIG. 7 is a fragmentary end detail of the package of FIG. 5
with the end of the teartape lifted further than in FIG. 6 and
disclosing the wrapper slits revealed by lifting the tear tape;
[0027] FIGS. 7A and 7B are enlarged details of the end of the
package as seen from the phantom circles 7A/7B on FIG. 7 showing
two forms of film slitting;
[0028] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary end detail of the package of FIG. 5
at the opposite end of the package from the views of FIGS. 6 and 7,
showing the teartape almost completely removed from the
package;
[0029] FIG. 9 is an isometric view from above similar to FIG. 5 of
a packaged paper ream made according to the invention, with the
teartape completely removed and with fingers inserted to tear the
package side away;
[0030] FIG. 9A is an enlarged detail of the end of the package as
seen from the phantom circle 9A on FIG. 9 showing the end of the
package wrapper being torn down through one of the wrapper
slits;
[0031] FIG. 10 is an isometric view showing completion of the
wrapper side tear down shown being started in FIG. 9;
[0032] FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross section through the package
according to the invention as would be seen when viewed along lines
11-11 on FIG. 5;
[0033] FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section through the
package according to the invention as would be seen when viewed
along lines 12-12 on FIG. 5;
[0034] FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section through the
package according to the invention as would be seen when viewed
along lines 13-13 on FIG. 5;
[0035] FIG. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section through the
package according to the invention as would be seen when viewed
along lines 14-14 on FIG. 7; and
[0036] FIG. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section through the
package according to the invention as would be seen when viewed
along lines 15-15 on FIG. 7;
[0037] In the several figures, like elements are denoted by like
reference characters.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] Considering first the Prior Art showing of FIG. 1, there is
seen a package 16 of copy paper having an enclosing wrapper of
plastic film with a longitudinally extending seam sealed by a band
of adhesive or heat sealing 17, and having opposite ends with down
turned end flaps 18A, upturned end flaps 18B, and in-turned end
flaps 18C and 18D, similarly sealed all together as at 19. The
completely sealed package provides a humidity resistant wrapping,
effectively keeping the enclosed contents dry and properly usable
when loaded into a copy machine. The film wrapper is typically made
of polypropylene, which is tough and does not tear easily or in a
directionally predictable manner. Because of these characteristics,
it is difficult and time consuming to open the package, and often
results in paper that has been so dealt with by nicking and bending
that paper jams result when it is installed in a copier. While it
may not offhand seem to be of any particular note, in fact it has
become such a production economic issue to copy businesses that a
demand has arisen for a quickly and easily openable humidity
resistant package.
[0039] Turning now to FIGS. 2 through 4 which show the apparatus
and method for making one embodiment of a novel package according
to the invention which incorporates a teartape separate from the
wrapper material, there is seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 a supply roll of
plastic wrapping film 20 from which the film feeds around rollers
21 and 22 toward the packaging machine 23, which latter may
typically be a Model 37-HS made by Pemco Inc., and functioning in
its normal package wrapping mode. Teartape 24 feeds from a supply
roll 25 and between the film 20, which has turned under roller 22,
and a heated pinch roller 26 which adheres the teartape 24 to the
face of the packaging film 20 that will be the inside of the
finished package 27 seen in FIG. 3 emerging from the packaging
machine 23. As previously noted, the packaging film 20 may be made
of 2 mils thick bi-axially oriented polypropylene coated with a
heat fusible plastic such as ethyl vinyl acetate, and the teartape
24 may be 1.5 to 4 mils thick and 4 mm to 20 mm wide, typically
about 6 mm wide, coated with an ultraviolet resistant pressure
sensitive acrylic adhesive.
[0040] The film 20 with attached tape 24 passes through a timed
film slitting device having upper and lower parts, 28A and 28B
respectively, movable toward and away from one another as shown by
the arrows 29-29 on FIG. 3. As most clearly seen on FIG. 3A, the
film slitting device upper part 28A carries two sets of slitting or
piercing blades, the tear tape tabs forming slitting blades 30 and
the wrapper tear-down slits slitting blades 31. When the timed
slitting device is actuated, the upper and lower parts 28A and 28B
come together and slit the film 20 as seen in FIG. 3A and most
clearly in FIG. 4, the blades 30 producing the slits 32 disposed on
opposite sides of the tear tape 24 just outward of the teartape
locating tabs 33 printed on the wrapper, and the blades 31
producing the wrapper tear-down slits 34.
[0041] After being slit, the film 20 continues to move toward the
packaging machine 23, as shown by the arrows 35 on FIG. 3. Prior to
reaching the packager 23 the film 20 passes through a film cutter
36 having an upper part 36A carrying a blade 37 and a lower anvil
part 36B which, when moved toward one another as shown by arrows 38
on FIG. 2, sever the film 20 centrally transversely through the
tabs 33 and slits 32 and 34, into lengths 42 proper for the package
to be wrapped, as best seen in FIG. 4.
[0042] When, instead of the just described bi-axially oriented
wrapper film, the composite laminate packaging wrapper formed of
mono-oriented and bi-axially oriented film is to be utilized to
form a package wrapper, the teartape 24 and its supply roll 25, as
seen in FIGS. 2 through 4 are dispensed with, and the packaging
film 20 coming off of the roll is oriented so that the
mono-oriented face of the composite film faces downward to engage
the ream of copy paper 39, as best seen in FIG. 3. In this
embodiment of the invention the package wrapper is also as shown in
FIG. 4, except that the teartape 24 is absent. In this form of the
invention the finger liftable locating tabs 33 are the actual ends
of the teartape, which because of the mono-orientation of the inner
layer of the film, can be grasped and pulled to tear along a
substantially linear path closely approximating the tear path of
the teartape 24.
[0043] While the packaging film is being processed as
aforedescribed, the ream of copy paper 39 is transported to the
packaging machine 23 by the moving belt 40 and elevator 41 where it
is properly registered with and enters the packager 23 with the
prepared package wrapper sheet 42, exiting the packager 23 as the
finished package 27 and being conveyed away on moving belt 43.
[0044] Turning now to FIGS. 5, 5B, and the details of FIGS. 5A and
11 to 13, there is seen the configuration and details of the
finished package 27 having a wrapper 20 enclosing a ream of copy
paper 39 with an integral teartape 24, the package having opposite
ends including upturned end flaps 44, overlying down turned end
flaps 45, and in-turned flaps 46 and 47 disposed beneath the end
flaps 44 and 45. The end flaps 44, 45, 46 and 47 are sealed
together, as is the overlapped longitudinal seam 48 seen on the
package end in FIG. 5 but best seen in FIGS. 11 and 5B. The partly
unfolded showing of the package end in FIG. 5B discloses the
overlying relationship of the teartape to the wrapper tear-down
slits 34, and that in the sealed package these wrapper tear-down
slits 34 are not overlaid or under laid by the in-turned end flap
47, so that the wrapper tear-down takes place through only a single
layer of the wrapper film. FIG. 5A shows the lift tab 33 printed on
the wrapper film 20 with the slits 32 disposed immediately to each
side of the tab, whereby the tab may be lifted easily so that it
may be grasped, with or without a separate physical teartape
adhered thereto. The tab width should be about 1/4'' for reliably
revealing the underlying slits 34, but preferably should be about
1/2'' for ease of grasping by the fingers.
[0045] The opening of the package 27 is shown in the rest of the
drawings, but refer first to FIGS. 6, 7, 7A/7B, 8, 14 and 15, FIGS.
6, 7 and the enlarged details of FIGS. 7A and 14 show the beginning
stages of the package opening process in which the tab 33 and
teartape end are grasped and lifted out and up from the down turned
end flap 45, separation from the wrapper 42 being effected
initially by means of the slits 32 in the flap 45 and thereafter by
means of the teartape. This reveals the wrapper tear-down slits 34
that underlie the teartape. The detail of FIG. 7B shows an
alternative form 49 of tear-down slits having their lower portions
angled towards the package corner for more certain tearing
directivity. This has not been found to be necessary with the usual
packaging films, but may be desirable with other films used in
different applications. FIG. 8 shows the teartape having torn
through one end and the top of the package 27, and about to be
completely removed from the remaining end of the package. It is
observed that the still affixed end of the teartape with its tab 33
is identical to the end from which the tear was started, so that it
is clear that the package may be opened starting at either end.
[0046] Turning now finally to FIGS. 9, 9A and 10, the final opening
of the package is started, the teartape having been completely
removed to open the top and both ends of the package. As shown in
FIG. 9, the fingers, or a thumb, are inserted under the package
torn edge 50, and an outward pull is exerted which causes the
partially detached side portion of the package 27 to be moved
outward as a unit because the end portions of the side portion,
consisting of parts of the package end flaps 44, 45 and 47, are
heat sealed and locked together. As a consequence, tearing force is
exerted on the wrapper tear-down slits 34, causing tearing down of
the wrapper through at least one slit at each end, resulting in the
completely open package condition shown in FIG. 10. The paper pack
contents 39 of the package 27 are now easily removed from the
wrapper.
[0047] As previously described, when the composite wrapper material
having mono-oriented and bi-axially oriented layers is utilized
without a separate physical teartape 24, the lift tabs 33 function
as the ends of a teartape integral with and formed from the wrapper
material itself. In operation the two forms of the invention
function in the same way and produce the same result.
[0048] Having now described our invention in connection with
particularly illustrated embodiments thereof, it will be understood
that modifications and variations thereof may now occur from time
to time to those normally skilled in the art without departing from
the essential scope or spirit of the invention, and accordingly it
is intended to claim the invention both broadly and specifically as
indicated in the appended claims.
* * * * *