U.S. patent application number 14/375231 was filed with the patent office on 2015-01-15 for packaging and method of packaging.
The applicant listed for this patent is CADBURY UK LIMITED. Invention is credited to Simon Bradbury, Matthew Down.
Application Number | 20150016756 14/375231 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45876285 |
Filed Date | 2015-01-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150016756 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Down; Matthew ; et
al. |
January 15, 2015 |
PACKAGING AND METHOD OF PACKAGING
Abstract
Packaging (10) comprising a wrapper of flexible material (14)
folded about a product (12) into a sleeve with opposed longitudinal
side edge regions overlapping and sealed together to form a
longitudinal seal, the ends of the sleeve being closed by
transverse end seals (24, 26). An opening arrangement comprises an
aperture in a main body (28) of the wrapper adjacent one of the end
seals (24). The wrapper has a flap portion (32) integrally formed
with the main body for closing the aperture. The flap portion
includes an opening tab portion (62) located at least partially
within or on said one end seal (24) that can be grasped by a user
to initiate opening of the package. The flap portion (32) may be
bonded to the main body (28) by means of a peelable and re-sealable
adhesive.
Inventors: |
Down; Matthew; (Birmingham,
GB) ; Bradbury; Simon; (Uxbridge, GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
CADBURY UK LIMITED |
Birmingham, West Midlands |
|
GB |
|
|
Family ID: |
45876285 |
Appl. No.: |
14/375231 |
Filed: |
January 29, 2013 |
PCT Filed: |
January 29, 2013 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB2013/050186 |
371 Date: |
July 29, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/203 ;
383/211; 53/450; 53/461 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 75/5855 20130101;
B65B 11/48 20130101; B65D 75/5838 20130101; B65B 9/067 20130101;
B65D 2575/586 20130101; B65D 75/5833 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/203 ; 53/461;
53/450; 383/211 |
International
Class: |
B65D 75/58 20060101
B65D075/58; B65B 9/067 20060101 B65B009/067; B65B 11/48 20060101
B65B011/48 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 30, 2012 |
GB |
1201516.0 |
Claims
1. Packaging comprising a wrapper of flexible material, the wrapper
being folded into a sleeve with opposed longitudinal side edge
regions overlapping and sealed together to form a longitudinal
seal, the ends of the sleeve being closed by transverse end seals
in which opposed end regions of the wrapper are bonded together,
the wrapper having an opening arrangement adjacent to one of the
end seals, the opening arrangement comprising an aperture in a main
body of the wrapper, the wrapper having a flap portion integrally
formed with the main body for closing the aperture, the flap
portion including an opening tab portion that can be grasped by a
user to initiate opening of the package, the flap portion being
located at least partially within or on said one end seal.
2. The packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening
arrangement comprises a pair of spaced lines of weakness that
extend into said one of the end seal regions to define an opening
tab portion between them.
3. The packaging as claimed in claim 2, wherein, in said one end
seal, the opposed end regions of the wrapper within the tab portion
are bonded together only over an inner extent, outer portions of
the opposed end regions being un-bonded.
4. The packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flap portion is
connected to the main body of the wrapper for movement between open
and closed configurations about a transverse fold line on the
opposite side of the aperture from said one end seal.
5. The packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flap is defined
in the wrapper by means of one or more cuts through the wrapper,
the cut(s) having a profile configured such that marginal free edge
regions of the flap portion overlap marginal edge regions of the
main body, the overlapping marginal edge regions of the flap
portion and the main body being bonded together by means of a
peelable adhesive.
6. The packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wrapper
comprises a laminated material having inner structure and outer
structure bonded together, each of the inner and outer structures
comprising at least one layer of flexible material, the flap
portion being defined by means at least one outer line of weakness
in the outer structure and at least one inner line of weakness in
the inner structure, the inner and outer lines of weakness being
off-set from one another, a marginal region of the outer structure
between adjacent inner and outer lines of weakness being bonded to
the underlying inner structure by means of a peelable adhesive.
7. The packaging as claimed in claim 5, wherein the peelable
adhesive is a re-sealable or reclosable adhesive.
8. The packaging as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one of the
inner and outer lines of weakness extend into said one end
seal.
9. The packaging as claimed in claim 8, wherein the opening tab
portion is defined by a section of the marginal region of the outer
structure within said one end seal.
10. The packaging as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least part of
the section of the marginal region within said one end seal that
defines the opening tab portion is not bonded to the underlying
inner structure.
11. The packaging as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one of
the lines of weakness define a curved opening tab portion within
said one end seal.
12. The packaging as claimed in claim 11, wherein the lines of
weakness define a generally semi-circular opening tab portion in
part of said one end seal.
13. The packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein inner surfaces of
the opposed end regions of the wrapper are bonded together to form
the transverse end seals, the opening tab portion being defined by
a section within said one end seal in which the opposed end regions
are bonded together only over an inner extent, the opposed end
regions within the section but outside of said inner extent being
un-bonded.
14. The packaging as claimed in claim 8, wherein within said one
end seal, the inner surfaces of the opposed end regions of the
wrapper are bonded together only over an inner extent of the
opposed end regions, one of the opposed regions having a cut-out
formed outwardly of said inner extent such that the portion of the
other of the opposed regions opposite the cut-out is exposed on
both sides.
15. The packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the overlapping
opposed longitudinal side edge regions are bonded together inner
face to inner face to from a longitudinal fin seal.
16. (canceled)
17. A method of packaging comprising, providing a wrapper of
flexible material having a main body defining an aperture and
having an integral flap portion for closing the aperture, the flap
portion including an opening tab portion; folding the wrapper into
a sleeve about a product and bonding together overlapping opposed
longitudinal side edge regions to form a longitudinal seal, bonding
opposed end regions of the wrapper together to form transverse end
seals at either end of the product; wherein the method also
comprises positioning the wrapper so that the flap portion is
located proximal to one of the transverse end seals and such that
the opening tab is at least partially located in or on one of the
end seals of the finished packaging.
18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the packaging is
produced using a flow-wrap method, the wrapper being provided a
part of a film of material in a roll to package a number of
products in a substantially continuous process, a plurality of flap
portions being defined in the film of material at appropriately
spaced locations.
19. (canceled)
20. The packaging as claimed in claim 6, wherein the peelable
adhesive is a re-sealable or reclosable adhesive.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to packaging, and in
particular, but not exclusively, to improved packaging for food
products such as confectionery products. The present invention is
also directed to a method of packaging.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] It is known to package food products, including
confectionery products, in a wrapper fabricated from a
substantially gas and moisture impervious material, such as a metal
foil or laminate, in order to maintain the freshness of the
product. This type of packaging is often used to package generally
block-shaped food products such as chocolate bars and other
similarly shaped snack type products.
[0003] Such known wrappers may be formed from a length of flat,
foldable material having an inner surface directed to the product
and an outer surface. The outer surface may be printed on or
otherwise be provided with information for the consumer. The
material is folded about the product and the longitudinal side
edges are bonded together, inner face to inner face, to form a
longitudinal sealed seal, sometimes referred to as a "fin seal" or
"fin seam". The material extends beyond the ends of the product and
opposing edge regions at either end of the wrapper are bonded
together to form transverse end seals or seams. The seals may be
formed using an adhesive to bond the opposing surfaces of the
wrapper or by heating the material under pressure so that the
opposing surfaces melt and fuse together to form a welded seal or
seam.
[0004] Packaging of this nature can be produced using a flow-wrap
method in which a film of material is supplied in a roll to package
a number of products in a substantially continuous process. The
material is fed through a machine which folds it about each product
in turn so that opposing side edges are brought into contact and
bonded together to form the longitudinal seal, which usually
extends along a rear face of the product. The material is crimped
at either end of the product to form the end seals and the material
is cut to separate each package from the remainder of the film.
[0005] The known packaging forms a fully sealed sleeve-like
container for the product and which is substantially gas and
moisture impervious. However, the material used to form such
packages is typically quite tough and it can be difficult to open
as it does not easily tear in a controlled fashion, often requiring
multiple tears to get the product out of the wrapper.
[0006] Furthermore, the known packaging is not resealable or
re-closable once opened. This limits the life of the product after
opening and allows spillage of any remaining contents. For example,
many chocolate bars are divided into portions with the intention
that a consumer will break off one or more portions at a time and
keep the reminder for later consumption. Typically, a consumer has
to push the remaining bar back into the wrapper after a portion has
been removed and fold the open end of the wrapper over to keep it
fresh. When the consumer wishes to break off some more of the bar,
the wrapper has to be unfolded and the remaining bar pushed back
out. This can be a cumbersome procedure and does not ensure the
remaining contents are kept fresh and secure.
[0007] In order to make this type of packaging easier to open, it
has been proposed in GB 1,107,200 A to use a peelable and
re-sealable adhesive coating to form the longitudinal seal and to
provide folded tabs that can be grasped by a consumer and pulled
apart to peel open the longitudinal seal. This arrangement helps in
making the packaging easier to open and enables the packaging to be
reclosed after opening. However, it has been found that the
packaging is not wholly effective in securely retaining the
remaining contents as it relies on the re-sealable coating to hold
the elongate longitudinal seal together. This is a particular
problem with packaging for larger portioned bars which may be
opened and resealed a number of times, as the resealable coating
tends to become less effective with continued opening over time,
thus compromising the integrity of the packaging. Furthermore, it
has been found that end consumers are resistant to opening packages
of this type using the longitudinal seal on the rear of the
package.
[0008] It is an object of the invention to provide an improved
packaging which overcomes or at least mitigates the above
problems.
[0009] It is a further object of the invention to provide an
improved method of packaging which overcomes or at least mitigates
the above problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is
provided packaging comprising a wrapper of flexible material, the
wrapper being folded about a product into a sleeve with opposed
longitudinal side edge regions overlapping and sealed together to
form a longitudinal seal, the ends of the sleeve being closed by
transverse end seals in which opposed end regions of the wrapper
are bonded together, the wrapper having an opening arrangement
adjacent to one of the end seals, the opening arrangement
comprising an aperture in a main body of the wrapper, the wrapper
having a flap portion integrally formed with the main body for
closing the aperture, the flap portion including an opening tab
portion that can be grasped by a user to initiate opening of the
package, the flap portion being located at least partially within
or on said one end seal.
[0011] The opening arrangement may comprise a pair of spaced lines
of weakness that extend into said one of the end seal regions to
define an opening tab portion between them. In said one end seal,
the opposed end regions of the wrapper within the tab portion may
be bonded together only over an inner extent, outer portions of the
opposed end regions being un-bonded.
[0012] The flap portion may be connected to the main body of the
wrapper for movement between open and closed configurations about a
transverse fold line on the opposite side of the aperture from said
one end seal.
[0013] The flap may be defined in the wrapper by means of one or
more cuts through the wrapper, the cut(s) having a profile
configured such that marginal free edge regions of the flap portion
overlap marginal edge regions of the main body, the overlapping
marginal edge regions of the flap portion and the main body being
bonded together by means of a peelable adhesive, which may be a
re-sealable or reclosable adhesive.
[0014] The wrapper may comprise a laminated material having inner
structure and outer structure bonded together, each of the inner
and outer structures comprising at least one layer of flexible
material, and the flap portion may be defined by means at least one
outer line of weakness in the outer structure and at least one
inner line of weakness in the inner structure, the inner and outer
lines of weakness being off-set from one another, a marginal region
of the outer structure between adjacent inner and outer lines of
weakness being bonded to the underlying inner structure by means of
a peelable adhesive, which may be a re-sealable or reclosable
adhesive. At least one of the inner and outer lines of weakness may
extend into said one end seal. The opening tab portion may be
defined by a section of the marginal region of the outer structure
within said one end seal. At least part of the section of the
marginal region within said one end seal that defines the opening
tab portion may not be bonded to the underlying inner structure. At
least one of the lines of weakness may define a curved opening tab
portion within said one end seal. The lines of weakness may define
a generally semi-circular opening tab portion in part of said one
end seal.
[0015] Within said one end seal, inner surfaces of the opposed end
regions of the wrapper may be bonded together to form the
transverse end seals, and the opening tab portion may be defined by
section within said one end seal in which the opposed regions are
bonded together only over an inner extent, the opposed regions
within the section but outside of said inner extent being
un-bonded.
[0016] Within said one end seal, the inner surfaces of the opposed
end regions of the wrapper may be bonded together only over an
inner extent of the opposed end regions and one of the opposed
regions may have a cut-out formed outwardly of said inner extent
such that the portion of the other of the opposed regions opposite
the cut-out is exposed on both sides.
[0017] The overlapping opposed longitudinal side edge regions may
be bonded together inner face to inner face to from a longitudinal
fin seal.
[0018] In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there
is provided a method of packaging comprising, providing a wrapper
of flexible material having a main body defining an aperture and
having an integral flap portion for closing the aperture, the flap
portion including an opening tab portion; folding the wrapper into
a sleeve about a product and bonding together overlapping opposed
longitudinal side edge regions to form a longitudinal seal, bonding
opposed end regions of the wrapper together to form transverse end
seals at either end of the product; wherein the method also
comprises positioning the wrapper so that the flap portion is
located proximal to one of the transverse end seals such that the
opening tab is at least partially located in or on one of the end
seals of the finished packaging.
[0019] The method may comprises producing the package using a
flow-wrap method, the wrapper being provided a part of a film of
material in a roll to package a number of products in a
substantially continuous process, a plurality of flap portions
being defined in the film of material at appropriately spaced
locations.
[0020] The wrapper used in the method in accordance with the second
aspect of may have any of the features of the wrapper forming the
package in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way
of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a packaging in accordance with a
first embodiment of the present invention, showing the packaging in
a closed condition;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 but showing the
packaging in an open condition;
[0024] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the inner surface of a flexible
wrapper suitable for forming the packaging of FIGS. 1 and 2;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view through part of the wrapper
taken on line X-X of FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, illustrating an
alternative method of forming an opening flap in the wrapper;
[0027] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a packaging in accordance with a
second embodiment of the present invention, showing the packaging
in a closed condition;
[0028] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the packaging of FIG. 6 showing the
packaging in an open condition; and
[0029] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a packaging assembly
comprising packaging in accordance with a third embodiment of the
invention.
[0030] With reference initially to FIGS. 1 to 4, packaging in
accordance with a first embodiment of the invention is indicated
generally at 10. The packaging 10 in accordance with the present
embodiment is particularly suited for packaging generally block
shaped food products such as chocolate bars 12 or other similar
confectionery or snack products. However, the packaging 10 can be
adapted for packaging other generally block shaped products,
especially food products. The packaging 10 can also be used to
package products provided in two or more generally block shaped
portions. For example, the packaging 10 could be used to package
multiple chocolate bars arranged in-line. Whilst the packaging 10
is particularly suited for packaging generally block shaped
products, the packaging could be adapted for packaging non-block
shaped products as will be apparent to those skilled in the
art.
[0031] The packaging 10 comprises a wrapper 14 of flexible material
which is folded around the product to form a sleeve and sealed to
fully enclose the product. Overlapping longitudinal edge regions
16, 18 of the wrapper 14 are bonded together inner face to inner
face to form a longitudinal fin seal (not shown) which extends
along a rear face of the packaging in a known manner. In the
finished packaging, the longitudinal fin seal is folded over to one
side or the other. The fin seal need not be positioned centrally
along the rear face but may be offset to one side or another.
Opposing laterally extending end edge regions 20, 22 of the
material are bonded together to form transverse seals 24, 26 at
either end of the product. The longitudinal and transverse seals
24, 26 are formed using an adhesive 27 applied to an inner surface
of the wrapper.
[0032] In an alternative arrangement, the longitudinal edge regions
16, 18 could be sealed in an overlapping arrangement to form a lap
type seam with the inner surface of one of the edges bonded to the
outer surface of the other edge.
[0033] The wrapper 14 can be made of any foldable, flexible
material suitable for packaging the product concerned. The material
will typically be a film-like material which conforms to the shape
of the product about which it is wrapped. Where the product is a
food product, the material may be substantially moisture and gas
impervious so that when it is fully sealed, the packaging provides
a hermetically sealed container for the product. Although, for
certain food products a hermetically seal packaging is not
desirable. Examples of typical materials that can be used include:
paper based materials, one or more polymeric materials, and
metallic foils. In the present embodiment, the wrapper is a
lamination comprising layers of different materials, which may
include any of those mentioned above in any suitable combination.
In one embodiment, the material comprises a laminate of a metal
foil, which may be an aluminium foil, on one side and a plastics
material on the other side. When the material is formed into the
package, the metallic side is positioned on the inside facing the
product and the plastics material is on the outside. The wrapper,
and especially the plastics material, may be printed on.
[0034] The wrapper 14 has a main body portion 28 which defines an
aperture 30 adjacent one end and an integral flap portion 32 which
forms an initially sealed and re-closable closure for the
packaging. The flap portion 32 is foldably connected with the main
body portion 32 along an edge 34 on the opposite side of the
aperture 30 from the end seal 24. The flap has two side edges 36,
38 and a free end edge 40 located in the end seal region 24.
Marginal edge regions 41 of the flap overlap corresponding marginal
edge regions 42 of the main body portion 28 of the wrapper to form
first and second seal portions. The overlapping seal portions 41,
42 are bonded together by means of a peelable and re-sealable
adhesive 44.
[0035] The laminated wrapper 14 comprises an inner structure 46 and
outer structure 48 bonded together as illustrated in FIG. 4. Each
of the inner and outer structures 46, 48 comprises at least one
layer of flexible material. In this embodiment, the inner structure
46 comprises a single layer, which may be a metallic foil or
another metallised material, and the outer structure 48 comprises a
single layer which may be a plastics material. However, in other
embodiments, one or both of the inner and outer laminated
structures 46, 48 could themselves comprise a lamination of two or
more layers of different materials.
[0036] The flap portion 32 is defined in the wrapper between two
pairs of off-set inner and outer lines of weakness which extend
inwardly from an outer end edge 52 of the wrapper in spaced
relation to define flap portion 32 between them. In the completed
package, the lines of weakness extend from an outer edge of the end
seal 24 inwardly to define the flap portion 32 in a front face of
package. Each of the pairs of inner and outer lines of weakness
comprises an inner line of weakness 56 in the inner, metallic layer
46 and an outer line of weakness 58 in the plastic outer layer, the
outer line of weakness being off-set outwardly from the inner line
of weakness 56. The distance between the inner and outer lines of
weakness 56, 58 defines the depth of the overlapping marginal edge
regions 41, 42 of the flap portion 32 and the main body. The inner
and outer lines of weakness 56, 58 may be cut lines extending
completely through their respective inner and outer structure as
shown or they may be score lines that extend only partially though
their respective inner and outer laminate structure. The inner and
outer lines of weakness 56, 58 are preferably formed using laser
cutters 59 that can be calibrated to cut the material to the
required depth but any suitable method of forming the lines of
weakness can be used.
[0037] The inner and outer structures 46, 48 are bonded together by
a permanent adhesive 60 over the majority of their areas but in the
marginal edge regions 41, 42 between the inner and outer lines of
weakness, they are bonded together by means of the peelable and
resealable adhesive 44. As shown in FIG. 4, the adhesive 44 may
extend marginally over the positions of the lines of weakness 56,
58 to allow for a margin of error in positioning the cuts. When the
packaging is formed, the flap portion 32 is in a closed position
and the overlapping marginal edge regions 41, 42 of the inner and
outer structures 46, 48 are bonded together so that the packaging
is sealed. To gain access to the product, the flap portion 32 is
peeled open by pulling the end edge 40 of the flap portion 32 in
the end seal 24 outwardly. This causes the outer laminate structure
48 to separate from the underlying inner laminate structure 46
along the marginal edge regions 41, 42 between the inner and outer
lines of weakness 56, 58. This is facilitated by the use of a
peelable adhesive 44 in these regions. The inner laminate structure
46 between the inner lines of weakness 56 is permanently bonded to
the outer laminate structure 58 and peels away from the opposed end
edge region of the wrapper in the end seal 24 so as to be lifted as
part of the flap portion 32 to reveal the aperture 30 through which
the product 12, or a part of the product, can be removed from the
packaging. The packaging 10 can be re-closed by placing the flap
back in its closed position and pressing along the marginal edge
regions so that it is held in place by the re-sealable adhesive 44.
To make opening of the packaging 10 easier, part of the flap
portion 32 in the end seal 24 between the two pairs of inner and
outer lines of weakness 56, 58 comprises an opening tab portion 62
that can be grasped by a user and pulled to initiate separation of
the flap portion 32 along the lines of weakness.
[0038] There are various ways in which an opening tab portion 62
can be provided. In this embodiment, the adhesive 27 used to bond
opposed end edge regions 20, 22 together in the end seals 24, 26 is
not applied right up to the outer ends 52, 64 of the wrapper 14. As
a result, the opposed end edge regions in the end seals 24, 26 are
only bonded together over an inner extent Y. Outwardly of this
inner extent Y, the opposed end edge regions 20, 22 are not bonded.
Accordingly, the unbounded outer end edge regions 65 of the wrapper
in the end seal 24 between the inner lines of weakness 52 form
opening tabs 62 that can be grasped by a user and pulled apart to
initiate opening of the wrapper. To further assist in opening the
package 10, cut-outs 66 can be provided in the end edge regions 20,
22 outside of the inner extent Y over which the adhesive 27 is
applied. When the wrapper is folded to form a sleeve as shown in
FIG. 1, the cut-out 66 in the end seal 24 enables both sides of the
opposed end edge region 65 opposite the cut-out to be grasped,
making it easier to pull the opposed end edge regions apart to
initiate opening of the packaging 10.
[0039] It will be appreciated that the end seal 26 opposite from
the flap portion 32 could be sealed over its full extent (depth).
Furthermore, the end seal 24 could also be sealed over its full
extent outside of the flap portion 32 or at least outside of the
tab portion 62.
[0040] The peelable and re-sealable adhesive 44 may be a cold seal
adhesive and may be applied to the marginal edges 41 of the flap 24
or to the underlying marginal edge regions 42 the main body portion
34 or both. The flap seal may include a tamper evident seal
arrangement which provides a visual indication when the flap has
been opened. The flap arrangement could include two seals, a first
seal which breaks when the flap is first opened and a second,
peelable and re-closable seal to enable the package to be re-closed
and possibly re-sealed after it has been opened. The first,
breakable seal will usually be positioned outside the second
peelable seal so that a clear visual indication is given to
potential consumers if the flap portion 32 has been opened and
re-closed.
[0041] Although the peelable seal on the flap portion 32 is
referred to as being re-closable or re-sealable, in practice the
flap portion will not usually be expected to form a hermetic seal
when it is reclosed. However, the flap portion 32 will act to hold
the remaining contents in the package and will provide some
protection for the product from the environment when it is
re-closed.
[0042] It has been found that a cold seal is particularly suitable
for providing an improved reclosability in peelable seals of the
type used to close the flap portion 32 in packaging in accordance
with the invention. In this context, it has particularly been found
that the reclosability characteristics can be improved when a cold
seal is formed between a first and a second sealing portion, such
as the overlapping marginal edge regions 41, 42, in which the
bonding force of the cold seal to each of the first and the second
sealing portions is greater than the bonding force within the cold
seal. This causes the cold seal to be separated when the package is
opened and the seal is broken. As a consequence the cold seal
partly adheres to the first sealing portion and partly adheres to
the second sealing portion. This behaviour of the cold seal leads
to a reclosable package having a seal which provides a sufficient,
initial sealing force as well as reclosability and a sealing force
after reclosing, which is high enough to retain the products or
parts thereof and, at the same time, somewhat lower than the
initial bonding force, so that the consumer can advantageously feel
that the package is in the reclosed state.
[0043] Separation of the cold seal in this way may be called a
cohesive split and is particularly advantageous as the cold seal
will reliably stay with the first and second sealing portions and
will not tear or delaminate the first or second sealing portions
when the seal is opened. During manufacture, it is currently
preferred to apply the cold seal both of the sealing portions 41,
42. When the sealing portions 41, 42 are first brought together,
the cold seal of both sealing portions is bonded to each other.
This has been found to provide a good basis for the desired
cohesive split, when the seal is broken, which leads to superior
reclosability. However, the cold seal may be applied only to one of
the sealing portions during manufacture of the wrapper. As
discussed above, each of the inner and outer laminate structures
46, 48 that make up the first and second sealing portions 41, 42
may itself be a lamination of various layers. When the bond between
the cold seal and a laminated material is too high, there is the
risk that the material may delaminate when the seal is opened
rather than the cold seal cohesively splitting. This is not
desirable as it reduces the reliability of the reclosing structure.
For increased reliability in reclosing the package it is preferred
that part of the cold seal stays with the first sealing portion and
part of the cold seal stays with the second sealing portion so that
these split parts of the cold seal are brought together when the
package is reclosed. In other words, the cold seal is separated
with regard to its thickness. Thus, when a certain surface portion
is considered, part of the cold seal which is closer to the first
sealing portion adheres to the first sealing portion and part of
the cold seal which is closer to the second sealing portion adheres
to the second sealing portion. This cohesive split takes place in
at least 50%, preferably at least 70% and most preferred in 100% of
the area of the cold seal. In some portions, the cold seal may
completely adhere to the first or the second sealing portion, which
will not deteriorate the reclosability characteristics.
[0044] Reclosability of the package is improved by having a seal
with an initial opening force of 2, preferably 2.5, to 4 N/15 mm,
and opening forces for one or more reclosings of 0.5 to 2 N/15 mm,
preferably 1 to 1.5 N/15 mm. The given forces correspond to that
force which is necessary to peel a strip of material having a width
of 15 mm and being provided with the described seal. This force
can, in particular, be measured in accordance with the DIN 55529.
The forces given above have been found to provide an adequate
initial opening force which is not so high that the consumer will
have difficulty opening the package. The opening forces for the
reclosed state are high enough to retain the product or parts
thereof but significantly lower than the initial opening force so
that the consumer can feel the difference between the reclosed
state and the initial, not yet opened state. The opening force may
become smaller and smaller with more reclosings. However, it is
currently preferred that the opening force is still above 1 N/15 mm
after the fourth reclosing. Moreover, the opening force may be
above 2 N/15 mm for the first reclose, provided the initial opening
force is still somewhat higher, for example above 2.5 N/15 mm. The
above-mentioned values have, moreover, shown to be efficient for
avoiding de-lamination of the first and second sealing
portions.
[0045] Generally, the preferred cold seal can be described to be a
"hard," cold seal, as compared to a conventional "soft" cold seal,
with a relatively high rubber content and a relatively low content
of polymers. The high rubber content leads to an undesired
stringing or webbing effect, in which strings of cold seal are
separated from the sealing portions. In contrast, the preferred
"hard" cold seal contains less rubber and more polymers or
copolymers, particularly acrylic polymers or copolymers. In this
context, a polymer/copolymer content of above 30%, preferably above
50% and even more preferred above 70% will be advantageous. It has
particularly been found that a cold seal containing at least one
acrylic polymer or copolymer provides good reclosability. In
particular, such a type of cold seal can advantageously be combined
with an acrylic coating on the first and/or second sealing portion.
It has been found that this combination provides particularly good
reclosability characteristics and leads to a reliable cohesive
split as described above. One explanation, to which the invention
is, however, not limited, is that the acrylic coating and the
acrylic polymer or copolymer provide a good anchorage to each
other. In this context, it is currently preferred that the cold
seal contains at least one styrene acrylic polymer or copolymer,
preferably two different kinds thereof. In particular, a softer
styrene acrylic polymer or copolymer may have relatively large
molecules and will provide, together with the rubber, particularly
a natural latex based rubber, a good initial sealing. In
particular, superior test results were obtained with a cold seal,
which was a Swale grade 8113, which is, accordingly, preferred in
connection with the invention.
[0046] The cold seal may be applied in amounts of 3 to 5,
preferably 3.5 to 4.9 g/m.sup.2 on each sealing portion.
[0047] The packaging 10 can be produced using a flow-wrap method in
which a film of material having a number of appropriately
positioned flap portions 32 disposed along its length is supplied
in a roll to package products 12 in a substantially continuous
process. The material is fed through a machine in a direction
corresponding to arrow Z in FIG. 3. The machine folds it about each
product in turn so that opposing longitudinal edge regions are
brought into contact inner face to inner face and bonded together
to form the longitudinal seal. The material is crimped at either
end of the product to form the transverse end seals 24, 26 and the
material cut to separate each package 10 from the remainder of the
film in turn. The adhesive 27 for forming the seals 24, 26 may be
pre-applied to an inner face of the film or applied as part of the
packaging process.
[0048] An alternative arrangement for laser treatment (e.g. laser
cutting/etching) of the wrapper material to define a flap having
marginal edge regions 41 that overlap marginal edge regions 42 of
the main body is illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a cross sectional
view through the edge 36 of the flap portion 32 similar to that of
FIG. 4 and is also taken at the same position as line X-X in FIG.
1. A laser is used to make a cut 68 through the material of the
wrapper having a stretched or elongate "S" shape in transverse
cross section to create overlapping marginal edge regions 41, 42 on
the flap portion 32 and the main body portion 28. This method can
be applied to packaging 10 substantially as described above by
replacing each of the pair of inner and outer lines of weakness 52,
54 with a single laser cut formed as shown in FIG. 5. A peelable
and preferably re-sealable adhesive, such as a cold seal as
discussed above, is applied to one or both of the marginal edge
regions 41, 52. An advantage of this alternative arrangement is
that it can be used to create a re-closable flap 32 in wrapper 14
made of a single layer of material or in a laminated material that
is not suitable for use with the previous method described
above.
[0049] In a further alternative arrangement, a non-reclosable flap
portion 32 can be formed in the packaging 10 according to the first
embodiment by replacing each pair of off-set inner and outer lines
of weakness 52, 54 or each of the "S" shaped laser cuts in the
embodiments described above with single score lines that extend
though only part of the depth of the material so that when the
packaging 10 is initially formed it is fully sealed. To open the
package, the user pulls apart the opposed end edge regions in the
end seal 24 between the score lines using the tab portions 62 as
described above. This initiates tearing along the score lines
allowing the flap portion 32 to be folded out to provide access to
the product. Whilst the flap portion 32 in this embodiment cannot
be re-sealed, it can be folded back after initial opening to help
protect any remaining product.
[0050] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a further embodiment of packaging
110 in accordance with the invention. The same reference numerals
but increased by 100 will be used to identify the same features or
features that perform the same, or substantially the same, function
as features described above in relation to the first embodiment
10.
[0051] The packaging 110 in accordance with this further embodiment
is substantially the same as the packaging 10 in accordance with
the first embodiment described above, to which the reader should
refer for details, accordingly, only the differences between the
packaging 110 in accordance with this further embodiment and the
packaging 10 in accordance with the first embodiment will be
described in detail.
[0052] In the packaging 110, the opening tab portion 162 is formed
by a portion of the outer laminate structure 148 only in the end
seal 124. The flap portion 132 is defined by off-set inner and
outer lines of weakness 156, 158 in the inner and outer laminate
structures respectively in a manner similar to that described above
in relation to the first embodiment. In this case however, there is
a single continuous inner line of weakness 156, indicated by dashed
lines in FIG. 6, which follows a substantially inverted "U" shaped
path about one end of the package. In the embodiment as shown in
FIG. 6, the inner line of weakness does not extend into the end
seal region 124 but the bridging portion 156a of the U shape runs
generally parallel with the end seal close to it. However, the
inner line of weakness 156 could be arranged to extend into the end
seal 124 if desired. The outer line of weakness 158 is divided into
two parts 158a, 158b, which each follow generally the path of the
inner line of weakness from opposite sides of the package towards a
central region of the end seal 124. As the outer lines of weakness
158a, 158b approach the central region of the end seal, they
deviate outwardly from the path of the inner line of weakness to
extend across the end seal 124 to an outer edge 152 of the wrapper
in generally parallel spaced relation to define the tab portion 162
between them.
[0053] The marginal edge region 141 of the outer laminate structure
148 between the inner and outer lines of weakness and the tab
portion 162 are bonded to the underlying regions 142 of the inner
laminate structure 146 with a peelable and preferably re-sealable
adhesive such as a cold seal as discussed above. To open the
packaging 110, the user peels the tab portion 162 of the outer
laminate structure away from the inner laminate structure in the
end seal 124. The user continues to pull the tab portion 162 so
that the marginal edge region 141 of the outer laminate structure
of the flap is pulled away from the underlying marginal edge region
142 of the inner laminate structure 146 of the main body to open
the flap portion 132, substantially as described above. The
packaging 110 can be reclosed by repositioning the flap. In this
embodiment, the opposed end regions of the wrapper may be sealed
over the full extent (depth) of the end seal 124.
[0054] The packaging may be printed on to highlight the tab portion
162 and/or to provide opening instructions. The tab portion 162 may
also be shaped to make initial peeling of the tab portion 162
easier. Furthermore, at least an outer end portion 162a of the tab
portion may not be bonded to the underlying inner laminate
structure 146 so that it is easily grasped by a user. The tab
portion 162 need not be centrally located in the end seal 124 and
can be shaped as desired.
[0055] In an alternative arrangement which is similar to the first
embodiment, rather than a single inner line of weakness, the
packaging 110 could be modified so as to have two inner lines of
weakness that following in an off-set manner the outer lines of
weakness 158a, 158b in extending across the end seal 124. In this
case, the tab portion 162 would comprise both the inner and outer
laminate structures 146, 148 between the two pairs of off-set inner
and outer lines of weakness and the opposed regions of the wrapper
within the tab portion of the end seal 124 would only be bonded
together over a limited inner extent (depth) of the end seal 124 in
a manner similar to the first embodiment.
[0056] FIG. 8 illustrates a further embodiment of packaging 210 in
accordance with the invention. The same reference numerals but
increased by 200 will be used to identify the same features or
features that perform the same, or substantially the same, function
as features described above in relation to the first embodiment
10.
[0057] The packaging 210 in accordance with this further embodiment
is substantially the same as the packaging 10 in accordance with
the first embodiment described above, to which the reader should
refer for details, accordingly, only the differences between the
packaging 210 in accordance with this further embodiment and the
packaging 10 in accordance with the first embodiment will be
described in detail.
[0058] As with the packaging 110 in accordance with the second
embodiment described above, the opening tab portion 262 in the
packaging 210 of the present embodiment is formed by a part of the
outer laminate structure 248 in the end seal 224. The flap portion
232 is defined by a single pair of continuous, off-set inner and
outer lines of weakness 256, 258 which follow substantially
parallel inverted, generally U-shaped paths. The inner and outer
lines of weakness 256, 258 pass through the end seal 224 in a
curved path, with the outer line of weakness 258 extending to an
outer end edge of the wrapper in the end seal 224 at its outermost
point at a position roughly in the centre (from side to side) of
the end seal. The marginal edge region 241 of the outer laminate
structure 248 between the inner and outer lines of weakness is
bonded to the underlying region of the inner laminate structure
with a peelable and preferably re-sealable adhesive, such as a cold
seal as discussed above. To open the packaging 210, the user peals
the tab portion 262 of the outer laminate structure at the end edge
of the transverse seal 224 away from the inner laminate structure
246 to initiate opening of the flap portion 232 in the manner
described above in relation to previous embodiments. If desired,
the outer edge of the tab portion 262 of the outer laminate
structure 248 in the end seal 224 may not be bonded to the
underlying inner laminate structure to make it easier for a user to
initiate peeling of the tab portion. However, it will usually be
desirable to ensure that the flap portion 232 is sealed over its
entire length prior to first opening of the packaging.
[0059] The flap portion 232 in the packaging 210 is relatively
large forming an opening through which the product can be removed
with ease but which is easily re-closable. The curved tab portion
262 also provides an interesting and aesthetically pleasing aspect
of the packaging which may appeal to end users.
[0060] Packaging 10, 110, 210 in accordance with the invention is
particularly suitable for use in packaging large (e.g. 500 g or
more) portioned chocolate or other confectionery bars as it allows
the consumer to easily open the packaging periodically to remove
one or more portions and holds the remaining contents in a secure
and sealed container. However packaging in accordance with the
invention may also be useful in packaging smaller "snack" size bars
as it provides an easy to open package which produces less mess
than the known packaging. In some cases, more than one bar may be
contained in the package, with the bars arranged in line. In this
case, the package 10, 110, 210 can be opened and one of the bars
removed before the flap is reclosed the hold the remaining bar or
bars in that package. Indeed as has already been stated, packaging
10, 110, 210 in accordance with the invention can be adapted to
pack any suitable product where is it is desirable to have
packaging which is easy to open and re-close and can also be
adapted for use.
[0061] The ability to open the packaging 10, 110, 210 using an
opening flap on a front face of the packaging is more naturally
acceptable to many end consumers than prior art arrangements in
which a fin seal at the rear of the package must be peeled apart.
Furthermore, by locating a tab portion for the flap in an end seal,
the majority of the front face is available for printing on with
any desired logo or information which is an important consideration
in packaging, particularly for confectionery and snack foods that
are often displayed at or close to the point of sale.
[0062] The foregoing embodiments are not intended to limit the
scope of protection afforded by the claims, but rather to describe
examples as to how the invention may be put into practice.
* * * * *