U.S. patent number 3,900,105 [Application Number 05/462,305] was granted by the patent office on 1975-08-19 for internally contained tear-inducing tab for vacuum sealed packages.
This patent grant is currently assigned to William E. Young. Invention is credited to Robert O. Wolfelsperger.
United States Patent |
3,900,105 |
Wolfelsperger |
August 19, 1975 |
Internally contained tear-inducing tab for vacuum sealed
packages
Abstract
The present invention pertains to the method and apparatus for
forming vacuum packaged products wherein a tear-inducing tab is
provided for easily rupturing the film. This invention is
particularly directed toward the wrapping of vacuum packages for
packing meat and the like and in which the films used therewith are
tough and not amenable to tearing. In this invention is provided
for use with the apparatus and by this method a flat, substantially
inflexible tear tab member having a sharp point. This tear tab is
laid on the product to be packaged with the sharp point portion
thereof extending therefrom so that after the package has been
formed the bending of the seal line of the package at or very near
the extending portion of the tear tab causes the point of the tab
to puncture the film to permit easy further tearing and eventual
uncovering of the product.
Inventors: |
Wolfelsperger; Robert O.
(Fairfield, NJ) |
Assignee: |
Young; William E. (Atlantic
Highlands, NJ)
|
Family
ID: |
23835959 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/462,305 |
Filed: |
April 19, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/123; 206/469;
206/497; 383/202; 206/471; 229/87.05; 229/87.11; 426/129 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
75/70 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
75/52 (20060101); B65D 75/70 (20060101); B65d
003/26 (); B65d 075/70 (); B65d 017/20 (); B65d
065/26 () |
Field of
Search: |
;229/81F,51CE,51R,66
;426/123,129 ;206/232,264,532,471,498,469 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Price; William I.
Assistant Examiner: Bernstein; Bruce H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Roberts; Ralph R.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A package for enclosing a product of determined size and having
a tear-inducing means, said package including: (a) a lower flexible
film having a width and length greater than the product to be
packaged; (b) a tear-inducing tab of relative thinness and having a
substantial stiffness to resist bending of said tab and further
having at least one sharp portion, said tab further placed on the
lower film and so positioned that the pointed portion is directed
toward an edge of the lower film and at a determined distance
inwardly from the edge of the lower film; (c) a product of selected
size and positioned on the lower film so that the periphery of the
product is at least a short distance in from the ends and side
edges of the lower film, said product also positioned so that the
sharp pointed portion and a short adjacent portion of the
tear-inducing tab extends beyond the periphery of the product, and
(d) an upper flexible film of substantially the same size as the
lower film the upper film drawn tightly around the top and sides of
the product and sealed to the lower film as by heat sealing and the
like and during the sealing of the upper to the lower film the
projecting portion of the tear-inducing tab is peripherally
retained by the upper and lower films which also enclose the upper
and lower portions of said projecting portion of the tab
member.
2. A package as in claim 1 in which the upper and lower films are
thermoplastic and the package is formed with reduced pressure and
the sealing of the films is while the films are at least locally
heated to a sealing condition.
3. A package as in claim 2 in which the tear-inducing tab has its
sharp pointed portion formed with a V-shape.
4. A package as in claim 2 in which the tear-inducing tab has its
sharp point formed by causing a diagonal cut to be made across a
strip of stock material.
5. A package as in claim 2 in which the tear-inducing tab is a
rectangular sheet-like member and in which at least one of the
edges of said member has a plurality of outwardly extending
V-shaped portions formed therein to provide the sharp pointed
portion.
6. A package as in claim 2 in which the tear-inducing tab is of
plastic about one thirty-second of an inch in thickness.
7. A package as in claim 1 which further includes means for
trimming the resulting package to produce outwardly-extending,
sealed portions of upper and lower films which between them retain
the sealed projecting pointed end of the tear-inducing tab, said
extending sealed film portion adapted for manipulation and bending
into a U-shape and then by this manipulation causing a deliberate
rupture of one of the films to be accomplished to enable a further
tearing of the film by which to open the package and expose the
product.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
With reference to the classification of art as established in the
U.S. Patent Office this invention pertains to apparatus and method
as found in the general Class entitled, "Package Making" (Class 53)
and in the subclass entitled, "cover adjunct application or
formation" (subclass 14) and in the subclass entitled, "package
opening device" (subclass 133). Reference is also made to the
general Class entitled, "Paper Receptacle" (Class 229) and the
subclass entitled, "openers-ripping" (subclass 51R).
2. Description of the Prior Art
The packaging of meat and other similar products where the product
packaged is in the presence of a small vacuum is well known. In
this packaging method the film or films are tightly drawn to the
product and remain in a tightly sealed condition until the film is
ruptured. Patents disclosing this method and apparatus are well
known and apparatus directed particularly toward providing such
packages is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,491,504 as issued on Jan.
27th, 1970 to W. E. Young etal. In this and in other apparatus of a
like nature the package is formed utilizing a bottom film which
usually has thermoplastic characteristics. On this lower film is
laid the product to be packaged and on top of the product in a
vacuum chamber subsequently opened to atmosphere pressure the upper
film is caused to be drawn tightly around the product and at this
same time is sealed to the bottom film. Packages thus formed are
usually made with a film having a good resistance to tear and
accidental rupture since the products usually packaged may be
subject to rather rough handling particularly under the influence
of a substantially frozen or near frozen condition. Opening
packages where there is a high resistance to tear usually requires
an initial piercing by a sharp instrument. This is, of course,
often an inconvenience.
Several patents have dealt with this problem and in particular is
noted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,184,051 to WINTON as issued on May 18th,
1965 wherein is shown a product wrapped with a tear tab and a
strippable sheath. The tab provided with the wrapping of this
product and as taught in the patent extends beyond the package
films. Such a package, of course, is unacceptable for food and
other items required to be protected by the seal of the film. In
U.S. Pat. No. 1,722,086 to HAMMERLE as issued on July 23rd, 1929
there is shown a cigarette package wherein a serrated member is
adapted to provide a cutting edge for the internal paper enclosing
the cigarettes. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,187,983 to MENDOZA as issued on
June 8th, 1965 there is disclosed a cellophane wrapper tearing
member which is adhered to a carton. The sharp points of the
tearing member are adapted to pierce the cellophane when the
cellophane is pushed thereagainst. Once ruptured the cellophane is
removed with little difficulty.
A package opening device as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,119,793 to
PLAGEMAN as issued on June 7th, 1938 includes a hook and metal tab
pull. In the disclosed arrangement the hook is initially inserted
through the package covering so that the hook is grasped to
initially expose the pull tab which is then grasped and pulled to
complete the tear of the wrapper. Another patent to be noted is
U.S. Pat. No. 2,152,400 to DA ROLD as issued on Mar. 28th, 1939.
This pertains to a hinged container in which means for tearing a
top seal includes a metal tab in which a tongue projects through a
local slit. This tongue is grasped to cause a larger tear in the
cover. A similar sheet wrap opening device is seen in U.S. Pat. No.
1,929,599 to MILLHOLLAND as issued on Oct. 10th, 1933. In this
device a metal insert is laid between two wraps of film and the
slidable manipulation of the insert and the cutting edge severs the
film wrapping the roll of paper. A more recent and more important
patent as to the use of a tear tab is seen in U.S. Pat. No.
3,641,732 to FUJIO as issued on Feb. 15th 1972. However, this
package utilizes a heat shrink film and the tear tab portion
consists of weakening the film itself prior to shipment which, of
course, is not the desire of the present invention.
The present invention provides a tab having a projecting point
which remains in a concealed condition until a corner of the
package is deliberately bent into a folded U-shape and then
pressing the film portion against the sharp point to cause a
rupture of the film after which the film is torn with a pulling
action to expose the product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention may be summarized at least in part with reference to
its objects.
It is an object of this invention to provide, and it does provide,
a method and apparatus for producing a package with a
tear-including tab. The vacuum package includes an upper and a
lower film with the lower of the films generally establishing a
heat sealed plane around a product preferably sealed in the
presence of a vacuum. Between the films and on this heat sealing
line is a flat, sharp-pointed tear-inducing tab whose large portion
lays against the product and at the sealing line of the upper and
lower films. The pointed end of the tab is maintained in a
reasonably protected condition until the package is to be opened by
the user and in which the user must use a deliberate tear action to
rupture the film.
As to be more fully described hereinafter in conjunction with the
drawings, the package of this invention includes upper and lower
films which are preferably thermoplastic. The lower film is
supported and carried by a platen and prior to the placing of the
product on this lower film there is placed a short substantially
rigid, flat, tear-inducing member having a very sharp point. The
tear-inducing member is arranged so that when the product is placed
thereon the sharp point protrudes beyond the edge of the product a
short distance. The upper film is now brought into proximity with
the product and peripheral sealing relationship with the lower
film. The sealing is preferably achieved in a vacuum chamber and
subsequent to bringing the product between the films to a condition
of reduced pressure this sealing method following a procedure such
as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,491,504, above-identified. The package
product may be one of a series of like or similar products packaged
in a line production system and after the package has been formed
is separated for shipment to the user usually with the product
cooled or frozen.
In addition to the above summary the following disclosure is
detailed to insure adequacy and aid in understanding of the
invention and to cover the new inventive concept disclosed no
matter how it may later be disguised by variations in form or
additions of further improvements. For this reason there has been
chosen a specific embodiment of the internally contained
tear-inducing tab as adopted for use with a sealed package and
showing a means for performing the steps of making the package.
This specific embodiment and an alternate embodiment of the tab
configuration have been chosed for the purposes of illustration and
description as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 represents an isometric view partly diagrammatic showing a
packaged product and the relationship of the tear-inducing tab as
retained in the finished package;
FIG. 2 represents the isometric view of the packaged product as in
FIG. 1 but with a corner of the film portion containing the
tear-inducing tab being manipulated into a bent condition so that
the sharp projecting point of the tear-inducing tab ruptures one
local area of one of the films;
FIG. 3 represents an isometric view of the packaged product of FIG.
2 with the product now substantially exposed with and by increasing
the tear of the film after the tear has been initiated, the tear
now sufficient so that a portion of the film around the product has
been lifted to expose the product;
FIG. 4 represents an isometric view of the product of FIG. 3 with
the film removed but with the tear-inducing tab still resting on
the product;
FIG. 5 represents in an enlarged sectional view a corner of the
package and product of FIG. 1, this view taken on the line 5--5 of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 represents a sectional view in an enlarged scale of the
corner of the film portion of the package being bent and
manipulated so that a rupture of the film is induced as the point
of the tear-inducing tab pierces one of the films of the package,
this view being taken on the line 6--6 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 7 represents an isometric view partially diagrammatic and
showing a typical sequence for forming the package with a
tear-inducing tab incorporated into the package in accordance with
known procedures to produce the packaged product of FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 represents in an enlarged scale a plan view of a
tear-inducing tab which is economically punched from a strip of
substantially rigid plastic;
FIG. 9 represents in an enlarged scale a plan view of an alternate
tear-inducing tab punched from a flat plastic strip, and
FIG. 10 represents an alternate tear-inducing tab which is a
rectangular member having serrated edges, this tear-inducing member
configured to generally receive and support the product within the
inner extents of the serrations.
In the following description and in the claims various details will
be identified by specific names for convenience. These specific
identifications are intended to be generic in their application.
Corresponding reference characters refer to like members throughout
the ten figures of the drawings.
The drawings accompanying, and forming part of, this specification
disclose certain details of construction for the purpose of
explanation but it should be understood that structural details may
be modified and that the invention may be incorporated in other
structural forms than shown.
PACKAGE OF FIGS. 1 AND 5
Referring now to FIG. 1 there is depicted a package generally
indicated as 15 in which a product 17 carries on its upper surface
a tear-inducing tab 18. As seen in FIG. 5, the product 17 is sealed
by and between an upper film 20 drawn over the top and around the
sides of the product and then to and around the leftwardly
projecting portion of the tear-inducing tab 18. The peripheral
portion of film 20 is sealed to bottom film 22 as by heat sealing.
This package of FIGS. 1 and 5, as shown, is turned one hundred
eighty degrees from the normal production package forming
arrangement as seen in FIG. 7.
Package of FIGS. 2 and 6
Referring next to FIGS. 2 and 6, there is depicted the package of
FIG. 1 but with the corner portion thereof containing the
tear-inducing tab 18 now bent and manipulated so that upper film 20
is locally pierced by the sharp point 24 of the tab 18. As soon as
a rupture has been made in film 20 a persistent and steady pull in
the direction of the arrow and on the extending peripherally sealed
portions causes the film 20 to continue to tear. As seen in FIGS. 5
and 6, the portion of film 20 that has been drawn down the sides of
the product 17 has been thinned during the packaging process and
hence is more easily torn than bottom film 22.
Package of FIG. 3
The diagrammatic representation of the package 15 of FIG. 3 shows
the package of FIG. 2 but with the corner further pulled to
increase the tear of film 20 with the resulting further uncovering
of the product 17. The tear-inducing tab 18 is shown as laying on
the top of the product 17 but sometimes remains with the corner
portion of the package wrap.
Product of FIG. 4
The diagrammatic representation of FIG. 4 shows the product 17 now
stripped of the film wrapper. When the tear-inducing tab 18 sticks
to the product 17, as depicted, it may now be removed and
discarded.
Method of Packaging as in FIG. 7
Referring next to FIG. 7, there is a diagrammatic representation of
the several steps required to provide the final packaging of the
product as in FIG. 1. To the extent that the processing steps
therein are used to produce the instant package the packaging steps
and apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 3,491,504 as issued to W. E. Young
etal on Jan. 27th, 1970 is incorporated into this process by
reference.
As depicted, the lower film 22 is carried on a support means such
as a conveyor and as a strip is fed to station A. By manual
manipulation or mechanical means a tear-inducing tab 18 is placed
on the upper surface of film 22 and is so positioned that the sharp
point 24 is directed toward a near edge of the film. The film is
now advanced to station B where by manual or mechanical means a
product 17 is placed on the lower film 22. The product 17 is placed
so that the point 24 of the tab protrudes beyond the edge of the
product 17.
At station C the upper film 20 is shown approaching the product 17
and lower film 22 and at station D film 20 is brought near to the
lower film 22. Prior to this or at this period in time the films
are heated or otherwise conditioned for sealing to each other. At
stations E and F the package is formed usually with or in the
presence of reduced pressure. The top film 20 is drawn over the top
and down the sides of the product 17 and at and around the
projecting portion of the tear-inducing tab covers its top and
sides and then is sealed to the lower film 22 at the support plane
of this lower film. At station G the package may be severed at line
26. The package 15 as trimmed has a peripheral sealing portion and
the projecting portion of tear-inducing tab 18 is retained in this
peripheral portion until the package is opened as described above
in conjunction with FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 6. Whether a heat sealing
technique is employed or an adhesive is used to join upper and
lower films 20 and 22 the projecting portion of tear-inducing tab
18 is retained in a film sheath and the remaining portion is
tightly maintained against one surface or portion of the
product.
Tear-Inducing Tab of FIG. 8
In FIG. 8 is depicted in enlarged scale the tear-inducing tab 18 of
FIG. 1. Economically the tab is made from plastic strip stock
fifteen- to twenty-thousandths of an inch thick and of considerable
stiffness. A sharp point 24 is die punched from the strip stock and
this point leaves a V-shaped recess 28 in the preceeding tab. Of
course, the sides of the tab may also be cut by the die. The
depicted point is a sixty degree included angle but may be more or
less.
Tear-Inducing Tab of FIG. 9 the film.
Referring next to FIG. 9, there is shown an alternate configuration
of a tear-inducing tab. As illustrated, a sharp point 30 is formed
on tab 32 by making a diagonal cut of about 45.degree.. This cut
provides a double ended tab. As in the tab of FIG. 8, the angle of
cut may be changed and the tab may be cut singly from a strip of
plastic or the longitudinal sides may also be cut by the die to
provide multiple production.
Tear-Inducing Tab Member of FIG. 10
Referring next and finally to FIG. 10 there is shown a
tear-inducing tab member 40 which is also of thin plastic. Instead
of one sharp protruding point, member 40 is formed with a series of
sharp points 42 arranged along each side of this member. This
member provides a support for the product after member 40 has been
placed on the lower film 22. The product to be placed on the member
40 is of such a size that when placed on member 40 the points 42
extend beyond the perimeter of the product. When the upper film 20
is sealed to the lower film 22 the points 42 are enclosed until the
sealed films are bent to bring a sharp point against one of the
films to rupture the film to permit tearing of the film.
It is to be noted that the tear-inducing tab 18 may be arranged so
that the dual points provided by cut 28 may be arranged to project
from the side of the product. Other configurations than those shown
may be used for the tear-inducing tab but whatever configuration is
used it is contemplated that at least one sharp point will extend
beyond the periphery of the product and the upper and lower films
are drawn around the point of the tear-inducing tab with the films
also sealed to each other to provide a retaining protection of the
point until the film is bent to rupture film. It is to be further
noted that the tear-inducing tab may be retained to and by either
or both of the films by an adhesive coating or by heat sealing the
tab to one or both of the adjacent films. It is also to be noted
that the tab may be used in a package where the upper film has been
preformed.
Terms such as "up," "down," "bottom," "top," "front," "back,"
"clockwise," "counterclockwise" and the like are applicable to the
embodiments shown and described in conjunction with the drawings.
These terms are merely for the purpose of description and do not
necessarily apply to the position in which the package having a
tear-inducing means to rupture a film may be constructed or used.
While particular embodiments of the tear-inducing tab have been
shown and described it is to be understood the invention is not
limited thereto and modifications may be made within the scope of
the accompanying claims and protection is sought to the broadest
extent the prior art allows.
* * * * *