US3545668A - Easy opening and reclosable bag - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent Assignee Wayne M. IIultberg Glenview, Illinois Feb. 10, 1969 Dec. 8, 1970 Continental Can Company, Inc. New York, New York a corporation of New York Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented EASY OPENING AND RECLOSABLE BAG Primary Examiner-David M. Bockenek Attorney-Billet, Brown, Ramik & Holt ABSTRACT: This disclosure relates to an easy opening and reclosable flexible package to which is secured a sheet materia1 header having a tin tie, the header including a pair of weakening lines setting off an attachment panel, a medial panel, and a dead fold panel, the header being so secured to a top end portion of the package that the same may be folded to bring the dead fold panel in sandwiched relationship between the attachment and medial panels such that the tin tie can be bent into overlapped relationship at the dead fold to maintain the package effectively sealed.

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SHEET 1 [1F 2 H INVENTOR WAYNE MHULTBERG BYZWW, a MU ATTORNEY 5 PATENTED mac 8 m sum 2 or 2 u g n h I FOL 9 u 3 nt w 3 m) 8 I 5 3 x 3) 3 Lu! INVENTOR LURYNE MHULTBERG BY -k 81M ATTORNEYS EASY OPENING AND RECLOSABLE BAG At present these are few if any flexible packages which produce an effective hermetic primary seal for product protection while also providing means for easy opening and reclosing once the desired amount of product has been removed. In most flexible packages currently manufactured, one or possibly two of the latter-noted factors may be provided, but when so provided they are generally produced at the expense of the remaining factor. Furthermore, due to the competitive nature of the flexible package industry it is not only desirable to provide a comprehensive package, but such must be done economically.

In keeping with this invention, it is a primary object to provide an economically manufactured flexible package which provides an excellent primary-seal and includes means for both easy opening and reclosing the package after the latter has been once opened, the package including an attachment panel having a tin tie which is secured to a face of a flexible bag, a medial panel set off by a pair of weakening lines, and a dead fold panel which is adapted to be folded in sandwiched relationship between the attachment and medial panels such that the ends of the tin tie can be brought into overlapped relationship adjacent the dead fold to produce an effective primary seal while at the same'time providing means for reclosing the package when the bag has been once opened.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel package of the type heretofore described wherein the attachment panel and/or the medial panel are provided with a hanger tab struck from the material thereof to suspend the package for purposes of display.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel flexi ble package of the foregoing type wherein the bag is constructed from polymeric or copolymeric material such as polyethylene, an end portion thereof is heat sealed, and the heat seal includes a weakening line for removing the same to permit access to the bag interior and products packages therein.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel flexible package of the type described wherein the dead fold panel is adhesively secured to a face of the bag opposite the face to which the attachment panel is secured, and the medial panel is provided with a tear strip which is removed incident to the opening of the bag.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a sheet material header which is adapted to be secured to a bag to form a package of this invention, and illustrates a tin tie secured to an adhesively coated attachment panel.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the novel package of this invention, and illustrates the manner in which the header is secured to an upper end portion of the bag by the attachment panel.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and more clearly illustrates the manner in which the header is secured to the bag with upper edges of the header and bag in substantial alinement FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the package of FIG. 2 after the bag has been filled with a product and illustrates a transverse heat seal and a score line adjacent the upper edge of the bag and the initial folding of the header to the position shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the package of FIG. 4, and illustrates the fully folded position of the header in which a dead fold panel is in sandwiched relationship between a medial panel and the attachment panel of the header.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the package of FIG. 5 as viewed from the rear, and illustrates ends of the tin ties bent from the position shown in FIG. 5 to an overfolded position upon the dead fold and a hanger tab folded out of the plane of the attachment panel.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 7-7 of FIG. 6, and more fully illustrates the manner in which the ends of the tin tie overlie the medial panel at the dead fold.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the flexible package of FIGS. 2 and through 7, and illustrates the manner in which the header is unfolded and an upper edge of the bag removed along the weakening line to gain access to products packaged within the bag.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view with parts broken away for clarity of another flexible package of this invention, and illustrates a sheet material header identical to that of FIG. I except for the presence of a tear strip in a medial panel thereof.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the package of FIG. 9 after the bag has been filled with a product and the upper edge heat-sealed and scored, and illustrates an adhesive applied to a dead fold panel for securing the same in sandwiched relationship between the attachment and medial panels.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 11-11 of FIG. 10, and more clearly illustrates the cross-sectional construction of the upper end of the package.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of the filled package, and illustrates the manner in which ends of a tin tie are folded upon the medial panel adjacent the dead fold and below the tear strip.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 13-13 of FIG. 12, and more clearly illustrates the manner in which the tin tie ends overlie the medial panel adjacent the dead fold.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary perspective view of the package of FIGS. 10 through 13, and illustrates the manner in which the bag is opened by initially removing the tear strip.

A novel easy opening and reclosable flexible package constructed in accordance with this invention is illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 7 of the drawings and is generally designated by the reference numeral 15. The package 15 includes a flexible bag 16 and a sheet material header 17, the latter being best illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings to which attention is now particularly directed.

The header 17 is constructed from a generally rectangular blank of flexible paper stock or similar foldable material, and includes an upper edge 20, a pair of side edges 21, 22, and a lower edge 23 which is folded about a tin tie 24 and is adhesively secured thereto and to a face (unnumbered) of an attachment panel 25. The tin tie 24 is preferably constructed from bendable and deformable metallic material, and ends 26 thereof project beyond the edges 21, 22 for securing the header 17 in its folded position, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 which will be considered in more detail hereinafter.

The attachment panel 25 is set off by the edge 23, portions of the edges 21, 22, and a fold line 27 which is generally parallel to the edges 20, 23. Adhesive A which is indicated by the stipling in FIG. 1 is applied to the attachment panel 25 except for a hanger tab 28 which is formed by a generally U-shaped cut line 30. An opening or aperture 31 is formed in the hanger tab 28 to hang the package 15 for display purposes, as will hereinafter appear. Though the hanger tab 28 is preferably formed from the material of the attachment panel 25, the same may also be formed by striking an identical inverted U- shaped cut line 32 in a medial panel 33, as is indicated in phantom outline in FIG. 1.

The medial panel 33 is set off by portions of the transverse edges 21, 22, the fold line 27, and another fold line or similar weakening line 34. The fold line 34 is generally parallel to and located medially between the fold line 27 and the edge 20.

A dead fold panel 35 is set off by the edge 20, the fold line 34, and portions of the edges 21, 22.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2 of the drawings which illustrates the bag 16 as a generally flattened tube which is preferably constructed from polymeric or copolymeric material, such as polyethylene, which is closed at a bottom end portion 37 by a transverse heat seal 38. Though the bag 16 is preferably constructed from synthetic plastic material, the same may be formed from paper stock material or combinations of paper stock and plastic material in laminated form, as is conventional. The bag 16 may simply be a tubular extrusion or, as shown in illustrated embodiment, a conventional lap back seam or other known conventional seams may be employed to form the bag from a rectangular sheet material blank. Irrespective of the manner in which the bag 16 is constructed or the material thereof, the bag includes a predetermined width as measured between longitudinal edges 41, 42 which corresponds generally to the width of the header 17 between the edges 21, 22.

The header 17 is secured to a face (unnumbered) of the bag 16 at an upper end portion 43 thereof by the adhesive A with the edges 21, 22 of the header 17 in general alinement with the edges 41, 42, respectively, of the bag 16. The upper edge 20 of the header 17 is also in general alinement with the upper unnumbered edge of the end portion 43. The panels 33, 35 are free of the upper end portion 43, and as thus assembled the package 15 of FIG. 2 can be shipped to an ultimate packager.

A desired product may then be inserted by the packager into the bag 16 through the upper open end after which the same is heat sealed as at 44 (FIG. 4). A line of perforations 45 or similar weakening means is provided for removing the heat seal portion 44 incident to removing packaged products from the bag 16, as will appear more fully hereinafter.

After the upper end portion 43 has been heat-sealed and perforated, the dead fold panel 35 and the adjacent overlying portion of the bag 16 is folded along the fold line 35, as is shown in phantom outline in FIG. 4. The panel 33 is likewise folded along the fold line 27, and in the finally folded form (FIGS. 57) the dead fold panel 35 is sandwiched between the panels 25, 33 which results in the formation of a dead fold F (FIG. 7) at the fold line 34. The ends 26 of the tin tie 24 are thereafter bent from the position shown in FIG. 5 to an overfolded position (FIGS. 6 and 7) in generally overlying relationship to the panel 33 and the dead fold F of the upper end portion 43. The bag is therefore sealed by the transverse heat seal 44 as well as the dead fold F prior to being opened to remove products therefrom.

If desired, the hanger tab 28 may then be folded out of the plane of the attachment panel 25 in the manner shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 to hang the package for display purposes.

When a consumer desires to remove the products from the bag 16, it is necessary to first unfold the ends 26 of the tin tie 24 to the position shown in FIG. 5 after which the header and bag are unfolded, as shown in FIG. 8. The transverse heat seal 44 is then removed by tearing along the line of perforations 45 to open the bag 16, in the manner clearly illustrated in FIG. 8. It is to be noted that upon the removal of the heat seal portion 44 the remaining edge defined by the now ruptured line of perforations 45 is above the fold line 34. Because of this the panel 35 may again be folded upon the panel 33 to again form the dead fold F. The ends 26 of the tin tie 24 would then, of course, be again bent to the position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 to complete the reclosing of the package 15. Thus, in both the initially folded condition of the header 17 (FIGS. 6 and 7) and in the reclosed position thereof, the dead fold F is produced to form a hermetic seal which is held in place by the overfolded ends 26 of the tin tie 24.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 9 through 13 which illustrate another flexible package which is generally designated by the reference numeral 55 and includes a bag 56 and a header 57. The package 55 is identical to the package 15 except for the provision of a removable tear strip 58 having a finger-gripping end portion 60. The tear strip 58 is formed by a plurality of angular slits 61 formed in a medial panel 62 between a pair of fold lines 63, 64.

The medial panel 62 and a dead fold panel 69 are free of the bag 56 while an attachment panel 65 serves as the sole connection between the header 57 and the bag 56. The attachment panel 65 includes a tin tie 66 having ends 67.

The header 57 is secured to the bag 56 in the manner heretofore described relative to the package 15 after which products are packaged in the bag 56 and an upper end portion (unnumbered) is closed by a heat seal 68, which is indicated by h the stipling in FIG. 9. A line of perforations 70 is provided to facilitate the removal of the heat seal 68 and open the bag 56.

Referring now to FIG. 10 of the drawings, the dead fold panel 69 is coated with adhesive A prior to the folding of the header in the manner heretofore described relative to the package 15. The adhesive A is therefore brought into contact with a face (unnumbered) of the bag 56 opposite the face (also unnumbered) to which the attachment panel 65 is secured. As is best illustrated in FIG. 13, the adhesive A further serves to assure that air and/or contaminants cannot enter the interior of the folded header 57 between the dead fold panel 69 and the adjacent face of the bag 56.

When it is desired to open the package 55 the fingergripping end portion 60 is grasped and the same is torn from left to right as viewed in FIG. 12 to totally remove the tear strip 58. The upper end of the bag 56 may now be drawn outwardly from the remaining portion of the medial panel 62 and the dead fold panel 69 to the position shown in FIG. 14 after which the heat sealed end portion 68 is removed by tearing along the line of perforations 70. It should be noted that by providing the tear strip 58 the ends of the tin ties 67 need not be unbent from the position shown in FIG. 13 to open the bag 56. This is desirable if the entire contents of the bag are to be removed therefrom and the bag is not be later reclosed. However, if reclosure is desired the remaining upper end portion of the bag 56 below the now severed line of perforations 70 is folded in the manner heretofore described without folding the header to form a dead fold (not shown) just as shown in FIG. 13. The ends of the tin tie 66 are then brought into direct engagement with the dead fold of the bag 56, as opposed to being brought into indirect engagement therewith as in the package 15 ofFIGS. 2 through 8.

While preferred forms and arrangements of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Iclaim:

1. An easy opening and reclosable bag comprising a generally tubular body having axially opposite end portions, a sheet material header, said header having upper and lower edges between which are disposed a pair of weakening lines, said lower edge and a first of said weakening line defining an attachment panel, means securing said attachment panel to a first face of one of said body end portions, a medial panel set off between said pair of weakening lines, a dead fold panel set off between a second of said weakening lines and said upper edge, said weakening lines being positioned generally normal to the body axis whereby said dead fold panel can be folded along with said one body end portion into sandwiched relationship between said attachment and medial panels to form a dead fold, a tin tie secured to said attachment panel spaced from said first weakening line a distance corresponding generally to the distance between said pair of weakening lines whereby ends of said tin tie can be brought into overlapped relationship to said medial panel contiguous the dead fold thereof and wherein tear strip means are provided in said medial panel.

2. The bag as defined in claim 1 including a hanger tab formed by being partially struck from the material of the attachment panel.

3. The bag as defined in claim 1 including a hanger tab formed by being partially struck from the material of the medial panel.

4. The bag as defined in claim 1 wherein means are provided for closing said one body end portion adjacent a terminal edge thereof.

5. The bag as defined in claim 1 including adhesive means for securing said dead fold panel to an opposite face of said bag 6. The bag as defined in claim 2 wherein means are provided for closing said one body end portion adjacent a terminal edge thereof.

7. The bag as defined in claim 2 including adhesive means for securing said dead fold panel to an opposite face of said bag.

8. The bag as defined in claim 3 wherein means are pro vided for closing said one body end portion adjacent a terminal edge thereof.

9. The bag as defined in claim 3 including adhesive means for securing said dead fold panel to an opposite face of said bag.

10. The bag as defined in claim 4 including adhesive means for securing said dead fold panel to an opposite face of said bag.

11. The bag as defined in claim 1 including adhesive means for securing said dead fold panel to an opposite face of said bag.

12. An easy opening and reclosable bag comprising a generally tubular body having axially opposite end portions, a sheet material header, said header having upper and lower edges between which are disposed a pair of weakening lines, said lower edge and a first of said weakening lines defining an attachment panel means securing said attachment panel to a first face of one of said body end'portions, a medial panel set off between second of said weakening lines and said upper edge, said weakening lines being positioned generally normal to the body axis whereby said dead fold panel can be folded along with said one body end portion into sandwiched relationship between said attachment and medial panels to form a dead fold, a tin tie secured to said attachment panel spaced from said first weakening line a distance corresponding generally to the distance between said pair of weakening lines whereby ends of said tin tie can be brought into overlapped relationship to said medial panel contiguous the dead fold thereof, and a hanger tab formed by being partially struck from the material of a portion of one of the panels, said one of the panels having an adhesive about said portion thereof from which said tab was partially struck.

13. The bag as defined in claim l2 wherein said hanger tab is formed by being partially struck from the material of the medial panel.

M. The bag as defined in claim 12 wherein said hanger top is formed by being partially struck from the material of said attachment panel.

15. The bag asdefined in claim 12 wherein tear strip means are provided in said medial panel.

Q2 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION December 8, 1970 Patent No. 545,668 Dated Invent WAYNE M HULTBERG It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 6, Claim 12, line 3, read a after "panel" (first occurrence); line 5, after "between'" read said pair of weakening lines, a dead fold panel set off between a Signed and sealed this 5th day of October 1971 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attestlng Officer Acting Commissioner of Patent:

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