WO2002034633A2

WO2002034633A2 - Method for making article having printing on two lay-flat sides, and article made therefrom

Info

Publication number: WO2002034633A2
Application number: PCT/US2001/046149
Authority: WO
Inventors: Henry Walker Stockley, Iii
Original assignee: Cryovac, Inc.
Priority date: 2000-10-26
Filing date: 2001-10-25
Publication date: 2002-05-02
Also published as: AU2002225873A1; CA2426996A1; WO2002034633A9; WO2002034633A3

Abstract

A lay-flat article (20) made from a flexible film has print (30,32) on both lay-flat sides of the article, but with the print being confined to a printed region extending around a first half of the printed article, with a second half of the printed article having no printing thereon. A process for making the lay flat article allows printing to be made on only a first lay-flat side of a flexible tubing (50) which is then reconfigured to a second lay-flat configuration so that the print is on both lay-flat sides of the tubing in the second lay-flat configuration. The tubing is then converted (via cutting, and optionally sealing) to the packaging article, which preferably is a bag, especially an end-seal bag or a side-seal bag. In an alternative embodiment, a printed lay-flat patchless packaging article made from a flexible film has two printed areas, with one of the printed areas covering a first side edge of the article, and the other covering the second side edge of the article. A process for making this article involves printing on both initial lay-flat sides of a tubing and then reconfiguring to a second lay-flat configuration so that the printed areas are located over the side edges of the reconfigured tubing. Packaged products utilizing the articles are also disclosed.

Description

METHOD FOR MAKING ARTICLE HAVING PRINTING ON TWO LAY-FLAT SIDES,

AND ARTICLE MADE THEREFROM

Field of the Invention This invention relates to printed flexible packaging materials, especially lay-flat packaging articles such as end-seal bags and side-seal bags, as well as casings.

Background of the Invention In the printing of flexible lay-flat packaging materials, if it is desired to have printing on both sides of the packaging article, it has been necessary to perform distinct printing operations on each side of, for example, a seamless tubing. The tubing is thereafter converted to the packaging article by cutting and sealing, to form a bag or a casing. If the printing is confined to a central region of each lay-flat side of the tubing, the resulting bag will not have printing along the side-edge regions. It would be desirable to provide printing on both sides of the article without having to perform distinct printing operations on each side of the tubing. It would also be desirable to provide printing on the side-edge regions of the article, without having to print close to one or more of the side-edges of the lay-flat tubing.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides a process for producing a flexible, lay-flat packaging article having printing on both sides thereof, without having to perform distinct printing operations on each side of a lay-flat tubing from which the article is formed. The present invention can also be used to provide a flexible, lay-flat packaging article having printing on the side-edge regions of the article, without having to print close to one or more of the side- edges of the lay-flat tubing.

As a first aspect, the present invention is directed to a printed lay-flat article comprising a printed flexible film wherein the print is on both lay-flat sides of the article. However, the print is confined to a printed region extending around a first half of the printed article. The second half of the printed article has no printing thereon.

Optionally, the article (e.g., bag) can have a patch adhered thereto. The print can be on the patch or the bag. If the bag is printed, all, some, or none of the printed region can be covered by the patch. If the bag is printed on its outside surface, the print can be trapped between the patch and the bag. The print can be a reverse print on the surface of the patch which is adhered to the bag, or the print can even be on the outside surface of the patch.

In one embodiment, the article does not have a patch adhered thereto. In this embodiment, preferably the print is on the outside surface of the article. The print can contain lettering, a logo, etc. If lettering is present, it can run across the width of the article or along the length of the article. Optionally, the article can be made from a heat-shrinkable film, having a total free shrink (i.e., L + T) at 185°C of at least 10 percent, more preferably 15 percent, more preferably 20 percent. The article can be made from a multilayer film having an O₂-barrier layer. The printing can be monochromatic (i.e., one color only) or polychrimatic (i.e., multicolor). The article can be made from a seamless tubing or from a backseamed tubing, which in turn can be fin sealed, lap sealed, or butt sealed with a butt seal backseaming tape. If the article is a bag, the article can be an end-seal bag, or side seal bag. If an end-seal bag, the print can comprise a first label and a second label which are separated from one another, with the first label being entirely on a first lay-flat side of the bag and the second label being on a second lay-flat side of the bag. If a side-seal bag, the tubing can be reconfigured so that the printed region covers at last a portion of the folded bottom edge of the side-seal bag.

As a second aspect, the present invention pertains to a process for making a lay-flat flexible article having printing on both lay-flat sides thereof. The process comprises the steps ^' of: (A) applying print to only one lay-flat side ofa flexible film tubing which is in a first lay- flat configuration, so that a printed tubing is formed; (B) inflating the printed tubing; (C) deflating and flattening the printed tubing into a second lay-flat configuration so that the printing is on both lay-flat sides of the tubing upon deflating and flattening the tubing into the second lay-flat configuration; and, (D) converting the printed tubing into a multiplicity of lay- flat flexible packaging articles by cutting across the tubing and sealing the film. Preferably, the printing is carried out via a flexographic printing process, alternatively, by process printing (i.e., applying tiny dots of various different colors, preferably primary colors, to form a polychromatic image). The printed image can be symmetrical or asymmetrical. The difference between the first lay-flat configuration and the second lay-flat configuration is preferably an equivalent ofa rotation of the tubing of from 1 to 179 degrees, or 1 to 150 degrees, or 10-140 degrees, or 20 to 140 degrees; or 30 to 130 degrees or 40 to 120 degrees or 50 to 120 degrees or 60 to 120 degrees or 70 to 110 degrees, or 80 to 110 degrees, or 80- 100 degrees, or about 90 degrees.

As a third aspect, the present invention pertains to a printed lay-flat patchless packaging article comprising a printed flexible film wherein the print is on both lay-flat sides of the bag and the print comprises a first label and a second label which are separated from one another, with the first label covering a portion of a first side-edge of the bag and the second label covering a portion of a second side-edge of the bag.

As a fourth aspect, the present invention pertains to a process for making a lay-flat flexible article having printing on two edge regions thereof. The process comprises the steps of: (A) applying print to both lay-flat sides of a flexible film tubing which is in a first lay-flat configuration, so that a printed tubing is formed; (B) inflating the printed tubing; (C) deflating and flattening the printed tubing into a second lay-flat configuration so that the printing is present on both lay-flat edges of the tubing upon deflating and flattening the tubing into the second lay-flat configuration; and, (D) converting the printed tubing into a multiplicity of lay-flat flexible packaging articles by cutting across the tubing and sealing the film.

As a fifth aspect, the present invention pertains to a packaged product comprising a product surrounded by a lay-flat printed flexible film article, wherein the print is confined to a printed region which extending around a first half of the printed article, with a second half of the printed article having no printing thereon, wherein the product comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of half ham, tenderloin, beef rib roast, pastrami, corned beef, half turkey breast, chicken broiler, and reformed roast beef, sausage, sliced meat products, beef brisket, cheese. Any of these products could be packaged either raw or precooked. As a sixth aspect, the present invention pertains to a packaged product comprising a product surrounded by a lay-flat printed flexible film article, wherein print is located on both edge regions of the packaged product, and the packaged product comprises a member selected from the group consisting of half ham, tenderloin, beef rib roast, pastrami, corned beef, half turkey breast, chicken broiler, and reformed roast beef. Any of these products could be packaged either raw or pre-cooked. Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is schematic of an end-seal patchless bag having printing on both lay-flat sides thereof, in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic of an end-seal patch bag having printing on both lay-flat sides thereof, in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is schematic ofa side-seal patchless bag having printing on both lay-flat sides thereof, in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a top view of a portion ofa process in accordance with the present invention, which process can be used to make the printed articles of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3.

FIG. 4B is a side view of the process illustrated in FIG. 4A. FIG. 5 is a schematic of an alternative printed end-seal patchless bag in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6A is a side view ofa portion of a process in accordance with the present invention, which can be used to make the printed bag illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 6B is a top view of the process illustrated in FiG. 6A.

Detailed Description of the Invention As used herein, the phrases "heat-shrinkable," "heat-shrink" and the like refer to the tendency of a film, generally an oriented film, to shrink upon the application of heat, i.e., to contract upon being heated, such that the side (area) of the film decreases if the film is not restrained when heated. Likewise, the tension of a heat-shrinkable film increases upon the application of heat if the film is restrained from shrinking. As a corollary, the phrase "heat- contracted" refers to a heat-shrinkable film, or a portion thereof, which has been exposed to heat such that the film or portion thereof is in a heat-shrunken state, i.e., reduced in size (unrestrained) or under increased tension (restrained).

Heat-shrinkable films to be used in the present invention have a total free shrink (i.e., machine direction plus transverse direction), as measured by ASTM D 2732, of at least 5 percent at 185°C, more preferably at least 7 percent, still more preferably, at least 10 percent, and, yet still more preferably, at least 20 percent, and preferably have a maximum free shrink of no more than 150%, 140%, 130%, 120%, 110%, 100%, 90%, or 80%. Preferred films for use in the present invention are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,755,403, to D.F. Ferguson, entitled "Protective Patch For Shrinkable Bag", as well as U.S. Patent No. 5,545,419, to Brady et al, entitled "Patch Bag Having Supplemental Seal", both of which are incorporated in their entirety, by reference thereto. U.S. Patent No. 5,545,419 disclosed preferred films for making articles in accordance with the present invention, as well as preferred processes for making such films. Although the supplemental seal of U.S. Patent No. 5,545,419 can be used with the present invention, it is not required, and is not necessarily even preferred in the present invention. Although both of these patents are directed to patch bags, the present invention also includes various configurations of printing on a lay-flat article (e.g., a lay-flat bag) without a patch, i.e., a patchless bag. Another preferred film for use in the present invention is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,834,077, to Robert Babrowicz, entitled "High Shrink Multilayer Film Which Maintains Optics Upon Shrinking," also hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference thereto.

FIG. 1 illustrates patchless end-seal bag 20 having open top 22, end-seal 24 (which is preferably a heat seal), first side edge 26, second side edge 28, first printed region 30 on the upper (i.e., first) lay-flat side, second printed region 32 on the lower (i.e., second) lay-flat side, and bottom edge 34. As can be seen in FIG. 1, first and second printed regions 30 and 32 are on opposite lay-flat sides of bag 20.

FIG. 2 illustrates end-seal patch bag 36 having open top 22, end-seal 24, first side edge 26, second side edge 28, first printed region 30 on the upper (i.e., first) lay-flat side, second printed region 32 on the lower (i.e., second) lay-flat side, bottom edge 34, and patch 38, which covers a portion of first side edge 26. As can be seen in FIG. 2, first and second printed regions 30 and 32 are on opposite lay-flat sides of bag 36.

FIG. 3 illustrates patchless side-seal bag 40 having open top 22, first side-seal 42 (which is preferably a heat seal), second side-seal 44 (also preferably a heat seal), first printed region 30 on the upper (i.e., first) lay-flat side, second printed region 32 on the lower (i.e., second) lay-flat side, and folded bottom edge 46. As can be seen in FIG. 3, first and second printed regions 30 and 32 are on opposite lay-flat sides of bag 40.

FIG.s 4 A and 4B are schematic top and side views of a portion ofa process which can be used to make printed articles such as those illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3. In this process, an extruded, seamless horizontally lay-flat flexible film tubing 50 is printed with indicia 60 on one side (printing step not illustrated), following which the printed tubing 50 is forwarded through a first set of horizontally positioned nip rolls 52 and inflated with a trapped bubble of gas between first nip rolls 52 and vertically positioned second nip rolls 56. In this manner, horizontally lay-flat tubing 52 becomes inflated tubing 54. Upon passing through second nip rolls 56, inflated tubing 54 is collapsed into vertically lay-flat tubing 58, which is oriented 90 degrees offset from horizontally lay-flat tubing 52, i.e., reconfigured from a first (horizontal) lay-flat configuration to a second (vertical) lay-flat configuration. An inflation process for reconfiguring a patch-tubing laminate is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,540,646 to Williams et al, entitled "Method of Making Shrinkable Bag With Protective Patch", is hereby incorporated, in its entirety, by reference thereto. Tubing 58 is ultimately forwarded to conversion, i.e., the process of converting a tubing to packaging articles, such as end-seal or side-seal bags as illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3. Conversion processes are well known to those of skill in the art, and include various manners of cutting and sealing the film tubing to form bags, pouches, casings, etc.

FIG. 5 illustrates patchless end-seal bag 62 having open top 22, end-seal 24, first side edge 26, second side edge 28, and bottom edge 34. As can be seen in FiG. 1, first and second printed regions 64 and 44 are positioned to cover a portion of first side edge 26 and second side edge 28 respectively. A method for making the bag of FIG. 5 is illustrated in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B.

FIG. 6 A and FIG. 6B are schematic side and top views, respectively, ofa portion ofa process which can be used to make printed articles such as the printed end-seal bag illustrated in FIG. 5. In this process, an extruded, seamless, horizontally lay-flat flexible film tubing 68 is printed with indicia 70 on both lay-flat sides (printed step not illustrated), following which the printed tubing 68 is forwarded through a first set of horizontally-positioned nip rolls 72 and into a region between horizontal nip rolls 72 and vertically-positioned nip- rolls 76. In this region, a bubble of gas which is trapped inside the inflated portion of the tubing. In this manner, horizontally lay-flat tubing 68 becomes inflated tubing 74. Upon passing through second nip rolls 76, inflated tubing 74 is collapsed into vertically lay-flat tubing 78, which is oriented 90 degrees offset from horizontally lay-flat tubing 8, i.e., reconfigured from a first (horizontal) lay-flat configuration to a second (vertical) lay-flat configuration. The reconfiguration of the lay-flat configuration of the tubing repositions the printed regions 70 so that they are located on the side edge regions of reconfigured tubing 78, resulting in a tubing configured as the tubing illustrated in FIG. 5. Tubing 78 is ultimately forwarded to conversion, i.e., the process of converting a tubing to packaging articles, such as end-seal or side-seal bags as illustrated in FIG. 5.

All subranges of all ranges disclosed herein are hereby expressly disclosed. Although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be utilized without departing from the principles and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand, Accordingly, such modifications may be practiced within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A printed lay-flat article comprising a printed flexible film wherein the print is on both lay-flat sides of the article, but wherein the print is confined to a printed region extending around a first half of the printed article, with a second half of the printed article having no printing thereon.

2. The printed article according to Claim 2, wherein the article is a bag having a patch adhered thereto.

3. The printed article according to Claim 2, wherein a region of the bag is printed, and no portion of the region is covered by the patch.

4. The printed article according to Claim 2, wherein a region of the bag is printed, and the entire region is covered by the patch.

5. The printed article according to Claim 2, wherein a region of the bag is printed, and the region is partially covered by the patch.

6. The printed article according to Claim 1, wherein print is trapped between a bag and a patch which is adhered to the bag.

7. The printed article according to Claim 1, comprising a bag which does not have a patch adhered thereto.

8. The printed article according to Claim 7, wherein the print is on the outside of the bag.

9. The printed article according to Claim 7, wherein the bag made from a heat- shrinkable film.

10. The printed article according to Claim 7, wherein the bag is made from a multilayer film having an O -barrier layer.

11. The printed article according to Claim 1, wherein the printing is multicolor printing.

12. The printed article according to Claim 1, wherein the printing is monochromatic printing.

13. The printed article according to Claim 1, wherein the article is made from a seamless tubing.

14. The printed article according to claim 1, wherein the article is a side-seal bag.

15. The printed article according to Claim 1, wherein the article is an end-seal bag.

16. The printed article according to Claim 15, wherein the article is an end-seal bag and the print comprises a first label and a second label which are separated from one another, with the first label being entirely on a first lay-flat side of the bag and the second label being on a second lay-flat side of the bag.

17. A process for making a lay-flat flexible article having printing on both lay-flat sides thereof, comprising the steps of:

(A) applying print to only one lay-flat side of a flexible film tubing which is in a first lay-flat configuration, so that a printed tubing is formed;

(B) inflating the printed tubing;

(C) Deflating and flattening the printed tubing into a second lay-flat configuration so that the printing is on both lay-flat sides of the tubing upon deflating and flattening the tubing into the second lay-flat configuration;

(D) converting the printed tubing into a multiplicity of lay-flat flexible packaging articles by cutting across the tubing and sealing the film.

18. The process according to Claim 17, wherein the printing is carried out via a flexographic printing process.

19. The process according to Claim 17, wherein a difference between the first lay-flat configuration and the second lay-flat configuration is a rotation of the tubing of from 1 to 179 degrees.

20. A printed lay-flat patchless packaging article comprising a printed flexible film wherein the print is on both lay-flat sides of the article and the print comprises a first label and a second label which are separated from one another, with the first label covering a portion of a first side-edge of the article and the second label covering a portion ofa second side-edge of the article.

21. A process for making a patchless, lay-flat flexible article having printing on two edge regions thereof, comprising the steps of:

(A) applying print to both lay-flat sides of a flexible film tubing which is in a first lay-flat configuration, so that a printed tubing is formed;

(B) inflating the printed tubing; (C) deflating and flattening the printed tubing into a second lay-flat configuration so that the printing is present on both lay-flat edges of the tubing upon deflating and flattening the tubing into the second lay- flat configuration; (D) converting the printed tubing into a multiplicity of lay-flat flexible packaging articles by cutting across the tubing and sealing the film.

22. A packaged product comprising a product surrounded by a lay-flat printed flexible film article, wherein the print is confined to a printed region which extends around a first half of the printed article, with a second half of the printed article having no printing thereon, wherein the product comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of half ham, tenderloin, beef rib roast, pastrami, corned beef, half turkey breast, chicken broiler, and reformed roast beef, sausage, sliced meat products, beef brisket, cheese.

23. A packaged product comprising a product surrounded by a lay-flat printed flexible film article, wherein print is located on both edge regions of the packaged product, and the packaged product comprises a member selected from the group consisting of half ham, tenderloin, beef rib roast, pastrami, corned beef, half turkey breast, chicken broiler, and reformed roast beef.