IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0285132
(2002-10-31)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Compton, Stephen F.
- Morrissette, Roger J.
- Smith, Sr., Mitchell W.
- Edwards, Frank B.
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
28 인용 특허 :
25 |
초록
▼
An easy-opening feature in a flexible package is provided by forming a tear feature in the package material by slitting, perforating, or otherwise forming a stress riser in the material, and affixing a label to the package material so that the label adheres to the tear feature. The formation of the
An easy-opening feature in a flexible package is provided by forming a tear feature in the package material by slitting, perforating, or otherwise forming a stress riser in the material, and affixing a label to the package material so that the label adheres to the tear feature. The formation of the tear feature and affixing of the label are performed prior to wrapping a product in the package material and sealing the material, and preferably are performed while the package material is moving along a path in a packaging apparatus. The label in one embodiment includes a detachable middle portion that tears free of the rest of the label upon pulling the detachable portion, such that remaining portions of the label remain on the package adjacent the opening created by the tear feature.
대표청구항
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1. A process for packaging products, comprising the steps of:advancing first and second continuous web portions of film along a path; affixing a label to one surface of the advancing first web portion; piercing the first web portion and label to form a plurality of tab portions in the label and corr
1. A process for packaging products, comprising the steps of:advancing first and second continuous web portions of film along a path; affixing a label to one surface of the advancing first web portion; piercing the first web portion and label to form a plurality of tab portions in the label and corresponding tear features in the first web portion, each tab portion being adhered to a corresponding tear feature and being graspable to allow easy-opening of the package by grasping and pulling the tab portion to tear through the film; and enclosing a product between the first and second web portions and sealing respective edges of the web portions together to form a package of the film enclosing the product. 2. The process of claim 1, wherein the first web portion and label are pierced along two lines that intersect in a generally X-shaped configuration to define four tab portions and tear features each of generally triangular outline.3. A process for packaging products, comprising the steps of:advancing first and second continuous web portions of film along a path; affixing a label to one surface of the advancing first web portion; forming a tear feature in the first web portion by piercing the first web portion, and wherein the label is pierced along with the first web portion so as to form a tab portion of the label that is adhered to the tear feature, the tab portion being graspable to allow easy-opening of the package by grasping and pulling the tab portion to tear through the film; and enclosing a product between the first and second web portions and sealing respective edges of the web portions together to form a package of the film enclosing the product; wherein the label is affixed to an exterior surface of the first web portion and includes a heat-shrinkable film layer joined to a non-heat-shrinkable layer, and further comprising the step of heating the package to cause the tab portion of the label and the tear feature of the first web portion to curl outward so as to be more-easily graspable. 4. The process of claim 3, wherein the label is affixed to the advancing web and subsequently the label and web are simultaneously pierced by a tool to form the tear feature in the first web portion and the tab portion in the label, and wherein a sensor is used to detect the label and a signal from the sensor is used to coordinate movement of the tool relative to the advancing web such that the tool pierces the label.5. A process for packaging products, comprising the steps of:advancing first and second continuous web portions of film along a path; affixing a label to one surface of the advancing first web portion; forming a tear feature in the first web portion by piercing the first web portion, and wherein the label is pierced along with the first web portion so as to form a tab portion of the label that is adhered to the tear feature, the tab portion being graspable to allow easy-opening of the package by grasping and pulling the tab portion to tear through the film; and enclosing a product between the first and second web portions and sealing respective edges of the web portions together to form a package of the film enclosing the product; wherein the label is non-heat-shrinkable and is affixed to an interior surface of the first web portion facing the product, and wherein the first and second web portions comprise a heat-shrinkable film, and further comprising the step of heating the package to cause the tab portion of the label and the tear feature of the first web portion to curl outward so as to be more-easily graspable. 6. A process for packaging products, comprising the steps of:advancing first and second continuous web portions of film along a path; affixing a label to one surface of the advancing first web portion; forming a tear feature in the first web portion by piercing the first web portion, and wherein the label is pierced along with the first web portion so as to form a tab portion of the label that is adhered to the tear feature, the tab portion being graspable to allow easy-opening of the package by grasping and pulling the tab portion to tear through the film, wherein the piercing involves removal of areas of the label and first web portion to create openings therein to facilitate grasping the label and first web portion to initiate tearing the first web portion to open the package; and enclosing a product between the first and second web portions and sealing respective edges of the web portions together to form a package of the film enclosing the product. 7. A process for packaging products, comprising the steps of:advancing first and second continuous web portions of film along a path; forming a tear feature in the advancing first web portion such that the tear feature acts as a stress riser so that pulling the tear feature initiates tearing of the first web portion at the tear feature; affixing a label to one surface of the advancing first web portion such that the label is affixed to the tear feature of the first web portion; and enclosing a product between the first and second web portions and sealing respective edges of the web portions together to form a package of the film enclosing the product; wherein the steps of forming the tear feature in the web and affixing the label are performed prior to the step of enclosing the product, wherein the first and second web portions are parts of a single web arranged in a C-fold configuration, the web portions being arranged in overlying opposing relation during the steps of forming the tear feature and affixing the label, and wherein the label is affixed to an inner surface of the first web portion that faces the second web portion, the label being affixed to the first web portion by a label applicator that intrudes between the opposing web portions. 8. The process of claim 7, wherein the label applicator advances the label onto the first web portion in a transverse direction relative to the advancement of the web.9. The process of claim 8, wherein the label is circular, whereby orientation of the label is not required.10. The process of claim 7, wherein a sensor arranged between the opposing web portions detects the label on the first web portion, and downstream of the sensor a piercing tool pierces through the label and the first web portion to form a tab for grasping, movement of the piercing tool being coordinated with advancement of the web by using a signal from the sensor.11. The process of claim 7, wherein the first web portion is pierced to form the tear feature prior to the label being affixed thereto, advancement of the web being coordinated with the label applicator such that the label is applied in registration with the tear feature.12. A process for packaging products, comprising the steps of:advancing first and second continuous web portions of film along a path; forming a tear feature in the advancing first web portion such that the tear feature acts as a stress riser so that pulling the tear feature initiates tearing of the first web portion at the tear feature; affixing a label to one surface of the advancing first web portion such that the label is affixed to the tear feature of the first web portion; and enclosing a product between the first and second web portions and sealing respective edges of the web portions together to form a package of the film enclosing the product; wherein the steps of forming the tear feature in the web and affixing the label are performed prior to the step of enclosing the product, wherein the label is provided to include a portion that separates from the remainder of the label when pulled to tear through the first web portion to open the package, whereby one or more remaining portions of the label remain on the first web portion to form additional grasp and tear points, and wherein the portion of the label that separates from the remainder comprises a central strip that extends a full width of the label and is positioned between two side portions of the label that remain adhered to the first web portion when the central strip is pulled to tear through the first web portion. 13. A process for packaging products, comprising the steps of:advancing first and second continuous web portions of film along a path; forming a tear feature in the advancing first web portion such that the tear feature acts as a stress riser so that pulling the tear feature initiates tearing of the first web portion at the tear feature; affixing a label to one surface of the advancing first web portion such that the label is affixed to the tear feature of the first web portion; and enclosing a product between the first and second web portions and sealing respective edges of the web portions together to form a package of the film enclosing the product; wherein the steps of forming the tear feature in the web and affixing the label are performed prior to the step of enclosing the product, wherein the label is provided to include a central non-adhesive area and adhesive areas on opposite sides thereof, wherein tear features are formed in two spaced regions of the first web portion and the adhesive areas of the label are respectively located to adhere to the tear features, and wherein the central non-adhesive area of the label is perforated to form two tab portions each connected to one adhesive area of the label.
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