초록 ▼

A container for a food product includes a wrapper which surround a polygonal frame. The wrapper forms a top of the container and has an access opening. A sealing label, adhesively sealed to the top around the opening, is resealable when a tab of the sealing label is pulled back. The sealing label is

A container for a food product includes a wrapper which surround a polygonal frame. The wrapper forms a top of the container and has an access opening. A sealing label, adhesively sealed to the top around the opening, is resealable when a tab of the sealing label is pulled back. The sealing label is resealable against the top layer to seal the opening when the sealing label is moved back against the top. Various tamper-evident structures are provided to indicate when the container has been initially opened or tampered with.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A polygonal shaped food container comprising: a frame defining the polygonal shape of the container which contains the food product; a wrapper surrounding said frame, said wrapper forming a top of the container; said top having an access opening so as to provide hand access to food pro

We claim: 1. A polygonal shaped food container comprising: a frame defining the polygonal shape of the container which contains the food product; a wrapper surrounding said frame, said wrapper forming a top of the container; said top having an access opening so as to provide hand access to food product of the container; a sealing layer, adhesively sealed to said top around said opening, said sealing layer being releasable and reclosable against said top to seal said opening when said sealing layer is moved back against said top; and a tamper-evident structure associated with said sealing layer. 2. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 1, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises at least one elongated strip parallel to the direction of pulling the sealing layer back and located in a sealing area between the access opening and the adjacent edge of the container where said sealing layer is adhesively sealed to said top. 3. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 2, wherein said at least one elongated strip is formed from a portion of said top. 4. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 2, wherein one end of said at lease one elongated strip falls into said container when said sealing layer is peeled back for a first time. 5. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 2, wherein the sealing layer includes a tab for grasping the sealing layer at a tab end of the sealing layer and said at least one elongated strip is located in the sealing area at the tab end. 6. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 2, wherein said elongated strip comprises a tapered form with a knob extension end. 7. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 1, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises tape extending along at least a portion of a perimeter where said sealing layer contacts said top, along both said sealing layer and said top, said tamper-evident tape having to be removed prior to or at the same time said sealing layer is opened for a first time, said tape leaving an indicia on said top after said tape is removed. 8. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 1, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises a removable film disposed under said sealing layer, said film having to be removed from the food container to gain access to the contents of the container. 9. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 1, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises scored seal tape extending along at least a portion of a perimeter where said sealing layer contacts said top, along both said sealing layer and said top, said scored tape having to be removed prior to or at the same time said sealing layer is opened for a first time, said scored seal tape leaving a portion of the scored seal tape on said top after said scored seal tape is removed. 10. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 1, wherein the sealing layer includes a tab for grasping the sealing layer. 11. A polygonal food container comprising, a frame defining the polygonal shape of the container and containing a food product; a wrapper surrounding the frame, said wrapper forming a top of the container; the top having an access opening so as to provide access to the food product; a sealing layer adhesively sealed to the top in a sealing area between the access opening and an adjacent edge of the top, and said sealing layer being operable to expose the access opening and reclosable against the top to seal the access opening; means for pulling the sealing layer back to open the access opening; and a tamper-evident means located in the sealing area between the access opening and the adjacent edge of the container and constructed such that when the sealing layer opens the access opening for the first time, tamper evidence is provided and is visible after the sealing layer is reclosed. 12. The container according to claim 11, wherein the tamper-evident means comprises at least one elongated strip parallel to the direction of pulling the sealing layer back. 13. The container of claim 12, wherein said at least one elongated strip is formed from a portion of said top. 14. The container of claim 12, wherein one end of said at least one elongated strip falls into said container when said sealing layer is peeled back for a first time. 15. The container of claim 12, wherein said elongated strip comprises a tapered form with a knob extension end. 16. The container of claim 12, wherein said means for pulling the sealing layer back to open the access opening the sealing layer includes a starter portion at one end of said sealing layer and said elongated strip is located in the sealing area at the starter portion end. 17. The container according to claim 11, wherein the polygonal package is generally rectangular, and the direction of pulling back is parallel to the longer dimension of the rectangular shape, and including a pair of elongated strips substantially parallel to the longer dimension of the rectangular shape, one on each side of the access opening. 18. The container according to claim 11, wherein the sealing layer is transparent. 19. The container according to claim 11, wherein the access opening is sufficiently large to provide hand access to substantially all of the food product contained within the frame. 20. The container according to claim 11, wherein said means for pulling the sealing layer back to open the access opening the sealing layer includes a starter portion. 21. The container according to claim 20, wherein the starter portion is a tab. 22. A container for a food product comprising, a wrapper surrounding the food product, said wrapper forming a top of the container; the top having an access opening so as to provide access to the food product; a sealing layer adhesively sealed to the top in a sealing area between the access opening and an adjacent edge of the top, and said sealing layer being operable to expose the access opening and reclosable against the top to seal the access opening; means for pulling the sealing layer back to open the access opening; and an elongated strip parallel to the direction of pulling the sealing layer back, said elongated strip located in the sealing area between the access opening and the adjacent edge of the package and constructed such that when the sealable layer opens the access opening for the first time, the elongated strip falls into said container. 23. The container of claim 22, wherein said elongated strip is formed from a portion of said top. 24. The container of claim 22, wherein the elongated strip comprises a tapered form with a knob extension end. 25. The container of claim 22, wherein said means for pulling the sealing layer back to open the access opening the sealing layer includes a starter portion at one end of said sealing layer and said elongated strip is located in the sealing area at the starter portion end. 26. The container according to claim 22, wherein the sealing layer is transparent. 27. The container of claim 22, further comprising a tray located inside said wrapper and upon which the food product is disposed. 28. The container of claim 27, wherein said tray comprises a frame. 29. The container of claim 28, wherein said tray defines a shape of the container. 30. A shaped food product container in combination with a food product contained therein, the overall structure of the container imparting a certain shape to the container, which shape is defined by structure other than the size or shape of food product within the container, the container further including a wrapper forming at least a portion of the exterior of the container and conforming to the imparted certain shape, the imparted certain shape causing the wrapper to have at least one outer surface access area which has an access opening so as to provide access to the food product within the container, and a sealing layer adhesively sealed to said outer surface access area so as to cover said access opening, said sealing layer being resealable and reclosable against said outer surface access area to seal said access opening when said sealing layer, after having been initially opened, is moved back against said outer surface access area. 31. The container in combination with a food product of claim 30, wherein the container has a top, a bottom, and sides conforming to the certain shape, and wherein the top forms the outer surface access area. 32. The container in combination with a food product of claim 31, wherein the top and bottom of the container are polygonal. 33. The container in combination with a food product of claim 32, wherein the top and bottom of the container are rectangular. 34. The container in combination with a food product of claim 30, wherein the wrapper is a flexible material. 35. The container in combination with a food product of claim 30, including a tray or trays within the wrapper, the food product located in the tray or trays and wherein the tray or trays impart the certain shape to the wrapper. 36. The container in combination with a food product of claim 35, wherein the tray or trays have open top or tops and the outer surface access area overlies the open top or tops of the tray or trays. 37. The container in combination with a food product of claim 30, wherein the wrapper forms substantially the entire exterior of the container. 38. The container in combination with a food product of claim 37, wherein the wrapper is a flexible material. 39. The container in combination with a food product of claim 30, wherein the access opening is large enough to provide hand access to the food product within the container. 40. The container in combination with a food product of claim 30, wherein the sealing layer includes a starter portion located at one side of the outer surface access area for grasping and pulling back the sealing layer to increase the size of the exposure of the access opening. 41. The container in combination with a food product of claim 40, wherein the sealing layer is shaped to releasably seal to a portion of the outer surface access area after the sealing layer, having been pulled back, is returned to a position covering the access opening. 42. The container in combination with a food product of claim 30, wherein the outer surface access area has graphics and wherein the sealing layer has graphics which align with the graphics of the outer surface access area. 43. The container in combination with a food product of claim 30, wherein the container comprises a package integrity feature which provides an indication that the container has been opened at least once. 44. The container in combination with a food product of claim 30, wherein the food product as is cookies. 45. The container in combination with a food product of claim 30, wherein the outer surface access area is generally flat. 46. A food container in combination with a food product located within the container, the food product being discrete food articles, a wrapper forming the exterior of the container and having an outer surface access area, the overall structure of the container imparting to the wrapper a certain shape, which certain shape is independent of the size or shape of the discrete food articles within the container, an access opening formed in the outer surface access area so as to provide access to the discrete food articles within the container, and a sealing layer adhesively sealed to the outer surface access area so as to cover the access opening, said sealing layer being releasable and reclosable against the outer surface access area around the access opening to seal the access opening after the sealing layer, having been initially opened, is moved back against the outer surface access area. 47. The container in combination with a food product of claim 46, wherein the container includes a top, a bottom, and sides, and wherein the outer surface access area is located in the top. 48. The container in combination with a food product of claim 47, wherein the container top is polygonal. 49. The container in combination with a food product of claim 46, wherein the outer surface access area is generally flat. 50. The container in combination with a food product of claim 46, wherein the wrapper is a flexible material. 51. The container in combination with a food product of claim 46, including a tray or trays within the wrapper, the food product located in the tray or trays and wherein the tray or trays impart the certain shape to the wrapper. 52. The container in combination with a food product of claim 46, wherein the access opening is large enough to provide hand access to the food product within the container. 53. The container in combination with a food product of claim 46, wherein the sealing layer includes a starter portion located at one side of the outer surface access area for grasping and pulling back the sealing layer to increase a size of an exposure of the access opening. 54. The container in combination with a food product of claim 53, wherein the sealing layer is shaped to releasably seal to a portion of the outer surface access area after it, having been pulled back, is returned to a position covering the access opening. 55. The container in combination with a food product of claim 46, wherein the container comprises a package integrity feature which provides an indication that the container has been opened at least once.