FILM PACKAGING AND METHOD OF USING SAME

Abstract

A packaging has juxtaposed front and rear panels having juxtaposed upper and lower end edges and juxtaposed side edges extending between ends of the end edges. The side edges are fastened together to define an interior space between the panels. A plurality of longitudinally extending weakened tear lines are formed in and extend along a full longitudinal length of each of the panels. Respective upper and lower transversely extending welds extend along and secure together the upper and lower edges of the panels to longitudinally close the interior space.

Claims

1. A packaging comprising: juxtaposed front and rear panels having juxtaposed upper and lower end edges and juxtaposed side edges extending between ends of the end edges, the side edges being fastened together to define an interior space between the panels; a plurality of longitudinally extending weakened tear lines formed in and extending along a full longitudinal length of each of the panels; and respective upper and lower transversely extending welds extending along and securing together the upper and lower edges of the panels to longitudinally close the interior space.

2. The packaging defined in claim 1, wherein each of the upper and lower welds extends transversely a full transverse length of the respective end edge.

3. The packaging defined in claim 1, further comprising: a tear aid on at least one of the end edges.

4. The packaging defined in claim 3, wherein the tear aid is a zig-zag edge cut.

5. The packaging defined in claim 1, wherein the weakened tear lines extend longitudinally parallel to each other at a transverse spacing.

6. The packaging defined in claim 1, wherein there are at least three such weakened tear lines on each panel and the tear lines are transversely equidistantly spaced on each panel.

7. The packaging defined in claim 6, wherein the tear lines are each uniformly distributed over the entire transverse widths of the panels.

8. The packaging defined in claim 6, wherein the tear lines are grouped together only in a central portion of the respective panel.

9. The packaging defined in claim 5, wherein at least tear lines closest to the longitudinal side edges are parallel to the longitudinal side edges.

10. The packaging defined in claim 1, wherein the front and rear panels are independent pieces of thermoplastic film joined together at the side and end edges.

11. The packaging defined in claim 1, wherein the front and rear panels are formed of a single piece of plastic film folded at one of the longitudinal side edges.

12. A method comprising the steps of: forming at least one longitudinally extending thermoplastic web with a plurality of transversely spaced and longitudinally extending weakened tear lines; forming from the at least one thermoplastic web having the tear lines juxtaposed front and rear panels having juxtaposed upper and lower end edges and juxtaposed side edges extending between ends of the end edges, the side edges being fastened together to define an interior space between the panels; putting a product between the panels into the interior space; and forming respective upper and lower transversely extending welds along the upper and lower edges of the panels to longitudinally close the interior space around the product and form a package.

13. The method defined in claim 12, wherein the front and rear panels are formed by folding the thermoplastic web over on itself along a longitudinally extending fold line.

14. The method defined in claim 12, wherein the front and rear panels are formed by respective separate thermoplastic webs that are fastened to each other by welds at the side edges.

15. The method defined in claim 12, wherein the web is formed into a plurality of such packages succeeding one another longitudinally and the weld at the lower edge of one package is formed simultaneously with the weld at the upper edge of the preceding package, the method further comprising the step of: transversely severing the web between the upper and lower end-edge welds immediately after formation thereof to separate the packages from one another.

16. The method defined in claim 12, wherein the longitudinally extending weakened tear lines are formed in the at least one thermoplastic web by laser cutting, stamping, or mechanical material removal.

17. The method defined in claim 12, further comprising the step of: aligning the tear lines of the front panel with the tear lines of the rear panel.

18. The method defined in claim 12, wherein the product is a bulk material and if fed from above down into the interior space.

19. The method defined in claim 12, wherein the product is a bar and is inserted transversely into the interior space.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0035] The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

[0036] FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a packaging according to the invention;

[0037] FIG. 2A is a schematic view of a first VFFS method of using the packaging of this invention;

[0038] FIG. 2B is a schematic view of a second method of making the packaging according to the invention; and

[0039] FIGS. 3A and 3B show two methods of opening a package in accordance with the invention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] As seen in FIG. 1 a film packaging 1 according to the invention has a rectangular front panel extending in a longitudinal direction 1 and in a transverse direction q. The longitudinal extension of the film packaging 1 is greater than the transverse extension. An identical rear panel 3, which also extends in the longitudinal direction 1 and transverse direction q, is congruent behind the front panel 2 and covered by same in FIG. 1. The front panel 2 and the rear panel 3 are interconnected at longitudinal side edges 4 of the film packaging 1 and form a continuous film tube. The front panel 2 and the rear panel 3 are also interconnected on an upper and lower end edge 5 by a respective transverse weld 6. The interior space of the packaging between the front and rear panel 2 and 3 is thereby tightly sealed. According to the invention, a plurality of weakened tear lines 7 are provided both on the front panel 2 and on the rear panel 3 that extend in the longitudinal direction 1 over the entire longitudinal lengths of the front and rear panel 2 and 3.

[0041] In this embodiment, the transverse welds 6 run both on the upper edge and on the lower edge over the entire width of the front and rear panels 2 and 3 in the transverse direction q. A tear aid 15 is provided on the end edges 5 in the form of a zigzag-shaped cut extending both into the transverse welds 6 and over the entire width of the film packaging 1 in the transverse direction q. The weakened tear lines 7 are provided parallel to one another and to the longitudinal direction 1 of the film packaging 1 and are distributed equidistantly over the entire width of the film packaging 1 in the transverse direction q between the outer edges 4.

[0042] FIG. 2A shows an embodiment for a method for making a film packaging according to the invention. A film web 8 for forming both the front and rear panels 2 and 3 of the film packaging 1 is taken off a roll as a prefabricated semifinished product. Weakened tear lines 7 that extend parallel to web-feed direction FD of the film web 8 are already provided in the film web 8. The sheet of film web 8 is then folded over such that its longitudinal side edges 9 are brought into contact with one another and the inner faces of the film web 9 adjacent to the longitudinal side edges 9 rest flat against one another. In this region, the film web is joined with itself by a fin seal, thereby creating a continuous film tube 10. A product 14 that can be in bulk can be filled into this through a funnel 11. At a subsequent combined cutting and sealing station 12, a transverse weld is formed on the film tube 10 transversely to the feed direction FD, and the transverse weld 6 is simultaneously divided approximately in half in the center to form the upper and lower edge welds 6. In this way, a film packaging 1 according to the invention is separated from the film tube 10 and is simultaneously sealed with an upper-edge transverse weld. At the same time, a bottom weld is simultaneously formed to close off the remaining film tube 10 and thereby form the bottom weld 6 for a film bag 1 to be produced subsequently.

[0043] No synchronization between the movement of the material web 8 and the sealing station 12 is necessary, since the weakened tear lines 7 extend in the feed direction FD in any case. Moreover, it is possible to manufacture film packagings 1 of different sizes from the same film web 8 by varying the timing of closing and operation of the sealing station 12 in relation to the speed at which the film web 8 is fed.

[0044] FIG. 2B shows an alternative embodiment of the method as an HFFS (horizontal FFS) installation. The film web provided for the formation of the front panel 2 and of the rear panel 3 is supplied as separate film webs 8 and 8′. Both have already been provided with weakened tear lines 7 running in the feed direction FD. A product 14 is inserted in a transverse direction TD by an unillustrated supply device onto the film web 8 forming the rear panel 3 that is being fed on a conveyor belt 13. The product is then covered with the film web 8′ to form the front panel 2. The front and rear panels 2 and 3 are interconnected in the region of the longitudinal side edges 4 by longitudinal welds. A transverse weld running transversely to the feed direction FD that connects the front panel 2 to the rear panel 3 is then formed at another combined cutting and sealing station 12. At the same time, the transverse weld is longitudinally divided along its transverse extent in order to cut a single film packaging 1 to length.

[0045] FIGS. 3A and 3B show possible variants for opening a film packaging according to the invention in two embodiments. In FIG. 3A, both the weakened tear lines 7 and the tear aids 15 are provided only in the left half of the film packaging 1. The film packaging can be divided by tearing into a tear aid 15 and into this area between the weakened tear lines 7. After that, the smaller portion of the film packaging is removed so that a block-shaped product 14 projects laterally out of the interior of the packaging between the front and rear panels 2 and 3. In this state, the product 14 can be used or removed in the transverse direction q.

[0046] In another variant according to FIG. 3B, the weakened tear lines 7 and the tear aid 15 are provided only in a middle third of the front and rear panels 2 and 3 of the film packaging 1. The film packaging 1 is torn open partially from an end edge 5 and pulled apart on the upper edge. In the embodiment, the bar-shaped product 14 thus projects out of the opening in the longitudinal direction 1. The product 14, for instance a candy bar, can thus be handled securely without having to be touched.