FOOD PACKAGE

Abstract

A package for products comprises: at least two flexible adjoined layers configured to provide a cavity extending therebetween for containing a product. The at least two flexible adjoined layers are moveable between: a first closed configuration in which the flexible adjoined layers are sealed around the entire periphery thereof to isolate the cavity from an external environment; and a second open configuration in which the flexible adjoined layers extend in a substantially cone shaped configuration, and in which the base of the substantially cone shaped configuration provides an opening extending into the cavity.

Claims

1. A package for products, in which the package has a substantially truncated rectangular or square shape, and in which the package comprises: at least two flexible adjoined layers configured to provide a cavity extending therebetween for containing a product, in which the at least two flexible adjoined layers comprise a front surface provided by a first flexible layer and a rear surface provided by a second flexible layer, in which each flexible layer comprises a top end and an opposed bottom end, in which each of the flexible adjoined layers comprises a first corner provided at the top end, a diagonally opposed second corner provided at an opposed bottom end, and an openable seam extending therebetween, and in which the at least two flexible adjoined layers are moveable between a first closed configuration in which the flexible adjoined layers are sealed around the entire periphery thereof to isolate the cavity from an external environment; and a second open configuration in which the flexible adjoined layers extend in a substantially cone shaped configuration defining the cavity therebetween, and in which the base of the substantially cone shaped configuration provides an opening extending into the cavity.

2. (canceled)

3. The package as claimed in claim 1, in which the openable seam is resealable.

4. The package as claimed in claim 1, in which the openable seam extends along a peripheral portion of the package.

5. The package as claimed in claim 1, in which each of the flexible adjoined layers comprises a third corner provided at the opposed bottom end and spaced apart from the second corner, and in which the third corner is aligned with the first corner of the layers, and in which in the second open configuration the third corner forms the apex of the substantially cone shaped configuration of the package.

6. The package as claimed in claim 3, in which the openable seam comprises an arcuate portion extending between the first and second corners.

7. The package as claimed in claim 3, in which the openable seam comprises: a first seam portion extending from the first corner and extending substantially parallel to the bottom end of the package; a second seam portion extending from the second corner and extending substantially perpendicular to the bottom end of the package; and a third seam portion extending at an angle to the first seam portion and the second seam portion and extending therebetween.

8. The package as claimed in claim 7 in which the third seam portion comprises an arcuate portion extending between the first and second seam portions.

9. The package as claimed in claim 7 in which the third seam portion comprises a linear portion extending between the first and second seam portions.

10. The package as claimed in claim 7, in which at least the third seam portion is openable.

11. The package as claimed in claim 10, in which the third seam portion and at least one of the first and second seam portions are openable.

12. The package as claimed in claim 11, in which the first, second and third seam portions are openable.

13. A method of manufacturing the package as claimed in claim 1, comprising a. providing at least two flexible layers; b. adjoining the at least two flexible layers along at least a bottom end; and c. providing an openable seam extending between a first corner at a top end of the flexible layers and a diagonally opposed second corner at the bottom end of the flexible layers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] FIG. 1A is an illustration of a front view of a package according to one embodiment of the present invention when the package is in the first closed position;

[0051] FIG. 1B is an illustration of a rear view of the package of FIG. 1A in the first closed configuration;

[0052] FIG. 2A is an illustration of a front view of a package according to a further embodiment of the present invention when the package is in the first closed position;

[0053] FIG. 2B is an illustration of a rear view of the package of FIG. 2A in the first closed configuration;

[0054] FIG. 3 is an illustration of a side view of the package of FIGS. 2A and 2B when in the second open position;

[0055] FIG. 4 is an illustration of a further side view of the package of FIGS. 2A and 2B when in the second open position;

[0056] FIG. 5 is a further illustration of a further side view of the package of FIGS. 2A and 2B when in the second open position; and

[0057] FIG. 6 is an illustration of a view from above of the package of FIGS. 2A and 2B when in the second open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] The invention concerns packaging. In particular this invention concerns a package for a product, such as for example a food product. The food product may be for example crisps, popcorn, nuts, confectionary or chocolate. It is however to be understood that the package may be used for containing or storing any suitable product and is not to be limited to food products.

[0059] With reference to the figures, the package 10 comprises two flexible adjoined layers 12, 14. A first flexible layer 12 provides the front face of the package 10. A second flexible layer 14 provides the rear face of the package 10.

[0060] It is to be understood that the package may comprise any suitable number of flexible adjoined layers in order to form the package 10. In the illustrated embodiment the package contains two flexible adjoined layers 12, 14. The two flexible adjoined layers may be provided by a single flexible member configured to provide a first flexible layer providing a front face of the package, and a second flexible layer providing a rear face of the package. The package may in some embodiments further comprise one or more internal panels, such as for example divider panels, to provide multiple cavities within the package. Each internal panel may be provided by a flexible layer adjoined to the first and second layers. In one embodiment, each internal panel may be provided by a flexible layer adjoined to the internal surface of one of the first or second layers.

[0061] In the first closed configuration, each of the flexible layers 12, 14 comprises a top end 16, 16 and an opposed bottom end 18. Each of the flexible adjoined layers 12, 14 comprises a first corner 20 provided at the top end 16, a diagonally opposed second corner 22 provided at an opposed bottom end 18, and an openable seam 24 extending therebetween.

[0062] In the first closed configuration, the two flexible layers 12, 14 are joined together along the bottom end 18 of the package 10. The two flexible layers 12, 14 are also joined together along a seam 15 extending substantially perpendicular to the bottom end 18 of the package 10. The seam may be located at any suitable location on the package 10. In the illustrated embodiment the seam 15 is provided along the second flexible layer 14 at the rear of the package 10. It is however also to be understood that the package may comprise a fold in addition to or in place of a seam 15. The fold may extend substantially perpendicular to the bottom end 18 of the package 10.

[0063] In the first closed configuration, each of the flexible adjoined layers 12, 14 comprises a third corner 26 provided at the opposed bottom end 18 and spaced apart from the second corner 22. The third corner 26 is aligned with the first corner 20 of the flexible layers 12, 14. In the first closed configuration, the package 10 forms a truncated substantially rectangular shape. It is however to be understood that the package 10 may have any suitable shape. For example, in one embodiment, the package may form a truncated substantially square shape in the first configuration. The terms truncated rectangular and truncated square are used herein to refer to rectangular or square shapes which are missing a corner.

[0064] The length of the package 10 is measured between the first 20 and third 26 corners. The length of the package 10 is measured in a direction extending substantially perpendicular to the top 16 and bottom 18 ends of the package 10.

[0065] With reference to FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B, in the first closed configuration, the openable seam 24 extends along a peripheral portion of the package 10. The entire length of the openable seam 24 extends along the periphery of the package 10.

[0066] With reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, when viewed from the front of the package, as provided by the first flexible layer 12, the openable seam 24 extends along the periphery of the package and extends in an anticlockwise direction from or adjacent the first corner 20 towards the second corner 22 of the package 10.

[0067] With reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, when viewed from the front of the package, as provided by the first flexible layer 12, the openable seam 24 extends along the periphery of the package and extends in a clockwise direction from or adjacent the first corner 20 towards the second corner 22 of the package 10.

[0068] In the first closed position, the openable seam 24 comprises a first seam portion 28 extending along the top end 16 from or adjacent to the first corner 20 in a direction extending substantially parallel to the bottom end 18 of the package 10.

[0069] In the first closed position, the openable seam 24 further comprises a second seam portion 30 extending from or adjacent to the second corner 22 in a direction extending substantially perpendicular to the bottom end 18 of the package 10.

[0070] In the first closed position, the openable seam 24 further comprises a third seam portion 32 extending at an angle to each of the first seam portion 28 and the second seam portion 30 and extending therebetween.

[0071] It can be seen from FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B that in the first closed position the third seam portion 32 comprises a straight portion extending between the first 28 and second 30 seam portions. It is however to be understood that the third seam portion 32 may have any suitable shape. For example, the third seam portion may comprise one or more arcuate portions extending between the first 28 and second 30 seam portions.

[0072] In FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B it can be seen that the third seam portion 32 extends at an angle of approximately 45 degrees relative to the first seam portion 28. It is however to be understood that the third seam portion 32 may extend at any suitable angle relative to the first seam portion 28.

[0073] In the first closed configuration, as shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B, the flexible adjoined layers 12, 14 of the package are sealed around the entire periphery of the package to isolate the cavity from the external environment.

[0074] The package 10 is moveable between the first closed configuration as shown in FIG. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B and a second open configuration as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6.

[0075] In use, the user opens the openable seam 24. The openable seam 24 may be opened by applying a pulling force to separate the first and second flexible layers 12, 14 from each other along the length of the openable seam 24. Alternatively, the openable seam 24 may comprise a slideable opening mechanism which may be slidably opened by the user to separate the adjacent portions of the first and second flexible layers 12, 14 from each other. In one embodiment, the openable seam 24 may be provided by a tear off portion or by a line of perforations. The openable seam may be a heat sealed seam or the flexible layers may be adjoined together by adhesive along the openable seam.

[0076] The openable seam 24 opens along the entire length of the seam. In particular, the first 28, second 30, and third 32 seam portions open providing access to the contents of the package 10. It is however to be understood that in some embodiments only a portion of the openable seam 24 may be openable.

[0077] In one embodiment, the package 10 is configured such that the first and second flexible layers 12, 14 are resiliently biased towards the second open configuration. In particular, the package 10 is configured such that the portions of the first and second flexible layers 12, 14 adjacent to the openable seam 24 are resiliently biased to extend away from each other.

[0078] In the second open configuration, the package 10 is in a substantially cone-shaped configuration as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6. The third corner 26 of the package 10 forms the apex of the cone shaped configuration. The base of the cone shaped configuration of the package 10 provides the opening 34 into the cavity provided by the package 10. It can be seen in FIG. 4 that the opening 34 is substantially ovaloid in shape. It is however to be understood that the opening may have any suitable shape including for example, but not to be limited to, circular, semi-circular, polygonal, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, and other multi-sided shapes.

[0079] It can be seen in FIGS. 4 to 6 that the opening 34 is offset from the length of the package 10 as measured between the first 20 corner and the apex provided by the third corner 26 of the flexible layers 12, 14. In particular, the opening 34 extends at an angle to the length of the package 10 extending between the first corner 20 and the apex provided by the third corner 26. Access through the opening 34 to the cavity provided between the flexible layers 12, 14 is in a direction extending at an angle to the length of the package extending between the first corner 20 and the apex provided by the or third corner 26 of the flexible layers 12, 14.

[0080] It can be seen from FIGS. 3 to 6, that in the second open configuration the package 10 provides improved and easier access to the contents within the cavity provided between the first and second flexible layers 12, 14. In some embodiments, the package provides a more sturdy and robust open configuration compared to conventional package enabling easy and secure handling. In particular the package provides an apex (corner 26) providing easy handling of the package by the user. The opening provided by the package of the present invention provides for easier access to the contents of the package as well as providing improved visual access to the contents of the package. The user may therefore be able to share and access the contents more easily with a reduced risk of contacting the internal surfaces of the package, thereby reducing the risk of grease and/or food particle transfer onto the hands of a user. The user may also be able to visually assess the contents more easily with a view to selecting the preferred item of food product within the package when compared to conventional package.

[0081] The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications can be effected by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.