PACKAGING

Abstract

Packaging made of a sealable packaging material has a front wall and a rear wall which are directly or indirectly joined to one another; a removal opening extends from and/or is located at an edge of the packaging. An additional material may be disposed between the layers of packaging material, wherein this additional material can be configured as strips and/or can take up the entire width of the removal opening

Claims

1. A packaging composed of a sealable packaging material, having a front wall and a rear wall, which are directly or indirectly connected with one another, wherein a removal opening is provided, wherein the removal opening proceeds from an edge of the packaging and/or is provided at an edge of the packaging.

2. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein an additional material is disposed between the layers of packaging material, wherein this additional material can be configured as strips and/or can take up the entire width of the removal opening.

3. The packaging according to claim 2, wherein the additional material comprises a peelable material, which can be formed in a multi-layer composite composed of at least two outer layers and an inner layer, wherein then, the inner layer is the peelable material.

4. The packaging according to claim 2, wherein the additional material comprises a resealable material, which can be formed in a multi-layer composite composed of at least two outer layers and an inner layer, wherein then, the inner layer is the resealable material.

5. The packaging according to claim 4, wherein the resealable material is a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA).

6. The packaging according to claim 2, wherein the peelable and/or resealable material is structured in such a manner that upon first being opened, a change in color, a pattern, a structure, a text or the like becomes visible; and wherein the additional material is disposed along or transversely to the machine direction.

7. The packaging according to claim 2, wherein the additional material, i.e. a peelable and/or resealable material, which is arranged in a multi-layer composite, demonstrates a change in color upon sealing, wherein the change in color can be configured as an area or pattern, and wherein the at least one of the respective outer lavers of the additional material is specifically adapted to the packaging material that follows it.

8. The packaging according to claim 2, wherein the additional material has a reduced opening force, wherein a material weakening can be provided, by means of which the opening force is reduced, and wherein the packaging material has one or multiple layers.

9. The packaging according to claims 2, wherein the additional material has an embossing, fillers, additives, varnishes or some other characteristic that is structured three-dimensionally in tactile and/or optical manner; and wherein the packaging is configured as modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) or vacuum packaging.

10. The packaging according to claim 2, wherein the additional material is disposed between the packaging material layers and sealed to them; and wherein the packaging is configured as deep-drawn packaging or shrink-wrap packaging.

11. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein a sealing seam is provided to connect two layers of the packaging material and of the additional material; and wherein the packaging material and/or the additional material contain(s) PE, PP, PET, ionomers, Surlyn, PLA, polyester, or mixtures and/or blends of these in at least one layer, in each instance.

12. The packaging according to claim 11, wherein the outer edge of the sealing seam, in the tear-open direction, has a structuring, wherein the structuring can be introduced in advance or is provided during sealing, and wherein a barrier layer is provided in the packaging material and/or in the additional material, wherein then the additional material can be configured to have at least four layers.

13. The packaging according to claim 11, wherein at least the outer edge of the sealing seam, in the tear-open direction, is structured geometrically and thereby forms a tear-open aid; and wherein the additional material is tacked onto at least one wall of the packaging material.

14. The packaging according to claim 13, wherein sealing points or an at least interrupted further sealing seam lie ahead of the sealing seam in the opening direction; and wherein the additional material is tacked on by means of pressing it on in the warm state or by lightly sealing it on.

15. The packaging according to claim 11, wherein the sealing seam or the sealing seams is/are provided with spikes, points or other projecting features; and wherein a label is provided as an additional tamper-evident closure.

16. The packaging according to claim 11, wherein the sealing seam is delimited, at the beginning and/or the end, by means of a firm sealing seam that cannot be opened; and wherein the packaging material has a reduced thickness.

17. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein a gripping surface or gripping tab is provided and wherein the additional material has a symmetrical or asymmetrical structure.

18. The packaging according to claim 17, wherein the gripping surface and/or the gripping tab is/are structured, embossed and/or provided with a soft-touch effect, wherein a TPE, TPU or PA material can be used for the soft-touch effect and/or wherein imprints or addition of additives can be used for the soft-touch effect.

19. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein the packaging is formed by a tubular bag, and either an end seam and/or the longitudinal seam is/are provided with the additional material.

20. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein the removal opening is disposed in a wall of the packaging and covered by packaging material, wherein the additional material is provided between the covering material and the wall, at least in certain sections.

21-32. (canceled)

Description

[0068] In this regard, the figures show:

[0069] FIG. 1 a schematic representation of deep-drawn packaging, which is equipped with a resealing strip according to the invention,

[0070] FIG. 2 a tubular bag, which is equipped with a resealing strip according to the invention,

[0071] FIG. 3 a stand-up bag having a resealing strip according to the invention,

[0072] FIG. 4 a section through a resealing strip according to the invention,

[0073] FIG. 5 a front view of a contour of a sealing seam,

[0074] FIG. 6 a front view of a structured sealing seam, and

[0075] FIG. 7 a front view of three sealing tools, which are structured differently.

[0076] In FIG. 1, 1 refers to packaging having an upper film 2 and a lower film 3.

[0077] The lower film 3 is deep-drawn, whereas the upper film 2 lies flat and is sealed to the lower film 3 on at least three sides of the packaging.

[0078] On the fourth side of the packaging, a strip 4 of an additional material is laid in between the upper film 2 and the lower film 3. The fourth side of the packaging is sealed in the region of the strip 4.

[0079] In this regard, the strip 4 is disposed at a distance from the outer edge of the upper film 2 and the lower film 3, so that the upper film 2 and/or the lower film 3 can be gripped. A distance of about ten millimeters has proven to be very easy to grip, but it can also be larger or smaller. A gripping tab can also be disposed in the gripping region.

[0080] It is particularly good if the surface is structured, embossed and/or provided with a soft-touch effect in the gripping region of the gripping tab. In this way, grippability is significantly improved.

[0081] TPE, TPU or PA material can be used, for example, for the soft-touch effect. Imprints or addition of additives is/are also conceivable.

[0082] The use of partial coatings and/or imprints is conceivable for this.

[0083] The strip 4 consists of a generally at least three-layer material having a first support layer 5, an adhesion layer 6, and a second support layer 7 that follows the adhesion layer 6.

[0084] Adhesion-imparting agents can be provided between the individual layers.

[0085] If the packaging is now supposed to be opened, the composite of the strip 4 is torn apart. It separates between one of the support layers 5 or 7 and the adhesion layer 6, or also in the adhesion layer 6, depending on how the structure is designed, in particular depending on whether the structure is symmetrical or asymmetrical.

[0086] The tightly sealed packaging is therefore open.

[0087] If the packaging is now supposed to be sealed again, the strip 4 is pressed together again. The adhesion layer 6 adheres to the support layer 5 or 7 once again.

[0088] The upper film 2 and the lower film 3 consist, for example, of PE, PP, PET, ionomers, Surlyn, PLA, polyester, mixtures and/or blends of these, at least at their inner sides, which face one another. In this regard, LDPE, LLDPE, metallocene-catalyzed variants, copolymers, for example with EVA, EMA, etc., are conceivable. In the case of PP, homo and Co-PP as well as blends and copolymers are conceivable.

[0089] Likewise, PET, co-PET are conceivable.

[0090] Barrier layers and further layers composed of other polymers are conceivable. For example, layers of PA, EVOH or the like can be provided.

[0091] The composite of the strip 4 must be sealable against the upper film 2 and the lower film 3, with regard to its support layers 5 and 7.

[0092] The adhesion film 6 is formed from a PSA, wherein this must also be sealable, in other words it is not allowed to be damaged during the sealing process of the strip, in such a manner that the openability and the resealing suffer.

[0093] By using a strip 4, the expensive resealing material is disposed exclusively where it is needed. This can be in a seam at a side of the packaging, as shown in the present exemplary embodiment, but it is also conceivable that multiple packaging edges are equipped accordingly.

[0094] Furthermore, it becomes possible to also pasteurize the packaging. Any problems with migration of content substances, above all out of the adhesion layer 6, which might occur are prevented, since the adhesion layer is restricted solely to the strip 4. The sealing seam in the strip 4 is configured in contoured manner, according to the present exemplary embodiment, so that a projection is disposed on the outer edge, at which delamination of the strip 4 can take place more easily.

[0095] Also, targeted material weakening can be provided in the strip 4, which brings about easier openability. For this purpose, cuts, perforations or the like can be used.

[0096] This allows wider sealing seams, and thereby the packaging is particularly leak-proof. In this way, it is also possible to produce packaging with a modified atmosphere or vacuum packaging, which must be very tightly sealed.

[0097] Also, in this way frozen-food packaging can be created for the first time, which can be resealed without problems.

[0098] Different possible contours of the sealing seams are shown in FIG. 7. Triangular contours are particularly preferred.

[0099] The sealing seam is provided with spikes, points or other projecting features in the opening direction, and thereby opening is facilitated. Delamination can be initiated particularly easily at these locations.

[0100] In addition, these contours can have dedicated sealing points or an additional, interrupted sealing line ahead of them. The opening process also becomes audible due to these sealing points. The opening process makes a rattling noise from sealing point to sealing point.

[0101] It is possible to do without additional zippers, hook-and-loop closures, adhesive labels or the like. The use of additional labels to guarantee that the packaging has not been tampered with is conceivable.

[0102] A further approach to improving the opening behavior is, according to the invention, the introduction of a structure into the sealing seam in the region of the strip 4. A plurality of tear initiation points is created by such a structure, which points facilitate the opening process.

[0103] The structure can be provided in advance, in the strip 4, in the lower film 3 and/or in the upper film 2. However, it is also possible that the structure is introduced into the seam only during sealing, using a correspondingly configured sealing tool.

[0104] The combination of a structure and contouring is not only conceivable, but particularly advantageous.

[0105] According to the other exemplary embodiments, other packaging forms are also conceivable, such as, for example, stand-up bags, tubular bags (flow packs) or the like.

[0106] The strip 4 can be tacked to the upper film 2 and/or to the lower film 3 before the actual sealing process, for example. This tacking on can take place in a heating station, for example, wherein the strip 4 is then pressed against the respective film.

[0107] The strip becomes easier to guide due to being tacked on. Deviations that would lead to the sealing seam running out of the strip are prevented.

[0108] Furthermore, manageability is improved. Since the strip 4 is tacked on, it can be better delaminated, so that easier openability is guaranteed.

[0109] In this connection, it is also conceivable that tacking on takes place together with creation of the sealing seam.

[0110] This means that the resealable closure according to the invention can be produced on known packaging machines, which are widely in use, with only slight retrofitting.

[0111] In this regard, the strip 4 can be fed in along or transversely to the machine direction.

[0112] In this regard, the sealing seam can be delimited, at its ends, by other sealing seams that are strong, in other words cannot delaminate. In this way, it is prevented that the packaging tears when it is opened. Furthermore, in this way the resealing process can be simplified. The opening is pulled smooth at these two ends and simply pressed down.

[0113] Placement of barrier layers against various substances in the lower film 2, the lower film 3 and/or in the strip 4 is conceivable.

[0114] A strip 4 having a barrier layer is generally structured in at least four layers. Additional adhesion-imparting agents can be provided.

[0115] An example of a layer structure would then be PE/adhesion-imparting agent/EVOH/PSA/PE.

[0116] On the other hand, the packaging has a particularly tight seal in this way, so that MAP packaging and vacuum packaging can be better implemented.

[0117] Furthermore, in this way sterile packaging, for example for medical uses, for example sterile packaging for the OP sector, can be efficiently created for the first time.

[0118] The peelable and/or resealable material can be structured in such a manner that a color change, a pattern, a structure, a text, a logo or the like becomes visible when the packaging is first opened.

[0119] Likewise, it is conceivable that a color change is introduced during sealing. In this way, it can be checked whether or not the sealing process was successful.

[0120] The additional material can have an embossing, fillers, additives, varnishes or some other feature that is structured three-dimensionally in tactile and/or optical manner, and thereby the openable sealing seam can be recognized not only optically but also in tactile manner.

[0121] On the basis of the strip 4, the remainder of the packaging material can be selected to be thinner. The strip 4 absorbs the forces that occur during opening, so that the remainder of the packaging does not have to be as strong. In this manner, it is possible to save packaging material.

[0122] The strip 4 can be configured symmetrically or asymmetrically. It is conceivable that the respective outer layers of the strip 4 are adapted to the packaging material that follows it, so as to achieve particularly good adhesion.