Tamper-Evident, Tear-Open Resealable Package

Abstract

A tamper-evident package utilizes a transparent resealable adhesive structure such as a tape or a label to cover the closure opening. Upon a first opening of the package frangible portions of the package front between adjacent arcuate cuts and slits defining the opening are torn. This tearing distorts the packaging film so that re-registration of the opposing lateral edges upon reclosing is not possible. This results in a package which is visually tamper-evident. The tamper-evident condition can be enhanced by graphics or other printing on the front of the package in the area of the closure to make the misalignment of a resealed closure viewed through the transparent structure more visually apparent. In one embodiment of the invention a series of arcuate cuts are centered laterally and are flanked on the right and left sides by two continuous wavy slits which form a portion of the closure opening.

Claims

1. A package, comprising; a package having a front, a back, and top and bottom edges defining upward and downward longitudinal directions, said package also having opposing left and right side edges defining a lateral direction; a laterally extending resealable tear-open closure for opening and closing the package moveable from an open position to a resealable closed position for providing access to contents within the package through the closure when open, said closure having a series of resealable arcuate cuts comprising two laterally extending longitudinally spaced rows of individual unconnected arcuate cuts, each cut defining a continuous arc with an apex and two free ends.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein a facing direction of each of said cuts is defined by the pointing direction of its apex and wherein the cuts of one row all point in one longitudinal direction opposite the pointing direction of all the cuts of the other row, said rows being longitudinally staggered thereby defining a series of laterally extending alternating upward pointing and then downward pointing unconnected cuts.

3. The package of claim 2 wherein the ends of longitudinally adjacent cuts overlap.

4. (canceled)

5. The package of claim 1 wherein the closure is covered by a resealable transparent adhesive structure that holds the closure in the closed position.

6. The package of claim 1 having manually frangible portions of the package front located between adjacent cuts which rupture when the package is first opened.

7. The package of claim 5 wherein a prior opening of the package closure is evident after it is closed and resealed by the adhesive structure.

8. The package of claim 6 wherein the series of cuts are centered between opposite sides of the package.

9. The package of claim 5 wherein a central longitudinally extending tab portion of the adhesive structure is adhesively deadened to facilitate its manual grasping.

10. The package of claim 1 wherein the closure further includes wavy slits through the package front on either lateral side of the series of arcuate cuts.

11. The package of claim 9 wherein the adhesive structure is located across the package front, wraps around the sides of the package, and is adhered to a back side.

12. The package of claim 10 further having graphics printed on the package front in the area of the series of arcuate cuts to enhance the visual evidence of a prior closure opening.

13. The package of claim 1 wherein the cuts are substantially identical except for their orientation.

14. The package of claim 12 wherein the cuts each have a longitudinal axis.

15. The package of claim 13 wherein the longitudinal axes of the series of arcuate cuts are parallel.

16. The package of claim 13 wherein each arcuate cut is symmetrical about its longitudinal axis.

17. (canceled)

18. The package of claim 16 wherein the adhesive structure is adapted to function equally well with either moist or dry package contents.

19. A package, comprising: a tear-open closure having open and closed positions for providing access to contents within the package through the closure when open, said closure comprising two laterally extending longitudinally spaced rows of individual disconnected arcuate cuts, each cut defining a continuous arc with an apex and two free ends.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIGS. 1 and 2 are top right front isometric views of prior art packaging.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a top right front view of a preconstruction layout of one embodiment of the invention.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a close-up view of the tear-open cut pattern.

[0019] FIGS. 5 and 6 are top right front isometric views showing a package of the invention before and after the first package opening.

[0020] FIGS. 7 and 8 are right side sectional views of the package of the invention in the closed and open positions respectively.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Referring now to FIG. 3, a pre-construction layout of the elements of one embodiment of the invention is shown. Film 31 has a piece of transparent pressure sensitive adhesive reseal structure 33 affixed across it. The adhesive structure includes a pull tab 35 projects upward from the main body of the pressure sensitive reseal feature. The adhesive on the backside of the pull tab 35 is deadened so that it may be easily grasped by the user. The pressure sensitive adhesive reseal structure 33 extends laterally beyond fold lines 36 which define the sides of the package when constructed so that end portions 34 of the adhesive reseal structure 33 wrap around the sides of the package and the side of the structure which is coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive attach to the back when fully formed for stronger attachment. The structure may be a label or a tape composed of a polymeric backing and a pressure sensitive adhesive on either side of the backing.

[0022] Beneath the adhesive reseal structure in the center of the film between the side fold lines a series of slits and cuts define a package opening through which contents of the package can be removed. The closure comprises right and left side wavy slits 37 and a series of arcuate cuts in the center. For reasons later described, the film preferably has a printed-on graphic such as the word OPEN in the area of the arcuate cuts seen in this figure.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 4, the pattern of the series of arcuate cuts is shown. The cuts comprise a laterally extending series of longitudinally spaced apart opposite facing individual identical arcuate cuts in two rows. Here we see that each arcuate cut is defined by an apex 43 and two free ends 45. The adjacent cuts alternate in upward and then downward pointing directions of their respective apexes along a vertical axis. One exemplary axis is shown as A-A. The cuts are substantially identical and are geometrically symmetrical about their axis.

[0024] Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, we see depictions of the package of FIG. 3 before-and-after it is first opened. When first opened, the user pulls tab 35 tearing the package material 51 apart between the central arcuate cuts. The attachment of the adhesive structure such as a tape or a label is strengthen by portions 34 which wrap around the backsides of the package. The other side portions of the package front are non-destructively separated along the continuous wavy slits 37 on either side of the arcuate cut series. This provides the opening in the package as seen in FIG. 8 necessary to access its contents. In FIG. 6 we see the package reclosed and resealed. Here, the torn apart package material around and through the printed word OPEN distorts its depiction so that the prior package opening is visibly evident through the transparent adhesive structure. Because only a small portion of the opening needs to be forcibly torn, only a relatively small force is needed. This, in combination with the novel shape of the cuts, permits the desirable use of a lighter gage film material and a package that is easier to open.

[0025] The opening process is further depicted in FIGS. 7 and 8. As seen in FIG. 7 the constructed package forms front and rear panels 75 and 76. Pull tab 35 has deadening material 71 applied to its back surface to allow manual grasping. The main body of the adhesive structure 33 covers the various opening slits and cuts shown here as cut 73. Side portions 34 of the structure 33 wrap around and are adhered to the back of the package 76. As the tab is grasped and pulled downward the adhesive structure starts to peal from the front panel 75. When the separation point of the peal crosses the above described series of arcuate cuts the adherence of the tape or pressure sensitive label to the panel just below the cuts is sufficient to tear the panel material between the cuts to create a package opening through which its contents can be removed. FIG. 8 shows the package of FIGS. 3-7 in its open condition. Here we see the material of the package front panel 75 destructively torn apart at the mouth of the opening.

[0026] From the above description of the invention it can readily be seen that the objects of the invention have been achieved. While only one embodiment of the invention is depicted in the drawings and described above there can be variations in dimension and proportionality. Furthermore the means of production can be any suitable means available to the art at that time.

[0027] Many modifications to the preferred embodiment may be possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention which shall be defined only by the following claims and their legal equivalents.