Package Integrity Indicating Closure

Abstract

A resealable closure for a container or package in which package integrity is indicated by a structure which breaks and/or produces an audible sound when the resealable closure is opened for a first time. The package integrity feature, in one form includes at least one strip or frangible structure that is initially affixed to two portions which comprise the resealable closure so that upon opening the resealable closure for a first time, at least one of the strips breaks. The strips may include a weakened portion such as a narrowing. Integrity of the package is indicated by an intact strip viewable upon opening the resealable closure and conversely, a broken or non-intact strip would indicate that the resealable closure has been previously opened. Package integrity may also be shown by a moveable second panel or moveable die cut tab portions.

Claims

1-33. (canceled)

34. A material comprising: a two-ply structure having a closure formed therein, the closure having an off-set edge providing a margin defined by off-set cuts wherein the off-set cuts are partially disposed through the two-ply structure; and a breakable structure connecting the closure with a remainder of the two-ply structure, wherein the breakable structure is defined by cuts in the two-ply structure.

35. The material of claim 34 wherein the off-set cuts include a first off-set cut and a second off-set cut.

36. The material of claim 35 wherein the first off-set cut extends from a first side of the two-ply structure partially therethrough and the second off-set cut extends from a second side of the two-ply structure partially therethrough.

37. The material of claim 34 wherein the cuts each have a tear-limiting end that inhibits propagation of the cut.

38. The material of claim 37 wherein the cuts comprise a plurality of discrete cuts forming a plurality of breakable structures.

39. The material of claim 37 wherein the tear-limiting end comprises at least one of a hook or a U-shaped configuration.

40. The material of claim 34 further comprising a resealable adhesive disposed at least between portions of a first layer and a second layer of the two-ply structure, wherein the resealable adhesive permits the closure to be peeled back and resealed to the remainder of the two-ply structure.

41. The material of claim 40 wherein the breakable structure includes a weakened portion between the cuts in the two-ply structure, the weakened portion breaks upon an initial separation of the first layer and the second layer of the two-ply structure.

42. The material of claim 41 where the weakened portion is in the form of a narrowing of a portion of the breakable structure.

43. The material of claim 34 wherein the breakable structure comprises an elongated strip of flexible film having opposing side edges defined by the cuts.

44. The material of claim 43 wherein the opposing side edges terminate in respective first and second tear-limiting ends.

45. The material of claim 34 configured to be formed into a series of packages, each of the packages having a single resealable closure formed therein.

46. A material comprising: a two-ply structure having a resealable adhesive between a first layer and a second layer of the two-ply structure and a resealable closure therein, the resealable closure being separable from a remainder of the two-ply structure to subsequently expose an opening in the material; and a breakable structure connecting the resealable closure with the remainder of the two-ply structure, wherein the breakable structure has tear-limiting ends that prevent tearing of the two-ply structure beyond the breakable structure when the opening is exposed.

47. The material of claim 46 further comprising cuts defining the breakable structure and the tear-limiting end inhibiting propagation of the cuts into the two-ply structure beyond the breakable structure.

48. The material of claim 46 wherein the breakable structure breaks into two portions when the opening is initially exposed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package including an exemplary closure prior to an initial opening, according to the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 2a is the package of FIG. 1, shown in a first partially opened condition;

[0017] FIG. 2b is the package of FIG. 1, shown in a further partially opened condition relative to that of FIG. 2a;

[0018] FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of the closure of FIG. 1, as viewed from below in its initial condition prior to being opened for a first time according to the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the closure of FIG. 1, after an initial opening and reseal, according to the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another package, including a closure that has been opened, in accordance with the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another package, including another closure prior to an initial opening, according to the present invention;

[0022] FIG. 7 is the package of FIG. 6, shewn in a partially opened condition;

[0023] FIG. 8 is a partial plan view of the closure of FIG. 6, after an initial opening and reseal, according to the present invention;

[0024] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another package, including another closure, shown in a partially opened condition; and

[0025] FIG. 10 is a partial plan view of the closure of FIG. 9, after an initial opening and reseal, according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Referring to the figures and, in particular, FIGS. 1-4, there is shown package 10 with closure 11, which incorporates a package integrity feature. Package 10 includes a two-ply wrapper comprising a first, inner film layer 12 and a second, outer film layer 13, forming a top or upper surface 14, sides 16, lower surface (not shown), and crimped ends 18, 19. The inner film layer 12 and outer film layer 13 are formed from a polymeric film or other flexible material that has been cut, folded or otherwise pressed to define an inner space or receptacle for receiving the desired produce such as food items, to be provided within the package 10. Package 10 can be used to store and distribute food items such as cookies, crackers, candy or other items. The outer film layer 13 may include graphics or other indicia to identity the contents of the package 10.

[0027] Advantageously, the inner film layer 12 is coextensively formed and adhesively joined to the outer film layer 13. During the manufacturing of the package 10, the first, inner film layer 12 is die out on its side via first tear fine 20, which includes all of the dashed lines in FIG. 1, other than second tear line 23. Outer film layer 13 is die out on its side via a third tear line 21 and die cuts 25. Inner and outer tear lines are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0276525, herein incorporated by reference.

[0028] The first tear line 20 is formed as a continuous tear line to define a first panel 22. The first tear line 20 also defines a plurality of strips 50, 52, 54. A second tear line 23 forms a second panel 42 which also serves to indicate package integrity.

[0029] The first panel 22 can be separated from the remainder of the inner film 12 to expose an opening 24 whereby access to the contents of the package may be gained after the strips 50, 52, 54 have broken (FIG. 2a, 2b). Each strip 50, 52, 54 is integrally joined, and remains attached to the remaining portion of the inner layer 12 which comprises the top 14 at strip portions 50a, 52a, 54a, respectively, and a portion of the strips 50, 52, 54 remains integrally attached to the first panel 22 at strip portions 50b, 52b, 54b, respectively. Each strip 50, 52, 54 has a weakened portion defined by a narrowing in the width of the strip at portions 50c, 52c, 54c, respectively. The narrowing portions 50c, 52c, 54c provide an area of weakness to the respective strip 50, 52, 54 whereby the respective strip breaks at the narrowing portions 50c, 52c, 54c upon opening the closure 11 for a first time.

[0030] Strip portions 50b, 52b, 54b are integrally joined to the first film layer flap 22 at strip ends 50d, 52d, 54d, respectively. Advantageously, die cut 20 forms the strip ends 50d, 52d, 54d in the shape of parallel U's which help ensure that the strips 50, 52, 54 will not tear at strip ends 50d, 52d, 54d and will remain integrally joined to the first panel 22 and allow the strips 50, 52, 54 to break at the weakened narrowing strip portions 50c, 52c, 54c, respectively.

[0031] The second panel 42 remains integrally joined to the inner film layer 12 at end 44, even after the package is opened, and the remainder of the second panel 42 falls down into the opening 24 as described in more detail in the '497 application.

[0032] The third tear line 21 defines sealing panel 26 of the outer film layer 13 and the die cuts 25 define a plurality of tab portions 27 in the sealing panel 26. The sealing panel 26 extends beyond the periphery of the first tear line 20 and the second tear line 23 adjacent to the opening 24, so that the sealing panel 26 completely covers and extends beyond the perimeters of the first panel 22, strips 50, 52, 54, and the second panel 42. As a result, sealing panel 26 completely covers the first panel 22, the strips 50, 52, 54, and the second panel 42.

[0033] The side of the sealing panel 26 which faces the inner film layer 12, including tab portions 27, is coated with a releasable adhesive 28 (see FIGS. 2a, 2b) so that the sealing panel 26 may be resealably secured to the inner film layer 12 at a portion adjacent the first panel 22, and so that the tab portions 27 remain permanently affixed to the inner film layer 12.

[0034] Alternatively or along with releasable adhesive 28, releasable adhesive can be coated on the inner film layer 12 along the outside perimeter of the first panel 22. The releasable adhesive can be any pressure sensitive adhesive which allows resealing and includes, but is not limited to, the adhesives disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/029,626, herein incorporated by reference. The sealing panel 26 is provided with a tab 30 or other gripping feature which is not coated with adhesive 28 so that the sealing panel 26 may be peeled back from the inner film layer 12 to open the package 10.

[0035] Advantageously, the sealing panel 26 has a see-through window portion 29 which lies over the second panel 42 of the inner film layer 12 prior to the package 10 being opened for a first time which permits one to visually observe the second panel 42 adhered thereto prior to the package 10 being opened for a first time and to observe the absence of the second panel 42 attached to the sealing panel 26 after the package 10 has been opened to indicate package integrity as described in the '497 application.

[0036] Referring now specifically to FIGS. 2a, 2b and FIG. 3, package 10 is opened by grasping tab 30 and peeling the sealing panel 26 back in the peeling direction as indicated by arrow 33 (FIGS. 2a, 2b). As the sealing panel 26 is peeled back for a first time, the first panel 22 is separated from the remainder of the inner film layer 12, including the second panel 42 and a portion of the strips 50, 52, 54, along the first film layer tear line 20. Strip portions 50a, 52a, 54a remain integrally attached to the remaining portion of the inner film layer 12, and strip portions 50b, 52b, 54b remain integrally attached to the first panel 22 (FIG. 3). In addition, tab portions 27 separate from sealing panel 26 and remain attached to the inner film layer 12 due to adhesive 28, to thereby form holes 32 in the sealing panel 26 (FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0037] Initially, upon opening the closure 11, the strip portions 50a, 52a, 54a separate from the sealing panel 26 while strip portions 50b, 52b, 54b remain attached to the sealing panel 26 as shown in FIG. 2a. At some point upon peeling the sealing panel 26 back, strip 52 preferably first breaks at narrowing strip portion 52c while strips 50 and 54 remain intact (FIG. 2a). When strip 52 breaks, an audible sound, such as a snap is produced. As shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, the strips may be spaced apart a distance less than the largest dimension of the contents, shown for example in FIGS. 2a and 2b as a cookie 58, so that in practice before strip 52 has been broken, the spacing between the strip is too small for removal of a cookie 58.

[0038] Pulling the sealing panel 26 further in direction of arrow 33 further opens the closure 11 and eventually strips 50 and 54 break at narrowing strip portion 50c, 54c, respectively. As each strip breaks an audible sound such as a snap occurs. Advantageously, the strip narrowing portion 50c, 54c are at the respective same position along the strip 50, 54 so that the strips 50 and 54 break at the same time, thereby producing a unified or single audible sound. Since strip 52 breaks prior to strips 50, 54, two audible sounds are produced, one upon strip 52 breaking, and a second one as strips 50 and 54 break simultaneously.

[0039] Package integrity is indicated by closure 11 through several novel features incorporated into the closure 11. Package integrity is indicated visually by one observing the intact integrally joined strips 50, 52, 54 which advantageously break upon opening the closure 11 a sufficient amount prior to allowing one to remove contents therein thereby indicating package integrity. Further, package integrity is indicated by audible sounds produced when the strips break, whereby the audible sound indicates that the package is being opened for a first time.

[0040] In addition, package integrity is indicated by the visual indication of a portion 34 of the sealing panel 26, shown as black outlined letters for the word SEALED, and a portion 36 of the inner film layer 12 spanning a portion of the panel 22, shown as being gray, which is viewable through the window portion 29 prior to the closure 11 being opened for a first time (FIG. 1), and a middle portion of the word SEALED having a void 46 which void exists because the second panel 42, which was present and intact before the package was opened the first time, has now fallen down in the package and is not visible in the void area 46. The void area 46 is thus shown as not shaded after the closure has been opened and resealed (FIG. 4).

[0041] Further, since the sealing panel 26 does not generally return to its exact original position, but instead is slightly misaligned relative to its original position, package integrity is indicated by such misalignment of the sealing panel holes 32 with the tab portions 25 after the sealing panel 26 has been opened and resealed (FIG. 4).

[0042] Referring to FIG. 5, like elements to those of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4 are increased by 100. Package 110 comprises a thermal formed tray 60 which forms the sides 116 and ends 61, 62. A two-ply film material comprising an inner film layer 112 and a outer film layer 113 are sealed to flange 63 of the thermal formed tray 60. Like package 10, pulling back on tab 130 separates the sealing panel 126 from the outer film layer 113 and separates the first panel 122 from the inner film layer 112, portions of the strips 150, 152, 154 and the second panel 142. After package 110 has been opened for a first time, the strips 150, 152, 154 will break at narrowing strip portions 150c, 152c, 154c producing an audible sound upon breaking and providing a visual indication of package integrity status that the package has been previously opened as shown in FIG. 5.

[0043] Package 110 can be used for various food items, such as cheese, sliced meats and the like. In addition, package 110 can be used for semi-solid items, such as pudding and yogurt. Although package 110 is depicted as having a rectangular shape, the package 110 can have any shape, including cylindrical and irregular.

[0044] The inner and outer film layers 112, 113 may be formed of the same material as layers 12, 13, which includes polypropylene, polyethylene, cellophane or any other polymeric material suitable for forming a package enclosure.

[0045] Referring now to FIGS. 6-8, like elements of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4 are increased by 200. The sealing panel 226 has a see-through window portion 229 which lies over strip 254 of the inner film layer 212 prior to the package 210 being opened for a first time, which permits one to visually observe the strip 254 adhered thereto prior to the package 210 being opened for a first time. Like package 10, pulling back on tab 230 separates the sealing panel 226 from the outer film layer 213 and separates the first panel 222 from the inner film layer 22 and portions of strips 250, 252 and 254. After package 210 has been opened for a first time, the strips 250, 252, 254 will break at narrowing strip portions 250c, 252c, 254c, producing an audible sound upon breaking, and providing a visual indication of package integrity status that the package has been previously opened, as shown in FIG. 7. In addition, package integrity status is evidenced by the absence of portions of the strip 254 being attached to the sealing panel 226 after the package 210 has been opened.

[0046] Referring now specifically to FIG. 8, package integrity status is also indicated by the visual indication of a portion 234 of the sealing panel 226, shown as black outline letters for the word SEALED, prior to the closure 211 being opened for a first time (FIG. 6), and a middle portion of the word SEALED, having a void 246 which void exists because the strip 254 which was present and intact before the package was opened the first time has now fallen down into the package and is not visible at void 246. This void 246 is thus shown as not shaded after the closure has been opened and resealed (FIG. 8). In addition, like package 10, package integrity status is indicated by a slight misalignment of the sealing panel holes 232 with the tab portions 225 after the sealing panel 226 has been opened and resealed (FIG. 8) in a similar manner as package 10. Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, in accordance with another embodiment package 310 has a single strip 352 located at a mid-portion of the opening 324. Package 310 is designed to accommodate a single row of food items, such as cookies 358.

[0047] Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, in accordance with another embodiment, package 310 has a single strip 352 located at a mid-portion of the opening 324. Package 310 is designed to accommodate a single row of food items, such as cookies 358.

[0048] Tear lines 323a and 323b form a pair of integrity indicating panels 342a, 342b, respectively. When the package 310 is opened for a first time, the panels 342a, 342b remain integrally joined to the inner film layer 312 at end 344a, 344b, even after the package 310 is opened, and the remainder of the panels 342a, 342b fall down into the opening 324, as described in more detail in the '497 application.

[0049] Package 310 includes a sealing panel 326 with a pair of see-through window portions 329a, 329b which lie over panels 342a, 342b, respectively, of the inner film layer 312 prior to the package 310 being opened for a first time. The see-through windows 329a, 329b permit one to visually observe the panels 342a, 342b adhered thereto prior to the package 310 being opened for a first time and to observe the absence of the sealing panels 342a, 342b attached to the sealing panel 326 after the package 310 has been opened to indicate package integrity status.

[0050] Once package 310 has been opened and resealed, package integrity status is evidenced by the absence of the panels 342a, 342b attached to the sealing panel 326 in a similar manner as indicated for second panel 42 in package 10. In addition, like package 10, the integrity of package 310 is observable by a misalignment of the sealing panel holes 332 with the tab portion 325 after the sealing panel 326 has been opened and resealed (FIG. 11). Further package integrity status is provided by an audible sound as strip 352 breaks when package 310 is opened for a first time.

[0051] The present invention specifically shows embodiments with three rows of food products (such as cookies) with three strips and with a single row of food products (such as cookies) and a single strip. It is to be understood that the invention is applicable to packages with any number of rows of food products, wherein the number of strips will be selected as desired, considering the number of rows of food products, the width of the package and the desired spacing of the strips. Also, different sized packages can employ any desired number of windows, whether such windows lie over second or third panels or over one or more strips. In addition, the food products can be arranged in rows across the package, or the food product may involve no rows at all, such as for peanuts. In any of these arrangements, the present invention can include any suitable number of strips and/or any suitable number of sealed windows.

[0052] As will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present package integrity feature of the present closure offers benefits over prior tamper-evident or package integrity features.