Patent Application
20070295795
Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
With reference to
A label 30 is helically wrapped about the body ply 16 and is adhered to the body ply with a suitable adhesive. The label is positioned with respect to the body ply such that each edge 32 of the label is not aligned with the butt joint 18 but rather is axially offset from the butt joint. The label comprises an inner layer 34 that is directly adhered to the body ply 16, and an outer layer 36 that is adhered to a radially outer surface of the inner layer. The inner layer has a line of weakness 38 along which the inner layer can be severed relatively easily. The line of weakness can comprise a line of spaced-apart perforations or slits extending at least partially through the thickness of the inner layer, or a continuous slit through the inner layer. The line of weakness extends lengthwise along the label 30, parallel to and spaced from each of the opposite edges 32 of the label. The outer layer 36 in the illustrated embodiment has a pair of die-cut or laser-cut lines 40 that extend substantially or completely through the thickness of the outer layer and that are spaced on opposite sides of and parallel to the line of weakness 38 in the inner layer. The portion of the outer layer 36 between the cut lines 40 comprises a peel strip 42 that is severable from the remainder of the outer layer. The peel strip 42 straddles the line of weakness 38 in the inner layer. The peel strip is adhered to the inner layer using an adhesive that permits the peel strip to be peeled from the inner layer relatively easily and in one piece, as further described below.
The label 30 is helically wound about the body ply 16 such that the line of weakness 38 in the inner layer of the label is aligned with the butt joint 18 of the body ply, as best seen in
With reference to
The peel strip 42 is adhered to the inner layer using a peelable adhesive 50. Advantageously, the peel strip 42 has a tab 52 that is die-cut or laser-cut through the thickness of the outer layer 36. The tab 52 can be free of the adhesive 50 to permit the tab to be grasped and pulled to initiate peeling of the peel strip. The remainder of the outer layer 36 outside the peel strip can be adhered to the inner layer using an adhesive that differs from the peelable adhesive 50, if desired. For example, the remainder of the outer layer can be adhered to the inner layer using a non-peelable adhesive.
A suitable peelable adhesive for the peel strip 42 can comprise a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA). Pressure-sensitive adhesives are often based on non-crosslinked rubber adhesives in a latex emulsion or solvent-borne form, or can comprise acrylic and methacrylate adhesives, styrene copolymers (SIS/SBS), and silicones. Acrylic adhesives are known for excellent environmental resistance and fast-setting time when compared with other resin systems. Acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives often use an acrylate system. Natural rubber, synthetic rubber, or elastomer sealants and adhesives can be based on a variety of systems such as silicone, polyurethane, chloroprene, butyl, polybutadiene, isoprene, or neoprene. When the laminate of the invention is to be used for food packaging, the pressure-sensitive adhesive generally must be a food-grade composition. Various pressure-sensitive adhesives are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in food packaging, as regulated by 21 CFR Part 175. A preferred food-grade pressure-sensitive adhesive for use in the present invention is Jonbond 743 available from Bostik Findley. Additives (e.g., particulates or the like) can be added to the pressure-sensitive adhesive to reduce the tenacity of the bond, if desired.
A suitable non-peelable adhesive for the remainder of the outer layer 36 can comprise a laminating adhesive formulated to bond the layers together with a substantially higher bond strength than the first adhesive such that the layers bonded together by the second adhesive are not readily peelable from each other. The laminating adhesive can be, for example, a two-component polyurethane adhesive system, such as Tycel 7900/7283 available from Henkel. However, the invention is not limited to any particular adhesives, and various compositions can be used while still achieving the objectives and advantages of the invention.
To open the container 10, the tab 52 of the peel strip 42 is grasped and pulled outwardly and generally in the helical direction along which the strip is wound, so as to peel the strip off the underlying layer 34 of the label. Once the peel strip is peeled off, the internal pressure of expanded dough within the container body forces the butt joint 18 of the body ply 16 apart and the line of weakness 38 in the inner layer 34 of the label fractures so that the body ply 16 can be separated at the butt joint to create an opening through which the dough products are removed. Advantageously, the majority of the label outer layer 36 remains intact on the can body so that baking instructions or other information printed thereon can still be read. The peel strength between the peel strip and the underlying inner layer of the label can be closely controlled by suitable formulation of the peelable adhesive 50 so that the peel strip can be easily peeled off in one piece. Thus, the invention provides a significant improvement over existing composite can constructions in which an attempt to peel off the entire label from the paperboard can body substantially in one piece often fails when the label fragments and it is then difficult to re-grasp the label to continue peeling.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
