Patent Application
20080073349
Stoppers may be formed at either end of the package to prevent the slider from disengaging from the edge or track of the aperture frame when either opening or closing to either extremis of the frame.
While the present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings for purposes of illustration, it is understood that the invention is not limited to this package embodiment, and other iterations are included within the scope of the description. The present invention, in essence, involves a packaging container that has an easy opening closure, which can be reclosed. As partially depicted in
The part of the packaging 10 that constitutes the housing 28 for the container can be made from a variety of materials and take a variety of shapes or any form as the user may desire. In certain embodiments, the frame can be part of a rigid tray or encasement of the packaging. The container has a support or receptacle part for different contents, such as an applicator for treatments or medicaments or the like, or another device or article. The receptacle can form a shell that commonly forms part of the aperture frame, either an integrally molded piece or later attached or fitted together. The shell, associated aperture frame, and slider tabs and other parts of the assembled package article can be made by extrusion or injection molding a variety of themoplastics, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl acetate, or the like.
Alternatively, the aperture frame 12 can be situated between the first and second pliable sheets or envelope, wherein the second pliable sheet or envelope of material opposes the first pliable cover sheet of the package. In essence, the frame forms a firm opening, such as depicted in
The packaging has the following basic constituents: a container, a frame defining an opening, and an opening mechanism. In certain embodiments, the frame has opposing rectilinear, substantially parallel sides. The opening mechanism engages slideably with the parallel sides. A pliable sheet of material, which covers the opening in the frame, is associated with the opening mechanism in a manner such that when the opening mechanism is movable back and forth along said frame, the pliable sheet opens and closes the container. The frame has a guide for engaging with the opening mechanism, and the guide may include either a recessed groove or a raised bead that runs, either continuously or discontinuously, along the frame (e.g., on a planar surface or edge flange). Desirably, the opening mechanism is easily operable by hand. Typically, a user can grip the sides of the two tabs of the slider between the thumb and a finger. For instance, when a person grabs hold of the package and pulls the opening mechanism, the pliable sheet is ripped at least partially from a seal that it forms with the frame. The container can be formed of either a rigid, semi-rigid, or flexible material, as long as the frame maintains a shape. The container can be a thermoformed piece, which in certain situations the frame and container can be made as a unitary piece.
In certain embodiments, such as in
In certain embodiments, the package may be constructed only for either single, one-time use, or disposable use. As used herein, the term “disposable” is not limited to single use articles but also refers to articles that can be discarded if they become soiled or otherwise unusable after a few uses. In other embodiments for more durable use, one can reseal the package depending on degree of tackiness of an adhesive or sealant bead along the flange where the pliable sheet contacts the flange. As used herein, the term “adhesive” refers to any substance that is adapted to bond at least portions of one or more layers or plies of the sheet material to the aperture frame by surface attachment. Such substances may be organic, inorganic, natural, synthetic or combinations thereof. Exemplary adhesives may be based on caseins, starches, gums, mucilages, terpene resins (rosin), pitches, rubbers, celluloses, rubber latexes, rubber solvents, waxes, thermoplastic resins, thermosetting resins, epoxy, silicone polymers or the like. Several commercially available adhesive and release paper systems can be employed. The pliable lid coversheet should have release paper properties. For instance, an untreated coversheet material may have inherent release properties and may be peeled, or the coversheet may be treated with a release surface-coating. Persons of skill in the art understand without due experimentation, that the selection of particular species of adhesives or the coversheet material or the material from which the aperture frame is formed depends on the relative compatibility of the adhesive and the materials.
The present invention encompasses embodiments in which the adhesive layer may be a continuous layer or it may be discontinuous. The adhesive may be applied in any configuration including a continuous bead, various spray patterns, spatterings, printings, swirl arrangements or the like.
In certain examples, pressure activated adhesives or tackifier will tend to make resealing easier. Examples of a tackifying adhesive that can be resealed include relatively low glass-transition temperature (Tg) polymeric or other adhesives that remains tacky under ambient conditions. A more rigid or dry adhesive (i.e., high Tg) can define the limits to which the slider is permitted to move, since the coversheet material thus adhered will tend to be more difficult to remove and less likely to reseal. An example of this kind of adhesive may include polyethylene imine.
In embodiments of the invention, the adhesive layer may be in the form of a strip of adhesive running along the peripheral length of the flexible coversheet where it contacts an edge or flange of the aperture frame. The adhesive layer may run along the entire length dimension of at least one side of the coversheet. The adhesive strip may have a width ranging from almost equal to the width of the flange of the aperture fame to a relatively thin strand or bead. Generally speaking, the adhesive strip may have a width sufficient to provide good adhesion of the adsorbent pad to surfaces in view of the peel strength or tack of the adhesive. For example, some suitable pressure sensitive adhesives of the type used in self-sealing envelopes and the like can be applied in a strip. This tight contact generates a seal, barrier or block to minimize gaps and spaces.
Desirably, the adhesive layer is a pressure sensitive adhesive layer. The adhesive used in the present invention should be able to bond the flexible sheet materials. It is also desired that the adhesive maintain the bond when a laminate material is extended or stretched in use. Examples of suitable adhesives that may be used in the practice of the invention include Rextac 2730, 2723 available from Huntsman Polymers of Houston, Tex., as well as adhesives available from Bostik Findley, Inc, of Wauwatosa, Wis., such as H9375-01. Suitable pressure sensitive adhesive include, but are not limited to, hot-melt adhesives. As an example, useful hot-melt garment adhesives include those available under the designations 34-5602 (also known as “Easy Melt”); DF-5575; 170-3902; DM-523; 34-5516; 34-5512; MQ 7987; 53-4503 from National Starch, Bridgewater, N.J. Other useful hot-melt garment adhesives include those available under the designations HL-8141; D-58; D-3944; HL-8112; HM-5717; HL-1375; and HM-1972 from HB Fuller, St. Paul, Minn., and the adhesive available under the designation 910-373 also from Bostik Findley, Inc., of Wauwatosa, Wis.
As illustrated in
In desirable embodiments, the opening mechanism 18 includes a first and second platen situated between the spaced-apart first and second flanges. The first platen I is adapted to engage with the second platen 2. As illustrated in the examples, the first and second platens are connected to each other at a hinge y. One platen is folded over the other, hence sandwiching and securing part of the pliable sheet material therein between. According to certain uses, the opening mechanism is adapted to enable one to reclose the package, either by mere physical proximity of the cover sheet over the opening or with sealing around the edges of the opening. Depending on the tackiness or strength of glues or other adhesive that originally held the pliable sheet material to the face of the frame, one can run the opening mechanism back and reseal the sheet against the surface of the frame. Alternatively, the opening mechanism may have a slot adapted to receive and secure a part of the pliable sheet.
According to an embodiment, the sliding opener piece would have two flex points, not just one as depicted in the accompany
As shown in
One aligns and slides panel 1 onto the rails of the rigid or semi-rigid frame, folds lidstock over the straight, flat edge of panel 2, then folds and secure panel 2 through the holes in panel 1 with the lidstock in between. The lidstock may have a number of holes cut to correspond and receive the molded pins. Then, one folds panel 3 over the backside, at one end, of the aperture frame and secures holes over dimples 24.
In other embodiments, the sliding opener device can be patterned similar to the closing mechanisms described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0070220, or U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,325,239, 6,394,299, or 6,722,520, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In the present situation, the rigid or semi-rigid flange of the frame can have a keyway, like in the patents, comprising a groove or track in the flange to guide the slider device, as it moves up and down the sides of the frame. The slider can incorporate an inclined, wedge-like component or pressure wheel that can be applied to secure or seal the pliable sheet to the flange to allow for resealing of the sheet material after one has opened the package. The resealing mechanism may be configured to work in only one direction when the sliding component is pulled back over the opening.
According to the present invention, an opener mechanism spans across the frame, and has at least two flanges or wings on either side that are adapted to grip and run along or slide against the an edge of the frame. As shown in the accompanying figures, the flanges are adapted to fit against rectilinear, opposing edges of the frame. Attached at one end to the opener mechanism is a pliable sheet that can be extended or retracted as the opener mechanism is moved forward or backward along the frame. The pliable sheet has a bead or area of adhesive around its edge to match and seal against the edge of the frame. The frame can either be part of a rigid plastic encasement, such as used with conventional packages, or have on the other side another pliable covering, which can take the form of a bag or other container for a product or article housed or stored within the packaging. Either the plastic encasement or the pliable bag can be form-fitting to the product within. For example,
In another embodiment, the container comprises a receptacle part and a lid part. The receptacle part has a cavity 28 for receiving stored contents in said container, and the receptacle part and lid part include respective opposing portions adapted to slideably engage with one another corresponding portions to permit relative sliding movement of the lid and receptacle parts between open and closed positions. A displaceable flap forms a cover over an aperture in the lid part, and which moves aside or cures up on it self with the sliding movement. The container has a major longitudinal axis and displaceable flap is oriented substantially parallel with said major longitudinal axis. The opposing portions can take various forms. For example, one of which is in the form of a groove and another of which is in the form of an edge portion slideably engaged in the groove. The displaceable flap can be secured with the sliding opening mechanism which forming part of the lid part. In certain desirable embodiments, the cover sheet material is attached or sealed to an edge of the semi-rigid or rigid flange at an interface. The interface 15 between the pliable coversheet material and the surface of the flange 11 is sealable along a bead pattern that includes a pointed or chevron-like shape 40. The pointed chevron-like feature concentrates shearing forces at an initial opening site, proximal to the initial position of the opening device or sliding handle, as one peals the cover sheet and makes opening the package initially easier.
In another embodiment, a flange that extends from the frame to partially overhang and cover the edge of the pliable sheet material provides a physical barrier that prevents dust or other contaminates from accessing or settling inside of the package when the package is re-closed. The barrier protects the opening without the need for an adhesive to secure the edge of the pliable sheet to the frame. The flange covers along either the longitudinal or lateral edges of the pliable sheet.
In certain commercial applications, the packaging can have an obstruction to the slider tabs to prevent the package from being opened accidentally, or by thieves who open and take the article held in the package and leave an empty package carton. For instance, the obstruction, one on either side of the aperture frame, can be a piece of hard plastic or rubber that may require cutting or breaking of a frangle piece from the slider before on can open the package.
The present invention has been described by way of examples, those skilled in the art will understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments specifically disclosed, and that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, unless changes otherwise depart from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims, they should be construed as included herein.
