Claims
- 1. A flexible package for containing a product and having a reclosable opening feature, comprising:a flexible sheet having a heat-sealable material on an inner surface of the sheet at least along opposite longitudinal edge portions and along opposite end edge portions of the sheet, the opposite longitudinal edge portions of the sheet being heat sealed together to create a permanent longitudinal seal so as to form a tube having opposite first and second ends; a permanent first end seal formed proximate the first end of the tube so as to close the first end, and a permanent second end seal formed proximate the second end of the tube so as to close the second end, the permanent end seals being formed by heat sealing the heat-sealable material on opposing portions of the inner surface of the sheet together; and a re-sealable seal formed proximate one of the permanent seals, the re-sealable seal being formed by a pressure-sensitive adhesive applied to a first region of the inner layer of the sheet proximate the one permanent seal and a heat seal coating applied over the pressure-sensitive adhesive so as to cover the pressure-sensitive adhesive, and a heat seal coating applied over a second region of the inner surface of the sheet, the first and second regions of the inner surface being placed in contact with each other and having the heat seal coatings thereon heat scaled together.
- 2. The package of claim 1, wherein the re-sealable seal is formed adjacent the first end seal.
- 3. The package of claim 2, wherein the first region of the sheet to which the pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied comprises two separate areas spaced on opposite sides of a center region of the sheet, and the second region of the sheet occupies said center region, and wherein the sheet is folded so as to place said two separate areas in contact with said center region for forming the re-sealable seal.
- 4. The package of claim 2, wherein the first end seal is adjacent an edge of the sheet and the re-sealable seal is spaced from the first end seal in a direction toward the second end seal.
- 5. The package of claim 4, further comprising an opening feature formed in the sheet between the first end seal and the re-sealable seal.
- 6. The package of claim 5, wherein the opening feature is operable to enable a portion of the package having the first end seal to be torn off the package without disturbing the re-sealable seal.
- 7. A method for making a flexible package for products such that the package is reclosable after initial opening thereof comprising:providing a generally rectangular flexible sheet having an inner surface and having a pressure-sensitive adhesive applied to a first region of the inner surface thereof, said first region being proximate a first edge of the sheet, the sheet having a heat seal coating applied over the pressure-sensitive adhesive such that the pressure-sensitive adhesive is covered by the heat seal coating, and a heat seal coating covering a second region of the inner surface of the sheet, the sheet further having a heat-sealable material on the inner surface thereof along at least opposite longitudinal edge portions and opposite end edge portions of the sheet; heat sealing the opposite longitudinal edge portions of the sheet to each other via the heat-sealable material on the inner surface of the sheet to form a tube with a permanent longitudinal seal therealong, the first and second regions of the inner surface being located so as to be opposed to each other; closing each of the ends of the tube by heat sealing opposing portions of the sheet to each other via the heat-sealable material on the inner surface of the sheet along the end edge portions thereof so as to form permanent First and second end seals, the first and second regions being adjacent one of the permanent seals; and bringing the first and second regions of the inner surface together and sealing the heat seal coatings on said regions to each other so as to form a re-sealable seal proximate said one of the end seals and longitudinal seal.
- 8. The method of claim 7, wherein a continuous web of flexible sheet material is advanced through a first applicator station that applies the pressure-sensitive adhesive onto the web at regular intervals spaced along the web, the web then being advanced through a second applicator station that applies the heat seal coatings onto the web in registration with the pressure-sensitive adhesive, a package being formed by separating a portion of the web from the remainder of the web while forming the longitudinal seal and the first and second end seals and re-sealable seal.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive and heat seal coatings are applied to the web by rotating cylinders.
- 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a supply of a continuous web of flexible sheet material having the pressure-sensitive adhesive and heat seal coatings applied thereto at regular intervals along the web, and wherein the web is advanced from said supply and a leading end portion of the advancing web is formed into a tube and is sealed along longitudinal and transverse seal lines to form the longitudinal seal and first and second end seals of the tube and to form the re-sealable seal, said leading end portion of the web being severed along transverse lines adjacent said first and second end seals to form an individual package.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the advancing web is formed into a tube and two parallel transverse seals are formed across the tube closely adjacent and spaced from each other, one of said transverse seals forming the first end seal for one package and the other transverse seal forming the second end seal for an adjoining package.
- 12. The method of claim 7, wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied to the inner surface of the web in two separate areas spaced on opposite sides of a longitudinal center line of the web and the heat seal coating is applied over the pressure-sensitive adhesive and over a center portion of the web located inwardly of said two separate areas having the pressure-sensitive adhesive, and wherein the web is folded to place said two separate areas in contact with said center portion so as to form the re-sealable seal.
- 13. The method of claim 7, wherein the re-sealable seal is formed parallel to the first end seal.
- 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the re-sealable seal is formed at a location spaced from the first end seal in a direction toward the second end seal.
- 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising forming an easy-open feature between the first end seal and the re-sealable seal so as to enable the first end seal to be torn from the package without disturbing the re-sealable seal.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/203,269 filed Dec. 1, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,969.
US Referenced Citations (18)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
3519688 |
Dec 1986 |
DE |
0 516 276 |
Dec 1992 |
EP |
2686572 |
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FR |
1-308754 |
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JP |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/203269 |
Dec 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/596309 |
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US |