The present disclosure generally relates to a resealable label flap positionable to cover an opening in a product package containing removable articles such that the label flap is pivotally secured to the package and can be repeatedly removed and reapplied to access the articles contained within the package. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a multi-layer, resealable label flap having a hinge formed in a rigid base layer to facilitate repeated opening and closing of the label flap on the package.
Resealable label flaps are commonly used with many different types of product packages. One common type of package that utilizes a resealable label flap includes packaged sheet-like removable articles that have been thoroughly wetted with a liquid prior to packaging. This specific product package is generally constructed from a thin, flexible, liquid-impervious material that has an opening over which the label flap is removably adhered. Typically, the label flap attached to the package is a strip of flexible or semi-rigid thermoplastic material having a removable pressure-sensitive adhesive applied to one surface of the label flap. The removable adhesive creates a generally air-tight seal around the package opening to prevent the packaged removable articles from drying out during storage.
In packaging of the type described above, as the articles are removed, a top surface of the flexible package may become deformed or waved. As a result, when an attempt is made to reattach the label flap to the package after opening, the label flap cannot be properly attached to the top of the package to create a seal around the package opening. In such situations, it is desirable to utilize a more rigid material for the resealable label flap and to incorporate a frame surrounding the resealable flap, which maintains the shape of the package better than conventional label flaps and ensures consistent proper sealing of the package. Bending a more rigid, pivotally secured label flap to access the opening in a package is more difficult than the use of a more flexible label flap.
One known container having a resealable label flap made of material which is stiffer than the container is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,953 to Nakamura et al. The '953 patent discloses a single layer reinforcing sheet of between 100 and 130 micrometers having a cut line that defines a movable label flap with a starting tab. A crease is formed in the reinforcing sheet by the means of a press. The crease serves to define a hinge used in the opening and closing of the flap. The crease prevents the disengagement of the label flap from the reinforcing sheet. The problem with this approach is that creases in stiff, rigid materials do not form good hinges. A hard crease will create a hinge that bends easily, but the material tends to break at the hinge. A soft crease will create a hinge that bends hard, and resists bending back on reclosure of the label flap.
The present disclosure relates to a resealable label flap positionable to cover an opening in a package. The label flap includes a base layer extending between a first end and a second end. The base layer includes a first adhesive on a bottom face surface that permits repeated application and separation of the base layer relative to the package. The base layer has a starting tab to permit removal of the base layer from the package. A top layer is attached to the base layer and includes a second adhesive on a bottom face surface that permanently attaches the top layer to a top face surface of the base layer. The base layer and the first adhesive on the bottom face surface thereof are formed with a slit that defines a hinge for enhancing separation of the base and top layers from the package upon manipulation of the starting tab.
The hinge-defining slit extends completely through the base layer and the first adhesive. The slit is located adjacent the first end of the base layer, and the starting tab is positioned at the opposite, second end of the base layer. The base layer and the top layer form a flap portion having an attachment end and a removable end including the starting tab. At least one of the base layer and the top layer can be printed with information. The resealable label flap may include a frame that extends substantially around the opening of the package. The top layer is coextensive with the base layer. The first adhesive is preferably a removable pressure-sensitive adhesive and the second adhesive is a permanent pressure-sensitive adhesive.
In another aspect of the disclosure, the resealable label flap is positionable to cover an opening in a package containing removable articles. The label flap includes a base layer extending between a first end and a second end. The base layer includes a first adhesive on a bottom face surface that permits repeated application and separation of the base layer relative to the package. The base layer has a starting tab to permit removal of the base layer from the package. A top layer is attached to the base layer and includes a second adhesive on the bottom face surface that securely attaches the top layer to a top face surface of the base layer to prevent separation therebetween. The base layer and the first adhesive are formed with a slit defining a hinge. The base layer, the first adhesive, the top layer and the second adhesive are formed to include a flap portion pivotally secured about the hinge to a frame extending substantially around the flap portion and reinforcing the package.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.
The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention.
In the drawings:
As shown in
The product package 10 further includes a resealable label flap 18 that is applied to the package body 12 to seal the package body 12 by covering the opening 16. The label flap 18 contacts the generally smooth, flat top surface of the package body 12, and forms a generally water and air-tight seal with the package body 12 around the opening 16. The water and air-tight seal around the opening 16 prevents contamination of the cleaning cloths 14 and prevents the cleaning cloths 14 from drying out.
The label flap 18 is resealably attachable to the upper surface of the package body 12 such that a flap portion 20 of the label flap 18 can be repeatedly opened and resealed to provide access to the cleaning clothes 14 contained within the internal space defined by the package body 12. The flap portion 20 is defined by a cut line 21 that separates the flap portion 20 from the outer frame 24. The label flap 18 includes the flap portion 20, the starting tab 22 and the frame 24 to which the flap portion 20 is pivotally secured. In general, a bottom surface of label flap 18 includes a removable adhesive that allows the flap portion 20 to be repeatedly peeled from the package body 12, and reapplied thereto in order to gain access to the opening 16 and then reseal the product package 10. The resealable adhesive contained on the flap portion 20 retains its adhesive properties during repeated application and removal of the flap portion 20 to the package body 12.
The starting tab 22 is a portion of the label flap 18 in which the adhesive on the label flap 18 is rendered ineffective or, in the alternative, not present such that the starting tab 22 does not adhere to the package body 20 and can be grasped by the user to pull the flap portion 20 from the package body 12. Referring now to
The frame 24 substantially surrounds the flap portion 20 as well as the package opening 16, and serves to reinforce the flexible upper surface of the package body 12. The frame 24 also functions to maintain the overall shape of the flexible package body 12 as products 14 are removably dispensed therefrom. As will be understood hereafter, the frame 24 is attached to the upper surface of the package 12 by the same adhesive applied to the bottom surface of the flap portion 20.
As can be best seen in
In one embodiment of the disclosure, the base layer 28 is a single layer polymeric film, and the first adhesive 38 applied to the base layer 28 is a removable pressure-sensitive adhesive that retains its adhesive qualities as the flap portion 20 is peeled from the package body 12 and reapplied thereto. The first adhesive 38 has the desired adhesive properties to form a seal around the opening 16 while being able to be pulled from the package body 12 without damaging the thermoplastic material forming the package body 12. Although the base layer 28 is shown as being only a single layer, the base layer 28 could be formed from multiple layers bonded together to create the desired thickness for the base layer 28.
A top face surface 36 of the base layer 28 may be printed with indicia 42, such as text or graphic images, as represented in
Referring back to
As shown in
When the label flap 18 is positioned on the package body 12, the removable first adhesive 38 applied to the base layer 28 is pressed into contact with the package body 12, and the base layer 28 covers the entire opening 16.
When a user desires to access the products 14 contained within the package 10, the user first grabs the starting tab 22. Once the starting tab 22 has been grasped, the user pulls back on the flap portion 20 shown in
As shown in
After the desired number of cleaning cloths 14 has been removed from the opening 16, the user repositions the flap portion 20 over the opening 16. The first adhesive 38 reseals the flap portion 20 onto the package body 12 to form the required air-tight seal around the opening 16.
In accordance with the present disclosure, the opening and pivotal movement of the flap portion 20 relative to the frame 24 and package body 12 are enhanced by the hinge 27, which is defined by the portion of the top layer 30 extending over the slit 44. Formation of the slit 44 in only the base layer 28 and the first adhesive 38 permits the user to pull back and pivot the flap portion 20 at hinge 27, at which point only the top layer 30 connects the flap portion 20 to the rest of the base layer. The separation of the portion of the base layer 28 defining the flap portion 20 from the frame 24 creates a tactile response, indicating no further opening effort is required. Upon reaching the hinge 27, the base layer 28 and underlying adhesive 38 cleanly break away from the upper surface of the package 10. However, removal or disengagement of the flap portion 20 from the frame 24 and package 10 is prevented because of the portion of the top layer 20 extending over the slit 44. As a result, easy bending occurs along slit 44 at the top layer 30 and the second adhesive 50 (as shown in
The frame 24 used in the embodiment of
Referring now to
After the starting tab 22 has been formed, printing may or may not be provided on the top face surface 36 of base layer 28. The base layer 28 and the first adhesive 38 are then cut therethrough with cross cuts or slits 44. The top layer 30 (which may or may not be printed) and the second adhesive 50 are then applied to the top face surface 36 of base layer 28 as indicated by the arrows in
Although the label flap 18 of the present invention has been described as including a frame 24, an alternative embodiment is shown in
In the embodiment shown, the base layer 28 is preferably opaque and thicker than top layer 30 which is preferably clear. However, it should be understood that the base layer 28 and the top layer 30 may be formed of various clear, translucent and opaque materials having varying thicknesses/thickness. The base layer 28 which is shown as a single layer may be formed by more than one layer with printing between the layers, if desired.
Various alternative and embodiments are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.