FOOD PACKAGE WITH RECLOSABLE SNAP LOCK

ARTICLE DE CONDITIONNEMENT D'ALIMENTS

English Abstract

ABSTRACT
A FOOD PACKAGE WITH RECLOSABLE SNAP LOCK
This invention pertains to a food package
having a base and a transparent cover cooperating
with the base to form a cavity. Separating the base
from the cover provides an opening for inserting and
removing foodstuff from the cavity. A sealing means
is provided for hermetically sealing the cavity and
a reclosable means encompassing the hermetical
sealing is provided for snap locking at least 35% of
the opening between the base and the transparent
cover.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A food package comprising:
(a) a base having a cavity suitable for holding food-
stuff;
(b) a transparent cover cooperating with the base to
form a cavity closure so that separating the base from the
transparent cover provides an opening for installing and
removing foodstuff from the cavity;
(c) a transparent means for hermetically sealing the
base to the transparent cover; and
(d) a reclosable means separated from said sealing
means, said reclosable means encompassing the sealing means and
said reclosable means for snap locking at least 35% of the
opening between the base and the transparent cover.
2. A food package comprising:
(a) a base having a cavity suitable for holding
foodstuff;
(b) a transparent cover cooperating with the base to
form a cavity closure so that separating the base from the
transparent cover provides an opening for installing and
removing foodstuff from the cavity;
(c) a transparent sealing means hermetically sealed to
a top surface of the base to provide a sealed enclosure for the
food-receiving cavity; and
(d) a reclosable means separated from said sealing
means, said reclosable means for snap locking at least 35% of
the opening between the base and the transparent cover and said
reclosable means encompassing the sealing means.

3. A food package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the
sealing means further comprises a thin transparent polymeric
film sealed directly to the top surface wherein the top surface
is a raised planar surface.
4. A food package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the
polymeric film is heat sealed to the raised planar surface.
5. A food package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the
polymeric film is adhesive sealed to the raised planar surface.
6. A food package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the
reclosable means snap looks at least 45% of the opening between
the base and the transparent cover.
7. A food package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the
cover engaging means and the base engaging means comprise
slanted walls and at least one engaging means further comprises
an expansion means.
8. A food package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the
cover engaging means and the base engaging means comprise
slanted walls wherein the walls are slanted at an angle of
about 86° and at least one engaging means further comprises an
expansion means.

9. A food package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the
cover engaging means and the base engaging means comprise
slanted walls and at least one engaging means further comprises
an expansion means which comprises a slant surface.
10. A food package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the
base material is selected from the group consisting of
aluminum, polyvinylchloride, cellulose acetate, nylon,
polycarbonate, high impact polystyrene, high impact
polypropylene, high impact polyethylene, polyester,
acrylonitrile copolymers and coextruded plastics.
11. A food package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the
base material is selected from the group consisting of
aluminum, polyvinylchloride, cellulose acetate, nylon,
polycarbonate, high impact polystyrene, high impact
polypropylene, high impact polyethylene, polyester,
acrvlonitrile copolymers and coextruded plastics and wherein
the base material is coated with saran.
12. A food package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the
cover material is selected from the group consisting of
aluminum, polyvinylchloride, cellulose acetate, nylon,
polycarbonate, high impact polystyrene, high impact
polypropylene, high impact polyethylene, polyester,
acrylonitrile copolymers and coextruded plastics.

13. A food package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the
cover material is selected from the group consisting of
aluminum, polyvinylchloride, cellulose acetate, nylon,
polycarbonate, high impact polystyrene, high impact
polypropylene, high impact polyethylene, polyester,
acrylonitrile copolymers and coextruded plastics and wherein
the cover material is coated with saran.
14. A food package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the
base further comprises a rim.
15. A food package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the
rim further comprises a hanging means.
16. A food package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the
cover engaging means and the base engaging means comprise
slanted walls and at least one engaging means further comprises
an expansion means which comprises a slant surface and wherein
the slant surface is part of the base engaging means.
17. A food package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the
reclosable means further comprises a cover engaging means and a
base engaging means and wherein the cover engaging means and
the base engaging means comprise slanted walls and at least one
engaging means further comprises an expansion means.

Description

Case 3052 12 48~ 5~
DESCRIPTION
A FOOD PACKAGE WITH RECLOSABLE SNAP LOCK
Field of the Invention
05This invention pertains to a food package
having a base and a transparent cover. The food
package has a sealing means for hermetically sealing
the base to the transparent cover and a reclosable
means encompassing the sealing means for snap locking
at least 35% of the opening between the base and the
transparent cover.
Prior Art
Food packages are employed for packing a variety
of foodstuffs such as cheese, meat and the like.
The food package in order to be desirable must serve
a multitude of functions. One function is to have a
transparent package so that the foodstuff is readily
apparent and visible to the consumer who can select
the most desirable and pleasing foodstuff to them.
The package must also protect the foodstuff contained
therein. This protection encompasses a suitably
durable package to withstand the minor jostling of
food products as they are distributed and the food
package must be hermetically sealed so that contamin-
ation of the food product is decreased and air andwater are prevented from contacting the foodstuff
while it is stored thus preserving the foodstuff.

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It is also desirable once the food package has been
opened by breaking the hermetic seal that the package has the
capability of being reclosed in the event the consumer desires
to only use a portion of the foodstuff contained therein and
desires to store the remaining foodstuff.
Summary of the Invention
This invention pertains in one aspect to a food package
comprising ~a) a base having a cavity suitable for holding
food-stuff, (b) a transparent cover cooperating with the base
to form a cavity closure so that separating the base from the
transparent cover provides an opening for installing and
removing foodstuff Erom the cavity, (c) a transparent means for
hermetically sealing the base to the transparent cover, and
(d) a reclosable means separated from said sealing means, said
reclosable means encompassing the sealing means and said
reclosable means for snap locking at least 35% of the opening
between the base and the transparent cover.
In another aspect, this invention also relates to a food
package comprising ta) a base having a cavity suitable for
holding foodstuff, (b) a transparent cover cooperating with the
base to form a cavity closure so that separating the base from
the transparent cover provides an opening for installing and
removing foodstuff from the cavity, (c) a transparent sealing
means hermetically sealed to a top surface of the base to
B

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-2a-
provide a sealed enclosure for the food-receiving cavity, and
(d) a reclosable means separated from said sealing means, said
reclosable means for snap locking at least 35~ of the opening
between the base and the transparent cover and said reclosable
5 means encompassing the sealing means.
Brief Descriptions of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a food package.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a food package.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a food package.
. Figures 4 and 5 are schematic illustrations of
reclosable means illustrating a cover engaging means
and
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a food 2ackage.
Figure 7 is a top view of a food package.
Figure 8 is a side view of a food package.

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Detailed Description of the Invention
Referring to Figu~es 1-3 a food package 10 is
shown. Food package 10 comprises a base 12. Base
12 is comprised of a semi-rigid material and may be
05 transparent, semi-transparent or opaque. Base 12
contains a cavity 16. Separating base 12 from 14
provides an opening 18 for inserting and removing
foodstuff from cavity 16. Base 12 and cover 14 may
be formed in any known manner from semi-rigid material
~ such as plastics or aluminum and suitable papers (if
not transparent). Examples of suitable plastic
materials are a polyvinylchloride, cellulose acetate,
nylon, polycarbonate, high impact polystyrene, high
impac~ polypropylene, high impact polyethylene,
polyester, acrylonitrile copolymers, coextruded
plastics, etc. These plastic materials may be
coated with saran*or other coating if desired.
Copolymers of these various plastics may be used in
order to obtain desired properties. The semi-rigid
~ plastics are formed prior to receiving product. The
foodstuff packaged in cavity 16 may be small pieces
or bits of foodstuff such as bacon bits which suitably
would be enclosed in the package or may be slices or
chunks of cheese or other meat foodstuff. Base 12
may contain a header 20 which may be employed for
imprinting of messages, trade names, distinctive
colors and the like. Header 20 may also contain a
hanging means such as hole 22.
A sealing means for hermetically sealing foodstuff
within the package is employed. As shown in Figure 1,
a thin transparent polymeric material film 24 is
hermetically sealed to base 12 at pedestal rim 26.
The sealing is by conventional means such as adhesives,
heat, or radio frequency generation of heat. In
another emodiment shown in Figure 2 transparent film
* is a trade mar]~

24 is hermetically sealed to a top surface 28 of
base without employing a pedestal. In an additional
embodiment as shown in Figure 3 cover 14 is hermetically
sealed directly to base 12 at pedestal 26 without
05 using a thin transparent film. In all of these
sealing means the hermetical seal is readily seen
and a broken seal is easily determined. While a
broken seal is easily detected the seal can easily
be removed by peeling the thin transparent film or
lifting the cover as the case may be. Once the
cover is lifted and the seal broken the contents are
easily removed without contacting residual adhesive
if used.
Figure 6 illustrates the food package of Figure l
in the closed position. Figure 7 is a top view of
the closed food package shown in Figure 6 and Figure 8
is a side view of the closed food package also shown
in Figure 6.
According to this invention a reclosable means
for snap locking at least 35% and preferably 45% of
opening between base 12 and cover 14 is employed.
The reclosable means encompasses the sealing means.
Referring to Figures 4 and 5 the reclosable means
further comprises a cover engaging means 40 and a
base engaging means 42. Cover engaging means 40 and
base engaging means 42 are constructed so that the
two fit in locking relationship to one another when
base 12 is closed over cover 14. Furthermore, as
cover 14 is separated from base 12 to open the
package the engaging means are constructed so that
one will expand the other as the cover separated
providing an unlocking effect of the engaging means
permitting the opening of the cover. The cover, as
it closes, also causes the engaging means to separate
thus allowing the engaging means to re-engage and

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relock. An emboidment of this is shown in Figure 4
- where each engaging means has a slanted wall 46.
Suitably the slanted wall is slanted at an angle of
about 86. In addition, at least one of the slanted
05 walls has a slant surface 48 to engage the other
slanted wall upon closing and thus causes the expansion
of the engaging means permitting locking and unlocking.
Preferably slant surface 48 is part of the base
engaging means. Further engaging means can be the
use of U-shaped indentations referred to as lugs or
beads in cover 14 and base 12 as shown in Figure 5.
At least 35% and preferably 45% of the opeing 18
between cover 14 and 12 must contain a reclosable
means. Suitably at least one engaging means completely
encompasses the opening and the other one either
completely or partially encompasses the opening. If
one engaging means only partially encompasses the
opening, preferably it is divided into at least 3
and preferably 9 sections. This provides uniform
distribution of a reclosable means.
The package illustrated in the figures is of
rectangular shape but other package shapes are
contemplated within the scope of this invention such
as round, oval, square and fanciful package shapes.