Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FLEXIBLE CONTA:CNER
The present invention relates to a flexible container
con~isting of two superimposed layers of flexible sheet
material, heat-sealed around the periphery of a
material-containing space between the two layers of
sheet material.
The problem with flexible containers or packages of
this type is that, when two layers of identical sheet
material are used to form the container or package, the
initiating or starting of the opening of said container
is difficult, due to the flexible nature of the
container and the peel strength of the sealed area.
Usually the container cannot efficiently be opened
without tearing the package or having to use a tool,
i.e. a pair of scissors, which is inconvenient for the
consumer.
We have found that, by providing a header card, which
has been connected to the surface of one of the layers
of flexible sheet material of the container, which is
made to extend beyond the sealed area (seen from the
material-containing space between the layers outwards),
a peel-off tool is provided which enables an easy
opening of the flexible container.
The invention is particularly applicable to bag-like
containers or pouches containing a consumable material
like, for example, a meat or cheese product.
According to one aspect of the invention, a flexible
container or package consists of two superimposed
layers of flexible sheet material, heat-sealed around
the periphery of a material-containing space between
the layers, the peel strength of the sealed area being
such that the two layers of ~ealed flexible sheet
material can readily be peeled open, characterized in
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that along one side of the container the two
superimposed layers of flexible material are extended
beyond the heat-sealed area and a header card is
connected to the surface of one of the extended layers
of flexible sheet material at the extremity of the
extended layer of flexible sheet material.
Preferably, the header card is connected with the outer
surface of one of the extended layers of flexible sheet
material e.g. by means of an adhesive, which is applied
to the said outer surface at the extremity of the
extended layer of flexible sheet material.
Apart from being a simple peel-off tool, the header
card can conveniently be used for advertisement, price
indication and the like, and, i~ the header card is
provided with an opening, the package or container can
easily be presented to the consumer by hanging the
packs in rows in the shop.
By a flexibl~ sheet material is understood throughout
this specification and the attached claims, a single
layer of a flexible plastic material or a flexible
laminate material, comprising a heat-sealable resin
2S film as the inner layer or face. The heat-sealable
resin film is selected in such a way that, if the two
layers of flexible sheet material are brought face to
face and the layers bearing a heat-sealable resin on
their inner surfaces are sealed together around the
periphery of the material-containing space between the
two layers, a seal is provided which can readily be
peeled open to gain access to the interior of the
flexible container or package. It is important for both
top and bottom sheet material to have compatible
sealing surfaces. In sealing the sheet material
together at least one surface needs to have the easy
peel characteristics.
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The heat-sealable resin may, for example, be chosen
such that the two superimposed layers of flexible
material have inner layers prepared from polyolefin
films prepared from different olefin compositions, like
described in British Patent Specification 1,168,541.
According to another aspect of the invention, the
method of making a flexible container or package
comprises bringing two layers of flexible sheet
material face to face, at least one of the said layers
bearing a heat-sealable resin on its inner surface and
at least one being easily peelable after sealing,
placing a product between said layers, forming a sealed
are a joining said layers and surrounding said product
in such a way that, along one side of the container or
package, the said layers of flexible sheet material
extend beyond the heat-sealed area, and connecting a
header card to the surface of one of said extended
layer~, ~he connection being made at the extremity of
the said extended layer.
Preferably, in this method at least one of the two
layers of flexible sheet material is thermoformed
before it is brought face to face with the other layer
of flexible material and heat-sealed.
It has been found important, in connection with the
- ease of opening the flexible container or package, that
the header card i8 connected with preferably the outer
~urface of one of the extended layers of flexible
material at the extremity of the said extended layer of
flexible sheet material. To this purpose, the adhesive
materi~l, connecting the header card with the outer
surface of one of the extended layers of flexible sheet
material, is applied at the extremity of the said
extended layer of flexible sheet material.
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In opening the flexible container or package, the
consumer with the one hand takes the header card, folds
it over the pack and pulls it in the direction of the
sealed area enclosing the packaged product, whilst
gripping with the other hand e.g. a corner of the
other extended layer of flexible material opposite the
extruded layer to which the header card has been
attached, and in this way the seal is readily peeled
open to gain access to the interior of the container or
package.
If the other extruded layer does not automatically come
free from the layer to which the header card has been
attached, the stiffness of this latter layer allows the
other extended layer to come free, allowing the
consumer to grip it.
The invention will now be described on the hand of the
drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a section through a pouch-
type package according to the invention and Fig. 2 i8 a
perspective view of a package or container according to
the invention before opening.
Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1 a pouch has been
formed from two layers of flexible sheet material 1
(which may be the same or different material for the
upper and the lower layer, respectively), which have
been sealed together in the seal areas 2, forming a
space 4 containing product 3. The two layers of
flexible sheet material extend over the area 5 beyond
the heat-seal area 2. A header card 6 has been
connected to (in thi~ case) the outer surface of the
upper layer of flexible sheet material 1 by means of
e.g. an adhesive layer 7, which hag been applied to the
extremity of the outer surface of the said extending
layer of flexible sheet material.
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In openinq the package, the consumer with the one hand
takes the header card 6, folds it over into the
direction of the product-containing space 4, with the
other hand grips the lower extended layer of flexible
material and then pulls the header card in the
direction of the right-hand seal area 2. In thi~ way,
the seal 2 is readily peeled open and the product 3 can
be taken out of the package or container.
In Fig. 2, in the perspective view of a package
according to the invention, it can clearly be seen that
the adhesive layer 7 has been applied to the extremity
of the outer surface of the upper extending layer of
flexible sheet material. The header card 6 has been
provided with an opening 8 to enable the package to be
hung in rows. The connection of the header card with
the extremity of one of the layers of the flexible
sheet material can be effected in any suitable way,
e.g. by using adhesive or a hot melt.
The flexible sheet material can be selected thus that
the package is fully opaque or fully transparent or one
side is opaque and one side is transparent. The heat-
sealing can be carried out in a manner known per se.
2~
Instead of sealing the two layers of flexible sheet
material together around the periphery of the space 4
containing the product 3, there can be provided
compartment~ containing different products, provided
that the seals used in this arrangement are all
peelable. Preferably, if the package or the container
contains consumable goods, these are vacuum-~ealed.
