Method and Apparatus for Laser Scored Packaging
A package formed via a vertical-form-fill-and-seal process includes a web material with edge portions sealed to create a vertical sleeve. The package also includes a first sealed end and a second sealed end at either end of the vertical sleeve to create a sealed package. The package includes a laser scribed ablation pattern extending across the web material with ablated portions having an about one to about three millimeter length separated by non-ablated portions of about 0.25 and about 0.75 millimeter length. The package has increased tensile strength to avoid breaking during the vertical-form-fill-and-seal process and provides a high likelihood that an outer edge and vertical seal of the package include ablated portions to provide an easy-to-start tear area to open the package. Also, the short spaces between ablated portions increase the likelihood of tear propagation along the ablation pattern, all the way across the package.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending and co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/742,754, entitled Ingredient Package and Method and filed May 1, 2007, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis invention relates generally to packaging and more particularly to easy-open foodstuff packaging.
BACKGROUNDVarious packaging methods and types are known in the art. Considerations for commercial packaging include protection of the package's contents and usability of the package by a consumer or user of the package's contents. In the case of packaged food items, for example, the items generally are sealed into a package to optimize shelf life. When a consumer purchases the product, the consumer must then open the package to access the items stored therein. Accessing the items through a sealed package, however, can require sometimes excessive effort to open the package.
In certain packages, such as stick-pack packages, it is also advantageous to easily, completely remove an end of the package to allow the contents to be fully poured out. For example, where the contents of a package are intended to be poured into a solution for mixing, such as in a flavored drink product, the package should be sealed to protect the contents from the outside moisture but also be easily opened by a consumer. Such packages are typically made in a vertical-form-fill-and-seal process wherein a web of material is folded over and sealed. This sealed material is cut and sealed on one end and then filled with the package contents. The second end is then also cut and sealed, thereby sealing the contents of the package therein. To open the package, a user must either pull apart the seal or otherwise cut or tear the package.
Various features have been added to such packages to assist the consumer in opening the package. By one approach, the side of the package is cut to provide the consumer with a starting point in tearing open the package. This approach, however, requires that the package be sealed around the cut portion which takes additional manufacturing resources and efforts. By another known approach, the side edge of the package is flawed by a physical micro-abrasion process that weakens the side of the package such that the package tears more easily on the edge when a user applies a tearing force to open the package. Under this approach and the above cutting approach, however, the package will merely tear along weak areas naturally present in the package material such that the tear may not propagate straight across the package. Moreover, the tear typically stops at the seal running the length of the package without undue additional force applied by the user.
Another known method for assisting the opening of a package includes weakening the package material along a given line such that a tear will likely propagate along that line when opening the package. One such method includes ablating the package material with a laser. The laser damages the package material along a line across the material without cutting entirely through the package material. Thus, when a user tears at the package, the package is more likely to tear along the laser-damaged portion. When a package is scored by a laser all the way across the package, however, the package is too often so weakened that it cannot stay intact during its manufacturing process or during normal handling by a user before the package is intended to be opened.
It is known to laser score a pattern into a package material to provide additional strength for a load carrying package, such as a bag of soil or similar relatively heavy material. Previous disclosures teach a ratio of the length of laser scored to non-scored material along a tear line for such an application to be about one to two; in other words, the laser will score a line of about one half the length of intermediate non-scored material between each scored portion. Having the increased amount of non-scored portions relative to the scored portions provides increased material strength for such load carrying bags, but for smaller foodstuff packaging, such a ratio of laser scoring typically will not satisfactorily carry a tear line cleanly and consistently straight across a package or ensure that laser scoring will be present on the package and seal edges to provide an increased ease of starting a tear and propagating a tear across a package seal.
The above needs are at least partially met through provision of the method and apparatus for laser scored packaging described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSGenerally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments, a package formed via a vertical-form-fill-and-seal process includes a web material with edge portions sealed to create a vertical sleeve. The web material also includes a first sealed end and a second sealed end at either end of the vertical sleeve to create a sealed package. The package includes a laser scribed ablation pattern extending across the web material with ablated portions having an about one millimeter to about three millimeters length separated by non-ablated portions of about 0.25 millimeter to about 0.75 millimeter length. The package typically has a vertical length of about 75 millimeters to about 200 millimeters.
So configured, the package provides a sealed container that a user may open along the package's ablation pattern. The package may contain foodstuffs such as drink powders, dessert powders, snack nuts, condiments, and toppings that are poured into another container or directly into a consumer's mouth. The laser ablation pattern, having a dash score length of about one millimeter to about three millimeters and a space between scores of about 0.25 millimeters to about 0.75 millimeters, provides the web material with increased tensile strength so as to avoid breaking during the conventional vertical-form-fill-and-seal process, but also provides a high likelihood that an outer edge of the package includes an ablated portion to provide a user an easy-to-start tear area to open the package. Similarly, this pattern provides a high likelihood that an edge of the vertical seal has an ablated portion such that the tearing of the package more easily propagates across the seal. Also, the short spaces between the ablated portions increase the likelihood that the tear will propagate in a line along the ablation pattern, all the way across the package, so that the end of the package is relatively easily and completely removed to allow unrestricted access to the package's contents.
In other words, a longer dash or continuous line for the ablation pattern will excessively weaken the web material, and a shorter dash will make the web material more difficult to open. A longer space between ablated portions will likely allow the tear to move away from the score line, and a shorter space between ablated portions will reduce the tensile strength to mimic a solid score. As such, a dash pattern in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure provides a preferred combination of features for such packages.
These and other benefits may become clearer upon making a thorough review and study of the following detailed description. Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to
The first sealed end 20 and the second sealed end 24 define a first package side edge 28 and a second package side edge 30 wherein the first package side edge 28 and the second package side edge 30 are folded web material created by and between the edges of the sealed ends 20 and 24. The folded web material may be creased along fold lines 15 and 17 to better define the side edges for the user or may be rounded portions of the web material transitioning from the front of the package 10 to the back.
With continuing reference to
With such an ablation pattern, the package 10 substantially tears along the along tear line 39 and across the seal 18 without varying from the tear line 39 when a separating force is applied by a user at the first package side edge 28 or the second package side edge 30 as shown in
With reference to
Typically, the ablated portions 34 are scribed with carbon dioxide lasers during the manufacturing of the web material 12 and prior to the vertical-form-fill-and-seal manufacturing process, although the ablated portions 34 may be scribed during the vertical-form-fill-and-seal process. Other types of lasers may be used to create the ablated portions 34.
In a typical approach for the laser scribing, as shown in
By another approach, a second ablation pattern 48 may be disposed on a web material side 46 opposite and substantially in line with the first ablation pattern 32. Additionally, various approaches to the laser scoring placement are possible, including, for example, a single ablation pattern on an outer portion of the package 10, a single ablation pattern on an inner portion of the package 10, single ablation patterns substantially in line with each other on the outside and inside portions of the package 10, double ablation patterns on the inside and/or outside portions of the package, and so forth.
Referring now to
With reference to
By a different approach, and with reference to
It is possible to have a second ablation pattern 132 extending across the second web material 104 between the first side edge 114 and the second side edge 116 substantially in line with the ablation pattern 32 on the first web material 102. Other configurations of ablation patterns are possible and considered within the scope of this disclosure.
With reference to
Although the vertical-form-fill-and-seal-process device 200 depicted in
So configured, the package created by such a method and as described herein provides relative ease of starting to open the package when compared to previous methods provided to consumers to help open relatively small web-based packaging. Moreover, the tear more reliably propagates along the tear line and more easily propagates past vertical seals in the packaging. For example, a test was conducted to compare the tear forces needed to be applied over time while propagating a tear through a typical fin-type seal package. The test was conducted as follows. A package with a laser score pattern was fit with taped extensions to mimic the rolling wrist action of a user. The portion of the package below the score line was fixed securely in the test device, while the extension tape affixed to the portion above the score line was secured in the tear tester jaws. The testing device was a Vinatoru seal strength tester. The tester jaws pulled the tape from the opposite side of the package and progressed across the top of the package and upward at a 30 degree angle. The tester jaws were fitted with a force transducer and the instantaneous force was recorded at regular intervals.
As demonstrated in the table of
Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, many of the example embodiments discussed herein refer to generally rectangular shaped packages with specified, distinct edges. Other configurations such as oval or round packages are possible. Also, any variation of multiple scoring lines to provide multiple tear lines in a package can be provided. Such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept.
Claims
1. A package formed via a vertical-form-fill-and-seal process comprising:
- a web material with a first edge portion and a second edge portion opposite the first edge portion sealed together in a seal with a first sealed end at a first end of the seal and a second sealed end at a second end of the seal;
- wherein the first sealed end and the second sealed end define a first package side edge and a second package side edge wherein the first package side edge and the second package side edge comprise folded web material;
- an ablation pattern extending across the web material between the first edge portion and the second edge portion wherein the ablation pattern comprises a series of ablated portions about 1 millimeter to about 3 millimeters in length separated by non-ablated portions about 0.25 millimeters to about 0.75 millimeters in length such that the ablation pattern defines a tear line across the package such that the package substantially tears along the along tear line and across the seal when a separating force is applied by a user at the first package side edge or the second package side edge and such that the web material maintains sufficient tensile strength to withstand the vertical-form-fill-and-seal process substantially without breaking.
2. The package of claim 1 wherein the package has a length from the first sealed end to the second sealed end of about 75 millimeters to about 200 millimeters.
3. The package of claim 1 wherein the web material comprises at least two layers.
4. The package of claim 1 wherein the web material comprises:
- an outer layer comprising at least one of a group comprising PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and OPP (oriented polypropylene film); and
- at least a second layer comprising at least one of a group comprising PET, OPP, and foil.
5. The package of claim 1 wherein the ablated portions have a depth less than a thickness of an outer layer of the package.
6. The package of claim 1 wherein the ablation pattern is non-uniform.
7. The package of claim 1 wherein the first package side edge, the second package side edge, and an edge of the seal have ablated portions.
8. The package of claim 1 further comprising a second ablation pattern disposed on a web material side opposite and substantially in line with the ablation pattern.
9. The package of claim 1 wherein the seal comprises at least one of a group comprising a fin-type seal and an overlap seal.
10. A method of manufacturing a package comprising:
- laser scoring an ablation pattern across a web material between a first edge portion and a second edge portion of the web material wherein the ablation pattern comprises a series of ablated portions about 1 millimeter to about 3 millimeters in length separated by non-ablated portions about 0.25 millimeters to about 0.75 millimeters in length;
- feeding the web material into a vertical-form-fill-and-seal-process device;
- sealing the web material along a vertical direction to form at least one seal;
- advancing the web material within the vertical-form-fill-and-seal-process device;
- sealing and cutting the web material horizontally across the at least one seal at a first end of the package;
- cutting the web material at a second end of the package with the ablation pattern between the first end and the second end.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of laser scoring an ablation pattern extending across a web material between a first edge portion and a second edge portion of the web material wherein the ablation pattern comprises a series of ablated portions about 1 millimeter to about 3 millimeters in length separated by non-ablated portions about 0.25 millimeters to about 0.75 millimeters in length further comprises ablating the web material to a depth less than a thickness of an outer layer of the package.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of laser scoring an ablation pattern extending across a web material between a first edge portion and a second edge portion of the web material wherein the ablation pattern comprises a series of ablated portions about 1 millimeter to about 3 millimeters in length separated by non-ablated portions about 0.25 millimeters to about 0.75 millimeters in length further comprises ablating the web material on two sides of the web material.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of laser scoring an ablation pattern extending across a web material between a first edge portion and a second edge portion of the web material is performed after the step of feeding the web material into a vertical-form-fill-and-seal-process device.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of cutting the web material at a second position with the ablation pattern between the first position and the second position further comprises cutting the web material with a length from the first end to the second end of about 75 millimeters to about 200 millimeters.
15. The method of claim 10 wherein the ablation pattern is non-uniform.
16. The method of claim 10 further comprising laser scoring a second ablation pattern disposed on a web material side opposite and substantially in line with the ablation pattern.
17. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of sealing the web material along a vertical direction to form at least one seal comprises sealing the web material to a second web material.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising laser scoring a second ablation pattern extending across the second web material wherein the ablation pattern comprises a series of ablated portions about 1 millimeter to about 3 millimeters in length separated by non-ablated portions about 0.25 millimeters to about 0.75 millimeters in length.
19. A package formed via a vertical-form-fill-and-seal process comprising:
- a first web material sealed to a second web material at a first side edge along a first side edge seal and at a second side edge along a second side edge seal;
- a first sealed end sealing the package between the first side edge seal and the second side edge seal;
- a second sealed end sealing the package between the first side edge seal and the second side edge seal;
- an ablation pattern extending across at least the first web material between the first side edge and the second side edge wherein the ablation pattern comprises a series of ablated portions about 1 millimeter to about 3 millimeters in length separated by non-ablated portions about 0.25 millimeters to about 0.75 millimeters in length such that the ablation pattern defines a tear line across the package such that the package substantially tears along the along tear line and across the first side edge seal and the second side edge seal when a separating force is applied by a user at the first side edge or the second side edge and such that the web material maintains sufficient tensile strength to withstand the vertical-form-fill-and-seal process substantially without breaking.
20. The package of claim 19 further comprising a second ablation pattern extending across the second web material between the first side edge and the second side edge substantially in line with the ablation pattern on the first web material.
21. The package of claim 19 wherein the package has a length from the first sealed end to the second sealed end of about 75 millimeters to about 200 millimeters.
22. The package of claim 19 wherein the first web material and the second web material comprises:
- an outer layer comprising at least one of a group comprising PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and OPP (oriented polypropylene film); and
- at least a second layer comprising at least one of a group comprising PET, OPP, and foil.
23. The package of claim 19 wherein the ablated portions have a depth less than a thickness of an outer layer of the package.
24. The package of claim 19 wherein the ablation pattern is non-uniform.
25. The package of claim 19 wherein the first side edge and the second side edge have ablated portions.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 4, 2008
Publication Date: Nov 6, 2008
Applicant: KRAFT FOODS HOLDINGS, INC. (Northfield, IL)
Inventor: Paul Doll (Madison, WI)
Application Number: 11/969,680
International Classification: B65D 65/28 (20060101); B65B 9/20 (20060101);