Food package and method of making same

Abstract

A food package for packaging bread that is constructed from a generally planar opaque base panel upon which the loaf of bread rests and a substantially transparent covering that covers the bread in a manner such that the top, sides and ends of the loaf of bread are clearly visible to the prospective purchaser when the package is positioned on the shelf of the retail outlet.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to food bags. More particularly, the invention concerns bags for packaging food items for display and, more specifically, concerns bags of the type used in the food industry to package bread.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

In the past, a wide variety of different types of food packages have been developed for the package and display of a number of different types of food items. In those instances where the food item is packaged for display in grocery stores and similar retail outlets, it is desirable that at least a portion of the food item be visible to prospective purchasers. Accordingly, in the past a number of different types of so-called “window bags” have been designed. Basically these types of prior art bags are constructed from an opaque bag material, such as paper and have a viewing “window” provided therein that is formed from a transparent plastic sheet or film, so as to display a portion, but not all of the packaged food item.

Exemplary of the foregoing types of “window bags” is the bag shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings and the bread package illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,048,213 issued to Grogan. The Grogan bread package comprises of a loaf of bread enclosed within a wrapper which consists in part of practically transparent material and in part of opaque material so wrapped around the loaf as to display the rounded top portion for inspection and to conceal the lower portion of the loaf within the opaque portions.

As will be apparent from the discussion that follows, the package of the present invention uniquely comprises a generally planar opaque base panel upon which the loaf of bread rests and a substantially transparent covering that covers the bread in a manner such that the top, sides and ends of the loaf of bread are clearly visible to the prospective purchaser when the package is positioned on the shelf of the retail outlet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

By way of brief summary, the food package of the present invention comprises a bag for containing bread that includes a generally planar base disposed in a first plane and formed of an opaque printable material having first and second ends and first and second sides; and a cover connected to the base, the cover being constructed from a thin, substantially transparent foldable material, the cover having first and second edges, the first edge being connected to the first side of said base and said second edge being connected to the second side of said base. Uniquely, each of the first and second sides of the cover has a pleated area permitting the cover to be movable from a first position wherein the cover is disposed in a second plane generally parallel to the first plane to a second position wherein the cover is an expanded configuration.

With the forgoing in mind it is an object of the invention to provide a food package that uniquely comprises a generally planar opaque base panel upon which the loaf of bread rests and a substantially transparent covering that covers the bread in a manner such that the top, sides and ends of the loaf of bread are clearly visible to the prospective purchaser when the package is positioned on the shelf of the retail outlet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a food package of the aforementioned character in which the base panel of the food package is sturdy and easily printable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a food package as described in the preceding paragraphs that provides an adequate degree of stiffness so that when the package is in use it will retain its expanded shape.

Another object of the invention is to provide a food package that is relatively easy and inexpensive to fabricate using conventional packaging equipment.

These and other objects of the invention will be achieved by the food package described in greater detail in the paragraphs that follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a generally perspective view of a prior art bread package.

FIG. 2 is a generally perspective view of one form of the bread package of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a generally perspective view of the bread package shown in FIG. 2 as it appears in a partially expanded configuration.

FIG. 2B is a bottom plan view of the bread package shown in FIG. 2A illustrating indicia imprinted on the bottom surface of the base panel of the bread package.

FIG. 3 is an exploded, plan view of the cover and base panel of the bread package of the present invention as the components appear prior to being folded and interconnected.

FIG. 4 is a generally perspective, exploded view of the cover and base panel of the bread package of the present invention in position to be interconnected.

FIG. 5 is an exploded, generally perspective view of the cover and base panel of the bread package as they appear when in position to be folded along a fold line located proximate the first end of the package.

FIG. 6 is a generally perspective rear view similar to FIG. 5, but showing the first end portion of the package partially folded along the fold line.

FIG. 7 is a generally perspective rear view similar to FIG. 6, but showing the first end portion of the package fully folded along the fold line.

FIG. 8 is a view taken along lines 8-8 of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 9 is a view taken along lines 9-9 of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 10 is a greatly enlarged, cross-sectional view of the area designated in FIG. 9 as 10-10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, and particularly in FIG. 1, a typical type of prior art bread bag is there shown. This type of prior art bag is constructed from an opaque bag material, such as paper “P” and has a viewing “window” “W” provided therein that is formed from a transparent plastic sheet or film, so as to display a portion, but not all of the packaged food item.

Turning to FIGS. 2, 2A, 2B, 3 and 4, one form of the novel food package of the present invention for containing bread can be seen to comprise a base 14 that is formed of an opaque printable material such as readily commercially available Kraft paper. As best seen in FIG. 4, base 14 is generally rectangular shaped and has an upper surface 16, a lower indicia carrying surface 18 (see, for example, the indicia “I” illustrated in FIG. 2B) and first and second ends 19 and 20. Upper surface 16 has a first side portion 22 and a second side portion 24.

A substantially transparent cover 26 is affixed to base 14 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings. As been seen in FIG. 2A, cover 26 has a first side 28, the lower margin 28a of which is folded and adhesively secured to first side portion 22 of upper surface 16 of base 14 and has a second side 30, the lower margin 30a of which is folded and adhesively secured to second side portion 24 of upper surface 16 of base 14.

Cover 26, which has a first end portion 26a can be constructed from various thin, substantially transparent, foldable materials, but a readily commercially available polyester material has proven most satisfactory for use in constructing the cover.

In the manner illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 9 the drawings wherein the cover 26 and the base panel 14 have been interconnected along their respective side portions, first end portion 26a of cover 26 and the first end portion 19 of base 14 are first folded along a fold line 31 in the manner shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.This done, the folded end portion is then adhesively secured to the marginal portion 33 (FIG. 6) of the lower surface 18 of base 14 (FIG. 2B). A novel feature of the cover 26 resides in the fact that each of the first and second sides 28 and 30 of the cover, has a pleated area 35 (FIG. 2A). More particularly, first side 28 has an upper portion 28b and a lower portion 28c with the pleated area 35 being disposed intermediate upper portion 28b and said lower portion 28c. Similarly, second side 30 has an upper portion 30b and a lower portion 30c with the pleated area 35 being disposed intermediate upper portion 30b and said lower portion 30c.

With the novel construction described in the preceding paragraphs, with base 14 disposed in a first plane and with the cover securely affixed to the base in the manner previously described, cover 26 is movable from the first configuration shown in FIG. 4, wherein it is in a partially expanded configuration, to a second position shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, wherein the cover is a fully expanded configuration to expeditiously accept the loaf of bread.

The method of the present invention comprises forming a food package from the generally planar, opaque base 14 and the substantially transparent cover 26. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 7 of the drawings, one form of the method of the invention comprises the steps of first imprinting the indicia “I” on the upper surface 16 of the base panel to form an imprinted base panel 38 (FIG. 2B). Next, the lower portions 28a and 30a of the first and second sides of the cover are folded in a manner to form first and second connector panels 40 (FIG. 4). This done, the first and second connector panels are securely, adhesively bonded to the upper surface 16 of the imprinted base panel 38 to form a first subassembly 42 having the fold line 31 (see FIG. 5). Next, the first subassembly 42 is folded along fold line 31 to form a connector segment 44 (FIG. 6). Finally, the connector segment 44 is adhesively bonded to the lower surface of the imprinted base panel 38 to form the food package 46 illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings.

Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A bag for containing bread comprising:

(a) a generally planar base formed of an opaque printable material having first and second ends and first and second sides; and

(b) a cover connected to said base, said cover being constructed from a thin substantially transparent foldable material, said cover having first and second edges, said first edge being connected to said first side of said base and said second edge being connected to said second side of said base.

2. The bag as defined in claim 1 in which said cover has first and second ends, said first end being connected to said first end of said base.

3. The bag as defined in claim 1 in which said cover has first and second sides, each said side having a pleated area.

4. The bag as defined in claim 1 in which said generally planar base is disposed in a first plane and in which said cover is movable from a first configuration, wherein said cover is in a partially expanded configuration, to a second configuration, wherein said cover is a fully expanded configuration.

5. The bag as defined in claim 1, in which said cover is formed of polyester.

6. The bag as defined in claim 1 in which said base is formed of Kraft paper.

7. A bag for packaging food items for display comprising:

(a) a generally planar base formed of an opaque printable material having an upper surface, a lower surface, first and second ends and first and second sides; and

(b) a cover connected to said base, said cover being constructed from a thin substantially transparent foldable material, said cover having: (i) first and second edges, said first edge being connected to said first side of said base and said second edge being connected to said second side of said base; (ii) first and second ends, said first end being connected to said first end of said base; and (iii) first and second sides, each said first and second side having a pleated area.

8. The bag as defined in claim 7 in which said generally planar base is disposed in a first plane and in which said covet is movable from a first configuration, wherein said cover is in a partially expanded configuration, to a second configuration, wherein said cover is a fully expanded configuration.

9. The bag as defined in claim 7, in which said cover is formed of polyester.

10. The bag as defined in claim 9 in which said base is formed of Kraft paper.

11. A bag for packaging food items for display comprising:

(a) a generally rectangular shaped, substantially planar base formed of a Kraft material having an upper surface having first and second sides, a lower surface, first and second ends and first and second sides; and

(b) a cover connected to said base, said cover being constructed from a thin substantially transparent foldable polyester material, said cover having: (i) first and second edge portions, said first edge portion being folded over and adhesively secured to said first side of said upper surface of said base and said second edge being folded over and adhesively secured said second side of said upper surface of said base. (ii) first and second ends, said first end being adhesively bonded to said first end of said base; and (iii) first and second sides, each said first and second side having an upper portion, a lower portion and a pleated area located intermediate said upper portion and said lower portion.

12. The bag as defined in claim 11 in which said generally planar base is disposed in a first plane and in which said cover is movable from a first configuration, wherein said cover is in a partially expanded configuration, to a second configuration, wherein said cover is a fully expanded configuration.

13. A method of making a food package from a generally planar, opaque base having an upper surface and a lower surface and a cover having first and second sides and being constructed from a thin substantially transparent foldable material, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) folding the first and second sides of the cover to form first and second connector panels;

(b) connecting said first and second connector panels to said generally planar base to form a first subassembly having a fold line;

(c) folding said first subassembly along said fold line to form a connector segment; and

(d) connecting said connector segment to said lower surface of said generally planar base.

14. The method as defined in claim 13 in which said first and second connector panels are connected to the upper surface of the generally planar base.

15. The method as defined in claim 13 including the further step of imprinting indicia on the lower surface of the generally planar base.