Abstract: A reclosable bag for filling with at least one food product. The reclosable bag generally includes at least one sheet of web material having at least two areas of structural weakness. At least one fold structure is located between and defined by the two areas of structural weakness. An opening is located generally opposite the fold structure. The reclosable bag further includes a reclosable fastener structure having an integral skirt structure of skirt web material extending therefrom. The integral skirt structure includes a distal margin. The distal margin is coupled to the web material at, at least one location between the areas of structural weakness and the opening. The reclosable fastener structure extends past the areas of structural weakness and into the fold structure. The reclosable bag capable of being filled with at least one food product through the opening.

Abstract: A four corner bag constructed of flexible thermoplastic sheet or film material having overlying front and rear wall panels and a bottom sealed end. The upper portion of the bag includes a first closure region terminating in a top sealed end, a second closure region disposed inwardly of the top sealed end, and a perforated seal or tear strip extending across the width of the bag and located between the first and second closure regions. The second closure region includes an inner heat seal which extends approximately halfway across the width of the bag and a reclosable fastener which extends the remaining distance across the bag. In one embodiment, the inner heat seal is oriented transversely across the bag while the reclosable fastener is upwardly angled so that it forms a natural pour spout during use. In other embodiments, the reclosable fastener is transversely oriented while the inner heat seal is angled.

Abstract: Flexible packages for holding a product, e.g., dry cereal, which are arranged to be opened to form a bowl to enable the product to prepared therein and/or eaten therefrom. The packages each basically comprises a front panel, a rear panel, and a bottom panel, all formed of a flexible sheet material. The front and rear panels each include a top edge, a pair of opposed side edges, and a bottom edge. The front and rear panels are fixedly secured together along the side edges. The peripheral edge of the bottom panel is fixedly secured to the inside surface of the front and rear panels above their bottom edges to form a hollow pocket for receipt of the product. The front and rear panels of each package are sealed along their top edges to isolate the product in the pocket from the ambient atmosphere, but are separable, e.g., can be severed, adjacent their top edges to enable the front and rear panels to separate to convert the pocket into a bowl. The product can then be prepared, e.g.

Abstract: An interlocking pour-spout closure for a flexible, gusseted package and a flexible gusseted package including such a closure. The package is formed of a flexible material and includes a front panel, a rear panel, and a pair of opposed side gussets. The package is initially sealed, e.g., by a peelable seal line. The panels and gussets each include a top portion. The package also includes a pour-through mouth, e.g., a portion of the panels and one side gusset is arranged to be removed from the remainder of the package. The pour-through mouth is located at the top of the package at one of the side gussets and is arranged to be opened by the pour-spout closure to provide access to the contents of the package. The closure includes a pair of closure sections hingedly secured to each other and each section includes a cut-away portion.

Abstract: In an automatic filling and closing process for flexible package in which a film is supplied while being longitudinally fused, and the respective steps of filling the longitudinally fused film with contents, laterally fusing the film and cutting the laterally fused area are performed, a slit or a hole is intermittently formed in the supplied film, at a site from unwinding of the film to the longitudinal fusing, during interruption of the supply of the film in the steps of lateral fusing and cutting, and an opening fusing tape is placed over the slit or hole to weld around the perimeter of the slit or hole, thereby obtaining a tape-sealed bag which is easily openable in an opening direction approximately parallel with the laterally fused area.

Abstract: Flexible packages for holding a product, e.g., dry cereal, which are arranged to be opened to form a bowl to enable the product to prepared therein and/or eaten therefrom. The packages each basically comprises a front panel, a rear panel, and a bottom panel, all formed of a flexible sheet material. The front and rear panels each include a top edge, a pair of opposed side edges, and a bottom edge. The front and rear panels are fixedly secured together along the side edges. The peripheral edge of the bottom panel is fixedly secured to the inside surface of the front and rear panels above their bottom edges to form a hollow pocket for receipt of the product. The front and rear panels of each package are sealed along their top edges to isolate the product in the pocket from the ambient atmosphere, but are separable, e.g., can be severed, adjacent their top edges to enable the front and rear panels to separate to convert the pocket into a bowl. The product can then be prepared, e.g.

Abstract: A plastic bag for consumable products can include a flat tubular pouch having a contents information label at one end, and two separate seals at the other end. One of the seals is a tear-off seal that provides assurance that the bag is tamper-free. The other seal is a closure zipper that can be opened and closed a number of times, so that the user can consume part of the product at one time, and reseal the remaining product in the bag for later consumption.

Abstract: A method for the packaging of oil-coated cutting tools, and the resultant packaged product. An oil-coated cutting tool is packaged by providing a package blank which includes a pair of panels of heat-sealable and oil-impervious material defining a product-containing area between them. The panels have edges defining a package top, bottom and opposite sides, and are permanently sealed to each other along the side-defining and top-defining edges, with an opening along the bottom-defining edges. The package blank additionally includes a zipper-type recloseable strip in the form of an interlocking bead structure, which effects an openable and recloseable seal between the panels. The interlocking bead structure extends across the panels generally from one of the side-defining edges to the other, and is spaced a distance from the top-defining edge to define a tear zone portion of the panels between the top-defining edge and the interlocking bead structure.

Abstract: A four corner bag constructed of flexible thermoplastic sheet or film material having overlying front and rear wall panels and a bottom sealed end. The upper portion of the bag includes a first closure region terminating in a top sealed end, a second closure region disposed inwardly of the top sealed end, and a perforated seal or tear strip extending across the width of the bag and located between the first and second closure regions. The second closure region includes an inner heat seal which extends approximately halfway across the width of the bag and a reclosable fastener which extends the remaining distance across the bag. In one embodiment, the inner heat seal is oriented transversely across the bag while the reclosable fastener is upwardly angled so that it forms a natural pour spout during use. In other embodiments, the reclosable fastener is transversely oriented while the inner heat seal is angled.

Abstract: An interlocking pour-spout closure for a flexible, gusseted package and a flexible gusseted package including such a closure. The package is formed of a flexible material and includes a front panel, a rear panel, and a pair of opposed side gussets. The package is initially sealed, e.g., by a peelable seal line. The panels and gussets each include a top portion. The package also includes a pour-through mouth, e.g., a portion of the panels and one side gusset is arranged to be removed from the remainder of the package. The pour-through mouth is located at the top of the package at one of the side gussets and is arranged to be opened by the pour-spout closure to provide access to the contents of the package. The closure includes a pair of closure sections hingedly secured to each other and each section includes a cut-away portion.

Abstract: A bag construction for use to distribute flowable material is provided. The bag construction generally includes first and second panels or panel sections oriented juxtaposed to one another. In one end of the bag construction, a base gusset is provided between the panels. The base gusset includes apertures therein, for distribution of flowable materials. In preferred embodiments, a rib-and-trough closure arrangement is provided so that the pouch construction can be selectively closed to inhibit distribution of material, when desired. Methods of preparing such arrangements and methods of use are provided.

Abstract: In an automatic filling and closing process for flexible package in which a film is supplied while being longitudinally fused, and the respective steps of filling the longitudinally fused film with contents, laterally fusing the film and cutting the laterally fused area are performed, a slit or a hole is intermittently formed in the supplied film, at a site from unwinding of the film to the longitudinal fusing, during interruption of the supply of the film in the steps of lateral fusing and cutting, and an opening fusing tape is placed over the slit or hole to weld around the perimeter of the slit or hole, thereby obtaining a tape-sealed bag which is easily openable in an opening direction approximately parallel with the laterally fused area.

Abstract: A reclosable bag-like container which is constituted of a flexible semi-rigid plastic material and which is adapted to store pourable contents, preferably, such as dry cereals, snacks, sugar, salt, cake mixes and similar types of foodstuffs or comestibles. The container includes a resealable corner dispensing spout which can be closed by interengaging slide fastener elements.

Abstract: A flexible package having an integral fitment and integral protective tamper-evident structure protecting said fitment until removal of said protective structure by a user, is disclosed.

Abstract: A package for sliced food product comprising a bottom wall, a top wall, opposite sidewalls and opposite end walls, wherein the package includes a flap which comprises portions of the top wall and/or an adjoining sidewall of the package, and which is movable between a closed position and an open position to selectively facilitate access to the package interior. The package is preferably made of a thin, flexible plastic material. The flap is removably retained in closed position by a peelable seal extending along one or more edges of the flap, or at least along portions thereof. The package is configured so that when the flap is in open position, the sliced food product is accessible from the side, which facilitates engagement of slice edges and subsequent separation thereof, as well as removal of the slices without undue distortion. This makes the package particularly useful in conjunction with packaging of certain sliced cheeses, although the package may also be useful with other products as well.

Abstract: Flexible packages having an openable and resealable interlocking closure made from a continuous web of flexible film, the closure being formed transversely to the direction of film flow at the consumer preferred position across one end of the package during package formation at line speed. The system utilizes a converter device mounted atop or adjacent to standard packaging apparatus to form a small amount of the running packaging film into the resealable closure structure as an integral part of the film extending transversely to the long dimension of the package. The converter functions with both horizontal and vertical form/fill/seal wrapping machines and with overwrap packagers, and uses diverse packaging films such as polypropylene, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, high and medium density polyethylene and various film laminations.

Abstract: A reclosable, hermetically-sealed flexible package which has an inner, hermetic pool seal and a reclosure seal comprised of interlocking closure strips is provided with a tamper-evident feature located peripheral to the reclosure seal. The tamper-evident feature must be visibly disrupted to gain access to the reclosure seal.

Abstract: A reusable, reclosable, suspendable bag assembly facilitates storage of an object, such as a medical instrument, between uses. The bag assembly includes a suspension tab for hanging or carrying the bag. A closure flap is provided to fold over an opening of the bag to close the interior cavity therein. The bag assembly is formed in two sections, a removable section and a reusable, reclosable bag section. The removable section is attached to the reclosable bag section by tear lines that allow the removable section to be readily detached from the bag section by a user.

Abstract: A bag construction for use to distribute flowable material is provided. The bag construction generally includes first and second panels or panel sections oriented juxtaposed to one another. In one end of the bag construction, a base gusset is provided between the panels. The base gusset includes apertures therein, for distribution of flowable materials. In preferred embodiments, a rib-and-trough closure arrangement is provided so that the pouch construction can be selectively closed to inhibit distribution of material, when desired. Methods of preparing such arrangements and methods of use are provided.

Abstract: An opening and reclosing device for flexible containers, comprising a label having an adhesive face intended to be applied to a wall of the container in correspondence of a die-cut area thereof. The adhesive face is formed with two side-by-side sections the first of which is intended to detachably overlay the wall of the container along the die-cut area, and the second of which is constituted by a bi-adhesive strip which is detachable from the label and intended to permanently adhere to the wall of the container (1) in proximity of the die-cut area.

Abstract: A package in the form of a recloseable bag includes a bag body including front and back walls, and a profile strip fastener assembly sealingly mounted on the inside surface of the front wall. The profile strip fastener assembly includes a pair of releasably interlocking profile strips, with a secondary, peelable seal provided between the profile strips apart from their mechanically interlocked portions. By this arrangement, enhanced sealing for the package is provided, while abating the stress to which the interlocked portions of the profile strips are subjected during forming and filling of the package. The bag body preferably includes a removable panel substantially aligned with the fastener assembly for gaining access to the assembly, with the removable panel desirably providing tamper-evidence of opening of the package.

Abstract: A zipper for a recloseable bag provides a heat-settable portion for adhering the zipper to a polymeric bag at a temperature below that known in the art in order to prevent permanently sealing the bag closed inadvertantly. The zipper includes elongated base strips having flange portions for adhering the inner surface of the base strip to the outer surface of a polymeric bag. The base strip is adhered to the polymeric bag by a heat-setting compound coextruded, coated or laminated to the inner surface of the flange. The flange portions may be thinner than other portions of the base strips to permit the flange portions to be fused to the polymeric bag at a lower temperature than previously practiced.

Abstract: A package comprises a flexible bag (1) and a label (2), the bag having a closed end (3). The closed end is openable to provide an opening (12) for access to the contents of the package and reclosable by means of the label (2). The label (2) has on one face two areas (8, 9) of adhesive separated by a non-adhesive area (10), the adhesive areas (8, 9) being adapted to adhere to the package (1) one to each side of the opening (12) such that said non-adhesive area (10) extends over the opening.

Abstract: A reclosable plastic bag comprises first and second opposing body panels, a zipper, a slider, and first and second upstanding panels. The opposing body panels are fixedly connected to each other along a pair of sides and a bottom bridging the pair of sides. The zipper extends along a mouth formed opposite the bottom. The zipper includes a first track with a first profile and a second track with a second profile. The first and second profiles are releasably engageable to each other. The slider is slidably mounted to the zipper for movement between a closed position and an open position. The first and second profiles are engaged to each other while the slider is in the closed position, and the first and second profiles are disengaged from each other in response to movement of the slider from the closed position to the open position. The first and second upstanding panels extend upwardly from the respective first and second body panels.

Abstract: A bag construction for use to distribute flowable material is provided. The bag construction generally includes first and second panels or panel sections oriented juxtaposed to one another. In one end of the bag construction, a base gusset is provided between the panels. The base gusset includes apertures therein, for distribution of flowable materials. In preferred embodiments, a rib-and-trough closure arrangement is provided so that the pouch construction can be selectively closed to inhibit distribution of material, when desired. Methods of preparing such arrangements and methods of use are provided.

Abstract: A point of sale photographic film package also functions as a non-prepaid mailer to a pre-designated professional film processor. In one embodiment, a film cassette or cartridge is sold in a sealed container, such as an envelope or "bubble pack" card, having a removable label which overlies the name and address of a film processor. The label bears film-identifying indicia on one side thereof and a customer-identifying form on the reverse side. The container further includes (i) indicia or perforations for facilitating access to the film cassette while leaving the container substantially intact for re-use, and (ii) an adhesive strip for resealing the container after the original seal is broken to gain access to the film cassette therein. Upon opening the sealed container and using the film, the customer may have the film processed by returning the exposed film and the container together with the label bearing the completed customer identification form, which includes customer credit information.

Abstract: A reclosable plastic pouch has a first elongated zipper member having a profile and a flange having a longitudinal perforation therein. The flange is above the profile and attached to one wall of the pouch above and below the perforation line and to the opposite wall of the pouch only above the perforation line. A mating profile is attached only to the opposite wall of the pouch below the perforation line. A notch at an edge of the pouch, aligned with the perforation line, facilitates the plastic to tear along the perforation line so that the portion of the pouch above the perforation line may be readily removed.

Abstract: A reclosable plastic bag comprises first and second opposing panels fixedly connected to each other along a pair of sides and a bottom bridging the pair of sides. The bag is provided with a reclosable zipper extending along a mouth formed opposite the sealed bottom. The zipper includes a male track with a male profile and a female track with a female profile. A slider is slidably mounted to the zipper for movement between a closed position and an open position. The male and female profiles are engaged to each other while the slider is in the closed position. The male and female profiles are disengaged from each other in response to movement of the slider to the open position. To prevent tampering with the contents of the plastic bag prior to being initially opened, the slider is initially parked in the closed position at one end of the zipper, and upper edges of the male and female profiles are detachably connected to each other, except at the one end of the zipper supporting the parked slider.

Abstract: A package header arrangement includes a header with first and second opposing films, a tear bead and a support member. The support member is attached to the first film below the tear bead. The tear bead is disposed between the first and second films. When heat and pressure are applied to the first and second films in proximity to the tear bead, the tear bead scores the first and second films creating a breakable tear bead line. When heat and pressure are applied, the tear bead pushes aside the inner layer of the first and second films, weakening the film along the breakable tear bead line without harming the hermetic seal provided by the films. The breakable tear bead line tears easily because it does not have the tough, flexible inner layer of the films to aid in tear resistance. The breakable tear bead line also provides an even tear along a straight line. The support member provides support while tearing along the breakable tear bead line.

Abstract: An easy opening plastic bag includes a plastic front panel, a plastic rear panel, and plastic left and right end panels coupled to the front and rear panels. A plastic gusset is formed at the top of the bag and is joined to the front, rear, left, and right panels. A first frangible portion is disposed near a top of the front panel, and a second frangible portion is disposed near a top of the rear panel. The first and second frangible portions lie in a plane which allows a portion of the bag to rotate away from the remainder of the bag about an axis parallel to the plane. A third frangible portion is provided in the bag and extends substantially perpendicular to the plane of the first and second frangible portions.

Abstract: A tear guide arrangement for opening a package from a sealed form, the package having first and second opposing films, comprises first and second opposing base strips, first and second opposing tear guide strips, and sealant material. The first and second base strips are disposed between the first and second films and are adapted for attachment to the respective first and second films. The first base strip has upper and lower sides and the second base strip has upper and lower sides. The first and second base strips are composed of a first polymeric material. The first and second tear guide strips are disposed generally parallel to and co-planar with the respective first and second base strips. The first and second tear guide strips are detachably connected to the upper sides of the respective first and second base strips to form respective breakable bonds. The first and second tear guide strips are composed of a second polymeric material which is stiffer than the first polymeric material.

Abstract: The closable bag with offset end seal comprises a layer of plastic folded over itself to create an elongate strip of interconnected pockets which are separable from one another along the strip to create individual bags. Interposed between free overlying ends of the plastic strip is a gasket made of a heat sealable material having a low surface tension and coefficient of friction. A side edge of these three layers is heat sealed and scored to provide a tamper indicating strip which must be removed to open the bag. Slightly lateral to this strip is a section of the bag where the gasket is heat sealed along its length to one of the layers of plastic, with a remaining inwardly extending portion of the gasket being free to move away from the layer to which it sealed, creating an inwardly directed flap. On a surface of the unattached layer of plastic facing the gasket are provided two spaced apart longitudinal strips of adhesive which cause engagement between the layer of plastic and the gasket flap.

Abstract: A reclosable bag has an open end which is closed by a closure strip which can be repeatedly reclosed. The closure strip preferably comprises a hook and loop fastener means which can be brought into engagement and a frangible section running lengthwise of the closure strip. The closure strip is adhesively sealed to the ends of the bag by adhesive sections on opposite sides of the frangible section. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, any opening force applied to the closure by the bag contents places the hook and loop fastener under shear stress only.

Abstract: A package that is unreusable and reclosable, which package may be repeatedly used by the consumer for storing the contents therein even after multiple openings of the package, with such package protecting the contents thereof in a closed-package-like manner. The package is provided with at least one strip of resealable glue, which strip is located interiorly of the peripheral heat-seals, so that, after the package is cut open by cutting away the heat-sealed edge in close juxtaposition to the glue-strip, the two facing plastic-film layes of the package may be pulled apart, thereby separating the glue-strip, and, thereby, allowing access to the interior of the pocket. A package forming apparatus for making the package of the invention is also disclosed.

Abstract: An easy-open container having a membrane forming the top edge of the container and hermetically sealing the contents thereof. The membrane is disposed inward from the mouth of the bag, leaving portions of the bag walls extending upward beyond the container top edge to form guide rails which facilitate opening of the container to gain access to the bag contents. A membrane for sealing the mouth opening of a bag-like structure. A method for making a membrane as aforesaid and a method for making an easy-open container having the structure aforesaid are also provided.