Reclosable polymeric bags with tamper evident features

Abstract

A reclosable polymeric package comprises first and second opposing body panels, a reclosable seal and a one-time breakable element. The reclosable seal includes a first track and a second track that have respective fin portions and reclosable elements. The fin portions each have a first end and a second end being further from the respective reclosable element. The one-time breakable element initially extends from the first fin portion to the second fin portion and is attached between respective first and second ends thereof. The first opposing body panel is adapted to be attached to an interior surface or an exterior surface of the first fin portion and the second opposing body panel is adapted to be attached to an interior surface or an exterior surface of the second fin portion.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A reclosable polymeric package, comprising: 
 a first opposing body panel;    a second opposing body panel joined with the first opposing body panel along three sides to create a receptacle space having a mouth at one end,    a reclosable seal extending along the one end and including a first track and a second track, the first track including a first fin portion and a first reclosable element, the second track including a second fin portion and a second reclosable element, the first fin portion extending generally downwardly from the first reclosable element toward the receptacle space, the first fin portion having a first end and a second end being further from the first reclosable element, the second fin portion extending generally downwardly from the second reclosable element toward the receptacle space, the second fin portion having a first end and a second end being further from the second reclosable element, the first reclosable element and the second reclosable element being releasably engageable to each other;    a one-time breakable element initially extending from the first fin portion to the second fin portion so as to prevent or inhibit tampering with the package prior to being opened, the one-time breakable element being attached between respective first and second ends of the first and second fin portions; and    wherein the first opposing body panel is adapted to be attached to an interior surface or an exterior surface of the first fin portion and the second opposing body panel is adapted to be attached to an interior surface or an exterior surface of the second fin portion.    
     
     
         2 . The reclosable package of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second opposing body panels are attached to respective interior surfaces of the first and second fin portions.  
     
     
         3 . The reclosable package of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second opposing body panels are attached to respective exterior surfaces of the first and second fin portions.  
     
     
         4 . The reclosable package of  claim 1 , wherein the one-time breakable element is a preferential area of weakness.  
     
     
         5 . The reclosable package of  claim 4 , wherein the preferential area of weakness is a score line.  
     
     
         6 . The reclosable package of  claim 4 , wherein the preferential area of weakness is a series of perforations or a highly oriented region.  
     
     
         7 . The reclosable package of  claim 1 , wherein the one-time breakable element is a barrier partition that comprises at least a first layer that is substantially impermeable to at least one of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and/or water vapor.  
     
     
         8 . The reclosable package of  claim 7 , wherein the first layer of the barrier partition comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol, nylon, polyester, ethylene vinyl dichloride, liquid crystal polymer, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, modified polyolefins with barrier properties, polyacrylonitrile, acrylonitriles copolymers, polyacetal, cellophane, cyclic olefin copolymers or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The reclosable package of  claim 7 , wherein the first layer of the barrier partition comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol, nylon, polyvinylidene chloride or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The reclosable package of  claim 7 , wherein the barrier partition includes an oxygen scavenger or an oxygen absorber.  
     
     
         11 . The reclosable package of  claim 1 , wherein the one-time breakable element comprises at least five layers, the outer layers being made of at least one polymeric material, an inner layer being made of ethylene vinyl alcohol and the outer layer and the inner layer being attached via adhesive layers.  
     
     
         12 . The reclosable package of  claim 1 , wherein the first reclosable element includes a first locking profile and the second reclosable element includes a second locking profile, and further including a slider mechanism slidably mounted to the first and second locking profiles for movement between a closed position and an open position, the first and second profiles being engaged to each other while the slider mechanism is in the closed position, the first and second profiles being disengaged from each other in response to movement of the slider mechanism to the open position.  
     
     
         13 . The reclosable package of  claim 1  further including opposing end terminations located near respective ends of the reclosable seal.  
     
     
         14 . The reclosable package of  claim 1 , wherein the reclosable seal is free of pull flanges extending upwardly from the reclosable seal which can be grasped and pulled apart to open the reclosable seal from a sealed form.  
     
     
         15 . The reclosable package of  claim 1 , wherein the one-time breakable element is attached to respective first and second fin portions via elastomeric ribs.  
     
     
         16 . The reclosable package of  claim 1 , wherein the one-time breakable element initially extends from the first fin portion to the second fin portion in a general U-shaped or V-shaped cross-sectional configuration.  
     
     
         17 . A fastener adapted to be attached to a first opposing body panel and a second opposing body panel in forming a reclosable polymeric package, comprising: 
 a first track including a first fin portion and a first reclosable element, the first fin portion extending generally downwardly from the first reclosable element and having exterior and interior surfaces, the first fin portion having a first end and a second end being further from the first reclosable element;    a second track including a second fin portion and a second reclosable element, the second fin portion extending generally downwardly from the second reclosable element and having exterior and interior surfaces, the second fin portion having a first end and a second end being further from the second reclosable element, the first reclosable element and the second reclosable element being releasably engageable to each other;    a one-time breakable element initially extending from the first fin portion to the second fin portion so as to prevent or inhibit tampering with the package prior to being opened, the one-time breakable element being attached between respective first and second ends of the first and second fin portions, and    wherein the exterior and interior surfaces of the first fin portion are adapted to be attached to the first opposing body panel and the exterior and interior surfaces of the second fin portion are adapted to be attached to the second opposing body panel.    
     
     
         18 . The fastener of  claim 17 , wherein the one-time breakable element is a preferential area of weakness.  
     
     
         19 . The fastener of  claim 18 , wherein the preferential area of weakness is a score line  
     
     
         20 . The fastener of  claim 18 , wherein the preferential area of weakness is a series of perforations or a highly oriented region.  
     
     
         21 . The fastener of  claim 17 , wherein the one-time breakable element is a barrier partition that comprises at least a first layer that is substantially impermeable to at least one of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and/or water vapor.  
     
     
         22 . The fastener of  claim 21 , wherein the first layer of the barrier partition comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol, nylon, polyester, ethylene vinyl dichloride, liquid crystal polymer, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, modified polyolefins with barrier properties, polyacrylonitrile, acrylonitriles copolymers, polyacetal, cellophane, cyclic olefin copolymers or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         23 . The fastener of  claim 21 , wherein the first layer of the barrier partition comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol, nylon, polyvinylidene chloride or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         24 . The fastener of  claim 21 , wherein the barrier partition includes an oxygen scavenger or an oxygen absorber.  
     
     
         25 . The fastener of  claim 17 , wherein the one-time breakable element comprises at least five layers, the outer layers being made of at least one polymeric material, an inner layer being made of ethylene vinyl alcohol and the outer layer and the inner layer being attached via adhesive layers.  
     
     
         26 . The fastener of  claim 17 , wherein the one-time breakable element is attached to respective first and second fin portions via elastomeric ribs.  
     
     
         27 . The fastener of  claim 17 , wherein the one-time breakable element initially extends from the first fin portion to the second fin portion in a general U-shaped or V-shaped cross-sectional configuration.  
     
     
         28 . A reclosable polymeric package, comprising: 
 a first opposing body panel;    a second opposing body panel joined with the first opposing body panel along three sides to create a receptacle space having a mouth at one end;    a reclosable seal extending along the one end and including a first track and a second track, the first track including a first fin portion and a first reclosable element, the second track including a second fin portion and a second reclosable element, the first fin portion extending generally downwardly from the first reclosable element toward the receptacle space, the first fin portion having a first end and a second end being further from the first reclosable element, the second fin portion extending generally downwardly from the second reclosable element toward the receptacle space, the second fin portion having a first end and a second end being further from the second reclosable element, the first reclosable element and the second reclosable element being releasably engageable to each other;    a one-time breakable element initially extending from the first fin portion to the second fin portion so as to prevent or inhibit tampering with the package prior to being opened, the one-time breakable element being attached between respective first and second ends of the first and second fin portions; and    wherein at least one of the first opposing body panel and second opposing body panel is attached to the exterior surface of the respective first fin portion and the second fin portion.    
     
     
         29 . The reclosable package of  claim 28 , wherein the first and second opposing body panels are attached to respective exterior surfaces of the first and second fin portions  
     
     
         30 . The reclosable package of  claim 28 , wherein the one-time breakable element is a preferential area of weakness.  
     
     
         31 . The reclosable package of  claim 30 , wherein the preferential area of weakness is a score line.  
     
     
         32 . The reclosable package of  claim 30 , wherein the preferential area of weakness is a series of perforations or a highly oriented region.  
     
     
         33 . The reclosable package of  claim 28 , wherein the one-time breakable element is a barrier partition that comprises at least a first layer that is substantially impermeable to at least one of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and/or water vapor.  
     
     
         34 . The reclosable package of  claim 33 , wherein the first layer of the barrier partition comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol, nylon, polyester, ethylene vinyl dichloride, liquid crystal polymer, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, modified polyolefins with barrier properties, polyacrylonitrile, acrylonitriles copolymers, polyacetal, cellophane, cyclic olefin copolymers or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         35 . The reclosable package of  claim 33 , wherein the first layer of the barrier partition comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol, nylon, polyvinylidene chloride or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         36 . The reclosable package of  claim 33 , wherein the barrier partition includes an oxygen scavenger or an oxygen absorber.  
     
     
         37 . The reclosable package of  claim 28 , wherein the one-time breakable element comprises at least five layers, the outer layers being made of at least one polymeric material, an inner layer being made of ethylene vinyl alcohol and the outer layer and the inner layer being attached via adhesive layers.  
     
     
         38 . The reclosable package of  claim 28 , wherein the first reclosable element includes a first locking profile and the second reclosable element includes a second locking profile, and further including a slider mechanism slidably mounted to the first and second locking profiles for movement between a closed position and an open position, the first and second profiles being engaged to each other while the slider mechanism is in the closed position, the first and second profiles being disengaged from each other in response to movement of the slider mechanism to the open position.  
     
     
         39 . The reclosable package of  claim 28  further including opposing end terminations located near respective ends of the reclosable seal.  
     
     
         40 . The reclosable package of  claim 28 , wherein the reclosable seal is free of pull flanges extending upwardly from the reclosable seal which can be grasped and pulled apart to open the reclosable seal from a sealed form.  
     
     
         41 . The reclosable package of  claim 28 , wherein the one-time breakable element is attached to respective first and second fin portions via elastomeric ribs.  
     
     
         42 . The reclosable package of  claim 28 , wherein the one-time breakable element initially extends from the first fin portion to the second fin portion in a general U-shaped or V-shaped cross-sectional configuration.