Tubelike dispenser package

Abstract

An aperture forming structure, which when attached to or integrally formed in dispenser packages for flowable substances allows reclosure and single or multiple uses. The aperture forming structure includes a break away tip member of thermoformable plastic. The break away tip includes a hollow protrusion from a surface. The intersection of the hollow protrusion and the surface is a fault line. Rupturing of the fault line creates an aperture from which the contents of the dispenser package may exit. A cap may be integrally formed with the aperture forming structure and detached for protecting the hollow protrusion or for closing the aperture created when the fault line is ruptured. The aperture forming structure can be made by heating a relatively stiff substantially flat thermoformable sheet of and then stretching the sheet to create a first and a second hollow protrusion in a tiered configuration. A rupture line is placed at the intersection of the first and the second protrusions. The sheet may be attached to a pouch or containment member formed from a flexible sheet which contains any flowable substance. The disclosed opening and closure concepts are especially effective when used on a tetrahedral-shaped tube. Several dispenser packages include a sealed dispensing container with an easy opening aperture forming structure entirely made from a single sheet of plastic, which is reclosable after a single use by use of an integral formation.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A sealed dispensing tube having an integral aperture forming means entirely made from a single sheet.  
     
     
         2 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 1  wherein said single sheet is made of a material selected from the group consisting of film, plastic film, thermoformable film, thermoformable plastic film, a laminated film and a laminated film including foil.  
     
     
         3 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 1  wherein said aperture forming means is a breakaway tip formation.  
     
     
         4 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 3  wherein said breakaway tip has a two-tiered formation including a base portion and a tip portion, said tube further comprising a cap.  
     
     
         5 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 4  wherein said base portion is covered with a resilient gasket-style material over which said cap fits.  
     
     
         6 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 1  wherein said aperture forming means is comprised of a fault line on the tube wall adjacent a fin seal.  
     
     
         7 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 1  wherein said aperture forming means includes a fault line with a curved portion on the tube wall adjacent a fin seal.  
     
     
         8 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 1  wherein said aperture forming means includes an aperture forming punch-plug.  
     
     
         9 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 1  wherein said tube has a first end fin seal disposed at one end of said tube, and a second end fin seal disposed at a second end of said tube.  
     
     
         10 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 9  wherein said first end fin seal is perpendicular to said second end fin seal.  
     
     
         11 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 9  further comprising an integral cap formed into an integral hinged flap created from an extended fin seal, said flap capable of hinging over said cap and about said aperture forming means.  
     
     
         12 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 9  further comprising a splayed portion extending beyond an end fin seal, wherein said splayed portion is corrugated for rigidity, said corrugations extending up and into the end fin seal.  
     
     
         13 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 1 , wherein a small reinforcing piece of film is sealed to a thermoformable sheet at the locus of the aperture forming means prior to thermoforming.  
     
     
         14 . A sealed dispensing tube having an aperture forming means and an attached integral cap completely made from a single sheet.  
     
     
         15 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 14  wherein said single sheet is made of a material selected from the group consisting of film, plastic film, thermoformable film, thermoformable plastic film and laminated film.  
     
     
         16 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 14  wherein said attached hinged cap is attached by being formed into an integral hinged flap capable of hinging over and about said aperture forming means.  
     
     
         17 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 16  wherein said hinged flap hinges by virtue of an articulated hinge.  
     
     
         18 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 17  wherein said articulated hinge is created by embossing parallel grooves in a washboard pattern.  
     
     
         19 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 16  wherein said tube includes adjustment heat seals.  
     
     
         20 . A reclosable aperture forming means member formed from a single sheet of thermoformable plastic film comprising a hinge member with a cap on one wing of said hinge and an aperture forming means on the opposite wing so located that when said hinge member is closed, said cap sits over and about said aperture forming means.  
     
     
         21 . The reclosable aperture forming means member of  claim 20  wherein said hinged member hinges by virtue of an articulated hinge.  
     
     
         22 . The reclosable aperture forming means member of  claim 21  wherein said articulated hinge is created by embossing parallel grooves in a washboard pattern.  
     
     
         23 . The reclosable aperture forming means member of  claim 20  wherein said wings include reusable resealing adhesive spots to hold said cap down on said aperture forming means.  
     
     
         24 . A flexible, squeezable sealed tubular member for containing and dispensing product made from a single sheet of thermoformable plastic film having a longitudinal seal which extends from a first end to a second end of said tubular member, a fin seal at said first end, said tubular member comprising an aperture forming means thermoformed into a wall of said squeezable sealed tubular member and a circular hollow thermoformed member inserted in the second end with the hollow portion facing away from the interior of the tube.  
     
     
         25 . The flexible, squeezable sealed tubular member of  claim 24 , wherein a small reinforcing piece of film is sealed to the sheet of thermoformable plastic film at the locus of the aperture forming means prior to thermoformating.  
     
     
         26 . A sealed hollow member containing an easy opening aperture forming means and closure means for said aperture forming means, all thermoformed from a single sheet of plastic.  
     
     
         27 . A sealed dispensing container with an aperture forming means entirely thermoformed from a single sheet of plastic, which is reclosable after forming of the aperture.  
     
     
         28 . A sealed dispensing tube having an aperture forming means completely made from a single piece of film.  
     
     
         29 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 28  wherein said single piece of film is made of a material selected from the group consisting of film, plastic film, thermoformable film, thermoformable plastic film, a laminate and a laminated film containing foil.  
     
     
         30 . A container comprising an outlet hole and a reclosable aperture forming means member sealingly attached to said container above said outlet hole, said aperture forming means member formed from a single sheet of thermoformable plastic film comprising a hinge member with a cap on one wing of said hinge and an aperture forming means on the opposite wing so located that when said hinge member is closed, said cap fits over and about said aperture forming means.  
     
     
         31 . A sealed dispensing tube having an aperture forming means mounted in a wall of said sealed dispensing tube.  
     
     
         32 . The sealed dispensing tube of  claim 31  further comprising an attached integral cap.