Easy opening rear seam bags and packaging methods

Abstract

A package bag may be made from a sheet of flexible packaging material that has been folded along a longitudinal direction with the edges of the sheet brought together and sealed to form a longitudinal rear seam. A starter cut has been formed only in the longitudinal seam to facilitate opening the package bag. The package bag may be opened by pulling in opposite directions on the longitudinal seam at points on either side of the starter cut. Such package bags may be made from a sheet of flexible roll stock having one or more notches formed at spaced apart locations along one or more edges of the sheet. When the sheet is folded such that the edges meet and are sealed to form a longitudinal rear seam of a package bag, the notches provide a starter cut for opening the package bag.

1 . A package bag, comprising a sheet of flexible packaging material that has been folded along a longitudinal direction, wherein first and second edges of the sheet have been brought together and sealed to form a longitudinal rear seam along the longitudinal direction, wherein a starter cut has been formed only in the rear seam to facilitate opening the package bag, whereby the package bag may be opened by pulling in opposite directions on the longitudinal seam at points on either side of the starter cut.  
   
   
       2 . The package bag of  claim 1  wherein a first end of the folded sheet has been sealed to close a first end of the bag.  
   
   
       3 . The package bag of  claim 2  wherein a second end of the folded sheet has been sealed to close a second end of the bag.  
   
   
       4 . The package bag of  claim 1  wherein the longitudinal seam is substantially free to be pulled up and used to provide one or more finger grab points for opening the package bag.  
   
   
       5 . The package bag of  claim 1  further comprising one or more guide strips running laterally across the bag proximate the starter cut.  
   
   
       6 . The package bag of  claim 5  wherein the one or more guide strips include two guide strips disposed such that the starter cut lies between the two guide strips.  
   
   
       7 . The package bag of  claim 1  wherein the sheet of flexible packaging material has been folded to form a pillow bag, gusseted bag or flat bottom bag.  
   
   
       8 . A composition of matter for forming a package bag, comprising: 
 a sheet of flexible roll stock having one or more notches formed at spaced apart locations along one or more edges of the sheet, wherein, when the sheet is folded such that the edges meet and are sealed to form a longitudinal rear seam, the notches provide a starter cut only in the rear seam for opening package bags formed from the sheet of flexible roll stock.    
   
   
       9 . The composition of matter of  claim 8  wherein the one or more notches include one or more pairs of aligned notches that overlap at least partially when the sheet is folded such that the edges meet.  
   
   
       10 . The composition of matter of  claim 8 , further comprising one or more guide strips formed onto the sheet of roll stock, wherein the guide strips run laterally across the sheet proximate the one or more notches.  
   
   
       11 . The composition of  claim 8  wherein the one or more guide strips include pairs of two closely-spaced guide strips disposed such that the starter cut lies between the two guide strips.  
   
   
       12 . A packaging method, comprising the steps of: 
 folding a sheet of flexible packaging material along a longitudinal direction first to bring first and second edges of the sheet together;    sealing the first and second edges to form a longitudinal rear seam along the longitudinal direction; and    forming a starting cut only in the longitudinal seam to facilitate opening the package bag    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein forming the starter cut includes, before folding the sheet of flexible packaging material, forming one or more notches in the sheet of flexible packaging material at spaced apart locations along one or more edges of the sheet, wherein, when the sheet is folded to bring the first and second edges together and are sealed to form the longitudinal seam, the notches provide the starter cut.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of forming one or more guide strips onto the sheet of flexible packaging material, wherein the guide strips run laterally across the sheet proximate the starter cut.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more guide strips include two closely spaced guide strips disposed such that the starter cut lies between the two guide strips.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of, after folding the sheet of flexible packaging material, sealing a first end of the folded sheet to close a first end of a bag.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the starter cut is formed before sealing the first end of the folded sheet.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of, after sealing the first end of the folded sheet to close the first end of the bag, filling the bag with one or more products.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising, the step of, after filling the bag with one or more products, sealing a second end of the folded sheet to close a second end of the bag.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein forming the starter cut takes place before sealing the second end of the sheet or before filling the bag.  
   
   
       21 . A package bag, comprising: 
 a sheet of flexible packaging material that has been folded along a longitudinal direction,    wherein first and second edges of the sheet have been brought together and sealed to form    a longitudinal rear seam along the longitudinal direction, wherein a starter cut has been formed in the rear seam to facilitate opening the package bag;    and one or more guide strips running laterally across the bag proximate the starter cut,    whereby the package bag may be opened by pulling in opposite directions on the longitudinal seam at points on either side of the starter cut.