Enclosure For Resealing A Package And Method Therefor

Abstract

An enclosure is provided for resealing a package. A body of formable material has an open end and a closeable end. The body may have slits on opposite sides for expanding the open end. An adhesive strip is provided on the open end of the body for securing to the package. The adhesive strips extend beyond the slits in the body for securing the first side of the body to the second side of the body. A closing mechanism is provided on the closeable end of the body. The closing mechanism has a lip and groove along the closeable end, and a locking mechanism for inserting the lip into the groove to reseal the enclosure. The closing mechanism slides across the closeable end of the enclosure to allow the enclosure to be opened and closed. The enclosure may have a spout formed in the closeable end of the enclosure.

1 . An enclosure of formable material for resealing an opening of a package, comprising: 
 an inside surface having a first inside surface and a second inside surface;    an outside surface having a first outside surface and a second outside surface;    an open end and a closeable end;    a first adhesive strip disposed on the first inside surface near the open end, and a second adhesive strip disposed on the second inside surface near the open end, wherein the first and second adhesive strips are adapted for securing to the package;    slits on first and second opposite sides of the open end, wherein the slits are adapted to allow an area of the open end to fold back upon a portion of the outside surface, thereby exposing a portion of the first inside surface of the open end over a portion of the first outside surface of the open end, and exposing a portion of the second inside surface of the open end over a portion of the second outside surface of the open end;    the slits are further adapted to allow the first adhesive strip on the first inside surface to fold back and be exposed over the first outside surface and adapted to allow the second adhesive strip on the second inside surface to fold back and be exposed over the second outside surface; and,    a resealing mechanism disposed on the closeable end for resealing the package.    
   
   
       2 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the open end is at least one of larger, smaller and substantially equivalent to the opening of the package.  
   
   
       3 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the open end is sufficiently spaced apart from the closed end such that, after adhering the adhesive strips to the package, a separation between the first inside surface and the second inside surface is wider over a first portion of the open end than other portions of the open end.  
   
   
       4 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the open end is sufficiently spaced apart from the closed end so as to allow the open end to be positioned about the package at a location substantially spaced apart from the opening of the package, thereby providing a substantial overlap of the formable material over the package.  
   
   
       5 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the open end is expandable to be substantially larger than the perimeter of the closed end.  
   
   
       6 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the slits terminate near an inward edge of the first adhesive strip.  
   
   
       7 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the slits are adapted to allow the open end to cover a perimeter on the package which is larger than a perimeter of the open end.  
   
   
       8 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the slits enable attachment of the first and second adhesive strips along all edges of a rectangular surface.  
   
   
       9 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first outside surface and the second outside surface comprises a field which is writable.  
   
   
       10 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein first adhesive strip on the first inside surface includes a first peelable sheet over the first adhesive strip, and the second adhesive strip on the second inside surface includes a second peelable sheet over the second adhesive strip.  
   
   
       11 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the first adhesive strip has a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is adapted to be secured to the package and the second portion is adapted to be secured to the second adhesive strip so as to close any portion of the open end that is not secured to the package.  
   
   
       12 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the first adhesive strip includes multiple adhesive strips on the first inside surface, wherein the multiple adhesive strips are at least one of stacked upon each other and next to each other along a portion of the first inside surface, thereby enabling re-usability of the enclosure.  
   
   
       13 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the resealing mechanism comprises a lip and groove along the closeable end.  
   
   
       14 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the resealing mechanism comprises a lip and groove along the closeable end and a locking mechanism for inserting the lip into the groove to reseal the closable end, wherein the resealing mechanism slides across the closeable end to allow the closable end to be repeatedly opened and closed.  
   
   
       15 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , further comprising a spout formed in the closeable end of the enclosure.  
   
   
       16 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle attached to the enclosure.  
   
   
       17 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , further comprising a towel disposed within the enclosure.  
   
   
       18 . The enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the open end is expandable.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive material may be used in temperatures ranging from about −20° C. to about 63° C. degrees.  
   
   
       20 . A method for manufacturing an enclosure of formable material for resealing an opening of a package, the method comprising: 
 heat pressing a first sheet of formable material having a first inside surface to a second sheet of formable material having a second inside surface, along opposite sides up to a predetermined location along each of the sides;    folding back a portion of the first sheet up to the predetermined location, thereby exposing a portion of a first inside surface of the first sheet;    heat pressing a crease along the folded back portion of the first sheet;    depositing an adhesive material along the first inside surface of the folded up portion between the opposite sides with a top edge of the adhesive material near the predetermined location where the side panels connect;    folding back a portion of the second sheet up to the predetermined location, thereby exposing a portion of a second inside surface of the second sheet;    heat pressing a crease along the folded back portion of the second sheet;    depositing an adhesive material along the second inside surface of the folded up portion between the opposite sides with a top edge of the adhesive material near the predetermined location where the side panels connect; and,    creating a closable end opposite the adhesive material by attaching a resealing mechanism on the closable end.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising placing a peelable sheet over the adhesive material, thereby protecting the adhesive material prior to use.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the adhesive material includes a peelable sheet with adhesive material on the peelable sheet.