Flexible Packaging and Method of Manufacture

Abstract

A wall material for a construction of a flexible container that is designed to be openable by tearing is formed by providing a flexible film for forming a wall of the container, providing a tear barrier element having greater tear resistance than the wall film, locating the element on or within the film to define a tear path thereon, and fixing the element to the film. The film is then arranged to form a flexible-walled container having opposed back and front walls, so that the tear path is spaced from at least a part of the top edge thereof and facilitates opening of the container by restricting tearing to the path defined between the strips. The tear barrier strips may be located to be fixed on the film by means of suitable adhesive or may be embedded between laminate layers of the wall material.

1 . A flexible container comprising opposed front and back walls sealed together proximate to their edges to define an internal space, a pair of tear-limiting strips applied to each wall so that the strips coincide substantially on the opposed walls, defining corresponding tear paths along each surface, wherein the strips of each pair are spaced from about 1 mm to 2 mm apart, and wherein the strips are about 1 mm to about 5 mm in width.  
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the strips of each pair are spaced from about 1.2 mm to 1.8 mm apart.  
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the strips of each pair are substantially parallel to each other.  
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the strips comprise sealable strips.  
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the strips are self-adhesive.  
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the strips are about 1.5 to 2.5 mm in width.  
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the walls comprise a laminate material.  
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the strips are all located on an outer surface of the walls.  
   
   
       9 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the strips are all located on an inner surface of the walls.  
   
   
       10 . The container of  claim 1  wherein one pair of strips is located on an internal wall surface and another pair on an external wall surface.  
   
   
       11 . The container of  claim 7  having a pair of strips located within the laminate material.  
   
   
       12 . A flexible container according to  claim 1 , wherein the opposed back and front walls, each have a respective top edge, the walls being sealed together proximate to the respective top edges defining an internal space between them, wherein the pair of tear-limiting strips defines a tear path located to be spaced from at least a part of the top edge thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The conainer of  claim 12 , comprising tear barrier means manufactured from a material more tear-resistant than the material of the walls.  
   
   
       14 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the tear path extends from one end to the other across the back and front walls.  
   
   
       15 . The container of  claim 12  wherein the tear path extends from an end of a wall to the top edge.  
   
   
       16 . The container of  claim 12  wherein the pair of tear limiting strips is located between adjacent layers in a laminate wall.  
   
   
       17 . A method of forming a wall material for a tearable flexible container comprising the steps of: 
 providing a flexible film for forming a wall of the container,    providing a tear barrier element having a substantially greater tear resistance than the wall film,    locating the element on the film to define a tear path thereon, and fixing the element to the film, and    the tear barrier element comprises a pair of tear-limiting strips which are about 1 mm to about 5 mm in width and the strips of each pair are spaced from about 1 mm to 2 mm apart.    
   
   
       18 . A method manufacturing a sealable bag comprising the steps of providing a flexible film and forming it into a container defining an internal space bounded by respective front and back walls, and applying a pair of tear barrier strips to the walls to define a bounded tear path on each of the front and back walls, wherein the strips are located to be spaced from about 1 mm to about 2 mm apart and wherein the strips are about 1 mm to about 5 mm in breadth.  
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 18  comprising applying a pair of strips located to be substantially parallel to each other, the strips having substantially greater tear resistance than the flexible film.  
   
   
       20 . A method of manufacturing a flexible walled container comprising the steps of providing first and second films, providing tear barrier material in strip form, applying the tear barrier material in paired strips to each film so as to define a substantially coinciding tear path on each and arranging the films in opposition to form a container comprising substantially coinciding tear paths on each wall, applying the paired strips so as to be spaced from about 1 mm to about 2 mm apart, the strips being about 1 mm to about 5 mm in width.  
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 20  wherein the films comprise a laminate of aluminum foil and polyethylene.  
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 20  wherein the strips comprise a tape selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene and polypropylene.