Sorbent Packaging

Abstract

In an elongated strip of desiccant packages each package includes a body formed from spun bonded non-woven polyethylene; a lateral seal at each end of the body, the seal comprising a knurled direct, adhesive free, seal having intersecting sealing lines each of which is arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the package; a longitudinal seal extending between the lateral seals printed indicia on the package disposed substantially between the lateral seals, and spaced from the longitudinal seal, the longitudinal and lateral sealing areas being substantially free of printing; at least one registration mark( on the body, the mark disposed at a known distance from at least one of the lateral seals, and outside of the sealing area; a sorbent material within the body. A method for inserting desiccant packages into product containers includes the steps of: providing an elongated strip of preprinted desiccant packages having a length at least 1000 times its width, the preprinted desiccant packages comprising first printed indicia and at least one index mark spaced from the indicia, the printed indicia and the index mark comprising food grade ink; feeding the packets to a cutter sensing the index mark; inhibiting the feeding step if no index mark is present; cutting individual packets from the strip in registration with the index mark in an area free from printed indicia; and inserting the cut packets into the product package

1 . An elongated strip of desiccant packages each package comprising:
 a body formed from spun bonded non-woven polyethylene;   a lateral seal at each end of the body, the seal comprising a knurled direct, adhesive free, seal having intersecting sealing lines each of which is arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the package;   a longitudinal seal extending between the lateral seals   printed indicia on the package disposed substantially between the lateral seals, and spaced from the longitudinal seal, the longitudinal and lateral sealing areas being substantially free of printing;   at least one registration mark on the body, the mark disposed at a known distance from at least one of the lateral seals, and outside of the sealing area;   a sorbent material within the body.   
   
   
       2 . The elongated strip of desiccant packages of  claim 1  in which the intersecting sealing lines comprise lines of discrete sealing points. 
   
   
       3 . The elongated strip of desiccant packages of  claim 1  in which the sorbent comprises a desiccant. 
   
   
       4 . The elongated strip of desiccant packages of  claim 1  in which the registration mark comprises a proprietary mark. 
   
   
       5 . The elongated strip of desiccant packages of  claim 4  in which the proprietary mark comprises a trademark. 
   
   
       6 . The elongated strip of desiccant packages of  claim 4  in which the proprietary mark comprises a bar code. 
   
   
       7 . The elongated strip of desiccant packages of  claim 1  comprising at least translucent region in the lateral seal. 
   
   
       8 . The elongated strip of desiccant packages of  claim 1  in which the printed indicia and the registration mark comprise food grade ink. 
   
   
       9 . The elongated strip of desiccant packages of  claim 1  further comprising a second registration mark aligned with the first registration mark. 
   
   
       10 . The elongated strip of desiccant packages of  claim 9  in which the second registration mark comprises a proprietary mark. 
   
   
       11 . The elongated strip of desiccant packages of  claim 10  in which the proprietary mark comprises a trademark. 
   
   
       12 . The elongated strip of desiccant packages of  claim 9  in which the second registration mark comprises an ink different from the first registration mark. 
   
   
       13 . A material for fabricating a sorbent package comprising:
 an elongated web of spun bonded polyester material having a length at least 1000 times its width;   first visible indicia formed from food grade ink applied in a repeating sequence of locations along the length of the Web;   a first index mark associated with each instance of the first visible indicia formed simultaneously there with from food grade ink;   a second index mark in registration with the first index mark and form separately therefrom.   
   
   
       14 . The material for fabricating a sorbent package of  claim 13  in which the second index mark comprises a proprietary mark. 
   
   
       15 . The material for fabricating a sorbent package of  claim 14  in which the proprietary mark comprises a trademark. 
   
   
       16 . The material for fabricating a sorbent package of  claim 13  further comprising second visible indicia spaced laterally from the first visible indicia and aligned longitudinally there with, the second visible indicia formed from food grade ink. 
   
   
       17 . The material for fabricating a sorbent package of  claim 16  further comprising third visible indicia spaced laterally from the first visible indicia and aligned longitudinally there with, the third visible indicia formed from food grade ink. 
   
   
       18 . A method for forming desiccant packages comprising:
 providing an elongated web of preprinted packaging material having a length at least 1000 times its width, the preprinted packaging material comprising first printed indicia and at least one index mark spaced from the indicia, the printed indicia and the index mark comprising food grade ink;   wrapping the web of preprinted packaging material around a mandrel to form an overlapping sealing area that is free from printed indicia;   forming a first longitudinal seal in the overlapping sealing area, the seal being free from printed indicia;   sensing the index mark;   forming a first lateral seal in registration with the index mark in an area free from printed indicia;   inserting a quantity of desiccant material into the package;   positioning the package for forming a second lateral seal with respect to the index mark; and   forming the second lateral seal in registration with the index mark in an area free from printed indicia.   
   
   
       19 . The method for forming desiccant packages of  claim 18  comprising the step of forming a second index mark in registration with the first index mark. 
   
   
       20 . The method for forming desiccant packages of  claim 19  in which forming the second index mark comprises forming a proprietary index mark. 
   
   
       21 . Apparatus for separating a strip of packets into individual packets and inserting the packets into a product container comprising:
 a spool;   a continuous strip formed from a multiplicity of packets attached end to end, the strip wound on the spool, each packet including an index mark spaced a predetermined distance from an end of the packet;   a cutter separating the continuous strip of packets into individual packets;   a feeder receiving the packets from the spool and delivering the packets to the cutter;   a sensor positioned adjacent the strip of patents between the spool and the cutter responsive to the index mark for positioning the strip of packets relative to the cutter for separating the packets from the strip at the end of each packet;   a controller coupled to the sensor causing the apparatus to halt if the index mark is not detected.   
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 21  in which the index mark comprises a proprietary index mark. 
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 21  in which the index mark comprises a trademark. 
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 21  in which the index mark comprises a bar code. 
   
   
       25 . A method for inserting desiccant packages into product containers comprising:
 providing an elongated strip of preprinted desiccant packages having a length at least 1000 times its width, the preprinted desiccant packages comprising first printed indicia and at least one index mark spaced from the indicia, the printed indicia and the index mark comprising food grade ink;   feeding the packets to a cutter   sensing the index mark;   inhibiting the feeding step if no index mark is present;   cutting individual packets from the strip in registration with the index mark in an area free from printed indicia; and   inserting the cut packets into the product package.