Flexible film plate-mat bag

Abstract

A method for forming a plate-mat bag using a form, fill, and seal machine and the resultant bag. The film used to form the bag is oriented so that the product side layer is not a critical barrier layer. The top most portion of the bag is unsealed forming a tab. Below the top most portion, a peelable upper seal is utilized so that a consumer can destroy the upper seal using the tab and tear open the bag along slits made in the product side layer. This results in an easy open package which when opened can serve as a plate.

1 . A package comprising a flexible film, said package comprising:
 a bottom seal;   an upper peelable seal comprising a force distributing configuration, wherein said upper peelable seal has a seal area of a defined width and length;   a front panel defined as between said bottom and upper seals, wherein said front panel has a right side and a left side;   a back panel contiguous with said front panel and defined as between said bottom and upper seal;   wherein said front and back panels each comprise at least two layers of film, an inner and an outer layer;   wherein said inner layer comprises at least two score lines running from the upper seal and the bottom seal; and   wherein said package comprises an extension of the package film above the upper seal.   
   
   
       2 . The package of  claim 1  wherein said outer layer comprises oriented film. 
   
   
       3 . The package of  claim 2  wherein said orientation is aligned with said score lines. 
   
   
       4 . The package of  claim 1  wherein said outer layer comprises barrier properties. 
   
   
       5 . The package of  claim 4  wherein said outer layer comprises a metalized film. 
   
   
       6 . The package of  claim 1  wherein said upper seal comprises a tip, and wherein the seal area at said tip is narrower than the width of the seal area along the rest of said seal. 
   
   
       7 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the seal area of said upper seal has a width of between about 1/16 th  to about ⅛ th  of an inch. 
   
   
       8 . The package of  claim 1  wherein said upper seal comprises a chevron shaped seal. 
   
   
       9 . The package of  claim 1  wherein said extension of the package film above the upper seal further comprises two cuts in said front panel thereby forming a tear tab. 
   
   
       10 . The package of  claim 1  wherein said at least two score lines comprise at least one score line vertically oriented on a left side of said front panel, and wherein at least two score lines further comprise at least one score line vertically oriented on a right side of said front panel. 
   
   
       11 . The package of  claim 1  wherein said upper peelable seal comprises resin. 
   
   
       12 . The package of  claim 1  wherein said upper peelable seal comprises a cold seal. 
   
   
       13 . The package of  claim 1  wherein said upper peelable seal comprises a line seal. 
   
   
       14 . A method for making a flexible film package said method comprising the steps of:
 a) obtaining a flexible film web having a layer comprising at least two vertical score lines, wherein at least one layer within said flexible film is oriented to preferentially tear in the direction of said at least two score lines;   b) feeding said flexible film into a form, fill, and seal machine such that said at least two score lines are parallel to the direction of film travel;   c) forming said flexible film web into a tube;   d) sealing said flexible film web at the bottom of said tube, thereby forming a bottom seal on a resultant package;   e) filling said resultant package with product; and   f) sealing at the top of a resultant package a force distributing peelable seal wherein film material extends beyond said seal, and wherein said seal has a seal area of a defined width and length.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the step of:
 g) cutting said film material extending beyond said seal to form a tear tab.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said sealing step f) comprises sealing at the top of a resultant package a chevron shaped seal. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said sealing step f) comprises sealing at the top of a resultant package a seal, wherein the seal area of said seal has a width of between about 1/16 th  to about ⅛ th  of an inch. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said sealing step f) comprises sealing at the top of a resultant package a seal, wherein said seal comprises a tip, and wherein the seal area at said tip is narrower than the width of the seal area along the rest of said seal. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said obtaining step a) comprises obtaining a layer of oriented polypropylene. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said filling step e) comprises filling said resultant package with a snack food. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said feeding step b) comprises feeding said flexible film into a vertical form, fill, and seal machine.