Package with a resealable closure

Abstract

A package having a resealable closure is disclosed and comprises a body, a frame, a door and apparatus. The body is a bag in which is disposed a product and has an inner surface defining the inner surface of said package. The frame defines an opening and has a surface attached to the inner surface of said package. The door has one edge connected to the frame for swinging movement of said door between a closed position, whereat the door occludes said opening to contain said product, and an open position, whereat the door is orientated to permit access to said product. The apparatus releasably secures the door in its closed position. The material forming the bag can overlie the door and be perforated to define a frangible portion of said material that call be removed or pulled away to permit operation of the door.

1 . A resealable closure for a package, said closure comprising:
 a frame defining an opening, said frame having a surface attached in use to the inner surface of said package;   a door having one edge connected to said frame for swinging movement of said door between a closed position, whereat the door occludes said opening, and an open position, whereat the door is orientated to permit access to said opening; and   apparatus for releasably securing said door in said closed position,   wherein, in use, the door can be opened, to provide access to the contents of said package, and closed, to contain the contents of said package.   
   
   
       2 . The resealable closure of  claim 1  wherein said door is connected to said frame by a tongue and groove hinge. 
   
   
       3 . The resealable closure of  claim 1 , wherein said door is formed integrally with said frame and connected thereto by a living hinge formed integrally with the frame and door. 
   
   
       4 . The resealable closure of  claim 1  wherein said apparatus for releasably securing said door in said closed position comprises a first mating structure disposed on an inner surface of said door and a second mating structure disposed on said frame, said first mating structure and said second mating structure being configured to mate with each other in frictionally engaged relation to releasably secure said door in said closed position. 
   
   
       5 . The resealable closure of  claim 4  wherein said first mating structure is defined by one or more plugs and said second mating structure is defined by one or more sockets, said plugs being configured to nest within and frictionally engage said sockets. 
   
   
       6 . The resealable closure of  claim 1 , wherein
 the door has a projection therein, in an edge other than the edge of the door which is connected to the frame; and   the frame has an indentation therein to permit a user to insert one or more digits beneath the projection to facilitate movement of the door from the closed position towards the open position.   
   
   
       7 . The resealable closure of  claim 1  wherein said frame is adapted to be heat scaled to the material which forms the inner surface of said package in use. 
   
   
       8 . The resealable closure of  claim 1  wherein the frame is provided with a ledge upon which the door rests when the door is in the closed position. 
   
   
       9 . The resealable closure of  claim 1  wherein the door is connected to the frame by a hinge which is hidden from view when said door is in said closed position and said resealable closure is viewed toward said outer edge. 
   
   
       10 . The resealable closure of  claim 1 , wherein, when the door is in the closed position, the outer surface of the door is substantially flush with the surface of the frame which is attached in use to the inner surface of said package. 
   
   
       11 . A package having a resealable closure, said package comprising:
 a body containing a product, said body having an inner surface defining the inner surface of said package;   a frame defining an opening, said frame having a surface attached to the inner surface of said package;   a door having one edge connected to said frame for swinging movement of said door between a closed position, whereat the door occludes said opening, and an open position, whereat the door is orientated to permit access to said opening; and   apparatus for releasably securing said door in said closed position.   
   
   
       12 . A package according to  claim 11 , wherein the door swings outwardly from the closed to the open position. 
   
   
       13 . A package according to  claim 11 , wherein the body includes a frangible portion overlying the opening of the resealable closure to provide access to and operation of the door. 
   
   
       14 . A package according to  claim 13 , wherein the frangible portion is defined and bounded by a perforation through said body. 
   
   
       15 . A package according to  claim 11 , having a substantially flat bottom. 
   
   
       16 . A package according to  claim 11 , wherein the body includes microperforations which allow air exchange while preventing entry of insects or larvae thereof. 
   
   
       17 . A package according to  claim 11 , wherein the opening defines a pour spout for the package contents. 
   
   
       18 . A method of constructing a blank for a package having a resealable closure, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a bag having an open end and an inner surface which defines the inner surface of the package in use; and   inserting a closure according to  claim 1  into the open end of the bag and operatively sealing the closure to the inner surface of the bag.   
   
   
       19 . A method of constructing a package having a resealable closure, said method comprising the steps of;
 providing the blank of  claim 18 ;   filling the blank with a product; and   closing the open end of the bag.   
   
   
       20 . Apparatus for constructing a package having a resealable closure, said apparatus comprising:
 apparatus for forming the blank of  claim 18 ;   apparatus for filling the blank with a product; and   apparatus for closing the open end of the bag.