Resealable Laminate for Heat Sealed Packaging

Abstract

A resealable package assembly is described. The package assembly includes a selectively positionable flap that covers an aperture or enables access through the aperture into the package. The flap and package include provisions for releasably engaging the flap to the package to seal the interior of the package. Provisions for grasping the tab and indicating whether tampering has occurred are also described.

1 . A resealable packaging laminate comprising:
 an outer layer, the outer layer defining an outer face;   a pressure sensitive adhesive layer adjacent to the outer layer;   an inner sealing layer, the inner sealing layer defining an inner face;   a filmic layer adjacent to the inner sealing layer;   a release layer disposed between the pressure sensitive adhesive layer and the filmic layer, the release layer at least in partial contact with the pressure sensitive adhesive layer;   the inner face defining an inner die cut extending through the sealing layer, the filmic layer, and the release layer to thereby define an inner flap portion;   the outer face defining an outer die cut extending through the outer layer and the pressure sensitive adhesive layer to thereby define an outer flap portion;   the inner flap portion and the outer flap portion being secured to each other to thereby provide a positionable flap partially connected to the packaging laminate;   wherein the outer die cut and the inner die cut define a resealable region extending between the outer die cut and the inner die cut, the resealable region in the flap including a portion of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer and the resealable region in the packaging laminate including a portion of the release layer.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer exhibits a relatively uniform composition at all locations in the laminate. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the flap is selectively positionable between (i) an open position in which at least a portion of the flap is spaced from the packaging laminate, and (ii) a closed position in which the flap is sealingly contacted with the packaging laminate. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein upon the flap being in an open position, at least a portion of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer in the resealable region of the flap is exposed. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein upon the flap being in an open position, at least a portion of the release layer in the resealable region of the packaging laminate is exposed. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a barrier layer disposed between the filmic layer and the inner sealing layer. 
 
     
     
         7 . The packaging laminate of  claim 6  wherein the barrier layer disposed between the filmic layer and the inner sealing layer is a first barrier layer, the laminate further comprising:
 a second barrier layer disposed between the outer layer and the pressure sensitive adhesive layer. 
 
     
     
         8 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the outer die cut extends through a barrier layer between the filmic layer and the inner sealing layer. 
     
     
         9 . The resealable packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the inner flap portion and the outer flap portion are secured to each other by contact between the pressure sensitive layer and the release layer. 
     
     
         10 . The releasable packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the inner die cut defines an aperture extending through the packaging laminate. 
     
     
         11 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the inner sealing layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), copolymers of polypropylene (Co-PP), terpolymers of polypropylene (Ter-PP), and glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG), and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the filmic layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of co-extruded oriented polypropylene (OPP), co-extruded oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BOPET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA), and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer comprises a polymeric blend of butyl acrylate and 2-ethyl-hexyl acrylate monomers. 
     
     
         14 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the release layer comprises silicone. 
     
     
         15 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the release layer includes a silicone slip agent modified co-extruded polypropylene film skin layer. 
     
     
         16 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the outer layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), oriented polypropylene (OPP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA), copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The packaging laminate of  claim 6  wherein the barrier layer exhibits an oxygen permeability of less than 50 cc/m 2 /24 hours. 
     
     
         18 . The packaging laminate of  claim 6  wherein the barrier layer exhibits a water permeability of less than 50 cc/m 2 /24 hours. 
     
     
         19 . The packaging laminate of  claim 6  wherein the barrier layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), ethylene vinyl alcohol polymer (EVOH, PVA), nylon polymers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The packaging laminate of  claim 6  wherein the barrier layer includes a metalized aluminum layer. 
     
     
         21 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the the flap has an opening force from about 1 N/in to about 10 N/in. 
     
     
         22 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the flap is sealingly engaged to the packaging laminate. 
     
     
         23 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a printing layer disposed on the outer layer, wherein the printing layer provides the outer face of the flap. 
 
     
     
         24 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the outer face further defines at least one tamper identifier, the tamper identifier defined in the resealable region. 
     
     
         25 . The packaging laminate of  claim 24 , wherein the tamper identifier includes a tamper die cut extending through the outer layer, the pressure sensitive adhesive layer, and the release layer. 
     
     
         26 . The packaging laminate of  claim 25 , wherein the tamper die cut extends through a barrier layer disposed between the outer layer and the pressure sensitive adhesive layer. 
     
     
         27 . The packaging laminate of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one tamper identifier having a shape selected from the group consisting of a circle, a square, a rectangle, an oval, a triangle, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the inner die cut is continuous. 
     
     
         29 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the outer die cut includes at least one non-continuous die cut region, each non-continuous die cut region adapted to sever upon an initial opening operation in which the flap of the packaging laminate is initially opened. 
     
     
         30 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1  wherein the outer die cut includes two non-continuous die cut regions, the two non-continuous die cut regions separated by a portion of the outer die cut. 
     
     
         31 . The packaging laminate of  claim 30  wherein the portion of the outer die cut separating the two non-continuous die cut regions is arcuate in shape. 
     
     
         32 . The packaging laminate of  claim 1 , the packaging laminate further comprising a region of adhesive deadening material disposed within the resealable region, and between the pressure sensitive adhesive layer and the release layer. 
     
     
         33 . The packaging laminate of  claim 32  wherein the adhesive deadening material is proximate to at least one non-continuous die cut region. 
     
     
         34 . The packaging laminate of  claim 32  wherein the adhesive deadening material is disposed proximate the arcuate portion of an outer die cut separating two non-continuous die cut regions. 
     
     
         35 . A resealable bag container, the container including two end sections and at least one multilayer side wall extending therebetween to thereby define a hollow interior, the container including a selectively positionable flap, the flap at least partially connected to a portion of the side wall of the container and positionable over an aperture defined in the side wall,
 the flap defining a first sealing region extending along an inner face of the flap, the flap including an adhesive layer exposed in the first sealing region;   the side wall defining a second sealing region extending about the aperture, the side wall including a release layer exposed in the second sealing region;   the flap configured to releasably seal with the side wall by contacting the exposed adhesive layer of the flap with the exposed release layer of the side wall;   wherein the multilayer side wall of the container includes an adhesive layer having the same composition as the adhesive layer in the flap.   
     
     
         36 - 60 . (canceled) 
     
     
         61 . A resealable packaging laminate comprising:
 an outer laminate portion including a pressure sensitive adhesive layer, the outer laminate portion defining an outer die cut, the outer die cut extending across a region of the outer laminate to define an outer flap portion, the outer flap portion at least partially connected to the packaging laminate;   an inner laminate portion including a release layer at least partially in contact with the pressure sensitive adhesive layer, the inner laminate portion defining an inner die cut, the inner die cut extending across a region of the inner laminate to define an inner flap portion, the inner flap portion at least partially connected to the packaging laminate;   wherein the outer flap portion overlies the inner flap portion and is secured thereto to form a flap at least partially connected to the packaging laminate;   the outer die cut and the inner die cut defining (i) a flap resealing area in the flap extending between the outer die cut and the inner die cut, a portion of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer being selectively exposed in the flap resealing area, and (ii) a flap receiving area in the packaging laminate extending between the outer die cut and the inner die cut, a portion of the release layer being selectively exposed in the flap receiving area;   wherein the flap is selectively positionable between (i) a seal position in which the pressure sensitive adhesive layer in the flap resealing area of the flap is in contact with the release layer in the flap receiving area of the packaging laminate, and (ii) an open position in which the flap is at least partially spaced from the packaging laminate to thereby expose at least a portion of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer in the flap resealing area of the flap and a portion of the release layer in the flap receiving area of the packaging laminate.   
     
     
         62 - 81 . (canceled)