Easy open ream wrap

Abstract

A ream wrap package formed by wrapping a sheet of polymeric film ( 21 ) around a stack of paper, the sheet having been severed from a web polymeric film having at least one line of weakness formed therein in the machine direction (MD) and within a region of the transverse direction (TD), to form a rectangular tube with sides overlapping, sealing one side to the other to form a girth seal ( 24 ), closing the tube at each end to form an envelope seal with tucked in ends and overlapping flaps ( 25, 25′, 26, 26 ′), at least one of which is trapezoidal, so that in the formed package there is at least one line of weakness ( 27 ) extending along the whole length of a surface of the package outside the girth seal, positioned so that it terminates at each end of the package within a region of the TD defined by that portion of the overlapping flaps where there are only two layers of the overlapping film

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A ream wrap package formed by wrapping a sheet of polymeric film around a stack of paper, the sheet having been severed from a web of polymeric film having lines of weakness formed therein in the machine direction (MD) and within a region of the transverse direction (TD) the package being formed by wrapping the sheet around the stack of paper to form a rectangular tube with sides overlapping, sealing one side to the other to form a girth seal, closing the tube at each end to form an envelope seal with tucked in ends and overlapping flaps, at least one of which is trapezoidal, so that in the formed package at least one first line of weakness and at least one second line of weakness extends along the whole length of a first surface of the package outside the girth seal, the lines of weakness being positioned so that they terminate at each end of the package within a region of the TD defined by that portion of the overlapping flaps where there are only two layers of overlapping film. 
     
     
         21 . The ream wrap package according to  claim 20 , wherein both overlapping flaps are trapezoidal. 
     
     
         22 . The ream wrap package according to  claim 20 , wherein the first and second lines of weakness are parallel to each other. 
     
     
         23 . The ream wrap package according to  claim 20 , wherein the other surface of the package is provided with a pair of lines of weakness. 
     
     
         24 . The ream wrap package according to  claim 23 , wherein each line of weakness in the pair co-aligns with a corresponding line of weakness on the first surface of the package. 
     
     
         25 . The ream wrap package according to  claim 23 , wherein one line of weakness of the pair is provided towards one TD end of the film in its unwrapped condition, and the other line of weakness of the pair is provided towards the opposite TD end of the film in its unwrapped condition. 
     
     
         26 . The ream wrap package according to  claim 23 , wherein both lines of weakness of the pair are provided towards one TD end of the film in its unwrapped condition. 
     
     
         27 . The ream wrap package according to  claim 20 , wherein means are provided to enable the package to be opened by initiating tearing along the lines of weakness. 
     
     
         28 . The ream wrap package according to  claim 27 , wherein such means comprises a tab formed in or adhered to the wrapped sheet. 
     
     
         29 . The ream wrap package according to  claim 20 , formed from a sheet of film provided with a heat sealable coating. 
     
     
         30 . The ream wrap package according to  claim 29 , comprising means to initiate tearing provided by an area within or about any or each line of weakness at the outer end of one or both pairs of flaps which is printed or overlacquered so that when the flaps are sealed together, the printed or overlacquered area forms a weaker part of the envelope seal. 
     
     
         31 . The ream wrap package according to  claim 20 , wherein a notch or slit is provided at one or both outer flaps where a line of weakness terminates. 
     
     
         32 . The ream wrap package according to  claim 20 , wherein the first surface of the package does not have the girth seal formed therein. 
     
     
         33 . The ream wrap package according to  claim 20 , wherein the first surface of the package is located opposite to the surface of the package with the girth seal formed therein.