Cold-sealed flexible film packages and methods

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of a cold seal package forming device (100) is provided, which may have a scoring device configured to score a continuous film laminate, the film laminate comprising a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive/PSA (36) disposed between a first film layer (37) and a second film layer (38); a stripping device configured to strip at least a portion of the second film layer (38) to expose the PSA (36); a forming device configured to form the film laminate into a package (30) having an interior; a feeding device configured to feed a product into the package interior; a sealing device (108, 142) configured to seal the product within the package interior via adherence of the exposed PSA (36) on a portion of a package periphery; and a separating device configured to singulate the package (30) from a continuous web of the film laminate.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A cold seal package forming device comprising:
 a scoring device configured to score a continuous film laminate, the film laminate comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) layer disposed between a first film layer and a second film layer;   a stripping device configured to strip at least a portion of the second film layer to expose the PSA;   a forming device configured to form the film laminate into a package having an interior;   a feeding device configured to feed a product into the package interior;   a sealing device configured to seal the product within the package interior via adherence of the exposed PSA on a portion of a package periphery; and   a separating device configured to singulate the package from a continuous web of the film laminate.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the stripping device is configured to strip the second film layer to expose the PSA corresponding to the portion of a package periphery to form longitudinal seals and end seals. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the stripping device is configured to strip the second film layer to expose the PSA to form one or more gussets. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing device further comprises one or more package end sealers, wherein the package end sealers are heated end sealers. 
     
     
         5 . A method of producing a flexible package from a continuous film laminate having a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) layer disposed between a first film layer and a second film layer, the method comprising:
 scoring the second film layer of the film laminate corresponding to at least a portion of the periphery of the package to be formed;   stripping predetermined portions of the scored second film layer to expose the PSA;   forming a package interior by sealing the exposed PSA to the at least a portion of the periphery of the package;   feeding a product into the package interior;   sealing the product within the package interior; and   separating individual packages from the continuous film laminate.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of scoring the second layer of the film laminate further comprises scoring the second layer of the film laminate offline of the package production. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of forming the package interior further includes wrapping the film laminate around a vertical form filling tube, and wherein the step of stripping the predetermined portions of the second film layer from the film laminate occurs prior to the wrapping of the film laminate around the vertical form filling tube. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of scoring the second layer of the film laminate comprises scoring a portion of the edges of the continuous film laminate, and wherein the step of stripping the predetermined portions of the second film layer exposes the PSA to allow formation of a longitudinal seal. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of scoring the second layer of the film laminate further comprises providing a PSA layer disposed between the first film layer and the second film layer with scores to allow exposure of the PSA to form gussets. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of sealing the product within the package interior further comprises joining the exposed PSA to the film laminate. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of scoring the second layer of the film laminate further comprises scoring the second layer of the film laminate corresponding to an entire periphery of the package. 
     
     
         12 . A flexible package for containment of discrete products, the package comprising:
 a flexible film laminate having a first film layer, a second film layer, and a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) layer disposed between the first film layer and the second film layer;   wherein the second film layer covers a portion of the first film layer and a portion of the PSA is exposed;   a package interior formed by portions of the flexible film laminate adhesively laminated to one another by the exposed PSA; and   an outer flap portion formed by an outer score line through the first film layer;   an inner flap portion formed by an inner score line through the second film layer;   wherein the inner score line is displaced from the outer score line so as to form therebetween a marginal region of the outer flap portion that extends beyond an edge of the inner flap portion;   wherein the inner score line is configured to provide an opening into the package interior when the inner and outer flap portions are peeled back;   wherein the outer score line is configured to penetrate through an outer surface of the laminate but not through an inner surface of the laminate; and   wherein the inner score line is configured to penetrate through an inner surface of the laminate but not an outer surface of the laminate.