Shrink bag having tear opening

Abstract

A tear open shrink bag that includes second and third seal extending from the first seal and a tear initiator. After filling and sealing the bag, the bagged product is exposed to heat to shrink the bag tight to the product. The product can be manually removed from the bag by pulling at the assistors in the header, propagating the tear from the initiator through the seal and into the body of the bag.

1 . A shrink bag comprising:
 a. a first wall and a second wall opposing each other;   b. a first edge, a second edge opposing the first edge, a third edge substantially perpendicular to the first edge and the second edge, and a fourth edge opposing the third edge;   c. a first seal connecting the first and second walls wherein the first seal comprises a first part extending from the first edge to the second edge, a second part extending into the header and a third part extending into the product space;   d. a header located between the first part of the first seal and the fourth edge;   e. a product space located between the first part of the first seal and the third edge; and   f. a tear initiator starting at a point within the header and extending to a point within the first seal.   
     
     
         2 . A shrink bag according to  claim 1  wherein the header further comprises a first assistor and a second assistor. 
     
     
         3 . A shrink bag according to  claim 1  wherein the second part of the first seal comprises a sealed section and a heated section, wherein the first and second walls are not sealed together in the heated section. 
     
     
         4 . A shrink bag according to  claim 1  wherein the second part of the first seal comprises more than one sealed section. 
     
     
         5 . A shrink bag according to  claim 1  wherein the second part of the first seal, the third part of the first seal and the tear initiator are each located at an approximate center of the first part of the first seal. 
     
     
         6 . A shrink bag according to  claim 1  wherein the tear initiator extends from a location on the fourth edge. 
     
     
         7 . A shrink bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the tear initiator extends from a location spaced from the fourth edge to a location within the first seal and extends through the entire thickness of each of the first wall and the second wall. 
     
     
         8 . A shrink bag according to  claim 1  wherein the first wall and the second wall each comprise a multilayer heat shrinkable film. 
     
     
         9 . A shrink bag according to  claim 1  wherein the third edge and the fourth edge are each arcuate. 
     
     
         10 . A shrink bag according to  claim 1  wherein the first part of the first seal is arcuate. 
     
     
         11 . A shrink bag comprising:
 a. a multilayer film;   b. a first seal connecting a first wall of the multilayer film to a second wall of the multilayer film, wherein the first seal comprises a first part separating a header and a product space, a second part extending into the header, and a third part extending into the product space; and   c. a tear initiator.   
     
     
         12 . A shrink bag according to  claim 11  wherein the tear initiator extends from a first point within the header to a second point within the header, positioned with linear continuity to the second part of the first seal and the third part of the first seal. 
     
     
         13 . A shrink bag according to  claim 11  wherein the tear initiator extends from a first point within the header to a point within the first part of the first seal. 
     
     
         14 . A shrink bag according to  claim 11  wherein the tear initiator extends from a first point within the header to a point within the second part of the first seal. 
     
     
         15 . A shrink bag according to  claim 11  wherein upon filling the bag with a product, sealing the bag, subjecting the bag to heat to shrink the bag, and tearing open the bag using the tear initiator, the bag continues to tear into the product space. 
     
     
         16 . A shrink bag comprising:
 a. a first wall and a second wall;   b. a first edge, a second edge opposing the first edge, an arcuate shaped third edge extending relatively perpendicular to the first edge, and an arcuate shaped fourth edge opposing the third edge;   c. a first seal connecting the first and second walls and comprising an arcuate shape first part, a second part and a third part, wherein the arcuate shape first part extends from the first edge to the second edge and the second and third parts are located at an approximate center of the arcuate shape first part;   d. a header located between the arcuate shape first part of the first seal and the fourth edge, wherein the second part of the first seal extends into the header;   e. a product space located between the arcuate shape first part of the first seal and the third edge, wherein the third part of the first seal extends into the product space;   f. a tear initiator located at an approximate center of the arcuate shape first part of the first seal, extending from a point between the fourth edge and the second part of the first seal to a point within the second part of the first seal;   g. a first assistor and a second assistor formed as holes through the entire thicknesses of the first and second wall, located in the header on either side of the tear initiator; and   h. a second seal adjacent the first assistor and a third seal adjacent the second assistor.   
     
     
         17 . A shrink bag according to  claim 16  wherein the second part of the first seal and the third part of the first seal are each rectangular. 
     
     
         18 . A shrink bag according to  claim 16  wherein the tear initiator is a continuous slit extending through both the first and second walls. 
     
     
         19 . A shrink bag according to  claim 16  wherein the arcuate shape first part of the first seal, the second part of the first seal, the third part of the first seal and the tear initiator are positioned with linear continuity. 
     
     
         20 . A shrink bag according to  claim 16  wherein upon filling the bag with a product, sealing the bag along the third edge, subjecting the bag to heat to shrink the bag, and tearing open the bag using the tear initiator, the bag tears into the center portion of the product space in at least one of the first or second wall.