Thermoformed flexible package with enlarged integral removable tab at distal end of dispensing tube

Abstract

The removable sealed closure portion of the dispensing tube of a flexible thermoformed dispensing package for flowable materials is provided with an enlarged safety tab that can be integrally formed with, or separately secured to the sealed closure portion, the enlarged safety tab being dimensioned and configured to avoid inadvertent ingestion by a human or small pet when the tab is removed to open the dispensing tube in preparation for dispensing the product. In addition to functioning as a “flag”, the surfaces of which can be printed with source-identifying indicia and other consumer information, the enlarged safety tab formed in an open-ended folded configuration and provided with interior fields of repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive, serves as a protective cover and seal when removed and placed over the open end of the dispensing tube to preserve any remaining material in the container portion of the package.

1 . A highly flexible thermoformed dispensing package for a flowable material, the package produced from one or more heat-sealable flexible polymeric sheets to form a fluid-tight dispensing package and comprising:
 a. a thermoformed container portion that includes a recessed chamber having opposing side walls, top and base walls and bounded by a peripheral area, the chamber configured and arranged to receive the flowable material,   b. an elongated dispensing tube integrally formed with the container portion and bounded by a contiguous peripheral area, the dispensing tube defining a dispensing channel dimensioned to pass the flowable material, the base of the dispensing tube channel being in fluid communication with the chamber, the opposing free end of the dispensing tube being formed with a sealed closure portion, the dispensing tube having a weakened transverse parting line proximate the sealed closure portion to facilitate the manual removal of the sealed closure portion to open the channel for dispensing the flowable material, and   c. an enlarged safety tab extending from the sealed closure portion of the dispensing tube, the enlarged safety tab being integrally formed from the one or more heat-sealed polymeric sheets from which the dispensing package is formed and dimensioned and configured to avoid inadvertent ingestion by a human when the enlarged safety tab and sealed closure portion are separated from the dispensing tube.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The dispensing package of  claim 1  in which the dispensing tube is formed contiguously with an exterior sidewall of the container portion and the enlarged safety tab extends over the container portion and below the transverse weakened parting line proximate to, but separated from the dispensing tube. 
     
     
         5 . The dispensing package of  claim 1  in which the dispensing tube extends from the container portion from a position that is inwardly displaced from the opposing side walls of the container portion and the enlarged safety tab extends from one or both of the opposing sides of the sealed closure portion and over the container portion. 
     
     
         6 . The dispensing package of  claim 5  in which the opposing lateral edges of the enlarged safety tab lie on or within the vertical projection of the opposing side walls of the container portion. 
     
     
         7 . The dispensing package of  claim 1  in which the configuration of the enlarged safety tab is rectangular, triangular, polygonal, round, oval or a combination of such configurations. 
     
     
         8 . The dispensing package of  claim 1  in which the enlarged safety tab includes a transverse scored fold line and two or more spaced-apart fields of pressure sensitive adhesive dimensioned and configured to secure the EST when folded onto itself along the second fold line with the pressure sensitive adhesive fields in contact in position over the open end of the dispensing tube following removal of the enlarged safety tab from the dispensing tube to retain any remaining flowable material in the dispensing package after the sealed closure portion has been removed for dispensing. 
     
     
         9 . The dispensing package of  claim 8  in which the fold line generally bisects the area defined by the enlarged safety tab. 
     
     
         10 . The dispensing package of  claim 1  in which the enlarged safety tab is formed from two opposing heat-sealable polymeric sheets, where two of the edges of the enlarged safety tab are sealed along their periphery and a third edge is open to form a sleeve, the opening being dimensioned to receive the open end of the dispensing tube in close-fitting relation. 
     
     
         11 . The dispensing package of  claim 10  in which the edge opposite the portion of the enlarged safety tab that is joined to the removable sealed closure portion is open. 
     
     
         12 . The dispensing package of  claim 8  in which the opposing interior surfaces of the sleeve proximate its open end include fields of repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive for removably retaining the sleeve in position over the open end of the dispensing tube. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The dispensing package of  claim 1  in which the enlarged safety tab comprises three or more superposed sheets and one of the sheets is formed from a rigid or semi-rigid material. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The dispensing package of  claim 1  in which the enlarged safety tab comprises three superposed sheets and wherein one of the superposed sheets is separately removable from the enlarged safety tab following manual removal of a portion of the enlarge safety tab along one or more weakened parting lines. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The dispensing package of  claim 1  in which the external surface of the dispensing tube includes a field of pressure sensitive adhesive positioned between the transverse weakened parting line and the container portion, the pressure sensitive adhesive being configured and dimensioned to engage in mating relation with a portion of the dispensing tube when the open end is folded down onto itself in the direction of the container portion. 
     
     
         21 . The dispensing package of  claim 20  in which the field of pressure sensitive adhesive extends along the longitudinal axis of the dispensing tube. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The dispensing package of  claim 1  in which the interior surface of the channel in the dispensing tube includes at least one field of pressure sensitive adhesive having characteristics that seal the channel against passage of the flowable material when the flowable material is subjected to the nominal force of gravity and that is releasable to open the channel for flow when the flowable material in the package is pressurized by application of a manual force to the exterior walls of the flexible container portion. 
     
     
         24 . A flexible thermoformed dispensing package for a flowable material, the package produced from one or more heat-sealable polymeric sheets to form a fluid-tight dispensing package and comprising:
 a. a thermoformed container portion that includes a recessed chamber having opposing side walls, top and base walls and bounded by a peripheral area, the chamber configured and arranged to receive the flowable material,   b. an elongated dispensing tube integrally formed with the container portion and bounded by a contiguous peripheral area, the dispensing tube defining a dispensing channel dimensioned to pass the flowable material, the base of the dispensing tube channel being in fluid communication with the chamber, the opposing free end of the dispensing tube being formed with a sealed closure portion, the dispensing tube having a weakened transverse parting line proximate the sealed closure portion to facilitate the manual removal of the sealed closure portion to open the channel for dispensing of the flowable material, and   c. an enlarged safety tab to extending from the sealed closure portion of the dispensing tube, the enlarged safety tab being integrally formed from the one or more heat-sealed polymeric sheets from which the dispensing package is formed and dimensioned and configured to avoid inadvertent ingestion by a human when the enlarged safety tab and sealed closure portion are separated from the dispensing tube.   
     
     
         25 . The dispensing package of  claim 24  in which the enlarged safety tab comprises a separate article of manufacture that is securely joined to the sealed closure portion of the dispensing tube by adhesive or heat bonding. 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The dispensing package of  claim 24  in which the enlarged safety tab comprises a sleeve dimensioned and configured to receive at least one of a generally planar article or a three-dimensional article. 
     
     
         28 . The dispensing package of  claim 24  in which the dispensing tube incorporates a polymeric zipper closure positioned proximate the sealed closure portion. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled)