Bottom gusseted bag with resealable closure label

Abstract

A flexible film package comprises a bag made from a polyolefin film with a gusseted bottom, welded side seams and a pattern of perforations in a front surface defining an opening. The package includes a label made from a polyolefin film with a releasable pressure sensitive adhesive on a back surface positioned in contact with the front surface of the bag covering the pattern of perforations. When the label is pulled away from the bag, the force is sufficient to initially separate the adhesive backing of the label from the film of the bag and to tear the film of the bag between the perforations such that the label remains adhered to the torn bag film forming a tear open flap in the bag. The exposed adhesive backing on the label extending beyond the film of the bag on the tear open flap may be re-adhered to the front panel of the bag to reclose the bag. The bag film and label film may be made from polymers that are compatible for recyclability in the same recycle category for ease of recycling the package after use.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flexible film package comprising:
 a bag configured for bulk placement on a wicket, the bag comprising a first polyolefin film and having a gusseted bottom, welded side seams, and a plurality of perforations on a front surface of the bag to define edges of an opening of the bag; and   a label comprising a second polyolefin film and an adhesive on substantially all of a back surface of the label, the label being disposed on the bag with the adhesive on the back surface of the label in contact with the front surface of the bag and of sufficient size to cover the perforations in the front surface of the bag and the opening defined by the perforations,   wherein the label, adhesive and plurality of perforations are configured such that when the label is pulled away from the bag to separate the adhesive on a back surface of the label from a first portion of the film of the bag, a segment of the film of the bag between the perforations tears such that the label remains adhered to a second portion of the film of the bag to form a flap opening the bag,   wherein the label and the adhesive on the back surface of the label extends past the edge of the flap opening to allow the label to be reclosed and re-adhere to the first portion of the film of the bag surrounding the opening.   
     
     
         2 . The flexible film package of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of perforations define three sides of a substantially rectangular flap opening on the front surface of the bag. 
     
     
         3 . The flexible film package of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of perforations comprise a first section of cuts that include perforations with a mix of shorter and longer length adjacent to a second section of cuts that include perforations with a mix of longer and shorter length. 
     
     
         4 . The flexible film package of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of perforations include perforations that are not uniform in length. 
     
     
         5 . The flexible film package of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of perforations comprise a first section of cuts that require a lower pull force to tear segments of film between the cuts and a second section of cuts that require a higher pull force to tear segments of film between the cuts, relative to each of the section of cuts. 
     
     
         6 . The flexible film package of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of perforations include a central perforation with a length longer than the length of all other perforations, where the central perforation is disposed at a central location of the plurality of perforations under a pull tab of the label where the label is initially pulled away from the bag. 
     
     
         7 . The flexible film package of  claim 1 , further comprising a wicket lip at a top opening of the bag, the wicket lip including holes for placement of the bag on the wicket and perforations to separate the bag from the wicket lip. 
     
     
         8 . The flexible film package of  claim 1 , wherein the first polyolefin film and the second polyolefin film each comprise materials that meet a same recyclable category. 
     
     
         9 . The flexible film package of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive on the back surface of the label has sufficient tack to allow the label to re-adhere to the first portion of the film when the flap opening is opened and closed at least 10 times. 
     
     
         10 . The flexible film package of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive on the back surface of the label has sufficient tack to allow the label to re-adhere to the first portion of the film when the flap opening is opened and closed at least 15 times. 
     
     
         11 . A packaged foodstuff in a flexible film package comprising:
 a bag comprising a first polyolefin film having a gusseted bottom, a gusseted and sealed top, welded side seams, and a plurality of perforations on a front surface of the bag to define edges of a tear flap opening of the bag;   a foodstuff item comprising multiple pieces disposed in the bag; and   a label comprising a second polyolefin film and an adhesive on substantially all of a back surface of the label, the label being disposed on the bag with the adhesive on the back surface of the label in contact with the front surface of the bag and of sufficient size to cover and extend beyond the tear flap opening in the front surface of the bag; and   wherein the label, adhesive and bag are configured such that when the label is pulled away from the bag with a specified force, the force is sufficient to separate the adhesive backing of the label from a first portion of the film of the bag extending beyond the tear flap opening and to tear the film of the bag between the perforations such that the label remains adhered to the tear flap opening in the bag, and the opening is of sufficient size to allow removal of a piece of the foodstuff contained in the bag, and   wherein the adhesive on a portion of the back surface of the label retains sufficient tack to re-adhere to the first portion of the film of the bag.   
     
     
         12 . The packaged foodstuff in a flexible film package of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of perforations define three sides of a substantially rectangular flap on the front surface of the bag. 
     
     
         13 . The packaged foodstuff in a flexible film package of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of perforations comprise a first section of cuts that include perforations with a shorter and longer length adjacent to a second section of cuts that have perforations with a shorter and longer length. 
     
     
         14 . The packaged foodstuff in a flexible film package of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of perforations include perforations that are not uniform in length. 
     
     
         15 . The packaged foodstuff in a flexible film package of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of perforations comprise a first section of cuts that require a lower pull force to tear segments of film between the cuts and a second section of cuts that require a higher pull force to tear segments of film between the cuts, relative to each of the section of cuts. 
     
     
         16 . The packaged foodstuff in a flexible film package of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of perforations include a central perforation with a length longer than the length of all other perforations, where the central perforation is disposed at a central location of the plurality of perforations under a pull tab of the label where the label is initially pulled away from the bag. 
     
     
         17 . The flexible film package of  claim 11 , wherein the first polyolefin film and the second polyolefin film each comprise materials that meet a same recyclable category. 
     
     
         18 . The packaged foodstuff in a flexible film package of  claim 11 , wherein the sealed top comprises a weld seam without excess film extending beyond the weld seam. 
     
     
         19 . The packaged foodstuff in a flexible film package of  claim 11 , wherein a portion of the label at one end of the label nearest the gusseted and sealed top has no adhesive to provide a free end of the label for a user to grasp to pull the label. 
     
     
         20 . The packaged foodstuff in flexible film package of  claim 11 , wherein the adhesive is of sufficient tack and covers a sufficient area of the label beyond the tear flap to permit the label to be peeled and resealed at least 10 times.