TENTAMEN SCHRIJVEN VAN EEN ADVIES – 2013 Geachte gemachtigde,
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Ons bedrijf Flowpack verpakt levensmiddelen, in het bijzonder kaas, in folie. Wij maken vooral gebruik van een verpakkingproces dat wel wordt aangeduid met de Engelse term “flowpack”, vandaar de naam van ons bedrijf. Flowpack wordt al tientallen jaren toegepast. Bij dit proces wordt een folie van een rol getrokken en om de lengterichting van de folie tot een buis gevormd door de randen van de folie naar elkaar toe te brengen en in de lengterichting aan elkaar te lassen (dit wordt ook beschreven in paragrafen [0003] – [0005] van ons octrooi, EP 995 695 B1, waarop ik hieronder nog terug kom). Vervolgens wordt de buis in de dwarsrichting, dus dwars op de folie en de zgn. ‘machine richting’, gelast zodat zich compartimenten vormen. Het product, bijvoorbeeld plakjes kaas, wordt in de buis geschoven, uiteraard steeds vlak voordat het compartiment door middel van een tweede las wordt gesloten en losgesneden ([0006] en [0007]). Flowpack ziet er meestal zo uit:
Producten die met flowpack zijn verpakt hebben een karakteristiek uiterlijk, namelijk een gladde bovenzijde meestal voorzien van een merknaam o.i.d., een onderzijde met daar midden overheen een las in de vorm van een flapje dat tegen de onderzijde is gevouwen, en lassen aan de (vaak zigzag gekartelde) uiteinden. Koffiekoekjes, Mars, Twix, e.d. maar ook (porties) suiker worden op deze manier verpakt. U kent ze wel.
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Een nadeel van deze verpakkingen is het genoemde flapje op de onderzijde. Daardoor is de onderzijde niet althans minder geschikt voor het aanbrengen van afbeeldingen en informatie. Bovendien was er in de markt behoefte aan een hersluitbare verpakking voor producten die niet in één keer worden opgegeten. Daarom hebben wij een nieuwe verpakking ontwikkeld, waarbij de eerste las niet over het midden van de verpakking verloopt maar langs een rand, en die hersluitbaar is. Voor deze verpakking hebben wij een Europees octrooi gekregen, EP 995 695 B1 (Bijlage A), dat in Nederland van kracht is (Nederlandse vertaling claims: Bijlage B). Een half jaar geleden heeft een van onze concurrenten, B-ster, op een beurs in Duitsland een nieuwe verpakking voor plakjes kaas getoond. Wij waren ook op die beurs. Kort na de beurs heeft B-ster de verpakking in Nederland op de markt gebracht. De verpakking wordt getoond in een nieuwsbericht op de website van B-ster (Bijlage C) en bevat een aantal plakken kaas (gestapeld, met velletjes papier er tussen). De zijden (verticaal in de foto) zijn gelast, de onderzijde (horizontaal) is gevouwen. De bovenzijde is gelast - dit is de las waarmee de folie tot een buis werd gevormd - en vervolgens op de voorzijde gevouwen. Deze flap is met een etiket op de voorzijde geplakt. Op het etiket staat de kaassoort (ROYAAL) en de smaak (Notig en licht zoet) vermeld. Bij eerste gebruik wordt het etiket van de voorzijde getrokken, de bovenste las opengetrokken en de kaas er uit genomen. Als er nog kaas 1
over is kan die worden teruggedaan in de verpakking en kan de verpakking gesloten worden door de bovenzijde dicht te vouwen en het etiket weer op de voorzijde te plakken.
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Zodra wij zagen dat B-ster de verpakking op de markt had gebracht hebben wij hen een brief geschreven en op EP 995 695 B1 gewezen. Wij hebben B-ster medegedeeld dat hun verpakking inbreuk maakt op ons octrooi en dat zij daarmee moeten stoppen. B-ster heeft na enig aandringen geantwoord. Hun antwoord kwam er op neer dat zij weliswaar verpakken door middel van flowpack, maar geen inbreuk maken omdat zij een andere folie gebruiken en omdat het octrooi nietig zou zijn op basis van twee eerdere octrooipublicaties, EP 239 319 (Bijlage D) en EP 302 144 (Bijlage E). Het antwoord ging vergezeld van een meetrapport (Bijlage F) dat, volgens B-ster, de samenstelling van de door hen gebruikte folie weergeeft. Wij hebben verpakkingen van B-ster gekocht bij verschillende supermarkten en de samenstelling laten meten. De resultaten van onze metingen (Bijlage G) aan deze verpakkingen waren onderling gelijk maar verschillen van die van B-ster. In deze toepassingen dienen de folies gasdicht te zijn, voldoende sterk en lasbaar en afpelbaar. Om te voldoen aan de vereiste gasdichtheid gebruiken wij polyamide (PA, ook bekend als Nylon). Door die PA te verstrekken (en daarmee de polymeerketens te ‘oriënteren’, i.e. langs elkaar te leggen) is de folie voldoende sterk. Verstrekken wordt toegepast bij folies van polyamide, polyester (vooral PET) en andere polymeren en bij vezels, om die folies en vezels sterker te maken. De polyetheen maakt de folie las- en afpelbaar. Door de beide polymeren gelijktijdig te extruderen - door middel van zogenoemde coëxtrusie - hebben wij geen lijm tussen de lagen in de folie nodig. Al deze aspecten gasdichtheid PA, verstrekken folie om te versterken, afpelbaar PE, coëxtrusie van afpelbaar PE op PA of PET om niet te hoeven lijmen - zijn bekend en staan onder meer beschreven in het Handboek Verpakkingsfolies, vijfde druk, 1995, U moet er rekening mee houden dat B-ster, bij een eventuele procedure, een exemplaar van dit standaardwerk zal overleggen. Wij hebben de volgende vragen:
30 1. Valt de verpakking van B-ster naar uw mening onder de huidige claim 1 van EP 995 695 B1? Maakt het verschil welke metingen correct zijn, die van B-ster of die van ons?
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2. Uit geruchten in de markt leiden wij af dat B-ster de verpakking ook wil introduceren op de Engelse en Duitse markt. Maakt B-ster inbreuk ook in die landen inbreuk? 3. Denkt u dat claim 1 van EP 995 695 B1 stand zal houden bij een bodemprocedure voor de rechtbank in Den Haag? 4. Ziet u mogelijkheden claim 1 te beperken met de materie uit de onderconclusies, en zo de kans dat het octrooi stand zal houden te vergroten? Maakt B-ster inbreuk op die gewijzigde claim 1? 5. Dienen wij de conclusies aan te passen voor een bodemprocedure bij de rechtbank in Den Haag? Als wij zouden besluiten de conclusies aan te passen waar, wanneer en hoe kunnen we dat doen? 6. Daarnaast zijn wij ontevreden over de Nederlandse vertaling van de claims (“kunstof” in claim 1 moet zijn “kunststof” en “lijmstrook” in claim 4 is een onjuiste vertaling, dit had “plaketiket” moeten zijn). Kunnen wij de vertaling corrigeren?
55 Bij voorbaat dank, Flowpack 2
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Bijlagen: A EP 995 695 B1 B Nederlandse vertaling van de claims van EP 995 695 B1 C Nieuwsbericht op website B-ster D EP 239 319 E EP 302 144 F Meetrapport namens B-ster G Meetrapport namens Flowpack
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Bijlage A
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Field of the invention
sensitive, but which is hard to read because of the folded and sealed side.
[0001] The present invention relates to a
5 peelable film pouch or packaging to be used
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for storage of food products in general, advantageously cheese, said pouch or packaging being designed so that once opened, it can be closed more than once for the preservation of freshness and flavour of the food therein contained. [0002] Packagings for storage of foodstuffs in general are known in the art, said packagings being made of a suitable plastic film and obtained by sealing, according to well-known techniques in the field. [0003] A typical packing process is accomplished by an automatic machine called "flow-pack", wherein, once placed in a horizontal position, a certain product is made to move forward along a suitable conveyor whilst a plastic film is unwrapped from a suitable support spool and suitably shaped in such a way to wrap the product. [0004] In the "flow-pack" machine, a suitable bag forming means is present, and this is generally made of a tube, which is suitable for folding the plastic film so as to allow the product to be introduced into said tube and wrapped in the plastic film after that. [0005] During the advancement of the product within the forming tube, the plastic film is initially made to undergo a first sealing operation which is longitudinal with respect to the forward direction followed by the product. [0006] Once the first longitudinal sealing operation has been terminated, a second sealing is carried out transversally with respect to the forward motion of the product, so as to obtain a first short side of a given packaging. [0007] During the third sealing operation the plastic film cutting operation is carried out and so the product is adequately packed and ready for the following packaging and storage phases. [0008] The packing of a certain horizontally positioned product on an advancement conveyor shows a considerable disadvantage due to the positioning of the longitudinal seal of the packaging achieved by the first sealing operation, on a flat surface of the product and at the back of the packaging. [0009] This makes it difficult or even impossible to read the information printed on the back of the packaging which information relates to the product, its ingredients, its origin, and so on; information to which customers are particularly attentive and
[0010] The plastic films used for packagings
65 of the prior art are generally chosen from the
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group comprising: polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyesters, polyamides. [0011] Another disadvantage of the packagings of the prior art is the impossibility to seal them again after being opened once. [0012] This means that once a typical packaging of the prior art such as one used for cheese or meats has been opened, it is not capable of guaranteeing an adequate preservation of the product that has not been consumed and which is left therein. [0013] Therefore if it is placed back into its original packaging, the product which has not been consumed is unavoidably in contact with the outside environment. [0014] It follows from this that there is a loss of freshness and taste, because the general hygienic level of the product at the time of purchase when the packaging was perfectly sealed has changed for the worse. [0015] In order to preserve the product left for consumption, the consumer is often forced to use glass or plastic containers or to wrap said product left for consumption with aluminium or other plastic film so as to make sure that it is effectively preserved.
95 Description of the invention
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[0016] The present invention aims at overcoming the problems, drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art by proposing an airtight packaging for foodstuffs in general, advantageously for cheese, said packaging being suitable for being opened, said packaging further being closable more than once, in doing so safeguarding the correct preservation and keeping of the product therein contained, said packaging further having its longitudinal sealing located along one of its small faces, this makes it easier to read the information about the product that is printed on the packaging. [0017] The above aim has been accomplished thanks to putting into practice the features described in the independent claim. [0018] The dependent claims outline particularly advantageous forms of embodiment of the present invention. [0019] The pouch or packaging for the storage of foodstuffs according to the
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present invention is manufactured starting from a single film of the peelable type with a high sealability degree, owing to polyethylene inner layer, with a high impermeability degree, owing to the polyamide outer layer, and with sufficient strength, owing to the outer layer being oriented (stretched). [0020] In such a way, when the two opposite limbs of a given peelable film are sealed with each other to yield a packaging according to the invention, for storage of a given food product, particularly cheese, the peelability of said film allows the user to open said packaging by delaminating the sealing, that is detaching the abovementioned limbs by applying a traction force to them. [0021] Thanks to the several advantageous properties of the peelable film, the user has access to the product without running any risk of tearing the packaging in pieces at the time of opening, which is just what happens to the packagings of the prior art because of the high resistance offered by the materials they are made of, said materials not allowing to be delaminated along any of their sealing lines. [0022] According to a particular form of embodiment of the present invention, the peelable film consists of an oriented polyamide first layer which is coupled with a coextruded peelable polyethylene layer, like for example that produced by the German firm Slid pack GmbH, Ochsenhausen. [0023] According to said form of embodiment, the first oriented polyamide layer has a thickness of approximately 15 m, whereas the second coextruded peelable polyethylene layer has a thickness of approximately 60 m. [0024] According to the invention, the sealing between the two portions of said peelable film to form a packaging is carried out on the inner polyethylene side. [0025] At the moment when a certain user applies a traction force on the limbs in order to open the packaging for the first time, these detach from each other at the peelable polyethylene interface . [0026] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the packaging for foodstuffs, advantageously cheese, obtained with the above described peelable film, has a first limb which is higher than the second limb, therefore said first limb being advantageously suitable for being folded over said second limb. [0027] Said second foldable limb is in fact
60 engaged with the packaging by suitable
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coupling means, an adhesive layer for example, that make it possible to achieve an effective sealing of the packaging to resort to at the moment the packaging has already been opened. [0028] Said closing operation has in fact the undoubted advantage to be suitable for being repeated more than once, making it possible for the user to use the product contained in said packaging at different moments; in such a way, the user is not forced to resort to other means like other containers or different types of film in order to preserve the product or to fully consume said product, after the packaging has been opened for the first time, in doing so not running the risk of the product deteriorating after direct contact with air and/or losing its own specific taste with time. [0029] Equipping the packaging with an adhesive label makes it possible for said packaging to be advantageously closed and opened again and again, safeguarding a perfect storage of the product with time, once the packaging has been opened, that is once the delamination of its first longitudinal sealing has taken place while the packaging stays perfectly sealed on the three remaining sides. Also, the label may be provided with information or logo's. Illustration of drawings [0030] Figure 1 : shows a schematic side
95 and partially a cutaway view of a packaging
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according to the present invention; figure 2 : shows a plan view from above of what is shown in figure 1; and [0031] In the figures, reference signs 10, 20 generally indicate a pouch or packaging made of peelable film according to the present invention. [0032] In figures 1 and 2 an embodiment is shown of the foldable packaging 10 according to the present invention. [0033] According to said form of embodiment, a packaging 10 made of a peelable film 11 consisting of an oriented polyamide first layer which is coupled with a coextruded peelable polyethylene layer can be produced by wrapping said film 11 around a certain product 12 passing through a suitable tubular forming means (not shown in the figure), said wrapping being carried out so as to obtain a first limb 11' and a second limb 11" having different heights. [0034] In so doing, the first limb 11' which is higher than the second limb 11", is suitably
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60 longitudinally and transversally in order to
folded over said second limb, achieving packaging 10 according to the present invention. [0035] It has to be noted that the sealing 13 operation is carried out on the inner polyethylene layer of the film, whereby sealing 13 is perfectly homogeneous and airtightness can be guaranteed. [0036] Moreover, once the sealing 13 operation of said limbs 11', 11" is carried out, sealings 14, 15 are carried out in succession (shown on fig. 2) as well as the necessary film cutting operations that follow when the packaging has been fully completed according to the invention. [0037] In this context it can be noted that side sealing operations 14, 15 are also carried out by coupling the inner polyethylene portions of film 11. [0038] A suitable coupling means 16 like an adhesive label is applied to the first longer limb 11' through which said first foldable limb 11' is engaged to packaging 10 (arrow A in figure 1) making it possible to close and open said packaging even when it has been opened for the first time, resulting in a delamination of sealing 13 which makes packed product 12 accessible. [0039] Fig. 2 shows how the first sealing 13 is applied at a slightly lower level than the height of the second limb 11" in such a way that during the opening phase, the user can employ the unsealed surfaces 11', 11" as hand grip surfaces, for an easier and quicker opening operation of packaging 10. [0040] The invention has been so far described with reference to some particular preferred forms of embodiment thereof. [0047] However, the present invention is not limited by these forms of embodiment, but it covers all the modifications and variations that can be taken in consideration without stepping out of the scope of the present invention as it is defined by the claims.
form the inner part of said packaging characterised in that said outer layer is constituted by an oriented polyamide layer, said film (11) being welded on the 65 longitudinal side (13), as well as along the transversal edges (14,15) thereof, by means of an inner layer-inner layer seal, and said coupling and closing means not involving the sealing area of said packaging.
70 2. Packaging (10, 20) according to claim 1, characterised in that said oriented polyamide outer layer has a thickness of approximately 15 μn, and in that said 75 coextruded peelable polyethylene inner layer has a thickness of approximately 60 μn. 3. Packaging (10) according to anyone of
80 the preceding claims, characterised in that it has a first limb (11') and a second limb (11") of said peelable film, said first limb (11) and second limb (11") having different heights so that said first limb (11') has a 85 greater height than that of said second limb (11") and it can be folded over (A) the packaging in order to accomplish the closing (10) thereof.
90 4. Packaging (10) according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that said coupling and closing means (16) are made of an adhesive label.
45 Claims 1. Airtight pouch or packaging (10, 20) made of synthetic material constituted by a single 50 film (11) for the preservation of food products (12), provided with coupling and closing means that make it possible to repeatedly open and close said pouch or packaging after this has been used for the 55 first time, said film (11) being of the peelable type consisting of an outer layer coupled to a coextruded peelable polyethylene inner layer, and being folded once on the polyethylene layer side and sealed 7
Figuur 1
Figuur 2
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Bijlage B CONCLUSIES
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1. Luchtdichte verpakking (10,20) vervaardigd van kunstof materiaal gevormd door een enkele folie (11) voor het bewaren van voedingsproducten (12), voorzien van openings- en sluitmiddelen die toelaten genoemde verpakking herhaaldelijk te openen en te sluiten nadat deze voor een eerste keer werd gebruikt, welke folie (11) is van het afpelbare type bestaande uit een buitenlaag die is gekoppeld met een tegelijkertijd geëxtrudeerde afpelbare binnenste laag van polyethyleen, en die eenmaal is gevouwen op de laag van polyethyleen en in langsen dwarsrichting afgedicht ten einde het binnengedeelte van de genoemde verpakking te vormen, met het kenmerk, dat genoemde buitenlaag wordt gevormd door een laag van georiënteerd polyamide, welke folie (11) is gelast aan de langskant (13), evenals langs dwarsranden (14,15) daarvan, door middel van een binnenlaag - binnenlaagafdichting, en genoemde koppeling en sluitmiddelen zich niet bevinden in het afgedichte gebied van de genoemde verpakking. 2. Verpakking (10,20) volgens conclusie 1, met het kenmerk, dat de genoemde buitenste laag van georiënteerd polyamide een dikte heeft van ongeveer 15 µm en dat de tegelijkertijd geëxtrudeerde afpelbare binnenlaag van polyethyleen een dikte heeft van ongeveer 60 µm.
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3. Verpakking (10) volgens één der voorgaande conclusies, met het kenmerk, dat hij een eerste been (11’) en een tweede been (11’’) heeft van genoemde afpelbare folie, welk eerste been (11’) en tweede been (11’’) verschillende hoogtes hebben zodat genoemde eerste been (11’) een grotere hoogte heeft dan die van genoemd tweede been (11’’) en deze over de verpakking kan worden gevouwen ten einde de sluiting 10 daarvan tot stand te brengen. 4. Verpakking (10) volgens conclusie 3, met het kenmerk, dat genoemde koppelings- en sluitmiddelen (16) vervaardigd zijn van een lijmstrook.
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EU 0 995 695 B1
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Bijlage C
Nieuws
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De lekkere grote plakken B-ster waren al jaren een groot succes in Nederland. Maar het kan natuurlijk altijd beter. Daarom zit B-ster nu in een nieuwe verpakking. De verpakking is nu hersluitbaar. En we hebben de informatie op de verpakking verbeterd, en gezorgd voor meer herkenbaarheid in de winkelschappen.
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Bijlage D
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0 239 319 RECLOSABLE PACKAGE WITH PEELABLE SEAL
the interior of the bag or liner, said reclosable fastener being positioned so as to close the end 50 of the container above the product contained therein once the peel seal is opened.
5 This present invention generally resides in a package for foodstuffs comprising a bag which is useable as a liner in a box or which is useable as a bag itself, which liner or bag is provided with a protecting peelable seal as well as a reclosable 55 10 fastener. More particularly, it has been discovered that it is more efficient and desirable to form the peelable seal below the reclosable fastener rather than above it, particularly when the package comprises a bag or liner within a 60 15 box. The package of the invention provides superior security against the atmosphere and contaminants and preserves food product quality, yet remains reclosable after initial opening and 65 20 does so without the necessity of using excess amounts of material in forming the bag or liner so as to result in cost savings as well as convenience to the ultimate consumer.
70 Bags with zipper-like closes which are reclosable 25 are well known. Japanese Utility Model Publication 57 (1982) - 105248 however discloses a bag having a peelable seal located above a reclosable fastener so as to lend air 75 tightness to the bag at least until the peelable 30 seal is broken. Thereafter the lower reclosable fastener is used to prevent accidental spilling of the contents from the bag and preservation of the quality, i.e. freshness, of the content. It is also a 80 purpose of locating the peel seal above the 35 reclosable fastener such that the peel seal acts as a safety closure in the event the reclosable fastener opens accidentally during packaging, transportation, or subsequent handling before or when it reaches the ultimate consumer. 85
Figure 1 is an elevational view of a reclosable plastic bag or liner formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the bag or liner of Figure 1 taken along reference line 2-2 showing a reclosable fastener and a peel seal arranged in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Referring more particularly to Figure 1, the bag or liner 10 is preferably formed of a mono-layer or multi-layer thermoplastic material having inner surfaces which are heat sealable so that the sides 12 and 14 thereof can be heat sealed about their edges 18 to form a bag enclosure. The material is preferably folded to form the bottom 16 of bag 10, but could be heat sealed as well. It is also possible to include materials other than thermoplastic materials in various layers of a multi-layer bag, such as a metallic layer for static dissipation, or moisture and vapor penetration prevention. The inner surface or layer to be sealed can be polyethylene, for example, or can be formed of other heat sealable resins or coatings. A multi-layer bag can furtherinclude one more polymeric material layers which substantially prohibit penetration by either gases or liquids or both, such as layers made from polyethylene terephthalate, nylons, Saran® (vinylidene chloride copolymer) resins, and vinyl alcohol resins.
Above the peel seal 20 is located a conventional reclosable fastener 21 such as that illustrated in British Patent No. 2,133,462 having a male fastener element 22 with ribs 24 on either side thereof and a female fastener element 26 40 The present invention resides in a plastic bag or engaged therewith as shown in Figure 2, The liner comprising opposed side walls, a closed opening end of the bag includes gripping flanges bottom and an openable top comprised of 28 which are used to separate the reclosable gripping flanges, a reclosable fastener on the 90 fasteners as well as to pull apart the peel seal 20 inside surfaces of said gripping flanges adjacent located at the neck down portions 30 and 32 on 45 the openable end of the bag or liner, a peel seal sides 12 and 14 respectively of bag 10. located across the openable top and adjacent the reclosable fastener on the side thereof towards 12
Claim A plastic bag or liner comprising opposed side walls, a closed bottom and an openable top forming a pair of gripping flanges, a reclosable 5 fastener on the inside surfaces of said gripping flanges adjacent the openable end of the bag or liner, and a peel seal extending across the openable top, said reclosable fastener being positioned so as to close the end of the container 10 above the product contained therein once the peel seal is opened, characterised in that the peel seal is positioned adjacent the reclosable fastener on the side thereof towards the interior of the bag or liner.
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Bijlage E
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EP 0 302 144 A2 5
RECLOSABLE BAG HAVING AN OUTER RECLOSABLE ZIPPER TYPE CLOSURE AND INNER NON-RECLOSABLE CLOSURE closed condition of the zipper means for
50 closing the mouth, the zipper means being
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
openable responsive to digital pull- apart force for opening the bag mouth to gain access into contents reserving space within the bag, non-reclosable closure 55 means located in spaced adjacency to the reclosable zipper means for initially maintaining the bag mouth arrangement closed independently of the zipper means, and the non-reclosable closure means 60 being openable by pull-apart force when the reclosable zipper means is open.
10 This invention relates in general to the packaging art, and is more particularly concerned with reclosable bags. Numerous and varied reclosable bag structures have been proposed, and some 15 have proven to be commercially quite good. In spite of the fairly high state of development in this art, there is still room for improvement and so the attainment of 20 simplicity and economy in dual fastener bags, that is, bags that have hermetic or at least tamper evident non-reclosable closure means and associated reclosable zippers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
65 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bag structure embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmental vertical sectional detail view taken along the line ll-ll in Fig. 70 1;
25 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional detail view similar to Fig. 2 and showing a modification embodying the invention and disclosing a combination of zipper and 75 non-reclosable fastener means.
An important object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved 30 bag or package structure having nonreclosable closure means which is readily digitally openable when associated reclosable zipper are in an open condition, the bags being reclosable by means of the 35 zipper means.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
To the attainment of that object, the present invention provides a bag having opposed wall panels permanently closed or at least permanently closable at a 40 bottom end of the bag and at opposite sides of the bag, and comprising a bag mouth defined by and between upper end portions of the wall panels, reclosable zipper means including complementary 45 interengagable zipper profiles located substantially below the upper ends of the upper end portions and responsive to digital closing pressure for attaining a
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a bag 65
80 comprises wall panels 67 at least adapted to be connected together at a bottom end 68 and connected together at side edges 69, thereby providing a contents receiving receptacle space 70 having a mouth 71 at 85 the top of the bag defined between upper end portions of the wall panels 67 which provide pull flanges 72 and 73, and wherein the pull flange 72 is desirably somewhat longer than the pull flange 73 90 for convenient digital accessibility. 16
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Reclosable zipper means 74 at the upper end portions of the wall panels 67 and more particularly adjacent to the pull flanges 72 and 73 comprises, in Figs. 1 and 2, complementary extruded plastic profiled fastener strips 75, one of which is permanently connected to the inside surface of the upper end portion of one of the wall panels 67, and the other of which is permanently connected to the inside surface of the upper end portion of the other of the wall panels 67. The fastener zipper strips 75 are properly aligned with one another across the entire width of the bag so that generally arrow- shaped releasably interlockable complementary profiles 77 can be interlocked by digital pressure applied inwardly, i.e. toward the strips 75, on the out faces of the wall panel areas in line with the fastener strips. The fastener strips 75, and more particularly the profiles 77, can be pulled apart by pull apart manipulation of the pull flanges 72 and 73.
and then projects down along and overlaps
55 the upper portion of the outerside or face of the other wall panel 139. Carried by the inner side or face of the flap 143 is an arrangement of zipper fastener strip profiles 144 releasably interlockable with 60 complementary zipper strip fastener profiles 145 on the overlapped outer face of the adjacent wall panel 139. These zipper strip, profiles 144 and 145 may be integrally extruded parts of the elements 65 carrying them.
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25 In a preferred construction, the opposite ends of the zipper strips 75 are sealed as by spot seals 74a into the side edges 69 of the bag 65.
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Inwardly, that is downwardly, adjacent to 30 the reclosable zipper 74, there is a one time openable non-reclosable closure means 78, conveniently comprising a peel seal 79 for initially maintaining the mouth 71 closed independently of the zipper. 35 Thus, the bag 65 will be maintained closed in a tamper evident manner until the zipper 74 is opened, and pull-apart force applied to the non- reclosable peel seal 79 to open the same. Thereafter, the bag can be 40 intermittently closed by means of the reclosable zipper 74
85
For providing a hermetic seal, the closure means 142 comprises a permanent heat or adhesive seal 147 securing the upper end of the wall panel 139 carrying the zipper profiles 145 to the other panel 139 at the base or proximal end of the flap 143. There may be a solid but tearable line of weakening 148, or perforations, whichever may be best for the use to which the bag 141 is to be put, along the upper portion of the wail panel 139 which is overlapped by the flap 143. Through this arrangement, when it is desired to open the bag 138, access to the non-reclosable closure means 142 is gained by opening the flap 143. and digitally ripping the nonreclosable weakening line 148, thereby forming a mouth opening into the bag space.Thereafter, for intermittently closing the bag the flap 143 may be reclosed and held closed by digitally closing the zipper 144, 145.
CLAIMS
90 A bag having opposed wail panels permanently closed or at least permanently closable at a bottom end of the bag and at opposite sides of the bag, and comprising: 95 a bag mouth arrangement defined by and between upper end portions of said wall panels; reclosable zipper means including complementary interengagable zipper profiles located substantially below the 100 upper ends of said upper end portions and responsive to digital closing pressure for attaining a closed condition of the reclosable zipper means for closing said bag mouth; said zipper means being 105 openable responsive to digital pull apart
In Fig. 3, a bag 138 has wall panels 139, closed, or at least closable, along their bottom and side edges to define a contents 45 receiving receptacle space 140 into the top mouth portion of which access is controlled by means of a reclosable closure means 141 and non-reclosable closure means 142. The reclosable closure means 141 50 comprises a flap 143 which is an extension from the upper end of one of the wall panels 139. The flap 143 extends protectively over the top of the bag 138 17
force for opening said mouth to gain access into contents receiving space within the bag; non-reclosable closure means located in spaced adjacency to said 5 reclosable zipper means for initially maintaining said bag mouth arrangement closed independently of said zipper means; and said non-reclosable closure means being openabie by pull-apart force 10 when said reclosable zipper means is open. 2. A bag having wall panels defining a receptacle space therebetween, and comprising: a bag mouth arrangement 15 defined between upper end portions of said wall panels; one-time openable nonreclosable closure means located substantially below the upper ends of said upper end portions and initially maintaining 20 said mouth arrangement closed; reclosable zipper means also located below said upper ends of said upper end portions and functioning for selectively opening and closing said mouth arrangement; and said 25 non-reclosable closure means being openable only when said reclosable zipper means is open.
18
19
Bijlage F
Laagopbouw zoals opgegeven door B-ster Dikte in μm OPET
12
Lijm
3
PA
27
Lijm
3
PE afpelbaar
20
Totale dikte
65
5 Toelichting meetinstituut:
10
OPET: georiënteerd polyethyleen terephthalaat. Polyethyleen terephthalaat (PET) is de meest voorkomende soort polyester. In de gemeten monsters is het PET verstrekt (georiënteerd). PET vezels en folies worden verstrekt om de sterkte te verhogen. Men kan dan bijvoorbeeld een vereiste sterkte verkrijgen met een betrekkelijk dunne folie of laag in een folie, in vergelijking met een niet verstrekte folie of laag in een folie. PA: polyamide / Nylon (triviale naam). PE afpelbaar: polyethyleen dat na lassen afgepeld kan worden.
15
20
Bijlage G
Metingen in opdracht van Flowpack Dikte in μm OPET
15
PA
30
PE afpelbaar
20
Totale dikte
65
21
