Patent ID: 6010002
Filing Date: 2000-01-04
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A combination of a planar substrate and a package for housing the planar substrate, the substrate having a front side and a back side, the front side comprising a central portion and opposed first and second end portions, at least one end portion having an adhesive coating disposed thereon, the package comprising:(a) a first package moiety comprising (i) a rearward sheet having an exterior side and an interior side, having opposed distal and proximal ends and having opposed first and second side edges and (ii) a forward sheet having an exterior side and an interior side, having opposed distal and proximal ends and having opposed first and second side edges, wherein the distal ends of the rearward and forward sheets of the first package moiety are joined together, wherein the first side edges of the rearward and forward sheets of the first package moiety are joined together and wherein the second side edges of the rearward and forward sheets of the first package moiety are joined together, in each case with the interior sides of the rearward and forward sheets of the first package moiety facing one another, so that the first package moiety forms a first partial enclosure; and(b) a second package moiety comprising (i) a first rearward sheet having an exterior side and an interior side, having opposed distal and proximal ends and having opposed first and second side edges, and (ii) a forward sheet having an exterior side and an interior side, having opposed distal and proximal ends and having opposed first and second side edges, wherein the distal ends of the rearward and forward sheets of the second package moiety are joined together, wherein the first side edges of the rearward and forward sheets of the second package moiety are joined together and wherein the second side edges of the rearward and forward sheets of the second package moiety are joined together, in each case with the interior sides of the rearward and forward sheets of the second package moiety facing one another, so that the second package moiety forms a second partial enclosure;wherein the proximal end of at least one of the sheets of the first package moiety is folded and disposed with its exterior side in contact with an adhesive layer on the front side of the substrate;wherein the proximal end of at least one of the sheets of the second package moiety is folded and disposed with its exterior side in contact with an adhesive layer on the front side of the substrate;wherein the proximal ends of each sheet include a tip portion and an inward portion;wherein the tip portions of the proximal ends of at least one of the sheets of each of the first and second package moieties are folded together so that a tab is formed at the end of each folded together tip portion with each tab being between about 1 mm and about 10 mm long and wherein each tab is disposed in contact with the adhesive layer on the front side of the substrate at opposite end portions of the substrate;wherein the two proximal ends of the rearward sheets of the first and second package moieties are joined together; andwherein the two proximal ends of the forward sheets of the first and second package moieties are joined together;so that, the first and second package moieties cooperate to provide a joined enclosure with the substrate disposed therein.