Patent Publication Number: US-2003223653-A1

Title: Package with pocket and method for making the same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Technical Field  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a flexible package, and the method for making same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flexible package, and the method for making the same that contains a pocket. The invention allows for the production of a flexible package with a pocket that can be filled with material such that the material in the pocket is integral to the package and easily accessible yet separated from a main portion of the package.  
       [0003] 2. Description of Related Art  
       [0004] Vertical form, fill, and seal packaging machines are commonly used in the snack food industry for forming, filling, and sealing bags of chips and other like products. Such packaging machines take a packaging film from a sheet roll and forms the film into a vertical tube around a product delivery cylinder. The vertical tube is vertically sealed along its length to form a back seal. The machine applies a pair of heat-sealing jaws or facings against the tube to form a transverse seal. This transverse seal acts as the top seal on the bag below and the bottom seal on the package being filled and formed above. The product to be packaged, such as potato chips, is dropped through the product delivery cylinder and formed tube and is held within the tube above the bottom transverse seal. After the package has been filled, the film tube is pushed downward to draw out another package length. A transverse seal is formed above the product, thus sealing it within the film tube and forming a package of product. The package below said transverse seal is separated from the rest of the film tube by cutting across the sealed area.  
       [0005] The packaging film used in such process is typically a composite polymer material produced by a film converter. For example, one prior art composite film used for packaging potato chips and like products is illustrated in FIG. 1 a , which is a schematic of a cross-section of the film illustrating each individual substantive layer. FIG. 1 a  shows an inside, or product side, layer  16  which typically comprises metalized oriented polypropylene (“OPP”) or metalized polyethylene terephtalate (“PET”). This is followed by a laminate layer  14 , typically a polyethylene extrusion, and an ink or graphics layer  12 . The ink layer  12  is typically used for the presentation of graphics that can be viewed through a transparent outside layer  10 , which layer  10  is typically OPP or PET.  
       [0006] The prior art film composition shown in FIG. 1 a  is ideally suited for use on vertical form and fill machines for the packaging of food products. The metalized inside layer  16 , which is usually metalized with a thin layer of aluminum, provides excellent barrier properties. The use of OPP or PET for the outside layer  10  and the inside layer  16  further makes it possible to heat seal any surface of the film to any other surface in forming either the transverse seals or back seal of a package.  
       [0007] Typical back seals formed using the film composition shown in FIG. 1 a  are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a schematic of a “lap seal” embodiment of a back seal being formed on a tube of film. FIG. 3 illustrates a “fin seal” embodiment of a back seal being formed on a tube of film.  
       [0008] With reference to FIG. 2, a portion of the inside metalized layer  26  is mated with a portion of the outside layer  20  in the area indicated by the arrows to form a lap seal. The seal in this area is accomplished by applying heat and pressure to the film in such area. The lap seal design shown in FIG. 2 insures that the product to be placed inside the formed package will be protected from the ink layer by the metalized inside layer  26 .  
       [0009] The fin seal variation shown in FIG. 3 also provides that the product to be placed in the formed package will be protected from the ink layer by the metalized inside layer  36 . Again, the outside layer  30  does not contact any product. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, however, the inside layer  36  is folded over and then sealed on itself in the area indicated by the arrows. Again, this seal is accomplished by the application of heat and pressure to the film in the area illustrated.  
       [0010] As noted, a benefit of both the prior art fin seal and lap seal design is the containment of the product in the package by a barrier layer (the metalized inside layer) that keeps ink and solvent levels in the package to a minimum. Ink and solvent levels in fatty food packages are frequently regulated to insure product safety. It may be desirable, however, to provide a graphics capability inside a package. This would allow for promotional information or coupons to be maintained inside the package and only accessible after the consumer has opened the package. For example, a promotional prize campaign could be offered with the prize announcements being maintained inside the package. Likewise, coupons offering product rebate rewards, promotional prize points, or discounts on products could be maintained within the sealed package.  
       [0011] One prior art method used to provide a graphics capability inside the package involves the use of a paper insert dropped with the product into the package during filling. When the consumer opens the package, the paper insert can be removed for viewing and use. This method has several drawbacks, however. The reliability of placing a single paper insert in each bag (by dropping the paper with a weighed amount of product) is a major consideration, particularly in small packages. A capacity issue is raised by the need to rent inserters to be used during the filling process. Foreign matter detectors are also frequently set off by the detection of the paper insert within the bag. The insertion of a piece of paper can raise the solvent level in the package beyond acceptable levels. All of the above greatly adds to the expense of each single package.  
       [0012] Another approach to providing graphics within the bag would involve the application of the graphics directly to the inside metalized layer  16  shown in FIG. 1 a . The application of such graphics can be accomplished using an inkjet printer. However, this method likewise raises a capacity issue, since present technology converters produce packaging film at a speed of 1500 to 2000 feet per minute, while the capacity of present inkjet printer heads is approximately 300 feet per minute. Additional modification to converters must be made in order to keep the inkjet printing in register with the graphics formed by the ink layer  12 . All of the above considerations again add to the cost of the package. In addition, the United States Food &amp; Drug Administration does not presently allow for the use of an ink-carrying layer that comes into contact with a fatty food.  
       [0013] Another prior art approach to this issue is illustrated in FIG. 1 b , which is again a schematic cross-section of a packaging film. As with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 a , the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 b  comprises an outside OPP layer  10  followed by an ink layer  12 , a laminate layer  14 , and a metalized OPP or PET layer  16 . However, an additional laminate layer  14 ′ is applied to the metalized layer  16  so that an additional ink layer  12 ′ and OPP or PET layer  10 ′ can be used as the new inside layer  10 ′. The use of the ink layers  12 ,  12 ′ as the second to last layer on both the outside and inside of the package allows for a full graphics capability on both the outside and the inside of the film. The additional film, however, adds approximately sixty percent (60%) to the cost of the material when compared with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 a . Overall capacity is also cut in half, since the film must be run through a typical converter twice. Further, since the material is 60% thicker, it cannot be run on a vertical form and fill machine at speeds as high as that used to make packages out of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 a . This is because longer dwell times must be used to form all the seals involved. As with the inkjet printer solution, the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 a  also requires additional efforts to keep the inside graphics and outside graphics in registration. Importantly, the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 b  again places ink inside a functional barrier layer, the metalized layer  16 , which is not presently permitted for direct contact with many foods by the United States Food &amp; Drug Administration.  
       [0014] In addition to ink and solvent concerns with package construction, packages, particularly with snack foods, benefit from marketing. With current packaging, inserts or other graphics, such as coupons and game pieces, are separately packaged and deposited into snack food packages or are temporally adhered to the exterior of the packages. With the former, inserts are hidden from consumers hindering the effectiveness of the promotion. With the latter, graphic materials adhered to package exteriors can be dislodged and lost. Consequently, a need exists for a package construction and method that allows for a package to self-contain inserts, graphic materials, and other products separated from the main compartment of the package. Thereby, flexible package constructions would benefit have a separate compartment for placement of materials with graphics so as to avoid or, at least minimize, ink and solvent contact with food in addition to marketing benefits.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015] The proposed invention involves producing a package made from flexible film having a film body formed as a discrete package. A pocket for containing materials separate from a main portion of the package is formed on and along a portion of the package. To achieve this, the pocket is formed from a continuous segment of film laid against the main portion of the package. Thereby, the package can be filled with a first product such as snack chips while the pocket is filled with a printed material or other food product for example. Advantageously, the first product is kept separate from the second product placed in the pocket. This avoids any product-to-product contamination.  
       [0016] One method for forming a package with a pocket comprises forming a sheet of film into a tube with an overlapped segment of film extending out and over the tube to form the pocket. Thereafter, at least two seals are formed longitudinally along the overlapped segment of film forming the pocket. Sealing both terminal ends of the tube and the pocket finishes the package. Optionally, a multiple pockets can be formed along the exterior of the package by providing more than two longitudinal seals.  
       [0017] The above as well as additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following written detailed description.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0018] The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
     [0019]FIGS. 1 a  and  1   b  are schematic cross-section views of prior art packaging films;  
     [0020]FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-section view of a tube of packaging film illustrating the formation of a prior art lap seal;  
     [0021]FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-section of a tube of packaging film illustrating the formation of a prior art fin seal;  
     [0022]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a package having a pocket made in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and  
     [0023]FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the package in FIG. 4 showing an article contained within the pocket.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
     [0024]FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of a flexible package  50  for containing snack food products. The composition of the package material can be the same as used for prior art packaging as described in relation to FIG. 1 a  or any other prior art film composition used for the product application in the instant invention.  
     [0025] A film  52  used in the present invention is fed into a vertical or horizontal form, fill, and seal packaging machine capable of manufacturing a package in accordance with the invention. Thereby, package  50  is formed having a front  54  and a back  56 . Since film  52  is a flat film, film  52  is fed into the packaging machine generally to form a cylinder. The leading end of the film is sealed to a trailing end of the same film to form a first back seal  62  rendering the cylinder independent. A second back seal  64  is formed parallel to first back seal  62  with a segment of film  52 . In one embodiment, back seals  62 ,  64  are simultaneously formed parallel to each other forming pocket  60 , which is separate from a main portion  58  of package  50 . Pocket  60  is formed such that it is separate from inside portion  58  and can retain separate product or contents. Once package  50  is complete, a transverse end seal  68  can be formed at both ends of package  50 .  
     [0026] Back seals  62 ,  64  are unlike prior art seals in that it is not merely a thin seal of overlapped film. Here, film  52  is wrapped to form pocket  60 . More particularly, pocket  60  is formed, for example, by allowing terminal ends from a sheet of film  52  to extend over and above from the formed cylinder. Alternatively, film  52  can be wrapped to extend inward against the formed cylinder to form a pocket (not shown). The portion of film  52  that is laid above back  56  to form pocket  60  is external portion  61 . Back seals  62 ,  64  can then be optionally formed longitudinally down the length of the tube. Back seals  62 ,  64  can extend down from one terminal end of package  50  to the other end to form pocket  60 . However, other embodiments are possible such as adding additional transverse seals across the overlapped portion of film  52  to form an abbreviated pocket or multiple pockets.  
     [0027] Generally, the terminal segments of external portion  61  are sealed to transverse seals  68  of package  50  as shown in FIG. 5, which is a top perspective view of package  50 . This forms the top and bottom seals of discreet package  50  wherein product may be stored. The transverse seals of pocket  60  that coincide with traverse seals  68  extend from the position where portion  61  extends forth from first back seal  62  and end at second back seal  64 . Thereby, portion  61  is positioned above back  56 . In another embodiment, one or more additional seals (not shown) can be formed between first and second back seals  62 ,  64 . Thereby, pocket  60  can be separated into two or more distinct pockets. This would be advantageous if additional items need to be packaged separate from each other and from the products in main portion  58 .  
     [0028] As package  50  is comprised of a flexible material, portion  61  will generally lie flush against back  56  unless pocket  60  is filled with product. As pocket  60  is filled with product, portion  61  will extend out and away from back  56 . Even with product held in pocket  60 , portion  61  appears to be substantially flush or flat when compared to the remaining exterior of package  50 .  
     [0029] Shown in FIG. 5 is a printed material  66 . Material  66  can comprise items such as coupons, contest materials, or pamphlets. With food products contained in the portion  58 , having pocket  60  is advantageous, as the printed materials would not come into with it thereby avoiding any ink to food contact. This allows quick access to any materials placed within pocket  60  without disturbing the product within portion  58 . An alternative advantage of pocket  60  is that other food products can be kept separate from the main contents of package  50  in portion  58 . This allows separate food samples, dips, or salsas to be stored in pocket  60  and accessed separately when the consumer desires. Another alternative use for pocket  60  is to fill it with air so that pocket  60  can form an air-pillow. With an air-pillow, multiple packages can be placed on top of each other such that the air-pillow separates each package  50 . This deters any product breakage because of the cushioning effect.  
     [0030] While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.