Patent Publication Number: US-7213709-B2

Title: Easy open package

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention is directed to an easy open package. More particularly this invention is directed to an easy open thermoform package. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Thermoformed packages are used to package a large number of products. These include cell phones, cell phone parts, hardware items, electronic devices, household items and personal care items such as combs, hairbrushes, curlers and oral care items such as toothbrushes. These packages can be of a self-supporting type or can be hung from a peg or hook. The advantages of such packages are their low cost, ease of display and the use of transparent packaging so that the product can be seen by the purchaser. 
   Thermoformed packages can have one section formed to a desired shape and the other side planar through the use of a backing card, or both sections can be formed to a shape. In the latter embodiment the package usually will hold and display a single three dimensional object. In the former embodiment the planar part can be a plastic or a paper such as paperboard. 
   A problem with many thermoformed packages is the opening of the packages. They very securely hold the packaged item to the extent that it can be difficult to open the package. To open the package a knife or a scissors may be needed. This invention provides an easy-opening feature for a thermoformed package. The package can be opened without the need for a knife or scissors or other implement. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention is directed to an easy-opening thermoformed package. The package is comprised of a first enclosing section, an intermediate section, and a second enclosing section. The first enclosing section, and the second enclosing section can both be shaped or either can be planar. The intermediate section likewise can be shaped or planar and will have an adhesive at least on its periphery. This adhesive will be on each side. The intermediate section can be a plastic or a paper material, such as a paperboard. 
   In the packaging of an article it is placed in the thermoformed package at least supported in part by the first enclosing section, the intermediate section and/or second enclosing section. The periphery of the first enclosing section and the periphery of the second enclosing section are bonded to the periphery of the intermediate section by the adhesive on at least the periphery of the intermediate section. The article then is enclosed and sealed in the thermoformed package by the activation of the adhesive. 
   The adhesive bond between the intermediate section and the first enclosing section, and the intermediate section and the second enclosing section has a strength less than the shear strength of the material of the first enclosing section and the second enclosing section. Consequently the bond between the first enclosing section and the intermediate section, and/or the bond between the second enclosing section and the intermediate section will break upon an applied tension force of pulling one enclosing section away from another enclosing section. 
   The intermediate section can be a plastic, a plastic/plastic laminate, a paper material such as paperboard, a paper/plastic laminate or a plastic/paper/plastic laminate. The plastic usually will be a thermoplastic. When the intermediate section is a paper material, such as a paperboard, or a laminate containing a paper material it may delaminate upon the opening of the package to further assist in the ease of opening the package. Otherwise the adhesive between the intermediate section and the first enclosing section and/or between the second enclosing section and the intermediate section will yield. The adhesive is chosen so as to maintain the integrity of the package during shipping and display and sale but yield under tension when the first enclosing section and the second enclosing section are pulled away from the intermediate section. 
   The package can have a hinge connecting the first enclosing section and the second enclosing section. Such a package can be made using a male mold section with a heated plastic placed on the male section and the female mold section and vacuum drawing the heated plastic onto the male mold to produce the package. The package also can be made using a female mold section with a heated plastic placed on the female section and a vacuum applied to draw the heated plastic onto the female mold section to produce the package. Using these types of molds and molding processes the package can be made with a hinge between the first enclosing section and the second enclosing section. This hinge can be at the top or the bottom of these enclosing sections. However the hinge will be at the bottom for a self-supporting stand-up thermoformed package. 
   The package at the point of sale can hang on a hook or can be in a stand-up orientation. If displayed in a stand-up orientation the center of gravity of the packaged product preferably is clearly within the perimeter of the base of the package. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the thermoformed package with a toothbrush. 
       FIG. 1A  is a cross-sectional view of the thermoformed package of  FIG. 1  along line  1 A– 1 A of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 2  is a rear elevational view of the thermoformed package of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the package in an open orientation prior to inserting a toothbrush. 
       FIG. 3A  is a cross-sectional view of the structure of the intermediate section. 
       FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the thermoformed package of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4A  is a cross-section view of the top of the package showing a separation of the first enclosing section and the second enclosing section. 
     FIG  4 B is a cross-section view of the top of the package of  FIG. 4A  with the intermediate section cut away in this area. 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of the base dimension to provide for a stand-up thermoformed package. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention will be described in its preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. The invention may be modified but such modifications will be within the present package concept. 
     FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of the thermoformed package  10 . The package  10  has a first enclosing section  12  with a surrounding peripheral edge  14 . A second enclosing section  42  is shown in  FIG. 2 . There is a base section  16 ( a ) which in combination with a base section  16 ( b ) ( FIG. 2 ) will be sufficient in length and width to support the package in an upright orientation when on display. The package also can be hung from a pin or peg through aperture  20 . Shown contained in package  10  is toothbrush  18 . The toothbrush has a bristle area  22 , thumb grip  24  and hand grip  26 . The package has raised areas  23  and  25  to accommodate raised bristle area  22  and thumb grip  24  respectively. The surface  27  of the first enclosing section can be generally curved to accommodate the packaged toothbrush. 
   The package also will contain an intermediate section  30  which can be substantially planar sheet of plastic, paper, plastic/plastic laminate; plastic/foil laminate; plastic/paper laminate; plastic/paper/plastic laminate, plastic/paperboard laminate, plastic/paperboard/plastic laminate or solely paperboard. The intermediate section  30  will extend into the peripheral edge area  14 . The intermediate section also can be in the form of a shaped sheet. 
     FIG. 1A  shows a cross-section of the package of  FIG. 1  along line  1 A– 1 A. There is shown first enclosing section  12  with raised area  24 . The peripheral edge  14  of the first enclosing section  12  and the peripheral edge  44  of the second enclosing section are on either side of the intermediate section  30 . The intermediate section is shown with an opening  32  to hold the toothbrush. The intermediate section has an adhesive layer  36  adjacent the first enclosing section  12  and adhesive layer  34  adjacent the second enclosing section  40 . 
     FIG. 2  is a rear elevation view of the package  10 . This is comprised of second enclosing section  42  with peripheral edge  44 . There is a substantially planar area  48  for the UPC symbol and other information. It is preferred that the UPC symbol be planar, or near planar, for ease of scanning at the point of purchase. The film of the enclosing section  42  will be shaped to accommodate the article being packaged, like a toothbrush. The base portions  16 ( a ) and  16 ( b ) will be of a suitable length and width dimension to support the packaged product in a stand-up orientation. 
     FIG. 3  shows the package in a form to receive the article to be packaged, here a toothbrush. This is a side elevation view of the package not yet assembled. This view shows first enclosing section  12 , intermediate section  30  and second enclosing section  42 . The intermediate section  30  extends between peripheral edge  14  of the first enclosing section  12  and the peripheral edge  44  of the second enclosing section  42 . A hinge  17  connects base portions  16 ( a ) and  16 ( b ). This intermediate section  30  will have an adhesive on substantially all of its periphery as is shown in  FIGS. 1A and 3A . Here in  FIG. 3A  the intermediate layer  30  is shown with a layer  34  of adhesive on a first side and a layer of adhesive  36  on a second side. However an option is for the adhesive to be on the full surfaces of the intermediate layer  30 . 
   In  FIG. 3  the intermediate layer  30  will have shaped apertures to receive and hold the article to be packaged, like a toothbrush. Even with this aperture there will be sufficient space on the intermediate layer  30  for advertising and other descriptive information. In packaging a toothbrush the toothbrush is placed in intermediate layer  20 . The intermediate layer  20  then is placed in the first enclosing section  12  and the second enclosing section  42  is folded over onto the first enclosing section by base hinge  17 . The peripheral edge of the first enclosing section  12  and of the second enclosing section  42  then are each bonded to the intermediate layer to form a completed package. 
     FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the toothbrush package. This view shows the parts of the first enclosing section of  FIG. 1  and of the second enclosing section  42 . However shown in more detail is the UPC label section  4 B and the shaped section  41 . There also is seen here the three layer edge of the first enclosing section  12 , the second enclosing section  42  and the intermediate layer  30 . Shown in  FIG. 4A  is a top edge of the package of  FIG. 4 . On portion  60  there is no adhesive on the peripheral edge of intermediate layer  30 . In this area a person can grip the first enclosing section  12  and the second enclosing section  42  and pull them apart to open package  10 . The first enclosing section  12  and on the second enclosing section  42  bond with intermediate section  30  will yield to open the package. And when the intermediate layer is a laminate containing paper or paperboard there can be a delamination of the paper or paperboard to open the package. This is a form of shear of the intermediate section  30 . That is, there will be a shear of the adhesive at the interface of the first enclosing section and intermediate section interface, the second enclosing section and intermediate section interface, a shear of the intermediate section, or a combination of these shear to open the package. In any regards the foregoing shear force to open the package is less than the shear force of the material of the first enclosing section  12  and the second enclosing section  42 . The force to shear these materials will be greater than the force to shear the adhesive bonds of the first enclosing section and second enclosing section to the intermediate section, or to shear the intermediate section. This results in a way to more easily open a thermoformed package. 
     FIG. 4A  is a cross-section of the top of the package showing a separation of the first enclosing section  12  and the second enclosing section  42 . At a top part of the package there is no adhesive between the first section  12  and the second section  42  and the intermediate section  30 . Further in order to enhance the opening the intermediate section will be cut-away at this area to better grip the first section  12  and the second section  42  to peel open the package. This is shown in  FIG. 4B . 
   The package also will have a hinge  17  at the base  16 ( a )/ 16 ( b ) of the package and the base will be of a length and width versus height to be capable of stand-up orientation on a planar surface such as a store shelf. Also to be taken into consideration is the distribution of the weight of the packaged item. These all are factors that must be considered. The center of gravity of the packaged item should be within a shape of the base that is of about 80% and preferably about 60% of the length and width of the base as shown in  FIG. 5 . That is, the center of gravity should be within the area defined by the dashed line  51 , and preferably within the area defined by the dashed line  52 . The hinge is at the base and the easy open feature at an upper part of the package so as to provide for a stand-up orientation. The hinge is recessed in the base so as not to interfere with the stand-up orientation of the package. 
   The package is made by vacuum thermoforming using either a male or a female mold and using known thermoforming processes. In these processes a heated sheet of plastic is drawn onto the mold by a vacuum. There can be on assist by an insert pad to assure that the heated plastic makes a close contact with the mold surface. After shaping to the contour of the mold surface the new shaped plastic sheet is removed from the mold, cooled and along with an intermediate section available to package an article such as a toothbrush. 
   The plastic used for forming the first enclosing section  12  and second enclosing section  42  can be any thermoplastic commonly used for thermoforming. These include polymers and copolymers of ethylene, propylene, butene, and butadiene. Essentially any known and commonly used thermoforming polymers can be used.