Patent ID: 6939041

Claim:
A reclosable flexible package comprising: opposed front and rear panels having sides and joined together to form an interior and a package opening communicating with said interior; a shroud covering said slider and at least the major portion of said fastener tracks, said shroud extending from said front and said rear panels above the package opening; a weakening line joining a bottom end of said shroud to said front and said rear panels, said weakening line extending along said fastener tracks for severing said shroud in preparation for removal of said shroud from the remainder of said reclosable flexible package; first and second interlockable fastener tracks configurable in an interlocked, closed position and an unlocked open position; a slider movable along said fastener tracks to configure said tracks in said interlocked position so as to close said opening and to configure said fastener tracks in said unlocked position so as to allow access through said opening to said package interior; said fastener tracks having opposed ends located adjacent said opposed sides of said front and said rear panels; end stops adjacent said ends of said fastener tracks to interfere with and prevent travel of said slider beyond said fastener tracks; a side seal of pre-selected width joining together one side of said front and said rear panels; an edge cut above said fastener tracks extending inwardly across at least portion of said side seal from a free edge at one side of said front and said rear panels; and cut lines in said front and said rear panels extending across said fastener tracks to said weakening line from a point above said fastener tracks and spaced from said edge cut and said free edge, so as to transmit a tearing force to said weakening line while relieving tension in portions of said front and rear panels overlying said slider.