EASY OPEN PACKAGE FOR SNACK BARS

• US 20120258214A1
• Filed: 04/09/2012
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frito-Lay North America Incorporated (PepsiCo Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Frito-Lay North America Incorporated (PepsiCo Incorporated)
• Inventors: SAGEL, JOE
• Granted Patent: US 9,238,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/122
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5805 for tearing a side strip parallel and next to the edge, e.g. by means of a line of weakness

Abstract

A package for consumable wrapped products, such as cereal bars, power bars, granola bars or other snacks. The package may include an elongated body and a fin seal on the elongated body that folds to the left side of the package. The fin seal may be located near the center of the package or on an edge of the package and may include one or more nicks on an edge of the fin seal. The package may include a top seal and a side seal. The package may also include a tear notch for propagating a tear across the package. The package may include one or more score lines extending across the package. The package may include a vertical score that prevents further tearing of the package.

Claims

1. A package containing a food product comprising:

a top edge and a bottom edge;

a right side and a left side;

an elongated body extending between the top edge and the bottom edge and the right side and the left side;

a top seal on the top edge, the top seal closing at least a portion of the package;

a side seal on the left side;

a tear notch in the side seal;

at least one score line extending horizontally across the elongated body; and

a fin seal folding toward the left side of the package.

2. The package of claim 1, wherein the fin seal is positioned in a center portion of the elongated body.

3. The package of claim 2, wherein the fin seal is positioned on a back surface of the package.

4. The package of claim 1, wherein the fin seal is positioned on the left side of the package.

5. The package of claim 1, wherein the at least one score line is positioned in a same horizontal plane as the tear notch.

6. The package of claim 1, wherein a plurality of nicks are defined on an edge of the fin seal.

7. The package of claim 1, wherein the package includes a plurality of score lines.

8. The package of claim 1, further comprising:

a vertical score extending from the top edge of the package that stops tearing of the package.

9. A package containing a food product comprising:

a top edge and a bottom edge;

a right side and a left side;

an elongated body extending between the top edge and the bottom edge and the right side and the left side;

a top seal on the top edge, the top seal closing at least a portion of the package;

a side seal on the left side;

a tear notch in the side seal;

a plurality of score lines extending horizontally across the elongated body;

a fin seal folding toward the left side of the package; and

a vertical score extending from the top edge and positioned on the right side of the package.

10. The package of claim 9, wherein the plurality of score lines is three score lines.

11. The package of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of score lines is in a same horizontal plane as the tear notch.

12. The package of claim 9, wherein the fin seal is positioned in a center portion of a back surface of the package.

13. The package of claim 9, wherein the fin seal is positioned at the left side of the package.

14. The package of claim 9, wherein the package is made of a film material.

15. The package of claim 9, wherein an edge of the fin seal defines at least one nick.

16. The package of claim 15, wherein the at least one nick is in a same horizontal plane as the tear notch.

17. A package containing a food product comprising:

a top edge and a bottom edge;

a right side and a left side;

an elongated body extending between the top edge and the bottom edge and the right side and the left side;

a top seal on the top edge, the top seal closing at least a portion of the package;

a side seal on the left side;

a tear notch in the side seal;

at least one score line extending horizontally across the elongated body; and

a fin seal folding toward the left side of the package, wherein the fin seal is located in a center portion of the elongated body and wherein an edge of the fin seal defines a plurality of nicks.

18. The package of claim 17, wherein the fin seal is positioned on a back surface of the package.

19. The package of claim 17, wherein the at least one score line is positioned in a same horizontal plane as the tear notch.

20. The package of claim 17, further comprising:

a vertical score extending from the top edge and positioned near the right side of the package.