Method and apparatus for producing a package or for packaging a food product

• US 7,740,923 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2006
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intercontinental Great Brands LLC (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kraft Foods Incorporated (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Exner, Ronald H., Dagestad, Olav
• Primary Examiner(s): Miggins; Michael C
• Application Number:
  US11/279,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20060257599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 428/35.2, 428/34.1, 428/347, 428/915, 428/916, 206/807, 220/DIG.34
• US Class Current: 428/35.2
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/55 based on a change or a contrast in colour
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5855 Peelable seals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/807 Tamper proof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 220/34 Anti-tamper pharmaceutical capsules, e.g. tamper indicating or resistant
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/915 Fraud or tamper detecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/916 Fraud or tamper detecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1334 Nonself-supporting tubular film or bag [e.g., pouch, envelope, packet, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/14 Layer or component removable to expose adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2817 Heat sealable

Abstract

A package material with a tamper evident feature and methods of manufacture thereof, are disclosed herein. The package comprises a colored primer or lacquer coating applied along a portion of a seal and further comprising a peelable sealant. When opened the peelable sealant is separated from the portion of the seal containing colored primer or lacquer and removes a section of the coating, thus providing a visual indication that the package has been opened.

Claims

1. A package formed from a substrate, the package comprising:

a first and a second surface portion of the substrate, wherein the first and the second surface portions are sealed to each other;

a third surface portion adjacent the first surface portion, and at least partially covered with a coating;

a bonding force between the coating and the substrate, the bonding force having a first value;

a fourth surface portion adjacent the second surface portion, and only partially covered with an adhesive;

a bonding force between the adhesive and the substrate having a second value and a bonding force between the adhesive and the coating having a third value, where both the second and the third value are greater than the first value; and

a color of the coating different from a color of the third surface portion, the fourth surface portion, or the adhesive and wherein the coating and the adhesive are at least partially in contact with each other, so that separating the fourth surface portion from the third surface portion will at least partially remove the coating from the third surface portion.

2. A food product, in particular a confectionary product, packaged according to the package of claim 1.

3. The package of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a film.

4. The package of claim 3 wherein the first and the second surface portions are on the same side of the substrate.

5. The package of claim 3 wherein the first and the second surface portions are sealed by the adhesive selected from the group consisting of a cold seal, a heat seal, and a pressure-sensitive glue.

6. The package of claim 3 wherein the seal between the first and the second surface portions is re-closable.

7. The package of claim 3 wherein the third surface portion is immediately adjacent the first surface portion and the fourth surface portion is immediately adjacent the second surface portion.

8. The package of claim 3 wherein the third and the fourth surface portions are of a different size.

9. The package of claim 3 wherein the adhesive is a cold seal or a heat seal.

10. The package of claim 3 wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive glue.

11. The package of claim 3 wherein the first value of the bonding force is from about 0.5 N/15 mm to about 1.5 N/15 mm.

12. The package of claim 3 wherein the second value of the bonding force is from about 4.5 N/15 mm to about 7 N/15 mm.

13. The package of claim 2 wherein the first and the second surface portions are continuously connected by a fifth or a sixth surface portion, which is respectively sealed to itself.

14. The package of claim 13 further comprising a pattern at the seal between the first and the second surface portions, the seal of the fifth surface portion, the seal of the sixth surface portion, or the adhesive.

15. The package of claim 3 wherein the coating is a primer or ink.

16. The package of claim 15 wherein the coating is applied at about 0.5 g/m² to about 2 g/m².

17. The package of claim 16 wherein the coating is applied at about 1.4 g/m² to about 1.6 g/m².

18. The package of claim 3 wherein the coating is at least partially covered with adhesive.

19. The package of claim 18 wherein the adhesive on the fourth surface portion and the adhesive covering the coating are at least partially in contact with each other.

20. The package of claim 19 wherein a bonding force between the adhesive on the fourth surface portion and the adhesive covering the coating has a fourth value, where the fourth value is greater than the first value.

21. The package of claim 20 wherein the fourth value of the bonding force is from about 2.5 N/15 mm to about 4 N/15 mm.

22. The package of claim 3 wherein the adhesive is applied at about 3 g/m² to about 5 g/m².

23. The package of claim 22 wherein the adhesive is applied at about 3.5 g/m² to about 4.0 g/m².

24. The package of claim 3 wherein the third value of the bonding force is from about 2 N/15 mm to about 4 N/15 mm.

25. The package of claim 24 wherein the third value of the bonding force is greater than about 3 N/15 mm.

26. A packaging material formed from a substrate, the packaging material comprising:

a first and a second surface portion of the substrate, wherein the first and the second surface portions are covered with a sealant;

a third surface portion adjacent the first surface portion, and at least partially covered with a coating having a bonding force between the coating and the substrate, where the bonding force has a first value;

a fourth surface portion adjacent the second surface portion and only partially covered with an adhesive;

a bonding force between the adhesive and the substrate having a second value and a bonding force between the adhesive and the coating having a third value, where both the second and the third values are greater than the first value; and

a color of the coating different from a color of the third surface portion, the fourth surface portion, or the adhesive.

27. The packaging material of claim 26 wherein the material is provided as a reel material.