A reclosable food package

Abstract

 This invention pertains to a reclosable package having a body member (22), a base (12), a hermetic seal between the body member and base and snap locking projections (34, 36) in the side walls of the body member and base.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention pertains to a food package having a base, a body member, a peelable seal for hermetically sealing the base to the cover and the snap-locking means contained in the base and cover for reclosing the package after it has been opened and providing an audible snap as the package is reclosed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] Food packages have been described in the past. For example, in U.S. Patent 3,498,018, a food package is described wherein the food is sealed inside the package having a body and a top member. The food is formed under vacuum and with mechanical pressure, thereby forming the food to the package, and is hermetically sealed. These types of packages and methods for forming are further described in U.S. Patents 4,411,122; 4,577,757; and 4,688,369. Attempts to improve these patents are further described in U.S. Patents 4,498,588 and 4,498,589. Various improvements are described, for instance in Patent 4,498,588, ridges 34, grooves 36, and fig. 3 are described in an attempt to provide a interlocking engagement. These elements, however, have not proven to be satisfactory in producing a suitable audible snap in reclosing the package. Other means of incorporating snap actions into packages are described in Patents 3,672,536; 3,734,276. It is submitted that these two patents, however, do not describe packages wherein the packaged foods are formed to the package with vacuum and mechanical pressure. U.S. Patent 2,487,480 is stated to also refer to reclosable packages. Thus, there remains in the art a need for a package that is easily openable and also recloses in a positive manner by providing an audible sound signifying to the consumer that the package has been reclosed, particularly with packages where the food is pressed to conform to the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] 

Figure 1 is a top view of the body of a package of the instant invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the body of the package shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a side view of the base of the package of the instant invention shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a top view of the body of a package of the instant invention.

Figure 5 is a side view section of the body of the package shown in Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a side view section of the base of the package shown in Fig. 4.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention pertains to a base having a base peripheral flange, a first base sidewall, a first base ring panel, a second base sidewall and a base panel portion. Also provided is a body member having a body peripheral flange, a first body sidewall, a first body ring panel, a second body sidewall and a body panel portion. The first base sidewall engages the first body sidewall in telescoping arrangement and the second base sidewall engages the second body sidewall in telescoping arrangement. A vacuum, hermetical, peelable, sealing means is also provided for attaching the first base ring panel to said first body ring panel, the peelable sealing means being openable with digital pull-apart forces.

[0005] A reclosable means is in the first base sidewall and in the first body side wall, wherein the reclosable means comprising interferring projections in the sidewalls.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] U.S. Patents 3,498,018; 4,411,122; 4,577,757; and 4,688,369 are herein incorporated by reference. These patents describe a method of forming a vacuumized, hermetically-sealed package, characterized by a pre-determined quantity of a product which is deformable and is arranged in a form of an upright mass on a base panel portion (10) of a base (12), as shown in the figures. The base further has a base peripheral flange (14), a first base sidewall (16), a first base ring panel (18) and a second base sidewall (20). A body member (22) has a body peripheral flange (24), a first body sidewall (26), a first body ring panel (28), a second body sidewall (30) and a body panel portion (32). The first base sidewall engages the first body sidewall in telescoping arrangement and the second base sidewall engages the second body sidewall in telescoping arrangement. A vacuum, hermetical, peelable, sealing means attaches the first base ring panel to said first body ring panel. The peelable sealing means is openable with digital pull-apart forces. A reclosable means is provided in the first base sidewall and in the first body side wall. The reclosable means comprising interferring projections (34) and (36) in said sidewalls.

[0007] Figures 4, 5 and 6 further show a second base ring panel (38) and a third base sidewall (40) connecting the first base ring panel to the second base ring panel; and a second body ring panel (42) and a third body sidewall (44) connecting the first body ring panel to the second body ring panel.

[0008] To fill the package, the body member is placed in an inverted position and a sufficient quantity of product is placed in said body member to substantially fill the body member when the package is completed. The base is positioned on the mouth of the body member so that the product panel disposes in a telescopic way into the body member and engages the product. The flange margins of the base overlay the corresponding margins of the body member. Mechanical pressure is applied inwardly on the outside surface of the raised panel portion. The area defined by the bottom edges of the body side walls is sufficient to force the product into close contact with the interior surfaces of the base and body members to shape the product to conform to the shape of the interior surface and to substantially completely fill the space available between the package and product while vacuumizing the assembly and the sealing of the package by hermetic means.

[0009] According to the present invention a, recloseable package is attained by thermoforming a continuous ring (18) and (28) in the package base and body into the base, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The base ring is high enough (1/16" or more) to allow crimping before or after filling and sealing of the package. A one or two step thermoforming and/or crimping of the ring causes an audible snap when the bubble and base are pressed together.

[0010] A number of means are possible to achieve the audible snap. These include thermoforming a continuous ring indentation in either the base or the body, which is matched to a corresponding ring or spot projections spaced around the corresponding base body. The width of the base ring (see Figure 2) is sufficient (1/4-inch preferred) to allow sealing of the base to the body. Adhesive may be applied to the top of the ring, or heat sealable multilayer oxygen barrier films may be used to achieve the seal.

[0011] Recloseability and the ability to stay closed is achieved at low cost by providing several points of friction interaction outside the sealed area of the package. An audible snap sound is also provided by means of a visible pedestal ring which enhances the perception of freshness preservation once the package is opened.

[0012] A preferred means to achieve a positive recloseable package is to produce matching vertical indented grooves, as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6. The matching groove rings on the body (42) and base (38) function like a tongue-in-groove lid/container package and a snap sound is also produced when the parts are pressed together due to the matched groove rings (46) and (48) or rings and spots on the first sidewalls. The vertical grooved indentation ring preferably is formed directly adjacent to the second sidewalls, although it is possible to form the groove ring anywhere across rings (18) and (28). The groove preferably is 1/8-inch wide or wider by 1/8-inch deep on the base, with a corresponding slightly less dimension groove on the body. Adhering the two package parts together occurs at rings (18) and (28) and/or rings (38) and (42) and at least 1/16-inch of continuous seal area around the package is necessary to achieve a peelable seal (1/8-inch or wider seal width is preferred). Sealing may occur by using adhesive or by using multilayered oxygen barrier heat sealable films.

[0013] The grooved channel further enhances the idea that the package is resealed once it is opened.

[0014] This invention can be applied to round, square or other shaped packages. Also, the projections are visible to the consumer and a pleasing appearance is obtained. To achieve an easy opening, high molecular weight polymer adhesives, which are peelable/resealable, may be used or easy-peel, multi-layer rigid films that are heat sealable may be used. Accordingly, features of this invention are thermoforming projections in the body member and base that are part of the side walls that friction-fit through a pinching action (top to bottom) with or without a post thermoforming gripping action when the base and body member are pressed together. The post thermoforming gripping action would be accomplished by using a heated device to augment the depth of the matched rings or ring width dot projections to achieve more interference fit. Solid state is another means to achieve augmented depth. In one embodiment of this invention, as shown in the figures, projections which are circular are shown. The thickness of the body member is approximately 13 mil. and the thickness of the base is approximately 12 mil. The body member composition may be Barex 210, PET or PVC. The base composition suitably is Barex 210, PVC, saranex laminated to Barex 210, PVC, or polystyrene.

Claims

1. A food package comprising:

a) a base having a base peripheral flange, a first base sidewall, a first base ring panel, a second base sidewall and a base panel portion;

b) a body member having a body peripheral flange, a first body sidewall, a first body ring panel, a second body sidewall and a body panel portion, said first base sidewall engaging said first body sidewall in telescoping arrangement and said second base sidewall engaging said second body sidewall in telescoping arrangement;

c) a vacuum, hermetical, peelable, sealing means attaching said first base ring panel to said first body ring panel, said peelable sealing means being openable with digital pull-apart forces; and

d) a reclosable means in said first base sidewall and in said first body side wall, said reclosable means comprising interferring projections in said first sidewalls.

2. A food package, according to Claim 1, further comprising:

a) a second base ring panel and a third base sidewall connecting said first base ring panel to said second base ring panel; and

b) a second body ring panel and a third body sidewall connecting said first body ring panel to said second body ring panel.

Drawing