Films, packaging and methods for making them

Abstract

There is described a flexible oriented film which acts a replacement for a tear film, the film having at least one tear susceptible line or pattern thereon, the film tearing substantially therealong when tearing is initiated therealong, wherein the line or pattern has substantially the same thickness normal to the film surface (gauge) as the rest of the film and/or the film material therealong is substantially differently oriented to that in the rest of the film. A method of preparing such film and packaging overwrapped with such films are also described.

1 - 22 . (canceled)  
     
     
         23 . A method for creating, in a flexible optionally polymeric film, at least one line and/or pattern thereon so the film will tear substantially along the line(s) and/or pattern(s) when tearing is initiated therealong; characterised in that the method comprises the step of: 
 directing onto a web of film a means to make the line(s) and/or pattern(s) susceptible to being torn therealong without removing significant amounts of material therefrom so the line(s) and/or pattern(s) have substantially the same gauge as the rest of the film.    
     
     
         24 . A method for creating, in a flexible optionally polymeric film, at least one line and/or pattern thereon so the film along the line(s) and/or pattern(s) is susceptible or resistant to further treatment; characterised in that the method comprises the step of directing onto a web of the film a means to differentially to orient material along the line(s) and/or pattern(s) so the material therealong has a substantially different orientation (optionally is more ordered) than material in the rest of the film and the line(s) and/or pattern(s) have substantially the same gauge as the rest of the film.  
     
     
         25 . A method for creating, in a flexible optionally polymeric film, at least one line and/or pattern thereon so the film will tear substantially along the line(s) and/or pattern(s) when tearing is initiated therealong; characterised in that the method comprises the step(s) of: 
 (a) directing onto a web of the film a means differentially to orient material along the line(s) and/or pattern(s) so the material therealong has a substantially different orientation (optionally is more ordered) than material in the rest of the film; and/or    (b) directing onto a web of film a means to form thereon line(s) and/or pattern(s) susceptible to tearing therealong without removing significant amounts of material therefrom so the line or lines have substantially the same gauge as the rest of the film.    
     
     
         26 . A method as claimed in  claim 25 , where steps (a) and (b) are simultaneous rather than sequential; and optionally the differential orienting means of step (a) and the tear susceptibility means of step (b) and are the same means so that one method achieves both effects.  
     
     
         27 . A method for creating a tearable film comprising the step of: 
 directing onto at least one line and/or pattern selected on a web of a polymeric film oriented in at least one (preferably two) direction(s), a tear susceptibility means which selectively alters (preferably increases) film orientation along the line(s) and/or pattern(s) but not in the rest of the film; such that the tear susceptibility means does not remove significant amounts of film therefrom;    to form in the resultant film a tear susceptible line(s) and/or pattern(s) thereon having substantially the same gauge therealong as the rest of the film.    
     
     
         28 . A method for creating a tearable film comprising the steps of: 
 (i) directing onto at least one line and/or pattern selected on a web of a flexible, substantially unoriented polymeric film, a tear susceptibility means which selectively inhibits or substantially prevents film orientation along the line(s) and/or pattern(s) but not in the rest of the film; such that the tear susceptibility means does not remove significant amounts of film therefrom; and    (ii) subsequently orienting the rest of the film such that the film remains substantially non-oriented or less oriented along the line(s) and/or pattern(s),    to form in the resultant film a tear susceptible line(s) and/or pattern(s) thereon having substantially the same gauge therealong as the rest of the film.    
     
     
         29 - 37 . (canceled)