Resealable Package with Tamper-Evident Structure and Method for Making Same

Abstract

A resealable package with a tamper-evident structure and methods for making the same are disclosed. The resealable package includes a front panel joined at respective opposite side edges to a rear panel to form a package having an exterior; a reclosable fastener assembly joined to the exterior of the package and including a first fastening member and a second fastening member respectively joined to the rear panel and the front panel, so that at least one marginal portion of the rear panel can be folded over in the direction of said front panel and the first fastening member can be releasably connected to the second fastening member; and a tamper-evident structure joined to the front panel and a folded over marginal portion of the rear panel.

1 . A resealable package comprising: 
 a front panel;    a rear panel joined at respective opposite side edges thereof to said front panel to form a package having an exterior;    a reclosable fastener assembly joined to the exterior of said package, said fastener assembly comprising a first fastening member and a second fastening member respectively joined to said rear panel and said front panel, so that at least one marginal portion of said rear panel can be folded in the direction of said front panel, and said first fastening member can be releasably connected to said second fastening member; and    a tamper-evident structure joined to said front panel and to said at least one folded over marginal portion of said rear panel.    
   
   
       2 . The resealable package as in  claim 1 , wherein the tamper-evident structure comprises an adhesive tape, wherein the adhesive tape is notched or sliced.  
   
   
       3 . The resealable package as in  claim 1 , wherein the tamper-evident structure comprises an adhesive tape having a tamper-evident, security device.  
   
   
       4 . A method for manufacturing a resealable package which comprises: 
 (a) providing a packaging substrate comprising a front panel and a rear panel and a top edge defining an opening;    (b) folding at least one first marginal portion of said rear panel in the direction of said front panel so as to seal said opening;    (c) folding a second marginal portion of said rear panel in the direction of said front panel;    (d) joining a reclosable fastener assembly to said front panel and said first marginal portion; and    (e) joining a tamper-evident structure to said front panel and said second marginal portion.    
   
   
       5 . A method of making a resealable bag, comprising: 
 creasing transversely the bag at a first panel and a second panel with one crease and a further crease to define a foldable first marginal portion and a foldable second marginal portion, wherein the first marginal portion is adjacent to an opening at top portions of the first and second panels, and the second marginal portion is adjacent to the first marginal portion; and    joining at least one fastening member of a fastener assembly to one of, either a first exterior of the first panel or a second exterior of the bag at the first marginal portion, wherein the one fastener member is adapted for disengagingly connecting to the other of, either said first exterior or said second exterior, to provide a resealable bag, after sealing the bag by folding the bag at the one crease and folding the bag at the further crease.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one fastening member comprises an adhesive tape having adhesive on opposite sides, wherein the adhesive of one of said sides joins the one fastening member to said one of, said exterior or said second exterior, and the one fastening member is adapted with the adhesive on another of said sides for disengagingly connecting the one fastening member to the other of, either said first exterior or said second exterior, to provide a resealable bag.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one fastening member is adapted with metal tabs for being bent and disengagingly connecting the one fastening member to the other of, either said first exterior or said second exterior.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising: 
 joining a second fastening member of the fastener assembly to the other of, either said first exterior or said second exterior; and    releasably fastening the one fastening member to the second fastening member to provide a resealable bag, in place of disengagingly connecting the one fastening member to the other of, either said first exterior or said second exterior.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising: 
 joining bottom edges of the panels before filling the bag with the bag contents.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising: 
 attaching a tamper-evident structure to the second marginal portion; and    attaching the tamper-evident structure to the exterior of the first panel after folding the first marginal portion and the second marginal portion.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising: 
 attaching a tamper evident, adhesive tape to the second marginal portion; and    attaching the adhesive tape to the first panel after folding the first marginal portion and the second marginal portion.    
   
   
       12 . A resealable bag, comprising: 
 the bag having one transverse crease and a further transverse crease at a first panel and a second panel defining a foldable first marginal portion and a foldable second marginal portion, wherein the first marginal portion is adjacent to an opening at top portions of the first and second panels, and the second marginal portion is adjacent to the first marginal portion;    at least one fastening member of a fastener assembly joining to one of, either a first exterior of the first panel or an exterior of the bag at the first marginal portion;    the bag being adapted for sealing by folding the bag at the first crease while the bag is filled with the bag contents;    the bag being adapted for folding at the second crease; and    the one fastening member adapted for disengagingly connecting to the other of, either said first exterior or said second exterior, to provide a resealable bag, with the bag folded at the first crease and folded at the second crease.    
   
   
       13 . The bag of  claim 12 , wherein the one fastening member comprises an adhesive tape having adhesive on opposite sides, and the adhesive on one of said sides disengagingly connecting to the other of said first exterior and said second exterior.  
   
   
       14 . The bag of  claim 12 , wherein the one fastening member comprises metal tabs being bendable and disengagingly connecting to the other of said first exterior and said second exterior.  
   
   
       15 . The bag of  claim 12 , wherein the one fastening member is joined to the exterior of the second panel at the first marginal portion, and further comprising: 
 a second fastening member of the fastener assembly joining to an exterior of the first panel; and    the one fastening member being adapted for releasably fastening to the second fastening member to provide a resealable bag, in place of disengagingly connecting the one fastening member to the other of said first exterior and said second exterior.    
   
   
       16 . The bag of  claim 12 , comprising: 
 a tamper evident, combined tear strip and adhesive tape attaching to the second marginal portion; and    the combined tear strip and adhesive tape being adapted for attaching to the exterior of the first panel while the first marginal portion and the second marginal portion are folded.    
   
   
       17 . The bag of  claim 12 , comprising: 
 a tamper evident, adhesive tape attaching to the second marginal portion near the first crease; and    the adhesive tape being adapted for attaching to the first panel while the first marginal portion and the second marginal portion are folded.    
   
   
       18 . The bag of  claim 12 , wherein bottom edges of the first panel and the second panel are joined before filling the bag with bag contents through the opening;  
     comprising: 
 side gussets integral with the first panel and the second panel.  
 
   
   
       19 . A resealable bag, comprising: 
 the bag having one transverse crease and a further transverse crease at a first panel and a second panel defining a foldable first marginal portion and a foldable second marginal portion, wherein the first marginal portion is adjacent to an opening at top portions of the first and second panels, and the second marginal portion is adjacent to the first marginal portion;    a first fastening member of a fastener assembly joining to an exterior of the bag at the first marginal portion;    a second fastening member of the fastener assembly joining to an exterior of the first panel;    the bag being adapted for sealing by folding the bag at the first crease while the bag is filled with the bag contents;    the bag being adapted for folding at the second crease; and    the first fastening member adapted for disengagingly connecting to the second fastening member to provide a resealable bag, with the bag folded at the first crease and folded at the second crease to align the first fastening member for disengageably connecting to the second fastening member.    
   
   
       20 . A method of making a resealable bag, comprising: 
 creasing transversely the bag at a first panel and a second panel with one crease and a further crease to define a foldable first marginal portion and a foldable second marginal portion, wherein the first marginal portion is adjacent to an opening at top portions of the first and second panels, and the second marginal portion is adjacent to the first marginal portion;    joining a first fastening member of a fastener assembly to an exterior of the bag at the first marginal portion;    joining a second fastening member of the fastener assembly to an exterior of the first panel; and    disengagingly connecting the first fastening member to the second fastening member to provide a resealable bag, after filling the bag with bag contents, sealing the bag by folding the bag at the one crease and folding the bag at the further crease.    
   
   
       21 . A resealable package comprising: 
 a first panel;    a second panel joined to the first panel to form a package adapted to be filled with contents and sealed;    the package having a foldable portion adjacent an opening of the package, wherein the foldable portion is foldable to close and seal the package; and    a tamper-evident structure comprising an adhesive tape adhered to the foldable portion and removably adhering to the first panel with the foldable portion being folded to close and seal the package.