Reclosable Package Having An Accessible Zipper And A Method For Making The Same

Abstract

A reclosable package includes a tray, a top sheet, and a fastener. The tray has a well for receiving contents and a peripheral flange surrounding the well. The top sheet is attached to the peripheral flange. The fastener has two interlocking members, one attached to the peripheral flange and the other attached to the top sheet. A tamper-evident feature located on the package prevents access to the fastener and is connected thereto by one or two lines of weaknesses. In one embodiment with one or two lines of weakness in the top sheet, the fastener remains adjacent to the tray's peripheral flange, which is intact after the tamper-evident feature is removed by tearing along these lines of weakness. In a second embodiment with two lines of weakness, the tamper-evident feature, comprised of portions of the peripheral flange and the top sheet, is torn from the package along both lines of weakness.

1 . A reclosable package, comprising: 
 a tray having a well and a peripheral flange, said well receiving contents and said peripheral flange surrounding said well;    a top sheet attached to said peripheral flange;    a fastener having first and second interlocking members, said first interlocking member being attached to said peripheral flange and said second interlocking member being attached to said top sheet; and    a tamper-evident feature attached to said top sheet and being removably attached to said peripheral flange, said tamper-evident feature being removable from said package to allow access to said fastener, said peripheral flange remaining intact in response to said tamper-evident feature being removed from said package.    
     
     
         2 . The reclosable package of  claim 1 , wherein said fastener includes a slider.  
     
     
         3 . The reclosable package of  claim 2 , wherein said tray includes a recess in which said slider resides.  
     
     
         4 . The reclosable package of  claim 1 , wherein said tamper-evident feature includes a graspable section.  
     
     
         5 . The reclosable package of  claim 4 , wherein said graspable section includes a tear line.  
     
     
         6 . The reclosable package of  claim 1 , wherein said tamper-evident feature is attached to said top sheet along a line of weakness that is located below said interlocking members.  
     
     
         7 . The reclosable package of  claim 1 , wherein said fastener includes a slider for transitioning said fastener between an open position and a closed position, said tamper-evident feature is attached to said top sheet along a line of weakness located below an upper portion of said slider.  
     
     
         8 . The reclosable package of  claim 1 , wherein said fastener includes fins below said interlocking members, said fins providing an attachment region at which said tray and said top sheet are attached to said fastener.  
     
     
         9 . The reclosable package of  claim 6 , wherein said fins are attached to each other to provide a hermetic seal.  
     
     
         10 . The reclosable package of  claim 1 , wherein said tamper-evident feature is attached to said peripheral flange via a peel seal.  
     
     
         11 . A method of making the reclosable package, comprising: 
 forming wells in a formable polymeric material;    placing product within said wells;    placing a fastener on said formable polymeric material adjacent to said wells;    applying a top sheet over said well and said fastener, said top sheet including a line of weakness that is located between an uppermost portion of said slider and said well;    sealing said top sheet to said formable material at regions outside of said well; and    sealing said fastener to said top sheet and said formable material.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said two sealing steps result in a hermetic seal of said product within said well.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said fastener includes a tamper-evident seal in addition to the interlocking members positioned on said fastener, said tamper-evident seal providing said hermetic seal.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further including substantially evacuating air from said well around said product.  
     
     
         15 . A method of initially accessing a product within a package having a formed tray and a top sheet attached over said formed tray, said package including a fastener for opening and closing an entrance to said package between said formed tray in said top sheet, comprising: 
 grasping a section of said top cover located peripherally from said fastener;    removing said section of said top cover without disturbing said formed tray that is adjacent to said section; and    opening said fastener.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said step of opening includes grasping a slider located on said fastener and moving said slider.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said step of removing includes tearing said section from said top cover along a line of weakness.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said line of weakness is located on said top cover so as to provide easy access to said fastener.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said fastener includes a slider and said line of weakness is located on said cover so that said slider is unobstructed after said step of removing.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said section is attached to said formed tray through a peelable seal, said step of removing further includes peeling said section away from said formed tray.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said step of removing includes carrying said section from said top cover along two lines of weakness that define said section.