Releasable Heat Seal Wrapper

Abstract

An easy-open wrapper is in the form of a thin sheet having a heat sealable, polymeric material surface and a coating thereon, and a foldable end flap for folding and closing, and the end flap has a heat activated sealant thereon to form one or more heat activated seals bonding to the coating on the polymeric material surface and holding the end flap closed. The sealant has a heat activated tear strength or adhesive bond strength, or both, substantially less than that of the polymeric material surface to open a closed end flap by tearing or de-bonding the sealant without tearing the polymeric material surface.

1 . A wrapper comprising:
 a heat sealable, polymeric material surface on a sheet, including but not limited to a single ply 240 gauge film, a 120 g film/120 g film laminated structure, a solid film/paper laminated structure, or a polymer coated paper structure, wherein the sheet has at least one foldable end flap for folding and closing; and   the foldable end flap having a heat activated sealant thereon to form one or more heat activated seals for bonding to the polymeric material surface and holding the end flap folded and closed.   
   
   
       2 . The wrapper of  claim 1 , wherein the sealant has a heat activated tear strength or adhesive bond strength, or both, substantially less than that of the sheet to open a closed end flap by tearing or de-bonding the seal without tearing the sheet. 
   
   
       3 . The wrapper of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet has an overlap seam to form a heat activated seal on the overlap seam by heat activating the polymeric material surface on the overlap seam to an adhesive state, and wherein the sealant has a heat activated tear strength or adhesive bond strength, or both, substantially less than that of sheet and the seal on the overlap seam, to open a closed end flap by tearing or de-bonding the sealant without tearing or de-bonding the sheet or the seal on the overlap seam. 
   
   
       4 . The wrapper of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet has another end flap, in addition to said at least one end flap, for folding and closing to form a heat activated seal by heat activating the polymeric material surface on the end flap. 
   
   
       5 . The wrapper of  claim 1 , wherein the sealant comprises a pressure sensitive, peelable adhesive state sealant activated to a peelable adhesive state by the application of heat, to de-bond by opening the end flap and thereafter to re-adhere to hold the end flap closed. 
   
   
       6 . A method of making a wrapper, comprising:
 laminating together a first polymeric sheet having a polymeric material surface with a second sheet having a polymeric material surface, wherein one of the sheets has been printed with printed graphics of either one or a number of wrappers;   applying a heat activated sealant on a foldable end flap of each wrapper to form one or more heat activated seals bonding to the polymeric material surface of the wrapper for holding the end flap folded and closed.   
   
   
       7 . A method of manufacturing a wrapper, comprising:
 forming a continuous sheet of wrapper material into one or a number of wrappers, wherein each wrapper comprises end flaps to be folded and closed, the sheet including but not limited to a single ply 240 gauge film, a 120 g film/20 g film laminated structure, a solid film/paper laminated structure, or a polymer coated paper structure;   applying a heat activated sealant on at least one end flap of each wrapper to hold a folded end flap closed, wherein the sealant forms a seal to hold the folded end flap closed when activated to an adhesive state; and   the sealant having a heat activated tear strength or adhesive bond strength, or both, less than that of the wrapper material to open a closed end flap by tearing or de-bonding the sealant without tearing the wrapper material.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 applying additional heat activated sealant on another end flap in addition to said at least one end flap to hold said another end flap closed wherein the additional heat activated sealant forms a seal to hold the folded said another end flap closed when activated to an adhesive state; and   the additional heat activated sealant having a heat activated tear strength or adhesive bond strength, or both, less than that of the wrapper material to open a closed said another end flap by tearing or de-bonding the additional heat activated sealant without tearing the wrapper material.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 severing the continuous sheet of wrapper material to provide an individual wrapper.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising:
 wrapping a ream of paper with the individual wrapper to provide a package having an overlapped longitudinal seam and further having said at least one end flap folded and closed;   heat sealing the overlapped longitudinal seam and heat activating the sealant to an adhesive state; and   holding said at least one end flap folded and closed with said sealant activated to an adhesive state.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 forming the wrapper material by laminating together a first polymeric laminate having a polymeric material surface with a second laminate having a polymeric material surface.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the second laminate comprises a polymeric material or a cellulosic material coated with a polymeric material. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising:
 printing one of the first polymeric laminate or the second laminate with printed graphics for each wrapper prior to laminating.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising:
 severing the wrapper material to provide an individual wrapper.