VFFS/HFFS Packaging with Opening Aid on the Longitudinal Seam

Abstract

The present invention is related to a vertical/horizontal form, fill and seal packaging comprising a plastic film, a longitudinal seam ( 2 ) and a cross-directional seam ( 5 ), characterised in that the longitudinal seam ( 2 ) comprises a continuous teeth structure of adjacent notches ( 1 ) with no remaining horizontal cutting lines, representing tear initiations over the whole length of the longitudinal seam ( 2 ) said packaging being obtained by a machine reel ( 4 ) of said plastic film comprising on both lateral edges said continuous teeth structure ( 1 ) in order to avoid additional scrap in the VFFS/HFFS packaging process. The present invention is also related to a process of making such a packaging, said process starting out from a reel comprising a continuous teeth structure on its lateral edges.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A process for manufacturing a vertical/horizontal form, fill and seal (VFFS/HFFS) packaging, the process comprising:
 extruding a plastic film;   cutting the plastic film to a width suitable for a machine reel, wherein cutting the plastic film to the width comprises cutting adjacent notches into two lateral edges of the plastic film;   providing a machine reel of the plastic film that is cut to the width; and   forming the VFFS/HFFS packaging from the machine reel of the plastic film that is cut to the width, wherein forming the VFFS/HFFS packaging comprises sealing the two lateral edges of the plastic film to form a longitudinal seam comprising tear initiations over the entire length of the longitudinal seam, wherein the tear initiations are configured to allow a user to tear the packaging in a direction transverse to the extrusion direction of the plastic film,   wherein the process is a waste-free process, except for the waste produced during the cutting of the plastic film to the width.   
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein cutting the adjacent notches into the two lateral edges of the plastic film comprises cutting the adjacent notches into the two lateral edges of the plastic film using rotary knives having a substantially continuous teeth structure. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the adjacent notches in each of the two lateral edges of the plastic film comprise a continuous teeth structure. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the continuous teeth structure of each of the two lateral edges of the plastic film has no influence on the running speed of a VFFS/HFFS packaging machine used for forming the VFFS/HFFS packaging. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the longitudinal seam comprises a fin seal. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the adjacent notches of each of the two lateral edges of the plastic film that form the longitudinal seam are not perfectly superposed. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein forming the VFFS/HFFS packaging further comprises forming two cross-directional seams, wherein neither of the two cross-directional seams comprises a continuous teeth structure. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the process results in the total length of the VFFS/HFFS packaging being up to ten percent less than it would be if each of the cross-directional seams comprised tear initiations over their entire length.