Food packaging container and packaging method

Abstract

A food packaging container and a packaging method are provided which ensure convenient use of the container when and after an outer bag is opened. An individual wrapping sheet ( 2 ) for individually wrapping a chewing gum piece ( 1 ) is dividable into a separation portion ( 2 A) and a fixing portion ( 2 B) longitudinally of the chewing gum piece ( 1 ). A plurality of individually wrapped chewing gum pieces ( 1 ) (food units ( 3 )) are aligned side by side on a rear outer packaging material ( 51 ), and a front outer packaging material ( 52 ) is folded along one edge ( 53 ) of the rear outer packaging material ( 51 ) to cover upper surfaces of the food units ( 3 ). The rear outer packaging material ( 51 ) and the front outer packaging material ( 52 ) are combined with each other with their peripheral edge portions sealed with a seal portion ( 7 ). A packaging container ( 100 ) (outer bag) is completed with the rear outer packaging material ( 51 ) and the front outer packaging material ( 52 ) thus combined, whereby the food units ( 3 ) are sealingly enclosed in the packaging container ( 100 ). The fixing portions ( 2 B) of the individual wrapping sheets ( 2 ) of the respective food units ( 3 ) are fixed to at least one of the rear outer packaging material ( 51 ) and the front outer packaging material ( 52 ) via an adhesive member ( 8 ).

1 . A food packaging container for packaging a predetermined number of elongated food strips, the packaging container comprising:
 individual wrapping sheets for individually wrapping the strips, the individual wrapping sheets being each preliminarily processed to be dividable into a first side wrapping sheet portion and a second side wrapping sheet portion longitudinally of a strip wrapped therein;   a rear outer packaging material which receives the strips individually wrapped with the individual wrapping sheets and aligned in side-by-side relation;   a front outer packaging material extending from one edge of the rear outer packaging material and folded along the edge to cover upper surfaces of the individually wrapped and aligned strips;   an adhesive member provided between the second side wrapping sheet portions of the individual wrapping sheets of the individually wrapped strips and at least one of the rear outer packaging material and the front outer packaging material; and   a seal portion which seals peripheral edge portions of the rear outer packaging material and the front outer packaging material to sealingly enclose the individually wrapped strips in an inside space.   
     
     
         2 . A food packaging container for packaging a predetermined number of elongated food strips, the packaging container comprising:
 individual wrapping sheets for individually wrapping the strips, the individual wrapping sheets being each preliminarily processed to be dividable into a first side wrapping sheet portion and a second side wrapping sheet portion longitudinally of a strip wrapped therein;   a rear outer packaging material which receives the strips individually wrapped with the individual wrapping sheets and aligned in side-by-side relation;   a front outer packaging material provided separately from the rear outer packaging material and covering upper surfaces of the individually wrapped and aligned strips;   an adhesive member provided between the second side wrapping sheet portions of the individual wrapping sheets of the individually wrapped strips and at least one of the rear outer packaging material and the front outer packaging material; and   a seal portion which seals peripheral edge portions of the rear outer packaging material and the front outer packaging material to sealingly enclose the individually wrapped strips in an inside space.   
     
     
         3 . The packaging container according to  claim 2 , wherein the seal portion has an opening guide incision for tearing the rear outer packaging material and the front outer packaging material from the seal portion. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging container according to  claim 2 , wherein the rear outer packaging material and the front outer packaging material each have a generally rectangular shape as seen in plan, and are each made of a flexible soft packaging material. 
     
     
         5 . A packaging method for packaging a predetermined number of elongated food strips, the method comprising the steps of:
 preparing individual wrapping sheets for individually wrapping the strips, the individual wrapping sheets being each preliminarily processed to be dividable into a first side wrapping sheet portion and a second side wrapping sheet portion longitudinally of a strip wrapped therein;   preparing a rear outer packaging material formed with an adhesive layer, and a front outer packaging material extending from one edge of the rear outer packaging material and conformal to the rear outer packaging material;   individually wrapping the food strips with the individual wrapping sheets, aligning the wrapped food strips in side-by-side relation on the rear outer packaging material, and fixing the second side wrapping sheet portions of the individual wrapping sheets of the individually wrapped strips to the rear outer packaging material via the adhesive layer;   folding the front outer packaging material along the edge to cover upper surfaces of the individually wrapped and aligned strips; and   sealing peripheral edge portions of the rear outer packaging material and the front outer packaging material to sealingly enclose the individually wrapped strips in an inside space defined between the rear outer packaging material and the front outer packaging material.   
     
     
         6 . A packaging method for packaging a predetermined number of elongated food strips, the method comprising the steps of:
 preparing individual wrapping sheets for individually wrapping the strips, the individual wrapping sheets being each preliminarily processed to be dividable into a first side wrapping sheet portion and a second side wrapping sheet portion longitudinally of a strip wrapped therein;   preparing a rear outer packaging material, and a front outer packaging material extending from one edge of the rear outer packaging material, the front outer packaging material being conformal to the rear outer packaging material and formed with an adhesive layer;   individually wrapping the food strips with the individual wrapping sheets and aligning the wrapped food strips in side-by-side relation on the rear outer packaging material;   folding the front outer packaging material along the edge to cover upper surfaces of the individually wrapped and aligned strips, and fixing the second side wrapping sheet portions of the individual wrapping sheets of the individually wrapped strips to the front outer packaging material via the adhesive layer; and   sealing peripheral edge portions of the rear outer packaging material and the front outer packaging material to sealingly enclose the individually wrapped strips in an inside space defined between the rear outer packaging material and the front outer packaging material.   
     
     
         7 . A packaging method for packaging a predetermined number of elongated food strips, the method comprising the steps of:
 preparing individual wrapping sheets for individually wrapping the strips, the individual wrapping sheets being each preliminarily processed to be dividable into a first side wrapping sheet portion and a second side wrapping sheet portion longitudinally of a strip wrapped therein;   individually wrapping the strips with the individual wrapping sheets and aligning the wrapped strips in side-by-side relation on a rear outer packaging material;   covering upper surfaces of the individually wrapped and aligned strips with a front outer packaging material conformal to the rear outer packaging material; and   sealing peripheral edge portions of the rear outer packaging material and the front outer packaging material to sealingly enclose the individually wrapped strips in an inside space.   
     
     
         8 . The packaging method according to  claim 7 , further comprising the step of preliminarily providing an adhesive layer on the rear outer packaging material for fixing the second side wrapping sheet portions of the individual wrapping sheets of the individually wrapped and aligned strips to the rear outer packaging material. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging method according to  claim 7 , further comprising the step of preliminarily providing an adhesive layer on the front outer packaging material for fixing the second side wrapping sheet portions of the individual wrapping sheets of the individually wrapped and aligned strips to the front outer packaging material. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging container according to  claim 1 , wherein the seal portion has an opening guide incision for tearing the rear outer packaging material and the front outer packaging material from the seal portion. 
     
     
         11 . The packaging container according to  claim 1 , wherein the rear outer packaging material and the front outer packaging material each have a generally rectangular shape as seen in plan, and are each made of a flexible soft packaging material.