Packaging

Abstract

Packaging ( 1 ) in which first and second layers ( 11, 12 ) are coupled to one another and arranged with built-in areas of weakness ( 21, 22 ). Part of the first layer ( 11 ) exposed outside of the packaging ( 1 ) has a built-in in area of weakness ( 21 ) and part of the second layer ( 12 ) arranged within the packaging ( 1 ) has a built-in area of weakness ( 22 ). The built-in areas of weakness ( 21, 22 ) are arranged such that breaking the first layer ( 11 ) at the built-in area of weakness thereof ( 21 ) enables the first layer ( 11 ) to act on the second layer ( 12 ) to break the second layer ( 12 ) at the built-in area of weakness ( 22 ) to thereby open the packaging ( 1 ).

1 . Packaging comprising:
 first and second layers coupled to one another, arranged with a built-in area of weakness at part of the first layer and exposed outside of the packaging and a built-in in area of weakness at part of the second layer arranged within the packaging, wherein the built-in areas of weakness are arranged such that breaking the first layer at the built-in area of weakness thereof enables the first layer to act on the second layer to break the second layer at the built-in area of weakness to thereby open the packaging and wherein the packaging comprises end walls, with the one or more side walls running between the end walls, with the built-in area of weakness of the first layer formed in a side wall and the built-in area of weakness of the second layer formed in an end wall.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second layers are coupled to one another at a first coupling area, the first coupling area extending to meet the built-in area of weakness of the first layer, but not the built-in area of weakness of the second layer. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging of  claim 1 , comprising an area in which the first and second layers are not bonded to one another so that the first and second layers are coupled to one another at distinct first and second bonding areas. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging of  claim 1 , wherein the area in which the first and second layers are not bonded to one another is partially bounded by a portion of the built-in area of weakness of the first layer and partially bounded by a portion of the built-in area of weakness of the second layer. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging of  claim 1 , wherein the built-in area of weakness of the first layer runs around the majority of the outside of the packaging in the form of a partial or complete loop around the outside of the packaging. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging of  claim 1 , arranged such that the built-in area of weakness of the second layer forms a closed loop on the end wall. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging of  claim 1 , arranged such that breaking the first layer and second layer at the built-in areas of weakness forms a separable portion of the packaging. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second layers are coupled in the separable portion. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second layers are coupled only in the separable portion. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging of  claim 7 , wherein the separable portion comprises a cap including an end wall of the packaging, and wherein separating the separable portion opens the packaging by exposing an opening at an end wall of the packaging. 
     
     
         11 . The packaging of  claim 10 , wherein the cap comprises portions of the first and second layers from the end wall, and a portion of the first layer only from the side walls. 
     
     
         12 . The packaging of  claim 1 , enclosing a plurality of products stacked in side-by-side arrangement and arranged such that the built-in area of weakness of the first layer lies on a side wall thereof at a separation from and end wall thereof at a distance along the packaging corresponding to the dimension of one product along the length of the stack. 
     
     
         13 . A packaging blank comprising:
 first and second layers coupled to one another, arranged with a built-in area of weakness at part of the first layer and a built-in in area of weakness at part of the second layer, wherein when formed as packaging around a product to provide a package with end walls and one or more side walls running between the end walls the built-in areas of weakness lie with the part of the first layer comprising the built-in area of weakness exposed outside of the packaging and the built-in area of weakness of the second layer within the packaging, such that breaking the first layer at the built-in area of weakness thereof enables the first layer to act on the second layer to break the second layer at the built-in area of weakness to open the packaging, and the built-in area of weakness of the first layer is formed in a side wall and the built-in area of weakness of the second layer is formed in an end wall.   
     
     
         14 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second are layers laminated, and coupled to one another with a bond across part of their area. 
     
     
         15 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , wherein first and/or second built-in area of weakness comprise a scored and/or perforated area. 
     
     
         16 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , wherein the first and/or second built-in area of weakness comprise a laser score or a die cut. 
     
     
         17 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second layers are coupled to one another at a first coupling area, the first coupling area extending to meet the built-in area of weakness of the first layer, but not the built-in area of weakness of the second layer. 
     
     
         18 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second layers are coupled to one another at distinct first and second coupling areas. 
     
     
         19 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , comprising an area in which the first and second layers are not coupled to one another. 
     
     
         20 . The packaging blank of  claim 19 , wherein the area in which the first and second layers are not coupled to one another is bounded by the built-in area of weakness of the first layer, and/or bounded by the built-in area of weakness of the second layer. 
     
     
         21 . The packaging blank of  claim 19 , wherein the area in which the first and second layers are not bonded to one another comprises a strip across the packaging blank that runs across the packaging blank from one edge to another. 
     
     
         22 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , wherein the built-in area of weakness of the first layer runs across the packaging blank from one edge to another. 
     
     
         23 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , wherein the built-in area of weakness of the first layer is provided as a line of weakness. 
     
     
         24 . The packaging blank of  claim 23 , wherein the built-in area of weakness of the first layer runs across the packaging blank in a straight line. 
     
     
         25 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , wherein the built-in area of weakness of the first layer runs across the packaging blank parallel to an edge of the packaging blank. 
     
     
         26 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , wherein the built-in area of weakness of the first layer comprises a tear guide. 
     
     
         27 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , wherein the built-in area of weakness of the second layer runs across the packaging blank from one edge to another. 
     
     
         28 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , wherein the built-in area of weakness of the second layer runs across the packaging blank in a straight line. 
     
     
         29 . The packaging blank of  claim 28 , wherein the built-in area of weakness of the second layer extends as a straight line from one edge of the packaging blank. 
     
     
         30 . The packaging blank of  claim 29 , wherein the built-in area of weakness of the second layer is provided extending from an edge of the packaging blank and parallel to the built-in area of weakness of the first layer. 
     
     
         31 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , arranged with an area in which the first and second layers are not bonded to one another bounded by the built-in area of weakness in the first layer and a parallel built-in area of weakness in the second layer. 
     
     
         32 . The packaging blank of  claim 31 , wherein width of the strip across which the first and second layers are not bonded to one another is less than 10 mm and greater than 2 mm. 
     
     
         33 . The packaging blank of  claims 32 , wherein the width of the strip across which the first and second layers are not bonded to one is equal to the separation of the second built-in area of weakness from the edge of the packaging blank. 
     
     
         34 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , wherein the built-in area of weakness of the second layer runs across the packaging blanks less than 10 mm from the edge of the packaging blank. 
     
     
         35 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , provided with adhesive at its periphery, to enable edges of the blank to be sealed to one another during formation of packaging from the packaging blank. 
     
     
         36 . The packaging blank of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second layers are be coupled by bonding, for example by glue. 
     
     
         37 . The packaging blank of  claim 13  of generally rectangular shape. 
     
     
         38 . The packaging blank of  claim 13  comprising a layer of a metallic foil, for example as the first layer and comprising a second layer of paper, for example as the second layer. 
     
     
         39 . The packaging blank of  claim 38 , comprising a layer of polymeric material laminated to the metallic foil to provide the first layer. 
     
     
         40 . The packaging blank according to  claim 13  in combination with an item or arrangement of items to be packaged. 
     
     
         41 . The packaging blank of  claim 40 , wherein the arrangement of items to be packaged comprises a stack of gum pellets. 
     
     
         42 . A method of packaging, the method comprising:
 providing a packaging blank comprising first and second layers coupled to one another;   providing a built-in area of weakness at part of the first layer and a built-in in area of weakness at part of the second layer; and   forming the packaging blank around an item or arrangement of items to be packaged to provide a package with end walls and one or more side walls running between the end walls; wherein the forming positions part of the first layer comprising the built-in area of weakness exposed outside of the packaging and the built-in area of weakness of the second layer within the packaging, with the built-in areas of weakness arranged such that breaking the first layer at the built-in area of weakness thereof enables the first layer to act on the second layer to break the second layer at the built-in area of weakness to open the packaging, wherein and the built-in area of weakness of the first layer is formed in a side wall and the built-in area of weakness of the second layer is formed in an end wall.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the step of providing the built-in areas of weakness is performed before the forming step. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the step of providing the built-in area of weakness is split into sub-steps of providing one the built-in areas of weakness before the forming step, and providing the other of the built-in areas of weakness after the forming step. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the step of providing the built-in areas of weakness is performed partially before and partially after the forming step, with one or more area of weakness being expanded after the forming step. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claims 42 , wherein the step of providing a built-in area of weakness comprises one or both of: a laser scoring step and a die cutting step. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the step of providing a built-in area of weakness comprises scoring and/or perforating operations. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the packaging blank comprises first and second layers coupled to one another, arranged with a built-in area of weakness at part of the first layer and a built-in in area of weakness at part of the second layer, wherein when formed as packaging around a product to provide a package with end walls and one or more side walls running between the end walls the built-in areas of weakness lie with the part of the first layer comprising the built-in area of weakness exposed outside of the packaging and the built-in area of weakness of the second layer within the packaging, such that breaking the first layer at the built-in area of weakness thereof enables the first layer to act on the second layer to break the second layer at the built-in area of weakness to open the packaging, and the built-in area of weakness of the first layer is formed in a side wall and the built-in area of weakness of the second layer is formed in an end wall, or the method produces packaging comprising first and second layers coupled to one another, arranged with a built-in area of weakness at part of the first layer and exposed outside of the packaging and a built-in in area of weakness at part of the second layer arranged within the packaging, wherein the built-in areas of weakness are arranged such that breaking the first layer at the built-in area of weakness thereof enables the first layer to act on the second layer to break the second layer at the built-in area of weakness to thereby open the packaging and wherein the packaging comprises end walls, with the one or more side walls running between the end walls, with the built-in area of weakness of the first layer formed in a side wall and the built-in area of weakness of the second layer formed in an end wall. 
     
     
         49 . (canceled)