Packaging with pre-formed plastic web including user-graspable tear tab

Abstract

Packaging configured to contain an item is made from a pre-formed plastic web from which a user-graspable tear tab extends to enable removal of the item from the packaging. Preferred embodiments each include a plastic web in the form of a pocket and positioned between front and back lidding sheets that have adhesive sections bonded together to form unitary packaging. The pocket is sized to pass through a pocket-receiving aperture in the front lidding sheet and retains and displays the packaged item. The tear tab outwardly extends from a peripheral flange from which the plastic web depends. A score line boundary formed in one of the front and back lidding sheets circumscribes or partly circumscribes at least a majority of the pocket receiving aperture and allows removal of the item by a user pulling the tear tab to tear open the packaging along the score line boundary.

1 . Packaging formed with a pocket configured to contain an item and made from a pre-formed plastic web from which a user-graspable tear tab extends to enable removal of the item from the packaging, comprising:
 a front lidding sheet formed with front outer and front inner boundaries, the front inner boundary defining a pocket-receiving aperture, the front lidding sheet having between the front outer and front inner boundaries a front lidding surface region that includes a releasable section with no adhesive or a low tack adhesive proximal to the front inner boundary and an adhesive section proximal to the front outer boundary;   a back lidding sheet formed with a back outer boundary and confining an interior region spatially overlapping the pocket-receiving aperture, the back lidding sheet having between the back outer boundary and the interior region a back lidding surface region that includes a releasable section with no adhesive or a low tack adhesive proximal to the interior region and an adhesive section proximal to the back outer boundary;   a plastic web positioned between the front and the back lidding sheets, the plastic web in the form of a pocket depending from a flange from which a tear tab outwardly extends through the releasable sections of the front and back lidding surface regions, the flange having first and second flange surfaces, and the pocket having an opening with a boundary circumscribed by the flange, the pocket sized to pass through the pocket-receiving aperture with the first and second flange surfaces of the flange positioned between the releasable sections of the front and back lidding surface regions;   a score line boundary formed in one of the front and back lidding sheets to circumscribe or partly circumscribe at least a majority of the pocket-receiving aperture at a location proximal to a junction boundary of the adhesive and the releasable sections of the one of the front and back lidding sheets; and   an adhesive material bonding together the adhesive sections of the front and back lidding surface regions to form a unitary package in which an item contained in the pocket can be removed by a user pulling the tear tab to tear open the packaging along the score line boundary.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging of  claim 1 , in which the interior region spatially overlapping the pocket-receiving aperture is closed and thereby covers the pocket-receiving aperture. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging of  claim 1 , in which the interior region spatially overlapping the pocket-receiving aperture is open and thereby forms an added pocket-receiving aperture, and further comprising an added plastic web in the form of an added pocket that depends from an added flange having first and second added flange surfaces, the added pocket having an added opening with a boundary circumscribed by the added flange and the added pocket sized to pass through the added pocket-receiving aperture such that the plastic web and the added plastic web face outwardly from each other in opposite directions. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging of  claim 3 , further comprising a hinge member connecting portions of the flange and the added flange of, respectively, the plastic web and the added plastic web to form a folding plastic container component of the packaging. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging of  claim 1 , in which the front and back lidding sheets are made of paperboard material. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging of  claim 1 , in which the plastic web is optically transparent. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging of  claim 1 , in which one of the front and back lidding sheets includes a notch at a location that exposes the tear tab and thereby makes accessible a user-graspable end portion of the tear tab. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging of  claim 7 , in which the score line boundary is formed in the one of the front and back lidding sheets. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging of  claim 1 , further comprising a packaging-hanging aperture formed through the adhesive sections of the front and back lidding sheets. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging of  claim 1 , further comprising a packaging-hanging aperture formed through at least one of the front and back lidding sheets and the flange. 
     
     
         11 . The packaging of  claim 1 , further comprising a packaging-hanging aperture formed through at least one of the front and back lidding sheets and the tear tab. 
     
     
         12 . The packaging of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastener passing through the front and back lidding sheets and the flange. 
     
     
         13 . The packaging of  claim 12 , in which the fastener includes a rivet or staple. 
     
     
         14 . The packaging of  claim 1 , in which the score line boundary partly circumscribing the pocket-receiving aperture includes a hinge line along which the one of the front and back lidding sheets folds as the user opens the packaging.