Package having a tearable seal and a method of opening said package

Abstract

A package having a tearable seal is disclosed, along with a method of opening the package. The package is capable of housing a product and includes a front wall, a back wall, a first side, a second side, a bottom and a top, and has a void area formed between the front and back walls which can house the product. The package is completely sealed after the product has been inserted into the void area. The package has a tearable seal formed in both the front and back walls. The tearable seal has an end conterminuous with the first side. The package also has a second seal formed in both the front and back walls which is positioned inward of the first and second sides and which is located between the tearable seal and the top. The second seal has a patterned field of bonds. The tearable seal requires less force to break than does the second seal. A method of opening the package is also taught.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A package capable of housing a product, said package comprising:
 a) a front wall, a back wall, a first side, a second side, a bottom and a top, and having a void area formed between said front and back walls which can house said product, and said package being completely sealed after said product has been inserted into said void area;   b) a tearable seal formed in both said front and back walls, said tearable seal having an end conterminuous with said first side;   c) a second seal formed in both said front and back walls which is positioned inward of said first and second sides and which is located between said tearable seal and said top, and said second seal having a patterned field of bonds; and   d) said tearable seal requires less force to break than does said second seal.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1  wherein said patterned field of bonds include a plurality of point bonds having a density ranging from between about 1% to about 60%, and a portion of said tearable seal, located adjacent to said second side, remains secure to said package after said tearable seal has been broken. 
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of point bonds are randomly arranged and have a density ranging from between about 10% to about 40%, and said tearable seal has a width which is partially broken in an initial tear and then is completely broken thereafter. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of point bonds are regularly arranged and have a density ranging from between about 5% to about 25%. 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 1  wherein said tearable seal extends from said first side to said second side, and said tearable seal has a width ranging from between about 0.03 inches to about 0.10 inches, and said width is partially broken in an initial tear and then is completely broken thereafter. 
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 1  wherein said front and back walls have a combined thickness, and said tearable seal has a width equal to at least about two times said combined thickness. 
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 7  wherein said tearable seal has a width equal to at least about three times said combined thickness. 
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 1  wherein said tearable seal requires a force of from between about 1 pound to about 3 pounds to break. 
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 1  wherein said front wall has a thickness and said back wall has a thickness, and said tearable seal has a depth d which can range from between about 10% to about 90% of either the thickness of said front wall or the thickness of said back wall. 
     
     
         10 . A package capable of housing a product, said package comprising:
 a) a front wall, a back wall, a first side, a second side, a bottom and a top, and having a void area formed between said front and back walls which can house said product, and said package being completely sealed after said product has been inserted into said void area;   b) a tearable seal formed in both said front and back walls, said tearable seal having an end conterminuous with said first side, said tearable seal having a width, and said tearable seal being positioned closer to said top of said package than to said bottom of said package;   c) a second seal formed in both said front and back walls which is positioned inward of said first and second sides and which is located between said tearable seal and said top, said second seal having a width which is at least 8 times larger than said width of said tearable seal, and said second seal having a patterned field of bonds; and   d) said tearable seal s capable of breaking under a force of about 5 pounds or less.   
     
     
         11 . The package of  claim 10  wherein said tearable seal extends continuously from said first side to said second side, said tearable seal is a hermetic seal having a width ranging from between about 0.03 inches to about 0.10 inches, and said tearable seal requires a force of from between about 1 pound to about 3 pounds to break. 
     
     
         12 . The package of  claim 10  wherein said front wall and said back wall have a combined thickness, and said tearable seal has a width equal to at least about four times said combined thickness, and said width is partially broken in an initial tear and then is completely broken thereafter. 
     
     
         13 . The package of  claim 10  wherein said second seal has a patterned field of bonds having a density ranging from between about 5% to about 25%. 
     
     
         14 . The package of  claim 10  wherein said front wall has a thickness and said back wall has a thickness, and said tearable seal has a depth which can range from between about 10% to about 90% of the thickness of said front wall or said back wall. 
     
     
         15 . The package of  claim 14  wherein said second seal is aligned at an angle to said tearable seal and said angle is at least about 15 degrees. 
     
     
         16 . A method of opening a package having a front wall, a back wall, a first side, a second side, a bottom and a top, a tearable seal formed in both said front and back walls which has an end conterminuous with said first side, and a second seal formed in both said front and back walls which is positioned inward of said first and second sides and which is located between said tearable seal and said top, said method comprising the steps of:
 a) gripping said package between a thumb and an index finger of each hand, one hand positioned above said tearable seal and the other hand positioned below said tearable seal;   b) applying a forward force with one hand and a rearward force with the opposite hand to cause a portion of said tearable seal to start to break;   c) continuing to tear said tearable seal until said top is at least about 90% torn away from a remaining portion of said package;   d) pinching said front and back walls between said two hands; and   e) pulling said front and back walls apart to break a remaining portion of said tearable seal and open said package.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein when said tearable seal is broken, a portion of the tearable seal remains attached to a remainder of said package. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein when said tearable seal is broken, said top is completely torn off from said package, and said torn off top is properly disposed off after being torn off from said package. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said tearable seal cannot be resealed after being opened. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said tearable seal requires less than about 5 pounds of force to be opened, and said second seal is not designed to be broken.