Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Layer or component removable to expose adhesive – Ornamental – decorative – pattern – or indicia
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-03
2004-06-08
Pyon, Harold (Department: 1772)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Layer or component removable to expose adhesive
Ornamental, decorative, pattern, or indicia
C428S042200, C428S042300, C428S043000, C428S034100, C428S035200, C428S035700, C283S081000, C283S072000, C283S100000, C283S101000, C283S105000, C206S459100, C206S459500, C206S831000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06746743
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a flexible bag or package with walls made up of multi-layer thin films. In particular, said bag comprises a section of at least one layer of said multi-layer film that can easily be removed without compromising the barrier properties of said bag.
2. Description of Related Art
Flexible bags are commonly used for packaging. For food packaging, in particular, flexible bags with walls made up of multi-layer flexible films and specific barrier properties are common for containing foods such as chips, popcorn, nuts, or cereals. It is also common for promotional devices to accompany all types of packaging, including paperboard, cardboard, and polymer and other flexible thin film packaging. Such devices may be incorporated into packaging any number of ways.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,393 ('393) is one of many examples in the prior art where promotional devices are incorporated into packaging. The '393 patent discloses a two-ply, erect, paperboard or cardboard carton. In a defined section of the outer ply of the carton, slits/perforations are cut to outline a desired size and shape such that the defined section may be torn along the slits/perforations and removed from the carton without disturbing the integrity of the rigid inner ply.
Another example of an invention where a promotional device is incorporated into packaging is U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,274 ('274). The '274 patent discloses a two-ply, erect, paperboard or cardboard container, including a corrugated inner ply and an outer ply incorporating a removable section outlined by a perforated die cut. The perforated die cut allows the removable section to be torn away from the package while leaving the corrugated inner ply intact.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,167 discloses a label that is affixed to the outside of a package. The label includes a removable section that is integral to the label and, as with the '393 and '274 patents, is outlined by perforated cuts that facilitate its removal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,548 discloses a container including decorative figures integral to the container that may be removed after the container is no longer being used as a container. The figures are outlined in the container walls and must be cut, punched, or torn out along perforated lines. The thickness of a figure is equal to the thickness of the wall of the container, such that removal of a figure causes a hole in the container wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,401 discloses a cylindrical metallic, glass, or plastic container with a label that covers the outside surface. On the outside of the label is product information, and on the inside of the label are temporary tattoos that are readily transferable from the label to the skin of a child.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,251,450 ('450) and 5,127,743 ('743) disclose food packages with walls comprised of multi-layer of flexible films wherein a promotional device is sealed between layers of the multi-layered package wall.
The '743 patent discloses a method of forming a package comprised of multi-layer flexible films wherein a promotional device is printed on the inside surface of one of the outer layers of the package. The promotional printed indicium is only partially visible from the outside of the package and is accessed by puncturing the outer layer of the package and separating the inner layer from the outer layer containing the hidden indicia. This separation is possible because no adhesive is applied between the portion of the outer layer containing the printed hidden indicia and the next innermost layer of the container.
As illustrated by the '450 and '743 patents, when promotional devices have been incorporated into flexible plastic bags composed of thin films in the prior art, the devices are not conveniently accessible to the consumer. The devices are generally either placed inside the bag along with the product, or embedded between the layers of the bag and sealed in place by an adhesive such that the bag must be cut, torn, or punctured in some way in order to gain access to the device.
FIG. 1
is one example of this type of design and is a view of a cross-section of the wall of a package that incorporates a promotional device. The wall includes an outer layer
18
and an inner layer
20
. Hidden printed indicia
24
are incorporated into the conventional printed layer
22
, and both are printed on the inner facing side of the outer layer
18
. The hidden printed indicia portion
24
consists of a series of printed ink layers
26
,
28
,
30
, which includes a layer containing the promotional device
30
, and printed layers
26
,
28
that reveal the existence of the promotional device but obscure its exact nature when viewing from outside the package. The outer layer
18
is attached to the inner layer
20
by an adhesive layer
32
. The adhesive layer
32
, however, is not applied in the area where the hidden printed indicia portion
24
contacts the inner layer
20
. When the outer layer
18
is cut or punctured to access the promotional device
24
, this permits the portion of the outer layer
18
containing the device
24
to be separated from the inner layer
20
and viewed directly.
One problem with designs such as the '743 and '450 patents is that the cutting or tearing necessary to access the promotional device sacrifices the container's functional characteristics. The necessity of additional manufacturing steps is also a drawback of designs that place the promotional piece either inside the package or between the walls of the package. The additional steps greatly increase operating, material, and defect costs. Furthermore, if a promotional prize is inadvertently left out of a container, such process errors are likely to go undetected and have often ultimately lead to customer complaints.
As demonstrated by the '393 and '274 patents, promotional devices have also been incorporated into the walls of containers other than flexible bags, such as erect paperboard cartons or boxes. In some of these designs, the promotional device may be accessed without compromising the functional characteristics of the container. In others, however, removal of the device results in a hole in the container.
FIG. 2
is an example of a container design wherein a promotional device is incorporated into the outer ply of a two-ply erect carton constructed from paperboard or cardboard. The integrity of the carton is not compromised upon accessing the device. In this embodiment, the outer ply
52
of the box is bonded to the inner ply by an adhesive layer
60
. The promotional device is in the form of a detachable coupon
63
that is a portion of the outer ply
52
. The coupon
63
is outlined by perforated slits
64
in the outer ply
52
that permit the coupon
63
to be removed by tearing along said perforated line
64
. The coupon
63
portion of the outer ply
52
does not adhere to the inner ply because the inner side
66
of the outer ply
52
corresponding to the coupon
63
is coated with an adhesive-repelling agent. Employment of the adhesive-repelling agent and perforated tear outline
64
in combination permit the coupon
63
to be torn from the container.
One drawback of a design similar to the one illustrated by
FIG. 2
is that perforated lines do not always tear cleanly, and as they are torn are prone to snagging and causing undesired tearing outside the perforated lines. Such unwanted tearing of the package or promotional device outside the perforated line may reduce the aesthetic value of any designs on the package or promotional device. In addition, depending on the type of promotional device, such unwanted tearing of the device may reduce its redeemable value and/or its value to a consumer.
Another less than ideal consequence of employing this design is the necessity of applying an adhesive repelling agent on the inside surface of the outer layer of the container, only in the area corresponding to the coupon. The added steps necessary to accurately app
Knoerzer Anthony Robert
Kohl Garrett William
Tucker Steven Kenneth
Cahoon Colin P.
Carstens Yee & Cahoon, L.L.P.
Frito-Lay North America, Inc.
Miggins Michael C.
Pyon Harold
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