Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Packaged or wrapped product – Packaged product is animal flesh
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-30
2004-09-14
Nolan, Sandra M. (Department: 1772)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Packaged or wrapped product
Packaged product is animal flesh
C428S034900, C428S036700, C428S349000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06790468
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the packaging of products in bags made from a puncture-resistant flexible film. More particularly, the present invention relates to a patch bag, as well as processes of making patch bags.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Patch bags are known for the packaging of bone-in meat products, such as whole bone-in pork loins, etc. The patch reduces the likelihood of film puncture from protruding bones. Many of the patch bags which have been in commercial use for some time have two patches, i.e., one on each side of the lay-flat bag. In this manner, coverage is enhanced over a single patch which covers only one side of the bag, as the two-patch embodiment provides patch coverage on more than just one side of the bag.
However, providing patch coverage on both lay-flat sides of the bag has generally required adhering separate patches on each side of a lay-flat tubing. The adhesion of a patch to each side of the bag has involved a complex series of steps: (a) at intervals, adhering a first set of patches to a first side of a lay-flat tubing film; (b) winding up the resulting laminated article; (c) unwinding the laminated article; and, at the same regular intervals, (d) adhering a second set of patches to the other side of the tubing preferably while taking care to ensure that the second set of patches is aligned with the first set of patches. In this manner, a bag having patches on both lay-flat sides is prepared.
It would be desirable to provide a patch bag having patch coverage on both lay-flat sides, without having to apply separate patches in the relatively complex manner described above. It would also be desirable to provide a patch bag having one patch which extends to cover more than 50 percent of the distance around the bag, while covering a side-edge or bottom-edge of the bag.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a patch bag, and processes of making patch bags, which provide a single patch covering at least a portion (preferably more than 50% across the width) of each of the lay-flat sides of the bag, while avoiding having to apply two separate patches. Moreover, the patch covers a side-edge and/or bottom-edge of the bag. In this manner, coverage can be provided on two different sides of the bag, without having to apply a plurality of patches to the bag film in the making of a single patch bag. This, in turn, avoids the need to register the position of patches so that they are aligned with each other.
As a first aspect, the present invention is directed to a patch bag, comprising a bag having an open top, a bottom seal, and a side-seal at a first side edge of the bag, and a patch which covers a seamless (i.e., folded, unsealed) second side edge of the bag and at least a portion of both a first lay-flat side of the bag and a second lay-flat side of the bag. Preferably, the bag comprises a heat-shrinkable film and the patch comprises a heat-shrinkable film. Preferably, the patch is adhered to an outside surface of the bag.
Preferably, the patch has a width of from about 20 to 200 percent, based on the width of the bag, more preferably, from about 55 to 200 percent; still more preferably, from about 60 to 190 percent.
Preferably, the bag comprises a first biaxially-oriented, heat-shrinkable film comprising an outside abuse layer, a core O
2
-barrier layer, and an inside-sealant layer. Preferably, the outside abuse layer of the first film comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer having a density of from about 0.85 to 0.95 g/cc, propylene/ethylene copolymer, polyamide, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene/methyl acrylate copolymer, and ethylene/butyl acrylate copolymer. Preferably, the core O
2
-barrier layer of the first film comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyamide, polyester, and polyacrylonitrile. Preferably, the inside-sealant layer of the first film comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyolefin, thermoplastic polyamide, thermoplastic polyester, and thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride.
Preferably, the patch comprises a second biaxially-oriented, heat-shrinkable film. Preferably, the second biaxially-oriented, heat-shrinkable film comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer having a density of from about 0.85 to 0.95 g/cc, propylene/ethylene copolymer, polyamide, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene/methyl acrylate copolymer, and ethylene/butyl acrylate copolymer.
Preferably, the bag comprises a first film and the patch comprises a second film, the side-seal is through the first film but not through the second film, and the end-seal is through the first film but not through the second film. Preferably, the first film has a thickness of from about 1.5 to 5 mils, and comprises an O
2
-barrier layer and a layer comprising ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer having a density of from about 0.85 to 0.95 g/cc. Preferably, the second film has a thickness of from about 2 to 8 mils, and comprises ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer having a density of from about 0.85 to 0.95 g/cc.
As a second aspect, the present invention pertains to a process of making a patch bag, comprising: (A) adhering a patch film to an elongate flat film having a first side edge and a second side edge, whereby a laminated film article is produced; (B) folding the laminated film article along its length, Whereby a folded, laminated article is formed which has a seamless folded side edge along a fold line thereof; (C) making a first seal by sealing the folded, laminated article to itself, the first seal being along a length of the folded, laminated article, the first seal being spaced from the folded side edge of the folded, laminated article; (D) making a second seal by sealing the folded, laminated article to itself by sealing across the folded, laminated article, whereby a sealed laminated article is formed; and (E) cutting across and through the sealed laminated article below the second seal, whereby an L-seal patch bag is produced. Preferably, the patch is adhered to an outside surface of a bag formed from the sealing of the elongate flat film to itself. Preferably, the patch has a width of from about 20 to 200 percent, based on the width of the L-seal patch bag.
Preferably, the elongate flat film has a substantially uniform width, and the folding is carried out at a centerline running a length of the elongate flat film, so that the first side edge of the elongate flat film and the second side edge of the elongate flat film are placed next to one another, whereby a folded, laminated article is formed which has a seamless folded edge formed along the centerline of the elongate flat film. Preferably, the elongate flat film is prepared by slitting a tubing along its length whereby a slit tubing is produced, followed by opening the slit tubing up to produce the elongate flat film.
Preferably, a plurality of discrete film patches are adhered to the elongate flat film, the film patches being adhered across the elongate flat film at intervals to form the laminated film article, the patches covering intervals of a seamless folded edge of the elongate flat film.
The bag and the patch film composition and characteristics are preferably as set forth according to the first aspect of the present invention.
As a third aspect, the present invention pertains to a process of making a patch bag, comprising: (A) adhering a patch film to an elongate flat film having a first side edge and a second side edge, Whereby a laminated film article is produced; (B) folding the laminated film article along its length, whereby a folded, laminated article is formed which has a seamless folded edge along a fold line thereof, (C) sealing the folded, laminated article to itself by making a plurality of side-seals across the folded, laminated article; (D) cutting across the folded, laminated film out
Mize, Jr. James A.
Oberle Timothy T.
Cryovac Inc.
Hurley Jr. Rupert B.
Nolan Sandra M.
LandOfFree
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