Cryovac, Inc.

W. R. Grace Co.-conn.

Patrick N Kocher

H Walker Stockley

Kimberly Ann Mudar

Walter B Mueller

Robin D Owens

A package with improved clarity and a thinner lidstock includes a product support member having a cavity formed therein; a product disposed in the cavity; and an oriented, heat shrinkable lidstock film disposed over the product, and sealed to the product support member. A method of packaging a product includes the steps of providing a product support member having a cavity formed therein, and a flange around the perimeter of the member; placing the product in the cavity formed by the product support member; placing an oriented, heat shrinkable film over the product; sealing the oriented, heat shrinkable film to the flange of the product support member; and cutting at least some of the oriented heat shrinkable film extending beyond the perimeter of the product support member. The lidstock film optionally can be peeled apart after the package has been made, for example to peel an oxygen impermeable portion from a permeable substrate.

Package with shrink film lidstock

A dual-film package and method for making such package is disclosed which combines the manufacturing simplicity of a package having a single, peelable lid with the consistent peelability of a package having separate permeable and impermeable lids. This is accomplished by providing a support member and a lid having a gas-permeable film and a substantially gas-impermeable film. A first heat-weld bonds the gas-permeable film to the support member and a second heat-weld bonds the gas-impermeable film to the gas-permeable film. The first and second heat-welds each have a bond-strength which is greater than the intra-film cohesive strength of the gas-permeable film so that the lid preferentially delaminates within the gas-permeable film upon peeling, thereby leaving a portion of the gas-permeable film lidded to the support member.

Package having a dual-film lid comprising a gas-impermeable film and a delaminatable, gas-permeable film

A package having a lid bonded to a support member with a heat-seal to enclose a product between the support member and lid. The lid is at least partially heat-shrinkable and has a first peripheral portion and a second peripheral portion, the first peripheral portion being heat-contracted toward the heat-seal to a greater degree relative to the second peripheral portion so that the second peripheral portion provides a tab which can be manually grasped for peeling the lid.

Lidded package having a tab to facilitate peeling

Laminate and package made therefrom

A laminate comprising two or more films, at least one of the films being a coextruded, multilayer film, wherein the laminate delaminates within the coextruded, multilayer film when the laminate is subjected to a peel force ranging from 0.001 to 2.5 pounds per inch. The laminate advantageously provides the lid for a package and delaminates into a substantially gas-impermeable portion and a gas-permeable portion, with the gas-permeable portion being bonded directly to a product support member of the package. In this manner, the gas-impermeable portion may be peelably removed from the package to allow atmospheric oxygen to enter the interior of the package. The gas-permeable portion may be provided by perforating the delaminatable, coextruded film and bonding such film to the support member so that, when the laminate is caused to be delaminated within the perforated, coextruded film, the perforations are exposed to the ambient atmosphere and thereby allow for rapid ingress of oxygen into the interior of the package.

Laminate having a coextruded, multilayer film which delaminates and

A method of making a peelable film comprises providing a multilayer film; delaminating the film into a first portion and a second portion; treating the second portion to increase its gas permeability; and relaminating the treated second portion to the first portion. In another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for making a peelable film comprises a means for delaminating a film into a first portion and a second portion; a means for treating the second portion to increase its gas permeability; and a means for relaminating the treated second portion to the first portion. Perforations, partial perforations, and other film treatments can be thus advantageously utilized in connection with a second, preferably gas permeable portion of a peelable film, without affecting a first, preferably gas impermeable portion of the same film.

Growing community of inventors

Greer, SC, United States of America

Patrick N Kocher