Reclosable package and method

Abstract

A reclosable package and method having an integral reclosable door adjacent one end that permits article removal from the end of the package. The package is comprised of a thermoformed blister body joined to a thermoformed backing body. The blister body has sidewalls, endwalls and a peripheral flange broken into a first section adjacent the door where the height of the sidewalls decrease and a second section opposite the door with the first section angled relative to the second section. The backing body carries the door and has an integral peripheral rib inboard of a peripheral flange with the flange having a first section about the door and a second section disposed away from the door. The rib has a pair of longitudinally-extending sections divided by a notch that preferably is a transverse rib that causes the door to bend about a desired fold line that runs generally through or adjacent the ribs or notches when urged away from a closed position. In a preferred method, after performing a multilevel trim operation to trim the multiplanar flanges of one or both the blister body and the backing body, the two bodies are joined at the flange sections about a portion of the periphery to adjacent the fold line using an energy welding process, preferably RF welding, that produces a narrow tear seam that enables finished package flange width to be minimized to thereby also minimize package width.