US 11,787,614 B2
Package and a method for preparing a package
Tuomas Kuitunen, Helsinki (FI)
Assigned to Sartorius Biohit Liquid Handling Oy, Helsinki (FI)
Filed by Sartorius Biohit Liquid Handling Oy, Helsinki (FI)
Filed on Mar. 17, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/203,873.
Claims priority of application No. 20163629 (EP), filed on Mar. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0292068 A1, Sep. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. B65D 75/58 (2006.01); B01L 9/00 (2006.01); B65D 75/12 (2006.01)
CPC B65D 75/5805 (2013.01) [B01L 9/543 (2013.01); B65D 75/12 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A package comprising:
a folded sheet made of flexible film material or materials, folded along a longitudinal direction to bring first and second edges of the sheet together, said edges being sealed to form a longitudinal rear seam;
a first end of the folded sheet being sealed by a first end seam, and a second end of the folded sheet, located in an opposite end of the folded sheet with respect to the first end, being sealed by a second end seam to form a space for one or more items, wherein said space is defined by said sealed first and second ends and a side wall formed of the folded sheet;
an opening initiation point in at least one of the first and second end seams, said opening initiation point configured to provide a point for initiating tearing of the flexible film material or materials to form an opening extending from the first end seam to the second end seam and across the sidewall of the package; and
at least one tear control element configured to guide tearing initiated from the opening initiation point along said longitudinal direction of the package, from the first end seam to the second end seam and across the sidewall, upon applying a tearing force,
said at least one tear control element being formed into said flexible film material or materials, and
wherein said tearing force is directed towards the at least one tear control element and away from said longitudinal rear seam, and
wherein the folded sheet comprises at least two bands of flexible film material joined to each other by longitudinal seams.
 
13. A method for preparing a package, the method comprising:
folding a sheet of flexible film material along a longitudinal direction to bring first and second edges of the sheet together, and sealing said edges to form a longitudinal rear seam;
sealing a first end of the folded sheet by a first end seam, and sealing a second end of the folded sheet, located in an opposite end of the folded sheet with respect to the first end, by a second end seam to form a space for one or more items, wherein said space is defined by said sealed first and second ends and a side wall formed of the folded sheet;
providing an opening initiation point in at least one of the first and second end seams, said opening initiation point configured to provide a point for initiating tearing of the flexible film material to form an opening extending from the first end seam to the second end seam and across the sidewall of the package; and
providing at least one tear control element made of said flexible film material or materials of the sheet and configured to guide tearing initiated from the opening initiation point along said longitudinal direction of the package, from the first end seam to the second end seam and across the sidewall, upon applying a tearing force,
wherein said tearing force is directed towards said at least one tear control element and away from said longitudinal rear seam, and
wherein the method further comprises joining at least two bands of flexible film material to each other by longitudinal seams to form said sheet.
 
18. A package comprising:
a folded sheet made of flexible film material or materials, folded along a longitudinal direction to bring first and second edges of the sheet together, said edges being sealed to form a longitudinal rear seam;
a first end of the folded sheet being sealed by a first end seam, and a second end of the folded sheet, located in an opposite end of the folded sheet with respect to the first end, being sealed by a second end seam to form a space for one or more items, wherein said space is defined by said sealed first and second ends and a side wall formed of the folded sheet;
an opening initiation point in at least one of the first and second end seams, said opening initiation point configured to provide a point for initiating tearing of the flexible film material or materials to form an opening extending from the first end seam to the second end seam and across the sidewall of the package; and
at least one tear control element configured to guide tearing initiated from the opening initiation point along said longitudinal direction of the package, from the first end seam to the second end seam and across the sidewall, upon applying a tearing force,
said at least one tear control element being formed into said flexible film material or materials, and
wherein said tearing force is directed towards the at least one tear control element and away from said longitudinal rear seam, and
wherein the at least one tear control element is composed of a local discontinuity in the sheet material, said discontinuity being formed by a treatment of the flexible film material or materials of the sheet selected from the group consisting of a thermal treatment, a mechanical treatment, an ultrasound treatment, a UV light treatment, and any combination thereof.