CA2025284A1

CA2025284A1 - Package having peel seal tamper-evidence message

Info

Publication number: CA2025284A1
Application number: CA002025284A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Gerald O. Hustad
Original assignee: Oscar Mayer Foods Corp
Current assignee: Mondelez International Inc
Priority date: 1989-10-11
Filing date: 1990-09-13
Publication date: 1991-04-12
Also published as: EP0422847A1; JPH03176366A; US5103979A

Abstract

PACKAGE HAVING PEEL SEAL TAMPER-EVIDENCE MESSAGE

Abstract of the Disclosure A package is provided which incorporates a peel seal area or areas that provide readily detectable evidence that the package has been opened or tampered with. Message indicia are provided at the peel seal, and the appearance of the message indicia changes when the peel seal area, which has a contact clarity condition when sealed, is broken resulting in the onset of an opacity condition which thereby obscures message indicia and/or makes message indicia visible in order to inform a consumer or potential purchaser that the peel seal has been broken.

Description

PACRAGE ~ING PE~L SEAL TA~PER-EVIDENCE MESSAGE

Descri~ion Backqround and D~scription o~ the Invention The present invention generally relate~ to packages for h~rmetically ~eallng consumable products between generally oppo~ing panels. More particularly, the invention relates to these type~ o package~ which lnclude a pe el~ble ~eal that secures together at least a portlon of the ~ealing interface between the generally oppv~lng pan2180 The peel seal incorporate a tamper-eviderlce feature whlch convey~ a message to he 0 COnElUmeE when the peel ~eal ~ 8 broken~, Pac~g~g~s having generally oppo~ing panel~ for hermetically sealing any number of variou~ products are well known. Al~o well known are p~ckage~ of this ~ype which incorporate a so-called peel ~eal. Peel 3eal~ can 15 provide ~ hermetic seal that ~ su1table for v~cuum packaging9 for ga~-flu~hed packaginy, or other packaging wherein it i3 important to maintaln a cloaure th~t wlll ~ub~'cantially p~event air or gas from ent~rlng or leavlng the packag~ through the ~eal r while a'c the ~me 20 time provid~ a ~al which can be conveniently op~ned by the applicati~n oE dlgital ~orce~3.
Pack~ge~ of this typ~ provide a conv~nlent and ef:tective mean~ ~or pack~ging, dl~tributlng and marketing a wid~ v~riety of product~ ~7h:1ch would 25 otherwi~e r~o~ exhlX~it ths ~helf liL~2 tha'c i~ needed ~or the~e products, I ncluding thos~ ~hich are ~ntend~d for human conaum~ion. A~ exempllPied by ~. S. Patent No.
3~6~7,~85,, a he~metlc break~w~y or ~el~bl~ ~eaï c~n b~
or~ned be~wee~ ~n ethylene-pol~r ~ono~r polymer ~ or 2 ~ 2 ~ 2 g coatlng and a thermoplastic film. V.S. Patent No. 3,740,237 describes enclosing a product between a pair o~ films so as to provide a package having a product enclosing pork20n and u peripheral flange, and the pair of films are joined to form a hermetic dual seal by applying a continuous strip of peelable bond adhesive through a portion of the film in order to provide the peel ~eal of that patent. U.S. Patent No. 4,273,815 deqcribe~ a laminated film having at least one lamina of polyvinylidene chloride film adhered to at lea~t on0 lamina of chlorinated poly~thylene. Sometime~
peel seal~ are combined with featurec for provlding a reclo~able package, such a~ by incorporating an interlocking ~trip a~embly at a locatlon generally proximate to the peel seal. Examples of patents in thi regard include U.S. Patent No. 4,782,951 and ~.S. Patent No. 4,8239961. The subject matter of all of thece patents i~ incorporated by reference hereinto.
One of the sometime~ perceived shortcoming~ of ~0 packages incorporati~g peel seals is that it i~ often not zeadily apparent to the cacual observer that the peel ~eal ha~ been opened. This situation can be further complicated when the package closure arrangem~nt include~ member~ that can be opened and reclosed without ready detection thereof, which i~ typically the case when reclo~able interlock~g strip~ arc usedO Various approaches have been ~aken or propo~ed in order to en~ure detectlon of ~eal opening or tampering.
E~cemplary oE ~he variou~ techniques which have been known for providing visual, tamper-evident featur~s on packaging lnclude ~OS. Patent ~o. 30780,7%1, U.S~ Patent No. ~,015,771 and U.S. Patent NoO 4,786,190. Copendlng application~ dir~cted to ta~par-evident arrangem~nts in flexible package~ and the llke include a, s. paten~
application Serlal No. 315,352 of Thomp on, ~u~tad and Marnw ha, ~iied P~bruary 24~ 1989J U.S. patent ~ ~ 2 ~ ~J ~

~3--application Serial No. 338,268 of Cornl~h, Mally, Thiemann and ~hompson, filed April 14, 1989, and u.S.
patent application Serial No~ 373,399 of ~u~tad, Thiemann and Wells, filed June 30, 1989.
Development~ of thiQ type addres~ the fact that, but for the tamper-eYident members provided thereby, a package which ha~ been open~d and thereafter reclosed would have an outward appearance comparable to a package which retains its hermetic peel seal, and thiq opening and reclosing could not be readlly detected unless all or ~ noticeable portion of the contents of the package have been removed. Of cour~e, the likelihood of detection of a package that had been opened and recloQed would be greater for vacuum-pack2d products because the distinctive product-conforming ~hape of a vacuum package would be modified in a manner that should be discernible to most knowl~dgeable consumer~. ~etermining that a package which i3 not ~acuum ~ealed, ~uch as a ga~-flushed package~ had b~en previously opened usually would be more difficult.
Typically, the tamper~evident means that have b~en provided or proposed heretofore incorporate a supplementary component such as a tear strip, an e~tra tab, or the like. Generally, the~e complicate the package ~ealing procedure and/or increase the co-~t of the package~
Accordlngly, there 1~ a need for a pack~ge of ~hi~ general type which posse~e~ the convenience of incorporating a peelable seal that i~ readily opened by the ~pplication of digital forces and that provide~
readily dl~cernible evidence that the peelable ~eal ha3 been broken, but withou~ ~he n~ed for adding p~nels, tab~, tear strlp~, paper components, tape~ and the llke.
It is important that thi~ need be fulfilled by mean~
whlch make lt readily app~rent to the con~umer in ~he ~tore (that i~, before ~he package 1~ purcha~ed by the 2 ~ 2 ~ 2 ~` ~

consumer~ that the package had been previously opened or that its peel seal had been otherwise tampered with.
This package must be suitable for products intended for human use or consumption, including variou~ ~ood products such a~ wieners, bacon, ~liced luncheon meats, chops, cheese and the like.
In ~ummary, the packages according to the pre~ent invention are for hermetically sealing products between generally opposing panels which provide ~
substant~ally airtight ~eal of the product wlthin the package. At least a portion o~ the seal joining the panels together has peelable properties 8uch that access to the product~ within the package can be galned by breaking the peelable seal. Th~ pleelable seal itself includes tamper evidence means such that breaking of the s~al i~ signaled by a readily discernible modification in the appearance of a message component of the peelable seal area. The peelable seal area has a contact clarity condition that i3 disrupted to an opacity condition in order to ob~c~re9 create or both ob~cure and create message indicia at the peel seal area, which me~sage indicia inform the purchaser that the peel ~eal i~ no longer fully intact.
It ls accordingly a general object of the present inventlon to provide an improved tamper-evid~nt package hav~ng a peel seal.
Ano~her object of the present invention is to provlde an improved tamper-evident package which .incorporates me~sage indicia within the peel seal area in order to dlrectly inform the consumer or prospective purcha~er t~at ~he peel ~eal h~ been opened.
~ nother ob~ect of thi~ lnvention is to provlde a ~amper-e~iden~ package and ~ethod wh~ch achieve3 a tamper-evident ob~ect~ve wlthout requiring added panel~, ~abs, ~ear s~rip~ and ~he like.

Another object of the present invention i~ to provide an improved produc~ package and method that utilizes peel seal means which exhibit a contact clarity condition prior to opening and an out-of-contact opacity condition which cre~tes and/or ob~cures me3qage indicia that directly indicate the seal has been broken.
Another object of this invention iq to provide an improved product package that incorporate~ a p~el seal having tamper-evidence characteristics without incurriny any~ or only minimal, C08t upcharge.
Another object oP the present invention i8 to provide an improved peel seal tamp~r-evidence charact~ri~tic for package~ incorporating film~ which are commercially printed and/or varni~hed or otherwi~e coated.
These and other object~, features and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed de~cription.
2~
Brief Descri~tion of the Drawin~3 In the course of this de~cription, reference wlll be made to the attached drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view, partlally broken away, of a package according to the pre~ent inv2ntlon prior to openlng thereoft Flgure 2 is a perspective view, partially cut aw~y, of th~ p~ckage ~hown in Flgur~ 1 after opening of the tamper-evident peel ~eal thereo7 Figure 3 i0 a per~pective view, partially cut away, ~howing the opened condition of another embodlment similar to ~h~t o~ Figure 2~
Figure 4 i.~ a perspective vi~w, partially cut away~ ~howing the opened conditlon of another embodiment ~imilar to that of Figure 27 Figure 5 i~ a per~pective view, partially cut away, of an embodlment that incorporates the feature~ o~

2 ~

Figure 1 in conjunction with a peel ~eal component by which a printed message i.e O bscured;
Figure 6 i~ a perspective view, parti~lly cut away, of the embodiment of Figure 5 shown in its opened condition:
Figure 7 i~ a perspective view, partially cut away, of an embodiment similar to that ~hown in Figure 5, but incorporating a plural~ty of staggered, alternating me~nage area~J
Figure 8 is an enlaryed elevation view oE the package nhown in Figure 7 in its pre-opened condition;
Figure 9 18 an enlarged elevation view of the package shown in Figure 7 in its opened condition~
Figure 10 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention; .~hown in its sealed or pre-opeiled condition;
Figure 11 is a perspective YieW of the embodiment of Figure 10, shown in its opened, message ob~curing condition;
23 Flgure 12 is a perspective vi~w of a further embodiment of the pre~ent invention wherein the generally oppo3ing package panel~ take the form of generally rigid or ~eml-rig~d thermoformed component~
Figure 13 i3 a cross-section along the line 13-13 of Figure 12J
Figure 1~ 1~ a cro~s-~ectional vlQw ~imilar to Flgure 13, but illustrating an alternatlve embodlmentJ
Flgure 15 i~ a crons-~ectlonal vlew similar to Figure 13, and illustratLng an altern~iv~ embod~entt and Figure 16 i~ a cros~-sectLon~l vlew ~lmllar to Flgur~ 13 and ~howing yet a ~urther option~l ~mbodiment of the seal area~

D~SCRIPTIO~ OF T~ P~RTICULAR E~BODI~ENTS
-~n ~ach of the e~bodiment~, the package~ axe in-~tore tamp4r-evldent such that it 1~ apparen~ to the consumer tha~ the package has been opened or otherwi~e tampered with upon even a casual examination of the package because the peel seal area itself contalns message indicia which undergo a substantial change in legibility or dl~cernibility thereof when the peel -~eal is op2ned. Ihis change in legibility or discernibility is caused b~ including peel seal means which exhibit a contact clarlty condition when closed and an out-of-contact spacity condition when openecl. This change in appearance will accompli~h either an obscuring of a seal-lndicating message or an appearance of a seal-broken mes~age, or a combination of both functions. The embodiments shown in Figures 1 through 4 incorporate only a ~eal-broken message; the embodlments shown in Figures 10 through 16 incorporate mean~ for obscuring a seal-indicating mess ge; and the embodiment~
of Figure~ 5 through 9 incorporate both a seal-indicating message and a seal-broken message.
With more par~icular refer2nce to the embodiment sho~n in Figures 1 and 2, this is an e~ample o a package or sealing a product (no~ sho~n3, for e~a~ple consumable or come~tible item3 including ~ood5 and the llke, between two sheets of flexible film material. Includ~d is a frc)nt panel 21 and 2 rear panel 22 which are secured together on three sides by non-peelable edge ~eal~ 23 and a peel ~eal area, generally de~l~nated a~ 24~ ~dge seals 23 may ~l~o be pe~lable. In this particular embodiment, the peel ~eal area 24 includes a ~ull length peel seal area 25 and a mes~age peel seal area 26D
The peel ~eal area 24 i~ ~ormed by impre~sing the panel~ with a heat ~eal bar ~not ~hown) to thereby form a peelabl~ ~eal which i~ op~nable by dlgi~al forc2s between the front panel 21 and the rear panel 22. The panels 21 and 22 exhlblt ~he following general characterl~tic~7 The p~el ~e~l area 2~ h~ a contact clartty condltion ~o ~he e~ten~ that th~ peel ~eal ~r~a 2 ~

24 ~s substantially transparent o long as the clo~e contact provided by the seal bar is maintained; that ~, so long as the peel seal is not opened. When the peel seal area 24 is opened, the areas o~ sealing will exhibit an opacity condition whereby the coloration thereof changes, typically by having a cloudy or colored or ~whitened" condition imparted thereto. Thi~ opacity condltion is experienced in tho~e areas where the peel ~eal had been imparted to the panels. In the embodiment illustrated ln Figures 1 and 2, this opacity condit~on i~ shown in the ~ully opened package of Figure 2 in th~
full-length peel ~eal area 25 and in rnessag2 indicia 27 at the message peel seal area 26.
If desired, the contrast provlded by the opacity condition can be en~anced by having color~tion present at the message peel 3eal area 26. For e~ampl~, the hatching lines ~hown ~n Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a color area that may be print~d or otherwise psovided at the mes~age peel seal area, typically on or within th~
rear panel 22 thereof. Then, when the opacity conditlon is developed, it would cover or at least partially obscure same, a~ i~ illustrated in Figure 2. When desired, the contrast enhancement can b~ achieved by incorporating a rear panel ~2 whlch is itself tinted or otherwi~e colored elther throughout its ~ntirety or at selec~d loca~ions, such a~ at the me3sage pee]. ~eal ar~a. Additional coloratlon, for e~ample only at the message peel seal area~ could al~o be added to panels colored ln this mann0r.
Bo~h the peel ~eal ar~ 25 and the peal ~eal me~age indicla 27 are typic~lly formed wi~h a heat se~l bar ~no~ ~hown) havlng rai~ed, film contactlng ~urf~ce~
that corre~pond to the deslred pattern or messagQ. In the embodiment lllustrated in Flgure 2~ the d~lred pattern takes ~he form of the ~ull length p~el ~eal ~reA

~2~

25 and the m~sisage indicia 27. Accord~ng to procedures that are well known, the heat seal bar i~ made of a material that w$11 transfer heat from the seal bar to the film. The seal bar raii3ed portions, i~uch as thoQe correisponding to me~age indicia 27, must be sufficiently high and well defined in order to eaisily transmit heat iso a5 to form the desired clearly readable opacity condition indicia once the package i8 openedO
In the embodiment illustrated in ~lgure 3, a message indicia area 28 ii~ provided whlch itiself provides a continuou3 seal ing area f rom letter to letter that provides the desired peel seal acrosis the full extent o the package being sealed. No separate full length peel seal area i9 included ln this embodiment.
The Figure 4 embodiment i~ ~ubistantially the same as that of Flgurei~ 1 and 2, escept a supplemental full length peel iseal area 29 is also included~
Thie message indlcia should convey the fact that the i~eal has been broken~ E~emplary wording of the mesisage indicia can include phrages ~iuch ais ~package open~d~, ~safety ~ealW~ ~void~, ~disrupted s~alW~ ~seal openedR and the like. Preferably, the message thus provided will be informaf ive of seal disruption even if only a portion of the seal has been broken. Thi9 can be accompliished, for e~ample, by providing a series of repe~ting indicla acro~i~ the acce88 openlng portion of the pack~ge.
Figures 5 and 6 lllustrate an embodiment whereln a messaga iiB provided at the full length peel seal areaO Yo~ example9 Figure 6 shows the wordlng ~i~a~ety ~eal~ printed or otherwi~e pre8~nt on the r~ar pan~l 22. Thl~ me~i~age in~or~tion 31 ii~ readlly vii~ible in it3 entirety Por ~o long as the heat s~l at the Pull length peel seal area 2S remain~ secure~ Such messaqe in~ormation 31 can be provided much in th~ isame manner ~8 the contrast area ii8 provided at the cro~A

3 ~J ( hatching areas shown in Fi~ure~ 1 through 6. The message lnformation 31 could incorporate wording .quch as "safety sealW~ Rsafety sealed~, ~freshnes seal~
or the like. As can be seen in Figure 6, thiq message 5 in~ormation 31 is ~ub~tantially obscured when ~he package ls fully opened, and any portion thereo~ will likewi~e be obscured to the extent that the package has been opened.
The packaging ~hown in Figure~ 7~ 8 and 9 ext~nd the concept ~hown in Figure~ 5 and 6 to provide a plurality of me~sage lnformation location~ 32 beneath a full length peel ~eal area 33 which ha~ an undulating ~hapeO When this s~al area 33 i8 fully sealed a3 illu~rated ln Figure 8, the indicia at the me~sage information location~ 32 (~uch as the printed wording ~safety ~eal~ in Flgures 7 and 8) are fully visible, which indicia become obscured and ~ubstant~ally unreadable when the seal is opened a~ illustrated in Figure 9. In the illustration of thi~ em~odiment ~hown in the dra~ing~, a plurality of ~ess~ge peel seal area~
34 are provided in generally altern~ting Pashion wi~h the m~sage information location3 32. Su~tabl2 me~sage indicla 35, 3uch ~B the wording ~opened~ appe~r by virtue of the heretofore described onset of the opacity condition when the panel~ are ~eparated.
A preferred embodiment of the inventlon i~
illu~trated in Figur~ 10 and 11. A Pront panel ~1 and a rear p~nel ~ form a hermetically ~ealed package which typically include~ edge ~eal~ 43. A peel seal ar~a 44 i~ alAo included. Thi~ p~el ~eal area 44 i~ a ~ull length peel Aeal area, and it include~ me~age in~orm~tlon ~S in much thP sa~e ~ann~r as th~ me0~age in~ormation 31 18 pro~lded in the e~bodimen~ ~hown ln Figures 5 and 6. When the package i~ fully ~ealed, a~
~hown ln Figure 10, ~he m¢~age lnEor~ation 45 1~ fully vl~ible due to the contact clarlty condltion ~hich 2 J~

exi.~ts when the he-t seal is formed, a~ described herein. Message in~ormation 45 can take the form of wording such as "freshnes~ .qeal~, ~vacuum seal 7~
"~afety sealW and the like. Thl~ mesqage lnformation 45 is directly wi~hin the ~idth of the peel ~eal area 44, and it preferably ~xtends across the entire mouth opening of the package in order to thereby subst2ntially eliminate any chance that even a minor openiny of the peel seal will yo undetected.
In an especially pref~rred embodiment, the front panel 41 i~ ~ub~tantially transparent, while the rear panel 42 is opaque and typically of a decorative color, whlle the m~ssage information 45 1~ of a 3trongly contrasting color. For example, the rear p~nel 42 can be a metalized f$1m which has reflect~ve characteri~tic~
that ara significantly reduc~d upon he onset of the opacity condition at the peel ~eal area 44, as illu~trated in Plgure llo ~he package illu~trated in Figure~ l0 and ll i3 of th~ vacuum 3~led vari~y, and a plurality of ~tacks 46 of ~liced luncheon meat or the like are thus packaged therewlthin, Other product~, including bacon, sau~ages, cheese and the like are especially su1table for p~ckaging by thls arrange~ent.
Al80 illuatrated ia a reclosabl2 ~eal1ng me~ns 47 of the type that i8 known in the art, including ~S.
Pat~nta ~o. 4,782,951 and No. 4,823,96l. ~hi~
reclo~able ae~ling mean~ permita the user to ea~ily open and reclo~e th~ package after the 3eal ~t the peel seal area 44 ha~ been broken~
A generally rigid, thermo~ormed food pack~ge, such A~ the type which ia suitable ~or ~llced lunch~on meat~ ch~e~e And the llke, iu illuatrated in ~lguro 12.
The package includ~s a cover panel Sl ~orminq the front or top of the package, A base panel 52 ~or~8 the bottom or rear oE a package. The cov~r p~nel Sl ~nd the base panel 52 enclo~e ~ food produc~ 53 th~reb2t~2e~

~ ~ 2 ~

Typically, the cover panel 51 i~ substantially transparent, and the base panel 52 is opaque and of an attrac~ive color. The package itself may be vacuum clo~ed or sealed, or it may be gas flu~hed and ~ealed with heat and/or pres~ure. A suitable pressure sensitive or heat ~ensitive adhesive may be included at peel seal area 54. Message information 55 ~uch as "fre~hness seal~, ~vacuum 3eal~ or suitable tamper-evident mes~age in~ormatlon 55 i~ at the peel 10 ~eal area 54~ When a contact clarity condition 19 impar~ed to the peel seal area 54 by heat and/or pre~ure induced contact between the cover panel and the base panel 52, the tamper-evident mes~age information 55 is readily vl~ible and discernlble. ~hen that contact 15 clarity condition i9 disrupted by movement of the cover panel Sl and the base panel 52 out of engagement ~ith each other, particularly at the peel seal area 54, an opacity rondition develops which obscures the ~es~age in~ormation 55.
~ith more particular reference to the preferred means for providing the m~ssage information 55 in thls em~odiment, reference is made to Figures 13~ 14, 15 and 16. The me~sage information 55 con~ists o embossed or elevated ind$cia on either one or both of 25 the cover panel 51 and base panel 52 at the peel ~eal are~ oP thls p~ckage. The embo~sed or elevated indicl~
can be lMpre~ssed at the tlme the panel0 are thermo~orm~d~ or a~ ~ny o~her convenlent time~
Mes3age ln~ormation 55a ha~ embos~ed ~ ndlcia 30 56 in the ba~e panel 52, and ad~acent portion~ o the cover panel 51 ~re in contact ¢l~rity engag~ment wlth the r~ d ~urface of ~he embo~ed lndicl~ 56. ~n Flgur~ 1~, the cover pan~l 51 includea embossed indicla 57 whlch engages the ba~e panel 52 with a contact 35 clarity condi~lon in order to provide tha ~ess~g~
in~or~ation 55b ~hlch becomes obscur2d ~h~n clo~e engagement between the em~o~ed ~ndicia 57 and the ba panel 52 is broken. The message informatlon 55c of Figure 15 i8 provided by complementary inwardly facing embo~ed indicla 58 and 59 in the cover panel 51 and base panel 52, respectively. The me~3age inPormation 55d of Figure 16 i~ provided by complementary outwardly facing emboss~d indicia 61 and 62 in the cover panel 51 and base panel 52, re~pectively. When ~ glue or adhe~ive 18 lncorporated, it ~8 applled over one of the~e embossed areas and between the cover panel 51 and the ba~e panel 52.
The panels forming the packages according to the present inven~ion can be made Erom a variety of material~ including film~7 multi-layered laminates or co-extru~ions~ thermoformable materials and the like~
The panel3 are formulated and/or modifi~d with coatings in order to provide the needed contact clarlty condition combined wlth the onset of an opacity condition when panel contact is broken. ~hen multi-layered film~ are used, it i typically de~irable that the printing or other mean3 fgr providing the needed tamper-~ndicatlng indicia ln some of the embodlment3 i3 imparted to an lnnermost portion of the multi-layered panel. For example, for a two-layered panel, the printing or the lik~ could be pre~ent at the interface between the layers of the panel. ~y thls arrangement, the ink or the like forming the indicia will not 1nterfere w1th the properties of the peel ~eal and will not cause any concern~ for contactlng same with a product ~uch a~ ~ood within the package~ It i~ al~o po~sible to utilize coating~ ~uch a~ ~o-call~d varnished f11m~ in order to provide ~hi~ ~ype o~ protec~lon for and/or Prom the lnk or the like~ A varni~h-like overcoat can al~o be de~irable when the Eilm is o~ the metaliz~d variety.
Peelable ~ilm~ of the type de~cr~bed her2in can be charac~erl~2d a~ falllng wl~hin on~ of t~o ~ ?'^~

categories. ~n one general category, called cohesive seal failure, sealant is contaminated with another material which "weakens" the bond between the panels, and the seal area whitens when opened. The other category is of a delamination or breakaway type wherein the seal bond ~tre~gth i~ greater than the lamlnate strength, The 3eal bond itself does not whiten, but a th$n membrane o~ f11m is left behind in the seal area which gives a white opacity appearance when the package i~ opened. The width of thi~ membrane typic~lly will vary slightly throughout the length of the ~eal.
Example~ of cohesive seal fallure type~ of peelable fllms lnclude the following combination~. One of the p~nels is a Surlyn (DuPont trademark) blend with polypropylene and an antlblock agent, which provides a p~el seal to a Surlyn 1652 panel to provide a relatively strong pe21 seal of about 3.5 to about 7.5 pound~/inch.
Another combination, which provide~ a weaker peel ~eal (between abou~ 1.5 and about 2.5 pound-~/inch), ~eal~ a Surlyn 1601 panel to a pan~l of a Surlyn blend with polybutylene. Another panel combination o the cohesive seal failure type which provide~ good peelability i~ a polyethylene blend with ethylene vinyl ~cetate and polybutylene~ A Surlyn blend with ethylene vinyl acetate provides peelability between about 1 and about 2.5 pound /inch. A llnear low den~ity polyethylane Pilm ~y~tem provide0 mlcrowave approved packag1 ng h~lng ~eal strengths on the order of About 3 to about 6 pounds/lnch. A film of Surlyn 1601 blended wlth polybu~ylene ~eal~ to ~traight Surl~n 160~, and also provide~ 2licrowave approved packaging. Polyethylen~
film having th~ de~lred properti~ ~re al~o ~vz~ ble.
~nother f llm combln~tion that 1~ of the cohe~lqe ~e~l failure type~ use~ a low density polyethylene film w~th a film of Surlyll 1601 or 1652 bl~nded with polybutylen~ or ethyl~ne vinyl ac~ta~e.

Exemplary delamination or b~eakaway system~
include Surlyn or polyethylene films (available fr~m Curwood). Cryovac offers a Surlyn three-ply structure blended wlth ethylene vinyl acetate. Printpack provides a Surlyn or polyethylene system of this type, and Pllcon provides a low density p~lyethylene system of the delamination or breakaway type. An exemplary delaminatlon ~tyle of peelable surface i8 a polye~ter havlng a metallzed ~ur~ace on the inside of the panel and a coatlng of polyvinylidene chlorlde (USaran~
compo~ite structure of polyethylene/ionomer may b~ used, with the ionomer layer being inslde of the web. In this lnstance, the ionomer is a ~ealant compatible to the forming web, and the ~ealant incorporates a delamination style peelable structure~ The panel thus formed provide3 the desired pe~l seal properties for a package of the type illu.strated in Figures 10 and 11, with the companion film being a cop~lyester ~aving a Saran coating and an ionomer tha~ i3 a composite structur~ of polyethylene/ionomer, with the ionomer layer being inside of the ~eb.
It will thus be ~een that the pre ent invention provides new and u~eful packaging having tamper-indic~tion means, which packaying has a number of ~5 advantages and characteristics, includlng those polnted out hereln and other~ which are inher~nt ln the inven~ion. Pre~e~red embodlments of the inven~ion have been described by way 9f e~ample, and it ls anticlpa~ed tha~ modiflcatlons may be made to the deacribed ~orm without departing from the ~Jpirit o~ th~ invention or the scope of the appended cldims~

Claims

1. In a tamper-evident package for hermetically sealing products between generally opposing panels having a peelable seal securing the generally opposing panels together at a peelable seal area, the peelable seal being openable with digital forces and not reclosable, the improvement comprising:
tamper-evidence means for indicating that the generally opposing panels have been separated at a peelable seal, said tamper-evidence means being substantially within an area defined by the peelable seal;
a message component within said peelable seal area, said message component having indicia means for informing of seal disruption;
said tamper-evidence means has a contact clarity condition when the generally opposing panels are in a sealed state at the peelable seal area; and said tamper-evidence means has an opacity condition which develops upon and persists after disruption of the sealed state of the generally opposing panels at the peelable seal area, whereby the onset of said opacity condition causes a change in said peelable seal which changes the appearance and allows detectability of a message component of said tamper-evidence means.

2. The tamper-evident package according to claim 1, wherein said message component is readily discernible for so long as said contact clarity persists and is obscured by the onset of said opacity condition.

3. The tamper-evident package according to claim 1, wherein said message component is indiscernible for so long as said contact clarity condition persists and is rendered visible by the onset of said opacity condition.

4. The tamper-evident package according to claim 3, wherein said indiscernible message component is said peelable seal which extends continuously from indicia to indicia throughout the length of said peelable seal across the entire package edge.

5. The tamper-evident package according to claim 1, wherein said message component includes a plurality of sections, one said message component section being readily discernible for so long as said contact clarity condition persists and being obscured by the onset of said opacity condition, and another said message section being indiscernible for so long as said contact clarity condition persists and being readily visible by the onset of said opacity condition.

6. The tamper-evident package according to claim 1, wherein said generally opposing panels are flexible films that are sealed together by said peelable seal and by edge seals to form a pouch for hermetically sealing product within the poucb.

7. The tamper evident package according to claim 6, wherein said flexible film opposing panels are heat sealed together.

8. The tamper-evident package according to claim 6, wherein said package vacuum seals a perishable product therewithin.

9. The tamper-evident package according to claim 6, wherein said package is a gas flushed package.

10. The tamper-evident package according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said generally opposing panels is a generally rigid thermoformed film.

11. The tamper-evident package according to claim 1, wherein said generally opposing panels are generally rigid thermoformed films, one of said thermoformed films being a base panel having a flange section, another of said thermoformed films being a cover panel having an enclosure section and a flange section, and said peelable seal secures at least a portion of said base panel flange section to at least a portion of said cover panel flange section, whereby product is peelably sealed between said enclosure section and said base panel.

12. The tamper-evident package according to claim 11, wherein said flange section of the base panel has a telescoping member, said flange section of the cover panel has a telescoping member, said telescoping members matingly engage each other, and said tamper-evidence means is at said telescoping members.

13. The tamper-evldent package according to claim 12, wherein said indicia means are embossed indicia within at least one of said telescoping member.

14. The tamper-evident package according to claim 13, further including adhesive means over said embossed indicia.

15. The tamper-evident package according to claim 11, wherein said package vacuum seals a perishable product therewithin.

16. The tamper-evident package according to claim 1, wherein one of said generally opposing panels has a contrast coloration section generally under said indicia means, and wherein the other of said panels is substantially transparent while said contact clarity condition is maintained.

17. The tamper-evident package according to claim 16, wherein said contrast coloration section is substantially opaque.

18. The tamper-evident package according to claim 1, further including reclosable sealing means for joining said opposing panels at a location generally parallel to said peelable seal.

19. The tamper-evident package according to claim 1, further including adhesive means over said indicia means.

20. The tamper-evident package according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said panels is multi-layered and wherein said indicia means are between layers of said multi-layered panel.

21. The tamper-evident package according to claim 1, wherein said indicia means are between one of said panels and a coating thereover.

22. The tamper-evident package according to claim 1, wherein said indicia are provided by printed ink.

23. The tamper-evident package according to claim 1, wherein said peelable seal has a peel strength of between about 0.5 and about 7.5 pounds/inch.

24. In a tamper-evident package for hermetically sealing perishable products between generally opposing flexible film panels having a peelable seal securing at least one edge portion of the generally opposing panels together at a peelable seal area and having edge portion seals to form a pouch for sealing product therewithin, the peelable seal being openable with digital forces and not reclosable, the improvement comprising:
tamper-evidence means for indicating that the generally opposing panels have been separated at a peelable seal, said tamper-evidence means being substantially within an area defined by the peelable seal;
a message component within said peelable seal area, said message component having indicia means for informing of seal disruption;
said tamper-evidence means has a contact clarity condition when the generally opposing panels are in a sealed state at the peelable seal area;
said tamper-evidence means has an opacity condition which develops upon and persists after disruption of the sealed state of the generally opposing panels at the peelable seal area, whereby the onset of said opacity condition causes a change in said peelable seal which changes the appearance and allows detectability of a message component of said tamper-evidence means; and reclosable sealing means for joining said opposing flexible film panels at a location proximate to said peelable seal.

25. The tamper-evident package according to claim 24, wherein said message component is readily discernible for so long as said contact clarity condition persists and is obscured by the onset of said opacity condition.

26. The tamper-evident package according to claim 24, wherein said message component is indiscernible for so long as said contact clarity condition persists and is rendered visible by the onset of said opacity condition.

27. The tamper-evident package according to claim 24, wherein one of said generally opposing panels has a contrast coloration section generally under said indicia means, and wherein the other of said panels is substantially transparent while said contact clarity condition is maintained.

28. The tamper-evident package according to claim 24, wherein at least one of said panels is multi-layered and wherein said indicia means are between layers of said multi-layered panel.

29. The tamper-evident package according to claim 23, wherein said indicia are provided by printed ink.

30. In a package for hermetically sealing perishable products within generally opposing panels which are generally rigid thermoformed films, one of said thermoformed panels being a base panel having a flange section, another of said thermoformed panels being a cover panel having an enclosure section and a flange section, said enclosure section extending beyond said base panel for enclosing and vacuum sealing a perishable product therebetween, and a peelable seal secures at least a portion of said base panel flange section to at least a portion of said cover panel flange section, said package being tamper-evident, the improvement comprising:

tamper-evidence means for indicating that the generally opposing panels have been separated at said peelable seal, said tamper-evidence means being substantially within an area defined by the peelable seal;
a message component within said peelable seal area, said message component having indicia means for informing of seal disruptions;
said tamper-evidence means has a contact clarity condition when the generally opposing panels are in sealed state at the peelable seal area; and said tamper-evidence means has an opacity condition which develops upon and persists after disruption of the sealed state of the generally opposing panels at the peelable seal area, whereby the onset of said opacity condition causes a change in said peelable seal which changes the appearance and detectability of a message component of said tamper-evidence means.

31. The tamper-evident package according to claim 30, wherein said message component is readily discernible for so long as said contact clarity condition persists and is obscured by the onset of said opacity condition.

32. The tamper-evident package according to claim 30, wherein said message component is indiscernible for so long as said contact clarity condition persists and is rendered visible by the onset of said opacity condition.

33. The tamper-evident package according to claim 30, wherein said flange section of the base panel has a telescoping member, said flange section of the cover panel has a telescoping member, said telescoping members matingly engage each other, and said tamper-evidence means is at said telescoping members.

34. The tamper-evident package according to claim 33, wherein said indicia means are embossed indicia within at least one of said telescoping members.

35. The tamper-evident package according to claim 34, further including adhesive means over said embossed indicia.