Resealable food container

US 20040206637A1
Filed: 04/16/2003
Published: 10/21/2004
Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2003
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

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1. A polygonal shaped food container comprising:

a frame defining the polygonal shape of the container which contains the food product;

a wrapper surrounding said frame, said wrapper forming a top of the container;

said top having an access opening so as to provide hand access to food contents of the container; and

a sealing layer, adhesively sealed to said top around said opening, said sealing layer including a tab, said sealing layer being releasable when said tab is pulled back and reclosable against said top to seal said opening when said sealing layer is moved back to a flat position on said top.

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Abstract

A container for a food product includes a wrapper which surround a frame. The container can be any polygonal shape which is defined by the shape of the frame. The wrapper forms a top of the container which has an access opening. A sealing layer is adhesively sealed to the top around the opening. The sealing layer is resealable when a tab of the sealing layer is pulled back. The sealing layer is resealable against the top layer to seal the opening when the sealing layer is moved back to a flat position on the top. Various tamper-evident structures are provided to indicate when the container has been initially opened or tampered with.

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36 Claims

1. A polygonal shaped food container comprising:
- a frame defining the polygonal shape of the container which contains the food product;
  
  a wrapper surrounding said frame, said wrapper forming a top of the container;
  
  said top having an access opening so as to provide hand access to food contents of the container; and
  
  a sealing layer, adhesively sealed to said top around said opening, said sealing layer including a tab, said sealing layer being releasable when said tab is pulled back and reclosable against said top to seal said opening when said sealing layer is moved back to a flat position on said top.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- - 2. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 1, wherein said top of said wrapper comprises a flap have substantially the same dimension as said opening and affixed to said sealing layer.
  - 3. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 1, wherein said tab projects past a corner of said top and one side of the container, said tab is accessible beyond the corner to be grasped.
  - 4. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 1, wherein said top of the container includes graphics around said opening, and said sealing layer includes graphics which match the graphics on said top.
  - 5. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 1, wherein said sealing layer is transparent.
  - 6. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 1, further comprising a tamper-evident structure.
  - 7. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 6, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises tape extending along at least a portion of a perimeter where said sealing layer contacts said top, along both said sealing layer and said top, said tamper-evident tape having to be removed prior to or at the same time said sealing layer is pulled back for a first time, said tape leaving an indicia on said top after said tape is removed.
  - 8. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 6, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises a removable film disposed under said sealing layer, said film having to be removed to gained access to the contents of the container.
  - 9. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 6, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises a membrane sleeve encircling said wrapper over said sealing layer, said membrane sleeve having to be removed prior to pulling back said sealing layer.
  - 10. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 6, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises scored seal tape extending along at least a portion of a perimeter where said sealing layer contacts said top, along both said sealing layer and said top, said scored tape having to be removed prior to or at the same time said sealing layer is pulled back for a first time, said scored seal tape leaving a portion of the scored seal tape on said top after said scored seal tape is removed.
  - 11. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 6, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises an overwrap surrounding said wrapper.
  - 12. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 1, wherein said frame forms a tray for the food contents.

13. A rectangular food container comprising:
- a frame defining the rectangular shape of the container which contains the food product;
  
  a wrapper surrounding said frame, said wrapper forming a top of the container;
  
  said top having an access opening so as to provide hand access to food contents of the container; and
  
  a sealing layer, adhesively sealed to said top around said opening, said sealing layer including a tab, said sealing layer being releasable when said tab is pulled back and reclosable against said top to seal said opening when said sealing layer is moved back to a flat position on said top.
- View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
- - 14. The generally rectangular food container of claim 13, wherein said top of said wrapper comprises a flap have substantially the same dimension as said opening and affixed to said sealing layer.
  - 15. The generally rectangular food container of claim 13, wherein said sealing layer covers essentially the entire top.
  - 16. The generally rectangular food container of claim 13, wherein said top of the container includes graphics around said opening, and said sealing layer includes graphics which match the graphics on said top.
  - 17. The generally rectangular food container of claim 13, further comprising a tamper-evident structure.
  - 18. The generally rectangular food container of claim 17, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises tape extending along at least a portion of a perimeter where said sealing layer contacts said top along both said sealing layer and said top, said tamper-evident tape having to be removed prior or at the same time said sealing layer is pulled back for a first time, said tape leaving an indicia on said top after said tape is removed.
  - 19. The generally rectangular food container of claim 17, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises a removable film disposed under said sealing layer, said film having to be removed to gained access to the contents of the container.
  - 20. The generally rectangular food container of claim 17, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises a membrane sleeve encircling said wrapper over said sealing layer, said membrane sleeve having to be removed prior to pulling back said sealing layer.
  - 21. The generally rectangular food container of claim 17, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises scored seal tape extending along at least a portion of a perimeter where said scored seal tape contacts said top along both said sealing layer and said top, said scored tape having to be removed prior or at the same time said sealing layer is pulled back for a first time, said scored seal tape leaving a portion of the scored tape on said top after said scored tape is removed.
  - 22. The generally rectangular food container of claim 17, wherein said tamper-evident structure an overwrap surrounding said wrapper.

23. A polygonal shaped food container comprising:
- a frame defining the polygonal shape of the container which contains the food product;
  
  a wrapper surrounding said frame, said wrapper forming a top of the container;
  
  said top having an access opening so as to provide hand access to food contents of the container;
  
  a sealing layer, adhesively sealed to said top around said opening, said sealing layer being releasable and reclosable against said top to seal said opening when said sealing layer is moved back to a flat position on said top; and
  
  a tamper-evident structure associated with said sealing layer.
- View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
- - 24. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 23, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises tape extending along at least a portion of a perimeter where said sealing layer contacts said top, along both said sealing layer and said top, said tamper-evident tape having to be removed prior to or at the same time said sealing layer is opened for a first time, said tape leaving an indicia on said top after said tape is removed.
  - 25. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 23, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises a removable film disposed under said sealing layer, said film having to be removed to gained access to the contents of the container.
  - 26. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 23, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises a membrane sleeve encircling said wrapper over said sealing layer, said membrane sleeve having to be removed prior to opening said sealing layer.
  - 27. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 23, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises scored seal tape extending along at least a portion of a perimeter where said sealing layer contacts said top, along both said sealing layer and said top, said scored tape having to be removed prior to or at the same time said sealing layer is opened for a first time, said scored seal tape leaving a portion of the scored seal tape on said top after said scored seal tape is removed.
  - 28. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 23, wherein said tamper-evident structure comprises an overwrap surrounding said wrapper, said overwrap having to be removed prior to opening said sealing layer.

29. A polygonal shaped food container comprising:
- a frame defining the polygonal shape of the container which contains the food product;
  
  a wrapper surrounding said frame, said wrapper forming a top of the container;
  
  said top having an access opening so as to provide hand access to food contents of the container; and
  
  a sealing layer, adhesively sealed to said top around said opening, said sealing layer being releasable and reclosable against said top to seal said opening when said sealing layer is moved back to a flat position on said top.
- View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
- - 30. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 29, including a tamper-evident structure comprising tape extending along at least a portion of a perimeter where said sealing layer contacts said top, along both said sealing layer and said top, said tamper-evident tape having to be removed prior to or at the same time said sealing layer is opened for a first time, said tape leaving an indicia on said top after said tape is removed.
  - 31. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 29, including a tamper-evident structure comprising a removable film disposed under said sealing layer, said film having to be removed to gained access to the contents of the container.
  - 32. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 29, including a tamper-evident structure comprising a membrane sleeve encircling said wrapper over said sealing layer, said membrane sleeve having to be removed prior to opening said sealing layer.
  - 33. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 29, including a tamper-evident structure comprising scored seal tape extending along at least a portion of a perimeter where said sealing layer contacts said top, along both said sealing layer and said top, said scored tape having to be removed prior to or at the same time said sealing layer is opened for a first time, said scored seal tape leaving a portion of the scored seal tape on said top after said scored seal tape is removed.
  - 34. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 29, including a tamper-evident structure comprising an overwrap surrounding said wrapper, said overwrap having to be removed prior to opening said sealing layer.
  - 35. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 29, wherein the container is generally rectangular.
  - 36. The polygonal shaped food container of claim 35, wherein the sealing layer includes a tab for grasping the sealing layer.

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Current Assignee
Intercontinental Great Brands LLC (Mondelez International, Inc.)
Original Assignee
Kraft Foods Holdings Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
Inventors
Sierra-Gomez, Gladys Odette, Stiener, Joseph, Peters, Eva Marie, Mandle, James Spencer, Flynn, Charles Francis IV

Granted Patent

US 6,918,532 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

206/1.5
CPC Class Codes

B65D 2401/00   Tamper-indicating means rel...

B65D 2585/363   specific products

B65D 75/5838   combined with separate fixe...

B65D 77/003   Articles enclosed in rigid ...

Resealable food container

First Claim

4 Assignments

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

58 Citations

36 Claims

Specification

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Resealable food container

First Claim

4 Assignments

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

Subscription Required

Abstract

58 Citations

36 Claims

Specification

Subscription Required

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links