Granted Patent B2

US 7,665,629 · App. 10/755,690 · Granted Feb 23, 2010

Abstract

Claims (47)

1. A package for dispensing a consumer product, comprising:

a first material defining a package with an interior and an exterior, said first material including a removable region;

a second material, said second material permanently adhered to said first material at least around said removable region of said first material;

a third material, said third material adhered to at least one of said first material and said second material, said third material covering said removable region of said first material, whereby removal of said third material causes removal of said removable region of said first material creating an opening in the packaging therein; and,

an enclosure including a cover resealably coupled to resealingly cover the opening formed by removal of said removable region on said first material, said enclosure adhered to at least one of said first material and said second material and disposed surrounding said opening formed by removal of said removable region for access thereto upon displacement of said cover, and said first and second materials remaining adhered to each other whereby said second material reinforces said first material at least around said opening during subsequent use of said package.

2. The package of claim 1 , wherein said enclosure further comprises a base, said cover coupled to said base by means of a hinge, said base adhered to at least one of said first material and said second material.

3. The package of claim 1 , wherein said second material is more rigid than said first material.

4. The package of claim 1 , wherein said cover and said base are more rigid than said first material.

5. The package of claim 1 , wherein said removable region is a die-cut section of said package material.

6. The package of claim 1 , wherein said removable region is a perforated region in said package material.

7. The package of claim 1 , wherein a removable portion of said second material is adhered to said removable region of said first material and is removable therewith.

8. The package of claim 1 , wherein said second material does not extend to the removable region of said first material.

9. The package of claim 1 , wherein said second material extends to the removable region of said first material, said second material including a second material removable region at least partially overlapping said first material removable region.

10. The package of claim 9 , wherein said third material is adhered to at least a portion of at least one of said first material and said second material by a non-permanent adhesive.

11. The package of claim 10 , wherein said third material is adhered to said removable region of at least one of said first material and said second material by a permanent adhesive.

12. The package of claim 1 , wherein said third material is adhered to at least one of said first material and said second material by a non-permanent adhesive.

13. The package of claim 1 , wherein said third material further comprises a tab thereon, said tab comprising a region of said third material at least partially not adhered to any material.

14. The package of claim 1 , wherein said third material further comprises a tab thereon, said tab comprising a region of said third material adhered to any material by a weak adhesive sufficient for a single use.

15. The package of claim 1 , wherein said third material includes printing thereon.

16. The package of claim 1 , wherein said second material comprises a superjacent material, the superjacent material bonded to the exterior of the first material around the removable region.

17. The package of claim 1 , wherein said second material comprises a subjacent material, the subjacent material bonded to the interior of the first material around the removable region.

18. The package of claim 1 , wherein said second material comprises a superjacent material and a subjacent material, the superjacent material bonded to the exterior of the first material around the removable region, and the subjacent material bonded to the interior to the first material around the removable region.

19. The package of claim 2 , wherein said cover and said base are sealably coupled by a releasably locking flange.

20. The package of claim 19 , wherein said cover and said base, when closed, are substantially airtight.

21. The package of claim 1 , wherein said removable region of said first material is generally in the shape of a football.

22. A method for opening a package containing a consumer product therein, the package comprising a first material including a removable region therein, a second material adhesively bonded to said first material in a region at least surrounding said removable region in said first material, a third material releasably adhered to at least one of said first material and said second material, said third material completely covering the removable region, and a fourth material including an enclosure, said fourth material adhesively bonded to at least one of said first material and said second material, said enclosure completely covering said removable region in said first material, the method comprising:

opening said enclosure of said fourth material,

simultaneously removing said third material from said package and said removable region of said first material while leaving said second material adhesively bonded to said first material in a region at least surrounding said removable region in said first material; and,

accessing a product stored within said package through an opening formed upon removal of said removable region.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising the step of releasably opening and resealing said package through releasably opening said enclosure of said fourth material to obtain access to a product therein, and resealably closing said enclosure of said fourth material after product access.

24. A resealable package, comprising:

packaging material forming a package having a removable region therein,

reinforcement means permanently coupled to said packaging material at least surrounding said removable region of said packaging material,

sealing means adhered to at least one of said packaging material and said reinforcement means, said sealing means initially sealing said removable region in said packaging material, whereby removal of said sealing means causes removal of said removable region in said packaging material to form an opening therein while leaving said reinforcement means permanently coupled to said packaging material at least surrounding said removable region of said packaging material, and,

means permanently coupled to at least one of said packaging material and said reinforcement means for resealably openable access to said opening formed by removal of said removable region in said packaging material.

25. The resealable package of claim 24 , wherein said removable region is generally in the shape of a football.

26. A storage device for a product, comprising:

a package formed from a container material having a container surface;

a first removable region cut into said container surface,

a lower label at least partially disposed over said first removable region, said lower label having a second removable region disposed in alignment with said first removable region of said container surface, said lower label including a portion permanently adhered to said container surface at least around said second removable region,

an upper label adhered to at least one of said removable region of said container surface and said lower label;

said upper label including at least one tab, said tab unadhered to said container surface, said tab facilitating engagement of said upper label for disadhereing at least said upper label from said package and for detaching said first removable region of said container surface and said second removable region of said lower label without disadhereing said remaining portion of said lower label at least around said removable region thereof,

an enclosure adhesively adhered surrounding said removable region of said container surface, said enclosure comprising at least a cover and a base coupled by a hinge, said base adhered to at least one of said container surface and said lower label, said cover disposed over said removable region of said container surface for access thereto.

27. The device of claim 26 , wherein said enclosure is further comprised of a material more rigid than said container material.

28. The device of claim 26 , wherein said first removable region is generally in the shape of a football.

29. The device of claim 26 , wherein the product is interleaved tissues.

30. The device of claim 26 , wherein the product is perforated tissues.

Assignments (18)