Envelopes with closure seals formed from reactivatable hot-melt adhesive

Abstract

Envelopes include a closure seal formed from a hot-melt adhesive. The hot-melt adhesive is reactivated after an item to be packaged is inserted into a pocket of the envelope by way of an opening defined by walls of the envelope. The reactivation of the hot-melt adhesive results in the formation of the closure seal, which affixes portions of the walls to each other so as to close the opening, causing the item to be retained within the envelope.

Description

Abstract This application relates to a sleeve comprising a closed seal formed by a hot melt adhesive. After an article to be packaged is inserted into the pouch of the sleeve through an opening defined by the sleeve's walls, the hot melt adhesive is reactivated. This reactivation of the hot melt adhesive results in the formation of a closed seal that holds portions of the walls together to close the opening, thereby retaining the article within the sleeve.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An envelope for holding an item, comprising: a body that includes: a first flexible wall, and a second flexible wall overlying the first flexible wall and affixed to the first flexible wall about at least a portion of a pocket border, which pocket border encloses a pocket defined between the first and second flexile walls and configured and dimensioned to contain the item, at least one of the first and second flexible walls defining a pocket opening allowing access to the pocket from an exterior of the envelope for loading the item into the pocket; and a closure-sealing element disposed on the body and positioned to seal closed the pocket opening, the closure-sealing element being made of a hot-melt adhesive that: has a sufficiently low tackiness at room temperature to enable the closure-sealing element to be separated from the second flexible wall by hand, and is activatable when heated to a temperature above an activation temperature and, when subsequently cooled to a temperature below the activation temperature, adheres to the second flexible wall to seal the pocket opening closed to retain the item in the pocket.

2. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the hot-melt adhesive has a sufficiently low tackiness at room temperature to enable the closure-sealing element to be peeled from the second flexible wall.

3. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the hot-melt adhesive has a sufficiently low tackiness at room temperature to enable the closure-sealing element to be separated from the second flexible wall without damaging the first or the second flexible wall.

4. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the first and second flexible walls are affixed to each other about a first portion of the pocket border, and are unaffixed to each other at the pocket opening.

5. The envelope of claim 4, wherein the first and second flexible walls are unaffixed at an open side of the pocket; and wherein the pocket opening is defined by the open side of the pocket.

6. The envelope of claim 5, wherein the pocket opening is disposed along the pocket border.

7. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the pocket opening is defined between the first and second flexible walls.

8. The envelope of claim 7, wherein the closure-sealing element is configured to seal closed the pocket opening by affixing the second flexible wall to the first flexible wall.

9. The envelope of claim 8, wherein the closure-sealing element is disposed at the pocket opening.

10. The envelope of claim 8, wherein the hot-melt adhesive is offset from an upper edge of the first wall by a sufficient distance to permit the user to manually grasp and pull apart the first and second walls after the closure seal has been formed.

11. The envelope of claim 10, wherein the hot-melt adhesive is offset from the upper edge of the first wall by about 0.25 inch.

12. The envelope of claim 8, wherein the hot-melt adhesive is configured to be reactivated by the application of heat through at least one of the first and second flexible walls of the envelope, the application of heat being sufficient to heat the hot-melt adhesive to the temperature above the activation temperature.

13. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the closure-sealing element is disposed on the body in an elongated band.

14. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the hot-melt adhesive has a sufficiently low tackiness at temperatures of about 110 °F and below to enable the closure-sealing element to be separated from the second flexible wall by hand.

15. The envelope of claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises a flap connected to the first flexible wall; wherein the closure-sealing element is disposed on the flap; andwherein the closure-sealing element is configured to seal closed the pocket opening by affixing the second flexible wall to the flap.

16. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the hot-melt adhesive has an activation temperature below about 140° F.

17. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the closure-sealing element and the pocket border define a gap configured to provide venting between the envelope pocket and the ambient environment.

18. The envelope of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the first and second flexible walls is a padded wall.

19. A supply web, comprising a plurality of the envelopes of claim 1 connected in series.

20. A method of making an envelope for holding an item, comprising: providing a body of the envelope comprising a first and a second flexible wall; affixing the second flexible wall to the first flexible wall about at least a portion of a pocket border which pocket border encloses a pocket defined between the first and second flexile walls and configured and dimensioned to contain the item, at least one of the first and second flexible walls defining a pocket opening allowing access to the pocket from an exterior of the envelope for loading the item into the pocket; andpositioning a closure-sealing element on the body to seal closed the pocket opening, the closure-sealing element being made of a hot-melt adhesive that: has a sufficiently low tackiness at room temperature to enable the closure-sealing element to be separated from the second flexible wall by hand, and is activatable when heated to a temperature above an activation temperature and, when subsequently cooled to a temperature below the activation temperature, adheres to the second flexible wall to seal the pocket opening closed to retain the item in the pocket.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein positioning a closure-sealing element on the body to seal closed the pocket opening comprises placing the closure-sealing element on the first wall.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein positioning a closure-sealing element on the body to seal closed the pocket opening comprises placing the closure-sealing element on a flap of the body.

23. A method for packaging an item, comprising: providing an envelope comprising: a body including a first flexible wall, and a second flexible wall overlying the first flexible wall and affixed to the first flexible wall about a containment border that encloses a plurality of sides of a pocket defined by the first and second flexible walls; and a closure-sealing element disposed on the body and positioned to seal closed the pocket opening, the closure-sealing element being made of a hot-melt adhesive that:has a sufficiently low tackiness at room temperature to enable the closure-sealing element to be separated from the second flexible wall by hand, and is activatable when heated to a temperature above an activation temperature and, when subsequently cooled to a temperature below the activation temperature, adheres to the second flexible wall to seal the pocket opening closed to retain the item in the pocket; placing the item in the pocket; and heating the closure-sealing element to the temperature above the activation temperature.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein heating the closure-sealing element to the temperature above the activation temperature comprises applying heat to the hot-melt adhesive through at least one of the first and second flexible walls.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising applying pressure to the closure-sealing element while heating the hot-melt adhesive to the temperature above the activation temperature.

26. A bagging system, comprising: the envelope of claim 8; and a bagging machine configured to receive the envelope and including: a press configured to urge the first flexible wall and the closure-sealing element toward the second flexible wall, and a heat sealer configured to apply heat to the closure-sealing element sufficient to heat the closure-sealing element to the temperature above the activation temperature.

27. The bagging system of claim 26, wherein the heat sealer is further configured to apply the heat to the closure-sealing element through the first wall.

28. The bagging system of claim 26, further comprising an opening device configured to open the pocket opening so that the item can be inserted into the pocket.

29. The bagging system of claim 26, further comprising a supply web that includes a plurality of the envelopes connected in series.

30. A bagging machine configured to package an item in a packaging container formed from a web stock, the web stock comprising at least one layer of a paper or plastic material, and a closure-sealing element located on a first portion of an outer surface of the at least one layer, the closure-sealing element being made of a hot-melt adhesive, the bagging machine comprising: a guide configured to cause the web stock to fold along a longitudinally extending fold line and assume a folded configuration so that the closure-sealing element faces a second portion of the outer surface of the at least one layer, wherein: the hot-melt adhesive has a sufficiently low tackiness at room temperature to enable the closure-sealing element to be separated from the second portion of the outer surface of the at least one layer by hand; and the hot-melt adhesive is activatable when heated to a temperature above an activation temperature and, when subsequently cooled to a temperature below the activation temperature, adheres the second portion of the outer surface of the at least one layer to the first portion of the outer surface of the at least one layer; anda cutting and sealing unit configured to press the closure-sealing element into the second portion of the outer surface of the at least one layer while heating the closure-sealing element to the temperature above the activation temperature.

31. The bagging machine of claim 30, further comprising a pulling device configured to grasp a lower end of the web stock and pull the web stock to advance the web stock through the bagging machine.

32. The bagging machine of claim 31, wherein the pulling device comprises two opposing arms configured to reciprocate between an inward position and an outward position to grasp and release the web stock, and to translate between an upper position and a lower position to advance the web stock through the bagging machine.

33. The bagging machine of claim 30, further comprising fingers configured to spread side edges of web stock apart after the web stock has been folded, so that the item can be placed within the C-folded web stock.

34. The bagging machine of claim 30, wherein the cutting and sealing unit comprises two opposing arms that reciprocate between an inward position and an outward position; and two L- shaped sealer-cutters each mounted on a respective one of the arms.

35. The bagging machine of claim 34, wherein the sealer-cutters are configured to form a longitudinally-extending seal and a transversely-extending seal from the closure-sealing element.

36. The bagging machine of claim 30, wherein the cutting and sealing unit comprises a rolling longitudinal sealer and a horizontal bar.

37. The bagging machine of claim 30, wherein the cutting and sealing unit comprises a horizontal sealer configured to roll or slide across the web stock.

38. The bagging machine of claim 30, wherein the cutting and sealing unit is further configured to sever the packaging container from the web stock.

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