Peelable surgical package

Claim 2

A one-piece blank for constructing a package having two ends and a centerline substantially parallel to and midway between said ends, comprising: two side walls defined by the centerline; an adhesive coating continuously extending along the outer marginal portions of at least one of said side walls, said adhesive coating partially defining a completely enclosed area within the coated side wall bounded by the coated marginal portions and the centerline so that when the blank is folded along the centerline, corresponding marginal portions of the two side walls may be sealed together by the adhesive coating to form a completely sealed chamber therebetween having a sealed mouth corresponding to the meeting of the two blank ends; and score lines cut into a portion of the thickness of at least one of said side walls to weaken a section of the corresponding marginal portions thereof provided for sealing the mouth end of the chamber.

Claim 3

The one-piece blank of claim 1 wherein the side walls are extended at the ends to provide tabs, said tabs being provided with bending scores whereby the tabs may be folded outwardly from the sealed mouth along said bending scores when the package is constructed.

Claim 4

The one-piece blank of claim 2 wherein the bending score provided on the tab of the weakened side wall passes through an area of the weakened section, whereby the delamination of the weakened section may be initiated by folding the tab outwardly from the sealed mouth after the package is constructed.

Claim 5

The one-piece blank of claim 1 wherein the adhesive coating extending across the end of the coated side wall is in the form of two legs of a triangle whose apex is the included angle, said apex pointing outward from the sealed chamber when said package is constructed.

Claim 6

A one-piece blank for constructing a package having a base end, a mouth end and a centerline transverse to said base and mouth ends, comprising: two side walls defined by the centerline; a through-cut partially severing the blank at the mouth end and collinear to at least a portion of the centerline; an adhesive coating extending along the outer marginal portions of at least one side wall and along at least a portion of the through-cut, said adhesive coating partially defining a completely enclosed area within the coated side wall, said area bounded by the coated marginal portions and the centerline so that when the blank is folded along the centerline, corresponding marginal portions of the two side walls may be sealed together by the adhesive coating to form a completely sealed chamber therebetween; and score lines cut into a portion of the thickness of one side wall to weaken that section of the corresponding marginal portions thereof provided for sealing the mouth end of the chamber.

Claim 7

A one-piece blank for constructing a package having a base end, a mouth end and a centerline transverse to said base and mouth ends, comprising: two side walls defined by the centerline; a through-cut partially severing the blank at the mouth end and collinear to at least a portion of the centerline; an adhesive coating extending along the outer marginal portions of at least one side wall and along at least a portion of the through-cut, said adhesive coating partially defining a completely enclosed area within the coated side wall, said area bounded by the coated marginal portions and the centerline so that when the blank is folded along the centerline, corresponding marginal portions of the two side walls may be sealed together by the adhesive coating to form a completely sealed chamber therebetween; and score lines cut into a portion of the thickness of one side wall to weaken that section of the corresponding marginal portions thereof provided for sealing the mouth end of the chamber.

Claim 8

The one-piece blank of claim 5 wherein the side walls are extended at the mouth end to provide tabs, said tabs being provided with bending scores whereby the tabs may be folded outwardly from the sealed mouth along said bending scores when the package is constructed.

Claim 9

The one-piece blank of claim 6 wherein the bending score, provided on the tab of the weakened side wall, passes through an area of the weAkened section, whereby the delamination of the weakened section may be initiated by folding the tab outwardly from the sealed mouth when the package is constructed.

Claim 10

The one-piece blank of claim 5 wherein the adhesive coating extending across the mouth end of the blank is in the form of two legs of a triangle whose apex is the included angle, said apex pointing outward from the sealed chamber when said package is constructed.

Claim 11

The one-piece blank of claim 5 wherein terminating bending scores are provided on the weakened side wall, said further bending scores passing transversely through the weakened section of the marginal portions at a position on the weakened section corresponding approximately to the terminus of the through-cut.

Claim 12

A package comprising: two panels sealed together by a continuous seal and forming therebetween a sealed chamber; said seal defining a portion of the periphery of said sealed chamber including continuously a sealed mouth and adjacent sealed edges; score lines cut into a portion of the thickness of one panel to weaken a continuous section of the marginal portions thereof, said weakened section extending at least as far inward, with respect to said chamber, as the seal and extending continuously across said mouth and along at least a portion of the adjacent edges of the sealed chamber; the seal between said panels having an internal cohesive strength and an adhesive strength to the panel material greater than the cohesive strength of the weakened section to the bulk of the weakened panel, whereby said package may be peelably opened by delaminating the panel material in the weakened section.

Claim 13

A package comprising: two panels sealed together by a continuous seal and forming therebetween a sealed chamber; said seal defining a portion of the periphery of said sealed chamber including continuously a sealed mouth and adjacent sealed edges; score lines cut into a portion of the thickness of one panel to weaken a continuous section of the marginal portions thereof, said weakened section extending at least as far inward, with respect to said chamber, as the seal and extending continuously across said mouth and along at least a portion of the adjacent edges of the sealed chamber; the seal between said panels having an internal cohesive strength and an adhesive strength to the panel material greater than the cohesive strength of the weakened section to the bulk of the weakened panel, whereby said package may be peelably opened by delaminating the panel material in the weakened section.

Claim 14

The package of claim 1 wherein said panels are extended beyond the sealed mouth of the sealed chamber to form tabs, and said tabs are provided with bending scores, whereby the tabs may be folded outwardly from the sealed mouth along the bending scores and pulled to peelably open the package in a controlled manner.

Claim 15

The package of claim 1 wherein the panel having the weakened section is extended beyond the sealed mouth of the sealed chamber to form a tab provided with a bending score passing through a part of the weakened section extending across the sealed mouth, whereby the delamination of the weakened section may be initiated by folding the tab along the bending score outwardly from the sealed mouth.

Claim 16

The package of claim 12 wherein the sealed mouth of the sealed chamber is in the form of two legs of a triangle whose apex is the included angle, said apex pointing outward from the sealed chamber.

Claim 17

The package of claim 1 wherein terminating bending scores are provided on the weakened panel, said terminating bending scores passing transversely through the portion of weakened section extending along the adjacent edges of the sealed chamber, whereby delamination of the weakened section may be terminated.

Claim 18

A package comprising: two panels; an adhesive coating on the marginal portions of at least one of the panels sealing the two panels together and forming therebetween a sealed chamber; said sealing adhesive coating defining a portion of the periphery of said sealed chamber including continuously a sealed mouth and adjacent sealed edges, said sealed mouth being in the form of two legs of a triangle whose apex is the included angle, said apex pointing outward from the sealed chamber; score lines cut into a portion of the thickness of one panel to weaken a continuous section of the marginal portions thereof, said weakened section extending at least as far inward with respect to the chamber, as the seal and extending across the mouth of said sealed chamber and along at least a portion of the adjacent edges of the sealed chamber; the seal between said panels having an internal cohesive strength and an adhesive strength to the panel material greater than the cohesive strength of the weakened section to the bulk of the weakened panel; two tabs, formed by extending the panels beyond the Sealed mouth, said tabs each provided with a bending score passing transverse to the longitudinal direction of the panels, whereby the tabs may be folded outwardly from the sealed mouth, the bending score on the tab of the weakened panel also passing through an area of the weakened section extending across the sealed mouth; and terminating bending scores passing transversely through a part of the weakened section extending along the adjacent edges of the sealed chamber.

Claim 19

A package comprising: two panels; an adhesive coating on the marginal portions of at least one of the panels sealing the two panels together and forming therebetween a sealed chamber; said sealing adhesive coating defining a portion of the periphery of said sealed chamber including continuously a sealed mouth and adjacent sealed edges, said sealed mouth being in the form of two legs of a triangle whose apex is the included angle, said apex pointing outward from the sealed chamber; score lines cut into a portion of the thickness of one panel to weaken a continuous section of the marginal portions thereof, said weakened section extending at least as far inward with respect to the chamber, as the seal and extending across the mouth of said sealed chamber and along at least a portion of the adjacent edges of the sealed chamber; the seal between said panels having an internal cohesive strength and an adhesive strength to the panel material greater than the cohesive strength of the weakened section to the bulk of the weakened panel; two tabs, formed by extending the panels beyond the Sealed mouth, said tabs each provided with a bending score passing transverse to the longitudinal direction of the panels, whereby the tabs may be folded outwardly from the sealed mouth, the bending score on the tab of the weakened panel also passing through an area of the weakened section extending across the sealed mouth; and terminating bending scores passing transversely through a part of the weakened section extending along the adjacent edges of the sealed chamber.