WO2011001424A1

WO2011001424A1 - Resealable dispensing closure device and package fitted with same

Info

Publication number: WO2011001424A1
Application number: PCT/IL2010/000508
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shlomit Chasid; Uri Zaidman
Original assignee: Tadbik Ltd.
Priority date: 2009-06-30
Filing date: 2010-06-24
Publication date: 2011-01-06

Abstract

A resealable dispensing closure device for a package, comprising an adhesive patch adhered to a material having a closure with an exterior edge at its periphery and a large-arced and two opposite small-arced end portions. The adhesive patch has a base and a flap portion configured to pivot relative to the former about a pivoting axis. The material is torn along the exterior edge to separate the closure, forming an opening. Each small-arced end portion is defined by one end section of the exterior edge and by an interior edge, extending inwardly of the closure, merging on the pivoting axis

Description

RESEALABLE DISPENSING CLOSURE DEVICE AND PACKAGE

FITTED WITH SAME

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a resealable dispensing closure device and to a package fitted with a resealable dispensing closure device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Resealable dispensing closure devices and packages using them are disclosed for example in US 4,552,269, US 4,790,436, US 4,863,064, US 5,048,718, US 5,908,246, US 6,026,953, US 6,309,105, US 6,554,134, US 2004195256, US 2004251163, US 2005284776, US 2006018569, US 2006/151515, EP 0546369, WO 05023677, WO 03/076298, WO 07013799, WO 08034539, WO 08055962, DE 20301411 and in many other documents. These packages are adapted for resealable storage of a great variety of products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the subject matter of the present application, there is provided a resealable dispensing closure device for a package with a package surface having a dispensing outlet at least when the package is in use, comprising

an adhesive patch having a base portion and an adhesive flap portion configured to pivot relative to the base portion about a pivoting axis; a material to which said patch is adhered at its base portion and at least a part of its flap portion, the material being configured to constitute a part of said package surface at least when the closure device is in use on said package;

- a closure in said material, to which said at least a part of said flap portion is adhered;

- an exterior edge at a periphery of said closure, along which said material is configured to tear when the flap portion pivots relative to the base portion for a first time, separating thereby said closure along the exterior edge from the remainder of the material and forming an opening in said material configured to serve as or provide access to said outlet when the closure device is in use on said package, said exterior edge having two end sections and a intermediate section therebetween;

- a large-arced end portion in said closure, extending along the intermediate section of the exterior edge; and

two opposite small-arced end portions in said closure each defined by one end section of the exterior edge and by an at least weakened interior edge merging with said one end section at a merging point, the merging points of the two end portions lying on said pivoting axis, the interior edges of the two end portions of the closure extending from the merging points inwardly of the closure.

According to one aspect of the subject matter of the present application, the interior edges each can have at least one distal point and at least one proximal point disposed closer to the pivoting axis than the distal point such that a distance between the two distal points of the two interior edges is greater than that between the two proximal points thereof.

The interior edges can each be considered as having a proximal section adjacent the merging points, a distal section, and an intermediate section separating therebetween, with at least the distal and proximal sections being oriented relative to the pivoting axis at angles different from 90 degrees. The angles of orientation of the distal sections of each interior edge can be different from that of the proximal sections. The interior edges can have such a shape that the distance between their distal sections, in particular, at least selected points thereon, is either greater or smaller than that between their intermediate sections. The distance between the interior edges can either increase towards their ends remote from the pivoting axis, or decrease towards these ends, or first decrease (along the proximal sections of the interior edges) and then increases (along the distal sections of the interior edges) or vice versa. The distance between the interior edges can vary along a majority of their length.

According to another aspect of the subject matter of the present application, said closure further can have an at least weakened inner edge merging at its two ends with the ends of the interior edges remote from the pivoting axis. The inner edge can extend from its ends in the direction away from the pivoting axis, or in the direction towards the pivoting axis.

The inner edge can be disposed in or close to the large-arced portion of the closure. The inner edge and the interior edges can define an inner portion of the closure constituting an integral continuation of said material and merging therewith at said merging points between the interior and the exterior edges. The inner portion can have a width parallel to the pivoting axis that first increases in the direction away from said axis and then decreases.

In any aspect of the subject matter of the present application, each of the at least weakened interior edges of the closure, as well as the exterior edge of the closure, and its inner edge, when this exists, is at least weakened before the separation of the closure from the material surrounding it along the exterior edge. The lines that form these edges or at least a portion thereof can be in the form of one of the following line types:

a line that is pre-cut;

a line that is perforated or dotted; and

a line along at least a portion of which the material is thinner relative to those areas of the material that do not have such weakened lines.

The exterior edge and the inner edge can each have a vertex point spaced from the straight line to a maximal distance relative to other points on the corresponding edge. The vertex point of the inner edge can be located closer to the vertex point of the exterior edge than to the pivoting axis.

The adhesive flap portion can include at least one gripping tab whose adhesion to the material is weaker than that of other parts of the adhesive patch.

The adhesive flap portion can include at least one gripping tab that is not adhered to the material.

The adhesive patch can include stoppers positioned at a side of the pivoting axis opposite the closure.

The adhesive patch can be made of, at least, one or a combination of the following materials: PP, PE, PS, foam materials, laminated materials, recycled materials, cardboard, fabric, etc.

The use of the resealable dispensing closure according to any aspect of the subject matter of the present application, alone or in combination with features of the other aspects, can provide multiple advantages, some of which are as follows: • reducing the size of resealable dispensing closures;

• increasing the minimal force required to completely detach the sealing flap of a resealable dispensing closure from a package and tear the package material (when this scenario is undesirable);

• enabling the package to be torn only by applying deliberate and substantial force to the sealing flap of a resealable dispensing closure (when this scenario is desirable);

• enabling the use of the resealable dispensing closure on smaller packages;

• enabling the positioning of the resealable dispensing closure near the edges of packages;

enabling the use of the resealable dispensing closure on multiple types of packages, i.e. made of different materials, having different sizes, intended to be opened a small or a very large amount of times, store different types of products, including not only tissues but also food such as e.g. dried fruit, cereals, snacks, grains, wet and dry foodstuff and edible products, etc. which are currently stored in non-resealable packages or in resealable zipper storage bags, etc.;

• enabling the use of the resealable dispensing closure with temper-proof characteristics, for example for packages containing foodstuff and edible products.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. IA shows a package using a resealable dispensing closure device according to an example of the subject matter of the present application,

Figs. IB and 1C show only the resealable dispensing closure device in full detail at its original or closed position and its open position, respectively;

Figs. 2A to 2L illustrate various configurations of an adhesive patch, which can be used in a resealable dispensing closure device according to the subject matter of the present application ; Fig. 3 shows a resealable dispensing closure device according to another example of the subject matter of the present application;

Figs. 4A to 4C show additional possible shapes of cut portions and inner portions of a closure that can constitute a part of a resealable dispensing closure device according to the subject matter of the present application;

Figs. 5A and 5B show an example of a resealable dispensing closure device according to the subject matter of the present application, used in combination with stoppers; and.

Figs. 6A to 6D show an example of an adhesive patch of a resealable dispensing closure device according to the subject matter of the present application, in combination with temper proof means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

With reference first being made to Fig. IA, there is shown a package generally designated 10 with a resealable dispensing closure device generally designated 20 according to one example of the presently disclosed subject matter . Figs. IB and 1C show enlarged views of only the resealable dispensing closure device 20. The package 10, in this particular example, is adapted for storage and dispensing of tissues, one tissue at a time. The function of the resealable dispensing closure device 20 is to provide a repeatably sealable closure for the tissue outlet of the package, so as to avoid contamination and dehydration of the tissues contained therein, yet facilitate dispensing of the contained tissues, one at a time.

In this particular example, types of tissue/s may include, in addition to regular tissues, also wet tissues, towelettes, napkins and similar articles, whether dry or pre- moistened. The tissues may be arranged within the package as separately connected sheets (e.g. along a perforation line), or interleaved discrete sheets, stacked to ensure that as the leading tissue is removed from the package a portion of the trailing tissue passes through the outlet and releases the leading tissue once in a position to allow its (the trailing tissue) easy removal when required (and in turn becoming the leading tissue). Tissues may also be stacked simply without interleaving so the removal of the top tissue has no bearing on the positioning of those below.

The package 10 may be made from any suitable material, or a combination of materials, including synthetic resins, plastics, laminated or un-laminated cardboard etc. and its shape and construction may vary, depending on parameters such as its intended contents, commercial considerations, shipment and storage considerations, cost, etc.

The location of the resealable dispensing closure device 20 on the package 10 in the described example is at the center of the package's front laminate surface 11, though it may clearly be positioned at any other suitable portion of the package.

The front laminate surface 11, in this example, constitutes a part of the resealable dispensing closure device 20.

The resealable dispensing closure device 20 comprises an adhesive patch P having a base portion 25 and an adhesive flap portion 22 both adhered to the front laminate surface 11 at least along the majority of their areas. The flap portion 22 is configured to pivot relative to the base portion 25 about a pivoting axis 21 (which is an imaginary line) as will be explained in more detail below.

In Fig. IA, an area 20a of the surface 11 to which the flap portion is adhered comprises a pattern of lines generally designated as 20b, which area 20a together with the axis 21 defines a closure 30, which pattern in the present example is in the form of a closed-loop line 13.

The closed-loop line 13 can be formed as one or a combination of the following lines: a pre-cut (i.e. a full cut) line, a perforated line, a non-complete cut line (e.g. a line formed by dotted cutting, a laser weakening of the surface, etc.). For example, a part of the closed-loop line 13 can be a pre-cut and another part can be a non-complete cut.

The closed-loop line 13 on the surface 11 comprises an exterior edge 17 of the closure 30 along which the surface 11 is configured to tear when the flap portion 22 pivots relative to the base portion 25 for the first time, separating thereby the closure 30 from the remainder of the surface 11, along the exterior edge 17 and forming an opening 33 in the surface 11 configured to serve as an outlet of the package 10 through which the content of the package 10, namely tissues T, can be dispensed. The exterior edge 17 has two end sections 17b and an intermediate section 17a therebetween.

The closed-loop line 13 on the surface 11 further comprises an inner edge 19 and interior edges 41a and 41b (highlighted in Figs. IB and 1C) bridging between the exterior edge 17 and the inner edge 19, each interior edge 41a and 41b merging with the adjacent one end section 17b of the exterior edge 17 at a merging point 44a, 44b lying on the pivoting axis 21. The interior edges 41a, 41b each have a proximal section 41aa, 41ba adjacent to the corresponding merging point 44a, 44b, a distal section 41ac, 41 be with an end point farthest from the proximal section 41aa, 41ba and an intermediate section 41ab, 41bb therebetween. In the present example, a distance Y2 between the end points of the distal sections 41ac, 41bs of the interior edges 41a and 41b is greater than a distance Yl between the two proximal sections 41aa, 41ba thereof.

The closure 30 includes an outer (cut) portion 15 constituted by an area encompassed by the closed-loop line 13 and having, in the present example, a U-like shape, and an inner portion 28 whose exterior is defined by the inner edge 19, the interior edges 41a and 41b and, symbolically by the pivoting axis 21. The inner portion 28 constitutes an integral continuation of the surface 11.

The outer portion 15 of the closure 30 has a first, large-arced end portion 12 extending along the intermediate section 17a of the exterior edge 17 and the inner edge 19, and two second, small arced end portions 14a and 14b extending opposite to the large-arced end 12, each defined by one end section 17b of the exterior edge and one interior edge 41a, 41b.

The inner portion 28 is oriented in the same direction as the large arced end 12 of the outer portion 15 of the closure 30, each having a vertex 19aa, 17aa lying on the respective inner or exterior edge of the closure 30. The two vertices lie on an imaginary line (not shown) perpendicular to the pivoting axis and are spaced to different distances Xl and X2 from the axis 21, the former distance being shorter than the latter distance. In the present example, the difference between the distances X2 and Xl is smaller than the distance Xl.

The exterior edge 17 of the closure 30 in the present example has such a shape that a width Wl of the closure measured in the direction parallel to the axis 21 varies, e.g. decreases towards the vertex 17aa. The inner edge 19 of the closure 30 has such a shape that a width W2 of the inner portion 28 varies, e.g. decreases away from the interior edges towards the vertex 19aa. The interior edges 41a, 41b of the closure 30 have such a shape that a distance Y therebetween varies in the direction away from the axis 21, i.e. first decreases and then increases in the direction away from the axis 21.

Reverting to the adhesive patch P having the base portion 25 and the flap portion 22, the latter portion with the closure 30 attached thereto (best seen in Fig. 1C) is pivotable about the axis 21 between: - an original position as shown in Figs. IA and IB, in which the entire closure is connected to the laminate surface 11 surrounding it along the entire exterior edge,

- an open position (Fig. IB) in which the flap portion 22 with the closure 30, torn from the surface 11 along its exterior edge 17, is pivoted about the axis 21 to project from the surface 11 and provide access to the outlet 33, and

- a closed position (Fig. IA) in which the flap portion 22 with the closure 30 lie flat and flush over the laminate surface 11 covering the outlet 33.

The flap portion 22 of the adhesive patch P has an apex 23 lying on the same imaginary line (not shown) as the vertexes 19aa and 17aa of the closure 30, and a gripping tab 26 occupying an area adjacent the apex 23, and configured to facilitate gripping the flap portion 22 by the fingers of a user, to pivot it between the above described positions thereof.

The resealable dispensing closure device 20, in particular its adhesive patch 30 may be produced from any material used for packaging or that can be adapted for use in conjunction with a package, either flexible, semi-rigid, or rigid materials e.g. cardboard (laminated or not), tape, plastic (e.g. a rigid closure may include a folding axle or e.g. include weakening of the axis) etc.

The adhesive agent applied to the adhesive patch 30 can be the same at its base and flap portions, or different adhesive agents can be applied to these portions. In any case, the adhesive agent applied over the flap portion 22 can be selected so as to be repeatedly detachably attachable to the laminate surface 11 of the package 10 in a sealing tight fashion. Alternatively, or in addition, the adhesive patch P can include a locking arrangement of the kind described in the applicant's US provisional Patent application US 61/136,426 (based on which a PCT application WO 2010/026584 was filed), whose description from that publication is incorporated herewith by reference.

In any case, the gripping tab 26 of the flap portion 22 can be either devoid of adhesive agent at its surface facing the laminate surface 11 or have such agent weaker than that applied to the rest of the adhesive patch P, allowing easy peeling of the gripping tab 26.

The manner of opening of the dispensing closure device 20 is illustrated in Fig. IB. The resealable dispensing closure device 20 is opened by gripping the gripping tab 26 with finger-tips C so as to progressively peel-open the adhesive patch P, detaching the adhered flap portion 22 and closure 30 from the laminate surface 11 of the package 10, such that adhesive patch P is partially detached from the laminate surface 11, but along the pivoting axis 21, until adhesive patch P is prevented from further detachment by the interior edges 41a and 41b of the closure 30, which function as stoppers. When the flap portion 22 is raised so that the resealable dispensing closure device 20 is in the open position, the outer portion 15 and the inner portion 28 of the closure 30 remain adhesively attached to the adhesive patch P, the merging points 44a,44b between the interior edges 41a and 41b and the end sections 41aa,41ba of the exterior edge 17 separating between the portions of the package 10 that are raised together with the adhesive patch P and the rest of the package, and the axis 21 serving as a peal-away stop line.

The above design increases the pulling force required to be applied to the flap portion 22, to lead to the above undesirable scenario. Thus, in fact, only intentional action will eventually cause the material of the package 10 to tear.

The resealable dispensing closure device can have different shapes of its components, and some examples of these are shown in Fig. 2 A to 2L.

In particular, Figs. 2A to 2L demonstrate various examples of adhesive patches 100 to 210 having external different shapes, different closure designs including the designs of the outer and inner portions thereof, different gripping tabs, etc., that can be used in any combination.

Thus, the shapes of the adhesive patches shown in Figs. 2 A to 2F, is essentially pentagon, whilst the adhesive patches shown in Figs. 2G to 21 are substantially square with rounded corners, and those shown in Figs. 2J to 2L have a 'heart'-line shape. The adhesive patches may have a depression 133, 143, 153 at the base of the closure, as shown in Figs. 2D to 2F, and also shown (without numeral markings) in Figs. 2 J to 2L. The depressions 133, 143 and 153 may extend through the axis 21 into the inner portions 134, 144 and 154, respectively, as shown in Fig. 2D to 2F. Some of the closures comprise a gripping tab G, similar to the gripping tab 26 mentioned above, and substantially devoid of adhesive agent. In Figs. 2D to 2F the gripping tab is visually indistinguishable and also has an adhesive agent applied to it, thus requiring it to be manually peeled off a surface of a package.

The outer, cut portions 101 to 211, and consequently the inner portions 104 to 214 can also vary in their shape. In particular, with reference to Figs. 2A to 2C, the inner portion 104 has the smallest depth, while the inner portion 124 has the largest depth. In other words, in Fig. 2A the vertex of the inner edge of the closure is farther from the vertex of the exterior edge than from the pivoting axis; in Fig. 2B the vertex of the inner edge of the closure is about equally spaced from the vertex of the exterior edge and the pivoting axis; and in Fig. 2C, the vertex of the inner edge of the closure is closer to the vertex of the exterior edge than to the pivoting axis 21. The outer, cut portions may further vary in the arc shape of their small arced ends 105 to 215. In particular, with reference to Figs. 2A to 2C, the small arced ends 125 are more inwardly directed than the small arced ends 105. It should be understood that the shape of the small arced ends, together with the depth of the inner portion, largely depend on the shape of the interior edges 41a and 41b, which as shown can be such that the distance therebetween either increases towards their distal ends remote from the pivoting axis, or decreases towards these ends, or first decreases and then increases or vice versa. As seen in the presented examples, the distance between the interior edges varies along a majority of their length.

The above described varying geometry can allow to prevent pulling of the flap portion to an extent more than designed, providing thereby controlled tearing the material of the package.

With reference to Fig. 3, there is shown a resealable dispensing closure device 320 for a package 310 with a package surface 311 having a dispensing outlet 333 at least when the package 310 is in use. The device comprises an adhesive patch 3OP having an adhesive flap portion 322 and a base portion 327, both adhered to the package surface 311, the former being pivotable relative to the latter about a pivoting axis 321. The surface 311 is formed with a closure 330 configured to be disposed between the flap portion 322 of the adhesive patch 3OP and the outlet 333 at least when the outlet 333 is closed, and separable from the remainder of the material surrounding it along a exterior edge 317 to provide access to the interior of the package 310 via the outlet 333. The exterior edge 317 has two end sections 337a, 337b and an intermediate section 337c therebetween.

The closure 330 has a large-arced end portion 312 extending along the intermediate section 337c of the exterior edge 317, and two opposite small-arced end portions 314a, 314b defined by interior edges 341a, 341b merging, at two merging points 344a, 344b with the end sections 337a, 337b of the exterior edge 317. The two merging points 344a, 344b lie on the axis 321.

The interior edges 341a, 341b extend from the merging points 344a, 344b inwardly of the closure 330 and have a distance Y therebetween first decreasing and then increasing in the direction away from the axis 321. More particularly, a distance Y3 between most distal points of distal sections 341ac, 341bc of the interior edges 341a,341b is greater than a distance Y4 between the most proximal points thereof.

With reference to Figs. 4A to 4C, additional possible shapes of outer (cut) portions 415 and inner portions 428 of the closure 30 of the device 10, as shown in Figs. IA to 1C, are shown, together with the position of pivoting axis 421 with respect thereto.

In Fig. 4A the inner portion 428 has interior edges each including a proximal section 441aa, 441ba an intermediate section 441ab,441bb and a distal section 441ac, 441bc that are straight and are connected with arcs. The proximal sections 441aa, 441ba of the two interior edges 441a, 441b extend towards each other so that a distance therebetween decreases in a direction away from the pivoting axis 421. The distal sections 441ac, 441bc of the interior edges 441a, 441b extend away from each other so that a distance therebetween increases in a direction away from the pivoting axis 421. The intermediate sections 441ab,441bb of the interior edges 441a, 441b are oriented so that at least a part thereof is perpendicular to the pivoting axis. Figs. 4B and 4C show designs that differ from that shown in Fig. 4 A in that all sections of their interior edges are curved and in that the distal sections 44 lac, 441 be of their interior edges are oriented so that their distal ends - points 442ab, 442bb are closer to the pivoting axis 421 than their points 442aa, 442ba of merger with the intermediate sections 441ab, 441bb. hi addition, the design of Fig. 4B differs from that of Figs. 4A and 4C in that in the latter figures, in that tangents 471, 472 to the interior edges 441a, 441b at their points 44 lad, 441bd closest to each other intersect the pivoting axis 421 at locations that are closer to each other than to the merging points 444a, 444bof the interior edges 441a, 441b with the exterior edge 417.

In general, in Figs. 4A to 4C, as well as in Figs. IA and IB, the inner portion 428 can be seen as having a mushroom-like shape with a head 428a defined by the inner edge 419 and the distal sections 441ac, 441 be of the interior edges 441a, 441b, which extend away from each other from their points 442aa, 442ba of merger with the intermediate sections 441ab,441bb of the interior edges 441a, 441b.

With reference to Figs. 5 A and 5B, the resealable dispensing closure device of the present subject matter is shown in combination with stoppers 550 of exemplary types that are known in the art per se. The stoppers 550 are positioned slightly behind the axis 521, thus only becoming relevant if flaps 511, that are part of adhesive patches 510, are pulled too hard and begin tearing the material of their respective packages (not shown) past the axis 521. In such case, further tearing may be prevented, by the stoppers 550, past axis 551 that form new roll-pivot lines for the parts of adhesive patches 510 that are detached from the surfaces (i.e. surfaces of packages) to which they were initially adhered.

With reference to Figs. 6A to 6D, the resealable dispensing closure device of the present subject matter is shown in combination with temper proof means of exemplary types.

Specifically with reference to Fig. 6A, the adhesive patch initially includes a main part 610, adhered to the closure (not shown) of the resealable dispensing closure device of the presently disclosed subject matter and to the surface of a package (not shown), and part 620 that is also attached to the surface of a package (not shown). Upon detachment of the main part 610 from the surface of a package, part 620 is torn away along weakened tearing line 622 and remains adhered to the surface of the package. Thus, it can be determined that a package was previously opened if the part 620 is no longer attached to the main part 610 of the adhesive patch.

Specifically with reference to Fig. 6B, the tearing line 622 of Fig. 6A has been altered to tearing line 624. The tearing line 624 is of a generally more complex shape than a standard, i.e. straight, tearing line and is configured so that tearing main part 610 away from part 620 leaves cuts and small protruding pieces in one or both part 620 and main part 610, thus making it clearly visible, even after main part 610 is again adhered to the package, that the tearing of tearing line 624 has already occurred.

Specifically with reference to Fig. 6C, the adhesive patch initially comprises main part 610, part 620 and a middle part 630. The middle part 630 is essentially devoid of adhesive agent, while the main part 610 and part 620 are fully or mostly adhered to the surface of a package (not shown). Tearing lines 632 and 626 divide, respectively, the middle part 630 from the main part 610 and the part 620 from the middle part 630. Upon detachment of the middle part 630, by gripping its upper left corner and pulling on it out- of-plane of the adhesive patch, the middle part 630 is torn away from the rest of the adhesive patch along tearing line 632 (which could be, for example, a weakened line, a perforated line, etc.) and from the part 620 along tearing line 626. Thus, the main part 610 and the part 630 remain adhered to the surface of the package whereas the middle part 620 is detached from them and it's absence serves proof to the fact that the package might have been previously opened. Auxiliary stoppers 650 are also shown in Fig. 6C and correspond to stoppers 550 shown in Fig. 5A.

Specifically with reference to Fig. 6D, main part 610 is separated by tearing line 666 from a top part 660, and by tearing lines 648 from middle parts 640. The middle parts 640 are also separated from the top part 660 by tearing lines 648. The main part 610 has a gripping tab 611 and the top part 660 has a gripping tab 661. The top part 660 further has an upper part 665 and a lower part 663 that extends slightly above the gripping tab 611 before continuing as the upper part 665. The lower part 663 and the gripping tabs 611 and 661 are essentially devoid of adhesive agent, while the rest of main part 610 and the middle parts 640 and the upper part 665 of top part 663 are fully or mostly adhered to a surface of a package. In order to peel off the main part 610 off a surface of a package for the first time, a user must first remove the top part 660 by peeling it off the surface of a package, i.e. by pulling on gripping tab 661 out-of-plane of the adhesive patch with his fingers, thus tearing it away from the main part 610 and the middle parts 640 along respective tearing lines 666 and 664. After that, the main part 610 can be peeled off (partially, as already described above for the resealable dispensing closure device of the presently disclosed subject matter) by gripping the gripping tab 611 and pulling on it, thus also tearing the main part 610 from the middle parts 640 along the respective tearing lines 648. Thus, absence of the top part 660 and permanently remaining visible effects of tearing of the tearing lines 648 and 664 that are of a generally more complex shape as already explained with regard to Fig. 6B, prove that the main part 610 of the adhesive patch was previously peeled off and thus the resealable dispensing closure device was already opened at least once.

As previously mentioned herein above, the package in which the closure device of the subject matter of the present application is to be used, can be utilized for storage and dispensing of a variety of products such as, for example, foodstuff (e.g. cereals, dried food in loose form, liquid food and/or bottles, etc.). Likewise, the package can be designed in many different shapes and sizes, depending among others on its contents, and accordingly, the location of the dispensing closure device is selected so as to serve for efficient dispensing of the relevant content within the package. For example, in case of a package intended for dried food stuff, it may sometimes be desired that the package be a self standing type in which case the dispensing opening is typically fitted at or near an upper-most end thereof. However, there is no limitation regarding the shape and features of the package as it may be also a soft pack.

It is further appreciated that the invention is concerned with a resealable dispensing closure device as illustrated and discussed herein above, which may be manufactured separately and applied to the package at any stage.

Claims

1. A resealable dispensing closure device for a package with a package surface having a dispensing outlet at least when the package is in use, comprising

an adhesive patch having a base portion and an adhesive flap portion configured to pivot relative to the base portion about a pivoting axis; a material to which said patch is adhered at its base portion and at least a part of its flap portion, the material being configured to constitute a part of said package surface at least when the closure device is in use on said package; a closure in said material, to which said at least a part of said flap portion is adhered;

- an exterior edge at a periphery of said closure, along which said material is configured to tear when the flap portion pivots relative to the base portion for a first time, separating thereby said closure along said exterior edge from the remainder of the material and forming an opening in said material configured to serve as or provide access to said outlet when the closure device is in use on said package, said exterior edge having two end sections and an intermediate section therebetween;

a large-arced end portion in said closure, extending along the intermediate section of the exterior edge;

two opposite small-arced end portions in said closure each defined by one end section of the exterior edge and by an at least weakened interior edge merging with said one end section at a merging point, the merging points of the two end portions lying on said pivoting axis,

the interior edges of the two end portions of the closure extending from the merging points inwardly of the closure; and

the interior edges each having at least one distal point and at least one proximal point disposed closer to the pivoting axis than the distal point such that a distance between the two distal points of the two interior edges is greater than that between the two proximal points thereof.

2. The resealable dispensing closure device of Claim 1, wherein the interior edges have such a shape that the distance therebetween first decreases and then increases in the direction away from the pivoting axis.

3. The resealable dispensing closure device of Claim 1 or 2, wherein said closure further has at least weakened inner edge merging at its two ends with the ends of the interior edges remote from the pivoting axis.

4. The resealable dispensing closure device of any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein lines in said material constituting at least the exterior edge and the interior edges of the closure, are in at least one of the following forms:

a line that is pre-cut;

a line that is perforated or dotted; and

a line that along which said material is thinner than at its areas surrounding this line.

5. The resealable dispensing closure device of Claim 4, wherein the exterior edge and the interior edges are differently formed lines.

6. The resealable dispensing closure device according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the interior edges merge via an inner edge and form together therewith and with the exterior edge a closed-loop line.

7. The resealable dispensing closure device of Claim 6, wherein the exterior edge and the inner edge have vertex points spaced from the pivoting axis to a maximal distance relative to other points on said edges, and the vertex point of the inner edge is located closer to the vertex point of the exterior edge than to the pivoting axis.

8. The resealable dispensing closure device of ..., wherein the adhesive patch includes stoppers positioned at a side of the pivoting axis opposite the closure.

9. The resealable dispensing closure device of any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the resealable dispensing closure device includes temper proof means.

10. The resealable dispensing closure device of Claim 9, wherein the temper proof means is formed by a part of the adhesive flap portion that is separatable therefrom by a tearing line.

11. A resealable dispensing closure device for a package with a package surface having a dispensing outlet at least when the package is in use, comprising

- an adhesive patch having a base portion and an adhesive flap portion configured to pivot relative to the base portion about a pivoting axis; - a material to which said patch is adhered at its base portion and at least a part of its flap portion, the material being configured to constitute a part of said package surface at least when the closure device is in use on said package;

- an exterior edge at a periphery of said closure, along which said material is configured to tear when the flap portion pivots relative to the base portion for a first time, separating thereby said closure along said exterior edge from the remainder of the material and forming an opening in said material configured to serve as or provide access to said outlet when the closure device is in use on said package, said exterior edge having two end sections and a intermediate section therebetween;

a large-arced end portion in said closure, extending along the intermediate section of the exterior edge; and

two opposite small-arced end portions in said closure each defined by one end section of the exterior edge and by an at least weakened interior edge merging with said one end section at a merging point, the merging points of the two end portions lying on said pivoting axis, the interior edges of the two end portions of the closure extending from the merging points inwardly of the closure; and

- an at least weakened inner edge merging at its two ends with the ends of the interior edges remote from the pivoting axis, forming with said exterior and interior edges a closed-loop line.

12. The resealable dispensing closure device of Claim 11, wherein lines in said material constituting the exterior edge, the inner edge and the interior edges of the closure, are in at least one of the following forms:

a line that is pre-cut;

a line that is perforated or dotted; and

13. The resealable dispensing closure device of Claim 12, wherein the exterior edge, inner edge and interior edges are differently formed lines.

14. The resealable dispensing closure device of any one of Claims 11 to 13, wherein the interior edges extend from the merging points inwardly of the closure and have a distance therebetween first decreasing and then increasing in the direction away from said pivoting axis.

15. The resealable dispensing closure device of any one of Claims 11 to 14, wherein the exterior edge and the inner edge have vertex points spaced from the pivoting axis to a maximal distance relative to other points on said edges, and the vertex point of the inner edge is located closer to the vertex point of the exterior edge than to the pivoting axis.

16. The resealable dispensing closure device of any one of Claims 11 to 14, wherein the exterior edge and the inner edge can have vertex points spaced from the pivoting axis to a maximal distance relative to other points on said edges, and the vertex point of the inner edge is located closer to said axis line than to the vertex point of the exterior edge.

17. The resealable dispensing closure device of any one of Claims 11 to 16, wherein the adhesive flap portion includes at least one gripping tab that is adhered to the material weaker than other parts of the adhesive patch.

18. The resealable dispensing closure device of any one of Claims 11 to 17, wherein the adhesive flap portion includes at least one gripping tab that is not adhered to the material.

19. The resealable dispensing closure device of any one of Claims 11 to 18, wherein the adhesive patch includes stoppers positioned at a side of the pivoting axis opposite the closure.

20. The resealable dispensing closure device of any one of Claims 11 to 19, wherein the resealable dispensing closure device includes temper proof means.

21. The resealable dispensing closure device of Claim 21, wherein the temper proof means is formed by a part of the adhesive flap portion that is separatable therefrom by a tearing line.

22. The resealable dispensing closure device of any one of Claims 11 to 21, wherein the adhesive patch is made of one or a combination of the following materials: PP, PE, PS, foam materials, laminated materials, recycled materials, cardboard, fabric.

23. A package comprising a package surface and a resealable dispensing closure device according to any one of the preceding claims.