GB2609439A

GB2609439A - Sealing tape

Info

Publication number: GB2609439A
Application number: GB2111008.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Hobson Richard
Original assignee: We Seal Ltd
Current assignee: We Seal Ltd
Priority date: 2021-07-30
Filing date: 2021-07-30
Publication date: 2023-02-08
Also published as: GB202111008D0

Abstract

A sealing tape 100 for a bag comprises an elongate substrate having a first longitudinal edge 103, an opposed second longitudinal edge 105, and adhesive and non-adhesive regions 102, 104 on a first surface of the substrate. The non-adhesive region extends from the second edge, which may comprise projections that may be irregular in shape or size or may comprise domed and/or triangular projections. A release layer for engagement with the adhesive region, when the tape is in a rolled state, may be provided on a second surface of the substrate. The adhesive and non-adhesive regions may be coloured differently. Preferably, in use, the adhesive region on the first surface engages with itself around the neck of a bag, whilst the non-adhesive region does not adhere in order to provide a partible region 106. Methods of manufacturing the tape and sealing a bag with the tape are disclosed.

Description

SEALING TAPE

The present invention relates to sealing a flexible container such as a plastic or paper bag used to package bread, produce, meat, or the like. In particular, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a sealing tape for closing an open end of a flexible container, such as a bag, and to a method of manufacturing such a sealing tape.

It is known to package food product, such as bread, in a paper or plastic bag and to close/seal an open end of the bag with a sealing tape. A bagging machine for packaging product in a bag typically includes an automatic bag sealer suitable for horizontal bagging applications. The bag sealer receives the neck of a bag being transported by a conveyor, applies a predetermined length of adhesive tape around the bag neck to close/seal the bag, and cuts the adhered ends of the tape, before repeating the sealing operation for another bag.

The bag sealer uses an adhesive tape that has equally pitched portions along its length where the adhesive has been neutralised and is configured to perpendicularly cut the tape in the middle of these neutralised portions in an attempt to provide a sealing tape having non-bonded ends which are easier to pull apart and open.

It is also known for a shopkeeper, such as a butcher or the like, to use a table-top bag sealing apparatus for manually applying tape around the neck of a bag albeit at much smaller volumes compared to an automatic bag sealer.

However, the non-bonded ends of a conventional sealing tape are still undesirably fiddly and frustrating to pull apart, particularly for children whose dexterity may not have fully developed or for the elderly and less able whose dexterity, eyesight and/or health may be compromised.

Furthermore, tape supplied for bag sealing applications typically has a permanent adhesive meaning the seal is permanently closed and can only be opened with scissors or by tearing open the bag which renders the seal and/or the bag non-reusable and in turn wastes material which is environmentally unfriendly.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a sealing tape which is easier to open than a conventional sealing tape.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a sealing tape which is resealable to allow the same bag to be opened and resealed by the same sealing tape multiple times.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a sealing tape for sealing a bag, comprising: an elongate substrate having a first longitudinal edge and an opposed second longitudinal edge; an adhesive region disposed along a first surface of the substrate and between the first and second longitudinal edges; and a non-adhesive region disposed continuously along the first surface of the substrate and extending laterally from the second edge with respect to a longitudinal axis of the substrate.

Optionally, the adhesive region extends over a major portion of a width of the 20 substrate.

Optionally, the adhesive region extends over 60-80% of the width of the substrate.

Optionally, the adhesive region extends laterally from the first edge of the substrate with respect to the longitudinal axis.

Optionally, the first and second edges are substantially linear and parallel with each other.

Optionally, an adhesive edge defined by the adhesive region is substantially parallel with the second edge of the substrate.

Optionally, the second edge is defined by a plurality of projections extending laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the substrate.

Optionally, the projections define peaks and troughs along the second edge of the substrate.

Optionally, the peaks of the projections are equally spaced apart from each other and/or are equally distanced from the first edge of the substrate.

Optionally, the projections are substantially regular or irregular in shape and/or size.

lo Optionally, the projections are substantially wave-like.

Optionally, the projections comprise a plurality of domed projections.

Optionally, the projections comprise substantially triangular projections.

Optionally, the projections comprise alternating triangular and domed projections.

Optionally, the substrate comprises a polymer material.

Optionally, the adhesive region and non-adhesive region are located on a first surface of the substrate and an opposed second surface of the substrate comprises a release layer for engagement with the adhesive region when the tape is in a rolled state.

Optionally, the release layer comprises a release lacquer coating.

Optionally, the release layer is disposed on a flood layer applied entirely over the second surface.

Optionally, the inner and/or outer surface of the substrate corresponding to the non-adhesive region is coloured differently to the outer surface of the substrate corresponding to the adhesive region.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a bag comprising a sealing tape according to the first aspect of the present invention.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a sealing tape for sealing a bag, comprising: applying an adhesive along a first surface of an elongate substrate to provide an adhesive region between first and second longitudinal edges of the substrate; and providing a continuous non-adhesive region along the first surface of the substrate and extending laterally from the second edge with respect to a longitudinal axis of the substrate.

Optionally, the method comprises defining the second edge of the tape by a plurality of projections extending laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the substrate.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of sealing a bag, comprising: locating an elongate piece of sealing tape around a neck of a bag, wherein the tape comprises an elongate substrate having a first longitudinal edge and an opposed second longitudinal edge, an adhesive region disposed along a first surface of the substrate and between the first and second longitudinal edges, and a nonadhesive region disposed continuously along the first surface of the substrate and extending laterally from the second edge with respect to a longitudinal axis of the substrate; engaging the adhesive regions of opposed first and second elongate portions of the tape to adhere the same together and close the tape around the neck of the bag; and providing a freely partible longitudinal edge region along the closed tape for efficiently opening the tape, wherein the second edges of the opposed first and second elongate portions of the tape are not adhered to each other.

Optionally, the second edge of the tape is defined by a plurality of projections extending laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the substrate and defining peaks and troughs along the second edge of the substrate.

Optionally, the projections of the first elongate portion of the tape are out of phase with the projections of the second elongate portion of the tape when the tape is closed around the neck of the bag, such that each projection of the first elongate portion of the tape at least partially fills a respective one of the troughs of the second elongate portion of the tape, and vice versa.

Description of the Drawings

Certain embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a first example of a sealing tape according to certain embodiments of the present invention; and Figure 2 illustrates a second example of a sealing tape according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

Detailed Description

As illustrated in Figure 1, a portion of sealing tape 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate which is a plastic film of polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, or the like. However, the substrate may alternatively be a paper substrate or other suitable natural or synthetic material and/or be a woven or non-woven substrate for example. The tape is typically around 9mrn or 12mm wide to fit conventional table-top dispensers but may be any suitable width depending on its intended application. The tape is typically cut perpendicularly by the bagging machine at evely 90-110mm to provide separate tape portions 100 for sealing around the neck of a bag. Alternatively, the tape may be used in a manually operated table-top dispenser which cuts the tape and seals a tape portion around the neck of a bag in a single operation.

The portion of tape 100 includes a continuous region of adhesive 102 disposed on a first surface of the substrate and extending longitudinally along the first surface and lateraily from a first edge 103 thereof (the lower edge of the illustrated tape). The adhesive region 102 extends across approximately 50-80% of the tape width and preferably, as illustrated, by around 65% of the tape width. The remaining region 104 of the tape width (an upper region of the illustrated tape) which extends to a second edge 105 of the tape (an upper edge of the illustrated tape) located opposite to the first edge of the tape is a continuous and longitudinally oriented non-adhesive region. The first edge 103 and second edge 105 of the tape are substantially linear and parallel with each other. Alternatively, at least one adhesive region may be disposed between the first and second edges 103,105 and continuous strips of non-adhesive regions may be disposed along the first and second edges to allow a user to easily part either of the opposed edge regions of the tape when sealed around a bag. The adhesive region 102 may be a continuous strip of adhesive or may be a plurality of spaced apart regions, such as longitudinally or laterally extending strips or spots, for example. When the adhesive region is a single continuous strip of adhesive to define a linear and longitudinally extending adhesive edge line 107oriented substantially parallel with the first edge of the substrate, a corresponding longitudinal hinge axis is formed along the tape when the opposed non-adhesive regions of a sealed tape located around a bag are parted to open the tape as described further below.

When the tape portion is wrapped around the neck of a bag and folded on itself, the corresponding adhesive regions 102 of the inner surfaces of the resultant halves of the tape adhere together whereas the non-adhesive regions do not and each provide a lift edge 105 which can be easily pulled apart by a user to enable the tape halves to be gripped and further pulled apart to overcome the adhesion force and open the seal to gain access to the contents of the bag. The adhesive is such that the tape portion can be reused to reseal the bag multiple times without the adhesive action being compromised. Aptly, the adhesive is a solvent-based natural rubber adhesive, or a hot melt rubber adhesive, for example, and has a relatively high tack and fast grab to be resealable with a relatively low tendency to leave residue behind when the tape halves are pulled apart.

The non-adhesive region 104 provided along the first surface of the tape may be created by applying adhesive on all of the first surface, and up to the second edge thereof, and then neutralising a portion of the adhesive extending longitudinally along the substrate and laterally from the second edge 105 to define the non-adhesive region 104. Neutralising the adhesive extending along the second edge of the substrate to define the continuous non-adhesive region 104 may be achieved by a suitable printing process, such as flexographic printing using cured inks, or by laminating a film layer over the adhesive to effectively mask a portion of the adhesive, or by zone coating the adhesive to ensure the adhesive is applied to a predetermined area or 'zone', such as extending around 6mm from the first edge of the substrate, and the area corresponding to the desired non-adhesive region 104 is not coated with adhesive. Aptly, the adhesive may be applied to a major portion of the first surface of the substrate where adhesive is desired leaving a minor continuous portion extending longitudinally along the substrate and laterally from the second edge 105 to define the non-adhesive region 104.

Aptly, the inner and/or outer surface of the tape corresponding to the non-adhesive region 104 may be coloured differently to the inner and/or outer surface of the tape corresponding to the adhesive region 102 to visually indicate to a user which regions of a sealed tape are the non-adhesive regions require pulling apart to open the tape and access the bag. For example, the inner and/or outer surface of the tape corresponding to the adhesive region 102 may be coloured white and the inner and/or outer surface of the tape corresponding to the non-adhesive region 104 may be coloured black to contrast against the white surface/s. The outer surface of the tape corresponding to the non-adhesive region 104 may be branded and/or include wording such as 'open here' printed along the tape to instruct a user where and how to open a sealed tape to access a bag. The tape aptly includes a flood coat layer applied over all the outer surface to provide a bespoke colour or print, and a release lacquer layer applied to the flood coat layer to allow winding of the tape on to a spool and easy unwinding of the tape in use, such as from a dispenser. The release lacquer layer may at least partially cover the flood coat layer.

In use, a free end of the tape is pulled from a reel of tape mounted in a bagging machine or a counter-top dispenser, and the tape is cut substantially perpendicularly across its width to release a portion of tape from the reel. The tape portion is wrapped around the neck of a bag, such as a plastic bread bag, and folded on itself such that the opposed adhesive regions 102 on the inner surface of the substrate bond to each other, and the opposed non-adhesive regions 104 on the inner surface of the substrate are not adhered to each to provide the tape when closed around the neck of the bag with a freely partible longitudinal edge region 106. The neck of the bag is now closed and sealed. To open the tape, a user parts the opposed second edges 105 of the opposed non-adhesive regions 104 with his/her fingers, grips the non-adhesive regions and urges the tape halves/portions apart to overcome the adhesive bond and open the tape. The tape can be reused to reseal the bag as and when required.

As illustrated in Figure 2, a portion of sealing tape 200 according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention includes a second edge region 205 which is substantially non-linear and defines a plurality of peaks and troughs along the length of the second edge of the tape. Aptly, the peaks and troughs may be defined by a series of identical projections created along the second edge of the tape, such as a wave pattern defining curved peaks and troughs and each having the same length and height. The projections may be substantially triangular to define a series of tooth-like projections or substantially convex to define a series of domed projections. Alternatively, the waves defined along the second edge of the tape may be irregular in width and/or height. Further alternatively, as illustrated, the shape of each projection may alternate between a substantially domed projection and a substantially triangular projection, wherein each projection has the same maximum height and the troughs defined by the projections are equally spaced apart. The tape is cut and/or the series of projections are configured such that, when the tape is sealed around a neck of a bag and folded on itself, the projections of one half of the tape are 'out of phase' with the projections of the other half of the tape, as illustrated in Figure 2, such that a projection on one half of the tape at least partially overlaps/fills a trough defined in the second edge of the opposed other half of the tape. This allows a user to easily locate and part the second edges of the opposed non-adhesive regions of the tape when sealed around the neck of a bag. Furthermore, such a configuration reduces the amount of material required to create the tape and in turn reduces any environmental impact when the tape is ultimately discarded. The projections are aptly formed along the second edge of the tape by stamping, cutting, slitting, or the like. Aptly, the width of the tape from the first edge to the maximum height of the second edge, e.g. wave peak or apex, can be any suitable size for a particular sealing application, but two tape widths are preferred/standard which are 9 or 12mm. For the wave configuration of the tape according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the 12mm tape may have an average width of around 10.3mm which is a significant saving of material.

The projections, such as a plurality of uniform domes or triangular, extending laterally to define the second edge may also be used as datums during an automatic bag sealing process. For example, the machine may be configured to optically sense and count the projections as the tape is fed through cutter of the machine and the machine may be selectively programmed to cut the tape at after every five projections, for example, and at the centre of a trough between adjacent projections. Alternatively, or additionally, the machine may be configured to sense a predetermined shape of a projection and cut the tape when that predetermined shape of projection has been sensed, e.g. optically, by the machine. For example, the tape may include a plurality of projections defining the second edge of the substrate, wherein the projections comprise a single triangular projection located between series of four domed projections and the machine is configured to recognise and sense the triangular projections and cut the tape through the apex of each triangular projection. In this manner, the projections may be used during the bag sealing process for efficiency and consistency, whilst eliminating the need for other means of triggering the machine to cut the tape at a desired position, such as for example printing a reference line across the tape.

Certain embodiments of the present invention therefore provide a sealing tape which is significantly easier to handle and open than a conventional sealing tape. The tape is resealable to allow the same bag to be opened and resealed by the same sealing tape multiple times. The tape is easy to manufacture and less material is used which in turn is environmentally friendly.

Claims

Claims 1. A sealing tape for sealing a bag, comprising: an elongate substrate having a first longitudinal edge and an opposed second longitudinal edge; an adhesive region disposed along a first surface of the substrate and between the first and second longitudinal edges; and a non-adhesive region disposed continuously along the first surface of the substrate and extending laterally from the second edge with respect to a longitudinal axis of the substrate.
2. The tape according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive region extends over a major portion of a width of the substrate.
3. The tape according to claim 2, wherein the adhesive region extends over 60- 80% of the width of the substrate.
4. The tape according to any preceding claim, wherein the adhesive region extends laterally from the first edge of the substrate with respect to the longitudinal axis.
5. The tape according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and second edges are substantially linear and parallel with each other.
6. The tape according to claim 5, wherein an adhesive edge defined by the adhesive region is substantially parallel with the second edge of the substrate.
7. The tape according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second edge is defined by a plurality of projections extending laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the substrate.
8. The tape according to claim 7, wherein the projections define peaks and troughs along the second edge of the substrate.
9. The tape according to claim 8, wherein the peaks of the projections are equally spaced apart from each other and/or are equally distanced from the first edge of the substrate.
10. The tape according to claim 8, wherein the projections are substantially regular or irregular in shape and/or size.
11. The tape according to claim 8, wherein the projections are substantially wavelike.
12. The tape according to claim 8, wherein the projections comprise a plurality of domed projections.
13. The tape according to claim 8 or 12, wherein the projections comprise substantially triangular projections.
14. The tape according to claim 13, wherein the projections comprise alternating triangular and domed projections.
15. The tape according to any preceding claim, wherein the substrate comprises a polymer material.
16. The tape according to any preceding claim, wherein the adhesive region and non-adhesive region are located on a first surface of the substrate and an opposed second surface of the substrate comprises a release layer for engagement with the adhesive region when the tape is in a rolled state.
17. The tape according to claim 16, wherein the release layer comprises a release lacquer coating.
18. The tape according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the release layer is disposed on a flood layer applied entirely over the second surface.
19. The tape according to any preceding claim, wherein the inner and/or outer surface of the substrate corresponding to the non-adhesive region is coloured differently to the outer surface of the substrate corresponding to the adhesive region.
20. A bag comprising a sealing tape according to any preceding claim. 5
21. A method of manufacturing a sealing tape for sealing a bag, comprising: applying an adhesive along a first surface of an elongate substrate to provide an adhesive region between first and second longitudinal edges of the substrate; and providing a continuous non-adhesive region along the first surface of the substrate and extending laterally from the second edge with respect to a longitudinal axis of the substrate.
22. The method according to claim 21, comprising defining the second edge of the tape by a plurality of projections extending laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the substrate.
23. A method of sealing a bag, comprising: locating an elongate piece of sealing tape around a neck of a bag, wherein the tape comprises an elongate substrate having a first longitudinal edge and an opposed second longitudinal edge, an adhesive region disposed along a first surface of the substrate and between the first and second longitudinal edges, and a non-adhesive region disposed continuously along the first surface of the substrate and extending laterally from the second edge with respect to a longitudinal axis of the substrate; engaging the adhesive regions of opposed first and second elongate portions of the tape to adhere the same together and close the tape around the neck of the bag; and providing a freely partible longitudinal edge region along the closed tape for efficiently opening the tape, wherein the second edges of the opposed first and second elongate portions of the tape are not adhered to each other.
24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the second edge of the tape is defined by a plurality of projections extending laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the substrate and defining peaks and troughs along the second edge of the substrate.
25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the projections of the first elongate portion of the tape are out of phase with the projections of the second elongate portion of the tape when the tape is closed around the neck of the bag, such that each projection of the first elongate portion of the tape at least partially fills a respective one of the troughs of the second elongate portion of the tape, and vice versa.