Scored candy bar wrapper and method of opening same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12338050-B2
Application number	US-202017756384-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2020
Priority date	Dec 19, 2019
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

A process of forming a candy bar wrapper includes forming a primary score line in a film material and cutting the film material to form the candy bar wrapper. The primary score line extends in a predetermined direction. The film material comprising at least one film layer, a film thickness, a first film surface, and a second film surface opposite the first film surface. The candy bar wrapper has a film length, a film width from a first end of the candy bar wrapper to a second end of the candy bar wrapper. The primary score line is located to permit the simultaneous breaking of a candy bar and splitting of the candy bar wrapper to separate the candy bar wrapper into two pieces in a wrapped candy bar product. A candy bar wrapper and a wrapped candy bar product are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process of forming a candy bar wrapper for wrapping a candy bar having a predetermined size, the process comprising:
forming a primary score line in a film material, the primary score line extending in a predetermined direction perpendicular to an edge of the candy bar in a wrapped candy bar product, the film material comprising at least one film layer, a film thickness, a first film surface, and a second film surface opposite the first film surface; and
cutting the film material to form the candy bar wrapper, the candy bar wrapper having a film length and a film width from a first end of the candy bar wrapper to a second end of the candy bar wrapper, the primary score line being located to permit simultaneously breaking of the candy bar and splitting of the candy bar wrapper to separate completely the candy bar wrapper into two pieces in the wrapped candy bar product.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the primary score line extends through the first film surface and partially into the film material such that the film material maintains a film barrier.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the forming comprises forming a plurality of primary cut segments alternating with a plurality of primary uncut gaps, each of the plurality of primary cut segments extending through the first film surface and partially into the film material.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the forming locates the primary score line such that the primary score line begins a first distance from the first end and terminates a second distance from the second end of the candy bar wrapper.

5. The process of claim 4 , wherein the first distance and the second distance are in the range of about 6 mm to about 12 mm.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the forming comprises skip cutting.

7. The process of claim 6 , wherein the skip cutting forms intermittent, variable-length frequency scores in the film material.

8. The process of claim 7 , wherein the intermittent, variable-length frequency scores have a segment length in the range of about 0.1 to about 1 mm and are separated by a gap length in the range of about 0.1 to about 0.5 mm.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the forming comprises a method selected from the group consisting of photo-weakening, ultrasonic-weakening, and irradiation-weakening.

10. The process of claim 1 further comprising forming secondary score lines in the film material, the secondary score lines flanking and extending parallel to the primary score line, the secondary score lines being located to extend around ends of the candy bar in the wrapped candy bar product.

11. The process of claim 10 , wherein the forming secondary score lines comprises forming a plurality of secondary cut segments alternating with a plurality of secondary uncut gaps, each of the plurality of secondary cut segments extending through the first film surface and partially into the film material.

12. The process of claim 10 , wherein the secondary score lines comprise four secondary score lines.

13. The process of claim 10 , wherein a length of each of the secondary score lines is selected to extend across a thickness of the candy bar.

14. The process of claim 10 , wherein the secondary score lines are offset from the primary score line by an offset length in the range of about 0.1 to about 1 mm.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein the primary score line has a line length and a line depth selected such that a minimum force to break the candy bar into two pieces is greater than a minimum force to split the candy bar wrapper along the primary score line of the candy bar wrapper of the wrapped candy bar product such that the candy bar wrapper breaks along the primary score line of the candy bar wrapper simultaneously with a breaking of the candy bar.

16. The process of claim 1 , wherein the primary score line of the candy bar wrapper is located on the candy bar wrapper to split with a breaking of the candy bar along a region of reduced thickness of the candy bar between a first section and a second section of the candy bar.

17. The process of claim 1 , wherein the process is a web process.

18. The process of claim 17 , wherein the primary score line extends perpendicular to a machine direction of the web process.

19. The process of claim 1 , wherein the film material is a cavitated film material.

20. The process of claim 1 , wherein the film material is a laminate, the at least one film layer comprising an outer film layer and an inner film layer.

21. The process of claim 1 , wherein the film thickness of the film material is about 180 gauge to about 200 gauge.

22. The process of claim 1 , wherein each layer of the at least one film layer has a thickness in the range of about 60 gauge to about 120 gauge.

23. The process of claim 1 , wherein the primary score line of the candy bar wrapper is located on the candy bar wrapper to split with a breaking of the candy bar along a region of reduced thickness of the candy bar located between a first section and a second section of the candy bar.

24. The process of claim 1 , wherein the candy bar is a chocolate bar.

25. The process of claim 1 further comprising wrapping the film material around the candy bar by bringing the first end and the second end of the candy bar wrapper together to form a fin seal, forming a first end seal, and forming a second end seal opposite the first end seal, such that the film material encloses the candy bar.

26. The process of claim 25 , wherein the primary score line begins on a first side of the fin seal a first distance from an edge of the film seal, extends around the candy bar, and terminates on a second side of the fin seal opposite the first side a second distance from the edge of the film seal, the first distance and the second distance providing an unscored portion of the fin seal.

27. The process of claim 26 , wherein the primary score line of the candy bar wrapper is located on the candy bar wrapper to split with a breaking of the candy bar along a region of reduced thickness of the candy bar located between a first section and a second section of the candy bar.

28. The process of claim 27 further comprising forming secondary score lines in the film material, the secondary score lines flanking and extending parallel to the primary score line, the secondary score lines being located to extend around ends of the candy bar in the wrapped candy bar product.

29. The process of claim 28 , wherein the candy bar is a chocolate bar.

Assignees

• Hershey Co

Inventors

• Farmer Joel
• Hendricks William J

Classifications

• B65B61/02

  for perforating, scoring {, slitting,} or applying code or date marks on material prior to packaging {(scoring ampoules B65B3/006)} · CPC title

• A23G1/50

  characterised by shape, structure or physical form, e.g. products with an inedible support (liquid products or solid products in the form of powders, flakes or granules for making liquid products A23G1/56) · CPC title

• A23G3/54

  Composite products, e.g. layered, coated, filled · CPC title

• B65D75/5888 Primary

  Tear-lines for removing successive sections of a package (for separating package into individual packages B65D75/527) · CPC title

• A23G1/54 Primary

  Composite products, e.g. layered, {laminated,} coated or filled · CPC title