Access structure with bursting detonator for opening a sealed package

Abstract

Breaching access structure 10S provides easy access to sealed interior 10I containing contents 10C. access region 12A proximate edge 12E of package 10, provides entrance into the interior and access to the contents. Band seal 14 formed by upper lamina 14U and lower lamina 14L extends along the access region, enclosing breaching bubble 16. The band seal has inner seal portion 14I between the bubble and the interior, and outer seal portion 14O between the bubble and edge 12E of the package. The bubble is expandable to open the package in response to bursting detonator 18. The detonator is burst by external pressure applied by a user. Opposed pair of peel flaps, upper flap 16U and lower flap 16L, are formed by the opposed laminae of the outer seal along the edge breach as the bubble breaches. These small initial flaps are grasped by the user and manually peeled apart to initiate opening the band seal.

Description

Audio/tactile Feedback

The bubble may provide a distinct breaching sound when an edge is breached indicating that the bubble has breached, and the outer seal has been opened by the expansion of the bubble. A sound inherently comes with bubble breaching. The breaching sound is caused by the rush of air under applied pressure escaping from the bubble through the edge breach during breaching. A large bubble may provide a solid popping sound similar to a small balloon popping. In contrast, small bubbles may just “peep” or whistle sound. A bubble may have a residual internal pressure greater than ambient external pressure to breach faster and provide a firmer bubble with a crisper breaching sound. Soft, spongy bubbles breach slower and make a flatter sound. An “odd” breaching sound, different from the usual sound, may indicate a failing or tampered seal.

CONCLUSION

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the objects of this invention have been achieved as described hereinbefore by providing a bursting detonator within a breaching access structure. Various changes may be made in the structure and embodiments shown herein without departing from the concept of the invention. Further, features of embodiments shown in various figures may be employed in combination with embodiments shown in other figures. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the terminology of the following claims and the legal equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A breaching access structure for providing easy access to the contents of a sealed interior, comprising:

breaching edge along the edge of the access structure;

access region within the access structure proximate a breaching edge;

band seal extending across the access region;

breaching bubble within the band seal;

outer seal portion of the band seal, between the breaching bubble and the breaching edge of the access structure;

inner seal portion of the band seal, between the breaching bubble and the sealed interior; and

bursting detonator containing bursting fluid proximate the breaching bubble, which detonator bursts in response to applied pressure for establishing fluid communication from the detonator to the breaching bubble, causing the breaching bubble to breach for facilitating opening the inner seal portion providing access to the interior.

2. The access structure of claim 1, wherein the bursting detonator is inside the breaching bubble.

3. The access structure of claim 2, wherein the bursting detonator is anchored inside the breaching bubble.

4. The access structure of claim 3, wherein the bursting detonator is retrievable from inside the breaching bubble after breach.

5. The access structure of claim 2, wherein the bursting detonator completely fills the breaching bubble.

6. The access structure of claim 2, wherein the bursting detonator partially fills the breaching bubble.

7. The access structure of claim 2, wherein the bursting detonator is loose inside the breaching bubble.

8. The access structure of claim 7, wherein the bursting detonator is retrievable from inside the breaching bubble after breach.

9. The access structure of claim 1, wherein the bursting detonator is formed of a stretchable material which bursts by thinning under the applied pressure.

10. The access structure of claim 1, wherein the bursting detonator is formed of a rigid material which bursts by fracturing under the applied pressure.

11. The access structure of claim 1, wherein the applied pressure for bursting the detonator is external pressure.

12. The access structure of claim 1, wherein the applied pressure for bursting the detonator is created within the detonator by chemically active reagents.

13. The access structure of claim 1, wherein the bursting fluid is a gas.

14. The access structure of claim 13, wherein the bursting fluid is nitrogen gas.

15. The access structure of claim 13, wherein the bursting fluid is ambient air.

16. The access structure of claim 13, wherein the bursting fluid is a liquid.

17. The access structure of claim 13, wherein the bursting fluid is a gel substance which remains malleable at low temperatures.

18. The access structure of claim 1, further comprising an item contained in the bursting detonator.

19. The access structure of claim 18, wherein the item contained in the bursting detonator is information.

20. The access structure of claim 18, wherein the item contained in the bursting detonator is a status indicator.

21. The access structure of claim 1, wherein the breaching bubble contains more than one bursting detonator.

22. The access structure of claim 1, wherein the breaching bubble is multiple breaching bubbles.

23. The access structure of claim 22, wherein a breaching bubble with an inner seal and an outer seal is positioned at one end of the sealed interior, and another breaching bubble with an inner seal and an outer seal is positioned at the other end of the sealed interior.

24. A breaching access structure for providing easy access to the contents of a sealed interior, comprising:

breaching edge along the edge of the access structure;

access region within the access structure proximate a breaching edge;

band seal extending across the access region;

breaching bubble within the band seal;

outer seal portion of the band seal, between the breaching bubble and the breaching edge of the access structure;

inner seal portion of the band seal, between the breaching bubble and the sealed interior;

bursting detonator containing bursting fluid proximate the breaching bubble, which detonator bursts in response to applied pressure for establishing fluid communication from the detonator to the breaching bubble, causing the breaching bubble to breach for facilitating opening the inner seal portion providing access to the interior; and

a bursting tract defined in the material of the bursting detonator for providing a sponsored rupture of the detonator at the tract.

25. The access structure of claim 24, wherein the sponsored rupture at the tract is directional.

26. The access structure of claim 24, wherein the sponsored rupture at the tract has a lower rupture threshold than the remainder of the detonator.

27. The access structure of claim 24, wherein the tract is more fragile than the remainder of the detonator.

28. The access structure of claim 27, wherein the material forming the fragile tract is a thinner than the material forming the remainder of the bursting detonator.

29. The access structure of claim 28, wherein the thinner tract is a score in the surface of the detonator.

30. The access structure of claim 29, wherein the score is a laser score.

31. The access structure of claim 29, wherein the score is a line score.

32. The access structure of claim 29, wherein the score is an angle score defining a high stress point at the vertex.

33. The access structure of claim 29, wherein the score is a closed loop score.

34. A breaching access structure for providing easy access to the contents of a sealed interior, comprising:

breaching edge along the edge of the access structure;

access region within the access structure proximate a breaching edge;

band seal extending across the access region;

breaching bubble within the band seal;

outer seal portion of the band seal, between the breaching bubble and the breaching edge of the access structure;

inner seal portion of the band seal, between the breaching bubble and the sealed interior;

the band seal and the outer seal portion and inner seal portion are formed by opposed laminae of flexible material pressed into a sealing engagement, and the breaching bubble is between the opposed laminae; and

bursting detonator containing bursting fluid proximate the breaching bubble, which detonator bursts in response to applied pressure for establishing fluid communication from the detonator to the breaching bubble, causing the breaching bubble to breach for facilitating opening the inner seal portion providing access to the interior.

35. The access structure of claim 34, wherein the sealing engagement is a frangible.

36. The access structure of claim 34, wherein the breaching bubble expands towards the breaching edge of the access structure in response to the detonator bursting, and separates the opposed laminae along the outer seal causing the breaching bubble to breach.

37. The access structure of claim 34, wherein the breaching bubble expands towards the breaching edge of the access structure in response to the applied pressure and detonator bursting, and separates the opposed laminae along the outer seal causing the breaching bubble to breach.

38. The access structure of claim 37, further comprising opposed peel flaps formed by the separated opposed laminae, which may be peeled apart further separating the opposed laminae to open the inner band seal providing access to the interior.

39. The access structure of claim 34, wherein one of the opposed laminae is generally planar.

40. The access structure of claim 39, wherein the bursting detonator is anchored to the planar lamina.

41. The access structure of claim 34, wherein at least one of the opposed laminae is convex.

42. The access structure of claim 34, further comprising a partial middle lamina between the opposed laminae, which forms the bursting detonator within the breaching bubble.

43. A system for containing contents comprising:

a sealed chamber formed of a flexible material and having a sealed edge all around the chamber, the sealed edge including an inner seal portion;

at least one bubble contained in said sealed edge located distanced from, outside and separate from the inner seal portion and an outer seal portion;

said bubble filled with a fluid;

said chamber capable of containing contents;

said contents being accessible in said chamber through said bubble by applying pressure to said at least one bubble such that when said at least one bubble is popped, said fluid is exposed to ambient conditions while said chamber remains sealed and said chamber can be opened to access said contents in the chamber.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein when said at least one bubble is popped, there is at least one clearly audible pop.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the pop signifies that the contents of the package are fresh.

46. The system of claim 44 wherein the pop signifies that the package was sealed and had not been tampered with.

47. The system of claim 43 wherein the popping indicates that the contents have been sealed prior to opening said sealed chamber.

48. The system of claim 43 wherein said bubble contains one of a coupon, token, prize, fragrance, and sample of a product.

49. The system of claim 43 wherein said bubble contains one of a paper, a CD, and a memory chip.

50. A system of providing a product using a sealed package in which the package is openable by popping a bubble that forms a separate part of the package, said sealed package having a sealed edge that includes an inner seal portion, said bubble being distanced from, located outside and separate from the inner seal portion and an outer seal portion, wherein popping said bubble exposes said bubble to ambient conditions while said product remains sealed, and wherein said product is accessible through said popped bubble.

51. The system of claim 50 in which the package is unsealed but not damaged when the bubble is popped.

52. A sealed product package having contents, said sealed product package having a sealed edge including an inner seal, said package being openable by using fluid contained in a bubble which is a separate part of said package to unseal and allow the contents of the package to be accessed without damaging the package and said contents, said bubble being located distanced from, outside and separate from the inner seal portion and an outer seal portion, wherein unsealing of said bubble exposes said fluid to ambient conditions while said contents remains sealed, and wherein said contents is accessible through said unsealed bubble.

53. A system of offering a product comprising:

a package for containing a product, said package having a sealed edge, the sealed edge including an inner seal portion;

at least one bubble located distanced from, outside and separate from the inner seal portion in said sealed edge and an outer seal portion, said bubble sealed from said product when no pressure is being applied to said system; and

said product capable of being accessed when said at least one bubble is popped, wherein popping said bubble exposes said bubble to ambient conditions while said product remains sealed, and wherein said product is accessible through said popped bubble.