FLEXIBLE PACKAGING STRUCTURE WITH INTEGRAL TAMPER-EVIDENCE FEATURES AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME

A method of making a flexible package comprises:providing an outer structure (10);providing an inner structure (42);adhesively joining the outer structure (100 and the inner structure (42) using a pressure sensitive adhesive to form a laminate, wherein the laminate has an opening end and a base end and a longitudinal direction which runs between the opening end and the base end;scoring at least one outer line of weakness in the outer structure (10), the at least one outer line of weakness defining part of an outer opening portion (86) that is separable from the outer structure (10) along the at least one outer line of weakness;scoring a first inner line of weakness formed in the inner structure (42), the first inner line of weakness defining an inner opening portion (88) that is separable from the inner structure (42) along the first inner line of weakness, wherein:the inner opening portion (88) is joined to the outer opening portion (86) such that lifting the outer opening portion (86) out of the plane of the flexible packaging structure causes the inner opening portion (88) to be lifted along with the outer opening portion (86) so as to create an opening through the flexible packaging structure; anda marginal region (90) of the outer opening portion (86) is defined between the inner and outer lines of weakness, the marginal region (90) overlying an underlying surface of the inner structure (42); andscoring at least one line of weakness to form a tab (23)characterized in that:the at least one outer line of weakness terminates in at least one tear receiving element adjacent the opening end of the laminate;the at least one line of weakness that defines the tab (23) is formed through both the outer structure (10) and the inner structure (42), wherein the at least one outer line of weakness terminates in at least one tear propagating element;the flexible laminate further comprises a second inner line of weakness formed in the inner structure (42), wherein the second inner line of weakness is disposed between the at least one tear propagating element of the tab (23) and the at least one tear receiving element of the at least one outer line of weakness; and the method further comprises:forming the scored laminate into a packaging structure having a first sidewall comprising the tab (23) and a second sidewall, wherein the tab (23) is disposed within an end seal region of the first sidewall;end sealing the first sidewall to the second sidewall such that the tab (