RECLOSABLE AIRTIGHT CONTAINER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE

• US 20180057220A1
• Filed: 08/26/2016
• Published: 03/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Packaging Solutions Limited (Teck Keung Manufacturing Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Global Packaging Solutions Limited (Teck Keung Manufacturing Ltd.)
• Inventors: BRANSON, Mark E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,640,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/2541 characterised by the slide fastener, e.g. adapted to interlock with a sheet between the interlocking members having sections of particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 45/00 Folding thin material specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of particular products, see appropriate subclasses, e.g. D06F89/00

Abstract

The present invention includes a reclosable bag having first and second walls and an open top defined by first and second elongate flexible fastener strips attached to the first and second walls, respectively, adjacent the top of the walls. One of the fastener strips has a profile portion forming at least one groove and the other fastener strip has a profile portion forming at least one rib with a portion of each rib received and retained in one of said grooves when the bag top is closed. Each of the fastener strips has a base connected to the respective wall, and each of the strips has an upper edge adjacent the upper edge of the other strip. Third and fourth fastener strips are located within the bag walls parallel to and below the first and second fastener strips. The third and fourth fattener strips have one or more pairs of ribs and grooves. An inverted slider is mounted on the second and third fastener strips within the bag and is movable in one direction longitudinally of the third and fourth fastener strips to progressively separate the one or more rib from the one or more grooves to open the bag: the slider is also being movable in the opposite direction to progressively return the one or more rib portion to a retained condition in the one or more groove to close the bag. A plow extends from the slider to the exterior of said bag above the top of said bag. The plow has a finger tab extending affixed thereto at the distal end thereof. The plow is constructed and arranged to selectively separate said first and second rib and groove and to move said slider within said bag to separate said third and fourth rib and groove when said plow is moved longitudinally along said fastener strips from a first end of said strips to a second end of said strips. The plow is also constructed and arranged to slide said slider longitudinally along the third and fourth fastener strips from said second end and back to said first end so as to interlock said third and fourth ribs and groves and seal said third and fourth fastener strips within said bag. Alternatively, the Claim 1 first and second fastener strips may be selectively sealed by pressing the outer walls of said bag together proximate said first and second fastener strips so as to longitudinally interlock said first and second fastener strips together.

Claims

1. In a reclosable bag having first and second walls and an open top defined by first and second elongate flexible fastener strips attached to the first and second walls, respectively, adjacent the top of the walls, one of the fastener strips having a profile portion forming at least one groove and the other fastener strip having a profile portion forming at least one rib with a portion of each rib received and retained in one of said grooves when the bag top is closed, each of the fastener strips having a base connected to the respective wall, and each of the strips having an upper edge adjacent the upper edge of the other strip, third and fourth fastener strips located within the bag walls parallel to and below the first and second fastener strips, said third and fourth fastener strips having one or more pairs of ribs and grooves;

an inverted slider mounted on the third and fourth fastener strips within the bag and movable in one direction longitudinally of the third and fourth fastener strips to progressively separate the one or more rib from the one or more grooves to open the bag, and the slider being movable in the opposite direction to progressively return the one or more rib portion to a retained condition in the one or more groove to close the bag;

wherein the slider comprises of inwardly facing flanges separated by a predetermined distance at least less than a combined width of the fastener strips when partially engaged such that fastener strips are easily opened but substantially leakproof and airtight when sealed.

2. The bag of claim 1 and further comprising, a plow extending from said slider to the exterior of said bag above the top of said bag walls;

said plow having a finger tab affixed thereto and extending therefrom at the distal end thereof, said plow being constructed and arranged to move said slider so as to selectively separate said first and second rib and groove when moved longitudinally in a first direction and simultaneously to move said slider within said bag to separate said third and fourth rib and groove when said plow is moved longitudinally along said fastener strips from a first end of said strips to a second end of said strips.

3. The bag of claim 2 and wherein:

the plow is integral with the slider and is made of one integral homogenous unit of plastic.

4. The bag of claim 3 wherein said plow is constructed and arrange to slide said slider longitudinally along said third and fourth fastener strips from said second end and back to said first end so as to interlock said third and fourth ribs and groves and seal said third and fourth fastener strips within said bag.

5. The bag of claim 1 wherein said first and second fastener strips may be selectively sealed by manually pressing the outer walls of said bag together proximate said first and second fastener strips and manually interlocking said first and second fastener strips together longitudinally.

6. The bag of claim 1 wherein said slider has first and second travel-end stop positions on said first and second strips, the first stop position being the bag-closed stop position, and the second being the bag-opened stop position.

11. The reclosable bag of claim 1 wherein the proximal and distal ends of each of said fastener strips are ultrasonically sealed to each other and to said bag walls proximate the lateral edge of said bag.

7. A bag closure assembly comprising:

first and second elongate flexible strips securable to marginal portions of a bag opening, on first and second bag walls respectively, of a bag one of the strips having a profile portion forming a groove and the other strip having a profile portion forming a rib with a portion received and retained in the groove to hold the strips together, each of the strips having an upper edge adjacent the upper edge of the other strip;

a slider mounted on said first and second flexible strips and movable in one direction longitudinally of said first and second flexible strips to progressively separate the rib from the groove to separate the first and second flexible strips, and the slider being movable in the opposite direction to progressively return the rib portion to a retained condition in the groove to join the strips; and

a separator situated in the slider and having a proximal portion attached to the slider and having a distal portion residing in the groove;

wherein the slider comprises of inwardly facing flanges separated by a predetermined distance at least less than a combined width of the fastener strips when partially engaged such that fastener strips are easily opened but substantially leakproof and airtight when sealed.

third and fourth fastener strips mounted horizontally within said first and second bag walls, one of the strips having a profile portion forming a groove and the other strip having a profile portion forming a rib with a portion received and retained in the groove to hold the strips together and below said first and second fastener strips, one of the strips having a profile portion forming a grove and the other strip having a profile portion forming a rib with a portion received and retained in the groove to hold the strip together when said separator is moved longitudinally along said fastener strips from a first and other said strips to a second and of said strips,

a plow extending from said slider to the exterior of said bag above the top of said bag;

said plow having a finger tab extending affixed thereto at the distal end thereof, said plow being constructed and arranged to selectively separate said first and second rib and groove and to move said slider within said bag when said plow is moved longitudinally along said fastener strips from a first end of said strips to a second end of said strips or conversely to engage said first, second, third and fourth ribs and grooves when said plow is moved longitudinally along said fastener strips from said second end of said strip back to said first end of said strips.

8. The bag closure assembly of claim 7 wherein the separator is integral with the slider and is made of one integral homogenous unit of plastic.

9. The bag closure assembly of claim 7 wherein the separator has a first side which is constructed and arranged for entering between the touching edges of the fastener strips which pivots the ribs downward to separate the ribs from the grooves when the slider is moved in the one direction, thereby wedging the fastener strips apart.

10. The bag closure assembly of claim 9 wherein the separator has a second side and wherein and the slider has interior walls that converge to squeeze the fastener strips together when the slider is moved in said opposite direction.

12. A method of making reclosable bags, said method comprising the steps of:

extruding a length of thermoplastic film in a folded configuration, said thermoplastic film having opposed longitudinal edges;

simultaneously extruding a first pair of fastener strips on said opposite longitudinal edges and a second pair of fastener strips below said first pair of fastener strips;

interlocking said fastener strips, coiling said film and said fastener strips, applying sliders at spaced intervals to said fastener strips, each of said strips including an interlocking profile, each of said profiles having an interlocking member interlockable with the interlocking member of the other profile;

each of the sliders having a plow and a finger tab said plow extending between said fastener profiles and said finger tab extending above said bag walls;

cross-sealing said film tube to form a first side of a bag;

cross-sealing said film tube at a distance from said first side to form a second side of said bag so as to capture a single slider between said first and second sides; and

cutting said bag from said film tube;

wherein each bag is provided with two zippers and a slider for opening and closing the two zippers.

13. An apparatus for making reclosable bags comprising:

means for extruding a length of thermoplastic film having opposite longitudinal edges;

means for folding said thermoplastic film into a tube so as to bring said longitudinal edges into adjacent relationship;

means for simultaneously extruding a first pair of fastener strips and a second pair of fasteners strips;

means for cooling said film and said fastener ships;

means for attaching a plurality of sliders onto said fastener strips including two interlocking profiles, each of said profiles having an interlocking fastener strip member interlockable with the interlocking member of the other profile said sliders being at spaced intervals with respect to each other;

means for cross-sealing said tube to form a first side of a bag;

means for cross-sealing said tube at a distance from said first side to form a second side of said bag so as to capture a single slider between said first and second sides; and

means for cutting said bag from said tube;

wherein each bag will be provided with a zipper and a slider for opening and closing the zipper each of the sliders having a plow and a finger tab, said plow extending between said fastener profiles and said finger tab extending above said bag walls cross-sealing said film tube to form a first side of a bag;

cross-sealing said film tube at a distance from said first side to form a second side of said bag so as to capture a single slider between said first and second sides; and

cutting said bag from said film tube;

wherein each bag is provided with two zippers and a slider for opening and closing the two zippers.

15. In a reclosable bag having first and second walls and an open top defined by first and second elongate flexible fastener strips attached to the first and second walls, respectively, adjacent the top of the walls, one of the fastener strips having a profile portion forming a groove and the other fastener strip having a profile portion forming a rib with a portion of the rib received and retained in the groove when the bag top is closed, each of the fastener strips having a base connected to the respective wall, and each of the strips having an upper edge adjacent the upper edge of the other strip, and the bag having an inverted slider mounted on the fastener strips within the bag and movable in one direction longitudinally of the fastener strips to progressively separate the rib from the groove to open the bag, and the slider being movable in the opposite direction to progressively return the rib portion to a retained condition in the groove to close the bag;

the slider having a plow and a finger tab, said plow extending between said fastener profiles and said finger tab extending above said bag walls;

cross-sealing a film tube to form a first side of a bag;

cross-sealing said film tube at a distance from said first side to form a second side of said bag so as to capture a single slider between said first and second sides; and

cutting said bag from said film tube;

wherein each bag is provided with two zippers and a slider for opening and closing the two zippers;

wherein the slider comprises of inwardly facing flanges separated by a predetermined distance at least less than a combined width of the fastener strips when partially engaged such that fastener strips are easily opened but substantially leakproof and airtight when sealed.

14. An apparatus according to claim 17 and further comprising means for interlocking said fastener strips.

16. The bag of claim 15 and wherein:

the slider has first and second travel-end stop positions on the strips, the first stop position being the bag-closed stop position, and the second being the bag-opened stop position.

17. The reclosable bag of claim 15 wherein each of said fastener strips have proximal and distal end, said proximal and distal ends of each of said fastener strips being ultrasonically sealed to each other and to said bag walls proximate the lateral edge of said bag.