Zippered bag and a method for manufacturing same

• US 6,986,729 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2004
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hosokawa Yoko Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hosokawa Yoko Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Tooru, Go, Kou
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Louis K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tawfik, Sameh H.
• Application Number:
  US10/847,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20040208398A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 493/394, 493/162, 493/213, 493/214, 493/405, 493/927, 493/114, 531/334, 531/392
• US Class Current: 493/213
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14336 Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article B29C45/14573 and B29C45/14598 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/0255 for extruding parallel streams of material, e.g. several separate parallel streams of extruded material forming separate articles B29C48/0013, B29C48/345 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/155 Partial coating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/56 Stoppers or lids for bottles, jars, or the like , e.g. closures
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7128 Bags, sacks, sachets tea bags B29L2031/7122; medical bags B29L2031/7148
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7282 Snap fasteners, clips, press-buttons
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/8131 Making bags having interengaging closure elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/2508 using slide fasteners with interlocking members having a substantially uniform section throughout the length of the fastener; Sliders therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/2533 the slide fastener being located between the product compartment and the tamper indicating means
• 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: B65D 75/008 Standing pouches, i.e. "Standbeutel"
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5816 for tearing a corner or other small portion next to the edge, e.g. a U-shaped portion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 24/50 including member having elongated, resilient, interlocking face with identical, parallel cross-sections throughout its length
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 493/927 Reclosable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45168 for container [e.g., bag]

Abstract

A zippered bag comprises a main bag body having first and second opposing face members, a top, a bottom, and first and second opposing sides; and a zipper disposed on the main bag body. The zipper extends from the top to one of the first and second opposing sides so as to be oblique relative to the top. The zipper may comprise a male track and a female track engageable therewith. The male track and the female track may be formed by an injection molding. Each of the male track and the female track may comprise a main portion and end portions provided on opposite ends of the main portion, each of the end portions having a smaller height than that of the main portion.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a zippered bag comprising the steps of:

folding a sheet of film to provide first and second opposing face members, said first and second opposing face members having a bottom edge, first and second opposing side edges and opposing top edges;

folding upper portions of said first and second opposing face members outward along reference lines, which respectively extend on said first and second opposing face members in parallel with said opposing top edges so as to be apart therefrom by a prescribed distance, to provide first and second folded portions with their inner surfaces exposed;

heat-sealing said first and second opposing side edges together except said first and second folded portions;

subjecting said first and second folded portions to an injection molding to form a male track on the inner surface exposed of one of said first and second folded portions and a female track on the inner surface exposed of an other of said first and second folded portions, said male track and said female track being placed along straight lines, which extend from respective side edges of said first and second folded portions to respective top edges thereof, said male track and said female track being engageable with each other to constitute a zipper;

unfolding said first and second folded portions to bring the opposing side edges of the one of said first and second folded portions into contact with the opposing side edges of the other thereof to convert said first and second folded portions into first and second unfolded portions unfolded portions and engage said male track with said female track to keeping said zipper in a closed state so as to be oblique relative to said opposing top edges, thus providing upper and lower engaging points of the zipper;

heat-sealing the opposing side edges of one of said first and second unfolded portions to the opposing side edges of an other thereof, respectively, to form a first upper-side heat-sealed portion including said lower engaging point and a second upperside heatsealed portion; and

heat-sealing the top edges of said first and second unfolded portions together in a region from said upper engaging point to an upper end of said first upper-side heat-sealed portion, thus forming a nonsealed opening portion in a region from said upper engaging point to un upper end of said second upperside heatsealed portion.