Reclosable package or bag with double zipper or similar configuratiion
The zipper profiles have a complex shape, such as a double zipper configuration. The apparatus for the manufacture thereof includes an extrusion die and further includes a main or primary extruder for the supply of material, such as low density polyethylene, to form the tubing for the manufacture of reclosable packages, bags or pouches. The apparatus further includes at least one secondary extruder, or co-extruder, for the extruding of each reclosable profile onto the tubing. The speed of the co-extruders is controlled so as to control the extrusion of the reclosable profiles.
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. ______, filed Jul. 15, 2008, entitled “Method to Accurately Control Size, Velocity, and Relative Position Sets of Reclosable Mechanism” which claims priority of provisional application Ser. No. 60/961,752, filed on Jul. 24, 2007. The present application further claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of said provisional application serial no. 60/961,752, filed on Jul. 24, 2007.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zipper for reclosable packages or bags wherein the profile includes a double zipper configuration.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art of reclosable packages and bags, it has been envisioned that complex zipper shapes, such as a double zipper configuration, could provide enhanced sealing capability and wide-spread customer approval.
However, in the prior art of the manufacture of zippers and similar devices for reclosable plastic film, bags or pouches, the velocity of the delivery of the resin to the profiles or to the locking elements, such as would be required for the manufacture of complex locking mechanisms, could not be accurately controlled by such elements as a choke device. This inability to accurately control the resin velocity made it difficult to extrude complex locking mechanisms at a reasonable cost and production rate.
Further prior art includes methods where the zipper tape is extruded, wound and then, in a secondary process, unwound, heated and attached to the film. Still further prior art may be found in published patent application US2005/0269733 A1 entitled “Method of and Apparatus for Forming Multiple Closure Elements”. Other prior art is found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,137,736 to Pawloski as well as U.S. published applications 2005/0271307; 2005/0271308; 2004/0234172 and 2004/0234173.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is therefore an object of the present invention to provide complex locking mechanisms for reclosable interlocking elements, such as a zipper profile on a flexible film plastic package, bag or pouch, and the apparatus for the manufacture thereof, at a reasonable cost and production rate.
It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide accurate control of the velocity of the resin flow delivered to the profile at its point of juncture with the film or tubing of the reclosable plastic package, bag or pouch.
It is therefore a still further object of the present invention to improve adhesion of closure elements to the body of the package, bag or pouch by preventing exposure of the contact surfaces.
These and other objects are attained by cooling the integral profile tubing and drawing it in a negative ratio whereby the circumference of the cooled and drawn finished tubing is less than the circumference of the die plate. The resin for the profile interlocking elements is delivered from a co-extruder through a separate channel, or several separate channels, to the die body and thence to the die plate, where the resin is joined to the film (tubing) at a controlled rate, with the control being the speed of the co-extruder drive.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, one sees that
Secondary extruders 30, 34 include respective secondary extruder material hoppers 32, 36 supplying material, such as resin (which may be colored or uncolored), for the formation of the reclosable profiles. The use of colored resin allows the user to see and handle the profiles more easily. The resin, or similar material, may be the same in secondary extruders 30, 34 or may be different (including such characteristics as color). It is envisioned, however, that the primary extruder 14 would supply a flexible, soft and pliable material while the secondary extruders 30, 34 would supply a more rigid, robust material for forming reclosable profiles 102, 104. The resin, or similar material, is provided via respective secondary supply channels 38, 40 (typically implemented as heated hoses) and respective secondary die body supply channels 42, 44 to the die plate, where it is joined to the tubing 100 at a controlled rate (as well as a controlled temperature), with the control being the speed of the drive of the secondary extruders 30, 34, thereby forming reclosable profiles 102, 104 on tubing 100. The resin (or other material) from the secondary extruders 30, 34 for forming the reclosable profiles 102, 104 does not come into contact with the material (tube or film 100) from the primary extruder 14 until it reaches the extrusion die plate 13 typically approximately one half inch (although other distances are envisioned) before both exit the extrusion die body 12. The control of the speed of the drive of the secondary extruders 30, 34 and or control of the temperature of the resin or similar material provided to the secondary supply channels 38, 40 (is, in turn, typically controlled by CPU 200 or a similar processing device) thereby provides the ability to extrude more complex shapes of the interlocking elements than was previously possible. Additionally, it is envisioned that as many as nine, or even more, secondary extruders may be used, with respective material supplies and secondary supply channels to form the various complex shapes.
The resulting configuration typically has many or all of the following advantages:
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- 1. the velocity and speed of the resin for the locking mechanism is controlled separately from that of the tubing;
- 2. the velocity of the resin for the interlocking elements is controlled accurately and separately from that of the tubing;
- 3. the distance between sets of profiles is controlled;
- 4. more complex locking mechanisms may be manufactured;
- 5. the cooling rate of the interlocking elements is accurately controlled;
- 6. more complex multiple interlocking elements are possible;
- 7. interlocking elements with separators between the interlocking elements can be provided;
- 8. the shapes, construction and structural characteristics of the interlocking elements are controlled, including profiles with multiple interlocking elements;
- 9. the tubing may have two or more sets of profiles, each set provided with separate sources of profile control;
- 10. the separate resin source can be a co-extruder (or secondary extruder);
- 11. the profiles are provided with multiple interlocking elements;
- 12. a co-extruder (or secondary extruder) can provide resin flows to several sets of profiles or a separate co-extruder (or secondary extruder) can be used for each resin flow;
- 13. the flow of resin to the profiles can be controlled, so that the profiles cool at a controlled rate; and
- 14. the speed of the profile extrusion can be controlled so that the speed of the profile extrusion and the speed of the film extrusion are equal when the profile and the film come into contact with each other.
The double zipper embodiment of
Furthermore,
Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A zipper for a reclosable package or bag, the zipper including first and second interlocking profiles, the zipper formed a method including the following steps:
- providing a primary extruder;
- providing at least one secondary extruder;
- providing an extrusion die plate with a primary channel for receiving primary material from the primary extruder for forming a film; and
- providing the extrusion die plate further including at least one secondary channel for receiving secondary material from the at least one secondary extruder for forming the first and second reclosable zipper profiles.
2. The zipper of claim 1 wherein the method for forming the zipper further includes the step of providing a control device for controlling velocity of flow of the secondary material to provide desired shapes of the reclosable zipper profiles.
3. The zipper of claim 2 wherein the first interlocking profile includes first and second male elements and the second interlocking profile includes first and second female elements for receiving the respective first and second male elements.
4. The zipper of claim 3 wherein the first and second male elements terminate in respective first and second enlarged elements.
5. The zipper of claim 3 wherein the first and second enlarged elements include a first side which is more enlarged than a second side.
6. The zipper of claim 5 wherein the zipper is more easily separated when force is applied to one side rather than another side.
7. The zipper of claim 3 wherein the first and second female elements are supported by respective first and second stems.
8. The zipper of claim 3 wherein the first and second female elements each include two J-shaped arms for engaging the respective first and second enlarged elements of the respective first and second male elements.
9. The zipper of claim 2 wherein the first interlocking profile includes a first male element and a first female element and the second interlocking profile includes a second male element and a second female element, wherein the first and second female elements receive the respective first and second male elements.
10. The zipper of claim 9 wherein the first and second male elements terminate in respective first and second enlarged elements.
11. The zipper of claim 9 wherein the first and second enlarged elements include a first side which is more enlarged than a second side.
12. The zipper of claim 11 wherein the zipper is more easily separated when force is applied to one side rather than another side.
13. The zipper of claim 9 wherein the first and second female elements are supported by respective first and second stems.
14. The zipper of claim 9 wherein the first and second female elements each include two J-shaped arms for engaging the respective first and second enlarged elements of the respective first and second male elements.
15. The zipper of claim 2 wherein the first interlocking profile includes first and second male elements and the second interlocking profile includes first and second female elements for receiving the respective first and second male elements, and wherein the first interlocking profile further includes a third female element between the first and second male elements and the second interlocking profile further includes a third male element between the first and second female elements.
16. The zipper of claim 15 wherein the first, second and third male elements terminate in respective first, second and third enlarged elements.
17. The zipper of claim 15 wherein the first, second and third enlarged elements include a first side which is more enlarged than a second side.
18. The zipper of claim 17 wherein the zipper is more easily separated when force is applied to one side rather than another side.
19. The zipper of claim 15 wherein the first, second and third female elements are supported by respective first, second and third stems.
20. The zipper of claim 15 wherein the first, second and third female elements each include two J-shaped arms for engaging the respective first, second and third enlarged elements of the respective first, second and third male elements.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 24, 2008
Publication Date: Jan 29, 2009
Inventors: Roy Kosub (Seguin, TX), Victor Matias (New Braunfels, TX)
Application Number: 12/220,371
International Classification: A44B 19/02 (20060101); A44B 19/04 (20060101);