RECLOSABLE BAG WITH TEAR OPEN FEATURE
A reclosable back-seam bag having a top seal and a bottom seal, and a front wall and a back wall is disclosed. The front wall is joined to the back wall at the top seal and the bottom seal. The reclosable back-seam bag includes a reclosable fastener that includes two ends, a first continuous elongated profile strip having a front wall connecting flange and a second continuous elongated profile strip having a back wall connecting flange. The first continuous elongated profile strip includes a male interlocking profile having at least one male interlocking member, and the second continuous elongated profile strip includes a female interlocking profile having at least one female interlocking member. The male interlocking member is configured so as to cause the male interlocking profile to be separated from the female interlocking profile with a substantially equal opening force when being separated in a direction toward said top seal as when separated in a direction toward said bottom seal. At least one frangible access portion disposed substantially parallel to said reclosable fastener assembly may be provided to expose the releasable fastener assembly and/or the contents of the bag.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application Ser. No. 10/788,093, which was filed on Feb. 26, 2004, which is a division of application Ser. No. 09/660,210, filed on Sep. 12, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,612, which is a division of application Ser. No. 09/257,560, filed on Feb. 25, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,060, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/118,575, filed on Jul. 17, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,369. This application is also a continuation-in-part of co-pending application Ser. No. 10/831,989, which was filed on Apr. 26, 2004, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/415,696 filed on Oct. 12, 1999. The content of these applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis present invention generally relates to reclosable plastic bags, and a method of their manufacture that is more efficient and economical than conventional methods and devices, and in particular to reclosable bags which can be torn open to access their content.
Current reclosable bags have been designed in to provide ease of use for users. However, there are shortcomings in the currently available reclosable bags. As an example, consider prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,030,122 to Ramsey et al (“Ramsey '122 patent”). A particular problem with the Ramsey '122 technique is that a greater amount of force is required to open the reclosable fasteners from outside the bag than the amount of force required to tear open the bag from the middle. Such disproportionate amount of force may damage the reclosable bag or even the contents of the reclosable bag when a user opens the bag.
Consider further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,845 to Yeager (“Yeager '845 patent”). There are at least two definitive shortcomings with the technology described therein. The first shortcoming relates to the problem of having to open the zipper completely from the front panel of the finished bag. Users of reclosable bags and packaging are accustomed to opening the profiled fastener from the “top” of the package, and not from the front panel of the package. Hence, the user will have to become accustomed to an unfamiliar or uncomfortable manner in which to open a bag.
The second shortcoming is more serious, and relates to the requirement of opening the package from the front panel thereof. If the package is to be opened from the front panel, a cut or perforation must be made before the fastener is applied. This cut, or perforation, is generally shaped like an “oval” with opening “tabs” for gaining access to the fastener. Since the fastener, most likely, is not closed at the ends of the fastener, the possibility of contamination exists.
The most expedient and economical way to make the package is to create the cut, or perforation, in one operation, just upstream of the fastener strip application. This operation, in its simplest form, will leave openings for potential contamination to pass through the cut or perforated front panel opening. To overcome this contamination potential, users of this method add a great deal more cost and complexity to create a sealed, sealable “patch”, or some other means of eliminating this contamination risk. The same problem occurs, if the package must be hermetically sealed.
Hence, there exists a need to solve the problems in the art that are articulated above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, among other advantages, the reclosable bag described herein overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a reclosable back-seam bag that provides a hermetic seal by sealing a bag body with a top seal, a bottom seal, a back seam seal, and a plurality of seals sealing a reclosable fastener with flanges to a front wall and, in some cases, to a back wall of the bag body. In another embodiment, a reclosable bag can be configured as a side-seam bag having one web of film folded along a longitudinal fold to form two half webs of film, and having top edges of each of the two half webs of film sealed together to form a side seam. In another embodiment, the reclosable bag is configured as having two webs of film that are sealed together along respective edges of the two webs of film to form four side seams, each of the two webs of film having an inside surface, and the back wall having two sides, each side being defined between each of the four side seams and a respective one of the two webs of film.
The reclosable bag includes a reclosable fastener assembly that includes two ends, a first continuous elongated profile strip and a second continuous elongated profile strip. The first continuous elongated profile strip and the second continuous elongated profile strip provide a seal upon interconnection thereof.
A seal is provided at each end of the reclosable fastener assembly. The reclosable bag is further provided with a first continuous elongated profile strip that has a front wall connecting flange and a gripping flange. Both the front wall connecting flange and the gripping flange have a width greater than a width of the first continuous elongated profile strip to assist in positioning and sealing of the reclosable fastener to web stock. The front wall-connecting flange is sealed to the front wall of the bag.
A frangible access that is substantially parallel to the reclosable fastener assembly may be provided through the front wall of the bag by means of one or more score lines. Upon opening, the frangible access exposes the reclosable fastener assembly. The frangible access may be disposed on the front wall or the back wall of the bag body adjacent the reclosable fastener assembly and above the bottom seal.
In one example, a reclosable back-seam bag includes a gripping flange that includes a continuous rib disposed at a distal end of the gripping flange and/or a plurality of continuous, substantially parallel ribs disposed on the gripping flange. The ribs and the gripping flange provide a user with ease of opening of the reclosable fastener once the frangible access has been opened.
In another example, a method of making a reclosable back-seam bag. The method includes the steps of providing a rectangular sheet of polymeric material having an inside surface. A predetermined length of a reclosable fastener including two ends, and a first continuous elongated profile strip interlocked with a second continuous elongated profile strip is provided, and a front wall connecting flange of the reclosable fastener is connected to the inside surface of the rectangular sheet.
The method includes the step of forming a bag body having a front wall and a back wall. The back wall is formed by folding the rectangular sheet of film along two longitudinal folds, and overlapping and sealing edges of the rectangular sheet.
The method further includes joining the front wall to the back wall at a bottom seal, and connecting a back wall connecting flange to the inside surface of the rectangular sheet and the back wall of the bag at a back wall connecting seal. A frangible access substantially parallel to the reclosable fastener being disposed on the front wall of the bag body adjacent the reclosable fastener and below the back wall connecting seal is provided for exposing the reclosable fastener. The method also includes providing a top seal above the frangible access.
In another example, a first continuous elongated profile strip having a male interlocking profile includes at least one male interlocking member. Also provided is a second continuous elongated profile strip having a female interlocking profile that includes at least one female interlocking member. The first continuous elongated profile strip can be releasably connected to the second continuous elongated profile strip by engaging the male interlocking member with the female interlocking member. However, in a preferred embodiment, the male interlocking member is provided in an open disengaged position in the bag when the bag is sealed. Thus, the bag may be easily opened by pinching the front and back walls of the bag and separating the walls until the top seal is ruptured or peeled open. The open configuration of the fasteners facilitates such opening. Subsequently, easy access is permitted from either the top of the bag, or from rupturing the frangible access portion located above the bottom seal, and then, separating the fastener profile.
The features described below, other than those specifically set forth above, will become apparent in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments set forth below and in the drawings.
Bag 100 includes reclosable fastener assembly 130 (
Any of the seals described herein can be made by a variety of devices including heat sealers, ultrasonic sealers, and other devices known in the art. The seals also may be made with an adhesive.
A continuous airtight and/or watertight lower seal 146 is disposed along the length L of the reclosable fastener assembly 130 and may be positioned below the profile strips 136, 138. It is appreciated that seal 146 is placed such that seal 146 connects the reclosable fastener assembly 130 to the front wall 108 prior to rectangular sheet of film 112 being formed into a tubular structure precursor of bag body 102. That is, seal 146 may connect reclosable fastener assembly 130 to rectangular sheet of film 112 while the sheet of film is still in a substantially flat state (
A continuous airtight and/or watertight upper seal 148 along the length L of the reclosable fastener assembly is positioned above the profile strips 136, 138. The upper seal 148 connects the reclosable fastener to back wall 110. Upper seal 148 may be made after the bag body 102 is substantially complete, e.g. after the bag body 102 has been substantially completed on a form fill and seal machine. This may be accomplished by sealing jaws on the form fill and seal machine.
In an embodiment, reclosable back-seam bag 100 may include a first continuous elongated profile strip 136 that has a front wall connecting flange 140 and a gripping flange 142 (
By way of example, front wall connecting flange 140 can be sealed to front wall 108 at inside surface 124′. Similarly, second continuous elongated profile strip 138 has a back wall-connecting flange 144. The back wall connecting flange 144 has a width W′″ greater than a width W″ of the second continuous elongated profile strip 138, and in a variant a width greater than gripping flange 142. Back wall connecting flange 140 is sealed to back wall 110 at back wall connecting seal 148.
To improve the appearance and air and watertightness of bag 100, the length L of the reclosable fastener assembly 130 is preferably configured to be less than the width W of back wall 110 (
In another embodiment, reclosable back seam bag 100 includes a frangible access 154 (
Back wall 110 of bag body 102 may be formed from rectangular sheet of film 112 (
In one embodiment, the back wall 110 can be formed from one web of film folded along a longitudinal fold to form two half webs of film. The top edges of each of the two half webs of film can then be sealed together to form a side seam. In this embodiment, the back wall 110 has two sides, each side being defined between the side seam and a respective one of the longitudinal folds. Further, in this embodiment, the front wall connecting flange 146 may be connected to the inside surface of one web of film and the front wall 108 of the bag body 102 at a front wall seal 146. In this embodiment, the front wall seal 146 may be substantially parallel to the top seal 104 and spaced between the bottom seal 106 and the profile strips 136, 138. Also the back wall connecting flange 144 can be connected to the inside surface of the one web of film and the back wall at a back wall connecting seal such that the back wall connecting seal is spaced between the profile strips and the top seal 104. In this embodiment, a side seal can be disposed at each end of the reclosable fastener such that the side seal connects an end of the reclosable fastener to the inside surface of the one web of film inwardly of the longitudinal folds of the bag body to thereby prevent air or liquids from entering or leaving the bag through the ends of the reclosable fastener.
In another embodiment, the back wall 110 can be formed from two webs of film that are sealed together along respective edges of the two webs of film to form four side seams. Each of the two webs of film has an inside surface. The back wall 110 has two sides, each side being defined between each of the four side seams and a respective one of the two webs of film. In this embodiment, the front wall connecting flange 146 may be being connected to said inside surface of each of the two webs of film and the front wall 108 of the bag body 102 at a front wall seal 146. In this embodiment, the front wall seal 146 may be substantially parallel to the top seal 104 and spaced between the bottom seal 106 and the profile strips 136, 138. Also the back wall connecting flange 144 can be connected to the inside surface of each of the two webs of film and the back wall at a back wall connecting seal, such that the back wall connecting seal is spaced between the profile strips and the top seal 104. In this embodiment, a side seal can be disposed at each end of the reclosable fastener such that the side seal connects an end of the reclosable fastener to the inside surface of each of the two webs of film inwardly of the bag body thereby preventing air or liquids from entering or leaving the bag through the ends of the reclosable fastener.
Reclosable fastener 130 includes two ends 132, 134, a first continuous elongated profile strip 136 and a second continuous elongated profile strip 138. The first continuous elongated profile strip 136 may be releasably connected to the second continuous elongated profile strip 138. Strip 136 is matable to strip 138, and either strip 136 or strip 138 can be complementary male and female strips as required. More of the features of strips 136 and 138 are described later below.
In an embodiment, first continuous elongated profile strip 136 can be configured with a front wall connecting flange 140 and a gripping flange 142. Front wall connecting flange 140 may be heat sealed or ultrasonically sealed to rectangular sheet of film 112 while film 112 can be in a substantially flat state (
Both front wall connecting flange 140 and gripping flange 142 have widths W″″, W″″ greater than a width W″ of the first continuous elongated profile strip 136. Second continuous elongated profile strip 138 may include a back wall-connecting flange 144. In an embodiment, width W′ of gripping flange 142 is about 0.8 centimeters, and width W″ of strip 136 is about 0.3 centimeters. Back wall connecting flange 144 has a width W′″ greater than a width W″ of second continuous elongated profile strip 138. Width W′″ of flange 144 is about 1.7 centimeters in a embodiment, and W″ is about 0.3 centimeters. Gripping flange 142 may allow for a user to easily open the interlocked strips 136, 138, by grasping flange 142 and back wall connecting flange 144 and separating the flanges 142, 144. Width W″″ of the gripping flange 142 may be substantially less than width W′″ of the back wall connecting flange 144. It is appreciated that the use of these widths facilitates the placement of back wall connecting seal 148 such that the gripping flange 142 does not interfere with the sealing process.
To aid in the formation of the airtight and/or watertight seals used in the present invention, it is appreciated that the length L of the reclosable fastener 130 is less than the combined lengths of the two sides 126, 128 that form the back panel of bag body 102. In an embodiment, length L is about 21.5 centimeters.
Back wall connecting flange 144 can be connected to the inside surface 124 of the rectangular sheet of film 112 and the back wall 110 at a back wall connecting seal 148. Back wall connecting seal 148 may be spaced between profile strips 136, 138, and the top seal 104. In an embodiment of bag 100, bag 100 has the various seals placed as follows: Top seal 104 is disposed approximately 3 millimeters from the top of bag 100; Frangible access 154 is disposed about 4 millimeters below top seal 104; Back wall connecting seal 148 is disposed about 5 millimeters below frangible access 154; Profiles 136, 138 are disposed about 1.3 centimeters below back wall connecting seal 148; Front wall connecting flange 140 is disposed about 7 millimeters below profiles 136, 138; and, Bottom seal 106 is disposed about 30 centimeters below front wall connecting flange 140.
Side seals 150, 152 are placed at each end of the reclosable fastener assembly 130. Side seals 150, 152 provide an airtight and/or watertight seal between the inside surface 124 of film 112 and reclosable fastener assembly 130. Prior to the sealing of front wall connecting flange 140 to front wall 108, the ends 132, 134 of reclosable fastener 130 can be splotched. Splotching of reclosable fastener ends 132, 134 creates substantially flattened ends 162, 164 which facilitate the formation of the airtight and/or watertight seals of the invention.
A frangible access 154 can be cut between back wall connecting seal 148 and top seal 104 with a standard perforating die, and the like, access 154 is substantially parallel to the reclosable fastener 130 and exposes reclosable fastener 130 to a user. Frangible access 154 may be disposed on the front wall 108 and on the back wall 110 of the bag body 102 adjacent reclosable fastener 130 and above back wall connecting seal 148. It is appreciated that upon opening of frangible access 154, both front wall 108 and back wall 110 of bag 100 are severed. In an embodiment, frangible access 154 may comprise a plurality of perforations 156.
In an embodiment, first continuous elongated profile strip 136 and the second continuous elongated profile strip 138 each have respective back portions 158, 160 thereof (
Gripping flange 142 may include a continuous rib 166 disposed at a distal end 168 of the gripping flange 142. Gripping flange 142 can also include a plurality of continuous, substantially parallel ribs 170 disposed on the gripping flange 142.
Reclosable fastener assembly 130 can be manufactured in different forms. As an example, gripping flange 142 and front wall connecting flange 140 can be made from a single, extruded, flexible polymeric material. That is, gripping flange 142 and connecting flange 140 and profile strip 136 are extruded and form a continuous member. Similarly, second continuous profile strip 138 and the back wall-connecting flange 144 may be formed from an extruded, flexible polymeric material, and can be extruded such that they form a single continuous member. Back wall connecting flange 144 and front wall connecting flange 140 can be of a sufficient thickness to seal to the respective walls that they connect to, yet of a sufficient thickness not to seal to the inside surface 124 of walls 108, 110 that they are not to seal to when a predetermined amount of heat, pressure and dwell time are applied. A sufficient thickness is empirically determined depending on the type of film 112 used and the type of polymeric material used for profile strips 136,138, and flanges 140, 144.
In an embodiment, gripping flange 142 and the bag wall-connecting flange are made from a single web. First continuous profile strip 136 may be sealed to the web with an airtight and/or watertight seal (not shown). Similarly, strip 138 can be sealed to a second web.
A method of making a reclosable back-seam bag 100 is also provided herein. A rectangular sheet of polymeric material 112 having an inside surface 124 is provided in a substantially flat state (
The reclosable fastener 130 may be moved onto film 112 transverse to the length of the film 112 in one embodiment, or longitudinally across the length of the film 112 in another embodiment. Front wall connecting flange 140 is sealed with an airtight and/or watertight seal to the inside surface 124′ of the rectangular sheet of film 112 such that it is approximately centered thereon in relation to the width of the sheet of film 112. Bag body 102 can be formed on a conventional form, fill, and seal machine. Bag body 102 can be formed into a tube (not shown) such that a front wall 108 and a back wall 110 are formed. Back wall 110 is formed by folding the rectangular sheet of film 112 along two longitudinal folds 114, 116, and overlapping and sealing edges 118, 120 of the rectangular sheet of film 112. Back wall 110 has two sides 126, 128. Each side 126, 128 is defined between back seam 122 and a respective one of the longitudinal folds 114, 116. After the film is formed into a tube (not shown), front wall 108 is joined to the back wall 110 at a bottom seal 106. Bottom seal 106 can be made in conventional heat sealing jaws (not shown).
Back wall connecting flange 144 may be connected (e.g. by heat sealing) to the inside surface 124 of rectangular sheet 112 at what is now the back wall 110 of bag body 102 at back wall connecting seal 148.
The frangible access 154 can be configured substantially parallel to the reclosable fastener 130 for exposing releasable fastener 130. Access 154 is formed with a conventional perforating die, and is disposed on front wall 108 and on back wall 110 of the bag body 102 adjacent the reclosable fastener assembly 130 and above the back wall connecting seal 148.
The method then includes providing top seal 104 above the frangible access 154. Properly feeding, locating and sealing reclosable fastener 130 at predetermined locations on rectangular sheet of film 112 readily are important aspects of the method (
Reclosable fastener 130, which is generally about 3.5 centimeters wide, in one variant of the invention, is delivered in a cross web, stretched position, assuring squareness for positioning onto rectangular sheet of film 112. It is appreciated that the width and length of fastener 130 can be such that it accommodates the size of the bag body. The front wall seal 146 may be transverse to film 112.
In a preferred embodiment, when the reclosable back-seam bag 100 is desired to be opened, a user may pinch the front wall 108 and the back wall 110 using fingers of opposite hands, and then, open the bag 100 by pulling the pinched front wall 108 and back wall 110 apart from one another. Such mechanism may be referred to as “pinch-'n-pull”. The separation (i.e., pulling apart) of the front wall 108 from the back wall 110 allows the open male and female interlocking members 804, 808 to easily disengage from one another so that separation of the front wall 108 from the back wall 106 can cause the top seal 104 to separate from within as desired by a user.
It is contemplated that different configurations of the front wall connecting flange 140 associated with the first continuous elongated profile strip 136 and the back wall connecting flange 144 associated with the second continuous elongated profile strip 138 can be utilized to facilitate this pinch-'n-pull mechanism. As an example, in one embodiment (see
In an embodiment, the top seal 104 can be configured with an airtight and watertight seal that may be provided along an interconnection of a length of the first zipper patch 1106 and the second zipper patch 1140, and disposed in a location above the first zipper flange front wall seal 1102 and the first zipper flange back wall seal 1104. In this embodiment, the bag, first zipper patch and second patch can comprise a polyethylene material. In another embodiment, the top seal 104 can be configured with a permeable seal that may be provided along an interconnection of a length of the first zipper patch 1106 and the second zipper patch 1140. The permeable seal may be disposed in a location above the first zipper flange front wall seal 1102 and the first zipper flange back wall seal 1104. In this embodiment, the bag 100, first zipper patch 1106 and second zipper patch 1140 can be comprise a polypropylene material.
The reclosable bag can also include a frangible access portion 154 for exposing the contents of the reclosable bag. In this embodiment, the frangible access portion 154 is substantially parallel to the first zipper patch 1106 and may be provided through the front wall 108 of the reclosable bag by means of perforations. The reclosable bag can also contain one or more score lines 158 that may be disposed in on the front wall 108 and parallel to the frangible access portion 154 and the first zipper patch 1106. The frangible access portion 154 is disposed on the front wall 108 between a lower portion of the top seal 104 and the upper portion of the first zipper patch 1106. Upon tear opening, the frangible access portion 154 can then expose the contents of the bag 102.
In another embodiment, either tack seals (
At the cylinder 1729, a folding or wrapping arm device 1733 guides and wraps the web 1731 about the cylinder 1729 with the longitudinal margins of the web brought together into a longitudinal, laminar closure fin assembly 1734. Sealing of the fin assembly 1734 into a closure seam may be achieved by means of a pair of vertical sealing bars 1735 which are movable into clamping and sealing engagement with the closure fin assembly 1734, as indicated by the solid directional arrows 1737. Such vertical sealing bars may be configured with a sinusoidal wave seal (e.g., a sine wave seal 1750) that may serve to maintain the seals. The bars 1735 are then separable as indicated by the dashed arrows 1738 to release the heat sealed seam section of fin 1734 of the now closed bag forming tube of the web material.
The longitudinally sealed tube is advanced by bag length increments. Such advancement is achieved by means of a pair of horizontal, parallel bag end sealing bars 1739, which operate by clampingly engaging the bag web tube below the end of the cylindrical forming and filling nozzle member 1729 for simultaneously sealing the top end of a filled bag section 1720 and the bottom end of the next succeeding bag section. Such horizontal sealing bars 1739 may be configured with a sine wave seal 1750 that may serve to maintain the seals. The sealing bars 1739 may be configured to grip the bag web tube, and then move downwardly by a bag section length as indicated by the directional arrow 1740, so as to pull and advance the entire bag making tube one bag increment downwardly. As this occurs, the next succeeding bag can be filled with product that may be dropped down the cylinder 1729 from the hopper 1730. As the sealing and pull down bars 1739 reach the lower end of their sealing and pulldown stroke, a severance means such as a cutoff bar 1741 can cut midway across the seal 1742 that has been effected by the bars 1739, thus releasing the previously filled bags 1720 which may then be handled as desired, such as to be packed for market. Having completed its downstroke, the sealing bar and cutoff device 1739, 1741 may return as indicated by the dashed directional arrow 1743 to its starting position adjacent to the lower end of the cylinder 1729. It will be understood, of course, that operation of the vertical sealing bars 1735, and the horizontal sealing and pulldown bars 1739 are operated in coordinated cyclical relation, as is well known in the art for form, fill and seal machines of this type.
While this disclosure includes particular examples, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not so limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions, and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure upon a study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims.
Claims
1. A reclosable back-seam bag, comprising:
- a bag body having a top seal and a bottom seal, and a front wall and a back wall, the front wall being joined to the back wall at the top seal and the bottom seal;
- a first zipper patch having at least a first zipper flange front wall seal disposed on the front wall, and a second zipper patch having a first zipper flange back wall seal disposed on the back wall, said first zipper patch including a first zipper profile having a female interlocking profile, said second zipper patch including second zipper profile having a male interlocking profile, said first zipper profile being releasably connected to said second zipper profile strip by engaging the male interlocking profile with the female interlocking profile, wherein said male interlocking profile and said female interlocking profile are each configured to cause said male interlocking profile to be separated from said female interlocking profile with a substantially equal opening force when being separated in a direction toward said top seal as when separated in a direction toward said bottom seal; and
- at least one frangible access portion disposed substantially parallel to said zipper patch for exposing contents of the reclosable bag, said frangible access being disposed through said top seal of said bag body.
2. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 1, wherein the first zipper flange front wall seal is configured to have a length substantially similar to a length of the first zipper flange back wall seal.
3. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 1, wherein the first zipper patch is configured with a second zipper flange front wall seal disposed on the front wall such that the first zipper profile and the second zipper profile are prevented from jamming a bag making machine during manufacture.
4. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 1, wherein the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch are configured with tack-down seals to each other to maintain the second zipper flange back wall seal in a close proximity to the second zipper flange front wall seal such that the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch are prevented from jamming a bag making machine during manufacture.
5. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 1, wherein the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch are configured with at least one peelable adhesive that adheres the second zipper flange front wall seal to the second zipper flange back wall seal, the at least one peelable adhesive being configured to maintain the second zipper flange back wall seal in close proximity to the second zipper flange back wall seal such that the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch are prevented from jamming a bag making machine during manufacture.
6. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 1, wherein the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch are connected by a frangible membrane to maintain the second zipper flange back wall seal in close proximity to the second zipper flange front wall seal, and to prevent the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch from jamming a bag making machine during manufacture of the reclosable bag.
7. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 1, further comprising a flange overlap that is connected to at least one of the first zipper patch and/or the second zipper patch, the flange overlap being configured with at least one overlap seal that causes the flange overlap to adhere to at least one of the first zipper patch and/or the second zipper patch so as to maintain the second zipper flange front wall seal in close proximity to the second zipper flange back wall seal such that the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch are prevented from jamming a bag making machine during manufacture.
8. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 1, wherein the top seal comprises a peelable seal, the peelable seal being configured to be peeled open when the bag is opened.
9. A reclosable back-seam bag including a bag body having a top seal, a bottom seal, a front wall and a back wall, the front wall being joined to the back wall at the top seal and the bottom seal, comprising:
- a first zipper patch having a first zipper flange front wall seal disposed on the front wall, said first zipper patch including a female interlocking profile; and
- a second zipper patch having a first zipper flange back wall seal disposed on the back wall, said second zipper patch including a male interlocking profile, the male interlocking profile constructed and arranged to be releasably connected with the female interlocking profile, said first and second zipper patches each being shorter in length than the width of said bag, and wherein the male interlocking profile is disposed in a disengaged position relative to the female interlocking profile when the top seal is sealed and said bag is formed.
10. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 9, further comprising:
- at least one frangible access portion disposed substantially parallel to said first zipper patch for exposing contents of the reclosable bag, said frangible access being disposed through said top seal of said bag body.
11. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 10, wherein the first zipper flange front wall seal is configured to have a length substantially similar to a length of the first zipper flange back wall seal.
12. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 10, wherein the first zipper patch is configured with a second zipper flange front wall seal so that a combined height of the first zipper flange front wall seal and the second zipper flange front wall seal is greater than a height of the first zipper flange back wall seal.
13. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 10, wherein the second zipper patch is configured with a second zipper flange back wall seal so that the combined height of the first zipper flange back wall seal and the second zipper flange back wall seal is greater than a height of the first zipper flange front wall seal.
14. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 10, wherein the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch are, respectively, configured with a second zipper flange front wall seal and a second zipper flange back wall seal.
15. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 14, wherein the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch are each configured with tack-down seals to maintain the second zipper flange back wall seal in a close proximity to the second zipper flange front wall seal such that the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch are prevented from jamming a bag making machine during manufacture.
16. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 14, wherein the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch are each configured with at least one peelable adhesive that adheres the second zipper flange front wall seal to the second zipper flange back wall seal, the at least one peelable adhesive being configured to maintain the second zipper flange back wall seal in close proximity to the second zipper flange front wall seal such that the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch are prevented from jamming a bag making machine during manufacture.
17. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 14, wherein the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch are each configured with a frangible membrane to maintain the second zipper flange back wall seal in close proximity to the second zipper flange front wall seal, and to prevent the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch from jamming a bag making machine during manufacture of the reclosable bag.
18. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 14, further comprising a flange overlap that is connected to at least one of the first zipper patch and/or the second zipper patch, the flange overlap being configured with at least one overlap seal that causes the flange overlap to adhere to at least one of the first zipper patch and/or the second zipper patch so as to maintain the second zipper flange front wall seal in close proximity to the second zipper flange back wall seal such that the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch are prevented from jamming a bag making machine during manufacture.
19. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 10, further comprising:
- said first and second zipper patches forming, when interconnected, an airtight and watertight seal.
20. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 19, wherein the bag, first zipper patch and second patch comprise a polyethylene material.
21. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 10, further comprising:
- a permeable seal along an interconnection of a length of the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch, the permeable seal being positioned above the first zipper flange front wall seal and the first zipper flange back wall seal.
22. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 21, wherein the bag, first zipper patch and second patch comprise a polypropylene material.
23. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 10, wherein the lengths of each of the first zipper patch and the second zipper patch are each disposed to extend less than the width of the bag.
24. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 9, wherein the top seal comprises a peelable seal, the peelable seal being configured to be peeled off when the bag is opened.
25. A method of opening a reclosable back-seam bag including a bag body having a top seal, a bottom seal, a front wall and a back wall, the front wall being joined to the back wall at the top seal and the bottom seal, a first zipper patch including a female interlocking profile, and a second zipper patch including a male interlocking profile, the method comprising:
- pinching the front wall and the back wall;
- simultaneously separating each of pinched front wall and back wall; and
- tearing, peeling or delaminating open the top seal, based on a force exerted from the separating, with the male interlocking profile and the female interlocking profile being disengaged relative to each other prior to and during said separation.
26. A method of manufacturing a reclosable back-seam bag, comprising:
- making a bag body having a top portion, a bottom portion, a front wall and a back wall, the front wall being joined to the back wall at the top portion and the bottom portion;
- sealing a first zipper patch on the front wall, the front zipper patch including a female interlocking profile;
- sealing a second zipper patch on the back wall, the second zipper patch including a male interlocking profile; and
- sealing the top portion to form a top seal and the bottom portion to form a bottom seal, wherein the male interlocking profile is disengaged from the female interlocking profile when the top seal is sealed.
27. A method of manufacturing a reclosable back-seam bag, comprising:
- making a bag body having a top portion, a bottom portion, a front wall and a back wall, the front wall being joined to the back wall at the top portion and the bottom portion;
- sealing, via a sinusoidal seal, a first zipper patch on the front wall, the front zipper patch including a female interlocking profile;
- sealing, via a sinusoidal seal, a second zipper patch on the back wall, the second zipper patch including a male interlocking profile; and
- sealing, via a sinusoidal seal, the top portion to form a top seal and the bottom portion to form a bottom seal, wherein the male interlocking profile is disengaged from the female interlocking profile when the top seal is sealed.
28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the sinusoidal seal comprises a sine wave seal.
29. A reclosable back-seam bag, comprising:
- a bag body having a top seal and a bottom seal, and a front wall and a back wall, the front wall being joined to the back wall at the top seal and the bottom seal,
- the back wall being formed from a rectangular sheet of film folded along two longitudinal folds, and having overlapped and sealed edges of the rectangular sheet to form said back seam, said rectangular sheet having an inside surface, and said back wall having two sides, each side being defined between said back seam and a respective one of said longitudinal folds;
- a reclosable fastener including two ends, a first continuous elongated profile strip and a second continuous elongated profile strip, said first continuous elongated profile strip being releasably connected to said second continuous elongated profile strip,
- said first continuous elongated profile strip having a front wall connecting flange and at least one gripping flange, both said front wall connecting flange and said gripping flange having a width greater than a width of said first continuous elongated profile strip,
- said second continuous elongated profile strip having a back wall connecting flange, said back wall connecting flange having a width greater than a width of said second continuous elongated profile strip,
- the length of said reclosable fastener being less than the combined lengths of said two sides that form said back panel;
- said front wall connecting flange being connected to said inside surface of said rectangular sheet and said front wall of said bag body at a front wall seal, said front wall seal being substantially parallel to said top seal and spaced between said bottom seal and said profile strips,
- said back wall connecting flange being connected to said inside surface of said rectangular sheet and said back wall at a back wall connecting seal, said back wall connecting seal being spaced between said profile strips and said top seal;
- a side seal at each end of said reclosable fastener, each said side seal connecting an end of said reclosable fastener to the inside surface of said rectangular sheet of film inwardly of said longitudinal folds of said bag body thereby preventing air or liquids from entering or leaving said bag through said ends of said reclosable fastener, and each said side seal being provided to said reclosable fastener prior to attachment of said reclosable fastener to said front wall and said back wall, without said side seal being sealed again to connect the ends of said reclosable fastener to said inside surface of said front wall and an inside surface of said back wall; and
- a frangible access portion substantially parallel to said reclosable fastener for exposing said releasable fastener, said frangible access portion being disposed on said front wall and on said back wall of said bag body adjacent said reclosable fastener and above said back wall connecting seal.
30. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 29, wherein said frangible access portion comprises a plurality of perforations.
31. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 29, wherein said first continuous elongated profile strip and said second continuous elongated profile strip each have respective back portions thereof, and in which said first continuous elongated profile strip back portion can pivot in relation to said inside surface of said rectangular sheet.
32. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 29, wherein said first continuous elongated profile strip and said second continuous elongated profile strip each have respective back portions thereof, and in which said second continuous elongated profile strip back portion can pivot in relation to said inside surface of said rectangular sheet.
33. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 29, wherein said first continuous elongated profile strip and said second continuous elongated profile strip each have respective back portions thereof, in which said first continuous elongated profile strip back portion can move in relation to said inside surface of said rectangular sheet, and in which said second continuous elongated profile strip back portion can pivot in relation to said inside surface of said rectangular sheet.
34. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 29, wherein said reclosable fastener ends are substantially flattened ends.
35. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 29, wherein said at least one gripping flange includes at least one continuous rib disposed at a distal end of said at least one gripping flange.
36. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 29, wherein said gripping flange includes a plurality of continuous, substantially parallel ribs disposed on said at least one gripping flange.
37. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 29, wherein said first continuous profile strip, said gripping flange and said bag wall connecting flange comprise a single, extruded, flexible polymeric material.
38. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 29, wherein said second continuous profile strip and said back wall connecting flange comprise an extruded, flexible polymeric material.
39. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 29, wherein said gripping flange and said bag wall connecting flange comprise a web and in which said first continuous profile strip is sealed to said web.
40. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 29, wherein the height of said gripping flange is substantially less than the height of said back wall connecting flange.
41. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 29, wherein the height of said gripping flange is substantially less than half the height of said back wall connecting flange.
42. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 29, wherein said back wall connecting flange is of a sufficient thickness to provide for sealing of said back wall connecting flange to said back wall while not permitting sealing of said back wall connecting flange to said front wall.
43. A reclosable back-seam bag, comprising:
- a bag body having a top seal and a bottom seal, and a front wall and a back wall, the front wall being joined to the back wall at the top seal and the bottom seal; and
- a reclosable fastener including two ends, a first continuous elongated profile strip having a front wall connecting flange and a second continuous elongated profile strip having a back wall connecting flange,
- said first continuous elongated profile strip having a male interlocking profile including at least one male interlocking member,
- said second continuous elongated profile strip having a female interlocking profile including at least one female interlocking member, said first continuous elongated profile strip being releasably connected to said second continuous elongated profile strip by engaging the male interlocking member with the female interlocking member,
- wherein said male interlocking member is being configured so as to cause said male interlocking profile to be separated from said female interlocking profile with a substantially equal opening force when being separated in a direction toward said top seal as when separated in a direction toward said bottom seal.
44. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 43, wherein said front wall connecting flange has a height greater than a height of said first continuous elongated profile strip.
45. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 43, wherein said back wall connecting flange has a height greater than a height of said second continuous elongated profile strip.
46. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 43, wherein said the back wall is configured to be formed from a rectangular sheet of film folded along two longitudinal folds, and having overlapped and sealed edges of the rectangular sheet to form said back seam, said rectangular sheet having an inside surface, and said back wall having two sides, each side being defined between said back seam and a respective one of said longitudinal folds.
47. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 43, wherein the front wall connecting flange is configured to have a length substantially similar to a length of the back wall connecting flange.
48. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 43, wherein the back wall connecting flange is configured with an additional back wall connecting flange so that a combined length of the back wall connecting flange and the additional back wall connecting flange is greater than a length of the front wall connecting flange.
49. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 43, wherein the front wall connecting flange is configured with an additional front wall connecting flange so that the combined length of the front wall connecting flange and the additional front wall connecting flange is greater than the length of the back wall connecting flange.
50. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 43, wherein the front wall connecting flange and the back wall connecting flange are respectively configured with an additional front wall connecting flange and an additional back wall connecting flange.
51. A reclosable back-seam bag, comprising:
- a bag body having a top seal and a bottom seal, and a front wall and a back wall, the front wall being joined to the back wall at the top seal and the bottom seal;
- a reclosable fastener including two ends, a first continuous elongated profile strip associated with the front wall and a second continuous elongated profile strip associated with the back wall, said first continuous elongated profile strip having a male interlocking profile including at least one male interlocking member, said second continuous elongated profile strip having a female interlocking profile including at least one female interlocking member, said first continuous elongated profile strip being releasably connected to said second continuous elongated profile strip by engaging the male interlocking member with the female interlocking member, wherein said male interlocking member is being configured so as to cause said male interlocking profile to be separated from said female interlocking profile with a substantially equal opening force when being separated in a direction toward said top seal as when separated in a direction toward said bottom seal; and
- at least one frangible access portion disposed substantially parallel to said reclosable fastener assembly for exposing said releasable fastener assembly, said frangible access being disposed on said front wall of said bag body.
52. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 51, wherein said at least one frangible access portion is disposed adjacent said reclosable fastener assembly.
53. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 51, wherein said at least one frangible access portion is disposed between a lower portion of said reclosable fastener assembly and said bottom seal.
54. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 51, wherein said at least one frangible access includes a first frangible access portion disposed adjacent said reclosable fastener assembly, and a second frangible access portion disposed between a lower portion of said reclosable fastener assembly and said bottom seal.
55. The reclosable back-seam bag according to claim 51, wherein said frangible access portion includes at least one or more score lines.
56. A reclosable bag, comprising:
- a bag body having a top seal and a bottom seal, and a front wall and a back wall, the front wall being joined to the back wall at the top seal and the bottom seal,
- the back wall being formed from a rectangular sheet of film folded along two longitudinal folds, and having overlapped and sealed edges of the rectangular sheet to form said side seam, said rectangular sheet having an inside surface, and said back wall having two sides, each side being defined between said side seam and a respective one of said longitudinal folds;
- a reclosable fastener including two ends, a first continuous elongated profile strip and a second continuous elongated profile strip, said first continuous elongated profile strip being releasably connected to said second continuous elongated profile strip,
- said first continuous elongated profile strip having a front wall connecting flange and at least one gripping flange, both said front wall connecting flange and said gripping flange having a width greater than a width of said first continuous elongated profile strip,
- said second continuous elongated profile strip having a back wall connecting flange, said back wall connecting flange having a width greater than a width of said second continuous elongated profile strip,
- the length of said reclosable fastener being less than the combined lengths of said two sides that form said back panel;
- said front wall connecting flange being connected to said inside surface of said rectangular sheet and said front wall of said bag body at a front wall seal, said front wall seal being substantially parallel to said top seal and spaced between said bottom seal and said profile strips,
- said back wall connecting flange being connected to said inside surface of said rectangular sheet and said back wall at a back wall connecting seal, said back wall connecting seal being spaced between said profile strips and said top seal;
- a side seal at each end of said reclosable fastener, each said side seal connecting an end of said reclosable fastener to the inside surface of said rectangular sheet of film inwardly of said longitudinal folds of said bag body thereby preventing air or liquids from entering or leaving said bag through said ends of said reclosable fastener, and each said side seal being provided to said reclosable fastener prior to attachment of said reclosable fastener to said front wall and said back wall, without said side seal being sealed again to connect the ends of said reclosable fastener to said inside surface of said front wall and an inside surface of said back wall; and
- a frangible access portion substantially parallel to said reclosable fastener for exposing said releasable fastener, said frangible access portion being disposed on said front wall and on said back wall of said bag body adjacent said reclosable fastener and above said back wall connecting seal.
57. The reclosable bag according to claim 56, wherein said side seam is configured with at least two separate webs of film around the periphery or sides of said bag body.
58. A reclosable bag, comprising:
- a bag body having a top seal and a bottom seal, and a front wall and a back wall, the front wall being joined to the back wall at the top seal and the bottom seal,
- the back wall being formed from one web of film folded along a longitudinal fold to form two half webs of film, and having top edges of each of the two half webs of film sealed together to form a side seam, and said back wall having two sides, each side being defined between said side seam and a respective one of said longitudinal folds;
- a reclosable fastener including two ends, a first continuous elongated profile strip and a second continuous elongated profile strip, said first continuous elongated profile strip being releasably connected to said second continuous elongated profile strip,
- said first continuous elongated profile strip having a front wall connecting flange and at least one gripping flange, both said front wall connecting flange and said gripping flange having a width greater than a width of said first continuous elongated profile strip,
- said second continuous elongated profile strip having a back wall connecting flange, said back wall connecting flange having a width greater than a width of said second continuous elongated profile strip,
- the length of said reclosable fastener being less than the combined lengths of said two sides that form said back panel;
- said front wall connecting flange being connected to said inside surface of said one web of film and said front wall of said bag body at a front wall seal, said front wall seal being substantially parallel to said top seal and spaced between said bottom seal and said profile strips,
- said back wall connecting flange being connected to said inside surface of said one web of film and said back wall at a back wall connecting seal, said back wall connecting seal being spaced between said profile strips and said top seal;
- a side seal at each end of said reclosable fastener, each said side seal connecting an end of said reclosable fastener to the inside surface of said one web of film inwardly of said longitudinal folds of said bag body thereby preventing air or liquids from entering or leaving said bag through said ends of said reclosable fastener, and each said side seal being provided to said reclosable fastener prior to attachment of said reclosable fastener to said front wall and said back wall, without said side seal being sealed again to connect the ends of said reclosable fastener to said inside surface of said front wall and an inside surface of said back wall; and
- a frangible access portion substantially parallel to said reclosable fastener for exposing said releasable fastener, said frangible access portion being disposed on said front wall and on said back wall of said bag body adjacent said reclosable fastener and above said back wall connecting seal.
59. A reclosable bag, comprising:
- a bag body having a top seal and a bottom seal, and a front wall and a back wall, the front wall being joined to the back wall at the top seal and the bottom seal,
- the back wall being formed from two webs of film that are sealed together along respective edges of the two webs of film to form four side seams, each of said two webs of film having an inside surface, and said back wall having two sides, each side being defined between each of said four side seams and a respective one of said two webs of film;
- a reclosable fastener including two ends, a first continuous elongated profile strip and a second continuous elongated profile strip, said first continuous elongated profile strip being releasably connected to said second continuous elongated profile strip,
- said first continuous elongated profile strip having a front wall connecting flange and at least one gripping flange, both said front wall connecting flange and said gripping flange having a width greater than a width of said first continuous elongated profile strip,
- said second continuous elongated profile strip having a back wall connecting flange, said back wall connecting flange having a width greater than a width of said second continuous elongated profile strip,
- the length of said reclosable fastener being less than the combined lengths of said two sides that form said back panel;
- said front wall connecting flange being connected to said inside surface of each of said two webs of film and said front wall of said bag body at a front wall seal, said front wall seal being substantially parallel to said top seal and spaced between said bottom seal and said profile strips,
- said back wall connecting flange being connected to said inside surface of each of said two webs of film and said back wall at a back wall connecting seal, said back wall connecting seal being spaced between said profile strips and said top seal;
- a side seal at each end of said reclosable fastener, each said side seal connecting an end of said reclosable fastener to the inside surface of each of said two webs of film inwardly of said bag body thereby preventing air or liquids from entering or leaving said bag through said ends of said reclosable fastener, and each said side seal being provided to said reclosable fastener prior to attachment of said reclosable fastener to said front wall and said back wall, without said side seal being sealed again to connect the ends of said reclosable fastener to said inside surface of said front wall and an inside surface of said back wall; and
- a frangible access portion substantially parallel to said reclosable fastener for exposing said releasable fastener, said frangible access portion being disposed on said front wall and on said back wall of said bag body adjacent said reclosable fastener and above said back wall connecting seal.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 21, 2009
Publication Date: Sep 29, 2011
Applicant: COM-PAC INTERNATIONAL, INC. (Carbondale, IL)
Inventors: Gregory S. Sprehe (Carbondale, IL), Donald Wright (Murphysboro, IL), Christopher Pemberton (Marion, IL)
Application Number: 12/356,667
International Classification: B65D 65/26 (20060101);