Abstract: A reclosable bag with front and rear walls defining a top opening between them is closable with a fold-over hood on one of the walls. The walls are made of a flexible material that may be folded downward from the top opening in a series of one or more folds. The hood extends along an upper portion of the wall near, but spaced apart from, the top opening. The fold-over hood is effective for folding over and retaining the upper portions of the front and rear walls after they have been folded downward from the top opening in a series of one or more folds until they reach the hood.

Abstract: Methods for forming, filling, and sealing a flexible recloseable container. Both vertical and horizontal methods for placing product within the container are disclosed. The invention includes guiding a web of film which has interlocking fastener strips sealed to the web. A slider for locking and unlocking the fastener strips is placed in the correct orientation, spread apart at a pair of inner feet, and inserted over the fastener strips. The slider is positioned to close a substantial portion of the strips, and then an end stop, docking station, and comer seal are formed against a sealing plate. The slider is then repositioned, and a tamper evident seal may be placed over the fastener strip. Placing a product in a flexible recloseable container.

Abstract: A plastic film bag includes a reclosable closure which is opened and closed by a slider. The bag includes a tamper evident sheet closing off the bag mouth. Alternatively the tamper evident means consists of a hood which encloses the slider and reclosable closure.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for forming, filling, and sealing a flexible recloseable container. Both vertical and horizontal methods for placing product within the container are disclosed. The invention includes guiding a web of film which has interlocking fastener strips sealed to the web. A slider for locking and unlocking the fastener strips is placed in the correct orientation, spread apart at a pair of inner feet, and inserted over the fastener strips. The slider is positioned to close a substantial portion of the strips, and then an end stop, docking station, and corner seal are formed against a sealing plate. The slider is then repositioned, and a tamper evident seal may be placed over the fastener strip. Apparatus and methods for placing a product in a flexible recloseable container, and also for manufacturing an empty, flexible recloseable container.

Abstract: An invention for forming, filling, and sealing a flexible recloseable container. Both vertical and horizontal methods for placing product within the container are disclosed. The invention includes guiding a web of film which has interlocking fastener strips sealed to the web. A slider for locking and unlocking the fastener strips is placed in the correct orientation, spread apart at a pair of inner feet and inserted over the fastener strips. The slider is positioned to close a substantial portion of the strips, and then an end stop, docking station, and corner seal are formed against a sealing plate. The slider is then repositioned, and a tamper evident seal may be placed over the fastener strips.

Abstract: A slider zipper reclosable fastener wherein the zipper includes fastener strips and closure elements on the fastener strips which are extruded integrally. The closure elements are arranged at particular angles by extrusion opening angles in order to increase burst strength. Ridges on the fastener strips and shoulders on the slider hold the slider on the zipper.

Abstract: A slider zipper reclosable fastener wherein the zipper includes fastener strips and closure elements on the fastener strips which are extruede integrally. The closure elements are arranged at particulare angles by extrusion opeining angles in order to increase burst strength. Ridges on the fastener strips and shoulders on the slider hold the slider on the zipper.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing recloseable plastic bags with engageable mating profiles where the bags are provided open for the consumer. The profiles are initially provided in the fully engaged condition within an elongate, longitudinally cut tube. The profiles are then periodically fused, tacked, or attached together at the approximate locations where the tube is to be cut into bags. Upon tacking, the profiles are pulled apart by frictionally engaging an area on the outside of the film, near the profiles, and between the tacks. The film is then forced away from the profiles, which at least partially pulls one profile from the other. Thereafter, the tube may be cut and sealed into bags as would otherwise normally occur.

Abstract: A plastic bag closer slider has a separator normally resting in notches in the tops of slider track strips, when the slider is at a bag-closed stop. As the slider is moved in the bag-opening direction, the separator is cammed downward by ends of the notches to disengage interlocking profile features and open the tag. In another embodiment, notches are omitted. The separator is manufactured with a normally down position but is resiliently biased upward when the bag is closed. As the slider is moved in the bag-opening direction, the pointed end of the separator wedge descends between the strips to open the bag. When the slider is moved in the bag-closing direction, the separator is cammed upward by the drag of the strip tops and the tapering walls of the slider squeeze interlocking profile features together, closing the bag.

Abstract: A vertical winding apparatus includes a winding core generally formed from a flat sheet and having an irregular trapezoidal shape for supporting a continuous belt of packaging blanks. The winding core includes an upper bar separated from a lower body by a pair of opposite support notches which are configured to receive the upper edge of the continuous belt of packaging blanks. Opposite the upper bar portion of the winding core is a slot formed from the bottom edge of the core which is configured to engage a mating slot formed in a rotating drive shaft for rotationally interlocking the winding core to the drive shaft. Further, an unwinding stand is provided which supports the winding core carrying a supply of continuous belt wound thereon. The unwinding stand includes a support frame having wheels at one end and an adjustment screw assembly at an opposite end adapted to tilt one side of the unwinding stand to facilitate removal of the belt wound onto the winding core.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a resealable tubular form fill package is provided. A supply of thin thermoplastic film is continuously fed over a filling spout and formed into a tubular shape by bringing the lateral edges of the film together in an abutting face-to-face relationship. The faces of the edges are brought together at a seal location to form a fin seal. A supply of zipper closure is continuously fed adjacent the film material and adhered to the film. The film and the zipper closure are sealed and cut to produce a form fill package having a zipper closure. The zipper closure and film may be cut and sealed simultaneously.

Abstract: A novel apparatus and method for manufacturing flexible, reclosable containers is described herein. A continuous web of flexible film is formed into a tube around a forming tube. The lateral edges of the continuous web are guided so as to extend substantially perpendicularly from the forming tube, thereby forming a longitudinal seam. A pair of interlocked continuous fastener profile strips are then directed downwardly into the seam between the lateral edges of the film. Intermittent impulse sealing bars are utilized for heating the exterior surfaces of the seam so as to heatseal the bases of the fastener strips to the interior surfaces of the seam. Vertical longitudinal sealing bars are further provided externally from the impulse sealing bars which seal the longitudinal seam proximate the lateral edges of the continuous web. A pair of transverse sealing bars form the top seal of a first container and the bottom seal of a second container.

Abstract: A novel apparatus and method for manufacturing flexible, reclosable containers is described herein. A continuous web of flexible film is formed into a tube around a forming tube. The lateral edges of the continuous web are guided so as to extend substantially perpendicularly from the forming tube, thereby forming a longitudinal seam. A pair of interlocked continuous fastener profile strips are then directed downwardly into the seam between the lateral edges of the film. Intermittent impulse sealing bars are utilized for heating the exterior surfaces of the seam so as to heatseal the bases of the fastener strips to the interior surfaces of the seam. Vertical longitudinal sealing bars are further provided externally from the impulse sealing bars which seal the longitudinal seam proximate the lateral edges of the continuous web. A pair of transverse sealing bars form the top seal of a first container and the bottom seal of a second container.

Abstract: A reclosable bag is disclosed wherein a fastener strip has male and female cooperating profiles mounted thereon. The fastener strip is mounted on the inside surface of the rear panel of the bag with one of the profiles in the bag. The fastener strip is foldable over the front panel of the bag to a position wherein the male and female profiles cooperate to close the bag with the front panel between the profiles.

Abstract: A security bag having attached thereto an auxiliary bag with a reclosable zipper. The security bag is sealable by a flap having hot melt adhesive thereon. Tamper evidence is provided by a permanent color change of a colored marking adjacent the flap. The color change results from the application of extreme cold temperature to the flap.

Abstract: An apparatus for the continuous packaging of flexible bags is adapted for use with a continuous bag manufacturing machine. Separate bags are received on a conveyor which conveys the bags to a stacking station at the end of the conveyor. At the stacking station, the bags are stacked in a catch tray until a predetermined number of bags have been collected, at which point the tray is opened to drop the bags into an open container supported on a turntable beneath the catch tray. The turntable is rotatable to convey the open container away from the stacking station to an unloading station when the container has been filled with bags. The turntable rotatably supports a number of support plates evenly distributed around the perimeter of the turntable, upon which an open container sits. A multi-motion actuator situated at the stacking station underneath the turntable is operable to rotate the support plate at the stacking station relative to the turntable.

Abstract: A shipping sack having side walls defining a mouth from which contents may be discharged, includes a non-reclosable stitched fastener across and closing the mouth. The stitched fastener includes a removable chain stitch and a removable rip tape for facilitating manual opening of the stitched fastener. The rip tape in one embodiment is composed of a strip having a cut-out opening therethrough defining a handle adapted to be manually grasped for carrying the shipping sack. The rip tape also includes a free end extending beyond the edge of the shipping sack to facilitate manual access to the rip tape and to facilitate pulling the rip tape to remove the stitched fastener. In another embodiment, the handle rip tape includes a continuous row of finger holes in lieu of the single cut-out opening.

Abstract: A reclosable sack having a mouth from which contents may be discharged, including a primary non-reclosable stitched fastener across and closing the mouth. The stitched fastener includes a removable chain stitch and tear strip for facilitating manual opening of the primary fastener. The reclosable sack also includes a secondary reclosable fastener having a pair of interlocking profile strips that are attached at lower inner wall portions to the upper edge of the sack walls outboard of the stitched fastener. The secondary profile fastener is heat sealed at its ends and allows the sack to be reclosed once the primary non-reclosable fastener has been removed.

Abstract: A bag structure includes a tubular bag body closed at one end and at its edges but open at the bag top. A top closure is affixed to the bag body covering the bag top. The bag body includes opposite wall panels which include a opposite outer layers and opposite inner layers, in which the outer layers are formed from a material that is more readily fusible than the material of the inner layers. The top closure includes opposite attachment flanges composed of a material that is more readily fusible to the outer layer than the inner layer. In one specific embodiment, a heated pressure bar is applied to heat seal the attachment flanges of the top closure to the outer layers of the bag body, while the inner layers of the wall panels remain intact and are not fused together. The inner layer material has a fusion temperature higher than the temperature at which the outer layers and top closure attachment flanges fuse.