Cereal Bag Zipper

The present invention is a closure capable of being applied to an existing flexible container structure in order to form a releasable closure thereon. The closure includes base formed of a flexible material having an adhesive disposed on one side thereof in order to attach the closure to the exterior of a container. The closure also includes a pair of releasably engageable zipper sections secured to the base on opposite sides of a gap formed in the base having an open end and a closed end. The closure further has a liner located between the zipper sections and the base that extends over the gap to finction as a positioning device for properly locating the closure on the flexible container. The base and the liner also limit the size of any opening formed in the container to the size of the closure.

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Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 as a continuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 11/736,921 filed on Apr. 18, 2007, which in turn claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent No. 60/801,214, filed on May 17, 2006, and under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/988,514, filed on Nov. 16, 2007, each of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to resealable closures and, more specifically, to a closure adapted to be positioned on and secured to or over an opening in a container, such as a cereal bag, to allow the container or bag to be selectively opened and resealed as necessary after being initially opened.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Plastic and foil bags have long been utilized to hold a variety of items, including food products, therein for transportation and resale. A large number of bags of this type include mechanisms disposed thereon which enable the bag to be opened and resealed in a manner that prevents spoilage or spillage of the contents of the bag. The majority of these closure devices include a pair of opposed engageable sections that can be selectively disengaged from one another to provide access to the contents within the interior of the bag, and then re-engaged with one another to close the bag.

An improvement to closure devices of this type has been the inclusion of a sliding opener or zipper that is operable to mechanically engage and disengage the opposed portions of the closure device without the need for manually separating the opposed portions. The zipper device allows an individual to more easily open and close a bag as desired, while also providing a more reliable mechanism to securely engage the opposed sections of the closure device with one another to close the bag.

However, in order to utilize any of these closure mechanisms with a plastic bag or other similar type of bag, it has heretofore been necessary to include the closure mechanism within the original construction of the plastic bag.

One device in particular that has been developed for use with existing bags is disclosed in Ausnit U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,373. In this reference, a zipper closure is disclosed that is formed of a zipper strip including a pair of opposed strip members having interlocking attachment surfaces thereon. These attachment surfaces are each connected to an attachment flange that have an adhesive applied to one side, and that define an opening therebetween that can be selectively accessed by disengaging the attachment surfaces. The adhesive allows the attachment flanges, and consequently the zipper strip, to be secured to the exterior of a bag around an opening that has already been formed within the bag. The attachment flanges are secured on opposite sides of the opening, with the opening defined between the attachment flanges disposed in alignment with the preformed opening in the bag, such that the attachment surfaces can be utilized to selectively expose and cover the opening formed in the bag. The zipper strips are joined to one another lengthwise solely by the attachment surfaces on each strip member, and in some embodiments partially along their width by a seal formed directly across the zipper strip that fuses the strip members and the attachment surfaces at each side of the zipper strip.

However, the zipper strip of the '373 patent is disclosed solely for the attachment of the zipper strip over a preformed opening in the bag, such that the separate attachment flanges must be properly aligned with each side of the opening in the bag for the zipper strip to function correctly. This is often difficult to accomplish, because the material forming the bag is flexible and the opposed sides of the opening are hard to align with one another for the correct placement of the attachment flanges of the zipper strip along each side of the opening.

In addition, the zipper strip disclosed in the '373 patent cannot be positioned on bags prior to forming an opening in the bag. This is because the opposed attachment surfaces on the strip members are initially connected to one another when the zipper strip is secured to the bag. The abutting configuration of the attachment flanges when secured on the bag as a result of the engagement of the attachment surfaces with one another prevents the attachment surfaces from being separated to provide sufficient clearance to access the bag between the attachment surfaces and form an opening in the bag between the attachment surfaces. Further, if the attachment surfaces are forced apart to provide sufficient clearance to form an opening, the engagement of the attachment flanges with immediately adjacent sections of the bag will result in tearing of the bag along lines not in alignment with the zipper strip, such that the zipper strip is no longer capable of providing a reclosable opening on the bag.

Therefore, it is desirable to develop a bag resealing system which can be utilized with existing bags to allow the bags to be opened and closed utilizing a resealable closure device. Further, the system should include a device that is positionable on an unopened bag and that enables an opening to be easily formed in the bag in alignment with an aperture defined by the device.

Furthermore, a variety of types of containers or bags have long been utilized to hold a variety of items, including food products, therein for transportation and resale. These containers or bags can be formed in any number of sizes and of various materials, such as plastic, paper, and cardboard, among others. A large number of these types of containers or bags must be opened by severing, breaking or otherwise permanently deforming the container, such that the container cannot be re-closed after being initially opened. This causes multiple problems with containers and bags of this type, not the least of which are the inadvertent spillage and/or premature spoilage of the contents of the container or bag.

In certain circumstances the container or bag is formed of a flexible material, such as a flexible plastic, that can be sealed to itself at one or more ends to form the container or bag, and that can additionally be disposed within a separate and more rigid outer container, such as a cardboard or paperboard box. The outer container serves to prevent anything from coming into contact with the bag to prevent the inadvertent opening of the bag. The bag is sealed along one or more ends or sides, such as by heat sealing or utilizing a suitable adhesive, to prevent the spoilage of or tampering with the food product disposed within the bag. However, because the bag is disposed within the outer protective box, which itself normally includes some form of selectively openable closure mechanism thereon, the bag is normally provided only with the single seal to keep the bag in the closed position. Thus, once this seal has been opened to enable the contents of the bag to be dispensed, there is no manner or mechanism provided on the bag by which the bag can be subsequently closed to prevent spillage or spoilage of the contents of the bag.

Certain prior art closures have been developed for use in attempting to provide a closure for bags of this type, such as a spring-biased clip that can be engaged across the separated or open ends of the bag to compress the open ends of the bag into engagement with one another to close the bag. However, these devices require that the clip be entirely removed from the bag in order to reopen the bag, consequently requiring that the clip be continually disengaged and re-engaged with the open ends of the bag. Furthermore, as the clips are normally formed with two spring-biased arms, it is often difficult to properly position the arms with regard the open ends of the bag to effectively close the bag. This problem is compounded by the fact that most clips of this type are formed with arms having a width less than that of the bag, such that the clip does not extend to the ends of the bag, even when properly engaged with the bag. Thus, the use of these types of clips does not prevent the contents of the bag from inadvertently spilling out of the bag, or being spoiled due to an ineffective seal on the open end of the bag.

Therefore, it is desirable to develop a resealable closure mechanism which can be secured on bags of this type directly over the open end of the bag to effectively secure the entire open end of the bag and to allow the bags to be opened and closed utilizing the resealable closure mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, a bag resealing system is provided that includes a resealable closure device. The resealable closure device is formed from a number of sections of a suitable and, preferably, a thermoplastic material that include a resealing mechanism with disengageable members on the opposed sections that operate to secure the sections to one another and selectively form an opening therebetween. The mechanism is also attached to a separate bottom or lower support strip that supports the resealing mechanism and includes an amount of an adhesive applied to the support strip opposite the disengagable members, which allows the closure device formed of the mechanism and the support strip to be adhered to the exterior of a bag, such as a plastic bag. The adhesive is covered by a release liner to avoid the inadvertent attachment of the adhesive to a substrate, such as a bag, until such time as it is desired to adhere the device to a bag. Once the resealable closure device is adhered to the bag using the adhesive on the support strip, due to the clearance provided between the bag and the mechanism by the inclusion of the support strip, the disengagable members of the mechanism can be separated without damaging the bag to expose an elongate guide opening formed in the support strip in alignment with the aperture defined between the disengageable members. After the mechanism has been opened, the bag is punctured along a line or at a location in alignment with the guide opening in the support strip, such that the aperture defined by the resealing mechanism is positioned directly over the opening formed in the bag along the guide opening in the support strip. This opening can be formed by an attachment to a shuttle or slider disposed on the resealable closure device that operates to simultaneously puncture and form a slit in the bag along the guide opening in alignment with the closure device, or can be formed using a cutting device completely separate from the resealable closure device. In this manner, the resealable closure device including the resealing mechanism and the support strip secured to the mechanism and including the guide opening can be utilized to form resealable closures on bags that are not manufactured with releasable closures in their original construction. Thus, the resealing system can be easily manufactured and utilized to retrofit a number of different unopened bag structures with a resealable closure mechanism.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the closure device of the bag resealing system includes a separate guide strip positioned and secured between the resealing mechanism and the support strip that includes one or more guide slits therein. The guide slits, which can be formed as aligned perforations, are used to provide an individual with a guide member for cutting the opening in the bag over which the closure device is located in alignment with the guide opening in the support strip.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the guide opening formed in the support strip and the guide slits formed in the guide strip are formed to be shorter than the overall length of the closure device. This construction ensures that the attachment of the resealing mechanism to the guide strip and the support strip effectively seals the resealing mechanism to the support strip completely around the guide opening to provide an airtight seal around the guide opening and the opening formed in the bag in alignment with the guide opening.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, a resealable bag closure or zipper is provided that includes a base having an adhesive applied to one surface of the base, and opposed halves of a zipper closure secured in alignment with one another on the base opposite the adhesive. The halves of the zipper closure are secured to the base by another adhesive layer located between the zipper halves and the base. The base is U-shaped, with each half of the zipper closure secured to one side of the base and the sides of the base connected by a central section. The gap formed in the base between the opposed sides can be positioned over the opened portion or ends of the bag and has a width sufficient to enable the sides of the base on opposite sides of the gap to be positioned at least partially over opposite sides of the bag. Also, the central section of the base connecting the opposed sides of the base extends across the open end of the bag between the opposed sides of the open end of the bag to function to limit the extent to which the bag can be opened. Once the closure is secured to the bag, the items located within the bag can be dispensed through the opened portion of the bag and the closure, with the end of the bag forming a spout to assist in dispensing the items.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the engaging portions of the halves of the zipper closure are separated from this adhesive layer by a liner that extends across the gap in the base. This liner may include a removable section that converts the liner into a U-shape corresponding to the shape of the base. When the liner is included with the closure, the liner and removable section provide a guide for positioning the closure over the opening the bag to ensure that the halves of the zipper closure are positioned in alignment with the open end of the bag. In the situation where the bag is unopened when the closure is secured to the bag, the removable section can be removed to form a space in the liner in alignment with the gap in the base, such that the material held in the bag can be dispensed through the gap in the base and the space in the removable section.

Numerous other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings illustrate the best mode currently contemplated as practicing the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the bag resealing system constructed according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the bag resealing system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the slider utilized in the system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end plan view of the slider of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the bag resealing system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an exploded isometric view of the resealable closure device of the bag resealing system of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an exploded isometric view of a third embodiment of the closure constructed according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the zipper closure of FIG. 7 disposed above a cereal bag on which the closure is to be utilized; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the closure constructed according to the present invention.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the disclosure, a bag utilized to hold a number of items therein is illustrated generally at 10 in FIG. 1. The bag 10 can be formed of any suitable and easily severable material such as a plastic, paper, or metal foil material, and can have any desired construction that is utilized to hold the item(s) within the bag 10. In one embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the bag 10 is sealed at opposed ends 12 to enclose the interior of the bag 10 and hold a number of items therein. Between the sealed ends 12, the structure of the bag 10 has a generally continuous exterior 11 to securely hold the items within the bag 10.

To enable the bag 10 to be selectively opened and closed to gain access to the items held within the bag 10, a bag resealing system 14 constructed according to the present invention can be secured to the bag 10 at any point between the sealed ends 12. The system 14 includes a resealable closure device 15 having a lower support strip 16 that is formed of a suitable material, such as a thermoplastic material, or preferably a paper material, such as those papers utilized in the forming of release liners.

The support strip 16 includes a layer of adhesive 18 positioned along one side thereof. The adhesive 18 can be any suitable type of adhesive, and, preferably, is a pressure sensitive adhesive that permanently affixes the lower support strip 16 to the exterior of the bag 10 when placed into contact with the bag 10. The adhesive 18 is covered by a liner 20 that can be removed from the adhesive 18 in order to expose the adhesive 18 and allow the lower support strip 16 to be adhered to the bag 10 utilizing the adhesive 18.

Opposite the adhesive 18 and the liner 20, the lower support strip 16 is secured to and supports a conventional resealing mechanism 22. As is known in the art, the resealing mechanism 22 includes a pair of appropriately configured opposed portions 24 and 26 that are secured to the support strip 16 at one end and that includes engagement members (not shown) that are releasably engageable with one another at the opposite end. In the embodiments where the support strip 16 is formed of a thermoplastic material, the ends of the support strip 16 can be secured to the portions 24 and 26 in any suitable manner, such as by heat-sealing the support strip 16 to the portions 24 and 26, especially if the materials used to form the respective parts are similar. In addition to heat sealing the support strip 16 to the portions 24 and 26, the support strip 16 can be formed as an integral extension of the material forming the portions 24 and 26, such that the support strip 16 is integrally formed with the portions 24 and 26 at each end. In either embodiment, the amount of each side of the support strip 16 secured to the portions 24 and 26 is preferably made as small as possible in order to enable the distance between the upper ends of the portions 24 and 26 and the support strip 16 to be extended as much as possible, for a purpose to be described.

Opposite the support strip 16, the engagement members on each portion 24 and 26 can be formed with any easily graspable and separable construction as is well known in the art, such that they can be easily disengaged and re-engaged with one another to open and close the mechanism 22. The engagement members are also disposed on generally vertical parts 24a and 26b of each portion 24 and 26, respectively, such that the engagement members are positioned outwardly from and generally perpendicular to the strip 16. (FIGS. 2 and 5-6) In a particularly preferred embodiment, the engagement members on the opposed portions 24 and 26 are positioned apart from the support strip 16 adjacent the upper end of each part 24a and 26a. This enables the length of the vertical parts 24a and 26a, as well as the remainder of the portions 24 and 26 not affixed to the support strip 16, as discussed previously, to provide sufficient clearance within the resealing mechanism 22 to allow the resealing mechanism to be pulled away from the support strip 16 and bag 10, such that the engagement members can be opened after attachment of the device 15 to a bag 10 without pulling on or otherwise damaging the support strip 16 and/or the bag 10. In the disengaged position, the opposed portions 24 and 26 define an opening 27 therebetween that enables access through the mechanism 22.

In a preferred embodiment, the lower support strip 16 is formed of a single piece of material separate from the opposed portions 24 and 26 forming the mechanism 22, and includes an aperture 28 formed therein generally in alignment with the opening 27. In this construction, the pair of opposed portions 24 and 26 of the resealing mechanism 22 can be engaged and disengaged with one another to selectively open and close the resealing mechanism 22, thereby forming the opening 27 and exposing the aperture 28 formed in the support strip 16 immediately adjacent the resealing mechanism 22. Preferably, the aperture 28 extends across the majority of the length of the strip 16. However, the aperture 28 does not extend completely across the strip 16 such that the aperture 28 can be completely enclosed and sealed by the engagement of the opposed portions 24 and 26 of the resealing mechanism 22 with the strip 16, and the engagement of the portions 24 and 26 of the resealing mechanism 22 with one another. This provides the closure device 15 with the capability of forming an airtight seal around the aperture 28 and the associated opening (not shown) formed in the bag 10 to maintain the freshness of the items in the bag 10 for an extended period of time.

To utilize the resealing system 14, a single closure device 15 is obtained, and initially the liner 20 is removed such that the strip 16 is secured to the exterior of the bag 10 utilizing the exposed adhesive 18. The engagement members on the opposed portions 24 and 26 of the resealing mechanism 22 are then disengaged from one another to open the mechanism 22 due to the clearance provided between the bag 10 and the opposed portions 24 and 26 by the support strip 16, thereby defining the opening 27 and exposing the aperture 28 in the strip 16. A suitable cutting device 30 is then inserted through the opening 27 between the opposed portions 24 and 26, and into the aperture 28 to engage the portion of the exterior of the bag 10 disposed in alignment with the aperture 28. The bag 10 is then cut along the aperture 28 using the cutting device 30 to provide the opening in the bag 10 that is disposed in alignment with the aperture 28. Due to the secure attachment of the device 15 to the bag 10 using the unitary support strip 16 with the guide aperture 28 formed therein and the ability to open the mechanism 22 without pulling on and damaging the bag 10, an opening can easily be formed in the bag 10 that is in alignment with the aperture 28 and opening 27 defined by the mechanism 22 supported in the support strip 16. The aperture 28 is formed in the support strip 16 to be preferably at least 0.125 inches wide to assist in cutting the bag 10 with the device 30 through the aperture 28. Access to the items contained within the bag 10 can then be obtained through the opening 27 defined within the mechanism 22, the aperture 28 in the support strip 16 and aligned opening cut into the bag 10. When it is desired to close the bag 10, the opposed portions 24 and 26 of the resealing mechanism 22 are engaged with one another to close the opening 27, simultaneously covering the aperture 28 in the support strip 16 and the opening cut into the bag 10 in an airtight manner.

In a still another embodiment of the system 14′ of the present invention, as best shown in FIGS. 2-4, a sliding closure mechanism 32 is used on the device 15′ in place of the resealing mechanism 22 and is supported and secured on the strip 16′ in alignment with the aperture 28′ in a manner similar to the resealing mechanism 22. The sliding closure mechanism 32 includes a sliding shuttle 34 including a top wall 36, a pair of curved side walls 38, and a central slot 40 defined therebetween. Disposed within the central slot 40 at one end of the shuttle 34 is a separator 42. The shuttle 34 is secured to opposed portions 44 and 46 of the sliding closure mechanism 32 that, in turn, are supported on and secured to the strip 16 in an airtight manner similar to the sections 24 and 26 of the mechanism 22. The separator 42 on the shuttle 34 urges the opposed portions 44 and 46 away from one another to open the sliding closure mechanism 32 and define the opening 27′ therebetween when slid with the shuttle 34 along the closure mechanism 32 in one direction. Additionally, the side walls 38 of the shuttle 34 operate to urge the opposed portions 44 and 46 into engagement with one another and close the opening 27′ when the shuttle 34 is slid along the closure mechanism 32 in the opposite direction.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the separator 42 optionally, but preferably includes a downwardly extending arm 48 disposed opposite the top wall 36. The arm 48 includes a tapered point 50 spaced from the shuttle 34, and a cutting device or blade 52 disposed on the arm 48 between the shuttle 34 and the point 50. The positioning of the blade 52 on the arm 48 is such that the blade 52 cannot come into contact with an individual either when the device 15′ is being positioned on a bag 10 or when the device 15′ is in use. Further, the arm 48 is formed to have a length slightly longer than the length of the mechanism 32, such that the arm 48 extends through the aperture 28′ in the support strip 16′, with the point 50 and at least part of, and preferably all of, the blade 52 positioned entirely on the opposite side of the support strip 16′ from the mechanism 32.

In operation, when the device 15′ including the slide closure mechanism 32 and the strip 16′ is adhered to a bag 10 utilizing the adhesive 18′ on the strip 16 similarly to the previous embodiments, the point 50 operates to penetrate and form an initial puncture opening (not shown) in the bag 10. When fully attached to the bag 10, the point 50 on the arm 48 is disposed within the bag 10, and the cutting device 52 is positioned in alignment with the exterior surface of the bag 10. In this configuration, when the sliding shuttle 34 is moved along the closure mechanism 32 to separate the opposed portions 44 and 46 utilizing the separator 42 on the shuttle 34, again without tearing the bag 10 due the clearance provided between the mechanism 32 and the bag 10 by the support strip 16′, the cutting device 52 laterally expands the initial puncture opening formed by the point 50 in a direction in alignment with the aperture 28′ in the strip 16′ and the opening 27′ defined by the sliding closure mechanism 32. Thus, when the shuttle 34 is moved completely across the closure mechanism 32, the cutting device 52 subsequently forms an elongate opening (not shown) in the bag 10 in alignment with the aperture 28 in the strip 16′ and the opening 27′ formed between the opposed portions 44 and 46 of the closure mechanism 32. Additionally, when the shuttle 34 is moved back to the original position, the opposed portions 44 and 46 are re-engaged with one another to close the opening 27′ and secure the closure mechanism 32 over the aperture 28 in the strip 16 and the elongate opening in the bag 10. Similarly to the embodiment in FIG. 1, the secure attachment of the device 15′ to the bag 10 using the unitary support strip 16′ with the guide aperture 28′ enables an opening to easily be formed in the bag 10 that is in alignment with the aperture 28′ and opening 27′ defined by the mechanism 32 supported in the support strip 16′.

Looking now at FIGS. 5 and 6, still another embodiment of the resealing system 114 is illustrated. In this embodiment, the closure device 115 is formed with a support strip 116 formed of a suitable thermoplastic material, and includes a resealing mechanism 122 positioned thereon that has a pair of opposed, separable portions 124 and 126 secured to the support strip 116 in an airtight manner around the entire periphery of an aperture 128 formed in the support strip 116, as described previously. As a result of the small clearance provided between the bag 10 and the mechanism 122 by the support strip 116, the portions 124 and 126 can be separated to define an opening 127 therebetween and expose the aperture 128 formed in the support strip 116 in alignment with the resealing mechanism 122. The support strip 116 includes a layer of adhesive 118 applied thereto opposite the resealing mechanism 122, and is preferably formed of a pressure sensitive adhesive, but other suitable adhesives can also be utilized. A backing or liner 120 is positioned over the adhesive layer 118 to prevent the layer 118 from prematurely adhering to a surface other than the exterior of the bag 10. The liner 120 is formed of any suitable material, such as a suitable coated paper, and may include a tab 121 disposed on one side of the liner 120 that extends outwardly past the support strip 116 to assist in grasping and removing the liner 120 from the adhesive layer 118.

Additionally, the device 115 includes a separate guide strip 156 disposed between the strip 116 and the resealing mechanism 122. The guide strip 156 is formed from a suitable material, such as a material similar to that forming the strip 116, but is preferably formed from a paper material. The guide strip 156 is dimensioned to have a length and width sufficient to completely cover the aperture 128 in the strip 116 when positioned on the strip 116. However, the length and width of the guide strip 156 are also preferably sufficiently short so as not to interfere with the airtight seal formed between the strip 116 and the portions 124 and 126 of the resealing mechanism 122. However, the guide strip 156 can also be formed to be coextensive with the mechanism 122, such that the guide strip 156 forms an integral part of the sealing engagement between the mechanism 122 and the support strip 116.

The guide strip 156 includes at least one guide slit 158, and preferably a line of slits or perforations, extending along the length of the perforated strip 156 in alignment with the aperture 128 formed in the strip 116. The function of the guide strip 156 and guide slits 158 is to provide a guide for a cutting device 130 inserted through the opening 127 formed in the resealing device 122 and used to form the opening in the bag 10. The guide slits 158 assist in maintaining the cutting device 130 in alignment with the aperture 128 such that the opening in the bag 10 is properly aligned with the aperture 128. The guide slits 158 do not extend completely across the guide strip 156, such that the ends of the guide strip 156 operate to prevent the individual from cutting too far along the guide strip 156. This in turn prevents the individual from damaging the airtight seal formed between the strip 116 and the resealing mechanism 122 around the guide strip 156 and aperture 128. Alternatively, the endmost guide slit 158 can be formed with circular outer ends (not shown) to assist in preventing any further cutting along the guide strip 156.

The guide strip 156 may also include one or more guide lines 160 disposed on the guide strip 156 adjacent and in alignment with the guide slits 158. The guide line(s) 160 function to further assist an individual in cutting the exterior of the bag 10 in alignment with the aperture 128. These guide lines 160 can be printed on the guide strip 156 and colored as necessary depending upon the color of the guide strip 156 and/or the color of the bag 10 to which the device 115 is secured. Also, there may be multiple guide lines 160 on the guide strip 156 in multiple colors positioned on opposed sides of the guide slits 158. In certain alternative embodiments, the lower strip 116 and the perforated strip 156 can be combined into a single structure where the guide slits 158 take the place of the aperture 128 in the support strip 116.

With reference now to FIGS. 7-9, a third embodiment of a closure adapted to be positioned on a container, such as a cereal bag 1000, to provide a recloseable opening on the bag 1000 is illustrated generally at 210. The closure 210 can be formed similarly to the closure devices 15, 15′, 115 of the previous embodiments, and includes a base 212 to which is secured a closure mechanism, such as a zipper 214. The zipper 214 includes a pair of opposed and releasably engageable zipper sections 216 and 218 that are positioned on the base 212 on opposite sides of a gap 220 formed in the base 212, such that the zipper sections 216 and 218 can be selectively engaged with one another to expose and cover the gap 220 in the base 212. The zipper sections 216 and 218 are formed of any conventional material, such as a thermoplastic material that is molded or extruded into the desired configuration with the selected engagement members or structures 2116 and 2118 thereon which enable the sections 216 and 218 to be selectively engaged with one another by manually pressing the sections 216 and 218 into engagement with one another, or through the use of a slider 222 positioned on the sections 216 and 218. The slider 222 can mechanically engage and disengage the complementary structures 2116 and 2118 on each section 216 and 218 with one another, and is prevented from sliding off of the sections 216 and 218 by nibs or stops 224 (FIG. 9) disposed on or integrally formed with each end of the sections 216 and 218 opposite the base 212. Further, the sections 216 and 218 can be secured to one another at one end, or optionally at both ends such as by heat sealing, to provide a permanently engaged end for the zipper 214. Alternatively, the zipper portions 216 and 218 can be formed to be completely separate from one another and are not directly secured to one another at any point, but are indirectly attached by both the base 212 and the slider 222, if present. This construction allows for a much simpler assembly of the closure 210, and increases the ease of use of the closure 210 as well.

The base 212 is preferably formed of a flexible material, such as a thin plastic material, and is preferably formed to be U-shaped with a pair of opposed sides 226 separated by the gap 220, but joined at one end by a central section 227 that also forms a closed end 221 for the gap 220 disposed opposite an open end 223. This shape enables the base 212 to have each of the opposed sides 226 of the base 212 positioned against each side of the bag 1000 with the gap 220 disposed over the opening (not shown) formed in the bag 1000, such that items held in the bag 1000 can pass through the gap 220 and out of the opening in the bag 1000 when the closure 210 is opened. The sides 226 of the base 212 are preferably formed to have a length sufficient to extend below the initial seal formed on the bag 1000, but the sides 226 can have any length desired to affix the closure 210 to the bag 1000. In addition, the length of the central section 227 allows the central section 227 to be secured to the opposed sides of the bag 1000 across the open end 1020 of the bag 1000. Thus, the central section 227 functions as a stop for the open end 1020 of the bag 1000 to limit the extent to which the bag 1000 can be opened when the closure 210 is secured thereto.

To secure the sides 226 and central section 227 of the base 212 to the bag 1000, a first adhesive layer 228 is applied to the base 212 opposite the zipper sections 216 and 218. This first adhesive layer 228 is formed of any suitable adhesive that is able to securely and preferably permanently affix the base 212 to the bag 1000. The adhesive 228 is preferably covered by a removable release liner 230 until the closure 210 is ready to be utilized, and directly contacts the sides of the bag 1000 to secure the closure 210 to the bag 1000.

Opposite the first adhesive layer 228, the closure 210 also preferably includes a spacing liner 232, which is formed of a material similar to liner 120 in the previous embodiments, and is positioned on the base 212 across the entire gap 220. The liner 232 is sized to be larger than the gap 220 and is disposed on the base 212 between the base 212 and the zipper sections 216 and 218. The liner 232 is affixed to the base 212 in any suitable manner, such as by heat sealing the liner 232 to the base 212, by the heat sealing of the zipper sections 216 and 218 to the base 212 around the liner 232, or by a second adhesive layer 234 disposed on the base 212 opposite the first adhesive layer 228. The second adhesive layer 234 additionally secures the attachment flanges 236 that integrally formed with each of the zipper sections 216 and 218 to the base 212 to form the closure 210. However, the position of the liner 232 prevents the second adhesive layer 234 from adhering to the zipper sections 216 and 218 adjacent the engagement structures 2116 and 2118 to provide a clearance space 237 above the liner 232 between the engagement structures 2116 and 2118 on the sections 216 and 218, thereby ensuring that the structures 2116 and 2118 can be readily separated manually or by the slider 222.

In addition, the location of the liner 232 across the gap 220 in the base 212 functions as a stop to properly position the sides 226 of the base 212 with respect to the sides of the bag 1000. More specifically, when initially placing the closure 210 on the bag 1000, when the upper edge of the bag 1000 contacts the liner 232, the sides 226 of the base 212 are able to be engaged with the bag 1000 at the desired location on the bag 1000.

Because the liner 232 is disposed directly across the gap 220 in the base 212, such that it can prevent the passage of any items through the gap 220, the liner 232 is also provided with a removable section 238. The removable section 238 is defined by a line of perforations 240 extending through the liner 232 and enables the section 238 to be completely removed from the liner 232 once the closure 210 is secured to the bag 1000. Once the removable section 238 has been removed, the remaining portion of the liner 232 is U-shaped similarly to the base 212, such that the liner 232 can reinforce the ability of the base 212 to finction as a stop on the extent to which the open end 1020 of the bag 1000 can be opened. Also, the opening (not shown) formed in the liner 232 upon removal of the removable section 238 can be separated or deflected similarly to the sides 226 of the base 212 when the closure 210 is opened in order to dispense items from the bag 1000 through the base 212 and liner 232 of the closure 210. As an alternative to the removable section 238, the liner 232 can have printed indicia 239 on it which provide an indication of where an incision or cut should be made in the liner 232 to provide the aperture along a cutting zone in the liner 232. The indicia 239 can also comprise or be formed along a perforated line 241 to assist in the formation of the incision.

Alternatively, the liner 232 can omit the removable section 238 and be formed with a size corresponding approximately to the size of the gap 220, such that the liner 232, while still being able to effectively position the sides 226 on the bag 1000, is not contacted by the adhesive 234 and can simply be removed entirely from the closure 210 after securing the closure 210 to the bag 1000. Alternatively, the liner 228 can be completely omitted, with the second adhesive layer 234 applied only to that portion of each of the sides 226 of the base 212 which are desired to be secured to the flanges 234 of the zipper sections 216 and 218.

In operation, initially the release liner 230 is removed from the base 212 to expose the first adhesive layer 228. The sides 226 of the base 212 are then moved over the upper edge 1040 of the bag 1000 until the edge 1040 contacts the liner 232, or the central section 227 of the base 212 and/or the lower ends of the engaged zipper sections 216 and 218 if the liner 232 is not present. Preferably, the sides 226 of the base 212 are positioned on the bag 1000 such that the sides 226 opposite the central section 227 are aligned with one side of the bag 1000, and extend inwardly to the central section 227. In this manner, the position of the central section 227 ensures that the bag 1000 cannot be opened along the edge 1040 to which the closure 210 is secured beyond the location of the central section 227. In this manner the closure 210 can cover the entire opening formed in the bag 1000 to enable the closure 1000 to form a sufficient seal over the opening in the bag 1000 to prevent the spillage or spillage of the material contained therein.

More particularly, at this position the sides 226, central section 227 and the first adhesive layer 228 positioned thereon are engaged with the bag 1000 to affix the closure 210 to the bag 1000. If the liner 232 is present, the zipper sections 216 and 218 are disengaged and either the perforated section 238 or the entire liner 232 can then be removed to expose the gap 220 in the base 212. In either situation, the engagement of the central section 227 and the liner 232, if present, with the upper edge 1040 functions to prevent the bag 1000 from being opened to an extent outside the width or length of the closure 210, effectively maintaining the seal on the bag 1000 when the closure 210 is closed. The bag 1000 is then opened in the normal manner, with the opening in the bag 1000 being restricted to the spaced covered by the closure 210 as a result of the engagement of the central section 227 of the U-shaped base 212 with the bag 1000. Alternatively, the closure 210 can be attached over the open end 1020 of a bag 1000 that has already been opened. In this situation, the closure 210 can be used to prevent the open end 1020 from being opened any further, while also controlling access to the interior of the bag 1000. Once the desired amount of material, e.g., cereal, is dispensed from the bag 1000 through the closure 210, the zipper sections 216 and 218 are re-engaged to close the bag 1000.

Various alternatives are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.

Claims

1. A resealable closure adapted to be secured to the exterior of a container, the closure comprising:

a) a base adapted to be secured to an end of the container to be opened, and including a first adhesive disposed along one side of the base and a gap having an open end defined in the base; and
b) a pair of zipper sections each including one of a pair of complementary engagement structures, the zipper sections fixed to the base opposite the first adhesive on opposite sides of the gap and releasably engageable with one another to selectively expose the gap in the base.

2. The closure of claim 1 further comprising a liner secured to the base over the gap in the base between the base and the zipper sections.

3. The closure of claim 2 wherein the liner includes a removable section disposed in alignment with the gap.

4. The closure of claim 3 wherein the removable section defines an aperture in the liner.

5. The closure of claim 2 wherein the liner is affixed to the base over the gap by a second adhesive disposed on the base opposite the first adhesive.

6. The closure of claim 5 wherein the liner is at least partially disposed between the base and the pair of zipper sections.

7. The closure of claim 1 wherein each of the pair of zipper sections includes an engagement section on which one of a pair of complementary engagement structures are disposed, and an attachment section secured to the base.

8. The closure of claim 7 wherein the attachment section of each zipper section is affixed to the base by a second adhesive disposed on the base opposite the first adhesive.

9. The closure of claim 7 wherein the engagement sections have a length sufficient to form a clearance space between the gap in the base and the engagement structures.

10. The closure of claim 1 wherein the zipper sections are not directly engaged with one another other than by the complementary engagement structures thereon.

11. The closure of claim 10 wherein the zipper sections are joined at one end.

12. The closure of claim 1 wherein the base comprises:

a) a pair of opposed sides with the gap located therebetween;
b) a central section joining each of the opposed sides and defining a closed end of the gap and adapted to form a stop for an opening in a container to which the closure is secured.

13. The closure of claim 12 wherein the base is formed of a thermoplastic material.

14. The closure of claim 2 wherein the liner defines a cutting zone.

15. The closure of claim 14 wherein the cutting zone includes printed indicia to define the location of the cutting zone.

16. The closure of claim 14 wherein the cutting zone includes a perforated line to define the location of the cutting zone.

17. A method of dispensing material from a container, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a closure including a base adapted to be secured to an end of the container to be opened, the base having a pair of opposed sides with a gap having an open end defined in the base between the opposed sides, a central section joining each of the opposed sides and defining a closed end of the gap, the central section adapted to form a stop for an opening in the container to which the closure is secured, and a first adhesive disposed along one side of the base and, and a pair of zipper sections each including one of a pair of complementary engagement structures, the zipper sections fixed to the base opposite the first adhesive on opposite sides of the gap and releasably engageable with one another to selectively expose the gap in the base;
b) positioning the opposed sides of the base against each side of the end of the container to be opened to locate the closure over the end of the container; and
c) opening the zipper sections to expose the end of the container to be opened through the gap in the base.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the closure includes a liner secured to the base over the gap in the base between the base and the zipper sections, and further comprising the step of forming an aperture in the liner after the step of positioning the side of the base against each side of the container.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the closure includes a liner secured to the base over the gap in the base between the base and the zipper sections, and further comprising the step of engaging the end of the container to be opened with the liner prior to the step of positioning the side of the base against each side of the container.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of forming an opening in the end of the container to be opened after the step of opening the zipper sections to expose the end of the container to be opened through the gap in the base.

Patent History
Publication number: 20090136161
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 17, 2008
Publication Date: May 28, 2009
Inventor: Charles P. Hickey (Pine Bluffs, WY)
Application Number: 12/272,346
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: For Access Opening In Sidewall (383/66); Processes Of Dispensing (222/1)
International Classification: B65D 33/16 (20060101);