CN112638785A

CN112638785A - Child resistant zipper closure

Info

Publication number: CN112638785A
Application number: CN201980038161.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 艾瑞克·普勒尔多; 马尔科·阿吉拉尔; 大卫·马休斯
Original assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Current assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Priority date: 2018-06-29
Filing date: 2019-06-28
Publication date: 2021-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 2039-06-28
Also published as: EP3814242A1; CN112638785B; US20210229871A1; WO2020006354A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to resealable zippers or reclosers for child resistant or child resistant flexible packages. The zipper or recloser includes two profiles, wherein at least one profile includes a tab formed from flange material between an upper set of interlocking elements and a lower set of interlocking elements. The user grasps the tab to separate the two profiles to open the package. The flange may alternatively comprise a finger hole or finger slit.

Description

Child resistant zipper closure

Background

This application claims priority under 35u.s.c.119(e) to U.S. provisional application serial No. 62/691,648, filed 2018, 6/29, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a closure, reclosure, or zipper for a child resistant or child resistant flexible package. In particular, the profile of the closure, reclosure or zipper comprises tabs partially cut from the flanges and upper and lower snap-type interlocking elements on the upper and lower portions of the flanges, respectively, for engagement with the opposite profile.

Background

The prior art of child resistant packaging has been well developed. An example is disclosed in PCT/US2018/44941 entitled "Child Resistant Reclosable Bags" filed on 8/2.2018. Further examples are disclosed in the following: PCT/US2019/34143 entitled "Running Tab Lock in a reverse Direction (TD) Application [ Running Tab Lock applied in Transverse Direction ]" filed on 28.5.2019; PCT/US2016/061979 entitled "Zipper Child resistant With Three-Web/Flange Design [ Zipper check Child open Closure With Three Web/Flange Design ] filed on 15.11.2016; U.S. patent No. 10,287,063 entitled "Child Resistant Reclosable Bags" was issued on 2019, 5, month 14. However, further developments and improvements are sought, particularly in the context of a press-fit zipper or recloser. In particular, developments and improvements in applications are sought, such as child-resistant packaging for dishwasher pods (pod) or pharmaceuticals.

Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a child-resistant or child-resistant closure, reclosure, or zipper for a flexible package, particularly as a compression zipper.

It is therefore another object of the present disclosure to provide a closure, reclosure, or zipper, particularly a press-fit zipper, which is not intuitively obvious to a child to operate.

It is therefore yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a closure, a reclosure, or a zipper, particularly a press-fit zipper, which can be easily operated by an adult.

It is therefore yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a closure, a reclosure, or a zipper, particularly a compression zipper, that can be easily, economically and reliably manufactured.

This and other objects are obtained by providing a closure, recloser, or zipper, typically configured as a compression zipper, having a tab produced from a flange material on one of the profiles between the upper and lower sets of interlocking elements. The closure, recloser, or zipper is opened by the user grasping the tab and pulling the first profile and the second profile apart, thereby releasing the snap-type interlocking elements.

Drawings

Further objects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which

In the figure:

FIG. 1A is a side plan view of a two-piece snap-fit zipper or reclosure of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1B is an end view of a two-piece snap-fit zipper or reclosure of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a tab that extends to overlap a lower interlocking element in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3 illustrates the removal of the semi-circular portion of the top flange around the tab.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the present disclosure in which an aperture for finger insertion is provided.

Fig. 5 is a schematic view of yet another embodiment of the present disclosure in which a slit for finger insertion is provided.

Detailed Description

Referring now in detail to the drawings, it can be seen that fig. 1A and 1B illustrate a two-piece compression zipper 10 (or similar closure or reclosure) typically made of a polymeric material having a first profile 11 and a second profile 13. The first profile 11 comprises a first upper interlocking element 12 and a first lower interlocking element 14 on the upper edge and the lower edge, respectively, of the first flange 16. A semi-circular or similarly shaped (e.g., U-shaped or C-shaped) slit 20 is adjacent to or partially overlaps the upper interlocking element 12, the slit being cut through the first flange 16, thereby forming a tab 22, a portion of the tab 22 remaining integral with or attached to the first flange 16 or the first profile 11. Likewise, the second profile 13 comprises a second flange 18 having a second upper interlocking element 15 and a second lower interlocking element 17. The first and second foldable

upper interlocking elements

12 and 15 interlock with each other in the closed configuration of the foldable zipper 10. Likewise, the first and second foldable

lower interlocking elements

14 and 17 interlock with each other in the closed configuration of the foldable zipper 10. While some configurations may include tab structures on both the first flange 16 and the second flange 18, tab structures are typically included on only one flange. When the zipper 10 is incorporated into a bag, packet, pouch or similar container (not shown), the second profile 13 is attached below the top of the mouth at a point on the joining flange, and the upper half of the zipper 10 is attached to the bag by a sealing flange or guide and sealing flange extension 24 below the first lower interlocking element 14 (see fig. 3). This sealing arrangement creates a shearing action between the first profile 11 and the second profile 13 when the two bag walls are separated, such as when opening a typical bag, which prevents or inhibits the first profile 11 and the second profile 13 from separating, and prevents or inhibits the zipper 10 (and thus the bag, package, pouch or similar container) from opening.

Alternatively, the first flange 16 of the first profile 11 may also be attached to the wall of a bag, package, pouch or similar container between the first upper interlocking element 12 and the first lower interlocking element 14, as long as the seal between the first flange 16 and the bag wall is sufficiently below the inverted tab 22 to allow for the gripping of the tab 22. The lower half zipper of the first profile 11 may be attached by an upper flange and, in some embodiments, may be attached to the guide and seal flange extension 24, as shown in fig. 3.

Fig. 2 shows the tab 22 extending downwardly to a point of overlap with the lower interlocking element 14. This locks the free end of the tab 22 in the lower bottom interlocking element 14, increasing the difficulty of opening the zipper 10 by requiring that the overlapping portion of the tab 22 be unlocked first to be able to subsequently grasp the tab 22 and open the compression zipper 10.

Fig. 3 shows that the semi-circular portion 23 of the first flange 16 surrounding the tab 22 (inside the slot 20 and outside the tab 22) can be removed, thereby creating a gap between a portion of the tab 22 and the first flange 16 for easier access to the tab 22. Fig. 3 further illustrates the guiding and sealing flange extension 24 below the lower interlocking element 14 of the first flange 16. The guide and seal flange extensions 24 provide attachment points for the zipper 10 and help guide the zipper 10 during package production.

This reclosure or zipper 10 thus includes a tab 22 created by the material of the first flange 16 between the first upper interlocking element 12 and the first lower interlocking element 14.

Opening zipper 10 is an operation that is not intuitive for a child as there is no upper flange to grasp. The sealing of the zipper 10 to the package walls is done in such a way that pulling the bag wall above or below the zipper 10 will not open the zipper 10.

However, when the bag, package or pouch (and zipper 10) is in the closed or interlocked configuration, an adult can grasp and pull tab 22 to separate first and second

upper interlocking elements

12 and 15 from each other and first and second

lower interlocking elements

14 and 17 from each other, thereby allowing first and

second profiles

11 and 13 to be separated from each other and allowing the bag, package or pouch to be opened. The embodiment illustrated in figures 1 and 2 typically does not require the removal of material from the zipper 10 during manufacture, thereby eliminating or minimizing the need for waste and disposal of scrap material.

Fig. 4 and 5 illustrate an alternative wherein the first flange 16 includes a finger aperture 30 (see fig. 4, which may include a second finger aperture 31 on the second flange 18, shown in phantom offset from the first finger aperture 30) or a finger slit 32 (fig. 5). This allows the user to insert a finger into the

aperture

30 or 31 or finger slit 32 and force the first profile 11 apart from the second profile 13 (i.e., separate the upper first and

second interlocking elements

12 and 15 from each other and the lower first and

second interlocking elements

14 and 17 from each other) to open the zipper 10 in a manner that is desirable to be non-intuitive to the child.

Accordingly, the foregoing objects and advantages have been most effectively attained. Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that the present invention is in no way limited to these embodiments.

Claims

1. A zipper or recloser comprising:

at least one profile having at least one upper interlocking element and at least one lower interlocking element;

a flange between the at least one upper interlocking element and the at least one lower interlocking element; and

a tab below the at least one upper interlocking element.

2. The zipper or recloser of claim 1 wherein the tab is partially cut from the flange.

3. A zipper or recloser as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tab is formed by a semi-circular cut, a portion of the tab remaining attached to or integral with the flange or at least one profile.

4. A zipper or recloser as claimed in claim 3, wherein the semicircular cut is U-shaped or C-shaped.

5. The zipper or recloser of claim 1 further comprising a lower flange extension located below the at least one lower interlocking element.

6. The zipper or recloser of claim 1 wherein a portion of material between a portion of the tab and the flange is removed.

7. The zipper or recloser of claim 6 wherein the portion of the material removed is semi-circular, thereby forming a gap between at least a portion of the flange and at least a portion of the tab.

8. The zipper or recloser of claim 1, wherein the at least one upper interlocking element and the at least one lower interlocking element are press-fit interlocking elements.

9. The zipper or recloser of claim 1 wherein the tab overlaps the at least one lower interlocking element.

10. A zipper or recloser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the zipper or recloser is made of a polymeric material.

11. A zipper or recloser comprising:

a finger aperture in the flange.

12. The zipper or recloser of claim 11, wherein at least one upper interlocking element and at least one lower interlocking element are a press-fit interlocking element.

13. A zipper or recloser comprising:

a first profile comprising a first upper interlocking element and a first lower interlocking element;

a first flange between the first upper interlocking element and the first lower interlocking element;

a second profile comprising a second upper interlocking element and a second lower interlocking element;

a second flange between the second upper interlocking element and the second lower interlocking element; and

a first finger hole in the first flange.

14. The zipper or recloser of claim 13, wherein the first upper and lower interlocking elements and the second upper and lower interlocking elements are press-fit interlocking elements.

15. The zipper or recloser of claim 13 wherein the second flange comprises a second finger hole.

16. The zipper or recloser of claim 15 wherein the first finger aperture is offset from the second finger aperture.

17. A zipper or recloser comprising:

a finger slit in the flange.

18. The zipper or recloser of claim 17, wherein the at least one upper interlocking element and at least one lower interlocking element are a press-fit interlocking element.

19. A zipper or recloser comprising:

a finger slit in the first flange.

20. The zipper or recloser of claim 19, wherein the first upper and lower interlocking elements and the second upper and lower interlocking elements are press-fit interlocking elements.