Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D33/00—Details of, or accessories for, sacks or bags
  • B65D33/16—End- or aperture-closing arrangements or devices
  • B65D33/25—Riveting; Dovetailing; Screwing; using press buttons or slide fasteners
  • B65D33/2508—Riveting; Dovetailing; Screwing; using press buttons or slide fasteners using slide fasteners with interlocking members having a substantially uniform section throughout the length of the fastener; Sliders therefor
  • B65D33/2541—Riveting; Dovetailing; Screwing; using press buttons or slide fasteners using slide fasteners with interlocking members having a substantially uniform section throughout the length of the fastener; Sliders therefor characterised by the slide fastener, e.g. adapted to interlock with a sheet between the interlocking members having sections of particular shape
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
  • B65B61/18—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for making package-opening or unpacking elements
  • B65B61/188—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for making package-opening or unpacking elements by applying or incorporating profile-strips, e.g. for reclosable bags

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates to closure mechanisms for reclosable pouches and bags, and more particularly, to such closure mechanisms that utilize a slider to facilitate opening and/or closing.
• closure mechanisms are used to store items as varied as small snacks to multiple large comforter blankets.
• a closure mechanism allows selective sealing and unsealing of the bag.
• Use of closure mechanisms has been widely used and well understood in the art.
• closure mechanisms can create frustration by having difficult and unreliable operation.
• closure mechanisms often include a slider to facilitate closing and opening of the bag.
• Sliders are typically rigid to ensure the closure mechanism is closed along the entire length, not just in some areas and not others. Simply using one's fingers often will not close these types of closures, which may have multiple profiles, to ensure air or water tightness. Therefore, there is a need for a storage bag that includes a nonremovable slider to open the bag when pulled in one direction and close the bag when slid in the other direction, while maintaining a waterproof and air tight seal when in the closed position.
• the subject technology is directed to a zipper for a reclosable bag including a female profile assembly along an opening of the bag and a male profile assembly along the opening and opposing the female profile assembly, wherein the female and male profile assemblies selectively engage to close the opening.
• a guide forms a riser at a side of the bag.
• a slider mounts on the bag to engage the male and female profile assemblies together.
• the slider has a central body with depending opposing first and second sides for engaging the profiles when moved in a closing direction.
• a dividing member separates the profiles when moved in an opening direction opposite to the closing direction.
• the guide engages the slider so mat as the slider is moved in the closing direction onto the riser, the dividing member moves distally away from the profiles so that the zipper may be fully closed.
• FIG. 1 Another embodiment of the subject disclosure is direction to a closure for a reclosable bag having opposing members for selectively closing the bag and a slider coupled to the opposing members for engaging the opposing members together. At least one guide extends along an opening of the bag and couples to the slider for orienting the slider to the opposing members.
• Still another embodiment of the subject technology is directed to a zipper for a reclosable bag including a female profile along a first backing to form an opening of the bag, and a male profile along a second backing and opposing the female profile, wherein the female and male profiles selectively engage to close the opening.
• a slider slidingly mounts on the bag for engaging the male and female profiles together.
• the slider has a central body with depending first and second sides for closing the profiles and a dividing member for separating the profiles depending upon a direction of movement of the slider.
• At least one branch is adjacent to at least one of the profiles so that as the slider is moved to separate the profiles, the at least one branch contacts the dividing member to assist with separating the profiles.
• Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a zipper with a slider for a reclosable bag in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 2 is a top view of a zipper with a slider for a reclosable bag in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 3A is a perspective fragmentary view in cross-section of a female groove profile assembly of a zipper in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view of the groove profile of Figure 3A taken along line 3A-3 A.
• Figure 4A is a perspective fragmentary view in cross-section of a male rib profile of a zipper in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view of the male rib profile of Figure 4A taken along line 4A-4A.
• Figure 5A is a perspective view of a slider of a closure mechanism in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 5B is a closing end view of a slider of a closure mechanism in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 5C is an opening end view of a slider of a closure mechanism in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 5D is a partial cut-away view of a slider of a closure mechanism in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 6 is a top, perspective end view of a sealing end of a closure mechanism in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 7 is an end view of a sealing end of a closure mechanism in accordance with the subject technology
• Figure 8 is a top, perspective end view of a separating end of a closure mechanism in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 9 is an end view of a separating end of a closure mechanism in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 10 is a perspective view of a closure mechanism with a slider in a rest position in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 11 is a perspective view of a deformer ring for use in a defonning apparatus in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 12A is a perspective view of another slider of a closure mechanism in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 12B is an end view of another slider of a closure mechanism in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 12C is a cut-away view of another slider of a closure mechanism in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 13 is a partial perspective view of the slider of Figures 13A-C on a zipper of a reclosable bag in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of a female groove profile assembly of a double zipper in accordance with the subject technology.
• Figure 35 is a cross-sectional view of a male rib profile assembly of a double zipper in accordance with the subject technology.
• FIG. 1 and 2 a partial perspective view and a top view of a reclosable bag 100 are shown.
• the reclosable bag 100 has opposing walls 102, 104 that are sealed together to form an opening 106.
• a zipper 108 with a slider 110 selectively seals the bag 100.
• the zipper 108 is closed for a water-tight seal.
• the walls 102, 104 are separated to create the opening 106 (i.e., the bag 100 opens).
• FIG. 3 A and 3B a perspective fragmentary view and a cross-sectional view of a female groove profile assembly 130 of the zipper 108 is shown.
• the female groove profile assembly 130 is separately extruded with a backing 152, then applied to the wall 102.
• the female groove profile assembly 130 includes a female profile 131 with opposing legs 132a, 132b upstanding from the wall 102 to form a groove 138 on an inner side 140.
• Each leg 132a, 132b terminates in a distal hook 134a, 134b, respectively.
• the female groove profile assembly 130 also includes a trapezoidal- shaped branch 136 adjacent to the leg 132a. On an outer side 142, the female groove profile assembly 130 has a depending guide finger 144. Generally, the female groove profile assembly 130 terminates in a distal outwardly bent or curled end 146.
• FIG. 4A and 4B a perspective fragmentary view and a cross-sectional view of a male rib profile 160 of the zipper 108 is shown.
• the male rib profile 160 is also separately extruded with a backing 176, then applied to the wall 104.
• the male rib profile 160 On an inner side 168, the male rib profile 160 includes an upstanding stem 162 that terminates in a distal head 164.
• the stem 162 and head 164 are sized to selectively engage the opposing legs 132a, 132b in a water-tight manner.
• the male rib profile 160 also includes a trapezoidal-shaped branch 166 adjacent to the stem 162. On an outer side 170, the male rib profile 160 also has a depending guide finger 172. Generally, the male rib profile 160 terminates in a distal outwardly curled end 174. Without being limited to any particular theory of operation, the functionality of the branches 136, 166, guide fingers 144, 172 and curled ends 146, 174 is described in detail below. It is envisioned that the branches 136, 166, guides 144, 172 and ends 146, 174 could be any of a variety of shapes and combinations. For example, the guides could be straight at any angle, curled, Y-shaped, L-shaped, U-shaped and the like. The ends could be straight, wave-shaped, S-shaped and the like.
• a lower portion 148 of the female groove profile 130 below the leg 132b is approximately 7.156 mm
• a separation between the opposing legs 132a, 132b is approximately 1.2 mm
• a distance from a bottom edge 150 of the female groove profile assembly 130 to the utmost top of the branch 136 is approximately 10.056
• the guide finger 144 is at approximately 22 degrees with respect to the backing 152, which is approximately 0.3 mm thick.
• a lower portion 178 of the male rib profile 160 below the stem 162 is approximately 7.456 mm, the stem 162 is approximately 0.6 mm, a distance from a bottom edge 186 of the male rib profile 160 to the utmost top of the branch 166 is approximately 10.395, and the guide finger 172 is at approximately 22 degrees with respect to the backing 172, which is also approximately 0.3 mm thick.
• the groove profiles 130, 160 are co-extruded with the respective walls 102, 104,
• the slider 110 includes a central upper body 112 with opposing depending sides 114a, 114b to define a central channel 118 for receiving the zipper 108.
• the central channel 118 is open at the bottom.
• the top of the central channel 118 is curved and bulbous to form a complimentary shape to accommodate the outwardly curled ends 146, 174.
• Each side 114a, 114b defines a slot 120a, 120b mat captures the depending guide fingers 144, 172.
• the slider 110 has a sealing end 116a and a wider separating end 116b. When the slider 110 is moved so that the sealing end 116a is the trailing end, the zipper 108 is closed. Conversely, when the slider 110 is moved so that the separating end 116b is the trailing end, the zipper 108 is opened.
• the sides 114a, 114b taper together towards the sealing end 116a so that I-shaped structures 122a, 122b, respectively, apply closing pressure to seal the zipper 108 and retentive features assist aligning the zipper 108 within the slider 110.
• I-shaped structures 122a, 122b may be utilized.
• the slider 110 may simply be sized so that the sides 114a, 114b provide sealing force.
• the top and bottom of the I-shaped structures may be significantly more protmding to provide additional retention of the zipper 108 there between.
• the structures 122a, 122b may be any of a variety of shapes such at T- shaped and the like as would be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art.
• a dividing member 124 depends from the central upper body 112 to pry apart the profiles 130, 160 of the zipper 108.
• the dividing member 124 terminates in a beveled distal end 126.
• the dividing member 124 has a varied length (i.e., tapers down from the central upper body 122). It understood that a plurality of shapes now known and later developed for the dividing member 124 will accomplish the function of separating the zipper profiles 130, 160.
• the slider 112 when attached to the bag 100, the slider 112 further curls the ends 146, 174 of the profiles 130, 160.
• the ends 146, 174 want to uncurl and move the slider 112 upwards.
• the guide fingers 144, 172 prevent the upward motion.
• the slider 110 moves upward at the edge of the bag 100.
• segments 182 of the guide fingers 144, 172 are reduced in size.
• the segment 180 of the ends 146, 174 above the segments 182 are unchanged.
• the shortened segments 182 do not prevent the slider 110 from rising upward on the bag 100. This rise of the slider 110 raises the dividing member 124 upward to no longer separate the zipper 108.
• the shortened segments 182 have a different shape, the shortened segments 182 still function to retain the slider 112 on the bag 100.
• the bag 100 has an end heat seal 184 so that as the slider 110 moves to the edge of the bag 100, the dividing member 124 rises up out of the way so that the sealing end 116a fully closes the zipper 108 right up to the end heat seal 184.
• the curled ends 146, 174 are not uniform across the entire length of the bag 100. At one end, the curled ends 146, 174 are somewhat straightened, flared upward, flattened and/or elongated. In effect, the straightened ends push the slider 110 upward and the fingers 144, 172 are sized and configured to simply deflect to allow the motion. In still another embodiment, the guide fingers are shorter along the entire length such that the slider simply rises up in the rest position. In yet another embodiment, the curled ends 146, 174 have a straightened portion in the rest area. These straight ends can be createe during or shortly after the extrusion process before cooling by one or more deforming rings. A circumference of the deforming ring(s) is approximately equal to a length of the bag so that a single tooth only impacts the extruded profiles to flatten the ends in what results to be once per bag.
• the sides 114a, 114b are biased apart as necessary so that the lower portion of the I-shaped structures 122a, 122b passes over the guide fingers 144, 172, the branches 136, 166, and the profiles 130, 160.
• the guide fingers 144, 172 become captured in the slots 120a, 120b so that subsequent removal of the slider 110 is difficult.
• the guide fingers 144, 172 retain the slider 110 in the proper orientation.
• the curled ends 146, 174 may provide an upward bias against the top of the central channel 118 to prevent removal of the guide fingers 144, 172 from the slots 120a, 120b.
• the curling of the ends 146, 174 by the slider 110 also biases the slider 110 upwards (i.e., in a distal direction off the bag 100).
• the slider 110 is slid onto the bag 100 from one end or another.
• the slider 110 is mounted with the separating end 116b oriented towards the shortened segment 182.
• the sealing end 116a presses the profiles 130, 160 together.
• the slider 110 rises so that the dividing member 124 no longer separates the profiles 130, 160.
• the dividing member 124 of the slider 110 rises over the heat seal 184 so that the sealing end 116a, and in particular, the inner structures 122a, 122b, can completely close the zipper 108 up to the heat seal 184.
• the guide fingers 144, 172 pull the end 126 of the dividing member 124 into the branches 136, 166 to splay open the zipper 108 (e.g., the separating end 116b opens the zipper 108).
• the branches 136, 166 interact with the dividing member 124 to assist with opening the bag 100. Without being limited to any particular theory, the dividing member 124 pushes the branches 136, 166 downward, which creates a separating pull upon the profiles 130, 160 to separate the head 164 from the legs 132a, 132b.
• the branches 136, 166 may also be pushed outward by the dividing member 124 to create a separating force upon the profiles 130, 160.
• the female branch 166 is relatively above the male branch 136.
• the branches 136, 166 may be opposing each other or offset in the opposite manner.
• the branches 136, 166 may have other shapes such as oblong, oval, rectangular, round, prong, triangular and the like.
• the guide fingers 144, 172 in the slots 120a, 120b separating at the separating end 116b assists with separating the profiles 131, 161. It is envisioned that the slider simply use a guide fingers in slots arrangement without a dividing member to separate the profiles.
• a top view of a deformer ring 70 is shown.
• the profile assemblies 130, 160 are extruded.
• one or more components are separately made, then heat sealed together.
• the guide fingers 144, 172 may be separately formed, then heat sealed in place.
• the deformer ring 70 has a single wave shaped tooth 72 that impacts the working material once per rotation.
• the working material is the guide fingers 144, 166.
• the deformer ring 70 would oppose a solid ring in a deforming apparatus in close proximity so that each time the tooth 72 impacts a guide finger 144, 166, the guide fingers 144, 166 are cut to create the shortened segments 182.
• FIGS 12A-C perspective, end and cut-away views of another slider 210 are shown.
• the slider 210 utilizes similar principles to the slider 110 described above. Accordingly, like reference numerals preceded by the numeral "2" instead of the numeral “1 ", are used to indicate like elements.
• the primary difference of the slider 210 is that the slider 210 is designed to only close a zipper.
• the slider 210 When mounted on a zipper, the slider 210 can be moved in either direction to close the zipper. In one embodiment, the end heat seal or other mechanism is provided to prevent the slider 210 from coming off the bag 200. Typically, to open the bag, the zipper would simply manually be pulled apart.
• the slider 210 includes a central upper body 212 with opposing depending sides 214a, 214b. Each side 214a, 214b defines a slot 220a, 220b that captures depending guide fingers to retain the slider 210 on the bag.
• the sides 214a, 214b have I- shaped structures 222a, 222b, respectively, that are spaced apart so as to apply closing pressure to seal the zipper.
• the tops and bottoms of the I-shaped structures 222a, 222b act as retentive features to assist aligning the zipper within the slider 210.
• the slider 210 does not have a dividing member.
• FIG 14 a partial perspective view of the slider 210 on a zipper 208 is shown.
• the rjrimary difference of the zipper 208 is the lack of the shortened segments. Hence, in either direction, the slider 210 will completely seal the zipper 208.
• the double zipper is accomplished by having the female profile assembly 230 have two female groove profiles 231a, 231b, each female groove profile 231a, 231b includes two sets of opposing legs 232a-d.
• the male profile assembly 260 has two male rib profiles 261a, 261b with stem 262a, 262b for selectively interlocking with the opposing legs 232a-d.
• the seal of the bag may be improved.
• the profiles 230, 260 have a series of ridges 245 to facilitate gripping of the bag by the user.
• the female profile assembly 230 is 3.5 cm long, the base of the guide finger 244 is 0.7 cm from the distal end, the groove 238a is 0.9 cm from the proximal end, the groove 238b is 0.8 cm from the distal end of the guide finger 244, the male profile assembly 260 is 4 cm long, the base of the guide finger 272 is 1.1 cm from the distal end, the stem 264a is 0.9 cm from the proximal end, and the stem 264b is 0.8 cm from the distal end of the guide finger 272.
• the bag may also include a one-way valve and/or a two-way valve (not shown) to aid in creating vacuum seal of the contents of the bag.
• the valve is typically located on the face of the reclosable bag, but may be on an edge of the bag or any surface or edge of the bag.
• the valve may also be incorporated directly into the slider, with for example, a ball valve or other feature.
• An example of a valve is shown in U.S. PG Pub. No.2010/0002961 published on January 7, 2010 to Armstrong et al.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Slide Fasteners (AREA)
• Bag Frames (AREA)
• Purses, Travelling Bags, Baskets, Or Suitcases (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=55747483

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Families Citing this family (23)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (32)

• 2015
  • 2015-10-19 CN CN201580053430.2A patent/CN107074405A/zh active Pending
  • 2015-10-19 JP JP2017518441A patent/JP2017534360A/ja active Pending
  • 2015-10-19 EP EP15851273.1A patent/EP3206961A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2015-10-19 CA CA2963551A patent/CA2963551A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2015-10-19 KR KR1020177009027A patent/KR20170070027A/ko not_active Withdrawn
  • 2015-10-19 US US14/886,840 patent/US10011398B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2015-10-19 AU AU2015331630A patent/AU2015331630A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2015-10-19 WO PCT/US2015/056233 patent/WO2016061579A1/en not_active Ceased
• 2018
  • 2018-07-02 US US16/025,149 patent/US20190002162A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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