Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02548126 2006-05-25
PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. J-4287A
-1-
TITLE
SLIDER AND CLOSURE MECHANISM FOR CLOSURE ASSEMBLY
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No.
60/684,914, filed May 26, 2005, and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent
Application No.
10/821,341, filed April 9, 2004, and U.S. Patent Application No. 11/349,558,
filed February
8, 2006, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
REFERENCE REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR
DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not applicable
SEQUENTIAL LISTING
[0003] Not applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0004] The present invention relates to a closure assembly including an
elongate closure
mechanism and a slider operationally disposed thereon, such as might be used
on a pouch.
2. Description of the Background of the Invention
[0005] Closure mechanisms that include a slider fox occluding and de-occluding
one or
more pairs of opposing interlocking profiles are known. The slider facilitates
relatively easy
opening and closing of the interlocking profiles. A difficulty with such
closure mechanisms,
however, is preventing leakage around a separating member when the slider is
disposed in a
fully closed position on the interlocking profiles.
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PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. ~-4~87A
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[0006] In one instance, a slider includes a separator finger that extends only
between the
upper pair of opposing interlocking profiles so that the slider does not
separate the lower pair
of opposing interlocking profiles. When slid along the closure mechanism in an
opening
direction, the slider only opens the upper pair of opposing interlocking
profiles. A user then
manually opens the lower pair of opposing interlocking profiles, such as by
pulling the
profiles apart. When slid along the closure mechanism in a closing direction,
the slider
includes projections that are adapted to cause the upper and lower pairs of
opposing
interlocking profiles to move together and engage mutually.
[0007] In another instance, a slider for a closure mechanism having upper and
lower pairs
of opposing interlocking profiles has an opening plow that separates the upper
and lower
pairs of interlocking profiles when slid in an opening direction along the
closure mechanism.
The plow is a vertical member depending from a top wall of the slider and a
horizontal
member extending laterally from a lower end of the vertical member outwardly
toward left
and right sidewalls of the slider between the upper and lower interlocking
profiles. The
horizontal member presses against a backing member extending between the upper
and lower
interlocking profiles to separate the interlocking profiles without having the
vertical member
engage the interlocking profiles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] According to one aspect of the invention, a closure assembly includes a
first
elongate closure member having a first upper interlocking profile spaced from
a first lower
interlocking profile, a second elongate closure member having a second upper
interlocking
profile opposite the first interlocking profile and a second lower
interlocking profile opposite
the first lower interlocking profile, and a slider including a separator
member spaced between
a first channel wall and a second channel wall. The slider further includes an
upper closing
bar disposed on an inner surface of one of the left and right channel walls
aligned with the
upper interlocking profiles and spaced from a lower closing bar disposed on an
inner surface
of one of the left and right channel walls aligned with the lower interlocking
profiles. The
slider is operationally disposed on the first elongate closure member and the
second elongate
CA 02548126 2006-05-25
PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. J-4287A
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closure member such that the slider de-occludes the first upper interlocking
profile and the
second upper interlocking profile when shifted along the first elongate
closure member and
the second elongate closure member in a first direction without de-occluding
the first lower
interlocking profile and the second lower interlocking profile. The slider
also occludes the
first upper interlocking profile with the second upper interlocking profile
and occludes the
first lower interlocking profile with the second lower interlocking profile
when shifted along
the first elongate closure member and the second elongate closure member in a
second
direction opposite the first direction.
[0009] According to another aspect of the invention, a slider for operatively
engaging an
elongate resealable closure mechanism includes a channel defined by a left
channel wall
connected to a right channel wall at an upper end thereof. The channel is
adapted to receive
the elongate resealable closure mechanism therein through a lower end opposite
an upper
end. A lower closure bar protrudes into the channel adjacent the lower end,
and an upper
closure bar protrudes into the channel and is spaced between the lower closure
bar and the
upper end. A separator finger spaced between the left channel wall and the
right channel wall
is aligned with the upper closure bar and not aligned with the lower closure
bar.
[0010] According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method of occluding
and de-
occluding a closure mechanism on a pouch having a first sidewall and a second
sidewall
defining an opening into an interior space therebetween includes the step of
sliding an
actuation member along the closure mechanism in a first direction to de-
occlude an exterior
pair of interlocking members. The method further includes the steps of
gripping an exposed
upper flange above one of the exterior pair of interlocking members and an
opposing one of
the first and second sidewalk and urging the first and second sidewalls away
from each other
to de-occlude an inner pair of interlocking members including an asymmetric
male hook
member turned toward the interior. Still further, the method includes the step
of sliding the
actuation member in a second direction opposite the first direction to re-
occlude the exterior
and interior pairs of interlocking members.
[0011 ] Other aspects of the present invention will become apparent upon
consideration of
the following detailed description.
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' PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. J-4287A
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a partial isometric view of a pouch having a closure assembly
including
a slider operatively disposed on a closure mechanism;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing
an opening
end of the slider; and
[0014] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing
a closing
end of the slider.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] Turning now to the drawings, a pouch 10 shown in FIG. 1 according to
one
embodiment has a left pouch sidewall 12 disposed opposite a right pouch
sidewall 14 and
defining a mouth 16 into an interior space 18 between the left and right pouch
sidewalls.
(Global relational spatial terms, such as "left" and "right," "upper" and
"lower," "lateral,"
etc., are used hereinafter in reference to the opening end view shown in FIG.
2 for
explanatory purposes only, it being understood that the "left" and "right"
sides are opposite in
the closing end view shown in FIG. 3 and that the global spatial relationships
are different
when the closure assembly is oriented differently.) A closure assembly 20 is
disposed at the
mouth 16 to facilitate sealing, opening, and/or re-sealing the pouch 10. The
closure assembly
20 includes an elongate closure mechanism 22 having opposing elongate closure
members
disposed on respective opposing pouch sidewalls 12, 14 extending along the
mouth 16 and a
slider 24 disposed on the closure mechanism to operationally engage the
closure members.
The slider 24 defines a channel 26 that extends between an opening end 28 and
a closing end
30, and is sized to receive the closure mechanism 22 therein. The slider 24 at
least partly
opens the mouth 16 when shifted along the closure mechanism 22 toward the
closing end 30
and at least partly closes the mouth when shifted along the elongate
resealable closure
mechanism toward the opening end 28.
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PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. J-4287A
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[0016] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the closure mechanism 22 includes a left
closure
member 32 and a right closure member 34, each of which is elongate and
disposed along the
length of the mouth 16. The left closure member 32 includes an upper male
interlocking
profile 36 and a lower female interlocking profile 38 disposed on a backing
member 40. The
right closure member 34 includes an upper female interlocking profile 42
opposite the upper
male interlocking profile 36 and a lower male interlocking profile 44 opposite
the lower
female interlocking profile 38 disposed on a backing member 46. In the
depicted
embodiment, the upper male and female interlocking profiles 36, 42 are
elongate and
resealable with each other, and similarly, the lower female and male
interlocking profiles 38,
44 are elongate and resealable with each other. In other embodiments, the left
and right
closure members 32, 34 may include non-elongate interlocking members, such as,
for
example, hook and loop fastener strips, elongate arrays of discrete inter-
engaging protrusions,
etc. The upper male and female interlocking profiles 36, 42 are spaced between
the mouth 16
and the lower male and female interlocking members 38, 44, defining a medial
space 48
therebetween. Each of the upper and lower female interlocking profiles 42, 38
includes a pair
of inwardly hooked arms 50 to interlockingly receive the respective opposing
upper and
lower male interlocking profiles 36, 44 therein. The upper male interlocking
profile 36 has a
symmetrical barbed head 52. The lower male interlocking profile 44 has an
asymmetrical
barbed head 54 to provide a differential opening force, such that more force
is needed to de-
occlude the lower male/female interlocking profiles 44, 38 from an interior 18
side of the
closure mechanism 22 than from a mouth 16 side of the closure mechanism. In
one
embodiment, the asymmetrical barbed head 54 includes a single hook 56 that is
turned
toward the interior 18. In another embodiment (not shown), the asymmetrical
barbed head ~4
may include a pair of opposing hooks in which, for example, a hook on the
interior side is
larger than a hook on the mouth side. In a further embodiment (not shown),
both the upper
and lower male interlocking profiles 36, 44 may, for example, have
asymmetrical barbed
heads or symmetrical barbed heads, and the upper and lower male interlocking
profiles may
be disposed on one backing member and the upper and lower female interlocking
profiles 42,
38 rnay be disposed on the opposing backing member. Further, the backing
members 40, 46
in one embodiment are upper portions of the left and right pouch sidewalls 12,
14, and in
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PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. J-4287A
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another embodiment are discrete strips of material distinct from the left and
right pouch
sidewalk. In another embodiment, an upper flange 58 (shown in dashed lines in
FIG. 2)
extends upwardly beyond the upper male interlocking member 36 such that the
upper flange
is offset beyond and not directly opposed by an upper edge 60 of the opposite
pouch sidewall
14. The upper flange 58 in another embodiment may, for example, extend beyond
either one
of the closure members 32 or 34 to provide an exposed strip of material that
is not opposed
by any portion of the opposite sidewall 14, or right closure member 34 to aid
a user in
grasping and opening the mouth 16.
[0017] The slider 24 includes a left channel wall 70 laterally spaced from a
right channel
wall 72, which defines the channel 26. The left channel wall 70 is connected
to the right
channel wall 72 at an upper end thereof, such as, for example, by a top
channel wall 74
extending laterally across the channel 26. A separator member is disposed in
the channel 26
spaced between the left channel wall 70 and the right channel wall 72. In one
embodiment
the separator member includes a substantially vertical separator finger 76
extending
downwardly from the top channel wall 74 a distance sufficient to extend
between the upper
male and female interlocking profiles 36, 42 and not between the lower male
and female
interlocking profiles 38, 44 when the slider 24 is operatively disposed on the
closure
mechanism 22. A lower closure protrusion, such as an opposing pair of lower
closure bars 78
disposed on the left and right channel walls 70, 72, extends into the channel
26 proximate the
lower end thereof. An upper closure protrusion, such as an opposing pair of
upper closure
bars 80 disposed on the left and right channel walls 70, 72, extends into the
channel 26
proximate the upper end thereof. The lower closure bars 78 are vertically
aligned and
substantially coextensive with the lower male and female interlocking profiles
38, 44, and the
upper closure bars 80 are vertically aligned and substantially coextensive
with the upper male
and female interlocking profiles 36, 42 when the slider 24 is operatively
disposed on the
closure mechanism 22. In one embodiment, the upper closure protrusion is
disposed between
the lower closure protrusion and the upper end of the channel 26, such that,
in one
embodiment the upper closure bars 80 are spaced from the lower closure bars
78, and in
another embodiment the upper closure bars are spaced between the lower closure
bars and the
top channel wall 74.
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PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. J-4287A
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[0018] The closure assembly 20, including the closure mechanism 22 and the
slider 24,
may be made of any material suitable for providing a relatively resilient
slider and a
relatively flexible closure mechanism. In one embodiment, the slider 24 is
molded of
relatively stiff or rigid polymeric material, and the closure mechanism 22 is
extruded with a
more pliable polymeric resin.
[0019] Illustratively, to open and/or unseal the closure assembly 20, a user
urges the
operatively disposed slider 24 along the closure mechanism 22 in an opening
direction
toward the closing end 30 in order to de-occlude the upper male and female
interlocking
profiles 36, 42. The user may then de-occlude the lower male and female
interlocking
profiles 38, 44 by, for example, grasping the upper flange 58 and urging the
left pouch
sidewall 12 away from the right pouch sidewall 14. To close and/or reseal the
closure
assembly 20, the user urges the slider 24 in an opposite, closing direction,
i.e., toward the
opening end 28 of the slider, along the closure mechanism 22, thereby
occluding the upper
male and female interlocking profiles 36, 42 and the lower male and female
interlocking
profiles 38, 44 along the mouth 16.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0020] The closure assembly described herein provides a mechanism for sealing,
opening, and resealing a pouch for storing products therein. Of course, the
closure assembly
may be used for sealing and resealing openings of almost any kind. The
opposing upper and
lower interlocking members may form two resealable seals along the mouth of
the pouch, and
the slider may be adapted to not de-occluding the lower interlocking members,
thereby
ensuring at least one complete seal across the entire bag mouth when the
slider is in the fully
closed position. The asymmetrical barbed head disposed on the lower male
interlocking
profile may require a lower opening force for the user to de-occlude the lower
interlocking
profiles when gripping the upper flange and opposite upper pouch wail edge
while requiring a
larger opening force from the interior of the pouch by, for example, food or
other products
contained therein.
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PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. J-42$7A
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[0021 ] Each patent and reference cited herein is incorporated herein by
reference in the
entirety thereof. Numerous modifications to the present invention will be
apparent to those
skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this
description is to be
construed as illustrative only and is presented for the purpose of enabling
those skilled in the
art to make and use the closure assembly of the present invention and to teach
the best mode
of carrying out same. The exclusive right to all modification within the scope
of the
impending claims is expressly reserved.
