Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
UNISEX ZIPPERED PACKAGE WITH WIDE MOUTH
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[00011 This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S.
application
serial no. 14/754,755, filed on June 30, 2015, which is a continuation-in-part
of application
serial no. 13/193,030, filed July 28, 2011, which claims priority under 35
U.S.C. 119(e) of
U.S. provisional application serial no. 61/368,496 filed July 28, 2010.
Field of the Diolosure
[0002] The present disclosure pertains to unisex zippered reclosable
packages with a
wide mouth opening feature and/or easy open and/or easy close features. The
present
disclosure further pertains to wide mouth opening pre-made or horizontal form,
fill and seal
pouches. The present disclosure further pertains to pre-made or horizontal
form, fill and seal
pouches with pour spout reclosures.
Description or the Prior Art
[00031 Wide mouth gusseted packages are disclosed by U.S. Published
Patent
Application No. 2007/0258665 entitled "Wide Mouth Gusseted Packages",
published on
November 8, 2007 on behalf of Greco. While the Greco reference is well-adapted
for its
intended purposes, further improvements are sought with respect to simplifying
the
manufacturing process, particularly in transverse direction (TD) applications.
[0004] Additionally, while vertical form fill seal (VITS) machines are
well-adapted for
their intended purposes, some VFFS applications which include transverse
placement of the
joined zipper can deal with issues such as a propensity for inner flange
sealing exacerbated by
poor heat transfer films; slide between the male and female zipper elements
resulting in "inch
worming" or open zippers jamming the equipment; lateral movement of elements
resulting in
offset elements that jam in the cassette or on the lip of the filling tube;
poor stomping of joined
zipper ends required to prevent slide of male and female elements or to
promote ease of
closure which then fail upon forcibly being opened to full mouth opening;
premature knife
wear as a result of cutting the two elements together; and zipper camber due
to unbalanced
flanges and the complexity of different sized flanges resulting in unreliable
zipper transport or
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jumping off of or out of the guide, improper placement of the zipper, or
unwanted zipper
curvature.
[0005]
Additionally, such applications may require jaw modifications in order to
operate properly. The sealing of consumer side flanges to film may require
more actions to
take place under difficult operating conditions. The high heat conditions and
the requirement
to make these flange seals can also promote hot tack failure between the
flanges and the film
or flange-to-flange hot tacking.
[0006] Similarly,
some current transverse direction zipper production applications may
incur increased costs. These increased costs may occur due to joining
equipment which
increases scrap and reduces production speeds, increased sensitivity to
winding conditions, the
use of more expensive materials to prevent inner flange sealing, increased
costs of sealant
layers and the inherent complexity of working with male/female profiles.
[0007] Moreover,
the opening of some reclosable pouches may be restricted or smaller
than the full mouth opening because of the zipper. In some transverse
direction processes, it is
necessary for the zipper to be shorter than the pouch in order to insert the
zipper into the
pouch. In addition, the zipper may be stomped which reduces the opening even
further.
Moreover, ease in opening is not always fully satisfactorily achieved by a
pouch manufactured
in a transverse direction application. Additionally, some single profiles do
not close as well as
some double zipper profiles.
[0008] In a pillow-
type bag, the percentage mouth opening lost is relatively small
compared to that of gusseted bags, yet the end stomps of the zipper still
remove some the
mouth opening in the pillow bag. Many current gusseted bags use a zipper that
is short of the
width of the bag's front panel, thereby restricting the opening size of the
bag. In many
applications, it is desirable that the opening of a pillow or gusseted bag be
as large as possible
to enable ease of scooping out or pouring out the product, or filling.
[0009] Other prior
art includes U.S. Patent No. 4,655,862 entitled "Method of and
Means of Making Reclosable Bags and Method Therefor", issued on April 7, 1987
to
Christoff et al.
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OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[00010] It is
therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide improvements in
wide mouth gusseted reclosable packages or bags.
[00011] It is
therefore a further object of the present disclosure to provide
improvements in gusseted bags with respect to increased width of mouth,
increased ease of
opening and/or increased ease of closing.
[00012] These and
other objects are attained by a method which typically includes the
steps of attaching a multi-track, self-mating reclosure across a web;
providing a space or gap
in the web between each end of the reclosure and each edge of the web, leaving
enough room
to form a fin or lap seal from the web material in the space or gap between
the ends of the
reclosure and the edges of the web; bringing the edges of the web together; so
that the
interlocking elements of the reclosure are in unmated opposing end-wise
alignment with each
other; and attaching the spaces or gaps together at each end of the web to
form a fm seal or to
form a lap seal.
[00013] These and
other objects are further attained in the first and second
embodiments of the disclosure by providing a package, pouch or bag, that
includes a zipper
reclosure which is typically a unisex style zipper, possibly including double
profiles. The
zipper or reclosure is attached to the pouch film by a transverse direction
process. Because
the zipper or reclosure is a unisex configuration, it can be fully attached to
the film in a
transverse direction application. The zipper or reclosure is attached to the
width of the pouch
film at the applicator position, but is configured so that there is a gap
between the ends of the
zipper or reclosure, whereby the ends of the zipper are spaced away from the
fin seal or other
seal. This gap makes it easier to form to fin or other seal, as compared to a
similar
embodiment without such a gap. The zipper or reclosure can have one or two
flanges. The
flanges are sealed to the pouch film in the transverse direction applicator.
[00014] These and
other objects are attained in a third embodiment of the disclosure by
applying a unisex zipper in the transverse direction to the width of the film
web on a V141-S
machine, whereby the zipper is configured so that there is a gap between the
ends of zipper or
reclosure, whereby the ends of the zipper are spaced away from the fm seal or
other seal. The
VEFS machine forms a package from the web. Often the machine will form a bag
with side
gussets.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00015] Further objects and advantages of the invention will become
apparent from the
following description and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[00016] Figure 1 is a first perspective view of a first embodiment of the
present
disclosure, showing a reclosable package, using a unisex zipper or reclosure,
in a closed
configuration.
[00017] Figure 2 is a second perspective view of a first embodiment of the
present
disclosure, showing a reclosable package in an open configuration.
[00018] Figure 3 is a first perspective view of a second embodiment of the
present
disclosure, showing a reclosable package in a closed configuration.
[00019] Figure 4 is a second perspective view of a second embodiment of the
present
disclosure, showing a reclosable package, using a double unisex zipper or
reclosure, in an
open configuration.
[00020] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a typical zipper (or
reclosure) profile, a
double unisex multiple alignment zipper.
[00021] Figure 6 is a plan view of the reclosure in an open configuration
across a width
of the film or web.
[00022] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the zipper or reclosure proximate
to a lap seal.
[00023] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the zipper or reclosure proximate
to a fm seal.
[00024] Figure 9 is a view of the reclosure of Figure 6, further including
a peel seal type
zipper.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[00025] Referring
now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like
elements throughout the several views, one sees that Figures 1 and 2 disclose
a first
embodiment of the disclosure, including a package 10, formed from front wall
12 and rear wall
14 (including fin seal 60), and a double profile, unisex, multi-track, self-
mating zipper or
reclosure 20, illustrated as including two flanges 22, 24. Figures 3 and 4
disclose a similar
second embodiment of the disclosure, including a package 10 and a unisex
multiple alignment
zipper or reclosure 20', illustrated as including only one flange 22. As shown
in Figure 5, a
unisex zipper or reclosure is one which can be folded and mated or interlocked
with itself. It
is envisioned that this reclosure is not limited to a zipper, and that various
kinds of reclosures,
such as those made by Aplix or hook-and-eye closures such as Velcro , may he
substituted
for the zipper.
[00026] In both the
first and second embodiments, the zipper 20 or 20' is attached in a
transverse direction to the film which is subsequently formed into a tubular
shape thereby
forming front and rear walls 12, 14 of package 10. This attachment is
performed by a
transverse direction applicator so that gap 23 is formed between the ends of
the zipper 20 or
20'. Figure 9 illustrates a variation of a zipper applied in a transverse
direction across a web,
further including a peel seal. All flanges are sealed to the pouch seal in the
transverse
direction.
[00027] As shown in
Figure 6, the zipper or reclosure 20 (or 20') extends across the
web 42. The zipper or reclosure 20 has first and second ends 20A, 20B which
are separated
from respective first and second edges 42A, 42B of the web 42. First space 61
(a portion of
web 42 free of zipper 20) is formed between the first end 20A of zipper 20 and
first edge 42A
of web 42 and second space 62 (a portion of web 42 free of zipper 20) is
formed between the
second end 20B of zipper 20 and second edge 42B of web 42. As shown in Figure
7, the
edges 42A, 42B are brought together, thereby bringing spaces 61. 62 together,
to form a lap
seal 58, or, alternatively, as shown in Figure 8, a fm seal 60, and
additionally aligning the ends
20A, 20B of the zipper or reclosure 20 (or 20') so that the interlocking
elements proximate to
the ends 20A, 20B of the zipper or reclosure 20 (or 20') are placed into
unmated opposing
end-wise alignment. It is further envisioned within this disclosure that some
embodiments may
have only a single space 61, formed between first end 20A of zipper or
reclosure 20 (or 20')
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and first edge 42A of web 42, while the second end 20B of the reclosure 20 (or
20') extends
to second edge 42B of web 42, thereby eliminating space 62.
[00028] Both the
first and second embodiments are produced by bringing the edges
42A, 42B of the web 42 together, thereby forming the pouch over a forming
machine, such as,
but not limited to, a vertical form fill seal (VFFS) fill tube, in pillow
pouch fashion. The
interlocking elements of the zipper (or reclosure) 20 or 20' are placed into
unmated opposing
end-wise alignment with each other and first and second spaces 61, 62 are
sealed to each other
to form a fm seal 60 (or alternatively, a lap seal 58). The zipper 20 or 20'
is formed in a
circular or tubular shape around the fill tube along with the film, with a gap
23 formed from
spaces 61 and 62 between the ends 20A, 20B of the zipper 20 or 20'. This gap
23 makes it
easier to form to the fin seal 60, the lap seal 58, or other seal, as compared
to a similar
embodiment without such a gap. As the pouch makes its way to the seal jaws of
the V1-FS
apparatus (or similar apparatus), the package 10 is sealed above the zipper 20
or 20' with the
intention that the zipper 20 or 20' is not hit by seal jaws forming the bottom
of the subsequent
package or pouch. The pouch can be cut to open or perforated to open. In the
case of a
consumer application, the top may frequently not be sealed, but merely cut off
as the bottom
of the next bag is sealed in the jaws. Figures 1 and 3 are illustrations of
the package 10 with
the zipper 20 or 20' sealed and the package 10 closed above the zipper 20 or
20'. The
package 10 may be left open and unfilled until a subsequent process. The
formation of
sequential bags or packages typically includes a cross-sealing step to form
transverse direction
seals at the top and bottom of the packages.
[00029] Because the
pouch was preferably created without the zipper 20 or 20' hitting
the seal jaws of the V141-S equipment (or similar equipment), no permanent
deformation of the
zipper 20 or 20' is expected. Therefore, the pouch created is essentially a
sealed tube of film
with a zipper 20 or 20' attached in the transverse direction (not including
the gap 23) along
the entire circumference. Because the pouch was created with the film in
tubular or circular
form, the natural tendency of the film is typically to stay open in the tube
shape, as shown in
Figures 2 and 4. This is counteracted at the bottom of the package 10 by the
bottom seal 30
created by the seal jaws to close the bottom of the bag. Prior art zippers
with end stomps in
the zipper, and wherein the zipper is attached to the pouch in the flat state,
typically have a
tendency to remain in a flat and interlocked state rather than a circular
state.
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[00030] The package 10 of first and second embodiments 10, 10' is well-
adapted as a
consumer storage bag. The tendency of the package 10 to remain open when the
zipper is not
interlocked is desirable to many consumers who may hold the package or bag 10
with one
hand, while the mouth of the bag remains wide open, which typically may make
it much easier
for the consumer, compared with a typical consumer bag.
[00031] This disclosure further includes improvements in form fill seal
pouches in that
the wide mouth feature of the pouch will allow the user to efficiently
dispense the contents. In
the first embodiment, reclosure of the pouch has been rendered easier through
the double
unisex profile zipper logic. The combination of double profile with a multi-
alignment or
unisex profile design creates the most forgiving package from a reclosure
point of view. In
either the first or second embodiment, the zipper could be designed to have a
single flange or
could have two flanges of equal or different lengths. The profile could be
placed in the center
of the two flanges to form a symmetric design but it could also be an
asymmetric design.
[00032] In both the first and second embodiments, the use of a unisex
zipper across a
substantial portion of the web width (with the unisex zipper or reclosure
being somewhat less
long than the width of the web, thereby allowing a gap to be formed between
the edges of the
reclosure or zipper when the web is formed into a tubular shape with a fin
seal) will produce a
process that addresses many of the problems of current transverse directional
processes,
resulting in more process latitude and higher pouch making or process speeds
and improved
commercial prospects. In summary, the following concerns are expected to be
addressed by
the embodiments:
[00033] 1. Sealing the zipper to the film from the zipper side in front
of the tube
eliminates or reduces propensity for inner flange sealing exacerbated by poor
heat transfer
films.
[00034] 2. Sealing the zipper to the film from the zipper side
eliminates or reduces
the need for jaw modifications and tight registration requirements between
zipper placement
and the jaws.
[00035] 3. Using one continuous unisex zipper element eliminates or
reduces
male/female slide between the elements and thus "inch worming", open zipper or
lateral
movement causing jamming within the FPS equipment in the cassette or on the
lip of the tube.
[00036] 4. Elimination of end stomping is expected to achieve various
advantages.
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[00037] 5. Knife life is increased because only a single element zipper
is being used
versus double the mass.
[00038] 6. Using a continuous unisex zipper should reduce camber and
promote
straight zipper, good zipper transport and positioning of the zipper.
[00039] Moreover, production costs are typically reduced as less costly
materials are
used, no joining is required, less sensitive winding is required, and less
complex profiles
typically have reduced scrap.
[00040] The embodiments are typically expected to achieve many or all of
the following
advantages:
[00041] 1. The resulting package will open up wide and stay open thereby
allowing
the user to use one hand to manipulate the hag, leaving one hand free for
easier filling.
[00042] 2. An improved form fill seal pouch allows for ease of product
dispensing.
[00043] 3. An improved and reliable transverse direction manufacturing
process is
achieved.
[00044] 4. A fully open pouch may he achieved, without losses caused by
gussets,
stomping or a zipper shorter than full bag width.
[00045] 5. Reduced cost zipper may be used in that the need for high
density
polyethylene is eliminated or reduced, the need for film may be eliminated or
reduced, and
linear low density polyethylene materials are expected to be able to be run at
higher speeds.
[00046] 6. The pouch may be easier to close in view of the unisex
multiple
alignment double zipper profile.
[00047] 7. Zipper cutting and feeding may be simplified with reduced
mass, no
male/female slide, and reduced camber.
[00048] 8. Zipper sealing is simplified due to the expected reduction or
elimination
of jaw modifications (particularly those which would otherwise be done in
response to changes
of film) and the expected reduction or elimination of hot tack problems.
[00049] 9. As the zipper is not sealed in the jaw area, a more robust
process is
possible.
[00050] 10. The need for ultrasonics may be reduced or eliminated.
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[00051] The
embodiment of the present disclosure illustrated in Figure 9 adds
hermeticity to the packages of the first and second embodiments by adding a
peel seal coating
to the flange above the profile. A unisex zipper segment 20 or 20' (single or
double flange
zipper segments may be used) is applied in the transverse direction to the
width of the film
web 42 on a VFFS machine, but is configured so that spaces 61 and 62 form gap
23 when the
zipper is in closed configuration, whereby the ends 40A, 40B of the zipper are
spaced away
from the fm seal 60 or other seal. The web 42 is formed by the VFFS machine.
While not
illustrated, the resulting package may include side gussets. As described with
respect to the
first and second embodiments, the use of a unisex zipper also allows for a
full mouth opening
for gusseted bags. However, the web 42 which forms the walls of the bag or
package cannot
be perforated if hermeticity is desired. Hermeticity can be achieved by the
structure of Figure
9 by the peel seal 50. The zipper or reclosure segment 20 includes first and
second flanges
22, 24 as well as interlocking profile 48. Additionally, as indicated, a strip
of peel seal material
50 is provided on first flange 24.
[00052] Thus the
several aforementioned objects and advantages are most effectively
attained. Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed
and described
in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense
limited thereby and its
scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.
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