CRUSHED END OF SELF-M AT1NC CLOSURE SEGMENT FOR LAP OR FIN SEAL

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 1 19(e) of U.S. provisional application serial no. 62/264,545, filed on December 8, 2015, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.

Field of the Disclosure

[0002] This disclosure pertains to a tube used in the formation of a package with a self-mating closure, where a single self-mating closure wraps around the periphery of the tube, and one end of the zipper segment extends into the lap seal of the tube. Alternatively, one or two ends of the zipper segment could extend into a fin seal.

Description of the Prior Art

[0003] Current packages with a self-mating closure (such as the Zip360 by Illinois

Tool Works Inc.) made with a lap or fin seal typically are produced by not extending one, or both, edges of the closure segment all the way across the width of the film in order to keep the closure out of the lap seal. Keeping the closure out of the lap seal allows for a hermetic seal along the entire height of the package. However, while this is well-suited to its intended purpose, this may result in a gap between the ends of the closure segment at the lap or fin seal. This gap can be obvious to the consumer, who will be concerned about the integrity of the reclosed package.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present disclosure, in a tube for the formation of a package with a self-mating zipper, to substantially eliminate or reduce the gap between the ends of a closure segment at the lap or fin seal. [0005] These and other objects are attained by crushing the end(s) of the zipper segment, either prior to forming the tube (for example, with a continuous web with transversely applied segments of disclosure, such as, but not limited to, an InnoLok® machine), or crushing it on the fill tube after forming the film into the tube and prior to completing the lap or fin seal, the closure can be made to run around the entire periphery of the tube and still allow the lap sealing apparatus to create a hermetic seal due to the reduced thickness of the closure in the lap or fin seal area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Further objects and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0007] Figure 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment flat sheet of web or film of the present disclosure, shown with the closure, reclosure or zipper attached to the film in the transverse direction and a crushed area.

[0008] Figure 2 is a partially exploded view of the tube of the present disclosure, made from the sheet illustrated in Figure 1.

[0009] Figure 3 is a plan view of a second embodiment flat sheet of web or film of the present disclosure, shown with the closure, reclosure or zipper attached to the film in the transverse direction and two crushed areas.

[00010] Figure 4 is a partially exploded view of the tube of the present disclosure, made from the sheet illustrated in Figure 3.

[00011] Figure 5 is a plan view of a third embodiment flat sheet of web or film of the present disclosure, shown with the closure, reclosure or zipper attached to the film in the transverse direction, not extending to the edge of the web or film, and a crushed area.

[00012] Figure 6 is a partially exploded view of the tube of the present disclosure, made from the sheet illustrated in Figure 5.

[00013] Figure 7 A is a schematic of a form fill seal machine producing embodiments of the tubes of the present disclosure with a lap seal.

[00014] Figure 7B is a schematic of a form fill seal machine producing embodiments of the tubes of the present disclosure with a fin seal. [00015] Figure 8 is a schematic of a segment of the pre-crushed reclosure, closure or zipper being provided transversely to a sheet of web moving in the machine direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[00016] . Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals refer to like elements, one sees that Figure 1 illustrates a flat sheet of polymeric web or film 102 with edges 120, 122. This is intended to illustrate a continuous sheet of web, running in the illustrated vertical direction, line 118 is illustrated for the purpose of illustrating the intended upper edge of the package, formed by cutting the tube 10 illustrated in Figure 2. A self- mating reclosure, closure or zipper 12 is sealed or otherwise attached to sheet 102, in a transverse direction, downwardly adjacent from line 1 18. A crushed portion 14 is formed by crushing the reclosure, closure or zipper 12, immediately inwardly adjacent from edge 120.

[00017] To form the tube 10 of Figure 2, the sheet 102 of Figure 1 is folded so as to form fold 104 and further defining front wall 106 and rear wall 108 from sheet 102. The edge 120 is laid on or oyer the edge 122 so that the crushed portion 14 of reclosure, closure or zipper 12 is adjacent to edge 102. Side seal 110 is then formed as a lap seal with the crushed portion 14 of reclosure, closure or zipper 12 between front and rear walls 106, 108. In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, the self-mating closure, reclosure or zipper 12 extends around the entire width of sheet 102 and the crushed portion 14 helps the consumer feel the reclosed package is more secure. There is essentially no gap from the end of the closure segment to the edges 120, 122 of the web 102.

[00018] Figure 3 is similar to Figure 1, except that a second crushed area 15 has been added to reclosure, closure or zipper 12, immediately adjacent to edge 122 of sheet 102.

[00019] To form the tube 10 of Figure 4, edges 120, 122 of the sheet 102 of Figure 3 are brought together by wrapping sheet 102 around a forming tube (see Figures 7A and 7B), thereby forming fold 104, so that crushed areas 14, 15 overlay or are pressed against each other. Seal 110 is then formed as a fin seal with crushed areas 14, 15 between front and rear sheets 106, 108.

[00020] When formed into a tube 10, the crushed end portions 14, 15 of the closure, reclosure or zipper 12 extend into the fin seal 110, but due to their reduced height, a hermetic seal can be achieved. The typically less preferred alternative would be to place a length of closure, reclosure or zipper 12 on the web 102 with gaps 124 at both ends of closure, reclosure or zipper 12. That is, the ends of zipper 12 terminate inwardly adjacent from first and second edges 120, 122 so that the ends of the closure, reclosure or zipper 12 precisely match up at the fin seal. However, in manufacturing practice, it would be expected that the ends of the closure, reclosure or zipper 12 would either extend into the fin seal 1 10, and possibly interfere with the formation of a hermetic seal, or there will be a gap between the ends of the closure, reclosure or zipper 12 and the fin seal 1 10, of which the consumer would likely disapprove.

[00021] Figure 5 is similar to Figure 1, except that the illustrated right end of the reclosure, closure or zipper 12 terminates inwardly adjacent from edge 122 of sheet 102, thereby leaving a gap 124 between the reclosure, closure or zipper 12 and edge 122 of sheet 102.

[00022] To form the tube 10 of Figure 6, edges 120, 122 are brought together by wrapping sheet 102 around a forming tube (see Figures 7 A and 7B), thereby forming fold 104 and further defining front wall 106 and rear wall 108 from sheet 102, so that gap 124 is overlaid or placed over edge 120 and seal 1 10 is formed as a lap seal, with the crushed area 14 on the interior of the tube 10, rather than within the lap seal 1 10. Some embodiments of Figures 5 and 6 may form a fin seal 1 10 between gap 124 and crushed area 14.

[00023] As seen from Figures 2, 4 and 6, a self-mating closure, reclosure or zipper 12 extends around the periphery of the tube 10, downwardly adjacent from line 118 which indicates wherein the tube 10 will be subsequently cut in order to form the top edge of the subsequently formed package 11.

[00024] Similarly, a fin seal can be made where crushed end portion(s) 14 (and 15) of the closure, reclosure or zipper 12 extend into the fin seal and the reduced thickness of the crushed end portion(s) 14 (and IS) will allow a hermetic fin seal to made without trying to align or stop the ends of the closure, reclosure or zipper 12 exactly where the fin seal starts. The crushing of the end portion(s) can be done on the InnoLok® machine, or on the fill tube of a form, fill seal machine just prior to making the fin seal.

[00025] The embodiments of Figures 1, 3 and 5 show how the segment of closure, reclosure or zipper 12 could be pre-crushed and then applied in the transverse direction to the web on an InnoLok® machine (see Figure 8). Alternately, the pre-crushing could be done after the segment of closure, reclosure or zipper 12 is applied to web 102. The methods of Figures 7 A and 7B show the crushing of the closure, reclosure or zipper 12 after the web 102 has been wrapped around a forming tube 200. In the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6, the self- mating closure, reclosure or zipper 12 is applied so that there is a gap 124 between one end of the closure, reclosure or zipper 12 and second side edge 122 of the web 102. The other end of the self-mating closure, reclosure or zipper 12 is crushed thereby forming crushed portion 14. When the film or web 102 is formed into a tube, the gap 124 on second side edge 122 of web 102 overlaps the first side edge 120 and the crushed portion 14 of the self-mating closure, reclosure or zipper 12 thereby allowing the lap seal apparatus to make a hermetic seal due to the reduced height of the self-mating closure, reclosure or zipper 12 in this area, while there is still the appearance of the closure, reclosure or zipper 12 extending across the entire width of the rear wall 104 of the bag 10.

[00026] Figure 7 A illustrates a forming tube 200 of a form fill and seal device, as may be used, to manufacture the tubes 10, with a lap seal, of the present disclosure. The sheet of web 102 is wrapped around the forming tube 200 so as to overlap the edges 120, 122 of the sheet of web 102 in order to position the edges for the subsequent formation of the lap or fin seal 110. The reclosure, closure or zipper 12 is positioned on the interior of sheet of web 102, between the forming tube 200 and the sheet of web 102 (see cross-sectional view in upper portion of Figure 7A). The sheet of web 102 progresses downwardly along forming tube 200 as is known in the prior art. The reclosure, closure or zipper illustrated at 12A is typically uncrushed. However, the crusher 210 (see cross-sectional view in upper portion of Figure 7A) operates on the reclosure, closure, or zipper at 12B to form the crushed area 14 as illustrated at 12C. Thereafter, seal bar(s) 220 operate to create the lap seal 1 10.

[00027] Figure 7B illustrates a forming tube 200 of a form fill and seal device, as may be used to manufacture tubes 10, with a fin seal, of the present disclosure. This figure is similar to Figure 7B, but crushers 210, 21 1 are configured to oppose each other, to engage the reclosure, closure or zipper 12 and sheet of web 102 in a fin seal type configuration at position 12B. Likewise, opposed seal bars 220, 221 operate to create the fin seal 1 10.

[00028] As illustrated in Figure 8, reclosure, closure or zipper 12 can be provided with a pre-formed crushed area 14 and provided transversely to the machine direction of sheet of web 102 upstream or prior to the forming tube 200 of Figures 7A, 7B. [00029] Typically, a benefit of this disclosure is that the closure can extend into the fin or lap seal, providing a closure around the entire periphery of the bag mouth (even if a portion is crushed) and still achieve a hermetic lap/fin seal. It eliminates the need to attempt to precisely control the length and position of the closure segment as it is applied to the web. The crushing can be performed during the pre-applying of the closure segment, or, especially for form fill seal processes, on the fill tube, or at any point upstream from the fill tube.

[00030] 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.