BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. provisional application serial no. 61/115,611 filed November 18, 2008, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Field of the Disclosure

[0002] The present disclosure pertains to the punching of holes or apertures into the zipper of a reclosable package wherein a portion of the zipper profile is deformed, smashed or otherwise splayed to improve the opening characteristics of the zipper.

Description of the Prior Art

[0003] In the prior art, it is known to punch holes or apertures into a zipper to remove part of the interlocking profile. The removal of a portion of the zipper profile aids in the side seal creation in that a flat and hermetic side seal at the zipper area may be facilitated by removing the mass of material associated with the profile and leaving the web material of the zipper in place. However, when the holes or apertures are punched into a zipper web and a separator bar or pin is used to open the zipper of a package for pre-made opened zippered packages, the separator bar or pin may encounter the trailing end of the hole or aperture and a collision with the profile is created, thereby potentially damaging the profile.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a method and apparatus wherein apertures may be punched or otherwise formed in zipper profiles and a separator bar, pin, or similar device used to separate in zipper profiles with little or no damage to the profiles.

[0005] This and other objects are attained by deforming or "smashing" the interlocking elements of the zipper profile at the trailing end of apertures or holes which are punched or otherwise formed in a zipper which separated by a separator bar, pin, or similar device. This deformation or "smashing" of the interlocking elements disrupts the interlocking of the interlocking elements thereby resulting in the separator bar, pin, or similar device being more likely to separate the profiles without creating a collision or damage to the zipper.

[0006] The advantages typically achieved by this configuration include allowing double profile zippers with larger masses to run in the automated manufacturing machinery, lessening the web breakage of zippers, allowing faster operating speeds thereby resulting in more bags or packages per minute, and allowing a zipper with greater opening forces (i.e., profiles more tightly fastened with each other) to run in the automated manufacturing machinery.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawing, wherein:

[0008] Figure 1 is a schematic of a zipper with apertures or holes punched therein, being separated by a separator pin, and showing where the deformation in the zipper profile should be formed.

[0009] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along plane 2-2 of Figure 1, showing undeformed zipper profiles.

[00010] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along plane 3-3 of Figure 1, showing the deformed zipper profiles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[00011] Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, one sees that Figure 1 is a schematic of the reclosable zipper 10 of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 2, reclosable zipper 10 includes first and second profiles 12, 14. First profile 12 includes first interlocking element 16 (configured as a female element) and first flange 20 extending therefrom, while second profile 14 include second interlocking element 18 (configured as a male element) and second flange 22 extending therefrom. Apertures or holes 30 are periodically formed in reclosable zipper 10 so as to pass through the interlocking elements 16, 18. Apertures or holes 30 are typically spaced at package-width intervals so that side seals of resulting packages or bags (not shown) can be formed over the apertures or holes 30 in order to facilitate a flat and hermetic side seal at the zipper area. Immediately upstream of apertures 30, areas of profile deformity 32 are formed. In other words, areas of profile deformity 32 are formed at the trailing end of apertures 30. As shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 3, in areas of profile deformity 32, deformed elements 16', 18' replace interlocking elements 16, 18 and are in a smashed, deformed, or splayed configuration so that deformed elements 16', 18' are not capable of interlocking with each other. Formed elements 16', 18' can be formed in the same operation that punches or otherwise forms apertures or hole 30, or can be formed by a separate operation. The deformation can be caused by impact or heat, or some combination thereof. The machine-direction length of areas of profile deformity 32 may be exaggerated in Figure 1. The machine-direction length of the areas of profile deformity 32 are chosen so as to be included within the side seals of subsequently formed packages or bags.

[00012] Reclosable zipper 10 is illustrated in Figure 1 as running in the machine direction from left to right. Prior to encountering separator pin IOO (which is typically stationary), the first and second profiles 12, 14 are in an interlocked state. After passing separator pin 100, the first and second profiles 12, 14 are separated from each other by separator pin 100. When separator pin 100 encounters areas of profile deformity 32, the lack of interlocking between deformed elements 16', 18' allows the separator pin 100 to enter between deformed elements 16', 18', and subsequently, interlocking elements 16, 18 with minimal, if any, collision between the separator pin 100 and the reclosable zipper 10, resulting in reduced or eliminated tearing of the reclosable zipper 10. [00013] 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.