Patent ID: 6854245
Filing Date: 2005-02-15
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
1. A method of forming a tamper evident seal on a plastic bag containing a loaf of bread comprising the steps of: flattening a portion of the neck of the bag adjacent the open end of the bag; positioning a segment of the flattened portion to bridge between spaced grippers; forming a row of perforations in the bag neck; directing heated air jets to engage the segment of the bag bridging between the spaced grippers for fusing panels of the bag together to form a sealed strip spaced from the row of perforations in the bag neck to facilitate removal of the sealed strip from the bag, wherein the row of perforations in the bag neck is formed before the heated air jets engage the neck of the bag to assure that the bag is perforated while it is cool and before it is heated to the point at which it might tend to stretch and deform while perforations are being formed, and wherein the air impinges against the portion of the bag bridging between the spaced grippers such that the molten plastic or any ink which may be softened by the heated air is not offset onto the grippers or any other mechanism before the neck of the bag is cooled; gathering the flattened portion of the bag between the sealed segment and the loaf of bread; and attaching a reusable closure to said neck.