Patent ID: 6012264
Filing Date: 2000-01-11
Classification: B31B,B65B,Y10S

Abstract:
In a process for forming packages with reclosable fasteners on a form, fill and seal machine including a forming tube and cross sealing jaws, the operation of which is controlled by a central processing unit, comprising the steps of:providing a film roll from which a continuous web of film is provided to the form, fill and seal machine, from which a package will be formed;providing a film guide mechanism in the form, fill and seal machine for guiding the film from said film roll in a direction of film feed along a film course to the forming tube of the form fill, and seal machine;providing a rotor, having substantially symmetrical sides formed about its rotor axis, and each substantially symmetrical side has an outer edge that is substantially parallel to its axis of rotation;mounting said rotor on said form, fill and seal machine, such that its axis is transverse to the direction of film feed along the film course, each outer edge being movable into a position adjacent to the film course;providing a continuous supply of reclosable fastener material strip fastener material having a free end;feeding said free end of the reclosable fastener material to one of said outer edges of the rotor that is spaced from the film course such that a predetermined portion of reclosable fastener material has been fed to the rotor;retaining the predetermined portion of reclosable fastener material on the outer edge of the rotor that is spaced from the film course;severing said continuous supply of reclosable fastener material from the predetermined portion retained on the outer edge of the rotor such that a strip of reclosable fastener material having severed ends is retained on the outer edge;rotating the rotor about its axis in a first direction such that the outer edge along which the strip of reclosable fastener has been retained is moved into the position adjacent to the film course;bonding the strip of reclosable fastener material that is retained along the outer edge of the rotor adjacent to the film course to the surface of the film.