Abstract:
A slider for opening and closing a mouth of a thermoplastic pouch includes first and second sidewalls. A third wall connects the first and second sidewalls and is transverse to the first and second sidewalls. A compressible gripping material is disposed on at least one of the first and second sidewalls.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not applicable  
       REFERENCE REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not applicable  
       SEQUENTIAL LISTING  
       [0003]     Not applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0005]     The present invention relates to pouches, and more particularly, to reclosable pouches having sliders movable between ends of the pouch to open or close the pouch.  
         [0006]     2. Description of the Background of the Invention  
         [0007]     Ishii et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,358 discloses a zipper  23  and a pull-tab  21  connected to the zipper  23 . The pull-tab  21  includes grip mounds  27  constructed of an elastic and roughened material that provides a slip resistant and easy-to-grip property.  
         [0008]     Ishii U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,015 discloses a pull-tab  18  for a zipper  10 . The surface of the pull-tab is formed of an elastic gripping material  23 .  
         [0009]     Ausnit et al. U.S. 2004/0136618 discloses in  FIG. 2  thereof opposed zipper strips  17 ,  19  having interlocking closure members  20 ,  22 , respectively, and also having first and second sealing members  24 ,  26 , respectively.  FIG. 10  shows alternative sealing members  38 ,  38 ′ made of a compressible foam material.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     According to one embodiment of the present invention, a slider for opening and closing a mouth of a thermoplastic pouch includes first and second sidewalls. A third wall connects the first and second sidewalls and is transverse to the first and second sidewalls. At least one compressible gripping material is disposed on at least one of the first and second sidewalls.  
         [0011]     According to another embodiment of the present invention, a pouch includes a first closure element carried by a first pouch wall. A second closure element is carried by a second pouch wall. The closure elements seal a mouth of the pouch closed when pressed together. A slider traverses across the mouth of the pouch from a first end of the mouth to a second end of the mouth. The slider includes a channel having opposed walls in contact with exterior surfaces of the pouch. The slider further includes a separator finger disposed between the closure elements. At least one of the first and second sidewalls of the slider includes a compressible gripping material thereon. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a pouch having a slider thereon;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged fragmentary isometric view of the pouch and slider of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the slider of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the slider of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a bottom elevational view of the slider of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of the slider of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a front elevational view taken generally along the view lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 ; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a rear elevational view taken generally along the view lines  8 - 8  of  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a pouch  30  includes a slider  32  that moves between first and second ends  34 ,  36  of a mouth  38  of the pouch  30  for opening and closing the mouth  38 . The pouch may be made from any suitable thermoplastic film such as, for example, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, substantially linear copolymers of ethylene and a C3-C8 α-olefin, polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride, mixtures of two or more of these polymers, or mixtures of one of these polymers with another thermoplastic polymer. The end  34  includes an end stop  40 , and the end  36  includes an end stop  42 . Each of the end stops  40 ,  42  may be formed in any suitable manner such as by ultrasonically sealing opposed walls of the mouth  38  at the ends  34 ,  36 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the pouch  30  includes first and second pouch walls  44 ,  46  carrying first and second closure elements  48 ,  50 , respectively. The first closure element  48  includes one or more ribs  52 , such as first and second ribs  52   a,    52   b.  Likewise, the second closure element  50  includes one or more ribs  54 , such as ribs  54   a,    54   b.  The ribs  52   a,    52   b  include downwardly extending hook members  56 , while the ribs  54   a,    54   b  include upwardly extending hook members  58 . When the closure elements  48 ,  50  are pressed together, the hook members  56 ,  58  interlock to close and thereby seal the mouth  38  in a closed state. The first closure element  48  includes a projecting rail  60 , while the second closure element  50  includes a projecting rail  62 . A surface  64  of a first guide portion  65  of the slider  32  underlies the rail  62 , and a surface  66  of a second guide portion  67  of the slider  32  underlies the rail  60 . The interference relationship of the surfaces  64 ,  66  with the rails  60 ,  62  inhibits removal of the slider  32  in the direction of an arrow A, generally perpendicular to the mouth  38  of the pouch  30 . The first closure element  48  includes a flange portion  70  joined to the first pouch wall  44  in any suitable manner such as by a layer of thermoplastic. It should be noted that while the closure elements  48 ,  50  and the pouch wall  44 ,  46  are illustrated as separate structures, the closure elements  48 ,  50  could be integral with the walls  44 ,  46 , respectively. The closure element  50  includes a flange portion  72  joined to the second pouch wall  46 .  
         [0021]     With reference to  FIGS. 1-8 , when the slider  32  is moved in the direction of an arrow C, a pair of closing bars  82 ,  84  disposed at a pinching end  86  of the slider  32  presses the ribs  52 ,  54  together to interlock same. When moved in the direction of an arrow O, a downwardly depending separating finger  88  disposed at a separating end  90  of the slider  32  disengages the ribs  52  from the ribs  54  to open the mouth  38 .  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIGS. 5, 7 , and  8 , closing bars  82 ,  84  are disposed at or near the pinching end  86 . The closing bars  82 ,  84  are disposed in close contact with exterior surfaces  92 ,  94  ( FIG. 2 ) of the closure elements  48 ,  50 . The closing bars  82 ,  84  may have a generally round shape as shown in  FIG. 5  to inhibit tearing of the closure elements  48 ,  50  as the slider  32  moves therealong. The pinching end  86  includes guide portions  96 ,  98  having surfaces  100 ,  102  that underlie the rails  60 ,  62 , respectively, to retain the slider  32  on the pouch  30 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the separator finger  88  need not extend down to the position of the lower ribs  52   b,    54   b  and optionally might only extend from a top portion  104  of the slider  32  down to the position of the upper ribs  52   a,    54   a  and such positioning may be sufficient to disengage both of the ribs  52   a,    52   b  from the ribs  54   a,    54   b  during movement of the slider  32  in the direction of the arrow O. The slider  32  includes curved gripping walls  106 ,  108 , wherein the gripping walls  106 ,  108  may be non-interrupted or the gripping walls  106 ,  108  may include ridges or protrusions thereon. Each of the gripping walls  106 ,  108  includes a compressible gripping material  110  that serves as a comfortable gripping surface to enhance user gripping comfort as the user moves the slider  32  along the mouth  38 . The compressible gripping material  110  may comprise for example, an open or closed cell foam, a thermoplastic elastomer, a compressible polymer, rubber, a textile, and/or any other material having cushioning, textured, or non-slip characteristics known to those skilled in the art. Further, the compressible gripping material  110  may be somewhat compressible under the application of finger pressure. In one embodiment, a two-shot injection molding process known to those skilled in the art may be used to construct the slider  32 . A first shot of a thermoplastic elastomer is injected into a mold to form a body of the slider  32 , wherein the body in part comprises the gripping walls  106 ,  108 . Thereafter, the mold is adjusted to allow a second shot of thermoplastic elastomer into the mold to form the compressible gripping material  110  onto the gripping walls  106 ,  108 . In a second embodiment, the compressible gripping material  110  is secured to the gripping walls  106 ,  108  by a suitable adhesive. The gripping comfort afforded by the compressible gripping material  110  may be especially advantageous for users opening and closing pouches numerous times per day or for users with sensitive fingers or perhaps even an arthritic condition.  
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY  
       [0023]     The slider for opening and closing a pouch described herein advantageously provides for a compressible gripping material to be disposed on a sidewall of the slider. The compressible gripping material advantageously provides for a comfortable gripping surface to assist a user in opening and closing the pouch.  
         [0024]     Numerous modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is presented for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to make and use the invention and to teach the best mode of carrying out same. The exclusive rights to all modifications which come within the scope of the appended claims are reserved.