RECLOSABLE BAG AND CONTAINER

Abstract: A reclosable bag (30) and container (31). A preexisting container (31) is provided with reclosability by attaching a reclosable bag (30) to the container and cutting through the base (22) of the bag to provide access to the container. The bag may be attached to the container by heat sealing or adhesive and may have a release sheet (35) covering the adhesive so that it may be attached by the consumer.

Description: RECLOSABLE BAG AND CONTAINER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a reclosable bag and to an arrangement for providing reclosability for a container. There are many items presently marketed in plastic bags or containers which are harmed or spoiled or otherwise adversely affected by leaving the bag or container open. Leaving the bag open can cause moisture damage or may result in the contents of the bag getting out of the bag. Examples of such items are potato chips, cement, dog food, coffee, cookies, or a loaf of bread. One good example is coffee, which is marketed frequently in a can so that it can be easily closed to keep it fresh. No doubt the organizations which market coffee would prefer to do so in a plastic container because of expense; however, presently available plastic containers for coffee cannot be easily sealed to the air or atmosphere. Thus, a substantial amount of coffee is presently sold in cans. It is desirable that effective means be provided for making pre-existing containers reclosable. One proposed means for doing this is shown in U.S. Patent 4,691,373 to Ausnit. The zipper closure of the Ausnit patent does not, however, provide means for sealing the ends of the closure. Other prior patents of interest are U.S. patents 4,896,774 and 4,949,527 to Boeckmann et al. which disclose a reclosabl tray for food stuffs or the like. The reclosable feature of Boeckmann does not have general applicability and also involves a relatively stiff upstanding unit which provides the reclosability. Other prior patents which may be of interest are: PATENT NO. INVENTOR TITLE 3,991,801 Ausnit Plastic fasteners with connecting web 4,252,238 Spiegelberg Package for a stack of refreshe 4,335,817 Bahr Easy openable and closable bag with slide fastener 4,417,658 Gardner Self-sealing sterilization bag 4,570,820 Murphy Resealable dispensing container for folded towels 4,709,399 Sanders Opening facilitating closure tape and container 4,848,928 Ausnit Package with reclosable fin and method ,877,336 Peppiatt Bottom loaded duplex bag having a handle and method of making same ,941,307 ojcik Zipper guide system for form tooling ,024,537 Tilman Tape carried pre-cut zipper SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly one object of the invention to provid an improved zipper closure arrangement for a preexisting container. Another object of the invention is to provide a reclosable container that is low in cost and does not requir changing methods and machinery presently being used to make containers. One embodiment of the invention might include a zipper closure arrangement for a preexisting container. There is provided a flexible plastic bag having sides. A pair of reclosable profiles is mounted on the bag sides and is adapted to reclosably close the sides together. The bag sides have ends and have those ends sealed to one another to close the bag at the ends. There is also provided means for adhering the bag to the preexisting container with the adherence extending continuously around the bag so that the opening of the reclosable profile permits access to the container, yet closing of the profiles blocks access to the container. Still another embodiment of the invention might include zipper closure arrangement and container combination. There is provided a flexible plastic bag having sides and a bottom. A pair of reclosable profiles is mounted on the bag sides and is adapted to close the sides together. The bag sides have ends and have those ends sealed to one another to close the bag at the ends. Also provided is a container. The bag bottom is adhered to the container whereby an openin can be effected through the bag bottom and the container to access the interior of the container and the opening can be sealed by closure of the reclosable profiles. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an end elevation of a tubular extrusion of flexible plastic bag material used to make the zipper closur arrangement of the present invention. FIG. 1A is an end elevation of a further extrusion of flexible plastic material used to make the zipper closure arrangement of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the flexible material of FIG. 1 showing it in a flattened configuration. FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the flexible material of FIGS. 1 and 2, but with half of that material cut away so as to define a bag with a zipper closure. FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the bag of FIG. 3 showing it folded into a new configuration. FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the bag of FIG. 4 adhered to a container providing reclosability for the container. FIG. 6 is a section similar to FIG. 5 showing the bag an container being cut to provide an opening into the container through the bag. FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIGS. 5 and 6 showing the bag zipper closure in a closed condition. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the bag zipper closure showing particularly the end thereof and showing the bag with a release sheet thereon. FIG. 9 is a side elevation of an alternative embodiment of zipper closure. FIG. 10 is an enlarged section taken along the lines 10-10 of FIG. 9 showing the cross-sectional configuration of the closure of FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a side elevation of a container showing the zipper closure of FIGS. 9 and 10 mounted thereon. FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 10 of an alternative embodiment of zipper closure. FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIGS. 10 and 12 of still another alternative embodiment of the zipper closure. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope o the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated an end elevation of a tube 10 which has male profiles 11 and female profiles 12 and gripping ridges or ribs 15 formed therein. Alternatively to extruding a tube of flexible plastic material such as 10, FIG. 1A shows an extruded sheet of flexible plastic material 16 which has ribs 17 and profiles 20 and 21 formed therein. Assuming that the flexible plasti is extruded in a tubular configuration as in FIG. 1, it is then flattened as shown in FIG. 2 and is cut in two as shown partially in FIG. 3. The flexible plastic material is then folded as shown in FIG. 4 to provide a bottom surface 22. I will be noted that the bag of FIG. 4 has sides 25 and 26. The sides 25 and 26 and the bottom 22 are all sealed togethe at the ends 27 of the sides and bottom as shown in FIG. 8. Such sealing is accomplished in conventional manner by heat and may require a spot seal at 28 where the profiles provide relatively greater thickness than the rest of the flexible plastic material. The flexible plastic material may be what is known as "low density" polyethylene and may have a thickness of approximately two mills (.002"). Other flexible plastic materials, however, may be used if desired. The bag 30 resulting from the folding and sealing is th adhered at its bottom 22 to the container 31. As shown in FIG. 6, the bottom 22 of the bag and the container 31 can b cut at 32 to provide access to the container. Such cutting is accomplished within the adhered portion of the bottom 22 so that closure of the profiles 11 and 12 together seals th container 31 as shown in FIG. 7. (That is cutting of the container 31 and bag bottom 22 is accomplished between the dotted lines 38 of FIG. 8.) The reclosable zipper arrangement of the present invention may be marketed as a part of the container 31 or may be marketed separately. The bag 30 may be attached to the container 31 at the factory by heat sealing or by adhesive or may be attached by the consumer to a preexisting bag which the consumer has purchased. If the bags 30 are provided to the consumer, the are normally provided also with a release sheet 35 arranged to completely cover the adhesive until the bag 30 is placed on the container 31 to mount the reclosable closure. FIG. 9 is a side elevation of an alternative embodiment of the invention. The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9 is intended for attachment by the user to a preexisting container and includes, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, ribs 40 and profiles 41 and 42. The sides 45 and 46 of the bag 47 are sealed together at 50 and the bag has an area of adhesiv on the lower portions 51 and 52, respectively, of the sides 45 and 46. Release sheets 55 and 56 cover each of the adhesive areas. FIG. 11 shows the bag 47 after it has been attached to a container 57. Such attachment can be accomplished at any location on the container that has a sufficient length to attach the uncovered adhesive covered portions 51 and 52. In order to effect such attachment, the release sheets 55 and 56 are removed and the portions 51 and 52 of the sides are adhered to the outside surface of the container 57. FIG. 11 shows the zipper in its mounted position. Similarly to the step shown in FIG. 6, a cut has been made in the side of th container through the adhered portion of the bag 47 so that access is provided into the bag 47. The cut extends betwee the dotted line 48 so as to be within the adhered portion o the bag. As shown in FIG. 11, the bag 47 has its profiles and 42 closed together so that closure has been accomplished. It has been found that coloring of the adhesive is particularly effective in identifying where the cut can be made and keep it within the adhesive. Referring now to FIG. 12, an alternative embodiment is illustrated which is identical to that of FIGS. 9 and 10 wi the exception that the bottom 60 of the bag 61 is open. Of course, the ends 62 (only one shown) of the bag 61 are sealed. Similarly, the ends 65 and 66 of the bag 47 of FIG 9 and 10 are sealed. Thus, even though there is an opening at 60 at the bottom of the bag 61, it can be adhered to the container 57 in such a fashion that the attachment of the b completely surrounds the access opening in the container so that air free access can be provided. This, of course, is accomplished by removing the release sheets 63 and pressing the adhesive covered sides of the bag against the container as described above with regard to the embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10. Referring to FIG. 13, still another alternative embodiment of the invention is illustrated which is identic to that of FIGS. 9 and 10 with the exception that adhesive i only provided on one side 70 at the portion 71 of that side. When the release member 72 is removed from the portion 71, the adhesive on that portion is exposed so that it can be attached to the container. The zipper closure of FIG. 13 is used in similar fashion to that of FIGS. 9 and 10 with the exception that the cutting of the container is accomplished through the adhered surface rather than at the sealed edges 75 of the two sides 70 and 76. This procedure assures that appropriate sealing is accomplished when the profiles 77 and 80 are attached to one another. One of the features that might be provided with the present arrangement is coloring of the surface of the container 31 or 57 so that the user knows where to cut the opening. Thus a target area is located for the consumer. There are presently marketed bags such as, for example potat chip bags, which have on them a line which says "cut here". The bag also has a foil- type top which is intended to be coiled or rolled in order to close the bag and to keep the potato chips fresh. This intended purpose for the foil does not always operate effectively because the foil tends to become uncoiled if it is not held in the coiled position by some positive means. It can be appreciated that such a bag and other existing bags can use the closure of the type show herein merely by adhering the closure to the existing container, thus providing reclosability. There are a number of advantages of the present invention. One advantage is that in many cases the existing packaging will not have to be modified and the present device can be used with the existing packaging. A further advantage is the low cost of the present device. Still another advantage is that machinery and processes that are used to manufacture the present containers need not be modified in order to provide reclosability. Still another advantage of the invention is that "leakers" that might be caused by adding reclosable features are not produced by the invention. The existing packaging remains and the package is made and sealed in the standard manner with the reclosable feature being added later. While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.

Claims: What is claimed is: 1. A zipper closure arrangement for a preexisting container comprising: a flexible plastic bag having sides; a pair of reclosable profiles mounted on said bag sides and adapted to reclosably close said sides together; said bag sides having ends and having said ends sealed t one another to close said bag at said ends; and means for adhering said sides to the preexisting container with said adherence extending continuously around said bag so that opening of said reclosable profiles permits access to said container yet closing of said profiles blocks access to said container. 2. A zipper closure arrangement as in claim 1 wherein said means for adhering comprises adhesive, said bag having bottom which is coated by said adhesive, and a release sheet covering said adhesive. 3. A zipper closure arrangement as in claim 1 wherein said means for adhering comprises adhesive, said bag being sealed closed at the bottom, one of said sides having a portion thereof which is spaced from said profiles and is coated by said adhesive, and a release sheet covering the adhesive on the one side portion. 4. A zipper closure arrangement as in claim 1 wherein said means for adhering comprises adhesive, said sides each having a portion thereof which is spaced from said profiles and is coated by said adhesive, and a release sheet for each of said sides and covering the adhesive on the side portion. 5. The zipper closure arrangement of claim 2 wherein the adhesive is colored and the plastic is transparent. 6. The zipper closure of claim 4 wherein said bag is open at the bottom. 7. The zipper closure of claim 4 wherein said bag is closed at the bottom. 8. A zipper closure arrangement and container combination comprising: a flexible plastic bag having sides and a bottom; a pair of reclosable profiles mounted on said bag sides and adapted to close said sides together; said bag sides and bottom having ends and having said ends sealed to one another to close said bag at said ends; a container, said bag bottom being adhered to said container whereby an opening can be effected through said ba bottom and said container to access the interior of said container yet the opening can be sealed by closure of said reclosable profiles. 9. The combination of claim 7 additionally comprising said bag and said container having an opening through said bag bottom and said container, said bag bottom being adhered to said container completely surrounding said opening. 10. The combination of claim 8 wherein the adhesive is colored and the plastic is transparent. 11. A closure arrangement for a preexisting container comprising: a flexible plastic bag having sides; closure means mounted on said bag sides and adapted to reclosably close said sides together; said bag sides having ends and having said ends sealed to one another to close said bag at said ends; and means for adhering said sides to the preexisting container with said adherence extending continuously around said bag so that opening of said closure means permits acces to said container, yet closing of said closure means blocks access to said container. 12. A closure arrangement and container combination comprising: a flexible plastic bag having sides and a bottom; closure means mounted on said bag sides and adapted to close said sides together; said bag sides and bottom having ends and having said ends sealed to one another to close said bag at said ends; a container, said bag bottom being adhered to said container whereby an opening can be effected through said ba bottom and said container to access the interior of said container, yet the opening can be sealed by closure of said closure means. AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 22 October 1992 (22.10.92 original claims 8-10 and 12 cancelled; original claims 1 and 11 amended; other claims unchanged (2 pages)] 1. A zipper closure arrangement for a preexisting container comprising: a flexible plastic bag having sides; 5 a pair of reclosable profiles mounted on said bag sides and adapted to reclosably close said sides together; said bag sides having ends and having said ends sealed to one another to close said bag at said ends; and means for adhering said sides to the preexisting 1 0 container so as to provide an adherence with said adherence extending continuously around said bag so that opening of said reclosable profiles permits access to said container yet closing of said profiles blocks access to said container. 2. A zipper closure arrangement as in claim 1 wherein 15 said means for adhering comprises adhesive, said bag having a bottom which is coated by said adhesive, and a release sheet covering said adhesive. 3. A zipper closure arrangement as in claim 1 wherein said means for adhering comprises adhesive, said bag being 20 sealed closed at the bottom, one of said sides having a portion thereof which is spaced from said profiles and is coated by said adhesive, and a release sheet covering the adhesive on the one side portion. 4. A zipper closure arrangement as in claim 1 wherein said means for adhering comprises adhesive, said sides each having a portion thereof which is spaced from said profiles and is coated by said adhesive, and a release sheet for each of said sides and covering the adhesive on the side portion. 5. The zipper closure arrangement of claim 2 wherein the adhesive is colored and the plastic is transparent. 6. The zipper closure of claim 4 wherein said bag is open at the bottom. 7. The zipper closure of claim 4 wherein said bag is closed at the bottom. 11. A closure arrangement for a preexisting container comprising: a flexible plastic bag having sides; closure means mounted on said bag sides and adapted to reclosably close said sides together; said bag sides having ends and having said ends sealed to one another to close said bag at said ends; and means for adhering said sides to the preexisting container so as to provide an adherence extending continuously around said bag so that opening of said closure means permits access to said container, yet closing of said closure means blocks access to said container.

Inventors: STOLMEIER ROBERT C, STOLMEIER, ROBERT C.
Applicants: KCL CORP, KCL CORPORATION
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B65D33
IPC codes: B65D33