Resealable package, method and apparatus

Abstract: This invention relates to flexible packages (Fig. 1) having an openable and resealable interlocking closure 22 and to methods and apparatus (Fig.7) for making the same from a continuous web of flexible film 25, the closure 22 being formed transversely to the direction of film flow across one end of the package 20 during package formation at line speed. A converter device 29/31 mounted atop or adjacent to standard packaging apparatus 33 forms a small amount of the running packaging film 25 into the resealable closure structure 22 as an integral part of the film 25 extending transversely to the long dimension of the package 20. The converter functions with both horizontal and vertical form/fill/seal wrapping machines and with overwrap packagers, and uses diverse packaging films such as polypropylene, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, high and medium density polyethylene and various film laminations. Package formation begins by feeding the plastic packaging film 25 into the converter 29 where the film is first automatically fanfolded across the entire width of the film to form a stack, the layers of which are immediately heat sealed together forming a multilayered semi-rigid strip 30 of typically one half inch width extending completely across the film width in plane with the film. The number of folds in the stack varies depending on the thermoforming properties and thickness of the particular film being used. The resealable locking feature 22 is next thermoformed at 31 into the multilayered strip 30 which then continues through the packaging machinery 33 in the usual manner, encircling the product 34 and passing through the end sealer 35 where the package ends are sealed, as at 21a and 21b, and cut, and the front and back film panels 23 and 24 are pressed together closing the resealable locking feature 22.

Description: This invention relates generally to packaging systems, and more particularly to flexible packages having an openable and resealable interlocking closure, and a method and apparatus for making the same from a continuous web of flexible film, the closure being formed transversely to the direction of film flow at the consumer-preferred position across one end of the package during package formation at line speed. In the past, the methods of making reclosable flexible packages have involved either the extrusion of the locking structure along with the film extending longitudinally in the direction of film extrusion along the opposite edges of the film or, as described for example in US-A-4,617,683, by heat sealing a separately made resealable closure structure to the package film so as to extend transversely of the longitudinal direction in which the film is transported. The first type of package formation results in packages having the reclosable feature in the consumer non-preferred position along the long edge of the package, while the second type of package formation results in packages which are expensive to make because of the need to inventory and store rolls of the separate resealable closure structure for attachment to the packaging film and the need to insure that the separately obtained packaging film and closure structure are made of compatible materials. It has also been proposed, in EP-A-0,434,447, to emboss male and female connecting members , which form the reclosable locking structure, directly in the packaging film along the longitudinal extending edge of the film. However, this imposes constraints on the film which may be used, since it must be thick and rigid enough to be able to resist the force involved when the connecting members are pressed together to close the locking structure. If the film is too thin, it is proposed to increase its resistance by folding the longitudinal edge of the film back on itself in the area where the connecting members are formed. The present invention, in one aspect, is directed to a flexible package, generally of the type disclosed in EP-A-0434447 and as defined in the precharacterising clause of claim 1. It is a primary object of the invention to provide an improved flexible package having an openable and resealable interlocking closure. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved flexible package having an openable and resealable interlocking closure in which the closure is formed transversely to the direction of film feed at the consumer-preferred position across one end of the package. A further object of the invention is to provide packages as aforesaid which are capable of being formed during the packaging operation running at line speed. Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a package as aforesaid in which the resealable interlocking closure is integrally formed from layered together contiguous portions of the packaging film during the packaging process and does not require that additional materials be added to the packaging film to form the resealable closure. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flexible package as defined in the characterising clause of claim 1. According to another aspect, the invention is directed to a method of making a redoseable interlocking closure for a flexible resealable package, of the general type disclosed in EP-A-0,434,447 in which the packaging material is transported, folded to form a stack of layers of packaging material, and different lengths of the stack are formed into inner and outer portions of a resealable interlocking closure. This aspect of the invention is defined in claim 12. According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for making a flexible package, as defined in claim 16. The package, method and apparatus embodying the invention are not limited by the constraints of the prior art as described earlier, because a novel converter device is utilised which is mounted atop or adjacent to standard packaging apparatus to form a small amount of the running packaging web or film into the resealable closure structure as an integral part of the film oriented in the consumer-desired direction extending transversely to the long dimension of the package. The converter functions with both horizontal and vertical form/fill/seal wrapping machines and with overwrap packagers, and uses diverse double sided heat seal packaging films such as polypropylene, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, high and medium density polyethylene, thermoplastic heat seal coated non-plastic films, and various film laminations. The package formation begins by feeding the plastic film, as it unwinds from a storage roll, into the converter where the film is first automatically layered by fanfolding across the entire width of the film to form a stack. Layering other than by fanfolding to form a stack may be utilised, but fanfolding is a convenient and economical method of stack forming. The number of folds will vary depending on the thermoforming properties and thickness of the particular film being used. Once folded the stacked layers are immediately heat sealed together forming a multilayered semi-rigid strip of typically 1.27cm (one half inch) width extending completely across the film width in plane with the film. Next, in one embodiment of the invention, the resealable locking feature is thermoformed into the multilayered strip which then continues through the packaging machinery in the usual manner, encircling the product and passing through an end sealer where the package ends are sealed and cut. Finally, as the package exits from the end sealer, the front and back film panels are pressed together closing the resealable locking feature. In another embodiment of the invention the multilayered semi-rigid strip carried by the packaging film is abraded on one surface to remove the thermoplastic heat seal coating and leave that surface of the strip uncoated, the film being then passed into the package forming apparatus where the product wrapping takes place. After emerging from the package forming apparatus the package ends are sealed and the package resealable locking feature is completed. In both embodiments, the entire process takes place at packaging line speed. Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:- Figure 1 is an isometric view of a package according to the invention showing the package end seals and the integrally formed resealable locking feature; Figure 1a is a plan view of an alternative form of package according to the invention showing the package end seals and the integrally formed resealable locking feature; Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view through the resealable closure and package end seal as would be seen when viewed along the line 2-2 on Figure 1; Figure 2a is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing a modified form of resealable closure; Figures 3 and 4 respectively show the tearing off of the package endseal and the opening of the resealable closure of a package as in Figure 1; Figures 5 and 6 show progressive stages of opening the interlocking resealable package closure shown in Figure 2; Figure 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of one form of apparatus for and method of formation of novel packages according to the invention, showing the stages of closure forming from the packaging film during the packaging process; Figure 8 is an isometric view of the portion of the apparatus which accomplishes the fanfolding of the film; Figures 9a through 9e are cross sectional views through the apparatus of Figure 8 showing the stages of formation of a fanfolded and sealed film stack; Figure 10 is an isometric view of the portion of the apparatus which forms the resealable locking feature; Figure 10a is a cross sectional view through the apparatus of Figure 10 as would be seen when viewed along the line 10a-10a on Figure 10 showing a reversely folded sheet of film positioned for forming a part of the resealable locking feature; Figure 11 is a cross sectional view through the apparatus of Figure 10 as would be seen when viewed along line 11-11 on Figure 10; Figures 12a through 12e are cross sectional views through the apparatus of Figure 10 as would be seen when viewed along the line 12-12 on Figure 10 showing the stages of thermoformation of another portion of the resealable closure locking feature; Figure 13 is an isometric view of the completely formed resealable locking closure feature in the film; Figure 14 is a cross sectional view through the package end sealing and closure device for the resealable closure locking feature as would be seen when viewed along line 14-14 on Figure 7; Figure 15 shows a modification of the apparatus shown in Figure 7 in which the resealable locking feature is formed as the package is sealed; Figure 16 is an end view of the film scouring wheels seen in Figure 15 before the wrapping station; and Figure 17 is a cross sectional longitudinal view through the completed package, including the package end seals and resealable locking feature forming mechanisms as would be seen when viewed along line 17-17 on Figure 15. In the several figures, like elements are denoted by like reference characters. Considering first Figures 1 and 1a, there are seen packages 20 and 20' respectively, each having respective package heat sealed end seals 21a/21b and 21'a/b, and resealable package locking closures 22 and 22'. The packages are identical except for the shape of the resealable locking closures, closure 22 being formed along a straight line, while closure 22' is formed along an arc. The straight line form of closure requires less package length than the arcuate form, but the arcuate form provides somewhat easier package opening because the opening force is effectively applied to a shorter length of the closure. Both types are formed in the same way, as will be subsequently shown. The resealable closures are formed during the package making process from multiple reversely fanfolded layers of the film from which the packages are made as best seen in the enlarged cross-sectional views of Figures 2 and 2a, to which attention should be now directed. The internested closure sections of Figure 2a are seen to be of triangular cross-section with the open base legs segments in horizontal alignment, whereas the closure sections 22a and 22b of Figure 2 are seen to be formed with the open base legs angled inwardly downward toward one another in an arrowhead shape instead of in horizontal disposition. This angled orientation of the base legs results in easier package opening and reclosing. In Figure 2 the upper film portion 23 of the package 20 is seen to be reversely folded into three layers 23a, 23b, and 23c forming the outer section 22a of the closure 22, with the lower film portion 24 being similarly folded into three layers 24a, 24b, and 24c forming the inner section 22b of the closure 22. Three layers are shown for illustration, but is will be understood that more layers, such as five or even seven, may be used as the package and film characteristics determine. The same arrangement is shown in the closure form of Figure 2a. Figures 3 through 6 illustrate the opening of the package 20 by first tearing off the end seal 21b adjacent to the closure 22 as shown in Figure 3, leaving the discrete single layer continuations 22d, 22c of the outer and inner sections 22a, 22b of the closure as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The resealable locking closure 22 is then opened by manually pulling apart the exposed continuations 22d, 22c, thus separating the outer and inner sections 22a and 22b as shown in Figure 4. The separation process is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 where the outer and inner sections 22a and 22b are seen in Figure 5 being respectively expanded and compressed as the inner section 22b is pulled out of the outer section 22a, and springing back to their static state conditions as illustrated in the completely separated showing of Figure 6. Figure 7 is a diagrammatic showing of one form of apparatus for producing finished packages as shown in the preceding Figures. Film 25 from a roll 26 of heat sealable packaging film is spooled off and fed around roller 27 and between rollers 28 to the film fanfolding device 29 where at package length intervals the film is multiple folded and heat sealed into approximately 1.27cm (half inch) width strips 30 extending fully widthwise of the running film. To accomplish this the film 25 is either made of thermoplastic material or is thermoplastically coated. The film then passes through the resealable closure forming device 31 where the strips 30 are heat and pressure formed into the resealable closure 22, passes around the rollers 32 and into the packaging machine 33 where the items 34 to be packaged are wrapped, and emerges for end sealing, package cutting, and interlocking engagement of the resealable locking closure by the device designated generally as 35, being thereafter carried away for packing for shipment by conveyor 36. The fanfolding device 29 and the process of forming the film 25 to include the heat sealed fanfolded strip 30 are shown in detail in Figures 8 and 9, the position of the apparatus of Figure 8 being that shown in the operating cycle position of Figure 9c. The device 29 essentially consists of, a pair of fanfolding plates 37 having window slots 38, the plates being synchronously shiftable toward and away from one another in slightly separated parallel planes, upper and lower film clamping guide rods 39, and heating bars 40 carried on the guide bars 39. The film 25 moves from right to left between the plates 37 as shown by arrows 41 in Figure 9a. As shown in Figure 9b by the arrows 42, the plates 37 are shifted toward one another into overlapping position to form a three layer fanfold of film 25 with the windows 38 of the plates 37 vertically aligned. Next, as shown in Figure 8 and in Figure 9c by the arrows 43, the film clamping guide rods are shifted toward one another through the windows 38 to clamp the three layers of film together. As shown in Figure 9d by arrows 44, the plates 37 are retracted away from one another, while as shown by arrows 45 the heating bars 40 are shifted toward one another and into engagement with the upper and lower outer surfaces of the fanfolded film strip to seal the layers together into the heat sealed strip 30. Finally, as shown by arrows 46 in Figure 9e, the rods 39 and heating bars 40 are retracted, and the strip 30 moves out of the fanfolding device on its way to the device 31 for formation of the resealable closure parts 22a and 22b, as seen in Figures 7 and 10 through 13. It should be understood that during the course of formation of the strip 30 the entire apparatus 29 moves in the direction of motion of the film 25 and then retracts to its initial position in preparation for the next cycle of strip formation, as shown by the arrow 47. Similarly, it is to be understood that during the cycle of formation of the resealable closure parts 22a and 22b from the strip 30 the entire apparatus 31 moves in the direction of motion of the film 25 and then retracts to its initial position in preparation for the next cycle, as shown by the arrow 48. As best seen in Figures 10 through 13, the device 31 includes an upper section 31a and a lower section 31b, which are respectively provided with heaters 49a and 49b, and with vacuum manifold fittings 50a and 50b which connect a selectively actuatable vacuum source to the vacuum manifolds 51a and 51b. Upper section 31a is provided with a triangular depending central anvil 52a, and lower section 31b is provided with a pair of spaced apart triangular end sections anvils 52b, all of the anvil sections being longitudinally aligned. Formed in the upper section 31a in apposition to the end anvils 52b of the lower section 31b are a pair of complementally shaped triangular recesses 53a, while formed in the lower section 31b in apposition to the central anvil 52a of the upper section 31a is a complementally shaped triangular recess 53b. The structure is completed by aligned coplaner pairs of upper section end forming plates 54 and a pair of lower section central forming plates 54, the plates of each pair being disposed for reciprocation toward and away from one another with all plates being actuated simultaneously. Formation of the resealable closure parts 22a is illustrated in Figure 12, which, it is to be understood, while showing the formation of an end part 22a also shows the operating sequence for formation of the central part 22b by the structure of Figure 10a. As the heat sealed strip 30 comes into position within the forming device 31 as shown in Figure 12a, the forming device starts to move longitudinally with the film 25 and the forming sequence is initiated. As shown in Figure 12b, the heated upper and lower forming sections 31a and 31b move toward one another and mate, heat forming the strip 30 into the recesses 53a and 53b where the strip is retained in position by vacuum drawn through the manifolds 51a and 51b. The anvils 52a, and 52b as shown in Figure 12c, then retract while the vacuum continues to hold the strip in the recesses. The forming plates 54 of each pair, as seen in Figure 12d, then move toward one another and shape the inturned legs into the heat softened strip 30. Finally, as seen in Figure 12e, the forming plates are retracted and the vacuum is released, thereby releasing the formed resealable closure. The forming device is then retracted to its starting position in preparation for forming the next closure. The closure formed running film is shown in Figure 13. The film 25 with its formed closures 22a and 22b moves into the packaging machine 33 along with the items 34 to be packaged, and emerges as a wrapped but unsealed package unseparated from the preceding and succeeding packages. The completion of the packaging by sealing and separation takes place at the sealing station sealing and locking device 35, shown in Figure 7 and in the enlarged cross sectional detail of Figure 14, to which reference should now be made. The first wrapped product 55 emerges from the packaging machine 33 and passes into the sealer 35 where the leading portion of the film passes over the lower heat sealing bars 55 and 56, the upper heat sealing bars 57 and 58 descending to form the opposite end seals 21a and 21b shown in Figure 1, followed closely by the descent of the cutting bar 59 which severs the seals 21a/21b from one another. The sealing device 35 is then opened to release the just formed end seals and allow the partially completed package 55 to pass through. This first seal 21b formed by the sealer bars 56/58 is discarded as scrap since it is not part of a package, the seal 21a formed by the sealer bars 55/57 becoming the leading end seal of what will become the first package 20. Consider now that the partially completed first package, originally designated as 55 in Figure 14 and being now designated 20, has passed completely through the open sealing device 35 so that the part of the packaging film carrying the closures 22a and 22b at the trailing end of the open package is disposed between the resilient upper and lower pressure blocks 61 and 62 of the locking device 35 with a portion of flat film extending to the left between the sealer bars 55-58 to the beginning of the next wrapped product 55. The sealing device 35 is again closed so that a new set of end seals 21a and 21b are formed and separated, and simultaneously the upper and lower pressure blocks 61 and 62 are moved toward one another to press the inside closure part 22b into latching engagement inside the outside closure part 22a. The sealing device 35 is again opened to release the just formed end seals and allow the separated completed package 20 to be moved off for disposition and permit the next partially completed package 55 to pass through. This sequence repeats and produces a continuous line of packaged products. A second embodiment of a method and apparatus for forming the packages 20 is shown in Figures 15 to 17. The apparatus of Figure 15 is similar to that of Figure 7 in many aspects as shown by the same reference characters applied to common elements. The film 25 is spooled off of roll 26 and into the fanfolded strip forming device 29 where heat sealed multilayer strips 30 are sequentially formed as previously described. These strips then proceed to an abrader, generally designated as 63, where the undersurface of the strip 30 is abraded to remove the thermoplastic heat seal coating and leave that surface of the strip uncoated. As seen in Figures 15 and 16 the abrader 63 includes a pair of abrading wheels 64 driven by motors 65 supported on a carrier bar 66. The carrier bar 66 reciprocates transversely to the running length of the film to treat the entire surface of the strip 30, as shown by arrow 67, and also moves longitudinally with the film for a distance sufficient to complete the strip abrasion. Upon completion of a strip treatment the abrader moves downward out of engagement with the film and returns to its starting place to engage the next strip. The film is then passed into the package forming apparatus 33 where product wrapping takes place. After emerging from the package forming apparatus the package ends are sealed by a sealing device 69, and at the same time the package resealable locking feature is completed from the strip 30 by a closure former 70, all as best seen from Figures 15 and 17. A wrapped product 71 carrying strips 30 emerges from the packaging machine 33 and passes to a position between the sealing device 69 and the closure former 70. The upper and lower heat sealing bars 72 and 73 move toward one another to heat seal the ends of adjacent packages to form the opposite end seals 21a and 21b shown in Figures 1 and 17, followed closely by the descent of the cutting bar 74 which severs the seals 21a/21b of the adjacent packages from one another. As seen in Figure 15, the strips 30 have been wrapped during packaging so that each strip is disposed in two layers, one above the other with the abraded surfaces in contact. When the strip 30 is heat formed into the resealable closure 22 by the closure former 70 in the manner already described in connection with the apparatus of Figure 10, the facing abraded surfaces of strips 30 remain unsecured to one another so that they may be subsequently separated. This sequence repeats and produces a continuous line of packaged products. Having now described the invention in connection with particularly illustrated embodiments thereof, it will be understood that modifications and variations may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims: A flexible package comprising in combination, (a) a closed package body (20) formed from a web (25) of flexible packaging material, (b) at least one package body end seal (21a, 21b), and (c) a repeatably openable and reclosable interlocking closure (22), formed integrally with the said package body from multiple stacked continuously connected layers (23) folded from the web of packaging material, and being operative to open and close said package body to provide access to the package interior, said reclosable interlocking closure comprising inner (22b) and outer (22a) interlocking portions, characterised in that the multiple stacked layers comprise a stack of three or a higher odd number of folded over layers (23a, 23b, 23c; 24a, 24b, 24c) of the web of packaging material which are secured together, and formed into a reclosable and resealable interlocking closure (22) extending transversely of the web (25), and a portion of the web of packaging material extends as a single layer continuation (22d; 22c) of each of the inner and outer interlocking portions (22b; 22a) in a direction away from the package body, with said single layer continuations (22d; 22c) being separable from each other. A package as set forth in claim 1, wherein said multiple stacked and secured together layers (23a, 23b, 23c; 24a, 24b, 24c) are fanfolded layers of the web of packaging material (25). A package as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said resealable interlocking closure (22) is located at the opposite end of said package body (20) from a package body end seal (21a). A package as set forth in claim 3, including a second package body end seal (21b) located at the same end of said package body (20) as said resealable interlocking closure (22), said resealable interlocking closure (22) being located on the package body side of said second end seal (21b) and spaced from said second end seal by said single layer continuations (22d; 22c) A package as set forth in any preceding claim, wherein said web (25) of flexible material of which said package body (20), said at least one end seal (21a, 21b), and said interlocking closure (22) are formed is a heat seal coated plastic film. A package as set forth in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said web (25) of flexible material of which said package body (20), said at least one end seal (21a, 21b), and said interlocking closure (22) are formed is a heat seal coated non-plastic film. A package as set forth in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of said inner (22b) and outer (22a) interlocking portions of said resealable interlocking closure (22) is of arrowhead shape in cross section. A package as set forth in any preceding claim, wherein the or each end seal (21a, 21b) is a thermally fused end portion of the web of packaging material of which the package body is made. A package as set forth in any preceding claim, wherein said resealable interlocking closure (22) is arcuate in shape. A package as set forth in any preceding claim, wherein said package is rectangular in shape and said resealable interlocking closure (22) is disposed across the narrower dimension of the package. A package as set forth in claim 8, wherein the or each package end seal (21a, 21b) is disposed across the narrower dimension of the package. A method of making a resealable interlocking closure (22) for a flexible resealable package, consisting of the steps of, (a) transporting in a lengthwise direction a continuous web (25) of flexible packaging material of selected width, (b) fanfolding said web back and forth in the direction of the running length to form a stack of three or a higher odd number of layers (23a, 23b, 23c; 24a, 24b, 24c) of packaging material extending widthwise of the web (25), with the web continuing to extend lengthwise in opposite directions from the stack, (c) securing together the fanfolded layers of said stack of packaging material; and (d) forming different lengths of said stack in the widthwise direction of the web into inner (22b) and outer (22a) interlocking portions of a resealable interlocking closure. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the flexible packaging material of the web (25) has thermoplastic properties, and wherein the step of securing together said fanfolded layers of said stack of packaging material is a heat sealing step. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the step of forming said interlocking closure (22) is also a heat sealing step. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the packaging material of the web (25) has surface thermoplastic heat sealing properties, and further including, between steps c) and d), the further step of abrading one of the outer layers of said fanfolded layers of said stack of packaging material to remove its said thermoplastic heat sealing properties. Apparatus for making a flexible package comprising a package body (20), a resealable interlocking closure (22), and end seals (21a, 21b) at opposite ends of the package, comprising in combination, (a) means (27, 28,32) for transporting in a lengthwise direction a continuous web (25) of flexible packaging material of selected width, (b) means (29, 37) for fanfolding said web back and forth in the direction of the running length at package length intervals to form a stack of three or a higher odd number of interconnected layers of packaging material extending widthwise of the web, with the web continuing to extend lengthwise in opposite directions from the stack, (c) means (39, 40) for securing together the fanfolded layers of each stack of packaging material, (d) means (31; 70) for forming different lengths of each of said secured stacks in the widthwise direction of the web into inner (22b) and outer (22a) portions of a resealable interlocking closure (22), (e) packaging means (33) for wrapping a product (34) within that portion of the flexible packaging material (25) extending between a sequential pair of said resealable interlocking closures (22), (f) package sealing and severing means (55-58,59; 72,73,74) for sealing and severing from one another adjacent ends of successive packages, and (g) means (61,62; 70) for pressing the inner portion (22b) into the outer portion (22a) of the resealable interlocking closure (22). Apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein said means for forming different lengths of each of said secured stacks into inner (22b) and outer (22a) portions of a resealable interlocking closure (22) and said means for pressing the inner portion into the outer portion of the resealable interlocking closure are separate means (31,61,62) Apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein said means for forming different lengths of each of said secured stacks into inner (22b) and outer (22a) portions of a resealable interlocking closure (22) and said means for pressing the inner portion into the outer portion of the resealable interlocking closure are the same means (70).

Inventors: FORMAN HAROLD M, FORMAN, HAROLD M.
Applicants: SEALSTRIP CORP, SEALSTRIP CORPORATION
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B65D33
IPC codes: B65D33, B29D5, B31B19, B65D75