Abstract:
A reclosable slider zipper is disclosed wherein the profiles have several interlocking ribs thereby allowing the profiles to be interlocked in various alignments. A slider is provided to open and close the reclosable slider zipper. This results in increased reliability in alignment of the profiles during manufacturing processes and similarly results in increased smoothness and tactile feel for the consumer.

Description:
[0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/998,502, filed Nov. 30, 2001, entitled “Variable Alignment Zipper for Reclosable Bags”, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This invention pertains to a slider zipper with variable alignment interlocking profiles. This invention further pertains to a reclosable bag formed with such a slider zipper.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     The prior art for zippers with interlocking profiles is fairly well developed but nevertheless remains open to improvements, specifically those which contribute to an ease of use. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,880 entitled “Method of Making Extruded Zipper Strips and Bags Containing the Same”, issued on Nov. 29, 1988 to Ausnit and U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,215 entitled “Closure Mechanism Having a Perceptible Feedback Feel”, issued on Apr. 17, 2001 to Tomic disclose multiple interlocking ribs on both zipper profiles. A limitation on the use of multiple interlocking ribs is the opening and closing emphasis of the zipper. In an operation with two or more interlocking ribs, the higher force needed to open or close the zipper could indicate to the user that the zipper is being damaged.  
         [0006]     These prior art references, along with the parent of the present application, have taught zippers wherein the profiles with multiple elements allow multiple configurations wherein alignment can be achieved. Additionally, in the parent application, a balanced tactile feel and increased smoothness of operation are achieved. However, while the prior art of slider zippers is well developed and has proven generally satisfactory for its intended use, improvements are sought in the art of slider zippers wherein the slider zippers could operate more smoothly with a reduced tendency to bind during operation.  
         [0007]     Similarly, some manufacturing processes, such as a form fill and seal operation, require that the zipper profiles be separated prior to the insertion of a slider, with the zipper profiles being realigned in order to be returned to the interlocked position. Again, while this prior art has been well developed and has proven generally satisfactory for its intended use, further improvements are sought in the art of slider zippers so that this realignment, or similar alignment processes during manufacture, can become even more reliable and therefore contribute to the ability to operate at even higher speeds.  
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improvements in slider zippers for reclosable bags, wherein the smoothness of operation is increased.  
         [0009]     It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide improvements in slider zippers for reclosable bags, which will allow for ease of alignment or realignment of zipper profiles during manufacturing processes, such as, but not limited to, form fill and seal processes.  
         [0010]     These and other objects are attained by providing a zipper with a slider and interlocking profiles wherein the male interlocking profile of the zipper has a plurality of male ribs, typically three male ribs, each with a double-barbed end section. The male interlocking profile is interlockable with a female interlocking profile. The female interlocking profile has a plurality of male ribs, typically three male ribs, which form grooves or sockets for engaging the male interlocking profile. The bordering ribs of the female interlocking profile are each shaped with a single-barbed end section facing inward toward a middle male rib formed with a double-barbed end section.  
         [0011]     Alternative embodiments can include a first profile which includes one or more ribs and a second profile which includes a plurality of grooves or sockets whereby the first profile can engage the second profile in a plurality of possible alignments.  
         [0012]     By varying the engagement of the male and female interlocking profiles, the zipper can align in any one of a plurality positions for closure. These various alignments provide a balanced tactile feel to the user during an opening or closing of the zipper, even with the use of a slider. Additionally, this variable alignment capability makes the alignment or realignment of the zipper profiles more reliable during various manufacturing process steps, such as in a form fill and seal process. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a reclosable bag using the zipper of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view along plane  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view along plane  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the variable alignment zipper of the present invention in a first engagement and with the view taken from reference line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the variable alignment zipper of the present invention in a second engagement with the view taken from reference line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the variable alignment zipper of the present invention in a third engagement and with the view taken from reference line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the variable alignment zipper of the present invention in a fourth engagement and with the view taken from reference line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of a first alternative embodiment of the variable alignment zipper of the present invention with the view taken from reference line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of a second alternative embodiment of the variable alignment zipper of the present invention with the view taken from reference line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]     Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, one sees that  FIG. 1  is a plan view of a typical reclosable bag  100  which employs variable alignment slider zipper  10  of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , along with the cross-sectional view of  FIG. 2 , reclosable bag  100  includes front web sheet  102  and rear web sheet  104 . Typically, front and rear web sheets  102 ,  104  are sealed together to form bottom seal  106 , side seals  108 ,  110  and top seal  112 . Seals  106 ,  108 ,  110  and  112  are typically hard seals, with access to variable alignment slider zipper  10  being provided by tear lines  114 ,  116 , typically formed by perforation or scoring, in front and rear web sheets  102 ,  104 , respectively.  
         [0024]     Variable alignment slider zipper  10  extends from side to side, downwardly adjacent from top seal  112 . Endstops  118 ,  120  are formed at the ends of variable alignment slider zipper  10 . Variable alignment slider zipper  10  further includes male profile interlocking profile  16  with flange  22  and female interlocking profile  20  with flange  37 . Flanges  22  and  37  are sealed to front and rear webs  102 ,  104  along seal bands  122 ,  124  formed below tear lines  114 ,  116  whereby a portion of front and rear web sheets  102 ,  104  extends above and over variable alignment slider zipper  10  thereby forming a tear away header  125 . Additionally, the distal ends  126 ,  128  of flanges  22 ,  37  are typically sealed together with a frangible tamper-evident seal  130 . Alternative embodiments may eliminate the frangible tamper-evident seal  130 . Likewise, in alternate embodiments, the front and rear webs  102 ,  104  would not extend beyond seal bands  122 ,  124 , thereby resulting in an embodiment without the tear away header  125 , and eliminate the need for tear lines  114 ,  116  or top seal  112 . Further alternative embodiments could substitute a fold in a single web sheet for the top seal  112  between two web sheets  102 ,  104 .  
         [0025]     In fact, those skilled in the art, after review of the present disclosure, will realize that the variable alignment slider zipper  10  can be implemented on many different embodiments and configurations of reclosable bags. Similarly, the reclosable bag  100  may be manufactured as an empty consumer bag or may be manufactured and filled with a product in a form fill and seal process such as disclosed in, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,975 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Making Reclosable Bags with Fastener Strips in a Form Fill and Seal Machine”, issued on Jan. 23, 1990 to Ausnit; U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,439 entitled “Methods of Making Slide-Zippered Reclosable Packages on Horizontal Form-Fill-Seal Machines”, issued on Oct. 31, 2000 to McMahon et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,722 entitled “Application System for Sliders at Form-Fill-Seal Machine”, issued on Jan. 30, 2001 to McMahon, the contents of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.  
         [0026]     Slider  132  is mounted on variable alignment slider zipper  10 . Slider  132  has an opening end  134  and a closing end  136  (see  FIG. 3 ). Slider  132  includes top wall  138 , with side walls  140 ,  142  terminating in inwardly extending flanges  144 ,  146 , respectively. There is sufficient distance between top wall  138  and inwardly extending flanges  144 ,  146  to accommodate the various alignments illustrated in  FIGS. 4-7 . Slider  132  opens variable alignment slider zipper  10  by being pushed in an opening direction (in an opposite direction from opening end  134 ), thereby forcing slider plow  148  (see  FIG. 3 ) between zipper profiles  16 ,  20 , and closes variable alignment slider zipper  10  by being pushed in a closing direction (in an opposite direction from closing end  136 ), opposite to the opening direction, as would be known to a person skilled in the art after review of the present disclosure.  
         [0027]      FIGS. 4-7  disclose the structure of the zipper profiles  16 ,  20  and illustrate the variable alignment characteristics of variable alignment slider zipper  10 . These figures disclose an embodiment with three ribs on each zipper profile  16 ,  20 . However, it envisioned that the variable alignment capabilities of the present invention could similarly be achieved with different embodiments. For instance, a configuration with three ribs on one profile and one rib on a second profile such as shown in  FIG. 8  or a configuration with two ribs on each profile such as shown in  FIG. 9  would likewise achieve the variable alignment capabilities. Those skilled in the art, after review of the present disclosure, will recognize a broad range of equivalents.  
         [0028]     In  FIG. 4 , the male interlocking profile  16  is interlocked with the female interlocking profile  20  in a first engagement of the variable alignment slider zipper  10 . The male interlocking profile  16  is a resiliently flexible profile with flange  22 . The male interlocking profile  16  includes three male ribs  26 ,  30 ,  32 , with each of the male ribs having double-barbed end sections. The bordering of the male ribs  26 ,  30 ,  32  creates grooves (or sockets)  35  and  36 . The number and shape of the ribs can vary based on factors known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0029]     The female interlocking profile  20  is a resiliently flexible profile opposite and facing the male interlocking profile  16 . The female interlocking profile  20  includes flange  37 . The female interlocking profile  20  includes three male ribs  44 ,  48  and  52 . The male ribs  44  and  52  are each formed with a single-barbed end section. The single-barbed end sections of the male ribs  44 ,  52  extend laterally to the third male rib  48 . The male rib  48  has a double-barbed end section  60 . The bordering of the male ribs  44  and  52  to the male rib  48  creates grooves (or sockets)  64  and  68 . The number and shape of the ribs can vary based on factors known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0030]     For interlocking the male interlocking profile  16  and the female interlocking profile  20  in the first engagement of the variable alignment slider zipper  10 , the profiles are pressed together. In the first engagement, a first male rib of the male interlocking profile  16  secures to a first groove of the female interlocking profile  20 . As shown, the male rib  26  sizably conforms to the groove  68  with the male rib  26  adequately secured by an integral double-barbed end section. With a single-barbed end section on the male rib  52  of the female interlocking profile  20 , the male rib  52  slides into the groove  35  with less resistance to and movement of the male rib  30  than if the male rib  52  had a double-barbed end section.  
         [0031]     The male interlocking profile  16  and the female interlocking profile  20  are adapted to be separated by pulling them apart thereby breaking the interlocking relationship of the male rib  26  with the groove  68 . Similar to the closing operation, the single-barbed male rib  52  would encounter less resistance from the male rib  30  as the profiles are being pulled apart than if the male rib  52  had a double-barbed end section. For the other three interlocking engagements described below, the male and female interlocking profiles are similarly pulled apart in order to separate the profiles from one another.  
         [0032]     For interlocking the male interlocking profile  16  and the female interlocking profile  20  in a second engagement of the variable alignment slider zipper  10  as shown in  FIG. 5 , the profiles  16 ,  20  are pressed together. In the second engagement, two male ribs of the male interlocking profile  16  secure to two grooves of the female interlocking profile  20 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the male ribs  26  and  30  sizably conform to the grooves  64  and  68  respectively. Both male ribs  26  and  30  are adequately secured to the female interlocking profile  20  by an integral double-barbed end section for each male rib. With a single-barbed end section on the male rib  52  of the female interlocking profile  20 , the male rib  52  slides into the groove  36  with less resistance to and movement of the male rib  32  than if the male rib  52  had a double-barbed end section. Similar to the closing operation, the single-barbed male rib  52  would encounter less resistance from the male rib  32  as the profiles are being pulled apart than if the male rib  52  had a double-barbed end section.  
         [0033]     For interlocking the male interlocking profile  16  and the female interlocking profile  20  in a third engagement of the variable alignment slider zipper  10  as shown in  FIG. 6 , the profiles  16 ,  20  are pressed together. In the third engagement, two male ribs of the male interlocking profile  16  secure to two grooves of the female interlocking profile  20 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the male ribs  30  and  32  sizably conform to the grooves  64  and  68  respectively. Both the male ribs  30  and  32  are adequately secured to the female interlocking profile  20  by an integral double-barbed end section for each male rib. With a single-barbed end section on the male rib  44  of the female interlocking profile  20 , the male rib  44  slides into the groove  35  with less resistance to and movement of the male rib  26  than if the male rib  44  had a double-barbed end section. Similar to the closing operation, the single-barbed male rib  44  would encounter less resistance from the male rib  26  as the profiles are being pulled apart than if the male rib  44  had a double-barbed end section.  
         [0034]     For interlocking the male interlocking profile  16  and the female interlocking profile  20  in a fourth engagement of the variable alignment slider zipper  10  as shown in  FIG. 7 , the profiles  16 ,  20  are pressed together. In the fourth engagement, a male rib of the male interlocking profile  16  secures to a groove of the female interlocking profile  20 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the male rib  32  sizably conforms to the groove  64 . The male rib  32  is adequately secured to the female interlocking profile  20  by an integral double-barbed end section. With a single-barbed end section on the male rib  44  of the female interlocking profile  20 , the male rib  44  slides into the groove  36  with less resistance to and movement of the male rib  30  than if the male rib  44  had a double-barbed end section. Similar to the closing operation, the single-barbed male rib  44  would encounter less resistance from the male rib  30  as the profiles are being pulled apart than if the male rib  44  had a double-barbed end section.  
         [0035]     The resulting configuration allows simple and reliable alignment and interlocking of profiles  16 ,  20  in the manufacturing process and subsequently provides for smooth operation and a balanced tactile feel on the part of the consumer.  
         [0036]     Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.