Abstract:
The disclosure relates to a zipper for a reclosable package ( 100 ) wherein the zipper ( 10 ) includes fragrance—carrying oil ( 40 ) within an internal zipper volume thereby confining the scent while the zipper and the package are closed. When the zipper is opened, the scent is allowed to escape to the consumer and to the storage area of the package.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/472,437 filed on Apr. 6, 2011 and U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/476,390 filed on Apr. 18, 2011, the disclosure of both of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    The present disclosure pertains to a reclosable package or bag with a scented or fragrant component, such as, but not limited to, a reclosable zipper, in order to provide an olfactory feedback mechanism that enhances the contents of the package for the user. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
       [0003]    It is well known in the prior art to package scented products in reclosable packages. However, this typically requires a relatively large amount of fragrance-carrying material and further requires the release of the fragrance within the storage volume of the package at the time of initial packaging, which is typically well before the package is opened by the consumer. The prior art further includes U.S. Pat. No. 7,497,623 entitled “Packages with Active Agents”, issued on Mar. 3, 2009 to Thomas. 
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0004]    It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a reclosable package or bag wherein fragrance can be provided with a reduced amount of fragrance-carrying material. 
         [0005]    It is therefore a further object of the present disclosure to provide a reclosable package or bag wherein the fragrance is not released until the package is opened by the consumer. 
         [0006]    This and other objects are obtained by providing a reclosable package or bag wherein the fragrance-carrying material, such as scent oil, is contained in a male profile of the zipper or reclosure of the reclosable package or bag and it covered by the non-scented female profile. The scent remains covered until the zipper is opened, and typically activated when pressed to close. In the way, the scent is used more economically in that the zipper rather than the entire bag is scented. Additionally, the shelf life of the scent is preserved due to being closed or locked within the zipper. The consumer is exposed to the scent only when the package or bag is opened. The consumer is likewise isolated from the scent when the package is closed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Further objects and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a typical reclosable package or bag incorporating the zipper of the present disclosure. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view along plane  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the cross section of a first embodiment of the zipper or reclosure of the present disclosure. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an alternative cross-sectional view along plane  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the cross section of a second embodiment of the zipper or reclosure of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0011]    Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, sees that  FIG. 1  is a typical reclosable package  100  incorporating the zipper or reclosure  10  of the present disclosure. 
         [0012]    The package  100  of  FIG. 1  is meant to be illustrative and is representative of many different possible embodiments. Package  100  includes first (front) and second (rear) walls  102 ,  104  which are co-extensive with each other and are sealed together by bottom seal  106  and side seals  108 ,  110 , which may include thermal, ultrasonic, adhesive or similar seals. Some embodiments by substitute a fold in a single sheet of material for one of the seals, particularly the bottom seal  106 . The first and second walls  102 ,  104  are typically made of polymer or laminate, but are not limited thereto. The resulting structure forms mouth  112  which is reclosable by zipper or reclosure  10 , leading to storage volume  114  where the consumer product is stored. 
         [0013]    Zipper  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Zipper  10  is typically formed from polymeric material and includes first profile  12  and second profile  14  which extend across the length of the mouth  112 . In the illustrated embodiment, the zipper  10  is attached to the interior of first and second walls  102 ,  104 , but other embodiments may include a zipper which is attached to the upper edge of front and rear walls  102 ,  104 . In this embodiment, first profile  12  includes first base  15 , which includes first upper flange  16  and first lower flange  18 . At least a portion of first base  15  (possibly including first upper and lower flanges  16 ,  18 ) is used for attachment, such as, but not limited to, sealing, to the first wall  102 . First profile  12  further includes first male interlocking element  20  and second male interlocking element  22  which are separated by internal zipper volume  24 . 
         [0014]    Second profile  14  includes second base  30 , which includes second upper flange  32  and second lower flange  34 . At least a portion of second base  30  (possibly including second upper and lower flanges  32 ,  34 ) is for attachment, such as, but not limited to, sealing, to the second wall  104 . Second profile  14  further includes first female interlocking element  36  and second female interlocking element  38 , aligned for engagement with respective first male interlocking element  20  and second male interlocking element  22  and likewise bounding internal zipper volume  24 . 
         [0015]    Fragrance-carrying oil  40  is typically placed on first base  15 , within internal zipper volume  24  between first male interlocking element  20  and second male interlocking element  22 . This fragrance-carrying oil  40  could either be blended on the polymer formulation of the zipper  10  (fully or coextruded) or applied in a separate step after formation (such as extrusion) of first and second profiles  12 ,  14 . In this configuration, prior to the opening of the zipper  10  (i.e., the separation of the first and second profiles  12 ,  14  from each other) the fragrance will be substantially confined within internal zipper volume  24  and will not penetrate into storage volume  114  of the package  100  (see  FIG. 1 ). As it is expected that the fragrance would not escape externally, the fragrance would be expected to last for an extended period. In other embodiments, the fragrance-carrying oil  40  could be applied on a single zipper  10  wherein the intention could be to modify the smell of the packed product or to release the fragrance externally to increase the appeal of the product before the consumer opened the zipper  10 . 
         [0016]    In the second embodiment of zipper  10 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , first profile  12  includes first base  15  and single male interlocking element  20 ′. Second profile  14  includes second base  30  and single female interlocking element  36 ′. Single male interlocking element  20 ′ has a similar structure to first and second male interlocking elements  20 ,  22  of  FIG. 1  and includes post  41  terminating in arrowhead element  42 . Single female interlocking element  36 ′ has a similar structure to first and second female elements  36 ,  38  of  FIG. 1 , and includes first and second arcuate extending arms  44 ,  46  terminating in respective first and second hooks  48 ,  50 . Internal zipper volume  24 ′ is formed between first and second arcuate extending arms  44 ,  46 . The fragrance-carrying oil  40  is applied or incorporated into or onto the single male interlocking element  20 ′ (other embodiments may likewise apply or incorporate the fragrance-carrying oil into or onto the interior of the single female interlocking element  36 ′, within the internal zipper volume  24 , such as, but not limited to, the internal walls of the first and second arcuate extending arms  44 ,  46 ). The fragrance-carrying oil  40 , and therefore the scent, is therefore covered by the single female interlocking element  36 ′. The scent remains covered until the package  100  is opened by separating the first and second profiles  12 ,  14  of the zipper  10  (and may be re-covered by closing the package). The resulting advantages include that the scent is used more economically in that the zipper  10 , rather than the entire package  100 , is scented. Similarly, the shelf-life of the scent is preserved. The consumer is exposed to the scent only when the package  10  is open, and is isolated from the scent when the package  10  is closed. Further, in some embodiments, the zipper  10  may include a scent absorbing profile. 
         [0017]    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.