Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a reclosure for a reclosable package or container, such as a plastic bag, wherein opening or closing the zipper causes an audible sound and a tactile feel. The apparatus includes a cutting wheel which is opposed to a pressure wheel. The cutting wheel includes cutting teeth spaced about its periphery. Interlocked zipper material is engaged between the cutting wheel and the pressure wheel to form indentations in the interlocked zipper, thereby resulting in audible and tactile feedback when the zipper is operated.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Disclosure 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a reclosure for a reclosable package or container, such as a plastic bag, wherein opening or closing the zipper causes an audible sound and a tactile feel. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    In the prior art, it is known to deform male zipper profiles to produce a zipper which will produce audible and tactile feedback during opening and closing operations by the user. Examples of such prior art can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,872 entitled “Interlocking Closure Device”, issued to Cisek on Jul. 22, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 5,962,040 entitled “Apparatus for Making a Zipper for a Reclosable Thermoplastic Bag”, issued to Dais et al. on Oct. 5, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,468 entitled “Closure Arrangement for Reclosable Bag and Method Thereof”, issued to Tomic et al. on Mar. 9, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,100 entitled “Closure Member for a Reclosable Thermoplastic Bag”, issued to Porchia et al. on Jul. 15, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,228 entitled “Apparatus for Making a Zipper for a Reclosable Thermoplastic Bag” issued to Dais et al. on Dec. 26, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,750 entitled “Zipper for Reclosable Thermoplastic Bag”, issued to Gundlach et al. on Aug. 18, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,584 entitled “Zipper for a Reclosable Thermoplastic Bag and a Process and Apparatus for Making”, issued to Dais et al. on Dec. 10, 1991. 
         [0005]    An audible or clicking plastic zipper is known in the prior art. However, the use of deformations to make the sound and feel to mimic a metal zipper has involved manufacturing steps on the zipper with the zipper halves separated from each other. In the blown film process, this requires the extra manufacturing steps of opening or separating the zipper so that it can be deformed, and then closing or interlocking it again. 
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0006]    It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a zipper and a method of manufacturing thereof, wherein the deformations required for producing audible and tactile feedback during the operation of the zipper are produced while the zipper halves are engaged or interlocked with each other. 
         [0007]    This and other objects are attained by providing a cutting wheel for cutting clicker impressions, wherein the cutting wheel is journaled for rotation by roller bearings on a common shaft that is held by a T-shaped yoke on linear bearings. This unit follows a path guided by the material zippers. A pressure roller is applied from the male side of the material while the cutting wheel is applied on the female side of the material, or vice versa. The clicker impression wheels are applied toward the pressure roller, trapping the interlocked profiles/zippers in between the pressure roller and the clicker/impression wheels, thereby creating a visual pattern on the zipper and likewise resulting in a zipper which will produce audible and tactile feedback during operation. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Further objects and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is an end plan view of an embodiment of the cutting wheel of the present disclosure. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side plan view of an embodiment of the cutting wheel of the present disclosure. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side plan view showing the details of the teeth of the cutting wheel of the present disclosure. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a side plan view of the cutting wheel of the present disclosure engaging a reclosable plastic package or bag. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a front plan view of a plastic package or bag upon which the cutting wheel of the present disclosure has been applied. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view along plane  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  shows a portion of  FIG. 5  in greater detail. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  shows a portion of  FIG. 6  in greater detail. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  shows a portion of  FIG. 6  in further greater detail. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, one sees that  FIGS. 1 and 2  are end and front plan views, respectively, of cutting wheel  20 , which is typically made of metal or similar material. Cutting wheel  20  has a generally cylindrical outline as defined by outer cylindrical peripheral surface  22  and is journaled for rotation about rotational axis  24 . Cutting teeth  26  are spaced periodically along the cylindrical peripheral surface  22  and extend outwardly therefrom. A single cutting tooth  26  is illustrated in further detail in  FIG. 3 . The cutting tooth  26  is bounded by leading and trailing radially oriented edges  28 ,  30  thereby defining a leading edge of start tooth  32  and a trailing edge of end tooth  34  (“leading”, “trailing”, “start” and “end” being determined by illustrated direction of rotation). The trailing edge  36  of start tooth  32  and the leading edge  38  of end tooth  34  form bounding surfaces which make the distal ends  40 ,  42  of start tooth  32  and end tooth  34 , respectively, have a greater expanse than the proximal ends  44 ,  46  of the start tooth  32  and end tooth  34 , respectively. This relationship is formed by the inward extension of edges  36 ,  38  intersecting with the respective radii formed by the inward extension of leading and trailing radially oriented edges  28 ,  30  prior to the inward extension of the leading and trailing radially oriented edges  28 ,  30  intersection with the rotational axis  24  (see  FIG. 1 ). This resulting configuration of start tooth  32  and end tooth  34  is designed to retain the lead-in of start tooth  32  and retain the lead-out of end tooth  34  during operation of cutting wheel  20 . Arcuate region  48  is formed between start tooth  32  and end tooth  34 . Adjacent to start tooth  32  is initial radial area  50  of arcuate region  48  to deform the profiles of the closed zipper. Likewise, adjacent to end tooth  34 , is ending radial area  52  of arcuate region  48  to deform the profiles of the closed zipper. Between initial and ending radial areas  50 ,  52 , at a central location of cutting tooth  26 , is the maximum depth  54  of arcuate region  48 . 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , cutting wheel  20  typically rotates about longitudinal rotational axis  24  which stays in place. Cutting wheel  20  is positioned to be opposed to pressure roller  60 , which likewise rotates about stationary rotational axis  62  and engages reclosable container or bag  100  (also see  FIGS. 5-9 , and the description thereof) between cutting wheel  20  and pressure roller  60  (in an alternative embodiment, only the zipper  114  is placed between the cutting wheel  20  and the pressure roller  60 ). The profiles  116 ,  118  of the zipper  114  are interlocked with each other and engaged between the cutting wheel  20  and pressure roller  60 . The reclosable container or bag  100  is illustrated as moving toward the left of  FIG. 4 , thereby rotating the cutting wheel  20  over the zipper  110  of the reclosable container or bag  100 , resulting in the cutting teeth  26  forming successive crescent-shaped impressions  130 , including notches  132 ,  134  as formed by the start tooth  32  and end tooth  34 , in the bag wall  102  or  104 , immediately over and extending into one of the zipper profiles  116 ,  118 . It can further be seen from  FIG. 4  how the maximum depth  54  of arcuate region  48  determines how far the start tooth  32  and end tooth  34  impinge into the reclosable container or bag  100  as, typically, the walls  102  or  104  have minimal deformation at the point of contact with the area of maximum depth  54  of arcuate region  48 . 
         [0020]    The resulting reclosable container or bag  100  is shown in  FIGS. 4-9 . Reclosable bag or container  100  includes coextensive first and second planar walls  102 ,  104 , typically of polymeric material, which are sealed together at the edges by bottom seal  106  and side seals  108 ,  110  thereby forming mouth  112 , which is made reclosable by zipper  114  which extends the width of reclosable package or container  100  and includes male profile  116  (sealed or otherwise attached to second wall  104 ) which is engaged within female profile  118  (sealed or otherwise attached to first wall  102 ). The illustrated embodiment discloses the crescent-shaped impressions  130 , including notches  132 ,  134 , being formed immediately over and extending into the female profile  118  (wall  102  above wall  104  in the illustrated configuration of  FIG. 4 ). However, it is likewise envisioned that some embodiments could have the crescent-shaped impressed  130  being formed immediately over and extending into the male profile  116  (wall  104  above wall  102  in the illustrated configuration of  FIG. 4 ). Further, it is likewise envisioned that the operation illustrated in  FIG. 4  could be performed twice—once so that the cutting wheel  20  impinges upon the male profile  116  and another time so that the cutting wheel impinges upon the female profile  118  (or vice versa).  FIGS. 4-9  are illustrated with an optional secondary zipper  124  (which may be implemented as secondary interlocking elements formed integrally with zipper  114 ) on the product side of zipper  114 . 
         [0021]    The resulting reclosable container or bag  100  includes a row of notches  132 ,  134 , formed from crescent-shaped impressions  130 , which extends into at least one profile  116 ,  118 , or both profiles  116 ,  118 , of the zipper  114 . That is, the crescent-shaped impressions  130  of  FIGS. 5 and 7  could be formed on one or both sides of reclosable bag or container  100  and zipper  114 . This configuration, particularly with the resulting deformation of at least one profile  116 ,  118 , results in tactile and audible feedback during operation (i.e., interlocking or separating the profiles  116 ,  118 ) of the zipper  114 . This configuration further results in an enhanced appearance of the reclosable container or bag. 
         [0022]    Further advantages achieved include increased efficiency in manufacturing; increased tactile and audible feedback due to distortion and impression on both the male and female profiles; and reduced required machinery modification as the zipper typically does not have to be opened and closed to apply the distortion. 
         [0023]    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.