Patent Publication Number: US-2016229594-A1

Title: Rigid Snap Fitment For a Flexible Package

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention patent relates to a recloseable package. More particularly, this invention relates to a rigid snap closure for a flexible recloseable package. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Reseal or reclose features are desirable in packaging to maintain the freshness of the product. Some packages utilize ties or stickers which close the package but do not reseal completely. The present invention is designed to address the problems described above. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a closure system for a flexible package. The flexible package has a front wall connected to a rear wall, typically by opposing side walls, a top portion and a bottom. The top portion, that is, the upper part of the package away from the bottom, may include a sealed top end formed from both the front wall and rear wall. The top end of the package terminates in a top edge. The closure system comprises a rigid male fitment and a rigid female fitment. 
     The male fitment comprises an elongated rib-like structure attached to a flat mounting plate. The rib-like structure may be cylindrical or any suitable shape that cooperates with the female fitment to provide a good seal. The male mounting plate is adhered to an outer facing surface of the front wall at or near the top end of the package. 
     The female fitment comprises an elongated C-shaped structure having a gap and defining an elongated channel configured to receive and engage the rib-like structure of the male fitment. The C-shaped structure is tangentially attached to a flat female mounting plate located opposite the gap. The female mounting plate may be adhered to an outer facing surface of the rear wall a sufficient distance from the top edge to allow a portion of the package carrying the male fitment to be folded over in the direction of the female fitment until the male fitment engages the female fitment. The lengths of the male and female mounting plates may be substantially the same as or slightly shorter than the width of the package. 
     In another aspect of the disclosure, a recloseable container comprising a flexible package and a closure system is described. The flexible package comprises a front wall connected to a rear wall by sides and has a sealed top end terminating in a top edge. The closure system comprises a first fitment and a second fitment. 
     The first fitment comprises a first snap-fit structure attached to a first mounting plate. The first mounting plate is attached to an outer facing surface of the front wall proximate the sealed top end. 
     The second fitment comprises a second snap-fit structure configured to form a releasable snap fit with the first snap-fit structure. The second snap-fit structure is attached to a second mounting plate. The second mounting plate is attached to an outer facing surface of the rear wall sufficiently distant from the top edge to allow a portion of the package carrying the first fitment to be folded over twice until the first snap-fit structure forms a snap fit with the second snap-fit structure. 
     In a refinement of the container, the first mounting plate has a height and the second mounting plate is spaced from the top edge a distance at least twice the height of the first mounting plate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is perspective view of a snap fitment system according to the disclosure. 
         FIGS. 2 to 5  illustrate the snap fitment system of the disclosure: 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a flexible package including the snap fitment system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the flexible package of  FIG. 2  after the top of the package has been folded over once. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the flexible package of  FIG. 3  after the top of the package has been folded a second time. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the flexible package of  FIG. 4  after the snap fitments have been joined together to seal the package. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While this invention may be embodied in many forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail one or more embodiments with the understanding that this disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the illustrated embodiments. In this description the terms “front wall” and “rear wall” are used. These terms are used in a relative sense, meaning they refer to substantially opposing walls, and are not to be construed as being limited to any specific package wall. 
     Turning to the drawings,  FIG. 1  is perspective view of a snap fitment system  10  according to the disclosure. The system  10  comprises a male fitment  12  and a female fitment  14 . It should be understood that the terms “male” and “female” as used herein are arbitrary, and that these terms do not indicate or otherwise imply the actual shapes of the fitments. Rather, the terms are used merely to indicate that the male and female fitments  12 ,  14  can form a snap fit when joined together. Also, whereas in the following embodiment the male fitment  12  comprises an elongated rib-like structure and the female fitment  14  comprises an elongated C-shaped structure that defines a channel, the configurations could be reversed. Finally, it should be appreciated that the male and female fitments  12 ,  14  may be any two shapes that form a snap fit when joined together. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , in the illustrated embodiment the male fitment  12  comprises an elongated rib-like structure  16 , preferably one that is cylindrical and has a circular cross section, attached to a flat mounting plate  18 . As explained below, the male mounting plate  18  is adhered to an outer facing surface of the flexible package  20  by adhesive, hot melt or any other suitable means. The male mounting plate  18  has a vertical height (H) and a length, where the length dimension corresponds to the package width. 
     The female fitment  14  comprises an elongated C-shaped structure  22  having substantially parallel edges  23  defining a gap or opening  24 . The C-shaped structure also defines an elongated groove or channel  26  configured to receive and engage the rib-like structure  16 . The C-shaped structure  22  is tangentially attached to a flat mounting plate  28  located opposite the gap  24 . The mounting plate  28  can be adhered to an outer facing surface of the flexible package  20  by adhesive, hot melt or any other suitable means. Preferably the C-shaped structure  22  is made of a resilient plastic material that can flex and return to its original shape. The female mounting plate  28  has a vertical height and a length. The lengths of the male and female mounting plates  18 ,  28  preferably are substantially the same as the width (W) of the package  20 . 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a container  11  comprising a flexible package  20  and the snap fitment system  10  of  FIG. 1 . The flexible package  20  comprises a front wall or panel  32  and a rear wall or panel  34  connected by opposing side walls  36 , a top portion  38  and a bottom (not shown in the figures). The package  20  may hold any suitable contents, including without limitation coffee, cookies, crackers and other snack foods. The top portion  38  includes a top end  40  where the front wall  32  and rear wall  34  come together to form a seal. The top end  40  may be formed by crimping and heat sealing the front and rear walls  32 ,  34 . The top end  40  terminates in a top edge  42 . 
     The top (upper) portions  38  of the front and rear walls  32 ,  34  may be pulled apart or otherwise separated to break the seal and create an opening to access the contents of the package  20 . After opening, it may be desired to reseal the package  20  in accordance with this disclosure. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the male fitment  12  and the female fitment  14  are adhered to the outer facing surfaces  33 ,  35  respectively of the front and rear panels  32 ,  34 . 
     For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the male fitment  12  is adhered to the outer facing surface  33  of the front wall  32  and the female fitment  14  is adhered to the outer facing surface  35  of the rear wall  34 . Alternatively, the male fitment  12  may be adhered to the rear wall  34  and the female fitment may be adhered to the front wall  32 . 
     In a key aspect of the disclosure, the interlocking structures of the male and female fitments  12 ,  14  face outward, away from the package  20 , so the flexible package  20  must be folded over to be closed. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the mounting plate  18  of the male fitment  12  is adhered to the front wall  32  so that the rib-like structure  16  faces outward, away from the package  20 . Likewise, the mounting plate  28  of the female fitment  14  is adhered to the rear wall  34  so that the gap  24  defined by the C-shaped structure  22  faces outward, away from the package  20 . 
     In  FIG. 2  the male fitment  12  is adhered to the front wall  32  along the heat sealed top end  40  and the female fitment  14  is adhered to the rear wall  34  near the heat sealed top end  40  but at a distance (D) below the top end  40 . The female fitment  14  should be located a sufficient distance from the top edge  42  to allow the portion of the package  20  carrying the male fitment  12 , typically the heat sealed top end  40 , to be folded over (in the direction of the female fitment  14 ) until the male fitment  12  engages the female fitment  14 . This distance (D) may be a little more than twice the height (H) of the male mounting plate  18 . 
     To close the package  20 , the top end  40  is folded over twice until the male fitment  12  can engage and form a snap fit with the female fitment  14 . Fitting the male fitment  12  to the female fitment  14  may cause an audible click, which can assure the consumer that a good seal has been achieved. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the flexible package of  FIG. 2  after the top end  40  has been folded in the direction of the female fitment  14  until the top end  40  lays flat against the rear wall  34 . The rib-like structure  16  of the male fitment  12  now faces rearward. The C-shaped structure  22  remains facing substantially rearward. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the flexible package of  FIG. 3  after the top end  40  has been folded over a second time. The rib-like structure  16  is aligned with and faces the gap  24  in the C-shaped structure  22 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the flexible package of  FIG. 4  after the snap fitments have been joined together to seal the package  20 . The rib-like structure  16  has been snap fitted into the C-shaped structure  22  by a user to engage the C-shaped structure  22  and seal the package  20 . Notably, the rib-like structure  16  and the C-shaped structure  22  are in direct engagement; there are no layers of packaging material between the rib-like structure  16  and C-shaped structure  22 . More importantly, the male and female fitments  12 ,  14  hold the front and rear walls  32 ,  34  of the top portion  38  of the package  20  in close sealing engagement with each other, thereby providing an almost airtight seal. 
     In another aspect of the invention a method of making a recloseable flexible package is disclosed. The method allows the rigid fitments to be added to the package after the package  20  is formed, filled, and even after the package is sealed. The method may comprise the following steps: 
     providing a flexible package  20  having a front wall  32  and a rear wall  34  connected by opposing side walls  36 , a top portion  38  and a bottom, the top portion  38  including a top end  40  formed from both the front wall  32  and rear wall  34 ; 
     providing a male fitment  12  comprising an elongated rib-like structure  16  attached to a flat mounting plate  18 , and adhering the mounting plate  18  to an outer facing surface  33  of the front wall  32  at the top end  40 ; and 
     providing a female fitment  14  comprising an elongated C-shaped structure  22  having a gap  24  and defining an elongated channel  26  configured to receive and engage the rib-like structure  16 , the C-shaped structure  22  tangentially attached to a flat mounting plate  28  located opposite the gap  24 , and adhering the mounting plate  28  to an outer facing surface  35  of the rear wall  34  a sufficient distance (D) from the top end  40  to allow a portion of the flexible package  20  carrying the male fitment  12  to be folded over in the direction of the female fitment  14  until the male fitment  12  engages the female fitment  14 . 
     As noted above, the method may include the step of heat sealing the top ends  40  of the front and rear walls  32 ,  34  either before or after adhering the rigid fitments  12 ,  14  to the front and rear walls  32 ,  34 . 
     It is understood that the embodiments of the invention described above are only particular examples which serve to illustrate the principles of the invention. Modifications and alternative embodiments of the invention are contemplated which do not depart from the scope of the invention as defined by the foregoing teachings and appended claims. It is intended that the claims cover all such modifications and alternative embodiments that fall within their scope.