Patent Publication Number: US-2023150730-A1

Title: Closure device

Description:
FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to closure devices with a zipper. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Zippers with tactile and auditory feedback have been used in the past. One example of this arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,193,505, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In the &#39;505 patent, impressions where formed in a male and/or female member of a closure of a polymeric bag. These impressions were all oriented in the same direction, perpendicular to the lengthwise extent of the closure (or “zipper”). The impressions had the effect of producing an audible noise upon closure and provided vibrations which were tactilely sensible to the user to facilitate proper connection of the male and female members of the closure. However, the noise produced changed depending upon the direction of the closure producing confusion about whether the closure had been properly engaged. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, a reclosable bag constructed according to the principles of the present invention generally comprises a first wall and a second wall. The first and second wall are configured to form a product pouch and a mouth configured to the selectively closable. The mouth allows product to be inserted into and removed from the product pouch of the reclosable bag. A zipper comprises a first profile and a second profile that are configured to be selectively interlocked with each other to close the mouth of the reclosable bag. Each profile has a length and a longitudinal axis extending along the length. A plurality of impressions are formed into the first profile along a length of the zipper, where at least some of the impressions are oriented differently than others of the impressions with respect to the longitudinal axis of the first profile. 
     In yet another aspect, a reclosable bag constructed according to the principles of the present invention generally comprises a first wall and a second wall. The first and second wall are configured to form a product pouch and a mouth configured to the selectively closable. The mouth allows product to be inserted into and removed from the product pouch of the reclosable bag. A zipper comprises a first profile and a second profile that are configured to be selectively interlocked with each other to close the mouth of the reclosable bag. Each profile has a length and a longitudinal axis extending along the length. A plurality of impressions are formed into the first profile along a length of the zipper, where at least some of the impressions extend transversely of the first profile at a nonorthogonal angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the first profile. 
     In still another aspect of the present invention, a method of making a reclosable bag generally comprises forming a product pouch from a first wall and a second wall, where the first and second walls are connected at a bottom, a first side and a second side and define a mouth on a top side providing access to the product pouch. A zipper is provided to releasably close the mouth. The zipper is formed using a former to create a row of impressions immediately over and extending into the first zipper, at least some of the impressions being arranged in different orientations than other of the impressions. 
     Other objects and features of the present disclosure will be in part apparent and in part pointed out herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is an end plan view of a forming wheel; 
         FIG.  2    is a side plan view of the forming wheel; 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view of the forming wheel; 
         FIG.  4    is an enlarged, fragmentary side view showing the details of the teeth of the forming wheel; 
         FIG.  5    is a side view of the forming wheel engaging a reclosable plastic package; 
         FIG.  6    is a front view of the plastic package upon which the forming wheel has been applied; 
         FIG.  7    is a cross sectional view along plane  7 - 7  of  FIG.  5   ; 
         FIG.  8    is an enlarged fragment of the bag of  FIG.  6   ; and 
         FIG.  9    is an enlarged fragment of  FIG.  7    in greater detail; 
         FIG.  10    is a further enlarged fragment of portion of  FIG.  9   ; 
         FIG.  11    is an enlarged perspective of elements of first and second zippers on the first wall; and 
         FIG.  12    is an enlarged perspective of elements of the first and second zippers on the second wall. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference numbers indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1 - 3   , a forming wheel  20  is shown. The forming wheel  20  is typically manufactured out of a metal or similar material, though other types of materials are contemplated by this disclosure. The forming wheel  20  has a generally cylindrical shape defined by an outer cylindrical surface  22  and is configured to rotated about a first rotational axis  24 . A plurality of forming teeth  26  are spaced circumferentially along the cylindrical surface  22  and extend outwardly from the cylindrical surface. The forming teeth  26  are not all oriented in the same way with respect to the first rotational axis  24  of the forming wheel  20 . In the illustrated embodiment, the forming teeth  26  extend in directions that are nonparallel with the first rotational axis  24 . As shown, the forming teeth  26  are all skew with respect to the first rotational axis  24 . More specifically in regard to the illustrated embodiment, the forming teeth  26  alternate in the angle they make with respect to the first rotational axis  24  about the circumference of the outer cylindrical surface  24 . It may be said that the forming teeth  26  shown in the drawings form a generally zigzag pattern. It will be understood that other arrangements may be used within the scope of the present invention so long as at least one or more of the forming teeth are not parallel to the first rotational axis  24 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  4   , a detailed view of the forming teeth  26  is shown looking axially along the cylindrical surface  22 . The forming teeth  26  further comprise leading edge surface of the tooth  28 , a trailing edge surface of the tooth  30 , and a distal surface of the tooth  48 . The leading edge surface  28  and trailing edge surface  30  are determined by the illustrated direction of rotation. 
     Referring to  FIG.  5   , the forming wheel  20  is shown rotating around first rotational axis  24 . The forming wheel  20  is positioned to be opposed to a pressure roller  60 , which is configured to rotate about second rotational axis  62 . The forming wheel  20  and pressure roller  60  are configured to engage a reclosable container in the form of a polymeric bag  100 , which is fed between the forming wheel and pressure roller. In the illustrated embodiment, a first zipper  114  of the reclosable bag  100  is placed between the forming wheel  20  and the pressure roller  60 . The first zipper  114 , as will be explained in further detail below, comprises a male profile  116  and a female profile  118  which are configured to be selectively interlocked with each other. For purposes of this description either of the male and female profiles may be broadly considered a “first” or a “second” profile. The zipper  114  and the male and female profiles  116 ,  118  are elongate, and the male and female profiles each have a longitudinal axis. The male profile  116  and the female profile  118  are connected together when the zipper  114  is passed between the forming wheel  20  and the pressure roller  60 . The zipper  114  is oriented so that the first wall  102  is on the bottom and the male profile  116  projects up from the first wall toward the forming wheel  20 . The reclosable bag  100  is illustrated as moving in the direction indicated by the arrow in  FIG.  5    between the rotating forming wheel  20  and the pressure roller  60 . More specifically, the forming wheel moves over the zipper  114  of the reclosable bag  100 , resulting in the forming teeth  26  forming successive rectangular shaped impressions  130  in the male profile  116 . The impressions  130  are in an angled alternately in opposite directions with respect to the longitudinal axis of the male profile  116  and form a generally zigzag pattern. As illustrated, the pattern is formed into both of the male profile  116  and the female profile  118  by passing the reclosable bag  100  through the forming wheel  20  and pressure roller  60  in an inverted position (i.e., with the second wall  104  on the bottom) to form impressions  136  on the female profile. However, it will be understood that the pattern could be formed only into one or the other of the zipper profiles  116 ,  118 . 
     Referring to  FIGS.  6 - 10   , the resulting reclosable bag  100  is shown. The reclosable bag  100  is further comprised of a first wall  102 , a second wall  104 , a bottom seal  106 , a first side seal  108  and a second side seal  110 , and a mouth  112 . The seals may be formed in any suitable manner, such as by heat sealing, adhesive or by simply folding the plastic back on itself to that the material extends continuously through the side. The reclosable bag  100  is made out of a suitable material, such as a polymer. The first and second walls  102 ,  104  are sealed together at the edges to form the mouth  112 . The mouth is configured to be reclosable using the first zipper  114 . The first zipper  114 , as mentioned above, comprises a male and a female profile  116 ,  118 , wherein the male profile is configured to be sealed or otherwise attached to the first wall  102  and the female profile is sealed or otherwise attached to the second wall  104 . Moreover, the zipper profiles  116 ,  118  or either of them could be formed as one piece with the first wall, such as in an extrusion process. The male profile  116  is configured to be selectively engaged with the female profile  118  to selectively retain the mouth  112  in a closed, substantially sealed condition. The reclosable bag  100  defines a product pouch  136  bounded between the mouth  112 , the bottom seal  106 , the first side seal  108  and the second side seal  110 . The product pouch  136  is accessible via the mouth  112  in order to insert product into and remove product from the reclosable bag  100 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the rectangular shaped impressions  130  are formed immediately over and extend into both the male profile  116  and the female profile  118 . In the illustrated embodiment, the reclosable bag  100  further comprises a second zipper  214 , the second zipper comprising a second male profile  216  and a second female profile  218 . The second male and female profiles  216 ,  218  may be broadly considered as “third” and “fourth” profiles. The second zipper  214  is configured to be on the product pouch  136  side of the first zipper  114 . It will be understood that the second zipper  214  may be omitted within the scope of the present invention. As illustrated, the second zipper  214  is not shaped by the forming wheel  20 . However, the second zipper  214  could also be formed with indentations (not shown). 
     Referring to  FIGS.  11 - 13   , the reclosable bag  100  further includes a row of notches  132 ,  134  formed from the rectangular shaped impressions  130  which extend into at least one or both of the male profile  116  and the female profile  118  of the first zipper  114 . The notches  132 , formed on the male profile  116 , and the notches  136 , formed on the female profile  118 , are created by the deformation of at least one of the profiles  116 ,  18  during the operation performed in  FIG.  5   . This deformation results in tactile and audible feedback during the sealing of the first zipper  114  during the closure of the mouth. Moreover, it has surprisingly been found that the sound produced by connection of the male and female profiles  116 ,  118  is the same regardless of whether the bag  100  is closed from right to left or left to right. This provides confidence that the mouth  112  has been closed. In addition, the configuration results in an enhanced appearance of the reclosable bag  100 . 
     An exemplary method of making the reclosable bag  100  described above will now be briefly described. First, the method comprises forming a product pouch  136  from a first wall  102  and a second wall  104 , wherein the first and second walls are sealed at a bottom seal  106 , a first side seal  108 , and a second side seal  110 , and wherein the a reclosable mouth forms the final edge of the product pouch. Second, the method comprises connecting a first zipper  114  to the mouth  112  of the reclosable bag  100 . As illustrated, the male profile  116  is attached to the first wall  102  and the female profile  118  is attached to the second wall  104 . As stated previously, the male and female profiles  116 ,  118  could be formed as one piece with their respective walls  102 ,  104 . The male and female profiles  116 ,  118  are configured to engaged with each other in order to selectively close and open the mouth  112  to allow a product to be placed within the product pouch  136 . Next, the method comprises feeding the reclosable bag  100  between the forming wheel  20  and pressure roller  60 . The forming teeth  26  are in an angled orientation with each other to form a generally zigzag pattern. The reclosable bag  100  is configured to be fed into the forming wheel  20  such that the first zipper  114  engages the forming wheel. In the illustrated embodiment of the method, the method comprises feeding the first zipper  114  into the forming wheel  20  such that the forming wheel teeth  26  bear against the male profile  116  and rectangular shaped impressions are formed immediately over and extend into the male profile. The bag  100  is then fed again between the forming wheel  20  and pressure roller  60  so that the forming wheel bears against the female profile  118  and rectangular shaped impressions are formed immediately over and extend into the male profile. In other non-limiting embodiment, the bag  100  may be fed through the forming wheel  20  and pressure roller  60  in only one orientation. Moreover, the bag  100  could be not fully constructed so that the male profile  116  and female profile  118  could be fed through the forming wheel  20  and pressure roller  60  independently. As a result of the feeding process, a row of notches  132  on the male profile and a row of notches  136  on the female profile of the first zipper  114  are formed as a result of the deformation of the profiles. These notches thus result in tactile and audible feedback during operation of the first zipper  114  (i.e., interlocking or separating the profiles  116 ,  118 ). The second zipper  214  is not shaped by the forming wheel  20  and pressure roller  60  in the illustrated embodiment. 
     When introducing elements of aspects of the invention or the embodiments thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. 
     Not all of the depicted components illustrated or described may be required. In addition, some implementations and embodiments may include additional components. Variations in the arrangement and type of the components may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims as set forth herein. Additional, different or fewer components may be provided and components may be combined. Alternatively, or in addition, a component may be implemented by several components. 
     The above description illustrates the aspects of the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. This description enables one skilled in the art to make and use the aspects of the invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the aspects of the invention, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the aspects of the invention. Additionally, it is to be understood that the aspects of the invention are not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The aspects of the invention are capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it will be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     It will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
     The Abstract and Summary are provided to help the reader quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. They are submitted with the understanding that they will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. The Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in simplified form that are further described in the Detailed Description. The Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the claimed subject matter.