Patent ID: 7213385

Claim:
A vertical form, fill, and seal machine for manufacturing a flexible reclosable stand-up package having a zipper seal incorporated therein, comprising: a) a forming tube having an entrance portion and an exit portion; b) a device for dispensing a supply of zipper seal mechanism toward said form, fill, and seal machine, said zipper seal mechanism having first and second interlocking opposing members, wherein said first and second members each include a profile portion which interlocks with a complementary profile portion on said opposing member and a tab portion extending away from said profile portion; c) a channel formed in a surface of said forming tube and extending along the longitudinal axis of said forming tube from the entrance portion to the exit portion, wherein said channel is proportioned to receive the interlocked profile portions of said zipper seal mechanism; d) a roller mechanism for splaying the first and second tab portions away from one other so as lie adjacent to an exterior surface of said forming tube; e) a first heat seal mechanism for sealing a portion of each of the tab portions an to an adjacent surface of a thermoplastic film; f) a former mechanism for forming said thermoplastic sheet into a tubular shape about said forming tube and said zipper seal mechanism; g) a second heat seal mechanism for forming a back seal on said tubular shape of thermoplastic film thereby creating a film tube downstream of said first heat seal mechanism; h) an apparatus for imparting a crease in said film tube; i) an apparatus for forming a space between an inner surface of said film tube and said interlocked profile portions of said zipper seal mechanism prior to traversely sealing said tube; and j) a pair of heat sealing jaws for imparting a traverse seal on said film tube downstream from said creasing apparatus, wherein said sealing jaws include a cutting mechanism for severing said package from said tube.