Patent ID: 6983573

Claim:
A method of applying a slider to a closure mechanism for a resealable package and filling the resealable package with a product, comprising: (a) providing a closure mechanism comprising first and second closure profiles; (i) the first closure profile comprising a first base strip, a flange, and a first upper flange, the first base strip having a first interlocking member extending therefrom; (ii) the second closure profile comprising a second base strip, a flange, and a second upper flange, the second base strip having a second interlocking member extending therefrom; (iii) the first and second interlocking members constructed and arranged to selectively interlock; (b) providing a slider device for selectively opening and closing the closure mechanism, the slider device comprising: (i) a top wall and a pair of side walls, the top wall and side walls defining a cavity sized to receive the first and second upper flanges; (ii) a spreader for separating the first and second closure profiles, the spreader depending from the top wall, the spreader having a channel through which the first and second upper flanges may pass as the slider is moved along the closure mechanism; and attaching the slider device to the closure mechanism while the first and second closure profiles are at least partially disengaged, wherein the first and second upper flanges are both positioned in the channel through the spreader, before attaching the first closure profile and the second closure profile to a resealable package, the resealable package having a first and second side panel, the first side panel having a first edge, a second edge, a bottom edge, and a top edge that correspond to a first edge, a second edge, a bottom edge, and a top edge on the second side panel, each of the first, second, and bottom edges on the first side panel are fused/sealed to the corresponding edges on the second side panel thereby forming a resealable package with an interior, an exterior, a bottom, and an unsealed top, the unsealed top having a row of perforations below the top edge of each side panel; attaching the first closure profile and the second closure profile to the resealable package by fusing the flange of the first closure profile to the interior of the first side panel at a pre-determined distance below the row of perforations on the first side panel and fusing the flange of the second closure profile to the interior of the second side panel below the row of perforations on the second side panel thereby forming a header section above the first and second closure profiles; filling the resealable package with a product through the unsealed top and partially disengaged first and second closure profiles without having to disengage the first closure profile from the second closure profile prior to filling; and sealing the top edges of the side panels above the perforations thereby forming a sealed resealable package with partially disengaged first and second closure profiles.