Patent Application
20050152622
The present invention relates to reclosable pouches, and more particularly, to end stops for such pouches.
A reclosable pouch may include a closure mechanism comprising male and female closure elements or profiles attached to pouch walls. In addition, a pouch may have a slider disposed upon the closure elements and movable between open and closed positions. Various arrangements have been used to prevent the slider from sliding off of the bag. In one such arrangement, an end stop is disposed at the end of the closure elements to prevent the slider from being unintentionally removed from the bag.
Herrington et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,764 discloses latching means for retaining a plastic slider in a closed position along a pair of interlocking plastic strips. The latching means comprises a detent on the plastic slider, which engages a protrusion on the plastic strips proximate an end of the bag.
Richardson et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,394 discloses a slider having two detent elements located on opposite sides of a separator finger within the slider. When the slider is at any location along a zipper other than a fully closed position, the detent elements ride against the outside surfaces of flanges of the zipper. When the slider reaches the closed position just past the zipper flanges, the detents spring inward against the sides of the separator finger to lock the slider in the closed position.
Richardson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,478 discloses a method for applying end stops as bags are being manufactured before the bags are separated from one another. The end stops on adjacent bags are formed from a single length of plastic tubing that is secured to zipper tape carried by a plastic web forming bag walls.
Morgan U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,837 discloses a thermoplastic bag having a zipper secured to a plastic web. The zipper includes flanges at ends of the bag having an increased height, thereby providing for adequate plastic material to form integrated end stop seals that interfere with removal of a slider from the zipper. The end stop seals are sufficiently strong such that additional end clips or clamps are not required.
Dobreski et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,173 discloses end stops in the form of plastic pins or posts having enlarged heads and wherein the pins further include linear portions that extend through ends of first and second closure strips. The enlarged heads retain the end stops on the closure strips and interfere with removal of a slider therefrom.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a reclosable pouch comprises a closure assembly secured to pouch walls. A slider is placed on the closure assembly and is movable between open and closed positions. An end stop is disposed at an end of the closure assembly. The end stop includes a first portion secured to the pouch adjacent the closure assembly and a second portion extending from the first portion and deflected into secure engagement with the pouch.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of producing an end stop for a reclosable pouch includes the steps of applying a first portion of a plastic member to a surface of the pouch proximate a closure assembly and forming an end stop by attaching a second portion of the plastic member to the pouch at a position proximate a side portion thereof.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and the attached drawings, in which like elements are assigned like reference numerals.
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The fusing or other attachment of the free ends 74, 76 preferably is undertaken over a limited span at the ends 60, 62 so that travel of the slider 50 is only inhibited at such ends. More particularly, the slider 50 includes feet 90, 92 (visible in
The pouch described herein advantageously includes reinforced end stops created by attaching a plastic member, comprising a first portion and a second portion, to pouch walls. The first portion of the plastic member is secured to the pouch adjacent a closure assembly and the second portion of the plastic member is deflected into secure engagement with the pouch at a position proximate an end thereof. The first portion is joined to the second portion by an intermediate portion that may be (but need not be) narrowed as compared to the first and second portion
It should be noted that the flange(s) 64, 66 may be replaced by flange(s) of different cross-sectional shape and/or material, if desired. Further, a single flange may be provided having a first portion secured to only one side of the bag 20, and may further have a second portion deflected into secure engagement with a portion of the bag at ends of the bag to provide end stops. Still further, the first and/or second portions may continuously extend across an entire width of the bag 20, or either may be discontinuous in the sense that the first and/or second portion may be of limited length relative to the bag width dimension.
Numerous modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is presented for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to make and use the invention and to teach the best mode of carrying out same. The exclusive rights to all modifications that come within the scope of the appended claims are reserved.
