1. Field of the Invention
The present application generally relates to reclosable fasteners with sliders particularly suited for thermoplastic bags and the like. Particularly, the present application relates to a rolling action fastener with increased seal strength.
2. Description of Related Art
A reclosable fastener for thermoplastic bags or the like include a pair of male and female tracks with interlocking rib and groove elements. Generally, two types of such reclosable fasteners exist—(i) push to close (“PTC”) and (ii) zipper. The PTC fastener requires the application of an external force to open or close the engageable tracks, whereas the zipper fastener relies upon a slider for opening or closing the rib and groove elements. As such, the profile configuration of the reclosable track of a zipper fastener differs from that of a PTC fastener.
In the manufacture of thermoplastic film bags, a pair of these male and female fastener elements or tracks extend along the mouth of the bag and these male and female elements are adapted to be secured in any suitable manner to the flexible walls of the thermoplastic film bag. These elements may be integral marginal portions of such walls or the elements may be extruded separately and thereafter attached to the walls along the mouth of the bag. U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,143, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes a zipper profile in which the cross-sectional shape of the zipper is such that the male and female elements can be engaged or closed by pressing the bottom together first, then rolling it closed toward the top. This configuration is referred to as a “rolling action” reclosable fastener.
However, there is a continued need to improve the seal strength of such conventional fasteners, yet still permitting the fasteners to be easily opened and closed.
The purpose and advantages of the present application will be set forth in and apparent from the description that follows, as well as will be learned by practice of the application. Additional advantages of the application will be realized and attained by the apparatus particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof, as well as from the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the application, as embodied and broadly described, the application includes a reclosable fastener comprising a male track including a male profile, a female track including a female profile, and a slider disposed on the male and female tracks to matingly engage the male profile and the female profile when moved from an open condition toward a closed condition. The slider includes a back and a pair of sidewall depending therefrom. The slider also includes a separator finger depending from the back between the pair of sidewalls and shaped along its length to first press together a bottom of the male and female profiles and then roll the profiles closed toward a top thereof as the slider moves toward the closed condition. The male profile comprises a base and a rib with a hook portion having an inwardly-directed surface including a projection defining an engagement surface. The female profile comprises a base and a first flange having an inwardly-directed surface including a projection defining an engaging surface. The engaging surface of the female track engages the engagement surface of the male track when in the closed condition with at least a portion of the male profile received by at least a portion of the female profile.
As embodied herein, at least one of the male track and the female track can include a fin portion. For example, the female track can include a downwardly-depending fin portion defining a reference plane. The engaging surface and the engagement surface can engage each other at a location of contact when in the closed condition, the engaging surface having an angle of between about 30 degrees to about 80 degrees relative to the reference plane at the location of contact. Similarly the engagement surface can have an angle of between about 30 degrees to about 80 degrees relative to the reference plane at the location of contact. Preferably, the angle is about 45 degrees. Furthermore, the engaging surface and the engagement surface can each be angled at a location of contact generally perpendicular to a predetermined direction of pull. The engaging surface and the engagement surface form a mechanical interference when in the closed position, and the male and female profiles have complementary cross-sections. Additionally, the first flange embodied herein has an outwardly-directed surface at an angle of between about 10 degrees to about 30 degrees relative to the reference plane.
In accordance with another aspect, the inwardly-directed surface of the hook portion of the rib further can include a cam surface proximate the projection. The cam surface is configured to urge the engaging surface out of engagement with the engagement surface when the slider is moved toward the open condition. The rib can further include a second hook portion. The female profile can further include a second flange that can be arranged to deflect when the slider is moved from an open condition toward a closed condition. The second flange can maintain the male profile matingly engaged with the female profile when the slider is in the closed condition.
In accordance with another embodiment, the male profile further comprises an ear portion and the female profile further comprises an ear portion. The ear portion of the male profile can be in contact with the ear portion of the female profile when in the closed condition.
In accordance with another aspect, the slider disengages the male profile from the female profile when moved from the closed condition toward the open condition such that the slider first separates the top of the male and female profiles and then rolls the profiles open toward the bottom thereof as the slider moves toward the open condition.
The present application also provides a reclosable fastener comprising a male track including a male profile, a female track including a female profile, and a slider disposed on the male and female tracks to matingly engage the male profile and the female profile when moved from an open condition toward a closed condition. The slider is configured to first press together a bottom of the male and female profiles and then roll the profiles closed toward a top thereof as the slider moves toward the closed condition. The male profile comprises a base and a rib with a first hook portion and a second hook portion extending in opposite direction from the rib. The first hook portion has an inwardly-directed surface including a projection defining an engagement surface. The female profile comprises a base with a first flange and a second flange, the first flange having an inwardly-directed surface including a projection defining an engaging surface. The engaging surface of the female track engages the engagement surface of the male track when in the closed condition with at least a portion of the male profile received by at least a portion of the female profile. The fastener can have any of the additional features described above.
The present application also provides a reclosable plastic bag comprising first and second panels each having a top, a bottom, and first and second opposing sides and a reclosable fastener. The first and second panels are joined to each other along respective bottoms and first and second opposing sides. The reclosable fastener comprises a male track including a male profile, a female track including a female profile, and a slider disposed on the male and female tracks to matingly engage the male profile and the female profile when moved from an open condition toward a closed condition. The slider includes a back and a pair of sidewall depending therefrom. The slider also has a separator finger depending from the back between the pair of sidewalls and shaped along its length to first press together a bottom of the male and female profiles and then roll the profiles closed toward a top thereof as the slider moves toward the closed condition. The male profile comprises a base and a rib with a hook portion having an inwardly-directed surface including a projection defining an engagement surface. The female profile comprises a base and a first flange having an inwardly-directed surface including a projection defining an engaging surface. The engaging surface of the female track engages the engagement surface of the male track when in the closed condition with at least a portion of the male profile received by at least a portion of the female profile. Furthermore, the reclosable fastener can have any of the additional features described above.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and are intended to provide further explanation of the application claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, are included to illustrate and provide a further understanding of the apparatus of the application. Together with the written description, the drawings serve to explain the principles of the application.
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the application, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The fasteners presented herein generally are intended for thermoplastic bags, although other similar or suitable uses are contemplated. In accordance with the application, a reclosable fastener is provided. The reclosable fastener includes a male track including a male profile, a female track including a female profile, and a slider disposed on the male and female tracks to matingly engage the male profile and the female profile when moved from an open condition toward a closed condition. The slider includes a back and a pair of sidewall depending therefrom. The slider also includes a separator finger depending from the back between the pair of sidewalls and shaped along its length to first press together a bottom of the male and female profiles and then roll the profiles closed toward a top thereof as the slider moves toward the closed condition. The male profile comprises a base and a rib with a hook portion having an inwardly-directed surface including a projection defining an engagement surface. The female profile comprises a base and a first flange having an inwardly-directed surface including a projection defining an engaging surface. The engaging surface of the female track engages the engagement surface of the male track when in the closed condition with at least a portion of the male profile received by at least a portion of the female profile.
For purpose of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, an exemplary embodiment of the reclosable fastener in accordance with the application is shown in
With reference to
The female profile includes a female profile comprising a base 121 and a first flange 122 having an inwardly-directed surface 124. The inwardly-directed surface 124 includes a projection 125 that defines an engaging surface 126. The projection can be a curved surface or other suitable configuration to define an engaging surface in accordance with the features described herein. The female profile can include a second flange 181 and an ear portion 191. As can be seen in
The engaging surface of the female track 126 engages the engagement surface 116 defined by the projection of the male track when in the closed condition with at least a portion of the male profile received by at least a portion of the female profile, as shown in
As embodied herein, at least one of the male track and the female track can include a fin portion. For example, the female track can include a downwardly-depending fin portion 128 defining a reference plane 140, as shown in
A straddling slider 130 is positioned on the male and female tracks to matingly engage the male profile and the female profile when moved along the fastener from an open condition toward a closed condition. As described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,143, the contents of which are incorporated herein in its entirety, the slider first presses together a bottom of the male and female profiles and then rolls the profiles closed toward a top thereof as the slider moves toward the closed condition. The slider is configured to operate in this fashion on the fastener, holding the top open while it presses the bottom together, then pressing the top together while the slider passes by. Likewise, the slider can disengage the male profile from the female profile when moved from the closed condition toward the open condition such that the slider first separates the top of the male and female profiles and then rolls the profiles open toward the bottom thereof as the slider moves toward the open condition.
For example, the slider can be an inverted U-shaped plastic member having a back for moving along the top edges of the male and female tracks with side walls depending therefrom for cooperating with the male and female tracks and extending from an opening end of the slider to a closing end. The side walls can have a greater spacing at the opening end than the closing end. A separator finger depends from the back between the side walls and is inserted between the male and female tracks. The separator finger is shaped throughout the length to first press together a bottom of the male and female profiles and then roll the profiles closed toward a top thereof as the slider moves toward the closed condition. The separator finger can be configured to first hold the top of the male and female elements open while the slider first presses the bottom of the elements together and then permit the slider to press the top of the elements together while the slider moves in a closing direction. The slider is provided with shoulders projecting inwardly from the depending side walls and shaped throughout the length thereof for cooperation with the depending separator finger in creating the rolling action in opening and closing the reclosable interlocking male and female profile elements. Alternative sliders known in the art, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,143 and U.S. Design Pat. No. D531,896, can alternatively be used.
In operation, the male and female profiles twist relative to each other when the fastener is moved between the open and closed conditions, which provides the rolling action of the fastener. The rolling action can be any pivoting or twisting action including any incidental flexing or deflection that occurs at any point during the closing or opening process. For the purpose of illustration and not limitation,
As shown in
In accordance with one aspect of the disclosed subject matter, the fastener can not be opened or closed without twisting or rolling action. For example, it is not possible to force the male and female profiles in
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosed subject matter, the inwardly-directed surface of the hook portion of the male track includes a cam surface 117, as shown in
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosed subject matter, and as embodied herein, the first flange of the female profile has an outwardly-directed surface 129 having an angle 170 of between about 10 and about 30 degrees relative to the reference plane, as shown in
In accordance with an aspect of the application, the male and female tracks can be made of any thermoplastics such as, for example, polyethylenes, including high density polyethylene (HDPE), medium density polyethylene (MDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), or mixtures thereof, polypropylene, polyethylene tetraphalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), nylon or other suitable materials known in the art. Generally, using a stiffer grade material adds strength. However, because fasteners including engaging and engagement surfaces in accordance with the present application increase the seal strength, a wider range of stiffness of materials are available for use. Thus fasteners in accordance with the present application are less dependent on material properties than for fasteners without the engaging and engagement surfaces of this application.
In one embodiment, the inwardly-directed surface 114 of the rib of the male profile and the inwardly-directed surface 124 of the first flange of the female profile could have at lest one additional projection defining at least second engagement and engaging surfaces, respectively. A fastener including two or more engagement and engaging surfaces could include any of the additional features described above.
In accordance with one aspect of the application, another reclosable fastener is provided. The reclosable fastener comprises a male track including a male profile, a female track including a female profile, and a slider disposed on the male and female tracks to matingly engage the male profile and the female profile when moved from an open condition toward a closed condition. The slider is configured to first press together a bottom of the male and female profiles and then roll the profiles closed toward a top thereof as the slider moves toward the closed condition. The male profile comprises a base and a rib with a first hook portion and a second hook portion extending in opposite direction from the rib. The first hook portion has an inwardly-directed surface including a projection defining an engagement surface. The female profile comprises a base with a first flange and a second flange, the first flange having an inwardly-directed surface including a projection defining an engaging surface. The engaging surface of the female track engages the engagement surface of the male track when in the closed condition with at least a portion of the male profile received by at least a portion of the female profile. The fastener can have any of the additional features described above.
In accordance another aspect of the application, a reclosable bag is provided. The plastic bag includes first and second panels each having a top, a bottom, and first and second opposing sides and a reclosable fastener. The first and second panels are joined to each other along respective bottoms and first and second opposing sides. The reclosable fastener can be any of the fasteners described herein above and can have any of the additional features described above. For example, the fastener comprises a male track including a male profile, a female track including a female profile, and a slider disposed on the male and female tracks to matingly engage the male profile and the female profile when moved from an open condition toward a closed condition. The slider includes a back and a pair of sidewall depending therefrom. The slider also has a separator finger depending from the back between the pair of sidewalls and shaped along its length to first press together a bottom of the male and female profiles and then roll the profiles closed toward a top thereof as the slider moves toward the closed condition. The male profile comprises a base and a rib with a hook portion having an inwardly-directed surface including a projection defining an engagement surface. The female profile comprises a base and a first flange having an inwardly-directed surface including a projection defining an engaging surface. The engaging surface of the female track engages the engagement surface of the male track when in the closed condition with at least a portion of the male profile received by at least a portion of the female profile.
For purpose of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, an exemplary embodiment of the reclosable bag in accordance with the application is shown in
Reclosable plastic fasteners having engaging and engagement surfaces in accordance with the application were formed and the seal strength was tested and compared to control fasteners that did not include the engaging and engagement surfaces. The control fasteners tested were Hefty® One Zip® slider bags commonly available as of the filing date of the application and as depicted in
Specimens were cut to a width of 1.00 inch (with a tolerance of + or −0.5%) using a cutter conforming to the requirements of 5.4 of Test Methods D 882. The edges were clean-cut and perpendicular to the direction of seal. The length of the specimen fins could be of a different length depending on the grip dimensions of the testing machines. To perform the test, a constant rate-of-jaw-separation machine was used, as shown in
As shown in
For the control, the mean value of the force to open the track was 3.26 lbs. with a standard deviation of 0.88 lbs and a standard Error Mean of 0.1 lbs. For fasteners in accordance with the application, the mean value of the force to open the track was 6.67 lbs. with a standard deviation of 0.65 lbs and a standard Error Mean of 0.03 lbs. Thus, the mean values of fasteners in accordance with the application are about 100% stronger than control fasteners without engaging and engagement surfaces. Furthermore, the “track open force” data collected for fasteners having engaging and engagement surfaces in accordance with the application actually reflects the force required for the failure of the material of the fin rather than a bursting open of the fastener because the engaging and engagement surfaces in accordance with the application are effective at holding the fastener closed even at forces sufficient to deform the material of the fin. As demonstrated by the data, fasteners having engaging and engagement surfaces in accordance with the application can withstand track open forces over about 6 lbs/inch of fastener without bursting open.
While the present application is described herein in terms of certain preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and improvements may be made to the application without departing from the scope thereof. Thus, it is intended that the present application include modifications and variations that are within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Moreover, although individual features of one embodiment of the application may be discussed herein or shown in the drawings of one embodiment and not in other embodiments, it should be apparent that individual features of one embodiment may be combined with one or more features of another embodiment or features from a plurality of embodiments.
In addition to the specific embodiments claimed below, the application is also directed to other embodiments having any other possible combination of the dependent features claimed below and those disclosed above. As such, the particular features presented in the dependent claims and disclosed above can be combined with each other in other manners within the scope of the application such that the application should be recognized as also specifically directed to other embodiments having any other possible combinations. Thus, the foregoing description of specific embodiments of the application has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the application to those embodiments disclosed.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/102,637 filed May 6, 2011 now abandoned, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 13102637 | May 2011 | US |
Child | 13165514 | US |