BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of seal bars sealing a string zipper to the film of a reclosable package.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the seal bars sealing a string zipper to the film of a reclosable package, each seal bar illustrating a different possible pattern which could be on the seal bars.
FIG. 3 is a front plan view of a reclosable package produced by the seal bars.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along plane 4-4 of FIG. 3, showing the internal protuberances in the slider which impinge against the undulated or patterned seal lines.
FIG. 5 shows a rotating seal wheel with a pattern formed on the sealing surface thereof.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a seal bar which seals the flanges of a flanged zipper to the web and forms a patterned impression on the interlocking elements of the zipper.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, one sees that FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of shaped seal bars 10, 12 sealing the base of first and second interlocking profiles 102, 104 of string zipper 100 to first and second sheets of polymer web or film 200, 202 thereby forming the patterned seal lines 302 as shown in FIG. 3. String zipper 100 includes first and second interlocking profiles 102, 104 as is well-known in the prior art. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other zippers can be substituted for string zipper 100, such as a flanged zipper 150 as illustrated in FIG. 6. First and second sheets of web 200, 202 can be formed from a single sheet of web or can be individual sheets of web which are sealed together in order to form the reclosable package 300 of FIG. 3.
Shaped seal bars 10, 12 have undulating patterns which can be shaped as ripples, hills and valleys, waves or virtually any pattern, including a random pattern. In FIG. 2, sealing bar 10 is illustrated as having a toothed pattern while sealing bar 12 is illustrated as having a wave pattern. In practice, the patterns of shaped seal bars 10, 12 are typically matched to each other.
As shown in FIG. 3, zipper 100 includes slider 106 which separates interlocking profiles 102, 104 when moved in an opening direction and which joins or interlocks interlocking profiles when moved in a closing direction, as known in the prior art. Additionally, slider 106 is arranged to have side walls 108, 110 impinge against patterned seal lines 302 as shown in FIG. 3. This impinging against the pattern seal lines 302 causes a clicking or similar audible sound, and corresponding tactile sensation, as slider 106 is moved in either the opening direction or the closing direction. This clicking or similar noise can be enhanced by internal protuberances such as bars 112 as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4.
Additionally, as shown in FIG. 5, a rotating seal wheel 20 can be substituted for the shaped seal bars 10, 12. Rotating seal wheel 20 includes peripheral patterned surface 22 which is similar to the pattern on shaped seal bars 10, 12 in order to generate a similar patterned seal line 302.
A possible alternative embodiment forms the seal lines with a set of shaped seal bars or seal wheels and thereafter forms the impressed pattern with a separate set of forming bars or seal wheels.
FIG. 6 shows a flanged zipper 150 with first and second interlocking profiles 152, 154 and respective first and second flanges 156, 158 and first and second interlocking elements 160, 162. Seal bar 50 includes lower extended sealing arm 52 which includes a sealing surface 54 at the end thereof to seal sheet of web 200 to first flange 156 and further includes upper arm 56 which includes patterned end surface 58 for impressing a corresponding patterned line 304 on the base of first interlocking element 160. A second sealing bar (not shown) opposing first seal bar 50 is also provided to seal second sheet of web 202 to second flange 158 and to form a patterned line (not shown, but typically substantially identical to patterned line 304) on the base of second interlocking element 162. Patterned lines 304 on first and second interlocking elements 160, 162 are impinged against by the walls of a slider (not shown, but see slider 102 of FIG. 3) so as to produce audible sounds and corresponding tactile sensations similar to those produced by the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4 when the slider is moved.
Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.
Patent Application
20070280563
