US20070107380A1 - Methods of Making and/or Filling Reclosable Bags - Google Patents
Methods of Making and/or Filling Reclosable Bags Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20070107380A1 US20070107380A1 US11/622,185 US62218507A US2007107380A1 US 20070107380 A1 US20070107380 A1 US 20070107380A1 US 62218507 A US62218507 A US 62218507A US 2007107380 A1 US2007107380 A1 US 2007107380A1
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- Prior art keywords
- bag
- closure strip
- closure
- forming
- along
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- Abandoned
Links
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Images
Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
- B65B9/10—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs
- B65B9/20—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles
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- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
- B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
- B65B51/26—Devices specially adapted for producing transverse or longitudinal seams in webs or tubes
- B65B51/30—Devices, e.g. jaws, for applying pressure and heat, e.g. for subdividing filled tubes
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- B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
- B65B61/18—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for making package-opening or unpacking elements
- B65B61/188—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for making package-opening or unpacking elements by applying or incorporating profile-strips, e.g. for reclosable bags
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- B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
- B65B9/06—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it
- B65B9/08—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it in a web folded and sealed transversely to form pockets which are subsequently filled and then closed by sealing
- B65B9/087—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it in a web folded and sealed transversely to form pockets which are subsequently filled and then closed by sealing the web advancing continuously
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- B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
- B65B9/06—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it
- B65B9/08—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it in a web folded and sealed transversely to form pockets which are subsequently filled and then closed by sealing
- B65B9/093—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it in a web folded and sealed transversely to form pockets which are subsequently filled and then closed by sealing the web having intermittent motion
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- B65B9/20—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles
- B65B9/213—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles the web having intermittent motion
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
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- B65D31/00—Bags or like containers made of paper and having structural provision for thickness of contents
- B65D31/10—Bags or like containers made of paper and having structural provision for thickness of contents with gusseted sides
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- B65D33/00—Details of, or accessories for, sacks or bags
- B65D33/16—End- or aperture-closing arrangements or devices
- B65D33/18—End- or aperture-closing arrangements or devices using adhesive applied to integral parts, e.g. to flaps
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- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D33/00—Details of, or accessories for, sacks or bags
- B65D33/16—End- or aperture-closing arrangements or devices
- B65D33/24—End- or aperture-closing arrangements or devices using self-locking integral or attached closure elements, e.g. flaps
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- B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes, or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
- B65D75/008—Standing pouches, i.e. "Standbeutel"
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
- B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
- B31B2155/00—Flexible containers made from webs
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
- B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
- B31B2160/00—Shape of flexible containers
- B31B2160/20—Shape of flexible containers with structural provision for thickness of contents
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
- B31B—MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
- B31B70/00—Making flexible containers, e.g. envelopes or bags
- B31B70/74—Auxiliary operations
- B31B70/81—Forming or attaching accessories, e.g. opening devices, closures or tear strings
- B31B70/813—Applying closures
- B31B70/8131—Making bags having interengaging closure elements
- B31B70/8132—Applying the closure elements in the machine direction
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
- B65B9/10—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs
- B65B9/20—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles
- B65B9/2056—Machines for packages of special type or form
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2313/00—Connecting or fastening means
- B65D2313/02—Connecting or fastening means of hook-and-loop type
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Bag Frames (AREA)
Abstract
Methods of forming and/or filling recloseable bags are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods include attaching a bag closure strip along one longitudinal edge of a length of bag film, and forming from the length of bag film, a bag having an open end, two broad, opposing faces and a flap. In certain embodiments, the flap is attached to an edge of one of the broad faces along the open end and extending between sealed edges of the bag.
Description
- This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/662,266, filed Sep. 15, 2003, which is a continuation of PCT/US02/08055, filed Mar. 15, 2002, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/276,567, filed Mar. 15, 2001, which are incorporated by reference herein.
- This invention relates generally to reclosable bags, and to methods of making and/or filling such bags.
- Convenience packaging, particularly for foodstuffs and bulk materials, frequently involves the use of bags or pouches. These bags can be advantageously constructed with side or bottom gussets to make them able to be set upright on a horizontal supporting surface, for filling, display or storage. It is common to refer to bags with bottom expansion panels and sealed side and top edges as ‘pouches’.
- More recently, bags have been produced with expansion panels at both top and bottom, and vertical side seals. Examples of these bags are marketed under the trade name “Flex-Can”, for example, and are known for their ability to be conveniently stacked one on top of another, like cans. Both the top and bottom panels of these bags expand substantially and simultaneously as the bags are filled, such that the sides of the bag separate at both top and bottom, in some cases remaining generally parallel and vertical. As filled, the bag and its contents can exhibit significant structural stability, enabling stacking and convenient handling, with very little head space above the contents.
- We have realized that it is possible to equip a gusseted bag with a reclosable seal adjacent its gusset and have the closure function despite the expansion and contraction of the gusset.
- The invention features a reclosable, gusseted bag, having an opening defined adjacent an expansion gusset.
- According to one aspect of the invention, a gusseted bag has a body with opposing broad face panels defining a volume therebetween for holding a quantity of contents, an end of the body forming an expandable gusset between the broad face panels, and a reclosable bag closure between the expandable gusset and a corresponding one of the adjacent edge regions of one of the broad face panels, such that when the closure is opened a bag opening is formed between the expandable gusset and said one of the broad face panels of the bag, to access the bag contents.
- In some embodiments, the body has two opposing gussets between the broad face panels on opposite ends of the bag, the bag closure being disposed adjacent one of the gussets. The opposing gussets may be disposed at top and bottom ends of the bag, for example, with the bag constructed to rest on its bottom end when filled. Or the bag may be constructed to rest on a bottom end when filled, with the two opposing gussets disposed along opposite vertical sides of the bag, as another example.
- In some preferred cases, the gusset and closure are disposed at a top end of the bag with the bag standing on its bottom end. In other preferred cases, the gusset and closure are disposed along a vertical side edge of the bag with the bag standing on its bottom end.
- In preferred constructions, the bag closure comprises a mechanical touch fastener. In some cases, other closure technologies may be employed, however, such as adhesives. The presently preferred bag closure has elongated, mating bands of hooks, hook-engageable fibers, and a unitary strip-form base along which the mating bands extend in parallel. The base may define a frangible burst membrane between the mating bands, with the membrane arranged to be breached to gain initial access to the bag contents. For some applications, the burst membrane is disposed inboard of the mating bands. To form an advantageous anti-peel flap, for example, one longitudinal side of the closure may be attached to the bag body only outboard of the mating bands. That one longitudinal side of the closure may be disposed adjacent the outer broad face panel of the bag, with an opposite longitudinal side of the closure being secured to the gusset.
- According to another aspect of the invention, a open bag suitable for filling with contents and sealing after filling is provided. The bag includes a body having an open end, two opposing, broad face panels defining a volume therebetween for holding a quantity of contents, and a flap attached to one of the broad face panels along the open end, the flap having an inwardly-facing fold for forming an expandable gusset between the broad face panels after the open end is sealed. The bag also includes a reclosable bag closure secured to a free edge of the flap and defining one side of a fill opening at the open end of the bag.
- In some embodiments, the bag closure comprises two separate closure strips. One of the strips is secured to the free edge of the flap, and the other of the strips is secured to a free edge of an opposing one of the face panels, the two strips together forming an overlapping touch closure and defining the fill opening therebetween.
- In some cases the bag body includes two opposing weld flanges outboard of the bag closure and exposed to be sealed together after filling. One of the weld flanges extends along the free edge of the flap and the other weld flange extends along a free edge of one of the face panels. The bag body can be provided with a frangible tear line along an inboard edge of at least one of the weld flanges, for tearing the weld flanges from the bag to access the contents after filling, for example.
- For some applications, the bag also has a wicket extension along a free edge of one of the face panels outboard of the closure, the wicket extension defining at least one hole therethrough.
- In some embodiments, the bag closure comprises a unitary, folded strip carrying opposing bands of mating touch fastener elements on a front face thereof, a back face of the folded closure strip defining said one of the fill opening.
- The flap extends between sealed edges of the bag in some applications, to form a full-length gusset. The bag closure may also extend between the sealed edges of the bag.
- The bag body also forms an expandable gusset on a side of the bag opposite the flap and bag closure, in some embodiments. In some cases, the bag is constructed to rest on a bottom end thereof when filled, with the flap and closure disposed at a top end of the bag. In other cases, the bag is constructed to rest on a bottom end thereof when filled, with the flap and closure disposed along a vertical side edge of the bag with the bag standing on its bottom end.
- According to another aspect of the invention, a method of forming fillable, reclosable bags is provided. The method includes attaching a bag closure strip along one longitudinal edge of a length of bag film, and forming from at least the length of bag film a bag having an open end, two broad, opposing faces and a flap with an inwardly-extending fold. The flap is attached to an edge of one of the broad faces along the open end and extending between sealed edges of the bag, with the open end of the bag defining a fill opening between the closure strip and the other of the broad faces of the bag.
- In some embodiments, the closure strip comprises an elongated strip-form base with two spaced-apart, parallel, mating bands of fastener elements disposed on a common face of the base. The base is folded along its length between the bands of fastener elements to maintain the fastener elements in engagement while the bag is being formed. One of the mating bands of fastener elements may include hooks, for example, with the other of the mating bands of fastener elements including hook-engageable fibers. In some cases, mutually engaging arrays of headed projections may be employed for the two bands of fastener elements. The band with fibers may include a non-woven web of fiber.
- In some cases, forming the bag includes folding the length of bag film to form both broad face panels and the flap.
- Preferably, the bag is formed after the closure strip is attached to the bag film. However, the closure strip may alternatively be attached after or during bag formation.
- In some preferred constructions, the closure strip extends across the bag between the sealed edges of the bag.
- Forming the bag includes, in some embodiments, cutting the length of film and the bag closure strip to selected lengths after the bag closure strip is attached, and sealing cut ends of the film and closure strip to form the sealed edges of the bag.
- According to another aspect of the invention, a method of filling and sealing a reclosable bag is provided. The method includes providing a bag with a body having an open end, two opposing, broad face panels defining a volume therebetween for holding a quantity of contents, and a flap attached to one of the broad face panels along the open end, the flap having an inwardly-facing fold for forming an expandable gusset between the broad face panels after the open end is sealed, and a reclosable bag closure secured to a free edge of the flap and having an exposed side defining one side of a fill opening at the open end of the bag; filling the bag with contents through the fill opening; and sealing the exposed side of the closure strip to the other of the broad face panels of the bag, to permanently close the fill opening.
- According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method of forming, filling and sealing reclosable bags is provided. The method includes attaching a bag closure strip along one longitudinal edge of a length of bag film; forming from the length of bag film a bag having, two broad, opposing faces and an expandable gusset between the broad faces adjacent the closure strip; filling the bag with a quantity of contents; and forming a seal along an edge of the bag between the broad faces and crossing the closure strip at one end of the expandable gusset, to seal the filled bag. This method is preferably performed in a vertical orientation.
- The closure strip is preferably constructed to be folded along a region between the bands of fastener elements and loops to place these bands in releasable engagement. Preferably, the fastener elements are integrally molded with resin of the substrate.
- In some embodiments, the loop strip comprises a non-woven web of entangled fibers forming the loops and having a basis weight of less than about 4 ounces per square yard (preferably, less than about 2 ounces per square yard). In some cases, the non-woven web comprises a needled web in a stretched condition.
- In some presently preferred embodiments, the substrate defines a groove extending longitudinally along the length of the closure strip between the band of loops and the band of fastener elements. This groove is preferably lengthwise continuous and defined by molded surfaces in the front face of the substrate.
- The back face of the substrate is preferably void of fastener elements and loops, for permanently adhering the substrate to the sides of the bag. Regions of the back face may be covered with a layer of adhesive for permanently attaching the closure strip to opposite sides of a bag, or comprise exposed resin of the substrate, for permanently welding the closure strip to opposite sides of a bag formed of a compatible material.
- In some embodiments of the bag, the closure strip of the bag includes a peelable adhesive seal for resealing the bag after initial opening. In some cases, this peelable seal also functions to secure the open end of the bag against inadvertent opening.
- In some embodiments, the substrate of the closure strip is permanently affixed to the side wall of the bag body with adhesive. In some other embodiments, the substrate of the closure strip is welded to the side walls of the bag body. The substrate of the closure strip and the side walls of the bag body may both be formed of polyethylene, for instance.
- The bag of the invention is constructed both for ready reclosure and for expansion, obtaining many of the benefits of expandable gusset bags (such as the ability to stand unsupported during storage and display, and to adapt to various fill levels) while also providing for convenient (in some cases, one-hand) reclosure. The mating closure strip bands can be made relatively wide, for easy alignment despite the conformance of the adjacent, expandable gusset. The closure can be placed inside the bag, attached directly to the expansion gusset panel, without requiring additional flaps. The closure can incorporate hook and loop engagement to provide necessary ventilation for some applications. Such hook and loop closures are also able to accommodate a fair amount of dirt or debris without losing their function as closures, making bags of this construction particularly applicable for containing granular or powder substances. In addition, the natural porosity of hook and loop closures can provide some degree of filtering of airborne dust. Such a ventilated closure can be particularly desirable in cargo containers of airplanes in order to accommodate pressure changes, and, by its venting action, may help to avoid moisture buildup to keep produce and other such items fresh. The closure can be readily provided with a central burst membrane to maintain an air-tight seal until the bag is initially opened.
- The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
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FIG. 1 is a side view of an empty, open bag. -
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the bag, taken along line 2-2 inFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 shows the bag after filling and sealing. -
FIG. 4 shows the bag after initial opening. -
FIG. 5 shows such a bag after reclosing, and filled to a greater extent. -
FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the closure strip, laid flat. -
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a filled, sealed bag with a side closure. -
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 8-8 inFIG. 7 . -
FIG. 9 shows the bag ofFIG. 7 after initial opening. -
FIG. 10 illustrates pouring contents of the bag ofFIG. 7 through the open side closure. -
FIG. 11 shows a bag with an upper expansion gusset that extends over one upper edge of the bag. -
FIG. 12 illustrates a method and apparatus for forming bags. -
FIGS. 13-15 are cross-sectional views, taken along lines 13-13, 14-14 and 15-15, respectively, inFIG. 12 . -
FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a folded bag closure strip. -
FIG. 17 illustrates a method and apparatus for filling and sealing bags. -
FIG. 18 is a cut-away view through an open, gusseted end of a bag having a two-part closure and a wicket extension. -
FIG. 19 shows a vertical form, fill and seal method and apparatus. -
FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 20-20 inFIG. 19 . - Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
- The disposable,
reclosable bag 10 ofFIG. 1 has two broad face panels (front panel 12 is fully visible in this view, with only the upper edge portion ofrear panel 16 in view) formed of a single, folded sheet of polyethylene film sealed along side edges 14.Bag 10 is suitable for packaging bulk granular or powdered products, such as consumable foodstuffs, animal feed, fertilizers, cleaners and the like, for retail sale. - Referring also to
FIG. 2 ,bag 10 is formed to have abottom gusset 18 folded inwardly from the bottom edges of front andrear panels front face 12 is folded over twice to form an inwardly extendingtop gusset 20. Thus, in this embodiment, a single continuous sheet of bag film is longitudinally folded along five parallel lines corresponding tocorners folds - A
reclosable closure strip 32 is attached along the free edge ofupper gusset flap 20, such as by continuous thermal welds along two spaced apart,longitudinal regions fill opening 38 is defined between the exposed face ofclosure strip 32 and the inner surface ofback face panel 16. The closure strip and fillopening 38 extend across the length of the bag between the side seals, where the closure strip is sealed between the front and back face panels. - Once the bag has been filled with desired contents (
FIG. 3 ), the outer, free edge ofclosure strip 32 is sealed to backface panel 16 across the entire length of the bag, formingseal 40 that seals the bag for storage, shipment and retail display. As the bag is filled, upper andlower expansion gussets FIG. 5 , for example),upper gusset 20 expands substantially as much as doesbottom gusset 18, such that front andrear face panels bottom gusset 18 forms a stable base upon which the filled bag may be readily balanced, and by also expandingupper gusset 20, the side panels of the bag bow outward with enhanced structural stiffness along the entire height of the bag, for supporting loads from above. With finer-grained contents (such as bird seed, for example), much of the load-supporting ability is provided by the constrained contents themselves, with the upper and lower gussets enabling the bag to conform to a more block-like structure under the pressure of the weight of the contents. This bag structure is also suitable for containing liquids, although for many such applications a non-venting closure means will be desired, either by providing the touch fastener closure with an auxiliary seal or by employing a cohesive closure. In general, face-type closure means are preferred for ease of closure with little alignment, but for some applications some types of rib and groove closures, such as self-aligning or multi-rib constructions, for example, may also be employed adjacent a gusset. - To initially open the bag (
FIG. 4 ), the gusset side ofclosure strip 32 and the upper edge ofback panel 16 are grasped in separate hands, and pulled laterally away from each other to burst through the longitudinal frangible region running along the central portion ofclosure strip 32 between the mating fastener bands and form an access opening 43 along the upper end of the bag between the two sides of the closure strip. - Advantageously,
bag 10 can be reclosed between uses, such as for post-sale storage. To reclose the bag, one need only bring the exposed faces ofclosure strip 32 back into facial contact to engage the mating fastener bands. Although it might be expected that the tension inadjacent gusset 20 and the resulting non-parallelism of the two separated sides of the closure strip would make reclosure difficult, we have found that with a facial contact closure the two sides of the closure can be readily brought into useful engagement because only very minimal alignment and contact pressure is required. The bag may be reclosed and reopened a fair number of times to regain access to the bag contents. Furthermore, with hook-and-loop closure technology the once-opened closure provides an integral air and gas vent, such as is known to be useful for vegetables and certain other perishable bag contents. - By sending one side of
closure strip 32 only along anouter edge region 40, the lower width of the closed closure strip is able to flex away from theadjacent side 16 of the bag, as shown inFIG. 5 . The flexibility of the thin resin base of theclosure strip 32 also enhances its ability to align the mated fastener bands with the direction of any separating load applied to theclosure 32 by tension in theadjacent gusset 20, thus tending to develop shear loads across the mated fastener bands rather than peel forces that would more readily lead to inadvertent opening at higher fill levels. - Referring now to
FIG. 6 , lengthwise-continuous closure strip 32 consists of a thin, sheet-form substrate 42 (of polyethylene, for example) with lengthwise-continuous,parallel bands front face 48.Bands front face 48, the fastener elements ofband 46 engage and retain the loops ofband 44 to form a releasable fastening. Preferably, the thickness of the substrate of the closure strip is about the same as the thickness of the material of the bag body, in the range of 0.002 to 0.005 inch. Thefastener elements 52 ofband 46 are integrally molded with and extend fromfront face 48. In this embodiment, these fastener elements are in the form of J-hooks that extend, in rows, along the length of the closure strip. Some of the J-hooks face in opposite directions along the strip. Other fastener element shapes may also be employed, including those that overhang thesubstrate 42 in a widthwise direction. A suitable fastener element shape is the CFM29 hook shape (of about 0.015 inch in height), available in various products sold by Velcro USA in Manchester, N.H. -
Band 44 of loops consists of a preformed, non-woven web of polymer fibers, which may include a stabilizing binder, and which are bonded tofront face 48 ofsubstrate 42 at various points across the width and length of the web. Suitable loop materials include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,342,285 and 6,329,016, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth. Other useful loop materials include some low cost knits, such as ACRI Industrial Termofijado Knit Loop 4211A99999, available from Tybor S.A. of Girona, Spain. -
Closure strip 32 may be produced by the method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,260, and may incorporate other features disclosed in said patent, the entire disclosure of which is also hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth. Some suitable methods also employ features of the nip-molding and in-situ laminating concepts disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,794,028 and 5,260,015, the details of both of which are also incorporated herein by reference. -
Closure strip 32 has an overall width of about 2.5 inches (64 millimeters) and a nominal thickness of about 0.004 inch (0.1 millimeter). Loop andhook bands ribs 52 rise another 0.002 inch (0.05 millimeter) from the nominal surface of the closure base to resist propagation of tears from groove 50 into either of the fastener bands. Unitarily molded rip-stop features (not shown) may also be included on either side of groove 514 throughout the area of the closure separating the hook and loop bands to help resist tear propagation. The remaining width of the closure strip forms aflange 54 outboard of theband 44 of loops, and a narrower flange 56 outboard theband 46 of fastener elements, for welding or otherwise attaching the closure strip to the bag material. - Although the illustrated, preferred embodiments employ hook-and-loop fastening means, other face-contact closures that do not require precise feature alignment are also suitable, such as peelable adhesives, inter-engaging arrays of mushroom-type structures that are engageable in several relative positions, and other similar closure means.
- Referring next to
FIGS. 7-10 , anotherbag 60 has two opposing side expansion gussets 62 (one hidden from view) and a bottom expansion gusset. Bags of such overall structure may be formed by any of a number of known methods, such as by welding together individual panels or groups of panels along various side, top and/or bottom edge seals. The illustrated bag has avertical side seal 64 joining one of theside gussets 62 to facepanel 66. Extending from theupper edge 68 ofbag 60 only partially alongseam 64 is areclosable closure strip 32 incorporated intoseam 64. Along the length ofclosure strip 32, theadjacent side gusset 62 is sealed to one outer side of the folded closure strip, withface panel 66 sealed to the other outer side of the folded closure strip (seeFIG. 8 ). In this case, both sides of the closure strip are secured by welds over a relatively wide width behind the fastener bands. One end of the closure strip is sealed at theupper edge 68 of the bag, and theother end 70 of the closure strip is sealed withinside seal 64, such that the filled bag is initially sealed for transport and retail display. - After sale, the closure strip can be pulled open, as shown in
FIG. 9 , to burst through the inner membrane of the closure strip and open the bag. Once open, the location of the closure strip along the upper vertical edge of the bag is useful for pouring out the contents of the bag in desired amounts. Theupper corner 72 of the opposing side wall gusset forms a convenient handle for inserting one or more fingers to help lift and tilt the bag for pouring, with perhaps another hand grasping the bottomgusset panel edge 74. The weight of the product during pouring can act to expand the side gusset to minimize trapping product behind the gusset. After use, the user need only squeeze the side opening of the bag closed to re-engageclosure 32 for post-use storage. As in the embodiment ofFIGS. 1-5 , the closure is relatively easy to manipulate and re-engage despite the existence of the adjacent expansion gusset. - Referring now to
FIG. 11 ,bag 80 is equipped with atop expansion gusset 82 that extends fromupper corner 28 offace panel 12 over the upper edge offace panel 16, and is secured to the outer face of the bag as shown. In this instance, thereclosable closure 84 is in the form of two separate strips, one carrying a band of hooks and the other a mating band of loops, such that the closure itself performs no pre-entry seal function. Instead,upper gusset 82 is secured to the upper edge offace panel 16 by a reclosable, pressure-sensitive seal 86 to help preserve content freshness even after the initial opening of the bag. - Referring now to
FIG. 12 ,bags 10 are formed from acontinuous tube 102 of bag film fromroll 100.Film 102 is pre-folded to have two longitudinal, folded gussets. Alternatively, the bag-forming process can begin with a flat sheet of bag film that is then folded around a V-board with side gusseters. One edge of the tube, adjacent one of the two gussets, is slit byblade 104 to form a slit tube (FIG. 13 ). Next, acontinuous closure strip 32 is introduced into the slit around angled bar 106 (FIG. 14 ), with the longer side of the strip aligned with theouter edge 108 of the tube and the shorter side of the strip aligned with theinner edge 110 of the tube adjacent the gusset. Next, theclosure strip 32 and slittube 102 are passed between two nip rollers 112 (only one shown) to maintain alignment of the bag film and closure strip until sealing. The closure strip and bag film are then passed through a sealingstation 114 where astationary anvil 116 slides along the adjacent gusset, providing a support surface forheated sealing shoe 118.Shoe 118 engages the outer surface of the bag film opposite the closure strip along two parallel regions. Heat from the shoe is conducted through the bag film and closure strip to heat seal the back side of the closure strip to the layer of bag film againstanvil 116, to formpermanent seals 120 that secure one side of the closure strip to the bag film, with the other side of the closure strip remaining unattached to the outer edge of the bag film tube. - Referring also to
FIG. 16 , longitudinal zones ofclosure 32 are coated with ananti-weld coating 122, such as a flexographic overprint that functions to resist sealing adjacent surfaces together in such coated zones as the closure strip and bag film pass through sealingstation 114. Suitable coatings include Matte Imprintable Overprint No. AWX5-92105-401, available from Arcargraphics of West Chicago, Ill. The coated anti-weld zones may be ⅛ inch to 3/16 inch (3 to 5 millimeters) in width, with a nominal coating thickness of 0.001 inch (0.025 millimeter), for example. - Still referring to
FIG. 12 , the closure strip and bag film next pass between an opposing pair of transverse sealing bars 124 (again, only one is shown) that repeatedly come together to seal the bag film together under heat and pressure to formtransverse seals 126 connectingadjacent bags 128. The series of connected bags is then spooled onroll 130 for later filling and sealing. Alternatively, sealingbars 124 may be adapted to both seal the bag film and separate the tube into individual bags that can be stacked or wicketed. Also, instead of spooling the bags, the series of connected bags can immediately enter filling and sealing stations to produce individual, filled bags. - Referring now to
FIG. 17 , aroll 130 of seriatim bags is unspooled into a filling and sealingmachine 132. The bag film and attached closure strip are severed within eachtransverse seal 126 by cuttingbar 134 to separate theindividual bags 128. The bags are each held byclamps 136 that move alongtrack 138 to transport the empty bags to fillingstation 140, where they are filled with a selected quantity of contents dispensed throughchute 142. As they approach the filling station, the distance between the twoclamps 136 holding each bag is reduced to help enable the opening of the upper end of the bag for filling. During filling, the lower end of the filling bag is allowed to rest at least partially on anindexed conveyer 144. Next, the filled bag moves onconveyer 144 to atop sealing station 146 where the twoclamps 136 holding the upper corners of the bag within the side seals 126 are moved apart from each other to apply tension along the bag opening as a heated, horizontal sealing bar 148 comes down and engages the upper edges of the closure strip and bag film to seal the bag. -
FIG. 18 shows a closure structure for bags that are to be filled through the closure, rather than between the closure and bag film.Closure 150 consists of two separate strips, ahook strip 152 and aloop strip 154. The two strips may be produced as a single closure strip and subsequently split into the two strips, if desired.Hook strip 152 is bonded to the bag film along its two edges by heat seals 120.Loop strip 154 is only attached along its outer edge by a singlecontinuous heat seal 120, leaving the edge of the loop strip facing into the bag tube free as shown. The hook and loop strips are aligned with each other such that their mating arrays of loops and hooks will engage under light pressure to reclose the bags formed of this precursor bag film and closure assembly. The outer edge the bag film has awicket extension 156 of perhaps 1.5 to 2.0 inches (37 to 50 millimeters) in width and joined to the rest of the bag film along a series ofperforations 158.Extension 156 defines a series of throughholes 160 for engagement by wickets. In some cases, holes 160 are equally spaced along the bag film tube for engagement by a tractor wheel during processing.Perforations 158 enable the extension and its wicket holes to be severed from the rest of the bag film after processing.Adjacent extension 156 is a weld flange 162 outboard ofclosure 150 and of a width sufficient for sealing the two outer edges of the bag film together. Another series 164 of perforations or a weakened tear line may be included to enable the sealed weld flanges 162 to be torn from the rest of the bag film to accessclosure 152 after retail sale, for initial opening, so as to provide the bag with a tamper-evident tear strip. -
FIGS. 19 and 20 illustrate a vertical form-and-fill operation in which a folded continuous length ofclosure strip 32 is introduced between the facing edges ofbag film 166 advanced about a forming collar 168 onto afill tube 170. As the closure strip and bag film edges are sealed between seal bars 172, twogusset wheels 174 direct the bag film into two opposinggrooves 176 in opposite sides of the fill tube, one of the grooves and gusset wheels located adjacent the seal flange containing the closure strip. Immediately below thelower end 178 of the fill tube, twinlateral sealing bars 180 come together at fixed time/length intervals to seal across, and cut through, the bag film and closure strip to form individual, sealed, filled bags. Asbars 180 come together they secure the gusset folds created bywheels 174 at the top of a filled bag belowbars 180, and secure the bottom ends of the gusset folds of the next bag to be filled, above bars 180. In some cases,bars 180 form two lateral seals and incorporate a cutting bar to cut through the bag film between the seals. - Wicketed, gusseted bags having the reclosable closure as shown in
FIG. 18 can also be filled in a horizontal filling process (not shown), such as one in which the contents are inserted through a spring-loaded duck bill insertion tube. Such bags can be received as a wicketed stack as known, for example, in the packaging of bread and the like. The top bag of the stack is air inflated, and the force of over-inserting the product rips the bag from the wicket. In some cases, the product may be inserted without tearing the bag from the wicket, the closure can be closed and the weld flanges 162 sealed together to seal the bag while the bag is yet on the wicket. Then, thewicket extension 156 can be torn from the bag alongline 158, or can be slit from the bag during sealing. Such a filling method and bag structure is useful for packaging frozen food items, such as fish sticks and waffles and the like, as the hook and loop bag closure functions well as a repeat closure under very cold conditions as are found in freezers (where some adhesives exhibit some deterioration of function), and also continue to close through crumbs and other debris generated by repeated access to such contents. - The gusseted, reclosable bags discussed above can also be employed for packaging items in trays, such as coffee cakes and the like that are commonly packaged in boxes. The width of the bag between the side seals should be sufficient to enable the side seals to be displaced toward one another as the opening is extended to full height over a width sufficient to receive the product. After filling and sealing, the end gussets of such bags help to provide a box-like appearance for retail display. The aluminum trays in which such cakes are baked could have extended side panels to enable such packages to be stacked without damaging the goods, for example.
- A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
Claims (11)
1. A method of forming fillable, reclosable bags, the method comprising
attaching a bag closure strip along one longitudinal edge of a length of bag film; and
forming from the length of bag film, a bag having an open end, two broad, opposing faces, and a flap with an inwardly-extending fold, the flap attached to an edge of one of the broad faces along the open end and extending between sealed edges of the bag, the open end of the bag defining a fill opening between the closure strip and the other of the broad faces of the bag.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the closure strip comprises an elongated strip-form base with two spaced-apart, parallel, mating bands of fastener elements disposed on a common face of the base, the base folded along its length between the bands of fastener elements to maintain the fastener elements in engagement while the bag is being formed.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein one of the mating bands of fastener elements comprises hooks, and the other of the mating bands of fastener elements comprises hook-engageable fibers.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the band with fibers comprises a non-woven web of fiber.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the bag comprises folding the length of bag film to form both broad face panels and the flap.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the bag is formed after the closure strip is attached to the bag film.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the closure strip extends across the bag between the sealed edges of the bag.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the bag comprises cutting the length of film and the bag closure strip to selected lengths after the bag closure strip is attached, and sealing cut ends of the film and closure strip to form the sealed edges of the bag.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising
filling the bag with a quantity of contents; and
forming a seal along the open end of the filled bag along the closure strip, with the flap forming an expandable gusset of the filled bag.
10. A method of filling and sealing a reclosable bag, the method comprising providing a bag comprising
a body having an open end, two opposing, broad face panels defining a volume therebetween for holding a quantity of contents, and a flap attached to one of the broad face panels along the open end, the flap having an inwardly-facing fold for forming an expandable gusset between the broad face panels after the open end is sealed; and
a reclosable bag closure secured to a free edge of the flap and having an exposed side defining one side of a fill opening at the open end of the bag;
filling the bag with contents through the fill opening; and
sealing the exposed side of the closure strip to the other of the broad face panels of the bag, to permanently close the fill opening.
11. A method of vertically forming, filling and sealing recloseable bags, the method comprising
attaching a bag closure strip along one longitudinal edge of a length of bag film;
forming from the length of bag film a bag having, two broad, opposing faces and an expandable gusset between the broad faces adjacent the closure strip;
filling the bag with a quantity of contents; and
forming a seal along an edge of the bag between the broad faces and crossing the closure strip at one end of the expandable gusset, to seal the filled bag.
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US11/622,185 US20070107380A1 (en) | 2001-03-15 | 2007-01-11 | Methods of Making and/or Filling Reclosable Bags |
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2002
- 2002-03-15 EP EP02717649A patent/EP1373082A2/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2002-03-15 WO PCT/US2002/008055 patent/WO2002074645A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2002-03-15 AU AU2002248636A patent/AU2002248636A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2002-03-15 CN CNA028082559A patent/CN1606522A/en active Pending
- 2002-03-15 CA CA002441075A patent/CA2441075A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2002-03-15 JP JP2002573321A patent/JP2004522659A/en active Pending
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2003
- 2003-09-15 US US10/662,266 patent/US7186025B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
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- 2007-01-11 US US11/622,185 patent/US20070107380A1/en not_active Abandoned
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US6481183B1 (en) * | 2000-04-21 | 2002-11-19 | Cmd Corporation | Vertical form fill seal bag with recloseable seal and method of making thereof |
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Cited By (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20090148081A1 (en) * | 2007-12-05 | 2009-06-11 | Neil John Rogers | Recloseable Bag |
US20150165714A1 (en) * | 2013-12-13 | 2015-06-18 | Frank F. Su | Method for manufacturing a thermoplastic bag |
US9403337B2 (en) * | 2013-12-13 | 2016-08-02 | Ips Industries, Inc. | Method for manufacturing a thermoplastic bag |
CN112154057A (en) * | 2018-05-30 | 2020-12-29 | 克里奥瓦克公司 | Apparatus and method for manufacturing containers |
US11542045B2 (en) * | 2018-05-30 | 2023-01-03 | Cryovac, Llc | Apparatus and method of making containers |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JP2004522659A (en) | 2004-07-29 |
EP1373082A2 (en) | 2004-01-02 |
US7186025B2 (en) | 2007-03-06 |
WO2002074645A3 (en) | 2003-03-20 |
WO2002074645A2 (en) | 2002-09-26 |
CA2441075A1 (en) | 2002-09-26 |
CN1606522A (en) | 2005-04-13 |
AU2002248636A1 (en) | 2002-10-03 |
US20040131285A1 (en) | 2004-07-08 |
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AS | Assignment |
Owner name: VELCRO INDUSTRIES B.V.,NETHERLANDS ANTILLES Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:SHEPARD, WILLIAM H.;CARR, GREGORY A.;SIGNING DATES FROM 20031016 TO 20031027;REEL/FRAME:018939/0761 |
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STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: EXPRESSLY ABANDONED -- DURING EXAMINATION |