Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Printpack Illinois, Inc.

Joel L Johnson

Art Malin

Donald L Crevier

Michael J McMahon

David J Matthews

Steve Ausnit

Ronald Cortigiano, Sr

Steven Ausnit

John H Schneider

Stanley Piotrowski

Hannah Catherine Smith

Davis James Kessler, Jr

David J Kessler

The zipper includes flanges which include an oxygen scavenging polymer. The oxygen scavenging polymer can be a co-extruded layer or blended with other polymers. The oxygen scavenging polymer is activated by ultra-violet light prior to installation by a form fill seal apparatus. This zipper is particularly useful in reducing residual oxygen in the packaging of such food products as cheese and meat, thereby extending the shelf life.

Slider zipper assembly with oxygen scavenging properties

Chalice shaped flexible container

Flexible stand up container with carafe shape

Methods of making slide-zippered reclosable packages are provided. In one embodiment, a pair of opposing film extensions are provided on each package between which a zipper and slider are attached. In another embodiment, sliders are inserted on to zippered packages output from a form-fill-seal machine or the like. In yet another embodiment, during package formation a reclosable zipper is sealed to each package and then a slider is inserted on to the zipper. In yet another embodiment, during package formation a reclosable zipper is sealed to each package and a slider is inserted on to each zipper, either before or after zipper sealing.

Methods of making slide-zippered reclosable packages on horizontal form-fill-seal machines

A reclosable package comprises a pre-made bag with a post-applied shrouded slider-zipper assembly installed in the mouth of the bag. The bag material comprises a layer made of paper and a layer of thermoplastic material laminated to the paper layer. The shrouded slider-zipper assembly comprises a pair of flanged zipper parts made of thermoplastic material, a slider mounted to the zipper, and a folded web of thermoplastic film material joined to the layer of thermoplastic material of the bag. The flanges of the zipper parts are respectively joined to opposing sides of the folded web. The package is made by an automated process whereby an individual shrouded slider-zipper assembly is cut from a continuous chain of assemblies, inserted into the open mouth of a pre-made bag and tack sealed in place. The assembly is then fully sealed to the bag by a drag sealer.

Easy-open shrouded slider-zipper assembly for reclosable bag

A method and an apparatus for sealing a split-flange zipper tape in a center fold of a web of bag making film without sealing or tacking the two sides of the split zipper web together.

Method and apparatus for guiding and sealing split-flange zipper tape to bag making film

A method for sealing a zipper assembly to bag making film at three or more points. The zipper assembly comprises a short zipper flange and a long zipper flange. The short flange is joined to one wall of the package while the long flange is joined to both walls of the package to define a product space in which the product is contained. Both the short and long zipper flanges are sealed to the bag making film at a first sealing station prior to folding of the film. After folding, the long zipper flange is sealed at one or more zones of joinder to the other side of the folded film. If the zipper assembly is attached in proximity to the fold line, then the second sealing operation is performed before filling and the bag is filled through the package bottom. If the zipper assembly is attached near the edge of the web of bag making film, then the second sealing operation is performed after the filling operation.

Method for sealing zipper assembly to bag making film at three or more points

A method of making reclosable packaging utilizes a longitudinally extending web of film material having cutouts therein. A length of zipper strip substantially half the width of the web and having an attached slider is applied transversely across the web of film material with the slider positioned in the cut out. The web is folded longitudinally with the zipper attached to the web and the slider positioned in the cut out. The edges of the web are brought together longitudinally and seamed to form a tube. The opposite ends of the tube are sealed to form the package. The resultant bag has the slider seated in the cut-out where it is readily visible to a consumer.

Method of making reclosable packaging

In a horizontal form-fill-and-seal (FFS) machine, a continuous length of packaging film is folded lengthwise over the consumer products to be packaged. The lateral edges of the packaging film are separately and independently aligned with one another by edge sensing and control devices. A zipper is fed between the aligned lateral edges of the packaging film. The lateral edges are sealed to one another, and the zipper sealed to the folded packaging film, by a pair of sealing sections, each of which includes a pair of parallel sealing devices. Side seals are produced by conventional means, which also separate completed packages from one another.

Horizontal form-fill-and-seal machine with zipper attachment

A zipper for a reclosable package includes a male interlocking profile and a female interlocking profile having male and female interlocking members, respectively. One, and only one, of the male and female interlocking profiles includes an extended flange separated and separable therefrom by perforations. In a reclosable package, polymeric sheet material is bonded to the male and female interlocking profiles and, specifically, to both sides of the extended flange. The extended flange, so reinforced with polymeric sheet material, can thereafter be used as a header from which the package may be hung for display in a retail store. Because of the perforations separating the extended flange from one of the two profiles, the header may be readily torn from the package to provide a consumer with access to its contents.

Growing community of inventors

Stockbridge, GA, United States of America

Joel L Johnson