First Brands Corporation

John W Williams

Michael G Borchardt

Robert W Fraser

Robert T Dorsey

Timothy L LaRocque

The artificial firelogs of this invention provide a natural visual and audible sensation so that the artificial firelogs have both a soothing flickering flame and a crackling or popping sound normally observed only with natural wood logs. The crackling additive can be mustard seeds, sesame seeds and synthetic hollow spheres.

Artificial firelog with natural wood sound

A closure device providing tactile confirmation of occlusion is disclosed. The closure device comprises first and second interlocking fastening strips arranged to be interlocked over a predetermined length, at least one of the fastening strips having a deformation in the closure device after occlusion of the closure device. This deformation allows a user to tactually confirm that the closure device has been occluded, even after the closure device has been occluded. The deformation may be an inward deformation or an outward deformation on the fastening strip. The deformation may be on one or both of the fastening strips. The fastening strip may include multiple deformations. The deformation may be facilitated by providing a flexure point in the fastening strip, such as, an area of reduced cross-section or a coextruded portion with a different modulus of elasticity. In one embodiment of the invention, the fastening strips include mateable male and female closure elements. The male fastening strip includes a pair of first wings spaced apart on the fastening strip on the male closure element, whereas the female fastening strip includes a pair of second wings spaced apart on the female fastening strip to interfere with the first wings. When the male and female fastening strips are brought together to interlock, the first wings engage with the second wings such that at least a portion of the male fastening strip deflects to form an inward deformation.

Closure device providing tactile confirmation of occlusion

The instant invention relates to a handled thermoplastic bag made of a thermoplastic film comprising a high density polyethylene or a major amount of high density polyethylene and a minor amount of one or more other polymers, e.g., linear low density polyethylene. The handled bag is characterized by a front and rear bag wall, a closed bottom and an open mouth top portion having a pair of laterally spaced handles, said front and rear bag walls, between said handles defining an open bag mouth and is further characterized as comprising a smoother cut-out edge at corner portions of the open bag mouth than provided at said lower mouth edge whereby the smoother cut-out edge of the corner portion reduces the tendency of the thermoplastic film to tear at the corner when subjected to stress.

Thermoplastic handled bags and their method of manufacture

The instant invention relates to a handled thermoplastic bag made of a thermoplastic film comprising a high density polyethylene or a major amount of high density polyethylene and a minor amount of one or more other polymers, e.g., linear low density polyethylene. The handled bag is characterized by a front and rear bag wall, a closed bottom and an open mouth top portion having a pair of laterally spaced handles, said front and rear bag walls, between said handles defining an open bag mouth and is further characterized as comprising a smoother cut-out edge at corner portions of the open bag mouth than provided at said lower mouth edge whereby the smoother cut-out edge of the corner portion reduces the tendency of the thermoplastic film to tear at the corner when subjected to stress. Use of the aforementioned smooth corner cut-out is also beneficial in manufacturing handled bags at commercial manufacturing rates.

An interlocking closure device including two closure elements arranged to be interlocked over a predetermined length, each of said closure elements having different colors for establishing visually the completeness of the occlusion of the closure elements by providing color different from the closure elements when said closure elements are occluded, wherein the improvement comprises the introduction of a color change enhancement member in the internal channel of a translucent closure element whereby the closing and opening of the closure device is more easily detected by visual inspection.

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Oak Lawn, IL, United States of America

John W Williams