Frito-lay North America, Inc.

Recot Inc.

Martin Bernhard Dierl

Jerry Mike Reaves

Steven Kenneth Tucker

Patrick Joseph Bierschenk

Chad Arthur Huebner

Anthony Robert Knoerzer

Garrett William Kohl

Jay Edward Gehring

Eduard Edwards

Marc A Jurgovan

David Jackson Lestage

Sunitha Nair

Jeryl Edwin White

Stephen D Tyner

Johannes Bayer

Patrick Ryan Windley

Niklas Gustafsson

Bich-Van Pham

A snack food container having a square base, side walls substantially consisting of four right triangular panels and two isosceles triangular panels, and a flat, two dimensional end seal. The container is opened by use of a tear feature just below the end seal. The container is of paperboard construction and is resealable by virtue of a score line on each side of the container located below the end seal in combination with a horizontal cut through the container located below one score line. After opening, the container can be resealed by folding the container over the score lines towards the horizontal cut. An edge of the container is then secured in the horizontal cut.

Snack food container

The present invention discloses a flat bottom pillow pouch that can stand upright on its bottom transverse seal. The flat bottom pillow bag can be made from the same film as a standard pillow pouch and requires less film than prior art stand up packages. The flat bottom pillow pouch disclosed herein has no gussets.

Apparatus for making a flat bottom pillow pouch

Method for making a flat bottom pillow pouch

Method and apparatus for making a flat bottom pillow pouch

A modified flexible package includes a front elastomeric wall and a rear elastomeric wall. The front wall and the rear wall are sealed together at a top seal at a top end of the side walls. The top seal is formed by applying heat and/or pressure for a given dwell period, and is preferably a de-laminating seal. A first zipper part is attached to an inside surface of the front wall and has a first engagement member facing the rear wall. A second zipper part is attached to an inside surface of the rear wall and has a second engagement member facing the front wall. The first and second engagement members are engaged together. Both the top seal and the zipper engagement members are 'pinch-grip opened' under a pinch-grip pulling force applied to the front and rear walls below the zipper. The front and rear walls have a strength sufficient to resist tearing and deformation under the application of the pinch-grip pulling force during pinch-grip opening. The invention provides a re-closable package that can be opened in an easy one-step manner&#x2014;'pinch grip opening'&#x2014;without an additional step of cutting, tearing or the like.

Flexible package having a re-closable zipper

A flexible package having an integrated reclose strip, and method for manufacturing same, constructed by modification to existing vertical form and fill packaging machines. The reclose strip comprises a length of tacky two-sided adhesive tape. The apparatus for applying a reclose strip is incorporated into the mechanism which supplies the continuous sheet of packaging material to the vertical form, fill, and seal machine. The invention involves producing a pillow pouch or vertical stand-up pouch having an integrated reclose strip from a single sheet of packaging film. In one aspect, the reclose strip comprises a release liner on one side after package formation. In one aspect, the reclose strip comprises no release liner and is attached along the longitudinal axis of the sheet of packaging material such that the reclose strip is disposed in a channel or recess in the fill tube. The reclose strip permits the package to be reclosed after initial opening without folding the package.

Method for making a flexible reclosable package

A vertical stand-up pouch or flexible package having an integrated reclose strip, and method for manufacturing same, constructed by modification to existing vertical form and fill packaging machines. The modified machine includes a crease-forming mechanism and an apparatus for applying a reclose strip to the sheet of material. The apparatus for applying a reclose strip is incorporated into the mechanism which supplies the continuous sheet of packaging material to the vertical form, fill, and seal machine. The invention involves producing a vertical stand-up pouch having an integrated reclose strip from a single sheet of packaging film by creating a vertical crease along one edge of a packaging film tube prior to forming a transverse seal on the tube. Said vertical crease is formed using a stationary tucker bar positioned outside the packaging film tube and between two forming plates positioned inside the packaging film tube. The reclose strip is attached along the longitudinal axis of the sheet of packaging material prior to forming the sheet into a tube in the conventional manner. The reclose strip includes a peel strip which is removable to allow the package, when opened, to be folded down and sealed against an adhesive which will be exposed upon the removal of the peel strip. In a preferred embodiment, the reclose strip comprises a length of two-sided adhesive tape.

Vertical stand-up pouch with integrated reclose strip

A self-aligning zipper seal module adapted for quick change-out in a sealing carriage. The zipper seal module allows for a quick modification of a sealing carriage in order to accommodate different package dimensions. The module is stored and is installed in a closed and aligned position by use of an aligning handle. The module is easily installed or removed with a single tool and is designed to reduce the potential for operator injury by isolation from heat sources and by virtue of the aligning handle. The various seal facings of the module are oriented to equalize pressure on the facings during sealing and increase stripping efficiency. The zipper seal facings incorporate a novel insert design, thereby eliminating the need for stocking different sized facings to accommodate various bag widths. A return module of similar design is used to quickly return the sealing carriage to a standard configuration.

Seal jaw modules for reclose bag modification to vertical form, fill, and seal packaging system

A modified flexible package includes a front elastomeric wall and a rear elastomeric wall. The front wall and the rear wall are sealed together at a top seal at a top end of the side walls. The top seal is formed by applying heat and/or pressure for a given dwell period, and is preferably a de-laminating seal. A first zipper part is attached to an inside surface of the front wall and has a first engagement member facing the rear wall. A second zipper part is attached to an inside surface of the rear wall and has a second engagement member facing the front wall. The first and second engagement members are engaged together. Both the top seal and the zipper engagement members are 'pinch-grip opened' under a pinch-grip pulling force applied to the front and rear walls below the zipper. The front and rear walls have a strength sufficient to resist tearing and deformation under the application of the pinch-grip pulling force during pinch-grip opening. The invention provides a re-closable package that can be opened in an easy one-step manner--'pinch grip opening'--without an additional step of cutting, tearing or the like.

Growing community of inventors

Allen, TX, United States of America

Martin Bernhard Dierl