Pactiv Corporation

Tenneco Packaging Inc.

Garlock Sealing Technologies, LLC

Michael W McManus

Ian J Barclay

David V Dobreski

Craig E Cappel

Dana A Marshall

Toby R Thomas

Alexander R Provan

Eric A St Phillips

James S Blythe

Paul Nichols

John D Athans

Vernon C Catchman

David Walter Reeves

Sherwin Damdar

David A Bryniarski

Mark F Kozlowski

David J Thomas

Timothy James Hurley

Janet C Jessen

Chris Boss

Christian Lauzier

Matt Tones

Mari Foley

Marc E Semmler

Venon C Catchman

A reinforced gasket material. A non-metallic scrim layer is interposed between layers of gasket material to provide strength to the gasket material. The layers of the gasket material can include binding agent to aid adhering to each other and to the non-metallic scrim layer. The non-metallic scrim layer can also be coated in binding agent. The layers of the gasket material can include high-temperature sealing material, compressed fiber, exfoliated graphite, or polytetrafluoroethylene.

Flexible reinforced gasket

A cord material dispenser comprising a container including a surrounding sidewall having first and second openings and first and second cord materials disposed in the container. The first and second cord materials are dispensable through their respective first and second openings. The first cord material is preferably wound around a first spool and the second cord material is preferably wound around a second spool. The dispenser may include a first quantity of the first cord material and a second quantity of the second cord material, wherein the first quantity is less than the second quantity. For example, the first quantity may be one fourth of the second quantity. Preferably, the container includes indicia indicative of the ratio of the first quantity to the second quantity. The indicia may be in the form of a graphic representative of the intended use of the spooled materials.

Stem packing dispenser

A fastener includes first and second tracks. The first track includes a first profile, and the second track includes a second profile for interlocking with the first profile. The fastener extends between opposing ends. The first and second profiles at each of the opposing ends are sealed to each other using a laser. In one embodiment, the fastener is initially continuous and is subsequently divided into segments by simultaneously cutting and sealing the fastener at spaced target locations using the laser. The segments are associated with respective plastic bags. At each of the target locations, the laser directs a laser beam at the fastener such that the laser beam cuts through the first and second profiles and simultaneously seals the first and second profiles to each other on opposite sides of the cut. The seals on the opposite sides of the cut terminate respective ends of adjacent ones of the segments.

Laser for forming bags from a web of material

The present invention contemplates a machine and method for performing the laser sealing and laser cutting of flexible material into segments, such as a polymeric web in which the segments will ultimately be individual bags. The machine includes a generally cylindrical drum having openings on an exterior surface. A laser produces a laser beam that contacts the flexible material while the flexible material is being held on the drum. The drum is preferably comprised of drum sections that can be independently moved in the radial direction. The machine includes a cam system causing the drum sections to be sequentially moved in the radial direction. Typically, this radial movement is for the purpose of releasing the individual segments of the flexible material that have been cut by the laser.

Laser cutoff stacker assembly

A plastic bag comprises opposing body panels fixedly connected to each other along a pair of sides and a bottom bridging the pair of sides. A reclosable zipper extending along a mouth portion formed opposite the sealed bottom of the plastic bag. The zipper is preferably free of graspable upper pull flanges in order to best accommodate a slider and inhibit operation of the zipper without the slider. The slider is mounted to the zipper for movement between a closed position and an open position. The zipper is closed while the slider is in the closed position. The zipper is opened in response to movement of the slider to the open position. To inhibit tampering with the contents of the bag, the bag includes a tamper-evident feature. In one set of embodiments, the tamper-evident feature initially maintains the slider in the closed position and allows the slider to move away from the closed position toward the open position in response to removing or breaking the tamper-evident feature. In another set of embodiments, the tamper-evident feature initially maintains a mouth portion of the plastic bag in a folded position and allows the mouth portion to be unfolded in response to removing or breaking the tamper-evident feature.

Reclosable bags having a removable member encapsulating a slider

A fastener for plastic bags opened and closed by a slider includes first and second track members with each having one of a pair of interlocking profiles. The fastener has opposite ends with terminations. A slider is mounted on the fastener and has a separation member with a wide portion and a narrow portion positioned in the fastener. The slider, upon complete closure of the fastener, rides up onto a termination moving the wide portion of the separation member out from between the fastener allowing the profiles to lock along the entire length of the fastener.

Reclosable fastener with slider

A fastener for a top-filled tamper-evident reclosable plastic package is disclosed. The package includes first and second opposing panels joined along a pair of sides and a bottom bridging said sides. The fastener includes first and second opposing tracks along a top of the package. The first and second tracks include respective first and second interlocking profiles and respective first and second fins extending from the respective first and second profiles. The first and second fins are joined to each other at their respective lower ends. A preferential area of weakness is disposed along or near the juncture of the first and second fins. While the fastener is attached to the first panel, the fastener initially is at least partially unattached to the second panel so as to allow the package to be filled with a product via a fill opening between the fastener and the second panel. After filling the package with the product, the fill opening is sealed. The fastener includes special structure added proximate the fins to prevent the fins from being deformed, being stuck to each other, or being accidentally sealed to each other while sealing the fill opening.

Top-filled tamper-evident package

A plastic bag comprises first and second opposing panels, a reclosable zipper, and a slider. The first and second opposing panels are fixedly connected to each other along a pair of sides and a bottom bridging the pair of sides. The reclosable zipper extends along a mouth formed opposite the bottom. The zipper includes a first track with a first profile and a second track with a second profile. The first and second profiles are releasably engageable to each other. The slider is slidably mounted to the zipper for movement between a closed position and an open position. The first and second profiles are engaged to each other while the slider is in the closed position, and the first and second profiles are disengaged from each other in response to movement of the slider from the closed position to the open position. To prevent the slider from going past the ends of the zipper and to provide adequate end strength that resists stresses applied to the profiles during normal use of the bag, end terminations in the form of posts pass through the male and female tracks adjacent to the ends of the zipper. To retain the posts on the zipper, each of the posts includes enlarged heads at its opposing ends.

End posts for plastic zipper

A plastic bag comprises first and second opposing panels, a reclosable zipper, and a slider. The first and second opposing panels are fixedly connected to each other along a pair of sides and a bottom bridging the pair of sides. The reclosable zipper extends along a mouth formed opposite the bottom. The zipper includes a first track with a first profile and a second track with a second profile. The first and second profiles are releasably engageable to each other. The slider is slidably mounted to the zipper for movement between a closed position and an open position. The first and second profiles are engaged to each other while the slider is in the closed position, and the first and second profiles are disengaged from each other in response to movement of the slider from the closed position to the open position. To prevent the slider from going past the ends of the zipper and to provide adequate end strength that resists stresses applied to the profiles during normal use of the bag, end stops in the form of flexible segments severed from a flexible plastic strip, fairly rigid segments severed from an extruded clip profile, or softened plastic material, are applied and secured to opposite ends of the zipper.

Conforming end stops for a plastic zipper

A reclosable plastic bag comprises first and second opposing panels fixedly connected to each other along a pair of sides and a bottom bridging the pair of sides. The bag is provided with a reclosable zipper extending along a mouth formed opposite the sealed bottom. The zipper includes a male track with a male profile and a female track with a female profile. A slider is slidably mounted to the zipper for movement between a closed position and an open position. The male and female profiles are engaged to each other while the slider is in the closed position. The male and female profiles are disengaged from each other in response to movement of the slider to the open position. To prevent tampering with the contents of the plastic bag prior to being initially opened, the slider is initially parked in the closed position at one end of the zipper, and upper edges of the male and female profiles are detachably connected to each other, except at the one end of the zipper supporting the parked slider. The slider cannot be moved from the closed position until a one-time tamper-evident feature is broken or, alternatively, movement of the slider from the closed position will break the tamper-evident feature.

Growing community of inventors

East Rochester, NY, United States of America

Michael W McManus