Resealable packages and method and apparatus for producing same

Abstract

A resealable package using zipper material and a corresponding method and apparatus are disclosed. In the package, the zipper material beads terminate entirely inboard of the outer periphery of the sealed area. The package is formed by forming a lateral loop in a first one of the webs, positioning the zipper material along the first web crossing the loop substantially at a right angle, cutting the zipper material in the region of the loop, and then straightening the first web, thereby creating a gap between the cut ends of the zipper material, then bonding the second web to the first web to form a package with a sealed area in the gap. In the preferred embodiments of the apparatus, the lateral loop forming means has at least one transversely oriented loop forming bar moveable into and away from corresponding loop forming groove(s) in a table along which one of the webs is advanced. At least one cutter knife above the table is moveable partially into the loop forming groove beneath the guide shoe to cut through the zipper material without cutting through the web material. In one preferred embodiment, the longitudinal distance between loop-forming stations may be varied to accommodate runs of different package sizes.