U.S. patent application number 10/663143 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-24 for tamper evident plastic bag incorporating a combination zipper and double resealable enclosure and method of manufacturing the same.
Invention is credited to Chang, Chia-Hsiang.
Application Number | 20050063616 10/663143 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34312744 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050063616 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chang, Chia-Hsiang |
March 24, 2005 |
Tamper evident plastic bag incorporating a combination zipper and
double resealable enclosure and method of manufacturing the
same
Abstract
A tamper evident and resealable bag and associated method of
producing having first and second sheets of a plasticized material
and which are secured together along opposite extending side edges.
A pair of reclosable portions extending in opposing and spaced
apart fashion and proximate a top extending edge of the sheets of
material. A looped header portion extends from the reclosable
portions and along a selected distance corresponding to the top. A
zipper is secured over the reclosable portions in proximity to the
looped header portion. One or more items are pre-inserted into an
open bottom established between the opposite extending sides of the
first and second sheets and prior to sealingly engaging the bottom.
The zipper is then traversed along the reclosable portions, in
order to section the tamper-evident looped header portion in
combination with opening an upper one of the pairs of reclosable
portions, the lower pair of reclosable portions subsequently being
manually disengaged to complete the opening process of the bag.
Inventors: |
Chang, Chia-Hsiang; (Troy,
MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GIFFORD, KRASS, GROH, SPRINKLE
ANDERSON & CITKOWSKI, PC
280 N OLD WOODARD AVE
SUITE 400
BIRMINGHAM
MI
48009
US
|
Family ID: |
34312744 |
Appl. No.: |
10/663143 |
Filed: |
September 16, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/5 ; 383/204;
383/61.2; 383/64 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B31B 70/8131 20170801;
B65D 33/2591 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/005 ;
383/061.2; 383/204; 383/064 |
International
Class: |
B65D 033/14 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A tamper evident and resealable bag, comprising: a first sheet
and a second sheet of a plasticized material, said sheets being
secured together along opposite extending side edges; at least one
pair of reclosable portions extending in opposing fashion and
proximate a top extending edge of said sheets of material; a looped
header portion extending from said reclosable portions along a
selected distance corresponding to said top; and a zipper secured
over said reclosable portions in proximity to said looped header
portion; at least one item being pre-inserted into an open bottom
established between said opposite extending sides of said first and
second sheets and prior to sealingly engaging said bottom.
2. The bag as described in claim 1, said zipper further comprising
an axially extending slot through which said reclosable portions
are seated, said zipper being traversable along said reclosable
portions and in order to disengage said looped header portion.
3. The bag as described in claim 2, further comprising first and
second pairs of reclosable portions extending in spaced apart
fashion along said top.
4. The bag as described in claim 3, said zipper further comprising
first and second extending slots for respectively seating said
first and second pairs of reclosable portions.
5. The bag as described in claim 4, further comprising said zipper
traversing to reclosably open a selected one of said first and
second pairs of reclosable portions.
6. The bag as described in claim 5, further comprising said zipper
traversing to reclosably open an upper selected one of said pairs
of reclosable portions.
7. The bag as described in claim 1, further comprising an end stop
being formed at each of opposite ends of said reclosable portions
subsequent to attaching said zipper.
8. The bag as described in claim 7, said end stops each further
comprising heat compressing said side edges of said bag and
proximate said reclosable portions.
9. The bag as described in claim 1, further comprising adhesively
sealing said bottom following pre-insertion of said items.
10. The bag as described in claim 1, further comprising heat
sealing said bottom following pre-insertion of said items.
11. A method of manufacturing a tamper evident and resealable bag,
comprising the steps of: securing together first and second sheets
of a plasticized material along opposite extending side edges
thereof; forming at least one pair of extending and reclosable
portions in inwardly opposing fashion and proximate top extending
edges of said sheets of material; forming a looped header portion
in extending fashion from said reclosable portions and along a
selected distance corresponding to said top; attaching a zipper
over said reclosable portions in proximity to said looped header
portion; and pre-inserting at least one item into an open bottom
established between said opposite extending sides of said first and
second sheets and prior to sealingly engaging said bottom.
12. The method as described in claim 11, further comprising the
step of traversing said zipper along said reclosable portions and
in order to disengage said looped header portion.
13. The method as described in claim 11, further comprising the
step of forming first and second pairs of reclosable portions in
spaced apart fashion.
14. The method as described in claim 13, further comprising the
step of attaching said zipper to said first and second pairs of
reclosable portions.
15. The method as described in claim 14, further comprising the
step of traversing said zipper to reclosably open a selected one of
said first and second pairs of reclosable portions.
16. The method as described in claim 15, further comprising the
step of reclosably opening an upper selected one of said pairs of
reclosable portions.
17. The method as described in claim 11, further comprising the
step of forming end stops at opposite ends of said reclosable
portions and subsequent to attaching said zipper.
18. The method as described in claim 17, said step of forming end
stops further comprising heat compressing said side edges of said
bag and proximate said reclosable portions.
19. The method as described in claim 11, further comprising the
step of adhesively sealing said bottom following pre-insertion of
said items.
20. The method as described in claim 11, further comprising the
step of heat sealing said bottom following pre-insertion of said
items.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a tamper evident
plastic bag enclosure, such as a medicine, food or other suitable
bag. More particularly, the present invention teaches a bag device
and associated method of manufacturing including the features of a
heat sealable, or adhesive strip sealable, bottom and a double
resealable top with attached zipper and tear away (tamper evident)
header portion.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] The prior art is well documented with examples of reclosable
plastic bag devices, these each typically including male and female
extending and interlocking profiles, as well as a sealed and
moisture resistant interior. The use of such bags is prevalent in
the known art and for a wide range of applications.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,884, issued to Bruno et al., teaches a
reclosable plastic bag with male and female interlocking profiles
and which is described as being easily openable and reclosable. The
bag includes mating profiles, and which further includes a selected
non-engaging section such that the profiles cannot interlock at
that section. The non-engaging section permits a user to more
easily open the bag when the separating action of the profiles is
initiated at the non-engaging section. The non-engaging section
also permits air to escape as the bag and profiles are pressed
together to close, thus to enable easier closing of the bag when
product is contained therein.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,586, also issued to Bruno, teaches a
reclosable plastic bag having mating interlocking profiles. Each of
the bags includes a band of double thickness, formed adjacent the
mouth of the bag and a pocket formed by the band and the panel
surface of the bag to facilitate handling of the bag such as by
inserting the user's finger in the pocket and grasping the
band.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,467, issued to Schmidt, teaches a
reclosable film plastic bag and method of making the same and which
includes a display bag with front and rear walls joined at side and
bottom and which provides an openable top with complementary
separable fastener profiles in the walls across the openable top,
and with a fastener opening pull flange substantially shorter than
its rear fastener-opening pull flange. A panel is jointed to the
front of the rear pull flange to provide therewith a plural
thickness header having, as required, matching hang-up holes
through the panel and rear pull flange. A header reinforcing bead
structure secures the upper edges of the panel and the rear pull
flange together. The panel and rear pull flange define therebetween
a downwardly opening pocket adapted to house identification means
and a method of making the bag from a plastic extrusion is also
disclosed.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,245, issued to Bost et al., teaches a
reclosable plastic bag having a bottom, sides and a mouth as well
as a reclosable zipper for opening and resealing the plastic bag
mouth. Heat seals are placed at each end of the zipper and each
heat seal has an aperture therethrough and may form a pair of
protruding hanging tabs. A protruding center tab extends from each
side of the bag above the zipper and extends above the mouth of the
bag such that each tab can be grabbed for opening the reclosable
zipper.
[0009] A method of making a reclosable zipper bag according to Bost
is further disclosed and includes the steps of forming a plastic
bag having bottom, sides and a mouth, having a reclosable zipper
for opening and resealing the plastic bag mouth and heat sealing
each end of the plastic bag zipper to seal the two sides together.
Additional steps include punching an aperture in each of the heat
seals, cutting a protruding center tab in the plastic bag and
forming an aperture through the center tab to form a reclosable
plastic bag which is easily opened and resealed and has supporting
tabs.
[0010] Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,345, issued to Scheibner,
discloses a reclosable container featuring ridges near the opening
of the container and to provide improved gripping of the container
by the user during the opening and loading of the container.
Flexible first and second sidewalls each further include first and
second associated closure profiles positioned on respective first
and second sidewalls and operable for being occluded and disengaged
with respect to each other to close and open the container.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0011] The present invention discloses a bag device including the
features of a heat sealable, or adhesive strip sealable, bottom and
a double resealable top with attached zipper and tear away (tamper
evident) header portion. The present invention is further an
improvement over the prior art in that it provides an improved
tamper evident resealable bag device for holding such as medicines
and the like.
[0012] First and second sheets of a plasticized material are
secured together along opposite extending side edges. A pair of
reclosable portions extend in opposing and spaced apart fashion and
proximate a top extending edge of the sheets of material. A looped
header portion extends from the reclosable portions and along a
selected distance corresponding to the top.
[0013] A zipper is secured over the reclosable portions in
proximity to the looped header portion. The zipper includes a pair
of upper and lower axially extending slots, corresponding in
placement with the spaced apart reclosable portions, and such that
an upper one of the slots includes a dividing member extending in
one direction and for disengaging the associated pair of reclosable
portions.
[0014] One or more items are pre-inserted into an open bottom
established between the opposite extending sides of the first and
second sheets and prior to sealingly engaging the bottom. The
bottom is engaged in a permanent (tamper-evident openable) fashion
and through the provision of either an adhesive (permanent seal)
tape or, alternatively, by heat staking together the bottom edges
of the first and second sheets.
[0015] In order to open the bag, the zipper is traversed along the
reclosable portions, in order to section the tamper-evident looped
header portion, and in combination with opening an upper one of the
pairs of reclosable portions. The lower pair of reclosable portions
is subsequently manually disengaged, such as by the user pulling
apart at the seams, and to complete the opening process of the bag.
A method for manufacturing a tamper evident and resealable bag is
also disclosed, incorporating the structure as substantially
described above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when
read in combination with the following detailed description,
wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the
several views, and in which:
[0017] FIG. 1A is an environmental view of the resealable bag
device with tear away and tamper evident header according to the
present invention;
[0018] FIG. 1B is a modified view of the bag device as
substantially illustrated in FIG. 1A and further showing an opened
and adhesively/heat sealable bottom for initially containing the
desired articles;
[0019] FIG. 2 is an enlarged and exploded partial view of the
zipper and double reclosable portions associated with the resalable
bag device according to the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a succeeding and assembled view to that shown in
FIG. 2 and illustrating the zipper assembled onto the double
reclosable portions, in combination with a portion of the
tamper-evident header being removed and the opposite ends of the
top heat staked;
[0021] FIG. 4 is a succeeding partial view illustrating the
progressive removal of the tamper evident header and resulting from
traversing motion of the zipper along the pairs of reclosable
portions;
[0022] FIG. 5 is a plan view of an alternate configuration of the
double resealable bag and illustrating a manually tear away and
tamper evident header according to the present invention; and
[0023] FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to that previously
shown in FIG. 1A and illustrating variation in the shaping of the
tamper evident header portion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] Referring now to FIG. 1A, an environmental view is
illustrated at 10 of a tamper evident and resealable bag device for
containing a prepackaged item, such as further illustrated without
limitation as being a medicine container 12, and according to a
first preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is also
contemplated that any type of item, including liquid and solid as
well as edibles, non-edibles and medicines, can be utilized with
the bag 10 according to the present invention. As also previously
described, the present invention is an improvement over prior art
devices and in particular discloses an improvement in tamper
evident packaging technology and which enables a user to quickly
and effectively determine instances in which the bag has been
tampered with (previously opened) thereby compromising the security
of the contents held within the bag.
[0025] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, first 14 and second
16 sheets of a plasticized material (typically rectangular in
shape) are illustrated. The sheets 14 and 16 are secured together
along opposite extending side edges 18 and 20, respectively, and
substantially from top to bottom edges of the attached sheets. It
is also contemplated that the sheets 14 and 16 can be either
transparent or colored (tinted) as desired by one skilled in the
art and depending upon the contents of the bag.
[0026] As further illustrated by the enlarged partial view of FIG.
2, a pair of individual reclosable portions extend in opposing and
spaced apart fashion and proximate a top 22 extending edge of the
sheets 14 and 16 of material. Specifically, a first (or upper) pair
of reclosable portions are illustrated by opposing and configured
portions 24 and 26, extending along inner facing surfaces of sheets
14 and 16, respectively. A second (or lower) pair of reclosable
portions are further illustrated by likewise opposing, spaced and
parallel extending portions 28 and 30. The configuration of the
reclosable portions is, by itself, known in the art and such as is
illustrated in the intermediate assembly view of FIG. 2. Through
the traversing action of an attached zipper portion, to be
subsequently described, the reclosable portions are either
biasingly engaged together or pulled apart based upon the direction
of traverse of the zipper.
[0027] A looped header portion 32 extends from the reclosable
portions and along a selected distance corresponding to the top.
Typically, and as best illustrated in FIG. 2, a portion of the
header (see as illustrated in phantom at 32') is removed during the
manufacturing process of the bag and in order to facilitate the
subsequent attachment of the zipper, shown at 34.
[0028] As best shown in FIG. 3, the zipper 34 is secured over the
pairs 24 & 26 and 28 & 30 of reclosable portions, in
proximity to an extending edge of the looped header portion 32
(following removal of the edge portion 32'). As best illustrated in
the exploded view of FIG. 2, the zipper 34 exhibits a configured
outer body and which includes a pair of upper 36 and lower 38
axially extending slots. The slots 36 and 38 correspond in
placement with the pairs 24 & 26 and 28 & 30 spaced apart
reclosable portions, and such that the upper one 36 of the slots
includes a dividing member 40 extending in one direction and for
disengaging the associated pair of reclosable portions.
[0029] One or more items (such as again are representatively
illustrated at 12 in FIG. 1A) are pre-inserted into an open bottom
(see further as generally shown at 42 in FIG. 1B) established
between the opposite extending sides 18 and 20 of the first and
second sheets and prior to sealingly engaging the bottom. The
bottom is sealingly engaged (closed) in a permanent (tamper-evident
openable) fashion, such as through the provision of an adhesive
(permanent seal) strip 44 extends along a bottom edge of the sheet
16, as again shown in FIG. 1B, and which compressed against an
opposing facing portion of the sheet 14. Typically, a peel away
tape (not shown) is removed from the strip 44 and prior to
permanently (tamper evidently) closing the bottom. Alternatively,
the bottom is closed by heat staking the lower extending edges of
the first and second sheets together and in the manner illustrated
in FIG. 1A.
[0030] Subsequent to attaching the zipper 34 to the edge locations
of the pairs 24 & 26 and 28 & 30 end stops (see at 46 and
48) are formed at each of opposite ends of the reclosable portions.
In a particular application, the end stops 46 and 48 are formed by
heat compressing the side edges of the bag proximate the reclosable
portions.
[0031] In order to open the bag, and as is best shown in FIG. 4,
the zipper 34 is traversed, see arrow 50, in a given direction
along the pairs of reclosable portions, in order to section the
tamper-evident looped header portion 32, as further indicated by
directional arrow 52. In combination with sectioning the header
portion 32, the upper pair of reclosable portions 24 & 26 is
biasingly opened (see again FIG. 4) by virtue of the direction of
traverse of the zipper 34. Upon traversing the zipper 34 and
opening the upper pair of reclosable portions, the lower pair of
reclosable portions (see again at 28 & 30) is subsequently
manually disengaged (opened), and such as by the user pulling apart
at the seams (not shown) to complete the opening process of the
bag.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 5, a plan view is illustrated at 54 of an
alternate configuration of the double resealable bag and
illustrating a manually tear away and tamper evident header, see at
55. In particular, the traversing of the zipper 34, and
opening/closing of a selected one of first 56 and second 58 pairs
of reclosable portions, occurs independently from the manually
tearing away, see further as indicated by directional arrow 60, of
the header portion 55 from the top edge of the bag and which
detaches along perforated portion 62.
[0033] Referring finally FIG. 6, a perspective view similar to that
previously shown in FIG. 1A is illustrated at 64. The illustration
of FIG. 6 is substantially identical to that shown at 10 in FIG. 1A
and with the exception of some slight variances in the shaping of
the tamper evident and looped header portion 66.
[0034] A method for manufacturing a tamper evident and resealable
bag is also disclosed, incorporating the structure as substantially
described above. In particular, the bag is constructed from a
singled formed piece of material, such as unwound from a roll or
reel and this method includes the steps of securing together first
and second sheets of a plasticized material along opposite
extending side edges thereof, forming at least one pair of
extending and reclosable portions in inwardly opposing fashion and
proximate top extending edges of the sheets of material, and
forming a looped header portion in extending fashion from the
reclosable portions and along a selected distance corresponding to
the top. Additional steps include attaching a zipper over the
reclosable portions in proximity to the looped header portion and
the pre-inserting at least one item into an open bottom established
between the opposite extending sides of the first and second sheets
and prior to sealingly engaging the bottom.
[0035] Additional method steps include traversing the zipper along
the reclosable portions and in order to disengage the looped header
portion, forming first and second pairs of reclosable portions in
spaced apart fashion and attaching the zipper to the first and
second pairs of reclosable portions. Yet additional steps include
traversing the zipper to reclosably open a selected one of the
first and second pairs of reclosable portions, reclosably opening
an upper one of the pairs of reclosable portions, and forming end
stops (such as by heat compressing) at opposite ends of said
reclosable portions and subsequent to attaching said zipper.
Further steps include adhesively sealing said bottom following
pre-insertion of the items or, alternatively, heat sealing the
bottom following pre-insertion of the items.
[0036] Having described my invention, other and additional
preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the
art to which it pertains and without deviating from the scope of
the appended claims:
* * * * *