U.S. patent application number 11/112951 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-01 for form, fill and seal packaging method utilizing zipper with slider.
This patent application is currently assigned to ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.. Invention is credited to Ausnit, Steven, Schneider, John H..
Application Number | 20050188653 11/112951 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25505068 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050188653 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schneider, John H. ; et
al. |
September 1, 2005 |
Form, fill and seal packaging method utilizing zipper with
slider
Abstract
A method of forming, filling and sealing a reclosable package
with a slider activated zipper wherein a base film moves
longitudinally to a filling station and, in a moving direction,
away from said filling station. At the filling station a product is
fed onto the base film. As the base film carrying product is moved
from the filling station, a zipper with a slider attached is fed
onto the moving film in the moving direction of the base film. The
zipper has a first profile and a second profile, each of which has
an attached web extending away from the slider. A top film is
applied over the base film and the first profile web is sealed to
the base film and the second profile web is sealed to the top film.
The package is completed by transversely cross-sealing the base
film and the top film together on opposite sides of the product.
The base and top films may be formed from the same sheet folded
over or may be formed from separate sheets.
Inventors: |
Schneider, John H.;
(Frankfort, IL) ; Ausnit, Steven; (New York,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PITNEY HARDIN LLP
ACCOUNT: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
7 TIMES SQUARE
NEW YORK
NY
10036-7311
US
|
Assignee: |
ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.,
|
Family ID: |
25505068 |
Appl. No.: |
11/112951 |
Filed: |
April 22, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11112951 |
Apr 22, 2005 |
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10968488 |
Oct 19, 2004 |
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10968488 |
Oct 19, 2004 |
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09961823 |
Sep 24, 2001 |
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6804935 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
53/412 ;
53/133.4; 53/453; 53/561 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10S 493/927 20130101;
B65B 9/04 20130101; B65B 61/188 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
053/412 ;
053/453; 053/561; 053/133.4 |
International
Class: |
B65B 061/18 |
Claims
1-5. (canceled)
6. A method of forming, filling and sealing a reclosable package
comprising: moving a base film to a filling station and, in a
moving direction, away from said filling station; depositing a
first product onto said base film at the filling station; feeding a
first zipper with a slider attached thereto in the moving direction
onto said base film; said zipper having a first profile and a
second profile engageable with said first profile, each of said
profiles having a web attached thereto extending away from said
slider; applying a top film over said base film; sealing said first
profile web to said base film and said second profile web to said
top film; cross-sealing said base film and said top film together
in a direction transverse to the moving direction of the base film
on opposite sides of said product, capturing said product between
adjacent cross seals; and transversely cutting said sealed together
base film and top film on said opposite sides of said product;
wherein said base film comprises a thermoform material and
comprising the further step of thermoforming adjacent pockets in
said base film as said base film moves toward said filling
station.
7-13. (canceled)
14. A method of forming, filling, and sealing a reclosable package
comprising: moving a base film to a filling station and, in a
moving direction, away from said filling station; depositing a
first product onto said base film at the filling station; feeding a
first zipper with a slider attached thereto in the moving direction
onto said base film; said zipper having a first profile and a
second profile engageable with said first profile, each of said
profiles having a web attached thereto extending away from said
slider, applying a top film over said base film; sealing said first
profile web to said base film and said second profile web to said
top cross-sealing said base film and said top film together in a
direction transverse to the moving direction of the base film on
opposite sides of said product, capturing said product between
adjacent cross seals; transversely cutting said sealed together
base film and top film on said opposite sides of said product;
feeding a second product onto said base film transversely adjacent
to said first product; feeding a second zipper with a slider
attached thereto in the moving direction onto said base film
parallel to and a package depth apart from said first zipper; said
second zipper having a first profile and a second profile
engageable with said first profile, each of said profiles having a
web attached thereto extending away from said slider; sealing said
second zipper first profile web to said base film and said second
profile web to said top film; sealing said top film to said base
film along a seal line parallel to said second zipper and outboard
of said second zipper; and cutting said base film and said top film
in said base film moving direction between said parallel seal line
and said second zipper.
15. A method of forming, filling and sealing a reclosable package
comprising: moving a base film to a filling station and, in a
moving direction, away from said filling station; depositing a
first product onto said base film at the filling station; feeding a
first zipper with a slider attached thereto in the moving direction
onto said base film; said zipper having a first profile and a
second profile engageable with said first profile, each of said
profiles having a web attached thereto extending away from said
slider; applying a top film over said base film; sealing said first
profile web to said base film and said second profile web to said
top film; cross-sealing said base film and said top film together
in a direction transverse to the moving direction of the base film
on opposite sides of said product, capturing said product between
adjacent cross seals; transversely cutting said sealed together
base film and top film on said opposite sides of said product;
feeding a second product onto said base film transversely adjacent
to said first product; feeding a second zipper with a slider
attached thereto in the moving direction onto said base film
parallel to and two package depths apart from said first zipper;
said second zipper having a first profile and a second profile
engageable with said first profile, each of said profiles having a
web attached thereto extending away from said slider; sealing said
second zipper first profile web to said base film and said second
profile web to said top film; sealing said top film to said base
film along a seal line parallel to said first and second zippers
and substantially midway between said zippers; and longitudinally
cutting said base film and said top film along said last mentioned
seal line.
16-19. (canceled)
20. An apparatus for forming, filling and sealing a reclosable
package comprising: a first drive for moving a base film to a
filling station and, in a moving direction, away from said filling
station; a filling station for depositing product onto said base
film; a second drive for feeding a first zipper with a slider
attached thereto in the moving direction onto said base film; said
zipper having a first profile and a second profile engageable with
said first profile, each of said profiles having a web attached
thereto extending away from said slider; means for applying a top
film over said base film; first sealing means for sealing said
first profile web to said base film; second sealing means for said
second profile web to said top film; cross-sealing means for
sealing said base film and said top film together in a direction
transverse to the moving direction of the base film on opposite
sides of said product, capturing said product between adjacent
cross seals; a cutter for transversely cutting said sealed together
base film and top film on said opposite sides of said product; and
wherein said base sheet comprises a thermoform material and further
comprising means for thermoforming adjacent pockets in said base
film as said base film moves toward said filling station.
21-23. (canceled)
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to packaging and, in
particular to the manufacture of slider zipper packaging on a
horizontal form, fill and seal (FFS) machine.
[0002] Packaging with zippers has become increasingly popular as
the primary packaging for a wide variety of goods, and, in
particular for food products. Such zippers may be operated simply
by pressing the profiles together or pulling them apart to close
and open the zipper or by moving a slider along the zipper profiles
to engage and disengage the zipper profiles. Slider activated
zippers are becoming increasingly popular for primary packaging,
perhaps because they impart to the consumer the perception of a
more securely closed package and ease of operation. The addition of
a slider to the zipper package makes it more difficult to assemble
the package particularly if relatively high speed, automated
equipment is to be used to form, fill and seal the package as is
quite common in the food industry.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention provides a method of forming, filling
and sealing a reclosable package with a slider activated zipper.
The method comprises moving a base film longitudinally (i.e. in the
running direction of the film) to a filling station and, in a
moving direction, away from said filling station. At the filling
station a product is fed onto the base film. As the base film
carrying product is moved from the filling station, a zipper with a
slider attached thereto is fed onto the moving film in the moving
direction of the base film. The zipper has a first profile and a
second profile, each of which has a web attached thereto extending
away from the slider. A top film is then applied over the base film
and the first profile web is sealed to the base film and the second
profile web is sealed to the top film. The package is completed by
cross-sealing the base film and the top film together on opposite
sides of the product, capturing said product between adjacent cross
seals and transversely cutting the sealed together base film and
top film.
[0004] The top and base films may be formed from the same sheet in
which case the package top or bottom or one side would be formed as
a longitudinal fold line that separates the top and bottom films.
Alternatively, the top and bottom films may be separate films in
which case a bottom seal would have to be formed opposite the
zipper joining the top and base films together. If separate films,
the base film may be a thermoform film which can be formed into
adjacent product receptacles.
[0005] The slider is attached to the zipper as the zipper moves to
the base film. To this end, as the zipper moves to the film, the
zipper is stomped or shaped at bag length intervals to retain the
slider on the zipper and a slider is attached to the zipper between
adjacent stompings. After the zipper is attached to the base film
the profiles are further stomped or shaped to aid in allowing the
package to make a hermetic seal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] In the accompanying drawings:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment
of the method in accordance with the present invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along reference lines 2-2
of FIG. 1;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along reference lines 3-3
of FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along reference lines 4-4
of FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing an alternative
bag top construction;
[0012] FIG. 5a is a further modification of the bag top
construction;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of a slider
attaching system;
[0014] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a first alternative slider
attaching system;
[0015] FIG. 7a is a top plan view of a second alternative slider
attaching system;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a schematic side elevational view of a second
embodiment of the method in accordance with the present
invention;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a sectional view along lines 9-9 of FIG. 8;
[0018] FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of a package formed in
accordance with the method of FIG. 8; and
[0019] FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a modification of the
embodiment of FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Reference is now made to the drawings wherein several
embodiments and modifications of the present invention are
depicted. In FIG. 1 a film 10 whose width is roughly twice the
depth of a desired package is horizontally drawn by an appropriate
drive past a product filling station 12 from which a product 14 is
loaded onto the film 10 at longitudinally spaced intervals. The
product 14 is loaded onto the approximate center of a first half 16
of the film 10 as shown in FIG. 2. As the film 10 carrying product
continues to move it is longitudinally folded along fold line 22 by
guide 18 so that the second half 20 of film 10 folds over the first
half 16 sandwiching the product 14 between a base film defined by
film half 16 and a top film defined by second film half 20, as
shown in FIG. 3. As may also be seen in FIG. 3, the free edges 24
and 26 of the top and bottom films are generally aligned with each
other.
[0021] The product carrying folded film is then moved past a zipper
drive 28 which feeds a zipper 30 having pre-attached sliders 32
between the edges 24 and 26 of the top and bottom sheets. The
zipper drive includes a grooved roller arranged at 45.degree. to
the film and the zipper to guide the zipper to the film. The zipper
30 has interlocking profiles 34, 36 which are stomped together at
bag length intervals and a slider 32 is provided between each
adjacent pair of stomps. The stomps serve as end stops to prevent
the sliders from running from one section of the zipper to the
next. Each of the zipper profiles has a web, 38, 40 that extends
away from the slider and the zipper drive 28 feeds the zipper 30 so
that the webs 38 and 40 are on opposite sides of separator 42 as
shown in FIG. 4. As also shown in FIG. 4, heated seal bars 44 close
against the separator 42 to seal zipper flange 38 to the edge of
top film 20 and to seal zipper flange 40 to the edge of bottom film
16. This arrangement leaves the slider 32 outside the packaging
film envelope.
[0022] In a modification shown in FIG. 5 the profile webs 38 and 40
are spaced somewhat from the free edges 24, 26 of the base and top
films. The free edges 24, 26 are then sealed to each other along
seal line 48 by sealing bars 46 thereby capturing the slider within
a header 52 inside the package envelope. The header provides tamper
evidence for the final package since it must be removed by the
consumer to gain entry to the package. To facilitate removing the
header 52 between the seal line 48 and slider top, weakening lines
50, such as score lines or perforations are provided below the seal
line 48.
[0023] The film envelope is then moved past cross sealer/cutter
bars 54 which form transverse seals (i.e. perpendicular to the
running direction of the film) at bag length intervals and cut
through the seals thereby releasing a filled package 60 with
product contained therein.
[0024] The sliders 32 are loaded onto zipper 30 at a zipper loading
station 62. In FIG. 6 a first embodiment of zipper loading station
62 is depicted. As shown, zipper 30 is intermittently drawn to a
zipper loading station 64 where a slider 32 fed from a vibratory
bowl 66 is attached to the zipper profiles. The sliders are
attached at bag length intervals of zipper. The zipper with
attached sliders is then intermittently moved into a series of
dancer roll 66 and then continuously drawn from the dancer roll
system by the zipper drive 28 and fed to the package film. In FIG.
7 a first modification of the zipper attaching system is depicted
wherein the zipper loading station reciprocates as it applies a
slider 32 to the zipper 30 thus eliminating the stop-go action of
the first embodiment and the need for dancer rolls. In FIG. 7a a
second embodiment of the zipper attaching system is depicted
wherein the zipper loading station rotates between a first location
at which it receives a slider 32 and a second location at which the
slider is attached to the zipper. This arrangement eliminates the
stop-go action of the first embodiment as well as the reciprocating
action of the second embodiment.
[0025] In each of the embodiments, either prior to attachment of
the slider onto the zipper or after the slider is attached, the
zipper is stomped at bag length intervals, with a slider positioned
between each pair of stomps.
[0026] In a further modification depicted in FIG. 5a the fold line
22 forms the top of the package and the longitudinal edges 24, 26
are sealed to form the package bottom. In this case the zipper 30
with attached slider 32 is positioned within fold 22 and the webs
38, 40 are attached to opposite sides of the fold at seals 37. Tear
lines 39 are provided between the fold 22 and seals 37 to permit
the top of the bag to be easily removed to provide access to the
zipper.
[0027] Reference is now made to FIG. 8 wherein a second embodiment
of the present invention is schematically depicted. In accordance
with this embodiment the top and bottom films are provided as
separate webs. The base web 70 is drawn from roll 72 and comprises
a thermoform material. At a first station 74, the base web is
heated and conditioned to be formed. At the forming station 76, the
heated material is drawn to form a tray or receptacle 78 into which
a product 80 is deposited at filling station 82. A continuous,
prestomped zipper 30 with attached sliders 32 is then fed from the
slider loading station 62 to an edge of the base film and aligned
so that a zipper section between adjacent stomps containing a
slider extends along the base film edge adjacent each receptacle. A
bottom web of the zipper (i.e. the web that rests on the base film)
is then sealed to the base film and the slider is moved to the
zipper fully closed position at station 84. A top film 86 is then
fed from spool 88 and at station 90 the top film is sealed to the
other web of the zipper. The zipper may then be crimped at the
stomps to ensure the slider remaining on the zipper between the
stomps and to facilitate making a side seal through the zipper.
That is, by flattening the ends of the zipper, more secure cross
seals can be made. At station 92 air is evacuated from the tray (if
a hermetic package is required) and perimeter seals are formed
about the tray. The filled package 94 is then severed from the
web.
[0028] To open the package for the first time, the top seal 95 is
ruptured and the slider 92 is moved to the open position. To this
end, a peel seal material may be provided as the top portion of the
perimeter seal. In the case of the FIG. 9 embodiment the top
portion of the bag is torn off along tear lines 39. The product 80
can then be removed and thereafter, the package 94 can be reclosed
(but not re-sealed) using the slider 32 to open and close the
zipper 30.
[0029] Multiple packages may be formed side-by side as shown in
FIG. 9 by using a wide film and two or more zippers. In such case,
each package must be separated from the tranversely adjacent
package by cutting through the bottom seal 100 outboard of the
adjacent package zipper. That is, a cut is made through bottom seal
100 of package 94 to maintain a bottom seal for package 94 while
freeing package 94 from adjacent package 96 and permitting access
to the slider of package 96. Similarly a cut is made through the
bottom seal 100 of package 96 freeing package 96 from adjacent
package 98 and permitting access to the slider of package 98.
[0030] Thus in accordance with the above the aforementioned
objectives are effectively attained. Those skilled in the art will
appreciate that variants of the described embodiments may readily
be practiced. For example, two rows of trays of packages may be
formed bottom-to-bottom as shown in FIG. 11 rather than
top-to-bottom as described above. In this case the second zipper
30b would be positioned two package depths from the first zipper
30a and the packages 90a and 90b would be separated by cutting
through the common bottom seal 100. Also, the slider for the tray
packages may be contained within a header as described for the flat
packages of the first embodiment by placing the zipper inward of
the film edges and then joining the film edges.
* * * * *