U.S. patent application number 11/205786 was filed with the patent office on 2006-02-16 for reclosable containers.
Invention is credited to Ron Linneweil.
Application Number | 20060034551 11/205786 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33302791 |
Filed Date | 2006-02-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060034551 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Linneweil; Ron |
February 16, 2006 |
Reclosable containers
Abstract
The present invention relates to a re-closable package
configured to provide a pouring mouth when the package is opened.
The top of the package is sealed by a sealing strip that comprises
two seal portions of different widths and a closure extending from
one end side of the package up to the wider seal portion is secured
to the outer surfaces of the package walls below the narrower seal
portion such as to leave an unsealed strip between the closure and
the seal.
Inventors: |
Linneweil; Ron; (Yavne,
IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DANIEL B. SCHEIN
P. O. BOX 28403
SAN JOSE
CA
95159
US
|
Family ID: |
33302791 |
Appl. No.: |
11/205786 |
Filed: |
August 16, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10681925 |
Oct 9, 2003 |
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11205786 |
Aug 16, 2005 |
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10414899 |
Apr 16, 2003 |
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10681925 |
Oct 9, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
383/61.2 ;
383/120; 383/204; 383/63; 383/906 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 33/1658 20130101;
B65D 33/30 20130101; B65D 33/25 20130101; B65D 31/10 20130101; B31B
70/8131 20170801; B65D 75/5816 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/061.2 ;
383/063; 383/120; 383/906; 383/204 |
International
Class: |
B65D 33/16 20060101
B65D033/16; B65D 30/20 20060101 B65D030/20; B65D 33/00 20060101
B65D033/00 |
Claims
1. A re-closable container configured to provide a pouring mouth
when the container is opened, the container comprising: a package
comprising two opposite walls and a bottom, each of said opposite
walls is having an inner surface and an outer surface, the package
is having two side ends and a top; a step-shaped seal strip
extending across the top of the package, the seal strip comprising
a first seal portion of a first width extending to a first distance
below the top of the package and a second seal portion of a second
width extending to a second distance below the top of the package,
said second distance is larger than said first distance; and a
closure comprising an elongated male unit and an elongated female
unit configured to snap fit into each other, the male and female
units are secured to the outer surfaces of the two opposite walls,
wherein the closure is disposed below the first seal portion
substantially parallel thereto so as leave an unsealed strip
between the closure and the first seal portion, and wherein the
closure extends between one side end of the package and the second
seal portion.
2. The container of claim 1 wherein the two opposite walls are
connected to each other by at least one foldable sidewall
interposed therebetween and wherein said closure is disposed across
said at least one foldable sidewall when the sidewall is folded
inwardly.
3. The container of claim 1 wherein the two opposite walls are
directly connected to each other at one end side of the package and
by a foldable sidewall interposed between the two walls at the
opposite end side of the package so as to form an asymmetric
one-side gusseted package and wherein said closure is disposed
across said foldable sidewall when the sidewall is folded
inwardly
4. The container of claim 1 wherein the two opposite walls are
connected to each other by two opposite foldable sidewalls
interposed between the two opposite walls at the two opposite end
sides of the package so as to form a symmetric two-side gusseted
package and wherein the closure is disposed across one of said at
least two foldable sidewall when the sidewall is folded
inwardly
5. The container of claim 1 wherein the package is a non-gusseted
package and wherein one top corner of the package is folded
inwardly to form two triangular flaps interposed between the two
opposite walls and the closure is disposed across said flaps.
6. The package of claim 1 wherein the first seal portion and the
second seal portion are separated by a vertical sealing line.
7. The package of claim 1 wherein the closure is having a top edge
and wherein the distance between the top of package and the top
edge of the closure is smaller than said second distance.
8. The package of claim 7 further provided with a perforation line
extending horizontally across the package at for facilitating
tearing off a top portion of the package above the closure.
9. The package of claim 1 wherein the package is a flexible package
fabricated from a single layer or a multiple layer sheet
material.
10. The package of claim 1 wherein the closure is fabricated from
rigid or semi-rigid material.
11. The package of claim 1 wherein the closure is made of plastic
material.
12. The package of claim 1 wherein the closure is made of a metal,
a metal alloy or a non-metal alloy.
13. The package of claim 1 wherein the male unit comprises two flat
elongated wings and an elongated projection interposed there
between and wherein the female unit comprises two flat elongated
wings and an elongated recess portion interposed there between,
said elongated projection and said elongated recess portion are
having complementary profiles for allowing snap fitting said
projection into said recess portion
14. The package of claim 13 wherein the male unit is secured to the
outer surface of one wall of the package by a bonding layer
covering at least partly the elongated flat wings of the male unit
and wherein the female unit is secured to the outer surface of the
other wall of the package by a bonding layer covering at least
partly the elongated recess portion of the female member.
15. The package of claim 1 wherein the closure is provided with at
least one pull tongue member connected to at least one of the male
and female units for facilitating opening the closure.
16. The package of claim 10 wherein the tongue member is made of
flexible material.
17. The package of claim 10 wherein the tongue member is made of
the same material as the closure.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 10/681,925 filed on Oct. 9, 2003 which is a
continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/414,899
filed on Apr. 16, 2003.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention generally relates to closure means for
containers and more specifically to an air-tight snap closure for
allowing re-opening and re-closing of a container for keeping the
freshness of the container contents.
[0004] 2. Discussion of the Related Art
[0005] Various off-the-shelf goods, such as food products, are
distributed in sealed packages to ensure that the package was not
opened before purchasing, to prevent spillage of contents and to
prevent exposure of the package contents to ambient atmosphere. For
various food products it is also common to seal the package under
vacuum, as is well known in the art, for better protecting the
products. Once purchased, the initial seal is broken in order to
access the package contents. However, many times the contents of
the package are not consumed immediately but over a period of time.
For this reason, there exist various secondary closure means which
allow re-closing and re-opening of a container after the container
is first opened and serves both for preventing accidental spillage
of the contents and for keeping the freshness of the contents by
minimizing the exposure of the container contents to air.
Re-closable closures appear in different forms and may be provided
either as an integral part of the container or as a separate unit.
One family type of such closures comprises two compatible parts
deposited on opposite walls of a container which when pressed
together form a tight sealing. The two parts may be secured either
on the inner or on the outer surfaces of the container walls. In
the first case, when closed, the two closure parts are in immediate
contact with each other. In the second case, the walls of the
container are interposed between the closure members. External
closures have some advantages to internal closures. External
closure can be attached to a container after it has already been
filled and sealed while inner closures can be attached only to
empty containers, thus, the step of securing an inner closure must
be integrated into the packages production line. Securing an
external closure to a package, on the other hand, can be performed
at a later stage, hence offering more flexibility. Furthermore,
internal closures do not fit for some goods, such as for example
powder-like products, which tend to accumulate on the closure
surface, hindering the closure operation.
[0006] Known external closure means, although superior to inner
closure, still suffer from a number of drawbacks. One such a
drawback is the limit to the separation that can be obtained
between the two opposite walls of the container for forming a mouth
or an opening sufficiently large to allow convenient access to the
container contents This drawback is particularly crucial for bags
known in the art as non-gusseted bags, where the two walls of the
container are directly connected to each other with no intermediate
side walls. Another drawback is the extent of the force that should
be applied in order to separate the two parts of the closure. Yet
another drawback is that for non-gusseted packages a continuous
pressure should be applied to the closure in order to maintain the
closure in the open position.
[0007] Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to
provide an air-tight closure means for containers which can be used
with any container and in particular with non-gusseted as well as
with gusseted packages and which is easily opened without applying
much forces.
[0008] It is another object to provide such a closure which when
opened forms a well defined mouth or an opening that remains open
with no need to apply further pressure by the user.
[0009] It is another object of the invention to provide such a
closure that is inexpensive and is easily produced and applied to
any container.
[0010] Other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the
following description.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0011] The present invention provides a re-closable container that
allows for re-closing the package after it is initially opened and
for enhancing accessibility to the container contents when opened
by providing a pouring mouth. The package comprises two opposite
wall, a seal strip comprising of two seal portions of different
widths provided at the top of the package and a closure secured to
the package below one of the potions. The seal strip extends from
one end side end of the package to opposite end side thereof. One
portion of the seal strip extends from the top to a first distance
below the top and the second seal portion extends from the top to a
second distance below the top wherein the second distance is larger
than said first distance. The closure is disposed below the first
seal portion substantially parallel thereto so as to leave an
unsealed strip between the closure and the first seal portion. The
closure, having substantially the length of the first portion,
extends from one end side of the package and up to the second seal
portion having its top edge positioned at a distance larger than
the first distance and smaller than the second distance. The
closure comprises an elongated male unit and an elongated female
unit configured to snap fit into each other. The male and female
units are secured to the outer surfaces of the two opposite walls
of the package. The first seal portion and the second seal portion
may be separated by a vertical sealing line. The package may be an
asymmetric one-side gusseted package or a symmetric two-side
gusseted package wherein the closure is disposed across the gusset
when the gusset is folded inwardly. Alternatively the package may
be a non-gusseted bag having one of its upper corners folded
inwardly wherein the closure is disposed across the folded corner.
The closure may include at least one pull tongue member connected
to the male or female closure units for facilitating opening the
closure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The present invention will be understood and appreciated
more fully from the following detailed description taken in
conjunction with the drawings in which:
[0013] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a non-gusseted flexible bag with
a closure in accordance with a first embodiment of the present
invention in closed and open positions, respectively;
[0014] FIGS. 1C and 1D are a cross sectional view along lines C and
D of FIGS. 1A and 1B, respectively;
[0015] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a gusseted flexible bag with a
re-closable closure in accordance with a second embodiment of the
present invention in closed and open positions respectively;
[0016] FIGS. 2C and 2D are a cross sectional view along lines C and
D of FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively;
[0017] FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate a flexible bag with a closure in
accordance with a third embodiment the present invention; FIG. 3A
illustrates the bag before initial seal is broken; FIG. 3B
illustrates the bag in a closed position after the initial seal is
broken; FIG. 3C illustrates the bag in an open position;
[0018] FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate a one-side gusseted or a two-side
gusseted flexible bag with a closure in accordance with a fourth
embodiment of the invention; FIG. 4A illustrates the bag before
initial seal is broken; FIG. 4B illustrates the bag in a closed
position after the initial seal is broken; FIG. 4C illustrates the
bag in an open position;
[0019] FIG. 5 illustrate a non-gusseted flexible bag with a closure
in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the invention; FIG. 5A
illustrates the bag before initial seal is broken; FIG. 5B
illustrates the bag in a closed position after the initial seal is
broken; FIG. 5C illustrates the bag in an open position;
[0020] FIGS. 6A-6C illustrate a flexible bag with a closure in
accordance with a sixth embodiment the present invention; FIG. 6A
illustrates the bag before initial seal is broken or removed; FIG.
6B illustrates the bag in a closed position after the initial seal
is broken or removed; FIG. 6C illustrates the bag in an open
position;
[0021] FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate a flexible bag with a closure in
accordance with a seventh embodiment the present invention; FIG. 7A
illustrates the bag before initial seal is broken; FIG. 7B
illustrates the bag in a closed position after the initial seal is
broken; FIG. 7C illustrates the bag in an open position;
[0022] FIG. 7D is a cross sectional view of the closure of FIG. 7A
before the closure is secured to the bag;
[0023] FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate a flexible bag with a re-closable
closure in accordance with a eighth embodiment of the present
invention in closed and open positions respectively;
[0024] FIG. 9 illustrates a method for attaching a closure member
of the invention to a flexible bag in a perspective and a
cross-sectional view, respectively;
[0025] FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative arrangement for attaching
a closure member of the invention to a flexible bag.
[0026] FIG. 11 illustrate various tongue members for facilitating
opening the closure of the invention; FIGS. 11A, 11C and 11E show
the upper portion of a bag with a closure of the invention prior to
breaking the seal; FIGS. 11B, 11D and 11F show the bags of 11A, 11B
and 11C, respectively, in open position;
[0027] FIGS. 12A and 12B illustrate the upper portion of a bag with
yet another embodiment of the invention in a closed and an open
position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0028] The present invention provides an air-tight closure for a
container for allowing re-closing the container after it is
initially opened and for enhancing accessibility to the container
contents when opened. The present invention is a
continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/414,899
filed on Apr. 16, 2003, the content of which is incorporated herein
by reference.
[0029] Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1A-1D show a closure,
generally designated 10, in combination with a flexible bag,
generally designated 20, in accordance with one embodiment of the
present invention. The closure enables the bag to be re-closed and
reused. The closure comprises two or more separate sections having
a gap there between. Bag 20 comprises two opposite walls, a front
wall 22 and a rear wall 24 connected at lateral sides 18 and sealed
at their bottom and top by seals 34 and 36, respectively. The bag
is preferably made of a single or multi layer sheet material such
as plastic film, paper, metalized foil or combination thereof. Bag
20 may be formed from a sleeve or by connecting two sheets 22 and
24 or as more commonly known in the art, from a single folded sheet
connected along the folded edges by a fin seal at the rear wall
(not shown) to form a tube which is first sealed at the bottom
(i.e., seal 34) to form a pocket and after the pocket is filled,
the remaining top opening (i.e., the package mouth) is sealed by
seal 36. One method to form seal 36 is by heat sealing the two
walls directly to one another along transversely sealing lines, as
shown in FIG. 1A, to form a sealing band. The sealing band can be
made tearable by perforating or by laser scoring along a line just
below the sealing band for facilitating tearing the band.
Alternatively, the sealing band can be cut off by scissors. Other
methods for sealing a package mouth may involve inclusion of a
peelable strip between the inner surfaces of the walls, applying a
sealant layer on the inner surfaces along a sealing line which
breaks when the two upper edges of opposite walls are pulled apart,
etc. It will be realized that any method known in the art for
sealing a package may be used in conjunction with the present
invention and that the sealing methods are not limited to what is
shown.
[0030] Closure 10 is secured to bag 20 at a predetermined distance
below seal 36, leaving unsealed portions 35 and 33 between seal 36
and the upper edge of closure 10. Closure 10 comprises a pair of
male units 12a and 12b, attached to the external surface of wall 22
and a pair of female units 14a and 14b (not seen) attached to the
external surface of rear wall 24 opposite male units 12. Male units
12a and 12b are rigid or semi rigid elongated members spaced apart
by a small gap 21, adjacent to each other along their narrow end.
Female units 14a and 14b are rigid elongated parts spaced apart by
a corresponding gap (not seen), located opposite units 12a and 12b,
respectively. The gap 21 can be a cut separating between male units
12a and 12b and between female units 14a and 14b. In an alternative
embodiment, gap 21 comprises a gap a millimeter or more separating
between male units 12a and 12b and separating between female units
14a and 14b. Gap 21 can be wider depending on the type of bag 20
and closure 10 material used. Male units 12 and female units 14 are
having complementary profiles such that they snap fit into each
other. As can be best seen in FIGS. 1C and 1D, male units 12a and
12b each comprises two flat elongated wings 11 and a middle
elongated rounded projection 13 positioned there between. Male
units 12 are attached to the external surface of wall 22 by
adhesive layer generally designated 19, covering partly the inner
surface of wings 11. Alternatively, units 12 may be secured to wall
22 by any other bonding or attaching technique, such as heat
sealing, pressure sealing, sewing, pins attaching the respective
faces, stapling and any other form of attaching. As can be seen,
contact area 19 need not to cover the whole surface of wings 11,
but can cover only the portions proximate to projection 13. Female
units 14a and 14b comprise a middle rounded recess portion 15
having an outer surface 15a and an inner surface 15b positioned
between two flat wings 16. Female units 14a and 14b are attached to
the external surface of wall 24 by adhesive layer 19, or any other
bonding technology, covering the inner surface 15b of rounded
recess portion 15. When closure 10 is secured to bag 20, units 12
and 14 are pressed against walls 22 and 24 such that walls 22 and
24 are folded to conform with the inner surface of units 12 and 14,
respectively.
[0031] FIGS. 1A and 1B depict bag 20 in a closed and an open
positions, respectively. Preferably, closure 10 is provided with
bag 20 while the closure is in its closed position. In order to
access the contents of bag 20, seal 36 is first broken or removed,
then by pulling rims 33 and 35 outwardly, closure 10 is opened to
form a wide open diamond shape mouth 40. It would be appreciated
that although in the embodiment shown here, seal 36 is cut off, bag
20 may be provided with a any seal as described above. One such
alternative exemplary seal is a piece of adhesive plastic or paper
connecting rims 33, 35 placed along side rims 35, 36 or across said
rims. Thus, when the seal is of the type that is opened by pulling
apart the two opposite walls of the container, with no need to cut
the seal, the closure of the invention may be secured to the
container right below the seal with no need to leave rims between
the seal and the closure.
[0032] Due to the construction of closure 10, mouth 40 remains in
the opened position with no need for applying further forces. Mouth
40 provides a very convenient access to the contents of bag 20.
Thus, the contents of the bag can be accessed either by inserting a
scooping device, e.g., a spoon or fingers, through the mouth or by
pouring the contents by tilting the bag. It will be appreciated
that the rigid angled corner of mouth 40 facilitates pouring the
bag contents in a directed manner without accidental spillage in
the surrounding. It will be also appreciated that for a non-gusset
bag, as bag 20, a wide-open mouth or opening which remains in an
open position without applying further forces or pressure cannot be
obtained with only one pair of male-female members. In order to
re-close the bag, units 12 are pressed against units 14 for
obtaining an air-tight closing. In the embodiment shown here,
female units 14 are having some degree of elasticity in the
vertical direction, i.e. in the direction of wings 16, for allowing
rounded recess 15 to enlarge upon insertion of projection 13 and to
apply pressure on projection 13 for forming tight contact between
walls 2 and 24.
[0033] Closure 10 may be fabricated from any rigid or semi rigid
material. For example, the closure may be fabricated from plastic
materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene and the like by
extrusion, by injection molding or by any other methods known in
the art. Alternatively, the closure may be fabricated from a metal,
a metal alloy or non-metal alloy such as aluminum.
[0034] FIG. 2 depict a second embodiment of a closure of the
present invention, designated 50, in a combination with a gusseted
package 60. Package 60 comprises two opposite walls 62 and 64, a
flat bottom 63 and two side walls 65 folded inwardly along lines 67
to form gussets. Package 60 is preferably fabricated from a one
layer or multi-layer flexible sheet folded and is sealed along
folded edges to form a gusseted package in accordance with any
method known in the art. Package 60 is sealed at its upper portion
by seal 66 in a similar manner as explained in association with
FIG. 1.
[0035] Closure 50 is secured to package 60 below seal 66 separating
the interior of package 60 from its upper sealed portion. Closure
50 comprises a pair of male units 52a and 52b (not seen) disposed
on wall 64 and a pair of female units 54a and 54b disposed on wall
62. Units 52a and 52b as well as units 54a and 54b are spaced apart
by gap 71. After seal 66 is broken, closure 50 can be easily opened
by pulling rims 73 and 75 apart to form mouth 70 as can be seen in
FIG. 2B. Gaps 71, being weak points along the longitudinal axes of
closure 50, serve as hinges for facilitating the opening of the
closure without applying much force. The gaps 71 can be a cut
separating between male units 52a and 52b and between female units
54a and 54b. In an alternative embodiment, gaps 71 comprise a gap a
millimeter or more separating between male units 52a and 52b and
separating between female units 54a and 54b. Gap 71 can be wider
depending on the type of package 60 and closure 50 material used.
The profiles of male members 52 and female 54 are best seen in
FIGS. 2C and 2B. As is seen, female units 54, comprising two flat
wings 56 and a rounded recess 55 positioned there between, are
having a similar shape as female units 14 of FIG. 1. In accordance
with the embodiment shown here, male units 52 are also having a
similar profile, comprising a rounded unfilled projection 53
positioned between two wings 51, such that unlike male units 12 of
FIG. 1, male units 52 are having a substantially uniform cross
sectional thickness. In fact, male units 52 and female units 54 may
be almost identical units, wherein the internal diameter of recess
55 is slightly larger than the external diameter of projection 53.
The flexibility in the vertical axis, as explained above in
conjunction with female members 14 of FIG. 1, allows for the
insertion of members 52 into members 54.
[0036] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that
the male-female profiles of the closure of the invention may assume
other shapes as well, and are not limited to what is shown here, as
long as they have complementary profiles for providing tight
contact between the male-female pair and the package walls
interposed there between, when the closure is in the closed
position.
[0037] FIG. 3 depict yet another embodiment of a gusseted package,
designated 90, with a closure of the invention, designated 100.
Closure 100 comprises two elongated male units 102a and 102b and
two elongated female units 104a and 104b of a shape similar to male
units 12 and female units 14 of FIG. 1, respectively. Package 90
comprises two opposite walls 92 and 94, a flat bottom 93 and two
side walls 95 folded inwardly along lines 97. Package 90 is sealed
at its upper portion by seal 96 comprising two portions of
different widths, 96a and 96b, such that seal portion 96a ends just
above closure 100 or extends further downwardly and ends lower than
the edge of closure 100, while portion 96b ends a distance above
closure 100, leaving an unsealed band 98 above the closure. The
proportions of portions 96a and 96b and closure parts 102a, 102b
can vary and are not limited by what is shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, portion 96a
can be shorter and portion 96b can be longer than is shown and
respective closure parts 102a, 102b, 104a and 104b can be in
respective sizes to fit portions 96a, 96b. Package 90 is further
provided with a vertical line seal 99 separating between portions
96a and 96b. Vertical seal 99 extends from top to substantially the
lower end of closure 100. The lengths of male-female pair 102-104a
and pair 102-104b match the lengths of seal portion 96a and 96b,
respectively. In order to access the contents of package 90, the
upper portion of the package is cut off or removed above closure
100 to leave an unsealed portion above closure pair 102-104a, as
shown in FIG. 3B, such that only pair 102-104a is opened to form
mouth 80, as shown in FIG. 3C. Thus, in accordance with this
embodiment, the main role of male-female pair 102-104b is to
provide a barrier against erroneous cutting of the package.
[0038] FIG. 4 depict yet another embodiment of a re-closable
package, generally designated 90'. Package 90' comprises two
opposite walls 92 and 94 and a flat bottom 93. In accordance with
this embodiment, walls 92 and 94 may be connected to each other by
two side walls 95 to form a symmetrical gusseted package or,
alternatively, may be connected by only one side wall 95 interposed
between side ends 92a and 94a of walls 92 and 94 respectively while
their opposite side ends 92b and 94b may be directly connected to
each other such as to form an asymmetrical one-side gusseted
package. It will be realized that in accordance with the second
alternative, bottom 93 is having a triangular shape. The upper part
of package 90' is sealed by a step-shaped seal strip 86 comprising
two seal strips 86a and 86b of different widths. Seal strips 86a
and 86b extend downwardly from the top toward bottom 93 to
different extents. A vertical sealing line 89 may separate between
the two seal strips 86a and 86b. A closure 105, comprising a male
portion 106 and a female portion 108 is secured to the external
faces of opposite walls 92 and 94 below and substantially parallel
to narrower seal portion 86a, leaving unsealed strip 88 between
closure 105 and seal strip 86a. Closure 105, having the length of
narrower seal strip 86a, extends from one end side of package 90'
to seal strip 86b. Closure 105 as well as narrower strip seal 86a
are provided at a gusseted side of package 90' so that the upper
portion of side wall 95 is folded between units 106 and 108 of
closure 105 and seal strip 86a when package 90' is closed. In order
to access the contents of package 90', the upper portion of the
package is cut or torn off above closure 105 to leave unsealed
strip 88 above closure 105, as shown in FIG. 4B. It will be
realized that a horizontal perforated line (not shown) extending
horizontally across the top of package 90 between strip 86a and
closure 105 or coinciding with the lower edge of portion 86a may be
provided for guiding the user to properly cut or tear off the top
portion of package 90'. Package 90' may then be opened by
separating the two walls of strip 88 to open closure 105 and the
upper portion of sidewall 95 is folded outwardly around folding
line 97 to form a pouring mouth 80', as shown in FIG. 4C. In order
to re-close package 90, sidewall 95 is folded back inwardly and
units 106 and 108 are snapped into each other. In accordance with
the embodiment of FIG. 4, seal strip 86b extends downwardly to a
small extent below the lower edge of closure 105. However, it will
be easily realized that seal strip 86b may extend to a lesser
extent, to end above or at the lower edge of closure 100' providing
it extends sufficiently below the upper edge of closure 100' to
ensure that package 90' is cut so as to leave the right hand side
of package 90 sealed. It will be also realized that the lengths of
portions 86a and 86b, respectively, and accordingly of closure 105,
may vary so as to provide a mouth of a required size.
[0039] An alternative embodiment of a re-closable package that is
configured to provide a pouring mouth in its open position is
depicted in FIG. 5. Package 140, Package 140 is a non-gusseted
package comprising two opposite walls 142 and 144 and a sealed
bottom 141. Package 140 may be formed from a sleeve, by connecting
two opposite sheets, or, as more commonly known in the art, from a
single folded sheet connected along the folded edges by a fin seal
at rear wall 144 (not shown) to form a tube. After filling the
package, one top corner 147 of package 140 is folded inwardly
around an upper portion 143a of end side 143 (as depicted in broken
line in FIG. 5A) so as to form two overlapping triangular flaps.
The top of the package 140 is then sealed by a step-shaped seal 148
comprising two seal strips 148a and 148b of different widths. A
closure 135, comprising of a male unit 131 and a complementary
female unit 133 of a structure as described above in association
with FIGS. 1-4, is secured to the external faces of walls 142 and
144 below narrower seal strip 148a. Closure 135 extends
horizontally from the inner side edge 137 of seal strip 148b and
across folded corner 147. In order to access the contents of
package 140, the upper portion of the package is cut or torn off
above closure 135 to leave unsealed strip 138 above closure 135, as
shown in FIG. 5B. A horizontal perforated line (not shown)
extending across the top of package 140 between strip 148a and
closure 135 or coinciding with the lower edge of portion 148a may
be provided for guiding the user to properly cut or tear off the
upper portion of package 140. Closure 135 can then be opened by
separating the two triangular flaps of and unfolding corner 147
outwardly to form a pouring mouth 145, as shown in FIG. 5C. In
order to re-close package 140, corner 147 is folded back inwardly
and units 131 and 135 are snapped into each other. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the original package, before folding
and sealing is cut to have its upper edge substantially parallel to
bottom 141. However, it will be realized that package 140 may be
cut so as to have an extending triangular corner 147 such that when
the corner is folded inwardly its upper edge will coincide with the
upper edge of seal strip 148 and when folded out will provide a
spout for facilitating pouring the contents of the package. its
left corner extending above the a substantially rectangular
shape.
[0040] Turning now to FIG. 6, there is shown another embodiment of
the present invention according to which closure 112 is disposed
diagonally on bag 122, extending between seal strap 126 and a lower
point along the side edge of package 120 as shown in FIG. 6A.
Closure 110 comprises two elongate male units 112a and 112b
disposed on wall 122 and two female members disposed on the
opposite wall (not seen). In order to access the contents of
package 120, the left corner of the package is cut off or removed
diagonally above closure 112 as shown in FIG. 6B and closure 110 is
then opened to form mouth 130. The portion removed diagonally may
be removed prior to or after the sale of package 120. The closure
110 can be added when the package is manufactured or by the user of
package 120 after purchase.
[0041] FIG. 7 illustrate yet another embodiment of a closure of the
invention, generally designated 150, secured to a package 160.
Package 160, which only its upper part is illustrated here, can be
of any type as previously described, including non-gusseted as well
as gusseted packages. Closure 150 comprises two elongate pairs of
male-female units, 152-154a and 152-154b (shown partly). In
accordance with this embodiment each pair of male and female units
are connected by two elongated strips 155 which are disposed one
opposite the other on the upper top of package 160 as is seen in
FIG. 7A. FIG. 7D depicts the profile of male-female pair 150 before
it is attached to a package. As is seen, the two strips 155 are
located between male unit 152 and female unit 154 are connected to
each other as well as to the corresponding male-female members by
very thin breakable connections 158 and 156, respectively. Thin
connection 158, being a hinge around which the closure can be
easily folded, allows for folding the closure and attaching it to
the package from above such that one half of the closure including
male member 152 is pressed against front wall 162 while the other
half, including female member, 154 is pressed against rear wall
164. The profiles of male unit 152 and female unit 154 are having a
similar shape as described above in association with FIG. 1, having
a rounded projection 153 and a rounded recess 157, respectively.
Closure 150 is preferably secured to a sealed package such that
strips 155 conceal the seal strap. In order to open the package,
connections 158 between strips 155 and members 152 and 154 are
broken easily by folding the upper portion of the closure, i.e.,
strips 155 around thin connections 158. The package is then cut
between the upper and lower portions of closure 150 as shown in
FIG. 6B. Alternatively, connections 158 which are sufficiently
thin, need not be cut prior to cutting and can be cut while cutting
the package. Closure 170 can then be opened to form a diamond shape
mouth 170 having the advantages as described above in association
with FIG. 1. In accordance with this embodiment, since no rims are
left above closure 150, the closure is adhered or bonded to the
container also along the upper wings of the male and female units,
as well as along strips 155, as illustrated in FIG. 7D, such that
the container can be opened by pulling the upper portions of the
closure apart. In order to facilitate grasping, upper wings may be
made thinner than the lower and middle portions of the closure as
is best seen in FIG. 7D.
[0042] It will be appreciated by that the closure of the invention
may be made in various sizes and strengths wherein the closure
strength is generally determined by the material from which it is
fabricated and from its cross-sectional thickness. Generally, the
closure dimensions depend on the container dimensions and in
particular on the thickness and flexibility of the container walls.
Preferably the total width of the closure is in the range of about
3 to 20 mm or more and the units thickness across the wing portion
is in the range of about 0.25 to 2 mm or more. Likewise, the number
of male-female pairs disposed on the container walls for separating
the interior of the container from the container mouth may be
selected to best fit the dimensions of the container mouth. Thus,
for large containers, the closure of the invention may comprise any
number of mail-female pairs disposed adjacent to the package mouth.
FIG. 8 illustrate a closure of the invention, designated 180
secured to bag 190. Closure 180 comprises three male units 182a,
182b and 182c disposing a gap apart on front wall 192 of package
190 and three complementary female units 184a, 184b and 184c
disposing a gap apart on opposite rear wall 194. After seal 196 is
broken, closure 180 can be opened to form hexagonal mouth 170. It
will be appreciated that regardless the number of male-female
pairs, the gaps between adjacent members always serve as hinges for
facilitating the separation of the closure.
[0043] FIG. 9 illustrate an automated process for attaching the
closure of the invention to packages. According to this process, a
rolled ribbon 202 of a pair of male units 212 and a rolled ribbon
204 of pair of female units 214 are moved on mover mechanisms 216
and 218, respectively. Each ribbon comprises of a plurality of
elongated unit pairs arranged along their elongated axis by thin
breakable connections. The two units of a pair as well as one pair
to adjacent pairs can be connected to each by thin breakable
connections which break upon slight pressure as is well known in
the manufacturing of plastic units. Alternatively, the units can be
detachably placed on a support of a sheet material. Mover
mechanisms 216 and 218, each provided with lugs and latches (not
shown), push the upper units in the roller unwinding direction and
the most upper unit, each in its turn, away from the roller in the
perpendicular direction, toward packages 220 moving on a convey
(not seen), or packaging machine or any bag making machine, such
that units 212 is and 214 are located each on one side of package
220 against each other. Turning now to FIG. 9B, two pressers 252
and 254 provided with moving pressing heads 253 and 255
respectively, press units 212 and 214 onto the upper part of
package 220 and interlock them into each other. In the embodiment
shown here each, rollers 202 and 204 comprise of unit pairs.
However it will be appreciated that instead of using two rollers,
each comprising of unit pairs, two separate rollers of male members
and two separate rollers of female members can be used such that
two pair of male-female members are directed toward the package and
toward each other from opposite directions by four separate
synchronized mover mechanisms.
[0044] FIG. 10 illustrates another embodiment for automatic
securing the closure of the invention to packages 320, according to
which the closure units 312 are arranged along their narrow side.
For clarity sake, only one roller 304 of female units 312 is shown.
However it will be understood that a second roller of male units,
as well as a second presser are provided on the other side of
package 320, pressing male units against the female units as
described above. It will be realized that arranging the male and
female units in a roller such as 304, i.e., where the units are
connected to each other along their narrow end, is possible due to
the novel construction of the closure of the invention, which
comprises separate male-female pairs. Thus, a long ribbon of such
units can be rolled to in a roller of a reasonable diameter while
it is not practical to form such a roller where the length of the
units equals the container width.
[0045] Referring now to FIGS. 11 and 12, there are shown yet
further embodiments of the closure of the invention according to
which the closure is provided with at least one tongue member for
facilitating opening the closure by pulling the tongue
outwardly.
[0046] FIGS. 11A-F depict, in combination, a bag 20 and a closure
10 same as depicted in FIG. 1. Bag 10 comprises two opposite walls
22 and 24 sealed at their upper end by sealing 36 and at their
bottom end (not shown). Walls 22 and 24 may be directly connected
to each other along their lateral sides or via two side-walls
interposed between walls 22 and 24. Closure 10 comprises two male
units 12a and 12b attached to the external surface of wall 22 and
two corresponding female units 14a and 14b attached to the external
surface of opposite wall 24. Male units 12a and 12b as well as
female units 14a and 14b are separated by a narrow gap 21 as
described in association with FIGS. 1-6. In accordance with the
embodiments shown here, closure 10 is further provided with a
tongue or like device for facilitating the opening of the bag. The
tongue member is a flap-like unit made of flexible material lying
substantially adjacent and parallel to the closure outer surface,
in contact therewith, but can be grasped by fingers to be partially
pulled outwardly for facilitating pulling units 12 and 14 apart.
Preferably, but not limited to, the tongue is made of a thin sheet
of the same material as of closure 10 for facilitating the sealing
and for enhancing the connection between tongue and for preventing
rupture or breaking of the tongue upon excessive pulling forces.
The tongue may be fabricated as an integral part of the closure or
can be attached to the closure by any suitable attaching means.
[0047] FIG. 11A illustrates a tongue member 40a secured at its
upper portion to male units 12a and 12b via sealing areas 41.
Sealing areas 41 cover about half the width of closure 10.
Preferably, tongue 40a includes a cut shaped to match gap 21
between units 12a and 12b such the tongue does not exert any
tension when closure 10 is opened to form a mouth. Tongue 40a may
extend below the lower edge of closure 10 for enhancing the grip of
tongue 40a by fingers. In its relaxed position, tongue 40a lies
flat against wall 22. A similar tongue 40b (seen in FIG. 11B) is
connected in a similar way to female members 14 on opposite wall
24. In order to open the bag, tongues 41a and 41b are pulled
upwardly and outwardly in opposite directions as shown in FIG.
11B.
[0048] Another arrangement of pulling tongues is shown in FIGS. 11C
and 9D where two tongues 42 are each connected to only one of the
male and female units. Tongue 42a is connected to male unit 12a via
attaching area 43 adjacent to the gap between the two male units. A
similar tongue 42b is connected to corresponding female unit 14b
(not shown). In their relaxed positions tongues 42 lie flat in
contact with closure 10. In order to open the bag, tongues 42 are
pulled outwardly in opposite directions as is shown in FIG.
11D.
[0049] FIGS. 11E-11F show yet another embodiment according to which
tongue 44a is a handle-like ring-pull connected to male units 12a
and 12b by lateral portions 45a and 45b, respectively. As can be
seen in FIG. 11E, in its relaxed position, ring-pulls 44a and 44b
lie in contact with the bag walls. In order to open the bag, rings
44 are pulled upwardly and outwardly to a position substantially
perpendicular as is shown in FIG. 11F.
[0050] It will be appreciated that a tongue as shown in FIG. 11 can
be included with any of the other closures of the invention as
described in FIGS. 1 through 6 for facilitating opening the
closure. One example is shown in FIG. 12, where closure 110,
diagonally disposed as described in association with FIG. 4, is
provided with tongues 46. It will be also realized that although it
is preferred to provide a closure of the invention with two tongues
located at opposite male-female units of the closure for enabling
the application of simultaneous forces in opposite directions, it
is possible to provide the closure with only one tongue connected
to at least one male unit or at least one female unit.
[0051] It will be easily appreciated by a person skilled in the art
that the use of the present closure is not limited to the packages
described above and that it can be attached to many other packages
as well for providing an air tight closing. Likewise it will be
realized that the closure of the present invention may be attached
to unsealed empty containers as well. For example, empty packages
with the present closure can be useful where goods are sold to
customers by weight. In such cases, the distributor of the goods
can pack the goods in empty bags provided with the closure of the
present invention such that the closure is the only sealing means
provided with the container.
[0052] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that
the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly
shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present
invention is defined only by the claims which follow.
* * * * *