U.S. patent application number 10/989379 was filed with the patent office on 2006-05-18 for resealable package with guiding ridges.
This patent application is currently assigned to Reynolds Consumer Products, Inc.. Invention is credited to Michael E. Schreiter.
Application Number | 20060104548 10/989379 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36386357 |
Filed Date | 2006-05-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060104548 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schreiter; Michael E. |
May 18, 2006 |
Resealable package with guiding ridges
Abstract
A reclosable bag (10) having two external surfaces (22, 24) and
a top (20) contains interior seal lock zipper (30) having
interlocking elements (32, 34) and at least two exterior guide
projections (14) adjacent to and parallel to the interior zipper
(30) where the guide projections (14) allow the fingers of the user
to be guided across the base of the zipper for simple and easy
closure of the bag.
Inventors: |
Schreiter; Michael E.;
(Appleton, WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ECKERT SEAMANS CHERIN & MELLOTT, LLC;ALCOA TECHNICAL CENTER
100 TECHNICAL DRIVE
ALCOA CENTER
PA
15069-0001
US
|
Assignee: |
Reynolds Consumer Products,
Inc.
|
Family ID: |
36386357 |
Appl. No.: |
10/989379 |
Filed: |
November 15, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/63 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 33/2541 20130101;
B65D 33/255 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/063 |
International
Class: |
B65D 33/16 20060101
B65D033/16 |
Claims
1. a reclosable bag comprising: two external surfaces; a closed
bottom and an open top; an interior seal lock zipper near the top
of the bag where the zipper effective to close the bag; and a
plurality of exterior guide projections on at least one external
surface of the bag adjacent to and parallel to the interior
zipper.
2. The reclosable bag of claim 1, wherein the bag is made of a
plastic material.
3. The reclosable bag of claim 1, wherein the bag is made of a
thermoplastic material.
4. The reclosable bag of claim 1, wherein the guide projections are
on both external surfaces of the bag.
5. The reclosable bag of claim 1, wherein the guide projections and
zipper are parallel to the top of the bag.
6. The reclosable bag of claim 1, wherein the guide projections are
effective to guide fingers of the user across the bag on top of the
zipper from one side of the bag to the other to help insure single
time complete closure of the zipper.
7. The reclosable bag of claim 1, wherein the guide projections are
multiple extensions having a height outwardly from the bag of from
about 0.05 cm to about 0.13 cm.
8. The reclosable bag of claim 1, wherein the guide projections
have triangular shapes.
9. The reclosable bag of claim 1, wherein the guide projections
have squared shapes.
10. The reclosable bag of claim 1, wherein the guide projections
have convex shapes.
11. The reclosable bag of claim 1, wherein the exterior guide
projections are longitudinally extending from side to side parallel
to the interior zipper.
12. The reclosable bag of claim 7, wherein the height of the guide
projections provide guiding direction with minimal finger
displacement.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a resealable plastic bag
with external guides parallel to a seal lock zipper means, which
guides allow complete reseal of the package.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Reclosable plastic bags or other containers using a "zipper"
type reclosable closure are well known in the art and taught, for
example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,263,079; 5,070,584 and 5,140,727;
Sutrina et al; Dias et al and Kais et al.) There the bag surface
adjacent the zipper was shown as smooth. Other patents in this area
show interior grip strips above the zipper which strips provide
ease of opening the bag and holding it for filling, as taught in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,009,828 (McCree); and 5,647,100 (Porchia et
al.).
[0003] What is needed, however, is some means to guide the user's
fingers, which may not be dry after loading the bag, to track the
zipper for complete reseal, since, in many instances the fingers do
not completely track behind the seal lock zipper all the way and
several attempts are required for complete closure. It is a main
object of this invention to provide a resealable bag containing on
the exterior surface near the zipper, a track to insure single time
complete closure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The above needs/objects are met and problems solved by
providing a resealable/reclosable bag having two external surfaces,
a closed bottom and an open top, an interior seal lock zipper near
the top of the bag where the zipper effective to close the bag, and
a plurality of exterior guide projections on at least one external
surface of the bag adjacent to and parallel to the interior zipper.
This allows minimal finger displacement and single time complete
closure of the zipper.
[0005] Preferably the bag is a thermoplastic material, and the
guide projections are on both external surfaces. While in some
instances the interior zipper may have a thickened base behind the
lock elements of the interior zipper, such as shown in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 4,929,487 and 5,211,481 (Tilman et al. and Tilman
respectively), that thickened base would not serve or function as a
closure guide, just the opposite.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The novel features of the present invention will be better
understood by reviewing the following specification together with
the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0007] FIG. 1 shows a three dimensional view of a bag being closed,
not showing the interior zipper means but showing one embodiment of
the external parallel guide projections;
[0008] FIG. 2, which best illustrates the invention, shows a
cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a resealable bag with
guide projections shown as triangular/v shapes used in conjunction
with a variety of exterior thickened bases behind interior lock
elements;
[0009] FIG. 3 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a resealable
bag with guide projection having squared off shapes; and
[0010] FIG. 4 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a resealable
bag with guide projection having convex shapes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0011] Referring now to FIG. 1, a resealable plastic bag 10 is
shown in the process of being closed by the fingers 12 of a user.
The term "resealable" will here be interchangeable with
"reclosable". For the sake of simplicity, the interior zipper is
not shown, but guide projections 14 on one exterior surface having
one protruding shape 16 and 18 are shown parallel to the top 20 of
the bag.
[0012] FIG. 2 a resealable plastic bag 10 is shown, with two
external surfaces 22 and 24, a closed bottom surface 26, an open
top/mouth section 28 and interior seal lock zipper portion 30
having reclosable interlocking profile elements 32 and 34 of a wide
variety of designs shown secured/closed. These profile elements can
be extruded first and then attached or, as shown, extruded integral
with the bag walls and the profile elements can have a thickened
base 36 of various shapes as shown. The interior seal lock zipper
30 is near to and usually parallel to the top 20 of the bag. The
zipper is effective to close the bag due to the reclosable
interlocking profile elements 32 and 34. These elements are
longitudinally extending from side to side of the bag forming a rib
and grove profile, as is well known.
[0013] A plurality of exterior longitudinally extending guide
projections 14 are shown on the external surfaces/walls 22 and 24
of the bag adjacent to and parallel to the interior zipper 30. They
extend from side 40 to side 42 of the bag 10, as shown in FIG. 1.
Food or other items can be inserted into the interior 38 of the bag
10 and the zipper closed by pressing the fingers between the
exterior guide projections on top of the zipper and moving the
fingers across the bag on the top zipper or gripper base from one
side of the bag to the other, along the guide projections 14, to
help insure one time complete closure of the zipper, the beginning
of such closure being shown in FIG. 1. As is well known, the top 20
of the bag can be pulled apart to release the zipper and open the
bag. Both the top 20 interior portions can have grooves or the like
for improved ease of opening or holding the bag for filling.
[0014] The guide projections 14, can be single or multiple outward
extensions, for example, two per side are shown in FIG. 1 and four
per side are shown in FIG. 2. They can all have the same or
different projection shapes, FIG. 2 illustrating rounded dual
triangular projections 14 with a V shaped cavity, FIG. 3
illustrating all exterior and cavity squared off shapes 44, and
FIG. 4 illustrating convex interior cavity shapes 46.
[0015] The guide projection shapes 14, 44 and 46 have one or more
outwardly extending external projections of a substantially
continuous extension height 50 along their length, outwardly from
the bag, shown in FIG. 2, ranging from about 0.02 inch to 0.05 inch
(0.05 cm to 0.13 cm) in order to provide substantial guiding
direction with minimal finger displacement, especially if the user
has wet hands. These guide projection shapes will be most simply
extruded integral with the bag walls and can be of the same
material as the bag, preferably a thermoplastic material such as
polyethylene, polypropylene or equivalent material.
[0016] Having described the presently preferred embodiments, it is
to be understood that the invention may be otherwise embodied
within the scope of the appended claims.
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