U.S. patent application number 11/153109 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-21 for plastic biodegradable reclosable zipper for flexible packages.
Invention is credited to Gregory R. Shaffer, Charles Stempka.
Application Number | 20060285773 11/153109 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37102133 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060285773 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shaffer; Gregory R. ; et
al. |
December 21, 2006 |
Plastic biodegradable reclosable zipper for flexible packages
Abstract
A fastener for a reclosable container is constructed of a
biodegradable material. The fastener includes two tracks that
interlock to close the container. The fastener may include flanges
to prevent damage to other portions of the container. The material
may contain a small percentage of starch to permit the fastener to
biodegrade within a few years after the container has been
discarded. The remainder of the container may also be constructed
of a biodegradable material.
Inventors: |
Shaffer; Gregory R.;
(Martinsburg, WV) ; Stempka; Charles;
(Mechanicsburg, PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RADER, FISHMAN & GRAUER PLLC
39533 WOODWARD AVENUE
SUITE 140
BLOOMFIELD HILLS
MI
48304-0610
US
|
Family ID: |
37102133 |
Appl. No.: |
11/153109 |
Filed: |
June 15, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/1 ;
24/585.12; 383/63 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 33/2508 20130101;
Y02W 90/13 20150501; B65D 65/466 20130101; B65D 33/2541 20130101;
Y02W 90/10 20150501; Y10T 24/45168 20150115; Y02W 90/11
20150501 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/001 ;
383/063; 024/585.12 |
International
Class: |
B65D 30/02 20060101
B65D030/02; B65D 33/16 20060101 B65D033/16; A44B 19/00 20060101
A44B019/00 |
Claims
1. A fastener for a container comprising: a first track having a
first base and a joining surface extending therefrom; and a second
track having a second base and a engaging surface extending
therefrom, wherein said joining surface and said engaging surface
matingly engage to releasably fasten said first base to said second
base, and wherein said first track and said second track are
biodegradable.
2. The fastener of claim 1, wherein said fastener is constructed of
a starch and a polymer.
3. The fastener of claim 2, wherein said polymer is selected from
the group consisting of polyethylene and polypropylene.
4. The fastener of claim 1, wherein said biodegradable track is
about 0.001 to about 10 weight percent of said fastener.
5. The fastener of claim 2, wherein said starch is about 1 to about
5 weight percent of said fastener.
6. The fastener of claim 2, wherein said starch is blended with
said polymer to form a material that may be extruded.
7. The fastener of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first
track and said second track has a rib extending therefrom and said
rib extends generally along a transverse direction forming
generally a planar surface.
8. The fastener of claim 1, wherein at least one of said joining
surface and said engaging surface includes a transversely extending
rib.
9. The fastener of claim 1, wherein said first track has a
generally consistent cross section along a longitudinal length.
10. A container comprising: a film enclosure wall; and a fastener
coupled to said wall, wherein said fastener selectively encloses at
least a portion of said container and at least a portion of said
fastener is biodegradable.
11. The container of claim 10, wherein said fastener is welded to
said wall.
12. The container of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of said
wall is biodegradable.
13. The container of claim 10, wherein said fastener selectively
seals said container.
14. The container of claim 10, further comprising a second film
enclosure wall.
15. The container of claim 14, wherein said second film enclosure
wall is sealed to said first enclosure wall at least along two
edges, and said fastener is welded to said second enclosure
wall.
16. The container of claim 10, wherein said fastener is constructed
of a starch and a polymer.
17. The container of claim 10, wherein said fastener includes: a
first track having a first base and a joining surface extending
therefrom; and a second track having a second base and a
complementary engaging surface extending therefrom, wherein said
joining surface and said engaging surface matingly engage to
releasably fasten said first base to said second base.
18. The container of claim 17, wherein said first track has a
generally consistent cross section along a longitudinal length.
19. A method of manufacturing a fastener comprising the steps of:
forming a first track having a first base and a joining surface
extending therefrom; and forming a second track having a second
base and a complementary engaging surface extending therefrom,
wherein said joining surface and said engaging surface matingly
engage to releasably fasten said first base to said second base,
and wherein at least one of said first track and said second track
is biodegradable.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising blending a starch
and a polymer to form a material for said fastener.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein each of said steps of forming
include extrusion.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to biodegradable and
degradable containers and in particular to reclosable fasteners to
seal containers made from these materials.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Containers such as so called plastic bags have long been a
source of non-degradable materials found in landfills and littered
in the environment. Biodegradable materials have been developed for
the plastics, usually polyethylene and polypropylene, to allow the
bags to breakdown. The film for these bags may be cast or blown
during production. Typically, a biodegradable material will
breakdown in a manner of years or months, depending upon the
constituents of the material.
[0003] Reclosable containers such as bags have been developed to
generally permit a user to open and reseal the container.
Typically, these reclosable containers incorporate a fastener
adjacent a container end to releasably affix opposing walls of the
container, thereby selectively forming a bag opening defined by the
releasable fastener. For containers where an seal is desired, the
fastener may include a pair of longitudinal tracks that bindingly
engage where each track is secured to a wall of the container.
Differing profiles for the longitudinal tracks may be selected
based upon factors such as force required to open/close,
[0004] One disadvantage of known biodegradable containers in the
form of bag-like structures is that the entire container is
actually not biodegradable. In particular, a biodegradable
reclosable fastener has not been in use. What is needed, therefore,
is a fastener for a container that is bag-like, which is
biodegradable, easily manufactured, and readily adhered to at least
a part of the container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] An embodiment of the present invention provides a
biodegradable fastener for a container, the fastener including a
first track and a second track. The first track has a first base
and a joining surface extending therefrom. The second track has a
second base and an engaging surface extending therefrom. The
joining surface and the engaging surface matingly engage to
releasably fasten the first base to the second base.
[0006] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a
container that includes a film enclosure wall and a fastener. The
fastener is coupled to at least part of the wall. The fastener
selectively encloses at least a portion of the container. At least
a portion of the fastener is biodegradable.
[0007] Yet another embodiment of the present invention provides a
method of manufacturing a fastener. The method includes forming a
first track having a first base and a joining surface extending
therefrom and forming a second track having a second base and a
complementary engaging surface extending therefrom. The joining
surface and the engaging surface matingly engage to releasably
fasten the first base to the second base. At least one of the first
track and the second track is biodegradable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The present invention will now be described, by way of
example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the container of FIG.
1, taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the container of FIG.
1, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1, illustrating a fastener with the
remainder of the container removed for clarity.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a
fastener in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of a container 20
is illustrated. Container 20 includes a first wall 22 and a second
wall 24. The first wall 22 and the second wall 24 are connected by
a first seam 26, a second seam 28, a third seam 30, and a
releasable fastener 40, possibly in the form of a zipper. First
wall 22 includes a first end 32 and second wall 24 includes a
second end 34.
[0014] Any one of seams 26, 28, 30 may be a fold of a continuous
material of walls 22, 24 and not a joining of the materials of
walls 22, 24. Container 20 is preferably sealed generally air-tight
by seams 26, 28, 30 and fastener 40, as described in greater detail
herein, although container 20 need not be an air tight container.
As best seen in FIG. 1, fastener 40 includes a first end 42 and a
second end 44. In two of the possible embodiments fastener 40 is
affixed to at least a part of walls 22, 24 by heat fusing or
adhesive.
[0015] As best seen in FIG. 3, a disclosed fastener 40 includes a
first track 50 and a second track 52. The first track 50 includes a
first base 54 with a first pair of interlocking ribs 58 extending
therefrom. The second track 52 includes a second base 60 with a
second pair of interlocking ribs 62 extending therefrom.
Interlocking ribs 58 are defined, at least in part, by a joining
surface 66. Interlocking ribs 62 are defined, at least in part, by
an engaging surface 68. At least portions of joining surface 66 and
engaging surface 68 are in contact as fastener 40 is in a closed
position, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3.
[0016] Fastener 40 has a width W, measured in a transverse
direction, a length L (FIG. 1), measured in a longitudinal
direction, and a height T, measured generally perpendicular to the
transverse and longitudinal directions. At least a portion of
joining surface 66 is defined by a generally transversely extending
first planar surface 76. At least a portion of engaging surface 68
is defined by a generally transversely extending second planar
surface 78.
[0017] To open container 20, a user may grasp first end 32 and
separately grasp second end 34. The user then may pull first end 32
away from second end 34, thereby separating at least a portion of
the first track 50 from the second track 52. The first track 50 and
the second track 52 of fastener 40 may not be separated at first
end 42 and second end 44. Therefore, fastener 40 provides access to
the inside of container 20.
[0018] To close container 20, a user may grasp fastener 40 at first
end 42 and squeeze together tracks 50, 52 along the length L of
fastener 40 to interlock tracks 50, 52 as illustrated in FIG.
3.
[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the
container 20 as a container 120. Container 120 includes a first
wall 122 having a first end 132, a second wall 124 having a second
end 134, and a fastener 140.
[0020] Fastener 140 includes a first track 150 and a second track
152. The first track 150 includes a first base 154 with a first
flange 156 and a first pair of interlocking ribs 158 extending
therefrom. The second track 152 includes a second base 160 with a
second pair of interlocking ribs 162 and a second flange 164
extending therefrom. Interlocking ribs 158 are defined, at least in
part, by a joining surface 166. Interlocking ribs 162 are defined,
at least in part, by an engaging surface 168. At least portions of
joining surface 166 and engaging surface 168 are in contact as
fastener 140 is in a closed position.
[0021] Fastener 140 has a width W1, measured in a transverse
direction, a length L1 (not shown), measured in a longitudinal
direction, and a height T1, measured generally perpendicular to the
transverse and longitudinal directions. At least a portion of
joining surface 166 is defined by a generally transversely
extending first planar surface 176. At least a portion of engaging
surface 168 is defined by a generally transversely extending second
planar surface 178.
[0022] To open container 120, a user may grasp first end 132 and
flange 156 and separately grasp second end 134 and flange 164. The
user then may pull flange 156 away from flange 164, thereby
separating at least a portion of the first track 150 from the
second track 152. Therefore, flanges 156, 164 provide a portion of
fastener 140 to grasp when opening container 120 and may prevent
tracks 150, 152 from separating from walls 122, 124 when the user
pulls to open container 120. Container 120 is closed in a similar
manner as container 20.
[0023] Walls 22, 24, 122, 124 preferably have a thickness of about
1 mil, although any appropriate thickness may be used for container
20, 120, including a range of about 0.1 mil to about 500 mil. As
discussed below, containers 20, 120 and fasteners 40, 140 may be
formed of any desired dimensions from a resiliently deformable,
biodegradable polymer blend. Since walls 22, 24, 122, 124 are
typically cast or blown and fasteners 40, 140 are desirably
extruded, the differing forming techniques generally dictate
differing desired material characteristics.
[0024] Preferably, the material for fasteners 40, 140 is a
degradable polymer. More preferably, fasteners 40, 140 are
constructed of a biodegradable blend of starch, or other suitable
material, and either a polyethylene or polypropylene. Fasteners 40,
140 may be any weight percent biodegradable material with the
remainder being essentially polyethylene or polypropylene.
Preferably, fasteners 40, 140 are about 1 to about 5 weight percent
starch. While the biodegradable additive to the polymer material
for fastener 40, 140 is described as starch based, other materials
that provide a desirable degradation may be added to a polymer to
produce a suitable material.
[0025] While the materials for the biodegradable fasteners 40, 140
and container 20 will desirably degrade in accordance with accepted
standards, such as ASTM standards, the disclosure of which is
hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, other materials
that favorably degrade and may not meet the requirements of
applicable standards are also within the scope of the embodiments
of the invention.
[0026] In one embodiment of manufacturing the fastener 40, die
extrusion is used. Tracks 50, 52 are extruded separately and may be
joined and stored on a spool. Fastener 40 is then heat fused
(welded) or adhered to walls 22, 24. Seams 26, 28 may be heat fused
as ends 42, 44 are simultaneously heat fused. Heat fusing is
process to desirably seal seams 26, 28, and ends 42, 44 as they are
trimmed. To adequately heat fuse ends 42, 44, pressure is applied
as tracks 50, 52 are trimmed to produce ends 42, 44 while fusing
tracks 50, 52 at ends 42, 44. Ends 32, 34 are trimmed and seam 30
is heat fused, if not previously folded, to produce the container
20. Container 120 is produced in a similar manner.
[0027] While the invention has been described with respect to
specific examples including preferred modes of carrying out the
invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are
numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems
and techniques that fall within the spirit and scope of the
invention as set forth in the appended claims.
* * * * *