U.S. patent application number 14/002845 was filed with the patent office on 2014-10-02 for reclosable package or bag with scented zipper.
The applicant listed for this patent is David Anzini, Arthur Bucci, Rusty Koenigkramer, Victor Matias. Invention is credited to David Anzini, Arthur Bucci, Rusty Koenigkramer, Victor Matias.
Application Number | 20140294325 14/002845 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46000361 |
Filed Date | 2014-10-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140294325 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Anzini; David ; et
al. |
October 2, 2014 |
RECLOSABLE PACKAGE OR BAG WITH SCENTED ZIPPER
Abstract
The disclosure relates to a zipper for a reclosable package
(100) wherein the zipper (10) includes fragrance--carrying oil (40)
within an internal zipper volume thereby confining the scent while
the zipper and the package are closed. When the zipper is opened,
the scent is allowed to escape to the consumer and to the storage
area of the package.
Inventors: |
Anzini; David; (Middletown,
NY) ; Bucci; Arthur; (Yardley, PA) ;
Koenigkramer; Rusty; (Nanuet, NY) ; Matias;
Victor; (New Bruanfels, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Anzini; David
Bucci; Arthur
Koenigkramer; Rusty
Matias; Victor |
Middletown
Yardley
Nanuet
New Bruanfels |
NY
PA
NY
TX |
US
US
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
46000361 |
Appl. No.: |
14/002845 |
Filed: |
April 6, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
April 6, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US12/32477 |
371 Date: |
November 19, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61472437 |
Apr 6, 2011 |
|
|
|
61476390 |
Apr 18, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/63 ;
24/427 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44B 19/32 20130101;
Y10T 24/158 20150115; A44B 19/265 20130101; B65D 33/25 20130101;
B65D 2203/12 20130101; B65D 33/2508 20130101; Y10T 24/2582
20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/63 ;
24/427 |
International
Class: |
B65D 33/25 20060101
B65D033/25; A44B 19/26 20060101 A44B019/26 |
Claims
1. A zipper for a reclosable package including: a first
interlocking profile including a first interlocking structure; a
second interlocking profile including a second interlocking
structure; wherein the first and second interlocking structures
interlock with each other and form an internal zipper volume; and a
fragrance carrying element within the internal zipper volume.
2. The zipper of claim 1 wherein the first interlocking profile and
the second interlocking profile are formed of polymeric
material.
3. The zipper of claim 1 wherein the first interlocking structure
is a first interlocking element and the second interlocking
structure is a second interlocking element.
4. The zipper of claim 3 wherein the first interlocking element is
a male interlocking element and the second interlocking element is
a female interlocking element for receiving the male interlocking
element.
5. The zipper of claim 3 wherein the female interlocking element is
formed from first and second arms, wherein the internal zipper
volume is formed between the first and second arms.
6. The zipper of claim 5 wherein the fragrance carrying element is
formed on or within the male element which is received within the
internal zipper volume.
7. The zipper of claim 3 wherein the first interlocking structure
includes a first male interlocking element, a second male
interlocking element and a first base portion therebetween and
wherein the second interlocking structure includes a first female
interlocking element for receiving the first male interlocking
element, a second female interlocking element for receiving the
second male interlocking element and a second base portion
therebetween.
8. The zipper of claim 7 wherein the internal zipper volume is
formed between the first male element and the second male
element.
9. The zipper of claim 8 wherein the fragrance carrying element is
formed on or within the first profile between the first and second
male interlocking elements.
10. The zipper of claim 9 wherein the fragrance carrying element is
coextruded with the first profile.
11. A reclosable bag including: a first wall and a second wall,
attached together so as to form a mouth leading to a storage volume
therebetween; the mouth being reclosable by a zipper, the zipper
including: a first interlocking profile including a first
interlocking structure, the first interlocking profile attached to
the first wall; a second interlocking profile including a second
interlocking structure, the second interlocking profile attached to
the second wall; wherein the first and second interlocking
structures interlock with each other and form an internal zipper
volume; and a fragrance carrying element within the internal zipper
volume.
12. The reclosable package of claim 11 wherein the first
interlocking profile and the second interlocking profile are formed
of polymeric material.
13. The reclosable package of claim 11 wherein the first
interlocking structure is a first interlocking element and the
second interlocking structure is a second interlocking element.
14. The reclosable package of claim 13 wherein the first
interlocking element is a male interlocking element and the second
interlocking element is a female interlocking element for receiving
the male interlocking element.
15. The reclosable package of claim 13 wherein the female
interlocking element is formed from first and second arms, wherein
the internal zipper volume is formed between the first and second
arms.
16. The reclosable package of claim 15 wherein the fragrance
carrying element is formed on or within the male element which is
received within the internal zipper volume.
17. The reclosable package of claim 13 wherein the first
interlocking structure includes a first male interlocking element,
a second male interlocking element and a first base portion
therebetween and wherein the second interlocking structure includes
a first female interlocking element for receiving the first male
interlocking element, a second female interlocking element for
receiving the second male interlocking element and a second base
portion therebetween.
18. The reclosable package of claim 17 wherein the internal zipper
volume is formed between the first male element and the second male
element.
19. The reclosable package of claim 18 wherein the fragrance
carrying element is formed on or within the first profile between
the first and second male interlocking elements.
20. The reclosable package of claim 19 wherein the fragrance
carrying element is coextruded with the first profile.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/472,437
filed on Apr. 6, 2011 and U.S. provisional application Ser. No.
61/476,390 filed on Apr. 18, 2011, the disclosure of both of which
is hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] The present disclosure pertains to a reclosable package or
bag with a scented or fragrant component, such as, but not limited
to, a reclosable zipper, in order to provide an olfactory feedback
mechanism that enhances the contents of the package for the
user.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0003] It is well known in the prior art to package scented
products in reclosable packages. However, this typically requires a
relatively large amount of fragrance-carrying material and further
requires the release of the fragrance within the storage volume of
the package at the time of initial packaging, which is typically
well before the package is opened by the consumer. The prior art
further includes U.S. Pat. No. 7,497,623 entitled "Packages with
Active Agents", issued on Mar. 3, 2009 to Thomas.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0004] It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to
provide a reclosable package or bag wherein fragrance can be
provided with a reduced amount of fragrance-carrying material.
[0005] It is therefore a further object of the present disclosure
to provide a reclosable package or bag wherein the fragrance is not
released until the package is opened by the consumer.
[0006] This and other objects are obtained by providing a
reclosable package or bag wherein the fragrance-carrying material,
such as scent oil, is contained in a male profile of the zipper or
reclosure of the reclosable package or bag and it covered by the
non-scented female profile. The scent remains covered until the
zipper is opened, and typically activated when pressed to close. In
the way, the scent is used more economically in that the zipper
rather than the entire bag is scented. Additionally, the shelf life
of the scent is preserved due to being closed or locked within the
zipper. The consumer is exposed to the scent only when the package
or bag is opened. The consumer is likewise isolated from the scent
when the package is closed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Further objects and advantages of the disclosure will become
apparent from the following description and from the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical reclosable package
or bag incorporating the zipper of the present disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along plane 2-2 of FIG. 1,
illustrating the cross section of a first embodiment of the zipper
or reclosure of the present disclosure.
[0010] FIG. 3 is an alternative cross-sectional view along plane
2-2 of FIG. 1, illustrating the cross section of a second
embodiment of the zipper or reclosure of the present
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0011] Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like
numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, sees
that FIG. 1 is a typical reclosable package 100 incorporating the
zipper or reclosure 10 of the present disclosure.
[0012] The package 100 of FIG. 1 is meant to be illustrative and is
representative of many different possible embodiments. Package 100
includes first (front) and second (rear) walls 102, 104 which are
co-extensive with each other and are sealed together by bottom seal
106 and side seals 108, 110, which may include thermal, ultrasonic,
adhesive or similar seals. Some embodiments by substitute a fold in
a single sheet of material for one of the seals, particularly the
bottom seal 106. The first and second walls 102, 104 are typically
made of polymer or laminate, but are not limited thereto. The
resulting structure forms mouth 112 which is reclosable by zipper
or reclosure 10, leading to storage volume 114 where the consumer
product is stored.
[0013] Zipper 10 is illustrated in FIG. 2. Zipper 10 is typically
formed from polymeric material and includes first profile 12 and
second profile 14 which extend across the length of the mouth 112.
In the illustrated embodiment, the zipper 10 is attached to the
interior of first and second walls 102, 104, but other embodiments
may include a zipper which is attached to the upper edge of front
and rear walls 102, 104. In this embodiment, first profile 12
includes first base 15, which includes first upper flange 16 and
first lower flange 18. At least a portion of first base 15
(possibly including first upper and lower flanges 16, 18) is used
for attachment, such as, but not limited to, sealing, to the first
wall 102. First profile 12 further includes first male interlocking
element 20 and second male interlocking element 22 which are
separated by internal zipper volume 24.
[0014] Second profile 14 includes second base 30, which includes
second upper flange 32 and second lower flange 34. At least a
portion of second base 30 (possibly including second upper and
lower flanges 32, 34) is for attachment, such as, but not limited
to, sealing, to the second wall 104. Second profile 14 further
includes first female interlocking element 36 and second female
interlocking element 38, aligned for engagement with respective
first male interlocking element 20 and second male interlocking
element 22 and likewise bounding internal zipper volume 24.
[0015] Fragrance-carrying oil 40 is typically placed on first base
15, within internal zipper volume 24 between first male
interlocking element 20 and second male interlocking element 22.
This fragrance-carrying oil 40 could either be blended on the
polymer formulation of the zipper 10 (fully or coextruded) or
applied in a separate step after formation (such as extrusion) of
first and second profiles 12, 14. In this configuration, prior to
the opening of the zipper 10 (i.e., the separation of the first and
second profiles 12, 14 from each other) the fragrance will be
substantially confined within internal zipper volume 24 and will
not penetrate into storage volume 114 of the package 100 (see FIG.
1). As it is expected that the fragrance would not escape
externally, the fragrance would be expected to last for an extended
period. In other embodiments, the fragrance-carrying oil 40 could
be applied on a single zipper 10 wherein the intention could be to
modify the smell of the packed product or to release the fragrance
externally to increase the appeal of the product before the
consumer opened the zipper 10.
[0016] In the second embodiment of zipper 10, as illustrated in
FIG. 3, first profile 12 includes first base 15 and single male
interlocking element 20'. Second profile 14 includes second base 30
and single female interlocking element 36'. Single male
interlocking element 20' has a similar structure to first and
second male interlocking elements 20, 22 of FIG. 1 and includes
post 41 terminating in arrowhead element 42. Single female
interlocking element 36' has a similar structure to first and
second female elements 36, 38 of FIG. 1, and includes first and
second arcuate extending arms 44, 46 terminating in respective
first and second hooks 48, 50. Internal zipper volume 24' is formed
between first and second arcuate extending arms 44, 46. The
fragrance-carrying oil 40 is applied or incorporated into or onto
the single male interlocking element 20' (other embodiments may
likewise apply or incorporate the fragrance-carrying oil into or
onto the interior of the single female interlocking element 36',
within the internal zipper volume 24, such as, but not limited to,
the internal walls of the first and second arcuate extending arms
44, 46). The fragrance-carrying oil 40, and therefore the scent, is
therefore covered by the single female interlocking element 36'.
The scent remains covered until the package 100 is opened by
separating the first and second profiles 12, 14 of the zipper 10
(and may be re-covered by closing the package). The resulting
advantages include that the scent is used more economically in that
the zipper 10, rather than the entire package 100, is scented.
Similarly, the shelf-life of the scent is preserved. The consumer
is exposed to the scent only when the package 10 is open, and is
isolated from the scent when the package 10 is closed. Further, in
some embodiments, the zipper 10 may include a scent absorbing
profile.
[0017] Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are
most effectively attained. Although preferred embodiments of the
invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it
should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited
thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended
claims.
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