U.S. patent number RE29,331 [Application Number 05/618,231] was granted by the patent office on 1977-08-02 for method and structure for reclosable containers.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Seisan Nihon Sha. Invention is credited to Kakuji Naito.
United States Patent |
RE29,331 |
Naito |
August 2, 1977 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Method and structure for reclosable containers
Abstract
.Iadd.An elongate closed flexible integral plastic film tube for
use in making reclosable bags with the tube having first and second
interlocking rib elements and first and second groove elements on
the surface thereof each shaped for cooperative pressure engagement
and forcible separation between the ribs and grooves with the
elements spaced apart from each other in both circumferential
directions and the film at one side of the elements for forming the
body of a bag formed from the tube and the film at the other side
of the elements providing a flange forming portion. The elements
are spaced so that the bag portion is wider than the flange
portion. .Iaddend.
Inventors: |
Naito; Kakuji (Tokyo,
JA) |
Assignee: |
Kabushiki Kaisha Seisan Nihon
Sha (Tokyo, JA)
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Family
ID: |
26780679 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/618,231 |
Filed: |
September 30, 1975 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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325197 |
Oct 23, 1963 |
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Reissue of: |
089540 |
Feb 15, 1961 |
03246672 |
Apr 19, 1966 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
138/118; 138/111;
138/115; 138/168; 156/92; 156/191; 383/63; 24/DIG.50 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C
48/32 (20190201); B29C 48/10 (20190201); B29L
2023/003 (20130101); B29C 48/0018 (20190201); B29C
2793/0063 (20130101); B29C 48/0019 (20190201); B29L
2005/00 (20130101); B29C 48/0022 (20190201) |
Current International
Class: |
B29C
47/00 (20060101); B29C 47/20 (20060101); F16L
011/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;138/114,115,118,117,162,168 ;29/432 ;24/201 ;156/92 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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548,789 |
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Nov 1957 |
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CA |
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2,743 |
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Apr 1956 |
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JA |
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566,698 |
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Sep 1961 |
|
JA |
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22,217 |
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Sep 1960 |
|
JA |
|
422,143 |
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Aug 1963 |
|
JA |
|
Primary Examiner: Aegerter; Richard E.
Assistant Examiner: Bryant, III; James E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Hill, Gross, Simpson, Van Santen,
Steadman, Chiara & Simpson
Claims
Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimed
is: .[.1. A structure for use in making a reclosable container
comprising,
an elongated flexible closed integral tube of a flexible plastic
film, and
first and second interlocking elements integral with the tube on
the surface thereof shaped for cooperative pressure interengagement
and for forcible separation,
said elements spaced apart from each other in both circumferential
directions,
said film including a body forming sheet portion between the
interlocking elements at one side of the first element for forming
the body of a bag formed from the tube,
and said film including a flange forming sheet portion between the
interlocking elements at the other side of said first element which
may be subsequently separated axially along its length between the
first and second elements for providing access to the bag formed
from the tube and providing a separate opening gripping flange for
each element..]. .[.2. In combination,
an elongate closed flexible integral tube of a flexible plastic
film,
a rib element extending axially along within said tube,
a groove element extending axially along within said tube,
said rib and groove elements being complementary shaped to
interlock with the application of force to the outer surface of the
tube at the elements and to separate when forcibly drawn apart,
said elements being interlocked to hold the opposing sides of the
tube together and to hold the elements in their interlocked
relationship,
said elements spaced apart from each other in both circumferential
directions, said film including a body forming sheet portion
between the interlocking elements at one side of the first element
for forming the body of a bag formed from the tube,
and said film including a flange forming sheet portion between the
interlocking elements at the other side of said first element which
may be subsequently separated axially along its length between the
first and second elements for providing access to the bag formed
from the tube and
providing a separate opening gripping flange for each element..].
3. In combination,
an elongated closed flexible integral tube of a flexible plastic
film,
first and second rib elements extending axially along within said
tube,
first and second groove elements extending axially along within
said tube,
said first rib and groove elements and said second rib and groove
elements being complementary shaped and positioned to be capable of
being interlocked with the application of force to the outer
surface of the tube at the element and to separate when forcibly
drawn apart,
said elements spaced apart from each other in circumferential
directions,
said film including body forming sheet portions positioned outside
of elements when interlocked to be at one side of each of the male
elements for forming the bodies of bags formed from the tube,
and said film including flange forming sheet portions being between
the elements when interlocked and being at the other side of each
of the male elements and which may be subsequently separated
axially along their length for providing a separate opening
gripping flange for each element. .[.4. A structure for use in
making a reclosable container comprising,
an elongated flexible closed integral tube of a flexible plastic
film, and
first and second interlocking elements integral with the tube on
the surface thereof shaped for cooperative pressure interengagement
and for forcible separation,
said first interlocking element being arrowhead shaped in cross
section and said second interlocking element being shaped to form a
groove to embrace and interlock with said first element,
said elements spaced apart from each other in both circumferential
directions,
said film including a body forming a sheet portion between the
interlocking elements at one side of the first element for forming
the body of a bag formed from the tube,
and said film including a flange forming sheet portion between the
interlocking elements at the other side of said first element which
may be subsequently separated axially along its length between the
first and second elements for providing access to the bag formed
from the tube and providing a separate opening gripping flange for
each element..]. .[.5. A structure for use in making a reclosable
container comprising,
an elongated flexible closed integral tube of a flexible plastic
film, and
first and second interlocking elements integral with the tube on
the surface thereof shaped for cooperative pressure interengagement
and for forcible separation,
said elements spaced apart from each other in both circumferential
directions,
said film including a body forming sheet portion between the
interlocking elements at one side of the first element for forming
the body of a bag formed from the tube,
said film including a flange forming sheet portion between the
interlocking elements at the other side of said first element which
may be subsequently separated axially along its length between the
first and second elements for providing access to the bag formed
from the tube and providing a separate opening gripping flange for
each element,
and said flexible plastic film being of substantially uniform
thickness for said flange portion and said body portion..]. .[.6. A
structure for use in making a reclosable container, comprising,
an elongated flexible closed integral tube of a flexible plastic
film, and
first and second interlocking elements integral with the tube on
the surface thereof shaped for cooperative pressure interengagement
and for forcible separation,
said interlocking elements being on the inner surface of said tube
and projecting therefrom, said elements spaced apart from each
other in both circumferential directions,
said film including a body forming sheet portion between the
interlocking elements at one side of the first element for forming
the body of a bag formed from the tube,
and said film including a flange forming sheet portion between the
interlocking elements at the other side of said first element which
may be subsequently separated axially along its length between the
first and second elements for providing access to the bag formed
from the tube and
providing a separate opening gripping flange for each element..].
7. A structure for use in making a reclosable container in
accordance with claim .[.20.]. .Iadd.3 .Iaddend.wherein said first
rib and groove elements and said second rib and groove elements are
interlocked holding the opposing sides of the tube together. .Iadd.
8. A structure for use in making a reclosable container in
accordance with claim 3, wherein the first rib and groove elements
are opposing and are formed facing each other and interlock when
the tube bag body has been flattened. .Iaddend..Iadd. 9. A
structure for use in making a reclosable container in accordance
with claim 3, wherein the rib and groove elements are formed to
face each other within the tube so that with the tube bag body
being flattened and cut between the elements two bags are
obtainable at the same time. .Iaddend.
Description
This invention relates to bags and tubes for manufacturing bags
made of synthetic resin, wherein have been formed integral with the
bag material at the inner surface of the bag mouth vis-a-vis each
other, a male rib and a female rib which are provided as to be
occlusive with respect to each other, the present application being
a division of my copending application Ser. No. 89,540, filed Feb.
15, 1961.
In making the tubular bag material, the bag material is molded into
a long continuous tube, which is obtained by extruding from a
conventional extruder a synthetic resin under heated state upward
through an annular extrusion gap to form continuously a tubular
body in which are formed by means of incision-like molding grooves
provided in a section of the annular extrusion gap simultaneously
in the inner surface thereof raised male and female ribs parallel
with the line of generation of the tubular body. Then, in
transporting this while clasped in a state of flatness by means of
a pair of rolls provided at the top of the apparatus, air is first
blown from the aforesaid molding mold into the tubular bag body to
maintain the same in a swelled state between the mold and the
aforesaid rolls and by concurrently blowing in cold air uniformly
from air inlet pipes surrounding the tubular body against the
tubular body maintained in the swelled state the film is cooled
uniformly. The tubular body is then guided for engaging the
occludent means.
The bag material which is now flat and maintaining its occluded
state can be finished into individual bags by cutting followed by
sealing the cut edges. In actual practice, however, owing to the
necessity of accomplishing printing of such as trademarks, trade
names, etc. on the bag surface, the bag material that has been
formed in a flat and continuous state, as described hereinabove, is
first wound up on a reel, transferred to the printing step where
after printing it is rewound on the reel and thereafter cut and the
cut edges simultaneously sealed.
The mode of practicing the invention will be described concretely
below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a detailed front elevation of that section of a mechanism
which continuously molds the bag material;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a mold section for making the bag
material;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bag material taken along
lines III--III of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view showing the bag material subsequent to
its having been occluded;
FIG. 5 is a top plan view showing separate bags formed on a
conveyor belt after having been cut from the tube material and
cross sealed;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view in section of the resultant synthetic
resin bag;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view in section showing a modification of the
occluding ribs;
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the bag material in which
two sets of occluding ribs have been formed;
FIG. 9 is a descriptive drawing showing the above bag material in
its flattened form and the location where it is to be cut; and
FIG. 10 is an enlarged detailed fragmentary sectional view of the
interlocking occludent means.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 an outer mold 1 has a core 3 with a
shaped narrow annular extrusion gap 2 therebetween. Plastic is
forced through the gap 2 by extruder mechanism not shown, and air
introduced into a tube extruded through the gap 2 through a pipe 4.
As illustrated the gap is preferably of uniform width to form a
tube of film of uniform thickness. There are formed molding grooves
7 and 8 in the outer surface of the core 3 communicating with the
extrusion gap 2 for forming male and female ribs 9 and 10
integrally with the bag body 6.
Directly above this mold (FIG. 1) there is provided a pair of
delivery rolls 11, 11 disposed in lateral fashion facing each other
for clasping and delivering in a flat state the tubular bag body 6
that is extruded from the mold. Air is blown in small amounts into
the tubular bag body 6 from the bottom through the aforesaid air
inlet pipe 4, with the top part of the bag body 6 being held
together by means of the delivery rolls 11, 11. The bag body 6 is
swelled or inflated and maintained in a tubular shape. Below the
rolls 11, 11 there is provided a pair of guide plates 12, 12 facing
each other in roof fashion whereby the shoulder portion of the bag
body 6 swelled into a tubular shape is guided and is gradually
pressed flat as shown in FIG. 1 and passes between the rolls 11,
11.
At that part of the apparatus where the tubular bag body 6 ascends,
a cold air discharge section, not shown, is provided. Air is
appropriately supplied and is blown against the outer surface of
the bag body 6 to remove heat from the freshly molded film and thus
cool the same.
The interlocking elements 9 and 10 are aligned and interlocked to
hold the opposed sides of tube material together. The bag body 6 is
thus molded into a flat belt-like shape. In actual practice,
however, since in most cases printing of such as trademarks, trade
names, etc. are accomplished, it is perhaps convenient to first
wind up the bag material in this state by guiding the same to a
windup reel.
In the hereinabove-described apparatus, the cross-sectional shape
of the male and female ribs suitable for occlusion of the bag body
6 can be obtained by suitably designing the configuration of the
molding grooves 7, 8. The cross-sectional shape of these male and
female elements, 9, 10 may be suitably determined in accordance
with the uses to which the bags are to be put. For example, as
shown in FIG. 7, for a container to be used for fine powders the
ribs may be so formed so that the labial section of the female rib
9 is turned inward along the length of the rib while the male rib
10 is formed arrowhead shaped. In addition, regardless of the
shapes of the male and female ribs, when two sets thereof are
formed facing each other, as illustrated in FIG. 8, and
subsequently cut along line 0--0 midway between the two when the
bag body has been flattened as in FIG. 9, two bags are obtainable
at the same time. FIG. 10 shows the rib and groove elements 9 and
10 in greater detail. .Iadd.
Summarizing FIGS. 8 through 10, an elongated closed flexible
integral tube of a flexible plastic film is shown at 6, with first
and second rib elements shown at 10 at the upper and lower portion
of FIG. 8, and first and second groove elements shown at 9 at the
upper and lower portion of FIG. 8 respectively. The first rib and
groove elements and second rib and groove elements are
complementary shaped and are positioned to be capable of being
interlocked with the application of force to the outer surface of
the tube at the element with the interlocked position shown in FIG.
9, and capable of being able to separate when forcibly drawn apart.
The elements are spaced apart from each other in circumferential
directions around the tube 6. The film includes the body forming
sheet portions which are outside of the elements as shown laterally
of the elements in FIG. 9 when the elements are interlocked, and
the body forming sheet portion is at one side of each of the male
elements, that is, as viewed in FIG. 8, the body forming sheet
portions are to the left of the elements 10 as each is viewed in a
direction looking radially inwardly of the tube. The film also
includes flange forming sheet portions which are between the
elements when interlocked as shown in FIG. 9 and which are at the
other side of each of the male elements relative to the location of
the body forming sheet portions. The flange forming sheet portions
may be subsequently separated axially along their length, such as
along line 0--0 in FIG. 9, for providing a separate opening
gripping flange for each of the rib and groove elements.
.Iaddend.
The incisions 7 and 8, which constitute a set of the molding
grooves are incised in a part of the circumference of the core 3
with the shape of the grooves being of a wide variety. Since their
positions will be determined by the size of the mold, by providing
molding plates for the core of the same size having a wide variety
of incisions and selectively using the same, it becomes possible to
form ribs of any desired shape.
The bag body that has been molded as described hereinbefore is then
processed further in the following manner. First, the male and
female ribs that have been formed integrally in the bag body are
occluded, then after flattening, to the surface of the bag body is
imparted, if required, the desired printing and thereafter by using
an apparatus to be described hereinafter the bag body is cut into
the individual bag and simultaneously therewith the cut edges of
the bags are heat sealed.
In a position forward of a belt 203, rollers 207, 208 are disposed
longitudinally, around which an endless conveyor belt 209 is
mounted. The tip of the bag body 6 which is delivered forth, FIG.
5, is made to be transferred smoothly from the belt 203 to the
radially moving part of the conveyor belt 209. The surface of this
conveyor belt 209 by being imparted a layer of such as, for
example, silicon rubber is maintained so that the bag body does not
stick to the surface of the conveyor belt as a result of operations
such as cutting and heat sealing. In addition, by suitable
determination of the rotating speed of the rollers 207, 208, the
rate of travel of the conveyor belt 209 is made to be greater than
that of the bag body 6. An electro-thermic means is provided, which
makes possible simultaneously with the cutting of the bag body the
heat sealing of the cut edges. A pressure plate 226 is provided.
The individual bags are severed and sealed as shown in the
copending application Serial 89,540. Further, at 237 is a set of
superposed belts that have been provided forward of the conveyor
belt 209 and have been provided for the purpose of removing the
bags that have been conveyed by the conveyor belt 209.
When the continuous tube is cut into predetermined widths starting
at one end and the cut edges thereof are heat sealed, as a result
of the fact that a unit width of a bag body leaves the bag body
material and is placed independently upon the top of the conveyor
belt 209, the cut edges become spaced apart automatically from each
other for an S distance.
In using these bags, by cutting the bags at the top f, FIG. 6, and
opening up the engagement of the male and female ribs, the bag is
ready to be filled with whatever it is to be filled with. After the
bags are filled the male and female ribs 9, 10 are again occluded,
and if necessary, the mouth which was opened by cutting may be
again sealed using a heat sealer.
While the invention has been described with particular reference to
specific embodiments, it is to be understood that it is not to be
limited thereto, but that changes may be made therein without
departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the
appended claims.
* * * * *