Flexible bags – Bag closure secured by a releasable or frangible bond – Adhesive bond
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-17
2002-10-22
Pascua, Jes F. (Department: 3727)
Flexible bags
Bag closure secured by a releasable or frangible bond
Adhesive bond
C383S062000, C383S093000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06467957
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to recloseable openings, such as for flexible bags. Particularly, the present invention relates to a closure strip using a resealable adhesive portion which at least partly defines a recloseable opening, the closure strip attached to a wall of a flexible bag.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Closure strips for recloseable bags are generally known. One type of closure strip includes interlocking profile strips which typically include interlocking tongue and groove elements to seal a bag opening, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,756,629, 5,806,984 or 4,909,017.
Another type of closure strip uses a resealable adhesive strip. The resealable adhesive strip uses a removable pressure sensitive adhesive to close a bag opening. A “removable pressure sensitive adhesive” is one which can be peeled off, together with the backing to which it is applied, from a substrate surface without damage to either the adhesive or the substrate. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,035,518; 4,645,711; 4,599,265; 4,629,663; 3,608,707; 3,922,464; 4,902,142; and 4,709,399, describe pressure sensitive adhesives and/or packaging using pressure sensitive adhesives.
One drawback to interlocking profile strips is that the strips are relatively thick compared to the thickness of the web material which comprises the front and back wall of the associated bag. This relatively increased thickness is required in order to form the interlocking tongue and groove of the interlocking profile strips. The increased thickness of the profile strip requires higher sealing temperature, pressure and dwell time in the formation of the bag. These additional considerations adversely affect the speed and throughput of the bag forming machines.
Resealable adhesive strips suffer the drawback that the strips lack a positive closing which gives the user indication or “feedback” of a complete closure of the resealable bag.
The present inventor has recognized that it would be advantageous to provide a recloseable strip for a bag that has a low profile thickness and which also provides a positive closure indication to the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a recloseable closure strip for an opening, such as for a flexible bag. The closure strip includes an adhesive region and at least one flexible member which deflects during engagement of the adhesive region to an adhesive receiving region of the bag during re-sealing. The deflection of the flexible member provides a positive closing indication or feedback to the user during re-sealing.
The flexible member can be part of a resilient structure which carries the adhesive region such that by engaging the closure strip to reclose the bag, the resilient structure is compressed or squeezed from a relaxed or uncompressed condition to a flattened condition, giving the user a positive feel or indication of the re-sealing of the bag opening. The resilient structure can be significantly thinner in profile than the prior known interlocking profile strips due to the fact that it is functioning only as an indication of sufficient re-sealing pressure and does not perform a sealing function.
The bag can include a companion strip to the closure strip, the companion strip providing an adhesive receiving area or “land” for the adhesive region of the closure strip. The companion strip can be plain or can have a coacting adhesive applied thereto. The adhesive region of the closure strip and the land of the companion strip can include, rather than tacky adhesives, cold sealable, pressure sensitive cohesives which are adherent to each other and are not tacky and adherent to other surfaces.
The closure strip of the invention can include interlocking elements which interlock when the resilient structure is compressed to its flattened condition simultaneously with the adhesive strip contacting the land, to give the user a positive indication of the re-sealing of the bag opening. The resilient structure can include a base portion and a wing portion, one of which is connected to a first wall of the bag, the wing portion extending obliquely from the base portion, and the base portion carrying the adhesive strip. The interlocking elements can be applied one on the base portion and one on the wing portion to interlock when the base portion and the wing portion are flattened together.
The interlocking portions function differently than that of conventional closures since they do not lock the closure, but instead only give the closure the same “feel” or indication of re-sealing as do interlocking closures, but which utilizes an adhesive as the re-sealing means with the adhesive acting independently of the interlocking action of the interlocking portions.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3405861 (1968-10-01), Bush
patent: 3440696 (1969-04-01), Staller
patent: 3608707 (1971-09-01), Miller
patent: 3717244 (1973-02-01), Smith
patent: 3922464 (1975-11-01), Silver et al.
patent: 4392897 (1983-07-01), Herrington
patent: 4599265 (1986-07-01), Esmay
patent: 4617683 (1986-10-01), Christoff
patent: 4629663 (1986-12-01), Brown et al.
patent: 4633508 (1986-12-01), Sauders
patent: 4645711 (1987-02-01), Winslow et al.
patent: 4655862 (1987-04-01), Christoff
patent: 4691373 (1987-09-01), Ausnit
patent: 4709399 (1987-11-01), Sanders
patent: 4896775 (1990-01-01), Boeckmann
patent: 4898787 (1990-02-01), Min et al.
patent: 4902142 (1990-02-01), Lammert et al.
patent: 4909017 (1990-03-01), McMahon et al.
patent: 4925316 (1990-05-01), Van Erden et al.
patent: 5024537 (1991-06-01), Tilman
patent: 5035518 (1991-07-01), McClkintock
patent: 5036643 (1991-08-01), Bodolay
patent: 5050736 (1991-09-01), Griesbach et al.
patent: 5127208 (1992-07-01), Custer et al.
patent: 5157811 (1992-10-01), Bodolay
patent: 5167455 (1992-12-01), Forman
patent: 5344693 (1994-09-01), Sanders
patent: 5564834 (1996-10-01), Porchia et al.
patent: 5601368 (1997-02-01), Bodolay et al.
patent: 5672009 (1997-09-01), Malin
patent: 5774954 (1998-07-01), Ramsey et al.
patent: 5782733 (1998-07-01), Yeager
patent: 5783012 (1998-07-01), Porchia et al.
patent: 5791783 (1998-08-01), Porchia et al.
patent: 5806984 (1998-09-01), Yeager
patent: 5827163 (1998-10-01), Kettner
patent: 5871607 (1999-02-01), Hamilton et al.
patent: 5938339 (1999-08-01), Ouchi
patent: 5972396 (1999-10-01), Jurgovan et al.
patent: 6099940 (2000-08-01), Hamilton et al.
patent: 6149304 (2000-11-01), Hamilton et al.
patent: 0 528 721 (1993-02-01), None
patent: WO 95/13225 (1995-05-01), None
Innoflex Incorporated
Pascua Jes F.
Wood Phillips Katz Clark & Mortimer
LandOfFree
Adhesive closure strip, bag and method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Adhesive closure strip, bag and method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Adhesive closure strip, bag and method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2955474