Flexible bags – Bag closure secured by a releasable or frangible bond – Adhesive bond
Reexamination Certificate
1997-07-25
2001-10-30
Cronin, Stephen K. (Department: 3727)
Flexible bags
Bag closure secured by a releasable or frangible bond
Adhesive bond
C206S494000, C206S812000, C383S203000, C383S208000, C383S210000, C383S066000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309105
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a resealable pack. It is particularly intended for use in the packaging of wet wipes, but it is to be understood that the invention is also applicable to the packaging of other articles.
As is well known, wet wipes are articles in the form of small sheets which are impregnated with a skin-cleansing liquid and which are intended to be disposed of after a single use. Wet wipes are sometimes packaged individually, in which case the packaging is thrown away after it has been opened and the wet wipe removed therefrom. However it is also known to produce a pack containing a plurality of wet wipes. In that case, the pack must be provided with a resealable opening, since the skin-cleansing liquid with which the wipes are impregnated evaporates readily, and the wipes will therefore dry out unless the pack can be properly resealed after each wipe is removed.
In conventional wet wipes packs, the tape used for sealing and resealing the opening represents a substantial portion of the cost of the product. Furthermore, to prevent the cost of the tape becoming excessive it is usual to provide only a relatively small opening in the pack, so that the amount of tape required is reduced, and this makes it difficult for a user to remove wet wipes from the pack and may even result in their breaking during the course of removal. It is an object of the present invention to provide a pack in which the amount of material required to effect resealing is reduced in relation to the size of opening with which the pack is provided. By virtue of this it is feasible to increase the size of the opening, or reduce the cost of the material required for sealing, or both.
According to the present invention there is provided a pack having a body portion defining an article-receiving cavity, the body portion being provided with a slit which is non-rectilinear and which has first and second ends; and a sealing member which covers the slit and is resealably adhered to the body portion on both sides of the slit, whereby to provide a seal, the sealing member having a pair of side edges, one on either side of the slit, both of which side edges follow generally the direction of the slit.
It is to be understood that the term “slit” does not necessarily imply that the material concerned begins in non-slitted form and then has a slit formed therein by a slitting process, though that would normally be the case. Further, it is to be understood that the term “slit” is intended to encompass not only openings which have a zero or very small width, and which would normally be described as slits, but also openings having a significant width, for example up to several mm, or even more, and which might more usually be described as slots.
Preferably, the said side edges are substantially parallel to one another and to the direction of the slit. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the slit is generally V-shaped, and the sealing member is correspondingly generally V-shaped. The apex angle of the “V” is preferably from 40° and 100°, most preferably about 50°. However, other shapes of slit and tab may be used instead. Thus, in an alternative embodiment the slit can be curved, for example arcuate, and may, for example, semicircular, and the sealing member may be correspondingly shaped.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2499528 (1950-03-01), Reitzes
patent: 2541674 (1951-02-01), Snyder
patent: 2896839 (1959-07-01), Barnes et al.
patent: 3343541 (1967-09-01), Bellamy, Jr.
patent: 3397835 (1968-08-01), Henning
patent: 3510054 (1970-05-01), Sanni et al.
patent: 4101026 (1978-07-01), Bonk
patent: 4192420 (1980-03-01), Worrell, Sr. et al.
patent: 4260061 (1981-04-01), Jacobs
patent: 4420080 (1983-12-01), Nakamura
patent: 4462507 (1984-07-01), Margulies
patent: 4552269 (1985-11-01), Chang
patent: 4648510 (1987-03-01), Kuenzel
patent: 4651874 (1987-03-01), Nakamura
patent: 4679693 (1987-07-01), Forman
patent: 4723301 (1988-02-01), Chang
patent: 4840270 (1989-06-01), Caputo et al.
patent: 4848575 (1989-07-01), Nakamura et al.
patent: 5165545 (1992-11-01), Focke et al.
patent: 5295579 (1994-03-01), Focke et al.
patent: 5531325 (1996-07-01), Deflander et al.
patent: 275561 (1966-02-01), None
patent: 4134567 (1993-01-01), None
patent: 4202258 (1993-07-01), None
patent: 1090427 (1955-03-01), None
patent: 83/00677 (1983-03-01), None
Bullock Roddy M.
Cronin Stephen K.
Gressel Gerry S.
Huston Larry L.
Hylton Robin A.
LandOfFree
Resealable pack does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Resealable pack, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Resealable pack will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2561374