Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Zipper or required component thereof – Having interlocking surface with continuous cross section
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-06
2001-02-06
Brittain, James R. (Department: 3626)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Zipper or required component thereof
Having interlocking surface with continuous cross section
C024S587110
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182337
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zipper and a slide zipper assembly for use in plastic bags of the type in which items, such as foodstuffs, may be stored.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Slide zipper assemblies for use with plastic bags are well known in the reclosable fastener art. Examples of conventional slide zipper assemblies can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,007,143, 5,008,971, 5,131,121 and 5,664,299.
Conventional slide zipper assemblies typically comprise a plastic zipper having two interlocking profiles and a slider for opening and closing the zipper. The slider straddles the zipper and has a separating finger at one end which is inserted between the profiles to force them apart as the slider is moved along the zipper in an opening direction. The other end of the slider is sufficiently narrow to force the profiles into engagement and close the zipper when the slider is moved along the zipper in a closing direction.
Recently, slide zipper assemblies which do not make use of a separating finger have been disclosed. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,621, a slide zipper assembly is disclosed wherein one of the zipper profiles is provided with a pair of handles which cooperates with the slider. As the slider is moved in an opening direction, the handles are squeezed together to disengage the profiles. The slider is narrower at the closing end than at the opening end.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,838, a slide zipper assembly is disclosed wherein the zipper profiles are engaged and disengaged by a “rolling action”. This “rolling action” is described as being achieved through cooperation between flanges on the profiles and shoulders which project inwardly from the arms of the slider. The slider shoulders are shaped throughout the length of the slider for engagement with the flanges and have a greater spacing at the closing end of the slider than at the opening end. Thus, as with other prior art slide zipper assemblies, the closing end of the slider is narrower than the opening end.
Many prior art slide zipper assemblies, however, have often proven unsatisfactory. For example, some prior art slide zipper assemblies provide for inadequate interlocking of the zipper profiles, thereby resulting in leaking of the contents of the bag. Other prior art slide zipper assemblies do not function consistently, often failing to properly interlock the zipper or smoothly open and/or close the zipper. Yet other slide zipper assemblies are of a complex design and often difficult and expensive to manufacture.
It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to provide a unique and novel slide zipper assembly for use with plastic bags which overcomes the problems associated with the prior art as discussed above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves the aforementioned problems by providing a novel slide zipper assembly comprising a slider and a reclosable zipper.
The zipper includes a first profile and a second profile which is interlockable with the first profile. The first profile includes an interlocking member on a surface directed toward the second profile and an integral base directed away from the second profile. Likewise, the second profile includes an interlocking member on a surface directed toward the first profile interlockable with the first profile interlocking member and an integral base directed away from the first profile. Additionally, portions of the first and second profiles form a fulcrum about which the profiles may be pivoted out of engagement when distal ends of the profile bases are forced towards each other.
As oriented on a bag having the zipper at the top, the slider has a top from which two arms depend. The slider straddles the zipper and has a closing end and an opening end. Unlike with prior art sliders, the opening end is narrower than the closing end. Additionally, the slider does not have a separating finger.
Rather, the zipper is opened by pivoting the interlocked profiles out of engagement about the fulcrum. The slider arms are shaped at the opening end to achieve this action by forcing distal ends of the profile bases towards each other as the slider is moved in the opening direction. At the closing end, the slider arms are shaped to force the profiles into engagement as the slider is moved in the closing direction. Unlike in prior art sliders, however, the closing end of the slider is wider than the opening end of the slider.
The present invention will now be described in more complete detail with reference being made to the figures identified below wherein the same numerals represent identical elements.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4944072 (1990-07-01), Robson
patent: 5007143 (1991-04-01), Herrington
patent: 5017021 (1991-05-01), Simonsen et al.
patent: 5442838 (1995-08-01), Richardson et al.
patent: 5664299 (1997-09-01), Porchia et al.
patent: 5971155 (1999-10-01), Liang
patent: 6030122 (2000-02-01), Ramsey et al.
patent: 6047450 (2000-04-01), Machacek et al.
Kobetsky Robert G.
Machacek Zdenek
Brittain James R.
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Pitney Hardin Kipp & Szuch LLP
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