Slider zipper reclosable fastener

Details Slider zipper reclosable fastener Slider zipper reclosable fastener

1999-06-29

2001-01-30

Brittain, James R. (Department: 3626)

Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.

Bag fasteners

Resilient slot bag tie

C024S400000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06178602

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to reclosable plastic bags with slider zippers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
One type of plastic zipper includes profiles which have a pair of male and female fastener rib and groove elements with a slider for opening or closing the rib and groove elements. In the manufacture of plastic film bags, a pair of these male and female fastener elements extend along the mouth of the bag and are secured to the bag. These elements may be integral marginal portions of the bag walls or they may be extruded separately and thereafter attached to the wall along the mouth of the bag.
The sliders for opening and closing the reclosable fasteners may be essentially U-shaped and may be adapted to be assembled with the fastener by a relative transverse maneuver. The slider is molded from a semi-hard plastic where there is enough yieldability in the side walls of the slider to provide sufficient flexibility to enable spreading apart of the terminal portions of the side walls of the slider so as to clear the interlocking rib and groove elements to permit assembly of the slider with the zipper by relative transverse movement.
One of the problems involved in the design of a slider zipper is providing workable means for retaining the slider on the zipper.
Another problem involved in the design of a slider zipper is the burst strength or inside force of the zipper. It is desirable that the zipper be able to remain closed even though the force or pressure acting from inside the bag is substantial, such as, as high as in the range of approximately 35 to 40 psig. Such high burst strength insures that the bag will remain closed even though the contents of the bag are forced against the fastener elements tending to open the bag.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of the invention might involve a reclosable fastener assembly including a first fastener strip having an inner surface and an outer surface. There is also provided a second fastener strip having an inner surface and an outer surface. A first profile is positioned along the length of the inner surface of the first fastener strip. The first profile has a plurality of closure elements, the plurality of closure elements including at least an uppermost element and a bottommost element.
There is also provided a second profile positioned along the length of the inner surface of the second fastener strip. The second profile has a plurality of closure elements, the elements including at least an uppermost element and a bottommost element. The elements of the second profile are adapted to engage with the elements of the first profile thereby interlocking the second profile with the first profile.
A slider for moving between a closed position and an open position is also provided. The slider moves from the closed position to the open position and back along the fastening strips in straddling relation. The slider has a top and side walls depending from opposite sides of the top for receiving the fastening strips therebetween. The side walls extend downward from the top to a point at or below the profiles so that at least a portion of the profiles are held between the side walls. The side walls extend from a separating end of the slider to a pinching end.
The side walls have a greater spacing at the separating end than at the pinching end and are spaced close enough at the pinching end to press the first and second profiles into an interlocked relationship as the slider is moved toward the closed position. The slider also has a separating leg depending from the top between the first and second side walls at the separating end of the slider. The separating leg is inserted between at least the uppermost closure elements of the first and second profiles.
There is also provided means for maintaining the slider in straddling relation with the fastener strips including shoulders depending from the side walls of the slider. There is further provided ridges projecting from the outside edges of the fastener strips along the lengths thereof at or below the profiles so that the shoulders grasp the surfaces of the ridges.
Another embodiment of the invention might include a reclosable fastener assembly including a first fastener strip having an inner surface and an outer surface. A second fastener strip is also provided having an inner surface and an outer surface. A first profile is positioned along the length of the inner surface of the first fastener strip. The first profile has a plurality of closure elements. The plurality of closure elements include at least an uppermost element and a bottommost element.
There is also provided a second profile positioned along the length of the inner surface of the second fastener strip. The second profile has a plurality of closure elements, the elements including at least an uppermost element and a bottommost element. The elements of the second profile are adapted to engage with the elements of the first profile thereby interlocking the second profile with the first profile.
There is also provided a slider for moving between the closed position and an open position along the fastening strips in straddling relation. The slider has a top and side walls depending from opposite sides of the top for receiving the fastening strips therebetween. The side walls extend downward from the top to a point at or below the profiles so that at least a portion of the profiles are held between the side walls. The side walls extend from a separating end of the slider to a pinching end. The side walls have a greater spacing at the separating end than at the pinching end. The side walls are spaced close enough at the pinching end to press the first and second profiles into an interlocked relationship as the slider is moved toward the closed position. Also the slider has a separating leg depending from the top between the first and second side walls at the separating end of the slider. The separating leg is inserted between at least the uppermost closure elements of the first and second profiles.
The first fastener strip and first profile is formed as an integral extruded first product wherein the first profile uppermost element and bottommost element are shaped as hooks with a first proximal portion and a first distal portion. The second fastener strip and second profile is formed as an integral extruded second product wherein said second profile uppermost element and bottommost element are shaped as hooks with a second proximal portion and a second distal portion.
The first extruded product is formed by a first extrusion die with an extrusion opening defining an angle between the first fastener strip and a first bottommost proximal portion at approximately 105°. The second extruded product is formed by a second extrusion die with an extrusion opening defining an angle between the second fastener strip and the second bottommost proximal portion at approximately 85°.


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