Zipper assemblies having post-consumer recyclate material
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsEric Plourde, Jose Septien, Marion Johnson, Clifton R. Howell, Adrian Wenc
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A zipper assembly is provided that may be coupled to a resealable enclosure. The zipper assembly may include flanges having opposite interior and exterior surfaces. The exterior surfaces of the flanges may be coupled with one or more films of the enclosure. The zipper assembly also may include locking members protruding from the flanges. The locking members may mate with each other to close the enclosure and to separate from each other to open the enclosure. The flanges and the locking members may be formed from a non-common material and a common material.
Claims11
A zipper assembly configured to be coupled to a resealable enclosure, the zipper assembly comprising:
- first and second flanges each having opposite interior and exterior surfaces, the exterior surfaces of the first and second flanges configured to be coupled with one or more films of the enclosure;
- and
- locking members protruding from the flanges, the locking members configured to mate with each other to close the enclosure and to separate from each other to open the enclosure,
- wherein the first flange includes a first volume that is thinner than the first flange and the second flange includes a second volume that is thinner than the second flange, the first volume only extending along and exposed to an external atmosphere along the interior surface of the first flange on a consumer side of the locking members, the second volume only extending along the exterior surface of the second flange on a product side of the locking members, the first and second volumes of the first and second flanges formed from a post-consumer recyclate (PCR) material and a remainder of the first and second flanges formed from a non-PCR material.
A flexible enclosure comprising:
- one or more films formed in a shape of an open-ended bag;
- and
- a zipper assembly configured to be coupled to the one or more films, the zipper assembly including first and second flanges each having opposite interior and exterior surfaces, the exterior surfaces of the first and second flanges configured to be coupled with one or more films of the enclosure, the zipper assembly also including locking members protruding from the first and second flanges, the locking members configured to mate with each other to close the enclosure and to separate from each other to open the enclosure,
- wherein the first flange includes a first volume that is thinner than the first flange and the second flange includes a second volume that is thinner than the second flange, the first volume only extending along and exposed to an external atmosphere along the interior surface of the first flange on a consumer side of the locking members, the second volume only extending along the exterior surface of the second flange on a product side of the locking members, the first and second volumes of the first and second flanges formed from a post-consumer recyclate (PCR) material and a remainder of the first and second flanges formed from a non-PCR material.
A method comprising:
- extruding first and second flanges and locking members protruding from the flanges, each of the first and second flanges having opposite interior and exterior surfaces, the exterior surfaces of the first and second flanges configured to be coupled with one or more films of a flexible enclosure, the locking members configured to mate with each other to close the enclosure and to separate from each other to open the enclosure,
- wherein the first flange includes a first volume that is thinner than the first flange and the second flange includes a second volume that is thinner than the second flange, the first volume only extending along and exposed to an external atmosphere along the interior surface of the first flange on a consumer side of the locking members, the second volume only extending along the exterior surface of the second flange on a product side of the locking members, the first and second volumes of the first and second flanges formed from a post-consumer recyclate (PCR) material and a remainder of the first and second flanges formed from a non-PCR material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.