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US 2003/0140600 A1Published application
Reclosable package and methods for block cheese and other products that do not slide well
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsJohn H. Schneider, Donald L. Crevier, Patricia I. Norek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of making a reclosable product package (64, 100, 142), a package-making apparatus (10) for the method and the reclosable product package (64, 100, 142) in which block cheese or another product (45) which does not slide well during packaging in placed on a continuous length of thermoplastic packaging film (12). Various folding directions (44, 62, 90, 106, 114) of the packaging film (12) and various placement of reclosable zippers (73, 108, 119) produce various reclosable product packages (64, 100, 142) with various peel seal (40, 41, 87, 88) arrangements.
Claims32
A method for packaging products, comprising the steps of:
- supplying a continuous length of packaging film having opposed longitudinal edges;
- attaching a first profile from a continuous supply of zippers to the packaging film transverse to a longitudinal edge of the film, said first profile including two first interlocking members;
- cutting the packaging film and the first profile between the two first interlocking members;
- advancing the packaging film to accommodate a product;
- attaching a second profile from the continuous supply of zippers to the packaging film transverse to the longitudinal edge of the packaging film with the second profile including two second interlocking members interlockable with the first interlocking members;
- cutting the film and the second profile between the second interlocking members forming a packaging sheet having a first interlocking member and a second interlocking member at opposite ends of the packaging sheet;
- folding the packaging sheet transverse to the longitudinal edges;
- sealing opposing inner surfaces of the folded packaging sheet adjacent to the longitudinal edges to form an envelope;
- placing the envelope in a box with the interlocking members protruding from the box;
- placing a product within the envelope in the box;
- and
- interlocking the first interlocking member with the second member.
9 more elements
A method for packaging products, comprising the steps of:
- supplying a continuous length of packaging film having opposed longitudinal edges;
- advancing the packaging film to accommodate a product;
- supplying a zipper having a first profile with a first interlocking member and a second profile with a second interlocking member with the first and second interlocking members in an interengaged position;
- attaching the first profile to the packaging film transverse to the longitudinal edges of the packaging film;
- cutting the packaging film adjacent to the first profile to form a packaging sheet;
- folding the packaging sheet at a fold transverse to the longitudinal edges;
- sealing opposing inner surfaces of the longitudinal edges to form an envelope;
- placing the envelope in a box with the zipper and an opposing face of the envelope opposite to the zipper protruding from the box;
- placing the product into an envelope in the box;
- sealing the second profile of the zipper to the packaging sheet;
- and
- forming a reclosable product package in the box.
9 more elements
A method for packaging products, comprising the steps of:
- supplying a continuous length of packaging film having opposed longitudinal edges;
- supplying a zipper having a first profile with a first interlocking member and a second profile with a second interlocking member with the first and second interlocking members in an interengaged position;
- attaching the first profile of the zipper to a mid-portion of the packaging film with the zipper disposed transverse to the longitudinal edges of the packaging film, leaving side margins of film on opposite ends of the zipper;
- placing a product along a central axis of the packaging film;
- folding the side margins of film over the product and sealing a fin seal to form a tube;
- sealing inner surfaces of the tube to form peel seals adjacent to the longitudinal sides of the product;
- sealing the second profile of the zipper to the inner surface of the tube;
- cutting the tube adjacent to a transverse edge of the zipper;
- and
- cross-sealing the tube.
7 more elements
A method for packaging products, comprising the steps of:
- supplying a continuous length of packaging film having opposed longitudinal edges;
- supplying a zipper having a first profile with a first interlocking member and a second profile with a second interlocking member with the first and second interlocking members in an interengaged position;
- attaching the first profile of the zipper to a mid-portion of the packaging film with the zipper disposed transverse to the longitudinal edges of the packaging film, leaving side margins of film on opposite ends of the zipper;
- placing a product along a central axis of the packaging film;
- folding the side margins of film under the product and sealing in a fin seal to form a tube;
- sealing inner surfaces of the tube to form peel seals adjacent to the longitudinal sides of the product;
- sealing the second profile of the zipper to the inner surface of the tube;
- cutting the packaging film adjacent to a forward transverse edge of the zipper;
- and
- cross-sealing the tube.
7 more elements
A method for packaging products, comprising the steps of:
- supplying a continuous length of packaging film having opposed longitudinal edges;
- placing one product along a longitudinal half of the packaging film transverse to the longitudinal edges;
- supplying a continuous supply of zippers with the zippers having a first profile with a first interlocking member and a second profile with a second interlocking member with the first and second interlocking members in an interengaged position;
- placing the continuous supply of zippers between the product and a first longitudinal edge of the packaging film;
- folding the packaging film down the center thereof and over the product;
- sealing the continuous supply of zippers to an inner surface of the folded length of packaging film;
- sealing the inner surface of the folded length of packaging film with peel seals adjacent to the product, transverse to the longitudinal edges;
- sealing the longitudinal edges of the folded packaging film to one another;
- and
- sealing the folded packaging film crosswise at intervals adjacent to the product to create a reclosable product package.
7 more elements
A method for packaging products, comprising the steps of:
- supplying a continuous length of packaging film having opposed longitudinal edges;
- advancing the packaging film to accommodate a product;
- supplying a continuous supply of zippers with the zippers having a first profile with a first interlocking member and a second profile with a second interlocking member with the first and second interlocking members in an interengaged position;
- cutting a zipper length from the continuous supply of zippers;
- sealing the first profile of the zipper length adjacent to a first longitudinal edge of the packaging film with the zipper length parallel to the edge;
- cutting the packaging film transverse to the longitudinal edges at a point adjacent to the zipper length such that the cut packaging sheet is more than twice the zipper length;
- folding the cut packaging sheet at a fold transverse to the longitudinal edges;
- sealing interior faces of the fold with a first peel seal;
- sealing opposing inner surfaces of the longitudinal edges from a transverse edge to form an envelope;
- sealing the second profile of the zipper to the packaging sheet;
- placing the envelope in a box with the transverse edges protruding from the box;
- placing the product within the envelope;
- sealing the transverse edges with a second peel seal;
- and
- rolling the transverse edges down within the box.
12 more elements
An apparatus for packaging products comprising:
- a packaging film dispenser which supplies a continuous length of packaging film having opposed longitudinal edges;
- a zipper dispenser which feeds a continuous supply of zipper profiles;
- a sealing bar which attaches a first and a second profile from the zipper dispenser to the packaging film at spaced intervals and transverse to the longitudinal edges;
- a cutter which cuts a first cut between two interlocking members of the first profile and cuts a second cut between two interlocking members of the second profile with the result of a packaging sheet having one interlocking member of the first profile at the first cut and one interlocking member of the second profile at the second cut;
- a folding blade which folds the packaging sheet at a fold transverse to the longitudinal edges;
- a first sealing device which seals opposing inner surfaces at the longitudinal edges to form an envelope;
- a product dispenser which places the envelope and a product to fit in a box;
- a second sealing device which mates the first profile and the second profile;
- and
- a box closer which folds a top portion of the envelope and a box lid into the box such that a reclosable product package is produced.
7 more elements
An apparatus for packaging products comprising:
- a packaging film dispenser which supplies a continuous length of packaging film having opposed longitudinal edges;
- a zipper dispenser which feeds a continuous supply of zippers, with the zippers including a first profile with a first interlocking member and a second profile with a second interlocking member wherein the first and second profiles are interengaged by the first and second interlocking members;
- a sealing bar which attaches a first profile of a dispensed zipper to the packaging film at spaced intervals;
- a cutter which cuts adjacent to the zipper for a packaging sheet that can accommodate at least one product;
- a folding blade which folds the packaging sheet at a fold transverse to the longitudinal edges;
- a first sealing device which seals opposing inner surfaces of the fold at the longitudinal edges to form an envelope;
- a product dispenser which fits the envelope and the product in a box;
- a second sealing device which seals the second profile of the zipper to the packaging sheet;
- and
- a box closer which forms a reclosable product package in the box.
7 more elements
An apparatus for packaging products comprising:
- a packaging film dispenser which supplies a continuous length of packaging film having opposed longitudinal edges;
- a zipper dispenser which feeds a continuous supply of zippers, with the zippers including a first profile with a first interlocking member and a second profile with a second interlocking member wherein the first and second profiles are interengaged by the first and second interlocking members;
- a sealing bar which attaches a first profile of a dispensed zipper to a mid-portion of the packaging film with the zipper disposed transverse to the longitudinal edges of the packaging film and leaving side margins of packaging film on opposite ends of the zipper;
- a product dispenser which places a product along a central axis of the packaging film;
- a fold-guide which folds and seals the side margins of packaging film over the product to form a tube with a fin seal;
- a cutter which cuts and cross-seals the tube such that a reclosable product package is produced.
3 more elements
An apparatus for packaging products comprising:
- a packaging film dispenser which supplies a continuous length of packaging film having opposed longitudinal edges;
- a product dispenser which places a product along one longitudinal half of the packaging film;
- a zipper dispenser which supplies a continuous supply of zippers between the product and a first longitudinal edge of the packaging film with the zippers including a first profile with a first interlocking member and a second profile with a second interlocking member wherein the first and second profiles are interengaged by the first and second interlocking members;
- a fold guide which folds the packaging film down the center thereof and over the consumer product;
- a sealing device which seals the continuous supply of zippers to an inner surface of the folded length of packaging film and which seals the inner surface with peel seals adjacent to the product, transverse to the longitudinal edges and which seals the longitudinal edges to one another;
- and
- a cutter which cuts and cross-seals the packaging film crosswise at intervals to create a reclosable product package.
4 more elements
An apparatus for packaging products comprising:
- a packaging film dispenser which supplies a continuous length of packaging film to accommodate a product with the packaging film having opposed longitudinal edges;
- a zipper dispenser which feeds a continuous supply of zippers adjacent to a first longitudinal edge of the packaging film with the zippers including a first profile with a first interlocking member and a second profile with a second interlocking member wherein the first and second profiles are interengaged by the first and second at least one interlocking members;
- a first cutter which cuts a zipper length from the continuous supply of zippers;
- a first sealing bar which seals a first profile of the zipper length adjacent to the first longitudinal edge of the packaging film with the zipper length parallel to the edge;
- a second cutter which cuts the packaging film transverse to the longitudinal edges such that a cut packaging sheet is produced;
- a fold guide which folds the cut packaging sheet at a first fold transverse to the longitudinal edges;
- a second sealing bar which seals opposing inner surfaces of the longitudinal edges from a transverse edge and which seals the second profile of the zipper to the packaging sheet;
- a third sealing bar which seals interior faces of the first fold with a first peel seal;
- a product dispenser which places the envelope in a box and which places a product within the envelope;
- a fourth sealing bar which seals exposed transverse edges of the envelope with a second peel seal;
- and
- a box closer which rolls the transverse edges of the envelope within the box.
9 more elements
A reclosable product package formed from a package-making film;
- said package having a top and a bottom, opposing walls extending between said top and bottom, and two ends;
- a zipper having a first profile with a first interlocking member and a second profile with a second interlocking member, said zipper extending across one of the package ends between the opposing walls;
- a first peel seal longitudinally extending away from a first end of the zipper along a first of the opposing walls;
- and
- a second peel seal longitudinally extending away from a second end of the zipper along a second of the opposing walls.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.