Easy open feature for reclosable bags having a longitudinal fin seal
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsJohn Schneider, Nigel Knight, Stanley Piotrowski, Patricia Norek, Jeffrey Griffin, David Matthews
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of making a reclosable plastic bag (38) having a fin seal (35) which provides a weakness area (23, 80, 81, 84, 86) that extends into at least one side of the fin seal (35). Perforation axes (19, 20) for opening the reclosable plastic bag (38) may be aligned with the weakness area (23, 80, 81, 84, 86). A reclosable bag (38) made in accordance with the method is also disclosed.
Claims20
1-7. (canceled)
A method for producing a reclosable plastic bag comprising the steps of:
- advancing a length of bag making film in a bag forming direction;
- attaching a length of fastener having first and second mateable profile strips to a mid-portion of said bag making film transverse to said bag forming direction, leaving sides of film on opposite ends of said length of fastener;
- creating an area of weakness in at least one of said sides extending into a side margin of said at least one side, wherein said area of weakness comprises an aperture such that a portion of said opposite side margin seals to said bag making film through said aperture;
- sealing said side margin of said at least one side together with a side margin of said opposite side in a fin seal to form a tube;
- sealing said length of fastener to an inner surface of said tube;
- cross-sealing across said tube at spaced intervals on opposite sides of said fastener to form a bag with a top seal and a bottom seal;
- and
- forming a notch in the top seal of said bag.
(canceled)
13-15. (canceled)
A reclosable plastic formed from a bag making film and having a front wall and a rear wall, a top and a bottom, and opposed sides;
- a fastener having first and second mateable profile strips extending across said bag between opposed sides;
- a fin seal extending across said rear wall from said bag top to said bag bottom, said fin seal being formed by joined side margins of said bag making film;
- and
- at least one weakness area extending into at least one of said side margins from portions of said rear wall adjacent said side margins.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.