A reclosable flexible pouch and method and apparatus for manufacturing reclosable flexible pouches

A method for manufacturing reclosable flexible pouches, comprising:

• feeding in a machine direction a continuous flexible sheet having a longitudinal axis extending along said machine direction, two longitudinal side portions opposite to each other with respect to the longitudinal axis and two opposite longitudinal side edges,
• integrally forming in said two longitudinal side portions first and second interlockable closure formations extending longitudinally adjacent to respective longitudinal side edges, wherein each of said first and second interlockable closure formations has a succession of projections and recesses such that the projections and recesses of one of the first and second interlockable closure formations are configured for interlocking with the recesses and projections of the other of the first and second interlockable closure formations,
• folding said continuous flexible sheet about at least one folding line parallel to said longitudinal axis, and overlapping to each other said two longitudinal side portions to form a continuous folded flexible sheet having a closed edge and an open edge,
• joining to each other the two overlapped longitudinal side portions along sealing lines, and
• cutting said continuous folded flexible sheet along cutting lines extending over said sealing lines such that each cutting line is preceded and followed by a portion of a respective sealing line,
• wherein said first and second interlockable closure formations are formed by subjecting said continuous flexible sheet to ultrasonic compression or to thermomechanical compression.

An apparatus for manufacturing reclosable flexible pouches, comprising:

• a feeding device configured for feeding in a machine direction a continuous flexible sheet having a longitudinal axis extending along said machine direction, two longitudinal side portions opposite to each other with respect to the longitudinal axis and two opposite longitudinal side edges,
• a forming unit configured for integrally forming in said two longitudinal side portions first and second interlockable closure formations extending longitudinally adjacent to respective longitudinal side edges,
• wherein the forming unit is configured for forming in each of said longitudinal side portions a succession of projections and recesses such that the projections and recesses of one of the first and second interlockable closure formations are configured for interlocking with the recesses and projections of the other of the first and second interlockable closure formations,
• wherein the forming unit comprises first and second ultrasonic forming devices each including an anvil having an outer surface provided with cavities and an ultrasonic horn cooperating with the outer surfaces of the respective anvil,
• a folding unit configured for folding said continuous flexible sheet about at least one folding line parallel to said longitudinal axis, and for overlapping to each other said two longitudinal side portions to form a continuous folded flexible sheet having a closed edge and an open edge,
• a sealing unit configured for joining to each other the two overlapped longitudinal side portions along sealing lines, and
• a cutting unit configured for cutting said continuous folded flexible sheet along cutting lines extending over said sealing lines such that each cutting line is preceded and followed by a portion of a respective sealing line.