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US 6,884,208 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for making reclosable bags having slider-actuated string zippers
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorLewis Albert Haws
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for eliminating unattached remnants or tails of bag making film adjacent a string zipper during manufacture of reclosable bags. Gathered film tails may interfere with slider insertion or slider operation or may cause the film to be pulled off of or peeled away from the string zipper during slider operation. After trimming, the tails of the film are welded to the zipper by conductive heat sealing or equivalent means.
Claims25
A method of manufacture comprising the following steps:
- (a) joining a first portion of a length of film material to a back of a length of a first flangeless zipper strip having a first closure profile on its front;
- (b) joining a second portion of said length of film material to a back of a length of a second flangeless zipper strip having a second closure profile on its front, said first and second closure profiles of said respective lengths of said first and second zipper strips being interlockable to form a length of string zipper assembly;
- (c) after steps (a) and (b), removing a first unattached marginal portion of said length of film material that extends beyond said joined first portion of said length of film material, leaving a first tail portion of said length of film material unattached to said first flangeless zipper strip;
- and
- (d) after step (c), joining said first tail portion of said length of film material to said first flangeless zipper strip.
2 more elements
A machine comprising:
- first joining means for joining a first portion of a length of film material to a back of a length of a first flangeless zipper strip;
- second joining means for joining a second portion of said length of film material to a back of a length of a second flangeless zipper strip;
- first trimming means for removing a first unattached marginal portion of said length of film material that extends beyond said joined first portion of said length of film material, leaving a first tail portion of said length of film material unattached to said first flangeless zipper strip;
- and
- third joining means for joining said first tail portion of said length of film material to said first flangeless zipper strip,
- wherein said first trimming means is disposed between said first and third joining means.
3 more elements
A method of manufacture comprising the following steps:
- (a) interlocking a first closure profile of a first flangeless zipper strip with a second closure profile of a second flangeless zipper strip;
- (b) joining a first band-shaped portion of an elongated film structure to a back of said first flangeless zipper strip;
- (c) joining a second band-shaped portion of said elongated film structure to a back of said second flangeless zipper strip;
- (d) removing a first unattached marginal portion of said elongated film structure that extends beyond said joined first band-shaped portion of said elongated film structure, leaving a first tail portion of said elongated film structure unattached to said first flangeless zipper strip;
- (e) joining said first tail portion of said elongated film structure to said first flangeless zipper strip;
- and
- (f) inserting a slider on said interlocked first and second zipper strips some time after completion of steps (a) through (e).
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.