A multiwall bag having a slider zipper and fin combination and methods of forming same are provided. The multiwall bag, for example, can include a tube body. A combination fin member, zipper track, and zipper block can be connected to an end of the tube body.
The other end of the tube body can be filled with product so that the combination fin member, zipper track, and zipper block operate as a constructive bottom during filling. Then, the end of the tube body through which product is filled can be closed and sealed to provide a bag filled with product. The method can include forming a tube body and connecting a combination fin member, zipper track, and zipper block to the bag seal zone.
As more and more consumer products are packaged, the need for enhanced consumer end product packaging continues to grow. End product packaging not only has to keep the products fresh, the product packaging needs to protect the environment fromthe product contents and protect the product contents from the environment. The packaging must also be strong enough to hold materials of varying weights, without being damaged, in order to provide packaging for a vast array of consumer products. Ofparticular importance is the ease of access to the materials within the packaging. Another important aspect includes tamper resistance to prevent the likelihood of tampering with the contents within the bags.
To increase access to contents within a bag, others have developed many types of bags with many types of closures. Examples of user friendly bags can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,376,035 titled "Zipper Fins For Plastic Bags" by Dobreski et al.and U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,535 titled "Fins For Plastic Bags" by Dobreski et al. These plastic bags are provided with a zipper or a slider, a zipper track, and one or more fin members. The consumer can initially open the zippered bag, use a portion ofthe product, and then easily reclose the bag until the product is needed again. This zipper combination is easily operated and can withstand stronger forces applied thereto than zippers previously used on plastic bags. Applicants have recognized thatthese zipper combinations described in Dobreski are limited to plastic bags. Although plastic bags can provide adequate packaging for some products, they are simply not durable enough to provide adequate protection for many types of products.
Tampering with consumer goods has also become a problem throughout the years. Packaging producers have been developing better mechanisms to enable consumers to determine if the product within the packaging may have been subjected to some form oftampering or unwanted opening prior to customer purchase. Examples of bags with a tamper evident feature can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,999 by Catchman titled "Tamper-Evident Reclosable Bag" and U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,770 by Catchman titled"Reclosable Bags Having A Tamper-Evident Retaining Member Extending Through A Slider." These patents describe many types of devices that can be installed along the zipper track of zippered bags to determine if tampering has occurred. Examples include aremovable cardboard, paper, or plastic member covering or adjacent to a zipper slider in the closed position and then attached to the bag in some way. If the zipper is moved, the removable member will show signs of tampering. Applicants have recognizedthat the tamper-evident features in the Catchman patents require the use of some additional element that has to be damaged in order to show signs of tampering.
In view of the foregoing, an embodiment of the present invention advantageously provides multiwall end product packaging that is fillable from the bottom with a slidable zipper assembly. The end product packaging can include a bag seal zone. Inaddition to the end product packaging, the present invention also advantageously provides methods of forming such bags. An embodiment of the present invention also advantageously provides a multiwall bag of tubular form having a tamper-evident feature,which is integral with the bag. Further embodiments of the present invention advantageously provide user friendly bags capable of holding products of varying weights, that are strong and durable, that provide consumers with easy access to the productswithin the bags, and that have a dependable anti-tampering alert mechanism.
More particularly, a multiwall bag according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an inner tube, an outer tube, a bag seal zone, a fin member, a zipper track, and a zipper block. The inner tube preferably has at least one layer ofa polymeric material. The inner tube includes an inner front wall region and an inner back wall region positioned to face opposite the inner front wall region. The outer tube preferably has at least one layer of paper material and is positioned tosubstantially surround outer surfaces of the inner tube. The at least one layer of paper material can include at least one layer of a polymeric material that is positioned so that the polymeric material is in the outermost position of the outer tube. The outer tube has an open end region, a closed end region, an outer front wall region, and an outer back wall region. The closed end region is typically initially in an open position and is adapted to receive filling material therethrough. The closedend region is then sealingly closed to a closed position. The outer front wall region is positioned between the open end region and the closed end region. The outer back wall region is positioned between the open end region and the closed end regionand is positioned to face opposite the outer front wall region.
The bag seal zone is formed adjacent the open end of the outer tube so that the at least one layer of polymeric material of inner surfaces of the inner front wall region of the inner tube abuttingly contacts and seals to inner surfaces of theinner back wall region of the inner tube. The bag seal zone can be formed using heat sealing or by using an adhesive material. Other ways to form the bag seal zone will be known to those of ordinary skill in the art and are to be considered within thescope of the present invention.
The fin member is formed of a plastic material and is connected to the bag seal zone, if present. If the bag does not have a bag seal zone, then the fin member is attached adjacent the open end of the outer tube. The fin member extendssubstantially the entire lateral extent of and along the outer front and back wall regions. The fin member includes at least a pair of spaced-apart elongate fin strips positioned to face opposite each other.
The zipper track is connected to each of the pair of elongate fin strips of the fin member. The zipper track includes a first track strip and a second track strip. The first and second track strips are adapted to be positioned between an openposition defined by the first and second track strips being spaced apart to allow access to inner portions of the bag and a sealingly closed position defined by the first and second track strips abuttingly contacting each other to prevent ready access tothe inner portions of the bag.
The zipper block is slidably connected to the zipper track to allow the zipper block to slidably move along the zipper track and move the first and second track strips between the open position and the closed position. The fin member, the zippertrack, and the zipper block together or in combination define a slider zipper and fin combination. The fin member of the zipper and fin combination can also include a fin seal zone associated with and positioned between the pair of fin strips andpositioned adjacent the open end of the outer tube proximal to the zipper track. The fin seal zone can include a score line positioned between the fin strips so that initial opening of the zipper track allows the fin seal zone to be readily separatedalong the score line.
The use of the bottom fillable multiplayer bagwith zipper combination can be used for many types of consumer end products, such as candy wrappers, food items, or any type of packaging that needs a strong bag with easy access to the contents of the bags. |
