초록 ▼

An automated reclosable packaging manufacturing equipment for applying zipper tape to bag making film, especially as part of a form-fill-seal process, and a method of joining a zipper flange of a zipper assembly to bag making film without “seal-through” of the zipper flanges. The metho

An automated reclosable packaging manufacturing equipment for applying zipper tape to bag making film, especially as part of a form-fill-seal process, and a method of joining a zipper flange of a zipper assembly to bag making film without “seal-through” of the zipper flanges. The method comprises the steps of: (a) pressing a web of bag making film and first and second zipper flanges of a zipper assembly together along the length of the latter, with the first zipper flange sandwiched between and in contact with the web of bag making film and the second zipper flange; and (b) during step (a), causing heat to be conducted through the web of bag making film into the first zipper flange. The amount of heat conducted through the web of bag making film must be sufficient to seal the web of bag making film to the first zipper flange without sealing the first zipper flange to the second zipper flange.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of making a zippered bag, comprising the following steps:(a) pressing a web of bag making film and first and second zipper flanges of a zipper assembly together along the length of said zipper assembly, with said first zipper flange sandwiched between and in contact with said web of bag

1. A method of making a zippered bag, comprising the following steps:(a) pressing a web of bag making film and first and second zipper flanges of a zipper assembly together along the length of said zipper assembly, with said first zipper flange sandwiched between and in contact with said web of bag making film and said second zipper flange;(b) during step (a), causing heat to be conducted through said web of bag making film into said first zipper flange, the amount of heat conducted through said web of bag making film being sufficient to seal said web of bag making film to said first zipper flange in a first seal without sealing said first zipper flange to said second zipper flange;(c) subsequent to step (b), folding said web of bag making film and sealing the folded web to form a bag having a mouth with said first seal disposed on and running the length of one side of said mouth;(d) pressing opposing walls of the bag and said first and second zipper flanges together along the length of said zipper assembly, with said second zipper flange sandwiched between and in contact with a folded-over portion of said web of bag making film and said first zipper flange; and(e) during step (d), causing heat to be conducted through said folded-over portion of said web of bag making film into said second zipper flange, the amount of heat conducted through said folded-over portion of said web of bag making film being sufficient to seal said folded-over portion of said web of bag making film to said second zipper flange in a second seal without sealing said first zipper flange to said second zipper flange, said second seal being disposed on and running the length of the other side of said mouth of said bag, wherein step (a) comprises pressing said web of bag making film and said first and second zipper flanges of a zipper assembly between a pair of sealing bars, and step (b) comprises heating one of said sealing bars but not the other. 2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the lengths of said first and second zipper flanges, measured in a direction transverse to an axis of said zipper assembly, are substantially equal. 3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of filling said bag after step (c) and before step (d). 4. A method of making a zippered bag, comprising the following steps:(a) pressing a web of bag making film and first and second zipper flanges of a zipper assembly together along the length of said zipper assembly, with said first zipper flange sandwiched between and in contact with said web of bag making film and said second zipper flange;(b) during step (a), causing heat to be conducted through said web of bag making film into said first zipper flange, the amount of heat conducted through said web of bag making film being sufficient to seal said web of bag making film to said first zipper flange in a first seal without sealing said first zipper flange to said second zipper flange;(c) subsequent to step (b), folding said web of bag making film and sealing the folded web to form a bag having a mouth with said first seal disposed on and running the length of one side of said mouth;(d) pressing opposing walls of the bag and said first and second zipper flanges together along the length of said zipper assembly, with said second zipper flange sandwiched between and in contact with a folded-over portion of said web of bag making film and said first zipper flange; and(e) during step (d), causing heat to be conducted through said folded-over portion of said web of bag making film into said second zipper flange, the amount of heat conducted through said folded-over portion of said web of bag making film being sufficient to seal said folded-over portion of said web of bag making film to said second zipper flange in a second seal without sealing said first zipper flange to said second zipper flange, said second seal being disposed on and running the length of the other side of said mouth of said bag, wherein ste p (d) comprises pressing said web of bag making film and said first and second zipper flanges of a zipper assembly between a pair of sealing bars, and step (e) comprises heating one of said sealing bars but not the other. 5. A system for making a zippered bag comprising:first means for pressing a web of bag making film and first and second zipper flanges of a zipper assembly together along the length of said zipper assembly, with said first zipper flange sandwiched between and in contact with said web of bag making film and said second zipper flange;first means for causing heat to be conducted through said web of bag making film into said first zipper flange during pressing, the amount of heat conducted through said web of bag making film being sufficient to seal said web of bag making film to said first zipper flange in a first seal without sealing said first zipper flange to said second zipper flange;means for folding and sealing said web of bag making film with attached zipper assembly to form a bag having a mouth with said first seal disposed on and running the length of one side of said mouth;second means for pressing opposing walls of the bag and said first and second zipper flanges together along the length of said zipper assembly, with said second zipper flange sandwiched between and in contact with a folded-over portion of said web of bag making film and said first zipper flange; andsecond means for causing heat to be conducted through said folded-over portion of said web of bag making film into said second zipper flange, the amount of heat conducted through said folded-over portion of said web of bag making film being sufficient to seal said folded-over portion of said web of bag making film to said second zipper flange in a second seal without sealing said first zipper flange to said second zipper flange, said second seal being disposed on and running the length of the other side of said mouth of said bag,wherein said first pressing means comprise a first sealing bar in contact with said second zipper flange during pressing and a second sealing bar in contact with said web of bag making film during pressing, and said first means for causing heat conduction comprise a first heater and a first temperature transducer thermally coupled to said second sealing bar and a first heat control program that controls said first heater as a function of feedback from said first temperature transducer to approximate a desired temperature of said second sealing bar, said first sealing bar having a temperature substantially lower than said desired temperature of said second sealing bar. 6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein said second pressing means comprise a third sealing bar in contact with the wall of said web of bag making film adjoining said first zipper flange during pressing and a fourth sealing bar in contact with the wall of said web of bag making film adjoining said second zipper flange during pressing, and said second means for causing heat conduction comprise a second heater and a second temperature transducer thermally coupled to said fourth sealing bar and a second heat control program that controls said second heater as a function of feedback from said second temperature transducer to approximate a desired temperature of said fourth sealing bar, said third sealing bar having a temperature substantially lower than said desired temperature of said fourth sealing bar. 7. The system as recited in claim 6, further comprising fifth and sixth sealing bars disposed on opposite sides of the bag above said third and fourth sealing bars respectively, third and fourth heaters respectively coupled to said fifth and sixth sealing bars, and a third heat control program that controls said third and fourth heaters to approximate desired temperatures of said fifth and sixth sealing bars respectively sufficient to seal the opposing walls of the bag at a third seal. 8. The system as recited in claim 7, further comprising a cuttin g instrument for cutting the opposing walls of the bag along a line transverse to the direction of bag advancement at an elevation proximal to said third seal. 9. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein said folding means comprise a forming collar and a fill tube. 10. A system for making a zippered bag comprising:first means for pressing a web of bag making film and first and second zipper flanges of a zipper assembly together along the length of said zipper assembly, with said first zipper flange sandwiched between and in contact with said web of bag making film and said second zipper flange;first means for causing heat to be conducted through said web of bag making film into said first zipper flange during pressing, the amount of heat conducted through said web of bag making film being sufficient to seal said web of bag making film to said first zipper flange in a first seal without sealing said first zipper flange to said second zipper flange;means for folding and sealing said web of bag making film with attached zipper assembly to form a bag having a mouth with said first seal disposed on and running the length of one side of said mouth;second means for pressing opposing walls of the bag and said first and second zipper flanges together along the length of said zipper assembly, with said second zipper flange sandwiched between and in contact with a folded-over portion of said web of bag making film and said first zipper flange; andsecond means for causing heat to be conducted through said folded-over portion of said web of bag making film into said second zipper flange, the amount of heat conducted through said folded-over portion of said web of bag making film being sufficient to seal said folded-over portion of said web of bag making film to said second zipper flange in a second seal without sealing said first zipper flange to said second zipper flange, said second seal being disposed on and running the length of the other side of said mouth of said bag,wherein said second pressing means comprise a first sealing bar in contact with the wall of said web of bag making film adjoining said first zipper flange during pressing and a second sealing bar in contact with the wall of said web of bag making film adjoining said second zipper flange during pressing, and said second means for causing heat conduction comprise a heater and a temperature transducer thermally coupled to said second sealing bar, and a heat control program that controls said heater as a function of feedback from said temperature transducer to approximate a desired temperature of said second sealing bar, said first sealing bar having a temperature substantially lower than said desired temperature of said second sealing bar. 11. A method of making reclosable bags, comprising the following steps:(a) placing one side of a zipper assembly in contact with a length of bag making film, said zipper assembly comprising first and second profiled closure members, and first and second zipper flanges respectively connected to said first and second closure members and extending generally parallel therefrom, a first portion of said first zipper flange having one side confronting a first portion of said length of bag making film and the other side confronting a first portion of said second zipper flange;(b) sealing said first portion of said first zipper flange of said zipper assembly to said first portion of said length of bag making film while said first portion of said first zipper flange and a first portion of said second zipper flange are in contact, thereby forming a first seal without sealing said second zipper flange to said first zipper flange;(c) making said length of bag making film into a receptacle having a mouth, wherein said first portion of said length of bag making film forms one half of said mouth and a second portion of said length of bag making film, generally opposite to said first portion, forms the other half of said mouth; and(d) sealing a second po rtion of said second zipper flange of said zipper assembly to said second portion of said length of bag making film while said second portion of said second zipper flange is in contact with a second portion of said first zipper flange, thereby forming a second seal without sealing said second zipper flange to said first zipper flange,wherein said first seal is produced by heat that is conducted through said first portion of said length of bag making film and then into said first zipper flange, and said second seal is produced by heat that is conducted through said second portion of said length of bag making film and then into said second zipper flange, and wherein step (b) comprises pressing said first portions of said length of bag making film, of said first zipper flange and of said second zipper flange between a first heated bar and a first unheated bar. 12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein step (d) comprises pressing said second portions of said length of bag making film, of said first zipper flange, and of said second zipper flange and a third portion of said length of bag making film between a second heated bar and a second unheated bar, said second and third portions of said length of bag making film sandwiching said second portions of said first and second zipper flanges. 13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the lengths of said first and second zipper flanges, measured in a direction transverse to said first and second profiled closure members respectively, are substantially equal. 14. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of filling said receptacle after step (c) and before step (d). 15. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising the step of sealing opposing transverse segments of said length of bag making film to close a top of said filled receptacle during step (d), said opposing transverse segments being above said zipper assembly. 16. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein step (c) comprises the following steps:(e) folding said length of bag making film to form a tube shape having a pair of contacting longitudinal edges;(f) sealing said longitudinal edges to each other to form a tube; and(g) sealing opposing transverse segments of said length of bag making film to close a bottom of said tube,wherein said receptacle comprises said tube with said closed bottom. 17. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said length of bag making film is tensioned in a first direction and zipper assembly is aligned in a second direction transverse to said first direction. 18. A method of making reclosable bags, comprising the following steps:(a) placing one side of a zipper assembly in contact with a length of bag making film, said zipper assembly comprising first and second profiled closure members, and first and second zipper flanges respectively connected to said first and second closure members and extending generally parallel therefrom, a first portion of said first zipper flange having one side confronting a first portion of said length of bag making film and the other side confronting a first portion of said second zipper flange;(b) sealing said first portion of said first zipper flange of said zipper assembly to said first portion of said length of bag making film while said first portion of said first zipper flange and a first portion of said second zipper flange are in contact, thereby forming a first seal without sealing said second zipper flange to said first zipper flange;(c) making said length of bag making film into a receptacle having a mouth, wherein said first portion of said length of bag making film forms one half of said mouth and a second portion of said length of bag making film, generally opposite to said first portion, forms the other half of said mouth; and(d) sealing a second portion of said second zipper flange of said zipper assembly to said second portion of said length of bag making film while said second portion of said second zipper flang e is in contact with a second portion of said first zipper flange, thereby forming a second seal without sealing said second zipper flange to said first zipper flange,wherein said first seal is produced by heat that is conducted through said first portion of said length of bag making film and then into said first zipper flange, and said second seal is produced by heat that is conducted through said second portion of said length of bag making film and then into said second zipper flange, and wherein step (d) comprises pressing said second portions of said length of bag making film, of said first zipper flange, and of said second zipper flange and a third portion of said length of bag making film between a heated bar and an unheated bar, said second and third portions of said length of bag making film sandwiching said second portions of said first and second zipper flanges. 19. A method of sealing a zipper assembly to bag making film, said zipper assembly comprising first and second profiled closure members that are mutually interlockable, and first and second zipper flanges respectively connected to said first and second profiled closure members and projecting generally parallel to each other when said first and second profiled closure members are interlocked, comprising the following steps:(a) pressing a web of bag making film and said first and second zipper flanges together along the length of said zipper assembly, with said first zipper flange sandwiched between and in contact with said web of bag making film and said second zipper flange;(b) during step (a), causing heat to be conducted through said web of bag making film into said first zipper flange, the amount of heat conducted through said web of bag making film being sufficient to seal said web of bag making film to said first zipper flange, thereby forming a seal without sealing said first zipper flange to said second zipper flange;(c) tensioning said web of bag making film in a machine direction prior to step (a);(d) advancing said zipper assembly in a transverse direction across said web of bag making film to a zipper insertion position prior to step (a);(e) restraining said interlocked closure members of said zipper assembly in said zipper insertion position while steps (a) and (b) are performed;(f) releasing said interlocked closure members after step (b); and(g) advancing said tensioned bag making film in said machine direction with said released zipper assembly attached to the film.