Title: Insertion apparatus for attaching sliders onto zipper bags and film
Abstract: A slider (10), a slider insertion apparatus (50) and a method for inserting the slider (10) on an interlocked fastener or zipper (25) of a reclosable bag (44). A loading rack (58, 72) feeds individual sliders (10) to the slider insertion apparatus (50) wherein the slider (10) is inserted on the interlocked profiles (24, 28) being held by a zipper guide (56). After insertion, a keeper (15) and retaining shoulders (19, 20) of the slider (10) secure an interlocking member (22) of the profile (24) from unintentional engagement with an interlocking member (26) of the opposing profile (28). A positioner (200) is used to move the inserted slider (10) and/or to move the attached reclosable bag (44) in conjunction with driving rollers (217) of a vertical form-fill-and-seal machine.
Patent Number: 6,954,970 Issued on 10/18/2005 to McMahon, et al.
| Inventors:
|
McMahon; Michael (Palatine, IL);
Piotrowski; Stanley (Schiller Park, IL)
|
| Assignee:
|
Illinois Tool Works Inc. (Glenview, IL)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
096409 |
| Filed:
|
March 11, 2002 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
24/428; 24/427; 383/64 |
| Intern'l Class: |
A44B 019/16 |
| Field of Search: |
24/379,400,427,428,585.1,585.12
383/64
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
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| |
| 2 085 519 | Apr., 1992 | GB.
| |
Primary Examiner: Sandy; Robert J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Pitney Hardin LLP
Claims
1. A slider for use on a zipper of the type comprising a first profile having
a first interlocking member and a second profile having a second interlocking member
adapted to mate with said first interlocking member, said slider comprising:
a pair of spaced apart arms defining at opposite ends of said arms a zipper opening
end of said slider and a zipper closing end of said slider, top ends of said arms
being joined by a slider top, whereby an interior of said slider top forms a first
upper surface of a channel, said interior of said slider top further including
a groove with a second upper surface above said first upper surface;
lower ends of said arms including inwardly extending shoulders to retain the
zipper within the slider, wherein said inwardly extending retaining shoulders are
formed at equal levels;
a keeper depending from said second upper surface of said slider top between
said arms at said zipper opening end, said keeper being positioned to engage a
recess within said first interlocking member thereby securing said first interlocking
member to be free from engaging said second interlocking member, said keeper being
positioned to be free of engagement with said second interlocking member;
and means for retaining said slider on said zipper.
2. The slider in accordance with claim 1 wherein said retaining means includes
a first shoulder at a bottom end of one of said arms and a second shoulder at a
bottom end of the other of said arms, said shoulders being directed to each other.
3. The slider in accordance with claim 2, wherein said groove in an interior
side of said slider top is aligned with said first shoulder.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to reclosable plastic bags having slide zippers
and, more particularly, to a slider, a slider insertion apparatus, a method for
inserting the slider on an interlocked zipper, and a device for positioning the
inserted and straddling slider on the interlocked zipper.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Reclosable bags having slide zippers are generally more desirable to consumers
than bags which have traditional interlocking zippers, since such bags are perceived
to be easier to open and close than slider-less zippers. As a result, slide zippers
for use with plastic bags are numerous and well known in the reclosable fastener
art. Typical slide zippers comprise a plastic zipper having two interlocking profiles
and a slider for engaging and disengaging the interlocking profiles of the zipper.
The slider straddles the zipper and has a separator at one end which inserts between
the profiles to force them apart; that is, the separator plows between the interlocking
members of the profiles forcing them to disengage and open the zipper. The other
end of the slider is sufficiently narrow to be able to close the zipper by forcing
the interlocking members of the profiles to re-engage. Examples of conventional
slide zippers can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,426,396; 3,713,923; 5,007,143; 5,088,971;
5,131,121 and 5,664,299.
Methods and apparatuses for manufacturing reclosable plastic bags using reclosable
zippers with a slider are also well known in the art. Known slider loaders include
the Hugues reference (U.K. Patent No. 2,085,519) and the LaGuerve references (U.S.
Pat. Nos. 3,701,191 and 3,701,192). Use of these prior art apparatuses is limited
by requiring a separation of the interlocked members of profiles prior to the insertion
of a slider. By requiring this separation of the interlocked members, slider insertion
in manufacturing reclosable bags requires an extra step as well as a potential
for machine breakdown associated with this extra step.
An improved slider for zipper assemblies has been developed in Machacek et al
(U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,450). The slider of the Machacek patent includes features
that facilitate the insertion of a slider onto the zipper of a reclosable bag.
Most importantly, the Machacek patent allows the slider to be inserted over a closed
zipper without the requirement of first separating the interlocking members of
the zipper.
Despite the advantages of the Machacek patent, technical advances allow further
improvement to the slider described in Machacek. An improvement would allow the
slider to be inserted with the zipper fully secured in the slider, so that during
an opening of the reclosable bag the interlocking members of the profiles of the
zipper would not unintentionally re-engage within the slider.
For example, a re-engagement of the interlocking members could occur when the
zipper opening end of the slider is pushed toward a closed zipper park position.
Such a re-engagement can occur during operation of the zipper or if the slider
is inserted too far from an end stomp of the zipper. By reducing the possibility
of unintentional re-engagement of the interlocking members of the profiles, production
of defective bags is reduced.
Since the Machacek patent eliminates the requirement of separating the interlocking
members of the zipper of a reclosable bag prior to insertion of a slider, this
eliminated requirement permits the use of a smaller sized slider insertion apparatus.
The slider insertion apparatus would also have the advantage of bringing the entry
of stored sliders as close as possible to an inserting position, with the result
of minimizing manufacturing time or maintenance requirements.
Once the slider is inserted on the interlocking members of the zipper, a relatively
simple and effective pneumatic device for positioning the straddling slider to
open or to close the reclosable bag is also desirable. Along with the portability
of pneumatic sources, a pneumatic positioner would have the advantage of being
able to be used at various points in the bag manufacturing process. In a vertical
form-fill-and-seal machine, the positioner could assist in movement of the reclosable
bag within the machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved slider for securing
interlocking members of the zipper and a slider insertion apparatus. The slider
insertion apparatus includes an activator with pusher, an insertion cylinder, and
a zipper guide. The zipper guide and the activator with pusher are manufactured
to facilitate movement of the zipper within the slider insertion apparatus; to
properly position the profiles of the zipper for slider insertion; and to secure
the zipper when the slider is inserted onto the zipper. A loading rack with a supply
of sliders may be part of the slider insertion apparatus, with the loading rack
being a mechanically attachable device.
In the slider insertion process, a fastener or a zipper with its profiles interlocked
by their interlocking members is guided between opposing male and female guide
plates of the zipper guide. The zipper is further guided to an insertion point
under the activator with pusher. The activating fork of the activator with pusher
secures and offsets the interlocking members to accommodate a slider. The slider
is inserted onto the interlocked zipper by the pusher area of the activator with pusher.
After insertion of the slider onto the zipper of the reclosable bag, a positioner
fluidly attached to a pneumatic supply may be used for positioning the straddling
slider on the zipper. When the positioner is used in conjunction with the driving
rollers of a vertical form-fill-and-seal (VFFS) machine, the positioner assists
in moving the zippered film within the machine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Thus by the present invention its objects and advantages will become readily
apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view depicting a slider of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an end view of the zipper opening end of the slider with the slider
shown encompassing a zipper;
FIG. 3 is an end view of the zipper closing end of the slider with the slider
shown encompassing a zipper;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view depicting the slider on a reclosable plastic bag;
FIG. 5 is a side view depicting a slider insertion apparatus of the present
invention using a horizontal slider loading rack;
FIG. 6 is a side view depicting the slider insertion apparatus using a curved
slider loading rack;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view depicting an activator with pusher taken from reference
line 7—7 of FIGS. 5 and 6 and an interlocked zipper positioned
prior to activation;
FIG. 8 is a sectional view depicting the activator with pusher taken from reference
line 8—8 of FIGS. 5 and 6 and depicting an interlocked zipper
activated prior to a slider insertion;
FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the activator with pusher of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a side view of the male guide plate of the zipper guide of the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a side view of the female guide plate of the zipper guide;
FIG. 12 is an end view of the attachment piece of the zipper guide;
FIG. 13 is a side view of the zipper guide with an extended male guide plate,
an extended female guide plate and the attachment pieces shown assembled;
FIG. 14A is a side view of the pneumatic positioner of the present invention; and
FIG. 14B is a sectional view of the pneumatic positioner taken from reference
line 14B—14B of FIG. 14A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate
like elements throughout the several views, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an
improved slider
10 of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the
slider
10 includes a zipper opening end
12 and a zipper closing end
14.
The slider
10 further includes a keeper
15 extending from a top
plane
16 of the slider
10 between arms
17 and
18 toward
longitudinally extending retaining shoulders
19 and
20. The retaining
shoulders
19 and
20 are shown as discontinuous; however, the shoulders
may be continuous along the length of the slider
10. The keeper
15
as well as the retaining shoulders
19 and
20 secure a zipper within
the slider
10, as shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 is an end view of the opening end of the slider
10 with the slider
shown encompassing a zipper
25 of a type known to those skilled in the art.
As shown in the figure, the keeper
15 secures an interlocking member
22
of profile
24 of zipper
25 by preventing the interlocking member
22 from moving toward the mating interlocking member
26 of profile
28. If the interlocking members are formed of a sufficiently stiff material,
the interlocking member
22 may include a slight recess to accommodate the
keeper. By preventing movement of the interlocking member
22 towards the
interlocking member
26, the profiles
24 and
28 always remain
partially disengaged at the opening end, thereby reducing the possibility of an
unintentional full engagement of the interlocking members within the slider.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the slider
10 and zipper
25 as
part of a reclosable bag
44. In the figure, the zipper
25 is disposed
across the transverse top edges
42 and
43 of the front and rear walls
of reclosable bag
44. In use, the straddling slider
10 is slidable
along the zipper in a closing direction "A" in which the interlocking members
22
and
26 are forced to be fully engaged by the slider. When the slider
10
is moved in an opening direction "B", the interlocking members are disengaged by
pinching the arms
17 and
18 at the zipper opening end
12 of
the slider
10.
FIG. 5 is a side view depicting the slider insertion apparatus
50 of
the present invention. The slider insertion apparatus generally includes an activator
with pusher
52, an insertion cylinder
54, and a zipper guide
56.
The specially shaped elements of the activator with pusher
52 and the zipper
guide
56 will be further discussed in relation to the detailed figures below.
A loading rack
58 may be part of the slider insertion apparatus
50
or may be mechanically attached to the slider insertion apparatus. In FIG. 5, the
loading rack
58 is a horizontal magazine-type rack supplying individual
sliders
10 at an entry point
60.
During an insertion, in slider insertion area
62, an activating fork
64 of the activator with pusher
52 vertically offsets the interlocking
members
22 and
26 of the zipper
25 by moving in direction
"C". This activation of the zipper
25 is in close proximity to the zipper
opening end
12 of the slider
10 to be inserted. A zipper guide
56
holds the zipper
25 closed at the zipper closing end
14 of the slider
10 to be inserted. Coinciding with the movement of the activating fork
64
in direction "C", a pusher
65 of the activator with pusher
52 inserts
the slider
10.
The activator with pusher
52 is driven in direction "C" with a force emitted
from the insertion cylinder
54. The insertion cylinder
54 is preferably
pneumatically driven for effective slider insertion speed either with a single
cylinder or separate cylinders for the activator and pusher.
After insertion of the slider
10 onto the zipper
25, the activator
with pusher
52 retracts in direction "D". This retraction movement allows
the loading rack
58 to pneumatically deliver another slider
10 to
the slider insertion apparatus
50 at the entry point
60. The slider
10 may be delivered pneumatically or a mechanical pawl
66 may also
be used on the loading rack
58 for moving the slider
10 to the slider
insertion apparatus. The mechanical pawl
66 is typically used if the insertion
rate requirements must be in excess of a few per minute.
The zipper guide
56 then guides a next zipper length by the profiles
24
and
28 in direction "E" into the slider insertion apparatus
50. As
the zipper
25 enters and advances through the zipper guide
56, the
confined opening of the zipper guide will prevent the zipper from opening or rolling
from side to side, contributing to a stable insertion of the next slider
10.
FIG. 6 depicts the slider insertion apparatus
50 of the present invention
with a curved loading rack
72. Using the curved loading rack
72 may
have advantages over a horizontal loading rack in terms of space consideration,
as well as the assistance of gravity in feeding sliders
10 to the slider
insertion apparatus
50.
FIG. 7 depicts the interlocking members
22 and
26 in an interlocked
or fully engaged position prior to activation. As shown in FIG. 8, the activator
with pusher
52 moves in direction "C" to offset the interlocking members
22 and
26 at the zipper opening end
12 of the slider
10
to be inserted. In the offsetting or activating action, the interlocking members
are partially disengaged but are not separated. When the interlocking members
22
and
26 are offset in relation to each other, the keeper
15 can properly
secure the interlocking member
22. See FIG. 2.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the activator with pusher
52. As shown
in the figure, the activator with pusher
52 includes the activating fork
64 formed by the fins
86 and
88. From a lower end
90,
the inner surfaces of the lower portions
87,
91 of the fins
86
and
88 chamfer towards a vertical plane
89 between the fins. The
chamfer of the fin facilitates movement of the zipper guide
56 within the
slider insertion apparatus
50. The upper portion
93 of fin
86
further tapers toward the vertical plane
89 and the upper portion
95
of the opposite fin
88 tapers parallel to the upper portion
93 of
the fin
86, so that a clearance
92 is formed. The shape of clearance
92 positions the interlocking members
22 and
26 of the zipper
for proper placement within the slider
10, particularly allowing the interlocking
member
22 to be secured by the keeper
15 (as shown in FIG. 2).
Shown respectively in FIGS. 10 and 11, the male guide plate
81 and the
female guide plate
82 comprise the guiding portion of the zipper guide
56.
At a zipper entering end
110 of the male guide plate
81 of FIG. 10,
each of the corners
112 and
114 is shaped with a radius to prevent
snagging or slitting of the profiles
24 and
28 entering the slider
insertion apparatus
50. At a zipper exiting end
116, a top corner
118 has a radius and a bottom corner
120 is chamfered. Similar to
the formed radii at the zipper entering end
110, the shapes of the corners
118 and
120 minimize slitting or snagging of the profiles
24
and
28 during movement of the reclosable bag
44 within the zipper
guide
56. If space permits, the length of the zipper guide
56 can
be extended at the exiting end
116 of the male guide plate
81. See
FIG. 13 for a detailed view of an extended male guide plate.
In FIG. 10, the male guide plate
81 forms a notch
122 away from
the zipper exiting end
116 in order to accommodate the slider
10
after slider insertion. Toward the zipper entering end
110, the male guide
plate
100 extends from the notch
122 for a protrusion
123.
The protrusion
123 functions to maintain the stability of the zipper
25
and to offset the interlocking members
22 and
26 when the activator
with pusher
52 activates the zipper
25. Two apertures
124
and
126 are provided to accommodate fasteners (not shown) which mechanically
attach the male guide plate
81 to an attachment piece
130.
The female guide plate
82 of the zipper guide
56 is shown in FIG.
11. In the figure, the female guide plate
82 has a zipper entering end
140,
with each corner
142 and
144 of the zipper entering end shaped with
a radius. The radial shape of the corners
142 and
144 prevents snagging
and slitting of the profiles
24 and
28 as the profiles enter the
slider insertion apparatus
50. At a zipper exiting end
146, a top
corner
148 has a radius and a chamfered bottom corner
150. Similar
to the formed radii at the zipper entering end
140, the shape of the corners
148 and
150 minimizes slitting or snagging of the profiles
24
and
28 during movement of the reclosable bag
44 within the slider
insertion apparatus
50. Also similar to the extension of the male guide
plate
81, the length of the zipper guide
56 can be extended at the
zipper exiting end
146. See FIG. 13 for a detailed view of an extended female
guide plate.
In FIG. 11, the female guide plate
82 is formed with a notch
152
to accommodate the activation fork
64 during zipper activation. A slope
section
153 allows a zipper
25 with a straddling slider
10
to move up and away from the notch to protrusion
154 as the zipper is pulled
away from the slider insertion apparatus
50. Two apertures
155 and
156 are provided and sized to accommodate fasteners (not shown) which mechanically
attach the female guide plate
82 to the attachment piece
130.
FIG. 12 is a detailed view of the attachment piece
130 used for the male
guide plate
81. Another attachment piece
130 is provided for attachment
of the female guide plate
82 in the same fashion.
As shown in FIG. 12, a faceplate
170 is provided for attachment of the
male plate
81. The attachment piece
130 is formed as an angle bracket
to strongly secure to the slider insertion apparatus
50 while allowing flexibility
of the zipper guide
56. The attachment piece
130 includes a notch
171 sized to allow passage of the engaged zipper
25 (shown in phantom
lines for purposes of illustration) to the slider insertion area
62. Apertures
172 are provided for securing fasteners (not shown) which attach the attachment
piece
130 to the slider insertion apparatus
50.
FIG. 13 depicts an extended male guide plate
81, an extended female guide
plate
82 and the attachment pieces
130 assembled to form the zipper
guide
56. The extension of the male guide plate
81 provides for another
protrusion
174 tapering away from the notch
122 and toward the zipper
exiting end
116. Increasing the length of the male guide plate
81
provides added support for the profiles
24 and
28 and further straightens
any misalignment which may occur during slider insertion.
The extension of the female guide plate
82 includes another notch
176
tapering down from the protrusion
154 and opposing the protrusion
174
of the male guide plate
81. The notch
176 minimizes interference
with the zipper
25 and allows the slider to transition away smoothly without
fluctuations when the zipper
25 is pulled through the slider insertion apparatus
50 in direction "E".
The male guide plate
81 and the female guide plate
82 assemble
to their respective attachment pieces
130 with fasteners through the apertures
of each plate and piece. By attaching the guide plates
81 and
82
to the slider insertion apparatus
50 by way of the attachment pieces
130,
the guide plates can be rigidly mounted and can resist misalignment forces produced
during slider insertion.
FIGS. 14A and 14B depict a pneumatic positioner
200 that may be used
in conjunction with a vertical form, fill and seal (VFFS) bag making machine or
an alternative automated process for producing reclosable bags. The pneumatic positioner
200 would typically be used after the slider
10 has been inserted
onto the zipper
25 of the reclosable bag
44.
As shown in FIG. 14A, the reclosable bag
44 enters a channel-shaped guide
210. At the upper end
212 of the guide
210, a pneumatic source
214 blows pressurized air into the guide. With a clearance
216 sized
to snugly accommodate the reclosable bag
44, the force of the pressurized
air focuses on pushing against the slider
10, thereby assisting belt drives
217 of the VFFS machine when moving the reclosable bag
44 through
the guide
210 in direction "F".
Alternatively, if the force of the pressurized air exceeds the drag
force of the slider
10 on the zipper
25, the relative motion between
the slider and the zipper will move the slider
10 against the end stop
218,
thereby placing the zipper in a fully opened or a fully closed position. If pressurized
air is still applied, the force of the pressurized air acts against the slider
10 on the end stop
218, thereby moving the reclosable bag
44
down the guide
210 in direction "F". On horizontal bag-making machines or
other bag-making machines known to those skilled in the art, the pneumatic positioner
200 could be used for opening or closing the zipper
25.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been
presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be
exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed; and obviously
many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.
Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to a person skilled in the
art are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined by
the accompanying claims.
*
