Reclosable pouch having a clicking closure device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10618697-B2
Application number	US-201815993796-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2018
Priority date	Feb 22, 2011
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

A reclosable pouch includes a first bag wall. A second bag wall opposing the first bag wall is joined to the first bag wall to form an interior of the pouch with an opening to the interior. A male closure element coupled to one of the bag walls defines a plurality of deformed segments and a plurality of normal segments along a length thereof. The plurality of deformed segments alternate with the plurality of normal segments, with (i) first transitions on one side of the male closure element and (ii) second transitions on another side of the male closure element. A female closure element coupled to the other bag wall engages with the male closure element to seal the opening of the pouch, with the deformed segments of the male closure element generating a sound when the female closure element engages with the male closure element.

First claim

We claim:

1. A reclosable pouch comprising:
(A) a body portion having:
(a) a top portion;
(b) a bottom portion;
(c) a first wall that extends from the bottom portion to the top portion; and
(d) a second wall that extends from the bottom portion to the top portion, the second wall opposing the first wall, and the second wall being joined to the first wall to form an interior of the pouch with an opening to the interior;

(B) a male closure element coupled to the first wall, the male closure element having a first side facing the bottom portion of the pouch and a second side facing the top portion of the pouch, the male closure element defining a plurality of deformed segments and a plurality of normal segments along a length thereof, the plurality of deformed segments being formed by reshaping at least a portion of the male closure element on at least one of the first side and the second side of the male closure element, and the plurality of deformed segments alternating with the plurality of normal segments, with (i) first transitions all along one of the first side and the second side of the male closure element between the plurality of deformed segments and the plurality of normal segments, with the first transitions only being positioned along the one of the first side and the second side of the male closure element, and (ii) second transitions all along the other of the first side and the second side of the male closure element between the plurality of deformed segments and the plurality of normal segments, with the second transitions only being positioned along the other of the first side and the second side of the male closure element, and the second transitions differing from the first transitions; and
(C) a female closure element coupled to the second wall, the female closure element being configured to engage with the male closure element to seal the opening of the pouch,
wherein the deformed segments of the male closure element generate a sound when the female closure element engages with the male closure element to seal the opening of the pouch, with the sound being generated due to (i) the second transitions differing from the first transitions and (ii) the positioning of the second transitions.

2. A reclosable pouch as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first transitions comprise gradual transitions all along the one of the first side and the second side of the male closure element, and the second transitions comprise steep transitions all along the other of the first side and the second side of the male closure element.

3. A reclosable pouch as recited in claim 1 , wherein the male closure element has (i) a proximal base adjacent to the one of the first and second walls, (ii) a stem extending from the base, and (iii) a distal end.

4. A reclosable pouch as recited in claim 1 , wherein the female closure element has first and second spaced legs that define a channel, with the male closure element interlocking in the channel of the female closure element.

5. The reclosable pouch as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of deformed segments of the male closure element is formed by a toothed gripper wheel and a smooth gripper wheel being deployed in an opposing manner to form a gap between the wheels, in which the male closure element can be received.

6. The reclosable pouch as recited in claim 5 , wherein the toothed gripper wheel and the smooth gripper wheel are at approximately forty-five degree angles relative to each other, and the gap between the wheels is constructed and arranged to receive the male closure element to provide the deformed segments therein.

7. The reclosable pouch as recited in claim 6 , wherein the male closure element includes a stem having a width, such that the gap is of a distance less than the width of the stem of the male closure element, so that the stem is deformed substantially only on a side of the stem acted upon by the toothed gripper wheel.

8. The reclosable pouch as recited in claim 1 , wherein the deformed segments of the plurality of deformed segments of the male closure element are formed by:
(i) an engagement end of the male closure element being reshaped on one side of the male closure element;
(ii) a base of the male closure element being substantially unchanged; and
(iii) a stem of the male closure element being substantially unchanged on a second side of the male closure element.

9. The reclosable pouch as recited in claim 1 , wherein engaging the female closure element with the male closure element to seal the opening of the pouch generates a clicking feel.

10. The reclosable pouch as recited in claim 1 , wherein a length of at least one of the deformed segments of the male closure element is less than 0.15 of an inch.

11. The reclosable pouch as recited in claim 1 , wherein the male closure element comprises a base and a stem that extends from the base to terminate in an engagement end, the engagement end having a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of a hook, an arrow head, a three-lobed arrow head, a rounded stem, an asymmetrical triangle, and a symmetrical triangle.

12. The reclosable pouch as recited in claim 11 , wherein the stem of the male closure element has sealing surfaces.

13. The reclosable pouch as recited in claim 1 , wherein the male closure element comprises asymmetric deformations in each of the deformed segments, the asymmetric deformations being capable of generating the sound when the female closure element engages with the male closure element.

14. The reclosable pouch as recited in claim 13 , wherein each of the asymmetric deformations comprises:
(i) a distal end of the male closure element being reshaped on one side of the male closure element;
(ii) a base of the male closure element being substantially unchanged; and
(iii) a stem of the male closure element being substantially unchanged on a second side of the male closure element.

15. A reclosable pouch as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a second male closure element and a second female closure element coupled to opposing sides of the first and second bag walls, respectively,
wherein the second female closure element is configured to engage with the second male closure element to further seal the opening of the pouch.

16. A reclosable pouch as recited in claim 15 , wherein the male closure element has deformed segments of a first length, and the second male closure element has deformed segments of a second length, the second length being different than the first length.

17. A reclosable pouch as recited in claim 15 , wherein the second male closure element comprises asymmetric deformations, the asymmetric deformations being capable of generating a second sound when the second female closure element engages with the second male closure element.

18. A reclosable pouch as recited in claim 17 , wherein engaging the female closure element with the male closure element generates the sound at a first audible frequency, and engaging the second female closure element with the second male closure element generates the second sound at a second audible frequency.

19. A reclosable pouch as recited in claim 18 , wherein the second audible frequency differs from the first audible frequency.

20. A reclosable pouch as recited in claim 17 , wherein engaging the second female closure element with the second male closure element to seal the opening of the pouch generates a clicking feel.

21. A reclosable pouch as recited in claim 1 , wherein the s

Assignees

• Johnson & Son Inc S C

Inventors

• Price William D
• Dawkins Richard R

Classifications

• B65D2203/12

  Audible, olfactory or visual signalling means (B65D51/248, B65D55/028, B65D79/02 and B65D81/24 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65D33/255 Primary

  being provided with special visual, audible or tactile indicating means, e.g. indicating proper engagement (B65D33/2516 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D33/2558

  the slide fastener having a non-constant section throughout the length of the fastener, e.g. slightly undulated interlocking members or castellated stringers · CPC title

• B65D33/24

  using self-locking integral or attached closure elements, e.g. flaps (B65D33/25 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D33/2566

  using two or more independently operable slide fasteners · CPC title