Reclosable pouch with an elongate closure mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9738422-B2
Application number	US-201514809297-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2015
Priority date	May 29, 2009
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

A reclosable pouch in combination with an elongate closure mechanism. The elongate closure mechanism includes a first base member disposed along a first sidewall. A pair of interlocking members extends from a first surface of the first base member, and are parallel to each other with a space therebetween. A plurality of partial indentations is disposed along a second surface of the first base member, extending longitudinally between the opposite ends of the elongate closure mechanism, and being visible between the opposite ends of the elongate closure mechanism. The pair of interlocking members extending from the first base member occlude and deocclude with a pair of interlocking members extending from the second base member, in order to resealably close the mouth. The plurality of partial indentations remains visible during the occluding and deoccluding.

First claim

We claim:

1. A reclosable pouch in combination with an elongate closure mechanism, the reclosable pouch comprising:
(A) first and second sidewalls each having a first surface and a second surface, the first and second sidewalls being connected together in order to define an interior space of the pouch between the first and second sidewalls, and a mouth defining an opening into the interior space; and
(B) an elongate closure mechanism disposed along the first and second sidewalls for resealably closing the mouth, the elongate closure mechanism extending longitudinally from one end of the mouth to an opposite end of the mouth, the elongate closure mechanism comprising:
(a) a pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the first sidewall, the pair of interlocking members being parallel to each other with a space therebetween, wherein the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the first sidewall has a substantially constant profile between the opposite ends of the elongate closure mechanism;
(b) a plurality of partial indentations being disposed along one of the first surface and the second surface of the first sidewall, the plurality of partial indentations (i) partially extending into the one of the first surface and the second surface of the first sidewall, (ii) extending longitudinally between the opposite ends of the elongate closure mechanism, and (iii) being visible between the opposite ends of the elongate closure mechanism; and
(c) a pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the second sidewall, the pair of interlocking members being parallel to each other with a space therebetween, wherein at least one of the interlocking members of the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the second sidewall has a substantially constant profile between opposite ends of the respective interlocking member,
wherein the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the first sidewall is configured to occlude and to deocclude with the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the second sidewall, in order to resealably close the mouth, and
wherein the plurality of partial indentations remains visible during occluding and deoccluding of the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the first sidewall with the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the second sidewall, to provide a tactile guide path to facilitate a user in the occluding of the respective pairs of interlocking members.

2. The reclosable pouch of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of partial indentations is disposed along the one of the first surface and the second surface of the first sidewall at positions that are at least one of (i) below the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the first sidewall and (ii) positions opposite to the space between the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the first sidewall.

3. The reclosable pouch of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of partial indentations is disposed along the second surface of the first sidewall at positions that are overlying at least one of the interlocking members of the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the first sidewall.

4. The reclosable pouch of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of partial indentations disposed along one of the first surface and the second surface of the second sidewall.

5. The reclosable pouch of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of partial indentations is disposed along the one of the first surface and the second surface of the second sidewall at positions that are at least one of (i) below the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the second sidewall and (ii) positions opposite to the space between the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the second sidewall.

6. The reclosable pouch of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of partial indentations is disposed along the second surface of the second sidewall at positions that are overlying at least one of the interlocking members of the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the second sidewall.

7. The reclosable pouch of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of partial indentions disposed along the one of the first surface and the second surface of the first sidewall is aligned with the plurality of partial indentations disposed along the one of the first surface and the second surface of the second sidewall.

8. The reclosable pouch of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of partial indentations comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart partial indentations.

9. The reclosable pouch of claim 1 , further including a second plurality of partial indentations disposed along one of the first surface and the second surface of the first sidewall at positions below the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the first sidewall.

10. The reclosable pouch of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of partial indentations comprises a linear pattern of interlocking diamond shapes.

11. The reclosable pouch of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of partial indentations comprises a plurality of interlocking partial indentations.

12. The reclosable pouch of claim 1 , wherein each partial indentation of the plurality of partial indentations has at least one of (i) a circular shape, (ii) an X-shape, and (iii) a diamond shape.

13. The reclosable pouch of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of partial indentations is arranged in a generally curvilinear pattern along the one of the first surface and the second surface of the first sidewall.

14. The reclosable pouch of claim 13 , wherein at least some of the partial indentations is generally diamond shaped.

15. The reclosable pouch of claim 1 , the elongate enclosure mechanism further including:
(d) an additional interlocking member extending from the first surface of the first sidewall, the additional interlocking member being (i) parallel to the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the first sidewall and (ii) disposed in the space between the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the first sidewall; and
(e) an additional interlocking member extending from the first surface of the second sidewall, the additional interlocking member being (i) parallel to the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the second sidewall and (ii) disposed in the space between the pair of interlocking members extending from the first surface of the second sidewall,
wherein the additional interlocking member extending from the first surface of the first sidewall is configured to occlude and to deocclude with the additional interlocking member extending from the first surface of the second sidewall.

16. The reclosable pouch of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of partial indentations is disposed along the second surface of the first sidewall at positions overlying the additional interlocking member extending from the first surface of the first sidewall.

17. The reclosable pouch of claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of partial indentations disposed along the second surface of the second sidewall at positions overlying the additional interlocking member extending from the first surface of the second sidewall.

18. The reclosable pouch of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of partial indentations is created by at least one of cutting and embossing.

Assignees

• Johnson & Son Inc S C
• Johnson & Son Inc S C

Inventors

• Ackerman Bryan L
• Pawloski James C

Classifications

• B65D33/255 Primary

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

• Y10T24/45168

  for container [e.g., bag] · CPC title

• B65D33/24 Primary

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