Abstract
A container or pouch made from an elastomer includes a body having a front wall and a rear wall that are configured to provide an inner volume of the container. A closure system includes a male portion having a male sealing profile that has a male closure element that extends from a thickened region, and a female portion has a female sealing profile that includes a female closure element and defines an opening into a cavity. A gate is disposed between the inner volume and the male closure element. A centerline extends through the opening, the cavity, the male sealing profile, and the thickened region when the closure system is in a closed configuration. The gate extends below an axis that extends through the opening and is perpendicular to the centerline in the closed configuration.
Claims
1. A container or pouch made from an elastomer, comprising: a body that comprises a front wall and a rear wall that are configured to provide an inner volume of the container; and a closure system, comprising: a male portion having a male sealing profile that includes a male closure element that extends from a thickened region; a female portion having a female sealing profile that includes a female closure element and defining an opening into a cavity, wherein a centerline extends through the opening, the cavity, the male sealing profile, and the thickened region when the closure system is in a closed configuration; and a gate that is disposed between the inner volume and the male closure element, wherein an axis extends through the opening and is perpendicular to the centerline, and wherein the gate extends below the axis in the closed configuration.
2. The container of claim 1, wherein the gate is unitary with the closure system.
3. The container of claim 2, wherein the gate is configured to contact the female closure element when contents within the inner volume contact the gate.
4. The container of claim 2, wherein the gate is configured to at least partially contact the female portion in the closed configuration.
5. The container of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the gate at least partially varies along a surface that faces the inner volume.
6. The container of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the gate is at least partially uniform along a surface that faces the inner volume.
7. The container of claim 1, wherein the gate extends integrally from the male portion of the closure system.
8. The container of claim 1, wherein the gate includes a first layer that extends from the female portion of the closure system and a second layer that extends from the male portion of the closure system.
9. The container of claim 1, wherein the closure system further comprises a gap having a distance between the male closure element and the gate, and wherein the distance is measured in a direction perpendicular to the centerline.
10. The container of claim 1, wherein a height of the female closure element is greater than a height of the thickened region, and wherein the height of the female closure element and the height of the thickened region are each measured in a direction perpendicular to the centerline.
11. The container of claim 10, wherein the height of the female closure element is at least 100% of the height of the thickened region.
12. A container or pouch made from an elastomer, comprising: a body that comprises a front wall and a rear wall that are configured to provide an inner volume of the container; and a closure system, comprising: a male portion having a male sealing profile that includes a male closure element that extends from a thickened region; a female portion having a female sealing profile that includes a female closure element and defining an opening into a cavity, wherein a centerline extends through the opening, the cavity, the male sealing profile, and the thickened region when the closure system is in a closed configuration; and a gate that extends from the male portion and is disposed between the inner volume and the male closure element, wherein the gate is configured to engage with the female closure element when contents within the inner volume contact the gate in the closed configuration.
13. The container of claim 12, wherein the closure system further comprises a gap having a distance between the male closure element and the gate, wherein the distance is measured in a direction perpendicular to the centerline.
14. The container of claim 13, wherein a volume of the gap is defined by at least a height of the gate, wherein the height of the gate is measured in a direction perpendicular to the centerline.
15. The container of claim 12, wherein the gate comprises a rectangular cross-section.
16. The container of claim 12, wherein a thickness of at least a portion of the female portion continuously varies beneath the female closure element, wherein the thickness of the female portion is measured in a direction parallel to the centerline.
17. A container or pouch made from an elastomer, comprising: a body that comprises a front wall and a rear wall that are configured to provide an inner volume of the container; and a closure system, comprising: a male portion having a male sealing profile that includes a first male closure element that extends from a thickened region; and a female portion having a female sealing profile that includes a female closure element and defining an opening into a cavity, the female closure element including an inner portion that includes the cavity, wherein a centerline extends through the opening, the cavity, the first male closure element, and the thickened region when the closure system is in a closed configuration, wherein a height of the inner portion is greater than a height of the thickened region, the height of the inner portion and the height of the thickened region each measured in a direction perpendicular to the centerline.
18. The container of claim 17, wherein the male portion further includes a second male closure element that is disposed between the first male closure element and the inner volume.
19. The container of claim 18, wherein the male portion further comprises a gap between the first male closure element and the second male closure element.
20. The container of claim 17, wherein the height of the inner portion is between about 100% and about 200% of the height of the thickened region.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of a pouch having a closure system as disclosed herein, and shown in an inverted configuration;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the pouch of FIG. 1;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the pouch of FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the pouch taken through line 4-4 of FIG. 2;
[0022] FIG. 5 is a detail view of a side of the pouch of FIG. 1;
[0023] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional, detail view of a female profile of the closure system of FIG. 4;
[0024] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional, detail view of a male profile of the closure system of FIG. 4;
[0025] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional, detail view of the male and female profiles of FIGS. 6 and 7 shown in a closed configuration;
[0026] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional, detail view of another embodiment of a closure system having male and female profiles shown in a closed configuration for a pouch, similar to the pouch of FIGS. 1-5;
[0027] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional, detail view of yet another embodiment of a closure system having male and female profiles shown in a closed configuration for a pouch, similar to the pouch of FIGS. 1-5;
[0028] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional, detail view of still another embodiment of a closure system having male and female profiles shown in a closed configuration for a pouch, similar to the pouch of FIGS. 1-5;
[0029] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional, detailed view of still another embodiment of a closure system having male and female profiles shown in a closed configuration for a pouch, similar to the pouch of FIGS. 1-5;
[0030] FIG. 13 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of a pouch having another closure system as disclosed herein, and shown in an open configuration;
[0031] FIG. 14 is a front elevational view of the pouch of FIG. 13;
[0032] FIG. 15 is a top plan view of the pouch of FIG. 13;
[0033] FIG. 16 is a side cross-sectional view of the pouch taken through line 16-16 of FIG. 14;
[0034] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional, detail view of a female profile of the closure system of FIG. 16;
[0035] FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional, detail view of a male profile of the closure system of FIG. 16; and
[0036] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional, detail view of the male and female profiles of FIGS. 17 and 18 shown in a closed configuration.
[0037] Other aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, wherein similar structures have similar reference numerals.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] The present disclosure is directed to pouches and containers comprising an improved closure system, and more particularly to closure systems having improved sealing members. While the systems disclosed herein may be embodied in many different forms, several specific embodiments are discussed herein with the understanding that the embodiments described in the present disclosure are to be considered only exemplifications of the principles described herein, and the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments illustrated. Throughout the disclosure, the terms about and approximate mean plus or minus 5% of the number or value that each term precedes. As used herein, the phrase elastomer refers to a material which at room temperature can be stretched repeatedly and, upon immediate release of the stress, will return with force to its approximate original length. Further, the phrase leak resistant seal refers to a seal that resists leakage of liquids and solids from the container during storage and transport without the aid of an external structure to maintain the seal. Finally, the term closure element is defined herein to mean one part of a closure. For example, on a zipper closure, a closure element is one profile or the other of the zipper, e.g., a rib profile or a groove profile.
[0039] The present disclosure is related to storage pouches and containers that include an improved zipper design. The pouches and containers may take varying forms, and representative examples are provided in FIGS. 1-5 and FIGS. 13-16. While the embodiments disclosed herein are formed entirely by an elastomer, such as silicone, it is contemplated that multiple components may be coupled or formed together to achieve the embodiments disclosed herein. While varying manufacturing methods may be used, the pouches and containers disclosed herein may be manufactured using a Liquid Injection Mold Process (LIM process) through which the entire pouch or container is molded in one piece and is made of silicone. Alternatively, the pouches and containers disclosed herein may be manufactured in multiple pieces which may be joined together. Alternative methods of manufacture may be implemented, such as compression molding, transfer molding, extrusion, blow molding, sheet extrusion, and thermal forming.
[0040] Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, a re-closable container 40 is shown that includes a body 42 and a closure system 44 in an inverted configuration, as disclosed herein. In the inverted configuration, an interior wall 46 of the body 42 and the closure system 44 both face outward. In a non-inverted configuration, the interior wall 46 of the body 42 and the closure system 44 face inward, and the closure system 44 is configured to be closed. The container 40 may be entirely made of one or more elastomeric materials, and may comprise one or more of an unsaturated rubber, a saturated rubber, or a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), among other elastomeric materials. When the container 40 is molded as a unitary component, leak paths along edges of the pouch are minimized or eliminated since no additional sealing is required along the various edges of the container 40, in contrast to many prior art plastic zippered bags. By forming the container 40 as a unitary component, the structural integrity of the container 40 is enhanced. Since the entire container 40 is constructed of an elastomer, the container 40 is considered to be a long-life container.
[0041] Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the body 42 is defined by a first or front wall 48 and a second or rear wall 50, which are joined together along a peripheral edge or seam 54 that extends along a first or left side 56, a second or bottom side 58, and a third or right side 60 of the body 42. While the body 42 of the present embodiment is a unitary component, in some embodiments, the front wall 48 and the rear wall 50 may be connected by, for example, folding, heat sealing, and/or an adhesive, along the peripheral edge 54. In an in-use configuration, a reservoir 62 is defined between the front wall 48 and the rear wall 50 of the body 42. The reservoir 62 is configured for holding and retaining food or other material(s) that are placed into the reservoir 62 for storage therein. As best illustrated in FIG. 4, upper portions 64 of the front wall 48 and the rear wall 50 are generally straight, while lower portions 66 of the front wall 48 and the rear wall 50 are curved and join one another at the peripheral seam 54 along the bottom side 58 of the body 42. However, in alternative embodiments, the upper portions 64 need not be straight, and the lower portions 66 need not be curved. It should be appreciated that due to the use of an elastomer to form the front wall 48 and the rear wall 50, gravity will cause the walls 48, 50 to deform or curve when the container 40 is placed on a resting surface (not shown). Further, while the illustrated embodiment shows the front wall 48 and the rear wall 50 that are joined along the peripheral edge 54, other embodiments may include the front wall 48 and the rear wall 50 that are (unitarily) formed without the peripheral edge 54.
[0042] Still referring to FIGS. 1-4, the re-closeable container 40 further includes the closure system 44, which is disposed above the body 42. The closure system 44 includes a first or male portion 70 and a second or female portion 72. The male portion 70 comprises a front sealing strip 80 that extends longitudinally across the container 40, and the female portion 72 comprises a rear sealing strip 82 that also extends longitudinally across the container 40. The front sealing strip 80 is disposed above the front wall 48 of the body 42. The rear sealing strip 82 is disposed above the rear wall 50 of the body 42. The front sealing strip 80 and the rear sealing strip 82 define a closure mechanism, which includes a first or male sealing profile 84 defined by the front sealing strip 80, and a second or female sealing profile 86 defined by the rear sealing strip 82. The front sealing strip 80 and the rear sealing strip 82 comprise the male sealing profile 84 and the female sealing profile 86, respectively, and further include various thickened regions along the male portion 70 and the female portion 72 of the closure system 44, respectively, as discussed below. Further, a handle or lip 88 further extends upward from and is disposed on each of the male portion 70 and the female portion 72. Each lip 88 defines a generally round extension that extends upward from the front sealing strip 80 and the rear sealing strip 82, respectively. However, in alternate embodiments, the lip 88 may be disposed on either or both of the male portion 70 and the female portion 72. The lip 88 includes a plurality of longitudinal ribs 90 disposed horizontally therealong that may assist with allowing a user to grip the lip 88 to open the container 40. The ribs 90 may be in the form of protrusions that extend outward from the lip 88, or grooves that extend into or entirely through the lip 88. While the illustrated embodiment shows the lip 88 that includes the ribs 90, other embodiments may include the lip 88 that is free of the ribs 90.
[0043] Referring in particular to FIG. 4, the male sealing profile 84 is disposed on the male portion 70 of the closure system 44, and the female sealing profile 86 is disposed on the female portion 72 of the closure system 44, thus, the male sealing profile 84 and the female sealing profile 86 extend along opposing portions of an inner side 98 of the closure system 44. The male sealing profile 84 includes a male closure element 100 (e.g., a first male closure element), and the female sealing profile 86 includes a female closure element 102 that are each unitary with the male portion 70 and the female portion 72 of the closure system 44. In an in-use configuration, the male closure element 100 extends inwardly from the sealing structure of the container 40 (e.g., outwardly from the front sealing strip 80), while the female closure element 102 includes a cavity 104 that is defined within the rear sealing strip 82. The male closure element 100 and the female closure element 102 are aligned with respect to one another. The male sealing profile 84 further includes a gate 106 (e.g., a second male closure element 100) that is disposed below the male closure element 100 and is unitary with the front sealing strip 80. The male sealing profile 84 and the female sealing profile 86 are discussed in greater detail with respect to FIGS. 6 and 7, discussed hereinafter below.
[0044] Still referring to FIG. 4, the container 40 defines a longitudinal axis or plane 108 that extends through the peripheral edge 54, and a horizontal axis or plane 110 that extends orthogonally through the longitudinal plane 108. Various dimensions of the container 40 are shown, including a height 112 of the male portion 70 of the closure system 44, a height 114 of the female portion 72 of the closure system 44, a height 116 of the body 42, and a height 118 of the container 40. Each of the heights 112, 114, 116, 118 are measured along lines that are parallel with respect to the longitudinal plane 108. A width 120 of the closure system 44 and a width 122 of the body 42 are shown, which each define a widest measurement of the closure system 44 and body 42, respectively. While the widths 120, 122 are illustrated at a widest point of the container 40, thus, defining a widest width of the container 40 in an open configuration, the terms width and height are to be construed as a height taken at any point along each respective element of container 40.
[0045] The height 112 of the male portion 70 of the closure system 44 may be substantially the same as the height 114 of the female portion 72 of the closure system 44, or between about 50% and about 100% of the height 114 of the female portion 72 of the closure system 44, or between about 60% and about 90% of the height 114 of the female portion 72 of the closure system 44, or between about 70% and about 80% of the height 114 of the female portion 72 of the closure system 44. Further, the height 112 of the male portion 70 of the closure system 44 may be between about 5% and about 35% of the height 116 of the body 42, or between about 10% and about 30% of the height 116 of the body 42, or between about 15% and about 25% of the height 116 of the body 42. The height 112 of the male portion 70 may be between about 2% and about 30% of the height 118 of the container 40, or between about 5% and about 25% of the height 118 of the container 40, or between about 10% and about 20% of the height 118 of the container 40. The width 120 of the closure system 44 may be between about 100% and about 140% of the width 122 of the body 42, or between about 110% and about 130% of the width 122 of the body 42, or between about 115% and about 120% of the width 122 of the body 42.
[0046] Referring now to FIG. 5, the right side 60 of the closure system 44 is shown in greater in detail. While the following describes the right side 60 of the closure system 44, similar descriptions apply to the left side 56 of the closure system 44. The closure system 44 has at least a first protrusion 130 that is configured to contact a surface 132 at the right side 60 of the container 40 in an inverted configuration. The surface 132 is disposed between the male closure element 100 and the female closure element 102 and defines a width 134 that is at least the width of the protrusion 130. To that end, in the inverted configuration, the protrusion 130 may reduce a space, e.g., a leak path, between the closure system 44 and the surface 132 of the body 42. In the present embodiment, the male closure element 100 includes the protrusion 130 that extends outward from a first distal end 136 of the male closure element 100. The female closure element 102 includes a plurality of the protrusions 130 that each extend outward from a second distal end 138 of the female closure element 102. When the container 40 is inverted, the protrusion 130 at the first distal end 136 is positioned between the two protrusions 130 at the second distal end 138. The protrusions 130 at the first distal end 136 partially cover the cavity 104 at the right side 60 of the closure system 44 and may block fluids in the cavity 104 from leaking at the right side 60 of the closure system 44. However, in some embodiments, the plurality of protrusions 130 need not be disposed to partially cover the cavity 104 and may be disposed elsewhere on the closure system 44. Further, while the protrusion 130 has a triangular cross-section in the present embodiment, different cross-sectional shapes are contemplated in alternative embodiments. For example, the cross-section of the protrusion 130 may be in a shape of a square, a rectangle, a hexagon, a circle, a semicircle, a trapezoid, etc. Further, the female closure element 102 may include more or fewer protrusions (e.g., one, two, four, five, six, seven, eight, etc.).
[0047] Referring now to FIG. 6, a cross-sectional, detail view of the female sealing profile 86 of the closure system 44 of FIGS. 1-5 is shown. In particular, the detail views of FIGS. 6 and 7 are shown with respect to the container 40 of FIGS. 1-5. The female sealing profile 86 comprises a base portion 150, a first upper arm 152, a second upper arm 154, a first lower arm 156, and a second lower arm 158. The first upper arm 152 and the first lower arm 156 are spaced apart from one another and extend toward one another from the base portion 150. Similarly, the second upper arm 154 and the second lower arm 158 are spaced apart from one another and extend toward one another from the base portion 150. The female sealing profile 86 further defines the cavity 104, which is configured to receive the male closure element 100 and defines a triangular cross-section with inner corners 160 and a triangular corner 162. The female closure element 102 is symmetric about a longitudinal center plane or centerline 164; however, alternative a-symmetric embodiments are contemplated.
[0048] The first and second upper arms 152, 154 and the first and second lower arms 156, 158 are integral with the female sealing profile 86 and extend outwardly therefrom. The first upper arm 152 and the first lower arm 156 define an opening 166 into the cavity 104, into which the head of the male closure element 100 is inserted to seal the container 40. An axis 168 that is perpendicular to the centerline 164 extends through the opening 166. The opening 166 is defined between distal ends 170 of the first upper arm 152 and the first lower arm 156. The first and second upper arms 152, 154 and the first and second lower arms 156, 158 are capable of deflecting inward or outward when the male closure element 100 is inserted into or removed from the cavity 104.
[0049] Still referring to FIG. 6, the female closure element 102 further defines a height 172 and a thickness 174, and the opening 166 defines a height 182. The base portion 150 includes an inner portion 184 and an outer portion 186. The inner portion 184 is defined by a vertical line or plane 188 that extends perpendicularly through the longitudinal centerline 164 and through an innermost point 190 along the surface defining the cavity 104. As such, the inner portion 184 includes the entire cavity 104, while the outer portion 186 does not include any portion of the cavity 104. The inner portion 184 further defines a thickness 192, which is measured in a direction parallel with respect to the centerline 164, and the outer portion 186 defines a thickness 194, measured in a direction parallel with respect to the centerline 164. In some embodiments, the height 172 of the female closure element 102 can include a height of the inner portion 184.
[0050] The thickness 194 of the outer portion 186 is between about 0.5 millimeters (mm) and about 6.0 mm, or between about 1.0 mm and about 4.0 mm, or between about 1.5 mm and about 3.0 mm, or about 3.5 mm. In some embodiments, the height 172 of the female closure element is between about 10 mm and about 30 mm, or between about 15 mm and about 20 mm. In some embodiments, the male closure element 100 defines a thickness of less than about 20.0 mm, or less than about 19.0 mm, or less than about 18.0 mm, or less than about 17.0 mm, or less than about 16.0 mm, or less than about 15.0 mm, or less than about 12.5 mm, or less than about 10.0 mm, or less than about 7.5 mm, or less than about 5.0 mm, or less than about 2.5 mm.
[0051] With continued reference to FIG. 6, the thickness 194 of the outer portion 186 is between about 5% and about 100% of the thickness 192 of the inner portion 184, or between about 10% and about 50% of the thickness 192 of the inner portion 184, or between about 15% and about 45% of the thickness 192 of the inner portion 184, or between about 40% and about 50% of the thickness 192 of the inner portion 184. In some embodiments, the thickness 194 is at least 5% of the thickness 192 of the inner portion 184, or at least 10%, or at least 15%, or at least 20%, or at least 25%, or at least 30%, or at least 35%, or at least 40%, or at least 50%, or at least 55%, or at least 60%, or at least 70%, or at least 75%, or at least 80%, or at least 90%, or at least 100%, or at least 110%, or at least 125%, or at least 150%, or at least 175%, or at least 200%, or at least 250%, or at least 300% of the thickness 192 of the inner portion 184. The thickness 194 of the outer portion 186 is between about 5% and about 80% of the thickness 174 of the female closure element 102, or between about 10% and about 70% of the thickness 174 of the female closure element 102, or between about 15% and about 35% of the thickness 174 of the female closure element 102.
[0052] Still referring to FIG. 6, the cavity 104 includes a first sub-cavity 200 and a second sub-cavity 202. The first sub-cavity 200 is at least partially defined by inner surfaces 204, 206, which define inner surfaces of the first upper arm 152 and the first lower arm 156, respectively. The inner surfaces 204, 206 also partially define the inner corners 160. The first sub-cavity 200 is also at least partially defined by lateral surfaces 208, 210. Further, the second sub-cavity 202 is at least partially defined by inner surfaces 212, 214, which define inner surfaces of the second upper arm 154 and the second lower arm 158. The inner surfaces 212, 214 also partially define the inner corners 160. The second sub-cavity 202 is also at least partially defined by lateral surfaces 216, 218. The inner surfaces 204, 206, 212, 214 may be defined as sealing surfaces, as these surfaces align with portions of the male closure element 100 to provide an enhanced seal. The lateral surfaces 208, 210, 216, 218 may at least partially define a profile of the male closure element 100, i.e., the lateral surfaces 208, 210, 216, 218 are angled inward from intersections with the inner surfaces 204, 206, 212, 214 toward the centerline 164. The first sub-cavity 200 is configured to receive the first head element 234, and the second sub-cavity 202 is configured to receive the second head element 236.
[0053] As shown in FIG. 6, an interior surface 220 defines an innermost surface of the cavity 104, and in the present embodiment, the interior surface 220 defines the triangular corner 162. In the present embodiment, the interior surface 220 generally follows a profile of the male closure element 100 and may be disposed in a variety of configurations. It is contemplated that in some embodiments, one or more of the interior surface 220, lateral surface 208, lateral surface 210, lateral surface 216, and lateral surface 218 may not follow the profile of the male closure element 100. In the present embodiment, surfaces that follow a corresponding profile portion can be considered to have similar shapes or curvatures defining the respective surfaces, i.e., they mirror one another or have profiles that substantially conform with one another. In some embodiments, more or fewer sub-cavities may be defined by the various surfaces that define the cavity 104 such that more or fewer compartments are formed that receive the male closure element 100. In some embodiments, the cavity 104 may not include the first and second sub-cavities 200, 202. Correspondingly, the cavity 104 may not be defined by the lateral surfaces 208, 210, 216, 218 and may instead only include the interior surface 220 which may extend from intersections with the inner surfaces 204, 206, i.e., to define a circular or semi-circular cross section.
[0054] Referring now to FIG. 7, a detail view is shown of the male closure element 100 of the closure system 44 of FIGS. 1-5. The male closure element 100 comprises a stem portion 230 that extends outward from the front sealing strip 80 and joins a head portion 232. The head portion 232 includes a first head element 234 and a second head element 236. The first head element 234 defines an upper corner 238 and lower corners 240 that are disposed in a triangular configuration. The second head element 236 also defines the lower corners 240 that are disposed in a triangular configuration. The head portion 232 and the stem portion 230 are unitary components with the male closure element 100 which defines a height 244 and a thickness 246. The male closure element 100 also defines a thickened region 242 that defines a thickness 262. The thickness 262 at a lower end 264 of the thickened region 242 is different than the thickness 262 at an upper end 266. Additionally, the female sealing profile 86 includes an upper groove 268 that defines a height 270 and is disposed above the stem portion 230. The female sealing profile 86 includes a lower groove 272 that defines a height 274 and is disposed below the stem portion 230. The upper groove 268 is sized to receive the first upper arm 152, and the lower groove 272 is sized to receive the first lower arm 156. In the present embodiment, the height 274 is greater than the height 270. However, in some embodiments, the height 274 is substantially similar to the height 270, or the height 274 is less than the height 270.
[0055] Still referring to FIG. 7, the thickness 262 of the thickened region 242 is between about 10% and about 100% of the thickness 246 of the male closure element 100, or between about 30% and about 80% of the thickness 246 of the male closure element 100, or at least 30%, or at least 40%, or at least 50%, or at least 60%, or at least 70%, or at least 80% of the thickness 246 of the male closure element 100. Further a thickness 276 of the rear wall 50 is between about 5% and about 80% the thickness 262 of the thickened region 242, or between about 10% and about 70% of the thickness 262 of the thickened region 242, or between about 15% and about 60% of the thickness 262 of the thickened region 242, or between about 20% and 40% of the thickness 262 of the thickened region 242, or between about 35% and about 45% of the thickness 262 of the thickened region 242.
[0056] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the height 258 of the stem portion 230 is between about 100% and about 500% of the height 182 of the opening 166, or between about 110% and about 400% of the height 182 of the opening 166, or between about 120% and about 300% of the height 182 of the opening 166, or at least 100%, or at least 110%, or at least 120%, or at least 150%, or at least 200%, or at least 250%, or at least 300%, or at least 350%, or at least 400%, or at least 450% of the height 182 of the opening 166. In some embodiments, the height 258 of the stem portion 230 is between about 50% and about 100% of the height 182 of the opening 166, or between about 75% and about 100% of the height 182 of the opening 166, or between about 90% and about 100% of the height 182 of the opening 166.
[0057] Referring briefly to FIG. 8, a detail view of the male and female sealing profiles 84, 86 of FIGS. 6 and 7 are shown in a closed configuration, and, when in the closed configuration, the male and female sealing profiles 84, 86 define a total thickness 278. Referring again to FIGS. 6 and 7, the thickness 194 of the outer portion 186 is between about 10% and about 90% of the total thickness 278, or between about 20% and about 80% of the total thickness 278, or between about 30% and about 70% of the total thickness 278, or between about 35% and about 50% of the total thickness 278, or at least 10%, or at least 20%, or at least 30%, or at least 40%, or at least 50%, or at least 60%, or at least 70% of the total thickness 278. In some embodiments, the thickness 174 of the female closure element 102 is at least 50% of the total thickness 278 of the closure system 44, or at least 60% of the total thickness 278 of the closure system 44, or at least 70% of the total thickness 278 of the closure system 44, or at least 80% of the total thickness 278 of the closure system 44, or at least 90% of the total thickness 278 of the closure system 44. In some embodiments, the thickness 174 of the female closure element 102 can be greater than the thickness 262 of the thickened region 242.
[0058] Still further, in some embodiments, the thickness 262 of the thickened region 242 is less than 50% of the total thickness 278 of the closure system 44, or less than 40% of the total thickness 278 of the closure system 44, or less than 35% of the total thickness 278 of the closure system 44, or less than 30% of the total thickness 278 of the closure system 44, or less than 25% of the total thickness 278 of the closure system 44. In some embodiments, the height 258 of the stem portion 230 is between about 10% and about 50% of the height 172 of the female closure element 102, or between about 15% and about 40% of the height 172 of the female closure element 102, or between about 20% and about 35% of the height 172 of the female closure element 102, or between about 10% and about 20% of the height 172 of the female closure element 102, or less than 50%, or less than 40%, or less than 30%, or less than 20% of the height 172 of the female closure element 102. In some embodiments, the height 172 of the female closure element 102 is between about 100% and about 200% of the height 244 of the male closure system 100, or between about 120% and about 180% of the height 244 of the male closure system 100, or between about 140% and about 160% of the height 244 of the male closure system 100, or at least 100%, or at least 120%, or at least 140%, or at least 150%, or at least 200% of the height 244 of the male closure system 100. Put differently, the height 172 of the female closure element 102 can be greater than the height 244 of the male closure system 100. In some embodiments, the height 172 of the female closure element 102 includes a height of the inner portion 184, and the height 244 of the male closure system 100 includes a height of the thickened region 242. Accordingly, the height of the inner portion 184 can be greater than the height of the thickened region 242.
[0059] Referring specifically to FIG. 7, the closure system 44 includes the gate 106 that can be configured to protect the sealing structure, i.e., mating of the male closure element 100 and the female closure element 102. When the closure system 44 is closed and the container 40 is held upside down, contents, e.g., food, water, gas, etc., within the reservoir 62 may exert pressure on the closure system 44, which may inadvertently open under compression. By disposing the gate 106 below the sealing structure, the gate 106 can limit the pressure that may be directly exerted to the sealing structure, as the contents contact the gate 106, e.g., a surface that faces the reservoir 62, before contacting the sealing structure. Additionally, the gate 106 is configured to elastically deflect toward the sealing structure to form a gap 280, i.e., an enclosed volume, between the gate 106 and the sealing structure. The gap 280 may comprise a pocket of air that can resist the pressure exerted by the contents. In some embodiments, the closure system 44 can include one or more gaps (e.g., two gaps, three gaps, four gaps, etc.) between the gate 106 and the sealing structure to protect the sealing structure. In some embodiments, one or more dimensions of the closure system 44 can be modified to adjust a size of the gap 280, for example, to increase or decrease the effect of providing the pocket of air.
[0060] Still referring to FIG. 7, in the present embodiment, the gate 106 extends outward from the front sealing strip 80 and is unitary with the front sealing strip 80. The gate 106 defines a thickness 282 and a height 284. The gate 106 is at least partially defined by a top surface 286, a side surface 288, and an inner surface 290 that is in direct contact with the reservoir 62. Disposed between the reservoir 62 and the male closure element 100, the gate 106 extends below the axis 168 in the closed configuration. Accordingly, the gate 106 blocks a direct pathway of the contents from the reservoir 62 and the opening 166, when the male closure element 100 is inserted to seal the closure system 44. To that end, by adding material between the sealing structure and the reservoir 62, the gate 106 can enhance leak resistivity of the closure system 44.
[0061] Further, the gap 280 is disposed between the thickened region 242 and the gap 280 and defines a height 292, which further defines a distance between the thickened region 242 and the gate 106. While the present embodiment shows the gate 106 that is unitarily formed with the front sealing strip 80, the gate 106 can be removably attached to the front sealing strip 80 in some embodiments. In some cases, the gate 106 can be arranged on one or more of the front sealing strip 80 and the rear sealing strip 82. Further, in the present embodiment, the gate 106 extends longitudinally across the front sealing strip 80, i.e., from the left side 56 to the right side 60, in one segment. For example, a horizontal length of the gate 106, as measured in a direction parallel to the horizontal plane 110 from the left side 56 to the right side 60, is similar to a longitudinal length of the closure system 44. However, in some embodiments, the gate 106 may extend only partially across the front sealing strip 80. In some embodiments, the gate 106 may extend horizontally across the front sealing strip 80 in more than one segment (e.g., two, three, four, five, six, seven, etc.). In some embodiments, the gate 106 may extend horizontally across the rear sealing strip 82.
[0062] When the gate 106 is deflected toward the sealing structure due to pressure from the contents within the container 40, the top surface 286 and the inner portion 184 at least partially contact one another, and the gate 106 can protect the sealing structure from inadvertently separating. In the present embodiment, the top surface 286 is configured to at least partially contact the inner portion 184. However, the gate 106 can be configured to contact other parts of the female portion 72. In the present embodiment, the gate 106 has a rectangular cross-section that has the thickness 282 that is at least partially uniform in a direction that is parallel with respect to the centerline 164. However, the thickness 282 of the rectangular cross-section need not be at least partially uniform in a direction that is parallel with the centerline 164. The gate 106 may define a variety of cross-sectional areas and may be in the shape of a square, a rectangle, a triangle, a hexagon, etc. Further, the gate 106 may include more or fewer protrusions (e.g., two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, etc.). In some embodiments, a size of the gate 106 may be associated with a size of the container 40. For example, a container that is capable of holding a larger amount of fluid may include a larger gate than a different counter that is capable of holding a smaller amount of fluid.
[0063] Referring again to FIGS. 6 and 7 in combination, the thickness 282 of the gate 106 is between about 10% and about 100% of the thickness 192 of the inner portion 184, or between about 20% and about 95% of the thickness 192 of the inner portion 184, or between about 30% and about 90% of the thickness 192 of the inner portion 184, or between about 40% and about 85% of the thickness of the inner portion 184, or between about 50% and about 80% of the thickness 192 of the inner portion 184.
[0064] FIGS. 9-11 depict different embodiments of the closure system 44 with the gate 106. In FIG. 9, the gate 106 extends from the base portion 150 of the rear sealing strip 82 and is disposed below the thickened region 242 of the male closure element 100. In the closed configuration, the gate 106 of FIG. 9 extends an entire length between the axis 168 and the front wall 48. Further, the gate 106 of FIG. 9 can at least partially contact the front wall 48 to protect the sealing structure. Referring to FIG. 10, the closure system 44 includes the gate 106 with multiple layers. The gate 106 includes a first layer 294 that extends from the front sealing strip 80 and a second layer 296 that extends from the base portion 150 of the rear sealing strip 82. In the closed configuration, the first layer 294 extends an entire length between the front wall 48 and the rear wall 50, and the second layer 296 extends an entire length between the axis 168 and the front wall 48. Further, the first layer 294 can at least partially contact the front wall 48 below the male closure element 100, and the second layer 296 can at least partially contact the rear wall 50 below the female closure element 102. The first layer 294 and the second layer 296 are disposed between the reservoir 62 and the sealing structure.
[0065] Referring specifically to FIG. 11, the closure system 44 includes the gate 106 with multiple layers that are configured to engage with one another. In particular, the gate 106 of FIG. 11 includes a third layer 298 that extends from the front sealing strip 80. The gate 106 of FIG. 11 further includes a fourth layer 300 and a fifth layer 302 that each extend from the rear sealing strip 82. In the closed configuration, the third layer 298, the fourth layer 300, and the fifth layer 302 each extend an entire length between the front wall 48 and the rear wall 50. The fourth layer 300 and the fifth layer 302 are spaced apart from each other, and the third layer 298 is configured to fit therebetween. The third layer 298, the fourth layer 300, and the fifth layer 302 have substantially similar thicknesses in the present embodiment. In some embodiments, the third layer 298 may have a different thickness than the fourth layer 300 and the fifth layer 302. In some embodiments, each of the third layer 298, the fourth layer 300, and the fifth layer 302 may have different thicknesses. To that end, the gate 106 may define a variety of shapes and a variety of numbers of layers to protect the sealing structure of the closure system 44.
[0066] FIG. 12 depicts an embodiment of the closure system 44 that includes the male closure element 100 and the female closure element 102 that are each in direct contact with the reservoir 62 (e.g., without intermediate structures such as the gate 106). The inner portion 184 of the female closure element 102 extends farther into the reservoir 62 than the male closure element 100. Accordingly, when the contents in the reservoir 62 contact the closure system 44, the female closure element 102 can initially resist the pressure from the contents before the male closure element 100 or the interface between the female closure element 102 and the male closure element 100.
[0067] Through testing, it has been determined that a sealing structure with an increased amount of material is capable of holding an increased volume of contents when the container is held upside down. In some embodiments, a cross-sectional area of the male closure element 100 and a cross-sectional area of the female closure element 102 are each increased. Any part of the male sealing profile 84, such as the stem portion 230, the head portion 232, and the thickened region 242, may be made varied to increase the cross-sectional area of the male closure element 100. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of the male closure element 100 is less than 5% larger, at least 5% larger, or at least 10% larger, or at least 15% larger, or at least 20% larger, or at least 25% larger, or at least 30% larger, or at least 35% larger, or at least 40% larger, or at least 45% larger, or at least 50% larger, or at least 60% larger, or at least 70% larger, or at least 80% larger, or at least 90% larger, or at least 100% larger to enhance the sealing structure.
[0068] Similarly, any part of the female closure element 102, including the outer portion 186 and the inner portion 184, may be larger to increase the cross-sectional area of the female closure element 102. Any part of the female sealing profile 86 may be varied to increase the cross-sectional area of the female closure element 102. In the present embodiment, the thickness of the female portion 72 below the female closure element 102 continuously varies to form a fillet between the rear wall 50 and the female closure element 102. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of the female closure element 102 is less than 5% larger, at least 5% larger, or at least 10% larger, or at least 15% larger, or at least 20% larger, or at least 25% larger, or at least 30% larger, or at least 35% larger, or at least 40% larger, or at least 45% larger, or at least 50% larger, or at least 60% larger, or at least 70% larger, or at least 80% larger, or at least 90% larger, or at least 100% larger to enhance the sealing structure. For example, the sealing structure may withstand a gallon, i.e., 128 fluid ounces (fl oz), about 8.34 pounds, or about 3.78 kilograms, of water when the container is upside down. In some embodiments, the sealing structure is configured to hold up to a variety of volumes of fluid, such as 4 fl oz, or 12 fl oz, or 8 fl oz, or 16 fl oz, or 18 fl oz, or 28 fl oz, or 32 fl oz, or 40 fl oz, or 48 fl oz, or 56 fl oz, or 64 fl oz, or 104 fl oz of fluid in the container.
[0069] Still further, it was determined through testing that having the stem portion 230 with a height 258 that is at least the same as the height 182 of the opening 166 provides for enhanced sealing of the closure system 44. To that end, the opening 166 is preferably smaller than the stem portion 230. It is preferable to require between about 3 pounds force (lbf) and about 10 lbf to open and close the closure system 44. In some embodiments, between about 3 lbf and about 20 lbf is required, or between about 5 lbf and about 15 lbf, or between about 7 lbf and about 12 lbf. The closure system 44 is generally considered desirable for use if it can hold the volume of receptacle full of water when the pouch or container is upside down. As discussed above, this feature is achieved by the design of the gate 106. The gate 106 that is disposed below the sealing structure absorbs at least part of the pressure from the contents that the sealing structure would otherwise absorb on its own. Additionally, this feature is also achieved by the design of the arms 152, 154, 156, 158 of the female closure element 102 and the inner corners 160 of the head portion 232. The upper corner 238 of the head portion 232 controls the force required for the contents to fall out of the pouch or container when in the closed configuration, while the lower corners 240 of the head portion 232 control the force required to open and close the closure system 44.
[0070] FIGS. 13-16 illustrate another embodiment of a pouch 310 having the closure system 44 as disclosed herein. The pouch 310 includes like elements and numerals as the container 40 described above with respect to FIGS. 1-5. However, the pouch 310 may differ in some regards, including the body 42. FIGS. 13-16 illustrate the pouch 310 in a non-inverted and open configuration in which the seal is configured to close.
[0071] As best illustrated in FIG. 16 showing the pouch 310 in an open configuration, upper portions 64 of the front wall 48 and the rear wall 50 and lower portions 66 of the front wall 48 and the rear wall 50 are curved. The front wall 48 and the rear wall 50 join one another at the peripheral edge 54 along the left side 56, the bottom side 58, and the right side 60 of the body 42. Central portions 68 of the front wall 48 and the rear wall 50 are generally straight. However, in alternative embodiments, the upper portions 64 and the lower portions 66 need not be curved, and the central portions 68 need not be straight. It should be appreciated that due to the use of an elastomer to form the front wall 48 and the rear wall 50, gravity will cause the walls 46, 48 to deform or curve when the pouch 310 is placed on a resting surface (not shown).
[0072] Referring specifically to FIGS. 13-16, the re-closeable pouch 310 further includes the closure system 44 that includes the first or male portion 70 and the second or female portion 72. The male portion 70 comprises the front sealing strip 80 that extends longitudinally across the container 40, and the female portion 72 comprises the rear sealing strip 82 that also extends longitudinally across the container 40. The front sealing strip 80 can extend farther to the left side 56 around a corner between the left side 56 and the male portion 70 and to the right side 60 around a corner between the right side 60 and the male portion 70. Similarly, the rear sealing strip 82 can extend farther to the left side 56 around a corner between the left side 56 and the female portion 72 and to the right side 60 around a corner between the right side 60 and the female portion 72. The handle or lip 88 is further disposed on each of the male portion 70 and the female portion 72 and defines a generally round extension that extends upward from the front sealing strip 80 and the rear sealing strip 82, respectively. The lip 88 of the front sealing strip 80 extends farther upward than the lip 88 of the rear sealing strip 82. However, in alternate embodiments, the lip 88 of the front sealing strip 80 need not extend farther upward than the lip 88 of the rear sealing strip 82.
[0073] Referring to FIGS. 17 and 18, a second configuration of the sealing structure is shown, in which the female sealing profile 86 is different than the female sealing profile 86 of FIG. 17 and the male sealing profile 84 is different than the male sealing profile 84 of FIG. 18 as discussed below. FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional, detail view of the male and female sealing profiles 84, 86 of FIGS. 17 and 18 in a closed configuration. Referring back to FIG. 18, the front sealing strip 80 includes the gate 106 and the gap 280 that is disposed between the thickened region 242, i.e., the lower groove 272, and the gate 106. The gate 106 defines the thickness 282 and the height 284. The gate 106 is at least partially defined by the top surface 286, the side surface 288, and the inner surface 290 that is in direct contact with the reservoir 62. In the present embodiment, the gate 106 extends longitudinally across the entire front sealing strip 80, i.e., from left side 56 to the right side 60, in one segment. However, in some embodiments, the gate 106 may extend longitudinally across the front sealing strip 80 partially. In some embodiments, the gate 106 may extend longitudinally across the front sealing strip 80 in more than one segment (e.g., two, three, four, five, six, seven, etc.). Further, in some embodiments, a size of the gate 106 may be associated with a size of the pouch 310. For example, a pouch that is capable of holding a larger amount of fluid may include a larger gate than a different pouch that is capable of holding a smaller amount of fluid.
[0074] In a closed configuration, the inner portion 184 of the female closure element 102 and the side surface 288 at least partially contact one another, and the gap 280 is an enclosed volume. In some cases, a volume of the gap 280 can be determined by dimensions of the gate 106. For example, one or more of the top surface 286, the side surface 288, and the inner surface 290 can define a height, a length, or a depth of the gap 280. Disposed between the reservoir 62 and the male closure element 100, the gate 106 extends below the axis 168 in the closed configuration. Accordingly, the gate 106 blocks a direct pathway of the contents from the reservoir 62 and the opening 166, where the male closure element 100 can be inserted to seal the closure system 44. Therefore, by adding materials between the sealing structure and the reservoir 62, the gate 106 can enhance leak resistivity of the closure system 44. Further, the gate 106 may continue to contact the female closure element 102 when contents within the reservoir 62 exert pressure on the gate 106. In the present embodiment, the gate 106 has a rectangular cross-section. The thickness 282 is at least partially uniform in a direction that is parallel to the centerline 164 and at least partially continuously varies, i.e., decreases, below the axis 168. However, the gate 106 may define a variety of cross-sectional areas, and may be in the shape of a square, a rectangle, a triangle, a hexagon, etc. Further, the front sealing strip 80 defines a profile that follows a bulbous contour of the interior surface 220 of the rear sealing strip 82. To that end, the front sealing strip 80 and the rear sealing strip 82 have bulbous outer contours that mirror one another and form a tapered neck of the pouch 310. The tapered neck can be advantageous for holding the pouch 310.
[0075] Additionally, as would be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art, the subject technology is applicable to any type of bag, pouch, package, and various other storage containers, e.g., snack, sandwich, quart, and gallon size bags. The subject technology is also adaptable to bags having double zipper, or multiple zipper, or other type of closure mechanisms.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0076] The closure systems as described herein advantageously provide for containers or pouches that are re-usable and include sealing systems having enhanced sealing capabilities while being able to seal and unseal for an end user.
[0077] Numerous modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is presented for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to make and use the disclosure. The exclusive rights to all modifications which come within the scope of the application are reserved. All patents and publications are incorporated by reference.
