Apparatus for manufacturing flexible packages having slide fasteners and for filling through the slide fasteners

Abstract

Horizontal form fill seal apparatus for making flexible packages with slide fasteners is provided. A fastener track is applied in-line with a plastic web and is bonded thereto at the same time that a peel seal is formed. All package components are brought together for filling through the slide fasteners.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A horizontal form-fill seal machine for the in-line manufacturing of food packages having shrouded mating fastener tracks with slider closures, comprising: 
 a supply of web material extending in a machine direction defining a serial succession of package sidewalls extending in the machine direction;    a supply of mating fastener tracks, including a first track with a shorter flange mating to a second track with a longer flange, the mating fastener tracks including a serial succession of spaced apart stop members;    a folding member receiving said web material;    a web drive transporting said web material over said folding member in the machine direction, folding said web material into overlying side-by-side portions, one against the other, to form a continuous succession of folded package portions extending in the machine direction and having pairs of overlying first and second package sidewalls having overlying free edges with shroud portions at the free edges;    a slider member mateable with said mating fastener tracks for movement along said mating fastener tracks in opposite directions to open and close said mating fastener tracks;    a slider installation member inserting said slider member onto said mating fastener tracks;    fastener seal bars extending in the machine direction, sealing a portion of each flange of said fastener tracks to said sidewalls;    side seal bars extending at an angle to said machine direction, sealing portions of said package sidewalls together to form respective side seals of the food package;    a filler member insertable between said fastener tracks for filling product into said package between said fastener tracks; and    a shroud sealing member sealing the free edges of said package sidewalls to form a shroud enclosing said fastener tracks, to thereby form a completed food package.    
     
     
         2 . The machine of  claim 1  further comprising a separating member separating the completed food package from the folded package portions.  
     
     
         3 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein said fastener seal bars form at least one peel seal and at least one permanent seal.  
     
     
         4 . The machine of  claim 3  wherein a cavity is formed between the package sidewalls, the machine further comprising a package opening member upstream of said filler member to separate said sidewalls in preparation for a filling operation and a gas flushing member flushing the cavity in preparation for a filling operation.  
     
     
         5 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein said slider installation member is located upstream of said fastener seal bars.  
     
     
         6 . The machine of  claim 1  further comprising a stop forming station through which said mating fastener tracks pass, to crush a portion of said mating fastener tracks to form a stop member.  
     
     
         7 . The machine of  claim 6  wherein said stop forming station is located upstream of said slider installation member.  
     
     
         8 . The machine of  claim 7  wherein said slider installation member positions a slider member immediately downstream of the stop member.  
     
     
         9 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein said filler member comprises a funnel member having a free end insertable below the seals formed by said fastener seal bars.  
     
     
         10 . The machine of  claim 9  wherein said funnel member comprises a clam shell.  
     
     
         11 . A method of making a flexible package for food products, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a supply of web material defining a serial succession of package sidewalls;    paying out a first portion of the web material;    providing a supply of mating fastener tracks, including a first track with a shorter flange mating to second track with a longer flange;    crushing a serial succession of spaced apart portions of said mating fastener tracks to form a serial succession of spaced apart slider stop portions;    folding the web material to form a serial succession of folded package portions, each folded package portion having overlapping first and second package sidewalls with overlying free ends and shroud portions at the free ends, and intermediate portions spaced from the shroud portions;    aligning the mating fastener tracks in-line with the intermediate portions;    providing a supply of sliders;    dispensing the sliders one at a time;    inserting sliders on the mating fastener tracks;    joining at least a part of the mating fastener tracks to the intermediate portion of said first package sidewall;    forming a second fastener track seal between a portion of the second fastener track flange and a portion of said first package sidewall adjacent the intermediate portion thereof;    forming permanent seals between the fastener track flanges and the package sidewalls;    forming transverse, side seals for each package portion to cooperate with said sidewalls to form a pouch;    severing the pouch from the web material and the mating fastener tracks to form a separate flexible package;    separating the package portions to form an opening between the mating fastener tracks;    filling the pouch with product through the opening;    joining one of the mating fastener tracks to the intermediate portion of said second package sidewall to close the upper portion of the bag; and    sealing free edges of the package sidewalls to form a shroud enclosing said mating fastener tracks.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the mating fastener tracks include downwardly depending flanges and the step of the joining at least apart of the mating fastener tracks to the first package sidewall comprises the step of providing a heat shield and inserting the heat shield between the flanges while applying heat and pressure.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the step of forming a weakening line in at least one of said sidewalls extending across the mating fastener tracks, to a termination point below said mating fastener tracks.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the step of forming a tear line in at least one of said sidewalls along a line extending below said mating fastener tracks and intersecting said termination point.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the step of forming a slider-receiving opening in at least one of said sidewalls to receive a portion of said slider.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the step of inserting the slider is performed before the step of joining the mating fastener tracks to the package sidewalls.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the step of forming a second fastener tracks seal comprises forming a peel seal.