Form, fill and seal packaging method utilizing zipper with slider

Abstract

A method of forming, filling and sealing a reclosable package with a slider activated zipper wherein a base film moves longitudinally to a filling station and, in a moving direction, away from said filling station. At the filling station a product is fed onto the base film. As the base film carrying product is moved from the filling station, a zipper with a slider attached is fed onto the moving film in the moving direction of the base film. The zipper has a first profile and a second profile, each of which has an attached web extending away from the slider. A top film is applied over the base film and the first profile web is sealed to the base film and the second profile web is sealed to the top film. The package is completed by transversely cross-sealing the base film and the top film together on opposite sides of the product. The base and top films may be formed from the same sheet folded over or may be formed from separate sheets.

1 - 5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . A method of forming, filling and sealing a reclosable package comprising: 
 moving a base film to a filling station and, in a moving direction, away from said filling station;    depositing a first product onto said base film at the filling station;    feeding a first zipper with a slider attached thereto in the moving direction onto said base film; said zipper having a first profile and a second profile engageable with said first profile, each of said profiles having a web attached thereto extending away from said slider;    applying a top film over said base film;    sealing said first profile web to said base film and said second profile web to said top film;    cross-sealing said base film and said top film together in a direction transverse to the moving direction of the base film on opposite sides of said product, capturing said product between adjacent cross seals; and    transversely cutting said sealed together base film and top film on said opposite sides of said product;    wherein said base film comprises a thermoform material and comprising the further step of thermoforming adjacent pockets in said base film as said base film moves toward said filling station.    
   
   
       7 - 13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . A method of forming, filling, and sealing a reclosable package comprising: 
 moving a base film to a filling station and, in a moving direction, away from said filling station;    depositing a first product onto said base film at the filling station;    feeding a first zipper with a slider attached thereto in the moving direction onto said base film; said zipper having a first profile and a second profile engageable with said first profile, each of said profiles having a web attached thereto extending away from said slider, applying a top film over said base film;    sealing said first profile web to said base film and said second profile web to said top cross-sealing said base film and said top film together in a direction transverse to the moving direction of the base film on opposite sides of said product, capturing said product between adjacent cross seals;    transversely cutting said sealed together base film and top film on said opposite sides of said product;    feeding a second product onto said base film transversely adjacent to said first product;    feeding a second zipper with a slider attached thereto in the moving direction onto said base film parallel to and a package depth apart from said first zipper; said second zipper having a first profile and a second profile engageable with said first profile, each of said profiles having a web attached thereto extending away from said slider;    sealing said second zipper first profile web to said base film and said second profile web to said top film;    sealing said top film to said base film along a seal line parallel to said second zipper and outboard of said second zipper; and    cutting said base film and said top film in said base film moving direction between said parallel seal line and said second zipper.    
   
   
       15 . A method of forming, filling and sealing a reclosable package comprising: 
 moving a base film to a filling station and, in a moving direction, away from said filling station;    depositing a first product onto said base film at the filling station;    feeding a first zipper with a slider attached thereto in the moving direction onto said base film; said zipper having a first profile and a second profile engageable with said first profile, each of said profiles having a web attached thereto extending away from said slider;    applying a top film over said base film;    sealing said first profile web to said base film and said second profile web to said top film;    cross-sealing said base film and said top film together in a direction transverse to the moving direction of the base film on opposite sides of said product, capturing said product between adjacent cross seals;    transversely cutting said sealed together base film and top film on said opposite sides of said product;    feeding a second product onto said base film transversely adjacent to said first product;    feeding a second zipper with a slider attached thereto in the moving direction onto said base film parallel to and two package depths apart from said first zipper; said second zipper having a first profile and a second profile engageable with said first profile, each of said profiles having a web attached thereto extending away from said slider;    sealing said second zipper first profile web to said base film and said second profile web to said top film;    sealing said top film to said base film along a seal line parallel to said first and second zippers and substantially midway between said zippers; and    longitudinally cutting said base film and said top film along said last mentioned seal line.    
   
   
       16 - 19 . (canceled)  
   
   
       20 . An apparatus for forming, filling and sealing a reclosable package comprising: 
 a first drive for moving a base film to a filling station and, in a moving direction, away from said filling station;    a filling station for depositing product onto said base film;    a second drive for feeding a first zipper with a slider attached thereto in the moving direction onto said base film; said zipper having a first profile and a second profile engageable with said first profile, each of said profiles having a web attached thereto extending away from said slider;    means for applying a top film over said base film;    first sealing means for sealing said first profile web to said base film;    second sealing means for said second profile web to said top film;    cross-sealing means for sealing said base film and said top film together in a direction transverse to the moving direction of the base film on opposite sides of said product, capturing said product between adjacent cross seals;    a cutter for transversely cutting said sealed together base film and top film on said opposite sides of said product; and    wherein said base sheet comprises a thermoform material and further comprising means for thermoforming adjacent pockets in said base film as said base film moves toward said filling station.    
   
   
       21 - 23 . (canceled)