Bag with tamper evidencing closure

Abstract

A closure has at least one channel portion adapted to receive an interlocking profile portion. The channel has at least one window permitting visual inspection of a profile interlocked therein. At least one profile is disposed for interlocking with the channel and includes a stem joined to the closure and one or more latching projections formed by a frangible connection to the stem, wherein one or more projections are adapted to cooperatively interlock with the channel portion of the closure, thereby sealing the closure. In one closure, a tamper evident structure is included in the form of a slider having a shaver to engage in shaving contact with interlocking closure members when passed along the closure in a direction opposite to the closing direction. The various closure members can include different colors. The closures can be used on bag structures.

1 . A closure comprising: 
 a) at least one channel portion adapted to receive an interlocking profile portion, said channel being characterized by having at least one window which permits visual inspection of a profile interlocked therein;    b) at least one profile disposed for interlocking with said channel, said profile comprising: 
 i) a stem joined to the closure;  
 ii) one or more latching projections joined by a frangible connection to the stem, wherein said one or more projections are adapted to cooperatively interlock with said channel portion of said closure, thereby sealing said closure,  
 wherein said frangible connection of said profile is selected to fail at an applied force which is less than sufficient to disengaged the interlocked channel and profile, thereby severing said latching projections from said profile.  
   
     
     
         2 . The closure of  claim 1  wherein said channel is joined to one leaf of a self-supporting bifold strip, and said profile is joined to the other leaf of said bifold strip in a location such that folding said strip along the bifold line permits interlock of said channel and said profile.  
     
     
         3 . The closure of  claim 2  wherein said window portion of said self-supporting bifold strip is adapted to provide a guide supporting said slider.  
     
     
         4 . The closure of  claim 2  wherein said profile is a segmented profile.  
     
     
         5 . The closure of  claim 4  wherein the cross-sectional shape of the profile has a mushroom-shape.  
     
     
         6 . The closure of  claim 1  wherein said channel and said profile are formed on separate sheets of base material and subsequently joined together on at least one end.  
     
     
         7 . The closure of  claim 1  wherein said frangible region comprises at least one die cut into the material from which said profile is formed.  
     
     
         8 . The closure of  claim 1  in which each of said channel and said profile comprise a material having coloration.  
     
     
         9 . The closure of  claim 8  wherein each of said channel and said profile are selected to have a different hue, thereby providing visual indication of interlocked and tampered status.  
     
     
         10 . The closure of  claim 1  further characterized in that when interlocked, separation of the interlocked channel and profile requires an application of a force of at least about 10 pounds.  
     
     
         11 . A bag comprising: 
 (a) a closure including at least one channel portion adapted to receive an interlocking profile portion, said channel being characterized by having at least one window which permits visual inspection of a profile interlocked therein; at least one profile disposed for interlocking with said channel, said profile comprising: 
 (i) a stem joined to the closure;  
 (ii) one or more latching projections joined by a frangible connection to the stem, wherein said one or more projections are adapted to cooperatively interlock with said channel portion of said closure, thereby sealing said closure, wherein said frangible connection of said profile is selected to fail at an applied force which is less than sufficient to disengaged the interlocked channel and profile, thereby severing said latching projections from said profile; and  
   (b) opposing side walls; the closure being attached proximal to the edge of one of at least one of the side walls.    
     
     
         12 . The bag of  claim 11  wherein each said bag side wall contains therethrough at least one opening, in registration with an opening through the opposite wall, each said pair of registered openings being disposed such that when said profile and channel are mated at least one portion of said profile passes through at least on pair of registered openings.  
     
     
         13 . The bag of  claim 11  further comprising a slider.  
     
     
         14 . The bag of  claim 13  further including retaining structure oriented on an end of the closure, which when the slider is adjacent to said end, the closure is in a non-interlocked state; and an opposite end of the closure contains no construct to prevent the slider from being removed from the closure.  
     
     
         15 . The bag of  claim 14  wherein said retaining structure comprises a stop seal.  
     
     
         16 . The bag of  claim 11  wherein said closure has latching projections having a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of: a latching projection having a wing shape; a latching projection having an arrowhead shape; a latching projection having a “C”-shape; and a latching projection having a double arrowhead shape, and wherein said channel has a cross-sectional shape selected to interlock with said latching projections.  
     
     
         17 . A closure comprising an opposite pair of side wall members having proximal and distal faces, and a device for sealing said closure comprising: 
 a) at least one channel portion affixed to a proximal face of a first side wall member and adapted to receive an interlocking profile portion;    b) at least one profile affixed to a proximal face of a second side wall member disposed for interlocking with said channel, said profile comprising: 
 i) a stem joined to said proximal second side wall face;  
 ii) one or more latching projections joined to the stem, wherein said one or more projections are adapted to cooperatively interlock with said channel portion of said closure, thereby sealing said closure; and  
   c) a slider selected to have a length at least equal to the length of said closure interlocking channel and profile and adapted to cooperate with projecting portions of said distal faces of said opposite sidewall members of said closure, and which is characterized in being adapted to facilitate interlock of said channel and profile portions of said closure when passed along a closure having non-interlocked channel and profile portions, the slider comprising 
 (i) a collection chamber disposed at the end of the slider which promotes interlock of said channel and profile;  
 (ii) a top window permitting visual inspection of said collection chamber;  
 (iii) a shaver proximal to said interlocking members of said closure and disposed such that said shaver engages in sliding contact with said interlocking closure members when said slider is operated along the closure in a direction promoting interlock of said channel and profile, and engages in shaving contact with said interlocking closure members when passed along the closure in the opposite direction;  
 (iv) an enclosed end opposite to the end of the slide containing said shaver, said enclosed end abutting the closure when slider is operated to fully seal said closure; and  
 (v) a diverter to direct shavings removed by said shaver into a collection chamber.  
   
     
     
         18 . The closure of  claim 17  wherein said interlocking parts of closure have a coloration distinguishing them from the slider collection chamber.  
     
     
         19 . The closure of  claim 17  further characterized in that when interlocked, separation of the interlocked channel and profile requires an application of a force of at least about 15 pounds.  
     
     
         20 . The closure of  claim 17  further comprising a retainer for slider engagement when the slider is in a position corresponding to non-interlocked channel and profile portions.