Polymeric package with resealable closure and valve, and methods

Abstract

A reclosable package having a zipper closure, and optionally a slider device to open and close the zipper closure. The package includes a sealant stripe, which can be a peal seal, and a one-way fluid valve. In use, the valve is used to remove air from the interior of the package, and the sealant strip, in combination with the zipper closure, provides a better seal than the zipper alone. The package may be part of a storage system that includes stand-off structures adjacent to the valve, a vacuum pump assembly, and a liquid separator assembly coupled to the vacuum pump assembly.

1 - 40 . (canceled)  
     
     
         41 . A method comprising: 
 attaching a vacuum valve to at least one of a first polymeric material and a second polymeric material, wherein the vacuum valve is configured to accommodate a vacuum pump for removal of fluids from a storage bag produced from the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material;    coupling a stand-off structure to at least one of the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material, wherein the stand-off structure is configured to facilitate removal of fluids from the storage bag via the vacuum valve;    integrating a closure comprising opposed interengaging profile members with at least one of the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material, wherein the opposed interengaging profile members are capable of repeated engagement and disengagement;    placing a product in contact with at least one of the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material; and    sealing the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material such that the storage bag is produced and the product is sealed within a storage space of the storage bag.    
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material comprise a single sheet of polymeric material.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the first polymeric material is a first sheet of polymeric material and wherein the second polymeric material is a second sheet of polymeric material separate from the first sheet of polymeric material.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising: 
 opening the storage bag via the closure;    removing at least a portion of the product from the storage space;    resealing the storage bag via the closure;    removing gas from the storage space via the vacuum valve and the vacuum pump.    
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the sealing step comprises: 
 before the placing step, first sealing a first portion of at least one of the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material, thereby producing at least a portion of the storage space; and    after the placing step, second sealing the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material to seal the product in the storage space of the storage bag.    
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein stand-off structure is a strip of polymeric material, wherein the strip of polymeric material has a series of channels on a first side thereof.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein after the sealing step the channels face the vacuum valve.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein after the sealing step the channels face away from the vacuum valve.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the coupling step includes coupling only a portion of the strip of polymeric material to the storage bag.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising: 
 producing a first chamber and a second chamber within storage bag, wherein after the sealing step the first chamber is fluidly isolated from the second chamber, and wherein after the sealing step the first chamber comprises the food item and the second chamber comprises the vacuum valve.    
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the closure is a first closure, and wherein the producing step comprises: 
 integrating a second closure with at least one of the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material, wherein after the sealing step the second closure fluidly separates the vacuum valve from the product.    
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the integrating step comprises: 
 forming a peel seal within the storage bag.    
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the forming step occurs before at least a portion of the sealing the first polymeric material and second polymeric material steps.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the forming step occurs after the sealing the first polymeric material and second polymeric material steps.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the second closure is a second pair of interengaging profile members, and wherein the integrating a second closure step occurs before the sealing the first polymeric material and second polymeric material steps.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising 
 opening the first closure;    opening the second closure, thereby providing access to the product;    removing at least a portion of the product from the storage space;    resealing the storage bag via the first closure;    removing gas from the storage space via the vacuum valve and the vacuum pump.    
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising: 
 placing a grease composition along a substantial portion of the closure.    
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the placing the grease composition step occurs before the integrating a closure step.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising: 
 completing all of the attaching, coupling, integrating, placing, and sealing steps occur at a single location.    
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the single location is a manufacturing facility.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising: 
 completing the attaching, coupling and integrating steps at a first location; and    completing the placing and sealing steps at a second location.    
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the product is a food product.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the product is a non-food product.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the first polymeric material is a first film, and wherein the second polymeric material is a second film.