Zippered film and bag

Abstract

Recloseable bags, plastic film for making the bags, and a method and apparatus for making the bags are disclosed. The bag has a recloseable fastener ( 26 ) connected to a single wall of the bag, and the film ( 55 ) has a recloseable fastener ( 26 ) connected to one side thereofwhich does not require attachment to any other portion of the film ( 55 ) when making a bag. The fastener ( 26 ) has a tamper-proof member attached thereto to indicate if the bag has been previously opened. The film ( 55 ) can be wound into a roll ( 54 ) suitable for use on conventional bag making machines including form, fill, and seal machines or a chain of coilable recloseable bags can be produced therefrom since the fasteners ( 26 ) are connected to the web preferably transversely to the bags longitudinal formation axis. The method and apparatus for making the film ( 55 ) includes supplying a continuous web of bag making material, feeding from a coil of continuous fastener material enough fastener material to make a single fastener, ( 26 ) positioning, cutting, and attaching the fastener ( 26 ) to the film ( 55 ), with a plurality of fasteners ( 26 ) attached thereon.

1 - 49 . (canceled) 
   
   
       50 . A method for making recloseable bags, comprising:
 a. supplying a thermoplastic film of bag material having two side edges parallel to a forming axis by feeding said film material in a longitudinal direction;   b. connecting at least one recloseable fastener assembly, having two profile strips that are interlocked with each other, to one side of said film material by feeding said fastener assembly transverse to said forming axis;   c. providing at least one of said profile strips with a continuous arm and connecting the continuous arm to one side of said film, wherein said one of said profile strips includes an extruded body, with said continuous arm extending from said extruded body and having a width greater than a width of said extruded body, and connecting said one of said profile strips to said one side of said film material by seal means joining at least a portion of said continuous arm to said one side of said film, and connecting the other of said profile strips to one side of said film material, wherein said one side of said film provides an inside surface of a front wall and a back wall of each of said recloseable bag;   d. folding said film of bag material to form said front wall and said back wall by overlapping said two side edges;   e. forming a back seam connecting said side edges of said film, and joining said front wall to said back wall to form at least one end seam that is transverse to said forming axis of said film material to form a bag.   
   
   
       51 . A method of making recloseable bags in accordance with  claim 50 , including:
 securing each end of each of said two profile strips to said film material whereby air and liquids are prevented from entering or leaving through said ends when a bag is formed from said film material and after the front wall has been opened to gain access to the recloseable fastener assembly.   
   
   
       52 . A method of making recloseable bags in accordance with  claim 51 , wherein:
 each said recloseable fastener assembly is less than one-half the width of said of thermoplastic film of bag material.   
   
   
       53 . A method of making recloseable bags in accordance with  claim 50 , wherein:
 said seal means is spaced from said extruded body of said one of said profile strips.   
   
   
       54 . A method of making recloseable bags in accordance with  claim 50 , wherein:
 each of said profile strips includes an extruded body, wherein at least one of said profile strips is joined to said web of film material by seal means at said extruded body thereof.   
   
   
       55 . A method of making recloseable bags in accordance with  claim 50 , wherein:
 a portion of said film adjacent said recloseable fastener assembly can be opened to gain access to said recloseable fastener assembly.   
   
   
       56 . A method of making recloseable bags in accordance with  claim 55 , wherein:
 said portion of said film that can be opened comprises perforations.   
   
   
       57 . A method for making recloseable bags comprising:
 a. supplying a thermoplastic film of bag material having two side edges parallel to a forming axis by feeding said film material in a longitudinal direction;   b. connecting at least one recloseable fastener assembly, having two profile strips that are interlocked with each other, to one side of said film material by feeding said fastener assembly in a direction substantially perpendicular to said two side edges;   c. providing at least one of said profile strips with a continuous arm and connecting the continuous arm to one side of said film, wherein said one of said profile strips includes an extruded body, with said continuous arm extending from said extruded body and having a width greater than a width of said extruded body, and connecting said one of said profile strips to said one side of said film material by seal means joining at least a portion of said continuous arm to said one side of said film, and connecting the other of said profile strips to said one side of said film material, wherein said one side of said film provides an inside surface of a front wall and a back wall of each of said recloseable bag;   d. folding said film of bag material to form said front wall and said back wall by overlapping said two side edges;   e. forming a back seam connecting said side edges of said film, and joining said front wall to said back wall to form at least one end seam that is transverse to said forming axis of said film material to form a bag.   
   
   
       58 . A method of making recloseable bags in accordance with  claim 57 , including:
 securing each end of each of said two profile strips to said film material whereby air and liquids are prevented from entering or leaving through said ends when a bag is formed from said film material and after the front wall has been opened to gain access to the recloseable fastener assembly.   
   
   
       59 . A method of making recloseable bags in accordance with  claim 50 , wherein:
 each said recloseable fastener assembly is less than one-half the width of said thermoplastic sheet of film of bag material.   
   
   
       60 . A method of making recloseable bags in accordance with  claim 57 , wherein:
 said seal means is spaced from said extruded body of said one of said profile strips.   
   
   
       61 . A method of making recloseable bags in accordance with  claim 57 , wherein:
 each of said profile strips includes an extruded body, wherein at least one of said profile strips is joined to said web of film material by seal means at said extruded body thereof.   
   
   
       62 . A method of making recloseable bags in accordance with  claim 57 , wherein:
 a portion of said film adjacent said recloseable fastener assembly can be opened to gain access to said recloseable fastener assembly.   
   
   
       63 . A method of making recloseable bags in accordance with  claim 62 , wherein:
 said portion of said film that can be opened comprises perforations.