Zipper profiles with foamed sealant

Abstract

A reclosable zipper is disclosed which includes a first profile which has a first compressible foamed sealant layer, and a first interlocking element, which is unfoamed, extending from the first profile. The zipper includes a second profile which has a second compressible foamed sealant layer, and a second interlocking element, which is unfoamed, extending from the second profile. The rigidity of the interlocking elements provides the required stability when the zipper is closed while the foamed sealant layers improve the sealing characteristics of the zipper to a packaging film.

1 . A reclosable zipper comprising:
 a first profile which comprises a first compressible foamed sealant layer, and a first interlocking element, which is unfoamed, extending from the first profile; and   a second profile which comprises a second compressible foamed sealant layer, and a second interlocking element, which is unfoamed, extending from the second profile.   
     
     
         2 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 1 , wherein the first interlocking element is a female zipper element and the second interlocking element is a male zipper element. 
     
     
         3 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 1 , wherein the foamed sealant layers comprise the same foamed sealant. 
     
     
         4 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 1 , wherein the foamed sealant layers comprise a foamed polyofin sealant resin. 
     
     
         5 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 1 , wherein the interlocking elements comprise polyofin sealant resin which is unfoamed. 
     
     
         6 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first profile comprises a first product side flange, a first consumer side flange, and a first connecting flange from which the first interlocking element extends, where the first connecting flange is between, in a bag height-wise direction, the first product side flange and the first consumer side flange; and   the second profile comprises a second product side flange, a second consumer side flange, and a second connecting flange from which the second interlocking element extends, where the second connecting flange is between, in a bag height-wise direction, the second product side flange and the second consumer side flange.   
     
     
         7 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 6 , wherein none of the flanges are foamed. 
     
     
         8 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 7 , wherein the first foamed sealant layer is disposed on a first film facing side of the first profile and the second foamed sealant layer is disposed on a second film facing side of the second profile. 
     
     
         9 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first foamed sealant layer comprises a first product side foamed sealant segment on a first film facing side of the first product side flange, and a first consumer side foamed sealant segment on a first film facing side of the first consumer side flange; and   the second foamed sealant layer comprises a second product side foamed sealant segment on a second film facing side of the second product side flange, and a second consumer side foamed sealant segment on a second film facing side of the second consumer side flange.   
     
     
         10 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 9 , wherein each of the foamed sealant segments extends in the bag width-wise direction on respective profiles. 
     
     
         11 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first foamed sealant layer comprises a first set of narrow-based foamed sealant ribs that are substantially uniformly distributed in a bag height-wise direction across the first film facing side of the first profile; and   the second foamed sealant layer comprises a second set of narrow-based foamed sealant ribs that are substantially uniformly distributed in a bag height-wise direction across the second film facing side of the second profile.   
     
     
         12 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 11 , wherein each flange includes at least one foamed sealant rib. 
     
     
         13 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 12 , wherein each of the foamed sealant ribs extends in the bag width-wise direction on respective profiles. 
     
     
         14 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 6 , wherein each flange is foamed, so that the first foamed sealant layer comprises each of the first profile side flanges and the second foamed sealant layer comprises each of the second profile side flanges. 
     
     
         15 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 6 , wherein the first foamed sealant layer comprises the first product side flange and the first consumer side flange, and the first connecting flange is unfoamed, and the second foamed sealant layer comprises the second product side flange and second consumer side flange, and the second connecting flange is unfoamed. 
     
     
         16 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 15 , wherein the first connecting flange is larger, in a bag height-wise direction, than the second connecting flange. 
     
     
         17 . A bag comprising the reclosable zipper of  claim 1  and further comprising a first panel sealed to the first profile and a second panel sealed to the second profile. 
     
     
         18 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 1 , wherein the zipper includes a slider. 
     
     
         19 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 1 , wherein the zipper is flangeless. 
     
     
         20 . The reclosable zipper of  claim 19 , wherein a first base of the first interconnecting element comprises said first foamed layer and a second base of the second interconnecting element comprises said second foamed layer.