Strip of flat closures made of plastic foam that are coupled together

Abstract

The invention relates to a strip ( 10 ) of flat closures ( 12 ) coupled together, made of plastic, wherein each closure ( 12 ) comprises a body ( 14 ) with an opening ( 16 ) therein for receiving and holding the access side ( 18 ) of a flexible packaging, as well as a slot ( 22 ), delimited by leg parts ( 20 ), which extends between the perimeter of the body ( 14 ) and the opening ( 16 ), and coupling parts ( 32 a, 32 b ) for coupling to an adjacent closure, wherein the plastic is a plastic foam. A strip of this kind displays good fracture behaviour in existing closing machines.

1 . Strip of flat closures coupled together, made of plastic, wherein each closure comprises a body with an opening therein for receiving and holding the access side of a flexible packaging, as well as a slot delimited by leg parts, which extends between the perimeter of the body and the opening, and coupling parts for coupling to an adjacent closure, wherein the plastic is a plastic foam. 
     
     
         2 . Strip according to  claim 1 , wherein the plastic is a foam of thermoplastic polyester. 
     
     
         3 . Strip according to  claim 1 , wherein the plastic is a foam of amorphous polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         4 . Strip according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling parts are breakable by means of tensile force. 
     
     
         5 . Strip according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling parts are breakable by machine. 
     
     
         6 . Strip according to  claim 1 , wherein the foam has a closed-cell structure. 
     
     
         7 . Strip according to  claim 1 , wherein the slot extends between the opening and a peripheral part of the body of the closure extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the strip. 
     
     
         8 . Strip according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling parts are provided on the feed side and opposite side of the closure. 
     
     
         9 . Use of a strip according to  claim 1  in machine packing of products, in particular foodstuffs, such as food products, in flexible packaging, wherein the access side of the flexible packaging is brought into the opening of a closure. 
     
     
         10 . Method of manufacturing a strip according to  claim 1 , said method comprising the steps of supplying a film of plastic foam, stamping the strip of flat closures coupled together, and winding the strip on a roll. 
     
     
         11 . Strip according to claiml, wherein the plastic is a foam of thermoplastic polyester or a foam of amorphous polyethylene terephthalate and wherein the coupling parts are breakable by means of tensile force. 
     
     
         12 . Strip according to  claim 11 , wherein the slot extends between the opening and a peripheral part of the body of the closure extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the strip. 
     
     
         13 . Strip according to  claim 11 , wherein the coupling parts are provided on the feed side and opposite side of the closure.