Zipper assembly with separate tear strip and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A zipper assembly for a resealable enclosure may include an elongated flange having a panel side and an opposite facing side. The panel side can be coupled with an inner surface of a panel of the resealable enclosure. The zipper assembly also can include an interlocking element protruding from the flange and shaped to mate with another interlocking element of another flange to close the enclosure and shaped to be pulled apart to open the enclosure. The zipper assembly can include a tear strip disposed in the flange and spaced apart from the flange by gaps. The tear strip can be pulled to tear through the panel of the resealable enclosure to provide access to the zipper assembly inside the enclosure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A zipper assembly for a resealable enclosure, the zipper assembly comprising:
 an elongated flange having a panel side and an opposite facing side, the panel side configured to be coupled with an inner surface of a panel of the resealable enclosure;   an interlocking element protruding from the flange, the interlocking element shaped to mate with another interlocking element of another flange to close the enclosure and shaped to be pulled apart to open the enclosure; and   a tear strip disposed in the flange and spaced apart from the flange by gaps, the tear strip configured to be pulled to tear through the panel of the resealable enclosure to provide access to the zipper assembly inside the enclosure.   
     
     
         2 . The zipper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tear strip does not contact the flange. 
     
     
         3 . The zipper assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a peel seal material disposed in the gaps between the tear strip and the flange. 
     
     
         4 . The zipper assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the peel seal material is disposed in the gaps such that pulling on the tear strip tears both the panel and the peel seal material in the gaps. 
     
     
         5 . The zipper assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the peel seal material is disposed in the gaps in contact with both the flange and the tear strip such that pulling on the tear strip to tear open the panel of the enclosure leaves residue scum of the peel seal material on the flange, on the tear strip, or on both the flange and the tear strip. 
     
     
         6 . The zipper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tear strip is disposed between the panel side and the facing side of the flange. 
     
     
         7 . The zipper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flange includes one or more lines of weakness spaced apart from and separated from the tear strip. 
     
     
         8 . The zipper assembly of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the gaps is between the one or more lines of weakness and the tear strip. 
     
     
         9 . A resealable enclosure comprising:
 panels disposed around an interior cavity; and   a zipper assembly coupled with the panels, the zipper assembly including elongated flanges having panel sides and opposite facing sides, the panel sides configured to be coupled with inner surfaces of the panels, the zipper assembly including interlocking elements protruding from the flanges, the interlocking elements shaped to mate with each other to close the enclosure and shaped to be pulled apart to open the enclosure, the zipper assembly also including tear strip disposed in at least one of the flanges and spaced apart from the at least one of the flanges by gaps, the tear strip configured to be pulled to tear through at least one of the panels to provide access to the zipper assembly inside the enclosure.   
     
     
         10 . The resealable enclosure of  claim 9 , wherein the tear strip does not contact the at least one of the flanges. 
     
     
         11 . The resealable enclosure of  claim 9 , further comprising a peel seal material disposed in the gaps between the tear strip and the at least one of the flanges. 
     
     
         12 . The resealable enclosure of  claim 11 , wherein the peel seal material is disposed in the gaps and is configured to be torn while the tear strip is pulled open tear the panel. 
     
     
         13 . The resealable enclosure of  claim 11 , wherein the peel seal material is disposed in the gaps in contact with both the at least one of the flanges and the tear strip, the peel seal material configured to leave residue scum of the peel seal material on the at least one of the flanges, on the tear strip, or on both the at least one of the flanges and the tear strip from pulling on the tear strip to tear open the panel. 
     
     
         14 . The resealable enclosure of  claim 9 , wherein the tear strip is disposed between the panel side and the facing side of the at least one of the flanges. 
     
     
         15 . The resealable enclosure of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one of the flanges includes one or more lines of weakness spaced apart from and separated from the tear strip. 
     
     
         16 . The resealable enclosure of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the gaps is between the one or more lines of weakness and the tear strip. 
     
     
         17 . A zipper assembly for a resealable enclosure, the zipper assembly comprising:
 a first elongated flange configured to be coupled to a first panel of the enclosure, the first elongated flange including a first interlocking element;   a second elongated flange configured to be coupled to a second panel of the enclosure, the second elongated flange including a second interlocking element, the first and second interlocking elements shaped to mate with each other; and   a tear strip disposed within an opening of the first elongated flange, the tear strip separated from and not contacting the first elongated flange.   
     
     
         18 . The zipper assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising peel seal material disposed in gaps on both sides of the tear strip between the tear strip and the first elongated flange. 
     
     
         19 . The zipper assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the first elongated flange includes lines of weakness on both sides of the tear strip. 
     
     
         20 . The zipper assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the first elongated flange includes a panel side that couples with the first panel of the enclosure and an opposite facing side from which the first interlocking element protrudes, the tear strip disposed between the panel side and the facing side.