Filing Information

Inventor(s)	Toby R. Thomas · Samuel D. Aversa · John D. Athans ·
Assignee(s)	Pactiv Corporation ·  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	Jenkens & Gilchrist ·
Primary Examiner	John Sipos ·
Application Number	US10647819
Filing date	08/25/2003
Issue date	03/13/2007
Predicted expiration date	08/12/2019
U.S. Classifications	534/12  · 532/847  · 531/334  · 531/392  · 534/69  · 535/62  · 535/70  · 493/213  · 534/59  ·
International Classifications	B65B104  · B65B6118  ·
Kind Code	E1
Related U.S. Application Data	RELATED APPLICATION This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/373,212 09/373,312, filed Aug. 12, 1999, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,071,011 on Jun. 6, 2000.

Patent Family

Abstract

A fill-through-the-top reclosable package includes first and second opposing body panels joined to each other along a pair of sides and a bottom bridging the pair of sides. The package is provided with a reclosable fastener extending alone a package top disposed opposite the bottom. The fastener includes first and second opposing tracks. The first track includes a male profile, while the second track includes a female profile adapted to releasably interlock with the male profile. To provide tamper evidence, the first and second tracks may be joined to each other along an area of weakness. When making the package, the first track is first attached to the first panel, the package, the first track is first attached to the first panel, the package is filled with a product via a fill opening between the second track and the second panel, and then the second track is attached to the second panel.

Independent Claims | See all claims (69)

1. 1. A method of filling a package, made from a continuous web of material comprising: providing a plurality of interconnected packages made from said web, each package including first and second opposing body panels joined along a pair of sides and a bottom bridging the sides, the package including a fastener attached to the first body panel along a mouth portion of the package disposed opposite the bottom, the fastener initially being at least partially unattached to the second body panel while the fastener is attached to the first body panel; separating each package from said plurality of interconnected packages; filling the separated package with a product via a fill opening between the fastener and the second body panel; and attaching the fastener to the second body panel of the filled package to seal the fill opening.
2. 6. A method of making and filling a packages, comprising: providing a package including first and second opposing body panels; attaching a fastener to the first body panel along a mouth portion of the package; attaching said first and second panels to each other to form a pair of sides and a bottom bridging the sides opposite the fastener; filling the package with a product via a fill opening between the fastener and the second body panel; and attaching the fastener to the second body panel to seal the fill opening.
3. 9. A method of making and filling packages, comprising: providing a plastic web and a fastener in a longitudinal direction; folding the web to provide first and second opposing panels joined along a longitudinal bottom; attaching the fastener to an inner surface of the first panel near a longitudinal edge thereof opposite the longitudinal bottom; sealing the first and second panels to each other at spaced seals transverse to the longitudinal direction to form the packages; filling each package with a product via a fill opening between the fastener and the second panel; and attaching the fastener to an inner surface of the second panel to seal the fill opening.
4. 11. A method of filling a package made from a continuous web of material, comprising: providing a plurality of interconnected packages made from said web, each package including two panels defining a mouth portion and a reclosable fastener that is useful for opening and closing said mouth portion after said package is filled, said fastener having a final attachment position on said two panels and being attached to said two panels along only a portion of said final attachment position so as to define an unattached segment and an attached segment of said fastener, said unattached segment and the adjacent one of said two panels define a fill opening therebetween; filling said package with a product through said fill opening; and separating each package from said plurality of interconnected packages; attaching said unattached segment of said fastener to said panels along the entirety of said final attachment position.
5. 17. A method of making and filling packages, comprising: providing first and second opposing panels of a plastic web and a fastener in a longitudinal direction; attaching said fastener to an inner surface of said first panel; sealing said first and second panels to each other at spaced seals transverse to said longitudinal direction to form said packages; filling each package with a product via a fill opening between said fastener and said second panel; and attaching said fastener to an inner surface of said second panel to seal said fill opening.
6. 18. A method of filling a package, made from a continuous web of material comprising: providing a plurality of interconnected packages made from said web, each package including first and second opposing body panels joined along a pair of sides and a bottom bridging said sides, said package including a fastener attached to said first body panel along a mouth portion of said package disposed opposite said bottom, said fastener including first and second interlocking profiles, and first and second fins extending from said respective profiles, said first fin being attached to said first body panel, said second fin being at least partially unattached to said second body panel while said first fin is attached to said first body panel, said package further including a tramper-evident feature positioned below said first and second interlocking profiles; separating each package from said plurality of interconnected packages; filling said separated package with a product via a fill opening between said fastener and said second body panel; and attaching said fastener to said second body panel of said filled package to seal said fill opening.
7. 23. A method of making and filing a package, comprising: providing a package including first and second opposing body panels; attaching a fastener to said first body panel along a mouth portion of said package, said fastener including first and second interlocking profiles, first and second fins extending from said respective profiles, and a breakable area of weakness providing a tamper-evident feature, said first fin being attached to said first body panel, said second fin being at least partially unattached to said second body panel while said first fin is attached to said first body panel; attaching said first and second panels to each other to form a pair of sides and a bottom bridging said sides opposite said fastener; filling said package with a product via a fill opening between said fastener and said second body panel; and attaching said fastener to said second body panel to seal said fill opening.
8. 25. A method of making and filling packages, comprising: providing a plastic web and a fastener in a longitudinal direction, said fastener including first and second interlocking profiles, first and second fins extending from said respective profiles, and a breakable area of weakness; folding said web to provide first and second opposing panels joined along a longitudinal bottom; attaching said fastener to an inner surface of said first panel near a longitudinal edge thereof opposite said longitudinal bottom; sealing said first and second panels to each other at spaced seals transverse to said longitudinal direction to form said packages; filling each package with a product via a fill opening between said fastener and said second panel; and attaching said fastener to an inner surface of said second panel to seal said fill opening.
9. 27. A method of filling a package made from a continuous web of material, comprising: providing a plurality of interconnected packages made from said web, each package including first and second body panels defining a mouth portion and a reclosable fastener that is useful for opening and closing said mouth portion after said package is filled, said fastener having a final attachment position on said first and second body panels and being attached to said first and second body panels along only a portion of said final attachment position so as to define an unattached segment and an attached segment of said fastener, said unattached segment and said adjacent second body panel defining a fill opening therebetween, said fastener including first and second interlocking profiles and first and second fins extending from said respective profiles, said first fin being attached to said first body panel, said second fin being at least partially unattached to said second body panel while said first fin is attached to said first body panel, each of said packages including a tamper-evident feature below said first and second interlocking profiles; filling said package with a product through said fill opening; separating each package from said plurality of interconnected packages; and attaching said unattached segment of said fastener to said panels along the entirety of said final attachment position.
10. 30. A method of making a reclosable package, comprising: supplying a web of plastic material in a longitudinal direction, said web having first and second opposing body panels; supplying a reclosable fastener including a first profile and a second profile adapted to releasably interlock with said first profile, said fastener including a slider for opening and closing said first and second profiles; with said slider attached to said reclosable fastener, attaching said first profile to said first panel; creating individual packages from said web and said reclosable fastener; filling said individual package with a product via a fill opening between said second profile and said second panel; and attaching said second profile to said second panel to seal said fill opening.
11. 42. A method of filling a package made from a continuous web of material comprising: providing a plurality of interconnected packages made from said web, each package including first and second opposing body panels joined along a pair of sides and a bottom bridging said sides, said package including a fastener attached to said first body panel along a mouth portion of said package disposed opposite said bottom and a slider for opening and closing said fastener, said fastener including first and second interlocking profiles and first and second fins extending from said respective profiles, said fastener initially being at least partially unattached to said second body panel while said fastener is attached to said first body panel; separating each package from said plurality of interconnected packages; filling said separated package with a product via a fill opening between said fastener and said second body panel; attaching said fastener to said second body panel of said filled package to seal said fill opening; and sealing said first and second body panels above said fastener.
12. 48. A method of filling a package made from a continuous web of material comprising: providing a plurality of interconnected packages made from said web, each package including first and second opposing body panels joined along a pair of sides and a bottom bridging said side, said package including a fastener attached to said first body panel along a mouth portion of said package disposed opposite said bottom and a slider for opening and closing said fastener, said fastener including first and second interlocking profiles and first and second fins extending from said respective profiles, said fastener initially being at least partially unattached to said second body panel while said fastener is attached to said first body panel; creating a pair of end terminations for stopping movement of said slider near said respective sides of said package; separating each package from said plurality of interconnected packages; filling said separated package with a product via a fill opening between said fastener and said second body panel; attaching said fastener to said second body panel of said filled package to seal said fill opening; and sealing said first and second body panels above said fastener.
13. 55. A method of filling a package made from a continuous web of material, comprising: attaching a reclosable fastener with an attached slider to a web, said reclosable fastener including a first profiled and a second profile adapted to releasably interlock with said first profile, said first profile being attached to said web, said slider for opening and closing said first and second profiles; creating individual reclosable packages from said web and said reclosable fastener; filling each of said individual packages with a product via a fill opening between said second profile and said web; and attaching said second profile to said second panel to seal said fill opening in said individual packages.
14. 64. A method of filling a package made from a continuous web of material, comprising: providing a plurality of interconnected packages made from said web, each package including first and second body panels defining a mouth portion and a reclosablefastener that is useful for opening and closing said mouth portion after said package is filled, said fastener having a final attachment position on said first and second body panels and being attached to said first and second body panels along only a portion of said final attachment position so as to define an unattached segment and an attached segment of said fastener, said unattached segment partially defining a fill opening; filling said package with a product through said fill opening; separating each package from said plurality of interconnected packages; and attaching said unattached segment of said fastener to said panels along the entirety of said final attachment position.