Reclosable container with zipper

Abstract

A reclosable container (1) comprises: a container body (5) having an opening at the upper end for receiving and removing at least a portion of the contents of the container body (5); and a zipper (3) for selectively closing and releasing the opening. The zipper (3) has a zipper line (11), which extends from a first side (13) of the container body (5) along the zipper line (11) to a second side (15). A notch (17) is arranged below the zipper line (11) and at the first side (13) or / and the second side (15) of the container body (5), where the notch (17) is configured to remove the zipper (3) by tearing down the zipper (3) from the container body (5) along the tear line (19).

Description

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a reclosable container having a zipper.

[0002] Reclosable containers are very popular because they can be used multiple times and keep the contents protected from the environment. In particular, reclosable bags with zippers enjoy widespread use and include, for example, food or detergents. The zippers are usually made of some type of plastic.

[0003] Bags can be made from several materials including plastic containing laminates or paper based laminates.

[0004] When the contents of the bag have been used up, the bag should be made available for recycling.

[0005] In the case where the paper-based laminate forms the container body of the bag, the total plastic content of the bag is still about 15% due to the plastic content in the laminate (e.g., coating), but does not include the zipper. The latter increases the total plastic content of the bag by about another 10% to about 25% total plastic content.

[0006] Certain countries currently allow paper-based bags to have a maximum plastic content of 15% in order to be recycled in the national waste paper recycling stream.

[0007] Even if the bag is not paper-based, it may be made of a different material than the zipper material, such that both should not be fed to the same (plastic) recycling stream.

[0008] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a reclosable container with a zipper which has improved recyclability.

[0009] The object is achieved by a reclosable container with a zipper, the reclosable container comprising: a container body having an opening at an upper end, the opening being used to receive and remove at least a portion of the contents of the container body; and a zipper for selectively closing and releasing the opening, wherein the zipper has a zipper line along which the zipper extends from a first side of the container body to a second side. A notch is arranged below the zipper line and at the first side or / and the second side of the container body, and the notch is configured to remove the zipper by tearing the zipper from the container along a tear line, the tear line extending from the first side of the container body to the second side.

[0010] The present invention enables the removal of a (plastic) zipper from a reclosable container without the need for additional tools such as scissors. The zipper is simply torn off by applying a tearing force at the notch, which then propagates further along the tear line from one side of the bag to the other side. The zipper separated from the container body can then be recycled or discarded.

[0011] In a first preferred embodiment, the notch is a blunt pencil cut, or it has a rectangular shape, or the notch is a punched hole.

[0012] The inventors have found that the shape of the notch will determine the force required to initiate the tearing process. Therefore, choosing a notch of the right shape will protect the container from accidentally tearing the container body along the tear line. "Blunt pencil-shaped incision" should describe a cut (blade) similar to the tip of a pencil that has been used for some time, presenting a semicircular or semi-elliptical tip shape. "Punch" should describe an area on the left and / or right side of a reclosable container, in which the container material has been cut away. Such a punch can be located at a distance from the left and / or right side of the container, so that tearing off the zipper along the tear line through the punch will first require overcoming the resistance of the container material at the distance, and then reaching the punch (=area of ​​removed container material), and the tearing process will propagate with less force. Preferably, the distance is between 0.5mm and 3mm. The initial tearing force depends on the distance.

[0013] In contrast, a differently shaped indentation, such as a sharp pencil-shaped indentation, will require less force to initiate the tearing process than a blunt pencil-shaped indentation. A "sharp pencil-shaped indentation" shall describe an indentation (cut) similar to the tip of a newly sharpened pencil, presenting a triangular sharp tip shape.

[0014] In a second preferred embodiment, the tear line comprises a laser score, which is used to support the tearing process to propagate along the tear line. In such embodiments, the laser score describes a micro-perforation line, for example, produced by a laser. This helps, for example, to avoid removing too much container body material by providing a defined tear line. As an alternative, the micro-perforation can also be performed by means other than laser, such as mechanical cutting.

[0015] In a third embodiment, the container is sealed above the zipper line, and the container also includes another notch arranged above the zipper line, wherein the other notch is arranged at the first side or / and the second side of the container body. The other notch is configured to open the sealed container by tearing off the upper end from the container body along another tear line. Before first use, the reclosable container is usually in a sealed state. In this embodiment, the container includes two tear-off features: a first tear-off feature is used to open the sealed container by tearing off the upper end of the container along another tear line, and a second tear-off feature is used to tear off the zipper along the tear line. The upper end of the torn container can be close to the zipper, so that the container can be reused later when its contents have not been used up. After the contents are used up, the zipper can be torn off, and the container body can be recycled separately from the zipper.

[0016] In a fourth embodiment, the other notch is:

[0017] - Sharp pencil-shaped incision;

[0018] -sewing; or

[0019] - Combination of sharp pencil cuts and seams

[0020] As mentioned above, the shape of the notch and the other notch will determine the corresponding initial force required to initiate the tearing process. A sharp pencil-shaped cut will allow less force to be required to tear off the upper end of the container, thereby providing a convenient container opening experience for consumers and eliminating the need for additional tools such as scissors.

[0021] In such an embodiment, the shape of the notch for tearing off the zipper after the contents of the container have been used up is generally selected to provide a greater force required to activate the tear-off zipper than to tear off the upper end. As previously mentioned, the notch (for the tear-off zipper) can be implemented, for example, as a blunt pencil-shaped cut, or it can have a rectangular shape.

[0022] In a fifth embodiment, another tear line includes a laser score, which is used to support the tearing process to propagate along another tear line. In such an embodiment, laser scoring again describes a microperforation line generated by, for example, a laser. As an alternative, the microperforation can also be performed by a method other than laser, such as mechanical cutting. This helps to avoid removing too much container body material (and prevent damage to, for example, a zipper) by providing another tear line that is limited. In a preferred embodiment, the laser score of the tear line includes at least one laser score line, and the laser score of the other tear line includes more laser score lines than the tear line. In particular, the tear line includes at least one laser score line, preferably one laser score line, and the other tear line includes at least two adjacent parallel laser score lines. The more laser score lines provided, the easier it is for the tearing process to propagate along the tear line or another tear line. This means that selecting an appropriate amount of parallel, adjacent tear lines (or another tear line) and, for example, the distance between microperforations will determine the ease with which the corresponding parts (such as the upper end and / or the zipper) can be torn off. Often, it is more convenient to tear off the upper end (i.e., open the container and access the zipper) rather than tearing off the zipper to avoid undesirably tearing the container below the zipper line when the contents of the container have not been exhausted and the zipper is still needed to open and close the container.

[0023] In the sixth embodiment, the first force required to initiate tearing of the zipper along the tear line is greater than the second force required to initiate tearing of the upper end along the other tear line, which can be achieved by intentionally selecting the corresponding shapes of the notch and the other notch. In particular, the ratio of the first force to the second force is between 1.5 and 3, preferably between 2 and 3, and most preferably 2. As mentioned above, tearing off the zipper after use is more difficult than tearing off the upper end of the container when opening the container.

[0024] In a seventh embodiment, the container is made of a laminate comprising plastic, wherein the total plastic content of the container - excluding the zipper - is at most 15%, in particular the container body is made of a paper-based laminate. In this embodiment, the container provides good recyclability, for example in a waste paper stream. In another embodiment, the paper-based laminate comprises a coating, wherein the coating can determine the strength or material resistance of the container body. The strength or material resistance of the container body determines how easy or difficult it is to tear the container. Since the invention foresees intentional tearing of the container, in order to tear off the upper end (for access to the contents via the zipper) or the zipper (after use), the strength or material resistance of the container body must be well balanced. On the one hand, it cannot be too strong so as not to impair intentional tearing and / or removal of the zipper, and on the other hand, it cannot be too weak to avoid unnecessary tearing. In combination with a notch and / or another notch that determines the initial force required to start the tearing process (by reducing the initial force compared to a container body without a notch or another notch), a good balance can be achieved between these different goals.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the container is a reclosable bag with a zipper, such as a bag, a stand-up pouch or a stand-up bag.

[0026] In an eighth embodiment, the container includes a front side and a back side that are sealed together at a first side and a second side in respective sealing areas having a seal width, and the other notch is wider than the notch. When the notch is not as wide as the other notch, it will be more difficult to tear off the zipper than to tear open the container. For example, in this case, a larger seal width must be overcome when tearing off the zipper than when tearing open the container (a larger seal width is considered a more elastic, thicker material).

[0027] Hereinafter, the present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0028] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a reclosable container with a zipper according to the present invention is shown, the reclosable container being embodied as a stand-up bag.

[0029] Figure 2 Various shapes are shown that are suitable as embodiments of the recesses.

[0030] exist Figure 1 In the figure, the reclosable container 1 is shown from a front view, with the stand-up bag (implementing the container 1) in an upright position.

[0031] The bag 1 (e.g., a stand-up bag) includes a zipper 3 so that the bag can be selectively opened and closed. At an upper portion 9, typically just at the top of the bag, the bag is sealed before first use. The bag 1 can be made of a plastic-based laminate, but is preferably made of a paper-based laminate. The zipper 3 typically includes a matching zipper profile and is made of plastic, which is attached to the interior of the front and back sides of the bag.

[0032] When the consumer wants to open the sealed bag 1, he / she can use the further notch 21 by applying a tearing force to the upper part 9 at the location of the further notch 21, so that the bag will open, wherein the tearing process propagates from the first side 13 of the bag along the further tear line 23 to the second side 15. The zipper 3 can then be accessed so that the contents of the bag 1 can be (partially) removed and the bag can be reclosed, and the torn piece of the upper part 9 can be discarded. The tear line 23 preferably comprises a laser score, i.e. a microperforation along the tear line 23, to support the tearing process to propagate along the defined line. As an alternative, the microperforation can also be performed by means other than laser, such as mechanical cutting.

[0033] Sooner or later, the contents of the bag will be exhausted and the bag will be ready for recycling.

[0034] In many cases, the zipper 3 is not suitable for recycling with the bag body 5. For example, the bag body 5 may include a paper-based laminate that is suitable for recycling in a waste paper recycling stream, but must not contain more than 15% non-paper material. The zipper 3, which is usually made of plastic, results in a higher overall plastic content of the bag 1. In this case, in order for the bag 1 to still qualify for paper recycling, the zipper 3 must be removed.

[0035] In order to achieve this in a convenient manner and without the need for additional tools (such as scissors), the zipper 3 can be separated from the bag body 5 and discarded (or recycled) separately: the bag body 5 includes a notch 17, and the consumer can apply a tearing force at the notch 17 to tear the zipper 3 from the bag body, wherein the tearing process propagates along the tear line 19.

[0036] The initial force required to start the tearing process for tearing the bag through the further notch 21 is different from the initial force required to start the tearing process for removing the zipper 3 through the notch 17. The shape of the notch 17 or the further notch 21 substantially determines the size of the initial force required to start the respective tearing process.

[0037] Generally, it should be easier to open the sealed bag 1 through the further notch 21 than to remove the zipper 3 (after use) through the notch 17, in order to avoid undesired tearing of the bag 1 at the notch 17 before the bag's contents are used up. To this end, in the embodiment of the figures, the notch 17 is a blunt pencil-shaped cut, while the further notch 21 is a sharp pencil-shaped cut.

[0038] It is understandable that other embodiments of corresponding notch shapes can achieve the same purpose, that is, to achieve an initial force required to tear off the zipper 3 that is higher than the initial force required to open the bag 1 .

[0039] exist Figure 1 In the embodiment of the present invention, the two notches 17 or the two notches 21 are arranged symmetrically, i.e. on both sides 13 and 15 of the bag 1. This will allow the consumer to have maximum flexibility on the side he / she wants to open the bag 1 or remove the zipper 3. He / she does not need to turn the bag 1 over, for example, to achieve a preferred orientation.

[0040] However, in principle, one recess 17 and one further recess 21 arranged at the first side 13 (eg the left side) or the second side 15 (eg the right side) would be sufficient.

[0041] For example, the notch 21 may be arranged (only) on the left side of the bag 1, and the notch 17 may be arranged (only) on the right side of the bag. Intuitively, right-handed people tend to tear from left to right. Therefore, arranging the notch 17 (only) on the right side of the bag may better prevent the bag 1 from being accidentally torn through the notch 17 before the contents are used up.

[0042] For a left-handed person, turning the bag 1 over will produce the same improvement.

[0043] In addition, Figure 1 In the embodiment of the invention, the tear line 19 as well as the further tear line 23 comprise laser scoring, i.e. microperforations at dedicated distances along the respective tear line. In the example of the figure, the further tear line 23 comprises two adjacent laser scoring lines, while the tear line 19 comprises only one laser scoring line. This will further facilitate easier tearing off of the upper part 9 (to open the sealed bag 1) compared to tearing off the zipper 3. In addition, the presence of the laser scoring will achieve a defined line along which the tearing process propagates. This can, for example, avoid removing too much material (which may subsequently be lost and not recovered), and / or it can prevent damage to the zipper when opening the sealed bag 1 due to tearing off (a part of) the upper part.

[0044] The bag 1 and in particular the notches 17 and 21 are designed so that the first force required to initiate tearing of the zipper 3 along the tear line 19 is greater than the second force required to initiate tearing of the upper end 9 along the other tear line 23. The ratio of the first force to the second force is between 1.5 and 3, preferably between 2 and 3, and most preferably 2.

[0045] It will be appreciated that the bag material properties will essentially define the ease with which the material tears under all conditions. The material itself needs to be strong and require additional structural elements to open (e.g. notches), but not too strong, in order to maximize the consumer experience, but also provide child resistance, for example. Paper materials tear more easily than plastics; however, the amount and type of coating as well as the paper itself will play a role in defining the inherent material resistance.

[0046] It has been demonstrated that notch geometry (shape) plays a direct role in tear initiation.

[0047] Figure 2 Shown is suitable for Figure 1 Various shapes of the recess 17 and / or the recess 21 in the embodiments.

[0048] A first example is a sharp pencil cut 25, which has been mentioned above.

[0049] A second example is a blunt pencil-shaped cut 27, which has also been mentioned above.

[0050] The third example employs a rectangular shape 29 and may be considered a variation of the blunt pencil-shaped cut 27 .

[0051] A fourth example is the slit 31. The length of the slit 31 may vary.

[0052] A fifth example is a combination 33 of a sharp pencil-shaped cut 25 and a slit 31 .

[0053] The sixth example can be considered as a combination 35 of a variation 29 of a blunt pencil cut having a rectangular shape and a sharp pencil cut 25. In this embodiment, the variation 29 of the blunt pencil cut is used as an introduction to the sharp pencil cut 25.

[0054] The seventh example is a combination 37 of the combination 35 and the slit 31 .

[0055] An eighth example is a punch hole 39. It can have any shape, such as a triangle, a circle, a rectangle, a line or a combination thereof. The punch hole 39 can be arranged at a distance from the left side and / or the right side of the container. The distance determines the magnitude of the initial tearing force: the greater the distance, the more container material the tearing process needs to overcome, and the more difficult it is to initiate the tearing. The preferred distance is between 0.5 mm and 3 mm.

[0056] Suitable combinations of the notches 17 and 21 are, for example:

[0057] ●The notch 21 is embodied as any one of 25 , 31 , 33 , 35 and 37 .

[0058] ●The notch 17 is embodied as any one of 27 , 29 and 39 .

[0059] It should be noted that any embodiment of the notch 17 and the notch 21 may also include a slit. Embodiments 33 and 37 are purely exemplary and non-limiting. In particular, any embodiment of the notch 17 may also include a slit, such as a combination of a blunt pencil-shaped cut 27 or a variation of a blunt pencil-shaped cut 29 and a slit 31, or a combination of a punching 39 and a slit 31.

[0060] The present invention can be summarized as follows:

[0061] The reclosable container 1 comprises: a container body 5 having an opening at an upper end 9 for receiving and removing at least a portion of the contents of the container body 5; and a zipper 3 for selectively closing and releasing the opening. The zipper 3 has a zipper line 11, and the zipper extends from a first side 13 of the container body 5 to a second side 15 along the zipper line 11. A notch 17 is arranged below the zipper line 11 and at the first side 13 or / and the second side 15 of the container body 5, wherein the notch 17 is configured to remove the zipper 3 by tearing the zipper 3 from the container body 5 along a tear line 19.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment, the container 1 is sealed at the upper end 9 and above the zipper line 11, and the container 1 also includes another notch 21 arranged above the zipper line 11, so that the sealed container 1 can be opened by tearing the upper end 9 from the container body 5 along another tear line 23.

[0063]

[0013] Accordingly, one or more objects of the present invention are achieved by the reclosable container with a zipper of the present invention as further set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A reclosable container (1) having a zipper (3), the reclosable container (1) comprising: a container body (5), the container body (5) having an opening (7) at an upper end (9), the opening (7) being used to receive and remove at least a portion of the contents of the container body (5); and a zipper (3) for selectively closing and releasing the opening (7), the zipper (3) having a zipper line (11), the zipper (3) extending from a first side (13) of the container body (5) along the zipper line (11) to a second side (15); It is characterized in that A notch (17) is arranged below the zipper line (11) and at the first side (13) or / and the second side (15) of the container body (5), the notch (17) being configured to remove the zipper (3) by tearing the zipper (3) from the container body (5) along a tear line (19), the tear line (19) extending from the first side (13) to the second side (15) of the container body (5).

2. The reclosable container (1) according to claim 1, wherein: The notch (17) is a blunt pencil-shaped cut (27), or wherein the notch has a rectangular shape (29), or wherein the notch is a punched hole (39).

3. A reclosable container (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein: The tear line (19) comprises laser scoring, which is used to support the tearing process to propagate along the tear line (19).

4. A reclosable container (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The container (1) is sealed at the upper end (9) and above the zipper line (11), The container (1) further comprises another notch (21) arranged above the zipper line (11), the other notch (21) being arranged at the first side (13) or / and the second side (15) of the container body (5), and The further notch (21) is configured to open the sealed container (1) by tearing the upper end (9) from the container body (5) along a further tear line (23), the further tear line (23) extending from the first side (13) to the second side (15) of the container body (5).

5. The reclosable container (1) according to claim 4, wherein: The other notch (21) is a sharp pencil-shaped cut (25), a slit (31), a combination (33) of a sharp pencil-shaped cut (25) and a slit (31), a combination (35) of a rectangular shape (29) and a sharp pencil-shaped cut (25), or a combination (37) of a rectangular shape (29) and a sharp pencil-shaped cut (25) and a slit (31).

6. A reclosable container (1) according to any one of claims 4 or 5, wherein: The further tear line (23) comprises laser scoring, which is used to support the propagation of the tearing process along the further tear line (23).

7. A reclosable container (1) according to claims 3 and 6, wherein: The laser scoring of the tear line (19) includes at least one laser scoring line, and the laser scoring of the further tear line (23) includes more laser scoring lines than the tear line.

8. The reclosable container (1) according to claim 7, wherein: The tear line (19) comprises at least one laser score line, and the further tear line (23) comprises at least two adjacent parallel laser score lines.

9. A reclosable container (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein: The notch (17) and the further notch (21) are configured such that a first force required to initiate tearing of the zipper (3) along the tear line (19) is greater than a second force required to initiate tearing of the upper end (9) along the further tear line (23).

10. The reclosable container (1) according to claim 9, wherein: The ratio of the first force to the second force is between 1.5 and 3, preferably between 2 and 3, and most preferably is 2.

11. A reclosable container (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The container (1) is made of a laminate material comprising plastic, wherein the total plastic content of the container (1) - excluding the zipper (3) - is at most 15%.

12. A reclosable container (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein: The container body (5) is made of a paper-based laminate material.

13. A reclosable container (1) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein: The laminate material comprises a coating, wherein the coating determines the material resistance of the container body.

14. A reclosable container (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein: The container (1) is a bag, a stand-up pouch or a self-supporting bag.

15. A reclosable container (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 13 in combination with claim 14, wherein: The container (1) comprises a front side and a rear side, the front side and the rear side being sealed together at the first side (13) and the second side (15) in respective sealing areas having a sealing width, and The further notch (21) is wider than the notch (17).

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