Zipper tape, and manufacturing method and device for bags with zipper tape

Abstract

To easily and reliably connect a leader and an end of a zipper tape.SOLUTION: A zipper tape comprises: a long zipper tape body (120) including, on a cross section, a pair of base-part strips (121A and 121B) facing each other, and a pair of engagement parts (122A and 122B) projecting from respective inner faces of the pair of base-part strips (121A and 121B) to be engaged with each other; and films (130A and 130B) joined with at least one outer face of the pair of base-part strips (121A and 121B) at the longitudinal end part of the zipper tape body (120) and cantilevered from the longitudinal end part of the zipper tape body (120). A manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus of a bag with a zipper tape using such zipper tape are provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a zipper tape, and a method and apparatus for manufacturing a bag with zipper tape. [Background technology]

[0002] Zipper tapes are widely used for packaging various items, such as medicines and food, by attaching them to bags to create zipper tape-attached bags. One advantage of such zipper tapes is that they are easy to open and reseal. A user can open a container by disengaging the zipper tape and reseal the container by engaging the zipper tape. Various improved technologies for such zipper tapes have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a zipper tape-attached bag that is provided with ribs to improve opening workability. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-43973 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The zipper tape described above is generally provided as a roll of wound long tape. For example, in a process for producing a bag with zipper tape, a zipper tape unwound from a roll and a film unwound from a film roll are continuously conveyed and spliced together to form a film with zipper tape, and the film with zipper tape is then appropriately spliced and cut to produce a bag with zipper tape. Here, since the length of the zipper tape wound around the roll is finite, a roll replacement process is carried out when the zipper tape unwound from the roll reaches its end. In this case, by connecting the starting end of the zipper tape unwound from the new roll to the end of the zipper tape on the previous roll, it is possible to continuously convey the zipper tape even after the roll is replaced.

[0005] FIG. 6 shows an example of a conventional zipper tape connection. In the illustrated example, the starting end of zipper tape 920A pulled from a new roll is connected to the ending end of zipper tape 920B from the previous roll by wrapping adhesive tape 930 around it. If adhesive tape 930 protrudes from both sides of the zipper tape in the width direction, the exposed adhesive may adhere to the conveyor line and become foreign matter. Therefore, it is desirable to cut off portion 930C of adhesive tape 930 as shown in the illustration. In this case, the connection between zipper tapes 920A and 920B is maintained by the adhesive force between portions 930A and 930B of adhesive tape 930 attached to both sides.

[0006] However, because the above-described process of connecting zipper tapes using adhesive tape requires time to wrap the adhesive tape 930 and then cut off the portion 930C, transport of the zipper tape and film is typically stopped temporarily before the process can be performed. This temporary stoppage of production reduces productivity. Care must also be taken to prevent the cut-off portion 930C of the adhesive tape 930 from becoming a foreign object in subsequent processes. Furthermore, if the adhesive strength of the portions 930A and 930B of the adhesive tape 930 is weak, they may peel off during transport, resulting in a disconnection.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a zipper tape whose starting end and ending end can be easily and reliably connected, as well as a method and apparatus for manufacturing a zipper tape-attached bag using such a zipper tape. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a zipper tape comprising: an elongated zipper tape body having, in cross section, a pair of opposing base strips and a pair of engaging portions protruding from the inner surfaces of the pair of base strips and engaging with each other; and a film joined to the outer surface of at least one of the pair of base strips at the longitudinal ends of the zipper tape body and extending beyond the longitudinal ends of the zipper tape body.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a bag with zipper tape, which includes a step of joining the above-mentioned zipper tape to a film constituting a bag body, wherein the zipper tape includes first and second zipper tapes, and the manufacturing method further includes a step of connecting the first zipper tape and the second zipper tape by joining the film extending from the longitudinal end of the zipper tape body of the first zipper tape to the outer surface of at least one of a pair of base strips at the longitudinal end of the zipper tape body of the second zipper tape.

[0010] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for manufacturing bags with zipper tape, which includes a joining device that joins the above-mentioned zipper tape to a film that constitutes a bag body, wherein the zipper tape includes first and second zipper tapes, and the manufacturing apparatus further includes a connecting device that connects the first zipper tape and the second zipper tape by joining the film that protrudes from the longitudinal end of the zipper tape body of the first zipper tape to the outer surface of at least one of a pair of base strips at the longitudinal end of the zipper tape body of the second zipper tape. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the above configuration, the start end and the end end of the zipper tape can be easily and reliably connected, thereby improving productivity in the manufacturing process of bags with zipper tape, for example. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a manufacturing device for a bag with a zipper tape according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is an enlarged view of the tape roll and the connection device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 1. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of another example of the tape roll and the connection device shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a connecting portion of a zipper tape according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is an enlarged perspective view of an end portion in the longitudinal direction of a zipper tape according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing examples of connecting portions of a conventional zipper tape. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0014] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a three-side bag making machine, which is an example of an apparatus for manufacturing bags with zipper tape according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, in three-side bag making machine 600, film supply unit 601 pays out film 110 wound around film roll 602 and cuts it widthwise using a cutting blade (not shown) to form a pair of film portions 111A and 111B that constitute the bag body. Meanwhile, tape supply unit 603 pays out zipper tape 120 wound around tape roll 604 and supplies it to a predetermined position between film portions 111A and 111B using a guide member (not shown).

[0015] The supplied zipper tape 120 has a pair of base strips (described later) joined to the film portions 111A and 111B by a sealing bar 605, which is a joining device. The joining can be achieved by thermal or ultrasonic welding, or by bonding with an adhesive. After the zipper tape 120 has been joined to the film portions 111A and 111B, a bottom seal and a side seal are formed between the film portions 111A and 111B by sealing bars 606 and 607. The film portions 111A and 111B are then cut out by a cutting blade 608, which cuts them longitudinally, and a cutting blade 609, which cuts them widthwise, to produce the zipper tape-attached bag 100.

[0016] Here, the three-sided bag making machine 600 further includes a connecting device 610 for connecting the zipper tape 120. When the zipper tape 120 unwound from the tape roll 604 reaches its end and the tape roll 604 is replaced with a new one, the connecting device 610 connects the starting end of the zipper tape 120 unwound from the replaced tape roll 604 to the ending end of the zipper tape 120 of the previous roll that has already been fed. As will be described later, in this embodiment, the zipper tape 120 includes a film that is joined to the longitudinal end of the zipper tape body. Therefore, by joining this film to the zipper tape of the previous roll by the connecting device 610, the starting end and the ending end of the zipper tape 120 can be easily and reliably connected. When the zipper tape 120 is wound into a roll, it may be wound around a core as in the tape roll 604 in this embodiment. Alternatively, the zipper tape 120 wound into a spiral shape with or without a core may be stored in a container without a core. As will be described later, the film to be joined to the longitudinal end of the zipper tape 120 is joined to at least either the center side of the roll or the outer side of the roll.

[0017] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the tape roll and connecting device shown in FIG. 1. In the example shown in FIG. 2, a pair of films 130A and 130B are joined to longitudinal ends of the zipper tape 120A (zipper tape main body) wound in a roll on the tape roll 604A, more specifically, to the starting end of the zipper tape 120A located on the outer side of the tape roll 604A. The films 130A and 130B are previously joined to the outer surfaces of the pair of base strips of the zipper tape 120A, respectively, as described below. The terminal end of the zipper tape 120B of the previous roll is sandwiched between the films 130A and 130B joined to the starting end of the zipper tape 120A pulled out from the tape roll 604A, and the connecting device 610 joins the films 130A and 130B to the terminal end of the zipper tape 120B, thereby connecting the zipper tape 120A and the zipper tape 120B.

[0018] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing another example of the tape roll and connecting device shown in FIG. 1. In the example shown in FIG. 3, a pair of films 130A and 130B are joined to the longitudinal ends of the zipper tapes 120A and 120B (zipper tape bodies), respectively, more specifically, to the terminal ends of the zipper tapes 120A and 120B. When the zipper tape 120A is wound around the tape roll 604B, the terminal end is located toward the center of the tape roll 604B (shown as film 130). In the example shown in FIG. 3, the zipper tape 120A and the zipper tape 120B can be joined by sandwiching the starting end of the zipper tape 120A pulled out from the tape roll 604B between the films 130A and 130B joined to the terminal end of the previous roll of zipper tape 120B, and then connecting device 610 joining the films 130A and 130B to the starting end of the zipper tape 120A.

[0019] 1 to 3, the connecting device 610 is, for example, a heat sealer, an impulse sealer, or a pressure-bonding device using an adhesive tape, and joins the films 130A, 130B to the zipper tape 120B. Connecting the zipper tapes 120A, 120B using this method takes less time (30 seconds to 1 minute in the conventional example, and 10 seconds or less in the example of this embodiment) than a conventional connecting method using an adhesive tape 930 as shown in Fig. 6, and is advantageous in that it can be performed without stopping the transport of the zipper tape 120B, or if it is stopped, for a short time.

[0020] Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a connection portion of a zipper tape according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 4, zipper tapes 120A, 120B each include a pair of opposing base strips 121A, 121B, and films 130A, 130B are bonded to the outer surfaces of the base strips 121A, 121B, respectively. If a manufacturing apparatus such as the three-side bag making machine 600 described above can transport the zipper tapes 120A, 120B while maintaining their connection, it is also possible to omit one of the films 130A, 130B and connect the zipper tape 120A and the zipper tape 120B using only one of the base strips 121A, 121B.

[0021] As described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, films 130A, 130B are pre-joined to one of zipper tape 120A and zipper tape 120B, and then joined to the other using connecting device 610. Here, films 130A, 130B are joined to the longitudinal end of the zipper tape to be pre-joined by welding or by using an adhesive or pressure-sensitive adhesive. Regardless of the specific joining method, there are no time or place restrictions when pre-joining films 130A, 130B to the zipper tape, so it is possible to join the zipper tape and films 130A, 130B without problems such as those in the conventional example shown in FIG. 6. Welding, such as thermal welding, is advantageous in that it provides stronger bonding strength and therefore makes it more difficult for the zipper tapes to come loose.

[0022] Furthermore, the connecting device 610 may weld the films 130A, 130B to the zipper tape, or may join them using an adhesive or pressure-sensitive adhesive. As described above, the films 130A, 130B are joined to either the zipper tape 120A or the zipper tape 120B in advance. Therefore, if the zipper tape 120A and the zipper tape 120B are aligned using the connecting device 610, alignment of the films 130A, 130B is not necessary. Therefore, even if an adhesive or pressure-sensitive adhesive is used, it is not necessary to wrap an adhesive tape around the films 130A, 130B, as in the example shown in FIG. 6. Welding is advantageous in that it provides stronger joining strength, just as in the case of joining the films 130A, 130B to the zipper tape in advance.

[0023] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, it is possible to connect zipper tape 120A and zipper tape 120B with sufficient strength using films 130A, 130B that do not protrude from both sides of the zipper tape in the width direction, thereby significantly improving problems such as the possibility of foreign matter being mixed in or the connection coming loose, which were present in conventional examples.

[0024] The films 130A and 130B are made of, for example, a polyolefin resin, specifically polyethylene or polypropylene, and may be, for example, a laminate film.

[0025] The connection portions of the zipper tapes 120A, 120B, including the films 130A, 130B, are conveyed in the same manner as the other portions and are joined to the film portions 111A, 111B by a sealing bar 605 (see FIG. 1 ), thereby forming the zipper tape bag 100. By inspecting the zipper tape bag 100 using a sensor inside the three-side bag making machine 600 or after it has been conveyed out, it is possible to exclude the zipper tape bag 100, including the films 130A, 130B, as a non-standard product. To facilitate detection by the sensor at this time, the films 130A, 130B may be colored a different color from the zipper tapes 120A, 120B (the zipper tape main body), such as black, blue, or red.

[0026] Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a longitudinal end portion of a zipper tape according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 5, the zipper tape 120 (zipper tape main body) is a long member including, in cross section, a pair of opposing base strips 121A, 121B and a pair of engaging portions 122A, 122B that protrude from the inner surfaces of the base strips 121A, 121B and engage with each other. For simplicity, the shape and width of the base strips 121A, 121B and the shape and number of the engaging portions 122A, 122B are shown as the simplest examples, but various variations are possible according to known examples.

[0027] The films 130A, 130B are joined to the outer surface of at least one of the base strips 121A, 121B at the longitudinal ends of the zipper tape 120 (zipper tape main body), and protrude beyond the longitudinal ends of the zipper tape 120. As described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4, the zipper tapes can be connected to each other by joining this protruding portion to the longitudinal end of another zipper tape main body. Here, it is preferable that the dimension Bf of the films 130A, 130B in the width direction of the zipper tape 120 is equal to or less than the width Bz of the zipper tape 120. Since the films 130A, 130B do not protrude from both sides of the zipper tape 120 in the width direction, the zipper tape 120 can be smoothly transported in a manufacturing device such as the three-side bag making machine 600 described above. For example, the zipper tape 120 and the films 130A and 130B may be of equal width (Bz=Bf), but the films 130A and 130B may be slightly narrower than the zipper tape 120 (Bz>Bf) to allow for alignment errors.

[0028] Furthermore, it is preferable that the dimension Lf of the films 130A, 130B in the longitudinal direction of the zipper tape 120 be equal to or greater than the width Bz of the zipper tape 120. By ensuring a sufficient overlap length in the longitudinal direction between the films 130A, 130B and the zipper tape 120, the connection between the zipper tape 120 and another zipper tape is stabilized. On the other hand, if the films 130A, 130B are too long in the longitudinal direction of the zipper tape 120, it becomes difficult to sandwich another zipper tape body between the films 130A, 130B, so it is desirable that the length of the films 130A, 130B be just enough to stabilize the connection.

[0029] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the technical ideas described in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 100...bag with zipper tape, 110...film, 111A, 111B...film portion, 120, 120A, 120B...zipper tape, 121A, 121B...base strip, 122A, 122B...engagement portion, 130, 130A, 130B...film, 600...three-side bag making machine, 604, 604A, 604B...tape roll, 610...connecting device.

Claims

1. A zipper tape used to manufacture a zipper tape bag from a film with zipper tape by joining a zipper tape pulled out from a roll and a bag body film while continuously conveying the zipper tape to form the film with zipper tape, a long zipper tape body including, in cross section, a pair of opposing base strips and a pair of engaging portions projecting from inner surfaces of the pair of base strips and engaging with each other; a film pre-bonded to the outer surface of each of the pair of base strips at at least one longitudinal end of the zipper tape body and extending beyond the longitudinal end of the zipper tape body; Equipped with The zipper tape includes a pair of films that are pre-bonded to the outer surfaces of the pair of base strips when the zipper tape is unwound from the roll.

2. The zipper tape of claim 1 , wherein the film is colored a different color than the zipper tape body.

3. 3. The zipper tape according to claim 1, wherein the film has a dimension in a width direction of the zipper tape body that is equal to or smaller than the width of the zipper tape body.

4. The zipper tape according to claim 1 , wherein the film has a dimension in the longitudinal direction of the zipper tape body that is equal to or greater than the width of the zipper tape body.

5. The zipper tape according to claim 1 , wherein the film is a laminate film.

6. The zipper tape according to claim 1 , wherein the film is welded to the longitudinal end portions of the zipper tape body or bonded to the longitudinal end portions using an adhesive or a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

7. The zipper tape body is wound in a roll shape, 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the film is joined to the longitudinal end of the zipper tape body at least on the winding center side or the winding outer side of the roll. Item 1. The zipper tape according to item 1.

8. A method for manufacturing a bag with a zipper tape, comprising a step of joining the zipper tape according to any one of claims 1 to 7 to a bag body, the zipper tape includes first and second zipper tapes; the manufacturing method further includes a step of connecting the first zipper tape and the second zipper tape by joining the film protruding from the longitudinal end of the zipper tape body of the first zipper tape to an outer surface of at least one of the pair of base strips at the longitudinal end of the zipper tape body of the second zipper tape.

9. 9. The method for manufacturing a bag with zipper tape according to claim 8, wherein in the connecting step, the film is welded to the longitudinal end of the zipper tape body of the second zipper tape or joined using an adhesive or a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

10. An apparatus for manufacturing a zipper tape-attached bag, comprising a joining device for joining the zipper tape according to any one of claims 1 to 7 to a bag body, the zipper tape includes first and second zipper tapes; the manufacturing apparatus for a bag with zipper tape further includes a connecting device that connects the first zipper tape and the second zipper tape by joining the film that protrudes from the longitudinal end of the zipper tape body of the first zipper tape to the outer surface of at least one of the pair of base strips at the longitudinal end of the zipper tape body of the second zipper tape.

11. 11. The apparatus for manufacturing a bag with zipper tape according to claim 10, wherein the connecting device welds the film to the longitudinal end of the zipper tape body of the second zipper tape or joins them using an adhesive or a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

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