Front Flange Zipper Access That Preserves Bag Hermetic Seals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bag assemblies with internal zippers require access holes or cuts through both flanges, which can compromise hermetic seals and are difficult to manufacture, especially when flanges have different heights or require a weaker seal.
Innovation Solution
A zipper assembly design that allows for a hole to be cut through only one flange using a separator plate or by folding the other flange out of the way, ensuring access to the tear strip without damaging the hermetic seal, and includes a release hole for easier tear strip separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If access holes are cut through both flanges of the zipper assembly, then users can access the tear strip, but the hermetic seal of the bag assembly is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The solution divides the flange structure into two separate flanges (front and rear) that can be processed independently. The access hole is created only in the front flange, segmenting the sealing function from the access function. This allows the rear flange to maintain the hermetic seal while the front flange provides access to the tear strip.
Solution Approach 2:
The access hole functionality is extracted from the rear flange and placed only in the front flange. This extraction allows the rear flange to focus solely on maintaining the hermetic seal, while the front flange handles both sealing and access provision through its integrated design with the tear strip.
2Reliability
If the tear strip is adhered to the back flange with a stronger seal, then the seal is more reliable, but separating the tear strip becomes more difficult and may cause tearing along undesirable paths
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive bond strength is made non-uniform along the tear strip. The tear strip is adhered to the front flange along its entire length for structural support, but only along a portion of its length (specifically the portion not forming the access hole) for the adhesive bond. This local variation in adhesive application allows the tear strip to separate cleanly along the access hole path while maintaining adequate seal strength where needed.
3Reliability
If a hole is cut through only the front flange after the zipper assembly is sealed to the bag, then the hermetic seal is preserved, but the cutting process becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The access hole is created in the front flange before the zipper assembly is sealed to the bag panels. This preliminary action on the separated flange makes the cutting process easier as the flange is not constrained by the sealed assembly. After the hole is created, the zipper assembly is then sealed to the bag panels, preserving the hermetic seal while having already provided access to the tear strip.
Data Source
AI summary
A method can include obtaining a zipper assembly having front and rear flanges with interlocking elements that mate with and disengage from each other to provide a resealable opening into a bag assembly. The front flange can include a tear strip configured to be pulled away from the front flange to tear through at least one panel of the bag assembly and provide access to the interlocking elements and the resealable opening. The method also can include punching a hole through the front flange around the tear strip with a hole punch. The hole removing a first portion of the front flange and leaving a second portion of the front flange. The second portion of the front flange forming a pull tab connected to the tear strip and configured to be pulled to separate the tear strip from the front flange.