Front-Panel Zipper Tear Strip for Resealable Bag Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bag assemblies with inside-surface zippers and tear strips face issues such as errant tearing that prevents resealing, and the process of accessing the tear strip is difficult and costly due to material thickness variations.
Innovation Solution
A zipper assembly with a tear strip positioned on the front panel surface, allowing access through the zipper assembly without tearing the bag wall, and using a more durable material for the tear strip to prevent damage to the bag integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the tear strip is positioned inside the bag assembly adhered to the zipper assembly, then the zipper assembly can be accessed after tearing, but the tear strip may tear the front panel at an angle extending below the zipper assembly, preventing resealing
Solution Approach 1:
The tear strip is repositioned from an internal location to the external front surface of the bag assembly, changing its spatial dimension and relationship to the zipper assembly. This external positioning allows the tear strip to access the zipper without risking angled tears that would extend below the zipper assembly and compromise resealability.
Solution Approach 2:
The front panel is segmented into distinct functional zones: the tear strip is positioned in an upper region for accessing the zipper assembly, while the zipper assembly itself is located in a lower region. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each zone's function without interference.
2Ease of operation
If holes are cut through the front wall to access the tear strip, then the consumer can grasp and pull the tear strip, but cutting through thinner and weaker material increases manufacturing complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The tear strip is pre-positioned on the external front surface of the bag assembly, eliminating the need for preliminary cutting or punching operations to access it. Consumers can directly grasp and pull the tear strip without requiring manufacturing steps to create access holes through the front wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The tear strip is extracted from the internal structure of the bag assembly and repositioned to the external front surface. This extraction eliminates the need for access holes through the front wall, simplifying manufacturing by removing the cutting/punching step entirely.
3Shape
If the tear strip is made from thinner material to match the front panel, then it blends with the panel, but it may not provide sufficient durability to prevent damage to the bag integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The tear strip is positioned in a specific localized region on the front surface where it serves its tearing function, while the rest of the front panel maintains its aesthetic quality. This localized placement allows the tear strip to have different material properties (thicker, more durable) without compromising the overall aesthetic integration of the front panel.
Data Source
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AI summary
A resealable bag assembly (100) can include an open-ended bag (104) and a zipper assembly (102) having a tear strip (126). Interlocking profile bodies (216) of the zipper assembly can repeatedly mate with each other to seal the bag closed and separate from each other to open the bag. The tear strip can be pulled to tear an opening through the zipper assembly. In contrast to some known bag assemblies having tear strips along top edges, top bends, or top folds in the bag assemblies, one or more examples of the zipper assemblies described herein may position the tear strip along a front side or surface of the bag assembly, which also can be the surface of the bag assembly that is presented to a consumer and may include indicia identifying the product inside the bag assembly and/or the entity manufacturing or selling the product.