Autoclavable reclosable package

Abstract

A reclosable package that seals an enclosed product and allows the product to be subjected to a retort procedure to cook the product while the product is in the package. The reclosable package is formed from a polypropylene film and includes a zipper closure including a pair of mating closure profiles both formed from a polypropylene material. One of the male or female closure profiles includes a sealing flange having a layer of sealant such that the sealing flange provides a seal for the package below the interaction between the closure profiles. This seal prevents the product from migrating through the profile member during the retort procedure and prior to the package being opened for the first time.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] The present application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 10 / 726,731, filed on Dec. 2, 2003, which claimed the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 430,727, filed on Dec. 3, 2002, both disclosures of which are fully incorporated by reference herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention generally relates to a package having a reclosable zipper member positioned at the mouth of the package to allow the package to be reclosed after initial opening. More specifically, the present invention relates to a zipper closure that hermetically seals the contents of the package and can withstand the temperatures associated with a retort procedure. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Many packaging applications use reclosable containers to store various types of articles and materials. These packages may be used to store and ship food products, non-food consumer goods, medical supplies, waste materials, and vari...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] The present invention is a reclosable package that allows the contents of the package to be subjected to a retort procedure while the product is contained within the package. Further, the product package provides a hermetically sealed enclosure that includes a tamper evident feature such that a user can determine if the package has been previously opened. The product package further prevents the migration of the packaged food product past the zipper closure during the retort procedure and prior to opening of the releasable package.

[0015] During the formation process of the product package, the sealant on the sealing flange is attached to the side panel opposite the side panel to which the closure profile including the sealing flange is attached. In this manner, the sealing flange provides for a hermetic seal along the entire width of the product package. This seal prevents the product from migrating into contact with the zipper closure during the retort procedure.

[0018] The attachment of the pair of closure profiles along the die line in the alternate embodiment of the invention provides for a hermetic seal beneath the interacting portions of the closure profile. Thus, the product contained within the product package is hermetically sealed and prevented from migrating past the zipper closure, regardless of the state of interaction between the interlocking members of the closure profile. In the alternate embodiment of the invention, the closure profiles and the side panels of the reclosable package are both formed from a polypropylene material that can withstand the temperatures associated with the retort procedure.

Problems solved by technology

Although reclosable packages have been around for quite some time and are used for storing various types of food products, currently available reclosable packages are not constructed to be used with food products that are subjected to a retort procedure after the food products have been placed into the reclosable package.

Currently available reclosable packages cannot withstand the temperature requirements of the retort procedure.

Specifically, the zipper closure used across the open mouth of the package is typically formed from a polyethylene material that cannot withstand the temperatures required for the retort or autoclave sterilization process.

Currently available zipper closures made from polyethylene do not form an adequate bond with the polypropylene film and thus cannot be used for a sealed package.

Typically, the snap fit between the male and female profile elements of a zipper closure does not provide a hermetic seal.

Since many products contained within a retort package are messy and possibly greasy, accessing the package interior through the zipper closure becomes more difficult if the product migrates past the closure profile members.

Images