Reclosable stand-up package and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A method of manufacturing is provided for a reclosable, free standing package adapted to be self-supporting in an upright position when resting on a horizontal support surface. The method includes the steps of providing a bottom panel in the form of a stand-up web having a planar base and a pair of legs depending from opposite sides of the base; inserting the stand-up web between a first film panel and a second film panel; and creating spaced apart bottom edges of the package by sealing a lower end of the first film panel to one of the legs, and a lower end of the second film panel to the other of the legs such that an entire surface of the base lies substantially parallel to a plane containing the bottom edges.

1 . A method of manufacturing a reclosable, free standing package adapted to be self-supporting in an upright position when resting on a horizontal support surface, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a bottom panel in the form of a stand-up web having a planar base and a pair of legs depending from opposite ends of the base;    b) inserting the stand-up web between a first film panel and a second film panel; and    c) creating spaced apart bottom edges of the package by sealing a lower end of the first film panel to one of the legs, and a lower end of the second film panel to the other of the legs such that an entire surface of the base lies substantially parallel to a plane containing the bottom edges.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of sealing the first and second film panels to the legs includes only horizontal sealing.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , including the step of creating side seams by providing seals across the first film panel and the second film panel.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , including the steps of 
 a) providing a combined zipper closure and slider device between the first film panel and the second film panel; and    b) sealing a first closure profile of the zipper closure to the first film panel and sealing a second closure profile of the zipper closure to the second film panel.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein prior to the step of providing a combined zipper closure and slider device between the first film panel and the second film panel, the method comprises the step of: 
 a) slitting a film web to provide the first film panel and the second film panel.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a stand-up web includes unwinding and folding a film.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4 , including the step of providing a tamper-evident header over the slider device to indicate whether access has been gained to the slider device.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 4 , including the step of providing a tamper-evident membrane between the first closure profile and the second closure profile.  
   
   
       9 . A reclosable free standing package made by the method according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of slitting the film web is preceded by the step of passing the film web over a V-board.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of providing a combined zipper closure and slider device between the first film panel and the second film panel includes the step of feeding the combined zipper closure and slider device through a bottom end of the V-board.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of providing a combined zipper closure and slider device between the first film panel and the second film panel includes a step of feeding the combined zipper closure and slider device in front of the V-board.  
   
   
       13 . A reclosable, stand-up package comprising: 
 first and second side panels, each having a top edge, opposed side edges and a bottom edge, the opposed side edges of the side panels being sealed together;    a zipper closure sealed to the first and second side panels along the top edges thereof, the zipper closure extending from one of the sealed side edges to the other of the sealed side edges;    a slider device operably mounted on the zipper closure for opening and closing the zipper closure; and    a bottom panel having a generally planar base and a pair of legs depending from opposite ends thereof, the legs being sealed to the bottom edges of the first and second side panels such that the entire surface of the base is raised a constant distance above the bottom edges, the bottom panel providing a widened configuration enabling the package to be self-supporting in an upright position when the bottom edges are adapted to rest on a horizontal support surface.    
   
   
       14 . The reclosable, stand-up package of  claim 13 , wherein the legs of the bottom panel are sealed to the bottom edges of the first and second side panels along entire lengths of the bottom edges extending between the opposed sealed side edges.  
   
   
       15 . The reclosable, stand-up package of  claim 13 , wherein the zipper closure includes a removable internal tamper-evident membrane extending between the first and second side panels.  
   
   
       16 . The reclosable, stand-up package of  claim 13 , including a removable tamper-evident header connected to the zipper closure and surrounding the slider device.