Airtight reclosable fastener

Abstract

An improved reclosable fastener profile assembly is provided, said assembly comprising a continuous supply of a first profile strip this first profile strip being substantially flat but having at least one rib that extends from the surface of first strip; and a continuous supply of a second profile strip opposite the first strip; this second strip being substantially flat but having at least two ribs that extend from the surface of this second strip. The rib of the first strip and the ribs of the second strip are adapted to sealingly engage and maintain an airtight seal when so engaged. A compression molded segment seal portion fuses the first profile strip, the second profile strip and the ribs of the first profile: strip and second strip. The compression molded segment seal includes a fused section of the first and second profile strips formed through the application of heat and pressure without further filling material or plastic. This fused section is substantially flattened to form an airtight seal of the first and second profile strips less than the combined thickness of the first and second profile strips, without distorting said ribs of said first and second profile strips outside of said fused section, thereby maintaining the airtight seal of the first and second profile strips when interlocked. The compression molded segment seal portion further has a thickness less than the combined thickness of the first profile segment and the second profile segment, so as to allow easier sealing of the ends of the fastener strips to the side walls of a reclosable bag.

1 . A reclosable fastener profile assembly, said assembly comprising: 
 a continuous supply of a first profile strip said first profile strip being substantially flat but having at least one rib that extends from the surface of said first strip; and    a continuous supply of a second profile strip opposite said first strip; said second strip being substantially flat but having at least two ribs that extend from the surface of said second strip; said rib of said first strip and said ribs of said second strip adapted to sealingly engage and maintain an airtight seal when so engaged;    a compression molded segment seal portion fusing said first profile strip, said second profile strip and said ribs of said first profile: strip and said second strip; said compression molded segment seal including a fused section of said first and second profile strips formed through the application of heat and pressure without further filling material or plastic; said fused section substantially flattened to form an airtight seal of said first and second profile strips less than the combined thickness of said first and second profile strips, without distorting said ribs of said first and second profile strips outside of said fused section, thereby maintaining said airtight seal of said first and second profile strips when interlocked; and    said compression molded segment seal portion having a thickness less than the combined thickness of said first profile segment and said second profile segment.    
   
   
       2 . The reclosable fastener profile assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said compression molded segment seal includes a severing portion of said first profile strip and said second profile strip for cutting said fastener profile and creating an individual profile fastener assembly.  
   
   
       3 . The reclosable fastener profile assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said continuous supply of first profile strips, said continuous supply of second profile strips and a plurality of said compression molded segment seal create a continuous linear supply of profile fastener assemblies.  
   
   
       4 . The reclosable fastener profile assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first profile strip and said second profile strip are configured to fittingly mate together such that said first profile strip is flush with said second profile strip when said first profile strip and said second profile are engaged.  
   
   
       5 . The reclosable fastener profile assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said ribs of first and second strips have respective head portions and neck portions, wherein said head portions are arcuate in profile.  
   
   
       6 . The reclosable fastener profile assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first strip includes a first end and a second end, said second strip further including a first end and second end, wherein respective first ends and respective second ends of said first and second strips are created through application of said compression molded segment seal.  
   
   
       7 . The reclosable fastener profile assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said ribs of said first and second strips have respective head portions and neck portions, and wherein said head portions are wider than said neck portions.  
   
   
       8 . The reclosable fastener profile assembly of  Claim 1 , wherein said second strip includes one more rib than said first strip.  
   
   
       9 . A reclosable storage bag comprising: 
 a first bag wall;    a second bag wall;    a reclosable fastener profile assembly, said assembly comprising:    a first profile strip said first profile strip being substantially flat but having at least one rib that extends from the surface of said first strip; and    a second profile strip opposite said first strip said second profile strip being substantially flat but having at least two ribs that extend from the surface of said second strip; said rib of said first strip and said ribs of said second strip adapted to sealingly engage and maintain an airtight seal when so engaged;    a compression molded segment seal portion fusing said first profile strip, said second profile strip and said ribs of said first profile strip and said second profile strip; said compression molded segment seal including a fused section of said first and second profile strips formed through the application of heat and pressure without further filling material or plastic; said fused section substantially flattened to form an airtight seal of said first and second profile strips, less than the combined thickness of said first and second profile strips without distorting said ribs of said first and second profile strips outside of said fused section, thereby maintaining said airtight seal of said first and second profile strips when interlocked; wherein said first profile strip and said second profile strip are heat sealed to said first bag wall and said second bag wall, respectively; and    said compression molded segment seal portion having a thickness less than the combined thickness of said first profile segment and said second profile segment.    
   
   
       10 . The reclosable fastener profile assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said profile assembly further includes: 
 a first bag wall;    a second bag wall where edges of said first and second bag walls are sealed together thereby defining an inner bag; and    said compression molded segment seal portion having a thickness less than the combined thickness of said first profile segment and said second profile segment.    
   
   
       11 . The reclosable fastener assembly of  claim 1  and further comprising: 
 A pair of flanges extending laterally from said first profile strip and said second profile strip used to form said compression molded segment seal, said flanges being substantially flat without fillets or bulges extending therefrom.    
   
   
       12 . The reclosable storage bag of  claim 9  and further comprising: 
 A pair of flanges extending laterally from said first profile strip and said second profile strip used to form said compression molded segment seal, said flanges being substantially flat without fillets or bulges extending therefrom.    
   
   
       13 . A reclosable storage bag comprising: 
 a first bag wall;    a second bag wall;    a reclosable fastener profile assembly, said assembly comprising:    a first profile strip said first profile strip being substantially flat but having at least one rib that extends from the surface of said first strip; and    a second profile strip opposite said first strip said second profile strip being substantially flat but having at least two ribs that extend from the surface of said second strip; said rib of said first strip and said ribs of said second strip adapted to sealingly engage and maintain an airtight seal when so engaged;    a compression molded segment seal portion fusing said first profile strip, said second profile strip and said ribs of said first profile strip and said second profile strip; said compression molded segment seal including a fused section of said first and second profile strips formed through the application of heat and pressure without further filling material or plastic; said fused section substantially flattened to form an airtight seal of said first and second profile strips, without distorting said ribs of said first and second profile strips outside of said fused section, thereby maintaining said airtight seal of said first and second profile strips when interlocked.