Container With Peelable Seal Assembly and Method of Making

Abstract

A seal assembly is disposed in a seal of a flexible bag. The seal assembly includes a first tab, a second tab, a middle layer of peelable adhesive sandwiched between the first tab and the second tab, a first outside layer of adhesive that adheres to the first side of the bag, and a second outside layer of adhesive that is compatible with the second side of the bag such that second outside layer is heat sealed to the liner. The first tab and the second tab are easily grasped and may be pulled in opposite directions to break the middle layer of peelable adhesive. The middle layer is heat resistant such that the first tab and the second tab do not melt together during the formation of the seal.

1 . A container comprising: 
 a body portion having an inner wall defining an interior cavity and first and second opposed ends;    a seal assembly mounted within one of said opposed ends, said seal assembly having opposed first and second tabs with each of said tabs having inner and outer sides;    a first adhesive sandwiched between said first and second tabs engaging said inner sides of said first and second tabs, said first adhesive is a peelable heat resistant adhesive to prevent said first and second tabs from melting together during formation of said container and to allow for easy opening of said container;    a second adhesive between said outer side of said first tab and said inner wall of said body portion adhering said first tab to said inner wall of said body portion adjacent said first opposed end, said second adhesive is a more permanent adhesive than the first adhesive for more permanently adhering said first tab to said inner wall to properly align and hold said first tab in position;    a third adhesive between said outer side of said second tab and said inner wall of said body portion adhering said second tab to said inner wall of said body portion adjacent said first opposed end;    said tabs being adapted to be pulled apart to release said peelable adhesive and open said container.    
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein said body portion of said container has a first outer layer of high density polyethylene and said wall is a peelable adhesive.  
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 1  wherein said body portion of said container is a single layer of high density polyethylene.  
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 1  wherein said second adhesive layer is a peelable adhesive.  
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 4  wherein said second adhesive layer is a vinyl based adhesive.  
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 1  wherein said third adhesive is a low density polyethylene.  
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 1  wherein said seal assembly extends across said first opposed end.  
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 1  wherein said seal assembly extends across a portion of said first opposed end.  
   
   
       9 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein said first opposed end is sealed across the entire length; 
 and said seal assembly facilitates opening of said bag and functions as a pour spout.    
   
   
       10 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein said seal assembly further includes a fourth adhesive sandwiched between said first and second tabs engaging said inner sides of said first and second tabs; 
 said fourth adhesive is a re-sealable peelable adhesive.    
   
   
       11 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein said seal assembly further includes a fourth adhesive sandwiched between said first and second tabs engaging said inner sides of said first and second tabs; 
 said fourth adhesive is a re-sealable peelable adhesive.    
   
   
       12 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein said fourth adhesive is a water and solvent based adhesive.  
   
   
       13 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein said fourth adhesive is a water and solvent based adhesive.  
   
   
       14 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said seal assembly further includes an elongated snap fastener disposed between said first and second tabs such that said container can be re-sealed after being opened.  
   
   
       15 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second tabs are brightly colored.  
   
   
       16 . A seal assembly for use in a container having first and second opposed ends and an interior cavity defined by an inner wall, said seal assembly comprising: 
 opposed first and second tabs with each of said tabs having inner and outer sides;    a first peelable heat resistant adhesive sandwiched between said first and second tabs engaging said inner sides of said first and second tabs;    said outer side of said first tab having a second more permanent adhesive than the first peelable heat resistant adhesive which is adapted to be secured to the inner wall of the container for positioning and adhering said first tab to the inner wall adjacent the first opposed end;    said outer side of said second tab being adapted to be secured to the inner wall of the container adhering said second tab to the inner wall adjacent the first opposed end;    said tabs being adapted to be pulled apart to release said peelable adhesive and open the container.    
   
   
       17 . The seal assembly of  claim 16 , further including a third adhesive layer engaging said outer side of said second tab and adapted to secure said outer side of said second tab to the inner side of the container.  
   
   
       18 . The flexible bag of  claim 16 , wherein said second adhesive layer is a peelable adhesive that more permanently adheres said first tab to the inner wall of the container.  
   
   
       19 . The flexible bag of  claim 18 , wherein said second adhesive layer is a vinyl based adhesive.  
   
   
       20 . The flexible bag of  claim 16 , wherein said second adhesive layer is a vinyl based adhesive.  
   
   
       21 . The flexible bag of  claim 19 , wherein said third adhesive is a low density polyethylene.  
   
   
       22 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein said seal assembly further includes a fourth adhesive sandwiched between said first and second tabs engaging said inner sides of said first and second tabs, such that said container can be re-sealed after being opened; 
 said fourth adhesive is a re-sealable peelable adhesive.    
   
   
       23 . The container of  claim 22 , wherein said fourth adhesive is a water and solvent based adhesive.  
   
   
       24 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein said seal assembly further includes an elongated snap fastener disposed between said first and second tabs such that said container can be re-sealed after being opened.  
   
   
       25 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of said first and second tabs are brightly colored.  
   
   
       26 . A method of making a container having a seal assembly, said method comprising steps of: 
 providing a container having an inner wall defining an interior cavity and first and second opposed ends;    providing a seal assembly having opposed first and second tabs with each of said tabs having inner and outer sides;    sandwiching a first peelable heat resistant adhesive between said first and second tabs engaging said inner sides of said first and second tabs;    positioning and adhering with a second more permanent adhesive than said first peelable heat resistant adhesive said outer side of said first tab to said inner wall of said container adjacent said first opposed end;    adhering with a third adhesive said outer side of said second tab to said inner wall of said container adjacent said first opposed end.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , further including the steps of:  
     providing a bagger assembly having a label placer, a filler tube, a first heat seal extending along said filler tube and a second heat seal extending across the terminal end of said filler tube; 
 providing at least one of said seal assembly within said label placer;  
 providing a supply of liner material having an outer surface and inner surface and side edges;  
 feeding said liner material adjacent said label placer, controlling said label placer to dispense said seal assembly from said label placer and positioning said second permanent adhesive on said outer side of said first tab to said inner surface of said liner material;  
 feeding said liner around said filler tube and joining said side edges against each other, engaging said first heat seal against said joined edges sealing said joined edges together to define a body portion having said first and second opposed ends;  
 engaging said first and second opposed ends with said second heat seal to seal said second opposed end and engaging said first opposed end adjacent said seal assembly to heat seal said second tab liner with said third adhesive to said inner surface without melting said first and second tabs together.  
 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , further including the step of continuously forming said container wherein said first opposed end of said container is adjacent said second opposed end of said next container; said second heat seal seals said second opposed end and adheres said seal assembly to said first opposed end and cuts said liner between said first and second opposed ends to create a first container having said opposed ends sealed and a second container having said second opposed end sealed and said first opposed end prepared to be sealed when said second opposed end reaches said second heat seal.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 26 , further including the step of filling said container with a product through said fill tube as said container is being formed around said fill tube.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 26 , further including the steps of brightly coloring at least one of said first and second tabs.