High-integrity closure

Abstract

The present invention provides a resealable closure structure ( 999 ) which provides at least one region of continuous gas-sealing abutment ( 900 ) upon engaging the interengaging members ( 988, 978 ) of the closure. The closure provides a region of gas sealing abutment by one or more of. (i) mechanical abutment of closure features ( 1010, 1013 ) and associated therewith a caulking composition ( 990 ) and/or a sealing material (945); and (ii) defining a void region ( 1030 ) by proximity of closure features when interengaging members of the closure are engaged ( 1020, 1021 ) which has gas-sealingly infiltrated thereinto a caulking composition ( 945 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A resealable closure comprising:
 (i) at least one pair of opposed interengaging members, each said member affixed to an opposed portion of the closure and disposed to engage when said opposed portions of the closure are brought together with an applied engaging force; and   (ii) optionally, a sealing material comprising one or more portions of said closure; and   (iii) optionally, disposed on the closure to bring said opposing closure portions together with an engaging force when operated from a first position to a second position, a member selected from the group consisting of a slider and a closing clip,   
       wherein the closure is further characterized in that engaging said interengaging members creates at least one region of continuous gas-sealing abutment between said pair of opposed closure portions. 
     
     
         2 . The resealable closure of  claim 1  wherein said region of gas-sealing abutment comprises at least one pair of opposing features, each said feature disposed on one said opposed closure portion to abut the other said feature when said interengaging members are engaged, and a caulking compound disposed on the closure to gas-sealingly infiltrate at least one void region defined by said abutted features when said interengaging members are engaged. 
     
     
         3 . The resealable closure of  claim 1  wherein the closure contains at least one weld, said weld comprising a sealing material. 
     
     
         4 . The resealable closure of  claim 1  wherein said region of gas-sealing abutment comprises at least one pair of opposing features, each said feature disposed on one said opposed closure portion to abut the other said feature when said interengaging members are engaged, at least one said feature comprising a sealing material. 
     
     
         5 . The closure of  claim 4  further comprising a caulking compound disposed on the closure to gas-sealingly infiltrate at least one void defined by abutting said pair of opposing features when said interengaging members are engaged. 
     
     
         6 . The closure of  claim 4  wherein said sealing material is selected from the group consisting of polyolefins having a density of less than about 0.925 g/cm3 as measured in accordance with ASTM D1505-03 (Nov. 1, 2003), low density polyethylene and polyolefin containing an amount of vinyl acetate to yield a blend having a low melt index of less than about 7, as measured in accordance with ASTM D-1238-04c. 
     
     
         7 . The resealable closure of  claim 2  having at least one pair of interengaging members comprising:
 (i) a first interengaging member comprising: 
 (1) at least one profile portion affixed to the proximal face of a first opposed portion of the closure, said profile portion comprising:
 (a) a first locking member comprising:
 (i) a first stem member joined to the proximal face of said first opposing portion of the closure; and 
 (ii) a first head member affixed to the free end of said first stem member; 
 
 (b) a first post affixed on said first opposed portion proximal face substantially parallel and proximal to said first stem member, said first post disposed to define a first channel with said first head member, and wherein said first stem member, first head member, and said first post together are configured and disposed to define a first void region; 
 (c) optionally a third post affixed to said first opposed proximal face substantially parallel to said stem on the side of the stem distal from said first post; 
 (d) optionally a fourth post affixed to said opposed proximal face substantially parallel and proximal to said first post on the side of said first post distal from said first head member; 
 
 (B) a second interengaging member comprising: 
 (1) at least one second locking member joined to a proximal face of a second opposed portion of the closure, said second locking member comprising:
 (a) a second stem member joined to said proximal face of a second opposed portion of the closure; 
 (b) a second head member affixed to the free end of said second stem member; 
 
 (2) optionally a second post affixed to said second opposed portion proximal face substantially parallel to said second locking member, disposed to define a second channel with said second head member, wherein said second stem member, said second head member and said second post are configured and disposed to define a second void region; and 
 (3) optionally, when a second post is present, a fifth post mounted substantially parallel and proximal to said second post on the side of said second post distal from said second locking member, 
 
       wherein the closure is further characterized in that each of said first and second interengaging members are disposed such that when said proximal faces are brought together with an applied engaging force, the head of said second locking member is received into the channel defined by said first stem and first head member, and said second locking member is engaged within the void region defined by said first engaging member. 
     
     
         8 . The resealable closure of  claim 2  wherein each said interengaging member comprises:
 (a) at least two locking members, each said locking member comprising:
 (3) a stem affixed to a proximal face of an opposed portion of the closure; 
 (4) a head member affixed to the free end of said stem; and 
 
 (c) optionally, one or more posts, 
 
       wherein, when the interengaging members are engaged the locking members affixed to each said opposed closure portion are interdigitated. 
     
     
         9 . The resealable closure of  claim 8  wherein said head members are asymmetrically attached to said stems, and the locking members comprising one of said interengaging members are rotationally symmetrical with the locking members of the other of said interengaging members. 
     
     
         10 . The resealable closure of  claim 8  wherein said head members are symmetrically attached to said stems, and, when present, said posts are configured and disposed to form, together with an adjacent locking member, a void which has a cross-sectional shape that is complimentary to a locking member affixed to said opposed interengaging member which is interdigitated between said post and adjacent member upon engagement of said interengaging members. 
     
     
         11 . The resealable closure of  claim 8  wherein a sealing material is coextruded to form at least a portion of at least one said head member, wherein said portion of sealing material disposed to sealingly abut a portion of an interengaging member with which it is engaged. 
     
     
         12 . The resealable closure of  claim 7  comprising at least two pairs of interengaging members mounted substantially parallel on said opposing closure portions. 
     
     
         13 . The resealable closure of  claim 7  further comprising a crush seal area at the ends of said closure joining together said opposed closure portions, wherein the crush seal area further comprises a sealing material. 
     
     
         14 . The resealable closure of  claim 7 , wherein interengaging members comprises a high melt index polyolefin and said regions of sealing material comprises a low melt index polyolefin. 
     
     
         15 . The resealable closure of  claim 7  wherein said caulking composition comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a silicone oil, a silicone grease, a soy polymer, and a soy adhesive. 
     
     
         16 . The resealable closure of  claim 8  wherein one said interlocking profile contains a distal post mounted on said opposed portion proximal face substantially parallel to said stem on the side of the stem distal to said first post forming a well distal from said channel, the bottom of which is abutted by the post of the opposing profile when said interengaging members are engaged. 
     
     
         17 . The resealable closure of  claim 7  which includes said fourth and fifth posts, wherein said fourth and first posts form a well having therebetween a region of the opposed closure portion comprising a well bottom, and wherein the free end of said fifth post abuts said well bottom region when said interengaging members are engaged. 
     
     
         18 . The resealable closure of  claim 17  wherein at least one of said well bottom and the free end of said fifth post comprises a member of the group selected from: (a) a sealing material; (b) a caulking composition; (c) an adhesive; (d) a soy polymer; (e) a silicone grease. 
     
     
         19 . The resealable closure of  claim 17  wherein each of said well bottom and the free end of said fifth post comprise one part of a two part reactive composition such that when said interengaging members are engaged each said part of the two part reactive composition is admixed, providing a reaction product. 
     
     
         20 . A package comprising the closure of  claim 2 . 
     
     
         21 . The closure of  claim 7  wherein said caulking composition is rated for at least incidental contact to food items.