Zipper assembly of a resealable enclosure

Abstract

A zipper assembly for an enclosure includes a flange having an interlocking side and an opposite panel side. The interlocking side has interlocking members configured to releasably engage and release from other interlocking members to alternate between closed and open states of the enclosure. The panel side is configured to be sealed to panels of the enclosure to affix the zipper assembly to the enclosure. The zipper assembly includes posts protruding from the panel side of the flange. The posts are configured to prevent compression of the posts and maintain a spatial separation between the panel side of the flange and the interlocking side of the flange while the zipper assembly is wound onto a supply roll. The posts are configured to collapse upon compression of the posts during sealing of the panel side of the flange to the panels of the enclosure to allow the panel side of the flange to be sealed to the panels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A zipper assembly for an enclosure, the zipper assembly comprising:
 a flange having an interlocking side and an opposite panel side, the interlocking side having interlocking members configured to releasably engage and release from other interlocking members to alternate between closed and open states of the enclosure, the panel side configured to be sealed to panels of the enclosure to affix the zipper assembly to the enclosure; and   posts protruding from the panel side of the flange, the posts configured to prevent compression of the posts and maintain a spatial separation between the panel side of the flange and the interlocking side of the flange while the zipper assembly is wound onto a supply roll, the posts configured to collapse upon compression of the posts during sealing of the panel side of the flange to the panels of the enclosure to allow the panel side of the flange to be sealed to the panels.   
     
     
         2 . The zipper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the posts are one or more of formed of a shape or manufactured from a material that prevents collapse of the posts upon receiving no more than ten pounds per square inch of compressive force. 
     
     
         3 . The zipper assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the posts are one or more of formed of the shape or manufactured from the material that causes the posts to collapse upon receiving at least one hundred pounds per square inch of the compressive force. 
     
     
         4 . The zipper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the posts configured to collapse upon compression of the posts during cold sealing of the panel side of the flange to the panels of the enclosure to allow a cold sealant adhesive disposed on one or more of the panel side of the flange or the panels to be sealed between the panels and the panel side of the flange. 
     
     
         5 . The zipper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the posts are positioned and protrude from the panel side of the flange such that the posts prevent a cold sealant adhesive disposed on the panel side of the flange from adhering to the interlocking side of the flange. 
     
     
         6 . The zipper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the posts protrude from the panel side of the flange in sealant areas that are not opposite the interlocking members protruding from the interlocking side of the flange. 
     
     
         7 . The zipper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the posts have one or more of a pointed shape, a rounded shape, or a square shape. 
     
     
         8 . A method for forming a zipper assembly for an enclosure, the method comprising:
 forming the zipper assembly to have a flange with an interlocking side and an opposite panel side, the flange formed with interlocking members protruding from the interlocking side and positioned to releasably engage and release from other interlocking members to alternate between closed and open states of the enclosure, the flange also formed with the panel side positioned to be sealed to panels of the enclosure to affix the zipper assembly to the enclosure,   wherein the zipper assembly is formed to have posts protruding from the panel side of the flange, the posts formed to prevent compression of the posts and maintain a spatial separation between the panel side of the flange and the interlocking side of the flange while the zipper assembly is wound onto a supply roll, the posts formed to collapse upon compression of the posts during sealing of the panel side of the flange to the panels of the enclosure to allow the panel side of the flange to be sealed to the panels.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the posts are one or more of formed of a shape or formed from a material that prevents collapse of the posts upon receiving no more than ten pounds per square inch of compressive force. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the posts are one or more of formed of the shape or formed from the material that causes the posts to collapse upon receiving at least one hundred pounds per square inch of the compressive force. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the posts are formed to collapse upon compression of the posts during cold sealing of the panel side of the flange to the panels of the enclosure to allow a cold sealant adhesive disposed on one or more of the panel side of the flange or the panels to be sealed between the panels and the panel side of the flange. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising applying a cold sealant adhesive to the panel side of the flange, wherein the posts are formed in locations to protrude from the panel side of the flange such that the posts prevent the cold sealant adhesive on the panel side of the flange from adhering to the interlocking side of the flange. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the posts are formed to protrude from the panel side of the flange in sealant areas that are not opposite the interlocking members protruding from the interlocking side of the flange. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the posts are formed to have one or more of a pointed shape, a rounded shape, or a square shape. 
     
     
         15 . A zipper assembly for an enclosure, the zipper assembly comprising:
 a flange having an interlocking side and an opposite panel side, the interlocking side having interlocking members protruding from first areas of the interlocking side and shaped to releasably engage and release from other interlocking members to alternate between closed and open states of the enclosure, the panel side configured to be cold sealed to panels of the enclosure to affix the zipper assembly to the enclosure; and   posts protruding from the panel side of the flange in second areas of the flange side, the posts configured to prevent compression of the posts and maintain a spatial separation between the panel side of the flange and the interlocking side of the flange while the zipper assembly is wound onto a supply roll, the posts configured to collapse upon compression of the posts during cold sealing of the panel side of the flange to the panels of the enclosure to allow the panel side of the flange to be sealed to the panels.   
     
     
         16 . The zipper assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the posts are one or more of formed of a shape or manufactured from a material that prevents collapse of the posts upon receiving no more than ten pounds per square inch of compressive force. 
     
     
         17 . The zipper assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the posts are one or more of formed of the shape or manufactured from the material that causes the posts to collapse upon receiving at least one hundred pounds per square inch of the compressive force. 
     
     
         18 . The zipper assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the posts are positioned and protrude from the panel side of the flange such that the posts prevent a cold sealant adhesive disposed on the panel side of the flange from adhering to the interlocking side of the flange while the zipper assembly is on the supply roll. 
     
     
         19 . The zipper assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second areas are non-overlapping areas. 
     
     
         20 . The zipper assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the posts have one or more of a pointed shape, a rounded shape, or a square shape.