Interdigitated sealing closure

Claim 2

An interdigitated sealing closure comprising: a carrier strip defined by opposed longitudinally extending portions; a core strip joined to and underlying said carrier strip and defining complementary opposed longitudinally extending portions provided with arrays of interdigitatable teeth, a first array of said teeth being joined to one of said carrier portions, and a second array of said teeth being joined to the other of said carrier portions; a slider movable along said carrier and core strips for sequentially interdigitating the opposed teeth of the core strip; and a resilient sealing strip underlying and being joined to said core strip and including a first sealing strip portion joined to said core strip portion defining said first array of teeth and a second sealing strip portion joined to said other core strip portion defining said second array of teeth, said sealing strip portions defining confronting sealing surfaces in sealing abutment when said core strip teeth are interdigitated, said core strip defining a preselected portion free of teeth permitting the sequential separation of the interdigitated arrays of teeth as an incident of application of opposite outwardly directed forces to said core strip portions commencing at said preselected portion, and said slider maintaining said core strip opposed portions juxtaposed at said preselected portion and thereby maintaining said sealing strip portion sealingly abutting adjacent said preselected portion when said slider is disposed at said preselected portion.

Claim 3

The interdigitating sealing closure of claim 1 wherein said preselected portion is spaced substantially from the opposite ends of the core strip.

Claim 4

The interdigitating sealing closure of claim 1 wherein said preselected portion is disposed midway between the opposite ends of the core strip.

Claim 5

The interdigitating sealing closure of claim 1 wherein said core strip defines undercut longitudinally extending sides and said slider defines opposed inturned portions extending subjacent the undercut sides for preventing upward movement of the slider relative to said core strip.

Claim 6

The interdigitating sealing closure of claim 1 wherein said core strip has a width substantially less than the width of said carrier strip to define longitudinal channels underlying said carrier strip at opposite sides of the core strip, and said slider defined apposed inturned portions received in said channels whereby the slider is prevented from upward movement relative to said carrier strip.

Claim 7

The interdigitating sealing closure of claim 1 wherein said sealing strip is U-shaped having upstanding leg portions disposed to opposite sides of the core strip.

Claim 8

The interdigitating sealing closure of claim 1 wherein said sealing strip is formed of a material softer than that of said carrier strip.

Claim 9

The interdigitating sealing closure of claim 1 including means for preventing separation of the core strip teeth at opposite ends of the core strip.

Claim 10

An interdigitated sealing closure comprising: a fabric strip; a carrier strip defined by opposed longitudinally extending portions; a core strip underlying said carrier strip and having an upper portion joined to said carrier strip and a lower portion joined to said fabric strip, said core strip defining complementary opposed longitudinally extending portions provided with arrays of interdigitatable teeth, a first array of said teeth being joined to one of said carrier portions, and a second array of said teeth being joined to the other of said carrier portions, said fabric strip being separated congruently with said teeth to define reinforcing portions of the teeth, said extending substantially laterally from the core strip to define oppositely projecting wing portions; a slider movable along said carrier and core strips for sequentially interdigitating the opposed teeth of the core strip; and a resilient sealing strip underlying and being joined to said core strip and including a first sealing strip portion joined to said core strip portion defining said second array of teeth, said sealing strip portions defining confronting sealing surfaces in sealing abutment when said core strip teeth are interdigitated, said core strip defining a preselected portion free of teeth permitting the sequential separation of the interdigitated arrays of teeth as an incident of application of opposite outwardly directed forces to said fabric wing portions commencing at said preselected portion, and said slider maintaining said core strip opposed portions juxtaposed at said preselected portion and thereby maintaining said sealing strip portion sealingly abutting adjacent said preselected portion when said slider is disposed at said preselected portion.

Claim 11

An interdigitated sealing closure comprising: a fabric strip; a carrier strip defined by opposed longitudinally extending portions; a core strip underlying said carrier strip and having an upper portion joined to said carrier strip and a lower portion joined to said fabric strip, said core strip defining complementary opposed longitudinally extending portions provided with arrays of interdigitatable teeth, a first array of said teeth being joined to one of said carrier portions, and a second array of said teeth being joined to the other of said carrier portions, said fabric strip being separated congruently with said teeth to define reinforcing portions of the teeth, said extending substantially laterally from the core strip to define oppositely projecting wing portions; a slider movable along said carrier and core strips for sequentially interdigitating the opposed teeth of the core strip; and a resilient sealing strip underlying and being joined to said core strip and including a first sealing strip portion joined to said core strip portion defining said second array of teeth, said sealing strip portions defining confronting sealing surfaces in sealing abutment when said core strip teeth are interdigitated, said core strip defining a preselected portion free of teeth permitting the sequential separation of the interdigitated arrays of teeth as an incident of application of opposite outwardly directed forces to said fabric wing portions commencing at said preselected portion, and said slider maintaining said core strip opposed portions juxtaposed at said preselected portion and thereby maintaining said sealing strip portion sealingly abutting adjacent said preselected portion when said slider is disposed at said preselected portion.

Claim 12

The interdigitated sealing closure of claim 9 wherein said core strip is molded to said fabric strip and includes a portion disposed below said fabric strip joined to said sealing strip.

Claim 13

The interdigitated sealing closure of claim 9 wherein said sealing strip is U-shaped in cross section having legs disposed to opposite sides of said core strip, said fabric strip overlying said legs and deforming said legs downwardly as a result of laterally opposite outwardly directed forces on said fabric wing portions, thereby forcibly abutting said sealing surfaces of said sealing strip.

Claim 14

The interdigitated sealing closure of claim 9 wherein said core strip is formed integral with said fabric strip.

Claim 15

The interdigitated sealing closure of claim 9 wherein said fabric striP is formed of random-laid fiber material.

Claim 16

The interdigitated sealing closure of claim 9 wherein said slider is removable endwise of said carrier and core strip.

Claim 17

The interdigitated sealing closure of claim 9 wherein a second slider is provided being movable along said carrier and core strips for interdigitating teeth of said core strip other than those interdigitated by said first named slider.

Claim 18

The interdigitated sealing closure of claim 9 wherein said preselected portion of the core strip is disposed intermediate the ends thereof, and a second slider is provided being movable along said carrier and core strip between one of said ends and said preselected portion, the first named slider being movable between the other of said ends and said preselected portion.

Claim 19

The interdigitated sealing closure of claim 9 wherein said carrier strip is formed of a material harder than the material of said sealing strip.