WO1992003353A1

WO1992003353A1 - Bag sealer

Info

Publication number: WO1992003353A1
Application number: PCT/US1990/005753
Authority: WO
Inventors: Earl W. Weaver
Original assignee: Weaver Earl W
Priority date: 1990-08-22
Filing date: 1990-10-12
Publication date: 1992-03-05

Abstract

A reusable closure device (10) for temporarily sealing opened bags of plastic, waxed paper, aluminum foil and the like, said bags being of the type for containing potato chips, snack foods, medical supplies and other products, the device having mating members (12, 14) of resilient material adapted to compress and seal the neck portions of resilient bags when applied thereto, each of said mating members having a free end and a hinged end (28), a hook (38) on the free end of one of said mating members and a transverse flattened portion on the other of said free ends whereby the hooked end will allow the device to be hung up when not in use, the flattened portion on the other of said free ends acting as a grip portion and allowing for easy separation and clamping of said male and female members when the sealing and unsealing of the bag is desired.

Description

BAG SEALER

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is a common problem among users of today's packaged food products to try and keep the unused portions of food and the like left in opened bags from absorbing moisture and odors and rendering the contents unfit for consumption. Prior methods of resealing bags have been wire tires, rubber bands, twisting the neck of the bag, paper clips and the like, but none have been successful, as air laden with moisture can enter the bag through the slightest openings, unless the bag is heat sealed or similarly closed. The following is a list of references known to the inventor:

U.S. Patent No. 3,036,506

U.S. Patent No. 3,141,221

U.S. Patent No. 3,266,711 U.S. Patent No. 3,629,916

U.S. Patent No. 4,296,529 The above patents show bag closures, but none of them show the specific structure of applicant's device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a resilient bag sealing device in which a male and a female member are engaged with each other with the neck portion of a resilient bag impinged between them. The structure of the device is such that it can be easily applied and removed, it is of unitary construction so that there are no separate parts to be lost or misplaced, it is capable of being washed and cleaned with no ill effects, and cheaply and easily manufactured by extrusion or other process such as molding. It is an object of the invention to provide a simple, inexpensive, temporary sealing means for plastic bags and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device as described which is easily applied and removed. A still further object of the invention is to provide a device as described which is integrally formed and comprises male and female members. A still further object is to provide a device as described with a protruding tab on the end of either the male or female member to facilitate the opening of the device when unclamping a bag. Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the device in use on a bag.

Figure 2 is a top plan view, partly in section, showing the device in use on a bag.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device in open position. Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, showing the device in closed position.

Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 4 with the male and female members separated.

Figure 6 is a sectional view similar to Figure 4 of a modification of the device.

Figure 7 is a sectional view similar to Figure 5 of the modified form of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings in detail, numeral 10 represents the device as a whole, comprising a male member 12 and a female member 14, said members connected by a resilient integral hinge portion 28. The male member 12 comprises an elongated, substantially cylindrical portion 18 attached to a basically planar support member 20 by a web portion 22. The female member 14 comprises a cylindrical recess 24, corresponding in length to the length of the male member 12 and slightly larger in its interior diameter than the outside diameter of male portion 18 in order to allow sufficient space to accommodate the plastic bag or other container as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The cylindrical recess 24 is formed by the arcuate inner surfaces on resilient walls 30 and 32 on female member 14. The integral hinge portion 28, as best shown in Figure 3, is molded or extruded so as to be integral with the male and female members and form an overall unitary construction.

The entrance to the recess 24 is the female member 14 is through a passageway of reduced size, formed by walls 34 and 36, so that the inherent resiliency of the material from which the device is made will expand to allow the insertion of the male member carrying the plastic bag and then close to hold the two together until a positive pull on the male and female members separates them. A tab 38 on the male member facilitates the opening of the device when it is desired to unseal the impinged bag. This tab is arcuately formed so it also is used for hanging the device when not in use. An enlarged, flattened portion on the end of the female member 14, opposite the arcuate tab 38 on the male member 12, gives a gripping surface for assisting in separating the male and female members when they are clamping a bag therebetween.

A modified version of the device is shown in Figures 6 and 7, the resilient male portion 40 engaging the resilient female portion 42, protrusions 44 on the female portion engaging recesses 46 in said male portion.

In use, the neck or mouth portion of a plastic, foil or other resilient bag 26 that has been opened and a portion of its contents removed, is placed in position between the movable arms 12 and 14 so that upon movement of said arms together, the neck of the bag will be impinged therebetween, and upon further movement of said arms into their locked position as shown in Figure 2, the neck of said bag will assume a tortuous configuration and be tightly sealed as the male and female members lock together.

When desirous of opening the device to free the bag and allow access to the contents of same, the male member 12 is pulled away from the female member 14 by means of tab 38 on said male member, thus forcing the resilient walls 30 and 32 on the female member apart and allowing the neck of the bag to be freed. A modification of the device is shown in Figures 6 and 7, the male member 40 being inserted into female member 42, and held in locked position by engagement of protrusions 44 with recesses 46. As with the first embodiment, the members all are formed of resilient material so that unlocking and opening of the device is facilitated.

It is contemplated that the male and female members may be formed in various suitable mating shapes to perform the desired sealing and releasing functions. It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be apparent from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

Claims

Claims : 1. A device for clamping and sealing resilient bags, comprising elongated male and female members hinged together to form a unitary structure and adapted to clamp a portion of said bag between them.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the male and female members are composed of a resilient material.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which the male and female members are hinged together by a resilient material to form a unitary structure.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 in which one of said members has a hook formed thereon.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the male and female members each comprise an elongated member having two ends and an intermediate middle portion, a hinge connecting one end of said male member to a corresponding end of said female member and a combined tab and hook member forme on the end of one of said male and female members remote from the hinged end.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 in which said male and female members are substantially circular in cross section.

7. A device as set forth in claim 5 in which said male member is substantially V-shaped in cross section and said female member is in the shape of a mating V notch.

8. A device as set forth in claim 7 in which said male member has indented areas thereon and said female member has mating protrusions thereon for engagement with said indented areas on said male member.

9. A device as set forth in claim 7 in which said female member has indented areas thereon and said male member has mating protrusions thereon for engagement with said indented areas on said female member.

10. A device as set forth in claim 5 in which a flattened gripping portion is formed on the other of said ends opposite the end having the combined tab and hook member thereon.