Small Bag Funnel

Abstract

This apparatus is a funnel, which is used to assist in the transfer of solid foods, sauces, snacks, cereals, and craft items-such as beads, etc. into receptacles, particularly, small, sandwich type storage bags, larger food-freezer type storage bags, paper bags, etc. The funnel is comprised of a circular wide mouth opening at one end and tapers to a slightly smaller opening at the other end. It may be manufactured in various sizes, designed to accommodate different bag sizes. Once inserted into the bag, it will provide support to the bag and prevent the bag from collapsing upon the filling of the Small Bag Funnel. Also incorporated into the side of the Small Bag Funnel are the optional measuring indicators which can represent various measured quantities, such as portions of a cup, pint, gallon, etc., depending on the size of the funnel.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

141/331 Funnel Type

Filling apparatus which comprises a funnel, i.e., a fluid supporting and guiding means, gravity discharged, which generally speaking has an inlet opening of greater extent than its outlet opening, with or without additional flow controlling means.

This invention relates to funnels, and more particularly to funnels which can be used to transfer various food items, and craft items into various types of bags. This invention would support the bag, allowing for hands free, sanitary, and measurable filling.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

The use of funnels for the transferring of food or liquid, especially, when working in the kitchen, is well known. Most funnels are not intended or designed for the transferring of food, sauces, candy, or craft items into bags. Bags, generally are not self-supporting, and therefore are unable to remain upright. When attempting to transfer most items mentioned above, the typical, common funnels will be impractical and ineffective, due to the small diameter at the bottom of the funnel, which is not practical or efficient in the transfer of some food items into bags.

Other disadvantages of researched, patented funnels and filler-transfer aids are that they will disperse, the transfer of some food items or other materials into the bag upon the filling of the funnel or the filler-transfer aid, not having the ability to contain the material for the purpose of measuring. Generally, most funnels are not designed to support the bag, they must be, held over the bag, with the bag being supported in some manner, or the funnel along with the bag must be held up together, with one hand. Most funnels will not support the bag in an upright position, allowing you to have your hands free, for the process of filling the bag.

I have found through my research of related classifications that those, patented funnels and various filler-transfer apparatuses, which do support a bag, are complicated, inefficient, cumbersome, lacking simplicity in design and practical material composition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To conveniently and efficiently assist one in the task of filling plastic bags, such as sandwich bags, food storage bags, or any other type of small bags, with various food items, such as breadcrumbs, stuffing, trail mix, cereal, nuts, sauces, candy, etc. as well as craft items, such as beads etc. The Small Bag Funnel is inserted into the bag, the smaller diameter end goes into the bag first, once inserted into the bag, this lends structural support to the bag, allowing the bag and Small Bag Funnel to remain upright, if on a flat surface, such as a table or counter, without any additional support, and allow for filling. Upon filling the Small Bag Funnel, with the desired contents, and to the satisfactory level, one merely pulls the Small Bag Funnel out of the bag, allowing the added contents to disperse from the Small Bag Funnel and remain in the bag.

The embodiment of this device is by Injection Molding, using a choice of Polypropylene, High Density Polyethylene, or Polystyrene.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1 A perspective view of the Small Bag Funnel.

FIG. 2 The view above is looking from the top of the Small Bag Funnel. You see right through the Small Bag Funnel due to the fact that both ends are open. The white area between the two circles represents the inside wall of the tapered Small Bag Funnel.

FIG. 3 Drawing of Small Bag Funnel as it would appear when inserted into a plastic bag.

FIG. 4 Side view (all side views are the same)

FIG. 5 The Small Bag Funnel Illustrated as an example, with the optional, Measuring Indicators.

Identification of the single component of this patent application shown in the figures below. Assigned is a reference numeral and a descriptive title next to the reference numeral for the component.

Reference Numeral Name of Part
1                 The Small Bag Funnel
                  (The single component of this invention)
                  An open container that is Plastic
                  Has larger diameter opening at one end, and
                  tapers down to a smaller diameter opening
                  at the other end
2                 Bag (for illustration)
3                 The Small Bag Funnel Illustrated as an
                  example, with optional Measuring
                  Indicators, these indicators will vary
                  depending on the size of the Small Bag
                  Funnel, and the desired increments of
                  measure.

Claims

1. A device designed to assist one in the transfer of various food items or craft items, such as beads, into receptacles, particularly, sandwich type storage bags and larger food-freezer type storage bags.

The said device as set forth in claim 1 wherein when inserted into a bag, the “said” device is able to maintain the bag in an open configuration, upright, and stable, and independent of additional support, freeing ones hands to be used in the transfer of the intended contents to be transferred into the “said” device and ultimately the bag

The “said” device as set forth in claim 1 wherein upon insertion into the bag forms a cavity in the interior of the bag and the intended contents can readily be inserted into the “said” device and wherein, once the desired quantity is inserted into the “said” device, the “said” device is removed from the bag, allowing the intended contents to remain in the bag