Net clip and clipper

Abstract

A clip for enclosing bags and tubes, including bags and tubes made of mesh netting, is described. The clip has a top section and two legs extending from opposite ends of the top section. There is an indentation in the top section and a pin projecting from the top section into the space formed by the top section and the legs of the clip. Closing the clip causes the pin to project into the annular space formed by the top section and the collapsed legs. A clipper has a guide rail with a protrusion corresponding to the indentation and a rail with a notch corresponding to the pin, to provide better control movement of the clip within the clipper.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of packaging material in nets. More particularly, the invention relates to the field of packaging edible food products, such as hams, poultry, sausages, and cheeses, in nets. More particularly, this invention relates to the field of packaging material in tubular netting and closing the ends of the netting with a clip.

Various materials are commonly packaged in netting, including edible food products. Some items such as fruit and potatoes are packaged in nets in order to sell the items in lots, such as by the dozen or by weight. These types of items are often placed in bag-type nets, the top of the bag is gathered, and a clip is applied to close the bag. A label may also be placed at the neck of the gathered bag to be clipped to the bag, with identifying information such as the provenance, weight, lot number, or expiration date of the items. Often this or other information is contained in a bar code on the label. Please note that these types of items are also packaged in other types of mesh-style bags or in plastic bags, which are still clipped closed as with bags made of netting.

Larger items such as hams, whole poultry, sausages, and cheeses, are packaged in netting for ease of handling and for further processing. For example, hams and turkeys are often encased in tubular netting. One end of the tube is closed with a clip, the item is placed within the netting, the netting is gathered tightly around the item, a clip is applied to enclose the item within the netting, and the netting is severed. Often, a loop is formed in the netting to create a handle on the package, to ease handling of the items, which may be heavy, and to allow consumers to lift the items without actually touching the items. As with bag-type netting, as described above, a label may be attached to one of the clips to provide identifying information.

In some situations, items are packaged in netting in order to enhance the appearance of the items after processing. For example, sausages, hams, and cheeses are often encased in tubular netting, as described above, prior to processing. During processing, such as in a smokehouse, the item expands within the netting and pushes through the mesh of the netting. After processing, the netting is removed and discarded. The item retains a dimpled appearance that is considered pleasing to consumers.

In all situations described above, the netting must be closed. Clips are usually used to close the netting. It is important that the clip keep the netting closed. If a consumer picked up a large item such as a turkey and the netting slipped within the clip, an injury could result, either from the turkey falling out one end of the netting or by the handle pulling tightly about the consumer's fingers. During smoking of hams or sausages, if the netting did not hold tight about the item, the item would not expand through the mesh of the net and would not obtain the dimpled appearance that is considered desirable. Prior art methods to prevent slippage of netting through a clip have not been totally satisfactory. Accordingly, there is a long-felt need, especially within the food packaging industry, for a clip that will securely close netting and prevent slippage of the netting through the clip.

Clips are usually made of metal and have an upside-down U shape, just like a common office staple. A prior-art clip is described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,306 to Hanten et al., Sealing Clip for Bags and Tubes and Matrix for Sealing the Latter. An exemplary prior art clip is illustrated in FIG. 1. The clip 20 consists of a top section 22 joining two legs 24, 26 together. Please note that various configurations of clips exist. The clip 20 shown in FIG. 1 is round-shouldered, but square-shouldered and other configurations exist.

A plurality of clips 20A, 20B, 20C, etc., are joined together as illustrated in FIG. 2 to form a cartridge 30. The clips 20 are held together by a variety of ways, such as glue, tape, plastic guides, or other means, none of which are within the purview of the present invention. The cartridge 30 is inserted in a clipper 32 and moves along a rail 34. Additionally, a guide rail 36 on top of the cartridge 30 holds the clips 20 to the rail 34. FIG. 3 illustrates a clip 20 held in place on a rail 34 and a guide rail 36, as known in the prior art. It is important to maintain the clips 20 on the rail 34. The first clip 20A of a cartridge 30, consisting of clips 20A, 20B, 20C, etc., must be precisely located over a die and under a punch in order to securely fasten the neck of the netting. Maintaining registry of the clips on the rail within the clipper is important to precise control of the clipper. Maintaining fast movement of the clips 20 along the rail 34 is also important, especially for high-speed automated manufacturing processes. Accordingly, maintaining registry of the clips and keeping the cartridge moving has been a problem for clipper manufacturers.

To package items as described above, whether in bag-type nets or in tubular netting, the netting is gathered into a neck that will fit within the space 36 defined by the legs 24, 26 and the inside face 38 of the top section 22. A punch presses down on the top section 22, forcing the legs 24, 26 into a die which folds the legs 24, 26 inwardly, thereby compressing the formerly open space 36 into compressed space 42 and fastening the neck. A compressed clip 40 is shown in FIG. 4, having legs 24, 26 folded inward.

If enough force is applied to the netting, it will pull through the now-compressed space 42, with undesirable results. One prior art solution to prevent this occurrence is to have the legs 24, 26 fold next to each other, as illustrated in, for example, FIGS. 6b and 8b of the '306 patent cited above. Another technique is to apply a cross-hatch surface pattern to the inside face 38, to increase the friction between the clip 20 and the netting. Neither of these techniques has proven completely satisfactory to ensure adequate fastening of the clip 20 about the neck to keep the item tightly bound within the netting. Additionally, the application of cross-hatching requires another step in the manufacturing process, thereby increasing the cost of the clips, and the increased friction created by the cross-hatching causes difficulties in travel of the clips along the rail of a clipper. Accordingly, there has been a failure by others to solve the problem described above and the long-felt need for a solution still exists.

Accordingly, a need exists for an easily-manufactured clip that will securely fasten a neck of netting and prevent the netting from being pulled through the clip. A need also exists for an easily-manufactured clip that will maintain registry on the rail of a clipper and can be moved at high speed along the rail of a clipper. The present invention meets these needs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a clip that securely closes a neck of a gathered bag or netting. It is a further object of the present invention to present a clip that easily maintains registry on the rail of a clipper.

Briefly, and in accordance with the foregoing, the present invention discloses a clip having a pin protruding within the space defined by the top and legs of the clip, and a corresponding indentation on the outside of the top of the clip. The punch of the clipper has a surface corresponding to the indentation on the top of the clip. When the punch closes the clip, the pin engages the netting and prevents pulling the netting out of the clip. The pin and indentation are formed in the clip during manufacture. The rail of the clipper and the guide rail of the clipper have shapes corresponding to the indentation and pin in the clip. Accordingly, a cartridge of clips of the present invention is constrained to ride on the rail, thereby achieving better control of the clips.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The organization and manner of the structure and operation of the invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify like elements in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an open clip as known in the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cartridge of clips as known in the prior art.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a clip held on a rail by a guide rail of a clipper, as is known in the prior art.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a closed clip as known in the prior art.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a clip of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a clip of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a clip of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, held on a rail by a guide rail of a clipper.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a clipper punch poised over a clip of the preferred embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a closed clip of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, a specific embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated and described herein.

The clip 102 of the present invention, preferably made of a malleable metal, is shown in cross section in FIG. 5. The clip 102 has a top section 104 with an internal face 106 and an external face 108. As illustrated in FIG. 5, top section 104 generally rounded, but it can be straight and can have sharp corners if desired. Two legs 110, 112 extend from opposite ends of top section 104. Accordingly, legs 110, 112 and top section 104 define a space 118 within clip 102.

The top section 104 has an indentation 114, as shown in cross section in FIG. 5 and in plan view in FIG. 6. The indentation 114 is provided at generally the midpoint of top section 104, between legs 110, 112, and is preferably V-shaped in cross section. The position of indentation 114 between legs 110, 112 can be closer to one leg or to another, however. Furthermore, while a V-shaped indentation 114 is preferable, as it is easier to manufacture, other shapes can be used, such as hemispherical or hemi-oval, or rectangular, square, or any higher-order polygon.

Pin 116 protrudes from the internal face 106 of top section 104, into space 118. Pin 116 preferably corresponds in orientation and shape to indentation 114. Accordingly, pin 116 is preferably located at generally the midpoint of top section 104, between legs 110, 112, and is V-shaped. The position of pin 116 between legs 110, 112 can be closer to one leg or to another, however, and need not be directly below indentation 114. Furthermore, while a V-shaped pin 116 is preferable, as it is easier to machine, other shapes can be used, such as hemispherical or hemi-oval, or rectangular, square, or any higher-order polygon.

Preferably, both indentation 114 and pin 116 are formed during manufacture by placing clip 20 over an anvil having a groove corresponding to pin 116, and pounding on external face 108 with a hammer having an extrusion corresponding to indentation 114. The hammer will then form indentation 114 in external face 108 and the pressure of hammer will force the metal of clip 102 into the groove of the anvil, forming pin 116. Other methods of creating indentation 114 and pin 116 will suffice, such as forging techniques, injection molding, or casting, depending on the material of the clip 102, which can be metal, plastic, or other.

A plurality of clips 102 are joined together to form a cartridge 120 of clips 102. Suitable means to join clips 102 to form cartridge 120 include glue or tape. The rail 122 of the clipper 124, however, has a notch 126, as shown in FIG. 7, corresponding in location, orientation, and shape to pin 116. Accordingly, notch 126 is preferably V-shaped and located in the middle of rail 122. If a different position is used for notch 126, then a corresponding position should be used for pin 116. The shape of pin 116 does not have to exactly match the shape of notch 126, however, so long as pin 116 fits within notch 126.

Similarly, the guide rail 128 of the clipper 124 has a corresponding protrusion 130. Accordingly, as clip 102 rides on rail 122, and is held in place on rail 122 by guide rail 128, pin 116 fits in notch 126 and protrusion 130 fits into indentation 114. More precise control of clip 102 is thereby achieved, as clip 102 is constrained from lateral movement.

The clipper 124 of the present invention has a punch 200 having a shape that corresponds to the top surface 108 of the clip 102. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 8, punch 200 has a punch pin 202 that preferably corresponds in shape and position to indentation 114.

When punch 200 closes clip 102 over mesh netting (not shown), as shown in cross-section in FIG. 9, clip 102 creates annular space 132, by virtue of legs 110, 112 being folded against each other to form a closed loop. Pin 116, however, projects into annular space 132. Should a great amount of force be applied to the netting captured within annular space 132 (such as a consumer picking up a whole, frozen turkey by a handle formed in the netting), pin 116 will hook at least one mesh of the netting, thereby vastly decreasing the likelihood that the netting can be pulled out of annular space 132. The netting is therefore fastened much more securely.

Please note that the clip 102 of the present invention will work equally well with solid bags or tubular casings. For example, material can be encased in a solid plastic bag, and the neck of the bag can be gathered and then clipped. Pin 116, projecting into annular space 131, will prevent the plastic from slipping through annular space 131 and releasing the contents of the bag.

Please note that the prior art, while failing to solve the problems described above, has taught away from the solution claimed by the present invention. For example, the '306 patent cited above specifically teaches obtaining a circular shape of the closed clip. As can be seen in FIGS. 6a and 8a of that patent, the cross section of the aperture formed by the closed clip is circular in cross section and nothing protrudes into that circle. The present invention, accordingly, presents advantages over the prior art that are not suggested by the prior art.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sealing clip for bags or tubes, comprised of:

a top section having an internal face and an external face;

two legs connected by said top section, said two legs and said top section defining a space;

a pin projecting from said internal face into said space.

2. The sealing clip of claim 1, further comprising an indentation in said external face.

3. The sealing clip of claim 2, wherein said pin is V-shaped.

4. The sealing clip of claim 2, wherein said pin has a point.

5. The sealing clip of claim 1, wherein said pin is V-shaped.

6. The sealing clip of claim 1, wherein said pin has a point.

7. A combination of a clipper and a sealing clips for bags or tubes, comprising:

a plurality of clips, wherein each of said clips comprises a top section having an internal face and an external face, and two legs connected by said top section, said two legs and said top section defining a space, and a pin projecting from said internal face into said space; and

a clipper comprising a rail having a groove to receive said pin.

8. The combination of claim 7, further comprising an indentation in said external face.

9. The sealing clip of claim 8, wherein said pin is V-shaped.

10. The sealing clip of claim 8, wherein said pin has a point.

11. The sealing clip of claim 7, wherein said pin is V-shaped.

12. The sealing clip of claim 7, wherein said pin has a point.

13. The combination of claim 7, wherein each of said clips further comprise an indentation in said external face and said clipper further comprises a guide rail having a protrusion projecting into said indentation.

14. The combination of claim 13, wherein said pin is V-shaped.

15. The combination of claim 13, wherein said pin has a point.

16. The sealing clip of claim 13, wherein said indentation is V-shaped.

17. The sealing clip of claim 13, wherein said indentation is pointed.